Dakota Johnson may be the next spider-adjacent hero thanks to her upcoming movie, Madame Web, but she’s also a strong practitioner of the ancient art of sleeping the heck in.
While promoting her latest project, narrating The Hite Report documentary for IFC films, Johnson opened up about her love of sleep and how she needs a whole bunch of it just to function. Celebrities, they’re just like us.
What time do you get up on Mondays, and what’s the first thing you do after waking up?
I don’t have a regular [wake-up] time. It depends on what’s happening in my life. If I’m not working, if I have a day off on a Monday, then I will sleep as long as I can. Sleep is my number one priority in life.
How many hours a night do you aim for?
I’m not functional if I get less than 10. I can easily go 14 hours.
After all of that sleep, surely, Johnson will want a hearty breakfast. Wrong. She’s not a big breakfast eater. What she does need is sweet caffeine. Johnson tries to have a coffee as “quickly as I can” because, again, the agony of the waking world is much too harsh to bear.
We dare you to find a more relatable celebrity (not counting the famous parents, famous boyfriend, and even a famous grandmother) than Dakota Johnson. It’s impossible.
Dakota Johnson may be the next spider-adjacent hero thanks to her upcoming movie, Madame Web, but she’s also a strong practitioner of the ancient art of sleeping the heck in.
While promoting her latest project, narrating The Hite Report documentary for IFC films, Johnson opened up about her love of sleep and how she needs a whole bunch of it just to function. Celebrities, they’re just like us.
What time do you get up on Mondays, and what’s the first thing you do after waking up?
I don’t have a regular [wake-up] time. It depends on what’s happening in my life. If I’m not working, if I have a day off on a Monday, then I will sleep as long as I can. Sleep is my number one priority in life.
How many hours a night do you aim for?
I’m not functional if I get less than 10. I can easily go 14 hours.
After all of that sleep, surely, Johnson will want a hearty breakfast. Wrong. She’s not a big breakfast eater. What she does need is sweet caffeine. Johnson tries to have a coffee as “quickly as I can” because, again, the agony of the waking world is much too harsh to bear.
We dare you to find a more relatable celebrity (not counting the famous parents, famous boyfriend, and even a famous grandmother) than Dakota Johnson. It’s impossible.
No offense to Mutant Mayhem, but the Chicken Run sequel has 2023’s best subtitle: Dawn of the Nugget. To repeat, the full title for Aardman‘s follow-up to 2000’s delightful Chicken Run, the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all-time, is Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
It’s beautiful, innit? (The chickens are British).
It’s also coming out soon: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will be released on Netflix (which didn’t even exist when the first film came out) this Friday, December 15th. Here’s the official plot synopsis:
Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget stars Thandiwe Newton (replacing Julia Sawalha as the voice of Ginger), Zachary Levi (buh-bye Mel Gibson), Bella Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, David Bradley, Daniel Mays, Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, and Miranda Richardson. You can watch the trailer above.
No offense to Mutant Mayhem, but the Chicken Run sequel has 2023’s best subtitle: Dawn of the Nugget. To repeat, the full title for Aardman‘s follow-up to 2000’s delightful Chicken Run, the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all-time, is Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
It’s beautiful, innit? (The chickens are British).
It’s also coming out soon: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will be released on Netflix (which didn’t even exist when the first film came out) this Friday, December 15th. Here’s the official plot synopsis:
Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget stars Thandiwe Newton (replacing Julia Sawalha as the voice of Ginger), Zachary Levi (buh-bye Mel Gibson), Bella Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, David Bradley, Daniel Mays, Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, and Miranda Richardson. You can watch the trailer above.
Sprinkle in twinkling light shows, holiday markets, window displays, and a giant Christmas tree and you have pure magic. Sure, certain touristy things in the city can feel overrate, but not the holidays! The hype is earned and if you can get past the crowds, it’s worth it to experience the city during the holiday season at least once in your life.
For first-timers, here are my tips on what’s worth your time, and what you should avoid while exploring the festivities!
PART I — Where To Stay
Moxy NYC Times Square
MOXY NYC TIMES SQUARE
Staying in Times Square is something everyone should experience at least once. The excitement, the crowds, and what seems like endless activity are so fun to be around, and the Moxy Times Square location is right in the middle of it all. The hotel is in a prime location for many of the winter activities. It’s a 10-minute walk from the hotel to Bryant Park and another 10 minutes from the park to Rockefeller Center.
