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What a difference a day makes. On Tuesday night, Trump was busy preparing to pardon a number of old cohorts, cronies, and other people who could probably be useful during what may be a financially and legally questionable future. One of his last acts — dropping the “1776 Project,” a patriotic pamphlet that, among other things, minimized slavery and lumped progressives in with fascists — had recently gone live, to much mockery and disdain. Jump a day and Trump is no longer president and already many of his more controversial moves are being reversed. And that “1776 Project”? Already deleted.

The report was created as a rejoinder to The New York Times’ 1619 Project, which set out to write a corrective history of America, one that viewed it through the lens of slavery. Its introductory essay earned its author, project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer. But it predictably rankled many in conservative circles, especially Trump, who wanted one that taught a more generic “patriotism.”

When it landed — on MLK Day, no less — it was met with immediate scorn. It attacked colleges, which “peddle resentment and contempt for American principles and history alike.” It asserted that the founding fathers were not hypocrites for preaching equality while owning slaves. It attacked the civil rights movement, at least post-Martin Luther King Jr.’s death.

And now it’s gone. You’ll just have to trust the many screengrabs it inspired over social media, accompanied by appalled “Can you believe this?”-type responses. When people noticed its disappearance, only two days after its arrival, there was much rejoicing.

Among those glad it was gone was the youngest child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.

It was one of many Trump items Biden reversed in his first hours as the nations’ 46th president. Among them are: stopping our withdrawal from the WHO and the Paris Climate Accord; cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline; requiring non-citizens to be counted in the latest Census; reversing the “Muslim ban”; undoing his expansion of immigration enforcement; and stopping work on the incomplete border wall. So it really is morning in America.

Drake was set to share his upcoming sixth album, Certified Lover Boy, at some point this month. But as January went on, it became clear that wasn’t happening. Sure enough, the rapper finally admitted it wouldn’t make his promised deadline — but for a good reason.

Drake shared the news on his Instagram story on Wednesday, saying, “I was planning to release my album this month but between surgery and rehab my energy has been dedicated to recovery.” He added, “I’m blessed to be back on my feet feeling great and focused on the album, but CLB won’t be dropping in January. I’m looking forward to sharing it with you all in 2021.”

Back in November, Drake revealed that he injured his knee with a post to his Instagram story. Some reports say he suffered a torn ACL, but he has yet to confirm the injury or how he got hurt.

While the delay is certainly a disappointment, the wait shouldn’t be too grueling, as he’s shared plenty of music over the last year. In addition to his 2020 project Dark Lane Demo Tapes, Drake made a number of guest appearances on songs, including Lil Wayne’s “BB King Freestyle,” a remix of Yung Bleu’s “You’re Still Mine,” and Bryson Tiller’s “Outta Time.”

In the hours before he was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, then-President-elect Biden was sent a letter signed by 17 freshmen GOP members of the House of Representatives.

In sharp contrast to the 121 Republican House members who voted against the certification of Biden’s electoral votes—a constitutional procedure merely check-marking the state certifications that had already taken place—this letter expresses a desire to “rise above the partisan fray” and work together with Biden as he takes over the presidency.

The letter reads:

Dear President-elect Biden,

Congratulations on the beginning of your administration and presidency. As members of this freshman class, we trust that the next four years will present your administration and the 117thCongress with numerous challenges and successes, and we are hopeful that – despite our ideological differences – we may work together on behalf of the American people we are each so fortunate to serve.

After two impeachments, lengthy inter-branch investigations, and, most recently, the horrific attack on our nation’s capital, it is clear that the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans does not serve a single American.

The constituencies we represent showcase the variety of thought across our great nation. From Texas to California and from Oklahoma to New York, Americans are tired of the partisan gridlock and simply want to see leaders from both sides of the aisle work on issues important to American families, workers, and businesses.

We hope to work with you to extend targeted, meaningful coronavirus relief for families and businesses, protect Americans with pre-existing conditions, strengthen and modernize our infrastructure, enforce our antitrust laws against emboldened technology monopolies, and restore our economy struggling in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

We firmly believe that what unites us as Americans is far greater than anything that may ever divide us. In that spirit, we hope that we can rise above the partisan fray to negotiate meaningful change for Americans across the nation and maintain the United States’ standing as the best country in the world.

