Your Q's A'd + What Caught My Eye (No. 71)

Good morning, dear Reader. How was your weekend been?

Mine, I give it a 60%. It’s still passing, but nothing to write home about, as the saying goes. So instead, I’ll write it all here. I’ve had a very stressful few days in my full-time job and on top of that I have Lyme Disease, which has its own set of annoyances that pop up every few months (please don’t give me any alternative medical advice, btw. I already blocked four people on Instagram for telling me I need to look at a local animal supply store for medicine).

That’s all to say the last little ounce of creative energy has been zapped from my body. Which isn’t a bad thing, I suppose. And calling this newsletter “creative” is a stretch by anyone’s standards. But I did farm this introduction out online and below are my answers to a few questions you all asked.

Cheers, Brett

Do you still do ballet? You never post about it anymore!
It’s not that I gave it up, but two things happened: I’ve been busier than expected this Summer and the studio I went to has had weird hours the last few months for renovations. This has limited me greatly and meant I’m now going much more sporadically. But I did email a new instructor for private lessons on the weekends, so here’s hoping to get back to it.

This will be made all the easier when we move. I can’t live in such a rural area anymore with so little opportunities. More on that soon.

What are your plans in Oslo?
As of right now, I’m going to a few fashion shows and getting a suit made for me by Cavour. Other than that, I’m going to assume a lot of time walking around, a lot of time stuttering in Norwegian, and maybe a few turns in the sauna. I wanted to explore the fjords and Bergen, too, but would have been rushed. Next time, I’m sure.

What’s a typical day look like for you?
I thrive in a routine in my home life, as it makes it easy to plug-and-play writing assignments, my work schedule, and things like this dumb newsletter. One of the cats, Daniel, has begun mooing for treats at 6 a.m., so that’s been the new wake-up call. The dogs go out, I make coffee. I read my emails in bed and get my day settled. By 8 a.m. I’m at my desk or in my writing studio. The dogs get a walk in the morning, whenever they’re all up (they’re 11, 12, and 13, so like to sleep in a bit).

My hours are 8-5 at work, but during that time I’m also working on any writing assignments, answering more emails, folding laundry, and joining the hundreds of calls where I stay off video and unmute to say, “uh-huh,” every few minutes.

After work, I take them for another walk around one of the pastures if they’re up for it, do some more chores, go to the gym if I’m feeling like it. More often than not, I’m not feeling like it and instead work on whatever article I have pending. I start dinner around 7 and we usually eat late, watch an hour of television, and I finish the day in bed doing a language lesson, reading, and answering emails (you see a pattern here yet?). Asleep by 11.

What brought on your “fitness journey” you talked about?
Plain and simple — I’m going to be 35, I’m vain, and I’m terrified of having a stroke now. I had a long discussion with my GP and just giving my quite extreme weight fluctuations, my lifestyle, and my stress level (not to mention my predisposition, given my own father’s stroke), I couldn’t ignore it any further. While working out has brought a lot of my own feelings of inadequacy and body issues to the surface, I know it’s better for me in the long run to have a bit of a mental dip for the long-term physical benefits.

Plus, I do quite like any excuse I can get to drink a chocolate shake midday, at the very least. Small wins, I suppose.

Six Moral Tales, Éric Rohmer

A Summer read should be something like a Turkish towel — light, completely enveloping, and maybe considered a bit exotic by some standards. After finishing Élisabeth by Éric Rohmer, I have been making my way through the short story collection that Rohmer also wrote that later (available only through the boxset by Criterion of the same name) became the basis for his series films by the same name. While they get to the very essence of his directorial style and world-building (if you can call the little romances of everyday life “world-building”), the real beauty of the books is in the ironic dialogue, the human emotions, and the lazy way his plots move along. Perfect for reading in the courtyard with a citronella candle perfuming the mise-en-scène while I neglect the iced Americano I made that’s now sweating and ruined in the sun.

Plotter Mini 5 Binder

Because of my back-to-back work weekends, I’ve become a bit more immersed in stationery once again. It comes and goes. Mostly goes these days, given the fact that I’m trying to pack up all the junk that’s accumulated in my studio over the last two years of renting it. In any case, I use a Plotter binder quite regularly (even wrote about it here), and have had my eye on this tiny little pocket-sized option for a couple weeks now. While totally useless for any notes I may take, I’d probably add a few of their accessories, like this card case, to replace my wallet in my jacket pocket.

