Read or Watch: Kyla Scanlon or @kylascan. The 28-year-old economic commentator breaks down complex financial problems in a regular Substack and Instagram. I first encountered her in this Wall Street Journal article last year, and have been hooked ever since. – Lizzy
Attend: A New York City rat walk. Led by Kathleen Corradi, the city’s famed rat czar. Learn about how to mitigate rat populations and bask in Corradi’s knowledge of and reverence to our rodent shadows. – Riley
Watch: “The Waterfront,” a new series on Netflix. If you were an “Ozark” fan, you’ll feel right at home on the shores of North Carolina as the Buckley family navigates treacherous waters moving narcotics for a cartel. While not as epic as “Ozark” in its storytelling, it's certainly a nailbiter over eight fast-paced episodes and a good diversion for the dog days of summer. – Tony
Watch: Laura Loves New York (aka Laura Daniel), a TikToker who explores NYC with one of the most positive attitudes I’ve ever seen from a New Yorker, she even has a theme song that will get stuck in your head. She can take the most boring things (like the JFK airport) and make it whimsical and fun. I have been obsessed with Laura all summer, ever since she first appeared on my For You Page and have manifested meeting her. As a proud follower (one of almost 7,000), I strongly recommend checking her out, she’ll make your day! – Hannah
Play: Codenames is a fun party game where players try to guess secret words on a grid, steered by one-word clues from their “spymaster.” The twist? Avoid the rival team’s words and the sneaky assassin. It’s a blend of deduction and wordplay, making every clue count. Much like New York Times Connections, you’ll hunt for hidden links between words, leading to those “aha!” moments along the way. – Natalie