Jackie Ostick

Laura: [00:00:00] Hi Jackie, welcome to What's to Read Next Podcast.

Jackie: Hi, Laura. I'm so excited to be here.

Laura: I am so excited to chat with you. So for listeners, Jackie and I, we've known each other for quite some time. We were both New York friends. We actually met at a fitness studio, like a fitness class a long time ago that we're still in touch. It's one of those New York communities. It's my artist friend, my Broadway theater loving, cookies God, get me all the gossip, get me all the good stuff on New York.

Laura: So a good tour also, so you're, you're like a jack of all trades, which I love. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

Jackie: Hello. So my name is Jackie Ostick. And I am, I'm a Jack of all trades, a Jackie of all trades, if you will. I do. I'm an actor. I work at Levin bakery. I'm one of the trainers there and I also help them with their social media a little bit, which has been really fun. And then I'm also a food tour [00:01:00] guide with foods of New York tours.

Jackie: So I take people around two different downtown New York neighborhoods. And show them good places to eat and tell them really fun stories. So all these things that I do, I really love because I get to like, build community and tell stories and just make people happy. It's awesome.

Laura: And you do make people happy. So first of all, we've got to talk about Levant, Oliva, and Pat because they're expanding and they're actually have offerings and at home. So talk to us about what is Levant Cookies and why you should actually try them. I know they're a

Jackie: my gosh.

Laura: I go to New York, but.

Jackie: Yes. So Levin Cookies are these Six ounce cookies. They look like hockey pucks, essentially, and it was like the first big cookie mound cookie, if you will. So the one that started the whole business was the chocolate chip walnut cookie. And then we have everything from like Rocky Road. We have a Caramel coconut chocolate chip.

Jackie: We [00:02:00] have oatmeal raisin. At one point we had a lemon cookie for anyone that didn't like chocolate. So like, there's just a lot of different offerings. And then we also make bread and we do pastries. But cookies are really like what put the company on the map.

Laura: And the cookies are to die for. And there's plenty of offerings. I remember doing the line at the original one, which is basically this, hold the wall, literally on 74th street, like, just side street. You can barely walk. And you just, like, make a line just to get those cookies, especially. Yes,

Jackie: that I'm at right now. Like I still, I still work there and it's, it's crazy. Like you just like walk down this step and it is a tiny space. And now we have. 13 other locations and all those other locations are huge and like bright and shiny, but like there's something really special about our little, you know, hole in the wall, dingy old bakery.

Jackie: It's really special.[00:03:00]

Laura: so very exciting and I'm sadly, you guys open up in Chicago after I left. It's like, I did get, I did get the at home ones. They sold them at Foxtrot, which if you're in Chicago, you know, you know, Foxtrot is this like high end, like, it's supposed to be like a bodega, but like a really high end, like, things are like very expensive.

Laura: And so that's the only place I've found move on cookies in the middle of COVID. I was like, well, I need to find them. And they're good, they're just like not the same. Like, is there something to be said about going to the bakery and having them fresh out of the oven and just talking to people and doing all this stuff?

Laura: But it was like a great place to go. .

Jackie: Yes, they do well in a pinch if you can't get to one of the actual bakeries. Yes. Yes.

Laura: Awesome. So let's talk about your reading life because I actually have been following you. We've been friends for a while. We talk about other things we, but I've been following you on Instagram and you've been sharing a little bit, you start sharing, going back to reading audiobooks, reading and different things.

Laura: And so it's been fun to see, [00:04:00] like, how did you get started again? Like, what was the process? Or were you always a reader and you just like decided to post it? Or was it something like. You know, got engaged, like found something else and you're like, Oh my gosh, this is like something I don't talk about.

Jackie: Yes. Yes. That's such a great question. I, so like, I always loved to read in, I want to give a shout out, Mrs. Block, my third grade teacher, was just amazing. crucial in getting me to love reading. I don't know how she did it, but somehow she like got me really into being transported by books, right? And then, you know, of course, like you grow up, Go to college, you become an adult and it's like, okay, it's hard to read for fun.

