Earlier this month, Goldenvoicefiled a lawsuit against Live Nation over an event the company is attempting to host which bears a title similar to another well-known showcase. Live Nation was set to hold the Coachella Day One 22 festival in California on New Year’s Eve, but thanks to a new ruling from a judge, some changes will have to be made. According to Rolling Stone, Judge R. Gary Klausner awarded Goldenvoice with a restraining order against Live Nation over the event, which features a name similar to the former’s Coachella festival, which is set to go down in April 2022.
Judge Klausner ruled that Goldenvoice is “likely to succeed” with its copyright infringement argument against Live Nation. While the ruling will require Live Nation to make some changes, it does not stop them from hosting the festival as planned. With the restraining order, Judge Klausner called Live Nation’s argument “simply unpersuasive,” adding it “does not rebut the presumption of irreparable harm.”
The ruling comes after Goldenvoice filed two separate cease-and-desist letters to Live Nation in October and November for promoting and selling tickets for Coachella Day One 22. The original lawsuit was filed against Live Nation instead of the festival’s organizers, Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, because the indigenous tribe that operates the venue Coachella Crossroads — where Coachella Day One 22 was set to be held — is “entitled to sovereign immunity and therefore not subject to suit.”
Twenty-Nine Palms on the other hand previously tried to file a copyright for “Coachella Crossroads” but were denied over confusion with the Coachella festival. After a second application, however, they were approved after saying they would only host community and sports events. Despite this, they’ve promoted music-related events at the venue including a Toby Keith concert that took place in May.
To some, he’s Marty Funkhouser on Curb Your Enthusiasm. To others, he’s Super Dave Osborne, accident-prone stunt comedian of late night television. To yet others, he’s Larry the Middleman, the guy who served as George Bluth Sr.’s stand-in of sorts, on Arrested Development. But the late Bob Einstein, who died in early 2019, was so much more than that. His career stretched back to the ‘60s, when he was on the heroic writing staff of The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, alongside Steve Martin. And he’s finally, at long last getting the HBO documentary treatment he deserves.
It’s called The Super Bob Einstein Movie, of course, and it features a trove of colleagues/friends — Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, Rob Reiner, Susie Essman, JB Smoove, as well as Albert Brooks, his brother (yes, Albert Brooks’ birthname is Albert Einstein) — gushing about a guy who miraculously combined nice guy vibes with edgy, even life-threatening humor. Or as Sarah Silverman puts it, “The straight man’s usually what the funny man bounces off of. But he’s both.”
There’s a heaping helping of Curb clips in the trailer, usually him blowing up on Larry. (What there isn’t is his incredible scene in his brother’s 1981 anti-rom-com Modern Romance, as a predatory sporting good salesman who all but robs Brooks’ new single sadsack.) But it will also give the young-‘uns a chance to see Einstein’s Super Dave Osborne — a staple of Late Night with David Letterman and tons of other late night shows, which aired clips in which, long before 50-something Tom Cruise, he almost killed himself to entertain.
The Super Bob Einstein Movie bows on HBO and HBO Max on Dec. 28. You can watch the trailer in the video above.
Buying gifts for the home cook in your life can be difficult. Sure it seems easy enough to guess what they’d like: a set of knives, a meat thermometer, a whole bunch of Mason jars for storing sauces… It’s intuitive, right? Wrong. Chefs are a finicky bunch and the more serious they are the more they crave top-notch products to match their skills.
In an effort to save you from the home chef in your life (you don’t want to disappoint a home chef, it affects your diet!), we decided to hit up the experts to get some great last-minute gift options. Some of these picks are old classics from our previous Chef’s Tell Us series but we added a good chunk of new choices from a few of our favorite new chefs and food personalities leaving you with plenty of picks, most of which can come overnight via Amazon or found at brick and mortar stores.
Let’s get shopping!
Chef Charleen Caabay, Chopped Winner at Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at the People’s Ecosystem —— Lēvo II Cannabis Infuser
Amazon
As a chef who creates cannabis-infused recipes, the LĒVO II is an exciting kitchen-related tool that makes an excellent gift for other chefs. The LĒVO II provides home cooks with different ways to infuse coconut oil, grapeseed oil, butter, honey, and more, with any herb of their choice. Additionally, it eliminates the guesswork regarding dosing, providing accuracy and efficiency.
I personally love entertaining people through food and cannabis, and this would be a great way to show others how to cook incredible infused dishes.
Eric Wareheim, Comedian & Author Of FOODHEIM: A Culinary Adventure
Made In Cookware
When I’m cooking from my cookbook Foodheim, I always start the meal with a glass of champagne. And the ONLY proper way to open a bottle is to use a saber! Made In’s beautiful saber does the trick every time. Just tell mom and dad to watch out when sabering indoors.
