RFO Quarterly welcomes you to the Diet Austin multiverse by way of a gift guide just in time for the holidays.
Clio (Co-Editor + Northwest Arkansas Correspondent)
Vintage Anchor Hocking Lido Milano Avocado Green Crinkle Glasses (Set of 4) (Etsy, $39): When I moved into my late grandmother’s house, I promptly put away all her colored glass. Four years, a pandemic, and a few vibe shifts later, I find myself sympathetic to the colored-glass fandom. I no longer want delicate, thin-stemmed coupes with their scratch-attractant crystal and precarious clinks during a toast. I want those thick and tiny glass goblets that hold only 4 ounces of liquid, survived the Cold War, and cast a hued shadow-play across any surface it sets on.
Pulcina Espresso Maker (Alessi, $95) Do you rise when the rooster crows or when your brain finally registers the aroma of the morning’s first coffee? Why not both? Alessi is known for equal parts function and whimsy (we strive to be balanced queens!) and this mocha pot is no exception. Pulcina translates to chicklet in Italian and will help you keep cute and caffeinated throughout the S.A.D szn.
Joan Didion Book Set (Juniper Books, $225): We are coming up on the year anniversary of the death of Joan Didion. If you, like me, are looking for a meaningful way to commemorate Our Lady of Immaculate Detachment and Taste, but couldn’t liquidate your non-existent trust fund in time to bid on her Celine sunnies at the auction, this complete set of her works might do. At a fraction of the cost (.09% to be exact), the set is comprised of five books and unified by a design that evokes a sunny and tranquil 70s California on which Joan certainly did not write.
On the Dance Floor: Spinning Out on Screen (A24, $58): When I see a dance scene in a film, I usually cry. I yearn to be twirled around in a blue lace dress by Danny Kaye in White Christmas or put the hustle in American Hustle by discoing next to a coked-out Bradley Cooper. I want to end short winter days with long Donna Summer nights. Alas, the Waltons have yet to alleviate my Saturday night fever with a Ropeswing Studio 54, and I am left to my own devices (complaining and online shopping). Thanks to this book, I can settle with living vicariously through dancefloor dispatches from Charli XCX and Rachel Tashjian! (BONUS: the foreward is by Cher)
Snoopy Van Zandt Shirt (Hello Day Clothing, $22 (sale!)): Needless to say, I will stand on top of this desk and !scream! until someone buys me and my friends this shirt.
John Paul (Greater Delta and Kalahari Desert Correspondent)
Senegal Home 22/23 Replica Jersey (Puma, 89.95 €): It’s time to celebrate the reigning African Cup of Nations (AFCON) champs for their advancement into the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup. The Lions of Teranga impressively pulled out a victory against Ecuador to advance from Group A without their star striker Sadio Mané. Senegal’s captain and Chelsea centre-back, Kalidou Koulibaly, capitalized on a mishandled ball in the second half to propel his nation further into the tournament. If ever in doubt of which national team to root for in the World Cup, my advice is to pull for an African side advancing to the Round of 16. They proudly represent not only their nation, but the continent as a whole. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika!
Gulf Coast Field Guide (Wildsam, $20): Wildsam has quickly become one of my favorite sources for curating experiences and learning about new places. Their City and National Park guides are quality, but I prefer the more expansive Road Trip guides that provide deeper context for an entire region. Since reading The Gulf by Jack E. Davis in 2021, I have been fascinated by the unique topography of the American Sea. Explore surviving mangrove forests on the Florida coast or gaze at the gentle artistry of a Walter Anderson watercolor in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Each Wildsam guide begins with the incomparable words of Steinbeck, “And the world was peopled with wonders.” If able, turn your heart toward gentle gulf stream waters for your next holiday jaunt.
60 Gallon Weather Resistant Plastic Drainable Dual Overflow Planter Rain Barrel (Wayfair, $98.70): Our friends at The Great American Rain Barrel Company have made a product you can trust. Collecting and using rainwater is an easy step to ensuring your home is adopting sustainable practices. These rain barrels are made in the United States and designed for durability. It takes less than 1/8 inch of rain water to fill a well situated 60 gallon rain barrel. To collect even more, you can link your first barrel to a second or even third, maximizing your ability to save water for later use in your garden.
Hike Classic Edition Zero Cushion Liner Crew Socks (Smartwool, $16): Since the autumn of 2020 my feet have regularly had the pleasure to be tucked inside a pair of these wonderful socks. Utility is the word! Lightweight and durable these crew socks are perfect for your trip to the grocery store and the thru-hike two counties over. They can be found for sale at Packrat but it is a tad more affordable if you just buy them online directly from Smartwool. Treat your feet!
