It took only one incident for me to finally empathize with the “I-prefer-summer” community. Dusk, negative 14 degrees Celsius. One step outside my apartment building and… swoosh! swoosh! splat!

As it happens, I slipped; all in a flash’s work. It’s quite unfortunate that on that particular day at that particular hour, I headed out the door in my Sunday best. The “incident” left my favorite pair of pants — the L.L. Bean ones I mentioned in my last letter — torn on the knee. But I’m happy to report that I can conclude, from extensive first-hand testing, that those pair of pants are not fall-proof. In all seriousness, I’m grateful that I remain with only a few scrapes. I’ll be alright. It’s a shame no artist was present at the scene though; I can imagine the “incident” in painting, Roy Lichtenstein style.

But now, I was headed out that evening en route to the grocery store for fresh produce; to make some carrot-and-potato soup, again (I did not make soup that night). A few days prior, I was craving some nice hot soup so I looked up recipes on the web (all of which looked very yum, but a tad bit complicated). Ultimately, I decided to make one from scratch, omitting many of the ingredients listed. The result is a stew (carrots, potatoes, spring onions, dash of milk, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil) that I find delicious, perfect for the cold weather.

Anyhow, to slide away not-so-smoothly from all this talk, Good Evening everyone. I hope you had a great start to the new year and a restful holiday! It’s very much chilly here up north. Last week, I was in a boutique-style bookstore called Maktaba in the Old Port and picked up a postcard.

The bookstore hosts a unique curation of fiction and non-fiction with an emphasis on Middle Eastern and North African literature. Looking forward to revisit after I finish reading the books I have at hand.

In this newsletter, I wrote about my first time at the ballet, words I’ve been reading, and seeing Marty Supreme in theater, among other things. Enjoy, enjoy!

An Afternoon at the Ballet

On a grey afternoon one Saturday in December, I was sat on the second-floor balcony of a 3000-seat theater getting ready to see The Nutcracker; a ballet in two acts, broken up with a half-hour intermission. In the last month of each year, Place Des Arts — Montreal’s performing arts center — puts on the Nutcracker performance. The afternoon show was packed in all directions I looked: seniors, families, families with children — all taking a seat in the hall.

My first time seeing The Nutcracker and a ballet in general. No expectations.

All settled in my seat and waiting for the start, I looked at the stage. Depicted is an ambient scene: a village among pine trees covered in snow, snow gently falling, a full moon shining. I wondered if it was a digital screen. Only after the lights dimmed into darkness and the layers of sheets started to lift one by one, that I realized it was all part of the intricate set design. For the next hours, we were entertained and captivated; the memories, quite blurred.

Between Act I and Act II, a half-hour break saw the space outside the theater flooded with spectators. My friend J. and I walked around as we debriefed. J. made a remark that I too thought of: there was no dialogue throughout the performance. As I watched the ballet dancers move their graceful gestures, I thought of how beautiful it was that any observer can appreciate the art just as much as the next person; regardless of the language one speaks, the beliefs one holds, or the culture one grew up with. It is almost impossible to not feel the weight of the performance paired with the orchestra; to find oneself teary-eyed from the triumphant sounds of Pas De Deux or to feel goosebumps from the motions that these ballerinas performed: tossed, spun, glide — all in a beautifully orchestrated and refined manner.

Some people are in line for drinks, others bathroom, some taking photos by the Christmas tree, and others checking out the merchandise booth. Again, my friend J. made a note that I too thought of: about half of the ensemble (particularly in Act I) were made of younger cast members. I found myself wondering what it was like for one to find passion and nurture that passion at such a young age, to be precocious and talented, and performing for thousands at a time, each night. (Of course, it’s easier to assume the positive).

At every completed routine, a round of applause would follow. By the end, a standing ovation. The performance was worth the price, my friend said. I agree. An afternoon well spent.

Readings

And back in my apartment, I spent quite a bit of time on the sofa, where I finished reading The Age of Innocence on Christmas Eve. It was a bittersweet ending and I do think the last chapter tied the entire story together well. A story of regrets and blind conformity, and how some things that feel important in the moment are only trivial in the future. Retrospection can be both beautiful and painful. Overall, Innocence is a nice smooth read, in contrast to my next novel of choice: Ulysses.

Ulysses. By Irish writer James Joyce; published in 1922; at some point banned in the United States for obscenity until overruled1. The novel is considered a masterpiece in the literary canon. So far three “chapters” in, the text has been thick with references to Homer and Shakespeare, religious allusions, and Latin excerpts; all of which are quite foreign to me.

Chapter One was a fine read; Chapter Two became slightly more ambiguous as the stream-of-consciousness writing took hold; Chapter Three did not register in my head at all. So I wouldn’t consider this novel a leisure read; lots of work has to be put into understanding the context of every other sentence.

There’s a website called The Joyce Project that has thorough annotations of the text and has been helpful (you can read the full text there too); I read the Sparknotes summary for each “chapter” I finished to confirm and solidify my understanding; I also learned that there is an annotated edition of Ulysses in print, one that I wish I’d known about earlier.

It’s very unlikely that I will understand every reference, every detail that Joyce weaved into the novel; not on the first read. But for now, I’ll try to free myself of the need to understand all and just enjoy how the text forms itself in my head.

Regardless of the difficulty, there are things I appreciate in my reading thus far. There is this technique that Joyce uses: the merging of words together. You can find these conjoining words early on: in the opening paragraph, dressing gown is written as dressinggown. Then later, nose rag as noserag. At one point, contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality. I love it. When I think of great works, I have this (untrue) assumption that they have to be serious to be taken seriously. But Ulysses throw those conventions out the window.

Books aside, I also read an article about the rise in prenups among Millennials and Gen-Z (and how tech is changing that industry) and skimmed through a profile of Godard.

Pictures

2 p.m., Dec 26. Lobby of a Cineplex downtown. Waiting for a friend after getting tickets at the box office to see Marty Supreme, fifteen minutes before showtime. Third row from the screen.

Three hours later, fresh out the theater. My friend M. and I shared some thoughts: Chalamet’s acting in Marty precedes his work in Unknown; M. remarked how there were so many close-up shots, a detail I missed; the visual graphics in the opening credits was unexpected, but quite amusing; there was enough bizarre happenings throughout the film to keep one entertained for two-and-a-half hours in this comedy-infused, action-packed film, but one action in particular gave us quite a scare.

All-in-all, the film was not bad, pas mal. I thought the costume and colors of the film were well done. I liked Marty’s button down, his suit set (pastel blue tie, off-white shirt, and burgundy-brown suit) and the thin gold-rim glasses.

Music

A selection of music for January:

Lorde - 400 Lux / Tame Impala - Eventually; Yes I’m Changing / Cameron Winter - Love Takes Miles / Taylor Swift - cowboy like me / Bon Iver - Everything Is Peaceful Love / The 1975 - The Sound / Joni Mitchell - California / Lana Del Rey - Get Free.

General Objects of Interest

Note: None of the links are affiliate.

• L’Occitane Hand Cream (150ml, $32 USD): My hands get dry in the winter and this hand cream’s great in keeping them moisturized without feeling all sticky and oily. Made with 20% Shea Butter and smells like baby powder.

• Smathers & Branson FOB Key Chain ($35 USD): The ring holding my keys broke a while back and I’ve been carrying loose keys in my pocket since. I came across the Smathers & Branson brand that makes nice-looking needlepoint keychains in a variety of design collections: NHL teams, collegiate institutions, dogs, fishing, personalized monograms, etc. My selection of choice: Stars and Stripes, as linked above.

That is all. I hope you enjoyed the read! Sending my best for a good year ahead. — C. S. Indoors.

On a recent rainy afternoon, I found myself tucked in a Christmas shop in the Old Port looking at rows of ornaments, nutcrackers, snow globes, and other holiday paraphernalia; some opaque, some reflective, and others, dazzling. I was here last December and bought a nutcracker ornament (one that has been unintentionally living on a surface of some kind in my apartment throughout this past year). Now come December again, I wanted to get myself a little gift from the shop; and a few moments later, I decided on a stuffed animal moose. It currently sits wrapped in a ball of tissue paper and I told myself I wouldn’t unwrap it until Christmas day. You’d have to trust me when I tell you that the little guy is perfect.

Anyways, hello all! I hope this newsletter finds you well and I hope the winter’s been treating you kindly. Long time no see. It’s been a while since I’ve written here. There were attempts to write that has only culminated in different versions of drafts for one reason or another, but today you will hear from me!

In this newsletter, I wrote about an Edith Wharton novel I’ve been reading, the French New Wave films I’ve been watching, and some objects of interest I’ve bought. Also included are entries from my pocket journals throughout the past couple of months. I do hope you enjoy!

Readings

I am about one month in and two-thirds through Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, the novel that made Wharton the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Although published in 1920, the story itself is actually set in the 1870s and more particularly, in the upper crust society circle of New York City (a background in which Wharton herself was a part of).

The plot revolves around a love triangle from the perspective of the male protagonist Newland Archer as he navigates conflicting ideas of conformity to societal conventions. To be more specific, these “societal conventions” are the customs and traditions that the upper echelons of the Gilded Age were expected to follow and practice (and that were ultimately considered “respectable”). For instance, to see and be seen at the Opera, to read literature considered unprovocative, and to spend summers in a quiet coastal town playing archery are all acceptable activities. But to consider getting a divorce from a European aristocrat, that is deemed shameful; an invitation to ostracize oneself from society. The story follows as Newland’s unfulfillment in these conventions starts to ruminate more often in his mind, and when this unfulfillment manifests itself in love, he finds himself conflicted; that is, whether to follow tradition or to break the mold.

If you were to get a copy, I’d suggest the Penguin Classics edition; it has a helpful footnotes section in the back that explains the context of certain vocabulary of the time. I began the novel quite slow (and I’m quite the slow reader in general) because I had to look up lots of unfamiliar words, but eventually picked up speed.

On another note, currently on my shelf is Joyce’s Ulysses, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, and Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past (also known by the title, In Search of Lost Time), all patiently waiting to be read. These classics are enough to keep me occupied for a couple of months, but I think it might be worthwhile an idea to break these reads with more contemporary works of fiction. I’ll keep you posted.

Pictures

A genre of film I’ve been watching recently is the French New Wave, which as the name suggests, a film movement originating from France in the late 50s. The Criterion Channel summarizes the genre best:

The explosion of creative innovation that emanated from France in the late 1950s and early ’60s forever altered the course of film history by opening up new avenues of stylistic experimentation and trumpeting the concept of the “auteur” director, whose aesthetic vision and thematic obsessions took center stage. […] the French New Wave inspired filmmakers around the world by liberating cinema from commercial demands and reclaiming it in the name of unfettered personal expression.

The films I’ve been watching are (and linked are their respective trailers):

1. The 400 Blows by François Truffaut (1959)

2. Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard (1960)

3. Vivre sa vie (translated as “My Life to Live”, trailer has spoilers) by Jean-Luc Godard (1962)

4. La Pointe Courte by Agnès Varda (1955)

Of the four, the one I enjoyed most was Truffaut’s The 400 Blows, which follows a mischievous schoolboy named Antoine as he navigates life at school and family dynamics at home. There’s a childlike-wonder quality to it, of disobedience and of adventure. The character Antoine was based on Truffaut himself, and would go on to reappear as an older character in three of Truffaut’s sequels.

As for Godard’s Breathless and Vivre sa vie, I really liked their aesthetic qualities. Both films were mainly set in Paris. Breathless follows Michel, a man wanted for a hit-and-run, and follows as he tries to evade police and becomes involved with an American woman. I think Jean-Paul Belmondo (who plays Michel) was quite the charming actor. He has a je ne sais quoi quality that might be a combination of playfulness and confidence. Vivre sa vie follows Nana, a recently divorced woman who aspires to be an actress, but falters and becomes a prostitute. I thought the form of Vivre was interesting: 12 title cards that divides the film into an essay-like format; each division, a snapshot of Nana’s current progression in life.

Lastly Varda’s La Pointe Courte, the film that is cited as the first of the French New Wave. It tells two parallel narratives: a strained marriage between husband and wife, and a broader story of life in a small fishing village where the story is set. The husband and wife takes us through the landscape of the village, with imagery of laundry fluttering in the wind, flat fields, and water jousting, as they discuss and consider separation. This parallel narrative structure was inspired by a William Faulkner novel, The Wild Palms.

A basic reading on the movement tells me that there was quite a bit of intertwining going on with the French New Wave set. For instance, the storyline of Breathless was actually the work of Truffaut; Godard had to buy the rights to use the story for 100,000 Francs. Many of these directors also got their start as film critics in Cahiers Du Cinema, an influential French film publication co-founded by André Bazin, a notable film critic.

The French New Wave, quite broad of a movement, is categorized into subgroups, particularly the group with filmmakers associated with Cahiers (Godard, Truffaut), and those dubbed the “Left Bank”. As described in the footnotes of Godard on Godard (a book of collected essays by Godard):

‘the Left Bank group’ : So-called not only because they lived on the Left Bank in Paris, but because their cultural background (literature, politics and the plastic arts) was very different from that of the film-oriented Cahiers du Cinema group, comprising Godard, Truffaut, Chabrol, Rivette, Rohmer and Ooniol-Valcroze.

These Left Bank directors include Varda and Resnais. All of this to say, my knowledge on the genre itself is still quite superficial, but I’m looking to read further into the critical writings. On my eventually-to-watch is Resnais’s Hiroshima mon amour.

Objects of Interest

Note: None of the items linked are affiliates.

1. I’ve been wearing lots of L.L. Bean recently. Some products from them that I’ve purchased and loved:

   1. Rollneck Sweater ($89.95 USD): I bought two (in the Natural and Charcoal colors) and I’ve been alternating between them on the daily. They’re nicely loose fitting and made of 100% lambswool.

   2. Merino Wool (Blend) Socks, 2-Pack ($44.95 USD): Nice thick socks for the winter.

   3. Wrinkle-Free Chinos ($69.95 USD): Comfortable, semi-formal pants. There are multiple variations of this same pant (plus a plaid-lined one for the winter), but I got the one with more room around the thigh (as linked) and they’re my favorite. Wrinkle-Free out of the washer as they say.

2. One shoe that caught my attention was the Birkenstock Utti Lace that comes in a suede finish ($165 USD), resembling a mix of the typical moccasin and the Clark Wallabees. They also have a version in a leather finish.

3. Last but not least, I came across two variations of these vintage 80s/90s J. Crew patchwork sweaters and the color block patterns are truly beautiful. I really do wish they would reproduce these.

Entries of Interest

In October, I bought a pack of Field Notes from a stationery store and have since kept one in my crossbody bag most times. The Field Notes brand of pocket notebooks holds a sentimental value to myself. There was a time when I couldn’t get my hands on a pack of these and would make my own. I’d mock up the covers on Photoshop (same dimensions, same typeface) and print out multiple prototypes on cardstock until they look just about right. Then I’d get a pack of loose leaf paper, cut them down to the right size, and assemble the papers and cover together with a stapler. But I digress.

These past couple of months, I find myself jotting down little entries at random intervals of the day; in the morning at a café or the afternoon at the library or evenings in lulls when cooking dinner or late night on my sofa. Fleeting words that would’ve been irretrievable if there’s no ink on paper. Of course, it’s not all important, just a random assortment of ideas, description of my day, fiction, etc. But sometimes they evoke an image in my head, of a memory past or of an idea to further develop, and there’s the value. I like to date entries down to the minute (and most of the time do) and below are a few of the things I’ve written this past fall.

October 26, 2025 - 10:32AM

On this AM morning, the cafe is playing: The Marías, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter.

October 27, 2025

Shopping List

Chicken / Brown Rice / Eggs / Snack / Orange Juice

November 9, 2025 - 3:40PM

Snow is actually starting to gather on the ground, little by little. It feels like Christmas. The flakes are swept almost horizontally in the wind. The cast of the street lamp’s warm glow illuminates each speck.

[Montreal’s first (proper) snowfall of the season. Forecasted to receive up to 20cm of snow.]

November 11, 2025 - 12:21AM

It’s a bit past midnight and it’s still snowing. […] Will have to pull out the Timberland boots.

November 11, 2025 - 12:12PM

[I was sat at a cafe and outside the snow was deep (and still falling lightly). For ten minutes, I put down a line for every color coat I see people wearing. Black, as expected, was the most popular color.]

Military Green: IIIII III / Navy: IIIII / Black: IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII / Grey: IIIII / Red: III / Brown: IIIII / Light Grey/White: IIIII I / Pinkish Red: II / Beige-y Brown: I / Turquoise: II / Plaid: I

November 14, 2025 - 5:26PM

Came back from a walk. The streets are twinkling after the rain and snow. [...] The gloom of the day subsides and the city is sparkling. Buildings are decorated with holiday festivities: a large wreath, lined with fairy lights, a bush, lined with fairy lights, Christmas trees, lined with fairy lights. The city is dark at 5pm. People crowd the street as they get off work, school, on their way home or to a bar, or to have dinner. In the darkness, the city is quite intimate. The reflective exteriors of office buildings in the morning becomes transparent. Suddenly every movement is visible to the outsiders. Cozy, yellow interiors of restaurants. Fluorescent lights spilling out of the near-empty art galleries.

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great Christmas! Until next time (which should be very soon). — C. S. Indoors.

Hello all, I hope you’ve had a great week and happy August 1st. As opposed to the usual Well Rounded or Zeitgeist issue, today I introduce Spectacles. Spectacles will be a highly visual letter, a collection of beautiful images and art. If you’ve enjoyed the curation on my Notes, this series will be similar in nature, but in more depth.

Before we get into it, let me tell you about my week.

I’ve been recently seeing lots of films and shows. Of them include Wim Wender’s Paris, Texas, Luca Gudagnino’s Call Me by Your Name, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, all of which highlight such great beauty.

Then earlier this week, I went to see Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000), in theaters for its twenty-fifth year anniversary. I saw it at Cinema Moderne, in the hip laid-back neighborhood of the Mile End. The layout of the establishment is quite interesting: cafe in the front, cinema in the back. The cinema is a 54-seater single room theater. Although the room is compact, all the seats were full. I notice sitting in the row in front of me was a man in his 70s wearing an ‘A24’ cap with its logo just etched above the back strap.

After the movie, we (a friend and I) were back out on the streets and it was late afternoon just before sunset. The perfect time to be outside. I enjoyed the film; the picture was so crisp (4K restoration), the details so intentional. We walked a few blocks up (movie debrief on the go; “great film; yeah we never saw the faces of their spouses; the soundtrack was perfect”) to get gelato at this new place called Dalmata. Dalmata is a shoe-box sized gelateria but the space is alive, inside and out the shop. We queued on the sidewalk, both got Apricot Gelatos on a cone, then sat on the steps outside. The Mile End is nice because it’s one part suburb and one part city. Life feels slower here; less noise, less traffic, no towering objects, more dogs. There is this white convertible parked in front, that has ‘Carrera’ written in cursive. I’m not familiar with cars but after looking it up, I think it was a Porsche 911. Beautiful car.

What else? I burnt a finger the other day from touching a hot bowl fresh out the microwave and had to run it under cold water for a good twenty minutes to relieve the sting. But on the other hand (literally), I was reading a short story in the latest Paris Review titled ‘The Visit’ by Anuk Arudpragasam. It’s a story told from the perspective of a 30 year old daughter living in New York City when her mother came to visit; it’s half resentment half soft-spot for the relationship that they have, and Arudpragasam manages to capture the nuances well.

All of that to say, this might explain why a lot of the curation below is film-related. Regardless, I hope you enjoy and maybe you will find something that sparks inspiration.

Note: Due to the nature of how images are sourced on the internet, credits might be misattributed or not found at all. Please let me know if and where the name of the rightful artist/owner of the work is due. Images are only mine where specified.

The subtitle ‘Hong Kong, 1962’ is a reference to the time and place in which In the Mood for Love was set. In the 25th anniversary screening that I saw, there was a short bonus scene at the end, apparently one of the versions Wong Kar-wai was considering. Whereas red and green under dim lights were the aesthetics of the final film, the other version has a stark sterile fluorescent color to it, similar to that of Chungking Express. It just goes to show how big lighting played in setting the mood and tone.

Besides the color aesthetic of the film, one thing that caught my eyes were the beautiful form and patterns of Mrs. Chan’s dresses, called a qipao. I came across these spreads, courtesy of fragmentarchives, that detailed and interpreted the colors and motifs of 21 qipaos in the film. Amazing.

The Criterion Closet is pretty much a modern rite of passage for all the remarkables in film. The videos showcasing a subject’s picks can all be found on Youtube, but finding polaroids of said subject is rather sporadic. I’d like to see a section on the Criterion website that archives all the polaroids, that would be fun.

I’ve always enjoyed the design of an Aesop store. Each is influenced by local heritage, taking elements in from its environment. The one below is in Shanghai, China. The soft beige-and-brown tones, the flow of the circular room brings about a certain tranquil, calm, and grounded quality to its space. The concept of harmony is highly regarded in Chinese society and this interior reflects just that.

That is all. Thank you for tuning in for the first issue of Spectacles. All thoughts, comments, or additional details on the subjects mentioned are very welcomed. Besides that, I hope you have a great weekend! — C. S. Indoors.

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Montreal, 30 degrees. The past few weeks have seen a combination of squall, thunderstorm, and heat warnings; sometimes individually, a few times all three at once. These days, when the weather seems reasonable, I like to walk Mount Royal, a mountain (or arguably a hill, it’s 233 meters in height) that sits in the center of the city. After following a path up through nature, I sit on steps that overlook the lookout, that in turn, overlook the city. The view is truly expansive; a 180-degree of the cityscape that if observed closely, you’ll spot a Leonard Cohen mural somewhere in the middle. Sharing the space are tourists, cyclists, dog-walkers, runners, families, and if you’re lucky, a guy on a unicycle doing tricks. Not a bad way to spend your afternoons.

Anyways, hello to everyone. I hope you are well, and hydrated. We are already half-way through July, which means we have a good two months before the soft-launching of winter in September. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the weather. Whether you’re on a beach or in your bed, you’ll like today’s newsletter.

This issue is about money and power. You’ll read about the Aman resorts and a Fitzgerald book review, but the most important takeaway is a remarkable essay by Joan Didion, which we will begin with. Enjoy!

On Self Respect by Joan Didion —

Power presents itself in different forms; you have the power gained from likability (fame), the power gained from money (plutocracy), or the power gained from a title (aristocracy, politics). These powers by themselves are fragile; they are at risk of change, or can be taken away. But there is one power that will remain constant within oneself, and will stand strong if cultivated well enough. That is self respect.

Joan Didion wrote about self respect in a piece for Vogue Magazine in 1961, which eventually became part of a collection of essays published in her widely acknowledged book titled Slouching Towards Bethlehem (which I’m currently reading). Ever since finishing this essay, I keep revisiting certain paragraphs, re-reading the words so they become engrained in my head. Some of my favorite lines read:

“Self-respect is something that our grandparents, whether or not they had it, knew all about. They had instilled in them, young, a certain discipline, the sense that one lives by doing things one does not particularly want to do, by putting fears and doubts to one side, by weighing immediate comforts against the possibility of larger, even intangible, comforts.”

And another:

However long we postpone it, we eventually lie down alone in that notoriously un- comfortable bed, the one we make ourselves. Whether or not we sleep in it depends, of course, on whether or not we respect ourselves.

And finally, ending with an uncomfortable truth:

“Without it [self respect], one eventually discovers the final turn of the screw: one runs away to find oneself, and finds no one at home.”

Money, Moneyed, Moneying —

There are 3028 billionaires around the world in 2025. Here are some numbers:

• 288 newly minted billionaires were added to the list this year.

• 12 people have a net worth of more than $100 billion.

• The top three countries of origin are: USA (902 billionaires), China (516), and India (205).

• Together, they are worth $16.1 trillion (16,100,000,000,000).

The top ten, in order from highest:

1. Elon Musk (Technology, $405 billion): Owns a ~42% stake in SpaceX and a ~12% stake in Tesla. In 2020, Musk had a recorded net worth of $24.6 billion. Today, it’s $405 B.

2. Larry Ellison (Technology, $274 B): Owns a ~40% stake in Oracle. Also owns 98% (some outlets report 97%) of Lāna’i, Hawaii’s sixth largest island, which was bought for $300 million in 2012.

3. Mark Zuckerberg (Technology, $250 B): Owns a ~13% stake in Facebook (Meta). Zuckerberg is currently handpicking Meta’s Superintelligence team, many of whom were ‘poached’ from OpenAI. Bonuses for some are as high as $100 million. The team will be lead by Alexandr Wang (Scale AI’s CEO and also Forbes’ youngest self-made billionaire), as part of an agreement after Zuckerberg invested $14 billion into Wang’s company.

4. Jeff Bezos (Technology, $239 B): Owns ~9% of Amazon, in addition to the space company Blue Origin and The Washington Post. Most recently in the press for his wedding to Lauren Sanchez Bezos in Venice.

5. Larry Page (Technology, $149 B): Co-founder of Google, former CEO of Google.

6. Bernard Arnault & family (Fashion, $148 B): Most notable for LVMH, the fashion conglomerate that owns 75 brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany and Co., TAG Heuer, Loewe, and Sephora.

7. Jensen Huang (Technology, $143 B): Owns ~3% of the chip-maker Nvidia. Nvidia is currently the largest company by market capitalization, with a valuation at $3.8 trillion.

8. Sergey Brin (Technology, $143 B): Co-founder of Google, former President of Google.

9. Warren Buffett (Investment, $142 B): Recently stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a holding company that invests in Apple, Bank of America, and American Express in its portfolio. Also see: Berkshire’s no-frills HTML website.

10. Steve Ballmer (Technology, $142 B): Former CEO of Microsoft and was employee number 30th.

8 out of 10 are in tech. To see money fluctuate in the billions from day to day is quite surreal. Other notable people and families include:

• Tadashi Yanai & family ($43 B): Owner of Uniqlo’s parent company, is the richest person in Japan. A good portion of my wardrobe are goods from Uniqlo. I see their $20 crescent-shaped bag everywhere. Watch: How Uniqlo Won Over North America.

• The Walton Family ($267 B): Richest family in America. Own a ~45% stake in Walmart.

• Sam Altman ($1.8 B): CEO of OpenAI.

Where do Celebrities go for an Incognito Weekend? Amangiri —

Located in outback of Utah by the Arizona border and completed in 2009, Amangiri is a secluded resort that is frequented by the well-known names in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. A combination of brutalist architecture and sand dune colors, the resort blends quite seamlessly into the desert landscape. Of their known clientele includes the Biebers, Kardashian-Jenners, Blackpink’s Jennie, and more. A night’s stay will range from $5081 USD for the cheapest suite in July (93 square meters, King bed with AC, a private terrace, “sweeping views of the desert and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Park in the distance.”) to a more isolated two-bedroom Tented Pavilion for a price of $10,721 USD (262 square meters, private pool, “270-degree sunset views from the front porch.”) There exists 34 suites and 10 pavilions, which makes it an ideal sanctuary for those who’d like to escape the public and enjoy a vacation in private. Some of the exploration experiences offered include “hiking, horseback riding or flying over the mountains by helicopter.”

This article is a brilliant in-depth report; beginning with the its history and how Amangiri was approved to be developed on former federally-protected land (it involved the approval of a US president), to the economic impact on Kane County (where the land is based), before reporting on a first-hand account of visiting the property.

Amangiri is only one of a series of luxury resorts by the Swiss-based hospitality group Aman Resorts, with 36 properties in 20 countries, all with the ‘Aman’ prefix, which means ‘peace’ in Sanskrit. (That includes Amanpuri in Phuket, Amanjena in Marrakech, and Amankora in Bhutan.) New destinations are set to open in Mexico, Dubai, and Miami Beach.

Novel: This Side of Paradise, 105 years later —

The first F. Scott Fitzgerald book I’ve ever read was The Great Gatsby. That was the seventh grade. If you ask me now, I can’t recall much; there’s a Daisy, Tom Buchanan, and something about green light on the docks. But the one thing that I can tell you, with confidence, is the theme that is common with all of Fitzgerald’s work: wealth, extravagance, and opulence in the Jazz age.

This past June, I cracked open the Fitzgerald files again and read This Side of Paradise, his first novel published over a century ago in 1920. Upon release, it became a hit among college students and kicked-started young Fitzgerald’s career (he was 23). A coming-of-age story, the novel follows the protagonist Amory Blaine as he navigates young adulthood. We get a peek into Amory’s mind and thought processes, through the lens of a self-conceited and egotistical character, one that is fixated with class and social status. It’s a story that began with hope and ambition, but ends with an impoverished and bitter Amory. A reader might find Amory obnoxious and understandably so. But more likely than not, one might also find a piece of themselves in the character. I would recommend this book, however, if you’re interested in plot lines and plot twists, you might find it boring.

Music —

• Born to Die by Lana Del Rey: If Fitzgerald represented 1920s Americana opulence and glamour in prose form, Lana Del Rey would be best described as the musician counterpart. This record is one hit song after the other; some popular (Summertime Sadness, Video Games, Ride) others, a sleeper hit (Off to the Races, Million Dollar Man). All perfect for the summer.

Movies & Shows —

There might be spoilers ahead!

• Sleepless in Seattle (1993): A romantic-comedy involving a man in Seattle (Tom Hanks), a woman from Baltimore (Meg Ryan), the Seattleite man’s son, a radio broadcast, air travel, and the Empire State Building. It feels one part holiday movie (probably because it began on Christmas) and involved something that Kevin McCallister would do. It’s a great lighthearted watch. Trailer here.

• La Piscine (1969): A psychological thriller set in the south of France, the film stars Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, and Jane Birkin (the original Birkin bag recently sold at an auction for $10 million USD). Ideally watched on a slow afternoon with AC on full blast.

• The Bear, Season 4 (2025): I wasn’t aware that the fourth season of the show came out until after the fact, but nonetheless finished the show in two afternoons. This season, the once semi-stressful and semi-anxiety-inducing Hulu drama series felt a bit calmer. Trailer here.

Field Notes —

• The weathiest who are buying a mountain range and private ski clubs.

• This morning, New York Magazine published a new print issue with the cover story titled ‘You Have No Idea How Furious the Canadians Are.’ I haven’t read it yet, but am looking forward to. The threat from the United States is a curious phenomenon, one that helped elect a Liberal leader, when Conservatives were thought to have a stronghold in the recent Canadian political landscape.

• May I interest you in a baguette holder?

• A support group for your Frank Lloyd Wright home. “There are annual Wright conferences. There’s an online message board. There are tours. And there is even a monthly closed-door, drop-in Zoom support session.”

• Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, is launching a messaging app powered by Bluetooth.

• Ted Childish, creative director of seekeveryone, managed to fool the general public with a Frank Ocean album release hoax. Ingenious or infuriating?

• ‘The Concorde-and-Caviar Era of Condé Nast, When Magazines Ruled the Earth.’

• And lastly, a moment for the graphics in this issue. I’m proud of how it turned out and love, love, love it.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed and have a great week ahead! Take care. — C. S. Indoors.

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“When I speak with young designers, I [tell] them shut your computer […] If you really want to see real things, real beauty, you have to go there by walking.” — Yohji Yamamoto, in conversation with the Business of Fashion.

Hello all, I hope everyone’s had a wonderful week. I’ve been spending my afternoons lounging on a sofa on the terrace; reading, sleeping, listening to great records and it’s my favorite thing to do as of late.

This week at the Journal, we will talk about all-things design. I’m also experimenting with new formats. The Zeitgeist begins with the Field Notes, a combination of stuff on my wishlist and what’s new in culture. Then, we discuss in-depth about the beauty of Bottega Veneta’s “craft” campaign and the visionary behind Charli XCX’s Brat.

I hope you enjoy.

1. If you’re looking for a (coffee table) book to find inspiration in, this HAY Phaidon Book ($29.97 USD) is great. HAY is a furniture design company based in Copenhagen, Denmark. I first became familiar with the brand through their minimal, yet playful Candy Mono bags. Below is a description of the book:

   Since its founding in 2002, HAY has been a beloved resource for colorful, playful, and functional designs. The first-ever book about the brand, HAY (2022) explores the origins and trajectory of the brand – from its founding in Copenhagen by husband-and-wife team Rolf and Mette Hay to its ever-growing roster of collaborations with designers and brands around the world.

2. And speaking of HAY, I am looking to get their table clock by Jasper Morrison ($65 USD).

3. There’s yet to be a mainstream version of Linkedin for creatives, but there is New Digital Commune, “A new social app built by creatives, for creatives.” It’s only available in the US and compatible with iOS for now. Couldn’t find much information about it (or their founders) online. If anyone’s ever used the platform, let me know your thoughts; I’m quite curious.

4. The Gustaf Westman and IKEA collaboration is coming in the fall and I’m excited; Westman is known for his chunky and colorful dish ware. I’d say, I could see Westman falling into the ranks of the Eames or Dieter Rams of the current generation. “Is that a Westman?!” “Yeah, it’s vintage from the 20s.”

5. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys has passed away. Rest in Peace. In My Room, Surfer Girl, and Surfin’ USA all have a special place in my heart.

6. Hailey Bieber’s rhode skin has been doing really well lately. The brand scored a $1 billion deal with Elf Cosmetics; products are soon-to-be in Sephora stores starting this fall; most recently, launched a campaign with Harris Dickinson to advertise their new glazing mist, presumably trying to tap into the male-consumer market. Honorable mention: the smart marketing with the rhode phone case.

7. 441 items belonging to David Lynch was up on auction. Lynch passed away earlier this January, leaving behind a notable legacy in the mystery and thriller cinema; of them include Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and the TV show Twin Peaks. After closing this Wednesday, some of the most expensive items sold include Lot 15: the unfinished Ronnie Rocket Film Screenplays ($195,000), Lot 278: the Lost Highway Script (also $195,000), and Lot 13: the Mulholland Drive Scripts ($104,000 and pictured above). The scripts were only estimated to sell at 200-300 bucks. The auction totaled over $4 million dollars.

8. Tokyo-based clothing brand Beams is now available to purchase in the United States.

9. A24’s new promotion for The Materialist: menofny.com

10. I recently got a pair of L. L. Beans Handsewn Moccasins. Moccasins are usually (and understandably) jumbled into the boat shoes category, as they look similar. The difference lies in the fact that Moccasins are not optimized for the waters. The specific pair I got, Blucher Mocs, are simpler than your typical boat shoes; there’s no rope-like detailing on the sides, but there are a few more eyes (the holes for shoelaces) than a boat shoes’ 1 or 2. Two things to note: (1) There is not much grip on the bottom of these shoes and it employs a rougher sole. (2) These shoes run large — I had to size 1.5 down, and even then there’s still some room, which is perfect for wearing with thicker socks in the autumn. I find them quite versatile; a pair that is somewhere in between your regular loafers and Chuck 70s.

“Craft is our Language” — Louis Trotter’s Bottega Veneta campaign involves hands and features creatives of all fields: Tyler the Creator (musician), Zadie Smith (writer), Julianne Moore (actress), Barbara Chase-Riboud (sculptor), and Lorenzo Musetti (tennis player) to name a few. The diversity in a variety of aspects is remarkable. But more importantly, it’s beautiful to see the attention on passion over product. In the words of Vogue Singapore, it’s a “series of portraits and short films that feel intimate, poetic, and refreshingly human.”

I believe that the qualities for a meaningful product are the message and the emotions that they evoke. These qualities create authenticity. The black-and-white images make you wonder, what are those hands doing and what do they mean? The short one-on-one interviews, where each artist expresses appreciation for their craft, bring out inspiration and draw meaning. It’s an essence only few brands can execute the right way.

Other things to notice are the Bottega partnerships in the literary scene. Recently, the brand has collaborated with The Atlantic Magazine to produce a series called The Writer’s Way. In the past, they’ve supported Air Afrique (this magazine, inspired by the now-defunct Pan African Airlines, is super cool) and a collection collaboration with the NYC-based bookstore The Strand.

Today, the Bottega brand does not have an official Instagram account. However, there is a fan account @newbottega, that has 1.6M followers. The brand deleted their Instagram back in 2021; at the time, under the creative leadership of Daniel Lee.

“Your first profiles painted you as shy. As you’ve acclimated, have you begun to feel more comfortable with the public parts of the role?

I don’t think I’m shy, but I want the focus to be on the work, not on me. I think about Martin Margiela—he was silent and everybody remembers the collections, but how many examples of contemporary houses can you recall where you remember the work before the person?”

Daniel Lee, in conversation with CULTURED.

The seventh of June marked one year of Charli XCX’s Brat. In the span of 365 days, the record (and its variations) went on to take a form of it’s own; influencing presidential campaigns, setting off a flurry of online memes, and defining the care-free, sloppy vibes for the summer of ‘24. It’s quite difficult to see lime green in the wild without thinking of Brat. The blurry Arial type against the repulsive “ugly” green (more specifically, #8ACE00) was an intentional design choice, and behind the front is an 8-persons creative studio called Special Offer, Inc.

Founded in 2014 by Brent Freaney, Special Offer is a web design agency, although their services extend broader in the creative field. For its one-year anniversary, Freaney, who is also the Art Director at i-D Magazine, posted a series of pictures that vaguely detailed the design process. Between Pantone swatches and cover demos, the one thing that stood out immediately in the photo carousel was Figma. The cover was designed on Figma.

I speak for all when I say I wish we could see inside those files. The design process for Brat took 5 months, where they looked at more than 500 shades of green (and eventually settled on Pantone 3507C). As Freaney told the New York Times, “The challenge became — how do I take this thing and make it something that is special? It’s a painfully simple cover, obviously, and I think that lends itself to the reason it’s been recreated in so many different ways.” One year onwards, it’s safe to say that the branding has cemented itself in the cultural zeitgeist.

That is all. Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great weekend. I know I’ll be spending mine flipping through magazines and watching the classics, outside of course. — C. S. Indoors.

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Hello all, it’s been a minute. Earlier this year found me in a whirlwind of things and before I knew it — spring, then summer. It’s been a while since I’ve published a letter, and I’m happy to be back. I’ve always been proud of the work I do here; all the hours I put into curating good content, stringing words together, creating beautiful graphics.

With warmer weather comes the sprouting of new leaves, but not without the pour and drizzle on gloomy days. It’s not too different from the human form. But it’s a fulfilling cycle to witness; the city stepping out of its shell; birds soaring and drifting through the sky; buskers out on the street; sunglasses sipping coffee outside sidewalk cafés.

In this ninth issue of Well Rounded, you will find personal project ideas to work on, a great 1977 record by Tatsuro Yamashita, a company called Palantir and more. For the first time, I’ve also wrote an 800-word Report, this one, about the Michelin Stars. Report might branch off into its own entity in the future. For now, you can read the entirety of it here. This week’s cover was inspired and is almost an exact replica of the Michelin Green Guide from the ‘80s. I hope you enjoy and thank you for sticking around. Also, new season, new byline. — C. S. Indoors.

They’re 15. Wait Until You Read Their Newspaper from the NYTimes

The Ditch Weekly is not your ordinary paper. A project led by 13-17 year olds in the Hamptons, it began when its 15 year old editor Billy was “looking for a summer job that was more stimulating than his usual gig squeezing lemons at a food truck.” Keep up with their work on their Instagram. Their next issue comes out July 4th.

This story’s great for multiple reasons. For one, whereas statistics on the youth seem to follow a pessimistic downwards trend, there is hope. For two, it’s inspiring. To see a level of proactiveness and community in creating something from scratch and having an outlet to pour your energy into, is motivational. Although it may be a story about teenagers, the general lesson can be applied to everyone.

I have some ideas in mind for a summer project or your 5-9 after your 9-5:

• Build a website, and there’s 2 ways to approach this:

  • Use a website builder, such as WIX or WordPress.

    • PRO: no web design experience is necessary; ability to integrate payment/shop features.

    • CON: a monthly fee to keep the website running; templates might look conventional.

  • Build from scratch with HTML and CSS

    • PRO: no fees. Write code using VSCode and host on Github, all for free.

    • CON: have to learn basic HTML and CSS (which is doable); website most likely view-only.

• Instagram Archive Account: The barrier to entry is virtually zero, but you’ll need a vision. Does your city have a “what’s happening in town” page? A confessions page? Or my favorite genre: curated moodboard pages. Sporty and Rich, Every Other Thursday, and JJJJound are all great examples of moodboard-turned-brand by curating a specific vision, cultivating a community, then creating something tangible.

• Newsletter: An obvious one.

• Creating a magazine/zine: Document your summer. Bring a camera around and take photos. Then infuse creativity to make a physical keepsake to share with friends and family. It will take more effort, but it will be equal parts rewarding. Play with the layout. The arrangement. Scrapbook or are we thinking sleek? The possibilities are endless. Adobe InDesign is commonly used to layout images. If you have an iPad, Procreate is the way to go.

What are you doing this summer?

Into the World of Michelin, and Its Stars — An original report by C. S. Indoors.

Last year, it was announced that the Michelin Guide — the guidebook that contains recommendations in cities and countries around the world, among which includes their famous Michelin Star ratings — will come to the province of Quebec for the first time. By Fall, anonymous inspectors dined and wined in restaurants throughout the province, where servers and line cooks can only speculate as to who might be an undercover reviewer.

To bring the guide to Quebec was not a simple feat. CBC News reported, “It costs money to get Michelin to send inspectors to a region. The Quebec version of the Michelin Guide cost $2.1 million, paid for by a coalition of associations and multiple levels of government. The money goes to Michelin and serves to pay for the cost of producing the guide.” The “coalition” includes tourism boards.

Michelin is a French-based car tire company — one of the largest in the world. The question is, how did a tire manufacturer become the gold standard in food industry ratings?

The answer is simple, and quite genius actually. The guide was created by the Michelin brothers — André and Édouard, founders of the company — to encourage more people to take the road and boost their car tire sales; basically a marketing move. Although the first iteration of the red guide was created in 1900, it was only in the 1920s that they began to take it more seriously by sending inspectors out to rate dining spots, getting rid of paid advertisements, and distributing these guides for a price, which were originally free.

The Michelin Stars might be the most well-known rating, but Michelin also has the Bib Gourmand (“Good quality, good value cooking”) and Recommended restaurants. A map by the Montreal Gazette shows all 102 locations of these recommendations in the city. Besides restaurant recs, the book also included information about hotels, maps, and technical information (like how to change tires).

On May 15th, three restaurants were awarded one Star in Montreal. Out of curiosity, I visited their websites to dig deeper. Reservation wait time varies from restaurant to restaurant. At Mastard, the next available reservation is in September. At Sabayon, where reservations are open once a month on the first Wednesday, you can find a table for August. On the other hand, Europea accommodates more people and tables are available for next day reservations.

Many produce at these restaurants are locally sourced and grown; menus are seasonal. Things you can find: A 6-course “surprise” tasting menu for $144 at Sabayon or a 5-course for $90 at Mastard. Spring seasonal ingredients include foie gras (French for “fatty liver,” the liver of a goose or duck) and Louis d'or (a type of cheese originating from Quebec).

My curiosity lies more on the logistics and economics behind. What does it take for a restaurant to earn a star? What does it take to become a Michelin inspector?

Today, there are more than 25 inspectors around the world.* Chris Watson, who was a former Michelin Inspector and served in the role for five years, has this to say: ““It’s a lonely life,” he said. “You travel three weeks a month. The fourth week, you’re in the office typing up reports — and even then, doing London restaurants in the evenings.”” Another inspector Pina Belfiore, who served in the role for 2 decades says the experience was “a dream, a calling, and an extraordinary and enjoyable experience,” involving a “cultural approach and significant curiosity.” Like Watson, she also mentions the toll that frequent travel and eating does to the body.

A restaurant would have been visited several times by different inspectors before a star is given. What distinguishes 1 star restaurants from 3 stars? “Personality,” Belfiore says.

To become an inspector requires quite a few qualifications. A recent job listing by Michelin detailed them, among which includes a degree in a hospitality-related field, 10+ years of experience, 3 weeks of monthly travel, no food allergies, and good writing skills that would come in handy for reports. Speaking Spanish is an asset. Pay? Starting at $90 - 100K, but one would have to be based in New York City. After getting the job, the inspector would shadow a senior for months before having the ability to evaluate. Once set free, they can eat up to 10 meals a week.

The landscape is changing a bit. With the presence of social media and online reservations that details phone numbers and credit card information, staying anonymous is becoming more difficult. One source wrote: “While we strive to remain anonymous, restaurants try to discover us. They engage in counter-espionage, sharing information to figure out who and where we are. Once, I arrived at a restaurant unannounced. After eating and paying, I introduced myself to the chef, as was the custom. Minutes later, a friend from the area texted me that the local chefs already knew about my presence. A waiter shared my photo via WhatsApp. Today, inspectors are instructed to never reveal their identity.” That leaves me with one last question. Who knows? “Of course, inspectors have lives and relationships—so it’s up to them [to decide] as to who they can trust. Personally, my immediate family is aware of what I do.”

Later this year, restaurants in Boston and Philadelphia are set to get their first stars.

Editor’s Note:

• * The number of inspectors seems to be inconsistent from year to year. This is the number given by the current international director of the Michelin Guide, Gwendal Poullennec in a 2024 interview. In a 2009 New Yorker article, the general director at the time, Jean-Luc Naret “tells journalists how many inspectors Michelin employs in France (about fifteen), throughout the world (ninety), and in the United States (ten).”

• After this newsletter was published, I learnt of Michelin’s expansion of the Michelin Guide to the American South later this year.

I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality on Youtube

You’ve heard of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook — the big names in tech. How about Palantir?

Founded in 2003, Palantir is a software company that create tools using AI to power data analytics on a large scale, based in Denver, Colorado. Last year, it was the best performing stock on the S&P 500, with a return of 340.5%. Its founders include Peter Thiel, one of the guys who invented PayPal.

Over the years, Palantir has scored huge contracts with well-familiar institutions — domestically and internationally — and with this brings much power and influence. In the States, they’ve had deals with intelligence agencies such as the FBI and a $1 billion contract with the U.S. Navy last November. Internationally, they have contracts with England’s National Health Service (NHS).

How Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture Changed America from Architectural Digest

At some point in time, you’ve probably came across Frank Lloyd Wright, the great American architect that built over 1000 structures throughout his life; most notably, the Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania, where it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and you can tour starting at $18/person (I’ve come across this Substack post by hauskeeping who visited the property and a few others; the photos are fantastic.) This video is a great introduction to the design ethos of Wright’s work, beginning with the Prairie style in his early career.

American Government: Constitutional Foundations from Harvard University

Harvard is offering a free online course about the US constitution. According to the description, some of the things you will learn include “the foundations of the American political culture” and “what individual rights are held by today’s Americans.”

Self-paced and a time commitment of 2-4 hours/week for 4 weeks.

• Un homme et une femme/A Man and a Woman (1966): Directed by Claude Lelouch. A French romantic film shot in black-and-white, sepia, and color; starring Anouk Aimée and Jean-Louis Trintignant. It’s a perfect watch for a rainy afternoon. The film won several awards; notably, the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, 2 Academy Awards, and 2 Golden Globes. The soundtrack is impeccable. Trailer here.

• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003): Your classic early 2000s rom-com starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. Featuring a special rendition of “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon. Trailer here.

• The Phoenician Scheme (2025, In Theaters): I went to see the new Wes Anderson film the other day at the cinema. The cinematography’s great; all classic Wes Anderson style: yellow-hued colors, symmetric frames, a classic wardrobe. I had a bit of trouble following the storyline, but the humor makes up for it. Give it a watch. Trailer here.

Records I’ve been listening to lately and would recommend:

• Pure Heroine by Lorde: A classic coming-of-age story in sounds. Feelings that may arise: nostalgia, longing, brief-contentment, I-don’t-want-to-grow-up. Best listened: on a rainy evening walk just before sunset. Lorde was 16 when she put out this album.

• Summertime by Paul Desmond: Some jazz-y background tunes while working or while laying on your couch and thinking. Desmond happens to also be part of the quartet that created the genre’s most popular track, Take Five.

• SPACY by Tatsuro Yamashita: You can’t find him on Spotify or any streaming service. However, you will find his songs on Youtube where enthusiasts re-upload tracks that regularly disappear. Described as the re-inventor of Japanese City Pop, this record will fill you with joy as his vocals oscillate back and forth between high and low. In some ways, his music’s similar to Stevie Wonder.

That is it. Thank you for reading the ninth issue of Well Rounded, and I hope you enjoyed. Keep up with future editions and have a lovely evening. — C. S. Indoors.

Good evening everyone! Hope all’s been well. Welcome to The Zeitgeist and Welcome to March (although we’re half way through). Happy Sunday and Happy St. Patrick’s.

Although February saw some of the heaviest snowfall of the season—there were two days where expected snow was 40cm (15.75in) each—March presents itself with more sunlight and dryer streets. The transition phase to Spring is now. Anyways, a new month means a new Spotify playlist and with this one, I’m bringing out nostalgia. On the mix this month, we have tunes from Cage The Elephant, Peter Bjorn & John, Tchaikovsky, and more. It’s a great assortment; take a listen here.

Today’s Zeitgeist cover went through very many iterations. There were several nights where found myself up past midnight having spent hours working on minor tweaks and details. Taking inspiration from vintage candy wrappers and packaging, find the documentation with references and specifications of the design here.

And lastly, this sixth issue is filled with great resources; from Virgil Abloh, to space graphic manuals and picture frames, I hope you find something to inspire or something to love. This issue has been on the back burner for a while and I’m happy to finally share.

Notes: (1) This letter is picture-heavy and too long for email. For the best experience, view in app. (2) There are dozens of links in this newsletter, but none of them are affiliate links. (3) Enjoy the read!

To Build From Scratch —

Virgil Abloh was a designer. You may be familiar with his name from his work at Off-White (where he was founder), his menswear direction at Louis Vuitton (2018 - 2021), or his creative role on Kanye West’s DONDA team.

He passed away in 2021, but his legacy lives on. I recently visited a website of his, “Free Game,” where I remember finding years ago. He created this 12-step guide to starting a brand, beginning from “how to name your brand” to “how to find blanks” and “how to make a website.” Although basic, it’s great introductory knowledge to building a project. The website’s header reads:

“Below please find a resource center for brands in their earliest phases. This resource was born as I was working to summarize answers to all my most frequently asked questions. The goal of this resource is to uplift more than a few. I will continue to open doors for those that come from the fringe and help them be awarded opportunities usually left for the center.”

Visit the Free Game website here. Thinking of Virgil also reminded me of an email exchange I remembered seeing somewhere on the internet between him and Samuel Ross, creator of the fashion label, A COLD WALL*.

““I [Ross] found him on Instagram and said to myself, ‘Is there any point in even fucking following him, he has over 100k followers, I have 40.’ What was the point in this? But I said ‘fuck it’ and decided to follow him.”

He woke up to an e-mail from Abloh the next day.

The conversations that ensued would allow Ross to share the diverse body of work that he had already created and thus cultivate opportunities to create even more. The result? A few projects for Hood By Air, some print and design work and artwork for rapper Travis Scott.” (Via Maekan’s interview with Ross. Read the full conversation here.)

It reminded me of the saying, luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Things can stay stagnant for months, but it can also change overnight.

It’s a good thought to keep in mind.

The NASA Graphics Standards Manual —

Coming of age in the era of the internet means information is more accessible than ever. As a child, I spent hours sifting and scouring the internet looking for entertainment, whether that be YouTube travel videos—a favorite pastime, where I naively declared I was going to go backpacking and interrail-ing across Europe when I got older (that hasn’t happened, yet)—or digging the web to find PDF documents, whether that be writings, manuals, or graphics. I really am fond of beautifully-made things. Of the things I’ve came across, my pedestal item was the 60-page, 1976 NASA Graphics Standards Manual PDF.

Rediscovering this document now, I still think it’s cool. I’m sharing this in hopes that you’ll love it the same way I did. The full PDF—from the NASA website—is linked here.

And a little side note, in tandem with this hobby was an Epson printer we had at home. Because I loved having physical copies of things, printing these documents in the hundreds of pages and arranging them into my binder was a frequent occurrence.

Clothes & Wear —

• My favorite socks are from Uniqlo. During the Winter, the thick and warm Heat-Tech socks are the best. My first pair, a white with red and blue stripes (very patriotic, yes) from 2022 are still intact. There’s also the thinner, ribbed pairs that are perfect for the Summer. I purchased two last month in the 10 Pink and 84 Blue colorways and they truly are great. They retail at $3.90 USD each.

• Front General Store — Boxer Shorts ($40 USD). The patterns and colors on these are perfect. 100% Cotton, Made in Japan. They come in pink + yellow + blue pinstripe patterns, neutral plaid colors, and a really cool patchwork one.

• Cherry Los Angeles’ archive sale. They make such unique, cowboy/ Western-esque style pieces. Some standouts: Sun-Faded Painter Pants ($120 USD), Mountain Sherpa Pants ($130 USD).

• Have you seen the new green BODE x Nike Astrograbbers?

Back to The Basics —

I got a digital camera, one in the Canon Powershot A500 series.

My first digital camera was a similar model, which I bought in 2022. I loved it, but dropped it into the ocean and broke it. Back then, I bought the camera for around 30 bucks. Three years later, I cashed out 150 for this one on eBay.

But no regrets. I bring this little guy with me everywhere in my pocket. It’s fun to pull a physical object (besides my phone) to document things around me. I love that I can capture the atmosphere around, the people around, the sounds around, and the places around me. It also encouraged creativity in a different way; for one, it’s where I can experiment with making little videos and for two, I am paying more attention to the world around me.

Some listings on eBay that I found to be similar to my camera:

• Canon PowerShot A530 5.0MP Compact Digital Camera ($79.95 USD)

• Canon PowerShot A540 6.0MP Digital Camera (Bidding, currently at $34 USD)

When purchasing on eBay, always make sure to do your due diligence.

Aesop, Aesop, and Aesop! —

Last December—between the lull of Christmas and New Years—I paid a visit to the Aesop Store at Petit Bourgogne. It’s a beautiful store, nested on the side of a narrow sidewalk. The sales assistant told me the boutique design took inspiration from a Jazz Club. Very fun. I went in with the intention of only buying a room spray (Istros, $61 USD), but I left with an additional Resurrection Hand Cream (2.6oz, $33 USD). They are my first two Aesop items and I love it.

Field Notes —

• A website that rated over 100 food spots in NYC.

• 58 Jazz Luminaries Assembled For This Photo. Only One Remains.

• A Look Back At Princess Diana's Travels Around The World.

• 1950s Herman Miller Collection Catalog ($250 USD).

• BODE opens in Paris.

Thank you for reading Issue Six of The Zeitgeist and I hope you enjoyed. I’ll be back when I have good things to share. Have a great week ahead and good night! — Kind regards, CS.

Into the Indoors, 2025 — Montreal, QC.

“There’s a world where I can go / And tell my secrets to / In my room / In my room / In this world I lock out / All my worries and my fears” — In My Room, The Beach Boys.

Hello all, good evening, and welcome back. We’re nearing the end of January, but I hope your resolutions are still going on strong. For many, this month is a fresh start. Some people make a list of goals they hope to accomplish. Some enter the year without any specific intentions, but look forward to a positive year ahead. Others find that when the clock strikes twelve and outside goes a parade of cars honking and fireworks going off in the distance, it’s just about the same day as any—it’s indifferent. All of them are fine. Today, I curated these articles with the intention for you to think and reflect on the topics of society, productivity, and wellness. See what’s to leave behind and what to move forward with.

This week’s (really cool) cover design of Well Rounded takes inspiration from many, and a full breakdown will be lengthy, but necessary. So I prepared a document where I dive into the process, references, & specifics.

Lastly, I want to offer my sincere thank you to you for continuing to care about my work. I really do appreciate it. I hope you enjoy and cheers to another year around the sun. It’s going to be a good one.

People & Society — The Anti-Social Century from The Atlantic

First point—which is unrelated to the content of the article—is the amazing cover graphics by Berlin-based Max Guther for this piece (pictured above). Very cool 3D-rendered, Sims-like avatar characters. He also designed the homepage graphics of the Drake Related site. You could create a similar model on Blender—a free-to-use software to create 3D objects.

Back to the topic. For the past few years, I’ve seen people make “ins” and “outs” list; what habits they want to adopt or get rid of. “Less time online” is certainly in most peoples’ out—me included. Most recently, I’ve come across a post that asks the internet this exact question. The top-liked comment was, “in: being more present, out: doom scrolling on social media.” I think 2024 was the year where we collectively felt the adverse effects of spending so much time online (or what the internet calls being “chronically online”) that we’re starting to take a step back and reflect on our relationship with it. People spend a lot of time scrolling and there’s a term—brain rot—that was ironically coined by the internet itself to describe excessive internet usage. So it’s not surprising nor new that statistics show aloneness among the people is rising. Technology is everywhere, it’s impossible to escape. But honestly, who can blame who? As I’m writing this in a coffeehouse, I spent 10 bucks on a Matcha Latte. It’s only so common that I hear, “I can’t leave the house without spending $50.“ And so the online escape persists.

Observations and conversations tell me that TikTok has been one of the popular apps in which people spend a large portion of time on. I can definitely speak for myself in the past. But last September, I deleted the app (only re-downloading it briefly during the holidays, and other odd times), and you’d be surprised at how fast you adapt to it being gone. If I think about my time on the app, I can’t tell you what useful information the algorithm served me. I also rarely have the Instagram app on my phone. When needed, I use the web browser or open on desktop.

This essay by The Atlantic is very well done. The writer Derick Thompson begins by explaining the shift in social society with the invention of cars and television sets from the 70s. Beginning 2000s, with the innovation of portable technology like mobile phones, isolationism is only becoming more prevalent; from the design of modern-day homes (TV in every bedroom) to relationships (dating apps, texting instead of face-to-face) to the way we present ourselves to the world (think 5 AM morning routine videos of cold showers, gym, supplements with the underlying message of “being one step ahead of other people & proudly solo”) to broader events (polarization in the recent US election), the influence runs deep in our culture.

Here’s a striking excerpt:

“In a healthy world, people who spend lots of time alone would feel that ancient biological cue: I’m alone and sad; I should make some plans. But we live in a sideways world, where easy home entertainment, oversharing online, and stunted social skills spark a strangely popular response: I’m alone, anxious, and exhausted; thank god my plans were canceled.”