Jackie: And I was one of those people that I would read a book and get really excited about it and then voraciously read a bunch and then I would fall off the wagon and not read for months at a time. And. Last year, or actually a [00:05:00] couple years before that, I was like, okay, we're going to try to read more. And again, it would be the same thing where I would read one book and kind of get hooked and then lose it after a couple of books.

Jackie: And last year I said, okay, we're going to do this as my New Year's resolution. I said, we're going to do. 12 books this year, one book a month, like that should be doable. And then somehow I like, over vacation in the summer, I read like three books in one week and I hit that 12 book goal. And I was like, okay, I'm going to keep going.

Jackie: And then this year I, I set up the, I went to set up a goal. I was like, okay, we're going to try to like hit the same books that I read last year. I'm not going to like try too much harder because I don't want to. I don't want to, you know, jinx myself, and now I'm already, like, past that goal, and so I'm hoping to get more as the year goes on, and it's been really fun to, like, to do [00:06:00] this.

Jackie: I feel like it's a better use of my time. I'm really trying to not do the doom scroll. It's so easy to do that. And actually I think probably that's why I like audiobooks because then I can still scroll a little bit, which I'd be cheating.

Laura: No, no, it just, I do this all the time, but I found, you know, what's my favorite thing to scroll? I go to Libby and then I scroll through book ideas that, that helps me get in the scrolling because sometimes stories, you're like, you have to listen to audio and I'm like, I want to listen to audio and all that stuff.

Laura: So I'd scroll through Libby. That's like, I go for, I'll go book shopping. All right.

Jackie: Yes. Yes. And like Libby's the best and I love, and I also discovered that Spotify has if you have Spotify premium, you get 15 hours of listening and it's just like free books. Like what? This is great.

Laura: Yes, yes how do you consume your books? So you're consuming audiobooks, are you consuming books like paperback, ebook, like how are you [00:07:00] consuming them? Like tell us a little about that.

Jackie: do both. Last year I was doing much more paperback books. and physically reading books. And actually, and then I was also doing ebooks on my phone. And then last summer I was like, okay, I'm going to get a Kindle because I just heard that how good they were. I had a Kindle Fire, but I wanted like the actual Kindle because then it wouldn't have a glare.

Jackie: Also, I was trying to get away from like the screen. Do you know what I mean? I know it's a different kind of screen, but I wanted something that was just for reading. So I bought that. So I definitely read all of my fiction books on the Kindle and then could not believe this. So last year I started there's this really wonderful shop on Long Beach Island in New Jersey called the June market.

Jackie: And it's a small Like they say, coastal living shop, but then they also have a bookshop associated with it in their store [00:08:00] and they started, they have a partnership with Libro FM. And I was like, okay, this is an easy way for me to support this business. So I started getting audio books. And I wasn't really sure about them because I just would get distracted.

Jackie: But then I got what's her name? The Duggar sister. Oh my

Laura: Oh yes, I know which one to talk about. It's I know which one. The Duggar. It's, it's one of the J's. It's their,

Jackie: Yes. Oh my gosh, it's going to come to me. I got her book counting the cost. Jill, Jill Duggar, Jill Duggar. I got Jill, Jill Duggar's book counting the cost. And I remember being on the train listening to it. And I was like, I love this. One, because I just love getting like the inside scoop. Like if you're gonna tell me you're gonna give me a behind the scenes story, like I'm all about it.

Jackie: So I realized that I loved listening to memoirs and, you know, autobiographies and nonfiction [00:09:00] on audiobook. And then I like to read fiction.

Laura: Did you read Sounds Like a Cult? Did you listen to that one?

Jackie: No, wait, which one is that?

Laura: It's Amanda Montel's nonfiction. It's about cultish, but here's the thing. She talks about intensati, which for listeners, you don't know, but this is how we met. We met at a fitness class called Intensati where we used to say affirmations. Do aerobics and stuff.

Laura: And so there's a, it's actually doesn't cause, she says it's a positive poll. So she actually got to meet Patricia and she actually got into the class and it just stopped. But it's, it's actually feature in that book. And I remember listening to it. I was like,

Jackie: my gosh. Oh my

Laura: think that's, that should be your next like audio book. But she actually has really, she does narrates both of her books. She's like, she has, Sounds like a cult and then the arts of medical thinking. And it's both are excellent books. I think you'll like them. They're like a [00:10:00] different, you know, pop culturey, like New York, LA kind of like vibes and you're like, we know this.

