FETISHIZING AESTHETICIZING

Letter to the Editor by the Editor

For those lucky to find themselves in the ‘First World’, to be found is an overabundance of resources and access. However, a vital bounty that cannot simply be cultivated is creativity and intuition. This is turn results in a wide majority taking part in activities that are tailored for and by the select minority that possess an extra chip on their shoulder.

Albeit, if there were a worldwide survey, surely the number of people that actually participate in the hottest trend would merely be seen as an outlier figure. With the harrowingly bright spotlight of the internet, the actions of ten individuals have the power to influence 10 million scrollers into believing that they are witnessing the hottest thing since sliced bread.

Virtually all things in life come, go, and then eventually come back again in a vicious cyclical whirlwind about as predictable as typhoon season. In the end, this results in an unimaginable tally of waste abandoned by the masses who decided to place all their bets on what their projectable idols pushed so heavily for three to four weeks (merely for the sake of meeting a content quota). Not to mention, this all acts in contingency with washing out matured cultural traditions that get misinterpreted as fresh fads.

If you have access to it, retrieve your inspirations from the proper source. If that is too much work for you, find a proper therapeutic outlet and a different field of interest to exploit. And do not get locked into the vortex of time.

“America want nostalgia. They want to go back as far as they can, even if it turns out to be only last week. Not to face now or the future, but to face backwards.”

-Gil Scott-Heron

Love.

MOURNING SUN

Trimming the leaves and branches that have withered with time

Hoping with more that their presence will be filled again

They will not blossom true to their form

And it will rot the root to supply all the nourishment there in spite

But comes a time when the sun fails to replenish furthermore

And to sacrifice it all for one last sight of bloom sounds all worthwhile

Leaving a gap in the garden whose flourishing eyes turn from what has fallen

As spring comes again a new precious sapling is planted to resume the cycle

CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE DINNER

This is a Threat

There often come times in a routine-driven life where Mother/Father Time leaves its humble variable (you) susceptible to developing a habit of the mundane, the underwhelming, the solitary. Your refrigerator likely contains ready-to-eat foods that do not require much time, energy, or attention. Your living quarter is likely teetering a line between ‘lived-in’ and absolute shambles. When you function on a schedule, dates of interest with people of interest act as a mini-renaissance. You ensure your favorite clothes are washed and ready to be worn, common-space quaintly tidied (so as to not disturb your perceived image), and consequently, your smile has never been brighter. So, why wait for an external force to drive this beautiful scene? Special events in public spaces that interest 3 out of 5 of your friends (if you are lucky), commemorative socials at an expensive bar with unquenching cocktails, all leaving your happiness at risk to factors that are ultimately beyond the control of you and your friends—sometimes the factor is your friends and the temperament of that one friend (But that is beyond the scope of this passage).

Pick a time when you and your friends are free, go to the grocery store, preheat the oven, and start preparing dinner.

Think of any movie you love. There is a very high chance of a scene where dialogue is exchanged over a meal. Why not turn your life into a movie? With that said; to turn your life into a showcase, you will need to engage in pre-, post-, and all-in-between-production if you want to see your idea on the grand stage. That is when you must put on your big adult pants and get to work—because your mutually-loved ones are worth the extra effort, and it will create a priceless memory.

There is no need to explain food to you, as you are not a plankton. However, it can help to have a blueprint to ease the brainstorming:

  • Begin with how you wish to envision the dinner table. Is everyone sharing from communal platters? Are you conducting an intimate gala with individually composed plates? Do you care to give up control and arrange a no-holds-barred potluck? These questions will quickly decide the menu structure for which you must keep account.

  • Then, examine what is within the realm of possibility. What cookware, dishware, cutlery, dining space, stove/oven space do you possess? This will place a ceiling as to what is within the bounds of reason for your prospective dinner. If you do not own a roasting pan, then roasting a 5-kilo turkey will prove to be a strenuous endeavor. Say you do have what it takes to roast a bird, now you have nothing to carve it with! It is quite intimate to imagine a group of friends handpicking at a carcass on the floor of a candle-lit apartment, but if that is not your goal then maybe stick to soup or falafel.

  • Budgeting is obvious. If you feel that you cannot carry the full burden, feel free to suggest dividing responsibilities amongst your guests. Someone brings sides, another brings a drink, somebody else brings a different drink, and another drink, and anoth—When in doubt, drink until you’re full.

  • Now, potentially the most frustrating part. What does everyone like to eat? Specifically, what do they not eat? Picky eaters are loud and proud, but they also hide in the dark amongst the masses. In this environment, they should not be ostracized or alienated; this is a safe and sacred space for all. Thus, proper accommodation and consideration should be conducted before setting full-sail and preparing an enter feast for hours on end with days of planning, all for somebody to disclaim “Oh I can’t eat that…”

  • Hypothetically, everyone knows when to arrive—6 pm—and all of the ingredients you are planning to use have been purchased and laid out in your kitchen. How much time do you need in order to meet your deadline? With experience, this comes with 90 seconds of concentration to devise a timeline. But if you are a novice in this realm, it can still be simple to process. You have your recipe tabs opened on your phone or laptop or iPad. Take the ‘estimated time’ that’s listed on there, add them all together, then add an additional 90 minutes to the sum. This extra allotted time will act as bowling lane bumpers; you have plenty of time to stumble, take your time, get distracted, run to purchase forgotten ingredients, et cetera. Again, the more dinners you throw, the better you will be with understanding time management. It is important to walk before you run in this case.

