One of my greatest joys in life is discovering things that perfectly entwine a selection of my interests. Those treasures that hit the bullseye or the sweet spot right in the middle of multiple things I love. In Center Of My Venn I’ll be sharing a monthly collection of the findings that I’m crushing on the most.
As the season shifts to fall for the rest of the country, Los Angeles is still bathed in pink and gold hues, maximizing midi dresses, and blasting AC, and this month’s list encapsulates some of my dusty summer faves: Illustrated tarot cards by my favorite musician; a funny and poignant memoir about therapy; a natural wine shop, an experimental film shop, and a bee-stung lip stain. I’m excited to share some of my September darlings with you. Read on.
Jenny Lewis Tarot Cards
I think we can all agree that Jenny Lewis is a top notch, grade-A badass. Even if you didn’t experience your adolescent sexual awakening to the soundtrack of Rilo Kiley (who me?) you have to admit that the trajectory of her career is admirable. From Troop Beverly Hills cadet, to ‘00s indie goddess, to synth-twang-superstar, she’s a cherry bomb of creativity. With her latest record On The Line, Lewis has both evolved even further as a musician, and has outdone herself with creative marketing and collaborations. Not only is there a Tim Heidecker produced live-stream, a matching sweatsuit, and a limited release cassette tape and vinyl, but she’s done a wine collab with Domaine LA (a Gamay called On The Vine), and even her own strain of weed. (You read that right, it’s a perfectly packaged Sativa available around town.) But my personal favorite piece of merch — and all of this, I should let you know, already I own — is the Tarot Cards. Designed by graphic novelist Sina Grace, this set of 18 cards (Yes I know it’s not a complete deck!) has illustrations recalling iconic songs and looks of her past four solo albums. It’s gimmicky for sure, but one that I’m happy to fall for. Jenny Lewis Tarot Cards. $9.99. Get a deck here.
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottleib
Something you should know about me: I love therapy. I love going to therapy and talking about therapy. I love the self-help section at the bookstore, and every soul-searching podcast I can find. Basically, I adore anything and everything that has to do with self-improvement and understanding. So it’s unsurprising that my favorite book of the summer is a memoir about a therapist’s journey with her patients and her own experience in therapy. Lori Gottleib was a writer first, psychotherapist second, so the book flows much more conversationally than I anticipated, and I found myself completely absorbed in the outcomes of everyone in the story. It’s insightful in unexpected ways, and I left me chuckling and audibly gasping at different points, all while underlining and highlighting perceptive passages along the way. I even recommended it to my therapist — but she’d already read it. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone. $20. Get a copy here.
Visions Wine Subscription
If you’re a wine drinker on the east side of town, and specifically a natural wine drinker, odds are that you’ve popped into the one-year-old shop Psychic Wines. Nestled in Silverlake between the now-gone foot sign (pour one out) and the 101, right next to new cult favorite Maury’s Bagels, Psychic is the spot du jour for the Natty Elite. (Pretty sure if Marissa Ross is a fan, it’s golden, right?) I became a regular due to proximity (I can walk there in under a song), but was endeared to them through the quality of their products and the painfully hip, insanely knowledgeable staff. I ascended to full fangirl status by signing up for their wine subscription Visions. For $50 monthly, you receive 2 curated bottles from the shop, a custom Visions screenprint and zine (yes my dudes, if you weren’t aware, zines are back and my middle school self is rejoicing), and 10% off all purchases in the shop (which, if you’re buying wine at the rate I am, adds up quicker than I’d like to admit.) As I type this I’m enjoying a glass of skin contact wine (read: orange wine) from the Catalan coast and living for it. My only regret is not signing up sooner. Visions Wine Club. $50 for 2 bottles monthly, $120 for 4. Sign up here.
Noto Stain Stick
I’ve spent the last 15 years, give or take, looking for the perfect lip product, and at the risk of overselling things, this is the closest I’ve come. The Noto Multi-Benne Stain Stick is an all-natural product that gives that juicy-bitten look I’ve been hunting for — and it can be used on both your lips and cheeks. The fact that the company has such solid principles only makes it more of a slam dunk. According to their site, Noto Botanics is a “natural, fluid in gender, multi-use cosmetic line that is packed with uncomplicated yet high performing natural and organic ingredients.” They are focused on sustainability and reducing their ecological footprint, as well as inclusivity, natural and cruelty-free products, and giving back. I picked mine up (in Oscillate) at Prelude And Dawn in Highland Park (another spot that easily deserves its own slot on this list), but you can order online as well. Now I just need to buy every other product they make… Noto Multi-Benne Stain Stick. $18.50. Get it here.
Psychedelic Blues Film Shop
The current digital backlash and return to analogue is something I am extremely here for, and my penchant for shooting on film lends itself to the movement. Enter Psychedelic Blues Film Shop, an experimental film project of California-based photographer Dustin Adams. Forget your huji app and aggressive filters, break out your parent’s ‘90s cameras, and snag some of this 35mm. Adams pre-exposes the films in unique ways, leading to colorful light leaks, blown-out edges, holographic color spectrums, and more. Follow along on Instagram to hear about their latest releases (but act quickly because the small batch rolls sell out fast!) and have some fun with your next roll. Psychedelic Blues Film. $13. Shop here.
