Chicken Fried Steak is not chicken, nor is it steak, as commonly recognized. If you are visiting an American diner, you are likely to find this distinctive dish. Order it. It’s a lightly breaded beefsteak cutlet fried on a flat-top grill. Similar to schnitzel in many ways. The
The world’s largest body of fresh water (by surface area) flanks the shores of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (affectionately known as the “U.P.” in the local vernacular). Due to the extreme northern latitude, the water shimmers from the sun’s sharply angled raking light. The lake is magnificent,
Dream engineers, you have my attention. This start up (Dust Systems) is hacking your dreams with the intention of improving your life. Here’s a page about their work designing dreams for creative joy. One staff person is listed as a “Anesthesia Dreaming Pioneer.” Notably, you can try this yourself.
James Bond and Chicago. In the late 1950s, author Ian Fleming traveled the world and compiled his notes into a book called, Thrilling Cities. As an outsider's take on Chicago, and the States more generally, I found some of his passages to be revealing of the time. The
Darts from the past: Darts now: Mostly plastic. Guitarist Yasmin Williams playing a Doc Watson song. Once it gets going, it really gets going. Clicking the photo should take you to the youtube performance. This is so smart. It’s a density shifter on Spotify. Every application should do this.
Smell training. Yes, you can improve your sense of smell with effort. Conventionally, we think of improving our ability to smell only when one has completely lost it. But the same principles can be applied to people with normal smell. Take three scents that you enjoy, or introduce yourself to
Did you know that the illustrator who made the cover for Luiz Bonfa’s classic solo guitar record Introspection, also did the cover for the videogame Doom? I didn't, until recently. Don Ivan Punchatz is the illustrator's name. He’s from Texas and also designed many
One of the great logos of the past 100 years and a bumper that disappeared. Swiftly identified, infinitely adaptable. The MTV logo is one of the greats and their interstitial bumpers of the 90s were something that teenage me loved watching. MTV producers worked with avant-garde animators and created
Songs I Love Right Now — July 2026: Listen on Spotify July 2026. Themes: Trinidadian jazz, Cajun accordion, Japanese spiritual jazz, Hawaiian experimental new age, Samoan choirs, Papa New Guinea string bands, pastoral country. Listening Notes: I spent a lot of time listening to Japanese jazz, with a focus on spiritual
Aggressive charm destruction. First, it was the switch to white light LEDs outside my house. Then, it was the retrofitting of the historic street lamps at our neighborhood park. They removed the acorn-shaped glass bulbs and replaced them with mismatched LED hardware. Apparently, the city of Chicago is aggressively
Nick Drake’s underreported influences. Drake only made three records, but they contain so many layers that I keep finding new details. The records sound so perfectly independent of influence — solitary islands with their own invented rules and rhythms. Yet, what first appears to be the work of a solitary
Sneaker modifications. There is a particular make and brand of sneaker that I once bought ritually. Every year — same color, same size (10.5), same style. It made the decision-making process for new sneakers very easy. And then, after being in production since forever, they went absent from the
The reality is, almost no one uses their pinky toes as nature designed. We cramp them into narrow footwear and they shrivel into disuse. Yet, properly articulated toes are helpful for balance and strength building. Try and independently wiggle your pinky toe. It may not respond. That’s OK, you
Chris van Allsburg and elliptical writing. Rarely done with children’s literature anymore, contemporary authors feel the need to overexplain everything. Not so with The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. It’s the If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler of children’s books. This picture of a child skimming
Nicely designed stamps for the Isle of Man. Manx Folk Traditions, by Jay Cover, of Nous Vous. As a native from Isle of Man, the artist brings attention to the local phrase — Traa dy Liooar. Literally: time enough. Conceptually: a lifestyle credo, unique to Isle of Man, that promotes patience
Yes, I’d like to redesign the walkway under the bridge. This is about as low as it gets on the status pole for designers. Viaducts are the forgotten design of Chicago infrastructure. And yet, it’s a crucial hub for mobility. For many, especially those coming from the airport,
Ted Lucas melodies, Joe Boyd explorations, John Cale, more Indonesian soul, Bahamian gospel, South African Swing. This month, I went deep on song selections by Thee Marloes and studied some of Joe Boyd’s productions. I especially like Bye Bye Baby, with vocals by Janis Joplin, and the John Cale
Weird blues, weird reggae, Welsh driving music, Chinese indie rock, Zimbabwe dry guitar, more variations on Old Paint, Guinean guitar, Samoan choir music, Indonesian retro soul music, Canadian reggae. I particularly like track #2 on the playlist — Choir of Western Samoa Teachers' Training College. Also: the cascading melodies of
The tapestry of musicians working with Britain’s most introverted folk musician, Nick Drake. But was he really that introverted? He’s conventionally described as a loner, but that misses some of the more interesting elements of his records. Producer Joe Boyd recruited an ensemble cast of musicians for the
Indonesian rhythms. Breezing through the sunny port city of Surabaya in a vintage Mercedes W123. Apparently, that’s the best way to listen to Thee Marloes. Based in Indonesia, this group is doing something fresh with vintage soul sounds. Songs sung in both a Javanese dialect and English. Highly recommended.
“Then came the crucial moment in the conversation… Me and my men suffer from a disease of the heart that can only be cured by gold.” These are the words allegedly uttered by Hernán Cortés, expressed to a foot soldier of Montezuma, before they met one another in person. Whether
The ancient peaks stand sentry over the valleys. The ridge lines become more faint in the distance, each layer lighter until the distant Alpine profiles appear like mist. Most peaks are capped with snow until June. As the eye travels from peak to snow-packed embankments to scattered forests, rivulets
Suggestion for a grownup small talk game that quickly transcends small talk. If I’m hanging out with new people, I like playing a game that involves social media and identity. This game works especially well if you don’t know the people very well. The concept — pick a friend
The New AI Money Should be Spent on Beauty, NYT opinion piece by Ross Douthat. Yes, yes I think it should. The title is suggestive and broad, but Mr. Douthat becomes increasingly specific in the body of the article. Soon enough, the major artificial intelligence companies will take their soaring