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Description

In the very first episode of Add to Cart, Kulap shares her newest book purchase, her recent Christmas splurge (dogs are involved), and why she’s giving up on her home modeling career. Meanwhile, SuChin is investigating how to improve her hand strength and reveals the one beauty product she actually believes isn’t a scam. The two delve into why creature comforts feel so important right now and how to best address the Amazon in the room.

For product links and good times, follow @addtocartpod on Instagram.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak

SuChin Pak  00:09

Hey everyone, welcome to the very first episode of ADD TO CART.

Kulap Vilaysack 

A podcast about everything we buy and buy into

SuChin Pak  

And what it says about who we are.

Kulap Vilaysack  

I am cool up Kulap Vilaysack. You may remember me as the Benihana waitress that Michael Scott Marks from THE OFFICE. I also created the show BAJILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIE$ and directed the documentary ORIGIN STORY.

SuChin Pak  

I’m SuChin Pak and you may remember me from MTV, I’m a journalist, a producer and we are your hosts, and your new best friends or at least your new cookie auntie’s. Every week, we’re going to share the products and ideas we are into.

Kulap Vilaysack  

ADD TO CART.

SuChin Pak  

And what we aren’t into.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Remove from cart. 

SuChin Pak  

And everything in between. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

We’ll have future categories like open carts across the internet, does this make me look weird? 

SuChin Pak 

And listen to recommendations. We send our weekly items to our producer Claire, separately. So we don’t know what the other person will be talking about until we record.

Kulap Vilaysack 

So get ready for some fresh in the moment reactions as we zoom share screen. Do you remember our life without Zoom? I don’t.

SuChin Pak 

Make sure to follow at @addtocartpod on Instagram for posts about all the products we talked about in each episode.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Okay, SuChin. I think it’s time.

SuChin Pak 

Let’s do it.

SuChin Pak 

So cool up. What did you add to cart this week?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Well, I want to tell you that I added this to cart September 20th. Just to give you perspective, September 20th is where I bought matching Mickey and Minnie Mouse Christmas Gingerbread Pajamas for myself, for Scott, and my two dogs. Also, they’re not just pajamas. They’re holiday body suits for adults, your thoughts?

SuChin Pak  

First of all, that sounds so hot. We live in California. I’m also very warm right now. So the Gingerbread footed pajamas for you and your partner. 

Kulap Vilaysack  02:14

And two dogs. 

SuChin Pak 

And two dogs sorry, your entire family. To take pictures and open presents and are doing holiday cards and or just because you thought it was hilarious.

Kulap Vilaysack  

It was less about being hilarious and more about coziness. And yeah, like opening presents having hot cocoa. I just really am wanting that feeling of the holidays right now. 

SuChin Pak  

Oh, yeah. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

And I’ve already scheduled for my Christmas lights to be installed November 12th. And my Christmas tree will be up soon thereafter.

SuChin Pak  

Oh, so you are rushing into the holidays like headfirst? I can’t get here fast enough like that.

Kulap Vilaysack  

I need it. I need it

SuChin Pak  

Because I can’t think of anything less I want to hurtle towards right now. Like what is it about the holidays like if you just want.

Kulap Vilaysack  

It’s my favorite time. And I’m really truly upset that I can do what I normally do, the gathering. I have a holiday party every year that cannot happen. 

SuChin Pak  

Exactly. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Like I’m just trying to salvage Christmas before it’s come. These are preventative. I’m trying to manage myself.

SuChin Pak  

So, I’m a really big holiday person. Like I love Christmas. But because this feels so different. I’ve sort of like sad like I don’t you know what I mean? But for you. It doesn’t bring you a little bitter sweetness like it brings you like I want to be there because things are not so cozy right now. Does that make sense? 

Kulap Vilaysack  

It does And make no mistake. I am very sad. But I am expressing it.

SuChin Pak  04:03

Masking? Expressing it. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

No, no, no, I really want to be clear that I’m sad. Very, very, sad.  And I think that this will help with my sadness. 

SuChin Pak  

Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Like it’ll make you feel better. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Yeah, that’s exactly right.

SuChin Pak  

Yeah. Like for me right now thinking about gathering just the few random, straggling family members that can visit very few, again, into my home because I see them all the time. And spending two weeks just with them again, in my home without taking a road trip somewhere or like we’ll rent a house in Palm Springs, there’s day trips and people are coming in and out. Now we’re all just going to be staring at each other and I just like, it just kills me. I don’t know what to do with my holiday feelings right now. So okay, but I love that you’re willing to have it be a very soothing time for you that it’s just going to somehow ease some of the sadness. Yes,

Kulap Vilaysack

Yes, that’s right. Preventative.

SuChin Pak  

I have to think I don’t have no idea what I’m going to do for the holidays. I don’t know.

Kulap Vilaysack  

SuChin, I’m gonna be honest with you. My second item is something that I know will get a reaction from you.

SuChin Pak  

Oh, no. Is it something that you put near your hoo ha, your vaginal opening?