Sincerely,

Beth Van Duyne, Stephanie Bice, Madison Cawthorn, Scott Franklin, Andrew Garbarino, Carlos A. Gimenez, Yvette Herrell, Ashley Hinson, Young Kim, Nicole Malliotakis, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Barry Moore, Jay Obernolte, Burgess Owens, Jerry L. Carl, Peter Meijer, David G. Valadao

It may be worth pointing out that 17 out of 211 is a pretty small number, and some of the names on this list overlap with those who voted to reject Biden’s certification. It’s also worth pointing out that referencing the two impeachments and inter-branch investigations in the same breath as the attack on the Capitol (which they mistyped as “capital”) feels a bit off, especially when pointing to them as seemingly equal examples of “the partisan divide.”

But hey, any formal acknowledgment that partisan gridlock sucks and serves no one is a step in the right direction. We have to start somewhere if there’s to be any hope of getting anywhere.

George Washington tried to warn us of “the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally” and explained what would happen if we didn’t heed that warning. (Spoiler: It’s exactly what is happening in our politics right now.) Imagine how much more we could get done in our government if it weren’t for lawmakers playing toxic partisanship like a team sport. Partisan politics itself is inherently divisive, and it would be fabulous if we could come up with a better system, but here we are. If we have to work within a two-party system, we need the people in it to approach bipartisanship in good faith.

Whether this letter was issued in good faith by all who signed it remains to be seen, but at least it’s a start. With some Americans being unwilling to accept the legitimacy of Biden’s presidency, we need leaders across government to step up and speak up, put an end to the lies and the partisan rhetoric that pushes people to extremes, and work across the aisle to solve the problems we all face.

Former president Donald J. Trump only had three White House press secretaries over the four years of his administration, but they were all about the same: They each held the press with obvious contempt, they each offered spin and distortions, even lies, over truth, and they were each generally perceived as wishing to protect their boss more than keep their fellow Americans informed. So when former Obama staffer Jen Psaki — successor to Trump’s final press secretary, the notorious Kayleigh McEnany — held her first press conference mere hours after her boss, Joe Biden, was elected, her professionalism and obvious kindness just seemed…kind of weird, to be honest.

Even the way Psaki started things couldn’t help but feel disarmingly decent. “It’s an honor to be here with all of you,” Psaki said. She then laid out her main goal as McEnany’s replacement. “When the president asked me to serve in this role, we talked about the importance of bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room.”

She then took questions, and she proceeded to not treat reporters respectfully, not try to puff up her chief employer with exaggerations, and was even honest that she might not always see eye-to-eye.

“I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play,” she told reporters. “There will be moments when we disagree and there will certainly be days when we disagree, for extensive parts of the briefing, perhaps. But we have a common goal, which is sharing accurate information with the American people.”

It stood in stark contrast with the first press conference held by Sean Spicer, Trump’s initial press secretary, who started off by scolding shellshocked journalists and lying about Trump’s inauguration crowd size. She wasn’t withering, like Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and she wasn’t snippy and sarcastic, like McEnany.

In other words, Psaki was off to a great start, thought many on social media.

She was even overtly welcoming to the press.

She seemed professional and nice.

In fact, to many, having this feeling again, after four long years, felt kind of strange!

So there you have it! It wasn’t a terribly exciting press conference. But that, of course, is what made it feel so good.

There are a lot of reasons why James Harden has become such a polarizing figure over the years. One of the central gripes about him has to do with the clever and innovative techniques he’s developed for initiating contact with his defenders and goading them into fouls.

Harden certainly isn’t the only player in the NBA who has worked that into his repertoire, and now a whole new generation of players have taken that cue and run with it. Hawks guard Trae Young has been a big proponent, developing his own signature technique to draw shooting fouls on opponents who get caught trailing him around screens or reaching in as he works through the paint and is quick to flip up floaters to draw contact.

During the Hawks game against the Nets last month, he caught the attention of head coach Steve Nash — one of the craftiest point guards in history — who could be seen pleading his case to the officials and saying “That’s not basketball.” All Young could do was smile.

