Grocery Shopping without a list like Alice Waters

One of my favorite things about Wegmans is their website. It allows you to make a shopping list and they organize the items by aisle. It’s an incredible time-saver, especially in a massive store like Wegmans. The print out used to even have a thumbnail of the item, too. This was particularly useful when Tiff would include something that I wouldn’t recognize on the shelf - a facial cleanser or exotic vegetable. The Melia family has a trait we’ve recently coined “label-blind.” This is when, in the rush to grab something off the store’s shelf we don’t read the label to ensure what we are buying is what we actually want to buy. This might happen with milk or yogurt (plain yogurt? YUCK!), cornstarch vs. cornmeal. The mix-ups are always a nuisance. However, I did have to run down to the store in the middle of making dinner this winter when I realized I had coconut cream instead of coconut milk. I tried to sneak out while Tiff was in the shower, hoping she wouldn’t notice my mistake. I was wrong, and she was more panicked when I returned because she thought I had been taken. My brother, sisters, and mom are afflicted with “label blindness,” too. I think they’re doing some heavy research at Moderna.

This past week, we loaded Masterclass on our AppleTV and watched Alice Waters cook things. She’s amazing, and works with no recipes and does hgoler shopping without a list. She wanders the market searching for what looks good, buys it, and then heads home to figure out what she’ll conjure up for the week. Alice inspired me to give this method a try, so when I went to our local grocery store last weekend I had in mind one slow cooker meal I’d make, but otherwise I was going to peruse like Alice and find what looked good.

For the most part, this didn’t change my patterns in the grocery store, but it did have an interesting effect on my experience in the produce section, though. It forced me to stare and look a bit more intentionally. Usually I know what I want because it’s on a list, so I dive right into the greenery, grab my kale or spinach and get the heck out of there. But during this particular visit I stood and looked around. I started to see items that never make it into my cart because I never seen them.

It felt uncomfortable to stand and stare at a wall of food. The produce section is usually busy and built to make people uncomfortable. It’s like a game of pac-man, we’re all weaving in and out of these small aisles like we’re being chased by ghosts. Compare the produce section vibe with the middle aisles next time you’re at a grocery store. The middle aisles, where all the “bad” stuff is, are built to allow for maximum leisure. Stand as long as you want as you choose between Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Looking for chips? Stay awhile, you have all the space you need! Not the produce section though. It’s organized to make people want to rush through it as quickly as possible.

We’ve been programmed, especially this year to get in and get out. There’s no time to look, we’re in the middle of a pandemic! Go, go, go! I fought that urge and we ended up having a few dinners this week that were a tad different than usual and pushed us to dig through the pantry and freezer to find some accompaniments and seasonings.

The best part of this weekend’s process was last night when we enjoyed a stir fry with brussels sprouts and carrots and onion. I dug up some lo mein noodles and added some soy sauce. It was not a dish I had in mind when I grabbed the carrots and sprouts on Sunday at the grocery and it turned out to be one of the better things we had this week.

So, when you’re feeling adventurous, I’d encourage you to go grocery shopping with the staples in mind, but no meals planned. You could find yourself making a few meals that you have never made before or simply forgot you knew how to make. And if you’re like me and afflicted with label-blindness, it might just be the cure.

Friday Faves 5/15: Cheeseburgers, Sketching, Jaylen Brown Dancing, Bissell Brothers, and Wind of Change

Best Activity

Sketching - I have never been much of a drawer. I doodle on my notes or while I’m on the phone or in a meeting, but last week I came across a NYTimes article about sketching and the positive impacts it can have on our mindset, even if you just take 10 minutes a day. So I did, I took 10 minutes a day, put a simple object in from of me (coffer mug, wine bottle, a vase), and just tried to sketch it. I watched a couple youtube videos and bought some pencils and a sketchpad.

The thing I’ve found the hardest about sketching is the imperfection of it all. Nothing comes out on the paper as I picture it in my head. However, this, I think, is also the value of the exercise. I have a limited ability and I’m trying to acquire a new skill on my own, and I’m doing it for no one else but myself. The better sketches happen when I stop caring, or I don’t get tied up in making it look “perfect” or “realistic.” It’s an activity I look forward to each day, and something I think about when I’m not sketching. After just a week, I am looking at objects differently: the light, the shape, my perspective. At times, I’m even ranking items: I could draw that… oh, man, I could not draw that, yet.

Like any new hobby or activity, improvement will come. With a visual activity, I’ll see the improvement from page to page, sketch to sketch. When everything around us feels stuck, it’s a nice feeling to flip through a week’s of sketches and see the passing of time and some slight improvement.

Best Watch

TaylorMade COVID Relief Golf Match - On Sunday, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, and Dustin Johnson will play a 2-on-2 skins game at Seminole Golf Course. Live sports are slowly making their way back. The golf course might be the star of the show though. Seminole is a golf geek’s architectural wet dream and is rarely, if ever, shown on TV and has never hosted a professional only tournament. Tune in on NBC at 2PM on Sunday… here’s the low down via GolfDigest.

Jaylen Brown dancing - This is the new, “Heading into the weekend like…” video. I’ll be honest, I hate on LeBron James for his stupid-ass videos. I know that if LeBron did this, I’d roll my eyes. You know why LeBron wouldn’t do this? Because he’s too far from the camera… you can barely tell this is Jaylen Brown.

Also, how about his hype-man in the background? Just stupendous. I choose to believe this was filmed on the side of 95 North in Wellesley.

Enjoy…

Important Jaylen Brown update: pic.twitter.com/gHLRWTNFF4

— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) May 14, 2020

Best Listen

Gossip in the Grain - Streaming music has certainly altered my listening habits. There’s a saying in the NFL, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.” I’d say, “If you have access to all the music, you have access to no music.” I end up in these closed loops because of the algorithm. Ray LaMontagne’s newest single, We’ll Make it Through was brought to me by the robots behind Spotify. I hadn’t forgotten about LaMontagne, but I hadn’t listened to him in a while. I popped on “Gossip in the Grain” one evening this week, it was one of the rainy evenings, the type of evening you could picture LaMontange writing a new song.

Wind of Change Podcast- Could a rock ballad have possibly ended the Cold War? This podcast investigates the likelihood that the CIA wrote the hit song “Wind of Change” by German rock group the Scorpions in 1990 to become the “soundtrack to the revolution.”

Best Read

A History of the World in 6 Glasses - I finished this book last night, and it was a great, quick read. It discusses the impact of beer, wine, rum (and other distilled drinks), coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola throughout history. The book doesn’t bounce around from era to era, it follows time linearly, each drink gaining influence at different times in history. The section on the Opium War blew my mind.