Kulap Vilaysack  

I could. Well, that’s true but everything though.

SuChin Pak  

The suspense is killing me. Actually, it’s true about very little things. But Okay. Sure.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Is that right? Okay, this is great. Because in this new podcast, we are alike, but we’re also different. And so on one range, I feel that it is possible to put my hoo ha, near and around everything and you’re like, I’m on the other side. And that’s why this is going to be successful.

SuChin Pak  06:01

That’s a strong stance that you’re taking, and I appreciate it. Because someone has to take that stance. You know, and you’re willing to be that person. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

I’m brave. 

SuChin Pak  

You’re champ is what you are. And I’ve always said it. I will continue to say it. You’re a champion. You’re a hoo ha champ.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Thank you. I added to cart, the Netflix series, THE HOME EDIT. And I’ve also purchased THE HOME EDIT book. 

SuChin Pak  

No… 

Kulap Vilaysack  

In passing. We were prepping for the podcast. I heard you say derisively that you hated it. I guess it’s not derisive it just straight up, flat out said that you hated it. But I wanted to talk to you about it. I wanted us to unpack it. I want you to go off. 

SuChin Pak  

So okay, no, First tell me why you added it to cart. Okay. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

So I added the show to cart. Because I was noticing on the Twitter. I’m often on the social media. The people were talking about, hey, like this show makes me feel good. Because it’s just nice people like organizing. And I’m like, I like to organize. I love it. I love to organize.

SuChin Pak  

I’ve seen your house. It is THE HOME EDIT. I mean, let me just say it’s very organized. It’s serenity, wrapped up in a home, but go on.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Thank you and I want and so speaking of that, I want to see how their organization matches up with my organization. 

SuChin Pak  

Oh, it’s a competition. Okay. Now it’s getting interesting. Now suddenly, I’ve perked up.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And I’m curious. Right. You know, I bought Marie Kondo’s book very early on. Before she had the show. And there was a lot of controversy. and dare I say it mainly from white people that were really angry at Miss Kondo, and I was like, man, what’s the big deal? But now they’re embracing THE HOME EDIT. Let me see, let me see, and THE HOME EDIT. If you have even seen it, it has an element of celebrity and real people. And so like, okay, what’s up with Reese Witherspoon? That’s how you say her last name. Witherspoon. What’s she up to? Okay, she’s gonna have one closet. That’s just for her memorabilia or film memorabilia. One section is just various movies. I’m like, okay, that is interesting to me. And so I will say that I started watching it, it suits me. It made me pick up a chore that I put off for a year which is another Add To Cart item. It’s a cart within a cart. I have a legacy box.  Are you familiar with Legacy Box, SuChin? 

SuChin Pak  08:43

No, what’s that? 

Kulap Vilaysack 

It’s a service where you send all your media that you want scanned like pictures, or VHS’s digitized basically. And I had been wanting to clear out old photos and so I was inspired to finally finish that project which I’ve been putting off forever. So that was in the background while I was like looking at pictures designing I was tossing pictures. I love to throw things away. Because back in the day when he took pictures on your normal cameras you would take like five and they would all be unclear and then you bought you got doubles because you were gonna give one away. So all this crap. So that was in the background now. I’ve spoken a lot. I’d like for you to talk.

SuChin Pak  

Well, I think it’s only fitting that we go straight to remove from cart and interesting omet it would be on that. I have so many things to say let me try to call it down. I cannot believe you bought a book. How many pages can you fill you get some clear containers from The Container Store page one end of book

Kulap Vilaysack  

I don’t know because I haven’t opened it.

SuChin Pak  

They put everything in clear containers by color, which is not a way to organize a home. It’s a way to organize a photo and a post. That’s not how you organize a home. Like, I think my problem with this show, and I respectfully say this and with the other show, which I removed from cart this week, which was something like my DREAM HOME MAKEOVER. Did you see that one on Netflix?

Kulap Vilaysack  10:19

Yeah, I mean, I because I did BAJILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIE$ and I do love home shows, in general, because I love home stuff. I will commit to something like DREAM HOME MAKEOVER. But I’ll dabble. 

SuChin Pak 

In this time, in this place where we are. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

The time of core? Are you talking about the pande?

SuChin Pak  

Time of core. The time of 2020. The time of hardships, pandemics, racial unrest. What I don’t need to see is a Kardashian mansions garage filled with tiny race cars, for toddlers needing to be organized. You know what I mean? Like that isn’t on my list of things that I feel is appropriate. Right now, the thing about Marie Kondo that I loved is that there was something very soulful about it, you know, hold something, does it spark joy? Whether that sounds silly to you or not? I thought that there was some heart in that. But you know, when I clicked on the episode where one of the Kardashians has to have.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about

SuChin Pak  

Areas for her toddlers sports cars. I just said, my brain was like left my body. And I said, it’s time, sweetie.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I didn’t know that there was a line and here I am drawing it in the sands.

SuChin Pak  

Toddler sports car. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

Parking lot in the garage

SuChin Pak 

Parking lot in the garage. That’s where my line is. You know, Please don’t make me I am not a saint. I love things. I love to buy things. This is why we’re doing this show. I don’t know. I think just right now for where we are. It feels off. That’s all.

Kulap Vilaysack  12:08

You know what? I hear you. I have not really even looked at the book. My friend was like, you got to get the book. There’s something to say that I’m like, Okay. Okay, I’ll get to it. It’s just not top of mind right now. But I did add to cart 

SuChin Pak 

You did add to cart and there it is. I see it. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

What did you add?

SuChin Pak  

Okay, so my first add to cart is a Two Parter. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Oh boy.

SuChin Pak 

I added a hand grip.

Kulap Vilaysack

What? Wait.

SuChin Pak 

Let me get the right. It’s a Digital Hand Strength Measurement meter, okay? $29.99 What you do is that has a grip thing. And you can practice gripping with it. Because I have noticed in my old age, that my hands strength like I can’t open a bottle like I can’t, you know, open my can of Yerba Mate which I buy in bulk anymore.

Kulap Vilaysack 

All of the sudden. You guys can’t see this but also it is if SuChin like her wrists are loose.

SuChin Pak

I just swat out things. I swat that things hoping that the momentum of my swats. So I started to look into Can I do like hand exercises? I was like, Well, I’m gonna do these hand exercises. But how do I know that any of it is working? Oh, get one with a fucking meter. You know what I mean? Let’s make this less, you know what I’m talking about? Like, I don’t have time. I don’t have time to waste. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

I appreciate that. I didn’t know that this was available to us. I didn’t know that it’s made by one of the most dependable Toyota’s Camry.

SuChin Pak  

Listen, don’t knock it. So you do this right. And then you do the strength thing. You know, people have like exercise balls for this. And then you can measure how well you’re doing.

Kulap Vilaysack  14:05

You’re taking this to the next level. 

SuChin Pak 

Right. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

I just want to go back to the handgrip device and it says that it can go up to 198 pounds. Do you have a goal? What do we, we just want to see improvement or do we have like yes, I want to be able to grab 90 pounds. 

SuChin Pak  

Like I’m going to enter some sort of like strength contest? No, I want to be able to enjoy my life. I want to be open.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, that’s important. You want to be able to enjoy your life.

SuChin Pak  

I want to say hey, I want to open up this pickle jar. I want to lift this vacuum cleaner. So I want to do all these things. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

You can’t lift vacuum cleaner? 

SuChin Pak  

No, not without pain. I’m telling you. This has been in the last like month. I even got like a what you call those like risk guards with ice packs in it? Like I’m serious. And the thing about it is guys, you laugh you just some of you may be on my train and you’re immediately adding to cart. But there have been studies many, many many studies, where hand strength is equated to longevity.

Kulap Vilaysack 

What? Never heard of this. I’ve never heard of this.

SuChin Pak  

100% there is a direct correlation between grip strength and long life. Many studies  about.

Kulap Vilaysack  

All right. So everybody who’s on Ninja Warrior is going to live 200 plus years right then on the Salmon Ladder, that spider wall. 

SuChin Pak  

And me flopping around here swatting at things. I want to be here long enough to see my daughter graduate Middle School, you know what I mean?

Kulap Vilaysack  

This is for the kids.

SuChin Pak 

So what I wanted to say was that this could I just bought this thing. This could end up in a box where my key goal exercises ended up in 2000. And I want to say let’s see, probably 2016 I bought this Joy On Kegel Exerciser.

Kulap Vilaysack  16:13

Okay, it looks scary, SuChin. It looks very scary. 

SuChin Pak 

Let me tell you what it is. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

It looks like a goose

SuChin Pak  

Joy On Kegel Exerciser. With the app doctor recommended Kegel balls for tightening pelvic floors. So in 2016-2017 I had just given birth to my second child. Liquid pouring out all the time. fluid. I can’t tell you what, this is the truth. So what happens? I mean, not just sneezing and jumping. I’m talking about hey, I’m washing the dishes. Oh, I just peed my pants. So someone said you should do these Kegel exercises. But as you know now, like my grip strengthener I need to know that this is actually working. If I’m going to put in the effort, You put this thing, these two giant silicone balls into your vagina. Then you do the Kegel exercises while you have an app up.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Are we lighting a candle? Are we dimming the lights?

SuChin Pak 

Picture this me on the floor of my master bedroom. Now you have to have that antenna, that’s an antenna

Kulap Vilaysack  

That goose head is the antenna?

SuChin Pak 

So you kind of have to like shimmy your butt up towards your app. Otherwise, the Bluetooth won’t pick up through your vaginal walls.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Earlier, just mere minutes ago, you said that you don’t put your things near your vagina. And I’m talking about THE HOME EDIT. And we went from wrist to Kegel strengthener. But go continue. I don’t mean to interrupt. number one. Number two, how

SuChin Pak  

Number one. Number two, how many times did I use this?

