A smile is a heart is a smile is a heart is a smile is a heart is a smile is a heart is a smile

Imagination rules

Reposting Instagram featuring ‘A Moon or a Button’ by Ruth Krauss and Remy Charlip (1959) 🌝🌞

🧡

🌝 🌞

Before the eight Oscars and EGOT status, Alan Menken spent the 1970s and ‘80s writing shows for New York’s theater scene that often went nowhere. He created his “Disney Renaissance” and reputation the world knows of him today by staying in love with the work and putting in the hours ❤️ Source: The Talks.

Below: my ai-generated art using the. prompt “create a complex non-linear luminous pure white system trajectory image”. I love the result 🤍 #nonlinear success

My illustration of flowers that I created for A Right Brain Assessment of the MTA

🐾

Just finished this illustration ♥️

California pup, hazel eye & blue eye, out and about in Santa Monica.

In The Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley describes the brain as a “reducing valve”— a mental gatekeeper that limits our consciousness to keep us from getting overwhelmed. It gives us what we need to function, not everything that’s available.

Our brain rations thought the way we’d ration water on a long, hot hike: just enough to keep moving. Over time, we start to believe this careful drip is all there is. Huxley asks: what if our daily experience is only a fraction of what’s actually possible?

We live by routines and habits, mistaking the map for the territory (as Korzybski famously put it). Huxley suggests there’s a world of more imaginative terrain out there: unknown, vivid, unexplored. The goal isn’t to squeeze more from the brain like it’s underperforming, but to stop assuming “enough” is the full story. I love Huxley’s invitation to look past the frugal scaffolding of ‘enough’ and explore the extraordinary. The everyday suddenly shimmers with possibility.

♥️

(Video above by @aleksmutated)

Writer’s block (or “Jenny” as her friends call her) decided the most creative thing she could do that day was… absolutely nothing.

She didn’t fight it. Instead, she grabbed a coffee, packed up a six-pack of premium half-baked ideas, and headed straight for the lake.

She cast a line into the water, and waited. Surprisingly She didn’t catch a thing. She spent four blissfully unproductive hours admiring the shimmering water. No nagging sentences, no demanding to-dos. Just the sound of nothing much happening.

When she finally packed up, something shifted. The pressure was gone. She came back to her desk lighter, clearer— like her brain rebooted while she wasn’t looking. And just like that, she was ready to write.

Turns out, the old saying holds up: silence really is golden.

Take the break when you need it. Your best ideas are probably out there… just waiting to be hooked :) ✨

Life got busy, and my workout routine slipped onto the back burner. If you’ve managed to avoid that, I’m impressed. If not, I 100% relate. Either way, today I’m officially getting my tush back into the gym.

We all know the usual perks of exercise like better sleep and more energy, but I recently read an article by MindBodyGreen, Strong Muscles, Strong Mind, that takes it a step further. It describes exercise as a sort of cheat code for the brain.

Movement helps regulate cortisol, our primary stress hormone, while boosting endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that lift our mood. Regular exercise can actually reshape the brain by building new neural pathways. In other words, working out doesn’t just make us feel better, it helps create the ideal conditions for our brains to perform at their best.

Pretty cool, right?

If you’re restarting too, here’s the game plan I’m sticking to, modified from the article:

• Mix it up: I’m aiming for 2-3 HIIT workouts and 2-3 strength days. It keeps the body adaptable and the brain building “resilience pathways.”

• Anti-Boredom List: Life is too short for workouts you hate. I’ve got a list of a few activities that don’t feel like a chore (like dancing and hiking) to lean on when my energy is low.

• Don’t skip rest: Sleep, good food, and downtime are part of the plan. I include these to avoid burnout.

• The Buddy System: Everything’s better with a partner-in-crime. It’s a lot harder to hit the snooze button when you know someone is waiting for you to show up.

What’s your go-to workout for busy days?

I find this funny. #positiveAffirmation. 🧑🏻‍🎨

I tried a different drawing technique for this illustration, and I really like how it turned out. I usually start by outlining everything in black ink, but this time I painted the color first and added the outlines afterward. It’s a subtle shift, but I think it gives the illustration a more realistic feel.

