#3 Culture Fix
Mid-January blues and cultural highlights
The Culture Fix is the place where twice a month I share the books, films, music, articles, interviews, plays, exhibitions, places, and even food, I’ve enjoyed recently.
Recommendations may refer to content in either English, Spanish, French or Italian and sometimes not available in English. But since this is a publication called Abroad written by a multilingual foreigner in London, and hopefully appealing to those curious to explore beyond their own borders, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Since the last Culture Fix a lot has happened. It’s been my birthday, I’ve written a very long post on the future of AI (and how everyone should care about it and get involved in the conversation) and most importantly I’ve bumped into Bill Nighy at Foyles, where I went after having watched Poor Things (more on it below).
I wanted to tell him how much I liked him in The Bookshop (where he was essentially playing future me) and most recently on Living. I was also curious to see what books he had picked up (he was carrying several) and chat a bit about them and movies. But I’m too shy to approach anyone I don’t know unless we’re at a networking event, where I have to earn my salary and talk to strangers for money.
Besides, I hate when someone talks to me when I’m minding my business at the bookshop, so I didn’t want to be that person. Instead I opted for some good old stalking, Billy Crystal style in When Harry Met Sally. I think Bill noticed and thought I was a creep 🥲
I told a friend I met for lunch this week and she told me I should have come over and say hi. “Besides, he’s dating that fashion lady with glasses and short hair.”
All the good ones are taken, aren’t they?
Short Reads
—AI Astrology is getting a little too personal
—AI is taking no prisoners in 2024: Could an AI death calculator be a good thing? And if you’ve flinched at the thought, it turns out thinking about your death could help you live better.
—And because I like to balance things out,
has a question for you: can everyone kindly shut the fuck up about AI?—Elon Musk is realising he should have bought TikTok
—Leading tech journalist quits Substack over platform’s Nazi newsletters
—And on that note, should readers moderate Substack? A very interesting take from
who advocates for community moderation as the guiding principle to contribute to a future internet where readers (not algorithms or companies) have power over what gets promoted and seen online.—Timely advice as it seems the Internet is about to get weird again
—Gender inequities are important: why couples fall out of love. This article has brought to mind Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski (I’m indeed surprised the book is not mentioned in this article as it touches on the breaks and accelerators concept that Nagoski’s book elaborates on) and can’t recommend it enough to anyone interested in learning more about the not so obvious workings of sexual drive and desire, especially in women.
—If you’re guilty of book snobbery (I know I can be) then this piece on the book cast system by
is for you. I was less of a literary snob before living in the UK but since I started paying attention to the Anglophone publishing market, where each book needs a clear label and an horror vacui cover with thousands of blurbs (please stop this madness at once!) I wonder if that isn’t the root of the problem.—I really enjoyed this NY Times article on cultural bereavement. The following passage sums up why, despite living in one of the most global and exciting cities on earth, the feeling of displacement and longing for home kicks in at specific times of the year:
Dr. Eisenbruch noted in his 1991 research paper that a big part of the sadness associated with cultural bereavement comes from the inability to complete significant rites and rituals, like birth ceremonies or burials, in culturally specific ways.
For me the beginning of the year, when we celebrate Los Reyes Magos parade on 5th January and eat roscón afterwards, is that ritual. This is one of those traditions that no one here can understand, nor the fact that in Spain Christmas celebrations unofficially start on 22nd December and extend until January 7th, after the Reyes Magos parade in the evening of the 5th and the opening of presents they have brought during the night in the morning of the 6th, which is a bank holiday.
While people don’t stop working for two weeks, there is a clear festive atmosphere and no expectation to resume anything important until after Reyes (meaning January 7th) because everyone wants to enjoy the festivities with the children, for whom the parade is a magical moment. To make up for this, I have come up with a tradition of my own and I go to see The Nutcracker either on the 5th or the 6th January at the Royal Opera House. It’s not the same, but there are worst ways of spending this occasion.