If you like to be in the thick of it all, like me, this brand-new Virgin Hotel is a cool in the best ways. It’s so so clean (see my rant about hotel cleanliness here) and very stylish. The moody, modern public spaces feel vaguely British while the rooms themselves are bright, airy, and simple. They’re spartan and slick, sure, but you want those qualities in an affordable hotel room because those sorts of rooms are easier to keep clean. (By contrast the Ace, just a block away, did the industrial design thing which felt cool and raw for a decade or so but now feels sort of dingy and mildewy in the wrong ways.)
Everdene, the property’s in-house restaurant, does classic cocktails with precision and attention to direct, clear flavors. I trust the Manhattan or negroni or paloma that you’d get from this team 100 times out of 100. The food is similarly on point, with the pork empanadas being an absolute “must order.”
The Plaza Hotel
THE PLAZA HOTEL
Even if you don’t stay here, stop by The Plaza Hotel to view the beautiful Christmas decorations. They offer special packages that can bring your Home Alone 2: Lost in New York dreams to life. Guests can indulge in the package year-round, loading into a limousine with a piping hot cheese pizza as it takes you around to sightsee in the city, passing by places seen in the movie.
After essentially living the dream, you come back to spend the night at the Plaza Hotel and order room service that includes the famous ice cream sundae that Kevin McCalister has in the beloved Christmas movie.
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree has been a solid tradition throughout the holidays in the city since the 1930s and has only grown in popularity. A tree this size (80 feet in 2023), covered in tens of thousands of lights can practically bring a tear to your eye and definitely fills you with cheer.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights up for the season on November 29th, and the tree stays lit daily, starting at 5 AM until 12 AM up until January 13th at 10 PM (except Christmas day when tree is lit for a full 24 hours and NYE when the tree is only lit from 5 AM TO 9 PM).
Circle Line’s Holiday Harbor Lights
Cruises on the harbor aren’t just for the summertime. In fact, they might arguably be better during the holidays. Circle Line, known for their famous sightseeing boat tours around the city skyline, is continuing their tour throughout the holiday season with their Holiday Harbor Lights Cruise.
In addition to the boat being completely decked out with ornaments, Christmas lights, and festive trees, Circle Line is collaborating with the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes and Toys for Tots (NYC Chapter) to give back this holiday season and bring even more festivities to the table. Sip on a Rockette-tini (a sweet, salted caramel martini) or a Peppermint Hot Chocolate as you escape the Christmas crowds and enjoy the city views from the water.
Pizza Party
Take advantage of the vendors at the Christmas markets, or take away pizza slices during this time of the year to avoid huge wait times at restaurants. Want to pick the best of the (many, many) options? We went exhaustive with this ranking — re-tasting all the most famous slice shops post-pandemic.
If you want to experience a certain restaurant while visiting the city, be sure to make a reservation in advance. If you prefer to go the spontaneous, casual route, you’re surrounded by incredible pizza places to grab a quick, but delicious, cheese slice from places like Village Square Pizza in the West Village, Scarr’s, and John’s of Bleecker St. just to name a few.
Not in the mood for pizza (you good?), stop into a classic NYC spot like Katz’s Delicatessen for a giant pastrami or corned beef sandwich, with enough meat on it to feed you for days.
Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall
JESSICA KELLY
The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular Show is a classic in the city. With performances happening at Radio City Music Hall since the 30s, the show is full of high kicks and holiday vibes. If you’re looking to see a show this season, the Rockettes put on a great performance to enjoy with friends, family, your significant other, and anyone else who you’re sharing time with this Christmas.
Right near Rockefeller Center is Saks Fifth Avenue. Every year around the holidays, Saks has an incredible light show display set to festive music. The show is completely free and can be watched right from the sidewalk.
Stop to see the brilliant light show from 5 PM to 11 PM.
The Union Square Holiday Market
The Union Square Market is one of the best. There are so many markets sprinkled throughout the city during this time of the year that, at times, they seem to all blend, but the Union Square Holiday Market is one that shouldn’t be missed. Right when you walk up, you’re hit with the smell of spices, mulled wine and the buzz of the crowd. This is an awesome place to start shopping for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.