The Making of Marcus Rashford - The young Manchester United star has been making an effort to feed the less fortunate in Manchester. A solid story about kindness, empathy, and perseverance. NYTimes.com.

The Outer Banks is the Show of the Year….- I wish I had written this piece. Really funny, but also full of hard truths about a really great, fun TV show. It won’t win awards, but it might win this quarantine. -SFGate

Best Eat

Summer Cheeseburgers - It was 70 degrees in Boston on Thursday. It was delightful, so we decided to fire up the grill and make some cheeseburgers. Now don’t be fooled, these were quarantine burgers to the max, frozen and thin (I went double patty…). Nothing special, some pickles and ketchup on the top. No fries. No frills. But cracking a beer, firing up the grill, and sitting out on the deck as the sun set on the end of another pandemic day was a calming slice of normal.

Best Drink

Substance by Bissell Brothers - Tiff loves Bissell’s Lux beer. In search of an escape one day, she decided to drive up to Portland and pick up some Bissell Brothers beer. She also grabbed their flagship beer called Substance. It’s a delicious IPA that isn’t super heavy or overwhelmingly bitter or hoppy. I look forward to the day we can go back to Portland, eat great food, and have a couple beers in Bissell’s tasting room.

Friday Faves 3/13: Cruise Reviews, The Bachelor, HAIM, Frozen Waffles, and Cigar City

Best Activity

Golf in Time of Corona - The last couple weeks, the weather has slowly warmed up in Boston to unseasonable temperatures; it started to feel like we might have escaped the winter unscathed. The pessimistic among us always punctuated the conversation with a statement like, “We’ll probably get some massive storm in March or, god forbid, April!” Unfortunately, I think this years version of winter is disguised as a pandemic. After perusing the aisles yesterday in search of some canned goods and other non-perishables, Tiff said it felt like the entire country (even the world?) is preparing for a huge blizzard (There’s a joke hiding in here about spot savers and shoveling, but I just can’t formulate it…)

I cancelled a trip to Las Vegas next week. Golf and March Madness were the siren songs for my friend Phil and I. We had spent a few years threatening to plan a trip somewhere to play golf and hang out (he lives in San Francisco). In order to tune up my game, I went to an indoor golf facility to hit golf balls for an hour. The repetition of hitting balls is therapeutic, just like clicking off miles during a run. There’s a rhythm to it, there’s constant feedback spinning in and out of your head. Both are beautifully individual but also a form preparation for something bigger like a tournament or a road race.

As this coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the world and cancels everything in sight, I hope everyone finds some way to release some stress while staying safe and healthy. It’s the only thing that will keep us sane.

Best Watch

I Am Not Okay With This - This Netflix show is a fun watch. It follows a teenage girl who is slowly realizing she has some sort of super power. It’s set in what looks like a Pittsburgh suburb (Penguins t-shirt, rust belt vibe, etc…). The end of the first episode was jarring, not for any cliff-hanger or plot twist, but because it didn’t feel finished. Why? The episode it was around 20 minutes long and I was settled in for a 45 minute pilot. The producers of Stranger Things are behind this one too, and captures the same vintage aesthetics, but it’s set in modern day.

The Bachelor Finale - It’s too late, it’s over, you’ve missed the boat. If you were there for the last two episodes, I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. I don’t think we’ll ever see a performance like the one Peter’s mother gave in the last 20 minutes. It was like Walter Payton, Hall of Fame in such a short amount of time. To add salt to the wound, Peter and Madi announced on Friday morning they were breaking up.

Parasite: I finally got around to seeing the Best Picture of the year, and it was, unsurprisingly, incredible. I thought I had a bit of an understanding of the plot from the trailer, but I didn’t. It had the feeling of a folktale told in modern day. Yes, there is some violence, if you’re not into that kind of thing, but it comes in a very small dose. If you still have a chance to see it in the theater do it (if it’s still open and you’re willing to go outside…). The subtitles weren’t a distraction, but they were tiny in the version I watched and sometimes blended in with the background.

You’ll probably be cooped up for the next week (or more?). This is something you should watch.

Best Read

A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again - This is travel writing at it’s most hilarious and wonderful. David Foster Wallace is exceptional. I had never read this essay/story about his first cruise experience. Harper’s Ferry asked him to write a review, and he also put together this recap of the trip. It’s laugh out loud funny in many parts and incisively perceptive in so many others. He writes the truth and tells you things you knew but couldn’t dredge up into words.

A Lockdown Diary: A simple, well-written illustration of life in Italy right now. - NYTimes.com

Best Listen

Get a Grip Podcast - The name of the pod could make you think it’s talking about the coronavirus, but it’s not. This pod is co-hosted by Shane Bacon, a golf commentator, and Max Homa, a PGA TOUR winning. They’re really great to listen to each week. Max offers some great insight into the life of a pro athlete earning a paycheck week in and week out. He’s honest and self-deprecating while Bacon asks good questions and they banter well back and forth.

HAIM’s “Now I’m In It” - I love HAIM and have been listening to them a bunch the past couple weeks. I find myself starting with this song every time.

Best Eat

Pastrami Reuben Hash - Imagine a hot skillet with chunks of pastrami, onions, peppers, Swiss cheese, TWO poached eggs, with a side of rye bread in front of you… that’s what Monument has concocted. On Sunday, I went down and found a spot at the bar to watch the Manchester United v. Manchester City soccer game. This meal was my companion for most of the second half. It was incredibly delicious and I didn’t have an appetite for the rest of the day. The pastrami was cooked perfectly, big chunks of it just falling apart and mixing in with the rest of the ingredients. Pair it with a Downeast cider and a Manchester United win; you can’t go wrong.

Frozen Waffles - I’m training for the Big Sur Marathon in April right now. It’s up in the air if it will even happen. Good times! One of the challenges hidden challenges when you start running marathons is fueling up before a long run. Running 20 miles takes hours; if you don’t eat properly before the run, you’re screwed, and you’re probably screwed a long way from home. I typically like oatmeal or an english muffin. I’ll add peanut butter and a banana to both of them. Recently, I rediscovered my inner-fat-kid infatuation with the frozen waffle. Two of these puppies an hour before a run with some peanut butter and maple syrup is perfect. I also find them delicious when I’m not going for a run (with butter and honey…). English muffins and oatmeal have been ruined for me because of the connotation they have with running and pain and misery. I’ve been eating the Wegmans brand and the 365 brand from Whole Foods. I haven’t tried any of the flavored ones… yet.

