Friday Faves 10/4: Sturgill Simpson, Maradona, Oatmeal, and Tea

Best Activity

Open Houses: I moved into my apartment in December of 2009. Over that decade (where did the time go?!?) I’ve dreamed of moving far away (this usually happens while I’m shoveling out my car or standing outside during a recess duty in subzero temps). This past Sunday, Tiff and I, along with another couple, decided to hit up some open houses in our neighborhood. While a move within our little neighborhood wouldn’t solve my seasonal depression, it is fun to wander through other homes to nitpick, oggle, and check out roof decks with the understanding that there’s no way, even with our four bank accounts, that we could afford them.

As the lone non-midwesterner in our group of Open House crashers, there is also the required comparison of house prices in Boston to Ohio or Michigan (We could buy a five bedroom on 35 acres for this much!). We left the second Open House last week and already promised to do it again soon.

Best Listen

Sturgill Simpson’s Sound and Fury: This album is unlike anything I’ve listened to in a very long time. It’s amazing. There are so many great songs and Simpson tries a bunch of new stuff on here, he sounds like The Black Keys (“Sing Along”) and then dips his toes into funk/disco (“A Good Look”) and then you’re listening to another song where he’s back to his country roots (the first ten seconds even has Alex Jones as a radio skims through stations). In the wrong hands, those sounds can just be distracting and annoying, luckily Simpson is the perfect guy to handle it. There’s also a Netflix special (or extended music video) to go along with the album.

Best Watch

Diego Maradona Documentary: I double dog dare you to watch the first four minutes of this new HBO documentary and decide to stop watching. Yes, it’s about soccer, but the story runs so much deeper. It tackles racism, drugs, sex, poverty, nationalism, regionalism (is that a thing?), loyalty, and fanaticism. I knew how incredible Maradona was in his prime, but I wasn’t old enough to really watch him. I only got to see the fallout of his drug abuse and then his brief return to the game as a manager.

The documentary is all old footage. No cut aways to talking head interviews; any interviews they do have are just voiced over the footage. The soundtrack is superb. If you think sports fans in America are insane, just watch the reactions Maradona gets in Naples, both as a Napoli superstar and as the Argentinian villain during World Cup ‘90 when he beats Italy (in Napoli’s stadium) in the semi-final. I’m getting goosebumps just writing about it…

Brian Phillips at The Ringer wrote a piece about Maradona that’s worth a read, too.

Tourist Sauce in Ireland: I’ve written about these guys before. They just released the first episode of their golf trip to Ireland.

Best Read

Range by David Epstein: I wrote about this book on Wednesday. You can read about it here. It’s an excellent, quick, thought-provoking read about generalists who tend to find their way to prominent roles due to their lack of specialization. It’s a book about having a wide range of perspective, both within individuals but also within groups of people, to solve problems creatively.

One anecdote that I didn’t write about in my Book Club post: In an experiment that Epstein found, the majority of people would not read an article that presented an opposing view of a personal opinion they held, even though they would have been paid to read the article.

If that doesn’t sum up where our country is right now, I’m not sure what does.

Best Eat

Oatmeal: On Thursday in Boston the high temperature did not exceed 60 degrees. This feels like the right temperature for a few things that people have jumped the gun on around here: vests, aggressive fleece, winter hats, and pumpkin flavored things (more on that in a moment). Oatmeal is one of those fall/winter breakfasts that I find myself really enjoying. Usually, it is a weekend affair; now that I am not running off to work with a cup of coffee and banana for breakfast, I have started to have oatmeal during the week as I settle into my morning work-from-home routine. A little brown sugar and cinnamon, along with a cut up banana (fruit flies be damned!) is a great way to start the day.

Noosa Pumpkin Yoghurt: During my trip to Wegman’s on Monday I stumbled upon this seasonal flavor and couldn’t turn it down. I was intrigued. I love Noosa Yoghurt anyway, so I didn’t feel like I was taking too big of a risk. This stuff is delicious, even though it is a little decadent. A couple spoonfuls is really all you need. Some creatives could find use for this delicious yogurt in some deserts or smoothies.

Best Drink

Tea: With Sober September over, I am left with a new habit that is dying hard, a cup of tea at the end of the night. This is one of those moments where I realize I am turning into my parents (My mom sticks three tea bags into her tea pot in the morning and just fills it up throughout the day, ultimately drinking hot water at the end of the night). The tea provides a good filler for my night time drinking (along with a Tim Tam or two…) instead of a whiskey (this is where I begin to sound and feel like an alcoholic.). It also helps me sleep, rather than the opposite.

At some point this winter a Hot Toddy will be on this blog, but until then, just the tea, please!

Best Plugs

The Random Division Pod: Tiff and I wrapped up the first season of our podcast by planning a Bachelor in Paradise dinner party. Our guests were picked from the cast of Bachelor in Paradise, and we whittled it down to 6 guests that we both agreed on. Season 2 on The Random Division will be a series of podcasts focusing on the past decade of pop culture and entertainment.

The Imperfect Game Pod: I had Matt P. on to talk about the upcoming NBA. We dive into how stars are covered and treated by the media, and then dive into some team talk. Blazer, Clippers, and Lakers take up most of our time.

Cleaning out my Kyrie Irving Closet: I watched and then reacted to Kyrie’s first press conference. Full disclosure, I reacted to it like a crazy 1980s Italian soccer fan…

Friday Faves 9/20: Succession, Long Runs, and Keebler Cookies

Best Activity

Long Runs: I remember as a kid hating to run. It was something my dad loved to do and he’d push me to run in order to get ready for soccer season. It was a miserable activity, and I’d push back at every turn. Now here I am training for my fourth marathon, with a fifth one coming in April. While the long runs are starting to stretch out to 18 and 20 miles, I enjoy the time outside and I feel very lucky to have the Charles River running trails so close.