I mention this article because I think it’s worthwhile to reassess our relationship with the web—the advantages, disadvantages, and what we can do to improve our quality of life. After all, if the small decisions we made as a society led us here, we can also create habits that lead us back to a social one.

“No one can say precisely how to change a nations’ moral-emotional atmosphere, but what’s certain is that atmospheres do change. Our smallest actions create norms. Our norms create values. Our values drive behavior. And our behaviors cascade.”

Productivity — What makes work meaningful? from the Harvard Business Review

“We found that being in a state of awareness helped people experience more meaningful work week-to-week. […] They become more attuned to their coworkers and their everyday interactions, are more active listeners, stronger communicators, and understand more clearly the context behind people’s words and actions (including their own)”

We spend a lot of time at work and with this time, our identities intertwine. “About four-in-ten [American] workers (39%) say their job or career is extremely or very important to their overall identity (Pew Research Center).” You may love, like, dislike, hate your job, but at the end of the day, it’s important to be somewhat content, or at least develop a co-existential relationship with your work to keep your personal wellbeing at bay.

The piece explores how awareness plays a role in meaningful work, as well as small habits to perform to inch closer towards achieving this awareness. They include mindfulness, journalling, fostering relationships, and feedback sessions. The article goes in-depth.

Wellness — Why Is the American Diet So Deadly? from The New Yorker

Europeans say that the food in America is unhealthy. Other complaints: un-walkable and how gaining weight is so much easier in the country. It does not help that stores like Costco sells things in bulk—many of them packaged and processed—at really good prices.

When I’m at the grocery store, it’s difficult to overlook frozen food when they’re so much more convenient. Pop a frozen dish in the microwave for a minute or two and viola, you have dinner. Chinese, Indian, or Western—don’t worry, they have it all.

But still, I try to be discerning when shopping for food. I check the Nutritional Facts label, and specifically eye the Sugar and Sodium percentage. Truthfully speaking though, I don’t have a metric to compare these numbers to. What % is considered high? And what’s low? And if I examine the label closer, what’s High Fructose Corn Syrup in the ingredients?

It’s only recently that the term “Ultra-Processed Food (UPFs)” entered the mainstream, first coined by Brazilian epidemiologist (someone who studies infectious diseases) Carlos Monteiro.

“According to Monteiro’s NOVA Food Classification System, Group 1 foods are unprocessed or minimally processed: nuts, eggs, vegetables, pasta. Group 2 includes everyday culinary ingredients: sugar, oils, butter, salt. Butter and salt your pasta, and you have a Group 3 food: processed, but not automatically unhealthy. But add a jar of RAGÚ Alfredo sauce—with its modified cornstarch, whey-protein concentrate, xanthan gum, and disodium phosphate—and you’re biting into Group 4 ultra-processed fare. […] If you can’t make it with equipment and ingredients in your home kitchen, it’s probably ultra-processed.”

This article follows the author Dhruv Khullar in learning about UPFs through observing trial experiments and having conversations with experts, where research seems to only be new and views, opposing and controversial.

I personally follow a simple rule of thumb; limit the amount of food in packages (ramen, chips); replace with fresh substitutes (vegetables, meat).

Casual Readings —

I finished reading The Sun Also Rises, a novel written by Ernest Hemingway; published 1926. It’s a straightforward read; there is no need for deciphering any words, which is nice. Sentences are simple and descriptive adjectives are limited. It’s his “Iceberg Theory” that I mentioned in an earlier newsletter; less is more and basic wording can paint a vivid picture in the mind. In some ways, it allows certain dynamics and relationships to be interpreted uniquely to each reader, which I think is what the book itself is most remarkable for. Story-wise, there wasn’t exactly a build-up to a climax. It was more of a scene-piece; of the Lost Generation and the period after World War I in Western Europe. The novel depicts the drinking and café culture of Paris, then the bull-fighting fiestas in Pamplona (Spain), somewhere between Spring and Summer. For some reason in my head, I pictured Northern Italy of Call Me By Your Name.

Now back in the swing of life, I frankly do not have much time to read. But I’m working my way through Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch; published 2013. I bought this book over a year ago, read about an-eighth way through, and somehow never picked it back up. But I’m starting over. Tartt’s writing style is the complete opposite of Hemingway’s; very descriptive. This should be interesting and I am excited to get into it.

Tu Parles Français? —

One of your goals this year might be to learn a new language. It surely is one of mine.

I want to improve my French. To start, I took myself to a French-language bookstore here in the city to find a novel. My store of choice: Librairie Le Port de tête, located at 269 avenue du Mont-Royal Est. You know what they say. The best way to learn a new language is through immersion, and if you can’t do it in person, the second best way is through books. I’m lucky to have both. But still, it's going to be a patient process, where I will be reading with the book on one hand and Google Translate on the other. But I’ve learnt more than a few words already. The book in question is Albert Camus’ The Strangers (or should I say L’ Étranger). It's an interesting choice though. Of the few words I learnt in the first two pages, they include dead (morte), deceased (décédé), and funeral (enterrement). C’est okay.

Five Great Videos —

Some videos I recently enjoyed. And for your convenience, I added all of these videos into a Youtube playlist.

• what’s good in new york? (by Emma Chamberlain). Home video meets street interview with a touch that makes it personal. Emma walks around the Big Apple, exploring the good and bad.

• The Day After 9/11 (by Duncan Skiles). This video is made with footage of New York City on Sept. 12 & 13, 2001. Shot on a camcorder, it brings about an atmosphere with no narration.

• The Marías: No One Noticed | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. A beautiful performance.

• THE SUBSTANCE | Making-Of Featurette | MUBI. A 30-minute behind the scenes video of the body-horror film. Really interesting to see how the special effects were made, with minimal CGI.

• This Met interview from last year with Jeff Goldblum.

Field Notes —

• I found myself featured in a recent The Weekender (Substack’s newsletter), in the Arts and Photography section. It’s an image from one of my notes’ mood board. The photo itself was sourced from Pinterest. Merci, Substack.

• I’ve been regularly updating the January Spotify playlist throughout the month. We have a mix with Lana Del Rey, Alex G, The Beach Boys and more. Take a listen before the February/2025 playlist drops in the next newsletter.

• I’ve done four written interviews with creatives in the past—all taking different themes—as part of The Conversation Series. If you’re looking to feel inspired, visit the catalog here.

Thank you for reading the eighth issue of Well Rounded. I appreciate your time. Maybe go for a walk, take in the views, and reflect a bit. Take it easy. Anyways, I hope you have a great week ahead.

-CS

“He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” — The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho.

“Oh it’s the same old fish / Swimming in a new sea / And times don’t change / But they can surely leave” — Junior Varsity, Dayglow.

Winter is in full swing. December 3rd in the afternoon saw the first proper snow day of the season. It snowed a day earlier, but only a thin blanket that disappeared within hours. Fast forward to the present—a couple days after Christmas—the sidewalks are covered in snow slush down below, but bright lights stringing above. The streets themselves are inviting; alive with music and people and a joyful atmosphere.

Hello and welcome. Happy holidays and I hope you’ve been enjoying this time of year, with or without company. This December, I haven’t been writing much (hence the month-long hiatus), but I’m back with lots to share! This issue five will include a bit of everything; recent film watches, readings, clothing finds, fine stationery recommendations, and other miscellaneous news. I sectioned them into nine parts by topic. Feel free to skim through. I do think that there’s a bit of something for all to enjoy!

(Disclaimer: None of the product linked are affiliate links.)

Section 1: Writing tools & creativity

Technology is advancing at an incredibly fast rate. But I think in terms of creative pursuits, all-things digital just cannot replicate the traditional pen-and-paper experience; to create with something tangible and physical. Here, I share my favorite tools.

1. My pen of choice is the Pilot G-Tec-C4 in Black ($14.5 USD, pack of 5). My thoughts often time run faster than I can write them down, but this one does the trick. This pen glides so smoothly on the surface of paper with minimal pressure and it’s satisfying to jot things down. It’s perfect for everyday use.

2. Something a bit more fancy for special occasions would be the Safari Fountain Pen by LAMY, a German pen company. Retails at $37 USD apiece. They come in a variety of colors and five nib sizes, embodying a sleek design.

3. Now if you prefer a pencil, I’d suggest the Pentel P205 ($6.5 USD apiece). Depending on your preference of lead thickness, they come in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 lead sizes in the models P203, P205, and P207 respectively; all great options.

4. Something that could bring out the interesting in the mundane is a Mount Fuji eraser ($5 USD apiece). As you start to use and wear down the eraser, it begins to shape like the mountain with frosted tips.

5. A few months ago, I invested in a Moleskine Notebook ($25 USD, Softcover, 5 x 8.25 in). For a notebook they’re quite pricey, but I’ve always admired them in the past and there surely is some luxury in carrying a Moleskine. Quality is great. But do consider your preference for a soft or hardcover. I purchased the hardcover, only realizing later that I have a preference for a soft that can comfortably spread on a flat surface.

6. An alternative for notebooks: the Kokuyo Campus ($14 USD, set of 3). Very soft pages and lightweight; perfect if you need to own multiple notebooks/bulk buy for school or university.

For most products mentioned here, I do think you get a better value if you shop local. In Montreal, the best place I find stationery is at Papeterie Nota Bene at 3416 Park Ave, in the McGill area. They carry a really good selection of papers, books, pens, planners, you name it; and many of them are from Japan, which is always top-tier. The staffs are very knowledgable in the products, I cannot recommend them more.

Section 2: Films in the theaters & movies at home

I’ve been consuming a whole lot of movies this month that began in the theater with Sean Baker’s Anora—the film that won Palme d’Or this year at the Cannes Film Festival (the festival’s top award). From there it snowballed, to watching Luca Guadagnino’s Queer—which I’ve been anticipating—and most recently, A Complete Unknown, a biographical film of musician Bob Dylan, starring Timothee Chalamet as he.

Anora followed Sean Baker’s line of films exploring sex work; this one specifically was set in Brighton Beach in New York City involving the son of an oligarch. Queer, adapted from William Burroughs’ novel of the same name, followed American expatriates in 1950s Mexico City, and explored the relationship between two men. A Complete Unknown recounted the early years of Dylan’s folk music career, navigating breakthrough, genre shifts, and romantic relationships.

Back at home, I spent my evenings in the dark watching the classics. To get into the holiday spirit, I screened It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) and it sure was a wonderful film, although with a bit of a dark undertone. Impeccable acting by James Stewart. I also re-watched The Holdovers. I didn’t enjoy it the first time around, but this time had me a change of mind. You’d like the movie if you liked Dead Poets Society. Someone mentioned how there were parallels between both films and it’s true.

Another movie I watched at home: Citizen Kane (1941), directed by Orson Welles and considered one of the best films of all time. My initial thought was that it was okay; however, I read that it’s a movie that ages like fine wine. Maybe in five, ten, fifteen years, I’ll see the movie differently with rewatches. There’s a whole lot of details in the film itself. Welles made use of a technique called “Deep Focus,” where the background of each scene is in full view without a blurring effect like many modern day film. It’s hard to catch all the details on the first watch.

On another note, A24 has been killing it. The Brutalist looks really good. It’s not out in theaters in Montreal as of current, but I’m excited to see it next month when it will be. A historical epic, I am excited to see Adrien Brody back on the big screen playing an old-time piece, especially after his brilliant performance in The Pianist. The movie trailer is quite perfect, conveying a strong feeling and a clear tone of the movie, but giving away little about the storyline itself. In fact, besides the movie score, the only phrase said was “Welcome to America.” Public consensus says movie trailers nowadays give out too much. That it spoils the premises and exposes the plot. I’m not a movie connoisseur, but I do admire how Citizen Kane and Breakfast at Tiffany’s did theirs; where outtakes, specifically-for-trailer clips, and breaking the fourth wall was a thing. Maybe it would be nice to see some innovation in that area now.

And one last thought: I do believe that it’s important to see all types of genres in film. I have a preference for light-hearted easy-to-follow movies, but I try my best to venture out in other categories. Having taken an introductory film class in college certainly helped me in that area, where I watched works ranging from Alfred Hitchcock to Sofia Coppola. One memorable movie was Blue Velvet, where some scenes were grotesque—something I wouldn’t have watched on my own—but I’m glad I did because the storyline and execution was amazing. There’s something to learn or appreciate from each film, sometimes when you don’t expect it.

Section 3: At the Newsstand

A few weeks ago at the newsstand, I came across a story in Esquire; an account of homelessness in America by a former Boston Globe reporter, Patrick Fealey. Struck by manic depression, his life flipped upside down.

“I go to Walmart that night and will sleep there every night. But the police will continue to come as if I’m some kind of one-man crime wave. […] They are so afraid. I know I look disheveled, but I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with me intellectually or spiritually.”

I’d recommend you read the full article. Patrick is one of the 653,104 people experiencing homelessness in America (as of Jan. 2023). A follow-up article reported that a New England family, moved by the story, has set up a GoFundMe page for Patrick and so far, it’s raised $186,900 USD from 3000 donations. If you feeling generous this holiday season, here’s the link to donate.

Kudos to Esquire for giving a space to voice those unheard.

Section 4: Objects of Interest

• One object of interest I came across recently is Brick. Priced at $50 USD, it’s a palm-sized magnetic block that works as a physical tapping mechanism to activate a Screen Time limit. To lock or unlock certain apps on your phone, it would require you to tap the brick. Here’s their website.

• Peanuts character envelopes by Graphique ($13 USD, pack of 16).

• A great coffee table book ideally should not only serve an aesthetic purpose, but also a functional one (like a source of inspiration). I think the Milton Glaser Pop book ($45 USD) does just that. Milton Glaser was a graphic designer who co-founded New York Magazine and designed the well-recognized I heart New York logo. While browsing through the design section at a bookstore, I found myself snapping multiple photos of his design for reference; they’re just so unique.

• The best stuffed teddy bear you can purchase.

• I really like the silhouette of this Miu Miu Avetura Nappa Leather bag. It offers a resemblance to the Birkin, but maybe more in terms of its capacity to hold a ton of stuff. It retails in the $3500 USD range, but it’s pretty much sold out everywhere.

• I loved the updated tour of Kendall Jenner’s cozy home on Architectural Digest. One thing that caught my eye was the custom couch, a collaboration between BODE and Green River Project (The founder/co-founder of each, Emily Bode and Aaron Aujla, are actually married). The L-shaped furniture is in the style of BODE’s senior cords; mustard yellow with various memorabilia etched onto the fabric. To have that on a whole couch is really cool.

• One thing you should never go cheap on is dental floss. One thing you should spend a bit more on to enhance your life is hand soap. In between generic and Aesop is Mrs. Meyers Hand Soap. I have the Lavender and Rain-scented ones and they are lovely.

Section 5: Into the Public Domain

Here’s an exciting news to kick off the new year: Beginning January 1st, incredible works are entering the public domain. Some notable ones include the specific cartoons of Popeye The Sailor Man, works of Frida Khalo, and Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms.

From my understanding, when a work enters the public domain, it essentially becomes the property of the general public and loses any copyright protection it once had. Anyone can reproduce the work or use it in a new piece of art. Generally speaking, in the United States for example, work enters the public domain 95 years after publication. But it becomes a bit complicated since public domain laws varies from country to country and there are nuances in specific cases. Also, certain variation of a work might still be under copyright. For example, the original Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse is in the public domain, but more recent ones are copyrighted. So of course, always do your research in the works you’re interested in using.

Two online libraries to access public domain works are:

• Library of Congress - for images, art

• Project Gutenberg - for eBooks

Section 6: Readings

Currently reading Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (1926). I’m in quite deep and it’s an easy read where words coming together quite nicely. When I think of classics, there’s the assumption that it’s going to be difficult to follow, like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, but that’s not always the case and I’m happy that that is so. Hemingway approaches writing in a sparse manner using his “Iceberg Theory.” Essentially having to interpret meaning in between the simple lines. One thing to note is that the novel does contain derogatory terms. And also, if you’re interested in reading, the book is in the public domain.

And speaking of books, I’ve been enjoying visits to different bookstores around the city. Although smaller, independent bookstores carry a smaller selection of books, they are very well curated; in some ways making it easier to pick a book if you find yourself indecisive or would like to select a read at random. Locally, I like to head south of the island to Librairie Saint-Henri Books, located at 4622 Rue Notre Dame.

Section 7: Clothing Finds

• Really love the Australian-based clothing brand, Observe Gallery. They recently dropped their SS25 collection online and what caught my eyes were their Article Stamp Plaid Shirt ($96 USD) and the Stamp tee ($51 USD). A warmer piece I like is the blue-black Wool/Mohair Striped Knit ($127 USD). They’re such versatile pieces by itself or for layering.

• Japan-based AURALEE has been killing it with their collaborations lately. Tekla, KITH, and most recently New Balance. I like that there is a reoccurring theme among these collaborations, which is the brand’s distinct and recognizable color palette of blues, greys, and neutrals.

• Montreal-based clothing brand École de Pensée is having a boxing day sale, 50% off sitewide. The one item that stood out to me was their oversized rust brown-colored wool/mohair cardigan ($496 $248 USD).

Section 8: Music

Old Lana Del Rey songs have been in the earphones and on the speakers quite a bit lately; that’s when I know it’s winter. Very much All-American vibes. I rediscovered Dayglow and took the time to appreciate how good of a record Fuzzybrain is. Other artists I’ve enjoyed are The Beach Boys and SADE. A bit of Bob Dylan too because I saw A Complete Unknown the other day. Anywho, I have a new playlist for you. Enjoy.

Field Notes:

⭑ The North Face X SKIMS Collaboration in Earth tones (Dec 10) ⭑ Pantone’s color of the year: Mocha Mousse ⭑ A Fun Wes Anderson-style Ritz Carlton video ad ⭑ AURALEE Autumn-Winter 24 Show ⭑ Miniature furnitures ⭑ “In The Mood For Love” interactive film analysis ⭑ Harper Bazaar Netherlands X Thomas Lelu Nov. Cover ⭑ “Helping Students Find Their Way to College” ⭑ Your favorite fashion Instagram account is on Substack () sharing their clothing recommendations ⭑ (Bottega’s) Matthieu Blazy moves to Chanel ⭑ Treat yourself with an item from the well-curated gift guide of ’s newsletter, SL Selects ⭑

I hope you’ve enjoyed this fifth issue of The Zeitgeist and thank you for an amazing year. Have a great night and I’ll see you again, in 2025!

-CS

Hi everyone, long time no see. Apologies for the sudden incognito; I’ve been caught up in the fast pace of life. Here in Montreal, Christmas markets are popping up and ice rinks are in full swing. The first fall of snow should arrive at any minute now. It’s an exciting time of the year to be in. Anyways, I am thrilled to be here today to present to you a new issue of Well Rounded, with a different cover! I thought it might be fun to experiment a bit more with the graphics here. Inspired by vintage NYMag subscription cards and early 1900s Atlantic covers, I’m happy with how it turned out. I’ll detail the color pattern and type below in the Design section, along with the references.

And of course, I hope you’ve had a wonderful day. In the past few weeks, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking and reading—and I hope these curated reads today will encourage you to do the same. Also peek at a short Field Notes section with wardrobe recommendations at the end. Enjoy!

Profiles & Conversations:

“Emma Chamberlain Is Reconsidering Her Dream Job” from the New York Times

In recent years, a regular habit of mine on Thursdays and Sundays is to tune in to Emma Chamberlain’s podcast Anything Goes on my walks. I appreciate her philosophies and approach to life—her reflection of personal dilemmas and presenting possible solutions to navigate through them. I like her emphasis on living a “fulfilled” but not “perfect” life because “that’s just not possible.” Throughout my hours of listening time, one quality of hers remain consistent: authenticity.