Best Drink

Florida Man by Cigar City Brewing - A really good Double IPA that I came across at Blackmoor on Saturday. The name and description were enough to pique my interest. Here’s the blurb about the beer from the website: “A modern Double IPA with a tropical expression from the blend of American hops including Pacific Jade, Galaxy, Azacca, Lemon Drop and Simcoe is balanced by delicate peach esters from a unique Double IPA yeast and a dash of Canadian honey malt.” - CigarCityBrewing

Best Plug

NYTimes Writing Prompts: This week I randomly picked some writing prompts from the NYTimes list of thousands… This is something I’ll be doing more regularly.

Here are the first three;

Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender?

What Do You Remember Best About Being 12?

What Food Would You Like To Judge In a Taste-Off?

The Random Division - The season is over! We have our Mondays back! What a ride it’s been. Tiff and I do our best to process and wrap-up Peter’s disastrous season that ended with him being verbally cooked by his mother on live national TV.

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Follow us on IG: TheRandomDivisionPod

The Imperfect Game: Both and I try to spend $120 million on a starting line-up for our imaginary soccer club; however, we’re only allowed to pick players from the ten teams we have researched over the past few months. It was much more challenging than we thought it would be and compromises had to be made.

iTunes. - We’d love if you subscribed, wrote a review, gave us five stars, and told your friends!

Friday Faves 2/6: Voting, Formula 1, Freaknomics, Rick Pitino, and Breakfast Gyros

Best Activity

Voting: I know the founding fathers didn’t picture millions of Americans walking into decrepit middle school gymnasia around the country to cast their ballot, but here we are. It’s probably the only thing that can create some mystique to that setting. Unless mystique is an Axe spray (I checked, it’s not an Axe scent).

I walked down to the middle school in Charlestown and casted my vote in the democratic primary. The experience always gives me the chills. It’s such an intimate experience wrapped in the greater good. I can’t think of any other action we take as people that has the same effect.

Best Watch

Formula 1: Drive to Survive: The series is back! I texted by buddy Pat who is on paternity leave: “I know what you’re watching this week.” He wrote back, “Oh shit. Was that out today?”

Not many shows can generate that type of ESP.

Best Read

This is an article about kids and phones that I wish I had written: I felt this Assistant Principle’s pain with every sentence. Phones are the worst and have created an added layer of responsibilities for educators. Some parents think they have it under control or that their kids are 100% honest with them. They’re not. Not all the time. No matter how great your kid happens to be.

Parents: your kids know every way around those “sky apps” that show you what they’re doing on their phone. They’re smarter than you, and they know exactly how to leverage that knowledge. GoodMorningAmerica.com

Twenty Years Later, Rick Pitino’s “Not Walking Through That Door” Rant lives on: Hat tip to reader and friend Rob for sharing this article. It’s been twenty years since Rick Pitino lost his mind at a press conference and offered his nomination for the Mount Rushmore of Coaching Meltdowns. This piece is more like an oral history, with quotes from various people involved or covering the Celtics during the Pitino Era (Full Disclosure: I forgot Pitino coached the Cs for as long as he did. What a disaster.) - TheAthletic.com

An Article Remembering my Former Golf Coach: Bob Molt, who was the golf coach at Holy Cross, passed away last week. He was quite the guy with a boatload of stories, a pocket full of one-liners and a big, kind heart. - Telegram.com

Best Listen

Bill Simmons Podcast: If you’re not an NFL fan, skip the first 30 minutes of this pod and listen to Simmons’ interview with Stephen Dunbar, coauthor of Freakonomics and host of the Freakonomics Radio podcast (which is next on the list). Dunbar is super interesting and turns the podcast around into an interview of Simmons, which is always fun when he’s a little off kilter and has to talk about himself and not just make constant analogies to Boston sports stars and 1980s movies.

Freakonomics Radio: I had never listened to a second of this podcast until Thursday; I listened to a few since, and this one about meetings hit close to home. Meetings suck, and schools might be the worst at running meetings. I still get the chills when I remember the 4:15-5:30 Monday evening meetings we would have.

Best Eat

Breakfast Gyro at Committee in the Seaport: Tiff and I are running a bunch of miles on the weekends as we creep up on the Big Sur Marathon at the end of April. This past Saturday was a cold, windy day for a run along the Charles River. A trip to Committee kept my legs churning, and golly it was worth it. We don’t go to brunch all that often, but this Breakfast Gyro might be my favorite brunch item I’ve had in Boston.

The Gyro is served in a large pita stuffed with chorizo, scrambled eggs, and cheese. It’s insanely good all the way around. The chorizo is in big chucks, the eggs are cooked perfectly (creamy but not watery). The pita is soft and the side of potatoes require no ketchup or hot sauce. Just a dynamite brunch following a 19 mile run.

Soy-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Pickled Cucumbers: It took a lot on Thursday evening to not pull the cover off the grill, stand outside with a beer, and enjoy the early days of spring. But this chicken recipe was a phenomenal alternative. It is simple and absolutely delicious. The process of cooking it made the chicken unbelievably tender, and even though the recipe calls for like a lot of steps, the chicken stays in the pan the whole time, just covered or uncovered with a few ingredients added as you go. Serve on rice, or make it a GD sandwich.

Best Drink

Daily Serving by Trillium: This beer blew my mind. It’s basically juice. We had the mango and passion fruit version, but they have a bunch of different brews. I have nothing else to say.

Best Plug

The Random Division Pod: The Women Tell All was not all that great, which is on brand with past versions of the reunion episode. But Tiff did a Reddit deeeep dive and we talked about the women who were, and weren’t, at the union. Listen here on iTunes and here on Spotify.

As usual, spread the love and tell your friends, or just nab their phone and subscribe for them. They’ll thank you later!

Oh, and follow us in Instagram: TheRandomDivisionPod.

The Imperfect Game: Both and I continue to get as much as we can out of the research we did this winter. This week, we picked the worst stadium, fans, crests, uniforms, etc from the ten teams we have highlighted in this series to build our Nightmare Club. Listen here on iTunes and here on Spotify.

Friday Faves 2/14: Chili Cook-Off, The Pharmacist, Carly Rae, Scallops, and Hazy Janes.

Best Activity

Chili Cook-off: Last Saturday, Tiff and I drove down to Hoboken, New Jersey for a chili cook-off hosted by our friends Lindsay and Dean. Chili is this funny food that has so many different interpretations, some of which can be polarizing (see: White chili and Skyline chili).

Like all good ideas, it has grown slowly. This year’s battle had nine chilis and the apartment was packed. The theme changes each year. Year one had an Olympic theme, so winners received medals and the mood was rather patriotic. Last year it was hosted on President’s Day Weekend, so it had a presidential tilt to it. This year, it was the Oscars. There was a red carpet welcoming the guests and the three winners received Oscars. The tasting is all blind, so each contestant picked from a list of best picture winners over the years to label their chili, which made it sound like we were talking about the pot: The Gladiator was really good. Oh, I haven’t had My Fair Lady was delicious.

If you don’t have a friend that hosts some sort of food-focused contest/party, be that friend and start one yourself. Mac and cheese, soup, chili, and dip all have a place in the world of competitive cooking.

Best Watch

The Pharmacist: This show is so captivating that when I put on the first episode, Tiff was winding down for bed and she literally stopped in the living and stood transfixed throughout the entire show. The docuseries is based in New Orleans and a nearby parish called St. Bernard. The main figure in the show is a father whose son was killed at age 23 in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans trying to score some drugs. The four episodes move quickly and it wasn’t at all what we expected, every episode is different. It begins with the father, Dan Schneider, trying to find out who killed his son. Once that’s done, he moves his attention to the opioid addiction sweeping the area. He is an actual pharmacist, so he’s watching people come in for Oxycontin and starts to ask questions. He’s basically an amateur private investigator. The show builds to the point where Purdue Pharma, the maker of Oxycontin, goes bankrupt.

It’s an excellent four episode docuseries. I particularly liked that each episode had one focus with the through line being Dan Schneider trying to make the world a better place.

Best Read

The Chain: After a few long, intense reads, this was a perfect February beach read, without the beach. The story is set on the North Shore of Massachusetts, an area I have spent a lot of time. It’s a true page turner about a kidnapping ring that sustains itself because once a loved one is kidnapped, the only way to free them is to pay a ransom and kidnap someone else yourself. If you break The Chain, you and your loved ones die. That simple. The book is fast-paced and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it turned into a movie at some point soon. Amazon.

Best Listen

Let’s Be Friends by Carley Rae Jepsen: “Let’s be friends” could be a phrase used a lot today as people shoot their shot with a crush on Valentine’s Day. Jepsen’s new song has a break-up anthem that will probably find it’s way into most dance parties this spring and summer. It’s bitter and angry but still has that Carley Rae pop sound that weasels it’s way into your brain that you find yourself humming later on the in the day.

Best Eat

Seared Scallop Pasta With Burst Tomatoes and Herbs: This NYTimes cooking recipe is dynamite and incredibly easy. If you’re not a scallop person, or they intimate you, or you don’t like the smell of fish in your apartment (like someone I know…) you could substitute scallops with shrimp, salmon, chicken, or.. nothing. From “First chop to first bite” it probably took 35 minutes.

Best Drink

Brewdog’s Hazy Jane: This was a new one for me this week. I had it in Hoboken, and then I proceeded to have a couple more (hey, it pairs nicely with chili…). It’s on the sweeter side as far as IPAs go, but as someone that likes Pepsi over Coke and Bud Light over Miller Lite, I seem to have a taste for more sugary drinks.

Best Plugs

Should We Really be Worried About Tom Brady Leaving?: I’m not sure Tom Brady returning to Foxboro is the best thing for the Pats at this point. I tried to put my emotional hedge into words… here’s the link.

The Random Division: Tiff and I were at it again this week watching The Bachelor and then talking about it. I firmly believe if you don’t watch the show, you could hop in right now and thoroughly enjoy the next four Mondays of viewing. In fact, after 30 minutes you might know the four women as well as Peter does. Just a disaster of a season. We can’t get enough of it.

Follow our show on Instagram… TheRandomDivision

I also tweet up a GD storm on Mondays during the show on my personal Twitter… BostonHomer.

iTunes link (rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends!) and we’re on Spotify…

The Imperfect Game: After a short hiatus, Both and I are back talking English football. This week’s club is Southampton F.C. A club without many trophies, but a load of homegrown talent that they have sent all over England and Europe. A fantastic academy and scouting program have helped Southampton F.C. stay stable, but has never pushed them to the top of English football.

iTunes link…

Friday Faves 2/7: Bookstores, Chicken Wings, Lord Huron, and Fiddlehead

Best Activity

Sometimes the best activity takes up an entire day or weekend. This week, it was a ten minute chunk of time on Wednesday. I had a bit of time to kill before a meeting in Concord. I was feeling a bit sleepy so I grabbed a coffee and headed for the Concord Bookshop, which is one of my favorites around. There’s not much better than wandering a bookstore: the smell, the quiet, the crack of a book as you skim through a couple pages. The Concord Bookshop has creaky wooden floors that betray your every move to the employees, and the old-town vibe that gives me the sense that I went back in time.

Bookstores also remind me of my old man, who would drag us into them when he had time to kill. Walden books in the mall might have been kept open a couple extra years because of my dad. He always had a pile of books at his bedside, but they seemed to be a in a constant rotation, never gathering too much dust. I was not a big reader growing up. At least in the classical book-reading sense, but every Christmas, my dad would give us each one book and he’d be sure to write “Merry Christmas, Dad.” He’d include the year. My mom’s house and my bookshelves in Boston are littered with books, and many of them have those little notes from my dad in them. It’s a tradition we’ve carried on since he died, we all buy books for each other for Christmas.

Best Watch

The Circle: This Netflix show gives me the heebie-jeebies, but I can’t stop watching it. The premise is that eight strangers are put in a house, kind of like the Real World; however, they don’t ever see or speak to each other. Each person is sequestered in their own apartments and interact with each other using “The Circle.” Every episode the contestants play games, group chat, solo chat, and manipulate and rank each other. The top two people are made influences and have a “meeting” to decide who to “block.” You’re blocked and you’re out for good, replaced by a new person. The most interesting part of the dynamic between these people is that some of them have created personas and are catfishing the group. For example, one guy is pretending to be his girlfriend, so any pictures that he posts are of her and if there’s ever a “girls chat” he is invited because everyone thinks he’s Rebecca.

Best Read

Midnight in Chernobyl: This book will get a deeper write-up in my Book Club section, but I just finished it this week. My sister gave it to me for Christmas because I loved the HBO series. The book is incredibly well researched (the last 20% is notes, acknowledgments, and sources) and dives deep into the mechanisms that allowed for such a disaster to happen and then get covered up. The Soviets were good at it.

The Billion-Dollar Disinformation Campaign to Reelect the President: I don’t think this is a novel idea, but this article’s writer created a brand new account on Facebook and took a deep dive into the world of Donald Trump… even the smartest people can start to doubt things when they’re inundated with slated or misinformation. TheAtlantic.com

Best Listen

Lord Huron: I love this band and put them on this week while I was working. I’m just gonna leave one of my favorite songs by this band right here… give them a listen…

Accused: This podcast is in its third season. We listened to the first season a while ago. It covered an unsolved murder in Oxford, Ohio. We didn’t listen to the second season, but the third season has been a great listen, albeit, really scary. A man disappeared in Ohio and they believe his body was found in a uranium plant completely burned beyond recognition. They have no idea what happened, and this podcast tries to figure it out while also dipping into the world of water contamination, nuclear energy, and cover-ups. It’s well produced and on the heels of reading “Midnight in Chernobyl” I am haunted by the nuclear power wave and the risks it entails.

