Winter running gear and indie gorpcore, lost mk.gee, the year's best works of fiction, and more
The Sunday supplement #124, this week on a Saturday for all subscribers
☞ Well, this week’s been too busy with worky work to write a proper meditation, so I’m doing a typical Sunday newsletter for all subscribers. If you haven’t leveled up yet, today’s the day! To get the weekly Sunday supplement with three-plus things to love—new music, travel gear, weird apps, cool stuff generally.
And let it be known: I’m super thankful for everybody who’s paying—your support truly enables me to write these meditations each week.
☞ Winter running/hiking/exercise, even in Southern California, requires a bit more gear. Maybe my favorite indie company right now is Path Projects. Great fits, subtle colors, and really good fabrics from Japan.
A couple favorites that I’ve used recently are the Graves PX Shell Jacket, shown above, and the Graves PX shorts. Socks are terrific, too.
For other gear, some things in my roster:
An ultralight Alpha 60 hoodie from Senchi Designs. Yes, you can see my nipples through it, and no, I don’t mind
Apple Airpods Pro 2
I love my first-generation Patagonia Nano-Air jacket for colder hikes. (For running and skiing, I’ve heard great things about the vest version.) I’ve also got my eye on a Craft ADV SubZ Sweater for windy treks
If you dig outdoorsy stuff, and you’re not interested in big companies, here are two others I like the look of: Pa’lante for all sorts of clothes, packs, and accessories, and Oystrya for fleece and parkas
And for indie outdoorsy-service-y publications, have you checked out Field Mag?
Fwiw I don’t receive a commission on anything here, though Path did send me a couple things to test out a while back. A number of companies do this, and I don’t recommend anything here that I don’t love.
☞ If the big mk.gee album this past winter was a big-time swoon for you—it’s definitely my album of the year, if only for our time spent together—a friend just turned me on to some unreleased tracks that mk.gee made with Dijon.
Really good stuff here! In other genres…
Odd ambient—
Indie dream pop I’d forgotten about (from 2018)—
FKA Twigs is always worth paying attention to?
Foushée does dub—
☞ If you’re looking for new things to read, I’ve organized the Tournament of Books for 21 years (!) with my friend Andrew, and we just released this year’s long list: 70 works of fiction from 2024 that we consider superlative.
We’ll release the short list in December, but in case you want to start your holiday shopping now, or just want to find something new to keep you company.
For nonfiction, a sleeper hit from the year, in my opinion, was Frostbite by the New Yorker’s Nicola Twilley. Really good!
And from the week online of looking at things online—
A genre of Japanese fiction known for cats and coziness is booming in Britain. The Guardian
Donald Trump’s signature dance move is being embraced by athletes, but it’s not clear if they’re celebrating or mocking him. The New Yorker
A new Ken Burns documentary about Leonardo da Vinci can be streamed online through December 17. Open Culture
The remarkable house built by Lynda.com. The Architect’s Newspaper
Some antique espresso machines. Flashbak
Lili Anolik explains her reasons for “killing” Joan Didion and making an enemy of Donna Tartt. Vulture
Confessions of Cormac McCarthy’s “secret muse,” whom he met when she was 16. “He asked me why I carried a gun.” Vanity Fair
☞ Happy turkey-sandwich weekend to those who celebrate—Rosecrans
❀ Hey, if you’re a writer looking for help—editing, coaching, brainstorm magic—I suggest collaborating with my wife, editor-for-hire Rachel Knowles.
Rachel has helped me tremendously over the years, not to mention plenty of other writers, established and aspiring—novelists, screenwriters, Substack-ers, the gamut.
Lots more info at her website. Strong rec.
What the what
“Meditations in an Emergency” is a weekly essay from writer Rosecrans Baldwin about something beautiful. Paying subscribers receive a Sunday supplement with three-plus things to love, and occasional posts like “Humans Being Humans” and “60 Minutes.”
Rosecrans is a correspondent for GQ, a contributing writer at Travel + Leisure, and the bestselling author of Everything Now, winner of the California Book Award. Other books include The Last Kid Left and Paris, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down. His debut novel, You Lost Me There, was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice.
For magazine articles, bio, contact info, blah blah: rosecransbaldwin.com.