As I sit here remembering the week that was, I'm reminded that there are a lot of really good things happening in the world. This week I wanted to share my favorite bits from work, from the cellar, from the earphones and from the great people who surround me. I hope you get some time to explore.
Ancestry: The evening the US Men's National Team were booted from World Cup qualification (see below), this Ancestry ad showed up in my Twitter feed. I just think this is so smart and so on the nose of soccer culture (all culture really) in America. I used this in a pitch once; it's the idea that literally every soccer fan in the US, has a "B" team. Now you can make it official. Great use of targeting by interest and time. For the record mine is Iceland. No relation.
Upstanders: I was thrilled this week to help launch Season 2 of Upstanders, our original series showcasing ordinary people, displaying extraordinary courage. Why does Starbucks need an original series? One of the things I love about working at Starbucks is that we ask ourselves over an over, "what is the role and responsibility of a public company?" As citizens, we have a duty to share hope in a time when we need more optimism, empathy, compassion and leadership. Upstanders is our contribution. More than liberal babble, it's about people acting as authentic Americans. Worth checking out, though I'm biased. Hit the link or check it out on FB, AMNZ Prime, YouTube or Audible.
Wine:
Delmas Syrah, 2015: What's great about Washington Syrah, is that it gives up it's flavors so easily, virtually anyone can describe what they're tasting. Delmas is located in the Walla Walla Rocks region of Milton-Freewater. Up until very recently it's been nicely under the radar. But its proximity to Cayuse and its consistently great vintages, has made it a sought after label. If you like your Syrah with leather, wet rock, mocha and black fruit, this is for you. And it's got enough of the "Rocks" funk to show its pedigree.
Monocle: This is actually an app that Monocle publishes great content through. Monocle is a magazine on politics, business, culture, design and a more. If you've seen it on the stands, you'll know it's (1) expensive and (2) thick with goodness. It takes me at least a month or more to get through it. If this sounds like your thing, check out the app. It's rife with news updates, interesting interviews and lovely thoughts.
World Cup: The signs were there in the Spring. But it's now official, the USMNT isn't going to Russia. We're done. My sincere hope is that the federation leadership get gutted and we bring in a more professional style operation. I also hope we stop making kids pay huge fees to play, that US Soccer do more in the inner-city, that we embrace possession. And change the new logo. It's total crap.
This NYT story nails it.
Beck: Colors: The new Beck record is out. I'm one of those who absolutely loved the minor key, shoe-gaze fest that was Morning Phase. So much so that I wasn't in a hurry to hear anything new. But I'm old. That's what happens. But I like this record a lot. It's not a full return to his days of beats and sampling, but it is fun. It sounds like he's worked through his issues and decided to go out of the house. Check it out.
Playlist: Filter compiles a frequently updated playlist called "Cool Hunting." It's really good. I've discovered a lot of new releases and new bands (for me anyway). I wanted to shout it out because I love that brands do this in partnership with Spotify, and this one is worth listening to. Favorite track this week is Breath by Zipper Club. Derivative in all the best ways.
Airbnbmag: In my never ending wish to relocate to Paris, I flashed on this magazine. Look at that scooter! Look how happy they are! Anyway, I really like Airbnb and think they do some very innovative things. But a magazine? Actually, it's really great. Besides the story on getting lost in Paris, there are interesting bits on Sonoma, Shanghai and other locales. In addition, it has a books section, and is full of travel tips. And it's written in a very approachable style that makes it all seem doable. Good stuff.
Nobel in Economics goes to Richard Thaler: I've always wanted to be an economist. I love the mixture of qualitative and quantitative, particularly the blend that Thaler leads. From the story, "Mainstream economics was built on the simplifying assumption that people behave rationally. Economists understood that this was not literally true, but they argued that it was close enough."
Thaler argues that humans are actually irrational, but that this irrationality can be anticipated and measured. It's true! It's a mind bender. Make some coffee (what I'm drinking) and read this. And then read all the links that go with it.
For the week: Keep your head on a swivel. Stay positive. Eat more veg. Drink water. Go for walks. Less Twitter. Less eye-rolling. Less phone.
See ya next weekend!
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