Greetings from The Sister Project
We’re Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson, Midwestern sisters from the same mister, and the dynamic duo behind Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project ® podcast.
Our podcast is the ultimate blend of info-tainment—born from a genuine desire to have more fulfilling, meaningful conversations. We discuss our lives, what we’re reading, watching, and listening to, to the news we think you should definitely know (because we’ve got opinions and we’re not afraid to share them).
Our commitment to cozy, mindful, well-being is strewn throughout each conversation. It’s funny, raw, and inspiring. We promise you will learn a little and laugh a lot.
At The Sister Project, our mission is to help you slow down, care less, and embrace the art of doing nothing. By slowing down and savoring life’s simple pleasures, you’ll find joy in the little things that make life truly wonderful.
Join us on this cozy journey as we find joy in the little things.
FAQs
Where can I listen to Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project?
Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project ® is streamable on every podcast streaming service including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and right HERE.
What is their podcast about?
Our podcast is the ultimate blend of info-tainment—born from a genuine desire to have more fulfilling, meaningful conversations. We discuss our lives, what we’re reading, watching, and listening to, to the news we think you should definitely know (because we’ve got opinions and we’re not afraid to share them).
Streamable everywhere. New episodes drop every Thursday.
How often do they release a new episode?
Tune in every Thursday for a new episode of Cozy Conversations with The Sister Project ®. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your preferred streaming platform so you don’t miss a thing!
Another way to stay connected and up to date with our podcast is to receive our weekly newsletter. Sign up here.
Latest episodes
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
392 | Bring Back Bookstores, Book Fairs & Boredom
Welcome back, WIFs.
This week, Lauren and Michelle are tackling a question that feels surprisingly relevant in today's world:
Is reading becoming a luxury?
Not financially.
Mentally.
Between endless notifications, social media feeds, short-form videos, and the constant temptation to check our phones, uninterrupted focus feels harder to come by. Getting lost in a book for hours? These days, it almost feels like a superpower.
In this episode, the sisters take a nostalgic trip back to Scholastic Book Fairs, library visits, summer reading challenges, and the days when an afternoon could disappear inside a great story. They reflect on how reading shaped their childhoods and why spotting someone reading an actual book in public now feels oddly inspiring.
Along the way, Lauren and Michelle discuss attention spans, doomscrolling, and the modern struggle to stay present. They also ask a simple question: When was the last time you got completely lost in something?
A book. A movie. A hobby. A conversation. A walk.
The sisters also dream up their ideal cozy bookstore and coffee shop, share what's helping them slow down lately, and explain why creating spaces for readers—and the "I swear I'm going to read more" crowd—feels more important than ever.
Plus, they're sharing what they're currently reading and watching, along with a simple joy bringing a little extra peace to the week.
Press play, get cozy, and join the conversation about books, focus, nostalgia, and finding your way back to the things that deserve your full attention.
Because sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is put your phone down and read a damn book.
Resources
Speakpipe! Leave a message on our house phone.
Get your ticket now!
Shop our seasonal candles.
Check out our website.
Thank you to our sponsors Let It Be Us and Chicago Private Wealth Group.
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
391 | The Great Chicago Pizza Debate & the Foods That Built This City
Welcome back, WIFs!
This week, Lauren and Michelle are diving fork-first into a cozy conversation about Chicago food, summer nostalgia, and the iconic meals that helped shape the city they love so much.
What started online as a casual conversation about Chicago tavern style, ahem, thin crust pizza quickly turned into passionate Chicagoans flooding the comments with very strong opinions and some hate. That level of commitment to local food lore deserves its own episode.
From deep dish pizza and dipped Italian beefs to loaded hot dogs and spicy giardiniera, the sisters unpack the stories, history, and nostalgia behind some of Chicago’s most legendary foods — and why these meals feel so deeply tied to identity, family, comfort, and community. Somehow, the foods that once fed working-class neighborhoods became part of the soul of the city itself.
Per usual, Lauren and Michelle also share what they’re reading, watching, and listening to lately — including a classic Pride and Prejudice reread, a spooky weekly series, and a podcast obsession they can’t stop talking about.
Press play, get cozy, and join the sisters for a conversation about food, memories, summer magic, and why the simplest things often stay with us the longest.
