Empirical is forever inspired by the role flavor plays in our ability to create and transport experiences. Many of us have spent a significant amount of blood and sweat working in some of the world’s best kitchens with the hope of pushing the boundaries of how we experience food. But Empirical is a newfound approach in bringing together our past and our experiences into something new. The outcome is something that’s democratic and shareable and driven by the journey of creating unique and unexpected flavors. See more about Empirical here.

The concept of practice is an integral aspect of being human: doing something repeatedly, making errors and learning from them, operating at the edges of your ability, and, most valuable of all, the satisfaction gained from improvement.

Practice is more than just repetition of behavior—it’s a movement of energy that creates a fissure in us to reveal what’s within. More movement, more revelation. Among the many things we discover about ourselves when engaged in the practice of writing or dance or making music is how to live with meaning and intention, which is perhaps the most important discovery of all.

Read more here.

Tucked into a hillside in Spain, the Ladera House is a concrete lair overlooking the Sierra Nevada. The minimalist volume is made up of two pavilions partially buried into the sloping terrain. Connected by an underground passage, the bedrooms are completely submerged below the ground while the living spaces enjoy views of the scenery. A network of walkways similar to the random movements in underground nests built by termites provides multiple links to the same rooms throughout the exposed cement interior. Although much of the dwelling is enclosed, a large picture window and planted garden roof provide a connection to the outdoors. via uncrate.

The creative life is not linear. It’s not a straight line from point A to point B. It’s more like a loop, or a spiral, in which you keep coming back to a new starting point after every project. No matter how successful you get, no matter what level of achievement you reach, you will never really “arrive.” Other than death, there is no finish line or retirement for the creative person. Forget about the finish line. Do this loop. Then do another. Keep going.

From the ever brilliant Austin Kleon.

Thanks for the heads-up Swiss Miss

I am a massive fan of my analogue journey: a wide array of interesting DJ mixes, featuring sounds from around the world. I also love the camera angle and just let this play in the background. There is something nice about the visuals: it’s a bird’s eye view of someone quietly playing records but they make a good point to show all of the tracks and cover art.

Throughout lockdown in the United Kingdom, Mark Harvey, who is known for his striking equine and canine photography, shifted his focus to the avian creatures gliding above his home in the Norfolk Broads. Now part of a series titled In Flight, the exquisitely detailed shots frame common birds —including magpies, blue tits, starlings, goldfinches, great tits, coal tits, long-tailed tits, and green finches—in otherwise unseen poses: some splay out an entire wingspan, while others wrap their feathers around the front of their torsos. You can find the post here.

Thanks to SwissMiss for the original post.

“As dramatic as it sounds, this was my destiny.” In the November issue of #BritishVogue, beauty and lifestyle director @JessicaDiner reflects on meeting the love of her life, the spiritual journey of her conversion to Judaism, and life as an Orthodox Jewish woman in modern Britain. Such a beautiful article and one well worth reading. You can find it here.

In a tiny facility within Iceland‘s remote Westfjords, Saltverk founder Björn Steinar Jónsson hand-harvests flaky salt from seawater using a sustainable method developed in the 17th century. Jónsson is one of the only salt-producers in Iceland today and the first to revive this 100% geothermal production method. You can find more about this amazing process here.