In her most recent collaboration with Warby Parker, the brand’s chief merchandising officer told the NYTimes in her profile, “Ms. Chamberlain showed up to meetings with mood boards of eyewear from the 1960s and 1990s, and made suggestions about silhouettes, tints, etching and temple curvature.” This involvement and intentionality presents itself well in the things she put out (see: Chamberlain Coffee Campaign, Warby Campaign). Being able to infuse her personality into everything she touches also brings about new opportunities for her career, allowing for a smooth transition from the influencer realm to high fashion, without following any specific blueprint. From fashion week with heritage-rich fashion houses to becoming the Met Gala’s interviewer for the past few years running—they all seem to be a product of this quality and how they resonate with viewers.

“Truman Capote, The Art of Fiction No. 17” from The Paris Review

And traveling sixty years back, I also enjoyed this Truman Capote interview with The Paris Review in 1957, just a year before his Breakfast At Tiffany’s novella was published, and subsequently adapted to the big screen, starring Audrey Hepburn.

In this conversation, Capote spoke thoroughly about writing—what makes them good, techniques, and inspirations.

INTERVIEWER: Are there devices one can use in improving one's technique?

CAPOTE: Work is the only device I know of. Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade, just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself.

Truman was also quite an interesting character himself. A work of his, which was supposed to be his Magnum Opus, led to his downfall. In 1975, Capote published his “La Côte Basque, 1965,” in Esquire Magazine, a roman à clef and exposé, detailing scandalous stories of New York’s high society circle. The subjects? Upper East Side and 5th Avenue society friends of his spanning decades, dubbed “the swans.” They included Babe Paley (once an Editor at Vogue, wife to CBS Network executive William Paley), Slim Keith (married to an English Aristocrat), Bouvier sisters (Jackie Kennedy and her sister) and other socialites. Blindsided after the excerpt was published, the swans never spoke to him again. Vanity Fair wrote a great narrative-style breakdown on the whole story, if you’re interested. Read it here.

Fiction: “Minimum Payment Due” from The New Yorker

“I spent the first few weeks lying on a couch, staring up at the ceiling, trying to pretend I wasn’t self-conscious about having a conversation with a stranger while in a supine position. There was a box of tissues beside me on the floor, the presumption being, I suppose, that I would eventually have a breakthrough in which the tears would flow freely, providing me with clarity and the ability to pay off my bills.”

This was a great piece by Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, touching on the human condition behind “the perfect portfolio” façade. The fiction also explored modern-day societal ailments: loneliness, overconsumption, and impulsivity.

Design: Issue Thirty Six: Like and Subscribe from on Substack

Not a read, but a good curation of vintage magazine subscription cards by Casual Archivist’s Elizabeth Goodspeed. Big bold typography, catchy taglines. These were my favorites:

Can we appreciate how cheaper magazine subscriptions cost back in the day? (Inflation, I know, I know).

Inspired by the NYMag cards above, here are the design details regarding this week’s cover. I didn’t use the blue but together, these four swatches make such a nice combination. The type, Neue Kabel—with a variety of weights—also makes a great choice for a bold statement or smaller subheadings. They’re available on Adobe Fonts.

One Great Story: “How the tiny Carribean island of Anguilla has turned the AI boom into a digital goldmine” from the Associated Press

Anguilla—a British Overseas Territory—nested in the Caribbean with a small population of 15,000 people and a land mass about 1/8 the size of New York City (specifically, the country covers 91km² of land), is experiencing benefits from the recent AI boom and it could be traced back to their control over the ‘.ai’ Internet address (that is, website names that ends with .ai) from the 90s. Last year, they made $32 million from those domain names alone, and to put it into perspective, it’s 20% of their government’s revenue.

I was curious to see how much an .ai domain would cost so I visited Namecheap, a place to search and buy domain names.

Turns out it’s $80 USD per year in comparison to the usual .com, which goes for only 12 bucks. That’s a x6 markup.

A Long Weekend Read: “How the Ivy League Broke America” from The Atlantic

Elite, prestige, exclusivity. The Ivy League. In this article, David Brooks takes us from understanding the societal ideal of a “Well-Bred Man” in the 1950s (the prep school and Ivy League to a job in Finance pipeline) to the modern day failures of meritocracy. Brooks then proposed ideas to redefine them with “four crucial qualities,” that is, curiosity, a sense of drive, social intelligence, and agility. During this read, one excerpt was striking:

“Students learn to ride an emotional roller coaster—congratulating themselves for clearing a hurdle one day and demoralized by their failure the next. This leads to an existential fragility: If you don’t keep succeeding by somebody else’s metrics, your self-worth crumbles.”

If you liked this read, you might enjoy “The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books.”

Food and Drinks: “The Unexpected Pleasures of a Dirty Soda” from The New Yorker

Want to quit caffeinated beverages, but find yourself thirsting for a drink to entertain your taste buds? A concoction of soda, coffee creamer, and syrup in a Stanley cup might just do the trick. It’s called a dirty soda, a specialty among Mormons in Utah. New Yorker’s Hannah Goldfield explores:

“I’d been skeptical of the idea of adding something milky to a soda, but any doubt was washed away with my first sips. As with coffee or tea, the mellow lusciousness of the cream played off the acidity of Coke and Dr Pepper especially, offsetting and enhancing each soda’s darkest, spiciest notes.”

Music: The Velvet Underground on Spotify, Youtube

I’ve been enjoying this band recently. Their music would fall into the Alternative/Indie genre. It’s a unique sound, almost lullaby-like, and many were considered avant-garde at the time of release (1967).

Some of my on-repeat tracks include:

1. I’ll Be Your Mirror

2. Femme Fatale

3. Sunday Morning

4. Pale Blue Eyes

Field Notes:

• Luca Guadagnino—director of Call Me By Your Name (2017) & Challengers (2024)—is releasing a new A24 film in November called “Queer,” starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey. The recently-released movie trailer looks great! In theaters on November 27 in the USA, December 13 in Canada.

• Designers, Adobe have amazing deals this Black Friday. 50% off for the Creative Cloud (basically include all essential softwares—Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, etc.) and an additional 20% if you’re a student. It’s $29.98 USD/ month and $15.97, respectively. Promotion ends Nov. 29th. You won’t regret it, trust me.

• This Adidas X Sport & Rich recent shoe collaboration (SL72) in Yellow/Blue for everyday wear ($120 USD).

• The Every Other Thursday “Rigid Everything” tote is so good ($159 USD).

• A beautiful Wool/Mohair Striped Knit in the color Rose, by Australian brand, Observe Gallery ($133 USD).

• Would you attend an online poetry workshop?

• And lastly, I’ve been rewatching Friends again. In honor of the end-of-year festivities, you’d love Season 2, Episode 09 “The One with Phoebe’s Dad,” a Christmas episode.

Thank you for reading the seventh issue of the Well Rounded series. I appreciate your time. Have a great day, a great Thanksgiving next week, and I’ll see you soon.

-CS

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Montreal is a stylish city; there’s no denying it. Spend an afternoon in the Mile End or the Plateau and you’d find that each person you come across have their own distinct sense of style and expresses them accordingly. This week, I’m excited to share my conversation with Montreal-native Charles. A fashion connoisseur and enthusiast, he works at the brick-and-mortar SSENSE store on the Store Experience team, while also maintaining two Instagram accounts that documents his fashion over the past few years (@gems.mtl & @feenzfashion).

During the span our correspondence beginning early October, we discussed all things fashion—his insights on contemporary brands, clothing essentials, dressing tips, as well as his advice on building a good closet. It was an informative talk and there were a lot of good takeaways I hope to share with you today. With that being said and no more time to waste, I welcome to the newsletter, Charles.

*Parts of this conversation may have been edited or rearranged for clarity and coherence.

CS: Hi Charles! Let’s start by telling me a little bit about yourself!

Charles: First off, hi! I’m Charles and I’m a fashion enthusiast from Montréal, Canada. I am currently finishing my Bachelor’s in Fashion Management and I have been working for one of the biggest fashion retailers in the world for the past 3 years, SSENSE. That experience has truly opened my eyes to the fashion world and made me more knowledgeable about up and coming designers. On another note, sports are something that’s really important to me. They make me focus on something else and I truly enjoy cheering for my favorite teams. My first language is also French haha, so if I ever make mistakes, my bad.

CS: Would you say that having a formal education in Fashion Management helped you become more knowledgeable about fashion or see it in a different way?

C: Honestly that’s a really good question, since a ton of people are actually asking me the same question. With my experience, my fashion degree did help me get a job at SSENSE. I applied 5 years ago with no fashion degree and the same experience, but never got called for an interview. I tried again after my first semester and it worked out perfectly. If we talk about knowledge, I do not think my fashion degree has brought me anything that I use on a daily basis at work. My knowledge has been built with time, great connections, and new experiences such as Paris Fashion Week.

Two years ago, I also started Item Of The Day in my [Instagram] stories. It’s basically a quiz where you need to guess the designer. That actually helped me a ton because every brand has their own design language and after a certain time you can see patterns in any brand.

CS: That's so interesting to hear. Speaking of Paris Fashion Week, I'm really curious to hear about your whole experience there. What was it like seeing clothes and designers up close?

C: It was my first ever fashion week, so I was super stressed about planning and meeting everyone I was talking to for the past 3-4 years. The whole experience has truly been amazing, to be honest! I had a few runway shows booked like Kartik Research, Études Studio, Jeanne Friot, to name a few. I also had planned a few meetings in showrooms to connect with designers. Once you’re there, all your plans goes in the garbage and you follow what’s going on that night. I prefer showrooms than runway shows since I actually can feel the fabrics and see details up close. 

CS: I think many people outside of Montreal know SSENSE as a high-end online e-commerce company, but there's actually a physical store here in Montreal. For those who've never visited the store, could you share what the in-store SSENSE experience is like?

C: Alright so yes, the majority of people that know SSENSE only know the online e-commerce part of the brand. SSENSE is a Montreal-based company; that’s why they decide to have the only flagship store in the world in the heart of the Old Port of Montreal. The store has been designed by famous architect David Chipperfield, only using concrete and steel throughout the whole five floors of the building. I’m part of the Store Experience team for the flagship store, who style mannequins and decide on what we sell on each floor. Every three weeks, we change the selection in-store to showcase new styles that recently dropped online.

The SSENSE store is really unique; two out of the five floors are used by stylists to host appointment with clients who can come and try on their wishlist. Since we can’t bring every item from the website in-store, SSENSE offers the possibility for clients to pick and choose items that they want to see and try on.

We also often have collaborations in-store with other brands. This year, we have worked with Dries Van Noten, Axel Arigato, and Ferrari to name a few. Those events are so cool for the city and does bring every fashion enthusiast together.

CS: What clothing item have you been noticing a rise in this fall at SSENSE? What has been popular among the people?

C: The weather in Montreal is slowly getting really cold, so I am seeing more and more coats in appointments recently. Mackage, Moncler, Stone Island, and C.P. Company are for sure the ones I see the most. At the same time, a lot more boots has been asked in-store. ROA, Diemme and Our Legacy are doing amazing boots, but they sell out pretty quickly, normally.

CS: How would you describe your own fashion sense?

C: That question is really a head scratcher for me, since I do feel like your own fashion sense changes as you grow, discover new brands, and find ideas you like. I have recently realized that it’s been 10 years since I really started to get into fashion. I do feel like that journey made me realize a lot of stuff and it’s the reason why I feel comfortable wearing what I like today, despite criticism.

What actually made me start paying attention to fashion was reselling Supreme. I was there every Thursday at 11am, looking for the best pieces I could get my hands on to resell. That made me understand the community and what was to buy and resell. So I would still say that today, streetwear does influence my style in a way since it was what I started with. But in the last few years, I have been way more into actual designers. Having the chance to see over 500 products daily has made me love the details in every garments.

I love button ups—they’re simple, yet they elevate your outfits. I usually love to style them with products that are really not business-core, like baggy pants or hats. Being from Montreal, thrifts in the city are on every corner, so I do try to find some steals for cheap since buying designer can rapidly be costly. At work, there’s no uniform or dress code, so people wear what they want. I would say though, a lot of employees are rocking the all-black look daily. I love to play with colors and shapes, so I rarely go all black.

CS: It's pretty cool too that you have an Instagram account documenting years of fit checks. It's almost like a time capsule to see how your style evolved over the years. Based on what I've seen there, would you say it's fair of me to assume you're more into the oversized silhouette? or would you say it's a mix?

C: Haha yes, I am definitely more into oversized silhouette! I have tried every piece of clothing you can think of and that made me realize what suited my body type best. I have started documenting my fit around the same time I started working at SSENSE, so 3 years-ish. At first it was really for me, to know what I wore that day so I wouldn’t pull the same fit the next week. I started getting asked about IDs on my items, so I kept on posting.

CS: What are some of your favorite brands and any in particular you're currently digging as of late?

C: I mean, I do feel like saying that one of my top brands being Bode now seems like a casual take, but I have been an Emily Bode (@bodepersonal) advocate for years now. The fabrics, the cuts and the details get me every time. I own a few pieces and they never disappoint. I love brands that you can tell by not just seeing the logo, but by the cuts and details. Maison Margiela is of course one of my favorite, if not number 1. The hype around Our Legacy is fun; I like a lot of their pieces, but sometimes quality isn’t there. I would also suggest a similar brand, Auralee, who does amazing basics with crazy fabrics. Finally, StoryMFG can’t seem to stop amazing me. They are so open about how everything is made and it’s so interesting to see and understand.

CS: I totally get your love for Bode, I really like their crochet and senior cords stuff. It feels so handmade, vintage, and full of heritage in the best way possible, especially the details where they embroider cursive lettering. It actually reminds me of this other brand, Samuel Zelig. And speaking of Margiela, any thoughts on the Tabi loafers?

C: They are doing an amazing job at giving vintage look to new garments. I actually own Samuel Zelig items, quality is insaneeeee! I would recommend anyone to check them out, they usually do a sale every few months where their prices are really good! With the rise of Tabis, my take might sound fashion NPC, but I genuinely love any Tabis haha. I do think that we see them way too much today and they’re rarely well styled, but when they are, it’s actually super sick. I must say tho, I don’t own any haha.

CS: I thought it's funny you mentioned Auralee, because it's the first time I've heard of the brand, but now it's all over my feed and newsletter about their collab with Kith.

C: You will make me cry… that Kith collab is going to kill me. I get the move, since they are gonna reach a new customer segment, but Kith?? Really? They have been growing in popularity pretty recently. I feel like I see their products on every influencer. 

CS: What's your favorite scent, whether that's a daily wear or ones for different occasions?

C: Ohhh it’s that time where I am supposed to not gatekeep anything. I do feel like I switch my fragrances a lot. Last year or so, I was really into Gypsy Water by Byredo which is a brand I love for the scents. I then switched to Karst by Aesop, but I don’t feel like it stays on for a long period. I have recently came across the new Dries Van Noten cologne Cannabis Patchouli, and it has me thinking about buying it!

CS: I've heard great things about Byredo, I need to try it out! I wear Margiela's By The Fireplace and have the same problem with it not lasting too long given that it's EDT. Le Labo and Diptyque have been popping up all over the place, are you a fan of their scents? 

C: Byredo has definitely been a top seller at the store, same goes for Le Labo. We don’t currently have Diptyque fragrances in-store, so I can’t really say much, but the fact is, I love Cyprès and Lys . For Le Labo, Santal 33 is for sure a classic, but I see a rise in Thé Matcha 26 and Thé Noir 29, which are two excellent choices. 

CS: Also, because Montreal pretty much has all four seasons, do you have a fragrance rotation from season to season or do you just stick to one throughout the year?

C: I would say I have a winter fragrance and a summer one, but here and there I like to try new ones and switch it up constantly.

CS: Myself—and I'm pretty sure many others—don't have a big budget to work with. If you could build a wardrobe with only say, five staple pieces, what would they be?

C: I am also part of those that don’t have a big budget, don’t get it twisted. Building a big wardrobe takes time, but if I started back with nothing and needed five pieces:

1. Any button up, you can easily dress up or down a button up. It depends on the vibe you want to go for, they are so versatile. They are basically my only tops.

2. You also need a good pair of baggy jeans. If there’s one thing I would invest in, it’s jeans. I love mine being different and edgy without being too much out there. With my time at the thrift, I rarely come across a great pair.

3. For shoes, I feel it differs for everyone and what you do on the daily. I would have to say that for me, my GATs [German Army Trainers] are definitely the shoe that I wear the most and that works with every fit. For some people they’re boots, so try and get something that you know works best with most of your wardrobe. Salomon, Saucony, or Asics are all valid options that you can use daily.

4. I am a big fan of headwear; I just feel like they elevate most fits. Most of my caps or beanies aren’t worth a lot. I usually take neutral colors so I can mix and match with a ton of fits. Relatedly, any bag does elevate your fit. The options are unlimited; mine’s crossbody, but I do still pull my tote bag on here and there.

5. Finally, I would say a thrifted jacket for layering. The amount of cool jackets you can find at the thrift is insane. They are usually already worn a ton by the previous owner, so you can see scuff and fading, which I love. You can find light and heavy jackets for your need at any thrift honestly.

CS: I like how a big part of your wardrobe consists of thrift finds. So I have to ask—and it's acceptable to gatekeep, given that we're on sensitive territory here—but which Montreal thrifts are your favorites?

C: I spent hours in thrift shops 5-6 years ago and I was forcing myself to buy a piece of clothing every time; either to resell or to style the week of my purchase. I have stopped, lack of space at my condo… To be honest, in Montréal, there’s a lot of curated thrifts, but I have rarely bought in any of them, mainly cause the pricing is often crazy and the lack of good stuff is also something worrying. I mainly find all my stuff at either the bins, Value Village and Renaissances. It is so time consuming, but it’s really the way to find good steals. 

CS: Are there any people in particular who are your style inspo, or where do you go to find inspiration for your outfits?

C: I would say that I do appreciate the style of a lot of Montréal-based fashion influencers, but none of them are really into what I’m into. I am very versatile in my daily fits; One day I could have Bode pieces, the next CDG and finish my week with some small independent brands. I find my inspo by watching runways mainly and I have a few accounts where I do like to keep an eye on what they are wearing. 

CS: I liked what you said about criticism earlier. For many people, it's intimidating to experiment with fashion. Do you have any advice?

C: I do get it, I was really trying early on to be the guy that likes fashion at school, but it actually takes time to get into the community and understand the market. You have to be able to place yourself out there and continue doing what you like. For me it felt right the second I started my degree in fashion cause it gave me legitimacy. At the end of the day, you don’t really have to be anybody to wear what you want. People make it a big deal to dress loud, but some people just dress that way.

CS: I really like Uniqlo; quality's great, prices are somewhat reasonable, and they have good basics. Any thoughts about the brand?

C: Uniqlo are always doing good stuff, I do love a lot of their pieces. I mainly buy Uniqlo collabs like the previous one with Marni. If it’s not a collab, I like to check Uniqlo U, where they invite a designer to create piece under the brand, Christophe Lemaire did some pieces few years back for them. 

CS: I agree! I also like their collaboration with JW Anderson. Their button ups are my favorites!

C: Absolutely! The collab with JW was really good, which is also a brand gaining a lot of hype recently. Since JW Anderson has been giving the keys of Loewe, he keeps on creating pieces that are trending.

