I’m Type A (shocking, I know).
Lists, color-coded itineraries, perfectly optimized farmer’s market hauls — planning has always been my default setting.
It’s how I work, how I travel, how I grocery shop.
It’s been that way since I was a kid.
And to be honest, it’s exhausting.
Your brain is always working, always on. Always thinking about the next thing, the next step, the next whatever.
But this month was a little different — an exercise in loosening the grip and intentionally taking moments to let go.
Less control. More flow. A conscious effort to build resilience in the not-knowing. To train a different muscle — and maybe, learn to trust it.
Sometimes the best plan is no plan at all.
And honestly? It’s been refreshing.
I’m still a planner at heart — and I’ve lived with OCD long enough to know that impulse won’t disappear overnight. It’s part of me.
But it’s not all bad. That part of me — the obsessive attention to detail, the instinct to prepare, refine, and get it right — is also a strength. In the right environments (especially at work), it’s a superpower.
I’m just learning to balance it. To pause. To enjoy the quiet. To touch grass, as it were.
We all need that from time to time.
where i’ve been eating.
June offered up an assortment of solid eats, great hangs with even better people, and frankly, a lot of caffeine.
Zero complaints.
Highlights below.
Bar Funke (Favorite) — The menu mirrors Funke downstairs — excellent handmade pasta and classic Italian fare from Evan Funke and team — but the vibe here is looser, livelier, and a little less buttoned-up. Come for the food, stay for the cocktails and people-watching, and linger just a bit longer to catch those fleeting whiffs of the focaccia drifting by.
Burgers Never Say Die — Consider this a reminder: I really need to update The Burgerists soon. BNSD technically needs a revisit before it gets a formal ranking, but if I had to guess? It’s landing at #3 or #4. It’s that good. A perfect nostalgia gut punch of a burger — one bite and you’re instantly transported back to a McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese… in the best possible way. Add their perfectly crispy, shoestring fries and a crispy Diet Coke? Get outta town.
Camel — A South Korean import making its U.S. debut in Silver Lake — and it absolutely delivers. The coffee? Excellent. The vibes? Immaculate. The Drake’s collab somehow makes me feel like I need another tote bag, even though we already have a million. 10/10 will be back. Probably too often.
Olive & James Cafe Tea — Every few weeks, a handful of Instagram accounts singlehandedly whisper-dictate where every 20-something in LA decides to caffeinate. Olive & James was the chosen one a few months ago — all “vibes” and velvet ropes of tote bags and alo outfits head to toe. My advice? Wait it out. Let the hype move on, then double back. The lines thin, the matcha’s still elite (easily one of the best I’ve had), and yeah… the blue coconut milk still looks great on camera, if you’re into that sort of thing.
what i’ve been making.
This month’s big breakthrough? I’m finally getting better at documenting what I make. (Yay, growth!)
More photos. Real-time notes. And, for once, I can actually explain to friends and family what the hell I’m doing — and how they can recreate it.
My dear reader, we’re getting somewhere.
As always, here are a few highlights from the kitchen this month:
Stone Fruit Salad — One of my goals with mise en place was to cook more seasonally — to actually learn what’s in season and then, y’know, use it. In June, that included stone fruit. Now, I’ve never been a huge stone fruit person, but I figured: why not try a “stone fruit salad,” restaurant-style? I winged it based on flavor combos I’ve seen in fancy spots — balsamic reduction, whipped ricotta with honey, sliced stone fruit, crushed pistachios. Plate it up, serve it cold. Quick. Simple. Surprisingly delicious. Will make again.
Meatballs L’entrecôte — I had some leftover L’entrecôte sauce from a recent test batch and traditional pork-and-beef meatballs on the weekly meal prep shortlist. In a rare flash of inspiration (or maybe just fridge clean-out energy), I thought: what if I just mixed the two? What’s the worst that could happen? Turns out: something sublime. Rich, savory, just the right amount of indulgent.
Whipped Mushroom x Ricotta — I’ve said it before, but the good gentlemen over at Fallow taught me that almost any vegetable can be turned into a mash or puree. One of my favorites? Mushrooms. They’re earthy, light, and packed with umami — the perfect base for a hearty main. I made this alongside a steak one night, and, with some extra ricotta in the fridge, decided to fold it into the mushroom base. I also added a splash of the mushroom broth that cooked off while reducing the duxelles. The result? Silky. Savory. Shockingly good. One of those dishes you have to taste to believe — and honestly, one of the best things I’ve ever made.
grab bag, potpourri.
A few other favorites from June:
You already know I love having music on in the kitchen, so I’ll spare you the usual spiel. This month’s pick? Foxwarren’s “Dance”.
Andy Shauf’s vocals are soulful, the samples are lush, and the whole thing borders on cinematic.
The entire album got a lot of playtime, if I’m being honest.
Also in heavy rotation this month:
I’ve really enjoyed following this F1 season — waking up early for the races, diving into the drama. And yes, I’ve also been playing F1 25 on the PS5. The graphics are sharp, the physics engine is legit, and it’s just the right balance of immersive and meditative. Sometimes I’ll zone out and run endless laps around Imola or Monaco. Other times, I’ll put myself on the grid and go wheel-to-wheel with the best of the best (Lewis, here’s looking at you).
I’ve also been trying to get back into tennis. It’s a great workout and a solid complement to my boxing sessions — especially for cardio. The Wilson Pro Staff 97 has been my go-to racquet for a few years now. It’s definitely geared toward intermediate to advanced players… which means a few months off the court comes with a side of humility.
This month, I picked up Molly Jong-Fast’s How To Lose Your Mother after listening to her interview on Kara Swisher’s “On”. Her writing floored me — it’s beautiful, brutal, and completely worth your time.
I’ve been using this app called Brilliant to stay sharp on my math skills (think Duolingo, but for numbers). A few minutes a day, and your brain gets that nice little post-workout buzz. Highly recommend.
And finally — a kitchen object of obsession: the Chubo Yakumi Tray. It’s a splurge, yes, but it hits that sweet spot of precision and practicality. Immediate satisfaction for your inner Chef Bando OCD zen.
en place.
I couldn’t think of a better set of photos to accompany this month than a few selections from Cowabunga, Cowboy! — a project close to my heart.
The idea first came to me in 2021, shortly after we moved to California: to capture surfers through my lens — as a Texan learning to surf, woefully out of his depth, but fully in awe.
Since then, I’ve shot for this project across California, Florida, Spain, and France.
It’s still taking shape in my head, but there’s been one constant: every outing offers a kind of peace.
A deep, grounding quiet.
It reminds me of those moments in the kitchen — when the right balance of salt, fat, and acid clicks into place and you just know you’ve made something worth sharing.
You’ve found the ingenuity principle.
That deep calm takes over.
You’re in the zone.
Here’s to more of that in July.
And in the meantime — thank you, as always, for being here. For reading. For sharing the meal.
July’s shaping up to be the best one yet. Travel. Reviews. Recipes. All cooked and enjoyed best with the people you love most.
See y’all soon.