The Curiosity Dispatch - #015
10 things I’ve consumed, discovered, bookmarked, lusted over, etc to expand your search terms, interests, knowledge, and shopping cart
Happy Friday, friends.
If you’re new here (which many of you are - hey, hi, hello!!), welcome to “The Curiosity Dispatch” — a bi-weekly(ish) round up of things I’ve consumed, discovered, bookmarked, etc etc. I usually leave these for the weekend, but its been awhile, and I’ve got plenty of new findings to share.
This year I told myself I was going to disrupt the data driven algorithms that rule my digital footprint by going deeper, exploring outside the parameters of my explore feed and sponsored ads and give in to more of the niche interests that feed my inner Baby Yodas.
With all the discourse on the death of personal style, I hope this encourages you to get curious and discover the unique nooks and crannies of your personality through unearthing something fresh and far-out that expands the circumference of your world.
Here are some things I’m getting into that might pique your interest.
Something to listen to - “Matador” by Luvcat
It’s been awhile since I’ve written one of these and there’s been a lot of new music on rotation. Most of them are fairly on the nose guilty pleasures— The Challengers Soundtrack, Chappell Roan, and new Billie Eilish (this remix would make me consider going to the club after 11pm, maybe.) (Which, thank you to the reader who sent me her Apple Music interview to point out that Billie and Finneas also enjoy the term “sniffing your own farts” which I find much, much delight in.)
I did want to share, however, this absolute earworm I discovered via TikTok, which has curbed my desire to punt the app into oblivion, at least for another week. Luvcat is a small indie band out of London that is giving us the seductive, feminine rocker vibes I feel we haven’t had in the zeitgeist for awhile. The lead singer, Sophie, has a Laura Palmer essence in the moodiest, sultriest kind of way that makes you want to immediately buy a leopard mini and bouffant/Bardot your hair. I’m hoping this single is just the beginning of hits to come, because you better believe come October this will be on the top of all of my spooky playlists.Something to *add to cart* - Falconiere Chainmail
Summer means many, many things, but sitting comfortably in my personal top five is the Renaissance Festival. I admittedly haven’t been in many years at this point, but I’m hoping to put an end to the drought by attending the local one this year.
Fantasy nerd will always be one of my core Baby Yodas— my deep, deep infatuation with Lord of the Rings the sturdy foundation. Which is why I was thrilled to discover that chainmail fashion is in, baby! I’ve debated doing a newsletter on all of my best Renaissance fantasy-esque finds (raise your hand if this piques your interest?) but for now, I will share the otherworldly, delightfully delicious designs of Falconiere. Their Instagram is a visual feast of inspiration and proves that Mithril isn’t just for Middle Earth.
I will be saving all my extra pennies for one of their waist belts or bonnets while dreaming up a provocative GoT fan fiction love story fantasy where Emma D’Arcy looks more like this and a little less like Rhaenyra Targaryen and sweeps me off my medieval feet (while I’m wearing this archival Paco Rabanne…am I getting carried away…)Something to play - Rummikub
Every season is board game season, really. But there’s something about an evening summer breeze, a crisp glass of something bubbly, and a good old-fashioned game. I’ve been watching an inordinate amount of classic films lately, lamenting the gaiety of summer socializing before we all became addicted to scrolling.
My dad’s side of the family got me addicted to Rummikub at a young age, a common side effect of the LDS lifestyle. Despite ditching the Mormons, along with the narcissistic father, my love of the game persists. I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage set (this one is cute, too) because the new ones are all made with cheap plastic! If you’ve never played, I would highly recommend it for your next get-together. As someone who doesn’t consider themselves competitive, things can get spicy when I’m in the Rummikub zone!!Something to watch - Hacks, Season 3
If you’re not watching Hacks, what are you doing?
