culture porn 11/18
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the crown (netflix)
i was worried about re-engaging with a totally new cast for this season - i grew very attached to season 4's cast which i rewatched before visiting balmoral this past summer. alas, the new cast is talented and the subject matter familiarly compelling, but so far it's not engaging me quite the way season 4 did. i reserve the right to change my mind as i watch more though (!)
i'm struggling with the new cast, but change is hard – and that seems to be the theme of season 5. charles pushes for power amid diana's struggles for attention, while the queen keeps calm and tries to carry on despite her "annus horribilis." sadly, we saw it all play out in real time, which is maybe why i'm less engaged with this time frame.
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weird: the al yankovic story (roku)
i've always cringed at weird al yankovic, but star daniel radcliffe won me over in this heavily varnished and imaginative biopic, along with the tons of cameos that serve as easter eggs for pop-culture fans.
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don’t worry darling (hbo max)
after all the press, i decided to watch the movie. and honestly, i liked it! more than i expected. that’s because of florence pugh and the EDWARD SCISSORHANDS-esque palm springs setting. are the themes perhaps familiar? maybe. but i enjoyed the watch.
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mammals (amazon prime)
i had mixed feelings about watching a recently-shamed james corden lead this british dramedy, but the rest of the charming cast and the twisty, unexpected storyline about infidelity do a surprising job of showing off his acting range.
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down and out in paradise: the life of anthony bourdain (simon & schuster)
charles leerhsen's unauthorized biography of the chef raconteur deep-dives into the childhood and relationships that formed, and ultimately destroyed, the food star's perspective, work and life.
insights & inspo
are you a travel ‘promad’?
travel has been shifting - increasingly an outlet for and reflection of our values and aspirations as a culture. thanks to my friend stuart shroff i read about the term "promad." the term itself is about as bad as "bleisure" but the concept behind it is worth a dive -- privileged as heck but also community-driven. not sure what to think yet (!)
more here
what is a NILF?
as "the great resignation" continues to impact the labor market, we've been tracking the cultural shifts in the relationship between work and quality of life – and life is unquestionably winning. with unemployment rates at 50-year lows, this piece by nicholas eberstadt in THE SPECTATOR WORLD identifies a new archetype – the NILF, or "Not In Labor Force" – particularly among prime-age men, as the disruptive force in a tight labor market that may have long-term consequences for the country as a whole.
more insights here
#AdventuresWithSarahAndShep
timed to eric’s birthday and my obsession with halloween & autumn vibes, we embarked on a trip to disneyland, determined to see the Haunted Mansion decked out in THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS vibes. we got to spend time in Galaxy’s Edge to fulfill our STAR WARS fantasies and then spent the rest of the day eating any and every seasonal treat we could find as well as plotting line minimizing ride strategy (tip: splurge for Genie+). the coasters were my fave (hello space mountain!) and it was a super fun time. DISNEY is so good at preserving the magic, for a not small fee. loved seeing the range of halloween x DISNEY fan outfits - some truly creative apparel.
more of sarah’s disneyland adventure here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
with the anxiety of the election results put (mostly) behind us, the crowd-sourced I VOTED sticker by high schooler hudson rowan of ulster county, NY, wins my award for impeccably capturing the country's zeitgeist: GNARLY. thanks to my own high school pal laura groppe for keeping me sane.
i've been closely following the volatile crypto market, and this week's implosion of FTX just added to the larger wave of troubles among the once-titans of tech, with "i'm sorry" echoing hollow among those who put their trust in (now questionable) leaders. the abrupt recent layoffs (some still to come) in both silicon valley and hollywood are sinking morale in these once-booming industries, even though the unemployment rate is still at historic lows – which hopefully bodes well for those newly re-entering the market.
for linda’s full debrief, head here
CULTIQUE's offices are closed next week for thanksgiving.
but don't worry darling, culture porn will be back on 12/2.