In the end, there is a lot of nuance to this experience that should not be spoiled as to keep the allure and beauty of discovery alive for the actual moment. Learning is a bonding experience for all of those involved, and that should not be pre-written, studied, and formally orchestrated. Live life organically, and if failure comes, then it should be embraced as motivation to do better next time.

Love.

Braised beef derivative ‘bœuf à la bourguignonne’-esque, with dis-serviced bone-in cuts. Lean butcher’s trim, good ol’ shanks, oxtail (if you’re ballin’). Very delicate seasoning—nothing intense required—salt, crushed black pepper, add whatever else is desired (albeit unnecessary—let me cook). Mirepoix classique, large big toe-sized diced carrots and celery, quartered onions, and a double fistful of garlic. Thyme, rosemary, laurel leaves. Everything described is respectively laid unto a medium-temperature pan until: a dark chocolate-colored sear (beef), deprived of hydration and melting in translucence (mirepoix) with a caramel hue, and delicately folded together (herbs). All of this is then drenched in a bottle or two of Bourgogne Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Gamay, reduced to 30 percent of what it once was. At this point, the temperature is low as can be to maintain a gentle simmer. If this entire dish takes several hours, so be it. Once the liquid is at a level that covers a solid two-thirds of the content of the pot, cover and place in a hot oven. Then forget about it.

"Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go."

-Anthony Bourdain

WHAT IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE?

The People Want to Know

Happy Place

noun

An atmosphere that provides warmth, comfort, and solace when envisioned. This can be based in reality or purely fantastic.

YOU ARE NOT STREET(WEAR)

Public Service Announcement

You are not street. You were not outside, nor did you spend a significant amount of your day outdoors. So why are you embellishing your appeal with "streetwear"? Streetwear is a culture that reflects the society that occupies it, some with pride, some without any other option. 

Whether it's workwear uniform pieces spotted on someone's commute from their 10-hour shift, oversized pieces on adolescents and young adults that were given to them second-hand from their family's closet due to a shrinking wardrobe budget, or flashy accessorizing utilized by individuals desiring public recognition for their dedication to maintaining wealth in an otherwise unlikely circumstance–that doesn't come through in today's paradigm. 

What gets lost in translation from the baggy True Religion Jeans (a historic brand that was bordering extinction, filing for bankruptcy in 2017. To then find a new spark, exiting bankruptcy just four years later) and bulky ankle-protective sneakers is the pair of basketball shorts lying underneath, the wearer prepared for any impromptu pick-up session that could take place at any moment. Skinny Hollister jeans so tight they have to sag below the ass, held up with a 'designer belt' from the flea market. Durags, beanies, wave caps, fitted baseball caps all hiding hair on a day-to-day, on people uninformed and ill-equipped to properly care for it in between haircuts and braiding appointments with the neighborhood lady down the street. Hoods for the chilling breeze, hoods to conceal identity. 

The individuals that inspired the individuals you look to for inspiration were basketball/footy-playing, bootleg CD-listening, environment-enduring, competitive, crafty, resistant, authentic-to-oneself, pieces in their own right. 

It is a beautiful thing to embrace tradition, allowing inspiration to influence your curation that caters to the lifestyle you find yourself in. But if it takes too much homework-doing to understand what you're aspiring to mimic, then maybe it is best to look towards an epoch closer to your reality. Go back inside. 

Ironically, the labels and logos brandished on the true believers surmount an identity beyond their self-evaluated potential. Their community, their block of residence, their favorite sports team, their favorite restaurant, and their family, are all they know and aspire to be. Expectations for celebrity, fame, attention, and/or reverence are squashed by those around them because every second taken from reality has a greater chance of slipping further and further through the cracks of the concrete.

With diminished esteem and a dimly lit ceiling, what these individuals need is inspiration and hope, not to be emulated. For the money that is being spent on your costumes, you are leeching culture from a sector that, with said money, would dress how your parents relentlessly pester you to.

People, when they say 'streetwear,' they miss the central component, which is that it's real people; it's clothes that are worn on the street.

-Virgil Abloh

Love.

NOT YOUR TURN

A love letter

Tumultuous times have their way with the best of us. Thinking back to your most downtrodden moments causes shivering, goosebump-raising, yet befuddling flashbacks. How is it that what felt to be such a horrific endeavor, could pass and be contradicted with proceeding moments of joy and all-too-temporary experiences of ease and fulfillment?

The cyclical passages courtesy of time are cruel until they decide to alleviate, beyond the facilitation of a mere individual–no matter how hard they force and pry. It is pressing to anticipate these rotating tides, standing firm to each impending crash whilst peace may trick one into stagnantly embracing your momentary relief of peace. In stark contrast, through distressing intervals of chaos and tailspin, I ask you:  How are you bound to act when it is not your turn? When placed into defense, how will you react to the abrasive lashing staring you in the eye in total disregard of your wishes and attempts at a solution?

Unfortunately, only you can cater an answer that is properly tailored to your experience, but it is important to observe and inquire from those around you as to how sanctity can be formed for oneself. Learn from your mistakes, the blunders of your loved ones, and the faults in the ground on which you stand. How firmly are you prepared to hold form when your world begins to crumble, and how willing are you to remain there when it inevitably occurs again?

Love.