Interrupting your regularly scheduled R.E.P.O.R.T. to bring you MALLY’S FAVORITE SPRING THINGS 2024.
In the pursuit of self-improvement, it’s all too easy to fall into the trappings of a lack mindset. How do I make more money? How do I make more friends? If I can just get that promotion/new phone/bigger house/trip to Greece then I will be happy.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but focusing on what I don’t have has never made me as happy as focusing on what I do have. In the spirit of spring cleaning, new beginnings, holding on to what sparks joy (I’m looking at you, Marie Kondo’s big fat perfect baby), and releasing what doesn’t, I present seven favorite things I’m grateful to have in my orbit this spring.
1. MY FIRST POP-UP
I love when a plan comes together and I love when that plan involves me kinda living my dreams with my best friends by my side. Easter weekend I hosted my first of what will be many photobooth pop-ups! I don’t know if I buy the ‘do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life!’ adage because it’s a LOT of fucking work to promote your services, book clients, transport all your equipment, set up a mini studio in a park, and photograph strangers. That being said, it’s the most fulfilling experience I’ve had in a long time and I cannot wait for the next one. In the meantime, here are a couple of my favorites from the night :)
2. NEST BAMBOO
At my bestie Laruen’s recent bridal shower (which was so lovely) yours truly got the high score in the ‘who knows the couple best’ game and took home a prize. I couldn’t have predicted what this innocuous door prize would unlock for me. The gift was a bottle of Nest’s Bamboo hand soap, the scent of which is so gentle and floral that I simply couldn’t get enough of it. Obviously, I texted bestie Kat to tell her my hands are so dry because I cannot stop washing them because I’m obsessed with the smell of this soap. Ever the thoughtful gift-giver, Kat bought me the matching Bamboo candle from Nest so I could give the sink a rest. The candle is burning next to me as I write this, and I’m a little bit being silly, but mostly, I’m filled with gratitude. I can’t think of anything more lovely than a perfect springy candle that reminds you how much love and female friendship you’ve got around you.
3. RITUAL TAROT
Do you have anything that’s so beautiful you get bashful just looking at it? This gorgeous deck by artist Tiera May does that for me. This analog collage deck embodies many things I love about tarot: story-telling, meaning-making, and ritual-building. One of my favorite tarot YouTubers has a great flip-through video if you’d like to see the full deck in action. It’s rare that I don’t end up crying when I pull a few cards from the deck for myself, but I’m also a big crybaby, so take that how you will. Because these cards are unlabeled on the front, it takes some studying to get comfortable reading them. This deck begs you to spend quality time with it. So intimate, I’m blushing again.
4. CRITERION 24/7
New Criterion Collection dot com feature just dropped!!! Criterion 24/7 is, as the name implies, a constant feed of Criterion films, and I am lovin’ it. Please do not tell me this is just the reinvention of cable because you can’t stumble upon and accidentally watch the entirety of Lost Highway (Lynch, 1997) and appreciate Patricia Arquette’s perfect boobs on no damn TBS. Even streaming services like Hulu and Prime Video now shake you down for even more money if you want to watch movies and TV without additional commercials. Not Criterion 24/7, though.
There’s an added quirk to the 24/7 Criterion feed where they don’t tell you the name of the film currently playing and direct you to whatsonnow.criterionchannel.com to ID the movie. Some absolute NERDS on Xwitter were whining about how Criterion needs to post a schedule of what films will be streaming each day. I hope the Criterion Social Media Manager tells those guys to go kick rocks because that ruins the entire mystique of the stream. If you want to pick what movie to watch and when to watch it, you can already do that LITERALLY anywhere else. Film bros really cannot leave well enough alone.
5. SABRINA CARPENTER - ESPRESSO
I love Sabrina and I think she is well on her way to establishing herself as a real-deal Pop Star. Her schtick is cheeky and sexy. She’s talented, wears little skirts, and is dating a well-endowed movie star with an Irish accent. No one can stop her now.
The syntactical loop de loops on this song are so silly and fun. Can’t sleep because you’re thinking about my loving? That’s that me espresso!! I dream come trued it for you! I know I Mountain Dew it for you!
Dave Meyer’s direction and the Supergoop product placement sealed the deal for me. This music video is an instant classic. 🎶 I’m working late, cause I’m a singer 🎶
6. BANANA + CINNAMON + DATE + OAT SMOOTHIES
Not much to say here either. It’s a tried and true great blend.
7. COACHELLA FROM A DISTANCE
For the chronically online pop culture fiends, the week between Coachella weekend 1 and weekend 2 is not unlike those lost days between Christmas and the New Year. We’re reeling from the excitement of last week and floating in space with the anticipation of the second (dare I say lesser? 🫢) event.
The cool factor of early aughts Coachella is long gone, and you wouldn’t catch me dead paying upwards of $5000 to be there IRL. That being said, I’m not too cynical to enjoy the incredible performances from the comfort of gray, dreary Brooklyn.
my personal highlights from weekend 1 include:
Will Smith performing the Men in Black theme with alien backup dancers during J. Balvin’s set
Sabrina Carpenter performing aforementioned new single at her coachella debut
My girl Chappell Roan with a full face of Half Magic Beauty by Donni Davy
The cast of the L Word introducing Renee Rapp introducing Ke$ha for the first performance of Tik Tok in a post-Diddy landscape
Tyler, The Creator x Childish Gambino (and the subsequent album announcement from Donald Glover)
GRAMMY WINNER Victoria Monet
The legendary Miss Hatsune Miku
Lil Uzi’s deathdrop and THEMINEM merch
Doja’s entire set. She is not without controversy as I’ve mentioned in previous R.E.P.O.R.T.s but she is an INCREDIBLE performer with the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to carry a Coachella headline slot. SRY bout it!
Happy Thursday, talk soon 🫶
xo mal