Everyone needs a Microplane! It’s incredibly versatile and way less cumbersome than the tiny blades on the side of a box grater. Microplanes are crucial tools for appetizers, dinners, and desserts. You can zest citrus into your key lime pie recipe or your bright, rich lemon butter Mahi Mahi. Mince garlic into a powerful punchy paste perfect for guacamole, finely shave chocolate so it drifts down onto whipped cream dark chocolate mousse to serve your lover dessert in bed. C’mon!
The Microplane is an undeniable tool that fits perfectly in any Christmas stocking or under the tree. And if your friend or family member already has one, chances are it is dull and the blades are bent so your gift will be perfectly timed. My recommendation: Sur La Table’s Microplane Soft-Handle Zester Grater, 12″ is only $15.95 and with 8 colors to choose from, you can’t beat it for home cooking.
Chef Priyank Naik, Food Network Champion, Author Of The Modern Tiffin — Cookbooks
The Modern Tiffin: On-The-Go Vegan Dishes with a Global Flair by Priyanka Naik
Simon and Schuster
The Modern Tiffin is written by a woman who loves food as much as she loves cooking, as much as she loves travel, and as much as she loves animals. That woman is me – Priyanka Naik! This book is more than just a cookbook – it is a journey through my life of travels and as a first-generation Indian American growing up in NYC. The Modern Tiffin satisfies anyone from the amateur cook to the professional cook with recipes like Coconut Masala Stuffed Okra, Masala Chickpea Bruschetta and Almond Tahini Cake with Pistachio & Rose.
Every chapter focuses on a different part of the world that I’ve traveled to so you can take a full global journey right in your kitchen! My mission with The Modern Tiffin is to bring my generation and generations younger back to into the kitchen, become more involved with cooking, learn about the versatility of vegetables and the importance of cooking for oneself (all while having the option to make it portable!). This cookbook makes a fantastic gift for anyone looking to incorporate more vegan dishes in their day-to-day (flextarians LOVE my book – just sayin’!), anyone looking for an adventure, and anyone looking to get a good laugh (I swear, I’m hilarious).
Provecho: 100 Vegan Mexican Recipes to Celebrate Culture and Community by Edgar Castrejón
Penguin Random House
Vibrant, Accessible, and Culturally significant Mexican recipes – this is how I reviewed Provecho on Amazon and I wholeheartedly stand by it! Edgar is masterful at bringing together his Mexican heritage, culture, and his empathy for the environment. His book is beautifully written and even though I personally have traveled to Mexico several times, I learned SO much from Provecho. Edgar’s recipes leave me feeling hungry – especially the Quesadilla de Plátanos, which I will be making next! I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking to learn the intricacies, history, and flavors of Mexican culture and cuisines. Not to mention, Edgar (like me) is a first-time chef, proud Latino LGBTQ, and one of the kindest foodies I know!
The Korean Vegan: Reflections and Recipes from Omma’s Kitchen by Joanne Lee Molinaro
The Korean Vegan
If you haven’t heard of The Korean Vegan by now, you surely must be living under a rock like Patrick Star. Joanne started the art of storytelling while cooking on TikTok in early 2020 and since then has become an absolute superstar – but is as modest as ever (and I can say that for a fact considering we became fast friends). Her debut cookbook The Korean Vegan is a reflection of recipes she grew up eating, but veganified. They are stunning and all of the photography is done by Joanne herself – can she get any cooler?!
There are so many recipes I enjoyed here – Perilla Leaf Focaccia, Perilla Leaf Pancakes (clearly I have a thing for Perilla leaves), Braised Tofu – and so much more. Joanne’s book is more than just recipes – it’s a glimpse into her life, her later-found appreciation for her culture and especially of her parents. As someone who is incredibly close to their parents, I really appreciated that. So, if you’re looking to incorporate some delicious and accessible Korean dishes into your repertoire, The Korean Vegan is for you!
Life Is What You Bake It: Recipes, Stories, and Inspiration to Bake Your Way to the Top by Vallery Lomas
Amazon
Vallery has one of THE most interesting stories in the culinary industry – I may be biased because we’re friends BUT – Vallery went from being a lawyer to a baker and was ABC’s Great American Baking Show Winner Season 3, which never aired! That is possibly a new cook and new TV star’s worst nightmare. But the beauty in Life Is What You Bake It is how Vallery took her rather less than satisfactory situation and turned it into a heartfelt work of art in her debut cookbook. It is filled with 100 mouthwatering baked goods and for someone like me who has zero self control around sweets — yeah — I was drooling at every page. Just listen to these — Peach Crisp, Chocolate Cream Filled Doughnuts, and A Very Dramatic Crêpe Cake (obviously I am here for the drama). Vallery has a French-trained background, is incredibly well-traveled and is a fantastic baker.
Get this book for the baker or that sweet lover in your life.
One of the things that’s a dope idea for a gift is a pan called the Always Pan. The Always Pan is designed to replace eight traditional pieces of cookware. It literally is a fry pan, a skillet, a sauce pan, a steamer, a sautée pan, it’s non stick, it’s all of the things. You can do tons with it. It’s a really cute and dope pan, it comes in a bunch of dope colors, really pretty earth tones.