Here’s the trailer for Season 3;

Best Eat

Everything at Casa Verde : Casa Verde in Jamaica Plain was a new joint for me this week. I visited my friend Pat, who is on paternity leave, and we grabbed lunch there. They make an insanely delicious cacahaute salsa, which is a peanut salsa/dip. I had never had anything like it before.

I also ate two tacos: carnitas and rock shrimp which left me full because they didn’t skimp on the filling. Pat had a fried chicken torta which didn’t make me jealous, but it made me want to come back.

Chicken Wings: I don’t make chicken wings all that often, but I make a point to cook some up during the Super Bowl. The last couple years I have followed (roughly) a recipe from SeriousEats, which also has an amazing cookbook called “The Food Lab.” The best technique I have learned is the double fry. I used the oven this year to fry them the first time, then I let them cool for an hour before pan frying them. I tossed half of them in a hot sauce and the other half in a Korean BBQ sauce.

Best Drink

Hodad by Fiddlehead: This beer was introduced to us by the bartender at our local spot Monument Tavern in Charlestown. It’s a delicious American Porter. I had a couple during the Super Bowl. It’s probably a two beer max type of beer. It’s very rich, and if you like coconut and chocolate, give this one a whirl.

Best Plugs

Mookie Betts: It was a bad week for the Boston Red Sox. They traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers for what feels like 50 cents on the dollar. They are receiving a player in return, Alex Verdugo, who was caught up in a sexual abuse story a couple years ago and seemingly got pushed under the rug.

All this happened because the Sox were not terribly responsible with their money the last few years and “can’t afford” Mookie (they can…). Here’s a quick and dirty look at some of the bad contracts the Red Sox are on the hook for: Farewell Mookie Betts and Hello Bloated Salaries

Random Division: The Bachelor had five hours of shows this week. There isn’t a show that makes me more tired than this one. Tiff and I went ahead and recorded two podcasts. They are both only on Spotify right now because I messed up our iTunes feed and it isn’t back up and running yet.

Here’s the Spotify link to Wednesday’s podcast.

Friday Faves 1/31: The Gentlemen, Football, Hardcore History, Chili, NA Beer, and Chili

Best Activity

Sunday Morning Grocery Shopping - We had a rather low-key Saturday night last weekend. Tiff planned her long run for Sunday (Big Sur Marathon is closer than it appears…), the weather was crappy, and I was fighting off a cold. That meant we were both up and at ‘em on Sunday morning. I was at Wegman’s nice and early, which was incredible. The traffic was non-existent, and the aisles in the store were peaceful.

This might speak to my relatively boring week or the rapid aging process I am experiencing, but seeing an early movie on Friday night, hanging-in on Saturday night, and grocery shopping early Sunday were delightful.

On top of that, we capped off the weekend with dinner at Orinoco, a delicious spot in the South End, with our friends Allie and Chris and then took in some jazz ambiance at The Beehive.

Best Watch

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez - This Netflix docuseries is entertaining and chilling. I was left wondering what could have been for Hernandez if he could have just kept his nose clean. An incredible talent who was teamed with the greatest quarterback and tight end (Gronk) he could ask for. It’s shocking seeing the world he was living in and the crew he was running with. He believed he was invincible and worthy of endless loyalty from second-rate thugs, strangers, and anyone in between.

Sometimes, these types of documentaries make me uneasy because they start to manipulate the viewer into feeling too much sympathy for the central figure/villian: Brain damage, sexual repression, death of a father, a fractured family. Make no mistake, Hernandez was a bad dude, lacking any sort of guidance or conscience. The story is worth watching, however, I did think the sexuality angle was lazy and unnecessary, mainly because of the unsubstantiated claims.

The Gentlemen - Buckle up for more movies in this section… The Gentlemen was precisely what you’d expect from a Guy Ritchie movie. It was funny, lively, and fast-paced. Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels were some of my favorite movies to watch in college. Brad Pitt’s character in Snatch is one of my favorites in any movie anywhere. The Gentlemen has a little bit of violence (and one rather uncomfortable scene with a woman getting beaten up), but it’s not overt; a lot of it takes place off screen, with humor injected into it in in the aftermath.

Super Bowl - The sting of the end of the Patriots season is long gone, the Celtics have been a soothing salve for my sports wound. I am very much looking forward to this Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. Having spent my elementary years in the Bay Area, the Niners were always my second team (I think Kansas City wins, though…). I’ve had some fun banter with a childhood friend, Jon, who is a big Niners fan. The Jimmy Garoppolo trade juxtaposed to the Tom Brady possible exit is another interesting subplot for Patriots fans. Pat Maholmes is electric, Andy Reid can’t manage a clock (but deserves a Super Bowl), the Niners are interesting and dynamic coached by the guy that blew a 28-3 lead, there’s a Buckeye on the Niners in Nick Bosa whose name could come up quite a bit.

If you’re looking for some great insight into what it’s like to play in the Super Bowl, Chris Long is your man. He played for the Patriots one year and beat the Falcons, the next year he played for the Eagles and beat the Pats. He has some great stories for his experiences. Here’s the link.

I’m looking forward to making wings, having a few beers, and enjoying the game without any real dog in the hunt (it’s been a while…) and no fear of a slight Monday morning daze at work. I wouldn’t blame you for hating my guts following that last sentence.

Best Listen

Hardcore History w/ Dan Carlin - These podcasts are monsters, bordering on the length of an audiobook. A few summers ago I spent a week cleaning out my storage unit and listened to Blueprint for Armegeddon, which is a six-part, 20 hours of content about World War I. It’s exceptional. Dan Carlin is one of the few people I can think of that doesn’t need post-production to make his solo pods interesting. No music. No sound effects. Just him and his research.

I decided to take a dip back into the long podcasts and listen to them on my runs during the week. The episode The Celtic Holocaust is about five hours long. I’m about an hour into it, and plan to make a major dent this weekend during my 10 mile run. Spotify.

Maggie Rogers - I’m sitting in a Caffe Nero in Concord, MA right now killing time before a late meeting. I’m a little tired after some substitute teaching this week, and Maggie Rogers felt like the perfect shot of five hour energy. I love her album Heard it in a Past Life and was so pumped for her Best New Artist Grammy Nomination. I bet she outlasts Lizzo…

Best Read

Two Things Can Be True, but One is Always Mentioned First - The Kobe Bryant news is horrible, and it’s also inundated my life this week: TV, Internet, casual conversations. It’s exhausting. This piece I thought summed up a lot of what I think about how we grieve and remember people that were famous yet made hurtful mistakes. I finished this piece feeling jealous; I wished I had written it. - The Outline.com

Best Eat

Tiff’s Chili - On Saturday morning, Tiff sat down on the couch with three cookbooks, determined to create an original and delicious chili inspired by some of her favorite recipes. We are participating in a chili cook-off next weekend in New Jersey, and Tiff’s competitive streak kicked into high gear. The chili will be a contender, I have no doubt. I’m not going to give anything away, because I know some of the competition reads this post. But just know, it was the best thing I ate this week.