Because sometimes a pizza, a hot dog, or a perfect summer night can tell the story of an entire city.
Resources:
Leave a Message on Our House Phone!
A Cozy Night For Readers - Get Your Tickets!
This episode is sponsored by Chicago Private Wealth Group and Let It Be Us.
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
390 | AI Is Everywhere…But Should We Trust It?
Welcome back, WIFs.
This week, Lauren and Michelle are diving into the topic that feels impossible to escape right now:
AI.
From Mel Robbins to Reese Witherspoon, everyone seems to be talking about artificial intelligence. Should we be excited by it? Terrified of it? A little bit of both?
In this episode, the sisters explore AI from the perspective of everyday humans trying to navigate a rapidly changing world. No tech jargon. No expert analysis. Just a cozy, honest conversation about what it all means for the way we live, think, work, create, and connect.
They discuss the growing fear of losing critical thinking skills, the environmental concerns surrounding AI, and the increasing difficulty of knowing what’s actually real online anymore. But they also explore the hopeful side of technology, how it could potentially help solve major health issues, create new opportunities, and reshape everyday life if used mindfully.
Most importantly, Lauren and Michelle reflect on the things AI can never replace: storytelling, grief, friendship, intuition, creativity, lived experience, human connection, and the soft skills that make us who we are. They also share how they personally use AI in daily life, where they draw boundaries, and why this conversation matters more than ever right now.
Per usual, the sisters share what they’re reading, watching, and listening to, along with a dose of weekly simple joys.
Press play, get cozy… and let’s talk about the future together.
Because maybe now more than ever, doubling down on your humanity is the whole point.
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
389 | Stop Optimizing Your Life
Welcome back, WIFs.
This week, the sisters are talking about something wildly underrated:
whimsy.
Not optimizing your life.
Not fixing yourself.
Not becoming better.
Just…enjoying it.
We get into why adults are so serious, how tiny moments (like drinking water from a wine glass) can shift your whole mood, and why you might need a solo playdate more than another self-improvement routine.
Lauren and Michelle also share what they’re currently reading, watching, and listening to—including a conversation around therapy, self-understanding, and learning to work with the different “parts” of ourselves instead of against them.
This episode is your reminder that not everything needs to be serious.
Some things can simply be joyful. Quirky. Comforting. Whimsical.
Press play, get cozy… and come find a little whimsy with us.
Resources:
This episode is sponsored by Let It Be Us and Chicago Private Wealth Group
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
388 | The Chicago Way to Talk About Mental Health with Ben Shabad
Welcome back, WIFs.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re talking about it in a way that actually feels… doable.
We’re joined by licensed therapist Ben Shabad—who, fun fact, won a Jeremy Allen White look-alike contest back in 2024 (we had questions).
From phone addiction and constant scrolling to boundaries, habits, and slowing down in a fast-paced city like Chicago—we also get into something equally important: how good conversation (and yes, pizza) might be one of the most underrated mental health tools we have.
Because mental health isn’t just about crisis—it’s about awareness.
Press play, get cozy, and come sit with us.
Resources:
Call Our House Phone! Leave a message!
This episode is sponsored by Chicago Private Wealth Group and Let It Be Us.
- by Lauren Massarella and Michelle Anderson
387 | Our “Dead Mom Era”: The Memories, The Goodbye & The Grief
Welcome back, WIFs.
It’s been seven years since Lauren and Michelle lost their mom—and today, they’re talking about it.
Their “dead mom era.”
Not overly heavy…
but real, honest, sometimes funny—
the way grief actually lives inside us.
In this episode:
Early memories that stuck (the little, random ones that somehow mean everything)
The final days—what shifted, what they noticed, what they felt
Sitting beside her, caring for her, staying close as everything slowed down
The unexpected parts of grief… including moments that were peaceful—and yes, even funny
What happens after loss, and how grief evolves over time
Grief doesn’t disappear.
It changes. It softens. It shows up in new ways.
And eventually, you realize—moving forward doesn’t mean leaving them behind.
You just learn how to carry them differently.
This episode is about their mom—
who she was, what it felt like to lose her,
and what it looks like to live with that loss, years later.
Press play, get cozy… and come sit with us.
Resources:
Come To Our Event at Brewpoint!
This episode is sponsored by Chicago Private Wealth Group and Let It be Us.
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