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?

  gustafwestman

  

  A post shared by @gustafwestman

• 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.

Subscribe now

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.

“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

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

Subscribe now

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.

chickenshopdate

A post shared by @chickenshopdate

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

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

Subscribe now

Career: The Worst Advice Parents Can Give First-Year Students from The Atlantic

In a world where we are prioritizing returns on investments, degrees like Computer Science are quickly becoming attractive to students for their lucrative offers upon graduation. But this presents a dilemma: Who are we?

“The college years are the best time to take intellectual and experiential risks. It is okay—even good—if some of the choices students make don’t work out. As one of the great psychiatrists at the National Institute of Mental Health once told me: “Growing up is about taking risks, having near misses, making mistakes, and learning from them. Children cannot mature unless they confront and work through serious challenges.”

Although directed at college students, I think this article explores a concept that is relevant to everyone of all ages. It’s never to late to set out on another trajectory and experiment.

The Internet: the end of our extremely online era from Tommy Dixon on Substack

Recently, I’ve been enjoying Tommy Dixon’s personal journal-like entries on Substack. One piece that struck me the most was one on our excessive consumption of information on the internet. 

“The bomb has hit and the effects are everywhere. Depression rates are up. People are lonelier than ever. Pubs and libraries and playgrounds, once flourishing social spheres, are abandoned, shuttered.

No one, I would argue, is having a good time. People are fed up. Burnt out and worn thin. People, really, are tired of being so goddamn terminally online.”

Family Relationships: Why So Many People Are Going “No Contact” With Their Parents from The New Yorker

“Some critics think the movement has gone too far. Do we owe our parents more than we owe romantic partners? […] many estrangements happen for other reasons, including emotional abuse or toxic behavior—more difficult terms to define—or differences in world view. It can sometimes be unpleasant, even horrible, to hang out with your parents. […] What is lost when we render our families optional? Isn’t part of the point of your relationship with your mom that, even if she aggravates you, you still pick up the phone?”

Fashion: Welcome to Bodeworld: How big can a downtown clothing brand inspired by tablecloths and old quilts get and still be cool? from New York Magazine

I’ve always loved BODE. A menswear brand founded by Emily Bode in NYC, the label features one-of-a-kind vintage-made pieces and a beautifully decorated store interior that just exudes the feeling of uniqueness, nostalgia, and originality.

“What exactly does Bode mean on a man? Is it a rejection of logomania and streetwear? “With Bode, it doesn’t say BALENCIAGA across the front. It has a lobster on it. I want to express myself by wearing this silly lobster sweater,” Christian Maradiaga, a tech-bro Bode boy, told me.”

Thank you for reading the fourth 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

Subscribe now

Idea: Are You The Same Person You Were When You Were a Child? from The New Yorker

“If we could see our childish selves more clearly, we might have a better sense of the course and the character of our lives. Are we the same people at four that we will be at twenty-four, forty-four, or seventy-four? Or will we change substantially through time?”

Well Being: The Best Therapy for Our Anxiety Epidemic from The Atlantic

“I believe a deeper philosophical problem affects the lives of young people today as well, and of many people who are no longer young. Folks lack a sense of meaning; they don’t feel they know the “why” of their lives. […] here is how to apprehend and address it.”

Society: A Tale of Two Londons from Vanity Fair

“Who really lives at One Hyde Park, called the world’s most expensive residential building? Its mostly absentee owners, hiding behind offshore corporations based in tax havens, provide a portrait of the new global super-wealthy.”

Design: Rebranding Glossier, My Way from Dabbling by Annie Dabir on Substack

“I would like to see Glossier redefine “American girl beauty” a niche that has not quite been filled! Though they may deny it, Glossier is sort of a quintessential American brand, and it should lean that way.”

Thank you for reading the third 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 Saturday!

Subscribe here

-CS

One Great Story: “The One-Man-Show Making & Delivering NYC’s Hottest Sandwiches” from the Bon Appétit channel on Youtube

Salvo’s is not your typical restaurant. Headquartered in the kitchen of his NYC home and marketed through Instagram, Salvatore wears many hats—chef, graphic designer, customer service, deliverer—he does it all. This 14-minute video takes you through his business operation, and it’s guaranteed to inspire and bring a smile to your face!

Wellbeing: “Is Decaffeinated Coffee Bad for You?” from the New York Times

Do you drink decaf coffee on the regular? If so, it might be worth the time to understand the process behind it. This NY Times article explores the methods of decaffeinating coffee beans—whether that’s through chemical processes or the Swiss Water Filtration—and debunks the common myths associated with these processes.

Personal Finance: “Making Smart Investments: A Beginner’s Guide” from the Harvard Business Review

The talk of money is often confusing—not only do most people tend to shy away from the topic, but many also tend to feel lost on how to set it up smartly for a financial-free future. Investing tends to be a popular term thrown around, but where and how do we begin?

* This is not financial advice. Do your due diligence before making any financial investments.

Fashion: “How The Row Became The Must-Have Brand For Style-Conscious Celebs” from Vogue UK

Founded in 2006 by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, The Row has become synonymous with “quiet luxury” and is often placed in the league of heritage-rich fashion houses like Hermès. With items ranging in the thousands, why are people willing to pay?

Thank you for reading the second issue of Well-Rounded. Have a great day, and I’ll see you next Thursday!

-CS

Wellbeing: “Anxiety Is Like Exercise” from The Atlantic

It might be worth it to identify what type of anxiety you have before intervening for solutions. Is it growth anxiety—an optimal amount of stress that can foster a healthy life? or is it on the opposite side of the spectrum in the form of toxic anxiety?

Lifestyle: “Hôtel Du Cap-Eden-Roc: The Jet-Set’s Hideaway” from The Rake

Where do the wealthy and powerful go to mingle? Located along the French Rivera and frequented by the likes of Picasso, Kennedy, and Hemingway, this little paradise holds the answer.

Popular Culture: “You Can’t Escape This Color” from The New York Times

In the summer of ‘23, Barbenheimer was all the rage. This summer, it’s brat. Inspired by Charli xcx’s new album and identified by its distinctive shade of green, brat isn’t going anywhere.

Listen: “An Unfiltered Conversation with Emma Chamberlain” from the Colin and Samir channel on Youtube

Emma Chamberlain has always been one of my favorite people on the internet. This podcast with Colin and Samir really gave me an insight into the business behind being a public figure, her rebranding, and the involvement and thought process in her coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee.

Thank you so much for reading the first issue of Well-Rounded!

I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you think in the comments!

Also, consider giving this article a like and subscribing for free if you want to receive future editions in your inbox :)

Have a good day, and let’s talk soon!

-CS