My love of bongs is well documented, but it’s been a minute since I’ve seen a design that got me excited. Old Donna is a new entry in the category: a single, vintage-inspired, mid-century-esque style in four classic glass colors. I’m partial to orange, but the blue would also pop nicely on a shelf. -VvP |
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Don’t let the simplicity deceive you. Rose Delights’ Rose Hibiscus flavor is a classic for a reason. If I could reverse engineer a perfect edible, this might be it. Perfectly soft with just enough tooth to be chewy, sweet and slightly floral without being cloying, and a smooth-as-butter sativa-style high that gets me exactly where I want to be every time. I’m so happy we’re finally stocking them. -VvP |
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A couple months back, I encouraged everyone to read Molly Young’s NYT Magazine profile of Hilde Solani, “the mad perfumer of Parma.” If you haven’t yet, consider this a reminder. But if you have read it, and if, like me, you promptly fell down an internet rabbit hole of hyperrealistic gourmand scents (or perhaps were already down there) then this is for you. In my early twenties, I was obsessed with a fragrance by Anna Sui: powdery and sweet, with tropical fruity top notes, a gradually warming middle, and a smoky, woodsy base. The end result: It smelled like the plastic of a Strawberry Shortcake doll. Fast forward to my birthday last month, when a friend who also fell down Solani’s rabbit hole gave me what at first appeared to be a bootleg DVD. Plastic™ by Xyrena is that new doll scent dialed up to the nth degree and then smoothed out into something genuinely wearable by cult perfumer Killiam Wells, before being housed in some of the most creative and collectible (if slightly less than sustainable) packaging I’ve ever seen. If you have any curiosity about fragrances, give the Xyrena site a spin. You can order a set of mini samples just to explore. One last thing: I’d be remiss, considering the context, to not give a shoutout to Xyrena’s Reefer Madness collection, which includes Space Cake™ and Blue Dream®. I’m ordering samples as I write this. -VvP |
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I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more perfectly titled book. Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties tells you everything you need to know about what’s inside this debut from our friends at the original Shoppy Shop, Big Night. Pick it up now for some summer entertaining inspiration—and revisit it year round for a reminder that any night at home with friends can (and should) be a big night. -VvP |
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Canned wine? Hear me out. Brought to you by a crew of familiar faces, including chefs and erstwhile Gossamer collaborators Natasha Pickowicz and DeVonn Francis, Oona’s inaugural offering is now my official drink of summer. It’s a crisp, mineral-y, and extremely drinkable Barbera rose, all housed in a cute little can. Convenient, delicious, and made by people I both trust and genuinely like? What more could I ask for. Stock up for your friend, your next picnic, or last minute beach jaunt to the Rockaways. I’ll probably see you there. -VvP |
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Immediately after seeing this piece published, I texted a friend, “Heads up: New William Finnegan piece for the New Yorker just dropped,” which is basically what this high praise will be. Fans of surfing—and more specifically, Barbarian Days, Finnegan’s memoir on a life spent chasing waves, which might also be the only exception to my allergy to book-length non-fiction—you’ll want to read this. For a little taste of the beauty that is Barbarian Days, try “Off Diamond Head,” an excerpt that follows thirteen-year-old Finnegan as he finds his place in the early days of Hawaiian surf culture. -VvP |
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