I was speaking to a friend that is a much faster runner than I am. He had a bad accident recently and couldn’t run for a couple months. He said it was really tough, both mentally and physically when he couldn’t run. Running has turned into that for me, too. If I go a few days without running, I can start to feel stir crazy and irritable. I love starting my weekend with a Saturday run. It clears the decks for the rest of the weekend and puts me in the right mindset.

Best Listen

Lumineers “III”: I can’t quite put my finger on what I like about this group. They’re somewhat generic, they aren’t super interesting as a whole, and a lot of their stuff sounds the same (what a sales pitch, right?). Typically, though, a few songs on their album rope me in, and then I just find myself letting the album play all the way through as I read or do work. The first song on this album is one of those songs, it’s called “Donna” and it’s a great start to a good album.

Zach Lowe Podcast: The self-proclaimed niche NBA podcaster will every now and then dip into other fields. He recently interviewed David Epstein, the author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialize World. They discuss Epstein’s research for the book and the conclusions he makes. It’s a great listen for parents, educators, and folks who might feel like they’re on a long, windy path that doesn’t seem to be leading to what they truly want.

Best Watch

Succession: Following the first four episodes of this series, Tiff and I would look at each other unconvinced. The slow, plodding plot with unlikeable characters just wasn’t sticking, but we decided to give it another couple weeks. Boy am I glad we did because it took off. It’s now one of our favorite shows, and one of the few shows that we watch on a weekly basis (usually on Monday evening). The plot is simple, a massive media company led by Logan Roy (played by Brian Cox) is thrown into turmoil when Roy has a serious and sudden medical scare. His children would all like to be the heir-apparent, but they are all fatally flawed. In my mind, the company Waystar Royco is analogous to Fox, even down to the conservative news arm called ATN. This season has a great plot arch where Waystar is trying to acquire another huge media company, which is pretty much a CNN/NYTimes combo called Pierce. The dynamic of dumb, entitled Waystar employees who can’t even name a book they’ve read against the well-read, doctorate chasing folks at Pierce is really well done.

If you’re not watching Succession on HBO, do yourself a favor and watch it.

Audrie and Daisy: I was sucked into this documentary because a chunk of it happened in the town of Saratoga, CA, where I lived for five years as a kid. The movie covers two girls that were sexually assaulted at high school parties. One lived in Saratoga, Audrie, and the other girl, Daisy, lived in Maryville, Missouri. Again, it’s a sad statement on how society handles these cases, but important for people to watch. A lot of victim blaming and “boys will be boys” nonsense. The Missouri sheriff even made a very Trumpian statement, blaming both boys and girls for these types of encounters. When he was pushed and told that the boys were the ones that were found guilty in this case he scoffed and said, “were they?”

Best Read

There’s More to Antonio Brown’s Story (Sports Illustrated): It has been a strange two weeks for New England Patriots fans. They signed Antonio Brown on September 7. One day before their Week 1 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, he shot his way out of Oakland and had showed signs that he wasn’t the best guy during the summer. On Monday, September 9 news of a civil suit centered on sexual assault hit the news. The Pats decided to play Brown anyway in their Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. Then this past Monday, Sports Illustrated released an article with some more stories about Brown’s behavior, some of it is icky and other parts are confusing and other parts pure, concentrated entitlement. I found myself reading some of it aloud to Tiff because it was so ludicrous. On Thursday night, more news dropped about Brown; one of his accusers in this article released text messages that Brown sent her after the article came out. They are a bit intimidating, and said she was chasing money. He even included pictures of the woman’s children in the text exchange. Hard to believe he’ll be playing this Sunday…

Best Eat

Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies: Last week it was Tim Tams, this week is another delightful partner to a cup of tea. I picked these up on a nostalgic whim this week and don’t regret it at all. Just be careful, you might find yourself eating two or three rows in a sitting. I’ve heard this from people.

Friday Faves 9/13: Golf, Jenny Lewis, Harry Potter the dad, Tim Tams, and The Sinner

Best Activity

Golf: Usually by this time of year, my golf game is sputtering to the end of the season. Weekend golf is catch-as-catch-can; they can take upwards of five hours, and they become more frustrating because playing golf once a week does no one any good. It’s too hard a game to play intermittently. I’m lucky if I play once a week in the fall.

Now, with my fall a bit more flexible, I was fortunate to play a few times this past week. Three different course. Three different groups of players. Last Friday I played Boston Golf Club in Hingham, the 87th ranked course in America (Golf Digest). It’s a 15 year old course that feels like it’s been around for much longer. Each hole feels a bit like an event as we stood on the tee box and talked about the design and where we needed to hit the ball. I was happy the greens weren’t too fast, because the greens are pretty wonky, with big slopes. It was the first time I played in a five-some, I was the fifth wheel and grateful for a splendid walk and to experience a top golf course.

On Tuesday, I got to play in a fundraising event. There are a lot of these events in September, and I’ve always had to say, “No, thanks. I’m working.” Not this year! The great part about this event was we played our own ball (usually the format is a scramble, where you play as a team.). The beneficiary of the event was Crumlin Children’s Hospital in Dublin. It was run by a Holy Cross grad. In other words, I was with my people. I sat next to the 1983 World Champion in 5000 meters, Eamonn Coghlan. He held the world record for the indoor mile at 3:49.78 from 1983-1997 (he broke his own world record twice from 1979-1983). He’s one of the greatest Irish Athletes in history and a very nice man. As we talked at dinner he made the connection that he knew my dad, which was very random. It does not back up the stereotype that all Irish people know each other.

Finally, on Wednesday I got to play Concord CC with two men that work at Drumlin Hospital along with a family friend that invited me to tag along with the three of them. There’s nothing like being around a couple Irish folks. It reminds me of my summers and my family. It makes me think of my dad. It always makes me want to go back, especially when they say to look them up when I’m over there. Just the nicest people in the world.

