We Just Gel

Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!

After all the chaos in the lead-up to my move, I thought I’d finally be able to slow down and catch my breath once I was situated in my new place. But because I’d left most of my old furniture behind, and because it kinda sucks to be living out of bags and boxes on the floor, I’ve been in a whirlwind trying my best to furnish my new place without dropping thousands of dollars. Therefore most of my shopping lately has been taking place on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, but I’ve still discovered a few gems while out and about that I wanted to share. (Also, if anyone has the hookup for an actually-attractive desk chair, please hit my line. 😩)

Barbie World

POLAROID 600 MALIBU BARBIE INSTANT FILM CAMERA- RETROSPEKT SHOP ($169)

If you’re on the internet at all, you’ll know that the discourse has been round-the-clock Barbie this, Barbie that for the past few weeks. I’ve always been more of a Bratz girl myself, but if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, which is how I found myself coveting this retro Barbie-themed film camera. I’m pretty sure I had a Barbie scrapbook kit with this exact groovy 70s aesthetic as a kid, because seeing that sticker pack with the camper van and watermelon slices instantly triggered some long-buried nostalgic recognition. Milwaukee-based Etsy shop Retrospekt also offers regular refurbished Polaroids, in boring old black and red, but c’mon — you know you want the one in shades of bubblegum pink and sherbet orange.

Cubist Movement

SHOWSTOPPER JELLIES - SOLID WIGGLES (CUSTOM ORDER)

Call me crazy, but I think jello might be the amuse-bouche du jour? Two recent events I attended were serving jello shots: one had the familiar assortment of technicolor grape/cherry/lime flavors, but the other was dishing up turquoise squares shot through with bolts of cream and pink — apparently they were French 75-flavored, and went down smooth as silk. When I inquired as to their provenance, I was pointed towards Brooklyn-based Solid Wiggles, which cooks up fun, abstract, cocktail-flavored jelly shots and cakes that are little works of art unto themselves. Most of their orders are in NYC, but if you simply must get your hands on their boozy bites, they also offer nationwide shipping via Goldbelly.

Oh, This Old Thing?

ISSUE ONE - MILDEW MAGAZINE ($20)

I was bummed to be leaving behind the Park Slope Beacon’s Closet, always a reliable standby for whiling away a weekday evening, but consoled myself with the promise of another hip vintage store in my new neighborhood: Other People’s Clothes. After just a few visits, it’s quickly become my number one thrift destination — I feel like their selection is more tightly curated and better-priced than Beacon’s (is that blasphemous to say?) During my last visit, I came across a few copies of Mildew Mag, which bills itself as a secondhand fashion magazine; a quick flip through revealed fun features on flea marts and button collectors, playful typography, punchy graphics, and glossy pics of good-looking people in cool clothes, amply proving that print’s not quite dead yet.

---

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!