Weird Spices, a collection of artisan salts, different international spices, Things you can’t get at a regular grocery store. I like to always gift people different collections, there are a lot of different vibes you can go with International seasonings. Smoked salts and artisan salts are always a good idea.
Home chefs and Cooks are really into photographing and styling food for pictures. A really good set of plate wear that has dope edges, very white, or very black plate wear is always a cool thing to film on.
A go pro with the headband is also always a good idea, you may want to film the process of making your food and then transfer that into a video.
I’ve got my eye on the electric KoMo Classic Grain Mill I’ve been seeing in my Instagram feed lately. It’s handmade in Austria with ceramic burrs and an attractive wooden housing, sort of classic elegance meets modern technology. You can grind a small amount of grain to any texture, including super-fine, and you can easily change the grind by rotating the hopper on top. I’d love to play around with milling locally grown grains like farro for a special pasta flour. It’s easy to take apart and clean, and there’s even a liner insert if you’re grinding gluten-free flour.
The tool I’ve had the most fun with this year, by far, is my paella pan. The brand is Garcima. It’s carbon steel, which means it has to be washed, dried and oiled after each use. It was inexpensive, easy to clean and maintain. Mine is the 20″ carbon steel pan and I got it off of Amazon for less than $50. I’ve served from 8 to 30 people with it, and they get STOKED when I bring it to the table. I’ve mostly made Paella on the grill with it, but have made Arroz Negro a couple of times, too.
I would say that one of the best gifts for a chef would be a gift card to a local cookware store, somewhere close to where you live so that you can go in and test the knives in person (Nashville’s go-to place for us is Davis Cookware & Cutlery Shop). So much goes into a knife, and at the end of the day, it is a very personal and intimate experience. The feel of the blade, the weight, balance, sharpness, and grip are quite variable and very personal to each individual. I have a penchant for Japanese knives, Miyabi and Kamikoto, but again, to each their own. Since you spend so much of your time cutting and holding a knife, this is a natural extension that you need to have the most comfort and ease using. This offers the end user a better experience, ease of use, and more precision in both their craft and employment. This should go in conjunction with a nice sharpening stone set, because the sharper the knife the less you cry!
A wooden cutting board is a must in a well-stocked kitchen. Not only are they a beautiful addition to a kitchen, but they are a more sustainable option than plastic and have natural anti-microbial properties. They can also last decades if cared for properly. As a baker, I, personally enjoy boards with crumb catchers that are meant for cutting bread, but either way they are a timeless kitchen staple.
A custom cutting board is always a great gift. Cutting boards don’t last forever and will always wear down with time. Chefs are always using multiple cutting boards in their home kitchen. My husband Cody and I are always excited when we get a gift and it is something custom made by a craftsman that tells a story! P.S. don’t buy them a knife. Chefs are picky about knives because of how they fit in their hands – unless it’s a custom-made Bob Kramer. Also adding a link to our favorite cutting board: HDC Walnut Cutting Board.
Spiceologist Spices are a great gift for any chef. Using fresh spices will change your cooking world. Spices lose their flavor quickly, and there’s no telling how long those in the grocery store have been sitting on the shelf. But a good spice company makes sure they’re fresh. I recommend stuffing stockings with smoked paprika.
I am a firm believer in the power of a nice set of knives and quality kitchenware that’s built to last. My favorite gift to give and receive as a chef is a gift certificate to Korin – an amazing kitchenware store stationed in NYC that specializes in Japanese knives. Korin is located in the heart of lower Manhattan offering the finest knives, kitchen products, and tableware to suit every culinary tradition. I feel these knives and kitchenware products truly bring the highest quality Japanese design to any table, so anyone into cooking and or entertaining can experience the quality of Japanese craftsmanship in their kitchen, home or even restaurant.
Every chef that works in a bustling kitchen will agree that the best gift that you can give to a chef, especially during the holidays, is a fun-filled, phones-off, 3-day paid vacation so he/she can cook for unappreciative relatives while drinking heavily; but sadly, we all know that will never happen. So, my go-to gift for any chef, self-proclaimed or professionally trained is a really good knife. There are so many custom knife craftsmen nowadays that are more affordable now than they’ve been. The best places to find good, affordable knives are on eBay and Amazon (as long as you know what you want). Personally, I recommend a custom Buffalo horn handle blue steel Damascus Gyuto.
While there can be an exhaustive list written of kitchen tools that I consider essential and therefore great gifts, I would definitely start with a sharpening stone. Quite frankly this is the single most important facet of cooking is utilizing a very sharp knife. Learning to sharpen can be frustrating but my recommendation is to watch a lot of YouTube and buy a cheap knife and practice on it. Too many home cooks, I find, have these nice knives they bought but never sharpen them, and they become useless and dangerous.
