Weekly Finds #33 - December 22nd, 2023
Sharing some of the interesting things I've gathered over the course of the week.
📖 Read
The Bryan Cranston Method
Bryan Cranston, known for his iconic role as Walter White in Breaking Bad, reveals the intricacies of his Cranston Method, a holistic approach to life and work. This method includes criteria for assessing acting roles, such as the Cranston Assessment of Project Scale (CAPS), and a commitment to challenging himself with each project. Cranston's career, from early roles to Breaking Bad and beyond, reflects a dedication to preparation, meticulousness, and a desire to create something special in every endeavor. Despite achieving immense success, Cranston continues to seek new challenges and plans a temporary retirement in France with his wife to rebalance their lives.
In this revealing interview, Cranston discusses the impact of Breaking Bad, his careful selection of projects, and his future plans, showcasing a nuanced and thoughtful approach to both his craft and personal life. The dynamic interplay of seriousness and silliness, as well as Cranston's genuine care for others, sets him apart in the entertainment industry. Readers gain insights into the mind of a seasoned actor who values not just success but the journey of continuous growth and exploration.
🙉 Overheard
Hey sorry I missed your text, I am processing a non-stop 24/7 onslaught of information with a brain designed to eat berries in a cave.
👯♂️ Friends of Culture Curated
This week, we have a bonus post from Food Jungle, where our friend Gregory Zenin writes about what’s happening in the food industry. Be sure to subscribe and stay up to date on the latest in the good, bad, and ugly of this storied industry.
A Fashion and Food Collab
For TômTex, “waste is the new luxury”. More specifically, this New York-based company is using shrimp shells and mushrooms to create alternative leather fabrics!
By mixing a biopolymer abundant in seafood exoskeletons and mushrooms - called chitosan - with coffee grounds, TômTex can create a durable material that resembles leather AND is 100% biodegradable.
The company raised $4.15 million in funding just last week, already, their materials have been used for both New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.
What’s more, whether from coffee grounds or insects, the chitosan can be extracted from any organic matter! You’re feeding two birds with one scone, really: eliminate food waste and reduce fast fashion’s carbon footprint. Food Jungle approved ✅
🎧 Listen
A couple of items from this week’s Music Curated issue.
I mix it up here and share various music with my readers, so you’ll see something different each week. You may be into some of what I share, and you may not be into other things, and that’s okay. My goal is to share the things I enjoy and I hope to introduce my audience to something they might not have otherwise heard, and I hope some of it also resonates with you.
Song: Cleo Sol - Self
It’s been a prolific year for the SAULT vocalist Cleo Sol, releasing Heaven and Gold within two weeks. This has been one of my favorite tracks from these releases and. is reminiscent of her work with SAULT.
Playlist: SAULT unlimited: Cleo Sol’s World
Listen to the most beautiful voices and lyrics on SAULT producer Inflo’s timeless productions.
🔗 Random Finds
Forest Bathing for Everyone
A no-nonsense guide to forest bathing. It’s cool, you can like hippie shit like this, or not, the forest doesn’t care.
Every Second
Visualize all the amazing things happening every second around the world, like how many new internet users, how many Uber trips are completed, or how many meteors enter the atmosphere.
Come For the Pistachio Green Kitchen Inside This LA Home, Stay for the Hidden Bar Cabinet
Lots of interesting highlights in this Venice Beach home, but the bar cabinet is really what does it for me.
🍲 🍹 Eat & Drink
Butternut Squash Baked Pasta
Dive into the ultimate healthy winter comfort food with a Bay Area twist. Inspired by the vision of Healthyish editor Amanda Shapiro, cookbook author Andy Baraghani adapted this recipe for baked pasta that is a creamy revelation. The secret? Butternut squash takes center stage, creating a luscious sauce without drowning in cheese. Pasta perfection is achieved with paccheri, baked to al dente glory, and layered with the spicy squash purée. The grand finale? For that irresistible crunch, a deconstructed pesto crumble featuring hazelnuts, salt, oil, and torn basil. Skepticism turned into editor-approved delight—this is the pinnacle of baked pasta brilliance!
Zac Overman’s Picon Punch
Sip into California's 19th-century history with the Picon Punch. Adopted by Basque American communities, it gets a modern twist at Bar Bayonne in Seattle. Beverage director Zac Overman elevates its food-friendly charm by swapping traditional soda for a spritzy kick of cava. Experience the fusion of history and innovation in every delightful sip.
🧒 Kiddos
My kids thought this was fascinating and wanted to share it with you all.
Winter Celebrations Around The World
Winter celebrations around the world are diverse, with different cultures and countries celebrating religious and New Year holidays.
Christmas celebrated on December 25th, is one of the most popular winter holidays and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, is celebrated for eight days in December and commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BC. Kwanzaa is an African winter celebration established in 1965 and is a time for people of African descent to remember their history and traditions. Ramadan is an Islamic holiday that celebrates a month of fasting, and Chinese New Year recognizes the beginning of the Chinese calendar. Japanese New Year, also called Omisoka, is celebrated one day earlier on December 31st, and people clean their homes from top to bottom to encourage new beginnings and possibilities. The winter solstice, celebrated between December 20th and 23rd, is the shortest day of the year and is celebrated with festivals and celebrations worldwide.
No matter what your tradition is, enjoy the holiday season!