Five History Podcasts To Love

Look, I am not the same girl I was a decade ago. I have come to enjoy learning the names, dates, and facts of times past. Call me Winston Smith, but I have come to see history as the key to the present. And while I’m not quite up for reading a ton of history books just yet, I am looking up all the characters on The Gilded Age to see which ones are based on real people. And I am queuing up historical podcasts quite often these days. For me, humor helps to keep me interested, that or being on a topic I am already passionate about. These podcasts hit the mark, every time.

Ten (More) Magical Georgia Bookshops

I just cannot get enough! Bookshops are my happy place. Since publishing the first list of magical Georgia bookshops, I started a new position at Georgia CASA. Part of my role requires traveling all over the state. This has brought many new bookshops into my path, and I am so excited to share them with you. I hope you will enjoy adding these to your route!

ReadingRachelle WilsonFebruary 21, 2026books, bookstore, independent bookstore day, local, literary, literature, classic literature, Georgia, southern, Atlanta, Monroe, Macon, Carrollton, elijay, conyers, black-owned, woman-owned, st simons island, decatur, clayton, lagrange, mariettaComment

My Survival Kit for 12 Hours on a Train

I’ve traveled by train in Alaska, Morocco, and Spain many times over the years, but typically for trips under six hours at a time. So for this journey that was double the distance, I pulled from my past travel experiences (in all forms) to curate my survival kit.

TravelRachelle WilsonFebruary 8, 2026train, travel, traveling, alaska, spain, morocco, new orleans, amtrack, alaska rail, rail, journey, adventure, transportationComment

A Year of Wes Anderson Movies

Wes Anderson has reigned as my favorite filmmaker ever since. I was overjoyed to dive into his catalogue and discover gems like Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, and The Royal Tenenbaums. With the recent release of The Phoenician Scheme, he now has twelve feature films, precisely the number to fill each month with one of his masterpieces. I am delighted to share my calendar of Wes Anderson Movies, which will keep me company this year and beyond.

FilmRachelle WilsonJanuary 16, 2026wes anderson, calendar, year of film, movies, films, filmmakers, bottle rocket, the royal tenenbaums, rushmore, the darjeeling limited, the phoenician schemeComment

Wintery Whimsies

Darker and colder doesn’t have to mean boring. The earlier sunset provides opportunities to catch up on reading, revisit an old hobby, and binge-watch that series you’ve had queued up for a while. Here are the things that have captivated me this winter.

2025 In Books

My reading plan for 2025 was for my selections to prioritize classics. And though my reading goal for 2025 was smaller in number, it was greater in quality.

ReadingRachelle WilsonDecember 26, 2025books, reading, Joan didion, play it as it lays, beloved, toni morrison, happy city, transportation, Charles montgomery, the henna artist, alka joshi, strange fruit, Lillian smith, Georgia, southern writer, literature, classic literature, starship troopers, Robert A. Heinlein, sci fi, till we have faces, C.S. Lewis, christian, author, night circus, erin morgenstern, catch and kill, Ronan farrow, sense and sensibility, Jane Austen, transcendent kingdom, when you trap a tiger, tae keller, road dahl, the duke and I, Bridgerton, Julia quinn, persuasion, spark joy, marie kondo, broke millennial, erin lowry, we share the same sky, Rachael cerrotti, the likability trap, Alicia mendendez, the catcher in the rye, j.d. salinger, Anna karenina, Leo tolstoy, tolstoy, russian lit, classics, demon copperhead, Barbara kingsolver, hillbilly elegy, jd vance, Appalachian, dickens, David copperfield, middlemarch, George elliot, huckleberry finn, mark twain, year of yes, Shonda rhimes, midnight library, matt haig, Alice's adventures in wonderland, lewis carroll, white noise, don delillo, moon witch spider king, marlon james, dark star triology, the woman in cabin 10, ruth ware, one hundred years of solitude, gabriel garcia marquez, fahrenheit 451, ray bradbury, imago, octavia butler, my year of rest and relaxation, ottessa moshfegh, les mis, victor hugo, les miserablesComment

Last Minute Atlanta Gift Guide

Gifts can be tricky. You want to offer something that is useful, thoughtful, desirable, unique, and personal. But year after year, it can be difficult to capture all that is in your heart to share in one item for each person on your list. This quick list is one that includes actual items I have gifted (or am gifting this year) that are at or under $50. I am including the price and where to find it in Atlanta.

Three Ways to Begin Lifestyle Volunteerism

Lifestyle volunteerism is exactly what it sounds like, weaving volunteerism into the fabric of your life. Many people who inspire me already do this. I can see how this practice cultivates long-term impact in our community, in individual lives, and in the lives of those serving. This is exactly what I am looking for.

Community, Place MakingRachelle WilsonDecember 2, 2025food bank, community, community service, volunteerism, volunteering, CASA volunteer, service project, sustainable volunteering, big brothers big sisters, make a wish, red cross, lifeline, foster care, Appalachian trail conservancy, animal shelterComment

Siren Sounds of 2025

Curating this playlist throughout the year brings me such joy. It gives me an excuse to seek out the new or obscure vocalists and musicians out there working to create the tunes that fill our lives. Music enriches my life every day and I love bringing this selection to you. Enjoy!

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