Cutie kiwis and getting personal(ized)
Cheers to the “prekend,” gang.
1.
Have you guys ever had a hardy kiwi before? Also known as arctic kiwis, these petite guys are sweet, juicy, and you can eat them just like grapes. And hardy kiwis are indeed hearty. Unlike their big bros, they can withstand growing in sub-zero temperatures, which is why they’re starting to sprout up at farms across the American northeast. NYC shoppers can now find them at the Samascott’s farm stand on Fridays at the Union Square greenmarket, which means it’s only a matter of time before they become the cutest little guest stars on bountiful cheeseboard spreads and brunch tables around the city.
2.
If you’ve seen the French Dispatch, you don’t need me to tell you how good it is. Honestly, if we hadn’t endured the last 18 months, I’d almost argue that it’s too good for us to fully appreciate in its full form, from the writing, to the set design, and then of course the teeming number of stellar actors, many of whom are repeat collaborators of Wes Anderson’s. This was a really fun read in last weekend’s Times about what keeps drawing some of them back.
3.
Hay’s whimsical kitchenwares always make me wish for more counterspace. Even so, I’m not a fan of clutter (see #4). But a terrific little toaster that’s minimally-sized enough may just be the exception that proves the rule—and convert me into more of a toast eater, too.
4.
The last year or so of pandemic-induced decluttering has definitely influenced my gifting habits. I’d rather treat someone to a nice dinner, or a special experience if I can’t think of that perfect thing I know they’d want and value—and ultimately keep. I also prefer giving personalized gifts these days: astrology-focused books around someone’s specific birth chart, a custom stationary set, or bespoke illustration. My friend Jason and I both recently gave friends this clever custom birthday book featuring a year-by-year chronology of New York Times cover pages from the date of one’s birth. Useful leather goods, like a versatile travel case set can easily be monogrammed, too, while Etsy is the imagination’s marketplace for all-things-unique. If you can dream it up—a gold, nameplate necklace in Chinese characters, for example?—there’s probably someone on Etsy who can make it.
5.
To celebrate the UK’s black history month, London just launched a first-of-its-kind tube map featuring the city’s 272 underground stations renamed with those of notable black brits from throughout the UK’s history. Instead of Piccadilly Circus, there’s now Cassie Walmer, a famous 1900s-era entertainer; and at Green Park, we have the Jamaican-born poet James Berry who was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1990 for his craft. New York’s MTA needs one of these, maybe even with explanatory one-liners as the trains pull into their respective stations. Of course New York’s MTA needs some other improvements first—like trains that run on time.