Kulap Vilaysack  

Once?

SuChin Pak 

Once, that’s correct exactly. 

Kulap Vilaysack  18:01

I didn’t know

SuChin Pak  

I put it in. I did the exercise you see a little like, it’s like a video game you go up these mountains never made it up one thing, meaning when I tell you I barely made it to the parking lot of the hike. And I took it out after I did the exercises. And I thought to myself at that moment lying on my back with my tush in the air. And I thought nothing will motivate me ever again to put these two giant silicone balls in to my vagina. So I put it back in the box. And there it is. So you’ve learned some things about me. Which is that in 2016 I was concerned about. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

You were concerned?

SuChin Pak  

Down there. And 2020 I’m only concerned..

Kulap Vilaysack  

About your wrist, your hand grip? 

SuChin Pak 

Do you see how things are moving upward? 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Did you stop being concerned about your pelvic floor and pelvic strength? As soon as you boxed it up? Did you pursue it in a different way?

SuChin Pak  

No, no, not at all. And I’ve shared this with you and I’ll share it with everyone here now. So I wear adult diapers when I go to the beach. I have every pair of tinks, spanx, kinks. winks, tanks, rinks, every pair of underwear that has been engineered to hold urine or other fluids. I own every single pair every company I am first customer in and I live with that. How do

Kulap Vilaysack  

How do I know that you wear adult diapers? Wow, we were together. We were taking photos for this podcast. And she just sort of casually mentioned to me that. 

SuChin Pak 

It’s casual to me. 

Kulap Vilaysack  20:00

That she had an hour and a half drive home, and that she would be wearing a poise pad. And it truly It was as if she was like, I’m gonna listen to NPR. It was this, like, just,  that’s what she does. And then I had to ask more as you guys sitting at home or wherever you’re at, maybe you’re in your car not wearing your poise pad right now.

SuChin Pak  

Right, and wishing you had a voice pad because guess what, during pandemic times, you’re going to pull over and go to a public restroom. You’re going to go to a public restroom right now?

Kulap Vilaysack  

And it was the evening. So your resting was sound? It was sound, but then we kept talking. And then he also shared that you wear them every time you’re on a plane?

SuChin Pak  

Oh, yeah. I was like. Kulap, you’ve never been on a plane. You sit down, and you’re on an active runway, getting ready for takeoff. Okay. And then they say, whatever. We’re 88th thin line, or there’s a tech but we’re still in an active runway. Everybody has to stay in their seats. And you’re like, 15-30-45 an hour. I have to go to the bathroom. If I get up. I don’t know. They’ll tackle me. So what do you do you have a poise pad. Easy, easy decision.

Kulap Vilaysack  

They’re not gonna tackle you.

SuChin Pak 

But let me tell you this Kulap. I am not a rule breaker. If there’s a rule, no matter how ridiculous The rule is, I will not break it. I would rather piss in my pants sit in my urine for hours than break a pretend rule that may or may not be enforced. Correct. That’s me. That’s my life. Welcome. And you’re welcome. Because now people are gonna buy what is this poise pad? Look it up guys. And now I know what to do. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

I’ve seen ads. Generally the actors and models they use are of a certain age. They’re a blue haired variety. The lady’s squatting she’s gardening, but you use it for?

SuChin Pak  22:09

You’re welcome.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You’re like that you’re exactly like that lady who that astronaut that was going to.. 

SuChin Pak  

That’s right. She didn’t have time.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Well certainly determined. I hate to call a woman crazy. She definitely was on a mission. So that was a treat. You thought that there was two things that you were going to add to cart and really there was three. 

SuChin Pak  

You’re right. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Let’s review. Grip strengthener, Kegel exerciser with app, and poise pads.

SuChin Pak  

That kind of when you put it all together like that? That suits me. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

It does, it is the SuChin Pak collection. 

SuChin Pak  

That’s right. You know what if I had, like, you know how they have those boxes of subscription boxes?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yes.

SuChin Pak  

If I had a subscription box service that this is what you would get. You would get all these three things.

Kulap Vilaysack  

And then I also imagine you know, there’s always in magazines, they’re like, they have celebrities. They’re like What’s in your bag and we open SuChin Pak’s bag just these gadgets and these poise pads.

SuChin Pak  

Because I like to track my progress. I don’t know about you and everybody else how much time you have in your life.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yes, you’re right. It’s I’m moving through life Akimbo and willy-nilly, and I really need to focus up. Okay, cool.

SuChin Pak  

Okay, cool.

Kulap Vilaysack  

One more Add To Cart for me. 

SuChin Pak 

Okay. 

Kulap Vilaysack  23:48

Do you do the TikTok, SuChin? Are you a TikTok person?

SuChin Pak 

I know of TikTok. I’ve seen TikTok when people post it on their Instagram’s but I have not actually been to the app. But yes, I know of TikTok.

Kulap Vilaysack  24:00

There is you know, there’s a lot of dances that gets spread through TikTok, And my friend Casey, her 40th birthday is coming up. And so all of our close friends. We’ve been secretly learning the walk dance that originated in TikTok so that we may perform it for her now.

Cardi B Song 

Now from the top, make it drop, that’s some wet a^s p^ssy, now get a bucket and a mop that’s some wet a^s p^ssy

Kulap Vilaysack  

And So we’ve had various zoom practices.

SuChin Pak 

Wait, wait a minute, you are going to do this dance. We’re going

Kulap Vilaysack

We’re going to do the dance; I just want to tell you that I have to modify it. We’re an older body. There’s creaks there’s cracks. The flexibility is not what it used to be. Let’s just say that so we are we can’t do the splits at the end is what I’m trying to tell you.

SuChin Pak 

Kulap, people don’t know this. I don’t know if many people know this about you, but you are so fit and physically what is the word I’m looking for just like you’re very coordinated 

Kulap Vilaysack 

Okay that’s nicer. I like that.

SuChin Pak 

Like, did you do athletics in high school? Like, are you from an athletic family?

Kulap Vilaysack  

No, I mean I did do step team, so there you go. I did step team and I also did some cross country running and then just the last sort of decade plus I’ve done like kickboxing yeah so that’s sort of like my fun I’m real sturdy, very sturdy and very strong I got strong thighs I was about to say a beast of burden you know some people I’m you know, I’m in the fields you know what I mean? Like that’s like my mode. You’re in the field. I’m like, What fields? What fields? I’ve seen your house Okay what?

SuChin Pak  

Oh in mind you were in the fields of what? Of rice paddies?

Kulap Vilaysack  26:09

I’m a water buffalo. 

SuChin Pak  

You’re a water Buffalo oh my god.

Kulap Vilaysack  

What I’m trying to say in my mind. So but in doing this dance has challenged me and it has started to I haven’t been doing a lot of exercising during the pandemic and it is gotten me to get back to body movement. It’s actually especially doing it on zoom with friends has brought me a lot of joy.

SuChin Pak 

Oh my god, that must be so much fun. That’s actually a Zoom I get down with. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

And it’s just like June Oh my god. I love it. Yeah, pop that ass. Okay, Maddie, I love him. Yeah, look at the camera. It’s just so it’s just joy. It’s so fun. Oh my and I want to tell you that we’re doing so whop is the finale. Casey, my good friend Casey Wilson. She’s a big Dolly fan. And so we’re doing a song called traveling through which is a Dolly song.

Dolly Song 

I’m just traveling, traveling traveling. I’m just traveling through..

Kulap Vilaysack 

And then it shifts take the hard left into walk.

SuChin Pak

We have really run the gamut on vaginas so far. Just if we didn’t plan it this way.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I think we’re actually mainly talking about moist vaginas.

SuChin Pak 

I know it is. But there are two different moistures you know what I mean? There two different kind of moistures.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Because when you’re in your poised you’re traveling.

SuChin Pak 

Oh God now that you put it that way that’s just disgusting. 

SuChin Pak 

Okay, moving on. What’s our next segment?

Kulap Vilaysack  28:00

Let us talk about remove from cart.

SuChin Pak  

It’s the stuff that we either don’t want or don’t buy into anymore or whatever it is stuff we don’t want in our lives.

Kulap Vilaysack  

And we thought we did at one point and then it changed so we removed from cart. So I’ll start I attended a Jane Club Zoom event. What is Jane Club? Jane club is this awesome matriarchal oasis, that full disclosure. I am a founding member investor of when it started over a year ago, it was a workspace for women and there was childcare. And now it’s moving to an awesome digital space. And it’s great. And in this digital space. There was an event it was a Zoom event it was confidence on camera with stylists Laurie Brucker, model Kamla-Kay and special guests June Diane Raphael and I was like yeah, you know what I need to like I need to be confident, confident and like yeah, you’re right. I don’t know how to pose

SuChin Pak  

Like Paparazzi pose, like red carpet pose?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Red carpet poses, but also like digital photos for like social media, contents. Just like what and the stylist talked about like clothing that would be better for certain bodies. You know I’m top heavy. I’m short neck I you know a majestic water buffalo. You heard this before. Just a sexy sensual water buffalo. Sleek and confident. That’s what I’m at, right? So I walked away with some tips and I boldly added the below to cart which was a canvas drop cloth.

SuChin Pak  

Because I’ve just tried to figure out why you’ve suddenly felt pressured to have so many photoshoots. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

I felt like I needed it. Also not one Bluetooth camera remote, but four. And so cut to I tried the remote shutter once 

SuChin Pak  30:06

Please tell me there’s photos Please tell me there’s photos.

Kulap Vilaysack  

No why because they were horrible. They didn’t look right. I didn’t understand it and part of it is because I don’t know how to set up my phone and the ring light. And then I was like, Ah, this is weird. I don’t know what I’ll try this again. And the drop cloth is still in its packaging. Because I’m like, where would I put the drop cloth?

