The Sunday Digest 159
"I caught a glimpse, but it's been forgotten so here we are again."
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: Want to Buy a Work of Art at Auction? Here’s What to Know.
by Julia Halperin for T Magazine
I have several different places on YouTube I go to pass time. Sometimes it’s a concert, other times it’s random surfing videos, and most weekends it’s Premier League condensed games. Lately, however, I’ve found myself more and more drawn to something new: auction videos.
This all began over a year ago when Sunday Scaries did some work with Sotheby’s. This lead me to subscribe to their YouTube page which is now suggesting me videos of auctions that I could never dream of affording. The best one in recent memory? Yesterday’s auction where they sold a Frida Kahlo for $47 million:
After seeing enough gentleman quietly talking on phones and people raising their paddles at the last minute, I wanted to know more. Unfortunately, this article will probably be about as close as I get to winning any original artworks of value at any auctions in the near future. Here’s an excerpt:
Auctions have their own unique rituals, rhythms and hierarchies. The biggest and best-known auction houses — nicknamed the Big Three — are Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips. Together, these international companies sold more than $4 billion worth of art in 2024. Their highest-profile, highest-value sales take place each November and May in New York. This season, the offerings include a trove worth an estimated $400 million from the estate of the cosmetics heir Leonard Lauder.
Contrary to popular belief, though, you don’t have to be a billionaire — or even a millionaire — to buy quality art at auction. “Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve had with collectors are for works under $5,000,” says Sara Friedlander, a chairman of postwar and contemporary art at Christie’s. Ahead of the marquee November auctions, we asked experts to provide practical advice on how to navigate this oft-misunderstood market.
Read in full here.
Some other things to check out as well:
Earlier this week, I put out an edition of Postcards from The Lowell in New York City.
Now is the time to make this Cinnamon Streusel Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Maple Glaze that I’ve mentioned about a thousand times on Instagram.
Friends of mine who lost their daughter earlier this year are doing a silent auction to support youth programs and animal welfare in the name of their daughter. You can check this out (or even donate) here.
The Sunday Haiku: Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
“Yeah, I’ll do a scone,
an iced Americano,
and that should do it.”
New Episode Update › ‘Gift Guide’ will be live later today.
After catching whatever is going around town, we decided to move our recording from Friday to today to keep everyone their healthiest. It’s possible we do it live on the Sunday Scaries YouTube page, so subscribe there and keep an eye out later this afternoon.
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
After having a fever on Thursday and Friday last week, we had to move our Retail Therapy Gift Guide recording to this afternoon. Keep an eye out for that later today!
Dad duty all morning which means any of the following is in play: pancakes, some EPL because I desperately want them to like it, maybe a trip to the park if it isn’t raining, and probably some “doodling” aka drawing if it is raining.
Time to gear up for Thanksgiving. As I will be bringing nothing but myself to Thanksgiving dinner, I’d like to think of some things to buy or make for meals over the weekend after the holiday.
Now that it’s colder in Austin, I need to clear out some old jackets from my closet to donate.
I’ve been watching Pluribus, The Chair Company, the new Ken Burns series, and Great British Baking Show. Will probably knock out an episode of one of the above.
I hope your Sunday is wonderful. Remember: It’s a short week.
Will
“How can I support Sunday Scaries?”
Listen to Retail Therapy.
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