Jackie: Oh, I'm I'm so that I'm downloading it as soon as we get off this call. I, I love like true crime, dark. Like cult, like give me all of the juice and that's why I loved Jill Duggar's book because I just could not believe that she was sharing all of this because I was curious. I wanted to know more about what that was like, you know, we just got all the, the bright shiny people, if you will, like that documentary said, but I was like, there's more to the story.

Jackie: And then she gave it to us. It's all the tea. It's so good.

Laura: I am adding that one. So you share one recommendation, I share my own recommendation. I think we're good to go. And did you listen to Jessica Simpson's memoir?

Jackie: No, I need that's on my list.

Laura: Okay, so that one is a must listen. It's the one I tell everyone's like, you just started to audiobooks. You're like, I don't like audiobooks. [00:11:00] I'm like, no, you need to listen to Jessica.

Laura: First of all, even if you don't like Jessica, you don't have no idea you're Jessica because you're Gen Z or down alpha and you have like, who the fuck is this girl? Jessica was very important in Millennial life. And so Jessica spills a tea about John Mayer and Nick Lachey, like she spills a gossip, like it is so good.

Laura: She narrates it. She does such a great job that it's just like, at the end of the day, you're going to be like, my BFF Jessica told me so and so this. Yeah,

Jackie: pumped. I can't wait to listen. Oh my gosh. Okay. Okay.

Laura: She spills all the gossip because you get a lot of it is like gossip. Tell me all the gossip like, you know, like, what is it on? So you guys from Britney, I didn't listen to the whole thing because it was too dark for me.

Laura: But I listened to the first half of it and when she spills on Justin Timberlake stuff and I was like, Yes, girl. Yes. Yeah,

Jackie: so good. Now I read that one on Kindle because I wanted to hear [00:12:00] it in her voice. And I was like, Michelle Williams can't do that one. Like, like, no, it has to be Brittany's like vocal fry voice. Like that's what I need to hear. So, That book was, oh my gosh. Oh,

Laura: listened to I wish my mother was died on Jenny McCurdy's. That one is hard. Like, she's.

Jackie: that's hard.

Laura: that's a really hard one to listen to. She does

Jackie: That was the second one I listened to and I was like, this is really good. Oh, that was heartbreaking though. Oh my

Laura: heartbreaking. Like, it's just, I was like, I wish her all the best. I'm so glad she got success right now. You know, financial freedom and all these different things and she has personal freedom, but it still was a hard one. I say like, but other like harder ones, like, you know, I listened to Emma Landers, like, I think it's like, Hey, hon, it's about MLM.

Laura: I think you know, like, true crime, like, MLM is like another, like, kind of, like, I have to send one that might be [00:13:00] so it's about, like, a former hon, a former boss babe, you know, work on your phone.

Jackie: oh, I'm so there. Oh, that's, I'm also downloading that one. I was, wait, what did, oh, I listened to My Friend Anna about Anna Delvey.

Laura: Yes.

Jackie: I loved that one.

Laura: Yes. I like, just like these kind of like, you know, white collar, non fiction, you know, give me the folks, give me, I don't like, I personally don't like to hear a lot of girls doing murders, like the actual court and stuff, like pretty much not. I'm not scared. I just don't want to have that exact fantasy, but I appreciate anything else that's non related to it, like all, all the other aspects of it.

Laura: So white collar plants might go to yeah. Oh, the serranus. Did you read the bad blood?

Jackie: No.

Laura: Oh, that's Elizabeth Holmes one. It's about like, Theranus, the rise and fall of Theranus. [00:14:00] It's actually really good. You should, there's podcasts, there's plenty of content out there, but the book itself, it's a pretty good book to read.

Laura: To, I don't assume you can narrate it. It's probably a good book to listen to. It's called Bad

Jackie: Ooh. Ooh. Okay. Adding that one. Ooh. Good. I have a lot of, I have a list now. Yay. I'm excited.

