In case you were waiting with bated breath after last month鈥檚 update: we鈥檙e doing better! We and some forest re-openings! In case you only came here to get聽ideas for your reading and podcast list, we won鈥檛 delay any longer.
What We Read
I'm just gonna say it. is my new favorite website. I came across it a couple weekends ago 聽searching for “healthy breakfast recipes,” and stumbled upon this glorious, extremely savory , which was so delicious that it will from this point forward be a weekend聽go-to. Then this past Saturday, tempted to make the hash again, I went directly to the site and browsed through the archive only to find these . They not only made an outstanding dinner packed with flavor, but the prep made for a winning Instagram story, too. Double whammy!
鈥擩enny Earnest, social media manager
I鈥檓 in the middle of reading Michael Paterniti鈥檚 , a story about a cheesemaker on a quest for revenge. You enter another world on the Spanish聽countryside with Paterniti鈥攐ne that neither author nor reader wants to leave.
鈥擶ill Gordon, assistant editor
Studies show that viewing nature imagery , , and . So for the past few days, I鈥檝e been keeping by Charles Watkins on hand for mini breaks throughout the day. Like most art books, this survey of Western arboreal depictions is visually rich and perfectly skimmable, so it鈥檚 ideal for small doses of pastoral groves and ancient聽arboreal sentinels. Am I still stressed out of my mind? Most definitely. But I do feel a bit calmer, more focused, and less bent out of shape. I鈥檒l take it.
鈥擜leta Burchyski, associate managing editor
What We Listened To
I binged on ESPN's latest , a five-part series on the rise and fall of Bikram Choudhury鈥檚 hot yoga empire. My wife was a longtime Bikram instructor who once received a cease and desist letter from Choudhury鈥檚 headquarters for having the gall聽to teach a hot yoga class in Los Angeles that didn鈥檛 adhere to the guru鈥檚 infamously strict rules on script and pose order. She also attended his now notorious instructors course. The podcast offers a deeply reported look into Choudhury鈥檚 cult of personality, his fabricated backstory, and the sexual assault allegations that ultimately brought him down.
鈥擟hris Keyes, editor
As 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥s unofficial true crime critic, I鈥檓 here with another fantastic investigative podcast, . Season two of Missing & Murdered centers on a young Cree girl who disappeared at age 13 in the '70s after being taken against her will into foster care. CBS reporter Connie Walker dives deep into Cleo鈥檚 story, as well as the larger, disturbing history of government officials separating indigenous families. Through an informative step-by-step podcast, Walker helps Cleo鈥檚 biological siblings solve the mystery of their missing sister.
鈥擜bigail Wise, online managing editor
I鈥檝e been listening to Kamasi Washington鈥檚 , which I鈥檇 recommend to all music fans. It鈥檚 a jazz album, but Washington is also influenced by funk and hip hop. (He made an appearance on Kendrick Lamar's .) Just put it on and listen all the way through.
鈥擶.骋.
What We Watched or Otherwise Experienced
I have a houseplant with thick, wavy, watercolor leaves鈥攊t is beautiful, and it is my greatest source of pride, since it鈥檚 the only thing I鈥檝e managed to keep alive for more than a year. But Google has never been able to tell me the species of my precious plant, nor could any of the top plant-identification apps I tried, until I downloaded the suspicious-looking . Like many similar apps, this one lets you take or submit a photo, but it must draw from a more comprehensive database, because it immediately identified my special, rare plant. (Peperomia clusiifolia, tricolor variety.) I鈥檝e been enjoying my new role as annoying, plant-identifying friend on hikes and public outings.
鈥擡rin Berger, senior editor
. See tweets for justification.
鈥擲vati Narula, associate social media editor