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.// “Though still an emerging theory, the bradykinin hypothesis explains several other of Covid-19’s seemingly bizarre symptoms. Jacobson and his team speculate that leaky vasculature caused by bradykinin storms could be responsible for “Covid toes,” a condition involving swollen, bruised toes that some Covid-19 patients experience.” Part of the battle against Covid-19 is understanding it, something that’s proved difficult over the last six months. This article, outlining a new hypothesis created with the help of a supercomputer, explains why the disease acts so seemingly bizarrely, and how scientists and medical professionals might combat it.
LOOK.// I’m always on the lookout for inspiration for my ceramic practice. This set of vases, by Copenhagen-based potter Tina Marie, perfectly blurs the line between sculptural and functional ceramics, and I’m in love with them.
DRINK.// Mills Brewing’s Foxbic Two Cider
I recently wrote about the U.K.’s magical Mills Brewing for Pellicle Magazine, which was published this week, but it was only this Monday that I finally tried one of their much-feted collaborations: a cider-Lambic hybrid made with the godfather of U.K. cider, Tom Oliver. It took me a while to stop floundering in amazement after taking my first sip, and I’m still thinking about the last. Exquisite.
READ.// “Those times when you feel most desperate for a solution, sit. Wait. The information will become clear. This confusion is there to guide you. Seek detachment and become the producer of your life.” The Tao of Wu, by RZA, is his second book of the teachings of the Wu-Tang Clan. It is filled with brief moments of the power of music, life on Staten Island, Divine Mathematics, and a wide range of lessons. I reread it after marathon-viewing the biopic, “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” on Hulu. One of the names that RZA goes by is The Abbot, and it is clear from this book that he finds a semblance of peace sharing his wisdom and music with the world.
LOOK.// The Louise Michel is a lifeboat that assists in rescuing distressed refugees who are crossing the Mediterranean Sea. It is also financed by Banksy—and features some of the artist’s work on the exterior of the vessel. You can follow a live feed from the crew on Twitter.
DRINK.// The Portland Zoo’s Beach Boogie
I didn’t get to spend much time with my toes in the sand this summer. But that’s OK. This beer, from one of Portland, Maine’s adored industry bars, really encapsulates that whole mood. A passiflora and plum sour with Maine sea salt—packaged in a can featuring a flamingo against a deep purple, turquoise, and yellow backdrop—this beer is like a portable, one-person beach party.
READ.// “As the unrest continued outside, Thompson came up with a way to mark Floyd’s death inside: a special meal that he’d share with the inmates in a ‘celebration’ honoring Floyd’s life. Because the state facility is a Level II, medium-security prison, the inmates have free movement throughout the housing unit, with the exception of mandatory counts four times a day. They also have access to a microwave—not an ideal kitchen tool for preparing a large-scale meal, but it would have to do.” This remarkable story of 50 inmates holding a feast in honor of George Floyd inside a Michigan prison moved me in ways I didn't expect.
LOOK.// Arnaud Montagard is a French photographer who went on a road trip across the U.S. The resulting photographs, featured in his book, The road not taken, are at the same time alien and completely familiar.
DRINK.// Cigar City Brewing’s Maduro Brown Ale
Chicago is finally getting its first extended taste of fall, and it is good. Inspired, I went to four liquor stores in my neighborhood, looking for a Brown Ale. While there were IPAs that stretched as far as the eye could see, my malty happiness alluded me. Until I noticed at my final stop, in the corner, a lonely six-pack of Cigar City’s Maduro. This roasty, toasty beer was worth the walk.
Curated by The GBH Collective
