Five Easy Pieces: September 30

Every Friday I share a quick hit list of 5 things I’m into. They may be wildly outdated or impossibly current. They may be overexposed and well known, or a hidden gem. If there is a product included, it is never sponsored or paid - this is just stuff I like.

---

1. Cool Cat.

Damn. Freddie Mercury at his best. I’ve been jamming this song LOUD at the house. So cool, so vibey, so sexy. A side of Queen that was new to me until recently:

2. HEM Copal Incense Sticks

Recently I wrote about one of my favorite hotels in the world, the Chiltern Firehouse in London. Specifically - the bespoke scent they developed for the property, which subtly permeates all the public spaces. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to track down the scent, but a friend turned us on to these incense sticks. They smell exactly the same, and now we are burning them at our house and vibing on some very strong scent memory.

3. Agnes Varda

NYTimes recently did a round-up of “off the beaten path” films to screen. On that list was Varda by Agnes, a documentary film made by French filmmaker Agnes Varda about her work and career.

Varda was new to me, but the trailer below had me hooked, so I watched the documentary and fell in love with her work. I can’t wait to explore her many films and documentaries, starting with Daguerréotypes, a 1976 work about the small shops and shopkeepers on the Paris street where Varda lived.

4. Jacques Pepin’s house

The best homes are ones that are distinct and idiosyncratic, a true reflection of their owner, not a designer. I loved seeing Jacques Pepin’s house in NYTimes. Cozy, creative, and most importantly, personal. (I love the way his pots and pictures hang in the photo above.)

5. Kimura Glassware

On my wishlist: the collection of impossibly thin, insanely elegant cocktail glasses from Kimura Glass in Japan.