Quarterly Co.™

Actually, the better question is: “Jam on what?” For her latest selection of Bay Area treats, Veronica Belmont sent two fresh Inna jams that were as unconventional as they were delectable. The first is made from pluots; the second, spicy Fresno chili. She also included Rustic Bakery’s Olive Oil and Sea Salt Crackers——but she encouraged subscribers to think outside the (cracker) box:

“I first learned about Inna Jams on the Internet, via Kickstarter. Their creator, Dafna Kory, was looking to create a commercial kitchen in which to formulate and cook her jams. I suggest pairing either jam with a dollop of cream cheese on the crackers. I’ve also used the Fresno Chili jam in some recipes, like with a stir fry. Get creative!” 

Want more delicious Bay Area foodstuffs? #NOM04 closes this Friday…

The Internet in 2013 is a treasure trove of offbeat entertainments. But if you’re like us, you need someone to pan for all that gold. That video of a dog walking in sneakers? A jacket made out of Ziploc bags, to facilitate the carrying of many sandwiches? We were alerted to both by Laughing Squid. And that’s just this morning.

But what’s even more fun than reading Laughing Squid online? Getting cool stuff from them in the mail. And starting today, you can. Curators Scott Beale and Rusty Blazenhoff will be assembling Quarterly packages on the quirky end of the arts, culture and tech spectrum. We can’t wait to see what they find for you.

Check out Laughing Squid on our contributors’ page now!

OK, those quotation marks were overkill——you probably know what “movies” are. But how long has that been the case? When does a common term lose its “quotes”?

In #JAK04, Jason Kottke explored that question as it related to a classic movie phrase: “Lights! Camera! Action!” Here’s Jason:

“In 1910, D.W. Griffith made the first movie in Hollywood, California, called In Old California. During filming, the frustrated director barked out the three words most associated with filmmaking today: ‘Lights! Camera! Action!’ This package plays off Griffith’s famous phrase, giving you all the tools you need to make a film of your own.”

What tools, you ask? Subscribers landed some very cool LED throwies (lights), a pinhole camera (duh), and a stash of Mexican jumping beans (action). Here’s how it all looked:

Curious to see what Jason’s plotting for #JAK05? Wondering who this clever Kottke guy is? Check out his excellent website, kottke.org——then score his next surprise Quarterly box.

With so many natural cosmetics now available, it’s easy to find non-toxic items that you’ll never, ever use. But what about the classics? Lipstick. Mascara. Can the clean versions match their “conventional” counterparts?

In their latest mailing, Siobhan and Alexandra of No More Dirty Looks admit that mascara has long been their kryptonite. “Mascara is without question the one thing clean girls admit to ‘cheating’ with—and we did too, for the longest time. It’s difficult enough to find a good ‘dirty’ one.”

Maud Newton is from Miami. She’s also from Brooklyn. And Mississippi and Texas, kind of. As anyone who’s moved around knows, picking a place to call “home” isn’t as simple as it seems.

For #NWT03, Maud explored the profound impact that location can have on writing, and included a stash of her place-based favorites: Colson Whitehead’s Colossus of New York, Roxane Gay’s North Country, the Patti Griffin track “Florida,” and a unique Molly Crabapple postcard.

Here’s a shot of the package contents, plus an excerpt from her letter:

“I’m fascinated by the alchemical potential of places—by the way, as my friend Jessa Crispin puts it, cities rub up against their humans. Many of the writers, artists, and musicians I love most filter feeling through landscapes. Colossus of New York is seven parts love letter, two parts kvetch, one part satire, and all poetry. It claims the city and it allows you to claim it, too.”

Want to claim #NWT04? Time’s running out!

Having your own butler would really be a trip, no? Sadly, Quarterly doesn’t offer a personal valet feature (yet…) but today we launch the next best thing: the “cultural concierge” services of one Head Butler, a.k.a. Jesse Kornbluth.

