Newsletter 5 (23/06)
Hello friends :D
I hope you are all doing good and enjoying the beginning of the summer! I had a lovely week and just came home from my trip. I'm so tired but in the best possible way.
What I've been into this week:
Vienna !
I have fallen completely head over heels for this city. The stark contrast between the humongous, thick buildings everywhere with their neo-classical architecture and the omnipresent popular self expression (posters, stickers, street art everywhere and alt people in every streer) was a maximalist's dream. It's a gorgeous place with a plethora of details to hunt for at every corner, incredible modern and contemporary art museums (though definitely way too expensive) and amazing pastries. All I can think about is how much I want to go back, so I'm on the hunt for a job there... cross your fingers for me! I couchsurfed in a big apartment shared by 7 people, which I found on the quouch app. It's a couchsurfind app for queer people which you can only join by receiving an invite link, so if some of you are interested let me know and I'll send you one!! They were all incredibly sweet and welcoming and had lovely lovely cats that harassed me for scratches... I was very happy!
Lucy Dacus' Forever is a Feeling tour
I stopped in Berlin on my way back to see Lucy Dacus in concert. It was a lovely show, and I got to chat with her opening act Jasmine 4 t who I also really love - and she signed my record :D. I really liked Berlin when I went there back in March so I was glad to have a chance to eat again at all the good vegan restaurants I had tried back then. Her latest album 'Forever is a Feeling' is a really sweet and well rounded project. I love any art about conflicting feelings so I felt quite receptive to it. I will say, the songwriting was a bit of a step down from 'Home video' in my humble opinion, I think she fell a bit too deep into the indie description trap. As in, very descriptive lyrics setting down a scene, which can help communicate a feeling but sometimes makes for songs lacking introspective depth. Nevertheless, she is a really great performer with lovely energy and I really enjoyed the show!
Cold brew coffee
Literally the single best way to drink coffee, especially in the summer. You just put a bunch of coffee in a bottle of water, leave it overnight in the fridge and filter the next day. It's so effortless and so delicious and it tastes soooo sweet and soft I absolutely love it. Please do try it if you are a coffee drinker!!!
Matthew Wong
Highlight of my stay in Vienna was the Matthew Wong exhibition at the Albertina museum, one of my favorite artists. He paints those fairytale landscapes that feel incredibly immersive, quiet and healing, often with a little trail pattern that looks like you could just walk inside the painting. I'm so so so so so happy I got to see this exhibition!! They paralleled his work with Van Gogh, one of his biggest inspiration. I think a lot of the art that speaks the most to me deals with consolation, acknowledging the nihilism of living while moving past it. When I look at Wong's painting, I feel this calming invitation to get lost in the colors and sit there for a bit. He really inspires me to create too. I've been painting quite a lot recently, but I haven't figured out a nice way to scan them yet. Once I do, I think it would be really nice to share some on this website!
That's all I had to share from this past week!! I hope you are all doing well and I'm excited to hear about your own recommendations. I really love everytime somebody replies to these newsletters so don't be shy!!
I'll see you next week,
Axl :)