Delta Grind Grits (Delta Grind, $12): Handcrafted in the heart of Yalobusha County, Mississippi, Delta Grind is a staple in my kitchen pantry. All ingredients are sourced from farms in North Mississippi, and milled to perfection. I prefer a thicker grit that you can cook slowly on a lazy weekend morning. If you like grits, these will not disappoint.
Marlee (Co-Editor + Interim Masshole-in-Chief)
Medical Adjustable Overbed Bedside Table (Amazon, $130): It’s giving grandparents from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I don’t care. I would be so powerful—perhaps entirely too powerful for the state of Massachusetts—if I owned this and could comfortably complete all my work from bed.
Also a Poet by Ada Calhoun (Pearl’s Books, $27): Journalist and author Ada Calhoun started this project as a continuation of her father’s abandoned attempt at a biography of Frank O’Hara after discovering a bunch cassette-taped interviews in her parents’ basement. I can relate to this given that my family storage unit inexplicably includes a box of my long-deceased grandparents’ tax returns. Calhoun ultimately produced a memoir exploring the father-daughter bond through the lens of art, community, and memory. TBD what book I will write about the tax returns.
Papier d’Arménie Incense Paper in Rose (Catbird, $7): I’m generally into stuff of the smell-good variety, but this reigns supreme in my home. My only complaint is I can’t find it in bulk and have to buy it from a jeweler (??) in NYC.
Garfield ‘I Hate NFTs’ t-shirt (Etsy, $10+): I own this, and I think you should, too.
A Medium Pecans, Pralines, and Cream Milkshake (Braum’s, $priceless): For a semi-reformed lactose intolerant individual, Braum’s milkshakes are a series regular in my dreams and real-life nightmares alike. My end-of-visiting-home ritual includes consuming one of these and wearing sunglasses in the Northwest Arkansas
RegionalNational Airport.
Wes (Night Copy Editor)
Season Tickets to your Local Minor League Baseball Team (Minor League Baseball, idk can’t be more than like $200, right?): This is sneakily the most versatile gift you can get a loved one. You want your partner to feel like the king or queen of their own domain? Watch the 75 year-old usher greet them by name at the end of a July home stand against the Midland Rockhounds. Need some space to yourself to catch up on laundry, reading, prestige television, etc.? Tell them it’s Bobblehead Night on a dreary September Wednesday night game against the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Minor League Baseball cures all ills, I swear.
Fuller & Son Five-Gallon Bucket (Fuller & Son Hardware, $25): I think the theme of a great gift guide should always be versatility. There may be no object more versatile than a five-gallon bucket. Here’s a brief list of things I have used mine for within the last month: to brine the Thanksgiving turkey, a compost bin, an outdoor planter, to trap a rodent, as a toolbox, as a stepstool (don’t try at home). Five-gallon buckets are cool and utilitarian and I think my favorite DIY brands should start selling them as a piece of merch. Bonus points if you can find one swagged out with the logo from your locally-owned hardware store.
Pendleton 100% Pure Virgin Shetland Wool Crewneck Sweater (eBay, price may vary): This is a totally earnest recommendation. I set a search notification for this exact sweater on eBay in 2019. Every time I get notified that a new one is listed in my size, I cop. I have red, red with fun designs, green, and a royal blue one in transit. I wear them 75% of days from mid-October to mid-March. It’s important for folks to have uniforms, this is a staple of mine.
TouchTunes Gift Card (TouchTunes, $35): Let me set the scene: you’re inbound to your weekly dive bar summit with the homies (it’s important to have scheduled, local hangouts, more on that in another issue) and you know that you only have so much time in your short life to shoot the shit until you run out of ammo. You want to set the tone for not just your boys, but lift the spirits of the whole establishment. You pull out your phone and queue up “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” by Mel McDaniel or “It’s a Great Day to be Alive” by Travis Tritt on the venerable TouchTunes jukebox. You walk in to your spot and you greet the lads; there’s a smile on every face and a beer in every hand. Don’t you want that for your loved ones?
Six-Pack of Miller Lite (cold) (Warehouse Liquor, $8): What do you get for that special someone in your life who has it all? The person you love and value and cherish so much that the boundaries of consumerism fail to capture how you feel about them? Let me recommend a six-pack of ice cold Miller Lites. No matter how big and full their life is, there is always room for an ice cold beer and five friends to drink it with.