GUESTFRESH: Rachel Davidson, round 2

binging on BEEF, soul-nourishing fiction, new musical discoveries and more

GUESTFRESH makes its comeback, finally!

GUESTFRESH is our dedicated guest writer section - we invite a featured writer to take over the reins of an entire issue, to share their freshest discoveries and recommendations!

we have a quick housekeeping update for you too - all previous GUESTFRESHes are now collated and available for you to reread on this page right here, accessible from our main site navigational header. future GUESTFRESH issues will also show up here, so check back every so often in case you miss one!

here’s what you should see on the top of our main site!

if you are interested in writing your own GUESTFRESH, drop us an email at freshbywing@gmail.com, or a message on Instagram.

this issue, we are thrilled to have

Rachel

returning for her second GUESTFRESH appearance.

Rachel is an artist of many mediums with a career rooted in education. She is based in Vancouver, and writes her own newsletter Spirit, which you can read and subscribe to here - highly recommended read for all art enthusiasts! for more about Rachel and her portfolio, head over to her website racheldavidson.com.

you can reread Rachel’s previous GUESTFRESH from issue 11 right here.

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Thanks for having me back, Wing! So nice to be here, and I hope you enjoy the lil bits and bites I’m serving specially for you all~

FRESH: television

Beef

If you enjoyed Everything Everywhere All At Once, Beef is for you! I was floored by this bingeable comedy-drama, and am increasingly convinced that production company A24 can do no wrong.

I don’t normally watch shows with this much gore and swearing. However, I was hooked by the character development, which I found more intense than typical Netflix fare. Beef forces the audience to confront their own darker impulses by granting nuance and humanity to the feuding duo, Danny and Amy. It’s not hard to see something of ourselves in their stories – an equally scary and life-affirming prospect, given all the awful things they do to one another. I will avoid spoilers, but suffice to say every aspect of the script, casting, music, cinematography, sets, costume design, and appearance of crows (!) was perfectly thought out to complement the plot.

A fun fact is that many of the episode title cards were painted by David Choe, who plays Isaac (careful of spoilers in that article!). These additions set a bold tone, and add another layer of meaning to each irresistible chapter.

I won’t make a pun on beef, since that’s been overdone… har har :P but props to A24 for an incredible piece that is bound to make waves at awards shows!

FRESH: short stories

The New Yorker: Fiction Podcast

I recently returned to The New Yorker: Fiction Podcast to find a slew of new episodes from the last year of monthly uploads. In each episode, an author reads short stories by another author (well-known, upcoming, or anywhere in between), and then discusses key themes and plot points with New Yorker editor Deborah Treisman. I appreciate that the authors are given an opportunity to explain why they chose their story and what elements they most enjoy. It’s like learning about two authors in one.

In this season of my life, when I don’t have much time to read physical books, this feels more satisfying and soul-nourishing than advice podcasts. I like to follow a story while driving, folding laundry, or unloading the dishwasher; this somehow gives more shape and meaning to that time.

My favorite episode this year is Gary Shteyngart Reads Weike Wang. The dry wit of Weike Wang’s short story “Omakase” inspired me to find her novel Chemistry, which I devoured in one sitting!

FRESH: music

Richie Griner

In April, I accompanied my boyfriend to FKJ’s concert in Vancouver. As impressed as I was by Vincent Fenton’s virtuosity on multiple instruments – and his ability to improvise two 7+ minute songs in one concert! – I was equally impressed by the opener, Richie Griner. This young man had the courage to go on stage solo, to a cold audience, and make magic out of beats, keyboard, loop pedals, guitar, rapping and singing. Richie even auto-tuned live vocals, which complements his lyrical themes of seeking authenticity and connection. Something about his combination of catchy keyboard riffs and beats reminds me of one of my all-time favs, James Blake!

I think Richie primed the audience well for FKJ, and it was sweet that Vincent invited Richie back on stage for the second improvised song. There isn’t a lot of info about Richie online, but I look forward to seeing what he does next.

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thanks for all your recommendations, Rachel! i’ve still yet to catch up on Beef - will have to devour all of that in one sitting soon. finding media that is satisfying and soul-nourishing is so important, no matter the format. curating my digital consumption alongside my actual food consumption has been a big focus this year for myself, i’m so glad you brought this up! Richie Griner is a new discovery for me, his mellow beats are perfect for slow mornings.

more GUESTFRESHes are still in our upcoming lineup - we’d love to feature your writing here, so get in touch with us soon!

love and beef,

wing

alright, over to you now - hit up the comments section, or reply to this email with your thoughts! if you enjoy a little prompting:

• what stories or characters have strongly resonated with you recently, and why?

• how do you make doing your chores bearable?

• what artist did you discover for the first time at a show or concert?

head over to freshbywing.com to catch up on past issues of FRESH, and find us on instagram!