Offline is the new luxury
Hey friends,
My favourite type of quiet luxury is...stepping away. It's next level to be able to turn down the noise, silence the endless scroll, and reclaim time as something we own—not something we owe. In a world that constantly demands our attention, choosing to unplug isn't just an act of self-care; it's an act of rebellion.
Lately, it seems like there's always something to keep up with—another headline, another hot take, another reason to be perpetually online. Here's a radical thought: what if we just… didn't? What if we allowed ourselves the indulgence of presence, the richness of honest conversations, the simple joy of experiencing life unfiltered?
Consider this an invitation to slow down, savour, and opt out of overwhelm and into something softer. Because the best moments aren't found in an algorithm. They're in laughter that lingers, meals that stretch long into the night, and the kind of deep, connected IRL conversations that remind us that offline really is the new luxury.
So go ahead. Romanticize your coffee, romanticize your Sunday, romanticize your solitude. Let pleasure be the priority. Let real life be enough. The internet will still be there when you decide to check back in, but you might not miss it nearly as much as you thought.
With love (and a phone on Do Not Disturb),
Emily @ Hard Copy
Your Recommendations
📺 Watch
Adapted from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's 1860s novel, The Leopard is a lush, seductive, and resplendent series with gorgeous food, costumes, and a love triangle. Lovers of Bridgerton or The Empress will be well-satiated with this one. (Netflix)
If you are in the mood for a laugh, trust comedian Iliza Shlesinger to get you there. She's back and sassier than ever in her new special, A Different Animal. (Prime)
Long Bright River starring Amanda Seyfried might do the trick for something a bit dramatic. Seyfried plays a Philadelphia cop and single mother who is working to find the truth about a suspected serial killer. It's not as intense as Mare of Easttown, but Seyfried crushes it in the role. (Peacock)
🎧 Listen
Yo La Tengo's Old Joy is a stunning and peaceful album. Lyricless, the album is actually a reworked score from a 2006 movie, and it's the perfect background to study, read, cook, or drive. Zen.
Luminescent Creatures falls into the 'experimental' genre, but it's so much more. It could be a movie score, an art installation, or that whimsical folk music that transports you to another time. Ichiko Aoba's music is absolutely magic, and you don't need to understand Japanese to enjoy her breathtaking music.
I've been missing out on easy rock with rich harmonies, and Panda Bear delivers with Sinister Grift. It's definitely an album to listen to, top to bottom, maybe on repeat.
📚 Read
When Facebook/Meta comms people started making disparaging statements about Careless People, a memoir about a woman's experience working at Facebook, I knew I had to have it. Call me a shit-disturber, but when the company that doesn't want to fact-check whines about a book not being fact-checked, I'm already invested.
For my economics-loving friends: The Bix Fix by Denise Hearn and Vass Bednar digs into how corporate concentration in Canada is growing across many industries, leading to higher prices for consumers, lower worker's wages, more inequality, fewer startups, less innovation and lower growth and productivity.
The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight is a witty debut novel that blends romance, friendship, motherhood, and mystery. Set against the backdrop of campus life, it's a coming-of-age story that explores self-discovery, the complexities of womanhood, and how the past shapes the future. The novel has also already been picked up to be adapted into a TV series.
🛁 Indulge
With warmer temperatures just around the corner, I'm already making farmer's market dates. Slip into sturdy denim and a barn jacket, and pop on a dad hat along with a touch of gold, and pick up your goodies to meet up with the girls to make dinner without missing a beat.
Cropped barn coat, J.Crew. Hat, The Inconvenience Store. T-shirt, Aritzia. Jeans, Lola Jeans. Platform clogs, Birkenstock. Socks, Province of Canada. Tote, hoi bo. Airpods, Apple.Lip oil, Summer Fridays. Bike, Linus. Two Chefs in the Garden, Lynn Crawford. Necklace, Jenny Bird. Ring, Mejuri. Sunglasses, Palm Angels.