Columbus Circle Holiday Market is another solid option, with a variety of vendors selling unique gifts, home decor, jewelry, specialty food, and more.
Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards and the Vessel are completely decked out this time of the year. The famous shopping center has luxury stores to explore, and an elaborate Christmas display of lights! Even if you’re not looking to splurge on high-end items this year, it’s worth a visit alone to see the decorations in all their glory.
Bryant Park Holiday Market
The iconic Bryant Park Holiday Market is one you have to visit. In addition to having a wide range of vendors selling everything from jewelry and scarves to art and ornaments, most products are reasonably priced. This is a great market to stock up on gifts and support local businesses. They have an ice-skating rink and plenty of incredible foods like French raclette, pasta, soups, sweets, hot cocoa, and more. Snap a picture by the Christmas tree while watching the skaters glide by, or sip on hot chocolate while browsing through the vendors.
It gets crowded at night, but it’s 100% worth it.
Central Park
CAITLYN WILSON
The horses dragging carts through Central Park have been through enough. Don’t fall for this tourist trap by signing up for a carriage ride. Instead, take a stroll through Central Park. It’s super romantic this time of year, especially with a light dusting of snow.
Festive Window Displays
DANNY LINES
During the season, Macy’s Herald Square has holiday windows on display. Macy’s windows have a reputation for a reason and are always over the top and incredibly festive. Many stores jumped on the trend, especially along Fifth Avenue.
In addition to Macy’s, be sure to check out places like Bergdorf Goodman and Lord & Taylor for incredible displays.
PART III — What To Skip
The Weekends
YAOQI
Visiting Rockefeller Center to see the incredible 80 ft Christmas tree in person is on so many seasoned traveler’s bucket lists. If you can swing a weekday visit, I highly recommend avoiding the weekends. Most of the holiday activities happen daily anyway, and on weekends you’re going to be battling some serious crowds to get a view of the tree.
Really though…we’re talking close to 750,000 people on average…and that’s daily (according to Fast Company). That said, plan for extra time for each activity you want to do. With the crowds, everything will most likely take a little bit longer to get to than expected.
Ice Skating
JESSICA KELLY
I know you want the picture-perfect Instagram reel of you skating with the Rockefeller tree in the background. If skating alongside the sparkling Christmas tree, lit up at night, is something that’s important to you, be prepared to pay as much as $73 for the experience at The Rink at Rockefeller Center.
For a more affordable, but still beautiful experience, the Wollman Rink at the southern end of Central Park has an ice skating rink where general admission is around just $15.
Skip the expensive Ubers and Lyfts during the holidays to avoid burning through your spending money. It adds up quickly and just takes away hard-earned money that you could be spending at the markets on local vendors.
Instead, download Google Maps to get helpful directions for the subway. When you have exact directions available at your fingertips on your phone, it’s fairly easy to navigate and significantly less expensive. Not to mention faster, too. You’re underground, not dealing with traffic or the crowds of people above. Bundling up and walking whenever you can is a great option, as well, and an opportunity to run into unexpected holiday fun and shops along the way.
The Grand Central Holiday Market
I wasn’t too impressed with the Grand Central Holiday Market. That’s not saying you might not find something special there, but in my opinion, the food market in Grand Central Station is where you want to spend your money. This is a great place to stock up on specialty items to enjoy on New Year’s Eve like high-end caviar, meats, cheeses, and other indulgences.
PART IV — Pro-Traveler Tips
Dining
JESSICA KELLY
The holidays are one of the busiest times in New York, meaning the restaurants will be packed, as well. If you’re not into eating casually, popping in and out of hole-in-the-wall gems in Chinatown, pizzerias, or delis (which, by the way, all have solid options), just be sure to make your reservations well in advance.
If making reservations slipped your mind, and you’re still looking to try some sit-down, classic restaurants like Peter Luger Steak House or Keens, consider a lunch reservation. Many of these places still have lunch reservations available, and most of the time, the menus are very similar. It’ll be less crowded, and you can head to the markets at night when the lights are twinkling to grab something casual and small for dinner, after a big lunch.
Another great option for this time of year or food halls like the Chelsea Market. Don’t get me wrong, it’ll be packed in there, but they have delicious tacos, noodle dishes, sweets, and much more to choose from, no reservations required.
