Vol. 11 — May 15, 2020
WHAT’S NEW
This week we’re sharing a recipe for cake from a favorite cafe, a local sommelier’s top 5 wines right now, and are introducing you to a new cool friend: illustrator, Jordan Sondler.
CULTURE CORNER
Listen
It’s time for another coolstuff playlist. This week we compiled a list of songs to listen to while laying on your bed staring at the ceiling or whatever it is you’re doing at home. Listen to it here!
Cook
We’re at a point in quarantine where we’ve started to miss our favorite coffee shops so much, that we are making our favorite dishes at home and closing our eyes to imagine hissing espresso machines and distant chatter. Luckily for us and other daydreamers, East Village fav, Abraço has had their olive oil cake recipe on the internet for years...make some ASAP.
Support
There’s been a lot of conversation lately in the public sphere about how we can keep restaurants & small businesses afloat. By some of the worst estimates, ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants) predicts that only 25% of restaurants in NYC will survive after the city reopens.
Merch Aid, a project by R/GA aims to help. You can check out (the quick to sell out) merch from NYC favorites designed by artists we love (Lauren Martin, Jing Wei, Emily Chen & more). With new merch released nearly every day, we’re checking their site OFTEN. Shop tees & prints here.
BEST OF
This week we’ve partnered with Austin Fletcher, sommelier, and owner of one of our favorite Brooklyn wine shops: Spirit Animal. Head over to our site to see some of Austin’s favorite wines under $25 to drink at home. If you already think you know it all, just head to spiritanimalbk.com and buy a bottle or five.
COOL FRIENDS
Jordan Sondler
Meet Jordan, a Brooklyn-based illustrator, author, and mental health advocate. In her own words, she is an “illustrator who loves to talk about her feelings”. Jordan’s colorful and quirky illustrations tell you the things you need to hear like “You Don’t Have to be Happy All the Time” and “How to know if You’re Doing the Right Thing”.
What led you to begin your illustration career?
I didn't think I was good at anything when I was growing up! Art school seemed like my only option as a student who wasn't particularly book smart, but gravitated towards creativity. My high school art teacher told me to declare illustration as a major—I didn't really know what that was—but here I am still practicing it to this day!
What is inspiring you right now?
What inspires me is all of the people speaking out about their mental health. There are comedians, models, actors, artists, politicians—you name it—opening up about the struggle that goes on inside of their heads, and this is a really necessary thing to be open and honest about. We all have mental health, but our personal struggles can feel very isolating.
What’s your favorite part about the NYC creative community?
There is so much diversity! And there are so many new folks left to discover. Instagram has been a really helpful tool for both introducing me to new work, and for making personal connections with the creators themselves.
Follow along:
www.jordansondler.com
@jordansondler on Instagram
DINER REVIEW (Guest reviewer: Sara Wynn)
Neil’s Coffee Shop
Upper East Side, Manhattan
My Rating: 4 of 5
When to go: around 8pm on a weeknight
What to order: get anything from their all-day breakfast menu! Don’t forget a cup of coffee & a side of bacon
What to know: this is an old school coffee shop near Hunter College. The inside probably hasn’t changed in 50 years, but that’s not a bad thing. Grab a table by a window and watch the world go by. PS- they are doing take-out and no-contact delivery!