Laura: , all right, so let's talk about like, books because you're talking about Chick Lit, which I actually love. It is what I fell in love with when I graduated from Sweet Valley High and moved on to Chick Lit So, and I think you mentioned one of my favorite Chick Lits a whole time. So talk to us about what do you love about the genre, what do you enjoy, and why we should go back to Chick Lit.

Jackie: Oh, it is my absolute favorite genre. I have no idea. I'm not embarrassed to say it. It is like my go to people are like, what do you like to read? And some people are like, Oh, I like to read history. I like to read science fiction. I'm like, no, give me all the Chick Lit. And I think [00:15:00] what I love about it is that I love like just seeing fierce, powerful women kind of like go through life.

Jackie: I love, I love kind of romanticizing like that fabulous city life or fabulous. You know, New England life, whatever it is. I just find it really exciting. And then, you know, there are these love stories and just like the way that these authors write them. I'm like, Oh, this is magical. Like, To me, they're just so fun.

Jackie: And they're really good. Like, there have been books that have made me cry. There have been books that have surprised me. There have been books that have, like, made me blush because they're, like, a little, you know, they get a little racy. And it's just fun. And like, for me, I want to read as entertainment.

Jackie: Like if I'm not going to turn on the Real Housewives or like [00:16:00] Law and Order SVU or like something like on TV, if I want to read a book, like I want to be entertained and Chick Lit really entertains me.

Laura: And so let's chat some book about our nations. What books do you recommend us to start

Jackie: Okay. My number one that I just told a friend about actually, cause she had never heard of it was, is Emily Giffens Something Borrowed. And something blue is the, is the sequel. I discovered that book. Her new book is coming out tomorrow. I love Emily Giffen and I, the way I discovered her was on the today show.

Jackie: It was like when I had like within my first couple of years of New York in New York, I was watching the today show and she was on to promote her fourth book. Or fifth book, excuse me, but she was, they were starting to film the movie of something borrowed. And I was like, that, yes. And I was like, this sounds so good.

Jackie: And I went to Barnes and Noble and I read the [00:17:00] first chapter. And in the first chapter, like there's already a bomb, like you already get like this, like huge surprise. And I was like, This is amazing. And I read that book and then I went to the strand immediately after that and bought her next three books and read those in like a week.

Jackie: So this is what I mean about my like

Laura: what, what, what Barnes Noble did you go to? Union Square, Upper West Side, or the one in Flatiron? Because it's like 2008, 2009, I remember when we were filming, like, like the signs were everywhere, I was like so excited.

Jackie: I know that was, I was at the Tribeca Barnes and Noble

Laura: my old Barnes Noble! Oh, that's so

Jackie: I know. It was the best. It was the best. And I went, I would go there before work and I would, cause I worked at an afterschool program down the street and I would go and like, I would read And I was just, oh my gosh, I went there and I was like, I have to buy this book, and I could not get over it, and she is my favorite author, I just adore her, and I [00:18:00] adore all of her books, and I read them in a matter of like, days.

Jackie: hours, you know, and I've read them all multiple times because I just can't get enough of them. And so she is like my favorite by far. I also would be remiss not to say, so I think my favorite book right now of all time Was Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I read that end of last year, maybe? This was in my new, like, reading era, if you will. That I was reading this. And that book, I heard the hype. Everyone's like, it's so good. It's so good. Believe the hype. Believe the hype.

Laura: Yes.

Jackie: It's extraordinary. It's extraordinary. Oh, I just loved it. I just loved it. I also love Emily Henry's books.

Jackie: Funny Story was, is her new one. I really enjoyed that one. I also love Colleen Hoover. loved I loved this. It ends with us and it starts with us that those books are [00:19:00] heartbreaking, but really good. So those are favorites. What else? Oh, I've just, I just got into Carly Fortune's books as well.

Laura: I love Carly. Carly's the friend of the podcast. Like, I love Carly.

Jackie: be my friend, please.

Laura: is so awesome. Like, we've been talking, I don't think she came this year, but we've been talking since, like, her debut. Like, there's like a whole, this every summer after, , I love her second book.

Laura: I know people don't love the second book, but I love the second book so much. And I love her. It's so good. The Prince Edward Island. I'm like, I just go there. Annabelle,

Jackie: I just read that one, the newest one. And right now I'm reading Every Summer After. Oh, it's just, it's so, it's so good. It's so good. And then I like Annabel Monaghan's books as well.

