This is of course an abbreviated list as it seems impossible to name them all. As an obsessive reader, the kind that has a hundred books stacked by her bed at all times to rotate and shuffle like treasured rings in a jewelry box, I am prone to overbuying and reading books months sometimes years after they come out. Though of course, I order whatever screams READ ME in the moment and what was at the top of my pile will inevitably get bumped a notch. A year ago I also discovered a library book sale that goes on every day (!!!) where I continuously found not just books from the past that I had always wanted to read but somehow hadn’t, but also new releases that some kind generous soul kept donating for resale. Who are you and why aren’t we friends yet? Greyhound by Joanna Pocock (Catapult) is an incredible journey, not just of a personal narrative but the environmental apocalyptic hellscape that so much of the U.S. has become. It is, in my mind, vital reading. But so are all the books below.

Fever Ray has a new album. It’s fantastic. That’s it. Listen here. Watch here.

Polly died Thursday December 12th, a few days before the two year anniversary of my Mom dying. It was odd timing though seems apropos considering how many incredible women seem to die around this time of year. bell hooks died December 15th, 2021 followed by Eve Babitz on December 17th and Joan Didion December December 23rd. All in the same year! Women like them are supposed to live forever and in many ways they do. I spent a year assisting Polly from 1998-1999, during her last year at Allure before she retired in September of 1999 and I began my job as fashion editor for Vogue Russia. Polly and I had countless adventures during that time and understood each other. It took her three months to make me cry in the bathroom, which I was told was a record for her assistants! Even though it wasn’t the easiest job I learned so much and am deeply grateful for having her in my life. She stood up for me when I was interviewing for the job of Fashion Editor at Vogue earlier that year and she was the first in the industry to champion my photography. Polly was a rebel and a punk in spirit even though she fit in with the socialites. The photos below are of Polly and me on various photo shoots, in Montana and Puerto Rico in 1999. I was tasked with being the BTS photographer on all our shoots so have hundreds of these pictures. The last image is Polly at her retirement party at Barney’s NY September 15th, 1999. It’s the only shot I got of her that night because it was the same day Mom came down from Baltimore to tell me my father had died in Moscow, while Polly and I were on a shoot in Los Angeles. I was drunk by the time I arrived at the party, thanks to some old Bard friends that had taken me out and dropped me off at Barney’s in my imperfect state, so I don’t remember much and didn’t take a lot of photos. Everyone was there to celebrate Polly though, that much I do remember. And her Gucci runway look that night!

She once said to me, “always say yes to new talent… see everything and don’t be afraid of what you don’t know.” It’s one of the most important things I learned from her and I still practice it.

I’ve been on a reading binge the past few months, working my way through that never ending stack of books by my bedside that never seems to shrink because I keep ordering and finding new ones faster than I can get through them. On a recent location scout trip through Mississippi (that’s another post entirely which I cannot wait to share…), I stumbled on a truly special indie bookstore in Pass Christian, a small town on the gulf coast. The book store, which bears the town’s name, was filled with all kinds of gems including Casey Parks’ Diary of a Misfit, A Memoir and a Mystery, which I am in the middle of now and loving. Keep reading for more book magic from all corners.

Soft Skull Press has two books in my stack right now. One from my old Bard professor Lynne Tillman, a raw exploration of her years taking care of her ailing mother, which comes in a too timely moment when I am taking care of my own 85 year old mother. The conflict, guilt and difficulty of caretaking is a complicated feeling to say the least, one that she bravely dives into in Mothercare.  The other is a newly published novel, Tell Me I’m An Artist by Chelsea Martin, which I bought as a birthday gift (one of many…) for myself at Book Soup in West Hollywood, a favorite book store of mine which I am thrilled to see is surviving. 

Since it’s Paris fashion week it seems only fitting to mention Ines de la Fressange’s latest, appropriately called Happiness, The Art of Togetherness, from Flammarion and Rizzoli. Full of ‘bon mots’ and sweet life lessons, which in these times of anxiety, stress and impending fascism on the western front we can all use a little more of. Unrelated to the book but imperative and vital side note: please vote blue in the midterms if you don’t want all of your great books burned in a conservative religious cult fire.  Anyway, back to the books… I was completely taken by Little Rabbit from Alyssa Songsiridej, which I devoured over two days. It’s a fun read and reminded me of my Bard MFA years… 

Although Jen Agg’s memoir came out in 2017 I just recently stumbled on I Hear She’s a Real Bitch, which I LOVED. I’m always a fan of food memoirs, fascinated by chefs and restaurants and this one is not only a great overview of the challenges any restaurant faces but especially the insanity of being a woman in a still predominantly male industry. A great follow up was Chefs, Drugs and Rock & Roll by Andrew Friedman. The full name of this historical trove, “How Food lovers, Free Spirits, Misfits and Wanderers Created a New American Profession,” sums it up perfectly. Reading these two back to back was fantastic. Next up is another memoir, Notes From a Young Black Chef by Joshua David Stein and Kwame Onwuachi.  

Legendary punk writer Jim Ruland is coming to the mountains! Saturday May 14th at 5pm he will be at The Faktory, 2551 Hunsaker Drive in Running Springs California, signing copies and reading from his recently released book, Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records. Jim sent me his last book, Do What You Want, all about punk icons Bad Religion, which I loved, so when I saw he had a new book coming out I reached out to him to see if he would want to come up here for a reading and he said YES! Thank you Jim! xx

I’m a little late to Molchat Doma but am obsessed regardless. They formed and released their first album in 2017 and their latest Monument came out November 2020. The band is Egor Shkutko, Roman Komogortsev, and Pavel Kozlov, from Minsk and their sound is a perfect marriage of Joy Division meets The Damned meets every New Wave, early punk band you ever loved. It’s addictive and relentlessly good. Listen to the track” Sudno,” which I fell in love with here.