♡✨

Fishermans Bay Garden

🚲

I like how everyday stuff can open small windows into mindfulness. Take your feet, for example. Right now, notice how they’re touching the ground. Four points. Yep, I’m borrowing a yoga exercise: heel, outer edge, ball, inner edge. Feel how the ground meets you back. It feels good to be where your feet are.

It could be other things too like tasting your coffee in the morning before getting to your computer or enjoying a walk after lunch without mentally composing emails.

Seen this way, mindfulness and presence become a habit of noticing and appreciating what’s already here. Kind of like remembering to look up at the trees instead of down at your feet when you’re exploring a city. True story. Discovered in Shanghai with my aunt. Story for another time. Your whole view changes.

🌲🌳✨

🐶 Photo @maison_flanuer

There is a steady rhythm inside your chest. 🎶 It expands and contracts all day long. Each breath can impact your mood or mental state.

Pay attention to it and you can notice a connection. If you are nervous, your breath might become jumpy. When you are focused, it smooths out. If you are upset, it can feel short. The mind influences the breath. I recently started yoga, and what I love is realizing this relationship runs both ways.

If a stressful thought can tighten your breathing, intentional breathing can loosen the grip of that thought. Slow the inhale and stretch out the exhale. Your body gets the message to relax and your mind usually follows.

You may not control every thought that pops into your head. But the ability to influence the atmosphere those thoughts move through is pretty awesome. Shift your breath, and you start to shift your mental state.♡

Flower 🌸 @car__lotta via @ad_magazine

Flower 🌼, Irving Penn

On a beach walk: Me, Mom, Sister, and Kaia (same that I illustrated recently)

Flowers🌷via @ad_magazine

(happy update: she landed a great role. 🐾✨)

She uses Maldon sea salt flakes in many of her recipes for a delicious sweet-savory contrast, and her family is firmly on board. Big fans. Loyal constituency.

She still owes me her chocolate chip cookie recipe topped with Maldon salt, but it has not arrived on my phone yet. No problem though because it gives me a good reason to feature her or the recipe in the future :)

🥧✨

My illustration of her and sweet Kaia. Recipe and other photos follow.

Zoomed in :)

Recipe source: Celebrating Sweets by Allison Mattina

Recipe overview

Pie crust: You can use a store bought pie crust or homemade 9-inch pie crust. No need to prebake the crust. Keep it in the fridge (if homemade) or freezer (if frozen) before adding the filling.

Filling: This pecan pie filling contains no corn syrup and it is dark, rich, and flavorful. It’s made with a combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Cook the filling on the stovetop for just a few minutes. Cool briefly, then pour into the pie crust along with pecans and chocolate chips.

Bake: Bake the pie in the center to lower third of the oven for about 45 minutes.

Topping: Serve the pie as is or top with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, flaky sea salt, ice cream, or chocolate shavings.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cooling: 5 hours

Total Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

Pie crust (or use your favorite 9-inch deep dish unbaked pie crust*):

• ▢1 ¼ cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

• ▢1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• ▢½ teaspoon salt

• ▢½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• ▢¼ cup ice water, plus more, if needed

Filling:

• ▢6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• ▢1 cup packed brown sugar

• ▢½ cup pure maple syrup

• ▢1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• ▢½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ▢3 large eggs

• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ▢1½ cups chopped pecans

• ▢½ cup bittersweet/dark chocolate chips

• ▢non-stick baking spray

• ▢flaky finishing salt, optional

Instructions

Pie crust:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour, doing so until the butter is broken down into pea-sized pieces. Add ¼ cup ice water and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough starts coming together. Then use your hands to bring the dough together. If necessary, add another tablespoon of cold water. The dough should just be sticking together. Try not to overwork it.

• Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disc and wrap it up. Roll the edges of the crust on the countertop (like a wheel) to smooth out the edges. Transfer to your refrigerator for 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

• Let the pie crust sit at room temperature for several minutes until it is no longer rock-hard, but still cold (this will depend on how long it was the fridge). Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is a 12-13 inch circle.

• Lightly spritz a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with non-stick spray, then transfer the crust to the pie plate. Trim and fold/crimp the excess crust around the edges. Place the crust in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center to lower third of the oven.

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth and combined. Bring the mixture to a low simmer (bubbles forming around the perimeter of the pan), then remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool for 15 minutes.

• Add eggs and extract to the syrup mixture, whisking until combined.

