The Curiosity Dispatch - #013

10 things I’ve consumed, discovered, bookmarked, lusted over, etc to expand your search terms, outlook, desires, personality, knowledge

Maya Angelou, Photo by G. Marshall Wilson.

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Did I say this would go out over the weekend? Yes. Did I end up deep in the meditation that is priming paint for our basement? Also yes.

I am gravely underestimating how all-consuming renovating a home is, even if the “renovation” is a few “smallish” projects. This will realistically be the only newsletter this week as I prep for us to live in our basement for 6 days while we have our upstairs ceilings redone. So I hope this finds you at just the right time, when your dissociating-from-your-job-during-your-Tuesday-afternoon-2pm-slump kicks in.

If you’re new here, welcome to “The Curiosity Dispatch” — a weekly round up of things I’ve consumed, discovered, bookmarked, etc etc. This year we’re concentrating on developing our personal style/taste/world through getting curious. That means breaking past the algorithms, going down rabbit holes, trying something new, revisiting something we don’t like, and seeing where our thoughts and feelings end up on the other side.

Let’s dive in.

1. Dune 2

   

   Rabanne Fall 2020 RTW, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan in Dune 2.

   Many of us were robbed of the theatrical release of the first Dune due to the pandemic, and I was nervous/decently certain the second installment was not going to make up for this fact.
   
   Oh, ho ho. How wrong I was.
   
   Denis Villeneuve is a mastermind at creating potent, all-consuming worlds that he very gently immerses you in and while I am also over movies with three hour run times, I never once felt like this film dragged on. You will leave the theater wanting to sand walk your way to the car while doing your best Loire Cotler wail, I assure you. You might also have an even bigger, fatter gay crush on Rebecca Ferguson, but maybe that’s just me. (I still think about this look from Dune 1.)
   
   I have thought about this film at least once a day since seeing it and think this *might* be the year I attempt to read the books. I know the book vs. movie opinions are strong, but looking at this purely from a film perspective, I loved it.
   
   If you don’t consider yourself a science fiction fan, I would recommend seeing it for the soundtrack, sound editing, special effects, and costuming. If you’re looking to dive deeper into the soundtrack, I would recommend watching this and this (there’s some overlap in content, but its still absolutely fascinating.) And if you’re looking to dive deeper into Jacqueline West’s costuming, I would read this and watch this.

2. Kacey Musgrave’s new album, Deeper Well

   spotify

   

   A post shared by @spotify

   (Side note: This should have been the album cover, imo.) It’s here, y’all. I’ve given Kacey’s new album a solid half dozen listens so far and am very much looking forward to having it on rotation as we enter warmer, breezier seasons. There’s a lot of commentary and comparisons on how well rounded/complete/perfect her Golden Hour era was, but I think this album shows growth and maturity in a subtle way that still honors her last two while ushering in this new chapter. And while I’m not sure I have a favorite song yet, I enjoyed watching this video about her songwriting process (though w0mp womp capitalism that we have to see this content through a credit card sponsor.)

3. Margaret Rizzio, collage artist

   

   I am manifesting that in the next few years we can be bougie enough to begin collecting some larger scale fine art for our home and one of those pieces will hopefully be from Margaret Rizzio, a collage artist from Maine who makes these very intricate collages with vintage ephemera that feel chaotic and mesmerizing in the best way. As someone who was raised by grandparents and surrounded by mid century pop culture/left over remnants of the 50s/60s, her work feel very emotionally nostalgic to me.

4. Dolly Alderton’s new book, Good Material

   

   Oh, how I have been stuck in a reading rut! If you’ve been around for these round ups in the last year, I usually manage to read a book every week or two to review here, but I’ve been struggling so hard to get back into the groove. Do you ever read a book that you love so much it’s hard to move past? I think that is exactly what happened to me after I finished The Rachel Incident. (which was like, six months ago!! Reading ruts happen!!) Everything I picked up after, I lost my interest or got distracted (so distracted) with doomscrolling. Until Dolly’s new book came along.
   
