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Wear

Marni


Allow us to indulge our less sensible side with this recommendation for a high-concept, yet terribly high-style, sweater. Marni’s brown-striped mohair reminds us, inexplicably, of late nights spent at the Lower East Side dive bar Welcome to the Johnsons. But then there’s the contrasting black-and-white stripes on its back, which suggest a late-afternoon stroll on the Avenue Montaigne. The power of suggestion is what makes fashion so much more than a few scraps of fabric sparing us from nudity. And it’s also why we’ve purchased this sweater, even though it would probably be less costly to fly to Paris. Because each time we wear it, especially on a terrible, no-good, very bad day, it has the power to lift a mood and transport us back to a happier moment. ($1,100; matchesfashion.com) —Ashley Baker

Wear

Tove


If Grace Kelly’s character in Rear Window were alive and well, she’d probably be wearing this dress by Tove. Which is exactly why we bought it, even if we don’t have an occasion to wear it to yet. An unforgettable shade of cobalt, crisply constructed but artfully ruffled recycled taffeta, and a charmingly full skirt are only a few of the reasons that this well-priced evening look offers a lot of bang for relatively few bucks. Come to think of it, it’s just the thing to wear for an intimate dîner à deux at home, accompanied by romance and takeout from ‘21’ Club, may it rest in peace. And if this dress just isn’t your thing, don’t hold it against Tove, whose entire fall collection, as seen on the Saks Web site, is worthy of a few minutes of your time. ($850, saks.com) —Ashley Baker

Eat

Honey Mama’s


Technically, Honey Mama’s isn’t a chocolate bar—it’s a “cocoa truffle bar.” Made with only honey, sprouted almonds, dark cocoa, and coconut oil, the bar has a texture closer to that of an under-baked brownie than to a Hershey’s bar. If sprouted almonds don’t sound like an appealing dessert ingredient to you, that is because you haven’t tasted these sprouted almonds. Last summer I could find the bars only in L.A. and West Village gourmet markets. As of late this summer, sprouted-almond skeptics nationwide can purchase the chocolate at Whole Foods. All nine flavors are delicious, but my favorites are the Coffee Nib Crunch, Coconut, and Lavender Rose. ($62 for 12 bars, honeymamas.com) —Jensen Davis

California Gubernatorial Candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger Makes a Speech at the California Republican Convention in Los Angeles On Saturday 13 September 2003 Schwarzenegger is Trying to Get Elected in California’s Recall, Los Angeles 2003
Listen

Total Recall


In 2003, a porn star, an aging action-movie hero, and a former child actor entered California’s gubernatorial-recall election. The rest is history—and the focus of a new podcast by CNN. Released during the seemingly endless campaigning for the 2021 California gubernatorial-recall race, Total Recall: California’s Political Circus takes us back to 2003, the year Arnold Schwarzenegger ran as a Republican and ousted the then sitting governor, Democrat Gray Davis. Dana Bash, a political journalist and news anchor, deftly explains the lead-up to the 2003 election and interviews its key players, including Davis and Schwarzenegger. Both shocking and funny, Total Recall not only contextualizes the 2021 California recall but also highlights shock, awe, and showmanship as enduring political tactics. Like Mark Twain once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does often rhyme.” (podcasts.apple.com) —Jacob Robbins

Shop

Studio Sabine Marcelis


Furniture that is equal parts dessert and design? Somehow, the Rotterdam-based Sabine Marcelis makes it work. She delivers sleek, minimalist pieces in delectable colors, such as lemon-curd yellow (a two-in-one sink and bathtub), cotton-candy pink (doughnut-shaped poufs), and marshmallow cream (her studio’s signature Candy Cube side tables). The designer’s lamps and mirrors, colorful, light-refracting orbs that vaguely recall James Turrell, are equally tempting. Prices are steep, but decent deals occasionally pop up on 1stDibs. In the meantime, the Studio Sabine Marcelis Instagram account is a treat. (sabinemarcelis.com) —Julia Vitale

Watch

Wodehouse in Exile


At the start of World War II, P. G. Wodehouse, then one of the most popular authors in the world, was captured by the Nazis while living in France. After his release, he was duped into broadcasting accounts of his imprisonment to Americans—characteristically light, amusing reports. Bad move. Some in his native England saw him as a traitor, though at worst he was genuinely, if stupendously, naïve—“criminally foolish,” in his own assessment. Wodehouse in Exile, a movie starring the late Tim Pigott-Smith and Zoë Wanamaker that first aired in 2013 on the BBC, deftly dramatizes the one sorry episode in this talented humorist’s life. (amazon.com) —George Kalogerakis

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Issue No. 114
September 18, 2021
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Issue No. 114
September 18, 2021