• Sprinkle the chopped pecans and chocolate chips into the bottom of the uncooked pie crust. Pour the syrup mixture over the pecans, rearranging the pecans if necessary (most the nuts and chocolate chips will float to the top).

• Lightly spritz a piece of foil with non-stick spray. Cover the pie with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 15-25 minutes, until the edges are set but the center of the pie is still a bit jiggly (like gelatin). Sprinkle the top of the pie with a few sprinkles of flaky finishing salt (my sister likes Maldon sea salt flakes). Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely; it will firm up as it cools. I like to serve this pie at room temperature.

Maldon sea salt, ready for it’s closeup 🧑🏻‍🎨

Ever have one of those days when you feel a little worn out? Maybe the project you’re working on needs a reboot, nothing seems to land no matter how long you look at it, or your energy just isn’t clicking with the universe 😮‍💨✨?

100% okay. Let the day be imperfect. Give yourself some grace and step away for a little bit. Journal, paint, or indulge in whatever interest brings you calm.

I decided to make tiramisu. Sweet but not too sweet. An Italian dessert stacked with layers of yumminess.

Tira — pull
Mi — me
Su — up

And there you have it. Every now and then, take it easy 🤎

Tiramisu video & a very good recipe from @zaynab_issa

INGREDIENTS
3 large, fresh, pasteurized eggs, separated
500g mascarpone
1/2 tsp diamond crystal kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
7oz ladyfingers
1 cup very good, strong coffee
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder

METHOD
Add egg yolks, mascarpone, and salt to a medium bowl and mix to combine. This is easiest if the mascarpone is at room temp.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with electric beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high. When the the whites begin to get frothy, gradually stream in the sugar. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form and the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Add yolk mixture to egg whites and fold until completely incorporated.

Dip each lady finger into the coffee and place in an even layer in the bottom of a 8.5x10.5 inch dish. Add 1/2 the mascarpone mixture over top and spread in an ever layer. Repeat one more time to use all the coffee, biscuits, and cream. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.

Dust with cocoa powder and serve.

♡ 🍨 ☕️

And just because @nasa creeps into my feed sometimes: Mars in beautiful tiramisu colors

If you made a Life Weather Map for yourself, what would you chart, and why? (I’ve been thinking about illustrative journaling and life maps. I’ll explore this more later 🔎 :).

“Luck sets the weather. Integrity sets the direction”

🧭

The Interview:

The following is a reflective interview, part of an ongoing project to record important family memories. Today’s spotlight: my stepdad, a very successful businessman-entrepreneur who loves family, art, music, and offering strong opinions, whether you solicit them or not 😉

On Business

What’s a lesson about work, money, or success that either surprised you or became important to you over the years?
Success requires a great deal of luck and good timing. In my case, I was in the right place at the right time, and that was partly luck. You should never take success for granted, because timing plays a much larger role than people like to admit.

What matters more than intelligence in business?
Self-esteem. That is an easy one. It is the most important trait a person can have. It has to be part of who you are. That does not mean it cannot be built over time, but it is difficult. Without it, intelligence alone will not carry you very far.

On Life

What did you overestimate in your 30s?
Not very much. I became a CEO at age 31, running a company with about 600 employees. I was young and willing to take calculated risks. I was trained in finance and analytics and at the time knew very little about running a company at that scale.

I put myself in a position where I was visible, and I asked for the promotion. I went to the senior executives; they did not come to me.

If you could invite three people to dinner, living or dead, who would you invite?
First would be Winston Churchill. I consider him the most important world leader of our lifetime. I have read a great deal about him and admire his bravery and willingness to take enormous risks for the good of the free world.

Second would be Beethoven. He is the greatest producer of music of all time. I am listening to him right now. I would be fascinated to talk to him about how he saw the world.

The third would be someone from much further back in history, like Julius Caesar or Plato. I would want to understand how they thought and what their presence was like. Would you feel awe in the room? Would they dominate the conversation?

Artists we discussed over the holidays

Giorgio Morandi. “Still Life” (1931)

His good friend Takesada Matsutani studio + work, photos from NYT

“Circle Yellow-19” (2019)

Louise Bourgeois, three images from The Puritan Suite 1997-2003

He and my mom, out and about in California

♡

☀️