Plan for Rolf’s In Advance
Some of the touristy restaurants fill up quickly, like Rolf’s on 3rd. Don’t get me wrong, the incredible display of Christmas lights and decorations is worth a visit if you can snag a hard-to-get reservation, but unless you plan way ahead, you might not be so lucky.
Make The Most Of Your Time
JESSICA KELLY
Spontaneity is a great quality when traveling. Being easy-going and seeing what you stumble upon naturally often leads to some of the best experiences in a new city or country, but this is not something I would recommend for the holidays in New York City. Whether it’s a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try or ice skating reservations, things book up so quickly that having a plan in place (or paying extra to concierges etc.) can save you a ton of time and stress when trying to get the most out of your trip in the city.
It helps to do your research and make sure that you plan ahead to hit your “must visit” spots. As long as you have a plan of attack, you can have a ~relatively! affordable and stress-free trip to the city during the festive season.
One of the most beautiful features of old European neighborhoods are the rows of quaint, walk-up apartments that are the backbone of walkable neighborhoods. They help create a community where people can exit their front door and walk to a local café or market without getting in their car.
Unfortunately, these neighborhoods are hard to find in the United States, where these types of apartment buildings are exceedingly rare. Why is that? In the video below, About Here’s founder, Uytae Lee, explains why regulations in North America have made these quaint walk-up apartments, known by architects as point access blocks, nearly impossible to build.
Uytae Lee is an urban planner and videographer passionate about sharing stories about our cities.
“Quaint, walk-up apartments … are a beloved feature in cities around the world,” Lee says in his video entitled “Why North Americans Can’t Have Nice Apartments.” “They’re inviting and full of character. But, here in North America, they are not allowed to be built today. Instead, our departments are big and imposing, often stretching across the entire block and the reason why it really comes down to one reason: staircases.”
Why North America Can’t Build Nice Apartments
The problem is that one stairway in a point access block allows access to all apartments. This became a problem in the late 1800s when fires were commonplace in urban areas worldwide and people were more likely to die in a fire with only one exit route. So, in the U.S. and Canada, they created new regulations that made it so all buildings over 2 to 3 stories had to have two staircases to allow them to exit during a fire.
“Staircases take up a lot of space and fitting two of them in a small building means that there is much less usable floor space on every floor,” Lee says in the video. “As a result, developers here construct much larger buildings so that the staircases and hallways take up a much smaller proportion of the overall building. It’s why apartments in North America, in general, are much bigger and wider than their European counterparts.”
But there are fires in Europe, too. Why did they stop short of requiring multiple staircases in apartment buildings on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean? Instead of changing the floorplans on new buildings, Europeans opted to require fireproof materials in new building construction. A big reason why the U.S. and Canada opted for larger buildings over fireproofing was because they had better access to materials and the new direction aligned with the move towards suburban sprawl.
The two-staircase regulations in the U.S also made it harder to build units greater than one bedroom because the buildings needed long hallways which reduced the number of layout options.
The current housing crisis has many rethinking the regulations that require apartment buildings to have two stairways in North America. Many urban planners believe that modern-day demands mean we should return to building more point access block buildings, but this time with modern fire-retardant materials.
In some cities, such as Seattle, Washington, lawmakers have repealed staircase mandates and begun building point access block housing to ease the crisis.
“Now, if all this makes you a bit nervous, I get it. After all, these codes are about our safety. But I do want to mention that these codes do change over time as our technology and our understanding of safety evolves,” Lee finishes the video. “It’s important that we discuss and update these rules as our world changes.”
I’m adding my professional tasting notes to give you the depth needed when buying and gifting one of these bottles as well (it never hurts to know what you’re buying after all). Moreover, each of these bottles should be available fairly widely either via a good liquor store or online delivery. If one of these bottles looks fun for you, click those price links to see if you can snag a bottle locally.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee draw you in on the nose before a sense of old fallow fruit orchards with falling leaves hints at old brick barrelhouses in the distance with a whisper of dried apple.
Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce before deep and earthy barrel warehouse vibes arrive with a sense of the cobwebs, mold, and ancient wood takes over.
Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar wrapped with smudging sage, old fall leaves, and bourbon-soaked oak stave from decades ago.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is the bourbon whiskey to buy any whiskey fan. It’s quintessential Kentucky bourbon and American whisky. The flavor profile is perfect for sipping slow (neat or on the rocks) and it makes fabulous cocktails.
BRANDY — Cardenal Mendoza Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez
This Spanish brandy has some serious pedigree. The juice is made from Airen grapes grown in Jerez, Spain. The distillate then goes into former Pedro Ximenez sherry casks where it rests for 15 long years. The result is a deeply flavorful snifter that’s second to none.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted nuts, orange-infused dark chocolate, espresso beans, and brown bread greet you on the nose.
Palate: The sip embraces the oak, nuts, and coffee as the body of the brandy feels like sharp beams of golden light flooding through darkly colored stained glass.
Finish: The fruit is fairly dried and plummy and the sweetness edges ever-so-slightly toward molasses. The end is dry, bold, and leaves you warmed to your soul.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is brandy for deep and dark brandy fans — light and fresh Cognac this is not. The vibe on this is perfect for dessert or digestif pours in a big balloon glass with a warm crackling fire spitting away right next to you. Moreover, you can cut your nog with this and it’ll pop — or make a killer brandy Manhattan.
This Venezuelan rum is a blend of a minimum of 12-year-old rum made from both sugarcane honey and molasses rums. The rums were aged in ex-bourbon barrels high up in Amazonia before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with dark, almost burnt, sugars leading you towards rich and butter toffee with a brittle edge and a dusting of eggnog spice that’s heavy on the nutmeg.
Palate: That buttery nature really drives the taste towards a vanilla buttercream next to moist marzipan and a touch of tobacco sweetness.
Finish: The finish arrives with a sprinkling of orange zest and holiday spices with a final dry walnut shell end.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is another great candidate for after-meal sipping, especially around the holidays. The profile is very dessert-forward and leans sweeter without being overly saccharine. This also makes amazing cocktails wherein you simply replace the whiskey in the cocktail with this rum. You can’t miss.
The brand-new award-winning vodka is from movie star Jason Momoa and creative artist to the stars Blaine Halvorson. The vodka is all about sustainability and the water. The actual spirit is a corn-based vodka made in Montana and cut with water from Halvorson’s father’s Montana ranch — a 300 million-year-old source of natural spring water. The result is a sipping vodka that’s looking to upend the American vodka game.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A faint whisper of vanilla sugar cookies greets you on the nose with a cut of fresh lemongrass oils, sweetgrass, and smudging sage plucked fresh from the plains before this faint essence of waxy honeycomb arrives.
Palate: Lemon cream pie creates a lush and creamy mouthfeel on the palate with a sense of lime rickeys, vanilla husks, and sweetgrass braids soaked in fresh rainwater.
Finish: The minerality peaks on the finish with a sense of rained-on granite and lava rocks next to a faint flourish of lime sorbet, lemongrass spears, and vanilla angel food cake.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is a delightfully bold sipping vodka that works wonders over a single rock with a citrus twist. It’ll help your giftee rethink the value and depth of truly great vodka as a sipper.
This multi-award-winning London Dry Gin from bartending legend Simon Ford is made by bartenders to mix the best cocktails. Ford tapped 150 bartenders to weigh in on what makes a good gin and then took that gin Master Distiller (and gin legend) Charles Maxwell to make a London Dry Gin at Thames Distillery in England. The result was a masterpiece.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A creamy sense of orange and ginger pops on the nose with a moment of olive brine, dry vermouth botanicals (think lavender and chamomile), and this faint whisper of dried tomato powder, adding an umami vibe.
Palate: The palate leans into the umami before veering toward more dried chamomile and white florals and then this sense of anise-laced dark chocolate sneaks in with that flutter of mint tea cut with piney honey and a whisper of high desert juniper bush.
Finish: The anise, honey, and juniper mellow on the finish as the orange citrus, lime, and chamomile get ever creamier and lush with the bright citrus burst finish that’s tempered by umami brine.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is amazingly sippable gin over a single rock. Maybe add a dash or two of Angostura Bitters to make the devilishly simple Pink Gin.
All of that aside, this is the gin you get for the budding home bartender who wants the best gin to mix with all year long. Seriously, this gin works in every gin cocktail that you can think of.
