Buongiorno readers,
Summer is in full swing, and I hope you have plenty to read after last week’s email. I wouldn’t blame you if you curled into your hidey hole with a stack of books and didn’t emerge until after the next election. That debate sure was depressing and the headlines regarding recent Supreme Court decisions are enough to invoke a panic attack. All in all, it’s not how I wanted my summer to begin.
But while we gear up to start protesting/ voting/ rioting in the streets, it won’t help to keep our heads in the sand. Instead, let’s aim for distractions to help keep us sane during these insane times. From beginning amuse bouches to end-of-life celebrations, here are four cool things to experience in between your fetal position naps.
Faces of Death (FOD) Project
Antonio DePietro, my husband (and friend of Follow the Crowd) recently participated in the Faces of Death collaborative art show organized by Michael Hambouz since 2013. (The project was founded as a zine in 1997.) Each year different artists are asked to commemorate celebrities who’ve died that year, and the result is a celebration of life through tribute drawings in a variety of styles. This year, the art show was held at Brooklyn Grain and has already come and gone. But the merch remains. Each year FOD releases a t-shirt with all the drawings, which is a perfect keepsake of the legends we loved and lost. (T-shirts $40)
Horse Bag
I’m low-key obsessed with this horse bag by Baggu. It strikes the cord between being completely unnecessary as a practical purse and totally necessary as an emotional support stuffed animal. And it comes in black. (Horse Bag $70.)
Amuse Bouche
One beverage trend that I do not like is the necessity of making a reservation at a bar. But in the case of Banzarbar, the tiny ship-themed space above Freemans, it makes sense as there are so few seats and very little space to crowd into. But to possibly make up for the reservation, the bar gives a complimentary amuse-bouche drink before your first drink. This changes each night depending on the bartender’s whim, but the night we went, it was a sweet and delicious wine. I’ve noticed this classy move before— at Cafe Mars in Gowanus. I can only hope this is a trend that continues.
Illinoise
As many of you know I’ve been on a Broadway mission with my son, averaging about one show a week with lottery and rush tickets. Some shows are better than others, and many I find enjoyable but not memorable. Illinoise, a modern dance set to Sufjan Stevens album, Illinois, was surprisingly moving. If you’re already a Broadway fan, you’re probably rolling your eyes, as it won a zillion Tony awards and the audience is swarming to see it for the second or third time. For the rest of you, get tix!
Unfortunately, the 2023 FOD COMMEMORATIVE T-shirt is sold out. ☹️
I will wait until you get here and you can tell me which T-shirt to get