Books
—War & Peace read along update
Three weeks in and I already feel smug enough to carry it as a badge of honour. I live for the brief moment of intellectual superiority that finishing this novel is going to grant me for years to come, when I’ll be finally the person asking “What do you mean you haven’t read War & Peace?” A question I could have asked Bill Nighy, for instance.
I intend to display “War and Peace 2024 Read Along Alumna” like people show off their boarding schools and Oxbridge credentials. This has given me as much status -especially thanks to the fantastic chat contributions. I’d be surprised if by 31st December 2024 (after reading 300 daily comments per chapter) I’m not introducing myself as one of the world’s leading experts in XIX century Russian economy, history and revolution.
Besides discovering that pineapples were regarded as some extraordinary delicacy by the Russian elite, I must confess that contrary to what I had believed, War & Peace is quite fun to read and Tolstoy creates the most relatable vignettes that ring true almost 200 years later.
For instance, this one about how guests make time for dinner at a party:
“It was just the moment before a big dinner when the assembled guests, expecting the summons to zakuska, avoid engaging in any long conversation but think it necessary to move about and talk, in order to show that they are not at all impatient for their food.”
Which brings to mind the excruciating moments at networking events before canapés are served. We are all pretending we are there for the content/speaker, but who are we kidding? Once the food is out you see people’s true selves.
But perhaps, the except that really has caught my eye, because it has made me feel seen, is this one in Part 1, chapter 15 when we’re introduced to Lieutenant Berg, who is described as follows:
“As a talker, Berg was always precise, calm and polite. He had only one topic of conversation - himself. He always maintained an aloof silence when any subject was broached that did not directly concern him. And he could keep quiet like this for hours on end, without the slightest embarrassment to himself or anyone else. But the moment a conversation touched him personally, he would launch forth expansively and with obvious pleasure.”
My oh my if that ain’t me.
—Rest and Be Thankful by Emma Glass.
I’m trying my best to avoid W&P (and the read along chat) absorb all my reading time, and for that I’ve realised that shorter books offer a good balance. Set in a paediatric hospital Emma Glass’s novella is a fantastic exploration on the hidden lives of caretakers and the impact that dealing with loss on an almost daily basis can have on them. Published in June 2020 this is not strictly a pandemic work, but its theme reminds us that medical staff and caregivers have always needed more than a symbolic round of applause to feel supported and taken care of. Although the topic may look bleak, the style makes Glass’ novella luminous.
—I’ve also started Erasure by Percival Everett before going to see American Fiction, its film adaptation, at the end of January. This is one of the most anticipated films of 2024 as it focuses on the evergreen debate that pits literary vs popular fiction against each other. I’m only a few pages in so I intend to report back.
—Poor Things. Didn’t know what to expect as Yorgos Lathimos’ films always sounded a bit over the top for me, but what a pleasant surprise. Visually delightful, all performances are marvellous, and the story, like good pastries, perfectly crisp (if you know you know). I can see why Emma Stone is a strong bet for Best Actress at the Oscars. I’m now very conflicted between her and Greta Lee (Past Lives). And no, the nudity and sex scenes in this movie are not banal at all, but rather something quite necessary in the context of the story and how Bella is discovering and experiencing the world.
—Saltburn. I’ve finally managed to watch one of the most-talked about films of the year. I actually had planned to go (and had a ticket) when it was released, but I was unwell and then I left it until two months later, when my mind was already poisoned by reviews I was trying to ignore, such as this and this. I felt conflicted, maybe this movie wasn’t for me and it was a case of “all looks no substance”, of which I already have enough of in my life as it is. But, after careful consideration and a free afternoon where I needed to kill time, I resolved to see it and form an first-hand opinion. Verdict: by the time the first notes of Murder on the Dancefloor landed, I was smiling and singing. I can definitely see the comparison to The Talented Mr. Ripley, and while I would have loved a bit more of plot, I’m happy to take Saltburn as it is. For me is a yes.