“That’s not basketball” – Steve Nash

Trae Young was drawing cheap fouls and Steve Nash was tired of seeing it, not being able to do anything about it. Coach Nash had to have a word with this ref. Talk heavy coach. #WeGoHard – @Keith_McPherson pic.twitter.com/tMEbkSD6Ga

— Talkin’ Nets (@TalkinNets) December 31, 2020

Now, Young has offered a more in-depth response to Nash’s comments, saying that he grew up idolizing the two-time MVP and that Nash was guilty of similar tactics during his playing days. Via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic:

“I saw that it blew up and everyone was talking about it,” Young said of Nash’s comments. “I bet if I was playing for Steve, he’d be happy. It’s something in the midst of competition that he was wanting to win, and I was wanting to win, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes. I think him wanting to get in the refs’ ears a little bit was just trying to help him. I learned a lot about drawing fouls from him. If he says it’s not basketball, he must’ve been saying it about himself because he’s done it a couple of times throughout his career and was so successful.”

Still, Young’s strategy has curried attention, and it appears the league will reportedly look into instituting a rule to curtail the practice. Young is one of the NBA’s best at getting to the line at 9.7 free throw attempts per game, although he’s struggled with his shot so far this season, and the Hawks have won just three out of their last seven games.

The NBA has tried to alter rules like this in the past, promising to crack down on shooters who throw themselves into defenders to attempt to draw fouls, but it’s a rule whose application has been spotty, to say the least. As such, it remains to be seen whether they can effectively adjudicate efforts in foul drawing, particularly given they so often do get actual contact and are fouled.

It has been four years since Kyrie Irving last played a game in Cleveland, as the former Cavaliers star had yet to play against his former team in their home arena since he left in 2017. However, that all changed on Wednesday when Irving suited up for the first time in seven games for the Nets after taking what he called a “needed” personal leave as Brooklyn visited Cleveland for a doubleheader.

During the first timeout of the first quarter, the Cavs finally got to play a tribute video to Irving for the first time since his departure, and the 2,000 fans in attendance greeted him with a standing ovation. Irving waved to the crowd and showed his gratitude to them and the organization by pointing to his ring finger, symbolizing the championship he helped bring them — with his shot over Stephen Curry and the parade featuring heavily in the tribute video.

It’s nice to see the positive response Irving got, as his departure from Cleveland wasn’t particularly smooth, but time heals wounds and as the Cavs have begun emerging in their rebuild, their fans can look back a bit more fondly on Irving’s time and the ultimate high he helped them reach with the 2016 championship.

Our quest to find the best bourbon at every price point marches on. This week, we’re talking about bottles of bourbon whiskey that cost between $20 and $30. This is one of the sweet spots in bourbon — as we’re starting to get into quality expressions that aren’t just workhorse mixers and shooters.

After a little debate in the comments last week about prices, we’ve decided to give you more of a range this go around. But remember, prices are determined by the stores themselves — so it’s possible to walk into two stores across a street from one another and pay two (sometimes drastically) different prices for the same bottle. Also, a few of the bottles on this list are blowing up right now, so don’t expect them to be this cheap much longer.

As of now, the ten bottles below are all easy enough to find nationwide and should cost you less than $30 each. They’re also all very drinkable, which is really the whole point of this endeavor.

Let’s get into it!

Wild Turkey 101

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $22 to $29

The Whiskey:

Wild Turkey 101 (Campari) uses a deep “alligator” char in their barrels to add more depth and flavor over the six-or-so years the juice spends with the wood. The iconic whiskey is also lightened with that soft Kentucky limestone water, bringing the proof down to a still strong 101.

Tasting Notes:

Buttery toffee, rich vanilla, and a note of citrus pull you in. The palate amps up the vanilla while adding in dark spices that lead towards a sharp, fresh tobacco leaf chew. The end is long and leads back to that toffee sweetness with a touch of butterscotch as the oak, vanilla, and spice linger on your senses with a warming embrace.

Bottom Line:

This bold with a capital “B.” It really works best as a cocktail base given that the high ABVs can standup to mixing. Try it in your next old fashioned.

Buffalo Trace

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24 to $30

The Whiskey:

This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history, especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand. (And a much-beloved “value bottle.”)

Tasting Notes:

Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark syrup sweetness and a flourish of fresh mint. The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove and star anise — next to a hint of tart berries underneath it all. The end is long, velvety, and really delivers on the vanilla and spice.

Bottom Line:

This is tipping into solid sipper territory, especially over ice. It’s also a really nice bottle to have on hand for mixing up subtler cocktails, like a Manhattan.

