There is a certain irony to the fact that I’ve had this short on my very long list of things to do/watch/read/listen to for about a month now. Retirement Plan is a beautiful little animated film from John Kelly about all the things we tell ourselves we’re going to do once we just have the time. (There’s also a microdosing and weed joke in it so I’ll count that as a bit of a Gossamer hook.) Voiced by Domhnall Gleeson, the film won a bunch of awards over the past year and got this writeup from David Sedaris, which I recommend reading after watching, if at all. It’s a nice, for lack of a better word, way to spend seven minutes of your life today, even if it’s stopping you from doing something else on your list.
-DW
|
|
This is both a recommendation and a cry for help. I picked up a bag of these Hawaiian candies somewhere on the Big Island as a small souvenir for a friend. Turns out, they’re incredible and also absolutely impossible to find anywhere on the internet. The only reference I could dig up is to a different gummy (Snazzy Melon Slices) by the same brand, deep in the archives (we’re talking 2006) of a local food blog. I know that li hing (a tasty salty, sweet, and sour flavor derived from dried Chinese plums) is a popular ingredient in Hawaiian snacks across the board, but it’s this particular gummy (Kalakoa ‘Opihi, I guess?) by this particular brand (“Hawaii’s Best Snax”) that I’m desperate to track down. If anyone out there knows how I can get my hands on more of these squishy sea snail shell-shaped sweets (say that three times fast), please tell me. You can reply to this email or reach out to me directly at verena@gossamer.co. And as a consolation prize to everyone else, I suggest perusing the digital shelves of Leilani’s Attic for other Hawaiian goodies.
-VvP
|
|
It’s been a while since I’ve written about hemp wicks. Probably years. Which is also almost certainly as long as it’s been since I’ve actually used one. Hemp wicks, for those who don’t know, are thin lines of hemp twine covered in beeswax (usually) that allow one to light something, say, a bowl or a joint (less common), without directly using a lighter. Some people prefer this mechanism to avoid inhaling any butane, while others like it for the evenness of the burn and manageable flame. Still others, or maybe the exact same people, use hemp wicks to feel artisanal and morally superior. Irrespective of the reason, if you’re using one, you know that having some kind of holder is ideal, as just using the twine itself can be a bit unwieldy and annoying. These Wick Holders from Wandering Bud are a solid solution and would make a nice little gift for the stoner in your life had they not all sold out earlier this week. I’m sticking with them as a recommendation so that anyone interested can put themselves on their mailing list for the next run.
-DW
|
|
In late October, the MTA unveiled the installation of artist Heejung Cho’s “Perspective” at the 85 St-Forest Parkway Station. While I had seen press releases for some other subway artworks, I hadn’t come across clean images of Cho’s until now. What a great addition.
-DW
|
|
After abandoning two books in a row (while on vacation, no less), I picked up What We Can Know and finally felt pulled back in. It’s the story of a lost poem, but also a sharp, unsettling look at climate change and how our era might one day be studied, misread, or mythologized. McEwan threads it all together with a kind of quiet and beautiful propulsion that reminds me why I love reading.
-VvP
|
|
After sharing a tiny space in Williamsburg for years, Hightide has opened a new, much larger location of their own in Greenwich Village. If you’re familiar with their Downtown Los Angeles store or have just seen them on Instagram, you know that the Japanese-founded shop carries a wide array of stationary, crafts, and products you didn’t know existed but now want to buy.
-DW
|
|
No longer want to receive these emails? Unsubscribe. Gossamer HQ PO Box 310737 615 Clinton Street Brooklyn, New York 11231-9997 |
|
|
|
|
