My 2020 Summer Obsessions
QUARANTINE CHIC
Messy bun. Thick framed glasses. Mismatched pajamas. You know what time it is. It’s time to roll out of bed and work on the couch. Remote learning and virtual correspondence have turned us non-essential citizens into slightly less crabby versions of Oscar the Grouch, basking in our own naked filth on a daily basis from the privacy of our own trash-filled homes. (What? You’re not naked? That’s just me?) As the world slowly returns to the workplace, I’d like to pay homage to the sloppier side of high fashion in what I like to call: quarantine chic.
NEIL SIMON
Covid19 has impacted live theatre harder than a school bus plowing into Regina George. Broadway is down. Actors are out of work. Regional theaters are going out of business, and theatre students everywhere are shedding tears for opening night performances that never came. Our 15-year-old son LOVES being a theatre kid, so naturally these past few months have been challenging for him. In an effort to fill the void inside his heart, our family has taken to reading plays together, casting multiple roles among the four of us and doing “table reads” 3 nights a week. And so far, Neil Simon is our favorite playwright to read aloud. I forgot how delightfully straightforward Simon’s plays are, how charming and rhythmic the dialogue plays out on the page. We’ve read The Odd Couple. Lost in Yonkers. Brighton Beach Memoirs. The whole experience has been a memory in the making, to say the least. Thanks, Neil. You da man.
TILE
Seems like everyone in the suburbs is renovating right now. Quarantine has brought out a new awareness in people, a keen subconscious sense of, “Holy shit, our house sucks.” Everyone and everything is changing—and every house with it it seems. This sudden renovation revolution has me obsessed . . . with tile. Bathrooms. Kitchens. Courtyards. I can’t stop daydreaming about all the surfaces I want to cover up with tile—tile that will no-doubt age badly and go out of style within five years. But WHAT A FIVE YEARS!
FASHION DOCUMENTARIES
I need more. MORE I tell you. All recommendations are welcome.
THE GREAT
If you loved The Favourite, you will devour for The Great. This historical fiction series about Catherine the Great is currently streaming on Hulu and it is banana boat crazy. Funny. Sexy. Entertaining. Beautifully made. And it’s not just for girls—dudes will love it, too! Don’t walk, RUN to your couches and binge-watch this show. Favorite show of 2020; I’ve already decided.
PREORDERING BOOKS
“Preordering” books before they go on sale is a great way to support your favorite authors and small presses. Preorders are thought to be a good indicator of how well a book might sell once released, so when preorders are high, retailers will sometimes increase the number of books they order from a publisher. This also creates more buzz around a book, enhancing anticipation and excitement for its release. But most importantly, GETTING THINGS FIRST KICKS ASS. Over the last two months, I’ve preordered 3 books that I can’t wait to get my hands on. Links attached!
Honorable mention
Video games as a social outlet. Peaches radio. Joan Didion. Chocolate chip ice cream. Saving money by doing nothing. Cooking to LCD Soundsystem. Twerking workouts. Quiet togetherness.
