WATCH | THE HIGHWAYMEN
Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, and Kathy Bates are enough reason for us to watch this movie, but it’s a darn good story as well, and it’s a true one! We’ve all seen Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty portray the beautiful, iconic and idolized Bonnie and Clyde, but exactly who was on the other side of the guns of justice? Laudable specifics aside, this fantastic adventure follows former Texas Rangers, Frank Hamer and Maney Gault, as they join forces to try and capture the notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. This is one worth watching.
READ | THANKS A THOUSAND: A GRATITUDE JOURNEY
If you’re familiar with any of A.J. Jacobs work, you’ll know that his lighthearted and honest pursuits to live strictly by the Ten Commandments, read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica A to Z, and attain maximum health by testing every strict diet and exercise regiment he could find, is just the tip of the iceberg for this guy. Enter his latest journey: thanking everyone he can for everything they do, starting with his attempt to thank every single person involved in producing his morning cup of coffee. The resulting journey takes him across the globe, transforms his life, and reveals secrets about how gratitude can make us all happier, more generous, and more connected. He discovers that his coffee (and every other item in our lives) wouldn’t be possible without hundreds of people we usually take for granted: farmers, chemists, artists, presidents, truckers, mechanics, biologists, miners, smugglers, and goat herders. By thanking these people face to face, Jacobs finds that scientific research on gratitude is true, and it’s benefits are legion: It improves compassion, heals your body, and helps battle depression. You can listen to him talk about it here. Well worth the read.
EAT | SITKA AND SPRUCE
Located in Seattle, Sitka and Spruce serves brunch, lunch and dinner and is also known for their astute wine pairings and crafty cocktails. We ate there one evening and started with local cheeses that were simple and delicious. Not to mention that the sourdough bread with whipped butter and sea salt is heavenly. Next was the Grilled Broccoli with Spiced Peanuts and the ideal portion of delectable Potato Gnocchi, both leaving room for the Grilled Chicken with black kale, glazed turnips, kale pesto & chicken jus. We asked our server to pair a wine and were pleasantly surprised by a light pink Rose’ from Germany. It was perfect. This magnificent food affair had to come to an end, but we did everything we could to make it last just a little...bit....longer...so we ordered the vanilla panna cotta, tart cherries & poppy seed cookies for dessert. Glorious.
EMBIBE | TOWNSHEND'S DISTILLERY
Are you familiar with botanical spirits? If not, then the best place to start is Townshend’s, the world’s first and only tea distillery located in Portland, Oregon. Utilizing their years of experience with botanical blending and their Townshend’s Tea blends, they create herbal spirits from their own Brew Dr. Kombucha distillate. Their offerings include a family of tea liqueurs, Italian amari (bitter liqueurs), and other botanical spirits, all distilled from a fermentation of tea and sugar. Crafting everything in-house from scratch ingredients, they strive to offer inventive additions to the worlds of both tea and craft spirits. Fun, unique and ever so tasty, we suggest that you give it a gulp!
ADMIRE | PETER SIMONITE
We’ve had the pleasure of knowing Peter Simonite - a kind, patient and humble person, whose generosity shows through in his work as a director of photography and film. We’ve followed him for years, and everything he creates is enthralling, vivid and compelling. His ability to stir emotion while keeping an air of delicacy is as impressive as it is captivating. You can view several clips of his stunning cinematography in feature films, short films, and music videos here on his site.
CLIMB | AUSTIN BOULDERING PROJECT
Best known for its rock climbing walls, the ABP is hidden on the East Side in a clean, well designed, and naturally lit building. As you most likely know, bouldering is rock climbing without using ropes or harnesses, on climbs that don’t go too high off the ground. In their gym, the entire floor is a giant, squishy pad. Fun! They also have an outside area where boulderers move small mats and pads under the climbs. What also makes this place awesome is their superb yoga classes, additional work-out/gym areas, superior locker rooms (saunas included!) and their available snacks, bevs and areas to sit and get some work done. This gym is a gem!