18 April 2025

good morning.

BOO

• Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkof, who’s in Paris to discuss the war in Ukraine, commented in his smarmy little incel voice that le Palais d’Élysée looks like the club at Mar-a-Lago. I just know the Europeans who pride themselves on living in the old world were ready to smack this guy and had to restrain themselves because the fate of their freedom rests in his hands.

• a recent study found that when you eat caloric foods, neurons in the brain actually store the “sensory and emotional details” of the experience. that’s why I can taste EXACTLY what a handful cashews taste like.

• LVMH, the fashion house typically considered a pacesetter for the luxury sector, reported a 3% drop in their first quarter sales. their leather goods sales dropped 5% and spirits 17% in the same time period.

• I’ve never felt more like my parents’ daughter as I did when I read this article about “rejection sensitive dysphoria” with the level of distaste I did. it’s when people perceive comments of criticism and take it to heart. everyone must learn how to take constructive criticism and MOVE ON if our world is to continue turning.

YESS

• the freshly-renovated Frick Collection reopened to the public after four years yesterday. it looks stunning.

MONEY

• Dr. Kristalina Geogieva, the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, said to expect notable markdowns in the IMF growth forecast which gets published next week. she did not, however, ring alarm bells on a global recession.

• gold has risen in price by about 30% since the beginning of the year. experts in the commodity describe this move as “totally expected.” during incredibly uncertain times, a broad base of investors (retail and institutional) turn to gold as an inflation hedge. two things, though, are unique this time: (1) back during covid, gold was trading at just over $1000, while today it is $3,341 and (2) this is the first time chaos caused by the principal global economic power is what is driving interest in the commodity.

• for the first time, socialist Europe is pleased to have a right winger in their ranks: Italian PM Giorgia Meloni went to Washington to negotiate a trade deal on behalf of the EU. during her meeting, she hit all the right buttons, tucking her tail between her legs when acknowledging laggy NATO defense spending, discussing illegal migrants, and even saying her goal is to “make the West great again.” Trump ate it up, saying a trade deal was certain.

MIAM

• current dining out trends are characterized by inflation and willingness to endure long wait times. 86% of diners have changed their habits according to increased prices and 90% of diners will wait on line for a ‘must have’ item, 92% for a seat at a ‘must have’ table.

BOP

I have a goood selection today.

• “Sniper” by Kill Eva.

• “Headphones On” by Addison Rae.

• “I Ain’t Comin’ Back” by Morgan Wallen with Post Malone.

• “Bluebird” by Lana del Rey. they got rid of the scrollbar in this album cover.

• a new Superheaven album named Superheaven.

• and Зелёный луч, Peremotka, an album title which could make me scream because I love when artists reference things I think are special too. like Kill Eva’s Pitbull sample (jk).

have a good day ⋆⭒˚.⋆