Plantains of all kinds - At our dinner on Sunday night at Orinoco, it felt like every dish came with some form of plantain, and I loved them all. Fried or not. Stuffed or not.

Effie’s Cakes - I did not participate in a full fledged “Dry January”, but I have not had any alcohol since January 12 (which is a Herculean feat when you include the fact that I’ve been subbing the last two weeks at my old school….). My dryness, however, has created a void that tea tends to fill. At night, instead of cracking open a beer or pouring a finger or two of bourbon (or Scotch), I warm up some water and have some tea. This leads me to another vice of mine, cookies. These things go hand-in-hand: tea and a cookie. Effie’s cookies are insanely good. They are simple, with a hint of sweetness, they’re a perfect match for some tea. We can find them at Whole Foods, but much to my delight, I just discovered I can order them online! If I’m feeling frisky, I’ll put a small scoop of Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter right on top. If you don’t know cookie butter, you’re missing out…

Best Drink

Athletic Brewing - Full disclosure, this is not a thing I’ve had to drink since September. However, if you’re coming off a Dry January and are enjoying the boost in productivity and mood, this might be a great way to satisfy the beer craving without the crummy mornings. Our bartender at our local spot told us during dinner this weekend that he wasn’t drinking and had read four books this month as a result. Imagine being informed, sober, and still have a sudsy drink at the end of a long day. Check Athletic Brewing out.

Best Plugs

Kobe, The Celtics, and Me - I wasn’t really sure I wanted to write anything about Kobe following the accident last weekend. There are times when I climb into bed and an idea scratches at me; Sunday was one of those nights. I woke up Monday and put some of my thoughts down. I’m not even sure it aged well in the five days it’s been out in the interwebs. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how we as a society grieve online and what it means. Kobe’s death might be the single most tragic celebrity death of the social media era. Here’s the link.

Boston Sports Cafeteria - About years years ago I wrote for a sports blog called TheFanHub. It was a blast and pushed me to write something every week. One monthly piece I did was a recap of the Boston sports scene through the lens of a high school cafeteria. I thought I’d bring it back for 2020… here a link to this month’s post.

The Random Division - Peter The Bachelor is flailing; it’s the most direct way to say it. He’s lost control of house, the women are pissed, and he just can’t get anything right. His best bet might be to try the Constanza Method where he just does the opposite of his gut instinct. Here’s a link to this week’s podcast. iTunes.

Tiff and I are looking for some questions that we can answer on the pod, so send along any questions you have for us about the Bachelor or anything else, really! TheRandomDivisionPod@Gmail.com

Finally, follow us on Instagram…

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🚨 NEW POD🚨 WAH-WAH-WAHHHHHHHH⠀ Peter and the women head to stunning and gorgeous Cleveland! An ex shows up, but it's not Hannah B.! The group date gives Cleveland an exciting football game. Eat your heart out Baker Mayfield! Alayah returns for a chance at redemption. Victoria P. feels slighted and can't believe Peter doesn't believe her even after she's clearly been dishonest. Half the women remaining at 24 or younger, and we wonder if that's part of the issue with the chemistry in the house. How much should Peter be blamed for this "finasco?"⠀ ⠀ Link in Bio.⠀ ⠀ We're hoping to have a mail bag episode, so send slide into our DM with a question about us or about the show or whatever you want us to talk about! #bachelor #thebachelor #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #cedarpoint #bachelornation

A post shared by THE RANDOM DIVISION (@therandomdivision) on Jan 29, 2020 at 7:34am PST

Friday Faves 11/15: Marathon, Pastries, Slow Burn(out), and movies

BEST ACTIVITY

Marathon: If you’re thinking, Sean had a pretty awful week if running for almost four hours was his best activity, you’re wrong. On Sunday morning, Tiff and I drove up to Manchester, NH so I could torture myself. The morning was wonderfully brisk, a perfect temperature for a marathon (sneaky challenge when running a marathon is how to dress for the day. It can be maddening.). Having experienced a marathon like Chicago as a runner, and New York as a spectator, the value of being able to park near the start (and finish) line and just go run as invaluable. I will never forget the lonely, pained walk from the finish line of the Chicago marathon to our “meeting point.” I was dehydrated and didn’t realize it. The meeting spot Tiff and I decided on was probably a mile from the finish line, I think it took me 45 minutes to get there, which included a 10 minute rest in the grass with an ice pack on my head staring at the sky wishing it would stop spinning and trying to cool down. I remember stumbling down the street and being stopped by a homeless gentleman selling newspapers. He said to me, “Can you help me out.” I was so exhausted and, frankly, sick, that all I could muster up was a curt, “I just ran the marathon. I can barely help myself.”

Alright, back to Manchester. The course wasn’t great. There were long, lonely stretches through some barren spots in the city. The most satanic portion of the course was when I ran past the finish line at mile 24, only to run out a mile and then back to the finish line. Just an awful way to finish a marathon, the temptation to just make a u-turn and cross the line was there, trust me. However, I was grateful that miles 17-21 were on a trail because my knees were howling. I found the pacer for my goal time and tried to stick with him as long as I could. I settled in behind him and another runner named Peter. The pacer’s name was Ryan. He glided along for 26.2 miles, chatting away at Peter, a first time marathoner. Ryan was out for a Sunday jog — saying “Good Morning” to every single volunteer and thanking them for helping out — while Peter and I trudged along. I figured I’d struggle to keep up with Peter and Ryan at some point around mile 20, but I just put my head down and watched Ryan’s feet and tried to match his cadence as best I could, one mile at a time. I stuck with him and I managed, after losing him during the last mile, to catch him in the final dash to the finish line. I thanked him and he was genuinely excited for me to finish.

Every marathon comes with a bit of learning. This one reinforced something that I had already known: find someone who is better than you and try to keep up. This has always been true in golf, I love playing with people better than me (although my wallet doesn’t always love it...). You can learn so much. On Sunday in Manchester, Ryan, who could have run the race in under three hours if he wasn’t volunteering as a pacer, made me run my fastest marathon.

So yes, I could barely walk on Monday and Tuesday (the balcony at TDGarden was NOT fun). But it was still the best activity of my week.

The final steps with my running buddy for the day, “Ryan the Pacer.”

