Guided Tour
Issue 01: Welcome to my Reference Library. A home for the things I love and can't help but share. Let me show you around.
First things first.
As this is the first issue of baby’s first Substack (I promise that is the first and last time I’ll refer to myself as ‘baby’), it only seems right to let you know a bit about myself and what you’re getting into as you scroll through the digital pages of this newsletter. Don’t worry, we’ll keep this syllabus short and confined to the first email, since we both know you’re here for fun recommendations without all the homework!
About Me
If you’re reading this it’s likely because you’re my friend and I (lovingly) forced you to subscribe or you were sent this by someone who knows you have taste. Either way, welcome and thank you for reading! If we’re strangers, hello I’m Grace and when I’m not at my day job I spend most of my time thinking about art and music and movies and pop culture and all the ways I can fill my life with more beauty and joy. But here’s the catch, as you get older and life’s responsibilities pile up, it becomes harder to make time for the things we love. Enter this newsletter, which initially came about for the main purpose of motivating me to spend more time exploring new interests and finding things that creatively inspire me, and less time stuck in dull routines or scrolling my phone (phone, if you’re reading this don’t take it personally, you are still so very special to me <3). Rather than giving you a long bio about me, I hope that in reading this newsletter you get a glimpse into who I am and what brings me joy and inspiration. Hopefully in the process you find some cool things that send you down new paths of discovery or at least provide you with a brief refuge from the stress of your day.
The Reference Library Philosophy
Ok, so what can you expect exactly?
This is a free weekly newsletter that, if you are so inclined to subscribe, will drop in your inbox once a week to give you a quick dose of serotonin and inspiration!
It will be a mix of concise but thoughtful recommendations based on what I’m watching, reading, listening to, buying, etc., followed by occasionally more long-form content diving into a specific subject of the week.
The suggestions up top serve as a curated sampling of new things to discover, cutting out the noise from all the overwhelming opinions and recommendations online and diluting it into a handful of thoughtful suggestions based on my taste (if we have totally different tastes, you may not like them! But it’s worth giving it a try and if it’s not for you, Godspeed). The long-form content at the end will provide some meatier analysis or opinions that, if you have the bandwidth to read to the bottom of the newsletter that week, will serve as a good conversation starter or jumping off point for future learning and discussion.
I’m calling this project Reference Library because I’ll be pulling inspiration from work that I love by others (musicians, filmmakers, writers, designers, journalists, creators, etc.) in hopes of sharing them with you and amplifying the work and voices of those individuals. I’ll always link to works I reference and their creators and encourage you to follow and support them too!
In an oversaturated market where people online are constantly telling you the new thing you need to buy or read or follow, or the next [blank]-core trend that will dominate this season, this newsletter hopes to cut through that noise to provide you with a short, curated list of recommendations you can trust.
Finally, I want to hear from you! This is an evolving work and I’d love your feedback and suggestions on this first issue to ensure that this can be a welcoming space that provides a useful service and added value to your day. This is a newsletter that values your time and your taste, so I won’t take up any more of it with this intro! Start reading below to discover something new :)
Watching
The other night, either thanks to one of my semi-frequent waves of 90s nostalgia or a fairly dull week that left me hungry for a little bit of excess and sensory overload, I decided to watch Baz Luhrmann’s cult classic Romeo + Juliet (1996). Although met with mixed reviews by its contemporaries, it has since become one of the most beloved modern Shakespeare adaptations, and how could it not be? Watching this I was reminded just how safe and lifeless so much of our modern filmmaking has become. You don’t even have to be a fan of Luhrmann’s particular style (it’s often hit or miss for me) to admit that in modern Shakespeare adaptations of recent years everything seems to be following some overly focus grouped, C-suite approved notion of what a 21st century romcom/drama should be. These films now aim for maximum broad appeal, while letting any spark of true daring or humour or audacity or, heaven forbid, originality flicker out and die in a vain attempt to deliver what they think people want to see vs what actually excites audiences. And for those who insist upon fidelity to the source material above all, let me just say that Harold Perrineau’s portrayal of Mercutio is to this day the truest encapsulation of the spirit of Shakespeare’s work that has ever graced our screens. Anyway, let’s have fun at the movies again. Please. (Challengers, you are as always innocent from this criticism, my perfect fun summer film.)
Ok so admittedly even I’m pretty late to this one, but I recently finished watching the RIPLEY limited series on Netflix and truly how is everyone not talking about this show all the time??! Andrew Scott is incredible as the creepiest, most tantalizing and terrifying Tom Ripley. While all the performances in this international ensemble cast are great, what really cemented this as one of the best shows of the year for me was the breathtaking, transportive cinematography of Robert Elswit. Somehow RIPLEY’s quiet, black and white version of 1960s Italy manages to surpass the iconic #eurosummer goals, Pinterest board #1 reigning champ beauty of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), the legendary (if mostly for Jude Law’s bone structure and Gwenyth Paltrow’s wardrobe) earlier adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic novel. I kid you not there were several scenes in RIPLEY where I audibly gasped and had to pause the show just to take in the perfect shots rendered before me on my dusty MacBook Air screen.
I was hoping I could include a write-up on Richard Linklater’s Hit Man here, a movie that I’ve been eagerly awaiting ever since I watched the epic double feature of Set It Up and Top Gun:Maverick during covid and put all my stock in on Glen Powell as the next Hollywood It Man (see what I did there?) to save us from years of charisma-less leading men. But ALAS by the unfortunate nature of my poor circumstance (being Canadian) I’ve come to discover that Hit Man was not released on Netflix Canada on June 7th, as was promised in all the American Netflix marketing (i.e. LIES) that had been served to me. Ted Sarandos, you will be hearing from my lawyers shortly.
