Remember That Time Over Drinks?
Chatting about being a regular and sharing my favorite things this month
There I was sitting in the restaurant, my fourth glass of wine in hand, chatting with a group of new friends. It was already past 1am and our friend, who was the chef of the restaurant, was regaling us with a story of the time her mentor came to try her food, but didn’t want to admit it, and then proceeded to try and woo her with oyster leaves, which are leaves that tastes exactly like oysters. We were an eclectic group. There was a delightful woman sitting next to me, a friend of a friend, she was Romanian, and she sounded like the idea of Dracula, and it being my fourth glass of wine I studied her teeth carefully when she wasn’t looking. There was Uncle Henry who was visiting from Florida for a wedding, a big man, spiritually and physically. He told brash stories of traveling the world and laughed heavily when Kyle and I said that we did in fact, really, eat beef tongue.
It’s been a while since I’ve had that feeling of being a regular. Of feeling comfortable in a place that isn’t my own, drinks and conversations flowing freely, without a care for what the clock says. But it has taken time and feeling of being an immigrant in a new place still rings true, though the tone is quieting. And now that autumn is here and winter is approaching it’s time for dinner parties, of game nights, of glühweins and late night gossip. I’m looking forward to the cold coming, something I’ve never said in my entire life, but if I can’t change it, I may as well make the best of it.
As an aside, today is Scooter’s birthday, so please be sure to wish Scooter a very happy 14th birthday! Scooter was the first dog I adopted and he’s been my best friend for so long and I’m so grateful that he’s still healthy and active and doing great 💙 Hopefully your week is chill, have a super Halloween and eat lots of candy, November’s edition of OÍR will be dropping in your inboxes on Friday!
A Kind of Guise Opens Shop in Munich
There are few brands doing it as well as A Kind Of Guise, who I believe I’ve mentioned before, and now they’ve stepped things up another notch with their brand new store in Munich. I think the space looks beautiful. I love all the wood, a mix of Swiss pearwood and European oak, making the space feel quite warm yet simple at the same time. The space even has an aquarium, which is funny, because I’ve been seeing more businesses installing aquariums. Are they coming back into style? They also released their first batch of A Kind of Wine, a new venture they’re exploring, with the inaugural release being “a sparkling Rosé crafted in collaboration with Pranzegg, a biodynamic winery nestled in the heart of South Tyrol, Italy.” I was able to snag a bottle for myself, I will report back on how it tastes!
The Last Fabric Flower Factory in the U.S.
Documentary filmmaker and photographer Joshua Charow recently focused his lens on the folks at M&S Schmalberg Flowers, the last fabric flower factory which first opened it’s doors in 1916. Everything they make is done by hand or with metal dies, some of which come from the late 1800s, and they’re a remarkable team of artists who are now thankfully well regarded for their skills with major fashion houses who support the business. It’s such a touching documentary as you hear from Warren Brand, the owner of M&S Schmalberg, as he tells the story of his father who escaped the German concentration camps in World War 2 and the impact that had on his own life. Or from Miriam Myers who has worked with Warren for over 45 years and who’s still making exquisite flowers by hand. I cried watching this, but also, I’m a softy!
Ed Ruscha “Makes” Honey
Famed LA artist Ed Ruscha teamed up with grocery and food goods producers Flamingo Estate to create a limited edition jar of honey (only 400 were made). Last summer, beehives were placed in a small grove of citrus trees adjacent to the LA river where Ruscha paints and they did their thing. I’m fully aware of how ridiculous this project is but I do think it’s a great bit of marketing. Those jars do look gorgeous, featuring his HONEY drawing from 1979, plus the 100% of the profits will go to the Mojave Desert Land Trust to protect land, restore habitat and preserve native seeds.
Jonathan Anderson Chats with T Magazine
I’m not alone in my admiration for Jonathan Anderson, the acclaimed designer behind his own self-titled brand and the powerhouse that is Loewe. He was featured in T Magazine’s The Greats feature by Nick Haramis, a lengthy interview that plumbs the depths of his character and explores the universes that spiral around him. I thought the piece started off quite relatable, with Anderson speaking to his working all the time and then adding further context, saying, “And people are expecting you to be happy all the time and have an idea. But sometimes you just don’t.” Amen, sis.
Also relatable, being curious:
“He can discuss an inspiration trip to Naples — and, like, napkins — forever,” says Lee. “You could be talking about [the pop star] Charli XCX and then he’ll be like, ‘Look at this amazing Venetian artifact I found,’” says the actress and writer Ayo Edebiri. “The problem with the world,” Anderson says, “is that there are so many things to discover.”
In the end, his own words encapsulates who he really is at the end of the day, by simply stating, “You’re trying to be the son and the brother and the boyfriend, and you want to be a nice person,” says Anderson, who’s been doing breathing exercises when he gets stressed out. Then a big, boyish smile spreads across his face. “I’ve never had so much fun in my life.”
Vibrant Wooden Furniture by Studio Sløyd
Norwegian designers Studio Sløyd, comprised of Herman Ødegaard and Mikkel Jøraandstad, have created a fascinating new process for wooden furniture that embeds pigment deep into the wood, meaning it can be refinished and sanded if needed. While that’s certainly a great advance, it’s the pieces they created which truly caught my attention. A series of pastel colored stools, decorated with patterns of all kinds that wouldn’t feel out of place in Willy Wonka’s home. All of the pieces are fantastic and I would love to own one of these stunning, playful pieces.
Birkenstock and Filson, A Timeless Collab
Love to see two brands with timeless legacies come together to make something amazing, which is what we have here, a partnership between German footwear brand Birkenstock (founded in 1774!) and outdoor goods manufacturer Filson (which started out in 1897). They’ve come together to create three different styles, the London Methow, Lahti, and Skykomish, which are two boots and a moccasin. I think the London Methow moccasin in the Mink/Roast colorway is my favorite, you can see in the top right image, because I love the contrasting leather textures and I feel like they would wear so nicely over time.
Happy birthday Scooter!