When Upper Playground’s newsletter hit my inbox, it took all of 10 seconds before I committed to checking out Friday’s opening at FIFTY24SF Gallery – Mike Miller’s West Coast Hip Hop: A History In Pictures. In support of his book, Miller is showing photos of his time spent hanging with Tupac, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg and more. Maybe it’s the Tupac video projection at Coachella that got me psyched, but it’s really interesting to see these guys in the places they call(ed) home.

Event details:
FIFTY24SF Gallery
218 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94117
Opens Friday, April 27th 7-10PM
Book Signing April 28th 2-4PM

Can I just say I’m feeling inspired to get lost in forests and trails after checking out the This Is Oregon project, a collab between photographer Julian Bialowas and Shwood. It’s gorgeous photo/video and I’m totally down with their simple mission of encouraging people to do what they’ve been doing themselves. Exploring. I can’t wait for my trip to Portland next month.

Every now and then you come across something so incredible it reaffirms your belief that the world isn’t all gloom and doom like the local news makes it out to be. This is one of those things that reminds me there are really good people in the world. People who share in the joy of making someone’s day are people I wanna be friends with. There’s nothing better than doing something for someone for absolutely nothing in return other than the sheer joy of making someone smile. It’s an incredible thing and watching this not only puts a smile on my face but almost cry tears of joy. Here’s to creating more fun passes in the world.

Mornings larks and night owls make for a fun debate on creativity. Which is better? What category do the most creative people fall under? Of course there’s no right answer, but most people have an idea of when their brains function best. However, there are many variables besides time of day when it comes to creative work.

Do you prefer a quiet studio space or a co-working collective that’s buzzing with activity? Would it be beneficial for you to get some midday exercise and wake up your mind, or will several ten minute walks around the block suffice? Maybe a great conversation over lunch is the daily inspiration you need.

Everyone is different, but it’s absolutely worth the time to run some tests on yourself. With so much of our work spent staring at screens, I like to question whether that’s really the best use of time and the way to create something truly amazing. At the very least, I like to break up the monotony when I believe atoms trump pixels.

Yep, one day I decided to work on a beanbag on the roof. It sure beats routine. Photo by Jules Faas.

I know in the past, a lot of experimentation for me didn’t happen (like everything else in life) out of fear. I worked jobs where I knew absence from my desk would make my boss believe I wasn’t doing my job, even when any reasonably intelligent person knows gluing your pleated pants to a chair and fixating on a monitor is hardly an indication of meaningful work.

We need to move past this. Find out what works for you. If you need to, talk to your boss about the experimenting you’d like to do and what you hope to learn. Explain how it will help you be more productive and creative. Record your progress and findings. What ideas did have the days you decided to go for a jog? What about the days you took the time to cook yourself a solid breakfast? That day you ate fish tacos and laughed uncontrollably with your best friend? Share the results to prove you’re genuinely interested in improving. Many careers would be better served by a little creativity and if your employer doesn’t get that, maybe it’s time to start looking for a job that’s better suited to you.

Need more reminders? View the entire How To Be Creative series here.

I’m pretty sure picking up this print from Shannonblue will make you travel and take more adventures. It even comes as a card you can send friends, lovers (and everyone in that grey area) so you can think about hitting the road together.

While hundreds of San Diegans flock to the middle of nowhere to party with Snoop Dogg this weekend, the rest of us will be getting our fun on right here in this neck of the woods. Our homies at Sezio and LWP Group are joining forces this Saturday for one intimate evening of art, music and awesomeness at the newly revamped Community @ Carnegie building in East Village. There might not be any spilling of crystals at COLLIDE, but we will be gettin’ down on some local craft beer and cocktails, as well as some tasty morsels from the best food truck in our fair city.

Oh, and did I mention the sickest lineup of local artists will be there too? I mean, if this sneak peek of the EXIST1981 installations and giant Carnegie stencil doesn’t get you pumped, you should probably pack your headbands and moccasins, and hitch a ride to Indio this weekend instead.

RSVP and get more deets here.

This month’s mix has a few more oldies than we usual, but hey, we never intended to make playlists entirely of buzz bands. You should probably just click play already, but if you must know, we’ve got tracks from Kilo Kish, St. Lucia, Nada Surf, Tribes and more, kicked off by an inspiring speech from a goddamn champion.