This tequla from Cía. Tequilera Los Alambiques distillery in the Southern Highlands of Jalisco is an old-school place. The agave hearts are slow-roasted in old stone ovens before roller mill juice extraction. That juice ends up in old wooden fermentation tanks for an open-air ferment. Next, the juice is run through copper pot stills twice before aeration (resting) and bottling without any additives besides natural spring water for proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is so clean yet absolutely brimming with white pepper, herb gardens in full bloom, gallons of rainwater, citrus orchards, and deeply caramelized agave with a hint of fresh allspice leaves and almond skins.
Palate: Those bright and vibrant citrus orchards present on the palate next to dried tart berries, almond shells, and cinnamon bark with a deep sense of slow-roasted agave rolled in white pepper and fresh spearmint.
Finish: That spearmint amps up the finish with a deep caramel agave juiciness cut with pomelo and savory green herbs just kissed with peppery tobacco.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This is a great tequila for the additive-free crowd. It’s so clean yet runs deep on the profile that it makes for a wonderful sipper (especially over a big rock with a citrus garnish). This also makes an awesome white tequila old fashioned cocktail with all those nutty and berry notes.
This Californian amaro uses over 15 botanicals in a neutral California grape spirit. The focus of the botanical infusion is apricot, walnut, orange, Meyer lemon, cinnamon, mace, persimmon, and gentian root, which gives the amaro a very Italy-by-way-of-California vibe. Once infused, the spirit spends two months mellowing in stainless steel vats before sweetening with pure cane juice and proofing with local water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Walnut bread cut with orange oils, dried apricots, and candied walnuts alongside plenty of wintry spice barks drives the nose with a sense of strawberry cobbler and a lemon sorbet feel.
Palate: The candied walnuts really pop on the palate with a sense of winter spice cakes full of clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice before a sharper star anise pulls the taste toward bitter chocolate and espresso beans with a twinge of orange oil and vanilla lurking beneath it all.
Finish: The finish leans into the winter spices and nutcake of it all with a nice balance of bitter chocolate and lush vanilla, creating a silky mouthfeel on the very end.
Who It’s Perfect For:
This multi-award-winning Californian amaro is perfect for anyone looking for a great after-dinner digestif. It’s boldly botanical but very dessert forward. It’s also a great example of the amaro being made in the U.S. right now and will surely be a delectable and unique treat for any big family meal.
This mezcal — made by Master Mezcalero Raúl Rodríguez Reyes — utilizes both Espandin and Barril agave that’s slow cooked in a conical ground oven before slow fermentation in wooden tanks. The juice is then twice-distilled in copper pot stills before batching and proofing with local Oaxacan water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: If you told me this was “agave perfume” I would believe you. It’s very green and black pepper-forward with just a note of smoke. Not so much “the peppers were roasted” more “the raw peppers were wafted with smoke from a nearby fire.”
Palate: The smoke is much more present on the palate with the green pepper turning much darker and moodier — roasted chipotles and ancho chilies. The smoke is present but BAM there is a lot of salinity in it. Like a truly fair bit — more than I’ve ever gotten elsewhere.
Finish: A whole lot of smoke and salt on the finish. It conjures a lot of storytelling and makes you want a bite of a spicy taco asap.
Bottom Line: Get this for the mezcal newbie who doesn’t want to be hammered with smoke. There are complex flavor notes here to dissect but they’re also clear and direct enough for most any drinker to savvy. Also, Campante comes wrapped — a great little perk for parties or under the tree!
One of the most beautiful features of old European neighborhoods are the rows of quaint, walk-up apartments that are the backbone of walkable neighborhoods. They help create a community where people can exit their front door and walk to a local café or market without getting in their car.
Unfortunately, these neighborhoods are hard to find in the United States, where these types of apartment buildings are exceedingly rare. Why is that? In the video below, About Here’s founder, Uytae Lee, explains why regulations in North America have made these quaint walk-up apartments, known by architects as point access blocks, nearly impossible to build.
Uytae Lee is an urban planner and videographer passionate about sharing stories about our cities.
“Quaint, walk-up apartments … are a beloved feature in cities around the world,” Lee says in his video entitled “Why North Americans Can’t Have Nice Apartments.” “They’re inviting and full of character. But, here in North America, they are not allowed to be built today. Instead, our departments are big and imposing, often stretching across the entire block and the reason why it really comes down to one reason: staircases.”
