In the late 90s, real-life Chicago taxi driver and autodidactic author Jack Clark hand-printed 500 copies of a pulpy manuscript he’d written. After years of enterprisingly selling the D.I.Y. copies to interested passengers, finally, in 2010, Hard Case Crime published the thriller—Nobody’s Angel—about a Windy City cabbie working the streets while a serial killer targets the town’s cabdrivers. Though the noir-ish novel received some rave reviews (“It’s just about perfect,” wrote The Washington Post), it eventually went out of print and was rendered fairly obscure—that is, until more than a decade later, in 2023, when Quentin Tarantino mentioned Nobody’s Angel as one of his four favorite reads of the year in an interview for Amazon. With a fresh, unexpected blurb from the Pulp Fiction auteur, Hard Case Crime has wisely decided to republish the superlative book this month, featuring a freshly commissioned cover painting. It’s a lean yet fully realized, exceptionally prosed character study that will hopefully enjoy a wider audience with this newly released trade paperback. ($15.95, amazon.com) —Spike Carter

To open their intimate, transporting show at Levon Helm’s barn, in Woodstock, New York, last summer, Hurray for the Riff Raff performed a lovely, unreleased song called “Alibi.” Half a year later, they kick things off again on The Past Is Still Alive, the excellent, memory-suffused new album for the nom de band of Alynda Segarra. Hurray for the Riff Raff continues to mine the rootsy yet modern folk-rock they’ve generally favored, but Segarra—Bronx-born, New Orleans–based—remains essentially an outsider artist with a voice and point of view that makes you stop whatever it is you’re doing and listen. Grab this one, but then work your way back through the band’s catalogue, if you don’t already know it: there’s fine stuff, in abundance. (music.apple.com) —George Kalogerakis

London is not suffering from a lack of appealing hotel rooms, but the King’s Lodge at the Connaught is one of a kind. This new suite, designed by the hotel’s interior designer Guy Oliver, is a collaboration with Turquoise Mountain, King Charles III’s nonprofit organization that supports artisans in Afghanistan, India, and across the Levant. Tucked underneath the eaves of the hotel’s fifth floor, it’s decorated with handwoven carpets from Lahore, Mogul textiles, and walnut jali fretwork, an Afghan craft used to connect pieces of woodwork. Those fortunate enough to check in will be whisked away from the bustling streets of Mayfair—at least metaphorically—and since a portion of the proceeds from its bookings is directed to Turquoise Mountain, there’s a very good reason to indulge. (from $2,528; the-connaught.co.uk) —Ashley Baker

Perhaps Capote’s “swans” are responsible for our hot pursuit of a structured shoulder bag, but whatever the inspiration may be, Burberry’s Rocking Horse bag delivers. Its curved silhouette was inspired by the toy it was named after, but there’s nothing child-like about this beauty, which has an adjustable leather strap so it can be worn crossbody as well. Its hallmark is a fresh version of the house’s insignia, which was recently introduced by creative officer Daniel Lee. It comes in all sorts of colors and fabrics, and while we’re tempted by the dark-green shade, called Vine, we’ll be starting with this shade, called Berry, a rich, chocolate-y brown. Eat your heart out, C.Z.! ($3,490; burberry.com) —Ashley Baker

Almost every winter, I purchase two beanies—one in early December, when I can’t find my hat from last year, and the other in mid-February, when I lose the one from December. There must be restaurants all around Manhattan littered with my former headwear. There’s something assuring about this cycle (it’s almost akin to the leaves’ changing color), but I need to stop leaving a trail of navy cashmere in my wake. It’s just not sustainable. The solution? To procure a hat that is so substantial and unmissable that I couldn’t possibly leave it behind. The Boa Aviator Hat, from Câbleami, does just the trick. It’s made from a soft fleece that resembles poodle hair, and the earflaps can be worn up or down—essentially two hats for the price of one. ($155, toddsnyder.com) —Michael Pescuma

Working at AIR MAIL, it is easy to find a friend in other businesses with postal-related names. My latest find is Postcard, a Japanese teahouse and bakery from the founders of viral handroll restaurant Nami Nori, which is conveniently located next door. Newly open this month, Postcard offers teas from matcha to hōjicha sourced by New York favorite Kettl Tea. You can also order an off-menu coffee, courtesy of Coffee Project NY. The ornately built pastry case is filled with the most decadent sweet and savory treats, made in-house—matcha-mochi doughnuts, chicken-katsu sandos, and fruit sando made from strawberries, whipped cream, and two fluffy pieces of milk bread. It’s all delicious, and, shockingly, gluten-free. (postcardbakery.co) —Gracie Wiener