Nice Things: April Edition

What to read, watch and listen to as well as my reflections on nature I'm noticing, questions I’m asking and answers I’ve found.

Now that it’s April nearly everything feels brighter, feels better. All the cracks in our house look as though they add ‘character’ now the sun is tumbling through the windows and leaving shadows on the walls and floors in the pattern of trees. There are vases of tulips in every room! There are piles of books everywhere! There’s so many great new releases to read! It’s a beautiful, bountiful time. It’s going to be a month of painting, Peelaway and persistently hoovering, but I won’t bore you about all that. Here are some nice things instead…

• Go see The Drama, guys. Go see it quickly before anyone spoils it for you and read nothing about it online. I dislike trailers in general. It’s much nicer to take a chance on a movie, isn’t it? And this film is worth taking a chance on. I love the director, Kirstoffer Borgli. Sick of Myself is one of my favourite films (it’s freaky, surreal and about art and attention addiction) but for a quick taste of his style watch this tense little video he directed that always makes me laugh.

• Already it’s been an amazing year for films by amazing directors. I love the authorly way Joachim Trier approaches filmmaking with chapters, headings and narrations so found Sentimental Value, a real treat. The relationship between the sisters was one of the best I’ve seen on screen (also His Three Daughters). I’ve thought a lot about the house which forms the striking opening sequence. This video by MUBI explains how Trier creates a relationship between physical and psychological spaces. And I loved this tour of the house, and anything I could read about the interiors. I’ve been searching ‘Vintage IKEA’ on Facebook Marketplace a lot since. Spotting a Swedese Lamino chair in the set design justified my fantasy to buy one. It’s a beautiful, contemplative film. Did you see it? Drop three emojis in the comments of how it made you feel.

• Tracey Emin’s Second Life exhibition at The Tate is a must see. Be sure to leave yourself time to watch all the videos including Why I Never Became a Dancer. Watching that film is kind of like how a perfect short story leaves you. You feel undone, but totally satisfied by it. It’s complete in this really perfect way. It struck me how so much of Emin’s talent is in her writing and it’s funny how you can experience someone’s work at different stages in your life and take away different things, but I was really focused on her use of words this time around. Lots of it is very ‘confessional’ which is a word people often use for memoir. I’m really interested in people’s relationship with the idea of auto-fiction and it gave me an inspired, lightning-like feeling like: ‘wow I get to be in the same world with the woman who made all this’ or yeah, something like that. I can’t really put it into words other than that I felt broken and put back together by it. Also (I know this is a superficial thing to say) but the exhibition merch is really good.

• If you’re keen to read some of Tracey Emin’s writing, her memoir Strangeland is atmospheric and full of uncompromising honesty. Get a copy second hand as the b&w cover is the best.

• It’s ten years since the best bottleneck episode of all time: ‘The Panic in Central Park’ from Girls. I saw Lena Dunham’s note below and hadn’t realised the title was inspired by a 1971 movie so watched The Panic in Needle Park. It’s unrelenting and bleak and made me feel like a freak for finding Al Pacino really hot when he’s cradling Kitty Winn’s face in his hands because I think we’re supposed to feel troubled. So, maybe don’t watch this just rewatch Girls instead. It’s so good. Magita Perez!! This New Yorker article is a fun read by Lena Dunham on how she became a filmmaker. I’m going to see her talk about her new memoir, Famesick, and there are still some tickets left. In other Girls-related-news… ‘Charlie’ is having a baby with Aubrey Plaza!

• Love crisps? Then you simply must buy a crisp keyring so everyone knows it. I have this Scampi Fries one as it’s a nice little reference from my upcoming book. Was that a subtle enough segue to remind you that you can pre-order A Real Piece of Work here? I sure hope so!

• Recently I’ve got a bit obsessed with The Beef and Dairy Network podcast a surreal and silly comedy about the beef industry and dairy herds. This was one of the first sketch podcasts so good for me (and you) there’s hundreds of episodes to catch up on. I’m many hours in and still only on 2018.

• The other thing that made me really truly laugh this month was Bebe Cave’s impersonation of Pablo Picasso’s girlfriend. Seriously though, imagine if that was you he painted.

• I loved Strange Girls by Sarvat Hasin. It’s a story about friendship, creativity and the art (and people) that define you when you’re young. She has such a talent for depicting longing and it spoke to me a lot about why some things are so hard to say. People say don’t judge a book by its cover but I think you can and should. This one is especially fantastic. Buy the book, then buy it for your friend and go take a sexy snap in a photobooth together.

• I’ve started rubbing this magnesium butter on my feet before bed and it smells heavenly. Does it help me sleep better? Not sure. Is it lovely to have a new wind-down ritual? Yes.

• I wrote about the best sleeper train journeys to take this Spring for House & Garden. Give it a read and get planning your next adventure.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about my novel coming out in June. Maybe you have a novel idea of your own and in that case you should apply for The BPA First Novel Prize. I believe in you! And it just so happens that I’ll be judging with my wonderful agent Liv. If you have questions you can find out more at an in-person or virtual event. Hope to see you there.

Nature I’m noticing…

Daffodils with bowed heads after the wind.

Two gannets skimming the horizon. Beautiful little black bolts.

A post-rain imprint of a leaf on the pavement like a shadow.

Questions I’m asking…

Why—when this squeezy peanut butter is such a perfect product—can I never find I in the supermarket?? I promise you, you need it in your life. Squeezing it into my overnight oats gives me a joyous, fleeting feeling of having my shit together.

Is it trashy to include Reels in my Substack?

Why won’t Richad’s stop speaking over Marina on The Rest is Entertainment?

Answers I’ve found…

This is the best motivation soundtrack. It’s funny, but also… it really works. Get up, get motivated, get your shine on girl.

The only lip oil you’ll ever need.

When we take too many photos we’re ‘building an archive of a life no one attended.’ Jay Alto.