I love the new tracks off the upcoming album from Mexico City’s Petite Amie. Their self-titled debut comes out October 1, 2021. Video for “Elektro,” is above. I’m already addicted to “Interludio,” and the track “Vraiment,” has a slight Portishead meets Sixties Psychedelic rock meets late night dance club vibe, but all in French (except for the track “Adios”, equally lovely in Spanish), which is all pretty hot and definitely requires a solid repeat button. The whole album is very chill, folksy dance energy, easy in it’s melancholy, and very addictive. Beautifully layered, echoing disco meets… a few seconds of Butthole Surfers in “El Delirio,” another one of my favorites. Overall a perfect album with one killer track after another. I’m in love.

Just a few of the things I have been swooning over the past few months. This Portland Leather tote is my new go to for my laptop, books and notebooks for meetings and travel. I love the company ethos, their affordability, style and ease. I brought it with me a while back on a road trip I took to San Francisco to see my old Bard friend, the very talented painter and artist, Michelle Morby (*who was also a producer on my film!) She introduced me to the most amazing chocolate company in the world, Vosges Chocolate, where they infuse their chocolates with 528 hz healing sound frequency to “raise your vibe.” It kind of works. Don’t at me but this company is onto something, especially with their Chocolate Meditation gift set. Just trust me, it’s magical. I have also been working my way through my latest stack of books, and one of my absolute favorites is the new one from Lisa Taddeo, Animal, published in June 2021. I also just finished watching

Season 5 of the brilliant Queen Sugar, which is now available on Hulu along with the other powerful four seasons. It’s one of those shows that marries family, drama, culture and politics in the most brilliant way. Not surprising since it is the brainchild of Ava DuVernay. Watch the trailer below and then settle in for a few hours with your Hulu.

This track from Eli & Fur really got under my skin one late evening a while back, probably for it’s very vintage club house melancholy vibe, which is one of my favorites when in a certain mood. I blame it on my Russian roots and Eighties genes.

One last thought to leave you with on this mixed feelings weekend. If you are in a place where you are able to help refugees from Afghanistan, please do it. There are a lot of organizations helping however they can, raising money, asking for people to mentor and welcome those running from a really tragic situation on all fronts. My mom and I are refugees and if it wasn’t for the kindness of strangers, I am not sure where we would be over the years. Love to all.

So excited to announce that Abby And Emily Go To Palm Springs, the film I wrote, produced and directed in 2019, which we finished in 2020, is being screened in person at the Reeling 39th International LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Chicago! Starring Jessie Cohen, Vico Ortiz, Jessalyn Wanlim and Bob Clendenin, it is a painfully funny and realistic glimpse into new love, bad communication and the roller coaster of relationships. Come see us at the Landmark Theatre Saturday September 23rd at 9Pm and watch the trailer here! xox

There is a magical little place in the San Bernardino forest where lots of cool things are happening. Crestline California is a small town (population roughly 10,000) that sits just below Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear on the same mountain. Over the past few years a crop of incredible shops, restaurants and breweries have popped up to make Crestline not only a fun place to live but also the perfect day trip from LA just 75 miles away. The small town’s proximity is also the reason I like to call Crestline, “Upstate LA,” as it reminds me of my favorite places just North of my old city where we spent a lot of great weekends: Tivoli, Rhinebeck, Hudson, Bovina. Every weekend there is a market or local event that brings out some of the best food, threads and drinks this side of the freeway and on any given day there is plenty to eat, drink and see. One of my favorite places if you are looking for some fantastic vinyl, is Mystic Mountain Music where my old DC friend Cynthia Connolly will be giving a talk and slide show on September 2nd with her book, Banned in DC, about the legendary punk scene, which she was imperative in creating alongside bands like Minor Threat, Government Issue, Ignition and Positive Force. Drive up early in the morning and start your day at Lulubelle’s Bakery in Running Springs, where husband and wife Michael and Michelle DiGiovanni, and their fabulous team of bakers and cappuccino makers, create fresh homemade bagels (*the best I have ever had and this is coming from a very picky New Yorker), cinnamon buns and other baked goods along with fresh vegan and meaty breakfast and lunch options, and the BEST coffee on the mountain. They also make the most beautiful custom cakes! Head over to Hearth & Sage General Store in Crestline’s Top Town for some local gift shopping and all your beauty supply needs followed by lunch at Spade & Spatula (their Portabella Cheeseteak is INSANE!!! Highly recommend… also get the strawberry vinaigrette with your salad!) Take a drive over to Lake Arrowhead Brewing Co for some local IPAs (the first Friday of every month they have a great market filled with local vendors selling clothes, accessories, camping supplies and lots of other fun stuff).  Definitely stop by Jettie’s Waterfront Kitchen down the street from the brewery to sit by the lake and have one of their signature cocktails and an afternoon snack (the Poke Tower is SO GOOD and the Lavender Lemon Fizz is not only the perfect drink but makes for a pretty picture as well!) Their brunch is spectacular, and the perfect Sunday morning spot for chilling by the lake staring at the boats and doing whatever it is we all do at our favorite local joint on a Sunday after drinks and LGBTQ+ night dancing at Dogwood Tavern in Blue Jay. Dogwood also does sushi night on Tuesdays if you happen to catch them on a weekday. Some weekends you can even find me around town with a little vintage pop up shop I have named Dacha Vintage. And don’t leave town without stopping at Little Bear Bottle Shop, where Nathan Hazard has picked out some of the finest spirits in all the world to sell. I kid you not. My current obsession is the Sirene Bitter Liquore which is my go to for a summer spritz cocktail. I find something new every time I visit Nathan. The place is filled with the perfect hostess gifts too, just saying… Come up and visit sometime!