CS: Lastly—and I ask this to every guest I bring on—If you could give one message to the world, what would it be? Whether it be fashion-related or not.

C: Well first off, I would like to thank you for inviting me. It was actually super fun haha. Message to the world would need to be stronger, but I would say to keep focusing on your goals throughout tougher times. If you really want something, the only way for you to achieve it is to put yourself out there and try. Don’t let nobody tell you what’s best for you, you are the one carving your path! 

A special thanks to Charles for taking the time to have this amazing conversation with me. I really enjoyed this talk on fashion and learned quite a bit about the industry. Find more of Charles on his Instagram accounts, @feenzfashion (his main) & @gems.mtl (fashion-specific).

And thank you for reading this issue of The Conversation Series. For any inquiries, please contact info.intotheindoors@gmail.com.

into the indoors, 2024.

Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you well on this fine Sunday morning. Hopefully, you’re not plagued with the Sunday Scaries. And hopefully this mention did not trigger the Sunday Scaries.

Anyways, to start, I first have updates. I mentioned in the last newsletter that I will publish a new feature for my Conversation Series this week, but unfortunately, there are some delays and I apologize. I want to make sure it’s perfect before putting it out there. Look forward to it though, it’s an exciting one!

On the flip side, this means that you get a new issue of The Zeitgeist and therefore, a *free* postcard today, to anywhere in the world. If you’re interested, feel free to fill out this form! Once I meet quorum (that is, 1 person), the form will close.

And finally, this week in The Zeitgeist, we have much to discuss:

• New York Magazine’s Latest Issue and Homage to Heritage

• Clothing Finds This Week

• The Movie List

• …and a great selection of Field Notes, including internship opportunities!

(Disclaimer: None of the product linked are affiliate links.)

New York Magazine’s Latest Issue and Homage to Heritage

This week, New York Magazine published their Annual “Power Issue” under the theme of media elites—interviewing 57 media personalities—and among them, Substack’s co-founder, Hamish McKenzie. The black-and-white photography portfolio, by Dutch photographer Paul Kooiker is striking. Shot on the iPhone 16 in 10 cities, the camera gets uncomfortably close and snaps mid-conversation. As Hamish describes it in his newsletter, “The black-and-white photos printed with the spread are dark and striking, making all the subjects—plain in appearance, unalluring in visage—look like characters from a moody Martin Scorcese movie.” It depicts the topic’s exploration well, which was described as “an examination of the media industry in a time of enormous financial turmoil and record public distrust.”

This year’s cover pays homage to last year’s Power Issue cover. On Instagram, there’s a page called @oldnymag that documents past archives of NYMag covers and points out references made in newer issues. It really is interesting to observe these common themes and I do recommend you pay a visit to the account. The publication attracted me in the first place for its alluring visuals. Jody Quon, New York Mag’s Director of Photography since 2004, really does an amazing job in creating covers that stand out and evoke a feeling of some kind in viewers.

And also, how cool is this GIF on their store’s frontpage?

Clothing Finds This Week

• This Museum of Peace and Quiet sweater is such a pretty piece. I like the overlapping serif lettering in a counter-clockwise direction on the sweater; it reminds me a lot of the Diptyque perfume labels and I love that style. Simple, but it has personality. Made with 100% cotton, by the way.

• If you live down in the Southern Hemisphere and Summer is approaching, then you’d love the vintage-style graphic tees from Imogene + Willie. These tees are screen-printed in the USA and made with 100% cotton.

• For nearly a year now, I’ve been wearing one hat. Baseball caps—which has a higher profile—isn’t made for me, but this Every Other Thursday (EOT) cap fits nicely. (Especially if you, to put it bluntly, have a larger head). It has a mid-low profile, so think of it as a shorter cap, in terms of height. I have the basic Namesake one in green, but there’s an updated version with script letters and a geese pattern. If I had to get another, I would get the one in brown (No. 2 above). EOT also just had their third FW drop, releasing denim and their cashmere knit sweater (No. 3 above). I will say, the items are on the more pricey side, but the material composition looks great; no acrylic or polyester. I think they’re built to last.

The Movie List

A while back, I wrote a note asking the community for their top three movies:

…and I received a lot! I thought it’d be nice to share the full list here. If you’re looking for something to watch, feel free to browse by year, genre, or pick one to watch at random. I’ve also linked the YouTube movie trailer to each film. Enjoy!

1. The Sacrifice ¹ - 1986 • Drama/Mystery

2. La Chimera ¹ - 2023 • Adventure/Comedy

3. In the Mood for Love ¹ - 2000 • Romance/Drama

4. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World ² - 2010 • Action/Comedy

5. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ² - 1986 • Comedy/Drama

6. The Shawshank Redemption ² - 1994 • Thriller/Crime

7. The Iron Giant ³ - 1999 • Family/Sci-fi • Animation

8. Heat ³ - 1995 • Thriller/Crime

9. La La Land ³ - 2016 • Musical/Romance

10. Moonlight ⁴ - 2016 • Romance/Drama

11. 10 Things I Hate About You ⁴ - 1999 • Comedy/Romance

12. The Incredibles ⁴ - 2004 • Family/Action • Pixar Animation

13. Fanny and Alexander ⁵ - 1982 • Fantasy/Drama • 5 hours long

14. Addams Family Values ⁵ - 1993 • Comedy/Family

15. After Hours ⁵ - 1985 • Comedy/Thriller

16. Paris Blues ⁶ - 1961 • Romance/Musical

17. Life ⁶ - 2017 • Horror/Sci-fi

18. The Photograph ⁶ - 2020 • Romance/Drama

A special thanks to ¹, ², ³, ⁴, ⁵, & ⁶ for sharing their favorite movies!

Field Notes:

• I’ve been regularly updating The Fall Playlist. Give it a listen!

• Music is a universal language and that’s a beautiful thing. On my walks, my favorite song as of current is the Jazz-y, Bossa Nova-style ‘Carta Ao Tom 74’ by Brazilian musician—and poet, and diplomat, and writer—Vinicius de Moraes. Sung softy in Portuguese, it takes me to a sunny day on the sandy shores of Ipanema.

• Jane Street’s summer internships for Quantitative Trading and Software Engineering are open. Base salary of $250K, but competition is fierce.

• Also, while on the topic of internships, The Paris Review also has a post for a 6-month long Editorial Internship, with Spring-Summer applications open until November 15.

• Every now and then, I have the impulse to buy this Sony Camcorder (CX405). Emma Chamberlain makes her video with this camera a few years ago and I think her recent videos too. I love the grainy home-footage visuals and the nostalgic feeling of it all.

• The color palette for the upcoming Tekla and AURALEE collaboration is delicious.

• There’s this guy @truewagmer, who has a Patreon where he sends a satirical postcard (or a “surprise thing”) every month for 6 bucks a month. This month’s send off is a gem. The subscription would be worth it if you need a good laugh or want to prank a friend who lives a distance away.

• Beyoncé’s GQ October Cover Story - she talks about her new whiskey brand SirDavis, managing the various aspects of life and the importance of singing for her. Here are some highlights:

  • “I’ve learned that true success isn’t about leaning on a name; it’s about crafting something genuine, something that can hold its own. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being revolutionary.”

  • “I’m drawn to authenticity. I don’t waste my time on something unless I’m deeply passionate about it. If I don’t wake up thinking about it and I’m not going to sleep dreaming about it, it’s not for me.”

• Do you remember the Internet Archive Machine?

• If you’re looking for a good coffee table book that aren’t fashion house-focused, there’s a page on Instagram, @pagespread, which showcases and sells really cool graphic design books and ships free from Tokyo. Each ranges from as low as $30 to the high of a few hundreds.

• “I have been sowing a lot of seeds for the past 4, 5 years. You can’t always be in the reaping stage or the harvest stage of life. Life has seasons.” Emma Watson in her Vogue ‘In The Bag’ video (2023).

• It’s cold outside and I want (need) the BODE Lighthouse sweater…

• I think these IKEA EKTANDVINGE Checkered Duvet and Pillowcase set ($39.99 USD, Double/Queen) are really cool.

• Gift guides may or may not be coming soon!

I hope you found something new to enjoy in this newsletter! I bought new magazines earlier this week, so I’ll be spending the rest of my Sunday reading through them, drinking Chai tea and cozying up in my apartment. This is the vision:

And of course, thank you for reading. I’ll see you next week!

-CS

Hello everyone. I hope you had a wonderful week thus far. Earlier this week, I announced my little postcard project and sent off the first three card to members of the community who signed up; 2 to the States and 1 off to Switzerland. I’m excited to share what they’ll write in a few weeks time and I’ll be sending another card in the next issue of the Zeitgeist. It will be free, worldwide. I hope to see you participate!

In other exciting news, I have a guest on the conversation series next week to talk about menswear fashion so I’m stoked for that. Get your wallets ready because there’s going to be a bunch of great recs.

Finally, today, for this sixth issue of Well Rounded, I’ve expanded to include more links and a cover a wider range of topics. New York Magazine’s been killing it with their content lately, so you’ll see a lot of that. I hope these recommendations will keep you entertained and occupied this weekend! Happy reading (+ watching) !

A Great Story: “How to get your ass kicked” by Austin Tedesco on Substack

I enjoyed this read by Substacker Austin Tedesco, in which he detailed his journey of working in a professional kitchen for the first time, having only been in corporate media in the past. Fast-paced and written in The Bear-esque format, the story follows cold emails and painful learnings through trial and error, before reflecting upon personal growth during his time there.

“During dinner, the clock ticks incredibly quickly. A 5:30 opening turns into a 7:30 rush which turns into a final 9:45 push in no time. At brunch you can’t look at the clock. You’re hungover and you’re convinced you’re frying chicken for the worst people in Brooklyn and oh shit you just looked at the clock and there’s still three hours left.”

Technology: “Is Reddit the Future of Crisis Comms?” from NYMag’s Intelligencer

Last week, The White House joined Reddit, a rather unexpected move. Their first post reads “President Biden holds a briefing on Hurricane Milton preparation and Hurricane Helene response” alongside a related picture in the Roosevelt Room—which I learned about in the comments—and has garnered 27k upvotes. The reason? As written in the New York article:

“Traditional media is fragmented and its audiences are diminished and hyperpolarized. Lots of people are watching TV but not the TV you need them to watch; everyone’s looking at their phones, but they’re not receiving your messages.”

Ideas: “Should You Just Give Up?” from The New Yorker

“In Phillips’s view, we have a bias against giving up […] “Heroes and heroines are people who don’t give up,” he writes. And yet tragic heroes are tragic precisely because they never give up; hell-bent on their purposes, they pursue them until they destroy themselves.”

Business: “The Rise of $40,000 Gym Memberships” from The Economist

The luxury gym chain Equinox launched their “Optimize” membership earlier this May, priced at $40,000 per year. “The plan includes blood tests, a sleep coach and a nutritionist, as well as access to the group’s swanky clubs.”

“ “Five years ago, if you asked someone why they used the sauna they would have said, ‘It feels quite nice’,” says its [Third Space, a high-end gym group] boss, Colin Waggett. Now they talk about “recovery, sleep and mental well-being.” ”

On the sleek black-themed Equinox website, every page is filled with fitness and wellness terminology that I have a hard time grasping. Personal training at Equinox is “more than training, it’s the first-of-its-kind, data-driven and expert led path to unlocking your absolute best and achieving extraordinary results.”

I also think it’s worth nothing that not all memberships are priced in the thousands at Equinox. A club access in Downtown LA is $252/month, while an access pass to all clubs worldwide is priced at $405 monthly.

Architecture: “Memoirs of a Perfectly Imperfect Fourth-Floor Walk-up” from NYMag’s Curbed

This is less so a read than something to see, but I really like the look of this apartment in Manhattan. It reminds me a lot of Bode; crafted by hand, rich in heritage, and trinkets collected from all over to form a cohesive whole. The apartment is not perfect (“Here, until his lease ran out this month, the stairs were so narrow and steep that, try as the movers might, all his furniture lugged out of storage just wouldn’t fit.”), but the off-white walls and wooden beams, along with curated items that decorates the space makes the house of Alex Tieghi-Walker feels cozy with a touch of personality.

Fashion: “Bottega’s Child’s Play for a Sophisticated Mind” from NYMag’s The Cut

If there’s one high-fashion brand that’s been piquing my interest lately, it’s Bottega. The figures they recruit for their campaigns are great fits for the brand’s persona: Jacob Elordi, Kendall Jenner, and ASAP Rocky. Under the creative direction of Matthieu Blazy at the Spring 2025 show, NYMag’s Cathy Horyn writes:

“Knowing in advance that he [Blazy] was after a sense of wonder, I was curious how he would pull that off. Would I feel it? […] Well, I did feel it about midway into the fast-paced show. […] The wonder was ultimately in how Blazy and his team conceived and styled the clothes, with many of the looks and gestures corresponding to a feeling we relate to moments in our lives and thus the passage of time.”

Bonus (video): “Andrew Garfield | Chicken Shop Date” with Amelia Dilmoldenberg on Youtube

This would’ve gone on the next issue of The Zeitgeist, but I’m impatient and I think it’s a mandatory watch. I’ve written in the past that I love Amelia’s Chicken Shop Date series. My favorite date varies from time to time. Two days ago, it was the Sabrina Carpenter one (The end gets me every time). But yesterday, a new date was uploaded and I now can’t stop smiling at the screen. The chemistry between Andrew Garfield (AKA Spider man) and Amelia is real. As described in the comment section of the video, one user wrote, “This is better than any Netflix rom-com I've watched.” Even Amelia couldn’t hold her usual awkward composure. Highly recommend you watch for the laughs and love.

Thank you for reading the fifth issue of the Well Rounded series. Feel free to subscribe to support future editions and get them delivered into your inbox! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!

-CS

I hope this newsletter finds you well this Monday afternoon. I have a special and rather exciting newsletter for you today. About a month ago, I walked into the post office and purchased a set of international mail stamps. For a while now, I’ve been meaning to start a postcard project.

into the indoors began as a moodboard on Instagram earlier this year, where I posted what I liked on my feed. I envisioned this idea of creating a cozy, comfy corner of the web. Fast forward a few months, my ideas grew and I branched out into a new medium: writing. Substack became the platform and throughout this journey, into the indoors carried the same essence of creating a comfortable, intentional, and inspiring space to be. When I began doing conversation-interviews here, one question I ask all guests at the end is what message they would share with the world. And oftentimes, it’s in this one last question, that they share really good advice.

There are 8 billion people on this planet, and everyone has a story to tell. A message to share. One of the first (and of the few) essays I wrote on here was on the beauty of third spaces. Of my favorite third place—my neighborhood cafe—I spoke, “although I’m not socializing with anyone in particular, it feels fulfilling to be surrounded by a community.” Community is important to me, and I would argue that it’s important to many of us. Although technology has somewhat exacerbated our disconnect, maybe there’s a way to integrate that back. Plus, I think it’s fun and exciting to go analog and connect with people in the old-school way.

Some people on the Internet have been doing community-related projects well. One particular creator, Hunter Prosper, comes to my mind. He runs this series called “Stories from a Stranger,” where people—strangers—when asked a (deep) question, share their stories in a beautiful way. It’s unexpected, sometimes sad, but is told in such an intentional and present way.

All of that to say, here’s my idea. The postcard project is simple. Every week when my newsletter comes out, I send out a *free* postcard to anywhere in the world.

But to kick off this project, I’ll start off by sending cards today to the first 3 people who fill out this form! I’ll contact the mentioned people for mail addresses, and the card should arrive in 1-2 weeks. In return, you’d write a message based upon a given prompt, snap a picture of the postcard, and share them with me so I could share it here on the newsletter and on the Instagram!

The goal really is to build a collection of beautiful messages by the community, for the community.

This week, I ran to a souvenir store and bought a few Montreal-themed postcards. Those tacky touristy ones. Are they the coolest postcards in the world? Probably not. I could’ve probably made one myself with Microsoft Word, 15 minutes, and a printer. But I’d argue that it’s for that exact reason too that they’re in a sentimental league of their own. Not the coolest postcard in the world, but you’d find them anywhere in the world. They rang $1.90 each.

As for the packaging, I chose Kraft-paper envelopes. Each is personalized with an into the indoors label and are uniquely numbered.

To sustain this project in the future, I’m thinking of charging just the basic expenses to keep it moving: postage stamps, the postcard, and envelopes. Since most of us are based in the US/Canada, total should be 4 bucks or less. But I also might just reduce the frequency at which I send them and make them free. I’ll think about it. The project is a work-in-progress.

For now, I just hope to create a collage of inspiring messages digitally with a keepsake physically that’s special to each person across different regions; to stick on your wall or pin to your fridge, while keeping you inspired everyday.

I’m excited to get this project off the ground and would love to hear your thoughts in the chat or comments below. Thank you for reading and being a part of this community! With that, I’ll start with postcard number 1.

-CS

Some observations. Last weekend, I went to the Old Port—a touristy neighborhood in Montreal with really cool old European-style building façades and also fun for people watching—and took a long walk along the river. Only then did I noticed that the leaves has turned into different shades of autumn red and the weather flipped like a switch; the temperature dropped into the single digits. Layers and Jackets—it’s official, fall begins.

In this week’s issue of The Zeitgeist:

• From the New World to the Old: Josephine Baker

• Really good clothing recommendations this week: handmade items from William Burke, Uniqlo X JWA, GAP etc.

• An autumn playlist filled with oldies and goodies, perfect for all

• A new section, called “Fieldnotes.” Essentially lots of links and recommendations, minimal explanation.

• A poll for you!

(Disclaimer: None of the product linked are affiliate links.)

From the New World to the Old: Josephine Baker

Recently, I’ve been going down a rabbit hole, reading of Josephine Baker.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she moved to France at the age of 19 during the roaring twenties to pursue a career in entertainment and to escape: the segregation of Jim Crow America and poverty. She established a life well lived in Old World Europe.

Outside the spotlight, she was a spy for the French Resistance during World War II, relaying messages across borders under the disguise of her stardom. She passed away in 1975, but in recent years, she was inducted in the Pathenon—known as the French Tomb of Heroes where distinct citizens are laid to rest (Victor Hugo, Marie Curie)—and became the first black women to do so.

What intrigues me about her relates to this idea of home and geography. Her decision to move across the Atlantic to France—an unfamiliar land—to pursue her dreams at 19 and rarely looking back. Then again, people in American society then didn’t appreciate her the way they do in Europe.

“In 1936, riding high on the popularity she was enjoying in France, Josephine visited the States to perform in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway. She had hoped to establish herself as a major star in her home country. Unfortunately, her performance was met with hostility and racism as New York theater critics were especially cruel in their reviews.” (CIA.gov)

In her later marriage to French man Jean Lion in 1937, she renounced her US citizenship and became a French citizen.

Are we bound by our circumstances or do we have the ability to choose who we become? It’s a basic question with a basic answer (of course the latter), but it proves harder to live it. Josephine, however, is a great example and that’s an inspiration. Although born into hardship, she was able to transcend borders and live beautifully. She found her way to a place, on the same planet, where they loved and appreciated her presence.

Maybe it’s difficult because we’re just bounded by some of the invisible walls and limitations we put up for ourselves, probably subconsciously. If we begin to believe in who we are, are we also able to become the person we want to be? Is a fresh start all we need? It reminds me of the saying “you are who you surround yourself with.”

Some reading and watches about her (in order might be most chronological):

1. “Josephine Baker Was the Star France Wanted—and the Spy It Needed” from the New Yorker - an article about particular moments of her life and career.

2. “First Tour of the Old World” from The Paris Review - she speaks in a 1930 interview about her experience traveling across various European countries to perform.

