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Episode 42 is a just-us episode — and honestly? Those are some of our favorites. Road trips, boutique hotels, anniversary adventures, Record Store Day, and Taylor Swift's "Elizabeth Taylor." Also Easy Cheese. There's a whole Easy Cheese moment. Just go with it.

🎲 This or That: Travel & Adventure Edition

Travel and adventure themed this week — and the conversations went exactly where you'd expect (and several places you wouldn't).

🚗 Road Trip Rituals & The Magic of Going Somewhere

Jen has been on the road two weekends in a row — Oklahoma City and then Kansas City for her and Tim's second anniversary. There's something about being in a car, she said, that makes everything feel more honest.

Rachel also reminded us all of the legendary Unwritten rain window moment from the girls' trip to see Hannah. If you know, you know. 🌧️

🍺 Brewery Hopping as a Love Language
A thing Jen forgot to mention during road trip rituals — and then immediately remembered:

Tim and I always, always stop at breweries on our road trips. If it's a lunch stop, it's a brewery with food. If it's a bathroom stop, we're finding a brewery on the way.

🏨 The Aida Hotel, Kansas City — A Full Gush

Jen booked a one-bedroom suite at the Aida Hotel in Kansas City's arts district (just around the corner from the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, home of the famous giant shuttlecocks — more on that in a moment).

The Aida also has a sister hotel called the Truitt. Both are highly, highly Jen-approved.

🏸 The Shuttlecock Situation (It's Fine, It's Fine)

So. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is famous for its giant badminton shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn.

Jen mentioned them. Rachel did not know that shuttlecock was the actual name for the birdie in badminton. A brief but enthusiastic vocabulary lesson followed. Several things were said that cannot be unsaid.

🎶 Hits Different: "Elizabeth Taylor" — Taylor Swift

This week's song: "Elizabeth Taylor" from Taylor Swift's Life of a Showgirl album, chosen by Jen in honor of the Record Store Day release.

💿 Record Store Day Victory

Mills Records in Kansas City is known for over-ordering Taylor Swift releases on Record Store Day. Jen has now successfully scored two vinyl records there:

• Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (several years ago)
• Elizabeth Taylor — the special Record Store Day single (this weekend ✅)

📣 Before You Go

• Got a Taylor Swift song you want Rachel to react to? Send it our way 🎶
• Thinking about Kansas City? The Aida Hotel. You're welcome.
• Want to be a guest on the pod? We're always open — reach out!
• Merch is live — Uncorked and Slightly Unhinged & Messy is My Polished (10% of profits go to Ballet Wichita 🩰)

And as always...

🏸 Shuttlecocks are real and they are hilarious

🥂 Cheers to the chaos

💖 And we'll see you next time

So THIS happened.

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