Happy new year! 👋 I'm stoked to be back in your inbox. Hope you're having a smooth and mellow start to 2023. 

Here are 3 Good Things happening this month:

1. I wrote a 2022 in Review and reflected on the three biggest lessons I learned about nomadic life, mindset, and color.

2. Remember my pandemic passion project, SF Bakery Ride? 🥐 It got featured on Redfin in an article covering hidden gems of SF!

3. I'm officially heading Japan in March! 🇯🇵 The last time I visited was in 2019 and I’m so frigging excited to go back. We’re going to Tokyo, Shizuoka, and potentially other cities. Please share recs!

1. ARTIST: Boring Friends Ben Courtice (aka Boring Friends) is a designer and illustrator based in Toronto. I discovered his work recently and his vintage-inspired character design and branding style is totally up my alley. He also hosted a fun creative challenge inspiring people to make a ton of “shitty art”. Check out his work here.
2. ATHLETE: Kimi Werner Kimi is a national spearfishing champion, chef, and conservationist from Maui. She did an inspiring TED talk about becoming one of the few professional female free diver and spearfishers, and how she overcame the pressure to rise up the ranks by deciding to slow down. Check out her profile here.
3. PODCAST: Rick Rubin on the Lex Fridman Podcast In this episode, Lex talks with legendary music producer Rick Rubin on his career and philosophy on creativity. They discuss hot topics including the benefits of freeing your mind, definition of “greatness”, and why there’s no sense in applying metrics in art. Check out the episode here.
4. PUZZLE: The Busy Bistro by The Magic Puzzle I got this puzzle for Christmas and cracked it open on NYE. Everything about this set from the Japanese-inspired sushi & mice wimmelbook style illustration, packaging design, and mystery concept made it so engaging and fun.  Check out the puzzle here.
5. VIDEO: The Golden Globes Speeches I don’t usually watch award shows, but this year I stumbled upon the acceptance speeches of Ke Huy Quan for Best Supporting Actor and Michelle Yeoh for Best Actress in a Motion Picture and they got me feeling emotional. It’s exciting to see them finally get celebrated for their talents after many decades. Check out the videos here & here.