Issue #138: Guess who’s back
Good morning, shoppers!
Hi! Didn’t see you there! It’s been a second, but what’s a brief newsletter hiatus between friends when the year turns over and a book comes out and your favorite jeans finally tear through the inner thigh and you get a haircut and all that? Nothing, that’s what. Nothing at all. We’re here in the third winter of New York City, and we’re happy to see you. We hope you feel the same.
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Kase + Maggie
The rats are absolutely going to hate this announcement: This miniature replica of a New York City Department of Sanitation-issued trash can is the cutest thing I have ever seen. It’s technically a pen holder, but I think it’d look even better as a desktop vase with a freshly clipped bloom or two hovering over its exhortation to “Keep New York City Clean.” –MC
Maybe I’ve been here all along, but I really feel like I’m leaning into my weird aunt era lately. Life’s too short to not love the stuff you love, and I was instantly drawn to this Happy Sad collection from Lazy Oaf, the ultimate weird aunt clothing brand. As a kid, I remember having a smiley face-themed birthday party at the Wave Pool (it was an indoor water park called Splash!—with the exclamation point—and is still open, but we just called it the Wave Pool), and the part of me that meticulously assembled all-smiley goodie bags is still alive, well, and drawn to these with their allover mix of happy and sad faces. Pair them with a dress, and any outfit is instantly aunt-ified. I wouldn’t be mad at this with a t-shirt tucked in either. —KW
Laura Ashley x Baggu is the one collaboration I did not see coming, but cannot stop talking about. By reworking some of the British brand’s archival patterns long associated with the duvet covers of my youth, Baggu has managed to modernize the floral prints for everyday use in the form of reusable bags, pouches, fanny packs and floppy hats. A smattering of blooms atop gingham says “been there, done that'' to the unavoidable ‘90s revival in style. –MC
I’m not alone in my deep love for Everything Everywhere All at Once, obviously, but I felt incredibly seen by the movie as a meditation on mothers and daughters, potential and opportunities, what you want for yourself and for the people you love, and more. I was gifted a laundry-scented, butt plug-shaped Auditor of the Month candle (now sold out) that sits in a place of pride on my desk, but I’m eyeing up this timed edition from Super Yaki that’s a tribute to Stephanie Hsu. (Order before Sunday if you want in.) If you want to see me make a total schmoop face, just bring up the “laundry and taxes” line. Devastating. —KW
“The cure for anything is salt water, sweat, tears, or the sea” is a quote I probably discovered on Pinterest during my late 20s, but one that seems to reverberate within my brain whenever things go left. Fast forward a decade or so and I’m fully engrossed in Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May, specifically her exploration of sauna culture, something I admittedly knew very little about. A place for women to gather and decompress while detoxing? Add this in kimono from IKEA and Marimekko and it all seems like a good reminder not to sweat it. –MC
Take a book, leave a book: I love a Little Free Library. If you know you’re not going to read a book again (it happens!) consider letting it go in a Little Free Library for someone else to enjoy. Little Free Libraries build community and expand access to books, two things we love. Check out their website to find out how you can find one, build one, or donate.