SuChin Pak 

You were like full on committing to like an at home studio to take photos of yourself. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

That’s right.

SuChin Pak 

By the way, your confidence. I mean, a 100, you know what I mean? Your fucking view of yourself. You’re fabulous, a hundred. That’s what this tells me. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

And I think what we’re gonna start to kind of showcase is that I’m more somebody who will buy first and even not think later.

SuChin Pak  

Like, you don’t return these things. Because I return everything. Even if I like it. I’m like, you know what, just in case in a week from now. I don’t like it. Let me return it.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I should really return that drop cloth like, there’s some things where I’m just like, wow, is that worth returning? If like I’m buying clothes, I’ll buy extra try things on return it. But stuff that is like little like this. Which this is how Amazon is just so lucky with me. I’m like, what’s the point? Like, what’s the point when this is like nine bucks? Is the thought process I have. But then I’m like, well, the drop cloth What if I get into painting? Maybe I’ll use it but.

SuChin Pak 

I feel like though the drop cloth like I’m okay with that. Like, one should have a drop cloth. You know, you own a home. You have a beautiful family. You’re a working woman. You’re a self-assured woman. You never know. Yeah, budding photographer. You are DIY painting something putting up acrylic containers and filling them with colored shit. 

Kulap Vilaysack  32:07

But removed from cart and I mean in the end, I don’t need any of it removed from cart.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah, well, you don’t need any of it because it was just was too much trouble.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Well, yeah. It’s also like, I’m not taking photos too much. 

SuChin Pak 

That’s my number one question that I like wanted to ask but held back. Like, I’m one of those people that just like, every part of me wants to run out of a room when there’s a camera. You know what I mean? Like pointed at me. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Oh, you’re so photogenic, though. I think also, because you and I have taken photos for this very podcast that we’re talking right now. But prior to it, I was like, Oh, my photos are old. I also changed my look all of the time, which doesn’t help. Yeah, it was like, Oh, yeah. Okay, I’ll take my own photos that was the thought. And then I took one photo. I was like, Oh, no.

SuChin Pak 

But that makes sense. Because you know, when you get invited to speak on panels, or you’re doing this, you know, do you want an updated picture of yourself? So you thought well, it’s the time of the corones. So I can’t go out and invite a photographer. Like, let me do it myself. Like You’re a grown working woman. So I totally get that. What where I was confused was, like, imagining you having like, photo shoots, like editorials.

Kulap Vilaysack 

And that’s what I pictured, like, I’ll set up in my living room. I don’t need to bother. Like Scott does have to be a part of this. I have a remote control. It’ll be fine. 

SuChin Pak 

You have four. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

And yeah, four. Put them both hands. I’m like, you know, 

SuChin Pak 

Snapping away. Snapping away. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

And every photo is great, you know? And then it’s like, no, by the way, all the photos that I’m talking about that I had are old. We’re all professional. They’re not some idiot with your phone.

SuChin Pak 

In a drop cloth.

Kulap Vilaysack  34:00

Yeah. And like the model was like, Hey, you know what, it’s better if you don’t do it front facing camera, back facing I was like, Oh, yeah, that’s why you got it. Okay, that makes sense. That totally makes sense. She’s a model.

SuChin Pak 

Exactly. Taking advice about taking pictures of yourself from a model is where you went wrong. Step one.

Kulap Vilaysack  

And I should have known it when she was like, do the move where you cross in front of your chest like your boss. And when I do it, my tits are just major obstacles. And so it’s just a, you know, it’s not a natural 

SuChin Pak  

They’re not obstacles for everyone.

Kulap Vilaysack  

When I do it. It’s not commanding. It looks like I am the genie from Aladdin. And so it’s…

SuChin Pak  

That wasn’t the pose for you.

Kulap Vilaysack 

It wasn’t for me. And when I say that, it’s totally body positive. It is again, just a sexy, sleek, blue Genie, from Aladdin, voiced by the late and great Robin Williams. Anyways, so Yeah, so removed from cart, I’m not a photographer. I’m not gonna take photos myself,

SuChin Pak  

You’re not a genie in a bottle. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Remove from Cart. 

SuChin Pak  

I’m gonna remove that from cart. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

I’m not. Mm hmm.

SuChin Pak  

Okay. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

How about you? Do you have an something else that you took out of your cart?

SuChin Pak 

I don’t want to spend too much time on this. Removed from cart. But man, I could do a whole episode. And I feel like we should do a full episode on this.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Oh, I want to hear.

SuChin Pak  

I’m removing from cart, everyone who thinks that I have to respond to texts and voicemails because we’re stuck at home. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Oh, yes, yes. 

SuChin Pak  

That’s what I’m removing your cart. Like, I’ve always been that way. But now especially because we’re all stuck at home people have like a certain sense of like, a different expectation that like you are on call at all times, and that there’s no reason why you should ever respond to a text or a voicemail. And it drives me nuts.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Well, because that that point of view is incorrect.

