Weekend Edition | 3.23

In case you missed it

• Blank came out of the gate hot with Greta Rainbow’s reporting on how publishers market difficulty

• We introduced subscriptions which you can purchase here 

• Prune also went literary this week with a look at the enshittification of Italo Calvino covers 

I’m very inspired by Laurie Stone’s List of Lists: “Pieces of jewelry I regret not buying…Stoops where people broke up with me.” I am noting the existence of Sperry x Aritzia but I will not regret not buying. In other shopping news: Liza Corsillo, the only person I trust to try all the jeans at Madewell and rank them, has tried all the jeans at Madewell and ranked them. And the L.L. Bean Japan Collection is doing pop-ups in New York and LA. 

New York supermarkets are lobbying for wine in grocery stores—it’s about time. Anthony Bourdain’s former assistant writes: “My misplaced concern about people judging my choice to leave publishing and assist Tony was borne of the now outdated idea that being on a magazine masthead conferred a level of status that I’d be crazy to voluntarily forfeit.”

The level of status in question? Having your passport photo taken by Annie Leibovitz à la Graydon Carter. Between Graydon’s memoir and the history of Condé Nast coming out in July, I am predicting a Brat Pack revival. Which is, I am sorry to say, a recession indicator. 

Hard times for people that hate the Yankees but love tiramisu. I predict those mascarpone helmets will quickly sell out. But will they DOUBLE sellout? Friend of Dirt, W. David Marx, says it’s the age of the double sell-out: “Creators who produce market-friendly content to achieve fame — and then use that fame to pursue even more commerce-for-commerce's-sake.” 

You know who never sold out? Joe Brainard. “His work demonstrates the power of art made specifically for another, and delivered as a gift,” writes David S. Wallace. 

Apple’s gift to us is losing a billion dollars a year to bring you Severance. Jenny G. Zhang calls the season 2 finale a metaphor for the slaughterhouse. Speaking of animal cruelty: Looney Tunes is no longer available on Max, but Coyote Vs. Acme might be so back. — Daisy Alioto

NEW IN TASTELAND

Trey Taylor joins Daisy and Francis to talk about his new perfume label Serviette, cartel behavior on behalf of larger brands, and how marketing scent has always been about marketing a lifestyle.