Are you staring at my rubber chicken purse?
+ grandmas with drip, birthday cake innovation, and what Ben Stiller does on weekends
If she hadn’t had earbuds in, I would’ve asked about the purse. How can you not ask about the rubber chicken purse?
The rubber chicken, bravely navigating the 2 train on a weekday evening, brought so much joy to my day I wish I would’ve spoken to her anyway. At least to thank her — “Excuse me, sorry, I just wanted to thank you for carrying a rubber chicken purse. I’m going to think about this a lot.”
I think she caught me staring, (I’m sure she’s trained to recognize it by now), but I hope she also caught my accompanying smile. I wonder how long she’s had it. I wonder what cats and dogs think of it. Does it hold a lot? Or does the spirit of Chicken Little take up too much room?
Even better, she paired it with baby pink cowboy boots. If you see a missed connection about a rubber chicken purse, just know it’s me trying to find her and convince her to start a Substack.
Once again, grandma shows me up.
Older women in eccentric hats continue to dazzle me. This fur-lined printed trapper hat caught my eye, out of place on a midday Upper West Side bus jaunt full of strollers and grocery bags.
As I somewhat creepily stared, scanning every millimeter for information to ID the hat, she turned her head and revealed a shocking answer — it’s Palace, but not just Palace, it’s a Palace x Vivienne Westwood goretex shooting cap, and you can buy one on Grailed for $650. Where did grandma find this hat? What does her SSENSE purchase history look like? I need to know!
Butter can be birthday cake too.
I celebrated my birthday last week on the coldest day of winter. It’s hard to get people to crawl out of their warm cocoons for any reason, and I felt lucky to have people who would brave the feels-like-8-degrees for me in an empty West Village cafe between the lunch and dinner service.
The waitress noticed it was my birthday (was the tiara that Maya brought me too obvious?) and stuck a glittery pink candle into a slab of salted butter for me. A girl after my own heart.
A cherry red ribbed turtleneck seemed the only appropriate wear for the afternoon. A far cry from the sequined mini dress I called the Most Birthday Dress of all time, but definitely more suited for the weather.
Other birthday eats included a hot dog, a milk chocolate cake (my favorite) baked and expertly shaped by my lovely partner, and lots and lots of Szechuan food that I ate too quickly to take any nice photos of.

On the subject of outfit inspo for a very niche occasion, may I offer you what my boyfriend wore to my birthday party? He’s mastered the art of subtlety.
I took a trip to 2002 and Ben Stiller was there.
This week I saw Been Stellar at the Bowery Ballroom. If you were unfamiliar with the indie rock band, I’d tell you they’re a bit like a Gen Z Nirvana, born from NYU and raised in Bushwick.
Their debut album, Scream from New York NY, has garnered quite a few comparisons to The Strokes, but I’d liken them more to early 2000s Silversun Pickups and Radiohead. The lead singer shakes a tambourine around like Liam Gallagher, and if you’re looking for a shaggy-haired tattooed Gracie Abrams, they’ve got her on the drums. It was a great show — and the closest I’ve ever felt to being at a concert in 2002.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen fewer phones in hand since I got my first iPhone freshman year of high school. Aside from the one you can spot in the above photo, the fangirl standing directly in front of me who recorded the entire show, and me, who felt self-conscious snapping even one blurry photo, it seemed everyone collectively agreed to 2002 rules. There were some film cameras slung around necks and a few digital bricks with tiny square screens capturing grainy pictures on SD cards. But no one was on their phone — except for Ben Stiller, who I caught checking his a couple times during the show.
Up in the balcony, band namesake Ben Stiller twiddled on his phone waiting for the show to start (and a few times after the show started, but we can give him the benefit of the doubt and say he was taking pictures). Ben and Been first crossed paths in 2019 at a concert honoring Ben’s high school punk band. Been gave Ben an old CD of theirs, and clearly Ben approved — six years later and sitting in the crowd.
And in true 2002 fashion, I spotted a Prada bowler in the wild. Of course, the bag was top of mind, as I’d just written about the bag’s recent resurgence in the brand’s menswear show in Milan.
I distracted myself from the horrifying coat check line by trying my damndest to get a better photo of the thing. But the bowler wasn’t there to be photographed, she just wanted to have a chill night with her friends without being subject to paparazzi. Just like Ben Stiller.
Have you seen any great hats this week? Gone to any great shows lately? Eaten a hot dog in the freezing wind, perhaps? I’d love to hear what’s inspiring been you recently ꩜ .ᐟ
Read this and then saw the same rubber chicken purse at an antique store today. Manifested I guess
Happy Birthday, Mac!! I love all your small celebrations that add up to one awesome good time! that tee is amazing!
I love spotting interesting garments/pieces in the wild - how cool about that hat, and the chicken purse is obviously well-loved. Statements!
Any goals for your next trip around the sun?