Type shit really hitting these days, sorry, back in New York... please forgive me I don’t want this sort of language to declare me as having “Unc” status, I fear Gen Alpha. Anyway, we out here, it has been a solid week for consumption, so let’s get into it.
Disclaimer — Apple TV
I have only watched the first episode, but it did an incredible job of getting me fully bought in, TBD if that is maintained. A mix of what seems to be a thriller with an emphasis on literature it mixes past and present in a completely nonsubtle or original way, but despite that the plot seems interesting enough to make me want to binge another 2 episodes if I get the chance. This is maybe not a family show, just an FYI, there are some warnings in the beginning. With that said I am a sucker for these types of series but even more so in the fall.
SantaCruz Paleo Electrolytes
I’ve followed Santa Cruz Paleo and Medicinals for a few years now and I have watched the products absolutely break the internet, the cool thing is that the owner and a couple of his friends really grew this from scratch creating strong, personal branding, and not paying for ads, but rather spending hours themselves recording a myriad of content from informational to creative short series or simply recording his wife’s dog and voicing over what “Churro” the dog is thinking (Millenial humor). I use Amazon to purchase the electrolytes and I have also purchased their Tongkat Ali which I have been taking around my long runs to keep my testosterone balanced. Endurance training can have influence your hormones since your body works to properly balance you out. When your cortisol spikes and you are in fight or flight mode, that will block your testosterone which can make you feel crumby and weak, which I have absolutely felt before, but Tongkat Ali has helped. Also, if you like learning about hormones and chemicals I would highly recommend the book, Aroused by Randi Epstein, it does a good job at covering the basics—I read this when I was struggling with anxiety and wanted to know if I could do anything about it hormonally.
Highland Glacial Clay Hair Product
Highland Glacial Clay Pomade and Hair Cream is a hair product made by a past coworker and friend of mine. I knew Ben Medalie had taste when we would hop on teams calls and he had a pair of vintage boxing gloves hanging well placed on his apartment gallery wall. After working together for about a year he mentioned his company he had been working on with his roommate was starting to take off and then a few days later I saw their product being mentioned by GQ and then Vogue several weeks later. Taking off is an understatement.
The product is spectacular, and the best part, it doesn’t thin your hair like so many other products do. I have never had an issue myself with thinning hair, thanks to genetics, but I did notice some of the old products I used had sketchy ingredients that were known to cause itchy scalp and hair loss—I did have a panic attack once because between stress and bad hair products I did notice my hairline receding, but that may have just been psychosis from multiple celsius energy drinks (no shade though, I can definitely get more done after getting properly stoked from an energy drink). Anyway, the product helps you keep your hair, keep a healthy scalp, and smell incredible. I am sure they have some incredible products coming out to match the existing duo and I look forward to trying them out.
P.S. if you sign up for their email list you can get 15% off.
Rudy’s — NYC Dive Bar
This week I have been staying with a good friend of mine in the apartment we lived in together between 2021 and 2022. Hell’s Kitchen is not the sexiest part of NYC, but it is very familiar to me after living there for a year. Whether it is the cookie place Schmakary’s, the coffee places Bird & Branch, St. Kilda’s, and Frisson Espresso, or the iconic restaurants or pizza spots, I know Hell’s Kitchen and I will forever love it. One place that forever holds a soft spot in my heart is Rudy’s, a cash-only dive bar on the corner of 44th and 9th, Rudy’s has special deals that nowhere else in the city can match. You can get a Rudy’s Blonde ale for $4 and with every drink you get… you get a free hot dog. In a city where everyone is obsessed with margin, scale, and cash flow, Rudy’s is obsessed with giving its patrons an experience unlike any place else.
Red Poke — Hell’s Kitchen Spot
Red Poke was one of the first to go places Sabrina and I ate when we got to New York, so being back in Hell’s Kitchen I was pulled to go back and it didn’t disappoint. Here is my order:
Base: Warm Japchae Noodles covered by Supergreens (the noodles slightly steam the greens and make them slightly limp while maintaining some crispiness)
Protein: Organic Tofu… I have been sticking to a predominantly vegetarian diet recently, and to be honest, they really know how to make tofu here
Mix-Ins: Cucumber, Red Cabbage, Edamame, Golden Crispy Shallot, and Spicy Kimchi
Sauce: Korean Teriyaki BBQ
This bowl is fresh, tangy, sweet, savory, crunchy, crispy and it got me right before heading out for an interview.
Weekly Spotify Playlist
I discovered Vegyn a few years ago when I would go to the library throw on my headphones and put the same song on repeat as a strange form of dissociative meditation. His ambient and experimental vibe did the job. Earlier this year Mk.gee started to grow in notoriety and I thought I had heard of him before but couldn’t figure out where. Well upon returning to a dissociative state on the drive home after a tough lift (I don’t recommend dissociating and driving) I saw his name come up as a feature on a Vegyn song and then the more I looked the more I came to realize they have collaborated on a handful of song which makes sense because both of them are incredibly talented producers, so to kick off this weeks playlist I have a batch of songs by Vegyn and Mk.gee. Prior to my flight to New York, my buddy Ryan mentioned he was listening to Tokyo Tea Room while working at a coffee shop so I downloaded the song If You Love Her and proceeded to dissociate on the flight. Next is Strawberry by Sabrina Song, I discovered her through a tik tok account that interviewed people in Washington Square Park asking everyone if they were musical artists until they found someone who was. On my mind, by isti is a groove, I actually met Isti through my buddy Ryan from earlier, we trekked around California together for a few days right before the pandemic shut the world down—good guy, can’t wait to hear more of his music. After isti we have a Feel It Still remix by Medicine and then Yukon by Joji, just happened to be vibing to those this week. Then Why is everyone a DJ? by LAUNDRY DAY because I am back in Hell’s Kitchen near the Beacon school where the group went to high school. Finally, in preparation for the new album, I have Tyler’s new release Noid. Check out the music video here Ayo Edebri makes an appearance.