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Why Not Come Back Out of the Blue to Talk About Rita Ora?

Hello!


Long time, no see, and all that good stuff. Sorry for the delayed break. And, if you’re new here then great – I am right on schedule!


I think we’ve all had moments in this pandemic where our energy has been needed elsewhere, and I happened to hit one of those points this fall. (Don’t worry; all is well – I’m not trying to “vague-book” you.) Thusly, abruptly shelving the newsletter felt like a necessity. But now I’m excited to return reinvigorated and ready to supply you with thoughts that absolutely no one is asking for. How’s that for marketing?! In short: I’ve missed you, dear reader. Now let’s get into it:



· I continue to be obsessed with the above photo of director Taika Waititi and singer Rita Ora. Have I ever been this cool in my life? Short answer: no. However, this is the tactic I would take should I find myself in the front row of an exclusive fashion show (where this pic was taken). “I am not impressed. In fact, I’d rather take a nap instead of even briefly looking at your clothes.” I love that they make it look like a total burden to be there. Meanwhile, I spent an hour getting ready this morning to run a quick errand, got lost in a stairwell, and returned home 40 minutes later with only one person having seen my eye makeup. (Yes, the choice in the stairwell was either up or down. But I entered said stairwell without the knowledge that each floor had a keypad! So… now I’m stuck in this concrete tube alone until someone happened to also pop out of their floor to take the stairs, only to encounter a totally panicked me asking, “How do I get out of here?” Well, yes – it turns out that the lobby was the one door that did not have a keypad, so I could’ve exited without looking like a total idiot. But what fun would that have been?)


· I must insist that you watch Netflix’s Inventing Anna. It’s so, so good. Based on an absolutely bonkers true story and gorgeously produced by Shonda Rhimes, it’s the “must-watch” on everyone’s list for a reason. Plus, the next time I see you, I can say, “What are you wearing? You look poor,” and you’ll laugh at my spot-on Anna accent instead of slapping me in the face. Win, win. (Also, I’m always going to root for anything put out by Shondaland! The story of Shonda standing up for herself, leaving ABC, and signing a multi-million-dollar deal with Netflix is legendary. Did you know a top-level exec at ABC once denied her request for a Disney pass for her nanny, saying, “Haven’t we done enough for you already?” Let me be clear: she was asking for a pass for her nanny, so that she had childcare, SO THAT SHE COULD STAY AT WORK. So yeah, she pulled up stakes and left for Netflix. Hell to the yes.)


· Vintage isn’t just for clothes! Tears for Fears has a new album out (The Tipping Point) and it is stunning. Looking for something gorgeous to stream? This is it. Bonus: my brilliant husband interviewed the TFF co-founder, singer Roland Orzabal, about the band’s seventeen-year hiatus (!!!) and why they decide to make new music now. It’s a great read and lovely companion piece to this new record. You can read it here. (Like this? Subscriptions to Tape Op are FREE! Sign up today and get a real print magazine delivered to your home every other month.)


· Speaking of my husband, we’re starting a podcast soon (may the gods have mercy on our Basic Bitch souls) and the first order of business is discussing how terrible J-Lo’s new rom-com, Marry Me, is. Holy moly, you guys. I don’t know if I can even recommend it as a hate-watch. (Though, if you choose to view it, that is pretty much the only way to do it.) The fault lies directly on Armie Hammer for ruining this by being a total freak. (Armie was supposed to be JLo’s love interest and the role was famously recast after numerous horrific allegations against Hammer surfaced.) Let me tell you, there is zerochemistry between Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson (stepping in for Armie several months into filming). Larry & I kick off our pod discussing who should’ve romanced Lopez (literally anyone else), and more. Look for our first episode to drop later this month!


· I have gone from “I don’t know or care who Pete Davidson is” to actively rooting for him to break up with Kim Kardashian. Seriously. The Kardashians need to step away from Pete before they ruin him. There is no upside to this – I need to see them with other people, posthaste. (Believe it or not, Pete has acting chops. Check out Big Time Adolescence for proof. He’s got a big-screen future.)


· Am absolutely gutted that Trenton won this most recent season of Hell’s Kitchen when the far-superior Steve exists in this world. (Not a spoiler – I’m pretty sure Larry & I are the only ones that watch this trash.) And now back to our regularly scheduled comfort re-watch of its much classier cousin, Top Chef.


· Well, as things continue to open up, so does our streaming entertainment. That’s right, you guys – we actually haven’t seen a Kevin Costner film in quite a while. He was a great comfort during quarantine. But now that we can leave the house, we find ourselves drifting away from Costner classics. He’ll always have a piece of my heart! My sister-in-law insists that we watch Yellowstone, so who knows – Kevin might ride again here at Casa Crane. As always, stay tuned. (Also, a shout-out to my sis-in-law, who was the very first person to mention the show Yellowjackets to me before it started flooding my Twitter feed. This woman knows good TV!)


· Top Cup Roasters! Have you tried them? Seriously, some of the best coffee beans I have ever had. Roasted here in Portland, OR. by our friends Martyn and Keia, the quality is unsurpassed. Bonus: subscription services include home delivery and nationwide shipping. I go to bed each night already anticipating my next cup – it’s that good. Consider trying it out, while supporting a worthwhile local business!


This is the same material as my JZ newsletter and my Substack. Lots of ways to read - however you want to consume it, I've got you covered. As always, I'm honored you've chosen to read (and hopefully share) my work! xo


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