4.20.25
A thoughtfully designed home. Some shopping. Two UK hip-hop albums. And a couple of my favorite Substacks lately.
Welcome Back! And for the many new followers, thank you for being here, and welcome to Let’s Chirp! The place where I all too infrequently talk about whatever I’m interested in right now.
Also to those who celebrate: Happy Easter and Happy Passover!
Over the past month I’ve been busy at work busy in my garden (more updates to come), in my kitchen, and busy trying to guide myself on some potential new chapters in my journey as a want-to-be creative who just happens to work in medicine. My cats are growing by the day and so is my love for them.
Brunswick House: Brunswick, VIC by Olaver Architecture (2019)
Although I am incredibly grateful for my very stable day-to-day job in medicine, I have been thinking more and more about the idea of going back to school to study architecture. As you’ve seen here, I certainly have an appreciation for the art itself and find it to be incredibly interesting, but as a homeowner myself and as a healthcare professional, I think our homes are imperative to every aspect of our mental and physical health. One does not simply just go to architecture school on a whim given that it’s an incredibly challenging field to study and practice in, but time will tell how much of my interest is composed of a genuine desire to practice the art. I might simply be doing my typical daydreaming while remodeling my house.
That being said, I recently watched a home tour of this beautiful Australian redesign by Simple Dwelling on YouTube. The early 1900s Victorian home was redesigned by the firm Olaver Architecture (led by Emlyn Olaver) who worked closely with the owners to “make the home sustainable not only from the way it’s built, but the way that you actually live in the house”. The home was also featured in The Local Project.
In the kitchen and living area, something I really appreciate about the design is the way they bring in natural light. We’ve all seen (and appreciated) the typical rectangular skylight that feels like a simple cutout of the roof above (see photos of the bathroom below, where this lighting addition is much more appropriate in my opinion). And although that’s a wonderful gift itself, I think that the way these windows are angled above the kitchen ceiling allows for a much more impactful pouring in of natural light. That paired with the big sliding glass doors makes this space feel like you’re nearly outside the entire time and I can’t dream of anything better.
I also really appreciate the simplicity of the bathrooms that have really wonderful tile work, but also tie into the rest of the common theme of this home with the timber details in the door frames. I’m also a sucker for a well designed terrazzo floor/countertop.
Watch the full home tour by Simple Dwelling here.
Some of my favorite Substack reads lately:
- from
Sandy is a writer and Brand strategist based in NYC. Check out her work if you’re interested in intentional thoughts on home design and interiors, as well as peeling back the layers of what it’s like and what it means to be a creative. If you’re not sure where to start, here are two posts below that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
But First, Coffee Tables and What Does Your Home *Really* Say About You?
- from
Sara is a photographer and educator based in Utah. If you’re interested in photography (especially film), travel, or notes on motherhood, go read her work! I really love her post the disposable camera, which has fully convinced me that I need a disposable film camera with me at all times. As someone who previously worked as a photographer, it’s an art I’ve gotten away from all too easily. Reading posts like this remind me why Substack is such a special place.
A new 2-track release from (probably) my favorite current-day artist:
all i need, Loyle Carner (2025)
The first time I’d listened to Loyle Carner (LC) I was in college. I was certainly bouncing around to different genres of music a bit more than I do now, but when I stumbled upon his music I felt an emotional connection immediately. It was my first real introduction to UK rap and I had an immediate appreciation for how much instrumentation was used in the production of the music as opposed to rap from the US. But with many UK rappers (excluding UK Drill which I do also love), especially LC, I find that they’re not only making sonically beautiful music, but they’re adding an incredible depth of words and emotions to their albums. And for me, no one does that better than LC. From his lyrics, to his sound snippets (often featuring recordings of family members or friends), to his merch, to his tours, the man oozes feelings. (Also see: his ADHD Cooking School, Chili Con Carner) And if there’s one thing to know about me it’s that I do too. His album Not Waving, But Drowning begins with a letter to his mother and ends with a letter from her in return. I remember listening to it with my mother at home and we both cried because it was one of the most beautiful and open expressions of love I’d witnessed, especially through music.
But the more I listened to LC, the more I heard him talk about himself, a half white-half black kid from London with ADHD. And the more I listened, the more I felt like I was listening to music about myself, a half-black kid from Florida, who only recently realized that I too in fact have dealt with undiagnosed ADHD. I found out later that we were born on the exact same day in 1994, which then immediately felt like one of those connections in life that makes you question whether there might in fact be a parallel universe. Anyway, his music has followed (and guided) me through all sorts of stages of my life the past several years, and his most recent release adds a touch of rock that I really admire. The second track, “in my mind” gives me a sort of King Krule kind of vibe, who is an artist I’m sure I’ll touch on later for anyone who isn’t already familiar.
Another UK hip-hop/rap album I’m cherishing the more I listen to it:
A Man After God’s Own Heart, Kofi Stone (2024)
I first heard Kofi Stone when he featured LC on his 2019 Album Nobody Cares Til Everybody Does. The track “It’s Okay to Cry” was my personal favorite and immediately made me a fan. Stone recently released his 2nd studio album in 2024, A Man After God’s Own Heart. It’s a very heartfelt 48 minute compilation. There’s tones of gospel, jazz, and even a feature from the late writer/poet Benjamin Zephaniah on the track “May Sound Crazy”. My personal favorites from this album are “Black Joy”, “Lavender”, “These Years Are Golden”, “I Owe It All”, and “A Mother’s Love”.
Something I’d like to buy:
Founded in 1988, Ebbets Field has built a solid reputation amongst recently put out a collection in honor of the African American baseball legend Jackie Robinson. The last few years have seen soccer jerseys be at the center of sports-related fashion (see: these embroidered jerseys by TFG and these knit jerseys by fortytwo), but I think projects like this question why we aren’t all considering wearing baseball jerseys just as much.
Something I did buy:
I bought these in-store while I was recently on vacation and I have had a hard time taking them off since. They are super comfortable, they fit well, and they go with just about everything. They’re a great, reliable pant for Spring/Summer that will simply be getting a lot of use in my rotation.
Something I’m still considering:
Much to my dismay, my two cats have recently grown large enough, and curious enough, to occasionally leap onto my kitchen counter. And as a result of this, there was the recent casualty of my trusty Bodum pour over that I’ve relied on for years. As someone who is unfortunately (but honestly) often running behind to work (see: ADHD, also see: my incessant need to always do one more thing before I leave the house), my coffee routine is now something I’m looking to automate at least a little bit without a compromise on quality. The Moccamaster has been well known to coffee lovers for decades and finds a home on many BIFL (Buy It For Life) lists. They have a 5-year warranty and have a good reputation for longevity and repairs when needed. There are a wide variety of colors available, but I’m especially drawn to this Butter Yellow. My kitchen is tiny, so counter space is precious, but I won’t pretend like this isn’t what I want to see on my counter every morning.
As always, tell me what you think, and thanks for being here.
Talk soon.
With love and gratitude,
-Zach
this could be a bit of a hot take but as someone with a creative job/lifestyle: I do think there is something to be said about having something stable to pay the bills and be able to pursue creative endeavors from a place of love and joy and curiosity and not survival.
Love your posts, Zach. You are a true Renaissance Man!