It was a good week of golf and Irish people. Now I just need to find a way to blend those things over there.

Best Listen

The Sterling Affairs: This ESPN 30for30 podcast chronicles the Donald Sterling tapes that were leaked by his mistress, V. Stiviano. This lead to Sterling selling the LA Clippers and banned for life from the NBA. The recordings showcased an old racist without a clue between what is right and wrong. The podcast dives into racial tensions in the United States, the “plantation mentality” that exists within these franchises, the expectation of pro athletes to take a social stand, and life before the #MeToo movement (note: it was pretty icky…).

If you ever wondered what life would have been like if Donald Trump owned the Buffalo Bills, this might be the portal into that alternate universe (or it might be the portal back to the universe we were in before 2016…) both men are narcissistic, sad, entitled, fame-hungry. They both had their lineage erased by a name change. Sterling sought the comparison to Trump in the 1980s and 90s as he gained notoriety for owning swaths of land in LA, treating his tenants like garbage, and not renting to minorities.

You don’t really have to like basketball to enjoy this pod.

“Red Bull and Hennessy” by Jenny Lewis: I let my Spotify play through it’s algorithm one morning this week while I was working (probably because I was tired of eavesdropping on podcasts…you know, when it’s just on in the background and you’re listening like you would listen to people next to you at a coffee shop). Anyway, this song caught my attention. It’s off Lewis’ new album, On The Line, which is alright. Red Bull and Hennessy is great though.

Best Watch

The Sinner (season 2): The beauty of this show is you don’t need to have watched season 1 to know what’s going on. The one character that remains is Detective Harry Ambrose, played by the excellent Bill Pullman. The first season was good, but the second season is more focused. They cut the fat in their storytelling.

The real star of the show is the kid that plays Julian Walker, who is charged with a double murder. The actor is 14 year-old Elisha Henig. His IMDB profile reads, “Elisha grew up in Portland, OR. His love for acting was sparked at age 8 during a Shakespeare acting class, making his debut performance at the end-of-class demo as Richard III.”

Richard III?!?!?!?!

I’m not sure what’s more crazy, an 8-year-old attending a Shakespeare acting class (CLASSIC Portland, Oregon. Just Classic. He probably went to a coffee roasting class the day before…) or that 8 year-old choosing to perform as Richard III. That’s insane; Elisha steals the show in every scene he’s in. He’s creepy, believable, and dynamic.

The Man in the Red Bandana: I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention 9/11 here in some capacity. I was a senior in high school, about to turn 18, that Tuesday morning. I am now on the cusp of 36. It’s hard to believe I have lived half my life on one side of that day and another half on the other side. This video about the heroics of one man on that day, Welles Crowther, a former BC lacrosse player, is outstanding. Have some kleenex nearby.

Best Read

Hello From Harry Potter (New Yorker): If you read this letter, written by overbearing father, Harry Potter, and don’t get it, then you’ve never been a teacher. And that’s okay. The next goal: don’t be the parent that sends an email like this. It’s the thing that every teacher will talk about for weeks, until the next email like this comes into someone else’s inbox and the cycle begins again.

Caroline Calloway’s Ghost Writer (The Cut): Until yesterday, I was not privy (or cool enough?) to the life and times of Caroline Calloway. You could call her the Icarus of Instagram. She found herself IG famous, with 800,000 followers nearly seven years ago (that’s, like, totally, like, having 2 million followers now…), was awarded a $375,000 advance for her memoir, and then things came crashing down. Her friend, Natalie Beach, was a ghost writer for many of her charming, sophisticated IG posts, which were the inspiration, and skeletons, for the memoir book deal. Beach’s writing is wonderful and the her perspective is captivating. Beach, the ugly duckling, but skilled writer, latches onto Calloway, the “it” girl, only to feel used and abused. Like anything from one person’s perspective, you have to take it with a grain of salt. It’s worth the time to read.

Jane Goodall Interview (NYTimes.com): Jane Goodall is one of the most impressive people in the world. She’s 85, she’s a fighter, and this interview offered me a new perspective on her as a child of World War II (note: kids these days are soft…).

Best Eat

Corn Chowder: As a Stay at Home Husband, I am trying my darnedest to add to my cooking repertoire. I signed up for the NYTimes food section, which has endless recipes, tips, and reviews. I found a corn chowder recipe this weekend. It was incredibly simple, made days worth of soup for us, and it tasted delicious, if I do say so myself.

Tim Tams: On our trips to Wegmans, my wife enjoys scouring the international food aisle, in particular the British/Irish section. Usually some chocolate covered digestive biscuits will make an appearance in our shopping cart. However, this time, Tiff grabbed a new treat: Tim Tams. They are rich and chocolaty. These Aussie treats come in various flavors, we had the mint chocolate ones. Pick ‘em up and have them with a cuppa tea.

Best Drink

Water: The last few years, I have designated September as a dry month (with an exception for a beer or two to celebrate my birthday). It usually helped me transition back into teaching and, in 2017 and 2018, allowed me to train for marathons without feelings like trash on my long runs. I have found myself drinking a lot more water, especially out at social events. Now that I’m not in school, I have found myself in more situations where will power is important. Three rounds of golf this past week, a few dinners out. I have found once make that first non-alcohol order, it’s much easier.

However, I am always shocked (although I know I shouldn’t be) at how my body feels without alcohol. I sleep better, I’m more sound of mind, I’m more productive (yes, I do still need to be productive…), my runs are immeasurably better, and my mornings are more enjoyable. There’s nothing like a clear-minded weekend morning.

Funny story to wrap up: last Friday Tiff and some coworkers went to Black Rose to kick off the weekend. I wandered down to meet them. After my fourth or fifth trip to the bar to ask for a refill on water (which was really bugging the bartender), he looked at me and in his Irish accent yelled over the loud music, “Are ye runnin’ a marathon or somethin’?” Knowing I had a 16 mile run ahead of me in the morning I could honestly look at him and say, “Yes.” He frowned and nodded and said, “Well that’s a good answer.” He didn’t give me a hard time the rest of the night.

