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Even if you’re not a huge fan of lap swimming, indoor pools are often really special examples of national architecture—my favorites are from the first half of the twentieth century—and it’s surprisingly interesting to observe the pool etiquette of different cultures. Italians, while somewhat impatient and in-your-face on land, are incredibly courteous and respectful of relative speed in the water; they’re gracious and accommodating if you need to pass them. In Milan I always make a point to go to Piscina Cozzi, which had a huge Maurizio Cattelan mural on the back wall featuring a tacky Ophelia in red lipstick. It was there in October of last year, but I think they’ve since taken it down, which is a shame, but apparently he swims there, too.
Jun 6, 2024
Related Recs
it’s somehow such a novel and retro form of exercise. no screens. just you, your breath, and your stroke. and you’ve inevitably wound up sharing a public space, whether it’s the pool or the intimacy of sharing a lane. plus there’s a little treat after, take your pick: hot tub, sauna, or a steam.
Feb 11, 2025
at the rec center, at the y, at free outdoor pools like the mccarren park pool… it’s so fulfilling to move your body in a way that doesn’t feel punishing because the water is truly carrying you and you are water!!! any time I find myself working too hard / tiring myself out, I let myself float 10% more and it’s also a therapy session in that way
Mar 22, 2024
I was an avid member of our local pool club. It smelled, the food was trash, my stomach was in pain more times then not, but it was paradise. I faced my fears in the deep end. I even still have friends in my life that I only had known from being at the pool club. Days at the pool club were days I’ll never forget.
Feb 24, 2025
Top Recs from @lauren-oyler
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Made from “immature pine cones”—great phrase—this is just what it sounds like. I encountered it for the first time in Tbilisi, and it seems like it’s sort of hard to find outside the region (as far as I’ve tried), but it’s worth it. I’d never thought about immature pine cones before, but they’re delightful in texture and size.
Jun 6, 2024
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These are the most French perfumes you can possibly imagine: niche and completely over-the-top in terms of scent, price, and packaging (sorry, flacons). They have a collection of perfumes inspired by paintings, which are printed on the bottle. For other scents, you can replace the cap—which I think must always come with a tassel around the neck—with a small classical bust, which I believe is also theoretically aligned with the perfume’s notes. This costs an additional 100+ euros or something, so I did not do it on my bottle of Invasion Barbare, which I bought only partly for the name. It makes you smell like George Clooney and stays on for about 20 hours.
Jun 6, 2024
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This is a West German ensemble film about a loosely connected group of travelers who are stranded at West Berlin’s Tempelhof airport one night in 1962 due to fog. While obviously an allegory for the city’s experience of being suddenly surrounded by East Germany—which, if we pursue the analogy, here is presented as professional and personal annoyance that allows our characters to indulge in industry-specific narcissisms—the movie can also be enjoyed on the level of script and character. What happens when you suddenly have a stretch of free time? You often squander it. There’s a great talking-past-each-other adultery scene, and the musical numbers at the end are joyous and lightly surreal. When I saw it in the theater everyone was smiling and laughing, which is not typical of Germans. I’m able to access it on YouTube with English subtitles from Germany (for now).
Jun 6, 2024