The Monday Media Diet with Emily North

On weekend lifeguarding, bathtubs in the kitchen, and Eve Babitz

Emily North (EN) writes angel cake. We’re happy to have her with us this week. -Colin (CJN)

Tell us about yourself.

I write the Substack angel cake, which is a biweekly-ish newsletter that consists of whatever I was thinking about that week. I started angel cake a few years ago because I love writing for fun and wanted to challenge myself creatively outside my 9-5. In my day job I work as a fashion merchandiser, it is my dream and I love it!! I find it funny that I lead a bit of a double life, many of the people I work with professionally do not know I write on the side, and many of my readers do not know that I have a career outside of writing that I am very passionate about. I enjoy floating between these two realms, I will never be bored and I find the separation to be quite healthy.

I am based in New York, I live in Greenwich Village in an apartment I love where my bathtub is in my kitchen and my best friend lives three floors down. If I am not writing or working, I am usually reading a book or watching a movie or going out to dinner or walking to get myself an ice cream cone. I am trying and failing to use less exclamation marks in my daily life and writing. (!)

Describe your media diet.

I tend to be a pretty ritualistic person which naturally bleeds off onto my media diet. Everyday I try to peruse The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Atlantic and will also often read through Feed Me in-between my corporate tasks. My biggest social media vice is Instagram, which I unfortunately love. To balance all this out, I read at least a few pages of a physical book every night before bed to remind myself how little screens actually matter to me. On a weekly basis I try to watch a few movies, catch up on Substacks I subscribe to, and allow myself to scroll on Twitter (still refuse to say X because I am stubborn!). Oh, and I religiously listen to the Every Outfit podcast which I highly recommend to anyone who loves Sex and the City, obscure films, and the theatrics of the luxury fashion landscape.

What’s the last great book you read?

I recently finished Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico which I feverishly devoured. It follows a disillusioned yuppie couple who moves to Berlin in search of happiness and community. As someone who admittedly does love “stuff”, it made me reflect on how grateful I am to have built a life tethered by my true values. I read it in one day at the beach, I know a book is good when I feel the need to talk about it with anybody any everybody.. if you have read it please feel free to message me!!

What are you reading now?

I try to start and finish a “project book” each summer which by my definition is a book over 500 pages. This summer I put on my bucket list that I wanted to re-read East of Eden by John Steinbeck which is one of my favorite books I have not read since high school! I just started it the other day and am attempting to hunker down and finish by the end of August.

What’s your reading strategy when you pick up a print copy of your favorite publication?

I have a habit of buying print magazines whenever I am feeling anxious after being out too late the night before and am puttering around my neighborhood. I usually pick up a few issues along with a pack of Twizzlers and a Diet Coke and then will sprawl on my couch for a few hours reading them while my phone is in my bedroom. It always seems to do the trick, any lingering anxiety evaporates!

Who should everyone be reading that they’re not?

I am absolutely evangelical about Eve Babitz. Her writing is hilarious, beautiful, a little messy, self-effacing, and just overall brilliant. She does not take herself too seriously which is a quality I strive to embody. I recommend starting with either Black Swans or Slow Days, Fast Company both of which are comprised of essays set in the blazing California sun which make them perfect August reads.

What is the best non-famous app you love on your phone?

I wouldn’t say that this is “non-famous” but I rely heavily on the AMC Theatres app. I am a proud AMC A-Lister and find the UX of the app to be fantastic! There is also a robust rewards system for their popcorn and fountain sodas which I actively participate in. That all being said, if any AMC executive is reading this, I am begging you to show movies at the Village 7 location that are not Sonic The Hedgehog or Paddington in Peru.

Plane or train?

TRAIN! My family lives right outside of Philadelphia so I often take an Amtrak train from New York to see them. I always say my best writing happens on the train which is where I happen to be writing this from (shout out to my conductor, Michael, who told me he liked my socks). I also find that if a stranger tries to chat to me on a plane I get slightly annoyed (although I will always indulge in a chat), but if I have a chatty neighbor on a train I am all for it. One time a man named Phil sat next to me and told me all about his professional party planning business which executes parties of all kinds. He told me that if you want an elephant at a party, it will cost you $100K, which I found to be quite low! I just don’t think you would get that kind of intel on a plane. I still have his business card if anyone is interested!

What is one place everyone should visit?

I grew up going to the Jersey Shore every summer, and I believe everyone should get the chance to experience a tacky, campy, blisteringly hot Jersey day at the beach. There is a special air of appreciation for the summer that is palpable down the shore, the masses of the East Coast have dredged through another winter and are lapping up glasses of white wine and handfuls of gigantic red Jersey tomatoes. It feels inspiring to exist in a liminal space designed for nothing other than pleasure. I was recently talking to a guy who went down the shore near where I go, I asked him how his weekend was and he replied that the shore was just “not his vibe” and he did not enjoy his weekend (mind you, he had perfect weather). I’m not saying this was the straw that broke the camels back between us, but I am also not not saying that. Learning how to have a good time wherever you are is one of life’s greatest skills that I have been trying to master.

Tell us the story of a rabbit hole you fell deep into

This past weekend my mom and I were driving down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, we both share an affinity for Ira Glass and often will listen to episodes of This American Life to pass the time on long car rides (can you tell I was an NPR kid?). We listened to the episode My Summer Self and became obsessed with Act 1, which told the story of a 66-year old lifeguard at Jones Beach named Roy, who refused to succumb to an ageist rule that required him to wear a speedo on duty which led him to sue New York State. The man was prolific and unwavering in his passion for ocean safety, so much so that for fifteen whole minutes in the car somewhere in Virginia I pondered whether I should train to become a weekend lifeguard. Upon careful research and consideration for my big, sensitive heart, I have decided that I am not cut out to be a lifeguard; however, I still stand with my man Roy and his desire to serve his beach in a pair of trunks! (EN)