Two Stars Bourbon

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $20 to $22

The Whiskey:

This juice hails from one of Sazerac’s many other distilleries. In this case, Clear Spring Distilling Co. is behind the brand (they’re also rumored to be behind Costco’s Kirkland Signature bourbons). This juice is pretty straightforward bourbon that’s aged around two years before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

This does taste a lot like the Kirkland Signature stuff. There’s a clear sense of vanilla, caramel, and oak that’s neither bold nor muted but … there. The sip has a moment of fruit next to the caramel that then leads back towards the vanilla. The end is short, a bit hot, and sweet-ish with a cherry edge.

Bottom Line:

This really works best as a mixer and will likely remind you of Jim Beam thanks to that note of cherry. Still, at around $20 per bottle, it’s a great bottle to use while you’re practice mixing drinks.

Knob Creek Small Batch 100 Proof

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $23 to $30

The Whiskey:

This higher-end whiskey from Jim Beam is a nine-year-old bourbon that’s bottled at nice, high proof. It was a no-age-statement bourbon between 2016 and April of 2020. Then Beam brought the age-statement back, likely to get a higher price for “older” bourbon — though that hasn’t happened yet.

Tasting Notes:

Buttered kettle corn with caramel meets mild notes of vanilla and a hint of orange zest up top. The sip delivers a very mild peppery spice that never overpowers the caramel corn, vanilla, or slightly musty oak. That wood leads towards an end that retouches on the orange, spice, and vanilla while fading away fairly quickly.

Bottom Line:

This is a fine sipper on the rocks. It’s a little warm for neat, so at least one or two rocks are needed to cool it down while opening up those flavor profiles. Don’t sleep on this in cocktails, either.

Old Tub

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $22 to $24

The Whiskey:

Last year, Jim Beam released their “distillery-only” Old Tub expression on the national market. The juice is an unfiltered and higher ABV version of classic Beam, giving you more of the brand’s depth in each sip of whiskey.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of cornmeal next to sawdust, oily vanilla, and a hint of fresh honey sweetness that entices your senses. The sip takes on a caramel corn sweetness vibe as the vanilla carries you towards sweeter woods and cherry fruits. The end is short and sweet (like most Beam) with a distant wisp of orange oils next to a slight minerality.

Bottom Line:

This is an interesting Jim Beam to try on the rocks. We’ve also been experimenting with it in cocktails and it really holds up nicely, even in overly sweet ones like a Horse’s Neck.

Elijah Craig Small Batch

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $24 to $29

The Whiskey:

Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig Small Batch is batched from fewer than 200 barrels. The blend is comprised of whiskeys aged eight to 12 years before blending. The juice is then proofed with limestone water before bottling.

This is another popular “value pick.”

Tasting Notes:

The sweetness of this dram bridges fresh honey and a nuttiness that leans towards marzipan with a hint of rosewater in the background. That sweetness is counterpointed by Christmas spice next to black pepper and red fruit as the wood lingers underneath with a slight bitterness. The wood turns a bit leathery on the end as the spices, sweetness, and fruit fade out at a medium pace.

Bottom Line:

This is going to be hard to find at this price much longer. Elijah Craig’s Barrel Proof is burning up the awards circuit and that luster shines on this bottle too. Still, if you can try it for under $30, give it a shot as a sipper with a little water or ice before moving onto mixing.

Larceny Small Batch

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $20 to $25 to ???

The Whiskey:

This brand was devised by Heaven Hill to be the accessible wheated bourbon of the world — Old Fitzgerald and Pappy having long left mass-accessibility behind. The juice is wheated, of course, and small batched with no age statement.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a note of freshly baked biscuits with butter and toffee dripping from the batch. That butter really becomes creamy as the toffee leads towards rich vanilla, sweet oak, and very slight fruitiness. The real star of the show is the buttery toffee, biscuits, and hint of sweet wood that lingers the most through the short fade.

Bottom Line:

With Larceny Barrel Proof being named whiskey of the year by Whisky Advocate, Larceny may not be that accessible a brand for much longer, thereby taking another wheated bourbon off the mainstream market. In the meantime, plenty of regions still have this bottle at affordable prices.

Give it a shot on the rocks or in a cocktail.

Old Grand-Dad 114

ABV: 57%

Average Price: $28 to $30

The Whiskey:

This is the mountaintop of Beam’s Old Grand-Dad series. This is a true high-rye bourbon with 27 percent of the mash bill (recipe) comprised of the grain. The juice is then aged for an undisclosed amount of years before it’s blended, barely brought down to 114 proof, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s spice on the nose. But that spice leans more towards fresh chewing tobacco, worn leather, and musty oak. The palate skews into the tobacco but it almost becomes a vanilla pipe tobacco as a slight cream soda note arrives next to more leather, oak, and a hint of tart apples. The end is that warm Kentucky hug bourbon drinkers talk about, with plenty of the tobacco spice, sweet vanilla soda, leather, and oak lingering the longest as a very distant wisp of charcoal smoke arrives at the very end.

Bottom Line:

At this ABV, this bottle is a great cocktail base. You really won’t lose this one in a boulevardier. Still, it’s not so hot that you can’t enjoy it over the rocks.

Fistful of Bourbon

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $25 to $29

The Whiskey:

This is one of the more interesting sourced whiskeys on the shelf in the U.S. The juice is the design of Scottish Master Blender (for William Grant & Sons) Kelsey McKechnie. McKechnie left Scotland for the U.S. to work in bourbon in the same ways she worked in blended scotch. Fistful of Bourbon is the fruits of that effort and blends five straight bourbons (from undisclosed distilleries) into one bottle.

Tasting Notes:

This is whiskey by design and hits classic and deep notes starting with bespoke but not too sweet Red Hots, vanilla pods, and a touch of mint on the end of the nose. The palate refines the spices and broadens to a clear Christmas spice feel next to a touch of dried fruit, leather, and oak. The end sharpens the spiciness while holding onto the bold vanilla as the oak and fruit fade completely out.

Bottom Line:

This is a really solid cocktail bourbon to have on hand. We’d argue that you need a little water to really let it open up, which also makes it a fine candidate for on the rocks or in a highball.

1792 Small Batch

ABV: 46.85%

Average Price: $26 to $30

The Whiskey:

Hailing from the classic Barton Distillery (Sazerac), this bourbon aims to hit classic notes. The juice is small-batched with no age-statement — though, its previous iteration was aged eight years. The mash bill is a high-rye bourbon that helps this one stand out from the pack for its boldness.

Tasting Notes:

“Classic” really carries through this whole bourbon — as vanilla, caramel, sweetcorn, and oak marry with rye spice on the nose. The sip delivers on those notes as the rye almost edges towards a crusty European bread as notes of bitter espresso beans counterpoint that caramel and vanilla. A slight nuttiness arrives late as the cinnamon-forward spice, oak, and vanilla slowly fade away.

Bottom Line:

We’d argue this works best as a sipper on the list, especially with some water or ice to let it bloom in the glass.

On Wednesday, after months of turmoil involving election-related conspiracy theories and even a failed MAGA coup, Joe Biden was finally inaugurated as America’s 45th president. It was a big day, with big milestones (the nation’s first female/black/Asian vice president!), lots of big stars (Lady Gaga! The New Radicals!), to say nothing of the big “malarkey” guy himself. But if you followed it all on social media, you came away with one major conclusion: the day was stolen by Bernie Sanders. And all he did was sit in a fold-out chair with tiny mittens looking vaguely grumpy and cold.

Sanders — who was the last presidential candidate to drop out before Biden nabbed the ticket — joined the throngs in D.C., which was big on fellow politicians and celebrities but short on regular citizens, for obvious reasons. The Vermont senator, whose policies lean towards the socialist side of things, may not be president but he does have a sweet new gig: He’s the new chair of the Senate Budget Committee, meaning he’ll be overseeing how much money goes to Americans struggling during the pandemic.

But for now, his job is being a meme celebrity. Soon Sanders was being Photoshopped into movies.

And TV shows.

And album covers.

And other miscellaneous things.

Will Bernie see any of this? Does he know he’s being memed? Probably not! He’s a busy and serious man, and he probably won’t enjoy some young aide explaining to him that he’s been photoshopped into Uncut Gems or the cover for Steely Dan’s Pretzel Logic. But everyone else enjoyed it, and that’s what counts.

Welcome to another edition of SNX DLX!