BEST LISTEN

Slow Burn: This podcast is in its third season, but I just found out about it. This Slate pod covers one news story per season. The first season is all about Watergate. The second season is about the Bill Clinton Impeachment (timely…). Naturally, the third season follows up with a deep dive into the Biggie-Tupac murders. I have just started season 1, but I’d recommend jumping in on any of them based on what people have said and also on what I’ve listened to so far.

BEST WATCH

BOOKSMART: This movie is splendid. It follows two academic overachievers, Amy and Molly, who decide to let loose the night before their high school graduation. Hi-jinx ensue, friendships crumble and are reborn, the weirdness of high school is on full display. Here’s the NSFW trailer…

Death of Dick Long: We watched TWO movies this week, like we’re Baby Boomers or something! This movie is about a death in a small Alabama town. It pokes fun at stereotypes, has a hilarious soundtrack, and the acting is very good. It’s like watching how people would try to cover up a death in real life: stupid choices, strange coincidences, and a lot of cringe. Here’s the trailer.

BEST READ

Witch Elm: Tana French is probably one of my favorite authors. Aside from JK Rowling, I imagine I’ve read more books by her than any other author. This week I finished her latest book, Witch Elm, which is about Toby Hennessy and his run of bad luck. French’s Dublin Murder Squad books are exceptional and were just turned in a STARZ series that just debuted on Sunday. Witch Elm is the first book I’ve read by Tana French that isn’t part of the Murder Squad Series. I wrote about Witch Elm in in my Book Club… here’s the link.

The Burnout Generation: I’m not sure how I went nearly 11 months without this essay finding me, but it did this week. The essay discussed the burnout that Millennials are feeling and dives into why it might be the case. It’s long, it’s well-written, and it’s thought-provoking. A worthwhile read this weekend as you avoid all the chores you should be doing....

BEST EAT

Pumpkin Turnover: There’s a spot in Cambridge called Sofra Bakery that makes delicious food. This week I had a school visit down near Sofra and decided to make a little detour for lunch (I had the spinach stuffed flatbread). I perused the bakery case for a treat to bring home. The pumpkin turnover was calling my name. It was an amazing pastry filled perfectly (Paul Hollywood would have been proud) with a pumpkin apple filling. It’s one of those things that makes you curse your former self for not buying two of them.

BEST DRINK

Mighty Squirrel’s Cloud Candy: I very good IPA. It doesn’t quite fit into the cold season vibes that you might be looking for. But if you pump up your heat and are looking for an, “I’m on deck after a long day and would like a beer to break this summer humidity” then this one might be for you. It’s on the sweeter side. I’m also a sucker for the name of the brewery, as we have a squirrel we’ve named “Ralph” that chills out on our deck (and attempts to turn our grill-cover an acorn hideaway).

BEST PLUGS

Soccer Podcasts: Two more this week… Both and I talking about last weekend’s soccer in the Premier League, especially the Liverpool v. Manchester City Game. Our other pod is a deep dive into West Ham United’s club history.

Time Capsule: In episode 2 of our “of the decade” series, Tiff and I talk about technology of the last decade and the effects it has had on our lives.

It would be swell if you told your friends to check out these pods, and it would be sweller if you followed/subscribed on whatever podcast-listening-tool you use!

Finally… sign up for the newsletter to get all my writing from the week sent to your inbox every Friday.

Friday Faves 11/8: French Onion Mac and Cheese, Derry Girls, Scary Pods, and Cover Songs

Best Activity

Seeing Friends: For the first time since June, I returned to the school where I used to work. I had promised myself I’d go to watch the boys soccer team play before the season ended. I spent an hour or so before the game wandering the halls and saying hello to everyone. It was great, and it gave me a sense of why I left, but also why I miss it. There’s no replacing the energy of a school. 400+ people buzzing around before 8:00am, ready to seize the day (or just survive it…). It turned out there were four home games that day, so there was a bunch of activity on the fields, which was great. It was one of those picturesque days that admissions directors dream of putting in a brochure. Low fall sun, packed sidelines, competition, smiling faces.

Part of the reason I walked away from teaching, or at least being in a school, was my role as Dean of Students. I have told people that being a Dean of Students has the same life span as an NFL running back. You get beat up for 3-5 years and look for something else to do (and the ones that do it longer should be in a Hall of Fame someone). When I started working with kids at summer camp in high school, it just came naturally. I got along with kids (maybe it was the match in maturity-level…). When I started teaching, I felt the same way. Once I became Dean of Students, I transformed into the Grimm Reaper, I was asked more times than I’d like to admit, “Am I in trouble?” It sapped my energy, I couldn’t just talk to a kid about last night’s NBA games or the Patriots win or their essay. There was a constant static between me and the kids. That’s no one’s fault, it’s just how it was.

I was glad to return without the static. I was also glad to return and see the plethora of really great colleagues I had over the years. It’s the thing that everyone misses the most when they leave. I don’t think there are many places with such a close-knit, positive, fun group of teachers. It definitely filled my bucket getting back and seeing them on Wednesday.

Going back was fun, and it gave be a sense of what I missed and didn’t miss about being in a school environment. My new existence is a much quieter one. There’s more time to think, less reacting and putting out fires. I have to work a lot harder to get my 10,000 steps in without a going for a run. I have to work a lot harder to get that human contact. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like starting my day in a coffee shop, it feels the same as a hallway in the morning. The promise of the day bubbling up in everyone, the coming and going. The excitement.

On top of that, last Saturday, we had our annual “Friendsgiving” which started when we all found women that were organized enough to organize us. It is so hard to get a bunch of us together, and this afternoon is one of only a few where the majority of us can hang out. I miss the days when we could walk down the hall (or even just hop on the T) to hang out for a day or weekend. We do a potluck and all catch up with one another. I believe there are “High School people” or “College people” when it comes to friends we keep. I am, for the most part, a college person. My high school friends scattered and I’ve found that even after my Holy Cross group has scatted, we have stayed in touch through email chains and gatherings like this one.

Best Read

Dopamine Fasting (NYTimes): The world is full of stimuli. Just like with a drug, our body craves more dopamine over time. Our bodies become unimpressed with the dopamine hit a 10 likes on instagram gives us, so we chase 20 likes. There are \some guys in Silicon Valley who have started dopamine fasting, making an effort to limit stimuli for a day. They think this lack of stimuli resets (or at least helps) how their body reacts to dopamine. This helps them appreciate the little things again. No screen time, no human contact, no music. Nothing that might spike those dopamine levels. While it’s kinda whacky, I think it’s also interesting.

Best Listen

Knifepoint Horror: This narrative podcast will give you the creeps, so if you like that kind of thing, give this podcast a listen. The most recent episode called, “Three for Halloween” starts with a creepy tale that’s about 8 minutes long. If you like it, keep listening. If not, at least you tried.

