A Love Letter to Pop Culture
I’m still working on some longer posts, but here’s a much-needed check-in. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
I was fascinated by this excerpt of Jon Ronson’s The Psychopath Test
V. inspired by Miss Moss‘ & Wolf Eyebrows‘ breakfast-centric Tumblr BKFST. Image & recipe for frothy Indian coffee by Seven Spoons.
My New Roots – How to Cook Quinoa from My New Roots on Vimeo.
If I ever did a cooking show, I’d want it to be as beautiful and efficient as this video by My New Roots.
Clockwise from the upper left hand corner:
a) Illustrator Nell Brinkley’s women were the Roaring Twenties’ answer to the aloof Gibson Girl. Curly-haired, rambunctious and more than a bit naughty, the Brinkley Girls were a national sensation, referenced in the Ziegfeld Follies and copied by young women everywhere (they even spawned a popular line of hair curlers). Biographer Trina Robbins has worked hard to reintroduce Brinkley’s work to the mainstream, and her latest effort is Fantagraphics The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons 1913-1940, $29.99 (or pre-order it for $18.86 at Tower.com). You can read more about Nell Brinkley and her work at Paul Gravett’s site & the Ohio State University’s Cartoon Research Library.
b) We have gardenias growing outside our apartment, and they smell heavenly. Annick Goutal’s Gardenia Passion comes the closest, in my opinion, to capturing their scent; like most of the line, it costs, but online sellers like Perfume.com offer substantial discounts (30-40% off).
c) Shiny Squirrel pointed me to DearGoldenVintage, another wonderful Etsy vintage seller. I particularly like these red heels with flame detail ($44.00).
d) This J. Crew pleated lawn skirt ($59.50) makes me think of tennis matches & ice cream.
e) Every time Kid Cudi’s “Day N Nite” comes on the radio, I think “I love this song.” Also awesome: the video, with its trippy rotoscope animation.
My mother had a hand-me-down iPod nano she never used, and three weeks ago she gave it to me. It’s my first mp3 player, and I’m so happy!
I currently can’t put music on it (it’s a long story, & not a good one), so I’ve been experimenting with free podcasts. Some of my favorites so far:
What podcasts do you listen to?
Left to right: how to make a one-pot herb garden at Apartment Therapy; croc tail succulents, $28, and aeonium plant, $3, both from Etsy.
Gardening: A Cup of Jo recently posted that the air pollution in some city apartments is up to 10X worse than outside air (and if you live in a smog capital like Atlanta, that’s a scary thought). While plants have a limited effect on indoor air pollution (click here for the most effective ways to improve indoor air quality), they’ve got other benefits. I’m starting out with herbs for cooking and succulents (because they’re harder to kill). Get more gardening inspiration at You Grow Girl & Modish.
The first strawberries of summer: To be eaten with crushed mini meringues & whipped cream. Alternate with homemade ice cream (above).
The Weepies: We’ve got their newest album playing at work. It’s magical folk-pop, with endearing vocals and smart lyrics. Also on rotation & recommended: Morrissey’s Greatest Hits (even if it’s sort of ridiculous) and the new Gnarls Barkley.
The Encyclopedia of Sushi Rolls
Tecktonik: I. Love. Tecktonik. My roommates and I have been reduced to hysterics trying to imitate these guys, while getting a nice workout at the same time.