14. We could all learn something from this Ferrari thief
Plus, I still have more to tell you about Shelter Island.
Today’s letter includes: a bleak but brilliant Netflix show about being 13 in 2025, an NYC pop up to check out, Elon's talent hemorrhage, the secret to tripling your tomato production, Billy McFarland's latest financial fail, and more.
Hi friends. I forgot to tell you that the LIRR train from Greenport to Ronkonkoma was absolutely packed the Sunday after 4th of July.
It was so crowded that I couldn't sit with my friends, and instead ended up directly in front of a girl who theatrically sobbed for the entire 2.5 hours because her fiancé hadn't texted her back. I hope you're ok, girl from the train!
Shelter Island was overrun this 4th of July weekend, thwarting our annual trip to Sunset Beach. Usually, I get to enjoy several overpriced Campari Spritz, a DJ who takes themselves too seriously, Europeans who bring their babies to the club, and an occasional celebrity sighting (last year it was Cuba Gooding Jr.). But this year, both the upstairs and downstairs bars were so crowded that we recognized to try and even have one drink would be a fool's errand.
"There's not even that many yachts docked," current Shelter Island resident, Sam, mused. "Must be ferry people."
I thought the crowd would die down after the last ferry back to Sag Harbor departed. When we passed it on our way home around 12:30AM there was a line to get in. "I can't wait for all the local articles that are going to come out after this complaining about too many visitors to the Island," said part-time Shelter Island resident, Sarah.
Sunset Beach or not, the night was still a big success. We had a gorgeous little picnic on the beach and one friend told me about a person they went to high school with who stole Guy Fieri's Ferrari, which was on display at a dealership in Northern California. Then he hid it in a storage unit so the police didn’t find it for months. He's not the type to lie, so I know it's true.
** A fun game! Say Guy Fieri’s Ferrari ten times fast.
It seems so hard to be a kid in 2025. Have you watched “Adolescence” on Netflix? It’s about a 13 year old boy who is accused of murdering his female classmate. It touches on loneliness, male desire, and rage. It’s a masterclass in long shots with no cuts, which really builds the tension and showcases the tedium and intensity of police work in an interesting way. When I finished, all I could think was, man that was bleak. Highly recommend.
The "Gen Z Stare" has millennials pressed. Millennials are calling out younger workers for greeting customers with blank expressions and pregnant pauses, dubbing it the "Gen Z Stare." The hashtag #Genzstare has over 4,000 TikTok posts with viral videos of Gen Z employees just... staring. "It’s like a real-life buffer or loading screen," said one TikToker. But Gen Z is firing back, saying they're just "processing stupidity" when customers ask if a strawberry banana smoothie contains banana. Business Insider succinctly concludes: “And while the internet can't seem to agree on whether the ‘Gen Z Stare’ is even a real thing, the viral videos on the idea are a good reminder that people take note of workplace mannerisms — whether they interpret them correctly or not.”
The Standard goes 1950’s (cute!). It seems like diners and Italian restaurants are the only true crowd pleasers these days and The Standard High Line took note. Enter “The Standard Soda Shop” complete with an 18-foot circular soda bar, candy-colored umbrellas, and a refurbished Airstream serving Van Leeuwen ice cream. Of course, the pie counter moonlights as a DJ booth. Enjoy popcorn-flavored soda, frozen Dirty Shirley’s, Taylor ham breakfast sandwiches, mini corn dogs, turkey clubs, and banana pudding. Prepare to spend $18 on a milkshake and feel grateful for the experience.
Musk's empire is hemorrhaging talent. Tesla's top North America sales executive Troy Jones (15+ years at the company) just bounced, following a parade of recent departures including Musk's former top aide Omead Afshar, the North American HR director, and various AI and engineering executives. Meanwhile, Linda Yaccarino stepped down as CEO of X after two years without any explanation, which usually means she and the big guy have reached an impasse. This is all happening while Tesla's worldwide sales plunged 13.5% in Q2, which is definitely not the kind of momentum you want when your top talent is playing musical chairs with the exit door. The cherry on top was a recent NY Mag Approval Matrix simply referring to Musk as “floundering car executive.”
Why you need a vibrator for your tomatoes. Ok, it’s not really a vibrator for tomatoes, but it kind is? My sister-in-law Abby came over for dinner (she’s also a talented designer working on a rebrand for this very newsletter 🤫) and she told me they had been hand pollinating their fire escape tomatoes to excellent results. Basically, you use an electric toothbrush and hold it against a tomato flower, simulating a bee, and et voila, you triple your production!
Someone bought the Fyre Fest brand on eBay. The IP for Fyre Fest sold for $245,300; just .9% of Billy’s legal bill. The online sale lasted a week, with 175 bids put in by 42 bidders. The final bid was accepted at 12:44 p.m. EST Tuesday. “Damn. This sucks, it’s so low,” Billy McFarland, the notorious festival's original organizer, said of the bid.
Are your friends wearing Keds yet? Casey Lewis makes a case for Keds coming back. It wasn’t on my radar, but now that I see the pics of them on Audrey Gelman and Lana Del Rey, it almost feels like an obvious choice given the world’s obsession with tennis. Keds fit into that terroir nicely. But I’d guess the primary driver is that the 80’s are back and that includes Keds.
Don’t forget to give this letter a heart or re-stack if you enjoyed! It will motivate me to sit down and write next week :)
True love exists, and it must keep you young too!
Thanks for reading! It would mean a lot if you gave this article a heart! <3
frozen Shirley temple?! Interest peaked