Micah's Read of the Week, Vol. 114
Why you need a travel uniform, The Real Story of How the Stanley Cup Got Dented at a Pantera Pool Party, mini-cocktails, New Yorker Cartoon of the Week, Recipe Corner, and more.
Hello, and welcome to Micah’s Read of the Week.
This is a newsletter filled with things Micah Wiener finds interesting. Check out the archive of previous newsletters here.
A word from Micah
Hey. I missed a week. My apologies.
It’s the first time. 114 weeks without missing a ROTW. Trump was still POTUS the last time a week when by without the publication of this newsletter.
It won’t happen again, probably. Thank you for your continued support.
M
Why you need a travel uniform
Take a page from a billionaire to reduce your travel stress
The holidays are right around the corner, and many of us will be on the move. I’m not sure I agree with this article, but it does make you think: would my anxiety be lessened with a travel uniform?
Take a lesson from the billionaires who wear the same thing every day. Sometimes it’s best to simply avoid decision fatigue.
Essentially, when you make fewer decisions during the day, even seemingly easy ones like what to wear, your brain can devote more mental energy to important tasks like creating the next iPhone or thinking of annoying ways to make Instagram more like TikTok.
Although I was not inspired by the Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerbergs of the world, I apply similar outfit-repeating habits to my life as a frequent flier. I quickly realized the merits of wearing the same ensemble every time you travel, especially if you’re headed to the airport.
What should I pack? Should I go with a carry-on or checked luggage? What time should I leave for the airport?
There are so many little decisions to make, things to prepare and questions to answer when it comes to travel. Having a travel uniform takes some of the guesswork out of a situation already full of unknowns and potential hiccups.
It also helps me stay organized, leaving less room for error and unnecessary stress. I know exactly where to look anytime I need something — whether that’s painkillers or a pen. I also don’t worry about leaving anything important behind because I have two of everything: one for home use and one that sits in my backpack waiting for the next trip. All I add is my passport, laptop and current reading material, and I’m good to go.
So how do I build the perfect travel uniform? Comfort and an abundance of pockets are key.
My top is always a long, loose fitting T-shirt or sweater so I’m literally covered through all the bending and lifting that happens with luggage and going through security. I add a jean jacket to stay warm on those freezing planes and also use its inner pockets to keep my phone, passport and boarding pass within easy reach.
If I remove my jacket, the pockets on the side of my leggings are a good back up, while the stretchy material means my legs are not restricted in any way. If you’re prone to extra bloating on flights, especially long hauls, then looser-fitting hiking pants or joggers might be a better choice — anything that keeps you comfortable as long as it has pockets. Last but not least, sturdy shoes like sneakers or boots are vital.
So many things can go wrong during a trip, but at least I’ll be comfortable and ready for anything.
I’m going to start packing now for our trip to Brooklyn in two weeks. I promise a full recap.
New Yorker Cartoon of the Week
Happy Anniversary Caitlin. I love you.
The Real Story of How the Stanley Cup Got Dented at a Pantera Pool Party
At long last, here’s the truth (or its drunken facsimile) of what went down at Vinnie Paul’s home after the Stars won the championship.
I’m not a hockey fan, and I don’t care much for the music of Pantera. But as someone who lived in Dallas for a few years, I heard plenty about this infamous urban legend.
Guy Carbonneau, the former Dallas Stars center, wants to make one thing clear: if the legend about him, the Stanley, and a rock star’s second-floor balcony were true, he’d happily admit it.
But even he was floored the first time someone told him the story they’d heard about what he did the night of June 20, 1999—the night before the parade celebrating the only championship in Stars franchise history.
A little background:
Like many of his teammates (and many dozens more), Carbonneau was partying at the Arlington home of Vinnie Paul, co-founder of Pantera. The drummer was a hockey fanatic, and both he and his brother, guitarist Dimebag Darrell, had been close with the team for years, ever since he’d introduced himself to defenseman Craig Ludwig at a strip club in 1993. Throughout the playoffs, the Stars had gotten superstitious about listening to “Puck Off”—the anthem the siblings had written for the team earlier that season—just before taking the ice. That’s why, the next morning, the band would ride in the parade, too, with Vinnie and Dimebag rocking out on a float, both smeared in green face paint.
There was nothing quite like their dynamic before or since: the best sports team and the biggest band in the city indelibly linked in a title run.
Let’s get to the story.
After hitting a couple of bars that afternoon—plus having stayed up into the wee hours the evening prior—a pack of Stars arrived at Vinnie’s mansion with the trophy in tow. Sometime that evening, Carbonneau found himself on a second-floor balcony, which overlooked a swimming pool.
That’s when it happened. Legend has it that Carbonneau wanted to see if he could throw the Cup from where he stood into the pool, a bad idea because his throw came up short. The Cup bounced off the pool deck. A conspicuous dent appeared in its silver-and-nickel sheen.
For more than two decades, the tale has persisted. And the dent is real. But the story, Carbonneau says, is not accurate.
The actual version of events:
Carbonneau was on the second-floor balcony. He did have the Cup in his hands. But as best he can recall, he dropped—not threw—the Cup down to someone on the first floor. Either the drop wasn’t on target or the catcher was clumsy or both. An unfortunate accident mushroomed into something far more grandiose.
“If I really wanted to throw the Cup, I would have thrown the Cup,” he says. “But that was not my intention.”
If you’re confused, know that the players are, too.
Because the one unassailable truth about the night in question is that everyone involved was drunk. Very drunk. The sort of drunk that led Ludwig to later be “woken up at 4 in the morning at a Burger King at a table with a sandwich with some bite out of it, and somebody was tapping me on the shoulder saying, ‘Sir, you can’t sleep here.’ ”
Which is why, when asked if he at least can verify Carbonneau’s assessment that, regardless of who had the Cup on the balcony, nobody tried to throw it in the pool, Ludwig responds thusly: “Oh, no, no, no. That wasn’t—well, I don’t think so. I can’t even definitely say that.”
Carbonneau only wants it known that he never threw the Cup at the pool.
And if anyone there that night remembers differently, he has his retort ready: “They were as drunk as me!”
A Manhattan, But Make It Mini
The mini-cocktail has gone from bartender handshake to menu mainstay.
It’s no secret I love a weak cocktail. Especially in the summertime. Fill a yeti with ice, a shot or two of nice tequila, a squeeze of fresh lime, a pinch of salt, and top that with soda. Then bring another can of soda to the pool to keep that weak cocktail alive for hours. It changes as the ice melts. It’s interesting.
However, that’s not what I want when the temperatures drop. I want some brown liquor to sip on. Maybe with some nice vermouth and bitters. I love a Manhattan, but nobody wants more than one. Sometimes you want that second drink, but you know another 2 ounces of liquor is going to wreck tomorrow’s yoga practice.
What’s the solution? The mini-cocktail.
I like cocktails, the same way I like food. It’s interesting to see what a professional can mix up to show a glimpse of their perspective and talent, so rather than order the same familiar drink all night, I prefer tasting the full variety of what’s on offer. The problem is, what’s on offer is often quite large. Margaritas are typically five ounces. Glasses of wine can be six. By the time I’m finished with a couple, my palate is willing to go on, but my body is calling it quits.
Same!
Thankfully, the mini-cocktail has arrived. Typically consisting of just a few ounces, the mini-cocktail has a history in the “Snaquiri,” a diminutive version of a classic Daiquiri often served as a bartender handshake, or to favored guests. But recently, more and more bartenders have been offering half-size or otherwise miniature versions of menu mainstays.
Who do we have to thank for this growing trend? At least in part, day drinkers.
Bar One Lounge in Charlotte, North Carolina, recently introduced a menu of four mini-cocktails, all smaller takes on classics, including an Old-Fashioned and a Manhattan. Steven Jensen, a partner at Bar One, says the idea came out of demand from the lunch crowd, many of whom work in the banking and insurance industries and were asking for half-size glasses of wine with their midday pizzas. “I mean, who can have a full Old-Fashioned the way we make it, in the middle of the day, and go back to work loaded?” he says.
We can also thank the cheap drinkers.
For Natasha Mesa, keeping ABV in check has been part of developing the entire cocktail menu at New York’s Milady’s, the reimagining of the classic SoHo dive bar that’s slated to open this October. As such, the menu will include a section of “snack-sized” offerings, which also allow guests to enjoy cocktails at a lower price point. “Consumers nowadays are a little more conscious about spending, and therefore they’re less willing to be adventurous with their drink choices,” says Mesa. It’s hard to order a $15 cocktail if there’s a chance you won’t like it. By offering smaller cocktails at more affordable prices, someone who would otherwise stick with a cheap beer might be more willing to try something new.
