The Weekly Wrap: May 10, 2026

Recently, I read a Culture Study newsletter where an interviewee was asked, "If you could follow only one Instagram account forever, what would it be?"

I found that idea intriguing, so I went through my feed to determine who I would pick. At the start of this process, I followed 84 accounts. Narrowing down the list was not that hard.

The first thing I did was discard the people I know in real life. (This is the bulk of my follows.) I adore their posts, but I can also get the same updates (probably more) in the group chat.

Next, I discarded any accounts I follow strictly for local updates. Again, I have different ways of getting this information. I also tossed out the libraries I follow. Love what they showcase, but those accounts are  too "work" focused for me.

Then, I looked at what was left and tossed out anything I follow "just for fun." These are the accounts that bring me joy but do not add a richness to my life. It was a surprising amount of web comics and comedy.

This left about about four accounts for me to seriously consider. In the end, my pick came down to the fact that this account posts a mix of content, brings me joy, provides some intellectual stimulation, is aesthetically pleasing, and shares something I can't get in other ways.

In the end, Ainsley du Rose came out on top. She lives in Paris (my favorite city) and chronicles her work as a home pastry chef. She provides walking tours of the city (and travel content whenever she leaves town). Ainsley also showcases small businesses, some fashion and design, her dog, and local events. It's the mix of the food, travel, style, and cute dog that won me over.

Another upside of this thought exercise was that I ended up clearing out my follows. 

---

• What happens when we can't trust anything any more? [Men Yell at Me]
• The internet of things is a hackers dream. [WaPo - gift link]
• The complicated history of entertainment in baseball. [The Atlantic - gift link]
• The people who told the Artemis II's story on social. [Link In Bio]

• How dementia impacts finances. [The Indicator]
• The enshittification of life and the right to repair go hand in hand. [99% Invisible]
• Kids and astronauts are the best mix. [The Daily]
• Who knew beets and the abolition movement were connected? [Gastropod]

• Channing Tatum has a lot more depth to his acting than most people give him credit for. He leads Roofman with a vulnerability you can feel through the screen. His well-known charm is there, but he brings empathy to this character. Also, I would go stir crazy if I had to hide out in a small cubby like that for months. [Amazon Prime]
• 2:22 started strong and just faded into something dull. The film has great production values but falls flat in the acting and forced script. There was such promise at the start! The film really built up its lead's ability to see patterns, but then it all devolves into a convoluted mess. And it was boring! It was just so slowly done. [Amazon Prime]

• At the store this week, I spotted Old Bay Goldfish on an aisle display. I've been meaning to try these. To me, they have enough Old Bay to bring the flavor but not enough to burn out your tongue. But one serving is plenty. The husband was not a fan. [Pepperidge Farm]
• The husband made cheesy polenta bowls with kielbasa and peppers. I enjoy this one because it's one of those hearty dishes where all of the flavors meld really well together. This is best eaten the night you make it. The polenta does not reheat all that well. [What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking]
• I was shocked when the kiddo took a bite of shrimp and white beans with spinach and feta and declared it, "Yummy!" Normally anything with "extra" flavors, like the balsamic in this dish, gets a thumbs down. She did reject the feta. This is a lighter dinner, but the beans do help to bulk things up. [Skinny Taste]
• For my lunch meal prep, I stirred up this chickpea salad lunch box. I made the chickpea portion and had it with water crackers. I stretched this across four meals which was one meal too far. The portion size was a bit too small. If I had used two cans of chickpeas, it would have been perfect. Great flavor though! [Eating Well]