Probably trying to avoid paying for another streaming service, which I totally understand. But I would highly encourage going to extreme, slightly illegal lengths to watch the best comedic television show to air in recent years. I was nervous season three would feel trite and stale, but oh ho ho, the writing, the subtle character development, the call backs and the breadth of emotion in every scene - magnifique! superbe! splendide! This was also the season that really solidified Hannah Einbinder on my Official Crush List™️, which doesn’t get updated too often these days.Something to smell - D.S. & Durga - Breakfast Leipzig
If there’s one thing I’ve tried and failed to understand in these last few years of trying to become a Fancier Adult, it’s the fascination with luxury fragrance. I am fully convinced most people are flat out lying when they fawn over $200+ candles that smell like my eccentric grandmother’s floral night cream. I went to Diptyque a year or two ago, determined to treat myself, and spent a solid 45 minutes feigning delight over every smell because I am too nice to show the palpable disgust I felt from 85% of the scents (no offense if you love a luxury fancy fragrance, I am just a simple gal!)
I did, however, manage to enjoy approximately one scent at the D.S. & Durga store in NYC. So much so, I bought the car freshener tag of it to hang in my office. Its notes are “strong coffee, buttery almond pastries, pipe tobacco” - delicious!Something to learn - Helena de Kay, Painter (1846 - 1916)
One thing on my NYC wishlist was seeing The Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Unfortunately, we lallygagged about town for too long and by the time we made it to The Met, the exhibit was at capacity for the day. Luckily, an afternoon in a museum is anything but a waste so we power walked our way around the other half of the building I didn’t see during my last visit. On our way back towards the entrance, I noticed this very unassuming but striking artist’s palette gently tucked in one of the corridors by the elevator.
To quote the placard beside it, “This paint box, a rare survivor of de Kay's artistic practice, reveals much about training for women at the time. The nude study dates the work to around 1871, the year when life classes were first open to women at the National Academy of Design. A magnetic personality, de Kay (later Gilder) greatly enriched the progressive cultural landscape of late nineteenth-century New York through many contributions, including establishing the famous Friday salons at the Gilders' home near Union Square, The Studio; organizing a Saturday-morning sketch club; and co-founding both the Art Students League and the Society of American Artists. Her leading presence was directly responsible for the large number of women involved in those organizations.”A sketch club! Her simple yet refined nude painting made me want to pick up a paint brush and just fuck around in a sketchbook, something I haven’t had the urge to do in years. Perhaps its time to get really into being really bad at painting….
Something to read - “The End of Merch” by Samual Hine for GQ.
This is definitely something floating around plenty of people’s algorithms, but I felt like adding it given how much passionate dialogue its created in various circles of friends, of both the “irl” and “internet” variety.In a world where we all feel like we are losing ourselves to feeds and timelines, merch is sometimes one of the only things that sparks a genuine conversation in this era of being distracted and avoidant of human connection. But some of it is absolutely terrible and I’m not sure why we’re spending $100+ for Bella + Canvas Blanks at the stadium concert…
I think
did a wonderful job in drawing up her matrix for merch and where various types fall. I would highly recommend reading her breakdown.Something to scroll through - Merch Motel on Instagram
Speaking of the word merch, here is a visual feast of an Instagram to spend some time scrolling through if you’re a lover of MCM architecture and eye-catching signage like me. I miss when the world was filled with campy neon, bright colors and bold fonts!! I added a few of these spots to my Google maps and *will* be stopping at them on my next road trip.
Something to treasure hunt for - Vintage Pop Tab Purses
I bought a vintage pop tab clutch at a flea market a few years ago and every single time I wear it out to dinner, people stop me to ask about it. So many women who crafted them in the 70s are overcome with nostalgia and eager to talk about the memories of making them - sigh, this is why vintage is better!
But the real benefit is that they are easy to find online, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are decently affordable on top of being something actually upcycled - go forth and buy! I love this one, this one and this one.Something to wishlist - The Giant Hand Pillow, Oroboro
Do I have $1,500 to spend on a giant hand pillow? Not even in the slightest. Do I know how to sew well enough where I could make this? Probably yes. Will I continue to pine over it? Absolutely.
I love hands. At some point people noticed this and started to buy me gifts that were hand themed. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I’m okay it. I would be even more okay with it if the gift included this expensive but delightfully whimsical hand pillow.
Well, there ya have it.
I’ll be back with more vintage and secondhand finds next week, including a guest post from one of my favorite people and thrifting buddies!
As always, thanks for being here — it means a lot.
And thanks for ignoring my typos, which I never notice until the moment I hit publish.
Until next time,
xo,
G
In case you missed it….
Would absolutely love a LOTR/fantasy-themed roundup!
Mithril for all!!