   I’m only halfway through, but this book is classically Dolly in the best way. She creates characters and worlds that are very easy to settle into. Her play on perspective in this book was compelling, and I agree with many that she used skilled precision to write about a breakup from a male perspective that didn’t make us “hate” the woman, and added depth to all the complicated facets of womanhood and navigating serious relationships, platonic and romantic.

5. Maison Louis Marie candle “No.02 Le Long Fond”

   

   I have been desperate to lessen the “old home, old carpet” smell of our new old 1953 home since we moved in and I stumbled upon this candle at a local little gift shop and I am *obsessed*. Muskier, woodier scents are my favorite and this candle burns so clean without feeling overwhelmingly perfumed. Big big fan, might have to buy 10 and put them in every room…

6. “It Sucks to Be 33” The Daily, Podcast

   A podcast episode that has spread across my group texts and timelines like wildfire as most of us “peak millennials” turn 33 (!!! I still feel 23!!) this year.
   
   A compelling economically backed argument about us ‘90/ ‘91 babies are part of the largest population in America and how that has affected us as we fight for scarce resources while going through the phases of life along with everyone else.
   
   This podcast really just drops the facts and leaves it at that in its 25 minute run time, but I think discussing this with friends has helped us all realize we’re blazing trails in our own way and own time and that we’re hopefully going to be okay? It’s a wacky time to be alive, that’s for damn sure.

7. Vintage Martha Stewart Living Magazine

   

   If you know me, you know I *love* Martha. I especially love 90s Martha.
   
   The best investment I’ve made in the past few months is buying up old Martha Stewart Living Magazines from pre-2002ish on eBay. Magazines before the internet! How wonderful!
   
   All of these issues are FILLED with so much knowledge, detailed crafts, unique skills, and loooong form articles (like 10 pages on how to reupholster your own couch long) that have already made me a better chef, crafter, gardener, homeowner, human. SO much detail and love went into producing these issues, it’s kind of wild to see a publication pre-internet and how we’ve really lost long form content with the assumption our distracted smartphone scrolling brains can’t handle it. Bring! Back! Magazines! Ones that aren’t just filled with ads for $8.99!
   
   Speaking of Martha, would highly recommend the new CNN documentary series about her.

8. Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer, a new exhibition at OKCMOA

   

   Speaking of personal heroes (and incredible costumes), Edith Head was something of a childhood hero for me. Growing up on films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Head’s costuming was one of the many reasons I fell in love with fashion.
   
   This summer one of the largest exhibitions of her costumes (the entire 3rd floor of the building) will be on display at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Why Oklahoma City? Great question. Will I be finding a way to travel to Oklahoma City to see it? Yes, yes I will. If anyone wants to field trip roadtrip there, let me know lol.

9. Eric Adjepong’s new show, Wildcard Kitchen

   

   If you read my last edition of TCD, you know I love Eric Adjepong. I know a lot of people think the Food Network is a little gauche, and while I don’t completely disagree, that also isn’t going to stop me from eating up new shows involving some of my favorite Food Network chefs.
   
   A sort of “culinary poker”, chefs put their own personal money into the pot to cook up whatever the cards deal. I love that it’s fast paced, requires lots of creativity, and doesn’t have that over-the-top cheeseball decadent production value like most everything else on the Food Network.

10. Crystal Anderson’s VF Oscars After Party red carpet review

    beerbottles_chainsaws

    

    A post shared by @beerbottles_chainsaws

    I don’t know if you tuned into any red carpet coverage for the Oscars, but it was…not good.
    
    Celebrity culture in the modern age is so bizarro weird and strange and over-the-top and I feel like we’re really trying to do TOO much. They feel uncomfortably rehearsed and the secondhand cringe is almost worse than watching Michael Scott, which is saying something.
    
    So this is my petition to have Crystal host her own show and choose a panel of pals to chat with, because I enjoyed watching all 10 minutes of this and wanted more. (If you don’t follow her, you should!)

Well, there ya have it.

Have a great week, drop me a comment or respond to this email to say hello or tell me what you’d like to see in this space or something you’ve consumed this week that you want to share — I wanna know!

If you liked this, consider sharing it with a friend.

Until next time,
xo,
G