Like many Americans, I often lament the fact that our country, at least when it comes to government services, is seemingly stuck in the past. While other nations have made it a point to digitize basic civic tasks and duties—some places allow for voting by phone, others have made paying taxes a simple app—the U.S. feels like it’s almost gone backwards on several of these fronts. Free direct filing for taxes, for example, was recently suspended. But reading Anna Juul’s recent piece about the end of mail in Denmark (also the title), I actually begin to wonder if some part of me will miss some of these things when they’re gone. Sure voting can be tortuous, with long lines and malfunctioning systems, but will simply tapping something on my phone ever compare to the feeling of slapping on a giant “I VOTED” sticker while walking out of the basement of a random neighborhood school? Juul’s essay details the death of PostNord, the state-owned mail service (40% is controlled by Denmark, 60% by Sweden) that ceased delivering physical letters on December 30th of last year. The move was in direct response to two things: the steep dropoff of letters sent (from 1.44 billion in 2000 to 122 million in 2024), and the fact that the bulk of what’s left is junk or can be replaced with alerts and email. Juul, who is by no means a fan of the postal service, mourns its demise as a signal of a world increasingly losing its human touch. Is it simply romanticizing the past, or is the promise of a frictionless future more of a mirage than a miracle?
-DW
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We only added these five new edibles from Wyld a week ago, but they’re already flying off the shelves. I’m flagging them here because they’re selling so quickly I’m worried we won’t get our re-order delivered before they sell out—and readers of High Praise deserve all the extra notice we can give them. I’ve been really enjoying Blood Orange Bliss, which is also our first CBC-infused offering, but Boysenberry Dream seems to be the crowd favorite.
-VvP
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Is there a limit to how many times I can recommend Los Burritos Juárez? I will stop when they stop making some of the most delicious burritos I’ve ever tasted—or offering newsworthy twists on their famous tortillas. Last Monday, Los Burritos Juárez debuted the first installment of their weekly guest chef taco residency with Comedor’s Philip Speer. Taquería Juárez, as they’re calling it, continues this week with Quentin Peron, whose menu includes a ribeye au poivre taco made with green peppercorn and pasilla chiles, as well as a lobster “Dorado” taco topped with ginger-lime vinaigrette. Hellbender’s Yara Herrera is slated for March 9, followed by Boby Pradachith on the 16th. I’m hungry just writing this.
-VvP
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I should’ve put this in High Praise sooner as now more than half the styles are sold out, so let this be a first and final warning. Call me out of style, but I’m still a sucker for the occasional terrazzo design. These two-piece recycled and borosilicate glass ashtrays from NWTN Home will give your coffee table or shelf a nice pop of color for spring, or, even better, when there are three feet of snow outside. Don’t wait too long!
-DW
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After hearing on a podcast that the current season of Industry was largely inspired by the real-life rise, fall, and fraud of a German payment processor, I fell straight down the rabbit hole of this New Yorker story from 2023. If you’re watching the show, you’ll want to read it, though whether you wait until after the season finale is up to you. If you’re not watching, just know the story is wild enough to have apparently resulted in one of the more bonkers seasons of television in recent memory.
-VvP
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The New York Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show is back and this year’s is a fun one. Queens-born floral artist Mr. Flower Fantastic has transformed the institution into a living recreation of the city itself, from stoops and laundromats to subways and slice shops. I’m sure it goes without saying that an edible plus a visit would make for a great day. On through April 26th.
-DW
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