A Couple of Podcasts, A Couple of Gifts
We got holly for days and days. Or style for miles and miles. Or podcasts old and new.
I was on one of each - podcasts, I mean - a week ago. If you missed it, please check them out.
First up, the newish THE ELMORE LEONARD PODCAST. This was pretty special - I cannot understate Elmore's influence on my writing and just how much I love to read (and reread) his books. We chatted about lots of stuff, Elmore obviously, BROOKLYN MOTTO obviously, but also Jonathan Demme and why Spain deserves more shit for destroying Incan history and folklore. Check that out here:
Second, the old (25 years old, actually!) and much loved THE BEST SHOW WITH TOM SCHARPLING. Tom was kind enough to give a blurb for BROOKLYN MOTTO and even kinder to have me on. This meant a lot to me. I'm up in the last hour. You can listen to that here:
And finally, some gifts. More than a couple.
I've hustled and asked you all to buy BROOKLYN MOTTO so much, I wanted to recommend some other stuff to get this holiday season. Stuff I didn't make but stuff that folks I dig did make. So, I give you the first ever...
MISTAKES WERE MADE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Chris Crofton - I'm Your Man
You can do NO WRONG by purchasing Chris Crofton's latest, I'M YOUR MAN. Get that and all the rest of your Chris Crofton merch here:
I was lucky enough to direct one of the music videos off his latest (that's HERE if you're curious).
Crofton is lovely and talented and funny in person, and honest and heartbreaking and beautiful in his music.
THE AMERICAN ANALOG SET
Did you know The American Analog Set is back? Possibly in pog form, but mostly in person and on LP as a band?
The new record they released last year is spectacular and you should get it. But why stop there? They have stuff old and new. The only thing keeping it out of your grubby hands is typing in your credit card and clicking enter.
Do that here:
For Forever Double Vinyl $28.99NEW FREEDOM SOUND
Old friend and dummer Zach Barocas (Jawbox, BELLS≥, The Up On In, et al.) turns his compositional ear to ensemble collaboration and improvisation. And yes, I did cut and paste that from the site, but IT'S TRUE.
It is gorgeous and unexpected and you will love it. Get that here:
And if you find yourself in Cobble Hill, visit Zach (and his wife Kimberly's store) MEASURE TWICE. It's full of even more gifts than here.
WALLY FARMS
My sister Nena continues to kill it (agriculturally) as the Managing Director of WALLY FARMS. And like all good farms, they have merch you can buy online (but you can also visit).
Take a minute to click through to learn about their mission.
OKS NYC
Oksana does lots of amazing things but she's probably best known for her charms. She does special orders (she made an amazing triptych for Annie) but also has some stuff in her shop. Check out her instagram HERE and her site.
FJ PHOTOGRAPHY
Need a photo taken? A headshot? A family photo? Or say, an author's photo? Farhad has done all that and more.
THE NUDIST
Jonathan Bloom's novel THE NUDIST is Cheever-like in the best way. Wonderful, hilarious and heart breaking. His new novel is almost done, so why not pick grab his last?
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TODD MCEWEN
Todd McEwen is one of my most favorite authors. A true satirist and lethal with words. I love him. Not much is available in the US but there are some thrift copies below. I recommend starting with FISHER'S HORNPIPE ("An inauspicious bump on the head on frozen Walden Pond starts William Fisher and his violin, Mr. Squeaky, off on an increasingly fantastic series of encounters and incidents in a dreary 1980s Boston.") You can't go wrong with any of them.
Pre-internet I used to always buy copies of FISHER'S HORNPIPE if I saw them in stores and give them away to folks I thought would appreciate it.
BROOKLYN BARS
If you're in Park Slope, hit up some bars owned by friends. I'll buy you a drink if I see you (this statement is not legally binding).
Welcome to Commonwealth
That's it. I had this idea this morning and threw it together as quickly as possible. Maybe next year it'll be better planned, but you got some good stuff on here. MUSIC! BOOKS! FOOD! CHARMS! BARS!