Considering all the gifts I’ve received over the years, I would have to say that the KitchenAid mixer would be the best. Why? Well because it gives me, as a chef, the ability to do restaurant-quality dishes at home. Sometimes we don’t have the arsenal of gadgets that we have at the restaurant but with a Kitchen Aid’s help that changes. We can roll fresh pasta quickly, grind meat for sausages, or even make ice cream! While it is a bit expensive it’s worth the initial investment and something that will last you for a very long time.
If I were to choose the gift of all gifts, it would have to be a Thermomix. I remember the day when one of the company representatives gave us a demo. She dropped three whole nutmeg into the unit and within seconds it was pulverized into a powder! To know that a machine can heat and cool itself, while still having the capability of grinding anything imaginable absolutely fascinates me. The Thermomix is so versatile that you can toast spices, make soup, bread and create velvet textured purees, airs, and mousses.
I suggest a KitchenAid spiralizer because you can do so much with it! All you have to do is attach it to your stand mixer and you can do everything with this guy—peel carrots, core apples, you name it! Plus, this spiralizer also makes veggie ribbons and I love mixing them into my pasta dishes.
Tracy Chang, Chef and Owner of PAGU — Spanish Olive Oil (Cambridge, MA)
Trovato Schrage Selections
One of the best gifts for a chef is excellent Spanish olive oil. At PAGU we use La Laguna de Fuente de Piedra’s Videuña olive oil for finishing a lot of dishes such as the avocado ikura pintxo, shiitake a la plantxa, pan con jamón, mushroom mazemen, etc. I’m always excited when people gift me Spanish olive oil. I use it every day, it’s good for me, and I’m reminded of that person each time I use it.
A traditional stone mortar and pestle would be the ideal gift, as this is one tool that can take a chef back to his or her roots. The simple joy of making a chutney, or a curry paste without using any modern-day heavy-duty blenders can be a very soothing way to reconnect with the joy of making food. I’d recommend a stone mortar & pestle over a metal one because it can be used to make chutneys and pastes, as well as to prepare freshly ground spices. The metal version is really only usable for spices. A few delicious items the chef could prepare include mint-cilantro chutney or curry leaf-garlic chutney.
As a chef and a new (ish) father, I’m constantly on the go. From late nights at the restaurant to early morning with my son, coffee is a must in my life. On my wish list is a Nespresso Machine for my house. I love the variety of flavors, and it’s fast and easy to clean. When I’m at Firefly, I utilize a French press with Lavazza and steep it with cinnamon to enrich the aroma and taste. Any chef would welcome a gift involving strong coffee or something caffeinated.
It seems like the obvious choice, but chefs are always looking for newer, better, sharper, sexier knives. Knives are to chefs what golf clubs are to golfers: essential tools that come in a variety of styles and shapes and also have very specific uses. Just like golf clubs, chef’s knives are constantly undergoing technological innovations to make them sturdier and more effective. And much like golfers, chefs are always looking for tools that will help them elevate their game. Global, Shun, and Wusthof are all popular brands with many kitchen professionals.
Jorge E. Ramos, Culinary Director Of Bodega Taqueria — Recipe Journal
Amazon
The best gift for a chef would be a journal or a book. I think it is so important for chefs to take the time to document their stories and their lives. As a chef, I journal the food that I create and the inspiration I discover in my travels. For me, it offers the opportunity to learn, relate to other chefs, see other techniques that are being developed or practiced, and in the end, really shows a sign of support from the person who is gifting the journal.
It’s wild to think that “Happier Than Ever” was the sixth single from Billie Eilish’s eponymous 2021 album. The title track to one of Uproxx’sBest Albums of 2021 has seen its share of different versions. From Eilish sitting on a Sesame Street stoop and singing a duet with The Count, to a recent Saturday Night Live performance where it began in its humble and sweet fashion, before unfurling into a raucous rock jam out.
But we just found out a surprising fact about the song’s origins. In a new interview with Billboard, Eilish’s brother and producer Finneas revealed that they wrote the song on what he dubbed “the cheapest guitar ever made.” They were in a Danish town called Middlefart (seriously) at the time when the process began and the rest is pop music history. Here’s how Finneas described it:
“We started writing that song in the summer of 2019. We had a U.S. run, and we flew straight to the U.K. to play Glastonbury. We were in a town in Denmark called Middelfart, [and] we were super jet lagged. I had this little toy guitar that’s like a beginners’ kids guitar that I got at Guitar Center for $80, which is like, the cheapest guitar ever made. It just sounded really cute. I was sitting around with Billie, and we started writing that melody that was sort of the first chorus, the, “When I’m away from you, I’m happier than ever” part. It was correlated to what she was going through in her life at that exact moment. We knew that we liked that idea, but we weren’t in the period of time where we were like crunching down on an album, so we just put it in our back pocket and we’d write a line or two here and there.”
Cute, indeed. And it just goes to show, that you don’t necessarily need an inordinate amount of equipment to write pretty songs that have the potential to resonate with millions.
Read Finneas’ interview with Billboard in its entirety here.
Amy Schneider recently took a bit of a break from her incredible Jeopardy! streak so the show could segue into its Professors Tournament. (Then she came back Monday and continued to kick ass.) That, too, saw a star emerge: Sam Buttrey, an associate professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, who not only dominated the special cycle (and took home $100,000, too), but also scored a spot in the upcoming Tournament of Champions. But Buttrey won something else: People thought he looked an awful lot like Steve Martin.
There was someone else who noticed the similarity: Martin himself. The legendary comic and actor, who recently earned raves for the Hulu show Only Murders in the Building, took to Twitter to joke about his doppelganger.
“We would love to have you on Jeopardy! anytime, in any capacity!” the show’s social media account wrote.
Mind you, they didn’t necessarily offer him a hosting gig. Those are currently filled by Mayam Bialik and Ken Jennings, who are scheduled to switch off duties until the end of this current season. Then who knows what will happen! Perhaps Martin will relieve them of duty for a one-off. He’s a smart guy, and a former philosophy major and everything. Or maybe he can just swing by to play banjo and talk about how Selena Gomez introduced him to “WAP.”
Being The Ricardos (Amazon Prime movie) — Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem take a stab at roles that are more challenging than mere physical transformations. As well, this isn’t merely a light and fluffy production, given that Aaron Sorkin has infused the story with not only the complexity of the pair’s working and professional relationships but also the drama inherent with cultural and political controversy. In addition, expect to see some scandalous accusations flying, along with peeks behind closed doors during one pivotal week of I Love Lucy production. J.K. Simmons also appears in this project because he’s basically in everything these days.
Jim Gaffigan: Comedy Monster (Netflix stand-up special) — The multi-Grammy nominee and prolific everydude is back onstage to joke about billionaires and bikers. Hopefully, those two subjects intersect at some point. If not, that’s a lost opportunity.
Grumpy Christmas (Netflix film) — Grumpy Grandpa/Don Servando (Héctor Bonilla) of The Patriarch joins up with extended family and a commune of hippies. That sounds dubious already, but they decide to spend Christmas at the beach, where Don meets his ultimate nemesis. Soon, we’ve got a war of wills, and hopefully, this won’t dampen everyone’s holiday spirit.
In case you missed this pick from last Tuesday:
Murders At Starved Rock (HBO Max) — A 60-year-old murder mystery rears its head with the convicted killer (Chester Weger) behind bars while seeking exoneration (and insisting that he’s innocent). David Raccuglia presents the fruits of 15 years of research while attempting to uncover the truth about the crimes committed by the local “bogeyman.” This rural community runs on rumors and opinions, and the townspeople are clearly divided with grey areas and alleged police misconduct in this case, which might make everyone involved question what they thought they knew.
Finding the best bottle to give as a gift this season doesn’t have to end at the whiskey aisle. There are amazing dark rums on the shelf that’ll wow both the passive alcohol fan and the true whiskey aficionado. Dark rum is treated very similarly to whiskey after fermentation and distillation. The aging process (in oak) imparts a lot of familiar flavors for whiskey fans, from woody spices to rich vanilla to buttery caramel to bright orange oils.
Naturally, the effects of barrel and aging vary as greatly in dark rum as they do in whiskey. You’ll get literally hundreds more flavors besides those listed above, depending on a million variables from the atmospheric pressure to the weather in general to how the oak was treated and everything in between. But the crossover flavors and techniques are plenty to remind neophytes and true whiskey lovers alike that rum is deserving of their attention.
With all that in mind, we’re calling out 11 bottles of dark rum that range from pretty affordable but great to “you shouldn’t have!” to “holy shit, this is amazing!” Let’s dive in.
This Venezuelan rum is a blend of a minimum of 12-year-old juice made from both sugarcane honey and molasses. The rums were aged in ex-bourbon barrels high up in the Amazonia before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Dark, almost burnt, sugars lead you towards rich and butter toffee with a brittle edge and a dusting of eggnog spice that’s heavy on the nutmeg. That buttery nature really drives the taste towards a vanilla buttercream next to moist marzipan and a touch of tobacco sweetness. The finish arrives with a sprinkling of orange zest and holiday spices with a final dry walnut shell end.
Bottom Line:
I put this here because this is the one bottle that is a 100 percent guarantee. It’s pretty much the perfect dark rum that is also beautifully crafted and so drinkable (and you can find it anywhere for a good price). It’s just a winner all around. And that is what makes this the perfect stocking stuffer this time of year.
The Barbadian rum is the base for a lot of sourced rums out there. This expression is aged for three years in ex-bourbon barrels and then transferred to port casks for a finishing touch over six more years. The idea was to mimic the rum of the days of yore which were aged and then transported in old port or sherry casks around the world.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a delicate sweetness on the nose that feels like packed brown sugar next to tart red berries with a touch of stem and seeds still mixed in. The taste holds onto the sugar as hints of espresso beans and dark chocolate mix with the berries as notes of soft vanilla, pear, and cinnamon spice mingle on the back end. The finish takes its time and ends on an almost savory note reminiscent of fresh pumpkin with a touch of sage.