This go around Nike, Adidas, and New Balance snagged all the spots in our top five. But the week had a considerable number of drops and it was a bit hard to narrow it down, so we’d like to take this time to mention a few more notable sneakers that we couldn’t fit in. First up, Dr. Martens is launching a collection of 1460 and 1461 boots featuring the art of Keith Haring. TITAN will release more stock from their Air Jordan 23 and 35s. And SBTG and Limited EDT are linking up with ASICS for a monsoon-inspired take on the GEL-Lyte III.

On the apparel end, we’ve got fresh looks from RHUDE, Wood Wood, and LaRayia’s Bodega. So let’s stop talking about it and just be about it.

Nike SB Dunk Low Street Hawker

We’re still in the first month of the year and Nike is already getting weird with the Dunk by dropping this asymmetrical pair inspired by Chinese street food. Yup, you read that right, the upper of this sneaker features watercolor graphics of over half a dozen different Chinese dishes, and while that sounds a little out there, it really doesn’t look that bad.

I want to say I can clearly see what appears to be a noodle but from what I can tell, the food is pretty indistinguishable. regardless, the Dunk is solidifying itself as Nike’s favorite playground for their most bizarre ideas. We’re with it.

The Nike SNKRS app is set to drop this one on January 22nd for a retail price of $110. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or select Nike retailers.

Air Jordan 4 Starfish

Easily the best WMNS-exclusive Air Jordan 4 since Abloh’s last Off-White rendition, the Starfish looks to the great beyond for inspiration, delivering a spacesuit-inspired upper of black metallic mesh adorned with grey and black TPU heel tabs and wings for an extra futuristic vibe. Beneath the mesh lurks a vibrant shade of Starfish orange, which is complemented by matching accenting work and the jump man logo on the tongue.

Unlike Abloh’s Off-White AJ4, the Starfish will drop in an extended size run, widening the audience of who will be able to cop this pair.

The Nike Air Jordan 4 Starfish is set to drop on January 22nd via the Nike SNKRS app or select Nike retailers.

Adidas Yeezy BOOST 700 Sun

The announcement of this sneaker straight up made us triple-take. Could this colorful sneaker before our eyes actually be an official pair of Yeezys? Triple black, sure, BRED, definitely, a bunch of indistinguishable earth-toned colors that sort of resemble vomit? All the time.

But teal, yellow, and orange? We’ve never seen a Yeezy this colorful.

I gotta say, this is probably going to be my release of the week. If this is an indication of what we can expect from Yeezy Brand in 2021, Ye is about to have a hell of a year in footwear. Although, I’d be lying if I said another part of my brain says this colorway looks kind of like mustard and special sauce, which still sort of looks like vomit so maybe this isn’t as new as I think.

I’m torn.

The Adidas Yeezy BOOST 700 Sun is set to drop on January 23rd for a retail price of $240. Pick up a pair at the Adidas webstore or via Yeezy Supply.

Nike Dunk High x Notre Midnight Navy

This sick pair of Midnight Navy high-top Dunks sees Nike tapping Chicago-based retailer Notre for a special makeup that reps the Windy City proudly. Featuring a mix of shaggy suede and leather in shades of midnight navy and sky grey, this Dunk utilizes triple stitching, asymmetrical color blocking, and uses a natural finishing process that gives each pair its own unique color variance.

Notre branding is proudly displayed on the left sneaker’s tongue, giving the presentation an appealing skewed look.

The Nike Dunk High x Notre in Midnight Navy is set to drop on January 23rd for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or select Nike retailers.

Patta x New Balance 991

New Balance has linked up with Dutch streetwear brand Patta once again for a new dusty pink take on the 991 silhouette. Featuring a breathable mesh upper with pig suede and leather overlays, the Patta 991 sports dual branding on the lateral heel and sits atop an ABZORB sole for added comfort.

The sneaker will see a wider release next week but is dropping initially via Patta along with an apparel collection.

The Patta x New Balance 991 is set to drop on January 22nd for a retail price of $220. Pick up a pair exclusively via the Patta webstore.

RHUDE Autumn Winter 2021

It feels like the Los Angeles-based label RHUDE is always evolving. What started as a t-shirt brand, blossomed into a full menswear collection that rode the line between luxury and streetwear, creating something altogether new, made a surprising pivot to furniture, and is now kicking off 2021 with a ‘90s inspired men and womenswear collection made in partnership with McLaren Racing.

