Plus Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake, Emily Kam Kngwarray at the Tate Modern & Naan Stop Indian Cuisine!

Reading: When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution’s Greatest Romance by Riley Black

Listening #1: Antidepressants by Suede

Listening #2: Black Thunder by Brittany Davis

Looking: The Art of Emily Kam Kngwarray — Current Exhibition at the Tate Modern! On view until January 11, 2026!

Viewing: I, Daniel Blake (2016) — directed by Ken Loach, starring Dave Johns & Hayley Squires

Tasting: Naan Stop Indian Cuisine (Athens, Greece)

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Richard Wright (September 4, 1908 – November 28, 1960): “Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread.” — Richard Wright [Source: Azquotes]

Plus Eloghosa Osunde's brilliant new novel, the dynamic ceramic art of Roberto Lugo, & Cookoomela Grill — Athens' oldest vegan restaurant!

Reading: Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde

Listening: Flux by Alison Goldfrapp

Looking: The Art of Ceramicist Roberto Lugo

Viewing: DEVO (Netflix) — New documentary (directed by Chris Smith) about the iconic band!

Tasting: Delicious Street Food at Athens’ Oldest Vegan Restaurant — Cookoomela Grill in Exarcheia!

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967):

• “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” — Dorothy Parker
• “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” — Dorothy Parker
• “Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves.” — Dorothy Parker
• “Of course I talk to myself. I like a good speaker, and I appreciate an intelligent audience.” — Dorothy Parker
• “Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.” — Dorothy Parker
• “Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.” — Dorothy Parker
• “I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.” — Dorothy Parker
• “Q: What’s the difference between an enzyme and a hormone? A: You can’t hear an enzyme.” — Dorothy Parker
• “The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.'” — Dorothy Parker
• “That would be a good thing for them to cut on my tombstone: Wherever she went, including here, it was against her better judgment.” — Dorothy Parker

Plus one of Africa's cultural landmarks — Ọṣun-Òṣogbo Sacred Grove, & a beautiful bottle of bubbly in Porto Rafti, Greece!

Reading: In the Absence of Men by Philippe Besson

Listening: Celebrating the Centennial Birthday of Legendary Pianist & Composer Oscar Peterson! (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007)

Looking: Ọṣun-Òṣogbo Sacred Grove, Nigeria | Africa’s Cultural Landmarks (via The Met)

Viewing: Our Pick for One of the Year’s Best New Films! On Becoming a Guinea Fowl — written & directed by Rungano Nyoni, starring Susan Chardy, Elizabeth Chisela & Henry B.J. Phiri

Tasting: Domaine Spiropoulos Ode Panos Mantinia Brut (PDO Mantinia, Greece)

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922): “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust [Source: Quotefancy]

Plus Marcella Hazan's greatest recipes and the miniature mixed media sculptures of Thomas Doyle!

Reading: Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline

Listening: Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 by Public Enemy

Looking: The Miniature Mixed Media Sculptures of Thomas Doyle’s Clear History Series

Viewing: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (PBS American Masters)

Tasting: Marcella Hazan’s Greatest Recipes! Featured in the new documentary, Marcella (PBS American Masters)

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Marsha P. Johnson (August 24, 1945 – July 3, 1992): “How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race?”

Plus Lena Dunham's brilliant new Netflix series and dynamic paintings from Christian Ruiz Berman! Also . . . WE FINALLY FOUND CILANTRO!

Reading: Spent: A Comic Novel by Alison Bechdel

Listening #1: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948 – July 22, 2025)

Listening #2: Tether by Annahstasia

Looking: The Art of Christian Ruiz Berman

Viewing: Too Much (Netflix) — created by Lena Dunham & Luis Felber, starring Megan Stalter & Will Sharpe

Tasting: Fresh Herbs from Kallidromiou Farmers Market in Athens, Greece! (*WE FINALLY FOUND CILANTRO!*)

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Andrea Gibson (August 13, 1975 – July 14, 2025): “We have to cr}eate; it is the only thing louder than destruction.” — Andrea Gibson [Source: Azquotes] & Commit to loving yourself completely. It’s the most radical thing you will do in your lifetime. Andrea Gibson [Source: Azquotes]

Plus the dazzling sculptures of Paola Grizi, our fond memories of eating at one of the world's best restaurants, and the perfect book to kick off Pride Month!

Wildstar’s Wednesday Libation: Ameztoi Txakoli (Getariako Txakolina, Spain)

Reading: So Many Stars: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Colorby Caro de Robertis

Listening: The Painful Truthby Skunk Anansie

Looking: The Art of Paola Grizi

Viewing: Pee-wee as Himself — docuseries about Paul Reubens (best known for portraying Pee-wee Herman), directed by Matt Wolf (HBO & HBO Max)

Tasting: Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain (Plus our memories of eating at Arzak Restaurant in San Sebastian and meeting iconic Chefs Elena Arzak & Juan Mari Arzak!)

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 - April 5, 1997): “The only thing that can save the world is the reclaiming of the awareness of the world. That's what poetry does. By poetry I mean the imagining of what has been lost and what can be found — the imagining of who we are and the slow realization of it.” — Allen Ginsberg [Source: Azquotes]

Plus a stunning debut album from our new favorite opera singer — Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, and the vibrant portraits of Fujishima Takeji!

Wildstar’s Wednesday Libation: Ryan Wildstar’s Signature Lemon Drop!

Reading: An Unofficial Rose by Iris Murdoch

Listening: Masabane Cecilia by Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha (with Aron Goldin)

Looking: The Art of Fujishima Takeji (1867 - 1943)

Viewing: Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (2024) — a documentary portrait of the pioneering transgender R&B singer Jackie Shane (1940 - 2019), directed by Michael Mabbott & Lucah Rosenberg-Lee

Tasting: Budget-Friendly Epicurean Delights from Our Neighborhood Farmers Market (Platia Attikis on Alkamenous Street) in Athens, Greece!

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Iris Murdoch (1919 - 1999): “One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats, and if some of these can be inexpensive and quickly procured so much the better.” — Iris Murdoch [Source: Azquotes]

Plus the sensational mixed media collage art of Lavett Ballard & the "Father of French Gastronomy” — Antonin Carême!

Wildstar’s Wednesday Libation: Domaine Vincent Carême Vouvray Sec (Loire, France)

Reading: The Book of Salt by Monique Truong

Listening: Silver Shade by Peter Murphy

Looking: The Art of Lavett Ballard — including her current exhibition, Lavett Ballard: The People Who Could Fly

Viewing #1: A Nice Indian Boy (2024) — directed by Roshan Sethi (based on Madhuri Shekar's play of the same name), starring Karan Soni & Jonathan Groff

Viewing #2: Carême— TV series created & written by Ian Kelly & Davide Serino, directed by Martin Bourboulon, starring Benjamin Voisin, Lyna Khoudri & Jérémie Renier (Apple TV+)

Tasting: The Life & Recipes of “The Father of French Gastronomy” aka Antonin Carême

This Week’s Words of Wisdom: Armistead Maupin (born May 13, 1944): “The world changes in direct proportion to the number of people willing to be honest about their lives.” — Armistead Maupin [Source: Azquotes]