Culture Shock
Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!
Have a fun guest issue coming to you today from NYC-based writer and marketer Emma Sharpe! When she isn’t slaving over a pitch deck for a low-fat salad dressing company, you can find her watching Survivor reruns or working on the next issue of her pop culture newsletter, Uncultured, which just so happens to be one of my favorite Substack subscriptions. It’s arch, it’s quippy, it keeps me in-the-know (where else would I have found out that Rob Lowe filmed a made-for-Netflix vanity project for his son?) I highly suggest you read up, and keep an eye out for my own Uncultured low-brow low-down shortly forthcoming :)
All Bottled Up
DAY BOTTLE IN HONEY - BINK ($38)
One thing about me is I will always try to live my life like Kim Kardashian. And while we can’t all rent out a private island during a pandemic for our birthday party or sign a multi-million dollar contract with Balenciaga, we can appreciate the little things, like carrying around a Skims-toned water bottle. Drinking more than a glass or two of water has never been native to my DNA, so if upping my daily intake means spending forty bucks on an aesthetic glass water bottle, so be it.
Jump the Shark
SAFARI BLEND - KAHAWA 1893 ($17)
A liquid I don’t have a problem consuming is coffee. And I’m not about to get all Emma-Chamberlain-Coffee-is-My-Whole-Personality on you, I’m just recommending a cool brand I learned about from Shark Tank, one of the best shows known to man. Kahawa 1893 is a woman-owned company that works directly with woman-operated farms, and when you buy a bag, you can tip the farmers who grew the beans and Kahawa will match it. A little bit of a splurge, but you can’t put a price on ethics!
In My Bag
HUNTER TOILETRY BAG - DAGNE DOVER ($65)
Another women-founded brand! These must have been on all the cool gift guide roundups last year, because I got not one but two of them as Christmas gifts. I’m addicted to makeup, so toting this seemingly infinite pouch to the bathroom mirror, the office, and on trips ensures I’m able to bring all of my essentials for a good day of glam, which yes, includes two different forms of highlighter. There’s also a little inside pocket which is great for hoarding all of the mini perfume samplers you get at Sephora, or shoving your earrings into after a couple glasses of Sauv Blanc.
Burn Notice
CUSTOM CANDLE-MAKING - LANTERNE CANDLE LAB (FROM $35)
Last summer my friend surprised us with a mystery outing to Lanterne Candle Lab, a small-operation candle-making shop in Lower Manhattan. There are dozens of creative scents to choose from, and you feel like a little scientist pouring your oils into beakers. The candle vases come in a variety of subtle matte hues, and you can add bits of dried flower petals and whatnot as the wax dries for some additional customization. I went with a limoncello scent and titled my creation “Washed Up,” because I often daydream about having some sort of Lewinsky-style scandal where I flee to Mykonos to live out my later years with a quiet wisdom that stems only from contending with international derision and coming out the other side understanding what’s truly important in life.
A Star is Born
Jump scare! We’re veering off the aesthetic.
If Animal Crossings had a lo-fi, more cerebral cousin it would be Stardew Valley. Created by indie developer ConcernedApe, the game centers around your journey to resurrect your grandfather’s farm while building deep relationships with your kooky neighbors along the way. You can dictate the pace of the game, so you could play for three hours straight or pick it up briefly to pass the time when the L train is 17 minutes away.
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com or swing by my Twitter @kitguo!
Really enjoy your writing style. 👌
Loved this ✨