Just like an actual butler, Jesse does the legwork, retrieving (cultural) gems and laying out the finer things for you. He’s been doing this since 2004 on HeadButler.com, but starting today, he’ll be sending his book, movie and music picks via Quarterly——with an emphasis on the unhyped and the overlooked.

If you’re an aspiring culture vulture and want your own curator, check out #HBT01 today!

If you know one thing about Timothy Ferriss, it’s that he does nothing halfway. Whether it’s exercise, diet, or work habits, the author of the bestselling 4-Hour series asks you to start from scratch and fully commit. 

His debut Quarterly mailing captured that intensity: #TIM01 subscribers got a box overflowing with his latest obsessions (see above), from protein powder to reading material to various cool tools.

What we really loved was how different the items were. Sure, there was a Japanese razorsaw; there was also a Buddha Board and a collection of ancient Roman essays. These items were together because they inspired Tim. And that’s what a great Quarterly box is all about.

To catch Timothy Ferriss’ next batch of obsessions, sign up by the end of April!

What does it really take to launch a startup? It takes a vision, advice from those who’ve done it before… and caffeine. Lots of caffeine. 

The adventurous VCs on the True Ventures team can’t cover the vision part——that’s up to you. But great guidance and great coffee? Those they’ve got covered. In #TRU01, they paired fresh Blue Bottle beans——an investment in their portfolio and their favorite brew——with sunglasses and a copy of The Startup Owner’s Manual, penned by their pal Steve Blank. It was a terrific little toolkit for the entrepreneur in your life. 

If you’re curious about round two from True, now would be a good time to act. #TRU02 subscriptions close in just 6 days!

In #BVH02, Joel Johnson sent subscribers a sauerkraut kit, a masher, and the Lay of Hildebrand, “one of the first literary works in German.” Joel’s subscribers know what ties these items together: his eccentric family history——in particular, his grandmother’s——which he explores in his nostalgia-soaked mailings.

This time, Joel dug into the fraught implications of his family name, Hildebrand. Here’s an excerpt from his letter, followed by some questions for the man himself.

“Sure, I’d heard Grandma Vivian tell me about some “bootleggers” in the past, but we were from the Ozarks: Having bootleggers in your past wasn’t so uncommon, nor shameful. Grandma even mentioned casually a couple of times that the ‘Hildebrand Gang’ ran with Frank and Jesse James…”

1.  How did you come up with the idea for your latest Quarterly mailing? 

I really try to tailor what goes in my Quarterly mailings with what’s going on in my life at that moment. Even thought the theme is about my grandmother and learning more about her life, she so affected me that there’s always something I’m doing at any given moment that I learned from her.

2. What’s the best thing you’ve ever received in the mail?

Oh gosh, I don’t know. Like, ever? Probably a paycheck. I don’t know! Is that unromantic? I got a nice painting from a friend one time that arrived out of the blue. That was nice.

3. What’s the worst thing?

I order a lot of smelly gardening supplies on Amazon. I just got something called “Neptune’s Bounty” that is seaweed and algae fertilizer. It was packed next to a bag of live nemotodes. So maybe not the worst to me, but I bet those things would freak you out if you didn’t know they were coming.

4. What’s your longest-running subscription?

Hrm. National Geographic? I’ve had that on and off (because I move a lot) since I was a kid. It was my upgrade from Ranger Rick magazine.

5. Which other Quarterly contributor intrigues you the most?

Oh man, there are a lot that look interesting! I’m probably most intrigued by House of Harvey.

Thanks, Joel! Sign up for Joel’s next mailing here.

At Quarterly, we’re in the business of sending you cool stuff. So we acknowledge the irony that our newest contributor is all about clearing “stuff” away.

The truth is, we’ve had our eye on Unclutterer for awhile: We love their focus on clean workspaces and junk-free living. And with their Quarterly, the math will actually be in your favor. For every useful item they send you, you’ll probably be able to subtract a few from your home. 

If you like swissmiss, Scott Belsky, or any of the design and productivity folks on Quarterly, check out Unclutterer!