A Slow-Living Weekend: Art, Books, Vinyl and Coffee Rituals
This weekend, rediscover cultural pleasure with intention: wander through soft-galleried exhibitions, listen to vinyl that slow downs the room, and lose yourself in the pages of both old and new books.
The iced coffee echoing chilled brushstrokes and muted vinyl timbres. Photo: Roman Odintsov, 2020
The weekend is perfect for switching off from the daily grind, really not having to work for once and simply doing without your mobile phone. Slow living doesn't mean simply lying around lazily and doing nothing (even if this is just nice on some, particularly rainy weekends), but rather enjoying your cultural highlights at a slow, individual rhythm and letting yourself be inspired in the process.
Begin your slow-living ritual in a balcony café or cozy corner while sipping a good morning coffee — a creamy, iced oat latte or Japanese-style cold brew.
Morning: Iced Coffee, Poetry & Balcony Quiet
Start on a quiet balcony or café terrace, sunrise lighting your page of Ocean Vuong’s The Emperor of Gladness or a vintage poetry edition. The iced oat latte creamy texture and subtly sweet notes mirror the tactile joy of turning pages. Cold brew and nitro coffee remain top summer trends: smooth caffeine that complements reflection, not rush. Pair it with artful morning stillness and you’ve begun your day in mindful aesthetic.
Late Morning: Gallery Light & Stillness
Take your cooling coffee to a nearby exhibition — feel the gallery’s hush as a balm to summer buzz.
Here are inspiring shows in NYC this July:
Arcmanoro Niles: When There's Nothing I Can Do: I Go To My Heart at Lehmann Maupin (through Aug 15)
Lorna Simpson: Source Notes at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (through Nov 2)
Amy Sherald: American Sublime at Whitney Museum of American Art (through Aug 10)
Each exhibition offers light-filled reverie and thoughtful pauses — from Niles’s emotional portraits to Sherald’s luminous storytelling. Walk slowly. Let one piece linger in your mind.
Afternoon: Vinyl Ritual & Bookish Reverie
After your gallery visit, head home or to a nearby record store. Light a candle, place a soft jazz or ambient vinyl (think Miles Davis or Ólafur Arnalds) on your turntable. The warm crackle of needle meeting groove offers a soundtrack to reflective afternoons. While the music plays, open a worn book — maybe a vintage poetry collection or a new release — each page syncing with the music’s rhythm. It’s a private soundscape of thought and emotion.
Lifestyle & Cultural Insight
This weekend ritual isn’t just about leisure — it’s about cultural attunement. Slow living invites you to breathe with intention, savor texture and tone, and connect deeply with art — both visual and auditory. The iced coffee echoing chilled brushstrokes and muted vinyl timbres reminds you that culture isn’t just seen or heard — it’s tasted, felt, lived.
The summer’s coffee scene continues to evolve. Expect to see Japanese-style iced coffee drippers in cafés from Toronto to Portland, while cold foam toppings layer creamy artfulness atop your iced latte. When sipping slowly, you can taste that connection: a warm oat foam mirroring soft gallery walls, a bittersweet cold brew echoing complex vinyl chords.
Have an artful weekend!