Have a great weekend and don’t be afraid to put your favorites from the week in the comments.

Friday Faves 8/30: Craigie on Main, Taylor Swift, Serial Killers, and Street Corn Pizza

Best Activity

This past Friday we did something we had been threatening to do for years. We went to Craigie on Main for their burger. It is consistently ranked as one of the best burgers in Boston. The tricky part to acquiring this burger for your belly is you have to get to Craigie on Main at opening, or even before opening, and hustle to the bar once the award winning restaurant opens. We showed up a little after 5PM for a 5:30 opening. We were third and fourth in line, and by the time 5:30 rolled around and they opened the doors I’d say 15 people were on the sidewalk.

Craigie only serves 18 of their burgers a night. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. It is served medium-rare next to some of the best wedges potatoes I’d had in my life. The burger was massive and we had a great little corner of the bar. The bartender was happy and chatty, the couple to our left was visiting from out of town and were curious about some other places to eat in Boston. The bartender was glad to offer his thoughts (Toro, Shojo, Brewer’s Fork for Pizza, and Monica’s in the North End for their Italian sandwich).

When we were done with the meal, it was still early given our 5:30 dining time, so we decided to walk home from Central Square to Charlestown. The Longfellow Bridge offers one of the best views of Boston (pictured above), so we took that route home and stopped at the Liberty Hotel on the way home as a pit stop.

An ideal end of summer evening, for sure.

Best Watch

Hard Knocks: As the NFL season sneaks up on us next weekend (and the college football season in full swing this Labor Day Weekend), if you have HBO this is always a well done show. This year they’re following the Oakland Raiders training camp. There’s plenty of interesting storylines, and John Gruden doesn’t disappoint. And Antonio Brown is a basket case. Catch up this weekend and be ready for the final episode next week.

Mindhunter: If you’re someone that has been sucked into the vortex of true crime TV shows or podcasts, I highly recommend Mindhunter on Netflix. It’s one of the best things on Netflix because it doesn’t feel like a Netflix show. It’s scary and smart and directed by David Fincher, who has a penchant for 8-10 minute scenes with serial killer interviews, just crushes this entire series. The show follows the development of the behavior science department of the FBI.

Watch it, but make sure you have some sort of “palate cleanser” after so you don’t stay up all night.

Best Read

Phone Addiction: This piece in The Guardian is really well done. This is a topic I am very interested in having worked with children and seen the effect social media and technology has had on how kids treat each other and the comfort they feel in using abhorrent language towards one another. It’s way worse than being called a bedbug, I’ll tell you that much.

Best Listen

Taylor Swifts Lover: I wrote about the album earlier this week. Check it out here…. I scored each song as a “0” or “1.” It’s a solid album.

Best Eat

The Craigie Burger: See Best Activity. A delicious burger, a cool experience. Glad I can check it off the list.

Mexican Street Corn Pizza: Brewers Fork opened in Charlestown a few years ago now. It was the first of a few new spots to eat in our neighborhood. It appears on a lot of best pizza lists, after the bartender at Craigie offered it as a pizza recommendation, I decided to head back for the first time in a while this week. This pizza was delicious.

Shameless Plug(s)

The Random Division is new this week with our thoughts on the latest 18 hours of Bachelor in Paradise that aired this week.

You can follow our Random Division Instagram here. You can email us with BiP observations or requests of other things you’d like us to pod about because we’re heading towards the Bachelor offseason and we’d like to keep up our weekly momentum.

Email: TheRandomDivisionPod@Gmail.com

I wrote about Taylor Swift’s album here… and I wrote about my Strange August Restlessness here.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Friday Faves 8/16: Veronica Mars, Ciders, and A Sign of Aging

Best Activity

This week’s activity could be tagged as a Sign of Aging, but hey, I’m getting older, so screw it, it was my favorite activity of the week.

Ready? Here goes…

I went to the chiropractor this week. Over the winter, after logging more miles on a treadmill than in past winters, my body was a tad messed up. At the behest of my wife, I visited our local chiropractor who fixed her up as she trained for the 2018 NYC Marathon. This was not a new venture for me, as I would tag along with my mom or dad when they would go see their chiropractor when I was younger. I would get a quick re-alignment (some satisfying cracks) and be on my way.

Now, I try to make an appointment every two months or so. I’ve been playing a lot of golf and adding miles to my runs because I’ve got a marathon on the horizon. The weeks following each visit are typically the best feeling weeks I have. I feel better on my runs and I feel better in the mornings. I’d like to think it helps my golf game, too.

Best Read

1619 Project - Slavery in America started 400 years ago this week, and the NYTimes has a massive section with stories, essays, and articles. It’s visually interesting and emotionally stirring. It’s worth your time.

Best Watch

The Family - This new Netflix series is captivating, strange, and confounding. Don’t let the first episode, a clunky combination of dramatization and documentary, turn you off. Once the first episode delivers the backstory, through the eyes author Jeff Sharlet, who wrote The Family back in 2008, it gets much more interesting as the dramatization is eliminated and it’s just a documentary. If you enjoy conspiracy theories and borderline cultish leaders, then you should giveThe Family a spin. Here’s a good read in The Atlantic about the show.

Veronica Mars - The impetus of Tiff and I deciding to watch this is unclear. If I were forced to come up with an answer, I’d say that the recent reboot of the series put the original season on our radar. The show came out in 2004, it stars Kristin Bell and a bunch of hack actors who end up in nothing else, ever. The show has the same feel as the O.C., which came out at the same time, but the tough, gritty Veronica Mars is on the case, showing up the Neptune sheriff, along with the rich, cool kids in high school. She takes down drug dealers and super-secret societies; infiltrates a supposed cult and uncovers a baby swap. The over-arching, season-long plot is Veronica’s mission to find the true killer of her best friend. She does all this while having time to narrate the show (one of the laziest story-telling crutches that exists and it drives me crazy.).

