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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Meet Helena!

I found her work while building my portfolio and immediately bookmarked it. Most portfolio references started blending together after a while, but hers didn’t. I ended up buying one of her templates, and it completely shifted how I wanted my own work to feel online.

Helena is the designer behind SAINTHELENASTUDIO, an Italy-based multidisciplinary creative working across branding, web design, illustration, content, and creative direction. Her work feels playful, sharp, and internet-brained in the best way, full of strong visuals, good typography, and ideas that actually feel considered.

She also shares workshops, resources, and design tools online, which makes her corner of the internet worth spending time in.

Today, she’s part of the Pretty Silly Slambook.

Find Helena at @sainthelenastudio and sainthelenastudio.com

ACT I

1. What are some colours you really like?

   Right now I looove pink with a deep, rich red and I'm also very into soft contrasts like light blue with pistachio green. In general playful and fun colors.
   

2. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   At brunch, a Bloody Mary. In the evening, I’ve moved past heavy cocktails. I’d rather have a glass of sparkling wine and keep it simple.
   

3. What's your hot take?
   Not everything should become content, not every moment needs an audience.
   

4. Finish this sentence: “The world needs more _______.”

   Luigi Mangione
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   I love the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. It sounds so classic and boring, but it’s actually very immersive and fun. If it’s a Saturday, I’d recommend the Balon Market. It’s perfect if you’re into vintage and slightly chaotic browsing. And for a slow walk by the river Parco del Valentino is so nice.
   
   ACT II

1. What are you currently watching?

   I’m almost done with my third rewatch of The Office, it’s my comfort show, and I’m usually too lazy to choose something new.
   

2. What’s one tradition you would like to pass on to your kids?

   I don’t plan on having kids, but with my dog I’ve built a small ritual I’d keep: slow mornings with a long walk, no rush.
   

3. What’s a green flag in a person that makes you think, we’re going to be friends?
   With girls, it’s when are girls-girls and hate men. With men honestly, you’d have to get past a long list of pre-installed red flags before I could even start thinking about green ones.
   

4. What Songs Are Included In The Soundtrack To Your Life?
   War Pigs by Black Sabbath
   Wild World by Cat Stevens
   Sapore di sale by Gino Paoli
   Nothing Even Matters by Lauryn Hill ft. D’Angelo
   Kiss Me Thru the Phone by Soulja Boy
   

5. What fictional character do you relate to the most?

   Probably the Grinch. I had never watched it as a kid, but I saw it last Christmas and felt a bit too represented. I complain a lot, I’m never fully satisfied with what I have to wear, and I’m always convinced I look awful.
   
   ACT III

1. What’s a common myth about your profession?
   At least here in Italy, graphic design is constantly confused with marketing. People assume it’s basically advertising. I feel very very very far from that world.
   

2. What brings you joy?

   Kisses, my dog’s tail wagging, my daily call with my mom, my favorite ice cream
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   My light blue cinched duvet cover from Urban Outfitters. I love it cause it's 100% cotton, it looks cozy and I never have to iron it.
   

4. Tell me a fun fact you know.

   Cows have best friends! And they get stressed when they’re separated from them
   

5. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Lasagna, no doubt. And a chocolate mousse for dessert. That’s enough, I wouldn’t need anything else.
   

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   A photo of my Rottweiler wearing one of my oversized t-shirts. She had a skin issue and I needed to stop her from scratching, so I improvised. It ended up looking surprisingly cute.

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Meet Matisse!

I first came across Matisse through a piece on Broadsheet, and then fell a little deeper into everything around We Eatin’ Good. It felt less like a single project and more like a world built around food, people, and being in the same room together.

Matisse is an artist and arts worker who moves across film, events, and community, with collaboration sitting at the centre of it all. There’s a sense that nothing is made alone, and nothing is meant to be experienced that way either.

She’s just turned 27, after screening a film, acting in a TV show, and throwing a boat party, and is now somewhere between wanting to rest and not quite letting herself. It’s honest in a way that feels familiar.

Today, she’s part of the Pretty Silly Slambook.

Find Matisse at @your.never.girlfriend and @we.eatin.good.bitch

ACT I

1. What’s the smell, sound, or snack that always brings you home?

   Erykah Badu - Baduizm !
   

2. What’s your hot take?
   white people shouldnt be front row at a party!! You've taken enough go to the back!
   

3. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?
   This is hard! I think a market, a gallery and a rooftop! Footscray, Blak Dot, Miscellania.
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   Dry Gin Martini, Olives, touch of brine, but not dirty!
   

5. You just became a member of the Spice Girls. What is your Spice name?

   Cheeky Spice
   
   ACT II

1. What are you currently watching?

   The sopranos
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   a seafood fiesta, Lalo (Okra), BBQ lamb chops , goat curry, bouillon bredes , peanut soup , 1000 martinis and a really boujee bottle of chardonnay.
   

3. What’s a green flag in a person that makes you think, we’re going to be friends?
   staunch in their politics, not a wanker, hilarious, down to eat anything and open to shaking ass.
   

4. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.
   Whos Loving You - Jessica Mauboy
   Nobody Gets Me - SZA
   OG Love Kush pt 2 - Kaiit
   

5. Describe your perfect Sunday - what’s on the table, who’s around, what’s playing?

   on a beach, sun is shining, water is perfect. Oysters, ceviche and corn chips, a joint, coronas and my favourite people. They r controlling the music cause they have fab taste and someone has rubbed oil all over me.
   
   ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   glee - rip 2 everyone lol
   

2. What's your favourite ice cream flavour?

   peanut butter choc from billy van creamery with hot fudge on top. I dont even have a sweet tooth but jesus christ that shit is insane.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   the mco beauty highlight and glow blush and bronze sticks. stole them from woolies im obsessed.
   

4. Who or what is feeding your imagination right now?
   My friends!
   

5. What is the most irrational superstition you have?

   touching wood! I am literally always touching wood lol.

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   A meeting I had at Manze recently. With Head Chef Nagesh, Jamie Lewis and Varsha Ramesh to chat about a talk/ panel we are doing at arts house. Was so great to talk about our practices and stuff ourselves silly.

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Meet Angharad!

I found her work in a free travel guide at Melbourne airport last month. I picked it up without thinking much of it, just something to flip through while waiting. I couldn’t take it back with me to Brisbane, but in a way, I didn’t need to.

It introduced me to someone new. And now, I’m a fan.

Angharad is an illustrator and muralist whose work is shaped by everyday encounters, the kind of small, familiar moments most of us move past without noticing. There’s something quietly observant about it, a sense of play, but also care. It makes you slow down a little, look again. Lately, she’s been spending more time in the studio, painting, drawing, and settling into her own way of working.

Today, she’s part of the Pretty Silly Slambook.

Find Angharad at @angharad.nw and www.angharad.au

ACT I

1. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Potluck dinner with my friends & family
   

2. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   Lemonade.
   

3. Something you think is wildly underrated.
   Drawing, I feel like its something that is saved for only some when it’s such an accessible form of being creative. I think more people should draw, just using scrap paper and a pen. It can help slow your mind down, can help us to notice what’s around us. I love that it’s something you can always improve at – you’re never finished drawing.
   

