I'm too embarrassed to admit how much of my day is spent staring at screens. Usually that time is spent performing the myriad tasks that running a business requires. 

Sometimes I succumb to the doom(ed) scroll as we all do, and other times, my procrastination leads me to online and IRL inspirational gems, like these: 

"A Museum Designed as a Shop" 

 

 

My friend Svetlana Kitto wrote this fascinating essay about Sara Penn and her wonderful clothing + artifacts shop Knobkerry. I can't wait to check out the exhibition + catalogue at the Sculpture Center in Long Island City, NY, which runs from Oct 14–Dec 13, 2021.

Pony Sweat Aerobics

 

 

As a former competitive jazz dancer (!), I am no stranger to isolations, grapevines, chassés, pivot turns, jazz hands, etc. Yet, as an adult, I've struggled to find a way to stay in shape that didn't feel like a chore.

Enter Pony Sweat Aerobics.

"Pony Sweat is a fiercely noncompetitive dance aerobics celebration dedicated to the liberation of all bodies." I recently joined O.O.O.B.N.A. (On Our Own But Never Alone): A Dance Aerobics Video Zine, and I am (for the first time in a very looooooong time) truly delighted to work out. It doesn't hurt that Emilia is a joyful breath of fresh air, and that we seem to be on the same wavelength musically (think: The Knife, PJ Harvey, The Cure, Planningtorock, Grace Jones, Whitney Houston, Bikini Kill + + +)

I May Destroy You

 

 

I know I am late to the party on this, but I'm finally watching I May Destroy You.

I am watching this show more slowly than I normally consume episodic entertainment (am no stranger to binge-watching), as there is so much to unpack. Michaela Coel is truly brilliant - as as the show's showrunner, director, star, and writer.

Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP, New York, 1987-1993

 

 

I've been slowly digging in to Sarah Schulman's Let the Record Show: A Political History Of ACT UP, New York, 1987-1993. It's a compelling deep dive into the history of ACT UP + AIDS activism. It's a phenomenal look at this crucial history, with advice and inspiration for activists today.

Chifa

 

 

I kept spotting photos of the gorgeous, newish LA restaurant, Chifa and was shocked, amused + mystified, as it used to be Hal's Eagle Rock Pet Shop, a spot where I'd occasionally grab a case of dog food. Luckily, when the pet shop moved out, Chifa, a family owned restaurant offering delicious and healthful Chinese and Peruvian cuisine - completely metamorphasized the space.

On my recent visit to LA, we had our OW employee dinner in their converted al fresco parking lot, and it was as delicious as it was stunning.

There's so much more we can't wait to share. Stay tuned for next month's MOOD.

xo Rachel

- owner/founder of Otherwild