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’s the secret to shutting up? Frank Ocean: ‘I simply don’t think everything I have to say about anything is important.’" I was going to suggest reading this interview with Frank Ocean in the newest issue of Dazed—which is short and full of good quotable morsels—but as I scrolled to the bottom, I was directed towards an article published last year about the mysterious life and whereabouts of Q Lazzarus. The story of the missing one-hit wonder has always blown my mind. Goodbye Horses!!!
LOOK. // Isaac West’s photos of Zendaya in the new issue of Paper are pretty jaw-dropping. That Giambattista Valli dress styled by Law Roach is absolutely bonkers. You need to check out Isaac West's Instagram, as well.
DRINK. // The Number 27
If you're in Chicago, take a date to Tied House and try my buddy Paul's newest cocktail, The Number 27. Pisco, absinthe, orgeat, lime, etc. The absinthe-and-orgeat combo mutes the top/middle of the palate, while letting the lime juice prickle in the sides of the mouth. It feels like the shape of a horseshoe. Like a juicy citrus horseshoe nailed to a fencepost in the valley of flavor. The drink itself is also very beautiful.
READ. // “The social contract is not a buffet—if you opt out because you want absolute freedom, you have to accept that no one will come to save your ass when trouble starts.” Emma Marris' story about murder, people on the fringe, and the concept of freedom is haunting, and familiar. The characters introduced in her story, set in western Oregon, seem like they could as easily be found in my small, Nebraskan hometown. It makes me wonder what other untold stories remain in small towns all across the country.
LOOK. // A few months ago, I used Brad Leone's "It's Alive" as a "Look." Since then, I've spent hours with the Bon Appétit test-kitchen channel—it is pure comfort food. From supertaster Chris Morocco to Claire Saffitz and her ongoing battle with tempered chocolate to editor Adam Rapoport’s random cameos, it's become a kind of ensemble production. Each member seems skilled—not only at the culinary sciences, but at being on camera, too.
DRINK. // Goshen Brewing Company's Millrace Hefe
I am generally very leery of craft Hefeweizen. I find banana esters dominate everything, and they’re often carbonated to the point that you can count on feeling bloated for an hour after drinking one. Goshen's Millrace Hefe is the beer I always hope to find in this style. It has a strong malt profile with a touch of wheat sweetness, and well balanced notes of banana and clove. A charming beer from a charming brewery.
READ. // “The Top 100 should be a list that recognizes great experiences not just for diners but for staff as well, so restaurants with thoughtful leadership, above-and-beyond worker benefits and wage parity were specifically sought out.” Soleil Ho, the restaurant critic at the SF Chronicle, removed all restaurants that were still associated with sexual harassers from the top 100 restaurants of the Bay Area list. This move both speaks to Ho’s conviction and the lack of seriousness with which the rest of the industry approaches this issue. I applaud Ho—but dammit, we should have been doing better a long time ago.
LOOK. // Lately, I’ve been looking to my friend Christopher Sturm for inspiration and kinship. It’s funny—we were never super close when we lived in the same city, but I feel like I get a sneak peek into his life through his work, which is deeply personal. In a few of his posts, he’s been open and honest about his mental health, and that’s the type of raw vulnerability I need in this moment.
DRINK. // Ferrari Brothers Rosé
It’s not everyday that your buddies—one of whom you taught how to make coffee, by the way—make a wine. I met Austin and Tony Ferrari back in my San Francisco days, and I’m thrilled to see them working their magic and making great things.
Curated by The GBH Collective
