Link Party: 3/7-3/11

My front yard is full of clover.
My front yard is full of clover.

Here’s what I read this week:

1. These two professors programmed a computer to analyze the works of authors with and without MFAs, and when they looked at the data their results were Not Good.

2. When you listen to music, you’re never alone.

3. I relished in reading about Iris Apfel’s recent week in Paris. That lady has lived her best life.

4. Manhattan’s first murder mystery, featuring Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. (No, not that murder.)

5. “The Last Question,” by Isaac Asimov.

And a bonus: I have had Rostam Batmanglij’s “Gravity Don’t Pull Me” on repeat for the past two days. The video is gorgeous.

Have a great weekend.

Link Party: 1/11-1/15

Downtown.
Downtown Los Angeles.

Here’s what I read this week:

1. On Sunday at 11:30 p.m. I got a New York Times notification that David Bowie had died, which left me feeling empty as I tried to sleep and gutted at the beginning of the week. I remember the very first time and the very first Bowie song I listened to (“Suffragette City” on my iPod nano in ninth grade, from a two-disc best hits CD), and listening to his music has indelibly shaped the person I am today. No one will ever be like Bowie. In reading articles about his legacy, I found that this seems to be the case for a lot of people. I loved this article about bringing your kids up Bowie, his New Yorker obituary and this one about discovering his music when you’re a teenager.

2. This interview with members of the cast of “Hamilton” is very, very important.

3. The reaction shots at the Golden Globes.

4. Why Wikipedia might be the most important invention ever, in celebration of its 15th birthday.

5. The use of “they” as a singular pronoun in the 21st century. I like this idea, or even coming up with a third official English singular pronoun.

And a bonus: Biggie Stardust.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Link Party: 12/21-12/25

A detail shot of my family's Christmas tree.
A detail shot of my family’s Christmas tree.

Here’s what I read this week:

1. I first heard excerpts of Gay Talese’s “Frank Sinatra Has A Cold” on This American Life in an episode for Sinatra’s 100th birthday, and the full article is stellar.

2. What the Mast Brothers chocolate scandal tells us about ourselves.

3. I’m not entirely sold on the merits of astrology, but I found this feature about six astrologers fascinating.

4. This story about herding reindeer in Russia was fascinating.

5. Inside the making of Serial, season two.

And two bonuses, as my gift to you: This architect in Bolivia is designing incredible houses that you need to see, and Drake. On. Cake.

Happy holidays.

Link Party: 11/30-12/4

Lettering lyrics from "Hamilton" is my new favorite thing to do.
Lettering lyrics from “Hamilton” is my new favorite thing to do.

Here’s what I read this week:

1. Read about the original culinary road warriors and their quest to document American cuisine.

2. Sifting through the trash of San Francisco to find art.

3. Tattoos in the fine art world.

4. I didn’t know a lot about SoulCycle besides it being a very expensive spin class, but after reading this first-person account I understand its appeal.

5. The story and influence of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

And a bonus: My best friend Paige and I have been waiting to see this short movie called “Ticky Tacky,” which stars our favorite actor, Oscar Isaac. We found out about it a few months ago, but we couldn’t find it on any corner of the Internet. It’s finally up and it’s fantastic.

Have a great weekend.

Link Party: 11/23-11/27

Brush lettering fun.
Brush lettering is fun.

Here’s what I read this week:

1. People actually used to talk at the movies.

2. The Paris Review’s author interviews are really the best. Here’s a fantastic one with Ernest Hemingway.

3. How the New York Times’ City Room blog helped spark its digital evolution.

4. The millennial housing crisis.

5. I first read Nora Ephron’s “My Life as an Heiress” in one of her essay collections, but it popped up in a New Yorker newsletter this week and I remembered how much I liked it.

And a bonus: I can’t stop watching/listening to this classroom instruments version of Adele’s “Hello.” Jimmy Fallon is a national treasure.

Have a wonderful day.