6 of My Favorite Things or something like that...
As I write this on a cold, dark rainy Chicago night, I am realizing how quickly the weather can change in a matter of a week. It was warm, with temperatures within the July range. To be honest, I’m just really happy cold weather is finally here! Definitely happy that’s finally over with.
Colette has invited me to write about my favorite things instead of, you know, bribing you to buy our beautiful handmade Bitty Giant candles. (Is that really a bad thing though since Colette’s handmade candles are truly amazing?) Because I procrastinated so much, I wasn’t able to think of 12 things like I promised. But instead of 12 things I casually like, I can give you 6 things that I am totally digging right now!
1. Beer: Staghorn Octoberfest by New Glarus Brewing Company. Many of our readers think of pumpkin flavored coffee drinks when they think of cold, crisp fall days. For me, I think of marine beers, also known as Oktoberfest-style beers. They are nutty, crispy, bitter, and a tad bit of carmel sweet. This marzen by New Glarus does not disappoint, and is a perfect example of it. Just drink it ice cold, preferably outside on an autumn crispy day with a camp fire!
2. DIY Beard Oil by Art of Manliness Also during the cold, fall weather, I like to fully start growing out my beard. I have two purposes for this. I like to think it protects my face in the cold weather (although that could be psychological). Also, I am usually clean shaven in the summer, and I like to change my ugly mug once in awhile. With my beard, I use beard oil to keep my hair from getting too rough and uncomfortable. Instead of buying the stuff, I usually like to make it with a handy guide from the good people at Art of Manliness.
3. Snacks: ALDI - SpeciallySelected Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Chips. This stuff is seriously crack. Whatever genius thought about this knows how to tickle my fancy. Please try these. I normally grab the regular sweet potato chips, but the cinnamon sugar really gives it a sweet kick.
4. Book: Zealot: the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan. Reza Aslan is an Iranian-American popular religious scholar based in California. In Zealot, Aslan writes about the historical Jesus Christ (rather than the traditional and religious one), and he argues that Jesus was a zealot, or political rebel, that was trying to overthrow Roman rule they had over the Jews (hence, his title the King of the Jews). It’s a very fascinating view of one of the most important figures in history. Shortly after its publication, Fox News picked it up and interviewed him. Since Aslan is a Muslim, Fox News accused him that he wasn’t reputable enough to write a book about Jesus Christ. That’s ridiculous, since Aslan is a very well-known religious scholar and he was raised a Christian (who then later in life converted to Islam). Whatever your opinions on Christianity are, this is just a great book for history fans.
5. Music: My Woman by Angel Olsen. Amazing album, and I seriously can’t stop listening to it. Please pick it up. Angel Olsen was originally a backup singer to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and has since ventured on her own. She wrote this album as a tribute to “the complicated mess of being a woman.” 6. Podcast: Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell. Famed author Malcolm Gladwell has a podcast! From the author that brought you The Tipping Point and David & Goliath, Revisionist History is a podcast that looks back at events, people, works of art, and so on and reinterprets and points out events that we might have overlooked or misunderstood. My favorite was episode episode 7, where he goes on a long winding rant about Elvis Costello and dives into the composition of one of the most famous songs in music history: “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Check it out at revisionisthistory.com
TGIF