By Kenny Gould, The Brewing Cloud deviates from the beer writer’s typical reportage (which he does for the magazine he founded, Hop Culture) in favor of fiction. Using an imaginary “floating city where everyone is involved in some aspect of the beer industry” as the foundation for stories like “The Rat Problem” and “Vampire Brewing,” Gould spins tales of love, luck and more. Gould’s pieces are brief, witty and celebrate the beloved beverage.
Highborn formulates all of their sublime small-batch products with the utmost care. Using ingredients sourced directly from organic farmers, the brand (founded and helmed by Lauren Gannes) is firmly rooted in nature, science and ritual. Their exquisite Salome Aromatic CBD Anointing Oil is made with essential oils derived from rose otto, holy basil, sweet orange, and sandalwood—along with 420mg of full-spectrum cannabidiol from certified organic and ethically farmed cannabis plants. The slightly herbaceous aroma balances upon rose’s delicate floral scent and holy basil’s spice. A reiki-charged quartz, intended to protect and promote positivity, sits inside. Currently Highborn donates 10% of all sales to various NYC food banks to help those facing food insecurity.
Designed specifically for 2015 to current Apple iMac and iMac Pro, Nack Studio’s Base lends height and stability to an office set-up. The domestically grown and sustainably sourced black maple ash stand comes in two- or four-inch versions, allowing for variability in how you configure your workspace. Finished with a coating of OSMO Poly-X oil, the Base will withstand regular use and its microporous surface means it’s extra easy to wipe clean.
Super-silky and lush, Nama Fiji’s face cream feels refreshing but rich upon application. The incredibly absorbent moisturizer leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated, with no greasy or slimy residue. This is thanks in part to the use of 100% wild nama (also known as sea grapes), a seaweed native to Fiji’s Yasawa Island region. Nama is higher in ionic mineral salts than most seaweeds, making it extra hydrating. Its B vitamins combat rosacea and inflammation, and the omega fatty acids help to smooth skin. Since the ingredients are all-natural and all-vegan, the slight fragrance is subtly herbaceous.
The undeniably charming Phoenicia Diner was built on Long Island in 1962 and moved to the Catskills in the ’80s, but it was in 2011 that Mike Cioffi bought it and transformed it into a beloved institution. Now he (along with chef Chris Bradley and author and professor Sara B Franklin) is releasing a cookbook full of the restaurant’s comfort food. Drenched in Americana, the book includes classics like buttermilk pancakes and “The Perfect Bacon, Egg and Cheese” along with modernized takes such as the cider-braised duck and grits. With 85 recipes within, a comprehensive guide to preparing eggs any style, and plenty of photographs of the venue and its gorgeous surrounds, this book will have readers keen to create their own roadside diner at home.
The first in a triptych of albums (collectively entitled The Perfect Vision), The Peyote Dance sees Patti Smith join experimental musical outfit Soundwalk Collective in a work of tribute to French poet Antonin Artaud. Soundwalk Collective’s founder Stéphan Crasneanscki traveled to the Norogachi municipality of Mexico’s Sierra Tarahumara, where Artaud himself visited in 1936, curious to know whether a peyote shaman from the Rarámuri people could free him of an opioid addiction. Soundwalk Collective recorded in both the village and cave where Artaud lived, capturing sounds earthly and human, delicate and divine. Smith then joined them in studio, back in New York to weave together each track.
To limit single-use plastic, the brand by Humankind delivers their rich, concentrated hand soap—which comes in tea tree, grapefruit or lavender—with an accompanying bacteria- and mold-resistant dish. Your first order will arrive with both products, but those that follow include just the soap. by Humankind’s cold-processed and cured cubes contain a higher amount of glycerin (the moisturizing agent in soap) and boast a greater density, making them longer lasting.
Duke Cannon Supply Co’s oversized Big American Bourbon Soap bar incorporates Buffalo Trace Distillery’s award-winning (and delicious) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The liquor lends this American-made soap a sweet and oaky scent—much like that of a whiskey barrel. At 10 ounces, it lasts longer than any average bar.
From the importance of the clink of ice in a cocktail shaker to the devilish development of cutlery, Amy Azzarito’s book The Elements of a Home: Curious Histories behind Everyday Household Objects, from Pillows to Forks tells the tales of more than 60 ordinary furnishings and objects. Arranged alphabetically, the book’s entries traverse time to pick through origin stories and interesting advancements that anyone who loves trivia—and a nice surprise—will value.
Available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC and Steam, the doodle-like adventure game PIKUNIKU challenges users—who appear as a blob with telescopic legs—with puzzles and tasks in single or local co-op player modes. The game relies on a storybook-like plot line with mini games hidden within the larger mission and plenty of underlying relationships and Easter eggs to uncover—from “a deep state conspiracy” to a “fun little revolution.” Intended for kids and adults, PIKUNIKU is a well-developed game that’s both accessible and addictive. Watch the game’s trailer here.
Working with Spanish perfumer Jordi Fernandez, Parisian fragrance brand EX NIHILO created their sublime “EXPLICITE” scent. Top notes of pink pepper and nutmeg are balanced by florals including peony and lily of the valley, while sandalwood and amber add a rich weightiness to the fragrance. Fernandez took inspiration from Spanish landscapes for the perfume, and the result is summery and sultry. Price is in Euros.
A love letter to New York City, the power of youth, commitment to one’s artistic pursuits and, simply, friendship, Patti Smith’s National Book Award-winning memoir, Just Kids, celebrates destiny—from tumult and tragedy to success. In this illustrated edition, never-before-published photographs and ephemera join Smith’s exceptionally beautiful words. Smith captures a moment and a movement—and honors the life of Robert Mapplethorpe in the process.
Available in three skin tones, Nuditone bandages offer more diversity in hue than the widely available versions. Rooted in the belief that “nude is a conceptual color that should suit all skin tones,” the Swedish brand makes light, medium and dark adhesive matte-finish bandages that come in packages of 20—with two sizes inside. There’s also a multipack edition that accounts for all three tones currently available.
Crafted by Marfa, Texas-based Marfa Brands for Joshua Tree, California-based Wonder Valley, the Two Deserts Soap honors two high deserts—a distinction made for dry terrain at or above 2,000 feet elevation. Wonder Valley’s lush olive oil acts as the foundation for the soap composed of palo santo, juniper, cedar, eucalyptus, ginger and a natural smoke tinge. Free from synthetic dyes and foaming agents, this all-purpose and all-natural cleanser comes in packaging designed by LA-based artist John Zabawa.
A photographic tour of one of NYC’s most storied residences, Hotel Chelsea: Living in the Last Bohemian Haven bridges past to present and myth to reality through deeply textured images by Colin Miller and thoughtful text by Ray Mock. Within, both Miller and Mock convey the Chelsea Hotel’s continued bohemian spirit, carried along by the remaining residents of its previous iteration. It’s an open window to an opulent world defiant of time and circumstance.
From Method’s Women in Design Limited Edition Collection, made in partnership with the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, this Orange Slice Foaming Hand Wash pairs refreshing citrus scents with a sunny pattern from Barbara White. The artist’s “Cosmic Waves,” from which the soap vessel print was drawn, is a part of Cooper Hewitt’s permanent collection. The collection also features the work of Marguerita Mergentime and Ilonka Karasz.