With all that being said (and I say it A LOT when we watch), the show is entertaining and contains some great, era specific references. There are also some hilarious pre-fame credits by Max Greenfield (Schmidt in New Girl) and Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad).

If you need any more convincing, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar is a writer for the reboot and had this to say in The Hollywood Reporter about the first season and the chance to join the reboot:

But the original Veronica Mars is one of my favorites. It expanded the boundaries of both the mystery genre and the high school drama genre by combining them in such a clever, witty and intelligent way that the whole exceeded the sum of its parts. Raymond was a superfan: He teaches the Veronica Mars pilot in his English lit courses at Orange Coast College. No way we weren't doing this. Our only fear: screwing up a series we loved.

Best Listen

The Clearing - This podcast dives into the life of Ed Edwards, a convicted killer (due to his daughter turning him years after the case went cold). Following his conviction for murder, Ed Edwards to tied to a rash of internet conspiracy theories. Edwards became the scapegoat for some of the most famous unsolved murders in the country: the Black Dahlia and Zodiac to name two. Over the course of the podcast, the host along with Ed’s daughter, April, begin trying to debunk these connections to other murders, but it is harder than it seems.

Best Drink

Downeast Cider Aloha Friday - I enjoy a good cider, and as the English Soccer season kicks off, I doubly enjoy a Saturday or Sunday morning cider as I watch a match or two. I have been on the lookout for the Aloha Friday for a while and finally found it in cans this week (maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough?). In an effort to stave off this insane invasion of pumpkin beers, I am trying to find as many summer-y beers as I can. Aloha Friday is one of them. And it’s aptly named or this blog.

Best Shameless Plug

The Random Division - Tiff and I are gluttons for punishment. The last two weeks we have consumed far too much Bachelor in Paradise (four episodes that are all two hours each…). If you love the Bachelor franchise or know someone that does, please send this to them! We plan on recording every week, and once the show ends this fall, we will dive into more random topics (if you have an idea for a topic you’d like to hear Tiff and I talk about, add it in the comments!)

“…of the decade” - It’s 2019, which means we’ll be turning the page on this decade in December. I will be doing a little mini-series of podcasts where people come on a rank things from the past decade. The first guest was Paul Burke, we ranked the top five golf majors from the decade. Here’s the link.

I’d love a bunch of guests to join me on this series. There are no rules or requirements. Your list could come from any category you would like. It could be personal, pop-cultural, or super-niche. It doesn’t have to be the “best” either. Pick your superlative: the worst, the scariest, the saddest, the most petty. Whatever you’re passionate about, make your list and tell me about it on Skype or in person.

If you have an idea for an episode send it along to theimperfectgamepod@gmail.com.

What were your favorites this week? Stick them in the comment section.

Friday Faves 8/2: Thompson Point, Caste Island, and Caroline Rose

Best Activity

Nothing says summertime more than an outdoor concert. Last Friday I drove up to Portland with my wife and some friends to see Maggie Rogers at Thompson Point. It was a quick trip, as the drive up to Maine was three hours (90 minutes on a normal day) and we returned to Boston the next morning.

However, I cannot stress this enough. If you live near Portland, you have to go see a concert at Thompson Point. Admittedly, it’s in a strange spot. It sits just below the highway on one side, but on the other side is the water and the sunset. It’s in a revived area of the city, there is a brewery (Bissell Brothers), distillery, winery, and BBQ joint 200 yards from the entrance to the venue. Once you get inside the venue the outer edge is lined with food trucks and beer vendors.

We had perfect weather to be outside listening to music and drinking beers.

Best Listen

Man in the Window: The Golden State Killer - Maybe all the true crime podcasts my wife listens have planted a seed in my brain, but between Confronting OJ and Man in the Window, I have been hooked to this podcast format lately. I know, I know, I’m not the only one. This just makes me Basic. The Man in the Window is riveting and well told. It’s scary as hell (on Monday night Tiff was away in New York and I locked by bedroom door); however, it also tackles a lot of the issues with sexual assault and rape that existed in the 1970s within our justice system and socially.

Caroline Rose - On the heels of the Maggie Rogers show, my friend, Colleen, who also attended the show, sent along a new singer who she believes is better than Maggie Rogers. Her name is Caroline Rose, and I’ve been listening to her for the last week pretty regularly. Start with “Jeannie Becomes a Mom” “Getting To Me” and “To Die Today.” Those three songs are in that order on her album; they show her wide range of talents as each one is very distinct.

Also, check out her Tiny Desk below:

Best Reads

Wonder - This was a reread for me. I tore through it because it’s written for upper elementary school kids and I can read waaay faster than they can… I was reading it for my new job. It’s just a really good book. If you’ve got kids or friends with kids who are anywhere from 7-12, it should be required reading. It’s touching and clever and thoughtful and thought provoking. So much to learn from Auggie, Jack, Via, Julian, Summer, et al.

Best Watches

Olivia Colman - Olivia Colman is my favorite actress right now. She has been in my life for quite a while at this point. I first met Olivia Colman as D.S. Ellie Miller in Broadchurch as a hum-drum detective in a small English coastal town. If you haven’t seen Broadchurch yet, add it to your watch list and then watch it all (I am very jealous of people that have not watched Broachchurch yet, because it is so so good).

Then I watched Colman in The Favourite, where she plays the insane Queen Anne. The movie wasn’t my favorite, but Colman is amazing.

Finally, Colman plays the Godmother in Fleabag. I have not watched all of yet, but the show is awesome.