3. “Josephine Baker in conversation, 1971” on Youtube - This 10 minute interview with Josephine, who had a conversation (in English) with Erik Bye on Norwegian TV.

4. “Josephine Baker at the London Palladium 1974” on Youtube - a performance.

Her music is also part of my fall playlist below. I particularly enjoyed the dance-y La Conga Blicoti + the jazzy and slow-rhythmic beats of De Temps en Temps (translates to “From Time to Time”).

Now, for clothing finds!

Made in Kentucky: William Burke

I’m a fan of handmade items. Bespoke and custom pieces where bits of your personality are expressed are unmatched. My friend Jon over at posted on instagram about this bag made by William Burke, and immediately I love. Shipped and all made-to-order from Kentucky, William also makes belts, thermals, and hoodies—from 100% cotton and YKK zippers (which are some of the best quality)—of interesting silhouettes. I like the Shelby messenger bag in particular! He documents the making of these products on his Instagram (@859will).

Uniqlo x JW Anderson FW 2024

As I’m writing this, I’m wearing a tan button up from a past collaboration of theirs and it’s the only button up I wear on the regular. Jonathan Anderson, the founder of his namesake brand—in addition to being creative director of LOEWE—has a long standing relationship with Uniqlo. This collection will drop October 17, titled “Elements of Land and Sea” and “draws its inspiration from the beauty of seaside landscapes. Elements from British classics and traditional fisherman’s garb have been updated for the modern everyday wardrobe.” I love the collaboration. Like many of Uniqlo’s items, they’re timeless and good for everyday wear. It’s versatile to pair with anything in the wardrobe. With Uniqlo items, they tend to fit true to size, and in some products, I might even say they’re more spacious.

Browsing through product range, I have my eyes on the Dark Orange flannel shirt and Olive gradation crew neck sweater. But I think the gem of this collection are the socks. The patterns are so good, I want to buy all of them. And they’re HeatTech, which is so good for the winter cold!

Other (great) clothing finds

• I wrote of my favorite GAP hoodie in a past issue of The Zeitgeist. I mentioned that they do sales often and it’s worth buying it then. Well, now GAP is having a sale for their midseason event! The hoodie is 60% off, now priced at 47 CAD/ ~34 USD. Trust me, it’s so good. Also, it might go out quick. I was eyeing a pair of pants on GAP a few days ago, checked again the next day, and it was gone. I am sad.

• I’ve always loved the New Balance 2002R silhouette and I know it’s been somewhat trendy for a while now, but I didn’t know they existed in this beautiful orange-blue colorway released in 2022, as a collaboration with Salehe Bembury. Man, if only I could time travel back a few years. They do resell in the $600+ range though, if you’re interested. Those and the 2021 New Balance x ALD in the brown-olive colorway. Rent-free in my head.

• (Updated as of October 13) The Classic Lacoste Polos are on sale for 50% off right now ($110 USD, now 59.99 USD). I think they’re a great staple piece in the closet. I love the shirt in Cream and Dark Green. 100% Cotton and runs small according to their site.

Tunes, Tunes, Tunes

I recently curated an Autumn playlist. From contemporaries to classics, you have two hours of good tunes to listen to. I demo-ed this playlist on my trips to the grocery store, running errands, cooking dinner, and on my walks, so rest assured—you’re guaranteed a soothing listening experience.

A special thanks to members of the community , , , and for contributing—I appreciate your inputs!

Field Notes:

• Midnight in Paris is a great movie; the opening montage with Si Tu Vois Ma Mere (in the autumn playlist) is amazing, the soundtrack throughout is perfect. Watch the movie trailer here!

• This 3D render by Creamateliar of “The Miller House” in California is a dream.

• onlyvisitonce.com - you can only visit the website once; read or leave inspiring messages.

• I enjoyed this little fiction piece. The narrative—in the eyes of a sixth-grader and whose parents are divorced— is having a difficult time in school. her imagination is her escape.

• gramparents - cool, eclectic grandparent style inspo on your feed. (most) grandparents don’t know Bottega or Loewe, they wear what they like and what they collect over the decades. Maybe the calmness and contentment and wisdom that they carry is the real accessory at pla here. an exception might be akiandkoichi.

• I had a great conversation with thomas of Self Running last week about his NYC-based running brand. He recently announced that the V3 “SPRINT” caps are coming out October 15.

• This little video might be the boost of motivation you need.

And lastly, a favor from you.

When I recommend products, I tend to list prices and link products in US and Canadian. I don’t know my demographics too well, so for future reference, I would love for you to fill out this poll to help me figure out how I could better cater the community for future editions. You help is most appreciated!

I hope you’ve enjoyed The Zeitgeist series so far. If you liked this, check out past issues:

Thank you guys! I actually really enjoyed writing this issue of The Zeitgeist. My ideas seemed to flow more easily, the curation of products are really great in my opinion, and I’m letting a bit loose on the writing format. Let me know what you think in the comments. Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!

-CS

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It’s often said that New York is a city of 8 million people and 8 million stories. One of those stories happens to be of Thomas, who runs Self Running—a brand that began with a personal story for the love of running alone & the push to becoming better.

Since it’s inception last year, I’ve been keeping up with Self Running’s journey, and today, I am honored to bring Thomas on the newsletter to have a chat about his project. With no time to waste, let’s run this conversation!

*Parts of this conversation may have been edited or rearranged for clarity and coherence.

CS: Hey Thomas! Tell me a little bit about yourself and your role in Self Running!

Thomas: How’s it going? I’m Thomas, the founder and, I suppose, creative guy, or whatever you want to call it, of Self Running. I run most of the day-to-day things. It’s a small operation, and through Self Running I get the opportunity to collaborate with my friends and people I admire to bring the products to life.

CS: Out of curiosity, what does the day-to-day operation entail?

T: Most of the day-to-day operations revolve around minor tweaks to product design. As you know, the main product right now is a hat that’s ideal for both activewear and leisurewear. This has taken many iterations and sampling rounds to get the measurements correct and fit the way I personally want. Through each sampling, I’ve asked friends and colleagues for feedback on the shape and continued to refine it down to the millimeter. When it comes time to release the product, each package is hand-packed by my girlfriend Dakota and me, and shipped to your door. Other than that, it’s mainly planning for the future, diversifying the product offering, and preparing for an eventual pop-up event in New York City... But that'll be a little while.

CS: How did brand come to be, and what was your motivation or message behind it?

T: Self Running was founded in 2023. I was feeling creatively limited in my personal and professional life, and I’d also taken up running around that time. The name Self Running sounds pretty selfish, I’ll admit it definitely is. I started it for me, but there are a few thematic ties to running...

Firstly, I realized early on that I dislike running with other people. Running alongside others meant having conversations, which made me lose focus. If I ran in groups, I was either running too slow and couldn’t keep up, or got distracted with a conversation. So I ended up rolling solo most of the time, by myself.

The second theme I discovered when running alone, or in groups, is that you’re in constant competition with yourself. The stats on your phone always push you to run a little faster, a little harder, and a little better than the previous days. That internal motivation to be your best self is also embodied in the name.

CS: That's such an interesting story, especially considering how social run clubs are increasingly becoming more and more popular. Personally, I also like the name Self Running and the motto "Don't ever stop" for how it can also play into this idea of being open to interpretation metaphorically, like being responsible for taking actions everyday to achieve your goal. 

T: Thank you! It makes me excited for the future because there’s so much flexibility in how the name can relate to different products and go beyond just running.

CS: So far, you've launched two versions of the Nylon Running Caps (all of which look great, by the way!), with Version 3 set to be released in October. Why did you decide to launch this item as your first product, as opposed to other running gear such as clothing? 

T: I’ve worn hats my entire life. I feel like in the last 25 some odd years, I’ve been on an unofficial search for the perfect hat. And the perfect hat just doesn't exist. There are hats that are great for all sorts of occasions—baseball hats that are fitted work in some scenarios, while you might want a snapback or strapback in others. The material also makes a big difference. By choosing the niche of running, or, I guess, activewear, I went down the rabbit hole of how to make the best running hat. I’ve always thought running hats looked a bit silly—no shade on the five-panel look with the short, floppy brim—but I wanted to make something that could be worn while running and also when you’re just like, hanging around.

As we approach the release of V3, it’s about continuing to refine by the millimeter—tapering off the brim to a rounder shape, bringing in the crown height a bit, and making sure the strap is the ideal length. I’ve really tried to focus on all those details for this release, aiming to perfect a hat that’s ideal for many scenarios beyond just being active and going for a run.

CS: Just to get into the specifics of the process of making these hats, how many iterations do you usually go through before being satisfied with the product and overall, how long does the process take?

T: We’re making the product overseas right now, which, for those who know, can take quite a bit of time. The sampling rounds typically take about 25 days per sample. Ahead of V3, we’ve done about four iterations, ensuring the embroidery was what we wanted. Although the brand is in its infancy, I’ve become more focused on creating a quality output that people will care about and ultimately want to wear, not just from a branding perspective, but also ensuring the hat’s dimensions are to exact specifications.

CS: I love hearing about this, especially because most of the time, us consumers only see the final product. Knowing that much attention is paid to the details and the process just makes the hat so much more special.

CS: Self Running is based in New York City, and NYC is one of the most diverse places on the planet—in every aspect; culture, food, people, etc. Would you say there are elements of NYC in Self Running? and if any, are there advantages to being based in The Big Apple?

T: New York City is one of the most inspiring places in the entire world. When it comes to working on yourself and grinding every single day, you don’t have to go very far to find someone extremely focused on self-improvement. You can go on the West Side Highway at any hour of the day, even at three in the morning, and find people out there grinding. That’s the essence of Self Running as it relates to New York City. Solo, on your own mission, to continually improve.

CS: I think something that's so special about many brands is the community that is formed as a result. A thing that brings about a group of like-minded people. Last November for the New York Marathon, you announced a special edition of the Self Running caps in a bright orange color way—made specifically to be handed out to early supporters of the brand participating in the 26.2 mile run. What was the experience like? How does the idea of community fit into Self Running, a brand based on going solo?

T: Last year was such a cool experience. Marathon day in New York City is one of those days where everyone comes together around a singular goal. Whether you’re running or just cheering someone on, you never see so many people in such a good mood on a single day. As it relates to community, Self Running is founded on the idea that running, and going at it alone is kind of awesome. Through wearing Self Running products, you subscribe to the idea that you are on a solo journey among various other people on their own solo journeys, which I think is kind of beautiful. It’s like an unspoken circle of people who subscribe to the same philosophy. As the brand grows, I’m excited to continue growing the community that the brand is founded on.

CS: It's been over a year since you've launched Self Running. What would you say was the most difficult part of this journey, and on the contrary, was the proudest/rewarding moment?

T: I’ll be honest, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m learning a lot of things for the first time, and starting any sort of brand is going to be a challenge. But starting one for the very first time, you kinda just learn things by trial and error. So, in any case, just doing the thing has been the most difficult part.

As for the rewarding side, I get so excited when I see people wearing a hat online, in public, or at an event that I didn’t know someone was going to be at. Additionally, I see the names of people who are fans of the brand ordering products, and it’s crazy to think that someone in Arizona, Texas, California, even Australia, knows about the brand and is willing to spend their own money on the products. It’s been really cool to see how geographically wide the brand has spread, it’s not just local to the New York area.

CS: That IS pretty cool! Was there a particular moment where you felt like "Okay, I didn't expect this, but it's going somewhere!" ? 

T: It was when people started to reach out via the website or direct message asking about how they can get their hands on one, or when the hats are coming back. There were also so many kind words, people just liking what I was putting out there. It's just nice to know there's people you genuinely like the products and are anticipating the next release.

CS: Would you consider yourself a consumer-turned-business person, or have you always had an entrepreneurial spirit in you?

T: That’s a really great question. I’ve always been curious about how businesses start, how they operate, and all the moving pieces that need to fit together perfectly to make the thing run. I think most creative people have little projects going on all the time that don’t get labeled “a business.” But this is the first project that feels legitimate, which is why I’ve taken the steps to begin a brand around the idea. I don’t consider myself an entrepreneur, and I don’t think my friends or family would either, but I’ve always got some sort of project that I’m working on.

CS: Would you say that instinct plays a part in the decisions you make for Self Running?

T: My only resource is instinct at this point. If I think it's a good idea, I'll do it. If not, I don't.

CS: Any particulars you can share about the V3 caps? Any new colorways on the way?

T: V3 is sick. Like I said, just continuing to refine down to very small measurements to make it right. For Fall/Winter 2024, we’re calling it "SPRINT," and with that, we’re rolling out a new wordmark inspired by and tailored to performance runners. You’ll have to wait and see until it comes out!

CS: Lastly, if you could give one message to the world, what would it be?

T: Go make something. I believe it’s the best way to learn a new skill, and you don’t have to worry about what anyone thinks about it. Just go make it for yourself.

A special thanks to Thomas for taking the time to have this amazing conversation with me. I enjoyed learning about Self Running & the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Find more of Self Running on Instagram and on selfrunning.us.

That’s it for now. See you next week! For any inquiries, please contact info.intotheindoors@gmail.com

into the indoors, 2024.

In this week’s issue:

• Where design, food, and influencers meet

• A brand that says it’s okay to rest

• Humanrace x Evian: Skincare & Rejuvenation?

• 4 poses, 8 dollars: The Old Friend Photobooth in New York

• Have you heard of the Bed-Stuy Fish Pond?

• What do you do with $300 worth of yarn?

Email users: This article is image-heavy, so hit the three dots to the left if images are missing!

(Disclaimer: None of the products linked are affiliate links.)

Where design, food, and influencers meet

• Community Goods is an LA-based coffee shop, one that I’ve never visited, but came across through social media. Think Erewhon, but an eatery instead of a grocery store. The thing that struck me most about this cafe is not its food or beverage range, but rather the atmosphere and design execution. The orange-and-black logo is simplistic, but for some reason it stands out to me very well. Wooden beams, wooden benches, concrete floor, stone counters—I’m a big fan. Making it vintage and full of heritage, but keeping it modern.

• Read more about the shop in this LA Times article, which featured interviews with the co-founder Pedro Cavaliere, and customers of the community.

  

  

A brand that says it’s okay to rest…

• I want to talk a little bit about this brand called “Okay to Rest.” Like the name suggests, Okay to Rest (OTR) is a Canadian-based clothing brand centered around the idea of taking time and being gentle with yourself. With an ethos that is the antithesis of hustle culture, OTR executes its value brilliantly, producing items that are ethically sourced (“Produced within local textile facilities […] ensuring that all textile workers are safe, comfortable, and earning a living wage.”) I love discovering brands like these because a brand’s core value tends to be more important to me than how an article of clothing looks on the exterior. If I feel true to the brand, I feel good in the clothes. It’s as simple as that. I will say though, I’ve yet to own a piece from OTR, but if I were to buy one, it would be this unisex OTR Rodeo Tee, which goes for $60 CAD /~44 USD. The equestrian design, cursive lettering and retro vibes is perfect.

• Also, a few weeks ago, I wrote about Library Science, the online book club by Kaia Gerber and Alyssa Reeder. Last week, the brand said that they’ll be restocking their Namesake hats (40USD /~54 CAD). For all you book enthusiasts, this one’s for you! Keep you eyes peeled!

  • In other news, their September book pick for this month is Dear Dickhead.

Humanrace x Evian: Skincare and Rejuvenation?

• Pharrell, who is also the creative director of Louis Vuitton, founded Humanrace as a luxury (skincare) brand. I’m a big fan of Humanrace’s branding in its signature kelly green and sleek packaging. As an observer, I feel like gentleness and care is conveyed in the details, like how the edges aren’t cornered, but rather rounded for harmony. In an interview with GQ from 2021, Pharrell said of his brand, “It has to look beautiful, be made beautiful, but also be useful. […] That’s the ultimate luxury: looking after yourself, looking after others, and just being considerate of the environment. That’s what we want to do with Humanrace.”

• The collaboration collection—which was released at the end of August just before the US Open—featured tennis-themed apparel products with the Humanrace and Evian Logo stacked, ranging from a $75 cap to an $180 carry-all tote Bag, which “focuses on the functional simplicity of the everyday while drawing inspiration from sports and rejuvenation.”

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• The thing that stood out to me about this collection wasn’t the collection itself, but a post by Humanrace that showed an image carousel of the work in progress from the development of the clothing line. I love when I get to peek behind the polished photoshoots and see the process that goes into making these final products. It’s hours and hours of picking from near-identical color Pantone swatches, styling for product images, and business decision-making that tends to be overlooked.

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4 poses, 8 dollars: The Old Friend Photobooth in New York

• Yesterday, I read this piece in last week’s issue of The Economist, which basically discussed that the demand for high-end camera like the Leica ($6000 for the Q3 model) and Fujifilm ($1600 for the X100 model) are on the rise. The Fujifilm in particular is known for emulating the beautiful colors of film digitally. Vintage has always been trendy, but to turn it into a business, is genius.

  I came across this New York photobooth a while ago on Emily Sundburg’s Feed Me (which is a great business-culture newsletter, by the way) and the booth is run by couple Zoë Lazerson & Brandon Minton. Then, I recently saw that they were featured in the New York Times. For 8 dollars, you get four flash snaps before being printed onto a strip of film.

  ‘“It’s a dying art form,” Ms. Lazerson said. “There’s a community of people that want to keep it alive. And we’re along for the ride.”’

  If you’re in New York, check it out: 117 Orchard Street, 10AM - 10PM.

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• Also, I thought the scrapbook-like graphics for the booth’s poster looked so cool and upon the tag inspection, I learned that it was designed by Sav Lawson (@savlawson.work). Great work!

Have you heard of the Bed-Stuy Fish Pond?

• If you have 7 minutes to spare, Casey Neistat uploaded a video for the first time in 6 months about the Bed-Stuy Fish Pond. It’s a great watch! A month or so ago, I remember seeing this cool pond (more so puddle) of fishes, with water being fed by a leaky fire hydrant. Every other day, I would come across videos with progress updates on the pond. I don’t know, I like this little community project because it gave me a little hope in the world and something for me to smile at. At the same time, there are some controversies about the unsuitable living conditions of the goldfishes.

• If you want to read into it more, NYTimes wrote an article on it.

• Also, if you’re wondering what Bed-Stuy means (because I did), it’s the name of the neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where the pond is located.

What do you do with $300 worth of yarn?

There’s a box that’s been sitting at a corner of my apartment for a while now. In it is filled to the brim with balls of yarn, of different colors, of different sizes.

Here’s the backstory. Last summer, I picked up my crochet hook and began crocheting again. I made a farmer’s market tote, but my specialty really was the beanie. Boy, did I make so many beanies last winter. And also hoarded a lot of yarn. Then, of course, life got in the way and progress stalled. Now that it’s beginning Fall and Montreal gets swept by a (short) cold spell for the first time in a while, I thought it’d be worthwhile to start crocheting again. Staying inside with a good movie, making hot tea, and crocheting—can you really complain? Truth be told, I haven’t gotten to that yet. For now, it’s just me staring at the box and the box staring right back at me. I will get back to it eventually—and until then, I’ll share the progress here on the newsletter.

With that, the second issue of The Zeitgeist comes to an end. I’m curious to hear your thoughts about the topics discussed today, so let me know in the comments! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!

-CS

One Great Story: The Art of Taking it Slow from The New Yorker

If there’s going to be one article you read this week, it’s this one.

