Bumpin' that from under a coconut tree
Unfortunately, England's football losses exist in the context. And other stories.
Welcome to Quality Sheet, a weekly assortment of outside-the-box news, events, trends and offbeat oddities to indulge your curiosity. Subscribe for a midweek treat each Wednesday that'll make you hummm with intrigue and amusement.
The bad news this past week is that, sadly, football did not come home. Se fue a casa instead. The good news is that the Spotify shuffle that plays after Brat is really decent. So that should lift your spirits if you’re still commiserating.
Welcome to Quality Sheet! This week, we’re walking cats on leashes and tucking into New York’s foremost hotdog rivalry.
🍭
The best long read you’ll see all week steps into the world of some of Britain’s most skilled journalists: court reporters. You’ll meet characters like Guy Toyn, the kooky co-owner of news agency Court News UK who uses his Bristolian accent to theatrical effect. It’s also a story about shifts in the media industry. It warmly reminds me of my first job in journalism (and of my first boyfriend in journalism, a wonderfully eccentric court reporter. We first locked eyes at a murder sentencing).
🍬
French-Malian star Aya Nakamura is rumoured to be singing at the opening of the Paris Olympics next Friday, something that predictably riled up racists in France earlier this year.
reminds us that this agitation exists in the context of all in which we live and what came before. Nakamura’s pride in being a Black French woman has confused parts of French society since she first came under the spotlight, particularly those who seek to politicize her—even though she simply wants to be herself.🍪
Here’s the case for walking your cat on a leash, from NPR.
🍩
Nighthawks, listen up: If you’ve always dreamed of being inside a real-life Edward Hopper painting, you can realise you fantasy this weekend. If you’re in New York, head over to the Meatpacking District from Friday to see real-life installations of three of the artist’s most recognizable works.
🍿
Climbing in love: What would you say if you were seeing someone who suggested a date night abseiling down the Notre Dame cathedral (illegal)? You’d say yes! That’s at least what couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus agreed to do together as their romance developed, according to Vanity Fair. The pair scale tall buildings around the world for fun—known as ‘rooftopping’—and their adrenaline-packed adventures are being told in a Netflix documentary called “Skywalkers: A Love Story” available from Friday. “Our hope is that Skywalkers can encourage all of us to lean in to trusting each other again, especially when it’s the scariest thing to do,” director Jeff Zimbalist says.
🌭
To finish: A genuinely thrilling review of two of New York’s most famous rival hot dog spots.
🎁
Thank you for reading. Share to sweeten someone’s day—and have a lovely rest of your week!
Isabel :)
Get in touch/share links/follow me: