Christopher Fenimore

The writer and photographer on The Best Store in NYC, Meditation Apps, "We Are Who We Are", and more

December 22, 2020

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Christopher is a writer and photographer living in New York. His excellent Five Fits profile series has captured the personal style of some stylish dudes such as 3sixteen’s Andrew Chen, Lawrence Schlossman of Throwing Fits, and 18 East Designer Antonio Ciongoli. You may also recognize his work from Grailed’s Street Style column, a great source of inspiration from downtown NYC & Paris. Following Christopher has been an endless source of inspiration for me and lucky for you, today he’s here to talk about what he’s been into.

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Sam Harris’ Waking Up App

I’m a big fan of Sam Harris’ writing and podcast (Making Sense) but his meditation app, Waking Up, has been huge this year. His 28-day intro course and subsequent lessons, conversations and myriad practice sessions are well worth the subscription price tag (though Harris and his team allow those who can’t afford a subscription a free year till their luck changes). I couldn’t recommend a more important practice in a time filled with this much uncertainty and despair. At the very least, you’ll be taking 10 minutes out of your day to chill out. At its best, you’ll be taking the steps necessary to become a more calculated, attentive and mindful human.

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Land of Talk - Cloak and Cipher

While Land of Talk, the project of singer and guitarist Elizabeth Powell, has not made a bad song, 2010’s Cloak and Cipher is my favorite album from their catalogue. I’ve found that the coolest bands defy genre conventions and that’s true in Land of Talk’s case. Is it Indie Rock? Is it Emo? Who gives a shit. Quarry Hymns is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard and I listen to a lot of music. They’re also flawless live.

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Eric Weinstein’s “The Portal”

Eric Weinstein might be the smartest person with a podcast. I’m really not a podcast person (too many people think their voices need to be heard) but the sheer range of topics he can cover with authority is out of control. He’s a polymath in the truest sense. Guests include Werner Herzog, Bret Easton Ellis, Andrew Yang, Ashley Matthews (aka pornstar Riley Reid), Kai Lenny, Sir Roger Penrose… the list goes on. My favorites are #17 with Anna Khachiyan of Red Scare and #27 with Daniel Schmachtenberger, a “neurohacker” you’ve certainly never heard of but trust me here.

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C’H’C’M’

Hands down the best store in New York and nowhere else comes close. It’s tucked away on Bond Street in SoHo and its owner, Sweetu Patel, keeps it stocked with a perfect mix of wardrobe essentials. He also designs a flawless house brand. It’s an insider’s store. There’s nothing fussy or trendy to find here. It’s clean, it’s simple, and it’s rare that 90% of a store’s stock calls one’s name but C’H’C’M does just that. Plus, there’s always someone well-dressed perusing the shop’s wares and if that’s not a marker that you’re in the right place, I’m not sure what is.

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We Are Who We Are

I enjoyed Call Me By Your Name so much, I saw it three times in the theater. I was unfamiliar with Luca Guadagnino prior, but I quickly became a huge fan. His new tv show (it’s more like an extended film), We Are Who We Are, takes you through some months in the intersecting lives of Military-teens going through the confusing and horny motions of early adulthood. It’s soft and dreamlike at times, and devastating and mind-bending at others. It’s soundtracked by Dev Hynes of Blood Orange, and the cast includes big names like Chloë Sevigny and Scott Mescudi, though many of the new faces on screen truly steal the show. Watch this show. Share it with someone you love.

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Rezdora

If you have some disposable income, or something to celebrate, or, like me, you enjoy spending money on good food, Rezdora at 27 East 20th Street in Manhattan is a must. It received Three Stars from The New York Times and was opened by Chef Stefano Secchi. Perhaps his name isn’t familiar but if you’ve watched Chef’s Table (count that as another massive recommendation from me), episode one features Massimo Battura and his world renowned restaurant, Osteria Francescana--of which Secchi is an alum. Dishes you can’t miss: Gnocco Fritto, Anolini di Parma and “Cow Grazing in Emilia Romagna.” Save room for the Tiramisu or Torta d’Oliva.

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Weaver Hollow

I first had a Weaver Hollow beer at an event its founder and brewer, Luke Fuhrman, did at As Is, which is in my opinion 1B as far as beer bars go in NYC. I’m just going to keep sneaking in recommendations within recommendations: Rec-ception. 1A is Tørst, where Luke also does events and releases. What makes Fuhrman’s beers special is that they’re very small batch and left somewhat to chance with the unpredictability of fermentation yields. He uses well-water and his own proprietary yeast blend, forgoing industry standards that tend to make beer taste like boring ol’ beer. He’s well versed in farm ales (saisons), though he avoids simple classifications. Seek out a bottle of anything of his or, like other city folk do, make the drive out to Andes on a weekend he’s releasing bottles and see how special his beer is for yourself.

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Christopher Fenimore

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