Bottom Line:
While this rum is nowhere near the most expensive on the list, it is a rarity of sorts. Four Square tends to be the rum that the whiskey and rum nerds gravitate towards since it’s the base of so many great rum blends out there. That makes this pick a thoughtful gift for someone who knows their rum.
We’ve come full circle and back to Bermuda and Goslings. This bottle is a blend of ex-bourbon barrel rums that spent 21 years maturing. The batch is married and then finished for two more years in a new American oak barrel before it’s proofed and bottled from that single barrel.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a real sense of the bourbon via notes of vanilla and toffee up top, next to an almost cognac fruitiness and nuttiness. The taste holds onto the vanilla as soft cedar enters the fray along with subtle Christmas spices, chewy and fruity tobacco, and a salted caramel edge. The finish embraces that savory-sweet aspect with more of the cedar and tobacco lingering on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
This rum is just straight-up delicious. It’s rare but findable. It’s full of holiday and winter vibes. Plus, it’s a great example of where whiskey and dark rum meet as a slow sipping drink.
Pusser’s is an old-school British Navy stalwart that blends various rums from the Caribbean. These rums are crafted to be savored with no-flashy bottles or elaborate backstories. This is good old rum that is left to rest for 15 years in barrels kissed by Guyana’s sun and humidity.
Tasting Notes:
Musty oak sits next to a real rummy funkiness on the nose. The palate has a nice underbelly of Christmas cake with plenty of spice, dried fruit, and nuts that are counterpointed by that wood, funk, plus a hint of minerality. The finish is surprisingly short, sweet, spicy, and centered on the old oak barrels.
Bottom Line:
This is an old-school rum that, again, the nerds will adore. It’s also one of those rums that’s overdue for a comeback as soon as those musty and funky flavors come back into fashion.
Master Blender Trudiann Branker is creating some amazing Barbadian blends with Mount Gay’s Master Blender Collection. The fourth release takes Mount Gay rum that spent 14 years mellowing if former bourbon barrels just a stone’s throw from a beach and finishes that rum in South American oak from the Andies. After eleven months in those barrels, the juice is proofed and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose of this ranges from a Christmas cake full of dark and candied fruits, dark spices, fatty nuts, and buttery vanilla to a counterbalance of bitter espresso beans, very dark chocolate, and a distant flutter of dried rose. The taste really leans into the spicier end with freshly ground nutmeg and clove marrying the creamy vanilla to make lush eggnog as candied ginger spices this up with a light sweetness. Mint-kissed marzipan arrives on the mid-palate and leads towards a finish that’s brimming with dark chocolate-covered marzipan, rum-soaked holiday cake, and dark red fruits tied to sticky tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is a brand new release that really hits it out of the park. I’d argue that this is a damn-near perfect rum for any rum lover but especially for someone looking for something new and unique this time of year.
This is Bacardi’s high-end expression that’s crazy cheap. The rum is aged for ten long years in lightly charred oak before its charcoal filtered and brought down to proof, creating an ultra-refined expression.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a duo of very soft leather next to a basket full of tropical fruits. The palate is light but offers a pan full of Bananas Foster with plenty of brown sugar and holiday spice with a slight touch of dried fruits. That butter drives the mid-palate towards a finish brimming with old cellar cobwebs and a nice layer of vanilla-laced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is where Bacardi gets really good. You still have that fruitiness that the Puerto Rican brand is known for, but there’s a deeper aged feel to this sip that makes it shine. There’s also pretty good name recognition, which can help you when finding a gift that you can be confident in.
This rum is a true cane-to-glass experience from the slopes of the San Cristobal volcano in Nicaragua. This particular expression is a marrying of rums aged up to 25 years in the shadow of that volcano and is proofed with mineral water bubbling up from the volcanic soil underneath.
Tasting Notes:
There are classic bourbon notes of vanilla and caramel/toffee on the nose next to bitterly charred oak and chocolate with hints of orange oils and black tea. There’s a tobacco spiciness to the body of the sip that leads towards a mintiness next to more toffee, spice, and oak. The chocolate darkens as the spice sharpens on the slow fade, leaving you with a sense of an old cedar box that once held cigars and vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
This has rums in the blend that are “up to” 25 years old, which means a lot of the rums in the blend are much younger. Age aside, this Central American rum is damn tasty. It also comes in a cool bottle, has a great origin story, and never fails to hit the spot.
This blend comes from the master of Jamaican rum, Master Blender Joy Spence. This release from 2018 blends rums that are at least 30 years old with some barrels north of 50 years old. Like all Appleton releases, the juice in the bottle is a cane-to-glass spirit with everything from the growing of the cane to the aging and blending happening in-house at Appleton.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is bold, with a mix of burnt pineapple rinds next to coconut charcoal, a touch of ripe plantain, and a hint of dry tobacco leaf. The palate calms down all that charred wood and fruit for a slow-sipping essence of pineapple juice tied to black molasses, cinnamon, and anise, rich and oily vanilla, rips of cedar bark, dry grass, butterscotch candies, and a slight note of that Jamaican rum funk on the end. The finish on this is very long and hits you with an almost creamy and soft pina colada vibe very late that turns into a mild mango juice, leaving you with a satisfied palate coated with lovely dark rum.
Bottom Line:
This is the “holy shit!” bottle to give as a gift. Instead of rums “up to” 25 years old as above, this rum is made with rums that are at least 30 years old (some are rumored to be up to 50 years old!). This is super rare — only 900 bottles were released in the U.S. — and the taste is very much for the advanced palate. Truly a stellar example of very old rum that will be the centerpiece of any bar cart it is gifted to.
This well-crafted expression is a marrying of Venezuelan rums aged in ex-bourbon and ex-single malt casks for up to 12 years. The rums are then hand-selected and hand-blended to find the perfect balance of taste and texture. The blend finally spends a year in sherry casks to give it that final note of ultra-refinement.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sharpness to the nose that leans more towards candied ginger than Christmas spices with a bit of funk. The taste leans hard into the spiciness, with an orange zest brightness next to more funky old oak and plenty of sherried sweetness and plummy depths. The end fades very slowly and hits each note again as it warms your soul.
Bottom Line:
I’m closing the circle by coming back to Diplomatico but with my favorite bottle from them. This blend of 12-year-old barrels is pretty much the perfect rum. It’s subtle yet distinct. It’s also a nice-looking and cool decanter/bottle to give as a gift that just so happens to have spectacular rum inside.
Pilar Rum is named for Ernest Hemingway’s famous fishing boat and this is their most renowned expression. It’s also their most experimental — finished in a “double solera” method highlighting rye barrels and sherry casks. The proof is very manageable/ bordering on low (86) and the blend of nine rums from around the Caribbean ensures a balanced flavor profile.
As for the canteen-in-leather bottle — it speaks for itself. It’s rustic, stylish, and eye-catching on any bar cart.
Tasting Notes:
If you’ve ever made caramel by toasting sugar over low heat and adding milk just as it starts to burn, you’ll recognize the nose here. It’s very sweet, decadent even, with some light lime-peel scent whispering to you at the last second. The palate starts with the toasted sugar notes, but they ease off quickly in favor of oak, a big dollop of vanilla, and hints of the sherry barrel (stewed dark fruit). The rye spice is present but only percolating, never taking charge. The finish is long and smooth and sweet and with the silky nature of the rum, it feels decadent going down as it did on the nose.
Bottom Line:
A super stylish offering that manages to stay affordable while still clearly being a “sipper.”
Last year, Alicia Keys rolled out the 18-track album Alicia, which featured unexpected collaborations with musicians like Brandi Carlile, Tierra Whack, and Khalid. Earlier this month, the prolific singer followed up with the 26-track effort Keys, which featured another Khalid collaboration, the sultry track “Come For Me” with a verse from Lucky Daye. After showing some behind-the-scenes of the making of her album with a short film, Keys has now shared a cozy and intimate video for her Khalid and Daye collaboration.
Keys’ “Come For Me” video gives her fans an inside look at the making of the song. While the three musicians put in a lot of studio time, which can be seen in the visual, they also made sure to make time for having fun. That includes spending some time around the table drinking wine and bonding over board games.
Along with her new album, a video, and a short film, Keys has also been cooking up another project lately. This past week, the singer revealed that her graphic novel Girl On Fire will hit bookshelves soon. Keys said the novel was a long time in the making — five years to be exact — and follows the story of a young girl from Brooklyn who discovers she has superpowers.
Watch Keys’ “Come For Me” video with Khalid and Lucky Daye above.
Keys is out now via AK Worldwide Productions/RCA. Get it here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
I love Christmas movies. I watch them when I’m sad. I watch them as a treat when I’m happy. And since it is December, it has been zero days since my last Christmas watch. I’m watching one WHILE I type this. I might as well be writing, “All Christmas movies and nothing else makes Allison a happy girl,” over and over. Yeah — it’s like The Shining up in here, but with holiday joy instead of all the murder.
The only problem I have during Christmas movie season is picking the really good ones to watch because there’s not enough time in the month to get to all of them. Which is why I’m providing a list of the very best Christmas movies on Hulu. Look, I’ve done the work — the hard, hard work that I was absolutely going to do either way — of watching a whole lot of Christmas movies because I want you to spend your time watching only the very best.
11. The Truth About Christmas (2018)
Hulu
A political spin doctor lies to a little girl on Christmas, and so, Santa curses her with the inability to lie — right when she’s about to meet her boyfriend’s family. Let the hijinks ensue. This is a fun one — very watchable. There’s the classic brother-brother love triangle which, in real life, will get you on Maury, but which is a wholesome thing in Christmas movies. And it has my favorite trope: A mysterious, witch Santa who can alter reality to teach adults lessons. In these movies, Santa’s a messy bitch who loves drama, and I am here for it.