—Community Squad (División Palermo, Argentina) What could happen if the Buenos Aires police created a civilian patrol squad with a focus on inclusivity and representation? This is my third rewatch of this comedy series because I needed something I knew would be funny. Glad to report I have laughed more now than the other two times. I lived with a girl from Córdoba for a year and she made sure I developed a fixation for Argentinian humour, culture, and accent. A second season is rumoured to land in 2024 and I live for it.
And also…
—The Golden Globes have left us with some interesting moments, including juicy gossip ensued by drama and second-hand embarrassment handled with great class, but the moment I was expecting to see, and which I hope will be the first of many, was this:
I’m fine with any other actors getting whatever awards, but Cillian Murphy is in a league of his own this year and as such he’s the only possible option for that upcoming Oscar as Best Actor.
— Justice has been served and I’m Just Ken has won best original song at the Critics Choice Awards and Ryan Gosling’s reaction is everything you’d expect from Ken.
While I’m well aware he doesn’t stand a chance of winning any major awards for this role, he’s just given the world a new a character (and song) that will become part of popular culture without a doubt. The man clearly had lots of fun playing Ken and it shows - it was a delight to see him do the press tour along Margot Robbie and how he was on board for a Christmas recording of the song (which is even better than the original)
This is what being an actor is about - embracing your characters without judging them, as Cillian Murphy said at the Golden Globes. Cillian and Ryan are both part of those kind of actors that focus on taking their job seriously, not themselves, and that’s why they are capable of creating magic for the audience. You may not agree, but I honestly don’t care.
—I’m putting together an upcoming post about music inspired by the use of Murder on the Dancefloor in Saltburn and which has led me to an interview of Alex Turner, frontman of Artic Monkeys, with Zane Lowe.
I really enjoy learning about the creative process of musicians I admire and what leads to their sound evolution. In the case of Artic Monkeys, and as Zane mentions at the very beginning, that evolution is particularly evident and has led the band from the post-punk/garage they started with to more sophisticated and sultry vibes as the band grew and matured - and Alex Turner got involved in other musical projects that in turn influenced Artic Monkeys’ sound.
This constant evolution has crystallised in their latest album The Car, which it took me a bit to get into because it’s not the sound I would have expected from or indeed associated with the band, especially as I’ve been listening to their early songs more so when The Car came out I was caught off guard. But I admit that Alex Turner’s voice is quite versatile and a perfect fit for this 80s loungey new era.
—It’s been my birthday so I’ve received treats in the form of food, which always makes a great present. One of them has come in the form of pandoro, a typical Italian soft brioche eaten during Christmas.
My flatmate, who is from Naples, and I were totally gutted that we left it too late this year as by the time we when to our local Italian deli to buy a pandoro before Christmas they had run out. Luckily they’ve restocked them so on my birthday I woke up to pandoro and a note from her saying: “Hope you’re looking forward to eating this as much as I am.”
To make the day even better I received fancy chocolate by post. This one is really good and I’ve discovered it thanks to a colleague who loves it, and who has had the good sense to gift it to me again.
I wonder why life can’t be a pandoro and chocolate day every day. Maybe diabetes type 2, that’s probably why.
— And because one must celebrate special occasions, I went to Capilungo, a Puglian cafe/winery in Covent Garden who has just opened this week. Everything was delicious (that tortino with ricotta and chocolate is something no one should die without having tried at least once) and because they’re doing a soft launch, everything was half-price. If there’s anything I love more than good food is paying less for good food. I would have never known about this place if it hadn’t been for a foodie friend who gave me a heads up (and shared the link to the soft launch via whatsapp) so I’m now sharing the love with everyone, but in particular those of you London-based.
Abroad is an independent publication about identity and belonging, living in between cultures and languages, the love of books, music, films, creativity, life in London, and being human in the age of artificial intelligence.