Why North America Can’t Build Nice Apartments
The problem is that one stairway in a point access block allows access to all apartments. This became a problem in the late 1800s when fires were commonplace in urban areas worldwide and people were more likely to die in a fire with only one exit route. So, in the U.S. and Canada, they created new regulations that made it so all buildings over 2 to 3 stories had to have two staircases to allow them to exit during a fire.
“Staircases take up a lot of space and fitting two of them in a small building means that there is much less usable floor space on every floor,” Lee says in the video. “As a result, developers here construct much larger buildings so that the staircases and hallways take up a much smaller proportion of the overall building. It’s why apartments in North America, in general, are much bigger and wider than their European counterparts.”
But there are fires in Europe, too. Why did they stop short of requiring multiple staircases in apartment buildings on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean? Instead of changing the floorplans on new buildings, Europeans opted to require fireproof materials in new building construction. A big reason why the U.S. and Canada opted for larger buildings over fireproofing was because they had better access to materials and the new direction aligned with the move towards suburban sprawl.
The two-staircase regulations in the U.S also made it harder to build units greater than one bedroom because the buildings needed long hallways which reduced the number of layout options.
The current housing crisis has many rethinking the regulations that require apartment buildings to have two stairways in North America. Many urban planners believe that modern-day demands mean we should return to building more point access block buildings, but this time with modern fire-retardant materials.
In some cities, such as Seattle, Washington, lawmakers have repealed staircase mandates and begun building point access block housing to ease the crisis.
“Now, if all this makes you a bit nervous, I get it. After all, these codes are about our safety. But I do want to mention that these codes do change over time as our technology and our understanding of safety evolves,” Lee finishes the video. “It’s important that we discuss and update these rules as our world changes.”
There’s nothing quite like creating Christmas magic for kids. Seeing them light up at the mention of Santa, squeal with glee at Elf on a Shelf antics, look with pure awe and wonder at all the sights and sounds of the season…it all helps rekindle that inner child spark that tends to fade as we grow older. It’s one of the many things that makes being a parent so rewarding.
In an effort to create a little extra holiday whimsy for his daughter, a father named Chinook used his natural storytelling skills to make a unique tradition—all involving a pinecone and the magic of the moon.
According to the story Chinook tells his daughter, which he aptly titled “The Moon and its Magic Spell”/ “The Little Pinecone,” the moon transforms a small pinecone into a large Christmas tree overnight, so long as it’s taken care of during the day.
In a video posted to TikTok, we see Chinook’s incredibly adorable daughter, Luna, decorating the pinecone with Christmas lights and placing it in water before heading off to bed.
When Luna wakes up the next morning, seeing her pinecone-turned-Christmas tree, full of twinkling lights and festive decorations, she’s completely mesmerized. All thanks to the efforts of her dad.
Chinook’s creative tradition left millions of viewers moved—even inspired to take on the tradition themselves.
“In a world where magic is dying, this is everything. To more magic moonlight and pine cones!” one person wrote.
“What a beautiful treasured memory for her to pass on,” echoed another.
Still another person gushed, “Ohhh my goodness. I will now do this with my future children. Go on a walk to get our Christmas tree pinecone.”
Another added how it’s a great way to teach kids “how to care for, love and appreciate nature.”
One viewer noted how the this little story of a magic moon would help Chinnook’s daughter “grow into knowing how magical she is,” since Luna is spanish for “moon.”
Several folks are calling for this wonderful tale to be spun into a children’s book. Which, I mean, can’t you see this book gracing the shelves at Barnes & Noble? I mean c’mon.
Either way, it looks like “The Little Pinecone” is making its way into more people’s traditions, and along with it some childlike wonder.
It’s also a beautiful glimpse into the integral role storytelling plays in Indigenous cultures. Even now, they continue to connect generations, provide valuable lessons, and share a certain kind of wisdom you can’t simply Google. It’s so lovely to see.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. We’re fully in year-end territory so we’d expect sneaker brands to call it quits and hold all the great releases until the first month of 2024 and yet… that doesn’t seem to be happening. After things in the sneaker world slowed down a bit in October and November the great drops this month just haven’t stopped.