Laura: Another one. It's like, so good. Their summer romance is delightful. Like, I just like, [00:20:00] perfect. I feel like Annabelle Monaghan is like the next, I told her, I was like, you're like the next Ellen for me. Like, you're like my summer books that I just need to read by the pool. You're like, like older heroines, messy life, but like there's like heart with it and you're rooting for them to like go

Jackie: Oh yeah. I was laughing because I told a friend about it where like, I was on the train reading that book and like a big reveal happened. And in the, in the book, the character went, and I said, and I went, I was just, I could not get over it. And then I had to get off the train and I was like, are you kidding me?

Jackie: I have to stop.

Laura: Yes. Oh, I don't know. Like, yeah, like those are like my go to like beachy. I'm like, I, she just needs to keep giving me more books, more books, more books.

Jackie: Mm hmm. Oh, and then one other that I didn't even think about that I read a long time ago. So Ellen Hildebrand's book. Silver girl, it's an older one of hers. [00:21:00] So I got that book when I was like on tour years ago, because she mentions my high school in it. Like somehow my high school was like where the characters went to high school years ago.

Jackie: So like, I guess they like promoted it on my high school's Instagram page or whatever. And I was like, Oh, I want to read this. That's another like white collar crime book that I loved. I need to read that one again.

Laura: Yes. I read her . wonder paradise, I think it is, for St. John's folks, or like, set in holiday in St. John's. And as someone who grew up in Puerto Rico, like, holidays were like, warm, and like, fun, and beachy. I felt that it was like, right at home, and it was delightful. The whole community was like, so good.

Laura: So

Jackie: Oh, I love it. I love it.

Laura: yeah. So I do have another recommendation I wanted to tell you. I think you'll enjoy it, because she it's a memoir, but it's, It's a memoir, but it's like, it's a, it's a 4-year-old memoir, so it's, I'm mostly here to enjoy myself. So Glynis is [00:22:00] a 40 something living Covid in New York City and decides to go to Paris.

Laura: She's been going to Paris every, every year for the past five years for a month in Paris. And this is like the idea of being your forties, which is a little bit older than we, you know, us. But it idea like not having an inciting incident, but like enjoying yourself, like having pressure and having just like.

Laura: And friendship and joy. And it's just like idea of like, you know, so just. Because when we come, like, Chick fil A, we're like, we want, like, to struggle. But sometimes you just don't need to struggle. Sometimes you just need the vibes. And, like, this is, like, vibes in Paris for a New Yorker who loves New York and doesn't want to get out of New York, you know?

Laura: And it's the same vibe of, like, not someone who's, I think we both come from the idea of, like, we're We're not having traditional jobs. We're not like doing like the career aspect of it, like you're going to do this, like, we're just kind of like this multi positive, multi passion, you know, having this like hodgepodge of friendships and hodgepodge of [00:23:00] opportunities and, you know, going for it.

Laura: And so that book actually, I think you'll appreciate. I listened to it. It's like a really great audio book. She does narrates.

Jackie: Oh,

Laura: Just get transported to Paris for a month.

Jackie: that sounds delightful.

Laura: Yes. So, so Jackie, what is your current obsession? Cause actually that's the main question I wanted to ask you. What is your current obsession?

Jackie: Oh, my current obsession right now is the limit fit, which is the fitness studio here in New York. My friend, Beth nicely, who I took tap class with for like six years. She's an incredible Broadway performer former rock cat. She started a fitness business during COVID. And it mixes, it's like a mixture of dance, cardio, plyometrics, strength training, and I started taking her classes like consistently in the summer of [00:24:00] 2022 and I haven't looked back.

Jackie: And honestly, like, I think one of the biggest things is like, if someone says like, hello to me in a class and then says like, yeah, Jackie, you got it. Like. Sign me up, like bought the membership, joined the on demand. Like I was, I was hooked and I, and I keep showing up and it's just a really great community.

Jackie: The class is super fun. And what I love about it is that I was super intimidated when I first heard about it, because I was like, everyone's like doing burpees and like jumping on boxes and like over things and like doing all this stuff. I was like, that's not for me. But there's no prerequisite to join.

