culture porn 7/22
our weekly playlist
screenshot me:
the godfather (paramount+)
after watching THE OFFER (PARAMOUNT+), we couldn't not watch the original film that has inspired so many other storytellers to spin their own amazing tales (i'm talking to you, david chase). sadly, james caan passed a few days after watching his breakout role as sonny corleone, a poignant reminder of the cultural muscle this film has in society.
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cocteau twins (spotify)
in honor of my scottish summer trip, i have been listening to the oh-so-good scottish pop group. their songs are brilliant and such a vibe of youth & feels. their lyrics are famed for being hard to decipher which frankly adds to the intrigue.
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cruel country: wilco (spotify)
i loved how the terrific soundtrack for THE BEAR (FX/HULU) is peppered with songs from chicago natives WILCO, which made me download their latest album. it's both fresh and familiar and the perfect backdrop for summer chillaxing.
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persuasion (netflix)
while its controversial production (breaking the 4th wall) and cutesy modern references ("playlists," "exes") can feel like jamming an episode of FLEABAG between the pages of jane austen's novel, i found dakota johnson’s performance to be more subtle and charming than THE OFFICE-like mugging of her co-stars.
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good luck to you, leo grande (hulu)
if you're a fan of emma thompson as i am, you'll appreciate her full-frontal nudity as courageous, not salacious, in this sweet and not-too-sappy story of an older woman's quest for her first orgasm.
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westworld (hbo max)
i only watched the premiere season, but since every new outing brings a reset, it's easy to fall into the labyrinthian abyss that is WESTWORLD. familiar characters pop up in new guises and new places, but the essential mystery is the same: what the heck is going on?
insights + inspo
women in cannabis
supporting female and POC-led cannabis brands is more important than ever. despite the industry growing, the rate at which women are entering is on the decline. this is why i'm so passionate about brands like ASTER FARMS, SACKVILLE & CO and HUMBLE BLOOM CO. so glad I got to connect with these amazing women at the "herbal gathering" i hosted to celebrate ASTER FARMS’ expansion into new york.
- linda ong, @lindaong100
for more insights, head here
first came yassification. now? please welcome, de-yassification
with origins of the term stemming from MARS CANDY revealing an updated roster of more inclusive M&Ms in jan 2022 — which led to backlash from Gen Z voicing that stripping away the green M&M’s stylish white go-go boots + makeup is the opposite of inclusivity — we’re now beginning to see de-yassification identified beyond the green M&M: film, fashion, and music industries are being called out for their ‘toning down’ of their image, leading to a hyper-aware generation of brands and individuals suppressing both their creativity and themselves.
- shahin rafikian, @shahinplz
more here
do you have to be wealthy to get a prenup?
congrats to bennifer on tying the knot 🥂!
with marriage happening later and less frequently for millennials, it makes sense that other aspects of wedded bliss are taking shape. a generation traumatized by student debt, younger americans are now relying on prenuptial agreements to protect their spouses "from the worst impulses of the American debt-collection system."
- linda ong, @lindaong100
for more, head here
#LOokforward🌅 with linda ong
i'm back in nyc, soaking in the sights and sounds of the city i used to know so well. helping me on my treks: a trusty pair of white CQP SPORT sneakers (some of the genius swag from BRILLIANT MINDS). white kicks like these are increasingly the perfect summer fashion staple. today's post-pandemic fashion is practical and accessible.
rebecca jennings is calling a new trend: the internet aesthetic romanticizing “the glamour of getting by," epitomized by VERY FAMOUS MAGAZINE and BLACKBIRD SPYPLANE, who of course i'm now following. cited as evidence (via TIME magazine): "Selling Sunset, hyperpop, Pete Davidson, micro-miniskirts, cocaine decor, revisionist retellings of maligned ’90s women like Pamela Anderson, Britney Spears, and Monica Lewinsky."
for linda’s full debrief, head here