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.