World’s most expensive feather and a “Golden” performance

Typeknitting: A New Way to Use Your Knitting Needles

We love it when two worlds come together, and thanks to Zurich-based designer Rüdiger Schlömer, typography and knitting have creatively combined into what he’s calling Typeknitting. Using a new font he created called Knit Hello, anyone can type out their own message and get a pattern to create the words in real life. The project gives everyone access to this cross between craft and design.

There’s something about the combination of the digital typeface and the fuzzy yarn that makes us smile. With a bunch of different fonts and patterns available, the work makes you want to pick up your knitting needles and get to work.

From an ABC blanket to a HELLO scarf, these patterns prove that the sky’s the limit when it comes to creativity. Plus, as the weather drops in the Northern Hemisphere, knitting makes for the perfect cozy craft.

An Ode to Ayo

Ayo Edebiri is a national treasure. America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts would agree. In a recent press interview for their new film After the Hunt, Roberts tried putting into words the what she thought of Edebiri: “I just remember sitting at the kitchen table with her and just thinking, this is the girl, this is the one. And I have never met ‘the one’ before.”

If the Julia Roberts hasn’t convinced you, all you need is to do a quick internet dive to discover the magic that is Ayo Edebiri. Beyond her acting chops on The Bear and comedic prowess in Bottoms, she has proven herself to be an absolute delight in unscripted scenarios.

I’ll help you out with some quick highlights to check out:

• Winner’s speech at the Golden Globes, where she thanked all of her agents and managers’ assistants for answering her emails

• Legendary Letterboxd reviews

• An impromptu Irish accent, which led the whole of Ireland to unofficially adopt her as their own

• Settling petty disputes for Vanity Fair, where she delivered an instantly quotable, “Your boyfriend is for the streets”

• This SNL sketch

• This fully improvised rant in Bottoms 

And you should know that Andrew Garfield is also impressed by Ayo, especially after learning she is the originator of the “I’m seated” meme.

• 🌈 A few weeks ago, we brought you the disheartening news that Florida has been removing rainbow crosswalks from across the state, so it’s good to see some places take an opposing stance. New rainbow crosswalks in Milwaukee have not only popped up, but were endorsed by the mayor, who attended a special dedication ceremony.

• 🖼️ Bob Ross comes to the rescue! The beloved Joy of Painting artist’s company is auctioning 30 paintings to support public TV stations that are losing public funding.

• 🪶 The world’s most expensive feather? That’s right, an extinct huia bird feather sold at auction for a record-breaking NZ$46,000 (US$28,365). What is the huia, you might ask? Endemic to New Zealand, it was known for its beautifully curved beak and its place as a sacred bird in Maori culture.

• 💸 The eyes of the contemporary art world will be on Sotheby’s in November when a Basquiat painting from his first solo show comes up for auction. Expected to fetch anywhere from $35 million to $45 million, everyone will be watching to see if it can make a new sales record for the iconic artist.

• 💧 Paddleboards are all the rage, but would you spend over $4,000 on one? BMW is banking on it with its high-tech paddleboard that will keep you gliding on the water for hours.

• 👑 Feel like an emperor the next time you visit Rome, thanks to a new area of the Colosseum that is now open to the public. Situated below the amphitheater, this secret 2,000-year-old tunnel known as the “Passage of Commodus” was used by emperors and VIP guests to reach their seats without having to come into contact with common folk.

• 🏛️ Thanks to Jean Nouvel’s fascinating transformation of a Haussmann building, Paris just got a new center for contemporary art. The new Foundation Cartier will feature cutting-edge exhibitions in a location that’s across the street from the Louvre.

• 🪦 RIP Diane Keaton. People broke the news of the legendary actor’s passing at the age of 79. She was a beloved thespian who will be remembered for her roles in Annie Hall, The First Wives’ Club, The Godfather, Something’s Gotta Give, and much more. A close friend also told People that Keaton was “funny right up until the end.”

• 🔍 The iconic board game (and film) Clue is being turned into a reality competition series on Netflix. The streaming giant says: “Players will step into a real-life game of deduction and deception, facing both physical and mental challenges along the way. To win, they’ll have to outwit opponents and answer three big questions: who, where, and with what. If the contestants guess correctly, they’ll add money to the prize pot, but if their suspicions are wrong, they could face elimination.”

• 🎵 Music performances on late-night TV had a great week. Two of our favorites this past week were both on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Haley Williams’ powerful performance of “True Believer“ and the first-ever live performance by the singing voices of HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami ) from KPop Demon Hunters. The latter have absolutely blown everyone away with their pitch-perfect singing of “Golden.” In fact, many are saying the trio should become a real-life girl group.

• 👁️‍🗨️ Big Brother UK had a number of controversial conversations on the show in the past week. One housemate (Caroline) misgendered a fellow trans housemate (Zelah) and received a formal warning, but one late-comer contestant in particular (George) has been testing people’s patience and politeness since he entered the house. He had received a formal warning for offensive comments and gestures about other LGBTQ+ housemates, but he was finally removed from the house entirely for comments that were never aired. Apparently, he made remarks that left everyone in the house “disgusted.”

• 🐍 In 49 seasons of Survivor, there have been medical mishaps and even some emergencies, but never anything like a venomous snake biting a contestant in the October 8 episode. Contestant Jake Latimer admits he thought, “Am I going to be the first contestant on Survivor to ever die?” Luckily, the snake that bit him didn’t release poisonous venom. Latimer did have to be ejected from the game by the professional medics, though.

• 🏈 Since it’s been announced that Bad Bunny will be the official headliner of the Super Bowl halftime show, right-wing organizations and MAGA devotees have turned it into a political affront. Now, the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA has announced it will be hosting its own “All American Halftime Show.” It’s an interesting take, seeing as Bad Bunny is technically American, given he was born in Puerto Rico, which is a US territory. You know which previous headliners weren’t US citizens and yet didn’t receive this sort of backlash? U2, Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Shania Twain, Sting, The Rolling Stones, …and the list goes on.

• 📺 Amy Poehler and Tina Fey reunited on SNL this past weekend and boy did it feel good. One of the best moments of the night was during Weekend Update, when Seth Meyers joined them for a joke-off. Another highlight? Poehler’s monologue where she ended with a very direct message for AI actors looking to take her job. (While on the topic of human actors sticking it to AI actors, you have to check out Betty Gilpin’s hilarious open letter to Tilly Norwood.)