In short, watch Colman in anything. I don’t watch The Crown, but maybe I’ll start…

Best Eats

Monument Smash Burger - When I’m out on my runs I think about a lot of things. The main thoughts, however, have to do with food. I run to eat. I make no bones about it. This Monday I headed down to Monument in Charlestown for a solo dinner. I had decided during my morning run that I was going to have their burger, which is one of my favorites in Boston. I enjoy a good burger, particularly in the summer. Monument’s will be in the Battle of the Burger later on in August. I’d recommend it, get the 1/2 salad and 1/2 fries on the side.

Best Drinks

Castle Island - On Saturday evening, Tiff and I headed down to see a friend in Norwood. His fiance serves beer at Castle Island Brewery, which is down in NOrwood, too (even though Caste Island is in South Boston…). Anyway, it’s a cool little spot (they also have a beer garden in Charlestown); they have some solid beers. I tried one called Suit Parade, which I recommend. I also enjoy their Hi-Def, which is a double IPA. You can find it in most liquor stores in Boston.

What did you like from the week? Toss them in the comments section.

Friday Faves 7/26: Routines, PigPen Theatre Co., Last Chance U, and Half-Pints.

Best Activity

This week was a rather quiet one as far as activities go. I woke up every morning and had time to write. A couple of the mornings I walked down to the local Starbucks for a couple hours. It was so nice to have the time and space to write each and every day. It made me excited for the calmer days of the fall when life isn’t as crazy, and I can take advantage of the time I am trying to carve out for myself in the next few months.

There’s also something incredible about a Starbucks in the morning. I would love to see footage of a Starbucks from ten years ago, because it feels to me like the coffee powerhouse has wiggled its way into the lives of more and more young people. I feel for any adult that has to work with a kid riding the high of the tie-dye frappuccino.

Best Listens

Jurassic 5 - I defy you to put this rap group on and not smile. I’ve been listening to these guys since college when my friend Chris introduced them to our playlist. They’ve been the backdrop of many parties and hangs. Start with the album Quality Control, which came out in 2000.

PigPen Theatre Company - Full disclosure… this is my brother’s band, but they are incredible. They are also a theater group that is currently in San Diego performing in the musical version Tales of Despereaux (which they wrote the music, book, and lyrics for).

Here’s a video of PigPen playing some of their tunes….

Best Reads

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*uk - I picked this book up in the spring when I was giving far too many fucks and trying to figure out how to disconnect from some of the things that were driving me crazy (note: the way I stopped giving a fuck was by leaving my job). It’s a good book to have around to just pick up and read a bunch of pages. Mark Manson writes well, and honestly, about his own struggles while also giving some fantastic anecdotes from history.

Social Effect of TV (NYTimes) - An interesting article on how TV, and mainly cable TV, is altering our society. Not really an earth-shattering take, but some of the numbers are striking, especially when they talk about Norway’s IQ drop in kids born in the late 1980s compared to kids born in the late 1970s.

Best Watches

Last Chance U - This show never really disappoints. It’s a football documentary that highlights the struggle of trying to make it out of small time football. It’s heartbreaking, annoying, and inspiring. I wrote a post about Bobby Bruce, the saddest story of the show. Put it on and buckle up. I’m six episodes in and it’s clear that this season is going to end badly.

Best Eats

Chicken Parm - A couple friends came and visited me in Boston this week. We have been having a monthly dinner for the last four to five years and this was the first one we had in Boston in quite a while. We went to the North End and ate at, you guessed it, an Italian spot called Cantina Italiana. I had not eaten chicken parm in quite a while and this one was delicious. Thin, crispy chicken which didn’t even require a knife, just the edge of my fork. However, I wasn’t crazy about the use of ziti noodles instead of angel hair or some other stringy pasta (man, that is the most Irish way of trying to talk about pasta).

Best Drinks

Maine Beer Co. - Our local watering hole, Monument, has a great rotating draft list. One of the staples at Monument is Maine Beer Co. One of my favorites from Maine Beer is called Lunch. It’s very hard to track down in bottles around here. Last month I was in Maine and picked up a few bottles of Lunch and last night I cracked one open and split the 24 ounces with my wife. If you’re an IPA fan and you haven’t checked Lunch off the list, make sure you do. They also make a Dinner, which will knock you on your ass.

One of the best glasses we have in our apartment is an 8 ounce Guinness glass. When we were visiting my family in Ireland during our honeymoon two summers ago, we were closing out a local bar after a family gathering at my aunt’s house. The half-pint turned into the perfect final beer order, my wife was enamored with the cute glass and now it’s in our cupboard. My wife remembered her grandmother, a proper Irish lady, telling her that a lady cannot drink a pint of beer. It’s unsightly; however, a lady may drink as many half-pints as she’d like. We also have a favorite bar in New York City that is called Half Pint.

In the world of heavy IPAs, the half-pint is an excellent glass to share the big bottle or the tall boy. Especially on a work night.

What were your favorites of the week? Toss them in the comments section!

Friday Faves 7/19: Caddying, Stand-up Comedy, Top Gun returns, Seltzer, and snacks

Best Activity

The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts is one of the most famous golf courses in the world. It is home to a miracle 1999 Ryder Cup victory for the United States of America. More than 100 years ago it was the site of an historic US Open where an 18 year-old Francis Ouimet looked Ted Ray and Harry Vardon in the face and beat them both. That win inspired a book and then a movie starring Shia LeBeouf.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week I got to walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest golfers in the world while carrying the bag of my friend Matt, who was competing in the Massachusetts Amateur Championship. I had a blast helping out a buddy and watching some excellent golf.

(I wrote about more the experience and what I learned from the two days of caddying: “Natural Feedback For Kids Will Help Them Cope As Adults”)

Best Listens

Confronting OJ - Good lord this is a riveting podcast. It’s produced by Kim Glass and features Kim Goldman, the brother of Ron Goldman. Each episode has Kim interviewing people involved in the case, in essence they are all confronting OJ.

