Flavor Thesaurus/Uncanny a cappella/People as sunsets
Recomendo - issue #431
Flavor pairings
This book, The Flavor Thesaurus; Pairings, recipes and ideas for the creative cook, is original and without peers. It starts by mapping out 99 flavors of foods into a “flavor wheel,” and it then examines all the plausible combinations of these flavors, with comments on the pairing. I find it useful for cooking new things, but it is also a very enjoyable browse. How about trying these unexpected pairings: coconut & dill, or saffron & rhubarb, or walnut & cauliflower? There are thousands more, including well-loved common pairs. — KK
Uncanny a cappella covers of popular show themes
Maytree is a Korean a cappella group that recreates popular theme songs with stunning precision. Their vocal performances are so spot-on that you'd swear you were hearing actual instruments. My favorites include their renditions of Pyscho, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Godfather, and SpongeBob SquarePants. — MF
People as sunsets
It’s rare to come across a quote that can instantly shift my perspective, but when I do, I feel compelled to share it widely. I found this one in issue #209 of Down the Rabbit Hole, a favorite newsletter of mine, and it is attributed to psychologist Carl Rogers from his book “A Way of Being” :
“One of the most satisfying feelings I know — and also one of the most growth-promoting experiences for the other person — comes from my appreciating this individual in the same way that I appreciate a sunset. People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. In fact, perhaps the reason we can truly appreciate a sunset is that we cannot control it. When I look at a sunset as I did the other evening, I don’t find myself saying, ‘Soften the orange a little on the right hand corner, and put a bit more purple along the base, and use a little more pink in the cloud color.’ I don’t do that. I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch it with awe as it unfolds. I like myself best when I can appreciate my staff member, my son, my daughter, my grandchildren, in this same way.”
— Carl Rogers
Powerful Hair Drying System
I’ve been using the Shark FlexStyle Blowdryer for almost a year now, and I can confidently recommend it as the best hair tool I’ve ever owned. I chose it over the Dyson Airwrap because it was half the price, and reviews indicated it was just as good, if not better. This tool is a significant time saver. I can blow dry and style my long hair in exactly 10 minutes. All the attachments are game changers: the oval brush adds volume, the paddle brush adds shine and smooths my hair, and the curlers use hot air to auto-wrap, curl, and set, which reduces heat damage. Although the blow dryer itself is compact enough for travel, the entire set with all the attachments take up a lot room. With that said, I often sacrifice other essentials in my luggage to bring it along because I really love how it makes my hair look and feel. — CD
Pro tips for navigating Los Angeles
Los Angeles can be daunting, even for longtime residents. As an Angelino, I picked up some handy tips from an LA Times article called "How to park for free at LAX and other life hacks from L.A. locals." The free parking at LAX tip wasn't much use to me — motorcycles park for free. I no longer ride a motorcycle. But learning I can park my car in loading zones after 6pm and on Sundays was a surprise. — MF
Living hybrids
These brief glimpses of human-animal hybrids as generated by AI are one of the most unnerving things I’ve seen. It gave me the chill of contacting alien species more than any sci-fi movie. — KK
Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others. Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.
Recomendo Unclassified Ads work! Here’s how to reach over 89,000 subscribers for just $150.
UNCLASSIFIEDS
The 20 Most Interesting People in Bangalore: these are the 20 most interesting people I met on a recent trip to India. Inspired by Derek Sivers. Meet a matchmaker, artist, tech nerds, and more on my personal blog here.
NeetoCal is a cost-effective Calendly alternative. You can have unlimited bookings and team members in the free plan. You can even accept payment in the free plan. Lots of folks have already switched from Calendly to NeetoCal. Give it a try today.
Get more clients from your content by using the proven strategies in the free Clients From Content: 1-Page Masterclass and For The Interested newsletter. There's a reason 32,249 subscribers read it every week.
Want to become the most interesting person in the room? Get your copy of T.M.S.R.P. now—discover practical insights to achieve your dreams and impress your loved ones, friends, colleagues, and partners.
Meet PodSnacks, your time-saving podcast companion! Follow up to 25 podcasts for free or 50 for just $10/month, from over 3 million shows! Get AI-powered summaries sent straight to your inbox and save dozens of hours. Sign up and supercharge your podcast game!
The last self-help newsletter you'll ever need to join.
Seasonspree is a cozy time-nudging game where you play as a cheerful little tanuki walking around a tiny planet full of other animals. Help your friends as you control the direction of time with simple controls and low-stress. Great for all ages.
Read the #1 listed Leadership Newsletter on Substack. Admired Leadership Field Notes. Daily practical wisdom you can read in about a minute. Recomendo readers can subscribe now for free.
people as sunsets🥺❤️
The hybrids were certainly creepy, and I do like Mayfair. For another amazing a cappella group on YouTube, take a look at VOCES8, who sing all manner of music. The purity of their tone, from bass to soprano, and their harmony is breathtaking!