Welcome to Culture Hound, InsideHook’s deep dive into the month’s most important (pop) cultural happenings.
PERUSE: 100 Cheeks
Daisy Dukes (n. pl.): Brief, tight-fitting denim shorts for women, typically made from a pair of cutoff jeans. Popularized in the early ‘80s on The Dukes of Hazzard, the shorts are now memorialized by photographer Kava Gorna, who documents no fewer than 100 pairs of Daisy Dukes (technically, Daisy Dukes and vintage jeans, their natural forebear) in this new photo tome. A fine addition to a coffee table near you. (Available now)
LISTEN: The Prince Street Podcast
A monthly variety show for people who love food. Which is everyone, right? There are special guests (this month: Mario Batali and Scarlett Johansson), interviews, profiles, cooking, comedy and tips. Episode three, “Craving,” features a professional line-waiter explaining the psychology of cult-craving. Think cronuts.
USE: The 420 Gourmet: The Elevated Art of Cannabis Culture
The aptly named Jeff the 420 Chef (aka “The Julia Child of Weed”) just released a pot cookbook that solves two formerly vexing problems problems: 1) The book offers tasty recipes that successfully get rid of the food’s cannabis taste and 2) Each recipe here allows you to measure THC dosages to your exact preference. Read our interview here.
SEE: The Effect at Barrow Street Theatre
A four-player show that focuses on the burgeoning relationship between Connie and Tristan, two young people participating in an in-patient clinical trial for a new antidepressant. Deceit and uncertainty abound as the two doctors monitoring the trial try to figure out whether the drug or genuine emotions are responsible for Connie and Tristan’s intimacy. Makes for a tense date. (Through September)
GO: Brooklyn Ice Cream Takedown
NYC’s ice cream experts are congregating at a tropical shuffleboard club. It’s a royal snackdown; the WWE of ice cream. And that’s something no one wants to miss. (July 17)
LISTEN: Blood Orange
Some vices don’t stick: Did you know Dev Hynes, the falsetto mastermind behind the buzzy synth-pop/R&B hybrid Blood Orange, was once a member of 2004 dance/punk flameouts Test Icicles? Oof (Test Icicles … seriously?). Dev’s latest, Freetown Sound, is an electronic/soul/jazz adventure with a hint of Prince, built for intense headphone scrutiny … and featuring a bizarrely great guest list that includes Debbie Harry, Nelly Furtado, Empress Of and Carly Rae Jepsen.
From Our Partner
VISIT: The Cadillac House
Who wouldn’t want to snag a Joe Coffee in 12,000 square feet of pristine Cadillac heaven? Cadillac’s new SoHo locale sits firmly at the crossroads of the art, fashion, culture and culinary worlds. Beyond the horsepower on display, the retail boutique hosts quarterly art exhibitions curated by Visionaire and a pop-up retail shop in partnership with CFDA (beginning with a Timo Weiland collection). You can also pick up a signature in-house fragrance made by 12.29. It’s a brief but welcome escape into the Cadillac lifestyle — even if you only leave with a cappuccino.
Image via Jagjaguwar
STREAM: The Best Songs of July
Our playlist of the month’s best songs, from the long-awaited (16 years!) return of The Avalanches to Angel Olsen’s welcome come-on, “Shut Up Kiss Me.”
WATCH: Vice Principals
“It’s every motherf—er for himself.” Essentially Eastbound & Down with school bureaucrats, HBO’s new comedy revolves around two vice principals (Danny McBride and Walton Goggins) abusively competing for their school’s top job after the former top dog (Bill Murray!) retires. (July 17)
VISIT: The International Center of Photography
NYC’S newest museum hath arrived. If you haven’t heard of the ICP (this place, not the Insane Clown Posse), you’re about to hear a great deal about it. Founded in ‘74, the center has played host to 500 exhibitions with more than 3,000 photographers. A beacon of visual culture, ICP combines historical aspects and contemporary photographic practices alike. (Now open)
VISIT: Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the epic TV series, the Intrepid presents a 12,000-square-foot dedicated exhibition. After an orientation, “cadets” will adventure through nine training zones on their way to becoming an all-star commander. Fully interactive and fully awesome. Live long and prosper. (July 9 – October 31)
Image via Gemma LaMana
WATCH: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Two idiot brothers/bros (Zac Efron, Adam DeVine) use Craigslist to find dates for their sister’s wedding (based loosely on a true story). Extremely R-rated hijinx ensue. See it because you need one crass comedy this summer. And because Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick are national treasures. (July 8)
ALSO THIS MONTH: Once scheduled to star James Gandolfini, The Night Of is a racially and culturally charged crime drama from the writer of Clockers (July 10, HBO) … Mr. Robot returns for season two; hackers and Reddit posters rejoice (July 13, USA) … Did we need another Sharknado? Well, we got one (July 31, Syfy) … The perfectly named, wonderfully awful ‘80s slasher flick Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, which paired scream queens Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens and Michelle Bauer, finally gets a Blu-ray release (July 11) … Matt Damon returns as Jason Bourne, and we thankfully forget the low-rent Jeremy Renner edition (July 29) … And, finally, if you truly want vice: These unearthed james from Betty “Nasty Gal” Davis and once-hubby Miles Davis will do the trick (July 11).
Main image via Kava Gorna
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