The snack-sized menu gives guests “the opportunity to try more of the different offerings in the same sitting without getting them to overdrink,” an experience bartenders have perhaps never been more attuned to. “It’s really not about trying to be more health-conscious,” he says, and estimates that each cocktail he serves is around two-thirds the size of a “standard” serving. “That enables people to probably try one and a half, two more things without feeling a burden to finish just an irresponsible amount of alcohol.”
Also gaining popularity is the quick, pre-bathed punch.
“One of the great things about punch was, six people could come in and you could pour them six glasses of punch very quickly while they decided what else they wanted to drink,” Morgenthaler recalls. Mini-cocktails serve the same purpose—an “amuse-bouche” for the rest of the night.
As it turns out, cocktails were always supposed to be mini.
“The mini-cocktail thing really goes back to the fact that in a lot of the modern cocktail culture, these drinks are too big,” says Noble Harris, co-owner of Manhattan’s Bongos.
“Proper cocktails are supposed to be short and snappy and cold to the last sip.”
Recipe Corner
Chicken and Coconut Rice With Nuoc Cham Tomatoes
CHICKEN AND RICE
1¼ cups basmati or other long-grain rice
2¼ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (5–6)
3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1¼ tsp. ground turmeric
Zest of 1 lime
¾ cup coconut cream
TOMATOES AND ASSEMBLY
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2 red or green Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
1½ lb. tomatoes, preferably heirloom
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
½ cup mint leaves, torn if large
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 1¼ cups basmati or other long-grain rice in a medium bowl. Pour in water to cover and swish vigorously with your fingers; drain. Repeat process until water runs clear (3–5 more times). Pour in cold water to cover and let soak 30 minutes.
While the rice is soaking, season 2¼ lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (5–6) on both sides with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt and 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper. Arrange chicken thighs, skin side down, in a cold large ovenproof skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, undisturbed, until skin is golden brown and some of the fat has cooked out, 10–12 minutes. Turn over and cook until other side is light golden, 5–7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving fat behind in pan.
Increase heat to medium-high and cook 2 large shallots, thinly sliced, and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, in same pan, stirring often, until softened and starting to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1¼ tsp. ground turmeric and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
Drain rice, add to skillet, and stir until each grain is coated. Add zest of 1 lime, ¾ cup coconut cream, remaining 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1¾ cups water. Stir to combine, making sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, and bring to a gentle boil.
Nestle chicken into rice mixture in skillet, making sure the crisp skin is above the liquid. Transfer pan to oven and bake, uncovered, until rice is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 20–25 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
While the chicken and rice are baking, whisk 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 2 red or green Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced.
Slice 1½ lb. tomatoes, preferably heirloom, in varying shapes and sizes (cut some into large chunks and others into wedges). Add tomatoes and 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, to bowl with dressing and gently toss to coat.
Just before serving, add ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro and ½ cup mint leaves, torn if large, to tomato salad and gently toss to combine.
Serve chicken and rice in skillet with nuoc cham tomatoes alongside.
Maple Roasted Carrots with Tahini Yogurt and Pistachio Dukkah
1 bunch (pref with fresh green tops) carrots, preferably on the thinner side.
1-2 Tbs Dark Maple Syrup
2 Tbs olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425F, line a baking sheet with parchment.
Scrub carrots clean (no need to peel when organic) and remove most of the tops allowing about 3” to remain intact (this step is optional is optional)
Whisk together maple syrup and olive oil and toss to coat carrots.
Assemble on baking sheet, being careful not to overcrowd (you want to encourage caramelized edges, crowding with allow them to steam instead).
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and toast for 35 minutes, turning halfway through, until edges are well caramelized.
Tahini Yogurt Sauce (may also be made in advance, but allow to come to room temperature before topping warm carrots)
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin (or 1/2 tsp and pinch of smoked paprika, see below*)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Whisk all together and adjust seasoning.
Pistachio Dukkah (Egyptian spice blend) May be made in advance
1/4 cup raw pistachios (shelled)
1/4 cup hazelnuts (optional)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 Tbs cumin seeds
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat (cast iron here works great) and toast coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant. Add sesame seeds and continue toasting for about 1 minute. Add pistachios and hazelnuts with salt and pepper and continue toasting until nuts just begin to turn golden and all is quite fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Place in a food processor or spice mill and pulse until mixture is a combination of fine and course.
Sprinkle generously over tahini yogurt drizzles carrots and serve!
Did Micah practice yoga the past two weekends?
Yes, x2. 60 minutes Sunday 10.1 and 10.8 at Searsana in Dripping Springs
That’s 37 in-person weekend classes in 40 weeks this year.
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