SuChin Pak  36:01

It is incorrect. And also, I mean, unless I’m invoicing you for my time, like No, you cannot tell me when to text you back. That’s the thing I’m removing from cart, I’ve always had a difficult time with responding to emails and texts and phone calls. I think you have seen some of that. And we’re friends because it doesn’t bother you. And there’s no offense taken. I just, I don’t want to be on someone’s time. Like it sucks.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Yeah. Which is so wild. Because we’re all, here’s the thing. We’re all in similar situations. And even if you don’t have kids, you know that people with kids, they were always playing multiple roles, but having to like, teach their kids and like so there’s just you’re doing everyone, especially women are doing so much more during this quarantine. Yeah, on top of the full-time job that they had already. It’s just like, to me is like the audacity to even.

SuChin Pak  

But it’s the same way. This is why I have a really, really love mostly hate relationship with social media. Because to me, that’s just another way that people feel like they can message you and require an expect a response back. So I’m going to get to a point in my life, and it’s going to happen very soon. I already have a landline, and that’s going to be it.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Wow. Wow.

SuChin Pak 

Let me tell you, it’s on my vision board. And it’s going to happen soon. I know that I will have reached a certain point in my life when the only way you can get ahold of me is by calling into a voicemail service that I call into once a week. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

Once a week. 

SuChin Pak 

To get my voicemails.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Wow, once a week. your voicemail is almost like a peel box.

SuChin Pak 

Yes, yes. I want the peel box version of a phone. I want a woman to answer and be like, Hi SuChin Pak’s voicemail service, can I take your call and then you’ll leave a message and she’ll remember when they used to have that and they dictate it. 

Kulap Vilaysack  38:12

Wait you want a lady? 

SuChin Pak  

I want to lady. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

It’s not even just a voicemail. You want an old timey Mad Men style lady who has to right here and plug over there.

SuChin Pak 

Oh, yeah. And I’m going to interview my voicemail lady, because she’s going to be sassy. She’s going to be judgmental. She’s going to have a tone of like, Are you sure? Because electronic voicemails, you can just bypass and leave willy nilly. But what if you got my voicemail lady and she was like, What? And you’re like, Oh, hi, um, I’m sorry. Um, I’m trying to leave a voicemail message for SuChin okay. You sure? Oh, um, uh, okay. Yeah, cuz, you know, she doesn’t really check this thing very much. Oh, um, okay. Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. All right. All right. Well, if you’re sure all right, hold on. Let me find a pen. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Wait, she doesn’t have a pen ready? This is her job, what else is she doing?

SuChin Pak 

This is her job, is making a really fucking difficult.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Alright, so she’s acting to show you putting this, she’s milking this?

SuChin Pak 

Yeah. Like, I want you to really think about whether you need to talk to me or not.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah I do. Yeah. And she could be like, Listen, if you got something to say, and you just need someone to hear it. I’m here too.

SuChin Pak 

Yeah, I don’t have to take a message. I get paid by the call; you know. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

So go ahead. 

SuChin Pak  

I’m accepting applications for disgruntled voicemail takers, but that’s just where I’m at. But that’s me. That’s just where I’m at. I mean, is that terrible?

Kulap Vilaysack 

I do understand it. I get it. 

SuChin Pak  

Do you? 

Kulap Vilaysack  

I do get it because in this household, we are so plugged in. We’re just and we’re too plugged in. And so I do feel that that is an extreme, but I understand the need to be you know, a little bit more old fashioned. 

SuChin Pak  40:01

Yeah.

Kulap Vilaysack 

For sanity. Yeah. Yeah, I get it. I get it. You know, I spend way too much time on my phone and we’ll get into this. We’ll get into this later.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Okay, before we move any further, we need to talk about something, we need to talk about the Amazon in the room. Here’s the thing. SuChin and I are both Amazon Prime members.

SuChin Pak  

Yes. However, listen, 20,000 Amazon employees have tested positive for COVID. Right. And the company is still not taking steps to protect those workers. And to date, almost like 200,000 shops have gone out of business while Amazon profits have soared. So these are just some of the reasons we’re gonna try really hard in this show, right? To provide alternate options.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Because Jeff Bezos is doing more than fine. So Fine. That being said, I say that, but we, of course understand how convenient it is to shop in Amazon, especially during lockdown. I’m very conditioned to expect that my shit will arrive immediately. And I’m looking around here and I’m seeing things I bought from Amazon, including these mic stands from Amazon, SD cards and my Zoom recorder, Amazon. This telescopic bear claw back scratcher. Oh, you guessed it SuChin Pak. It’s from Amazon.

SuChin Pak 

It just addicted extends to such a reach there. Are you scratching other people with that or just yourself?

Kulap Vilaysack  

I am. Well, yes, I’m also bothering Scott with it. He is constantly swatting this away as it slowly approaches him from odd angles.

