My old Columbia professor is writing a "sex, drugs + neuroscience" autobiography
meanwhile, RFK Jr. fundraises off of the HHS freeze
Was everyone at one of the two readings on Friday? Seems like it! I started my night at one, but left to catch up with dear friends I hadn’t seen since before the holidays.
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s edition:
FKA Twigs released a new album
Another book to add to your winter reading list
Two queens queening out
Previews from my old professor’s upcoming book
The bad kind of blackout (health agency comms, champagne towers)
WHAT I’M INTO
Press Play: “Childlike Things” by FKA Twigs ft. North West
In case you missed it, FKA Twigs released a new album last week that launched her into a tech league of her own. I loved the titular song, “Keep it, Hold It”, and “Striptease.” But “Childlike Things” is my favorite on the album. It’s playful, it’s curious, it’s child wonder backed by J-Pop sounds. She started writing this song when she was 13, so it makes sense to feature 11-year-old North West. Her discography now includes her dad’s albums and EUSEXUA and she made this song a bop. Rapping in Japanese, no less. I respect Twigs for getting in on the ground floor of Northie Stock.
Borrow from ur local public library: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
I’ve gotta be honest. This is a long read, but it’s worth it. The Goldfinch should be a staple of any Winter in New York Reading List. Donna Tartt invites you to the world of Native New Yorkers, wealth, and art. While parts read like an art history textbook, it’s a coming-of-age novel (which I’ve learned is also called a bildungsroman!) that follows 13-year-old Theo Decker. After surviving a terrorist bombing at The Met that kills his mother, he’s left to live in a completely new world (Las Vegas???). Tartt’s writing is rich in a way that reads classical, making modern references like iPhones feel anachronistic. Twice, I missed my subway stop because I was locked into her prose. People have walked up to me at cafes to tell me they love this book and that I simply must read The Secret History. (I will, I will!) I’m a fan of other Bennington College Literary Brat Pack authors and knew I’d like Donna Tartt, but I never got around to reading her work. Finding The Goldfinch in a box of free books on a Bed-Stuy stoop was kismet. Because it’s 771 pages long, it lived with me for the days leading up to Christmas and a few more weeks after New Year’s Day. Now, it’s out on my stoop for whoever wants it. It’s a good book to get lost in when the city is cold and everyone’s gone. Or when you’re in hibernation mode.
Anti-algorithm news: Pamela Anderson Gets Her Flowers—From Martha Stewart (Elle)
Martha Stewart interviewed Pamela Anderson for Elle. The visuals and styling are stunning—I might add a white tie to my collection. They covered a lot of ground for a Zoom call, sharing favorite recipes and discussing gardening tips. After Martha shares that she loves a blood orange granita, Pamela ups the ante by disclosing she once planted her placenta in a blood orange tree. Honestly, they’re a perfect pair! They’re both tenacious, smart, and limitless. My favorite 2023 Netflix documentary was Pamela, a love story, and Martha was my 2024 choice. I know Pamela is my kind of girl because she lived in Marseille for some time. I’ve yet to meet anyone I didn’t vibe with who's lived there. I plan to watch The Last Showgirl this week, DM me if you want to join.
PULSE CHECK
“Pulse Check” curates healthcare updates, and serves as a complement to the longer, more researched “On Health” pieces.