Leisure Digest: June

"Nothing beats books for understanding the world " - Rolf Dobelli

Loaf Made is a slow-moving, high-quality chronicle by a photographer who takes travel, film, books, print, leisure, and craft seriously — or at least seriously enough to write about them. It’s for people who still buy books, see films in theaters, and believe well-made objects matter.

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Leisure Digest: June

What if we measured our time on this planet by the number of summers we get? Let’s assume you’re lucky. You get 82. That doesn’t seem like nearly enough, so do your best not to waste them. If you have some leisure time during your work weeks this time of year, take the walks, have the afternoon cocktails, enjoy the summer air. And if you can go somewhere new, go. See the world. You don’t have endless summers.

But of course you’ll also have true leisure time, spent on the couch. In those hours I hope this finds you, so I can point you toward something worth your time.

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Sports

What a month June has been for sports. I don’t talk about them here often, but I’m a huge sports fan.

This month had everything. The Knicks won their first championship in over fifty years, led by a small guard, historically improbable and pretty awesome. New York City seemed magical all month. Neistat made an epic video on the events.

Lewis Hamilton won his first race with Ferrari in Spain, an old-school Lewis performance. As a Leclerc guy, I wasn’t over the moon about it, but any Ferrari driver winning beats the alternatives.

And then the start of the World Cup has been amazing. I even went out to a bar to watch the second USA game with friends. A crowd, people cheering together for the sport, in the South Bay. That’s not normal. The World Cup carries a special energy with it. Go USA.

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Movies

I went back to the theater this month to see Spielberg’s new film, Disclosure Day. It seems to have stirred up quite a reaction online. I didn’t know any of that going in. I knew nothing other than it was directed by a legend. I honestly enjoyed it, a fun summer movie. Released twenty years ago, it might have blown audiences’ minds, but we’re all a little jaded now. Emily Blunt carries a lot of it. She’s a powerhouse.

We’ve also got two big blockbusters coming next month: The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan in mid-July, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day at the end of the month, which looks surprisingly good off the latest trailer. Here’s to hoping both are incredible and make all the money. Any movie making money at the theater is a good thing. I’ll be heading to the theater and will surely have thoughts to share.

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Books

One fiction, two non-fiction.

Shopkeeping by longtime bookshop owner Peter Miller. This was a lovely quick read. I’ve never been to his shop in Seattle, but I want to go now. It’s a great book for anyone who’s ever wondered what it takes and what it means to own a good shop.

The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway. It might be the perfect summer read.

The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli. One of my favorite non-fiction books. I wouldn’t call it self-help, though it offers theories and ideas for living a better life, so I suppose it is. But it’s written in an interesting, non-cheesy way. You finish it feeling like you’ve grasped a handful of solid concepts, and you can pick one to learn more about if you feel the urge.

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Videos

As someone who spends hours a week on YouTube, trust me, these are worth your time.

Two great music-driven short edits by Max Joseph, a very talented filmmaker known for his Catfish fame. He’s one of the most clever and talented editors working in the short-format documentary space.

I found a video created by Tested with Adam Savage, on the processing and handling of IMAX film genuinely intriguing. So much work goes into that format. It’s incredible to see the passion behind it. Savage is such a geek that he makes me care about the smallest details.

My friend and talented filmmaker Dexter started a series covering the World Cup and its fans. The first episode is hilarious and interesting. Please check it out.

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Object

The Olfa utility knife. It’s one of the most-used tools in our studio. My brother and I reach for it constantly, and so does my mom when she helps us with the detail work on framing and packaging.

Here’s the fun part. Olfa is a Japanese company, and back in 1956 its founder, Yoshio Okada, invented the world’s first snap-off blade. He worked at a print shop and became frustrated by how fast razor blades dulled. The idea came to him from two unlikely places: the way a chocolate bar breaks into clean segments and the look of a fresh edge of broken glass. Snap off the dull tip, expose a sharp one. A truly ingenious design, and the blade’s angle and dimensions he settled on became the world standard that everyone still copies. Every desk, every home, every studio should have one within reach.

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Final Thing

My brother just finished a beautiful painting titled American Woman, partly to mark America’s 250th anniversary, but mostly because he had the idea and made it happen. He’s doing a brief print run up until July 4th. It’s a beautiful piece. We’re making the 16x20 prints in our studio on a great fine art Baryta paper. If you collect art and love original, made-by-human work, this could be a beautiful addition to your collection, or an incredible first piece.

BUY HERE - INWARD ARROWS AMERICAN WOMAN

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Enjoy the 4th. And if becoming a paid subscriber feels right, it helps me work toward some bigger goals for this page, and more projects down the line. Thanks.