I had not listened to a single episode of this podcast until last Friday. Then on Saturday as I cleaned out my closet (literally), I listened to three episodes on the trot and finished the sixth as I drove my cloths to a donation box (which are IMPOSSIBLE to find in Boston…). The sixth episode was shocking as Kim Glass calls Malcolm LaVergne, OJ Simpson’s lawyer, to ask him to come on the podcast. His response is amazing, in a horrifying way (which led to a Las Vegas radio show confrontation between Kim Goldman and LaVergne this past Tuesday).

The seventh episode is cued up on my phone. Kim Goldman interviews two of the jurors on the trial. I can’t wait to listen, but need to be in the right head space.

“Always Golden” by Iration - This is not the type of music I typically enjoy, but this song came to me through the No Laying Up golf show. The song is used as the intro music to their latest golf travel series in California. I gave the rest of the album a try this week. It’s fine. It’s basically reggae with a California tilt. But I’d encourage everyone to add the song “Always Golden” to their summer beach playlist.

Best Reads

Chuck Klosterman interview: This is all I’ve got this week for you. Klosterman is one of my favorites. He has a new book coming out. I have enjoyed his podcast appearances with Bill Simmons. This interview offers some good reading recommendations and some snarky commentary.

Best Watches

Stranger Things - Tiff and I got sucked right into the binge vortex on Sunday night. It was classic. We had rationed out the first four episodes like normal adults and watched two at a time. When we sat down on Sunday we were in the same headspace, we decided to watch two episodes and save the last two for later in the week. Then that thing happens… we watched two, were left with a big cliffhanger, and were stuck in binge mode limbo. If we watch the penultimate episode there’s no way we save the final episode for later in the week (and Monday was out because we had to pod about the Bachelorette. We HAD to, okay! Rate, Review, and subscribe! to The Random Division, please…).

So we finished the whole damn thing. The season was great, entertaining, scary, and fun. If I could make one complaint it would be that the season could have been an episode or two longer, mainly because it felt like there were a lot of expository scenes where characters are rushing to tell someone something important while the world is fucking ending. A bit more time would have made things happen more organically within the storytelling. But what do I know (answer: nothing)?

Aziz Ansari Netflix Special - I have to admit this one snuck up on me. I had no idea Aziz was back in the public spotlight. Just a couple weeks ago, Tiff mentioned him on our podcast, and I wasn’t sure if he was someone we could, or should, mention (he’s not Voldamort, it’s just me being overly sensitive).

The special was solid. I find Ansari very funny, partly because we’re close in age and many of his observations hit home. I love his delivery and his ability to include audience members. He bookended the special with two serious moments. First he addressed the sexual misconduct that came to light last year and he finished with a mindful moment where he paused and asked everyone to pause with him to take in their moment together. The mindful moment was intense but thoughtful. I’m not sure what I think about how he handled the sexual misconduct, he didn’t apologize and instead said he took it as a learning experience; he was grateful that others in his life had also opened up told him that his mistake made them evaluate their dating past (I wonder what they uncovered… eeeeesh…). Anyway, I think it’s worth watching and it’s also worth reading this NYTimes piece about it.

Top Gun - The movie is back… I’m not even linking to the trailer, I’m just putting it right in your face… this is going to be awesome.

Best Drinks

Wegmans Blackberry Tangerine Seltzer - Firstly, Wegmans is amazing. We live within walking distance of a very mediocre Whole Foods (a renovated Johnnies Foodmaster) that we avoid doing any real shopping at. It’s too expensive and too hard to find the things we really like (and it doesn’t allow me to wander down the cereal aisle feeling like a 10-year-old fighting the urge to grab Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Golden Grahams).

Wegmans is my favorite grocery store. It is massive, so it has anything you would want. The produce is great and the bakery and prepped foods are delicious and varied. The website is also outstanding, and it will organize the items on your list so you just walk up and down the aisles , no wandering aimlessly.

The Wegmans brand seltzer is a collection of different flavors; some haven’t been great (mint lime…) but others are solid. Typically you can get four 12-packs for $10. I took a flyer on the Blackberry Tangerine this week and I highly recommend it. It’s also not a bad drink to add a splash of tequila and a lime.

Best Eats

Nature Valley Biscuits w/ peanut butter- I stumbled upon these delightful little treats while caddying this week. I grabbed one at the first tee and stuck it in my pocket for later. Good golly was I glad I did. If you like nutter butters there is no way you won’t like these biscuits. They were so good, I picked some up at Wegmans and plan to make it a staple in my snack arsenal. I also noticed an almond butter version and plan of giving those a try too.

What were your favorites last week? Have a great weekend and stay cool out there. Summer is coming…

Friday Faves 7/12: Nantucket bites, a hole-in-one, and podcast hate-listening

Best Activity

This past week, my wife and I went to Nantucket for the first time. We spent three nights down there and really enjoyed it. Yes, it’s a pretentious place. Which can be exhausting. Yes, it’s expensive. Which can be daunting. And yes, it can feel rather crowded. Which can be annoying. But overall, three nights was the perfect length of time to stay in a hotel in town and explore the island.

I’d say the best activity we did was take the shuttle bus way out to the eastern coast of the island and check out ‘Sconset (short for Siasconset). This little village is exactly that, little. Its main draw is Sankaty Head Lighthouse, which is about a mile outside of town. After hopping off the shuttle, we walked the mile to the lighthouse. The lighthouse was cool, and offered a great view from the cliff of the ocean and the island. However, the walk to the lighthouse was probably my favorite activity. It was a warm day and after walking through a bit of town that had these charming, small cottages, we ended up Baxter Road. Baxter Road leads all the way up to the lighthouse; the houses and scenery along the road are stunning. These wonderful cape style houses line both sides of the road. I’d imagine the houses on the ocean side get some beautiful sunrises. Most houses were adorned with massive white roses guided by trellises on the roofs and walls. Tall hedges offered some privacy but not enough to stop us from gawking.

