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What the ‘225 Dine’ team is browsing, watching and more this week

September is almost over, and it still doesn’t feel like fall yet. Instead, the summer heat and rainy days continue and the desire to chill out indoors is strong. You might be in need of some good podcasts, books, TV shows or new music to get you through these still-warm days.

Read on for what the 225 Dine team is into right now.


For some colorful and casual dinnerware finds

Xenia Taler’s collection of bamboo plates

“I recently moved into a new place, which means plenty of evenings of close friends and family stopping by to check it out and have a quick dinner or backyard barbecue. The act of entertaining for the first time in forever reminded me that the plates I have are either fancy and heavy or the usual throwaway paper variety. Then I discovered the bamboo plates by Toronto shop Xenia Taler, and I may be getting a little obsessed. They are dishwasher safe, lightweight and come in a variety of cool designs and colors that’ll help you keep the bright summer vibes going into the fall.”

—Benjamin Leger, managing editor

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Patio days 🌞

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For a true crime binge that’s also close to home

‘Murder in the Bayou’ from Showtime

“I had heard of the ‘Jeff Davis 8’ before, but never truly delved into its mysteries until now. This five-part docuseries came out in late 2019 and is based on the 2016 book of the same name. It focuses on the town of Jennings, just two hours west of Baton Rouge. Between 2005 and 2009, eight young women were killed—their bodies discovered in ditches and even on the side of I-10. The local sheriff said their ‘high risk lifestyles’ as sex workers were a factor in their deaths, which seemed to foreshadow how authorities would shrug off what at first was deemed a search for a serial killer. The series of course goes deeper, uncovering layers of police corruption and small-town connections. It’s fascinating in how honestly the victims’ families speak of their own struggles on the ‘south side’ of Jennings. And even more fascinating because civil rights groups are still demanding action and federal investigations today.”

—Benjamin Leger, managing editor


For a dark comedy thriller

‘Kiling Eve’ on Hulu

“We binged Fleabag earlier this month (I know, we’re latecomers) and fell head-over-heels for Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s writing. So we immediately plunged into another show she wrote: Killing Eve. Totally different show, equally brilliant characters. The series chronicles special agent Eve (Sandra Oh)’s high-stakes investigation of Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a female assassin. Villanelle is ruthless and showy, and never afraid to take her kills off script. I often have to cover my eyes as soon as she wields her murder weapon. But the one person who seems to make her vulnerable is Eve. And even though I’m terrified for Eve every time the two end up in the same room, Eve herself is more fascinated than scared by the killer. We’ve already flown halfway through season two. I’m nervous about who Villanelle will go after next—but I can’t stop watching.”

—Jennifer Tormo, editor


For some Louisiana-curated vintage

The Lam Label

“I am obsessed with following vintage home-decor boutiques and curators on Instagram, but most of them are either in New York, Los Angeles or Canada. That’s not helpful if you’re desperately coveting a furniture find or a fragile item that would be difficult to ship. So I was thrilled to stumble upon The Lam Label, a Lake Charles-based collector of vintage ceramics and accents. The shop gravitates toward pieces shaped like the female form and hands, and its finds are too good. You might want to turn on notifications for this one.”

—Jennifer Tormo, editor

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Baby Blue Frosted Hand Lamp! 👋🏾💙 SOLD

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