Now Playing: November 2025

Our November 2025 edition of Now Playing features reality cooking shows, rotating stacks of books, and curated playlists, all from our contributors!

Chloe Alberta

Right now my partner and I are watching MasterChef Australia: Back to Win! It's a perfect show. Everyone is rooting for each other and opening jars for each other, everyone is so unbelievably creative. I never imagined I could be so invested in the cook on a slab of wagyu (I haven't eaten meat since I was thirteen). I moved to New Zealand a few months ago, so I'm occasionally homesick, and I'll admit, watching the contestants use ingredients and techniques to connect to their homes and their families sometimes clogs the old tear ducts. It has inspired me to try to cook more, and that makes me cry, too; I'm very bad at it.        

Stephanie Isan

I'm currently reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt, though I tend to keep a rotating stack of books on my bedside table. I've been reading a lot of poetry lately -- An Authentic Life by Jennifer Chang, Obit by Victoria Chang, Diary of Small Discontents by John Yau, etc. My favorite book that I've read this past year though, one that I can't shut up about and have been recommending to anyone who has an ear, has been White Ivy by Susie Yang. Absolute love. I will read anything she writes next.

And I wouldn't typically bring this up, but I also just finished beating Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. OMG. I wasn't sold at first because of the weird name and I don't usually play turn-based RPGs, but this was an absolute banger of a game with a killer soundtrack to match. This game somehow brought me the same wonderment and joy as I did when I was in sixth grade, secretly playing Ocarina of Time on a CRT before my mom got home from work. 11/10 would recommend wasting 40+ hours of your life on.  

Stella Wong

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6RfjpXtPu6b5wALVemStzF Playlist for new book Stem