You came in…in your Balenciaga 10XL trainers

Herman Munster’s shoes are shaking.

This week I learned that I still cry at cartoons at the tender age of…29. But, when you see the work of Izzi Lee, you’ll understand why—and may shed a tear yourself. They’re so lovely and hopeful and warm and human.

Welcome to Quality Sheet! If you’re organized and you don’t leave it until December 24 to think about gifts for the ones you love, skip this post. Otherwise, stay tuned for a gift guide for the strange people in your life, a travel guide for the holidays, and a life guide on how to not give a f*ck, from a 98-year-old New Yorker. Happy reading!

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Oh, to be a fly on the wall at Beyoncé’s dinner in London last week ft…Superman? They probably swapped notes about the latest cape fashions. Or maybe they talked about which of their superpowers face the biggest threats from AI? 

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Bedbug update: Cunning Athenians are putting up hoax infestation signs outside holiday properties. The goal? To deter tourists from short-stay rentals in the Greek capital as locals say the homes are pushing up living costs (the Greek government stepped in on Tuesday to deny the signs were true).

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Seemingly back from the brink of cancellation, Balenciaga’s Fall 2024 show was an interesting watch, I thought. Less for the clothes, more for the concept of a runway whose looks and location caricatured both the front row and digital audience. But, mostly, because these 10XL trainers should belong to someone who owns a cybertruck and a Stanley tumbler…and uses all three things at once. Go big or go home.

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Here’s a selection of gift ideas for the weirdos in your life, courtesy of Atlas Obscura.

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“Sometimes we need to believe in things before we can see them,” says Michelle Cardoza, one of few women magicians and one of even fewer Black women in the industry. Just 8% of stage magicians are women, according to the New York Times. A few of them tell the Times’ Lauren McCarthy what that’s like.

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“Men are most often afforded the opportunity to hold power, to wield power, to fail and bounce back, in ways that women and specifically Black people are not.” Journalist Dominic-Madori Davis on how different (read: worse) Sam Altman’s fate might have turned out if he were a Black woman (i.e.: not allowed to fail!).

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If you’re in London, Paris, New York or Amsterdam this month, let AnOther be your guide on the best things to see, eat and do in these cities during the holidays. 

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My dear best friend, Sarah (sign up to her newsletter here!), sent this article to me alongside the best three words a gal could hear: “Thought of you” ❤️. Dorothy Wiggins is 98, sharp and witty (a true New Yorker). The best part is that she’s launched a new career in her 90s as a social media star—and she’s mostly unbothered by her fame (a true New Yorker). Follow her adventures around Manhattan here. Again: if I am not talking to the press about my life from my West Village brownstone at 98 years old, fuhgeddaboudit. I will have done it all wrong!!

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They’re not spies, they’re not Bond villains. They’re…crisp flavour developers. The Guardian’s Amelia Tait investigates the secretive world of sourcing, creating and marketing popular Walkers, Lays and Pringles seasonings and answers questions such as how Thai Sweet Chilli Sensations became one of the U.K.’s most popular crisp choices. “Crisp launches can act as a rough timeline of travel and immigration trends,” Tait writes.

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If a monthly Spotify Wrapped existed, Amaarae would top mine for November. Her song “Princess Gone Digital” is a workhorse: great for morning runs and nighttime outings. It’s constantly on replay. Plus, she’s a fellow Ghana girl so I’m rooting for her.

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Who is doing pop culture commentary like Blakely Thornton right now? No one, imho. Between lines such as “men who are not racist age better” and “maybe don’t have a three-time divorcée do your vows,” I struggle to keep my metaphorical lace wig on from tilting my head so far back with laughter.

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Today’s last word goes to comedian John Oliver on expelled congressman and new Cameo star George Santos: “The truth is, this man never belonged in Congress. He belongs on Bravo.”

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Thank you for reading. Share to sweeten someone’s day—and have a lovely rest of your week!

Isabel :)

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