You can’t have a list of great Christmas movies without one in which someone dies a horrible death and can’t be an angel until they help someone find love. This Christmas Carol take has a great cast and Chad Michael Murray is super sexy.
Even though this is a tale about an entire family gaslighting an amnesiac on Christmas to trick her into falling back in love with her lazy husband, what can I say, I enjoy it! As these movies tell us again and again. It’s okay to lie as long as it’s for Christmas love! Love is love is lies.
I love alternate reality Christmases. Whether it’s waking up with a family you never remembered having or in a snow globe. And in this excellent offering to the genre, a woman meets a Christmas witch (and small business owner) who traps her in a never-ending Christmas village.
Pausing to get serious to say: In Christmas movies, nearly all women who own an ornament or Christmas decor store are witches. They say shop local, but you shouldn’t if you’re a business lady who needs to learn about love. Stick with the online cart, Susan.
It’s the Christmas Pleasantville with another witch Santa who makes two sisters wake up in a Christmas movie and fall in love (not with each other). Very fun ride. But I AM concerned about their future because the fictional men follow them back into the real world. What’s going to happen there? How is the baker going to get a small business loan with no social security card? And does he have genitals or is he just a Ken doll down there. THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.
Another alt-reality — where Jennie Garth is a corporate meanie who loves putting shopping malls on orphanages. Someone who drinks martinis and yells, “I chose a career over marriage!” Until she hits her head and wakes up in a world where she married her childhood sweetheart. It’s got everything you want in a Christmas movie offering. Charm. Magic. Head trauma. 5 stars.
Genuinely, who doesn’t love Elf? You’d have to be a monster. It’s hilarious, heartfelt, and has Will Ferrell in classic Will Ferrell mode. It’s more of a holiday tradition than hanging stockings at this point. Bring on the candy spaghetti.
Kristen Stewart plays a woman who goes home with her girlfriend for Christmas — only to find out she’s in the closet with her family. This is such a solid offering. Funny. Filled with Chemistry. AMAZING cast. And I’d rank it higher but the ending…I think Kristen Stewart deserved better. I get that every Christmas movie involves lying to learn lessons, but it’s very hard to not want to die to protect KStew in this one. So definitely watch it — but then join me in writing fanfic alt endings.
This is a classic “Christmas switch” movie without a witch Santa doing anything at all. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz simply trade houses and fall in love with men in the nearby vicinity. The chemistry between all the leads is sizzling and there’s a sweet old man and small children with British accents. It will warm the heart of even the grinchiest of grinches.
Look, this movie is bananas in all the best ways. Like it saw all the movies about couples lying to family, and then said, hold my beer. Melissa Joan Hart actually kidnaps Mario Lopez at gunpoint and then forces him to be her fake fiancé at Christmas. It’s hilarious, implausible, and the kind of insane Christmas movie I’m always chasing. Few can live up to it.
I know, bold to put as “number one Christmas movie” when it’s not technically a Christmas movie. But I think it counts! Quite a bit of this movie takes place at Christmas time. And there’s a woman finding herself and family and…I think this IS a Christmas movie. Am I the only one? Was I thrust into a reality where no one else thinks this is a Christmas movie so I have to learn the true meaning of JLO. I already know it, okay! She WAS ROBBED OF THE OSCAR FOR HUSTLERS. I’VE LEARNED MY LESSON. This has all the feelings of a great Christmas movie and it’s a joy to watch everyone on the screen — I sobbed at the end. Sobbed. Did you hear that, Witch Santa? Why won’t you release me?!?
Dory had it rough last season. The anti-hero of the TBS-turned-HBO Max cult hit Search Party, played by Alia Shawkat, found herself going from aimless New York City millennial to victim of a kidnapping, being held captive, tortured, and brainwashed by an evil Twink. The trailer for the show’s fifth and final season introduces to a happier, even effervescent Dory. Only problem? It looks like she’s become a cult leader.
“I believe that if people don’t awaken soon, something very bad will happen to us,” an awakened Dory cryptically tells a trio of doctors at the trailer’s start. “I have to save everyone from their pain.” What is she talking about? Even her friends don’t know, one writing her rantings off as “narcissism,” another saying, “If that’s not what crazy looks like, I don’t what is.”
But others disagree. Jeff Goldblum swings by as a character named “Tunnel Quinn,” breathlessly claiming that Dory’s ideas — which seem to be a bit of New Age crossed with hippie crap, with more than few notes of something sinister — “could change the course of human history.”
And so Dory — whose selfish, foolish actions have gotten people killed — may become more dangerous than ever. Which is to say she becomes popular. (And, surely, profitable.) On top of that, a show that’s already inspired countless spilled ink about what it says about millennials will add more fuel to an already raging fire. And it’ll do so while giving what looks like a plum role to no less than John Waters as well.
Search Party’s final season begins streaming on Jan. 7 on HBO Max. You can watch the trailer above.
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