⤳ Highlight of the week was convincing my friend Matt (owner of the amazing When Spaceships Appear record shop) to come down to South East London for a spot of record shopping, a few pints and a pizza. Along the way we stopped in at the Book and Record Bar in West Norwood and the Four Quarters Arcade Bar and Bar Jazu in Peckham.
⤳ I started watching Mr & Mrs Smith this week. I love anything Donald Glover does, and I saw it had got some good reviews so I took a look and I wasn’t disappointed. I’m four episodes in, and it’s great fun so far.
⤳ I also started Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, just because I will devour anything related to Truman Capote. Tom Hollander is great as Capote, the cast is stellar, and they have spent a LOT of money on the production. I’m only two episodes in but I think I’ll be watching the whole thing.
⤳ I’m now reading The Devil’s Candy: The Anatomy Of A Hollywood Fiasco by Julie Salamon, which my brother bought me for Christmas. It’s about the making of the film The Bonfire of the Vanities, and it’s such a great read. Salamon’s style is dry and cutting and smart and she had the most amazing access to the production; even if you haven’t seen the film (or read the book) it’s a fascinating account.
⤳ Some interesting things I’ve read this week:
A lot has been written about the amount of time we spend staring at our phones and other devices, but Huw Lemmey has such a beautiful and poetic way of looking at things, that his In Search of Lost Screentime essay is well worth a read (you may have to subscribe).
I didn’t think I’d be reading an article entitled What really caused the sriracha shortage? 2 friends and the epic breakup that left millions without their favorite hot sauce in 2024, but not only did I read it, I loved it.
Everyone’s a Sellout Now is an article from Vox which picks up on some of the themes that Naomi Klein talks about in Doppelganger.
⤳ Listening to: