The Sunday Digest 147
"It's alright, all the freaks want to come at night."
Welcome to The Sunday Digest — a free Sunday newsletter featuring long (and some short) reads, original columns, things I’ve saved over the last week, relaxing playlists, episodes releases, exclusive product drops, and more. Yes, you can reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you.
Sunday Read › Rage and Ravioli on Lake Garda
by Elena Clavarino for Airmail Weekly
When we floated by George Clooney’s villa in Lake Como, the first thing I noticed was the roof. Tattered, covered in growth, and in desperate need for some rehabilitation. “I wonder why he hasn’t taken care of that yet,” I wondered to myself. But then I realized he probably doesn’t care because that’s just how certain things are on luxurious lakes in Italy — untouched unless they need to be, weathered by the elements, temporary but beautiful.
And while I haven’t traveled to Lake Garda, I’d imagine the same principles apply. After completing this week’s read, something tells me they wouldn’t want George Clooney doing anything different than he already is.
Here’s an excerpt:
In November 2023, three towering cranes appeared above the historic driveway. They uprooted 500-year-old olive trees to make way for a cement parking lot as well as a terrace overlooking the lake’s shore. The following summer, the Riviera Restaurant—complete with a beach club, lounge, and panoramic terrace—officially opened at Punta San Vigilio.
Controversy continues to swirl on Lake Garda, not only around a sprawling basement and six luxury suites still under construction on the Punta San Vigilio property but also around how any of this was allowed to happen to a designated national monument. If local complaints are anything to go by, Italy’s king of fresh-packaged pasta has cast a long shadow over the lake.
“Look at this parking lot,” Bartolomeo’s father, Agostino, said in an interview. “It cries out for vengeance.”
Read in full here.
Other things I enjoyed reading this week:
Why Gen Z Is Resurrecting the 1990s — Read here
A Snob’s Guide to Austin — Read here
What's it like to have Frank Lloyd Wright design your house? This 101-year-old knows — Read here | Video here
The Smoking Hot Return of Bathing Culture — Read here
And a couple paid columns from the last few weeks on Sunday Scaries:
The Sunday Haiku: Inbox (4,682)
Unanswered emails
can just remain unanswered
‘til I have answers.
New Episode › Retail Therapy 125: Overnighted Birkins and AI Nostalgia
The special requests of rich travel clients, getting botox on your yacht, betting odds on the Swift/Kelce wedding, Ssense’s bankruptcy, the J. Crew x Vans AI controversy, Will’s complaint about a recent bachelorette party trend, wishlist items, and more.
Listen to Retail Therapy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and anywhere else podcasts are found. You can also follow Retail Therapy on Substack.
Things I Saved This Week
My Sunday To-Do List
Liverpool vs. Arsenal
One (1) club sandwich
Clean all surfaces, make bed, stare at both all day
Water the garden (unless it decides to rain)
Window shop online for fall clothing
Find time to get some quiet reading done.
I hope your Sunday (and hopefully Monday off) are exactly what you need,
Will
“How can I support Sunday Scaries?”
Buy our zine, Scenes of Note.
Listen to Retail Therapy.
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That last send off is exactly what I read this for. Lovely