The Sunday Digest 171

"I think we're riding on our last legs like a dark horse down the stretch."

Feb 22, 2026

Welcome to The Sunday Digest — a free Sunday newsletter featuring long (and some short) reads, original columns, things I’ve saved over the last week, relaxing playlists, episodes releases, exclusive product drops, and more. Yes, you can reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you.

Sunday Read: How 39 People in San Francisco Cure Their Hangovers

by Sunday Scaries Readers for Sunday Scaries

The first time I heard the phrase “Sunday Scaries” was while living in San Francisco in 2010. While sitting hungover on my couch after a night at my favorite pub, the now-permanently closed Fiddler’s Green, I simply needed no explanation for what the phrase meant. I already felt it.

There were several other bars that led to my first-ever Scary Sundays as well: Horseshoe Tavern, Balboa Cafe, The Tipsy Pig, Sully’s Marina Lounge, CC’s, among others.

My cure? I’d pick myself up, leave my apartment, and walk directly toward the base of the Golden Gate to watch the surfers. Being more broke than I can explain at the time, I’d eventually head to The Grove for a fresh salad or a decadent bowl of French Onion soup. The $14 soup was always the most expensive meal of the week for me, so it was one that I knew I had to save for when I was in need.

While a lot of my old haunts have shut down or moved, here are a bunch of reader responses that may help if you ever find yourself struggling in San Francisco.

Read Here

The Sunday Haiku

Blissful, but then not

because the home stretch is here,

4 p.m. Sunday.

New Episode › Retail Therapy 144: Listener Questions

This week, we decided to tackle a range of listener questions including (but not limited to) when to save versus splurge, buying for longevity, all-inclusive resorts, cocktail of the summer guesses, ideal signature cocktails at weddings, our perfect weekends in different phases of our lives, living anywhere but our home state, wearing a dark blue suit to a black tie wedding, fashion turn-offs, garment care tips, some golf apparel talk, and more.

Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and anywhere else podcasts are found. You can also follow Retail Therapy on Substack.