good people share: 0122
a regular digest of things that inform and motivate.
dear good people,
this newsletter is going through a transition, just like me. after five remarkable years in portland, i’m starting a new chapter in new york city.
it’s exciting and slightly daunting, especially since the world is strange and uncertain right now.
nyc is one of those places where everyone (residents and visitors) seems to have a person and suggestion for how to navigate, where to shop, who to call and what to read.
so in the spirit of good people share, please click here to drop some nyc knowledge on me.
most of what you’ll experience below is the same, minus the list of portland shows and events, and i’m all ears for suggestions about how to evolve the newsletter.
music share
this playlist is updated at the beginning of every month.
it’s intended for a spectrum of moods and to be played from top to bottom.
find 5+ years of archived monthly playlists in my spotify bio.
read
library of religious and philosophical wisdom about what it means to find your center.
get those passports ready.
consider me the founding member of the association that wants more public seating.
some of the best dwellings, renovations, gardens, kitchens of 2021.
use art (and asphalt) as a low-cost way to improve safety and revitalize local spaces.
25 under 25 of young creators and voices who are shaping the cultural conversation.
of 10k people to summit mount everest, only a handful have been black and only one a black american. later this year, a team of nine intend to change that.
not enough strawberries in your pop-tarts?
whom do you call when 911 isn’t right choice for the problem at hand?
procrastinate, just not with sleep.
listen/watch/follow
support catchafire, which matches “professionals who want to donate their time with nonprofits who need their skills.”
parent alert: rock favorites transformed into instrumental lullabies.
fall asleep to the natural soundscape of some of the most beautiful places in the world.
soulection: stream 500+ episodes from “innovative musicians and crate-digging djs.”
some favorite albums from 2021: arlo parks, tyler the creator, jose gonzalez, durand jones & the indications, helado negro and nation of language.
some favorite purchases from 2021: slippers, stationery, resistance bands, lemon blueberry quinoa bars, magazines, trousers and kombucha.
some favorite shows watched in 2021: only murders in the building, insecure, val, real sports with bryant gumbel, tom petty and the heartbreakers: runnin' down a dream and hacks.
explore
i did my own version of WFH in 2021, putting everything in storage, driving 12,000 miles across 35 states and getting to know good people and places along the way. it was a privilege considering everything happening around us. highlights include sunshine, trail runs, airbnbs, teashops, historic buildings, gas stations in the middle of nowhere and my co-pilot.
here are some experiences to consider for your next trip.
big sky
rented a mountain bike and meandered down trails at big sky resort.
drank like a local and admired sports memorabilia at the corral bar.
santa fe
appreciated well-brewed matchas and yerba mates from my buddy elijah at the teahouse.
bought a limited-edition lithograph from artist danny mccoy at hecho a mano.
ran trails at elevation, including a loop of the dale ball trail system.
palm springs
ate delicious plant based meals from chef tanya’s kitchen.
bought a raincoat from la-based magill at mojave flea trading post, a marketplace of local makers & merchants.
joshua tree
hiked and climbed boulders across joshua tree national park.
fueled with wraps and smoothies natural sisters cafe.
new orleans
called hotel peter and paul home and took pictures of the decor.
caught up with a friend at baldwin & co., a black-owned independent bookstore and community hub.
washington d.c.
enjoyed baked goods and caffeine at baked and wired — an “authentic, hole-in-the-wall shop…[staffed] by total sweethearts with face tattoos.”
got a really solid cut at barber of hell’s bottom.
chicago
bought a t-shirt at one of the oldest streetwear shops in town - saint alfred.
grabbed lunch at okenoy - a “creative enclave located in Humboldt Park operating as a brewery, cocktail bar, kitchen and synergetic haunt for local artists.”
santa barbara
caught an outdoor show at the santa barbara bowl, which sits in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
worked from the courtyard of handlebar coffee roasters, an outpost started by two former professional cyclists.
✌️// 🙌 // 🌎