Whether inspired by America’s most wanted form of entertainment (true crime) or the ascent of the two master criminals of this young century (call them “Trumputin”), the musician Harper Simon is the eclectic and gifted curator of the multi-media joyride that is Meditations on Crime. All types of crime are presented in this deep dive into the nexus of misdeeds and the artistic imagination—political crime, crimes against the body, crimes against free speech, crimes against nature itself. Within its pages are essays from curator Vince Aletti, filmmaker Miranda July, and poet and novelist Ben Okri, plus a story from the late Peter Beard’s Zara’s Tales. Rounding out the police blotter of contributing writers are: the darkly brilliant author of Permanent Midnight, Jerry Stahl; the notorious Kenneth (“Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome”) Anger, midwife to the classic Hollywood Babylon; and MC5’s Wayne Kramer. Cindy Sherman, Julian Schnabel, and Laurie Anderson are some of the contributing artists, and the coup de grâce among these stellar names is Raymond Pettibon, with a pixelated portrait of John Dillinger on the book’s cover. There’s a soundtrack as well, which Simon has produced and co-written. It’s a compelling multi-media event, first appearing digitally, with the hard copies (book and vinyl) sometime next year. In the words of Ted Bundy, “I’m in charge of entertainment.” (meditationsoncrime.com) —Sam Kashner

Since 1970, fans of the film The Railway Children have been patiently waiting for a sequel. Based on Edith Nesbit’s 1906 children’s book of the same name, the movie tells the story of a mother and her three children, who are evacuated from London and move to Yorkshire during World War II. In the new city, the family lives next to a railway station. The children, too young to understand the war, transform their new environment into a place of wonder and adventure. Directed by Morgan Matthews, the new one is just as heartwarming as the original. (amc.com) —Clara Molot

Every orchid I’ve owned has quickly withered, no matter the number of ice cubes I feed it. Let this be a hint to my loved ones to give me artificial flowers instead. Ideally, from the Green Vase, which Livia Cetti launched in 2005 from her Bronx farmhouse. Her Flower District–worthy wonders, handmade with paper and wire, range from potted geraniums to a single stem of lilac. Earlier this month, Cetti debuted a rose inspired by Caroline Astor, the founding patroness of the St. Regis hotel, for a pop-up in their Midtown location. That pink rose is now available online—as are many more options. ($145, thegreenvase.com) —Gracie Wiener

Is there anyone who didn’t go to Portugal this summer? Five-star hotels and new restaurants are sprouting across Lisbon. One spot that hasn’t been replaced—thank God—is Pavilhão Chinês, an ancient bar that’s easy to miss, but shouldn’t be. From the street it looks like an abandoned building. Inside, it feels like a speakeasy, something of a mash-up of the ‘21’ Club, Manhattan’s best-known Prohibition-era bar, and the home of a kooky British uncle, with all those toy planes, toy trains, and football helmets strung from the ceiling. Built in a space that was originally a grocery store, the bar occupies five windowless rooms. Each one is lined with display cases full of toy-soldier regiments, old dolls, scale replicas of World War II tanks, old battle medals, and much more. A collection of Toby jugs featuring John Bull and Winston Churchill hangs over the main bar, where you can order local drink specialties. (The menu is kept in an erotic-art book.) Wacky as it may sound, it’s one of the most relaxing bars in the city and a place still beloved by locals, who pack it each evening. (yelp.com) —Michael Hainey

Last week, designer Angel Chang held her brand’s first presentation at New York Fashion Week, and the reception was appropriately glowing. Her collection is handmade by Indigenous artisans in southwest China’s Guizhou province. The cotton is grown organically, alongside food crops, and is spun, woven, dyed, and sewn by hand. Because there is no electricity in the village, none is used to make her clothes, which means no carbon is produced in the process. Our current favorite item from the designer is the Anti T-shirt, which has an open back that drapes—and adds drama. Plus, the French seams skim the body in the most appealing way. ($495, angelchang.com) —Ashley Baker

The “shacket”—the combination of a shirt and a jacket—is a fall staple in the world of men’s wear. But why should men have all the fun? This houndstooth-tweed shacket from the denim brand Still Here has a whiff of Western style as well as expert tailoring that smartens up the silhouette. Layer over a turtleneck, pair with jeans (off-white or taupe), and wow the world with your elevated take on weekend wear. ($210, net-a-porter.com) —Ashley Baker