SuChin Pak  

So what have we learned here

Kulap Vilaysack 

That I’m a weirdo?

SuChin Pak  

That we’re both weirdos, and we both enjoy each other’s weirdness. And also we’re just trying to be more conscious consumers.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Yeah, we’re not perfect, but  we’ll try.

SuChin Pak  

I’m a little perfect, but not

Kulap Vilaysack  

I’m left in the middle as they say. 

Kulap Vilaysack  

Well, looking at the time, we should probably wrap it up by giving our five-star review of the week, what’s your five-star review?

SuChin Pak  

So mine is a little bit surprising, Kulap. Because as you know, while I love skincare and I’m obsessed with skincare I believe 99% of skincare is such a scam.

Kulap Vilaysack 

I can’t wait to really dive into this with you. Because I know you’re right. And yet it is a big part of my life, continue.

SuChin Pak  42:40

And by the way, I’m right. And I still buy everything and I try everything. But I’m not going to recommend it unless it actually works. This, what is this? This is a brand. It’s pronounced Naturium. And it’s a new brand launched by this like I guess beauty influencer named Susan Yara. Do you ever follow her? I love her.

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh, I will. I’ll add to cart I’d like to know.

SuChin Pak 

Add to cart. She’s great. I love everything about her. So anyway, so this is a BHA liquid exfoliant 2%. So basically, it’s kind of like a toner. And you put it on, and then it’s like appeal, right? And you put on your serums and your moisturizers after that. And I would say use this once a week. Twice If you’ve got more oily skin. Like I’m always impressed by products that give you like immediate results. And it’s very zero fuss, and it’s very affordable. Like this bottle will probably last me a year and it’s $20 and the ingredient list is great. And I tried this for the first time and after I did this with the cotton wipe. It was as if like a ring light had gone on in my bathroom. Like it just really. 

Kulap Vilaysack 

Where are you buying it? Are you buying it directly from their website?

SuChin Pak 

Yeah, Naturium. I don’t know if you can get it anywhere else. I would highly recommend it. I know you and I are both sort of like skincare obsessed. It just was one of those things where I like immediately the first time I used it I was like oh my god, I totally notice a difference like a huge difference.

Kulap Vilaysack  44:14

I’m in for a tune up here because I think I’ve been using for the last three-four years I’ve been doing the Korean 10 steps skincare now of course I’m not always doing those 10 steps. And even sometimes I forget to do one, anyways. But I’m at the point where it’s not I was saying to you it’s not mindful and I don’t even know what is working. I’m just doing all of them. And I’m assuming the some of it is the sum of everything I’m using is effective but per product couldn’t tell you.

SuChin Pak 

I’m all about like, I only use things that work and that work for me. I’m not saying I have no idea if this will work for you. Like if I don’t see results in a pretty quick, that’s it, it’s off. It’s not in rotation. You know what I mean? Like I just so anyway, so this is it. This was my product five-star review of the week; I was very pleasantly surprised. And I’m curious to see if you add to cart, how you like it? And what about you Kulap, what’s your five-star review?

Kulap Vilaysack

I will say that getting back into podcasting after taking a break in February 2018. I’m so excited to be doing this podcast with Asian American icon SuChin Pak, and Lemonada of course, and this has come together it oddly like, like a lazy river. Like it was a lazy river for the longest time. And we were just like, chilling out, cracking open a beer.

SuChin Pak  

Yeah, that’s how good things all come together. It should be a lazy river

Kulap Vilaysack 

Lazy river that at some point started to brap has started to break. And then we just fully committed to you know, just going over the waterfall into this. 

SuChin Pak  

Just a freefall. I have no idea if there will be a body of water to catch us at the bottom of it. But here we are. We’re in freefall.

Kulap Vilaysack  

Here we are. We’re flying. So I’m a five-star review. To add to cart and while we’re saying that I mean, wherever you rate your podcasts if you could rate and review. I encourage it. You are such a pro.

SuChin Pak 

You are such a pro. You just slipped right into that. That’s not even in our script. That’s like that’s muscle memory. But you slipped into.

Kulap Vilaysack 

that’s true, I guess you know, I guess. I guess it is just like riding a bike podcasting. 

SuChin Pak 

What a skill, just surviving in the wild, you know?

Kulap Vilaysack 

Oh, okay. SuChin I think that brings us to the end of episode one.

SuChin Pak  

Yes. So thanks everyone for listening. If you want to see photos of everything we talked about head to our Instagram at @addtocartpod.

Kulap Vilaysack 

You’ll also find links to buy everything there as well. And we’ll be back next week with more things to ADD TO CART

CREDITS

ADD TO CART is a production of Lemonada Media. Our producer is Claire Jones and our editor is Bill Lance. The music is by WASAHHBII and produced by L.A Made It and Oh So Familiar with additional music by APM music. Executive producers are Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Be sure to check out all the items we mentioned today on our Instagram at @addtocartpod. Also take a moment to rate review and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts.