š
I absolutely loved Ottessa Moshfeghās book My Year of Rest and Relaxation about an unhinged, unnamed individual who starts drugging herself to sleep for a year in the hopes of waking up with a whole new perspective on life. So I was very excited to discover Ottessaās substack. The name alone is giving;Ā "It's Ottessa, bitch.". Here youāll get access to an uninterrupted stream of consciousness full of pithy takes, sardonic girl talk and interviews with Anna Delvey.Ā
Mar 4, 2025
Related Recs
40 Things Ottessa Moshfegh Loves and Hates.
Been waiting for times like this.
Dec 13, 2024
Novelist Marlowe Granados documents her special week as a bitch with Language Arts.
Jan 3, 2025
š
I donāt personally know Alissa Bennett, but I think she is a brilliant and funny person who has clearly lived a vibrant life. A friend of mine once said about himself, āIām not a journalist; I just live this shit.ā I think this mantra (with the tweak, āIām just really interested in this shitā) applies to Bennettās writing and various projects ā from her burner IG @regret_counter and podcast, to the next-level zines she publishes. Those zines though, wow! The writing is so intimate, confident, and, well, perfectly imperfect (sorry, sorryā¦).I like that every other paragraph has a typo, that she will frequently and flagrantly use cap-locks, and that she essentially unpacks the indiscretions of fringe tabloid figures in order to exhume her own demons and make sense of her past and present. Itās got a very āwarts and allā vibe, and I respect that sheās willing to air her own dirty laundry in service of establishing a spiritual connection to the subjects of her texts. Thatās not to say she goes easy on them, but it all feels empathetic instead of exploitative or solipsistic.Ā Rarely do I audibly laugh while reading, but Bennettās work consistently makes me LOL. Generally, I prefer when people write the way they talk. Her essays feel like the coolest girl at the bar is whispering (and occasionally shouting) a very good story directly in your ear, but she also doesnāt really care whether you like the story or not. She already knows itās good.Start with āBad Behavior,ā which is a series of essays/love letters to various semi-public figures who engaged in specific, scandalous acts. Then hit āPretend Youāre Actually Alive.ā Most of the zines are sold out, but Iām sure sheād send you a PDF if you ask nicely. Thereās also a new one on the way.
Sep 8, 2022
Top Recs from @tish-weinstock
Sheās a naughty girl with a bad habit, a bad habit for slips. Peach, champagne, spearmint, aquamarine,Ā bubblegum, midnight, whatever your poison, you canāt go wrong with a 1930s silk slip. Slither into that slinky boudoir mindset. You are a lounge lizard. Wear them barefoot in the summer or under a cardi with big boots and tights in cooler/ arctic months. Illisaās Vintage Lingerie in NYC is the goat.
Mar 4, 2025
Prosciutto. Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Pro-ciu-tt0. Thereās something about a strip of glistening, rose-pink cured meat that I just can't seem to resist, a weakness that earned me the nickname āham handsā growing up. Which I donāt often share with people but here we are.Ā
Mar 4, 2025
All you really need TBH. Great for chapped lips, highlighting the cheekbones and on the eyes for an expensive glazed look.Ā Donāt sleep on it.
Mar 4, 2025