The Material Review
Issue 030: September Summers, Bespoke Airstream Trailers, James Earl Jones and a Q&A with Colin Nagy.
Stories worth reading. Stop indexing the internet.
September Is a Summer Month
“Die-hard fans of the season say the best part starts after Labor Day.” [NYT]
How Snacks Took Over American Life
“The rhythms of our days may never be the same.” [The Atlantic]
A Picture-Book Guide to Maine
“Children’s stories set on the coast suggest a wilder way of life.” [The New Yorker]
In Need of a Change, He Bought a Bespoke Airstream Trailer
“The customized home has a propane range, an incinerating toilet and movable solar panels (for off-the-grid travel). Now the only question is where to go next.” [NYT]
James Earl Jones’s Voice Was Something More
“For the actor, speaking was synonymous with character.” [The New Yorker]
A shortlist of things we’ve got our eye on.
Engineered Garments Zip Mock Neck
Orslow Model 66
American Trench Wool Silk Cable Knit Socks
IJJI Zip Jacket
Red Wing Heritage 6" Moc Toe Boot
A weekly Q&A with friends of the program centered around buying intelligence.
Colin Nagy leads global brand strategy for Instagram at Meta. He also co-writes Why is this Interesting, a daily newsletter with Noah Brier, and contributes regularly to Skift and Monocle.
Talk to us about hotels. What's your favorite business hotel? Then switching gears, what's the ultimate holiday destination?
Hotels are in a weird place, and I really enjoyed Michael’s recent riff about value and the idea of “good enough.” Since so many mid-level hotels are charging eye watering prices these days without service to match, there is a strong argument to just embrace the hotels that do the basics well, and then occasionally splurge on something you know is going to be incredible, like Passalaqua in Lake Como. No mistakes.
To answer your specific question, I think the Upper House Hong Kong stays in my memory as an incredible business hotel. It is intimate, well located near Star Street, and has an incredible guest experience team that understands your context. Every staff member is on the same page. I remember leaving the bar late one night, and the bar host said, “Mr Nagy, your car will be ready at 5:30 tomorrow morning.” They probably also had an FT waiting for me in the back seat. At this hotel, I love the idea that the guest experience doesn’t sit with one person, but is atomized around the property and they anticipate what you need. I also think a lot of the Grand Hyatts in Asia (Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok) are classics and get the basics right. Also a business hotel should have a bit of intrigue: you simply can’t beat the overheard convos at the Four Seasons Doha Library Lounge. The hotel is nestled in the diplomatic quarter in West Bay and it’s a very upscale Mos Eisley cantina from Star Wars.
As for a holiday destination, I was recently impressed with Palau in Oceania. It’s a three hour flight south from Taipei, and has some of the most incredible scuba diving in the world. The country, driven by the President, focuses on ocean conservation and the place feels untouched and still raw. When we contrast this to the overtourism of just about everywhere, it felt amazing and new.
What’s a memorable recent purchase you’ve made?
On my Substack, Why is this Interesting, I recently wrote about the Bulova Accutron Astronaut. I managed to buy a nice version from Analog Shift, and really love both the watch, the aesthetic, and the interesting backstory. It was a watch issued to A-12 pilots flying surveillance missions, and also has a movement innovation inside that helped with hyper accurate timekeeping in difficult contexts (like flying that fast, at high altitude!).
ID your carry-on bag?
No one wants to hear about another Rimowa Cabin Plus! Rather, I love everything that my friend Robert Spangle makes under Observer Collection, notably his Seabag, which is a near-perfect carry-on. I also bought the newly launched Corbett Ruck, which is very William Dafoe in Clear and Present Danger energy. He’s been working on the R&D for this forever and given Robert’s attention to detail, it will be great.
What is something you’ve had your eye on?
I’ve been on a lighting kick lately, and I’d love a PH 3/2 by Poul Henningsen. Other than that, I’ve also gone down the wormhole on old Seiko divers like the 6309 reference on sites like DC Vintage Watches. And for “Oasis Fall,” it seems like a Buzz Rickson’s M-51 Fishtail should be in the cards. Thanks to Michael’s intro to the J.Mueser squad, I’m am eyeing a Irish linen suit in their Waverly custom product.
You've launched the media diet breakdown into the culture. Tell us what you are reading?
I’ve been reading Challenger by Michael Higginbotham, which is a meticulously researched book on the Challenger disaster. I distinctly remember watching it unfold as a child, and it has been interesting, though quite upsetting, to read about the entire chain of events and bureaucratic fuck-ups that led to that outcome.
I’ve also been enjoying the works of Charles Cumming, who is a modern-day John le Carré, and writes thrilling fictional books on geopolitics that keep you turning the page. I am also enjoying The Center of the World, a global history of the Persian Gulf from the stone age to the present. Next on the nightstand is The Achilles Trap by Steve Coll, which talks about the backstory (and cooked intel folly) behind America’s invasion of Iraq. His previous books on pre-9/11 Afghanistan and Exxon are also essential reading For lighter fare, I’ve been really enjoying the culture and business dispatch, Feed Me, by pal Emily Sundberg on Substack, as well as what Lockhart Steele is building with FOUND, a series of newsletters on restaurants, hospitality, and culture in NY, LA, Miami. And, it must be said, I recently binged the entire archive of the Material Review.