S.T. Dupont Defi Millennium Rollerball Pen

Well, of course, who am I to turn down a nice pen? I’ve moved away from fountain pens lately*, but have come to appreciate a solid rollerball for longform notetaking and — gasp! — even trying my hand at journaling once and a while (a practice I find even more masturbatory to my ego than this newsletter). In any case, this option from S.T. Dupont is incredibly well-balanced and has a tactile little click to it that’s just so satisfying and, to me, a mark of a well-made pen.

*Well, mostly. I did find a Pilot Vanishing Point in a drawer and can’t stop doodling with it this weekend

Mel Andrel’s Stationery

While at one of my work shows, I ended up spending close to $50 at Mel Andrel’s booth. While I take myself so seriously, I think a bit of whimsy is one of the chicest things in the world. What I particularly love about Mel’s work is the sense of humour and pairings, like this little Italian-inspired set of sticky notes, or this deli meat design, or these tomatoes on the vine vinyl sticker. I could go on, but I’d recommend you check her work out for yourself.

Roma Amor, Michael McGregor

Another artist with a sense of humor is Michael McGregor, whom I’ve been following for quite some time. I love his sketchy, messy works of daily life across his travel books, which now includes one on Rome.

It’s, of course, a trope to say there’s beauty in the quotidien, but it’s nice to see this sentiment in a new medium. And it’s made all the more nice for me due to my connection to Rome, where I used to live. I’m always a bit nervous to page through these types of books or Instagram feeds, that are specific to daily life in Rome, because I regret so much of my wasted time spent there — more worried about friendships and being well-liked and nursing a hangover before class at the Vatican. I have a theory it’s why I’ve never been back since I left at 19.

The Panther Solstice Smartwatch

I know I write extensively about watches (I’m a regular columnist at Worn & Wound, for Chrissakes!) but given my strange little job, my fear of being addicted to my phone, and my growing interest in getting into shape, I’ve been using my Apple Watch way more these days. But, let’s be honest, they’re kind of ugly. And I find it very cheap looking when people try to put a metal bracelet on one — it reminds me of the time I saw someone weld a Mercedes hood ornament onto a PT Cruiser.

In any case, I keep getting targeted for this Tank-style smart watch and it’s definitely caught my eye. I put in a reserve payment for when it goes live because I’m a sucker who loves to waste money, and excited for it to ship in December, which is just in time for me to finally not feel like a total schmuck when I forget to take my Apple Watch off at more formal holiday parties.

Hermès Espadrilles

I can’t tell you exactly why, but I absolutely love these espadrilles from Hermès that I found on TheRealReal a couple weeks ago. They’re just flirting at the periphery of both ugly and chic, which is where I, too, like to think I’m firmly placed. In any case, I probably won’t be buying them (ho hum), but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been buying like mad for my upcoming trips. I got a new Marimekko jokapoika, some Maison Margiela trainers, a sweater emblazoned with a heart that I’ve been eyeing for a bit, and a new pair of horsebit loafers by Gucci that can be worn as a mule. I’ve linked some similar styles for reference, sizing and quality varying, of course.

Imogene + Willie Ventura Chore Pant

While Imogene + Willie is classifying this pant as chartreuse, I’m firmly in the belief that it’s more mustard. Which I’ve never admitted publicly is one of my favourite colors (glad to get that off my chest). I love the easiness of these pants and think they’d just be the perfect complement to, say, these rich brown Birkenstock clogs, don’t you agree?

R.Swiader Mercer Shirt

R. Swiader is a brand I wasn’t familiar with before this week and I’ve since been wondering if it’s worth the $400 to wear this striped shirt once or twice in Oslo or New York. But I really love the proportions of it and the tailoring details like the extra-long sleeve placket that make it a bit less run-of-the-mill compared to many men’s shirts on the market (I’m something of an expert, haha).

Manastash Mt. Gorilla Fleece Jacket

Though it’s hitting the mid-80’s today, I was bundled up in a natty old fleece jacket this morning while having my coffee. With this latest Lyme Disease flare-up, I’ve wanted nothing but to sleep and be as cozy as possible, even if I’m risking severe dehydration and a heat stroke in the process.

But that old fleece thing is just from Uniqlo which I bought maybe six years ago when I was a bit fatter and more depressed and at this point it is much better suited as an emergency dog blanket in the backseat of my Cayenne. I’d like to upgrade it a bit and think these Manastash jackets from Huckberry are quite nice. And even though I’m absolutely melting thinking about wearing this past 9 am, it’s probably perfect to pack for Oslo, so should buy it soon, I suppose.