Welcome to the special Chinese New Year episode of REMORANDOM. It’s the Year of the Horse. Here’s what we chatted about: Have you heard of Kowloon Walled City? Up until the 1980s, over 50,000 people lived inside a space of just 2.6 hectares, making it the most densely populated place on earth. It’s an interesting story. 📍 US President Trump loves putting his name on things. No monument is safe. Not even Mount Rushmore. Might The Donald muscle his way onto that revered crop of granite? We’ll give you some history. 📍 Still on the subject of Chinese culture, we look at baoding balls. You know those musical metal balls that you sometimes see people rolling around in their hands? 📍 And finally, in this episode, however BIG you are hoping to make your marriage proposal in this performative age of viral one-upmanship. You are gonna to have a tough time topping a Japanese artist known as Yassan. Put it this way, skywriting is no longer gonna get you there.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

Remo’s special guest for this episode of the REMORANDOM video podcast is Kim Hastreiter, someone that he’s known for over 40 years. Kim is one-of-a-kind. A New York based editor, publisher, writer, artist, creative director, curator, connector and big ideas person, she is probably best known for co-founding the highly-revered and very cool PAPER magazine (the OG influencers) with David Hershkovits in 1984. Her career of identifying cultural movements and connecting the various dots between style, design, art and culture is legendary. Kim and Remo chat and compare notes when it comes to making things and doing creative work that doesn’t fit neatly inside a single box. They also talk about her book, STUFF: A New York Life of Cultural Chaos, and her next book WORK. If you’re curious about how to move the cultural needle, you should pour yourself a drink and take a look or listen.

PS: Remo has also interviewed David Hershkovits. Watch episode below or HERE.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

If you are of a certain age, you will be well aware of a home exercise contraption called the bull worker. How did it work and how did it become so famous? 📍 Behind the sturdy North American Adirondack chair lurks a history of design, theft, and sickly disease. We’ll tell you these stories. 📍 When your GDA needs a backup, there’s always the hanky code, the secret signalling system used by gay men. The code has an interesting origin.📍 The mother of all fictional bands will likely always be the monkeys, but there are others.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

Game changer has become an overused turn of phrase, but few would argue that it doesn’t apply to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a groundbreaking album released by T he Beatles in 1967. 📍 A charm of finches, a business of ferrets, a paddling of ducks, a kindle of kittens, and yes, even a barrel of monkeys. These collective words are called “nouns of assembly”, and we’ll explore their origin. 📍 The idea that no two snowflakes are alike is technically true. Wilson Snowflake Bentley was a Vermont farmer who became the first person to photograph individual snowflakes using a microscope. Bentley spent his life capturing more than 5,000 snowflake images. We’ll tell you his story. 📍 And finally, in this episode of REMORANDOM, the Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City, and it’s become one of the most celebrated events in the fashion world. Why is that?

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

In this special episode of the REMORANDOM video podcast, Remo gets to chat with longtime friend and hyper-inventive Parisian designer François Scali about about his early career in Paris; his pivot to furniture, lighting and object design with “Nemo” in partnership with Alain Domingo in the early 1980s; his big break at the Pompidou Centre with the “Genitron” and its celebration of the Year 2000; the abrupt end of that 13 year lucky streak as soon as we’d all reached that symbolic civilisational milestone; and the return to his design roots 25 years later with Tribute to Nemo in collaboration with Gallery Signé. What does all of this have to do with how you get undressed before getting into bed? Listen to find out.

François Scalihttps://scali.com.fr/Tribute to Nemo on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/tribute_to_nemo/Signéhttps://www.galeriesigne.com/_______________

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

Shortly after 8:00 AM on the morning of the 7th of August, 1974, something happened in New York City that has been called the artistic crime of the century. What was it? 📍 The original Birkin bag was sold by Sotheby's at auction not so long ago for over US$10 million. Who was Birkin and why the big fuss over her handbag? 📍 Listeners with kids will know all about The Elf on a Shelf. Unlike the long established tradition of Santa Claus, this one is pretty new. Not everyone is happy about it. We'll explain. 📍 And finally, in this episode of REMORANDOM, are you a collector of souvenirs? If so, you're not alone. The practice of souvenir goes way back to ancient times. We'll give you some history.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

The idea for L’Inconnue de la Seine [RR3:40] was contributed by Amsterdam-based Australian writer Matthew Curlewis. In this episode I speak with Matthew about that story of mystery, myth and invention. We also do some reminiscing about 20th century REMO (Matthew worked there briefly), and we finish with an interesting chat about the impact of AI on creative writing. Matthew is involved in some cool initiatives for writers. Watch to learn more – and I’ve included some links below.

Matthew’s Links

WriteOn! November with AWA
Information HERE

Amsterdam Writers
Write first, ask questions later. Link HERE.

Bright Side Writings
Optimism-led stories to brighten these dark times of chaos & collapse. Link HERE.

Artwork

“Guardian” keeps watch behind Matthew, from Australian artist Tom Keukenmeester. His website HERE.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.

In this episode of the REMORANDOM video podcast, Remo chats with his wife (34 years and counting) Melanie, joining him from the kitchen in the same apartment. Melanie is the source of many ideas that are given life as REMORANDOM chapters. In this chatty husband and wife exchange, she talks about a few of them: Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board [RR2:42], Pebbling [RR4:54], The Smell of Rain [RR2:68] and If– [RR5:38]. They also run through a handful of potential future topics, with Melanie giving them either a thumbs-up or the “yeah-nah”.

About REMORANDOM

REMORANDOM is a printed biannual book series that celebrates Uncommon knowledge and everything interesting.

Browse and order REMORANDOM books and/or subscribe to the series via the REMORANDOM.com website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to this companion “REMORANDOM” podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts … or watch in video format HERE on Spotify, ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube or ⁠HERE⁠ on Substack.

About REMO

REMO was founded as a General Store in Sydney in 1988, and was famous for its mail order catalogues. Those catalogues were the inspiration for REMORANDOM, but this new leg of the REMO journey is not so much about selling THINGS, as it is about telling STORIES … in celebration of what’s interesting. Inspiring curious minds.

More about REMO Since 1988 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can contact REMO via the website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits

REMORANDOM is produced and published by REMO Since 1988.

Podcast co-hosts: Remo Giuffré & Claudia Chan Shaw

Original REMORANDOM theme music by Tom Thum … using only his voice. Watch his 2013 TEDxSydney talk ⁠HERE⁠

Copyright © EOLO Pty Limited. All rights reserved.