Jackie: Like you just show up and do the best you can. And it's just really welcoming and nurturing. And it's honestly incredible to see the strides that I've taken just from showing up. It's the best.[00:25:00]

Laura: And you have my community too, which is like the most amazing thing. Cause I think sometimes we get intimidated by starting a fitness journey. Like we met in a fitness class. So that's what we need. But they, yeah, like I go to fitness, not just because I like the class and stuff like that. I like the community aspect.

Laura: I like the fact that normally I can challenge myself to do something that I don't really want to do. But I love the fact that there's like a community aspect of it, of like other people who are struggling. And you know, they're torturing us, like I remember the days where Aaron was torturing us and it was like, yeah, I really don't want to be here.

Laura: But you know what? Everyone's like, go John, good job. Let's just keep doing it. You're like, okay, we're all sweating together. We're all struggling together. We're all going to get through this together. And then we're going to leave. I will doze into our beds. And so I'm glad to be a part of the community, , here and I love watching your stories and love watching, sharing all the different accomplishments and this is exciting.

Jackie: It's really, and it's, it's the, it's the most supportive thing that I've had in a long time. We [00:26:00] were talking about this fitness class that we met in and then like intense Saudi as well. And I, I loved that. And I had like an obsession with that back in those days too. And then it kind of like went by the wayside and like, I think I always really wanted that.

Jackie: Fitness community. Because again, it's like another group of friends to have and it's people to show up with. And it's fun to like, be there and be like, Oh my gosh, I can't believe we're going to do this. Like, here we go. Let's do it. I take this 7am box class where we jump on Pilates boxes and it's just like, it's absolute torture, but it's so much fun.

Jackie: But it's torture. I mean, all I'm like, we just laugh in the back because we're like, what the heck are we doing? Like, what is this? You know? But you know what? There's like, this like feeling of like accomplishment. It's like, okay, like I did that, you know, I showed up today and it feels really good. I also love the music.

Jackie: It's great music that they have.

Laura: love Philanthia. I go to Pier Bar now. I love [00:27:00] my Pier Bar studio. It's great. It's one of the reasons why I stayed in this neighborhood. And stuff, but the music is not the same, like, I miss having, like, sometimes, like, good music, and the queue up, it's like, it takes you to the next level. Like, Peloton does like, good music, and like, they're just like, good music just to get you going.

Laura: But, like, I'm like, it's one thing, I'm like, two of R, get it together, like, give us some stuff. Like, like college girls, because most of the teachers are college students. And I'm like, give me like some good like pop music, some millennial stuff, some thicc hip hop, and like give me some Britney every so often, you know, take me to that next level.

Laura: Yes.

Jackie: You know that? Do you remember that movie? Save the last dance. Okay. You know, that's like, you know, that sounds like you can do it. Put your back into it. That song. One day our teacher played that. And me and my friend, we were like on either side of the room and we both went and like freaked out.[00:28:00]

Jackie: And I was like, this is the best. Like, it was, we, we, we still talk about that. Like when she put that on, we all went absolutely feral. It was amazing. I mean, and like, it makes it fun, you know? So. I love that. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Check it out. Do the, it's available on zoom on demand in person in New York.

Laura: Yep.

Jackie: Beth and her team are like the absolute best. It's really supportive, super fun. I I'm literally obsessed. Like, it's like, it's, it's a non negotiable now at this point, like on anything that I do, I'm like, I gotta get my glasses in like 7:00 AM I'm showing up either in Zoom, on Zoom, or in person. Like I gotta be there, you know, it's the best.

Laura: Oh, I'm so glad. I'm so glad we were able to connect. So Jackie, tell us where you can find me online.

Jackie: So, I have a website@www.jackieotick.com, [00:29:00] and then I'm also at Jackie Do Otic on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. I'm on TikTok, but I just kind of like lurk. I just watch things.

Laura: You just, you just like listen to the Gotham. Let's see what's, what's in Gotham's time.

Jackie: I'm looking for the gossip. I am ready for all of the DCC drama to start coming out. Like I'm obsessed watching all of it. You know,

Laura: Yes. Jackie, thank you so much for being on the show.

Jackie: thank you for having me. This is awesome.