4. Finish this sentence: "The world needs more _______.”
   gardens
   

5. What would the “Angharad” museum gift shop sell?

Black fineliners & brush markers

ACT II

1. What are you currently watching?

   (MAFS) Married at first sight

2. What’s a guilty pleasure you refuse to feel guilty about?

   (MAFS) Married at first sight
   

3. What’s a piece of advice you actually use more than you thought you would?
   Everybody has an opinion but it doesn’t mean you need to take it on board
   

4. What songs are included in the soundtrack to your life?
   I’ll do my top five. In no particular order.
   Julia Jacklin – Convention
   Mac Demarco – Blue Boy
   The strokes – Someday
   Avalanches – Because I’m me
   #1 Dads – Twice a Fool
   

5. What are some colours you really like?
   Lavender, navy blue, bright yellow, burnt orange & off white

ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood.

   I loved playing nintendogs. I would go onto my DS to feed and walk the dog each day. Seems so ridiculous when I look back at it now.
   

2. What brings you joy?

   being with my friends, going to new places, growing veggies and seeing live music
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   I bought a lamp when I was travelling overseas a few years ago. It’s bright green and sits in my living room on a sideboard. Whenever I use it, it reminds me of the holiday and discovering new places that I think about often.
   

4. What’s a green flag in a person that makes you think, we’re going to be friends?
   They’re up for anything and have a strong sense of self.
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   1. Start the day at Preston Market or Queen Vic Market for breakfast, then wander around and get a coffee.
   2. See a live music gig somewhere on Brunswick street or Sydney road and get some food nearby afterwards.
   3. Take them to the Nicholas Building and through the city to check out some galleries and art spaces.

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Meet Kevin!

Kevin Cheng lives and works in the heartbeat of Sydney’s Haymarket and Chinatown. A journalist, organiser and co-founder of Soul of Chinatown, Kevin spends his days stitching community projects, pop-ups and short films into the streets he loves. He runs the Chinatown Comedy Club, leads local regeneration projects for the Haymarket Alliance, and knows the market stalls, late-night eats and old-school tea rooms that tell a city’s story.

His answers are full of place: food that tastes like memory, market routes worth tracing, and the small rituals that make home feel like home. Bookmark his recs, I’m already planning a trip back to Sydney to try them all.

Find Kevin at @kevincheng and @soulofchinatown.

Note: This Slambook was filled in on 15 July 2025, at 9:02pm. A small time capsule of Kevin’s life as it was, right then.

I like letting time sit around conversations. Reading them later feels like finding a diary entry you forgot you wrote, and remembering what felt important at the time.

ACT I

1. What’s the last thing that made you laugh uncontrollably?

   Comedian Neel Kolhatkar’s joke (not racist) about Pacific Islanders in Sydney.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Taiwanese of course: braised pork rice, thousand year egg with silken tofu, stir fried cabbage and milkfish soup.
   

3. What’s your hot take?
   Australian cafes are not as good as we think they are.
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?
   Glass of Rioja or Gamay (Beaujolais) or a highball
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   Food tour in Cabramatta, visit to Chinatown, Bondi-Coogee walk
   
   ACT II

1. If you could only keep three objects that tell the story of you, what would they be?

   My handmade chop that features my Chinese name, my first front page newspaper article and the gold ring my dad gave me for my wedding.

2. What’s a piece of advice from your grandparents that you still carry with you?

   Treat everyone with kindness, humility and respect.
   

3. What are you currently watching?
   The Bear season 4. What have they done to that show?
   

4. Give us a movie/tv show/book recomendation!
   In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar Wai - what a beautiful film.
   

5. If your life had a signature scent, what would it be, and what memories or emotions would it evoke?

   Not sure about signature scent but the smell of five spice always reminds me of Taiwan, and where my family has come from.
   
   ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, song cartoon, or video game from your childhood.

   Captain Planet, Play School, Am*zing, I love the 1990s!
   

2. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Two Eggs One Pan chilli oil - it’s seriously good.
   

3. What’s one underrated travel tip you swear by?

   Probably not underrated but the one I stole from Anthony Bourdain: visit a local market to find out what the locals are eating and cooking.
   

4. If money was no object, what would you buy?
   A sports team or a media company.
   

5. What do you want for Christmas this year?

   Maybe an Iwatani gas cooker.

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Meet Annie!

A friend first told me about A Little to the Left last year, “It’s your kind of game,” they said, and they were right. I’ve been obsessed ever since. There’s something deeply comforting about lining up pencils by length, stacking books just so, or spotting the tiny, odd details hiding in plain sight.

That magic comes from Annie and Lukas, the duo behind indie game studio Max Inferno. Together for nearly twenty years, they’ve built a creative life full of heart, curiosity, and a touch of delightful order, shared with their old cat Rookie in a home brimming with organised odd moments. While Lukas is currently somewhere in the woods (living the no-internet dream), Annie joined me for this Slam Book entry, right as they’re catching their breath between projects and gearing up for something new this fall.

Find her at maxinferno.com, on Instagram @maxinfernogames, or in that quiet space between chaos and order.

ACT I

1. What would your last meal on earth be?

   It doesn't matter what it is, I'd just like to have it with Lukas.
   

2. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   Something gingery and a bit foamy in a stunning glass.
   

3. Something you think is wildly underrated.
   Making up the answers.
   

4. Finish this sentence: "The world needs more _______.”
   Heart and handmade
   

5. What does a perfect day look like in your corner of the world?

   Waking up to robins, meditating for 21 minutes, black coffee, soft boiled eggs, some work, a walk through trees, getting a new idea I'm excited about, going out for lunch, receiving a warm message from a friend, work, remembering to start making dinner before it's too late, leaving the door open to let in the breeze, listening to Lukas figure out a new song on the piano, pink sky, receiving a heartfelt review on our game, cozy couch time, a purring cat on lap, remembering to floss, excited for the next day.
   
   ACT II

1. What are you currently watching?

   Dying for Sex
   

2. What’s one tradition you would like to pass on to your kids?

   Visiting my family's cabin in the summer, collecting little things from the beach.
   

3. What’s a piece of advice you actually use more than you thought you would?
   Make a decision, and then make it the right one.
   

4. What Songs Are Included In The Soundtrack To Your Life?
   I think it would start with the opening theme from Gargoyles, then move to Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime. Honeymoon by Nicolas Godin for when I met Lukas, something from the Joe Pera talks with You soundtrack, Aurora Boring Alias by King Creosote and Jon Hopkins, and I will let the sunset to the audio design from the Headspace Rainy Day Antiques sleep cast, narrated by Simon.
   

5. What’s your go-to “cozy” ritual that never fails to reset the mood?

   PJs + fire + blanket + cat + book / videogame
   
   ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   Gargoyles (I quit piano lessons because it conflicted with when that show aired). Also the game Riven, I loved the puzzles integrated into the environment, the exploration of the world and the sounds and textures of the landscape.
   

2. What’s your “silly little treat” of choice?

   Taking bites of Luka's treats (egg tarts, donuts, scones, cheese cake)
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Robert Bateman sketchbooks - which I used for all my sketchbooks as a kid, and wish I had more of today. I also love gel ink ball point pens from Muji and 2B Staedtler-Mars Lumograph drawing pencils.
   

4. Tell me a fun fact you know.
   Most snail shells coil to the right, fewer are "sinistral" or left coiling. The Banff Springs snail is endangered, and it is a lefty.
   

5. If life is just a collection of small, beautiful moments—what’s one you’re holding onto right now?

   Moving into a new home with boxes everywhere, with lights and curtains I want to replace, with gaps that need a rug, desk, lamp or chair. Getting familiar with new sounds and smells and placement of light switches. Trying to be patient and slowly let new roots grow.
   

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   A face created in our dumping's with chives is the ingenious work of the amazing staff and friends who work at a cafe we always visit for lunch.

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Meet Ackerlady.

I found her mixes earlier this year - somewhere between cooking dinner, folding laundry, and avoiding an assignment. And somehow, she’s stuck. Her channel became a quiet background companion: soft lighting, bold titles, unexpected transitions that feel like little internal shifts. I didn’t know her name then. Just that someone out there, probably alone in her room too - was making something intimate and specific, and uploading it for strangers like me.

Her name is Hanoi, but online she’s known as Ackerlady. She’s a self-taught DJ based in Bangkok who makes mixes that feel like film soundtracks or secret Tumblr playlists, the kind you’d burn onto a CD and hand to a crush. Her sets are vulnerable, cinematic, and deeply her own.

Now, half a year later, I get to say: she’s doing my Slambook.

Find her on YouTube, Instagram @ackerlady, or in your room, next time you're feeling everything all at once.

ACT I

1. What’s your hot take?

   Women have a much higher sex drive than men. Despite the massive orgasm gap in hetero world and how suck men are at sex, women still struggle to control our freaky needs. We've been leaking our wildest fantasies into all kinds of art for centuries and men still don't know how to turn us on. Women deserve to access much better sexual pleasure.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Thai-style omelet with rice 💯
   

3. What’s a phrase or line from a book, show, or mix that lives rent-free in your head?
   "There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy." - The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   This is the most unsexy answer ever but Pina Colada (and it's gotta be mocktail ver. because I don't drink alcohol 😔)
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   Welcome to Bangkok, here are my top 3 recommendations -
   
   1. (Morning) Temples tour - Because where else are you gonna see the unique architectural history of Nationalist Buddhism? Plus I have 2 philosophy degrees I will make your experience with temple and religion hella fun
   
   2. (Afternoon - Evening) A walking date from Song Wat Rd. to China Town Rd. - I will take you on a walk start from Song Wat Rd. We will explore Bangkok old town, cafe hopping, take cool photos of you, watch sunset at Chao Phraya river and then walk to China Town Rd. for fire dinner and evening snack
   
   3. (Late night) House of Heals/ The Stranger Bar/ Bipolar Silom - Any of these are one of the best drag bars in the world, always a 10/10 experience
   
   ACT II

1. What types of videos do you watch on YouTube?

   I'm ADDICTED to movie and pop-culture analysis videos
   

2. Give me a book recommendation!

   Existentialism is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre
   

3. What anime are you currently watching?
   Monster by Naoki Urasawa (absolute peak)
   

4. What has been the highlight of this year?
   Seeing myself become a DJ
   

5. If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

   Let go - Beau Young Prince
   
   ACT III

1. What’s a silly little superstition you believe in just in case?
   Sometimes when I get back home, I will say "show yourself" or "I know who you are" out loud so a hidden spy in my room won't catch me lacking gotta let them know I’m supernaturally aware. 💯
   

2. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood.

   Teen Titan and X-Men Revolution on Cartoon Network - It's the reason I grow up obsessed with superheroes
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   iPod! Since I started my DJ journey I found myself stopped listening on streaming platform completely and only listening to my mixes + songs I downloaded for my mixes. I decided to get my iPod Classic for this and it's been an amazing journey listening from real files instead of online streaming. I get to go out for a walk and hit the gym without my phone, this really heals my mental health and deepen my relationship with music.
   

4. What’s something new you’re learning?
   I'm learning to centre myself around my intuition rather than reason. Being logical spikes my anxiety so bad and limits me from so many amazing possibilities. Just think less and feel more.

5. Share a random picture from your gallery
   

   
   My entire life in 1 meme:

   

   
   I'm a photographer and prioritised being involved with the community:
   

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Meet David Matthews!

David Matthews writes about food the way you want to be fed: with care, curiosity, and the right amount of crunch. He’s a former chef turned writer and editor, co-editing the Good Food Guide and reviewing restaurants every other week for the Sydney Morning Herald. You might’ve seen his name in some of the country’s best food magazines, or on the spines of cookbooks like Ester, Quality Meats, and Asian Cooking Class.

David lives on Gadigal and Wangal land in Sydney with his partner Claire and their baby Mia. When he’s not at a restaurant table scribbling notes, he’s likely at home trying to get dinner on the table before bath time, or chasing the ball around with his soccer team (until the over-35s come calling).

This one’s for the eaters, the cooks, the writers, and the people who find meaning in what we make for each other.

Find David on Instagram @david__matthews__ and see all his work here.

ACT I

1. How do you know you're in love?

   I think the real true love, past the point of infatuation, comes when you couldn’t possibly imagine the other person not being in your life, all the time forever.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Honestly? If I knew it was my last meal on earth, I don’t think I could eat. I’d probably pick something then be wildly disappointed I didn’t pick something else.
   

3. What’s your hot take?

   People who like milky coffee don't like coffee.
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   I drink a lot of things, but when a Daiquiri is good it’s really good.
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   It's Sydney, so it's gotta have water at some point, and it has to be food-related. Let's say yum cha in Chinatown, a ferry ride for fish and chips in Watson's Bay, then drinks down Enmore Road and King Street with a stop at Ante for sure.
   
   ACT II

1. What’s one tradition you would like to pass on to your kids?

   We're children of divorce, so Christmas gets way too hectic. Taking a beat, the weekend before, just for us.
   

2. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

   More important than the where is to go.
   

3. What Songs Are Included In The Soundtrack To Your Life?
   I try to add songs to my Liked songs when I can, so if we go off the last one I added then apparently Cruisin’ by Smokey Robinson, the title track from the movie Duets, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis. Weird.
   

4. What’s something you don’t miss?

   Come on, I'm a 90s kid. All of it was better before.
   

5. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party?

   They’d definitely be living.

   
   ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, song cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   It’s always Pokémon (the game), but the novelty is wearing thin. Still haven’t caught them all.
   

2. Give me a book, tv show and a movie recommendation!

   My brother bought me a book for Christmas I would never have picked up called Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, a Pulitzer Prize winning memoir about the author's lifelong passion for surfing, growing up in Hawaii in the 60s then travelling around the world with a board. It was totally absorbing (even for a non-surfer like me). It's about surfing, yes, but really it's about life, a feeling, the ocean.
   A TV show? Friday Night Lights is all time.
   Movie? Anora, duh.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Before my baby became my alarm clock, it was One Clock, an analog alarm clock that wakes you with melodic music composed by Jon Natchez from War on Drugs. So much less invasive than your phone, and it means you can put your phone somewhere that’s not next to your bed. A small thing but a good thing.
   

4. Tell me a fun fact you know.
   Apparently the idea of continental drift is really new. Like it wasn’t widely accepted until the 60s. Before then it was a wild fringe theory.
   

5. If life is just a collection of small, beautiful moments—what’s one you’re holding onto right now?

   Since I became a dad, it's always a hug from my daughter.

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Meet Alana Dimou!

Alana Dimou is a food, lifestyle, and travel photographer from Sydney who brings a little colour and a lot of heart to everything she captures. She first started taking photos while documenting her home cooking as a uni student — and now her work spans generous tablescapes, quiet portraits, and the joyful chaos of everyday life.

Her style is bright, affectionate, and always curious — guided by the energy of the spaces and people around her. Whether it’s a fridge shelf or a dinner party, Alana has a way of noticing the small things that make something (or someone) feel special. She’s also a self-described serial hobbyist, and if you look closely, you’ll spot her ice cream lamp making an appearance too.

You can find her work at alanadimou.com and on Instagram at @alanadimou.

ACT I

1. What's your favourite ice cream flavour?

   Anything with tang ie, yoghurt or citrus (I’m a real zest pest), or gelato with wet cake mixed in, or just about anything to ease the relentless humidity of Sydney summer. I recently made Luke Powell’s coconut sorbet with watermelon granita which has become a straight-to-the-pool-room recipe for despicably hot days.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   A big plate of sashimi, my Egyptian mum’s stuffed tomatoes followed by vanilla custard cannoli and a pink donut with sprinkles.
   

3. What’s your hot take?

   Lasagne is not so good. Flat pasta in general is not so good. Bakeries should be open until late.
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   Suze and soda because I love sipping on the scent of men’s cologne, or a gin and tonic if I’m trying to appear well-adjusted, or a Bloody Mary if I’m craving soup.
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   Valentina's for generous, syrupy morning pancakes if I'm up early enough, Kakigori Kaiji for a globe or two of shaved ice and the Cooks River for serenity.
   
   ACT II

1. What’s your favourite item you would like to carry with you in the grave.

   The metronome I’ve owned since I was 5, it’s rarely used but is too sentimental to consider obsolete. The perfect entombment companion (??) – prudent tempos in the afterlife await.
   

2. What’s a green flag in a person that makes you think, ‘We’re going to be friends’?

   Self-deprecating humour, similar (but not identical) interests in music and a willingness to travel to experience new things. Oh and perhaps a passion for charcoal chicken. I rarely feel closer to a person than in a moment of shared "mmmmHmmmm"s while enjoying a plate or bowl of something delightful. Lovers of brine times (olives, anchovies etc) are enormous green flags too.
   

3. What are you currently watching?
   I usually watch reruns of Seinfeld 24/7 (all good shows begin with S), but I’m heaps into Severance now. As a result I’m attempting to enjoy answering all of these questions equally.
   

4. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

   Iggy Pop - The Passenger

   Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow

   The Unicorns - Les Os
   

   Bonus track: Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite no. 2
   

5. What has been the highlight of this year (I know it’s only been a month)?

   My birthday, also I ate some really good prawns earlier this year.

ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, song cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   I’m a millennial so nostalgia is an elemental force for anyone in their 30s, we will die without memories of Nintendos and fairy bread now that house prices are exorbitant and the world is on fire. Rocko’s Modern Life, Banjo Kazooie and Rock Lobster by The B52’s.
   

2. Finish this sentence: "The world needs more _______.”

   Self-awareness and considerate neighbours.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Nail art stickers are my new thing. I’ve always had short nails, a requirement for learning to play the piano to omit further percussion. These gaudy sticky bits are a way of showing my natty, non-acrylic nails some adoration.
   

4. What’s in your bag?
   A very flat water bottle that is often mistaken for a flask, lipstick I forget to reapply, my keys bound by a keyring of pancakes and a Suica card from Japan because I’m big stupid wanker.
   

5. What brings you joy?

   Impromptu hangs with friends, water views that aren’t the beach, coloured glass and ducks.

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

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Meet Charlie Hawks!

Charlie is a photographer with a sharp eye and a soft spot for the people around him, Charlie Hawks captures life as it unfolds—whether that’s quiet, everyday moments with friends or the energy of a big shoot. Originally from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he now splits his time between Melbourne and wherever the next adventure takes him. When he’s not behind the camera, he’s out riding his bike, cooking with friends, dancing late into the night, or hunting down the perfect sweet treat. Lately, he’s been taking things slow—sorting through years of work, getting his gear in order, and preparing for his first show in a long time.

📲 Follow Charlie: @chawks | Charlie Hawks

ACT I

1. What’s a habit or trait you think you inherited from Wyoming?

   I'd say Wyomingnites are known to be pretty individualistic but also a good neighbor, a trait of being in sparsely populated place. I would say I have a bit of both of those things in me. And a deep love and respect for nature.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   An amazing green papaya salad, some kind of spicy fried chicken with the best fried rice ever, a caesar salad, papardelle with a spicy ragu and garlic bread, and a rich gooey salted brownie with vanilla ice cream and fudge. and a few spicy margaritas and a bunch of beautiful wine and fernet branca and affogatos at the end.
   

3. What’s your hot take?

   vaping < smoking. neither are great and i can't believe I'm a cranky old man with an opinion on it but at least smoking looks cool.
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   either a dry gin martini with a twist or a really over the top embarrassing but delicious frilly cocktail. depends on the day.
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   For Melbourne I would say it's mandatory to start the day with a really good coffee at a local cafe, there are so many good ones its hard to pick a favorite but I'll say Standing Room because it's by my house and I go a lot and the crew there is soooo nice and it's a beautiful space. Amazing coffee and breakfast.
   I usually will take a visitor on a biking tour of the city on the Capitol City trail which circumnavigates a large part of the north and CBD and along the Yarra which shows you a lot of the best parts of the city with a million great places to eat along the way.
   For night with me you're probably being taken to a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant and then out for drinks probably at Bar Solace then dancing at Miscellania and then to a park party until late into the night!

ACT II

1. What’s your go-to karaoke song?

   Yikes, karaoke terrifies me and I rarely do it but the last one I sang was Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash.
   

2. What’s a piece of life advice you once got that actually stuck?

   Ask more questions! I learned this later in life from my partner and conversations got a lot more fun.
   

3. What are you currently watching?
   Gossip Girl hahaha, how embarassing. And Severance. And trying to watch more movies.
   

4. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

   The Turning Ground - Tara Clerkin Trio
   Babylon - David Gray
   I Don't Mind - The Shed
   Normally I listen to dance music 99% of the time but road trip vibes call for mostly bandy music.
   

5. What has been the highlight of this year (I know it’s only been a month)?

   My new years day was incredible I was away at a bush doof with my partner and brother and friends from Melbourne and two friends visiting from the States just dancing like crazy people for three days it was so fun I got a lot of photos I quite like and had an all around really enjoyable time. I've also already eaten a lot of really delicious food this year and have been planning a lot of trips that I'm excited for.

ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, song cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   I loved Rocket Power, a cartoon about these kids who did all kinds of extreme sports. Great gameboy game too.
   

2. What’s your go-to “silly little treat” when you need cheering up?

   a tray of chocolate chip cookies with so much maldon salt flakes and vanilla ice cream with sleepytime tea and the bon appetit youtube.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Going full influencer I would say that I've started doing skincare, somebody told me your body stops producing collagen at 30 and i got scared haha, and I got on the Beauty of Joseon products from Korea and my skin looks genuinely better. and this crazy other product that is straight up snail goo that you put on your face and it is so pure and clean and dewy feeling. yuck sounding and totally trendy but I back it
   

4. If your personality had a signature scent, what would it smell like?
   Floral and herbaceous, little sweet little spicy, but somehow also like a bakery but also clean like cold mountain air haha.
   

5. What’s the tiniest, most specific thing your partner does that makes your heart melt?

   Cora will make tiny origami paper cranes out of random scraps of paper, gum wrappers, receipts, when we are hanging around and just hand them to me or one of our friends when she finishes it. It's such a silly tiny act but it really encapsulates a lot of what I love about her, she's so thoughtful and generous and so herself and I just love her. I saw her hand a little paper crane to our friend Joe while we were just sitting around at a park the other day, you don't even notice her making them she does it in such a mellow way. I find them in pockets, on shelves, in bags.

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   Just realized it was 1 picture not 10 but it said up to 10 in the fine print so i went for it. i feel like these shots really cover a lot of how I shoot, who and what I like to shoot, and the things I like the spend my time doing!

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Meet Sophie McComas!

Sophie McComas is a writer, editor, and co-founder of Buffet, a creative agency dedicated to food, drink, and travel. With a sharp eye for storytelling and a deep love for all things edible, she’s spent years crafting engaging content for some of Australia’s most respected brands. She also co-authors Highly Enthused, a newsletter covering the best things to consume—both edible and otherwise.

Based in Sydney, Sophie’s life is steeped in food. She shares her home with her husband, Scott (a chef and restaurateur), their two small boys, Ned and Bruno, and their ever-watchful whippet, Freddie. Whether she’s diving into a creative project, seeking out the perfect meal, or sharing discoveries through her writing, Sophie brings a sense of curiosity and joy to everything she does.

📸: Rachel Kara
📲 Follow Sophie: @moremccomas | @buffet.digital |

ACT I

1. What’s a green flag in a person that makes you think, we’re going to be friends?

   When they tell me the most shocking thing their four year old did/said/threw across the room that day. Instant friends.
   

2. What would your last meal on earth be?

   Obviously it would be multi-course. Half a dozen oysters all to myself, spaghetti vongole with lots of garlic, lemon and chilli, a cold glass of Sicilian grillo, baguette with good butter, a salad of perfect tomatoes and peaches, and a wedge of soft-in-the-centre goat’s cheese with a little honey for dessert.
   

3. What’s your hot take?

   I think women are too afraid to ask what they want/need/deserve at work. Say it!
   

4. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   I love a Paloma.
   

5. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   Sydney is my favorite subject. Start the morning at the Ladies’ Baths in Coogee (bring a pastry from nearby Fabbrica with you), take yourself to lunch at Ester afterwards, and then spend the evening deep in a Martini at Bar Planet.

ACT II

1. What’s one tradition you would like to pass on to your kids?

   Hunting for mulberries on the neighborhood trees each October. It’s an edible and free treasure hunt! They’re everywhere once you know where to look.
   

2. What’s a piece of life advice you once got that actually stuck?

   If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
   

3. Recommend us your current favourite book/ tv show/ movie.
   Last year I read three different Ann Patchett novels. I think they’re so moving and beautiful and totally transporting. State of Wonder was my favourite! It’s set in the Amazon.
   

4. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

   Dirty Work, Steely Dan
   Take Me Home, Phil Collins
   Messy, Lola Young
   

5. How do you know when you’re in love?

   When you’re not scared to say or do anything in front of them. Love to me means zero self consciousness.

ACT III

1. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, song cartoon, or video game from your childhood.
   I was SO addicted to The Hills. Glad to see Speidi making a comeback this year.
   

2. What’s a guilty pleasure you refuse to feel guilty about?

   I don’t feel guilty much, and especially about pleasure. I buy too-expensive wine on a whim too often though.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   I was gifted almost the entire Emma Lewisham skincare range recently and their Super Natural Serum has totally transformed my skin’s texture. So smooth! So even!
   

4. What’s in your bag?

   Snacks for my kids, lip balm, my laptop and dog poop bags. Chic.
   

5. What’s the closest thing to real magic?

   Watching my babies play together in our backyard.

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   If you love being stared at all day, may I suggest a whippet? This is Freddie.

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Meet Ariél M. Martinez – author of all the things she said (were good)!

Ariél M. Martinez: a queer femme writer, Britney Spears enthusiast, and the creative force behind all the things she said (were good)—a delightful book recommendation newsletter spotlighting queer and women-authored stories. She’s currently working on a memoir-meets-criticism about Britney, failure, and femininity. Ariél lives in Brooklyn with her two chaotic bisexual chihuahuas, Frida and George, who add a dash of silliness to her otherwise iconic life.

Follow Ariél on Instagram, check out her website, and subscribe to her substack here.

ACT I

1. What’s the most random fun fact you’ve learned recently?

   Someone recently told me that two of Santa's reindeer were canonically married but when I was fact checking I couldn't find any evidence of it so I think I was lied to or hallucinated.
   

2. If your life had a title, what would it be?

   The Woman in Me
   

3. What’s your hot take?

   We should all mask in public spaces like the subway and pharmacy to protect each other's health <3
   

4. What’s a guilty pleasure TV show or movie that you can't help but rewatch?

   sMothered. It's my favorite show that I feel no guilt about but am disturbed by - both the show and my obsession.

5. What’s your go-to comfort food when you’re feeling down?

   French fries and a diet soda

ACT II

1. What’s your absolute favourite quote from any movie, book, or song?

   “You remember too much, my mother said to me recently. Why hold onto all that? And I said, Where can I put it down?” - Anne Carson, The Glass Essay
   

2. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

   New Mexican enchiladas, Christmas style"
   

3. What fictional character do you resonate with most and why?
   Violet from Bound x Lux Lisbon
   

4. What brings you joy?

   My dogs and being gay
   

5. What advice would you give to your younger self?

   Break up with everyone sooner, don't drink as much, write more.

ACT III

1. Can you recommend a book that you think everyone should read at least once?

   The Idiot by Elif Batuman

2. What's in your bag?

   Usually a chihuahua, a lip balm, tangled headphones, a book, a crystal.

3. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or game from your childhood?

   Degrassi
   

4. What songs would be on the soundtrack of your life?

   Running up that Hill - Kate Bush, Bad Girl - Madonna, I Drove All Night - Roy Orbison, West Coast - Lana Del Rey, Rhinestone Cowboy - Loretta Lynn
   

5. What's your favourite Britney Spears' song?

   Everytime </3

6. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   These are my idiot bisexual children, Frida (left) and George (right).

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Meet Jenny Fran Davis – author of Dykette and Everything Must Go!

Jenny is a novelist, avid reader, and pug lover who calls Brooklyn home. This fall, she’s been teaching creative writing at Stony Brook University, taking reflective walks in Prospect Park, and working on her next novel – a compelling story about love, betrayal, and adulthood.

Follow Jenny on Instagram, check out her books on Goodreads, and buy Dykette and Everything Must Go on Amazon!

ACT I

1. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   Seltzer
   

2. What’s your hot take?

   People should ask each other more invasive and nosier questions
   

3. Give me a book recommendation!

   Look At Me by Jennifer Egan
   

4. What would your last meal on earth be?

   French fries with lots of ketchup

5. What’s your guilty pleasure watch?

   Vanderpump Rules

ACT II

1. What fictional character do you relate to the most?

   Emma Bovary
   

2. What's in your bag?

   Scrunchies, lip balm, goldfish, book, so many receipts
   

3. What is your Starbucks order?
   Oat latte
   

4. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Milk makeup cream highlighter - makes me so dewy and shimmery!
   

5. What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?

   Mint chocolate chip

ACT III

1. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

   For my dog to live exactly as long as I do, for invisibility, and for world peace

2. If you were a sandwich, what type of sandwich would you be?

   Watercress tea sandwich

3. If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

   Lana Del Rey, the Beach Boys, and Olivia Rodrigo
   

4. What are you currently watching?

   Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

5. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   This is my pug, Lois, in the process of humping my arm.

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Meet Zosia – a culinary artist, designer, and storyteller!

Zosia curates immersive dining experiences that beautifully blend food, art, and storytelling. After leaving a successful career in corporate design and marketing, she pursued her passion for the culinary arts by training at Le Cordon Bleu, where she graduated in 2024 with an Award in Culinary Excellence.

However, traditional commercial kitchens proved too restrictive for Zosia's creative vision. Now, she crafts unique, multi-sensory dining events, where guests are taken on a journey through artfully presented courses in dynamic settings. Drawing inspiration from her Polish heritage and European upbringing, Zosia creates experiences that celebrate the intersection of culinary and visual arts.

Hosting regular Supper Clubs and offering private dining, catering, and consultancy, Zosia brings her artistic culinary flair to Brisbane, Sydney, and beyond – leaving a lasting impression on every guest she serves.

Check out Zosia Cooks!

ACT I

1. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   amaro soda
   

2. What’s your hot take?

   boundaries
   

3. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   being a foodie, it would be all about food!
   ramen at ramen works, dinner at hellenika, and drink at HSW
   

4. What would your last meal on earth be?

   anything cooked by my grandmother

5. What’s your favourite form of potato?

   french fries

ACT II

1. Build your favourite sandwich.

   Sourdough, stracciatella, thick-cut ox heart tomato, Maldon sea salt, extra virgin olive oil.
   

2. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

   Icy tower
   

3. What is the weirdest food combination you enjoy?
   recently I made a pasta with bone marrow and clams and it was to die for
   

4. If you were stranded on an island, you could only bring three things with you, what would it be?

   a lighter, a universal knife, some company
   

5. If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

   kool girl by seasalt

ACT III

1. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

   I want to know what's on the bottom of the ocean!

2. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   rose toner from bogdao

3. What is the best meal you have ever eaten?

   I eat a lot being a chef, eating out and testing food, I find that the best food is always when surrounded by people you love. Anything served at family spends, although I will never forget the oysters I had at St Helens in Tasmania
   

4. What's in your bag?

   keys, phone, lipstick, sometimes cigarettes :)

5. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   This is a photo from my last supper club that I am super proud of!

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Today, it's all about Anna Dorn!

My Name is Anna Dorn and I'm the author of Perfume & Pain, Exalted, Bad Lawyer, and Vagablonde. I'm superstitious about talking about what I'm currently working on but I do have another book coming out in 2026 called American Spirits!

ACT I

1. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?

   I want to say Negroni. I love the look. But to be honest I almost always order a beer. I keep trying to grow up and be more chic. But I just like beer! Its like liquid bread that gets you high. And so golden and bubbly.
   

2. What’s your hot take?

   I have a billion. But here's one that will work for this context: I love Goodreads and think the people on there are usually right!
   

3. Give me a book recommendation!

   I also have a billion. I just reread The Princess of 72nd Street by Elaine Kraf as its being reissued this summer and it's so magical.

4. What would your last meal on earth be?

   An entire pizza. Cheese, New York style. Followed by Funfetti cake. I'm 12.

5. What’s your guilty pleasure watch?

   I don't feel guilty about pleasure! Ok that's a lie. I had a phase where I got into "Is It Cake?" on Netflix. It was like being lobotomized, it was great.

ACT II

1. Which SATC character are you?

   Carrie. I'm annoying and my nipples are always showing.
   

2. What's in your bag?

   Wallet, phone, sunglasses, headphones (wired), a billion gum wrappers.
   

3. What is your Starbucks order?

   Tall oat milk latte. If I'm feeling spicy I'll get a caramel frappuccino WITH whip. That used to be my airport treat but then I realized the caffeine/sugar was giving me panic attacks lol.
   

4. Give me a movie and tv show recommendation!

   I just watched Tell Me You Love Me (2023) on Netflix and it was disturbing and fascinating. I can't recommend the early seasons of the Kardashians enough. I've been doing my five billionth rewatch and thinking Kris Jenner is the modern Lucille Ball?
   

5. What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?

   Vanilla is hard to beat!

ACT III

1. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

   This question gives me anxiety! Feels dangerous. Ok (1) no anxiety; (2) extroversion; (3) good health for myself and loved ones.

2. If your life had a signature scent, what would it be, and what memories or emotions would it evoke?

   Ohhhhh this is so hard! And fun! Probably something musky and pheromone-y as crushes have always been a big theme of my life and writing.

3. What songs do you want to be played at your funeral?

   I used to say "The Party" by Justice (ft. Uffie) but that felt more appropriate in my 20s. Now... hmm... "Halcyon and On and On" by Orbital? Gorgeous and celestial, feels right.
   

4. What are you currently watching?

   I just finished America's Sweethearts about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. It was so charming!

5. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

   I had COVID on vacation in Santa Barbara and one night I had major brain fog and just wandered around photographing flowers. I took like a billion photos of this one flower with the moon in the background.

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Today, it's all about Gina Wurtz

Gina Wurtz, a fantastic writer based in New York. She’s got a BFA in Screen Studies from The New School and has been rocking the entertainment journalism scene ever since. But let’s be real, her heart belongs to the film world—Hollywood, watch out!

Gina’s pride and joy? Her Substack newsletter. She’s all in, writing weekly gems and a special monthly edition for just $5 a month (that’s less than your fancy coffee!). Right now, she’s on a mission to revamp that monthly newsletter and reel in more paid subscribers, so she can deliver even more awesome content.

ACT I

1. You’re at a bar, what’s your drink of choice?
   A negroni sbagliato with prosecco in it? I honestly don't drink much but if the bar happens to have Loverboy then certainly that. Otherwise, I would probably just order water!
   

2. What’s your hot take?

   Something that feels very relevant right now is whether or not influencers should be allowed as red carpet interviewers. I've seen so many hot takes on this, but mine is that as long as someone is educated and professional, they shouldn't be barred from that experience. Reece Feldman got his start on social media, and I think he does a great job interviewing!!
   

3. Favorite form of potato?

   Sweet potato in souffle form, which I eat every Thanksgiving.

4. What would your last meal on earth be?

   A plate full of Thanksgiving food, including the souffle I mentioned in the potato question!!

5. Which fictional character do you relate to the most?

   Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi for sure!

ACT II

1. If your life was a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

   Oh I love this question. You're On Your Own, Kid by Taylor Swift, I Am What I Am by Gloria Gaynor, Stronger by Britney Spears, and Dancing Queen by ABBA would certainly make the cut.
   

2. What's in your bag?

   As of right now: my wallet, chapstick, hand sanitizer for my germ phobia, hand cream, a pack of gum, a mini buddha, and magnets my dad bought me because he believes they help to keep a positive mindset throughout the day.
   

3. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party - who would it be?
   Taylor Swift, Walt Disney, and Rita Hayworth. I think we would all have a really good time together!
   

4. What movie or show do you keep rewatching?

   I revisit the Disney Channel Descendants franchise quite a lot. I just think there are so many powerful messages hidden in there that probably go over most people's heads.
   

5. Anything cool you stumbled upon - an article, a song, a book, a recipe, or literally anything.

   I was watching Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin and they used Only You by Yazoo, which I somehow had never heard before, in one of the scenes. I instantly loved it. It sounds like something Jack Antonoff would produce for one of todays' top pop girlies!

ACT III

1. What brings you joy?

   My dog. He's a siberian husky named Leo who I got when I was 15 and he's the best boy in the whole world.
   

2. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   I recently started using the Illuminating Glow Serum by Keys Soulcare and it makes my skin look so shimmering. 10/10 I would highly recommend!
   

3. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

   Lizzie McGuire!! I loved growing up in the 2000s and every time I rewatch it on Disney+ it brings back so many of those happy memories. First of all, Hilary Duff walked so the next generation of Disney actors turned pop stars could run. But I also loved that the show touched on some serious topics, like the episode when Miranda develops an eating disorder. Growing up with those earlier Disney shows during my most formative years really shaped me and later Disney shows seemed to steer away from that even though it could have really helped kids growing up with those shows.
   

4. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   First thing that came to mind was the Gershwin Theater at 222 West 51st Street for a performance of Wicked The Musical. I think Ellis Island is a must see too and for anyone who's up for it, they have a really cool tour of the abandon hospitals. Lastly, so many movies were filmed in Central Park for a reason. It's beautiful and if I were a tourist I wouldn't leave the city without seeing it in person.
   

5. Share a random picture from your gallery.

   

   That's a picture of me from October 2023 during my Disney World birthday trip. I was sitting at the Germany Pavilion in Epcot, eating a giant pretzel and saying, "Guten Tag!' every 10 seconds. No worries, no stress, just wholesome vibes. Few pictures spark as much joy in me as this one does.

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Today, it's all about Soham Kundu –

My name is Soham, I’m a filmmaker working across narrative shorts while exploring other forms and formats within the audio-visual. I grew up in Calcutta and now I’m now based in London and my works embody both places. 2023 has been an exciting year of fulfilling collaborations and now I’m nearing the end of post-production for our next short ‘Farewell’. (Insta - @farewellshortfilm2023)

I also recently had the chance to direct a music video for an artist and friend I absolutely adore 'The Shivers'.

ACT I

1. What are you currently watching?
   I was catching up on a lot of shows lately. I'm watching 'The Curse' (it’s by creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Sadie and has Emma Stone in lead), and Invincible on Prime. Apart from that, I'm trying to watch a few movies every week. Recent memorable ones have been 'I Have Electric Dreams', a Costa Rican film and 'Afire' a German film.
   

2. What’s your comfort movie?

   umm comfort movie would depend on the kind of comfort I’m needing on a given day lol. I kind of have done multiple viewings of ‘Demolition’, ‘Toni Erdmann', 'Burning', 'Decision to Leave', 'Ilo Ilo', 'Dheepan', 'The Lobster', 'Melancholia', 'Mathias and Maxime', these are the films that are on top of my head which I could go back to. More than comfort, it re-instills my faith in cinema and the power it can possess, as I watch them over and again.
   

3. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   I genuinely admire the SSD hard-drives, it's a boring answer but it's a game changer, I began using them very late. And I also invested in a pair of Mackie speakers after a musician friend suggested them, and oh boy it has changed my movie-viewing experience at home.

4. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

   I Love listening to music when I’m on the road, the road has become more synonymous with my everyday commute to work (life lately). The 3 top songs I listen to in this phase of my life are:
   1. Kahlil Gibran by STARFKR
   2. Water Flow by Kline
   3. Looking for Knives by DYAN

5. What’s your MCD order?

   McSpicy Chicken, Wrap of the Day, fries and Sprite. Sometimes I'd switch it with a Triple Cheeseburger and Chicken Nuggets.

ACT II

1. If you had to get a tattoo today, what would you get?

   I like tattoos that have a musical analogy and are related to a phase of my life. If I had to get one today, I'd get one for this band called 'Bright Eyes'; it would just be a pair of eyes but idk how to make it look bright.

2. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party - who would it be?

   My uncle, my grandfather and Mother Teresa.
   

3. What do you want for your birthday?
   Being around my friends and family I guess and also a bit of introspective silence lol, I'm aware it doesn't fit in the same sentence.
   

4. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

   Drake band Josh I suppose, also Oswald also had a sense of calm. Most of the Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Pogo shows bring in a great sense of nostalgia.
   

5. Anything cool you stumbled upon - an article, a song, a book, a recipe, or literally anything.

   There's a recent photobook about the Migrant Workers in Oman which I found really emotional. It just captured a day in the life of these workers when they were on a day out. Usually, you would expect to see images of them at work and feel a completely different emotion. I like how the photographer chose to photograph a day of them just hanging out with each other by the beach, forgetting the burden of their work and it evokes a slightly different feeling of melancholia. I'm really interested in exploring masculine tendencies and I thought these images were a really powerful glimpse into their life and I connected more as they were people from across South Asia who gave up their home and family to go and work in a different place.

ACT III

1. What brings you joy?

   That’s a really broad one. As a filmmaker and artist, taking a piece of work from its commencement to completion definitely brings in a great amount of joy. Especially when you’re creating work with people who understand and care, the kind of adrenaline or dopamine that comes from that is pure joy. On the flip side, having a good meal with my friends and just chatting about random things also brings me joy.

2. If you could tell your past self one thing, what would it be?

   I read somewhere that the advice you’re giving someone is usually the advice you’re seeking. It always stuck with me, and in that context, if I had to tell my past self one thing, I would say that “it's going to be okay”.

3. If you were a tour guide for a day in your hometown, what are the top three must-visit spots you'd recommend to newcomers?

   I would be a very boring tour guide to begin with. I usually remain in the South East of London as Central London makes me quite anxious. And I usually visit the same spots or eating places again and again. The 3 spots would be -
   
   1. In Woolwich, by the river at Berkeley Homes, is a really special spot for me as we shot our recent film there. Sometimes when I feel low, sitting by that river and looking at the sunset lifts me up, I would definitely suggest that spot if you are looking for some introspection time in the bustling city of London.
   2. Tonkutsu Ramen is a go-to eating place as it’s just outside my workplace. They have really great Karaage chicken and ramen of course
   3. BFI Southbank has a really cool vibe, if you are keen on movies and the movie culture.

4. Share a random picture from your gallery.

   

This was my living room on the 3rd of September 2023, at midnight. In the photo is my dear friend Yang who was also the cinematographer for our film Farewell packing all the camera gear after we had just wrapped the production for our film, it was midnight already and we were on a fatigue high but had work to do. We both said that one day we will not have to store gear at our places and we will have the support and funding to not mix work with our personal lives. Then we went on to have a drink and eat some great South Indian food. After which Yang packed all the gear by herself as I had no clue where to put what. She went back home and I slept. It would be great to look back at this picture in a few years to remind us of our journey and our shared dreams and hopes. I’d still store gear at my place again and again if Yang would do the packing lol.

PS: My flatmates were extremely generous to let us keep the living room a mess for 5 days.

Watch all the movies Soham watched here!

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Today, it's all about Justin Lombardo –

My name is Justin Lombardo and I’m a musician from the Jersey Shore that likes to write and record songs. I’ve never been able to stick with one style which has resulted in a body of work ranging from indie pop to hardcore punk. I currently play in the bands Nylon, Phantom, and pursue my solo endeavors under the name Love Tapes. All of my projects will have new releases in 2024

ACT I

1. What's the last song that's been on repeat in your head?

2. If a bodega were to name a dish after you, what would it be?

   “The Justin Special” vegan sausage egg n cheese with a lot of hot sauce
   

3. Random thing you hate so much for no apparent reason.

   Asparagus

4. Be an influencer - What is the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?

   Best: early 90s made in Japan Stratocaster.

   Worst: vapes

5. What are some of the other names you would give your band 'Nylon'?

   The Edgelordz , Mass Produced Material, Neurotic Hobbit

ACT II

1. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

   “Rene De Marie” -Triste Janero

   “Chimebells” - Slim Whitman

   “Be here in the mornin” - Beach Boys

2. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party - who would it be?

   Tiny Tim, Paddy McAloon, my grandmother
   

3. What was the first movie you remember seeing in theatres?

   Lord of the rings : The Two Towers

4. If you had to get a tattoo today, what would you get?

   A shark on a motorcycle

5. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

   I genuinely still love SpongeBob

ACT III

1. What song do you want to be played at your funeral?

   a live cocktail jazz band taking request

2. If you could tell your past self one thing, what would it be?

   Don’t be so caught up in what you think you should be doing. Follow your intuition because it’s worth taking big chances even if you fail .

3. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

   Cats luck (a vegan restaurant/bakery I love!)

   Hartshorne Woods Park

   Asbury Park Boardwalk

4. Share a random picture from your gallery.

   

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The idea is to move away from the usual Spotify playlists and Netflix recommendations, and instead, let everyday people like us share their favourite discoveries without any fancy algorithms or influencer stuff.

Today, it's all about Revant Dasgupta –

Revant is an artist with roots in Kolkata and currently making waves in Mumbai. His body of work revolves around the exploration of symbols and social hierarchies through zines, paintings, digital illustrations, music and more. Revant's working on some fun colouring books and his first set of illustrations, dropping next year.

ACT I

1. What's the last song that's been on repeat in your head?

2. What is your McD order?

   McSpicy Chicken Burger + 2 Iced Coffees
   

3. What's your "ick"?

   When they call me nicknames or a shortened version of my name

4. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

   Mukhorochok Chanachur Tok Jhal Mishti, That shit is a classic

5. Do you have an underrated song/artist you think more people should listen to?

   I quite like Dhanji and ARSLAN

ACT II

1. Let your imagination run wild: If you were the mastermind behind a new superhero, what would their name be, and what incredible power would they wield?

   This took me the most time to come up with and I'm still a little blank. But would be cool to have somebody that touches you on the head like ghost rider, but instead of your sins it just fills your head with every shitty Instagram reel or Tiktok you've ever watched and it plays on loop all together at the same time till you lose all connect with reality and your brain turns into soup. Maybe the guy could be called Kumar Subham.

2. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party - who would it be?

   Kurt Cobain, Travis Scott and Indira Gandhi

3. What's your comfort movie?

   Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Guilty)

4. What do you want for your birthday?

   Two months rent

5. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

   I really like GTA, mostly because I used to play it at cyber cafes while Illegally downloading my favourite albums off of YouTube. I quite love early Tom and Jerry as well I think it's one of the best shows ever made.

ACT III

1. What are some colours you really like?

   Neon pink, Lemon Yellow and Bright Orange

   

2. One thing you wish people asked you about more.

   Advice on how to do risky things safely

3. What’s something new you’re learning?

   To cook

4. If you were a tour guide for a day in your hometown, what are the top three must-visit spots you'd recommend to newcomers?

   Kolkata - Beef Biriyani and Malai at Zam Zam Park Circus, A Beer at Silver Grills Park Street

   Mumbai - The Rocky Edges of Bandstand , Cafe Sea Side and a random Irani Cafe in Town.
   

5. Share a random picture from your gallery

   

Share

ACT I

1. Last song stuck in your head

Dope Lemon - golden god

2. What is your McD order?

Burger King and very plant-based for me, please

3. Random thing you hate so much for no apparent reason.

looking at myself in the mirror while getting a haircut

4. Be an influencer - give a shoutout to a product you genuinely adore.

Toothpaste.. it’s a really good product and i’m using it very often

5. Do you have an underrated song/artist you think more people should listen to?

Taylor Swift

ACT II

1. What are 3 songs that are definitely on your road trip playlist.

Jaakko Eino Kalevi - No End

Eddie Chacon - Above Below

Helado Negro - Gemini and Leo

2. If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party - who would it be?

I usually don’t host parties for dead people

3. What's your comfort movie?

The Chet Baker Story - Let’s Get Lost

4. What do you want for your birthday?

Free entry to the local theme park

5. What's your favourite nostalgic TV show, cartoon, or video game from your childhood?

I remember spending a whole summer playing a game called „rayman“ with my friend Manuel. It was pure bliss.

ACT III

1. If a bodega were to name a dish after you, what would it be? Be descriptive.

It would be kind of a plant based shrimp

2. Best memory you could think of?

Feeling loved and doing something for the first time

3. What’s something new you’re learning?

180° no comply on a skateboard and being patient with me and others

4. If you were a tour guide for a day in your city, what are the top three must-visit spots you would recommend?

The river in which i’m swimming in the summer, the hill across my house and cafe cairo

5. Share a random picture from your gallery. Give us some context to it.

Me happily chilling and sharing popcorn with mr belly bean on my birthday at the local theme park.