Tasteland

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by versatile writer and editor, Paula Mejía. Paula specializes in arts and culture journalism and is currently a leading contributor at Dirt.__PaulaInstagramTwitter/XWebsite__Other referencesFrancis' brand sillage piecePaula's Barnes and Noble piece__Timestamps00:00 Introducing Paula Mejía00:28 Festival experiences03:40 Coachella emergency dental07:15 The best and worst of Coachella12:16 Flower crowns out, assless chaps in14:36 Spa day festival hack18:15 Hot Topic and the evolution of subculture25:58 Embrace the spoilers30:48 The power in mischief in brand collabs36:26 The revival of the bookstore43:46 Facebook marketplace is the place45:30 The role of festivals in social connections50:06 County fair community nostalgia53:09 The corporatization of modern life

This week Daisy and Francis talk to travel and hospitality writer, Colin Nagy. Colin is also the co-creator of the newsletter 'Why is this interesting?' Colin: https://x.com/CJNWhy is this interesting?: https://www.interesting.us00:00:00 Long live the girl moss00:04:08 The podcast mic and illusion of authority00:06:20 Credibility laundering: How to industry plant yourself00:11:01 Blockchain taste formalization00:13:51 Abstract theories applied to the blockchain00:16:43 Who gets to decide how we remember?00:27:10 Language, Culture, and Their Role in Shaping LLMs00:33:01 Media literacy and factchecking LLMs00:42:32 New money's impact on hospitality and experiences00:48:00 Memorable and personal hospitality experiences00:52:55 The social contract is broken: Degrading manners in society

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Phillip Jackson and Brian Lange from the Future Commerce podcast. What is the future of art in an AI world? Do we need more friction in our lives? Should AI feel shame? Listen to Future Commerce: https://www.futurecommerce.com/episodes00:00 Introduction to Phil and Brian01:46 Blank launch party05:52 OpenAI’s Studio Ghibli marketing ploy11:45 All that we’re left with is aura19:27 The value of the art is the creator25:00 Losing control of the environment art is observed29:29 Our shitty robot future36:14 An Industrial Revolution for the minds39:23 Online shopping can diminish creativity51:50 The future of mobility is textiles55:28 Cultural change requires calamity01:01:47 Has frictionless gone too far?

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Kori Fuerst, co-founder of Retrospekt, a consumer electronics company specialising in reviving retro tech for a new generation.Retrospekt: https://retrospekt.com00:00 Introducing Kori and Restrospekt02:35 Awkward police encounters06:12 Defaulting to the classic08:09 The unique Retrospekt office space11:14 Retro collaborations and IP licensing14:53 Transitioning from hobby to business22:28 Challenges with repairing newer tech23:57 Pop cultures effect on retro tech hype27:05 The rise of digicams and the 2000's aesthetic29:22 Today's future retro tech37:27 Late 80's tech is the most accessible for refurbishment39:43 Dream retro tech collabs45:36 The natural draw to analogue and tactile interfaces51:29 The experience of film photos55:10 Balancing scale and sustainability in retro techOur intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Trey Taylor, Gen Z consumer expert who has recently pivoted into the world of fragrances and just launched their perfume brand Serviette.Trey Taylor: https://x.com/treytylorServiette: https://serviette.nyc/pages/about?srsltid=AfmBOorQMQdp9fVeRd_vV-aXXIsRid3t8o2z9NL0ZZU19-3ZWsdFridM00:00 Introducing Trey and Serviette00:55 The symbiotic relationship between oral and written culture04:00 Serviette launch party09:08 The art and struggle of perfume creation14:07 The monopolization of fragrance22:16 Bartering and trading culture with the fragrance world25:23 The role of contrast in color and scent31:13 Selling a lifestyle: Marketing an aspiration39:10 Taste is defined by perception, not possession45:34 The challenges of online perfume shopping54:45 Using taste to create something valuableOur intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Charlie Baker, editor of The Fence, a quarterly print magazine (and weekly newsletter) focused on life in the UK and Ireland.The Fence: https://www.the-fence.comCapital Letter: https://thefencecapitalletter.substack.com/00:00 Introducing Charlie Baker and The Fence01:51 The value exchange of a podcast appearance07:48 The Fence's unique and historic office space13:41 The Capital Letter: London's only newsletter20:52 Cultural exchange between the US and UK is growing23:47 Increasing London pub coverage27:54 London's entrepreneurial energy is rising29:26 Did ye hear mammy died?32:50 Defining the quintessential Fence story36:06 The most important job of an editor41:00 Publishing is an act of optimism47:39 The loneliness of leadershipOur intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

In this conversation, Edmond Lau, a cultural strategist and designer known for his 'luxury memes,' shares insights on the 'dark mode shift'—a term he coined to illustrate societal transitions in digital interaction and emotional complexity. He discusses the evolution of LinkedIn as a networking tool, blending authenticity and technology. Edmond also critiques how the definition of luxury has changed, especially in relation to personal taste and societal values. His unique cultural perspectives from observing New York add depth to the discussion of modern identity.

There's no guest this week, which gives Daisy and Francis the chance to discuss why people hate Renoir, the simultaneously growing and eroding types of media literacy, SEO arbitrage, and why we need pay people to build beautiful things.00:00 The five things we did this week02:38 The nuances of art deaccessioning08:48 Why Francis has stopped sports betting11:14 Different types of media literacy and their current state14:36 The need for working-class media24:28 The death of content website investing35:08 Islands and empires in the creator economy38:19 The dynamics of young lonely men44:48 The future of labor in America Our intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

This week Daisy and Francis are joined by Katherine Dee, a reporter and internet culture writer since 2018. She's here to discuss the evolution of e-girls, their cultural significance, and the changing landscape of media and online identity.Katherine's X: https://x.com/default_friendKatherine's Substack: https://substack.com/@defaultfriend00:00:00 Unique art museum experiences00:04:15 Defining e-girls and their evolution00:10:50 Shifting media forms and declining media literacy00:19:55 The anti-woke movement is an entertainment genre00:27:07 Dolphin accelerationism00:31:00 The ethics of interacting with AI00:39:37 Internet history must always be an oral history00:50:28 The loss of quality local news00:57:41 The normie internet and subterranean internet splitOur intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.

Daisy and Francis are joined by Jad Esber, founder and CEO of Koodos Labs, a product and research company focused on the next generation of the internet. Koodos Labs is the creator of Shelf.Shelf: www.shelf.imJad: https://x.com/Jad_AE00:00 Night Life02:20 Daisy smells like a donut08:33 Inverting the internet's personal data model14:47 Understanding the concept of data gravity19:56 The algorithms influence on interpersonal relationships30:53 Shelf: Your aggregator for taste39:00 The difficulties of tracking physical media consumption44:01 Connecting through shared media consumption50:40 The balance of friction and meaningful engagementOur intro song, Night Life, is written by Nakisso Peralta and performed by Chillers.