Grant Peterson runs Rivendell, a bicycle business based out of Northern California. In a world where everything seems to be moving so fast & focus is (mis)placed on optimization, Peterson offers a different approach to lead a fulfilling life through cycling. The epitome of a life well-lived, his additional efforts on equity and care for the world around us really are one of a kind (“Rivendell began offering discounts to interested Black customers who came into the shop: an effort at anti-racist action […] He is interested in making cycling more inclusive and accessible, although he is aware that the revolution won’t be riding four-thousand-dollar Rivendells.”)

In tandem with his business, he also writes newsletters—the BOB Gazette in the 80s, Rivendell Reader across the 90s and 2000s, and Grant’s Blahg as of current—cultivating a loyal pool of customers. As New Yorker’s Anna Weiner described in the article after setting off on a bike ride with the Rivendell team, “ I felt, instead, a very adult sense of longing—as if I had just glimpsed, at a deeply inconvenient time, a new and appealing way to live.”

Relationships: Lighthouse Parents Have More Confident Kids from The Atlantic

In between the realms of helicopter parents and free-range parents lies a new breed: Lighthouse Parents.

“A Lighthouse Parent stands as a steady, reliable guide, providing safety and clarity without controlling every aspect of their child’s journey. […] If children never have the opportunity to stand on their own, we risk setting them up for a collapse later on. They must experience struggle, make mistakes, and learn from them in order to grow.”

I think this article provides self-help value for parents & non-parents alike. We’re all under the influence of different parenting styles, and opening our minds up to the variations allow us to reflect on our own parental relationships. In some ways, this article shifted my views on how I face challenges. Instead of finding them defeating, it could be viewed as a small hurdle to get to the finish line. Every challenge won or lost is a stepping stone to becoming more resilient and confident.

Society: Skeletons in the Closet from Air Mail

What do US presidents Taft, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Blackstone (a NYC-based asset management firm), CEO Stephen Schwarzman, & some of the most powerful people in America have in common? A membership in the secretive Skull and Bones society at Yale. Traditionally white & male-only, the club has gone through changes in the past years to expand its diversity efforts. With that also comes pushback.

“With the demographic shifts at Yale, big changes have also taken place in the college’s secret societies. […] The clubs are for Yale seniors—who are “tapped” each year as juniors by the outgoing class of seniors in a variety of mysterious ways—and are owned and operated by nonprofit corporations, with boards comprising alumni trustees who provide much of the annual financial support. That gives the alumni a certain amount of ongoing control, too.”

Watch: Notting Hill on Amazon Prime & Apple TV

A few nights ago, I stayed up past my bedtime consumed by watching Notting Hill for the first time, and it was worth every minute. Released in 1999, the romantic-comedy film starred Julia Robert and Hugh Grant. The storyline goes like this:

“William Thacker is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott appears in his shop. A chance encounter over spilled orange juice leads to a kiss that blossoms into a full-blown affair. As the average bloke and glamorous movie star draw closer and closer together, they struggle to reconcile their radically different lifestyles in the name of love.”

As one Letterboxd reviewer puts it: “hugh grant telling julia roberts "my relatively inexperienced heart would, i fear, not recover if i was, once again, cast aside as i would absolutely expect to be" should've won this movie a best original screenplay oscar”

Watch the movie trailer here!

Thank you for reading the fifth issue of the Well Rounded series. Feel free to subscribe to support future editions and get them delivered into your inbox! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!

-CS

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In this week’s issue:

• A comprehensive face care routine

• Drink818 and Aime Leon Dore’s genius brand campaigns

• Some favorite internet finds & the passage of time

• Readings on the rise of Erewhon & Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo

Take care of your face…

Skincare. Simple, but complicated. Too many terms, too many products. Scroll on TikTok and you’ll find yourself bombarded with different products and different regiments.

So let me simplify the routine, in order. There’s really only 3 things that you need: Cleanser, Moisturizer, and Sunscreen.

(Disclaimer: None of the hyperlinks below are affiliate links.)

• Step 1: Cleanser

  • First, you want to use a cleanser to wash off all the buildup of dirt and oil you gather on your face throughout the day.

  • I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Cleanser (for both morning and night).

  • How do we use a cleanser? Wet your palm, squeeze a pea-sized amount onto your finger, and rub till it foams before lathering it onto your face. Cleanse for a good 45 sec - 1 min. Avoid the mouth & eye area.

  • An alternative product is the Cerave line of skincare products, which is good for most skin types (oily, dry, etc.). Before switching over to La Roche, I used this Cerave cleanser ($18 CAD/~13 USD).

• Step 2: Moisturizer

  • The cleansing process also gets your face dry, so to rehydrate, you moisturize. Also using a pea-sized amount, rub over the area you cleansed.

  • I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturizer.

  • Alternatively, like the cleanser, I’d stick to the Cerave Moisturizer. There’s both a day (with sunscreen) & a night version ($22 CAD/~ 17 USD).

• Step 3: Sunscreen

  • Sunburn, aging, and skin cancer. It’s important to protect your skin from the sun. I use sunscreen only in the morning, although it is recommended to be reapplied every 2 hours if you’re outside.

  • Again, I use the La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 50+ Sunscreen. I especially like this product because it pretty much melts into the skin. No whitecast.

  • An alternative I’ve used in the past is the RoundLab sunscreen. This product is also great, but might be more difficult to find because it’s a Korean brand.

• Repeat the routine in the morning and at night (without sunscreen).

And that’s the basics of skincare. I would practice this routine for a few weeks, before slowly incorporating more products as you see fit. You don’t want to overwhelm your skin with too many products at once. But other products that I love are:

• La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo Treatment Cream ($31 CAD / ~ $23 USD)

  • This product works so well with active pimples.

• Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask ($22 CAD / ~ $16 USD)

  • I’ve been using this face mask for over a year now, & I really like it!

  • Described as “a wash-off clay mask with volcanic clusters and AHA that helps control excess sebum, visibly minimize pores, and skin-smoothing exfoliation.”

• Pimple Patches

  • I’ve never really used pimple patches, but it’s a great way to cover and protect irritated areas if you’re going out. GQ wrote an article recently about their pimple patch recommendations, so feel free to check it out!

Who makes the best college merchandise?

A tequila brand. That’s right. This week, I was on Instagram and came across Kendall Jenner’s Drink 818 merchandise drop, which fused elements of vintage collegiate athletic aesthetics in their “Alumni Collection.” With sweatshirts, sweatpants, & graphic tees for both lads and ladies, they make a great addition to your fall wardrobe!

This drop is actually a smart move on KJ’s part, considering how she just went on a college tour & stopped briefly in a handful of state schools to promote the 818 tequila. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Earlier this week, I posted the campaign on Notes, and this comment made me laugh out loud:

Good one, Ethan.

And in New York…

Aime Leon Dore and New Balance collaborated once more on a pair of shoes inspired by a 1986 silhouette. I love the vintage style ad for these shoes! Released this Friday, they retail for $150 USD/ ~204 CAD.

On another note…

• This hoodie from GAP is my favorite. It’s soft, it’s thick, it’s a little oversized, and it cinches at the waist. Imagine a fluffy blanket, but you’re wearing it. It’s $118 CAD/~87 USD right now, but I’d keep my eyes peeled because they do sales often. I got mine 50% off last winter.

• i-D magazine relaunched this month, & I came across this post on their Instagram. I love, love, love when brands involve their community somehow.

• Lastly, I want to share a thought I had this week. Yesterday, while going through the collection of magazines I bought throughout the year, I came across GQ’s November 2023 issue, with cover star Timothée Chalamet. Here, I reread his profile with GQ’s Editor-in-Chief Will Welch, & one passage struck me:

  “But in recent years, it was his [Timothée] intense familiarity with those daily rhythms of his in New York City that made him realize it might be time for a major pivot. “After one too many days of doing the same thing, I just got this overwhelming sense that I was still playing the same hand of cards I’d had for a long time—but that I had a better hand to play,” he said. “I was living in this rental place that didn’t feel like home. I was getting the same bacon, egg, and cheese at the same deli. Resisting any lifestyle change.” ”

  People are creatures of habit. We like routine. Maybe sometimes too much. Before we know it, one year has passed. Two. Ten.

  To evolve sometimes means that we have to make a conscious decision to do so. To map out a plan. It reminded me of Joshua Rothman’s Are You The Same Person You Were When You Were a Child? article (which was published in WR Issue 3), where he wrote about how there were two types of people: those who section their lives into “chapters” (dividers) & those who interpret life as one cohesive whole (continuers).

  I won’t delve into my own reflections here, but I want you to dive into yours. I suggest you read both articles, take out your notebook & pen, then write.

Now, two interesting reads this weekend:

• Culture: What Is Erewhon? The Strange History of the L.A. Cult Grocer from New York Magazine

  You’ve seen the viral $19 Hailey Beiber Smoothie on TikTok. Just about every celebrity in LA can be spotted at Erewhon at some point in the past few years. In some ways, it’s regarded as a status symbol, & rightfully so, considering how even a simple “Erewhon” branded tote bag costs $52 USD. But what is the history behind how the store came to be? The story begins on the other side of the country in Boston, Massachusetts.

• Idea: Are You Cool Enough for the Latest Sally Rooney Novel? from Esquire

  Sally Rooney, critically acclaimed & movie-adapted author of Normal People, is releasing her new novel, Intermezzo, next week on September 24. Over the past few months, I’ve seen some buzz on the internet with book influencers getting their hands on an advance copy (and, to be honest, I thought it was already out). But this creates a problem in a world where it’s so easy to be influenced. This excerpt says it best:

  “With all its hype and early praise from the chosen few who get a copy, the book becomes a token of cultural currency, a status symbol. These books, hot in the hands of celebrities and Internet personalities alike, prove just how susceptible we are to clever marketing, and just how hungry people are to be in the know among the literary elite. These status galleys often turn into best sellers once they actually hit shelves, but one has to wonder: Are the books even that good? And, perhaps more important, do readers care?”

For all of you who want more reading recs, don’t worry. I’m working on another issue of Well Rounded. Stay Tuned!

And that is it, folks! Thank you for reading the first issue of The Zeitgeist. Feel free to subscribe to support future editions and get them delivered into your inbox! I’m curious to hear your thoughts about the topics discussed today, so let me know in the comments! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next week!

-CS

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I came across Second Lake (SL) when I first started into the indoors. The SL page has become particularly memorable to me for various reasons. Jonathan, the founder, created such a beautiful space for creatives of all sizes to have a voice through his newsletter, SL Selects. In addition, it’s also a place for inspiration to strike and products to be recommended, whether that’s through his feed of neutral and beige tones, collaborative playlists, or physical products. I recently had the great opportunity to correspond with Jon and expand on all things Second Lake + learn more about himself—and I’m super excited to share his insightful thoughts here.

So, in the words of Jon, “Without further ado, let’s get right into it!”

*Parts of this conversation may have been edited or rearranged for clarity and coherence.

CS: Okay, let’s start by telling me a little bit about yourself!

Jonathan: My name is Jonathan, and I’m someone who is intentional in many aspects of my life. At some point, I became fully aware and committed to curating my wardrobe, the spaces I occupy, the ephemera I collect, etc. In doing so, I’ve honed in on how to express myself and my heritage through design and curation. That’s also something I think everyone is capable of and should sharpen. 

CS: When you say you are committed to being intentional, does that mean the products should have an underlying meaning and evoke a feeling of sorts? are there rules you adhere to when curating?

J: Sort of. Naturally, everything you see from Second Lake comes from me and my view. So I don't think there are rules to curation nor a product needing to evoke an emotion, but I think my lens will often inadvertently bring about a feeling or aesthetic. Ideally, for products, a product from SL should feel like it came from SL because of the identity we create, rather than a label or a logo. And by being intentional, I mainly mean caring and paying mind to everything, even the miscellaneous stuff. 

CS: Would you say it’s synonymous with a minimalistic lifestyle too, in your experience?

J: I think by being intentional, I mainly mean to be your authentic self and to actively consider the things you love. It's a mindful approach to possessions. Mind what fills your cupboards at home. Mind the books you keep on display. Mind the utensils you use and feel out whether or not they belong. Do these items bring you any satisfaction or warmth? Are you connected to them at all? 

We all gravitate towards art that touches us, books from an author that resonate, coffee mugs that may have accompanied us during a special period of our lives. These belongings deserve true intention. If your home and belongings were displayed like an art gallery or a museum exhibit, could someone learn who you are? From the writing utensils in our bags to our car keys, notebooks, walls, cupboards, and decor, we have the chance to showcase our personal style and essence. Why not show who you are through these mediums? 

That's my explanation on intention and I believe it could be applied to minimalist lifestyles as well as maximalist ones.

CS: That’s such a good answer. What actions or habits do you implement in your life to keep up with this value [intention]?

J: I tend to naturally tie memories to the things I own, so in some ways, the habit is simply appreciating the things I have. I consider my belongings. I pass on or donate things that no longer serve me or align with me. 

CS: When I think of being purposeful, I also think about the idea of being able to understand yourself better, and for me, that's usually done through writing entries in my journal. Do you practice something similar?

J: I reflect on the things in my camera roll a lot and I spend a lot of time researching my interests to understand myself better. If something piques your interest, just let Google feed you until you're full. The rabbit holes you can go down by simply looking up a single topic or idea are endless.

CS: How did Second Lake come to be? What is the story behind the project?

J: Second Lake began as a place for sharing images I enjoyed, and it slowly grew into a tight-knit community. Over time, I met people who shared similar interests, and along the way, the page began to attract attention. This gave me the confidence to bring some of SL’s ethos into the physical world through product. Since then, we’ve done a few projects like tote bags, soap bars, coffee mugs, and more—all as a way to flex a creative muscle, which is the essence of SL. It’s a creative outlet for myself and for those who feel drawn to what SL offers.

CS: I’m curious about the products you've made! How did you bring abstract ideas into something tangible and what was the process like? Was it important for you to have a physical embodiment of your brand to fulfill your ethos?

J: Sure! All of them have been way different. One of the more recent projects was a limited run of soap bars we did. The process wasn't too arduous, but it was lengthy as I wanted to carry it out well and get the packaging right. I spent time trying to find ways to differentiate a really simple product and the answer I found was in the details. The packaging details had to feel unique to SL.

Another project was a collaboration we did with a local tea shop on a seasonal beverage. That entire process was great because it allowed me to work alongside another individual who enjoyed SL, but was an absolute elite in their own craft. It was a great opportunity to learn and develop something new. We landed on a Kuromame-flavored milk tea and it banged. Much love to Naga. 

CS: If you'll let me indulge, I would love to hear more about the process of creating a product, specifically the soap bars. Often times, we only see the final product after perfected, so what goes on behind the scenes?

J: The process for the soap bars was relatively simple. It mainly involved selecting the kind of ingredient mixture from the manufacturer selection, getting some in to test out, and moving forward from there.

CS: How long did the whole process take from conception to announcement and do you collaborate with artisans on the product and shift your focus more onto the presentation side or do you oversee everything? How do you know when a product is ready?

J: From conception to announcement, it took about a couple of months. In terms of the product marketing and logistics, that was my job to handle. And in terms of knowing when a product is ready, you get a sense of it. When all of the boxes have been checked and you feel confident in the product, you're good to go.

CS: Earlier, you mentioned how the SL community is tight-knit. What characteristics would you say the Second Lake community shares? Is there a straightforward way to put into words the ethos of SL or is it more of a "you have to see it to understand"?

J: That's a good question—I personally think the SL Community is composed of people who enjoy simple things and don't take a lot too seriously. We just like good work and good art. Be it clothing or interior design, we simply like when things are done with intention and result in something that will be cherished. In terms of putting it into words—it's kind of straightforward, but it also taps into that 'you have to see to understand' angle a little bit. I only say that because the community is full of all sorts of different people, including people you may not assume would be into what we curate. There's something in the curation that's appealing, but I can't label it.

CS: And speaking of community, you also run a Substack newsletter called "SL Selects," where you bring on various creatives to talk about their favorite items, or their grails, which is an idea that I think is unique and interesting to read about! What has been your inspiration for beginning this series in the newsletter?

J: The inspiration behind the guest profiles comes from the idea that we’re all a product of what we consume and what we allow into our lives. I think the project has found a fantastic group of people who have great taste and come from different backgrounds and cultures. By giving these guests a platform to share interests and passions, we can learn from them based on our own experiences. You might find someone who sees life through a nearly identical lens, and that connection can be incredibly rewarding.

CS: For sure! And what's something you've learnt along the way with this series?

J: If there’s one thing I’ve learned during this process, it’s that everyone is unique and appreciates different things in their own way. Every conversation has offered me something new. 

CS: Scrolling all the way down your feed, I've noticed that your first post was way back in March of 2021. Would you say that the idea of Second Lake, when you first started versus now, has evolved as you grew as a person or has it stayed mostly the same?

J: I think about this often. It's definitely different from what it was then, but when you look at the older images, you can still see the direction SL was headed in. I don't think it's a stark change from then to now, but more of an evolution, like you said. It's more fine-tuned now.

CS: Creatively, where do you go to find inspiration, whether that's a place in real life or an online space like Pinterest?

J: Both of those are good answers, but my answer would be anywhere. That's likely a corny answer, you'll have to forgive me, but I think it's accurate. The attitude of SL is composed of clothing, literature, music, art, movies, memes—you name it. I can find aesthetic images on Pinterest or my explore page, but I tend to share whatever it is that had an authentic impact on me—regardless of where it came from. That's where my creativity comes from.

As an example, I was introduced to the art of Yunji Park recently by someone close to me and that opened the door for me to go learn more about the artist. It sent me down a rabbit hole. In the end, my creativity didn't do a ton of heavy lifting, but my appreciation and curiosity for what was shown to me got me there. If you can learn to appreciate small little things or random things that come your way, your creativity won't have an off-switch. It's all around you! 

CS: Do you have any particular person who inspires you? why or how?

J: I think an obvious answer would be Justin Saunders and the team at JJJJound. There are more inspirations to me, but Justin Saunders followed a path when developing JJJJound that has given me structure when I think about how I want to build with SL. Simple, classic design with a bit of tongue-in-cheek in the mix. Early on, that work showed me that I could both appreciate design and have my fun with it too. 

CS: I can see it! Both SL and JJJJound give off similar vibes. Minimal and utilitarian.

CS: I personally think that reflection is an important component in any creative endeavor to evolve and grow, especially to stay true to its core ethos. You've recently announced that SL has been taking some time to reflect its identity before entering its next phase. What can we expect from SL in the future?

J: More of what the community knows and loves. A revival of the newsletter and the profiles, small product drops, and playlists. On top of that, perhaps some new projects that I can't quite crack open to the world yet.

CS: As we're bringing this conversation to a close, I don't think it would be an authentic SL interview if I don't ask you some of your own questions! Without further ado... Favorite brand?

J: Adsum.

CS: Favorite Fragrance?

J: At The Barber's from Maison Margiela.

CS: Favorite Song/Record?

J: It's always changing, but right now it would have to be 'Dream police' from Mk.gee.

CS: Any personal grails?

J: As my wardrobe feels to be in a good spot right now, I'll say a house with a skylight in the kitchen.

CS: One essential non-clothing item?

J: 24 oz Hydro Flask.

CS: ...and for a question of my own, introvert or extrovert?

J: Introvert.

CS: Lastly, if you could give one message to the world, what would it be?

J: Go at your own pace and be intentional in everything you do. From friendships to work, be intentional. Give an honest effort. 

A special thanks to Jon for taking the time to have this lovely conversation with me. I had a great time learning more about Second Lake and hearing his thoughts. Find more of Jonathan on Instagram and Substack. That is it, and I will see you next week!

for inquiries, contact hello@intotheindoorsjournal.com

into the indoors, 2024.