The walk up to Sankaty and back was wonderful and it was capped off with an hour or so on ‘Sconset beach to rest our legs. The beach is not known for swimming due to heavy year-round seaweed, but we were pleased to see that a handful of seals decided to visit the beach for the afternoon. They were pretty darn cute, just popping their heads up to look around and then diving under in search of lunch. Once we had our fill of the sun and sand, we swung by Claudette’s, a dynamite sandwich shop near the beach and enjoyed two sandwiches before heading home.

Best Bit of Luck

On Saturday I dragged my ass out of bed for a 7:00am tee time. On the 6th hole, one of the guys in my group stepped up to the par 3 and striped a five-iron right at the flag. The ball slammed into the back of the cup, popped up, hit the flagstick and dropped into the hole. It was his first hole-in-one, and it was the second one I had witnessed. It was pretty cool. A funny complication was that the guy promised his wife he wasn’t playing golf over the weekend and he was just going to practice for a couple hours. The only way he’d get caught in the lie was if he got a hole-in-one and had to share the story with her.

Best Listens

This is one of those posts where I have to be honest with you, which means I have to be honest with myself first. There’s a podcast that was recently started on Barstool Sports that I have been listening to (I might even call it “Hate Listening”) the past few weeks. It’s called the Kirk Minihane Show. Minihane is a former sports talk radio host in Boston on WEEI. He left unceremoniously last fall and was left without a job for eight months.

When I texted my friend Paul that I liked the show, in hopes of some emotional support, he called Minihane a professional troll. It’s probably the best description of him. He is bombastic and rude and outspoken. He fits right into the Barstool ethos; I consume Barstool lightly, like that last beer your friend orders before last call. You know you’ll regret it, but you slowly, carefully drink it. He posts a roughly two hour episode Monday through Friday. He records them early in the morning and they’re ready by 11am. It’s a pretty genius way to do, as his stuff is relevant. He makes an effort to drum up fake drama and craps on former colleagues in the spirit of Howard Stern. However, he does some thoughtful stuff, banters with his producer, and interviews guests well.

It’s not a show I listen to in it’s entirety, but I appreciate that there is always something to listen to if I have exhausted my regular podcast options.

Not into crazy, weird podcasts? Here are some music suggestions for you:

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Just a really great, fun band, especially for this time of year. You can crack a beer out by the grill with this group on the speakers. Led by Susan Tedeschi, who sounds like Reba McEntire, they have ten musicians backing her up. A lot of horn instruments and some fantastic harmonizing. If you live near Marshfield, MA and read this before it’s too late, they are playing on Friday, July 12 at the Levitate Festival. I’m just gonna give you “Midnight in Harlem” and “Part of Me” as my two recommendations. They are their most popular songs on Spotify, but they also offer a good variance of their sound.

Dawes - I love these guys. I’ve been to two of their concerts in Boston. They’re an LA band that teeters on the edge of yacht rock at times (“Roll with the Punches” and “For No Good Reason”) and anthem rock at others (“When the Tequlia Runs Outs” and “When My Time Comes”). I’d recommend just starting with their first album “North Hills”. Fun fact about Dawes: the lead singer is married to Mandy Moore.

Best Reads

I’m a book hopper. Always have been. Always will be. I’ve been working through “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” the past month or so. It’s excellent. The writing is beautiful, the time period has always interested me, it’s got Irish roots, and I think I’ve realized that I’m a sucker for a great, well-drawn, female character. Having Hermione Granger and Francie Nolan both in my life right now is pretty great.

Best Watches

The best watch this week is one you can’t binge and if you missed it, it’s too late. The US Women’s National Team won the World Cup for a second time in a row and fourth time overall this past Sunday.

The USWNT is a joy to watch. Powerful and clinical and badass. If you missed it. You missed out. Just a great past month of games.

Stranger Things is back and while I haven’t plowed through all of it, I have enjoyed the first few episodes. It feels like they upped their scare level this season. My one complaint is they are really hitting us over the head with the 80’s nostalgia.

One of my favorite things on the internet is created by a group of friends that call themselves No Laying Up. If you enjoy travel shows, I’d recommend watching their “Tourist Sauce” series on YouTube (they also have a website and a podcast). These guys travel the world and play golf. It’s full of history about the areas they visit, they have fun, and they find eclectic locals to interview. Start with their Scotland trip. It’ll make you want to be their friends.

Best Drinks

On Sunday, while taking in the World Cup Final, I enjoyed a delicious Bloody Mary. I have just recently come around on the Bloody Mary, mainly because tomato juice was a non-starter for me. This particular Bloody Mary was a BBQ Bloody Mary from B-Ack Yard BBQ in Nantucket. It had bacon in it, along with a BBQ sauce based tomato juice. It was the best drink I had all week.

Best Eats

A few days of vacation will often lead to eating a lot of delicious things. Toss in a wedding anniversary and things go up another notch.

Here are the 5 best things I ate this week on Nantucket:

1) Blue Crab Fried Rice - The Nautilus

2) Lobster Tostada - The Nautilus

3) Giovanni pizza (potato and rosemary) - Gemelle

4) Taquitos - Straight Wharf

5) Oyster Tacos - The Nautilus

6) Green Monster Ice Cream (mint ice cream and cookie dough) in a waffle cup - The Juice Bar

7) Smoked Turkey sandwich - Claudette’s

A quick note on The Nautilus. It was one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in a while. We arrived at 5:20 and were about 10th in line for a spot at the bar. When it opened at 5:30, we nabbed two seats at the bar. The bartenders were great and the food was delicious. It was a special dinner for us, but even with the mindset of “splurging” a bit, it wasn’t too bad a bill at the end of the meal, especially considering how good everything was.

What were your favorites from the past week? Toss them in the comments section!