new journalism

I am reading a book called The Gang Who Couldn't Write Straight at the moment. It's about Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion et al and the New Journalism movement. It's wonderful, and I find reading about this time in journalism and media fascinating. But I've always felt a little uncomfortable with the hype and hope pinned on new journalism - was "new journalism" really that new?

I read a piece on the Paris Review today which I think is quite apt. It's an interview with John McPhee. I've not read any of his work, but reading this has made me inspired to write again, which is a nice feeling after a three-month stint at the Sunday paper regurgitating press releases and writing drivel about television programmes I haven't watched.


INTERVIEWER You were writing in the sixties and seventies, when there was a lot of talk about New Journalism. What was your attitude toward that? Did you feel that something different was happening in nonfiction writing?
MCPHEE Well, something was happening in the Sunday magazine of The New York Herald Tribune. It’s often described as some kind of revolution, but I never really understood that. Nonfiction writing didn’t begin in 1960. Going back, there were so many nonfiction writers—what about Liebling? Walter Lord, James Agee, Alva Johnston, Joseph Mitchell—these are people who had prepared the way, and, more than that, had written many better things than these so-called New Journalists would ever do. Henry David Thoreau, for all that, was a New Journalist of his time, as were Dorothy Day, Ida Tarbell, Willa Cather between the ages of twenty and forty at McClure’s Magazine, John Lloyd Stephens, Richard Henry Dana Jr., and on back to Thomas Browne, Robert Burton, Francis Bacon, James Boswell, and Daniel Defoe. You get the point.
       New Journalism sounded like labeling for labeling’s sake. Some of the things were really interesting to read, but there was too much precedent challenging the word new. Anytime I was called a New Journalist I winced a little with embarrassment.
       Tom Wolfe helped bring a certain amount of attention to this kind of writing. But he’s just Tom Wolfe. It didn’t happen because one person did it. It happened because a whole bunch of people across a lot of time were interested in making pieces of writing out of factual material that would stand up on their own. They were not just writing articles telling you how to recover from hypothermia.


You can read the rest here...

perfect is as perfect does

“Babe Paley had only one fault,” commented her one-time friend Truman Capote. “She was perfect. Otherwise, she was perfect.”

Girls who never have a hole in their tights make me really nervous.

nest

we love hansel from basel and hansel from basel love...

I like getting emails from people I've secretly admired from afar. I mentioned that I got some Hansel from Basel socks for my birthday a week or so ago, and the next day, I had a lovely email from Hannah, who runs and owns the company - one I've got saved in my favourites and like to make imaginary "what I would buy" lists in their shopping carts. They make socks and stockings and tights - good ones, with silky ribs and little embroideries and prints. So I asked her to write us a list of top ten things...

postalco notepads

pantone colorbooks

klean kanteen - always in my purse! don't waste money on bottled water!

burts bee carrot spray - wakes me up when i start spacing out.

slow and steady wins the race - i wear this everyday

saipua soaps - another one of my most favorite things.

peonies - important decoration

hfb silk crew socks - perfectly go with my brogues

laura urbiniti - i love her underwear

this amazing lamp - i want this lamp so badly!

too good to be true

touch it

I'm so excited because I am going to be able to see and touch and try on the Miu Miu animal and naked lady prints in Milan soon. I won't be able to afford to buy my beloved cat print blouse...but a pair of socks will suffice. (This is my last post about Miu Miu's prints, promise.)

we love afton and afton loves...

I can't recall how I stumbled on Afton Hakes' blog, Freckle Farm, but all I know is I'm glad I did. She always finds things that pique my interest, and I find myself stealing her recipes too. She's also a wonderful art director/designer/illustrator based in Portland. Here are her top ten favourite things right now...

1. Ankle Socks: I was hesitant to embrace this look, as it sort of brought me back to my Catholic grade school days. First Communion style. But after purchasing a few pairs of soft solid ankle socks by We Love Colors in Chelsea, I was hooked. They look so cute with wedge heels and rolled skinny jeans.

2. Chambray Anything: I will rock the duel denim, and I don't care what anyone thinks. Chambray is so classic, paired with anything. My favorite is my slightly faded chambray boy style button down with black high waisted shorts.

