Can you go viral?

Dearest readers,

There’s something in the air in New York. It feels… electric?

I’m in a taxi back uptown after working late at my First Ever Big Girl Job, which has been fun, challenging, and incredible. Something that one of my teachers told me in high school is that a lot of unhappiness in adulthood comes from stagnation — learning something new and difficult brings us so much fulfillment.

Even from my office, the energy is unreal. This week, it feels like New York’s gone viral. We’re coining niche new neighborhood names, David released 70 cal ice cream, and New York’s very own Knicks are on the precipice of winning the NBA finals.

New York ♾️
Julia

Culture Notes

• NoDi (north of Dimes) is New York’s newest controversial neighborhood (?). I mean, the neighborhood already existed. But now it has a name. A$AP Rocky pulled up to NoDi to celebrate the Knicks’ win on Friday. There’s also PICL (pronounced “pickle,” between Pitt and Clinton St). And now that I think of it, TriBeCa’s not really a triangle. QuaBeCa. A lot of room for renaming. Maybe after we win the finals, the mayor will put a suggestion box outside of City Hall.

  

• David opened an ice cream shop in Greenwich Village. It’s apparently 70 calories. They shipped it to Bella Hadid in Cannes. This is kind of like if the protein-froyo-ozempic-dessert-maxxing craze had a baby. I’m skeptical, but if they could pull off 0-calorie alcohol, I would lowkey be on board.

• Backrooms grosses over $220 mil worldwide. Imagine creating a YouTube video so viral that A24 asks if you can help them make a movie about it. The video, which has over 84M views, was inspired by a fictional location comprised of eerie liminal spaces on 4chan. I’m personally too scared to see it. But the set is, dare I say, kind of beautiful? Maybe 4chan’s the place to watch for culture.

• If you missed the last five minutes of the Knicks game on Wednesday….I’m very sorry for your loss. Mike Bloomberg literally got sat on by Jose Alvarado in Game 3. I can’t believe I didn’t make up that sentence. My friend Miles told me after Wednesday’s game, “This is the greatest day of my life.”

Have you gone viral? Can you go viral? Like now?

We’re all good at the internet, but there are some people who are just great at it. Exceptional, even. As in, they’ve never believed that they were born in the wrong generation. As in, you could hand them a TI-84 calculator, an LG Smart Fridge, a spend management platform, anything, and they would find a way to go viral. On TikTok, Instagram, Xwitter, wherever it’s at — they’re there, they’re tasteful, they’re real.

Are you that person? Is your friend? Your dog walker? Your brother? Sister? Coworker? If so, Ramp is looking for them — they want to hire a Viral Creative Producer. It’s an epic role at one of today’s most disruptive tech companies. It might even be the first role we’ve ever seen with the word “viral” in the title, which is disruptive in and of itself. Clearly that’s what Ramp thinks it takes to stand out. Perhaps one of you, dear readers, might be the person for the job. The catch? You have to pass an internet taste test before you can apply. Tell us if you do!!! There’s a 5k hiring bounty!

Weekend Plans

MADDIE: Did you all know it’s my tradition that the day we close a Byline print issue I get a massage?

JOE + CATTY @ Pathetic: Sprint training in mccarren park, dog watching, and Guinness x World Cup with THE ONE AND ONLY GUTES GUTERMAN

GUTES: As you can see above, I invited myself to hang out with Joe and Catty, who I’m obsessed with. I’ll also be going to this art show where Miss Ella Emhoff is showing a new work! On Saturday: me, a gaggle of beautiful women, a street, a stool, and a dream. Knicks in five, lfg. And the Kim Petras album on repeat.

JULIA: Friend’s bday on Friday. Obvi watching Knicks on Saturday. Sleeping in. Teaching myself LBO modeling…#blessed summer.

ALI: On Saturday I will once again be undergoing the joys of international travel! Upon landing at JFK I will be bringing my dad to watch Knicks game 5 with my friends! Then double burger night on Sunday to celebrate my return to America.

MEG: This weekend I will be visiting a pop-up from one of my favorite brands, Everyone’s Mother, reading, in writing class, and generally basking. I will also of course be boarding the Knicks bandwagon, location to be determined.