Recommendations from a Hellscape
Hydrate! Moisturize! Read!
Hello, dolls and diamonds and darlings and scamps. In the past four weeks, I’ve left the filthy beloved Shire of NYC to visit Asbury Park, Raleigh, Boston, and Woodstock. Adventures have abounded! Like any good adventure witch, I’ve come back with a piping hot cauldron full of burbling, gurgling recommendations for your pleasure.
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This has been a real deja vu-tastic week for me, as I got to bust out my old “the air is poison” tricks - including my air purifier - gleaned during my years as a Los Angeleno. I hope you folks in wildfire-affected areas are still wearing a mask when you go outside, because as of press time, the air quality is still in le shitter even though we can see the sky again, mostly.
But you’ve read enough about all that. Or you’ve dissociated entirely and just awoken wondering if Vigo the Carpathian finally had his way with Manhattan (answer: yes, he fucked us all!)
Opus 40 - I didn’t get to see nearly enough of this gorgeous sculpture park (and former rock quarry) in Woodstock, NY. It was the singular vision of one artist, and now it serves the wider public with lots of great arts programming and preserved space.
Thrift 2 Fight - What a fun and funky thrift store. I went to their pop-up at a family-friendly Pride event in Woodstock, but they’re actually based in Tivoli, NY. Here’s their mission statement: “Thrift 2 Fight mobilizes secondhand fashion to fund and amplify the work of grassroots social justice initiatives working at the intersections of racial and disability justice and queer liberation.” Founders Jillian and Masha went to Bard College and have clearly invested a lot of time and love into their community. Since founding the shop in 2020, they’ve raised over $60,000 for nonprofits and mutual aid organizations.
RAICES Texas - Great nonprofit helping refugee families along the Border and elsewhere in our country. They are, as you’d guess, based in Texas.
Miry’s List - Another great nonprofit helping refugee families. They’re based in Los Angeles, CA.
Jones Road Beauty - New Jersey’s finest, the Garden State icon Bobbi Brown will not stop making you good products, dammit! I dig her bestselling Miracle Balm, personally. She sold her name to some big company so Bobbi Brown Cosmetics hasn't been affiliated with her in a long time (though I hear they still make great stuff, and I am sure she made a mint off that sale.)
I Think You Should Leave, Season 3 - This absurd program on your Netflix is very silly and bonkers. Mostly it is about men imploding. I would like even more Sam Richardson and Patti Harrison in it but Lord knows they are busy acting in things and God bless them for it!
Water - If you’re fortunate enough to have access to clean water, you better drink the shit out of it. It’s especially helpful when (sloppy Pride party musical transition) it’s raining cardboard and electrical pole particles down on you from Farthest Canadiana or Northern California or anywhere, really.
Charity: Water - If you’d like to help ensure clean water access for others, this is a great place to start.
Moisturizer - Have you heard of this product? Some of you seemingly have not, which concerns me. Whether your city is undergoing the worst air quality in its history or you’re just having a casual healthy day in your pristine Swiss Alps chalet, you could do with some moisturizer.
A thicker layer of moisturizer than usual will help you when the air is full of poison (I’m not kidding, it will especially help those of you with reactive skin). Get yourself some Cetaphil or, if you’re rich, Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream or La Mer or vampire pussy secretions or something. Slather your body in it. Live your life!
I’m going to go pretend to live inside a safe version of my favorite computer game from childhood. I wish you well and I will chat to you soon.
xoxo
Sara B.