I was not a big fan of Season 1 of Bridgerton, but when a friend finally convinced me to give Season 2 a try earlier this year, I absolutely loved it. So when I found out that Nicola Coughlan was going to be the Season 3 lead I was ecstatic! Her moment in the spotlight feels long overdue, and I say that both as a fan of People with Talent and as the long-residing President of the Derry Girls fan club. I really enjoyed the first half of Season 3 that aired on Netflix in May, and while we wait for the second half of the season to allegedly air on June 13 (
unless Ted Sarandos feels like making an even bigger fool out of me) let’s all take a moment to appreciate how Coughlan has used this moment of newfound attention to redirect the spotlight towards some worthy causes. If you’ve followed her instagram you’ll have seen Nicola regularly share updates on the dire, heartbreaking situation in Gaza - where at time of writing Al Jazeera puts the latest death toll in Gaza at over 36,000 people, including over 16,000 children. She has also regularly worn an Artists4Ceasefire pin on many Bridgerton red carpets to reiterate widespread calls by many nations for an immediate ceasefire. Most heartening, a fundraiser on her Instagram for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) - one of the leading humanitarian charities in Palestine, delivering crucial and life-saving medical relief and humanitarian aid - has to date raised over $1.8 million USD ($2.4 million CAD) for humanitarian relief. If you’re looking for ways to donate or help, PCRF along with several other registered charities, such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders), Save the Children, and ANERA, among others, are great places to start.
Reading
I recently finished re-reading Patti Smith’s celebrated memoir Just Kids, and it got me thinking about what drew me to revisit it after all these years. While Smith’s beautiful prose and insightful recollections on one of the most fascinating eras of American cultural history is reason enough to pick up this book, I found it to be especially resonant as a dissection of what it is to be in your 20s and feel the world take form and fall apart around you, all while trying to discover your place within it. I think any other 20- or 30-something can relate to that feeling in this particular moment in time; a decade filled with the same chaotic, destabilizing and transformative energy of the 1960s. Although admittedly, few of us will ever be able to commit the experience to ink and memory as beautifully and insightfully as Patti Smith.
Virginie Viard is out at Chanel (you can rest now Margot Robbie) and Cathy Horyn’s exacting assessment in The Cut on how Chanel got here doesn’t mince words and is a lot of fun to read.
Listening
Charli XCX released her sixth studio album this week, BRAT, to rave reviews and I for one have been physically unable to turn it off for the past 48 hours. Anyone who knows me in real life knows I’m decidedly Not Cool enough to have been an early fan of Charli and only started listening to her more frequently this year. While BRAT is filled with lots of signature Boiler Room-ready club tracks that are bound to become songs of the summer for the coolest girl you know (360, Mean Girls, Talk Talk), the song that has me in a chokehold is I think about it all the time, a beautiful bubble-gum, melancholy early aughts-inspired electro ballad about watching your friends grow up, the idea of motherhood and shifting priorities.
Longtime fashion writer and Puck correspondent Lauren Sherman has recently launched a fantastic podcast, Fashion People, where she interviews an impressive roster of fashion industry insiders and experts. Her recent episode with Plum Sykes is a delight and this pod is quickly becoming a favourite listen for me. Her Puck newsletter, Line Sheet, is also a great read.
Something about the sudden heatwaves and arrival of long, drawn-out aimless summer days pulls me to what I’ve come to think of as the quintessential summer sad girl album by my favourite sad girl in all seasons. I’m talking about Lorde’s Solar Power, of course. This album was meant to be heard while eating watermelon on the beach by day and charging your crystals in the moonlight by night, yet it did not get the love it deserved when released and I’ve made it my forever summer mission to avenge its reputation.
Buying (or Rediscovering)*
*I have purposely included “rediscovering” the joy in previously purchased items under this category as a reminder (to myself more than anyone) that constant consumption and new purchases are not necessary to finding inspiration!
If you’ve laid eyes on a Pinterest mood board in the last 3 months then you know that boxer briefs are the new girly pop short of the summer (exhibit 1, 2, 3, you get the picture). Now while I’m usually wary of trends, this one I think has a lot of leeway to make it your own and on top of that is comfortable and practical so I’m all in. Now the most popular choice seems to be the Oddli boxer briefs, however given that they’re perpetually sold out and may be more than you’re willing to pay for essentially fancy underwear, I went looking for some alternatives. J.Crew has a great pair with stellar reviews, and I recently purchased this pair from the GAP (on sale!) which comes in both blue and green (I purchased blue). As far as online purchases go, it’s a success! The organic cotton material feels thick and well-crafted (I hate when summer shorts are sheer or flimsy) and they are insanely comfortable and just the right length.
I’m becoming a bit more of a maximalist with jewelry, but rather than wear the same pieces that every second person you pass on the street seems to have, I’ve taken to exploring vintage shops and craft markets nearby for some cool local creations. Summer is a great time to find unique local artisans given that there are so many more arts & craft fairs usually taking place. I recently purchased a fun colourful pearl and charm necklace and some vintage rings (see some similar inspo photos below) at a local craft market which I’m adding to my daily outfits for a much-needed pop of LIFE! and COLOUR! in my otherwise fairly neutral and tame wardrobe .
On My Mind
This first issue has run a bit longer than I expected, and given that we have a somewhat longer read up front with my intro, I will leave this section out for this week. But in future newsletters I hope to delve into one topic in particular each week that is resonating with me at the time, be it related to current events, pop culture, a personal experience or some other random topic that I just can’t stop thinking about. Stay tuned!
Loved what you read today? Feel like something is missing? Send all your feedback and suggestions my way!