Tasteland

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Jeremy Kirkland, host of the podcast Blamo! — a podcast exploring the world of fashion with the personalities that shape it.__Blamo!PodcastInstagramJeremyInstagramLinkedIn__Timestamps00:00 I always make my knock a little song05:36 All podcasts are restaurant podcasts08:13 Nine years of podcasting14:47 The business of Blamo!22:28 The culture of criticism online29:29 You should do embarrassing things37:45 The cost of existing in the creator economy41:08 E-commerce recovery52:15 There's no runway in Missouri57:38 Bag check survival instincts01:01:01 Running up that hill __Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Joining the conversation is Mike Rugnetta, a writer and podcaster known for his insights on digital culture. He dives into the shifting landscape of online content creation, examining how corporate influences and AI could reshape our digital narratives. The discussion also navigates the challenges of censorship and the complexities of human attention in today's world. From the role of algorithmic recommendations to the struggles of genuine expression, Mike's expertise sheds light on the evolving relationship between technology and creativity.

This week on Tasteland we are joined by writer and award winning journalist, Cora Lewis. Cora's fiction has appeared at The Yale Review, Joyland Magazine, Epiphany, and elsewhere. She currently works at the Associated Press in New York, and she previously worked at BuzzFeed News. Cora's debut novella, Information Age, comes out on July 15th.Pre-order Cora's book Information Age__Follow CoraTwitter/XLinkedInWebsite__Timestamps00:00 Reading Information Age04:37 Book design and unique literary devices11:46 Title inspiration and influences14:12 The artistry of fragmented writing20:14 Composing fragments into a finished piece26:09 You can't write life to scale34:42 Honing the aesthetics of a novella37:36 Cora's lack of social media presence44:58 The duty to represent life accurately51:25 A clearheaded view of AI__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Webby Award-winning content creator, social strategist, and meme enthusiast, Ariel Rubin. Ariel is the the head of content at Air and one of Francis' greatest enemies.__Follow AriLinkedInWebsiteTwitter/X__Links & ReferencesThe Cycle Bookick.fyi on Instagram__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Ariel Rubin01:40 Recent icks07:33 LinkedIn hates Bonnie Blue11:45 Wife guys, one hell of a fraternity14:24 SaaS is the most honest industry20:19 Selling out is compulsory now28:14 Daisy's ultimate black pill31:53 You can't get rich in Canada37:21 Never think again42:58 Cigs are back44:54 Ari's SaaS persona47:38 Startup founder bravado__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week on Tasteland, Daisy and Francis are joined by design strategist, writer, journalist, and educator, Nika Simovich Fisher.__Nika Simovich FisherWebsiteLinkedInInstagram__Links & ReferencesMore about Nika's Hard Pack pieceNika's piece on Digitizing and Preserving Cyrillic Typefaces in SerbiaNika's website, WildflowersNika's piece on The evolution of the trash icon__Timestamps00:00 Intro01:41 Berlin fragrance experience05:49 The design of modern political campaigns15:06 The relationship between midcentury design and skiing22:12 Digitizing and preserving Cyrillic typefaces in Serbia27:34 The parallels between gardens and websites33:15 Digital memorializations42:40 Drawing conclusions from digital footprints46:01 Data is litter50:15 The impact and legacy of Kate Spade's death53:55 Invisible nightlife__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week we have part two of Daisy and Francis' conversation with Maya Bakhai, founder of Spice Capital, a venture capital firm focused on taking big bets in areas primed for rapid change in the coming decades.Listen to part one:SpotifyApple Podcasts__Maya BakhaiNewsletterLinkedInInstagramX/TwitterSpice CapitalWebsiteInstagramTikTokX/Twitter__Timestamps00:00 Introducing part two03:11 The role of small businesses in today's economy07:56 Asset class creep11:43 The rise of women in wealth management15:53 Micro changes vs. shock changes in the economy21:43 The crypto divide: Manhattan vs. Brooklyn27:21 The crypto infrastructure grift__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week on Tasteland, Daisy and Francis are joined by writer, producer and publisher Cole Nowicki. Cole runs the newsletter Simple Magic, a newsletter about skateboarding, the internet, and other means of escape.__ColeSimple MagicCole's booksInstagramBlueskyLinkedIn__Links & ReferencesDirt x Simple Magic Introducing... NosegrabCole's piece Boom and echoCole's piece Falling or failingCole's piece Is social media dead?Hardbody Skateboarding NEVER ENUFF IIIGail.com__00:00 Introducing Cole04:08 Unstated notes of piss06:24 Early skater media influences12:30 Skate culture and third spaces15:48 The current state of the skate industry21:26 Younger generations' relationship to skate culture28:00 Right, Down + Circle33:48 Is social media dead?40:33 The dangers of happinessmaxxing46:46 Bringing the swagger back to Vancouver52:47 Betting on the future of skateboarding__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Francis is joined by financial content creator, educator, and author, Kyla Scanlon. Kyla writes about everything from crypto to macroeconomics to similarities between grief and love, bringing the human aspect of economics to the forefront.__KylaIn This Economy?TikTokInstagramYouTubeTwitterNewsletterPodcast__ReferencesKyla's essay The Most Valuable Commodity in the World is FrictionKyla's essay Economic Lessons from the Screwtape LettersTasteland Ep. 14 ft. David Rudnick__Timestamps00:00:00 Animal Cracker friction00:06:32 Understanding friction as a commodity00:11:25 The simulation economy00:18:07 Is the American dream a frictionless world?00:25:25 The purpose of life is friction management00:30:50 Corporate responsibility and alternatives to frictionlessness00:34:56 Economic literacy for all00:43:58 Making an impact through content creation00:51:35 Crafting a unique style00:55:55 Vibe report: Reagan National Economic Forum __Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Maya Bakhai, founder of Spice Capital, dives deep into the world of venture capital and innovative investing. She shares insights on the importance of cultural arbitrage in identifying unique investment opportunities. The conversation highlights her unexpected success with brands like Crocs and the evolving dynamics of creator-led businesses. Bakhai also discusses the shift in how success is defined in tech culture and the challenges of relevance in media branding. Her passion for personal growth alongside entrepreneurship adds a compelling layer to the dialogue.

This week on Tasteland, Daisy and Francis are joined by comedy, culture, and perfume writer, Carly Silverman. Carly is also a TV and video producer, and host of the new podcast Smell That Movie.__CarlySmell That MovieTwitter/XInstagramLinks & ReferencesDirt / Greta Rainbow: Where will the next literary movement come from?Cosmo / Carly Silverman: The PerfumeTok influencers have got it all wrongSubstack / Kyla Scanlon: The most valuable commodity is friction__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Carly Silverman00:56 The sign of a good party03:35 Literary movement = scene + genre07:09 We're back to selling out11:41 Smell that movie17:32 The Talented Mr. Zierer22:07 Aesthetic perfumes go against the idea of humanity27:19 Smell and friction34:18 The great fragrance and culture writers35:41 What does the internet smell like?41:25 What book do you want to smell like?45:44 Nostalgic summer camp smells53:37 From letterboxd to podcast__Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.