There are only two more weeks left in this month before we reach the next year so is it safe to say that this is going to be the last great week of sneaker releases? We wouldn’t bet on it.
This week brings new collaborations between Nike and Stüssy, ALD and New Balance, Joe Freshgoods, and in what can easily be the best release of the year (we included it on our best sneakers of 2023 list) — the SNKRS release of the Kobe Protro 6 Reverse Grinch. It’s not just a great week, it’s one of the best weeks of 2023, which is an insane thing to declare, but also — true!
But enough talking about it, let’s dive into the best sneakers of the week.
Earlier this year Nike dropped an all-yellow Vomero 5 and seeing the design in such a bright color was the craziest the sneaker has ever looked, until today. This University Red Vomero 5 is so vivid that it comes across like a visual assault, and that’s what I dig about it.
The sneaker features a layered textile upper with synthetic suede and plastic accents with reflective details throughout and a metallic silver swoosh. It’s a great look for one of Nike’s most popular silhouettes.
The Nike Zoom Vomero 5 University Red is out now for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
Elegant and elevated, this link-up with Stüssy takes the Nike Air Flight ’89 and outfits it with a luxurious snakeskin overlay. The sneaker features a white leather upper with Pecan accents along the piping, branding, and swoosh.
Rounding out the design is Stüssy’s iconic double-S logo emblem at the laces and dual embroidered branding at the tongue.
The Stüssy x Nike Air Flight ’89 Low White and Pecan is out now for a retail price of $160. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
In what feels like a victory lap for New Balance creative director and Aimé Leon Dore label head, Teddy Santis, New Balance is dropping a brand new collaboration between the two brands.
Built on a 996, this sneaker features a tumbled leather upper with leather overlays, an open mesh tongue, dual-branding at the woven tongue logo, and made-in-USA construction. The sneaker is a celebration of the fruitful collaboration between Teddy Santis and New Balance.
The ALD x New Balance Made in USA 996 is set out now for a retail price of $209.99. Pick up a pair at the New Balance webstore or aftermarket sites like GOAT.
New BalanceNew Balance
Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990v4 Intro/Outro/Keisha Blue
As much as we love the ALD New Balance linkup we have to give it to Chicago designer Joe Freshgoods, who is dropping the best New Balance collaboration of the week.
Built on a 990v4, this sneaker takes inspiration from late ‘90s New Balance design and features a mesh overlay with pig suede overlays, patent leather accents, a reflective N logo, and the 1990 spec back tab.
The sneaker drops in three different colorways, a white pair dubbed “Intro” a black pair dubbed “Outro,” and a blue dubbed “Keisha Blue.” All three sneakers look great but the Keisha Blue is easily the favorite.
The Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990v4 Intro/Outro/Keisha Blue is set to drop on December 15th at 8:00 AM. Join the raffle here.
It’s great drop after great drop, and even though we’re seeing super dope collaborations, this sneaker eclipses everything. The Kobe 6 Protro is one of the most coveted sneakers of the last 20 years but I think this week’s Reverse Grinch looks even better.
Instead of a green upper, the Reverse Grinch features a deep crimson colorway with green laces and branding and that iconic scaly upper. Due to some legal reasons and complications between the Kobe Bryant estate and Nike, it’s been a minute since we’ve seen drops of the Kobe sneaker lineage, but it looks like now we’re back in business baby! Here is to 2024 bringing a re-release of the original.
The Nike Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch is set to drop on December 15th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $190. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
It’s Jordan vs Kobe this week and even though we think the Protro 6 is the most exciting release of the week, there are going to be a lot of sneakerheads that prefer this Jordan instead. The sneaker features a premium leather upper in white with Midnight Navy accents at the heel and midsole and an elephant print mudguard.
It’s a classic!
The Nike Air Jordan 3 Midnight Navy is set to drop on December 16th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
Made in collaboration with the Miami-based retailer SoleFly, this Air Jordan 8 features a colorway inspired by the Bandera de Cuba, a suede and textile build in Sail and Fossil with a chenille Jumpman tongue logo, translucent mudguard, and metallic gold accents.
Rounding out the design is a SoleFly “SF” embroidered logo on the straps. It’s the most Miami a sneaker has ever looked. Your move LeBron.
The Nike Air Jordan 8 x SoleFly Mi Casa es Su Casa is set to drop on December 16th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $225. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