Fake Plastic Trees by Tramples by Turtles: This Radiohead cover came across my Spotify discover playlist. Trampled by Turtles is a great band, and this cover is excellent.

Best Watch

Derry Girls: I’m not sure how this show hasn’t been on Friday Faves before. It’s an Irish comedy set in 1990s Derry (or Londonderry, depending on what side you’re on…). The show follows a group of teenagers who continuously find themselves in trouble with school, their parents, and various religious leaders. It has an incredible sound track taps into the great Irish music of the time, particularly Ace of Base and The Cranberries. I’d recommend watching it with subtitles… it’s tough to follow sometimes between the speed they speak and the slang.

Chelsea v. Ajax: This game was incredible. I found myself standing in my living room for the last 25 minutes as Ajax held on for dear life with 9 men against Chelsea’s 11 men in London.

Best Eat

French Onion Mac and Cheese: This NYTimes food recipe was our contribution to “Friendsgiving.” This is a baked mac and cheese, however, the recipe adds onions and the classic French Onion gruyere cheese along with slices of bread on top, just like the soup. It was delicious. Buy the cheese grated, it makes life a lot easier.

Best Drink

Nuun: I’m running a marathon on Sunday, so I’ve been trying to drink as much water as possible. Last year, we discovered Nuun tablets, which turn water into a flavorful beverage packed with even more nutrients. They have a ton of flavors and they also have a different purposes. You can purchase ones with caffeine or ones that offer more vitamins. They are low (or zero) calories and aren’t gross and sugary. They’re perfect in that first glass of water in the morning or if you’re looking for a little pick me up in the afternoon but can’t bear to walk into a holiday adorned Starbucks for a cup of coffee. They come in a great little case that you can stick in a bag and bring with you!

Best Plugs (my stuff from the week)

It’s too early for Holiday decorations, right?: I wrote this post early this week, and on Thursday when I walked into Starbucks I felt validated AF. It was like the place was visited by elves. The typically black menus were replaced with bright red ones, advertising peppermint mocha and and gingerbread lattes. The bakery case had a gingerbread load; I guess the pumpkin loaf had to skip town. Strands of lights lined the menus and I had to drink my coffee from a holiday cup. This all came after I left my wife on the couch watching a Hallmark Christmas movie to start her day.

Soccer Podcasts: Both and I spoke for about 90 minutes this week about soccer. I broke it into two different podcasts. First, a 30 minute podcast that covers the current events in English soccer. Second, Both and I did some research on Wolverhampton Wanderers and reported back our findings. I looked at the long history of the club and Both dove into the club’s present day management and how they have turned into a solid, effective English club that’s found it’s way back into European football. This was a blast to record and we’re planning on doing a bunch more of these so we can learn about various clubs in England.

Digital Time Capsule: The Random Division is back with Season 2! Tiff and I will be releasing an episode every Friday between now and January breaking down the world of pop-culture over the past decade. In the first episode we talk about TV and rank our five favorite shows of the decade. Please subscribe or follow on your podcast apps.

Link to The Random Division on Spotify

Or just sign up for the newsletter every Friday…

The Great British Baking Show is a soothing, must watch on Netflix.

There is a regal white tent out in the middle of the English countryside where the best of humanity spends its weekends. It’s a place where the people are kind, supportive, and creative. It’s a place that smells of sugar and spice and everything nice.

The Great British Baking Show is, by far, my favorite competitive food show, and it would also rank as one of my favorite shows, period. Recently, Netflix released a new season of the show, but it’s happening the old-fashioned way, one new show every Friday. No binging on sweet treats this time…

So what makes this show so wonderful?

First, the competitors on the show are unlike any group of people you will ever see. They are not competing for any money, but instead the prize at the end of this very long journey is a bouquet of flowers and a cake stand. That’s it. This final prize might be part of the reason the competitors are so incredibly kind to each other; the stakes are low. But maybe kindness courses through every single baker’s blood. Tears are shed at the elimination announcement each week. Oftentimes, the bakers will even help each other out when an extra set of hands is required, like putting the blades on a bread windmill or balancing the final cake at the top of a four cake tower. They’ll even share ingredients, and if competitors arrive at the same idea for a flavor combination, there is no whining, just maybe some good natured joking and depreciation that the other baker will probably do it better. They even cheer for each other, high fives and applause abound when someone get a good review from the judges.

Over the course of the show’s filming, the bakers return home each week. Yes, this show is filmed one week at a time. They are not holed-up for weeks on end, after two days, they go home, knowing what the next challenges will be. This means they are able to practice their skills. All while holding down steady jobs or going to school or running a household (or even some combinations of those things). That means the bakers who reach the final are competing for 11 weeks. I can barely manage my life when I have back-to-back busy weekends! It’s rather impressive.

As opposed to so many of the reality shows in the U.S, we are really not thrust into the lives of the bakers. We get a quick intro to where they live, what they do, and who is in their family. There are no clever chyrons, in fact, there are no chyrons at all. So it takes a bit of time to learn the names of the bakers. We learn about them mainly through what they bake. They all bring some form of inspiration with them to the tent, whether it’s regional flavors, a grandmother’s old recipe, or a family favorite.

The predicability of the show is comforting; it consists of three different baking challenges each week that all focus on one specialty or skill (bread, biscuits, chocolate, cake, etc.). Two of the week’s challenges allow for practice at home, but the middle challenge is a “technical” where the two judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, alternate in choosing a challenging, often unknown, bake for the competitors to muddle through with limited instructions. Each technical bake is judged blind. The “showstopper” allows for a lot of the folks to show off their insane imaginations and creativity.

Like any good show, there needs to be a villain, and Paul Hollywood, the silver haired, barrel-chested, baron of bread, is an excellent foil to all the revelry. He challenges contestants on their thinking, planting seeds of doubt (especially during bread week). He’ll prowl around the tent, hands shoved into pockets, seeking out missteps in order to hand out a fatherly, “I told you so…” Prue and the hosts, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding, all balance out Paul’s energy with jokes and ribbing, mostly at Paul’s expense.

The thing about Paul, though, is that the bakers all crave his approval. It’s like the tough teacher in school, praise from them means a whole lot more than praise from a teacher that doles it out all the time. Paul’s handshake is the ultimate stamp of approval, and if you get it during bread week, well then you might as well be knighted.

The goodness that reverberates through the show is soothing. There is no loud music or harsh cuts back and forth that leave the heart racing. It’s an hour of television that transports you away from the hustle and bustle (you know impeachments and stuff…), teaches you a little bit about baking, and shows you that, yes, there are good people out there, and they love to bake.