Food is never far from the RUSSH editors' minds, but for May it showed up in abundance. Elyssa is on TikTok seeking out food stalls at London's Borough Market and has picked up a pasta-riddled memoir from Linda Marigliano. Coincidentally, Mia and Cassandra are reading the same book and it's also about pasta – albeit authored by Mr Stanley Tucci. There's even a song about bagels thrown in, courtesy of Megan.
So what else have we been feeding ourselves with this month? Below, the RUSSH editors share their diet of book, film and music recommendations for May 2023.
Cassandra Dimitroff
Production Editor
Watch… I’ve been really enjoying Deon Hinton’s Visual Diary videos on YouTube as of late. Hinton’s well-trained eye for beauty in the everyday is sublime, and I feel like his approach to content goes against the grain, leaning into slow, quiet realism. It’s the perfect antidote to the high-octane click bait content we’re otherwise spammed with.
Read… I recently picked up a copy of Stanley Tucci’s memoir, Taste, and while I’m only part-way through, it’s already shaping up to be one of my favourite reads of the last few months. Much like Tucci himself, the book is equal parts charming, hilarious and heartening, documenting the way food has intertwined with his life, stemming from his adolescence as the child of Italian-American immigrants. As a member of a sprawling Greek-Australian family myself, I found the similarities both comical and comforting.
Listen… While digitally stalking Sonny, a quaint wine bar I’ve earmarked for an upcoming trip to Hobart, I stumbled across a playlist they recently made called Sonny Recipes on Spotify. It exudes the best kind of dinner party energy, the kind that will get you and your friends dancing in the kitchen singing along to Prince, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin and Donald Byrd.
Olivia Repaci
Creative Studio and Campaigns Manager
Watch… Coraline. A genius movie and a feat of stop motion animation, it recently was added to Binge and I squealed when I saw it pop up.
Read… My emails. My ability to read a proper book has once again dropped to zero, so instead I am keeping up to date on the latest dispatches sent directly to my inbox.
Listen… Superstylin’ by Groove Armada. Added this to my monthly playlist and its become the star of the show. On repeat to give me an instant injection of happiness and calm – administer as often as needed, you can’t overdose.
Mia Steiber
Digital Strategy Director
Watch… Something comes over me when the weather drops under 20 degrees. An uncontrollable urge to nest – to dust off the Le Creuset, fill it with something delicious, drink fishbowl-sized glasses of cabernet and watch cooking shows. Nigella Lawson and Anthony Bourdain reruns are my favourite comfort watches at the moment. But I’m also heavily invested in the new Apple TV+ show Silo.
Read… In the spirit of my comfort and cooking era, Like Cass, I’ve also picked up a copy of Stanley Tucci’s Taste. I did actually buy it last year, but I only managed to thumb through the first 50 pages. And this month was the perfect time to finish it off.
Listen… Honesty is the best policy, and I’m not even slightly ashamed to say I’ve been listening to the songs from Eurovision 2023 on repeat since the final. I’m still shocked that Latvia and Georgia didn’t make it through to the final!
Alys Hale
Music Editor
Watch…Painting with John – reflective, absurd, philosophical and humorous reflections from John Lurie, a man who has lived life. It feels like Bob Ross for grownups, and by grown ups, I mean cynics. Or actors who have been in Down By Law.
Read… In light of his recent death, I have to re-visit some Martin Amis, and given that I refuse to grow up I’m looking at The Rachel Papers. I once shared a cigarette with two filters in it at our old Oxford College and never had the nerve to ask him about the debut. I wish I had now. We just spoke about women as rivers in metaphor. I think.
Listen… I have just finished listening to Jarvis Cocker’s book, Good Pop Bad Pop and it is truly wonderful. I would recommend listening over reading to hear his native dialect, sense of humour and pronunciation of ‘tortoise.’ A really charming insight into his adolescent creativity and a heartwarming experience for those exercising their artistic muscles later in life.
Elyssa Kostopoulos
Content Director
Watch… TikTok videos on the best food vendors at Borough Market. I am very excitedly heading to Europe in June, and since my last visit in 2018, London’s Borough Market offering has certainly changed. It might be considered touristy, but it’s always my favourite way to settle into the city when I first arrive. Sue me!
Read… I started reading Love Language by Linda Marigliano, which very happily landed on my desk this month. But decided to pause 50 pages in so that I could take it along as one of my European summer reads. Fair to say it was very hard to put down.
Listen… Coming off the AAFW high, I am of course listening to RUSSH’s Spotify playlist of all the best songs from the fashion week runways. The soothing sound of Mikis Theodorakis at Iordanes Spyridon Gogos really got me in my Greek heritage feels.
Ella O'Keeffe
Fashion & Brand Features Editor
Watch… I recently had the treat of being on a long haul flight, and had nothing to do but catch up on some of the films I’ve been meaning to make time for this year. One of those was Tár. What an experience it was to watch thousands of feet above ground level! Blanchett’s interpretation of a brilliant, yet deeply flawed, world famous conductor in this psychological drama sticks with one for more than a few hours.
Read… Mostly I have been reading Instagram captions, but I did recently pluck Sarah Thankam Matthews’ All This Could Be Different off my bookshelf. It is about a young queer woman who starts a new corporate job in a new town and has to navigate a slew of new relationships to combat her loneliness. I am a chapter in so I’ll leave the review for next months Watch, Read, Listen.
Listen… I’ve not been able to get Joan Banoit’s River Nessus out of my head since first listening to the track that he created for his bandmate and designer Alix Higgins’ Resort 2024 runway show at AAFW. It is haunting in all of the best ways. I am blessed that Jasmine tracked it down on Soundcloud and sent it to the group chat.
Megan Nolan
Digital Operations Manager
Watch… I’m not going to lie here, I’ve been struggling to find something inspiring recently. I did make it the entire way through Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story however. Super easy watching, it’s definitely a very loose interpretation of historical events, but it did inspire me to go back and teach myself some new things about British history so it’s getting an 8/10 from me.
Read… The new issue of RUSSH (duh!). Titled Tempo it’s our music issue which is possibly my favourite topic ever. Whether you’re after vintage photographs of The Rolling Stones, our hot tips on up and coming local artists (so you can catch them live before they blow up), or one of the most beautiful beauty shoots I’ve ever seen, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Run, don’t walk to get yourself a copy here.
Listen… Benee’s new single Bagels. Not only is it named after one of my favourite foods, the track is also designed to help calm anxious feelings. She collaborated with neuroscientists to create it and honestly it works wonders for me.
Jasmine Pirovic
Arts & Culture Editor
Watch... May has been a big month; our latest issue Tempo is on the shelves, AAFW returned. Which is why I've watched little save for the latest season of Succession, a juicy episode from Mahmood Fazal about Australia's cocaine trade on ABC Four Corners, Stan Grant's crushing parting statement on Q&A and lots and lots of ASMR (like Elyssa said, sue me). My favourite channels are @itsblitzzz, @emvyASMR, @JocieBASMR, @semideasmr.
Read... After finishing Bernardine Evaristo's Manifesto earlier this month, I walked myself to Potts Point Bookshop and picked up a stack of books I'd been meaning to read now that deadline is over. One of those is A House For Alice by Diana Evans. I still can't stop thinking about Ordinary People, and the way it unpicked motherhood, intimacy and desire, and so far Evans' latest book is proving to be just as indelible.
Listen... The Drop for its Succession rundowns (recap podcasts are a favourite genre) and A Child's Question, August by PJ Harvey. The latter sounds how I currently feel.