3. Jorge Ben: Perhaps my favorite listening right now. Brazilian funk...get into it.

4. Hazel Jewels: My collection of jewelry by fellow Portlander Hazel Cox is borderline dangerous. (I recently got the lot INSURED if that tells you anything about my obsession.) I first met Hazel in Boise, Idaho, when I was a coffee-shop-working-art-student and she was a free-wheeling-Saturday-market-jewelry-pusher. We bonded over a shared love for pyrite, smoky quartz, and black onyx and have been pals ever since. Her work is like no other, and my love affair with her creations has grown more intense over the years. It has been inspiring to watch her craft evolve. Last fall, we collaborated on her website to showcase her growing permanent collection. It is no surprise that I was more than happy to be paid partially in trade.

5. Bergamot Orange Blossom Perfume: Made by Caitlin Davies of Intentions Perfumery. This stuff is the exception to my "I don't wear perfume" rule...perfectly musky but slightly sweet, and a pleasant hybrid of two of the best scents.

6. Neutrals: My favorite trend right now, and something I've embraced for years. Does that mean it's not a trend? Anyway—creams, tans, grays, nudes, and peachy hues all piled together. Dreamy.

7. Roasted Chickpeas: I have Everyone Loves Sandwiches to thank for introducing me to this little culinary wonder. I began making them after reading this post, and they are now in heavy rotation in my kitchen. I like to roast them a little bit longer, so they get a bit crunchy on the outside. Perfect in a spinach salad or a big bowl of couscous with roasted veggies. Om nom nom nom nom.

8. Purple Oxalis: I now have two of these plants at my studio, one at home, and two that I've gifted to fellow plant lovers. So unique, they look like delicate purple clovers and open and close with the rising / setting sun. It's almost like having a pet. Almost.

9. Alpaca Sweaters: I have snagged a few Rachel Comey Alpaca sweaters over the past couple winters. The wool is so soft and warm, and has quickly become a winter staple.

10. Sea Salt Caramels: Need I say more? I generally favor savory over sweet, but these little morsels are the best of both worlds. I like to eat them very slowly and let the gooey caramel melt in my mouth. Portland's very own Pix Patisserie makes a salted caramel french macaroon that is HEAVEN. (Now I have to go get one, stat.)

i like your old stuff better than your new stuff

I really like worn out things - garments, beaten up tables, scuffed shoes, holey denim.

all around the place

Here are some things I have been reading that you might like to read too.

Anna at Door Sixteen writes about Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals: a balanced and honest account of being vegetarian and not, and how and why. I have been thinking a lot lately about what I eat and why.

Lucy at Ink introduced me to a new publication called Vestoj. It's an independently published, advertising free periodical that uses a different art director each issue and covers fashion from an intellectual standpoint (without being utterly pretentious). It's edited by Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, whose last job was at the amazing Acne Paper. Lucy points us to an interview with her at WOW, which is a Sportmax site that profiles women - the site title stands for Way of Women. It's a really, really good site - and miles better than any other fashion house content I've seen - it really stands out. Scans above are courtesy of Lucy.

My friend Louise wrote about an event called Private Dances on her blog Grow Fonder a few days ago. I keep reading it over and over because it just sounds so beautiful.

I really liked these pictures of Chelsea when I saw them on Hanneli Mustaparta's blog. Then I realised she's from Auckland, and make beautiful music, both solo and with her band Teacups. She has such a beautiful, beautiful blog - her photography is wonderful and it's so thoughtful and carefully done.

crystal method

Debra Baxter's Crystal Brass Knuckle (I Am Going to Realign Your Chakras Motherfucker) is the pinnacle of a crystal trend that fascinates me. I like that they are both imbued with wafty-hippie theory (electro-magnetic therapy and chakras healing) and scientific and technological uses (diamond drills and silicon chips).

elsewhere: saipua

"At Saipua we make soap and flowers. Soap for washing. Flowers for occasions."

I love this blog. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. On such a dismal, wintery day, it's a delight to read about the arrangements (and day to day life) of Sarah, who owns the Brooklyn, NY florist (calling it a florist is something of a misnomer - it's so much more than that!).

"A few little deliveries from yesterday...with local ranunculus, local lilac (finally!!), sweet peas, geranium, jasmine, anemones, dusty miller, crabapple, etc."

 

lucky duck

I was absolutely spoilt yesterday, it was the best birthday I've ever had. I went here for the most delicious seven-course meal and will be eating rice for two weeks to make up for spending two weeks rent; got the best present from Zoe, see picture above, once I've had it framed I'll be just like Lisa from Vena Cava.

Other highlights included the perfect peach nailpolish and some Hansel from Basel socks from my beautiful business partner Bonnie and her family; a song from my boyfriend, flowers, delicious candles and cakes and a book I can't wait to devour by Lorrie Moore...

happy natalie day

xoxo