Mina talks about her first time solo traveling in Italy a few weeks ago, making and losing new friends on vacation, unfollowing politics in the Instagram age, tangents on Sarah Jessica Parker and 60s high society, and the so-called democratization of "it girls" and the internet's shift towards hyper-individualism... or not???



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and keep up with Mina on Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok!



Her reading list:

Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball by Deborah Davis 

NYT article about the event if you don't want to read the whole book: 

50 Years Ago, Truman Capote Hosted the Best Party Ever

Why Sarah Jessica Parker Keeps Playing Carrie Bradshaw

The Shrinking Influence Of "It Girls" - mixed feelings

CORRECTION: THE CUT ARTICLE, NOT THE NEW YORKER: ‘It’ Girl Inflation: You’re an “It” girl! You’re an “It” girl! Everyone’s an “It” girl!



Edited by Sophie Carter

Music by Olivia Martinez

Cover by Lindsay Mintz 

solo traveling, unfollowing etiquette, and it girl democracy

High Brow is a chic podcast for cool girls and self-identified intellectuals. Hosted by Mina Le, the pod is an extension of her eponymous Youtube channel.

Follow Mina every Wednesday as she leads you through the culture & fashion landscapes, dissecting topics that probably resonate most with the chronically online... but through the lens of someone who has touched grass of course (or so she claims!).

Find Mina on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @gremlita

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

In today's episode, Mina discusses the items on her personal Christmas wishlist, the Met Costume Institute’s new exhibit "Women Dressing Women," her thoughts on the new Balenciaga show, the lack of "third places" in the U.S. and, in the same vein, the overpriced oat milk lattes that are RUINING community, also: children being worse than ever before?, Emma Chamberlain "discourse," and the potential return of big dairy.



Support the podcast on Patreon!

Instagram: @highbrow.pod

Send suggestions/thoughts/stories to highbrowbymina@gmail.com or leave a voicemail ‪(917) 727-8385‬



Reading List:

Third Places TikTok video

kids can't read and it's YOUR FAULT by Kyle Fitzpatrick

The 2023 Gen Z Gift Guide, According to TikTok by Casey Lewis (paywalled)

Got Milk? Not This Generation. by Kim Severson

US retail sales of oat milk decline in latest quarter after years of explosive growth by Elaine Watson

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MILK SHAME, THE BANE OF DAIRY-LOVING ADULTS EVERYWHERE by Andy Kryza

Whole Milk Mounts Its Triumphant Comeback by Emily Sundberg

THE CRIMES BEHIND THE SEAFOOD YOU EAT by Ian Urbina






the oat milk industrial complex

In this episode, Mina starts off by talking about NYC party etiquette, but then delves into the topic of MOVIES – a topic she's been barred from speaking about... until now. Let's discuss Priscilla (2023), how it compares to Elvis (2022), and most importantly... Jacob Elordi vs. Austin Butler's portrayals. Also: tangents on Alfred Hitchcock, Jacob Elordi/Kissing Booth drama, David Fincher's The Killer (2023), and the importance of Letterboxd reviews (they are NOT annoying!!)



Support the podcast on Patreon!

Instagram: @highbrow.pod

Send suggestions/thoughts/stories to highbrowbymina@gmail.com or leave a voicemail ‪(917) 727-8385‬



READING LIST

Hitchcock/Truffaut: The Definitive Study of Alfred Hitchcock by Francois Truffaut

Scriptwriting from soup to nuts. Swicord, Robin.  Sight and Sound; London Vol. 7, Iss. 11, (Nov 1997): 28-30,3.

How Jacob Elordi Became The New King

Consensus Empire: Empowering the Spectator through Letterboxd Reviews

Not Another Lonely Assassin Movie


my priscilla (2023) review

Mina serves some of her Booktok hot takes, opinions on anti-intellectualism, the rise of literary it girls/writer influencers, her first-hand experience risking her life with mercury poisoning, and the history of depression era food (white american food is bland because of PROHIBITION?) (loading her food history commentator phase...)



Support the podcast on Patreon!

Instagram: @highbrow.pod

Send suggestions/thoughts/stories to highbrowbymina@gmail.com or leave a voicemail ‪(917) 727-8385‬



READING LIST

How can I donate hair / fur / fleece? | MatterofTrust.org 

Are We Losing the Ability to Read Books? - Scott H Young 

Skimming, scanning, scrolling — the age of deep reading is over 

Skim reading is the new normal. The effect on society is profound

 THE MAKINGS OF A LITERARY IT GIRL

Consumer Expenditures in the New York Metropolitan Area — 2021–22 : Northeast Information Office 

The Great Depression diet: 4 ways our eating habits have changed since the 1930s

Creamed, Canned And Frozen: How The Great Depression Revamped U.S. Diets

Why Hunting Down 'Authentic Ethnic Food' Is A Loaded Proposition

HISTORICAL OUTLINE OF THE CANNING OF. FISHERY PRODUCTS 








so no one wants to read anymore!

In today's episode, Mina talks about how to launder your clothes, the ethics of wearing clothing made of human hair and also eating your friend's leg, urbanites cosplaying as farm girls (guilty), and the history of the dude ranch industry.



Support the podcast on Patreon!

Instagram: @highbrow.pod

Send suggestions/thoughts/stories to highbrowbymina@gmail.com or leave a voicemail ‪(917) 727-8385‬



READING LIST

How often should you wash your jeans? Levi’s CEO settles debate 

Clothing Poverty: The Hidden World of Fast Fashion and Second-Hand Clothes by Andrew Brooks

Studio Zsofia Kollar — Human Material Loop

Victorian Hair Jewelry | Rosenberg Library Museum

Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore | The New Yorker

TW: there are photos of the leg This Guy Served His Friends Tacos Made from His Own Amputated Leg

Foraging Classes, Wellness Yurts, and the Agritourism Fantasy 

Romancing the West: Dude Ranching in Wyoming | WyoHistory.org

The History of Dude Ranches

How often should you wash your jeans? Levi’s CEO settles debate

The strange history of the dude and the American West | Aeon Essays


cannibalism? and rural fantasies

In today's episode, Mina embraces Meg Ryan Fall™, asks the question "do the rats run this city?" (yes they do), her algorithm-induced David Byrne fixation, why review systems are no good (especially Rotten Tomatoes), what it means to be a "content creator" (barf?????), and online friendship etiquette.



Support the podcast on Patreon!

Instagram: @highbrow.pod

Send suggestions/thoughts/stories to highbrowbymina@gmail.com



Reading/sources list:

New York's Rats Have Already Won - The Atlantic

The Mongolia cashmere quote I mentioned is actually from this New Yorker article from 1999: The Crisis in Cashmere | The New Yorker 

Talking Heads on the Return of ‘Stop Making Sense’ - The New York Times

The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes  

Emma Thompson Is Right: The Word ‘Content’ Is Rude - The New York Times

The New Rules Of Friendship Online

Group-Chat Culture Is Out of Control - The Atlantic

Milk Experiment    

Re: Google search engine results, the Wired article I read and got information from has been taken down since recording: A Note From WIRED Leadership 

Here’s another article regarding Google interference - not sure if they do exactly what Wired first reported on, but still sounds bad whatever they’re doing: How Google Interferes With Its Search Algorithms and Changes Your Results - WSJ 

solo traveling, unfollowing etiquette, and it girl democracy

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