These are the words, images, and beers that inspired the GBH Collective this week. Drinking alone just got better, because now you're drinking with all of us.
READ.// "What if your life—maybe shot in better light, maybe a tiny bit beyond your financial reach, but still, in essence, yours—turned out to be what an entire generation was dreaming of?" This chronicle of the rise and fall of “Kinfolk,” the magazine that epitomized the "millennial aesthetic," is essential reading for those who suddenly found themselves surrounded by a lot of white linen and ceramics circa 2014.
LOOK.// Those of us who text with our parents know emoji meanings aren't universal. The interactive Emoji Rorschach Test—from creative studio Saint Friend—demonstrates just how open to interpretation these symbols are.
DRINK.// Drake’s Brewing Co.’s Cherryland Sour Red Ale
The black cherries and peppery, fruity syrah barrels synch up so beautifully in Drake's Cherryland Sour Red Ale. The acidity is refreshing but cushioned, and the carbonation is spot on. I only wish I had another bottle.
READ.// “This is going to sound very dorky, but: What I’m most interested in for our table at The Doctor Dinner is having a conversation that I otherwise could not get somewhere else. That’s really all I want, because that’s really all you need at a dinner for it to be memorable.” I was given a copy of this book the other day by Shea Serrano entitled “Where Do You Think We Are? — Ten Illustrated Essays About ‘Scrubs’” and, you guessed it, it's about the best medical-related TV show of all time (my runner-up is “MASH”—if you wanna fight, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands). I'm about halfway through Serrano's joyous ode to JD and Turk (and Carla, and Dr. Cox, The Janitor, Elliot, etc.) but if you want to take a moment to enjoy a little snippet while you attempt to pass the time, check out this excerpt about picking the best pop-culture doctors to sit at your gala table.
LOOK.// Good news is all around us and John Krasinski, who you may remember from “The Office” and “Jack Ryan,” is putting good back into the world for all to see. His new “news” show, “Some Good News,” had me feeling Big Cry Energy from all the joy and love and hope being spread during these uncertain times. Let's keep the good flowing, y'all.
DRINK.// Machine House Brewery’s Dark Mild
Right before all the shit hit the fan here in Seattle, I was being indoctrinated to a tradition around here: March Mildness. Essentially, you go and drink a fuck-ton of Dark Mild from Machine House at various bars, and if you drink enough, you get a T-shirt. Believe me, this is a celebration and reward that's right up my alley. When I couldn't go out and do that anymore, I was sad, but Machine House found a way to keep the party going. On Sunday evening, my buzzer rang and outside was a bag in a box (Franzia-style) of Dark Mild. I hugged it, may have kissed it (after proper disinfection), and then poured glass after glass of roasty goodness while punching my March Mildness punch card.
READ.// “Sample Episode 1: Why do cats have fur? Because they need to stay warm. Why? Because if they get too cold they’ll die. Why? Why? Why? On this episode, our why chain leads Charlie Jane* and her guest Dr. Natalia Borrego* to interesting insights about evolution, death, cold storage, warm blood, and why exactly fur is a better way to stay warm than scales or feathers.” I subscribe to this charming newsletter from Rose Eveleth about fake podcast premises, which is equal parts silly, whimsical, and slightly FOMO-inducing—I’d listen to every one of her ideas, including the one above about the questions we ask as children. Then I found out she helped launch my favorite podcast series, 30 for 30, and now it all makes sense.
LOOK.// The folks at the Winchester Mystery House are really leaning into this moment of social distancing by offering virtual tours of the supposedly haunted house in San Jose, California. Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester believed that she would be forever haunted by the ghosts of people killed by her husband’s namesake, the Winchester rifle. To keep those spirits at bay, Sarah bought a huge home and was always adding to the original structure. There are roughly 160 rooms, stairs and doors leading nowhere, and Sarah apparently did not invite friends or family over for a chill hang—their Instagram describes Sarah Winchester as the original social distancer.
DRINK.// Radikon’s “Oslavje” 2009
Celebrating a birthday in quarantine means opening up one of your “fancy” bottles and hoping that a turn for the better is coming soon.
Curated by The GBH Collective
