Always Better Than You Think It Is
Being thankful, planning trips, exploring the webs
Long weekends just hit harder. Honestly, I still feel like I’m getting back in the groove after five days of relaxing and eating. Kyle and I decided to make ourselves a small Thanksgiving meal that leaned more Chinese-flavored. We were inspired by an LA Times article on Jing Gao, the brains behind chili crisp sensation Fly by Jing, who created a Sichuan x Thanksgiving menu. I think the standouts were salt and sichuan turkey that Kyle made (Gao’s recipe here) which made our mouths all tingly, it was delicious, and the mac and cheese I made, seasoned with chilis, white pepper, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and a little dijon mustard. You have to trust me, it’s amazing, and if you want the recipe I’m happy to share, it’s my go-to.
Now I’ve begun looking toward the end of the year. I recently booked a hotel in Madrid (staying at Totem, it looks so charming) for a post-X-Mas New Year’s celebration which will be great. I haven’t had a chance to visit yet and it feels like it’s way overdue. This means I need to start putting together a list of spots to visit, so if you have any recommendations, or will be there yourself, hit me up or a leave comment. You know me, I love good food and drinks, eclectic museums, interesting history, and unique shops to visit.
Exciting things to come next week, make sure your Airpods are charged up 🎧 Hope your week is fun and the world is gentle 💙
🫶 — I was coming back to this Beats in Space mix by HAAi a lot last week (Apple only, sorry Spotify babies), putting it on repeat while I was designing and writing. It’s pretty noisy and overwhelming which I kinda’ like, it really helps me focus.
🗑️ — Want to channel your inner Fred Again..? Try out Sonic Garbage, a web-based music tool filled with thousands of random samples taken from randomly generated YouTube search terms. You can’t imagine the amount of time I’ve wasted making drone loops.
🌀 — If you’re like me you’ve had André 3000’s album New Blue Sun on repeat since it came out. What you may not have known is there’s a visual component of the album that is streaming constantly called A Myriad of Pyramids. Is it a lot of him wriggling around the ground with a traffic cone. Yes. Did I sit and watch the whole thing? Also yes.
👕 — What if you invited a new button for clothing? This seems like a wild idea for my lil’ brain but that’s exactly what the team over at Postalco did, creating a “tab button” that works easier and that “makes opening and closing a little more satisfying.” I need these on my all clothes now.
🎥 — Kodak has released a brand new version of their iconic Super 8 camera and I can’t tell if I like it or not. It kind of looks like a toy, very plastic-y and kinda cheap looking. I wonder if we’ll start seeing these in the wild? Also, bizarre that Cara Delevingne is in the promo reel lol
🟦 — Branding design specialists Landor have gone through a big brand shift. They’ve moved away from Landor & Fitch, slimming it down to simply Landor, and created a vibrant blue branding system that feels fresh and timeless. It’s giving me new Burberry vibes but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s Nice That has a nice roundup of the changes.
🎁 — I love a “little shop” with little treats and knick knacks, lots of things for me to pick up and touch and feel. So when I came across Dejima, I let out an audible “oooooohhhh.” Located in Paris’ 3rd (right next to Papier Tigre, one of my other favorite “little shops”), they carry a beautiful assortment of Japanese goods that are handmade in Japan. I need one of everything.
👖 — If I was only allowed to one clothing shop for the rest of my life I would easily choose A Kind of Guise. Their taste level is meteoric, utilizing so many interesting patterns and colors and fabrics. Every time I visit their site (which is honestly too often) all the things I think are cute are already sold out. Still, their styling and outfits give me a lot of inspiration to find used or vintage versions for myself.
🧣 — British artist Andy Welland has released a gorgeous new wearable art piece called the Scribble Scarf. I love the colors, the acid green with the lavender, and the signature pink with a drab olive-y brown. It’s made from merino wool so you’ll be warm and eye-catching this winter.
I second your thoughts on A Kind Of Guise. If only, you know...
Recently back from a first trip to Madrid. While the Prado has art treasures from Bosch, Valesques, and the Late Goya that aren't to be missed, and the Reine Sofia is a marvelous building (both the old and new sides) with intriguing and challenging exhibitions, I was most impressed by the curation of the art on display at Thyssen-Bornemisza as well as the very pleasant staff. (of smaller museums Imprenta Municipal - Artes del Libro is well presented.)
Madrid is marvellous, everyone there just seemed to have a good 'vibe'. The large Retiro park is one of the most gorgeous and pleasant city parks I've been in. Great coffee everywhere, but Syra (there are several around the city) was the tops. extremely good gelato/ice cream at Maison Glacé on Calle de Ibiza.