crazy, sexy, and/or cool: july

news, handicraft, carrie bradshaw, dessert, & more

Crazy, sexy, and/or cool is a monthly roundup of my recent activities, consumption, thoughts, and experiments from the past month, touching on intriguing ideas, inspirations, rituals, and musings that have piqued my interest.

reading news

This past month I decided I wanted to become a more well read person. I often find myself very enthralled by people who seem to have a story for every occasion, an endless stream of knowledge about a host of  topicsIn the back of my head I would think—how do they know all this stuff?— the simple answer is reading, and listening. I do read, although not nearly as much as I’d like to, and thinking about it put into perspective just how much irrelevant media I was taking in and letting crowd my brain space. 

Sometime shortly after coming to college in 2019, I became very disillusioned with news and politics. I stopped being intentional about following what was going on in the world and staying up to date with politics beyond having  a general idea of what was happening—the headlines mostly. At the time I felt empowered in this choice to disconnect and position myself apolitically. It felt like rejecting the overflow of the 24 hour news cycle and breaking free from the monotony of what felt like an unproductive political system and its less than functional leaders. But recently I got to a point where I started to feel disconnected and somewhat under informed about the real details of what was going on around me. Conversations with family and friends highlighted this, and made me want to dive back into not only political news, but different social issues and topics like climate and technology, and even spend more time in pop culture reading about films and fashion. Being well read and informed, about the things you're interested in but also the things that are important to others in my communities, makes me feel more knowledgeable but also grants me a more nuanced world perspective that I didn't know I was missing out on by closing myself off to certain topics. It's reinvigorating my love for learning and my wonder toward life.

I subscribed to Apple News Plus which has been an amazing resource, giving me access to all the publications I love without needing to have individual subscriptions to each of them. I've incorporated looking at News Plus in my morning routine and I really look forward to reading and seeing what research holes the headlines and stories will lead me down that day. It also makes me feel like I have more to discuss in conversation with others and like I can knowledgeably speak on a variety of topics. 

Yay learning!

Handicraft & artisanship

There is such a beauty to handcrafted objects. In our fast paced consumerist society, I think we are beginning to lose a value for durable objects. Everything is made with the intention of maximizing profits and speed, and a focus on true craft is diminishing. I have always valued old things for this reason, you can see and feel the love transferred through these objects, and it entirely changes the way we experience the clothes we wear and the items we use. It adds a layer of appreciation to our daily lives. 

A few years ago I read a book called “The Beauty of Everyday Things” By Soetsu Yanagai, it talks about folk craft, that is the art of everyday household objects like clothing, furniture, and utensils. Folk craft includes a variety of art forms like ceramics, textiles, and woodworking. Yanagai explains that  we cannot ignore practical handicrafts and beauty should be considered and prioritized in their craft and in their care. These objects are made for daily practical use but this does not cheapen their value. The author asserts that in fact, the things we use everyday should be the most beautiful because of how much we interact with them. A disrespect and disregard for the ordinary has a huge impact on our lives because most of our lives are spent doing ordinary tasks. A lot of happiness comes from and joy shared by surrounding ourselves with beautiful, durable things that have had care and thought poured into their creation. It's the difference between drinking coffee from a styrofoam cup that was brewed in a plastic machine versus a coffee in a handmade ceramic cup brewed in a glass pour over.

I already thrift and get most of my clothes vintage or second hand but I want to start extending this practice to all areas of my life—taking time to learn about vintage furniture, glassware, local artisans, and learning the handicrafts myself. 

One day, I envision living in a home where everything is uniquely made or designed by me. I want to take great care in curating the space, sourcing items from vintage shops and handpicking beautiful handmade pieces from skilled artisans. Lately, I've been really getting more into folk arts and handicrafts, spending more time learning about them and honing my own skills.

Also thinking about the impacts of climate change becoming more and more tangible, with July having been the hottest recorded month of all time, handicraft and vintage shopping are great  ways individuals can decrease their carbon footprint and participate less in mass production which contributes to climate change significantly.

Rajiv Surendra 

On the topic of handicraft, I discovered Rajiv Surendra this month and I am obsessed with him and his life. He is an actor, author and multi-talented craftsperson who makes content surrounding his life and craft. Anything from antiquing, to flower arranging, cooking, and letter writing; he takes part in so many creative and domestic arts and is truly a master at everything. It's so pleasing to watch and made me remember how much I want to live a life like that, surrounded by art, beauty,  thoughtfulness, and connection to self, others, and earth. I admire his commitment to mastering craft and incorporating beauty and care into his daily life and the lives of the people around him. He's literally living my dream. He posts amazing content on his Youtube channel and is regularly featured on HGTV Handmade’s channel. Please go check it out. 

Bas Meeuws

Earlier this month I visited many Dutch art museums and was really impressed by the work of Bas Meeuws. He is a Dutch photographer who uses the work of 16th and 17th-century Dutch painters as inspiration for his dramatic and engaging flower still-life images. I love seeing flowers in art and Meeuws such lovely arrangements that send your eye all around the canvas. 

Baking

I have been baking like a madperson this month. Generally, I can't survive without something sweet after each meal but living at home always heightens my baking kicks. I genuinely enjoy the process of baking but my interest in baking undeniably stems from my interest in eating dessert. This month I made lemon cake(s), zucchini bread, and the most amazing coffee cake dessert I've ever tasted. Imagine a freshly-baked, perfectly soft coffee cake, topped with vanilla bean ice cream affogato, and drizzled with caramel…it was MAGIC. I get almost all my recipes from the amazing Sally McKenny, here is the coffee cake one: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/coffee-cake-recipe/ 

the sex and the city cinematic universe (SCU)

I've been drawing fashion and life inspiration this month from the entire Sex and the City-verse. In the main series, Carrie Bradshaw is a writer, fashionista, and thirty-something living her best life in New York Cities with her best friends. Their lives are ordinary but sensational, showing the nuance and excitement in their day to day. The friendship dynamic between Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte is spontaneous, supportive, and familiar, representing the bonds many women share. The fashion in not only the main show, but also all of its spin-offs(especially the movies), is to die for—zany, chic, and professional at the same time, the definition of ladies who lunch.

Watching: The Bear 

I just finished seasons one and two of the bear and it was such a great watch. I haven't felt so invested in a series in a long time, and The Bear was such an interesting world to fall into. The show is fast-paced, cinematically shot, and touches on a range of topics from addiction, grief, and the pressures of working in a kitchen. The characters are developed so well and the way it's shot really makes you feel like you're in the kitchen with them. 

Reading: The Architecture of Happiness

Currently reading this great book by Alain de Botton that discusses the history of architecture while making a commentary about how the spaces we live in and occupy have an effect on who we are and who we can become. On a similar note to the handicraft idea, the things that surround us are important to our mood, outlook, productivity, and ability to connect. Structures have the ability to speak to us and communicate values and ideals that we want to uphold in our lives.

“To describe a building as beautiful implies an attraction to the way of life this structure promotes through its roof, door handles, window frames, staircase, and furnishings.”

Beauty is a reflection of moral value and structure and items have the ability to carry and communicate these characteristics. 

Honorable mentions:

bachelor mondays 

crocheting granny squares

painting with watercolors

becoming a working lady

Till next month.