The expansive collection features winter-ready shearling jackets, varsity jackets, cardigans, double-breasted blazers, rugby shirts, and some road-ready jumpsuits and racing jackets. The aesthetic of the collection is one part collegiate, one part McLaren-inspired, the two looks seem to exist in their own worlds without ever intersecting, offering a bit of something for everyone.

The collection is also RHUDE’s first attempt at a womenswear line and it’s looking like the brand is off to a great start.

The RHUDE Autumn Winter 2021 collection is available now at the RHUDE website.

Wood Wood SS21

Copenhagen-based Wood Wood is dropping a groovy Spring Summer collection that is heavily inspired by the street looks of late ‘60s early ‘70s Nørrebro. Featuring wax jackets, pintuck dresses, long-sleeve polos, cardigans, headwear, and liberal use of corduroy and crochet construction, Wood Wood is delivering a loungey baggy collection that delivers all the comfort of modern streetwear in a retro old world package.

Shop the Wood Wood Spring Summer 2021 collection on January 20th at the Wood Wood webstore.

LaRayia’s Bodega Headwear

Los Angeles’ LaRayia’s Bodega has just dropped a new collection of headwear featuring the organic bodega/online streetwear label’s “Love Without Reason” slogan, as well as a desert sage hoodie. New headwear options include a 6-panel camp hat, a black visor, a ‘90s inspired turmeric and pepper dad hat, as well as a bucket hat featuring a “Ghetto Guru” patch.

Shop the LaRayia’s Bodega goods at the brand’s official webstore.

If Bernie Sanders isn’t the realest dude to ever serve in Congress, I don’t know who is.

We got to witness Bernie’s down-to-earth, let’s-get-to-work, cut-the-crap personality in all its visual glory at Joe Biden’s inauguration today. While pundits fawned over the sharp and colorful stylings of the attendees, Uncle Bernie sauntered looking like he was on his way to run some errands and decided to stop in for a sec to see the new president sworn in.

Clad in what is probably his one winter coat and a pair of hand-knitted mittens, he looked perfectly comfortable, even as he stood out from the crowd of formal, designer coats and gloves. Ah, Bernie. You’re just so…Bernie. It’s a big part of why the guy has such a dedicated fan base. What you see is what you get, and he makes no apologies for being exactly who he is at all times.

But today of all days, as the nation waited with bated breath to witness the transfer of power from President Trump to President Biden, especially in the wake of an attempted violent coup and under the specter of an ongoing pandemic, Bernie’s Bernieness came as a particularly welcome delight. This event could not have been more serious or weighty in its significance, and yet along comes Bernie reminding us that we’re all just human beings here, none of us more or less important than the other.

His look launched a thousand memes that provided some needed comic relief for the day. I mean, how could it not?

“Bernie dressed like the inauguration is on his to-do list today but ain’t his whole day.” That pretty much nails it. “Inauguration? Check. Post office? Check. Do I have time to hit Home Depot? Well, I don’t like to drive in the dark so we’ll see.”

He was undoubtedly happy to be there, but it’s easy to read his body language as “Are we done yet? I don’t have time for this hullabaloo. We’ve got work to do getting healthcare to the people.”

Some got creative with where they imagined Bernie to be, such as showing up early to the movies.

Some started photoshopping him into various places, like the park or the DMV.

An everyman superhero, perhaps?

How about riding the subway, chilling in his headphones? Perfection.

If any of that makes you feel a little jealous, no worries. You too can look like you attended Joe Biden’s inauguration on your way to the post office.

CBS News chatted with Bernie after the inauguration and asked him about the coat and mittens that got everyone talking. Naturally, he explained the practicality of it all. “You know, in Vermont we dress warm. We know something about the cold, and we’re not so concerned about good fashion. We want to keep warm, and that’s what I did today.”

That sentiment was appreciated by other New Englanders who touted the shout out to “our middle class New England tradition of having exactly one heavy winter coat, worn to both formal and casual events.”

The mittens actually have a sweet story behind them. They were given to him by a teacher from his home state when he was on the campaign trail a couple of years ago. And they’re made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece made from recycled plastic bottles, because of course they are.

You don’t have to agree with all of Bernie Sanders’ policy positions to agree that the man is as authentic and transparent as they come. And you don’t have to agree with the fashion choice of showing up to a presidential inauguration in a parka and knitted mittens to acknowledge that a guy who does just that isn’t trying to prove anything to anybody.

Keep being you, Bernie. The breath of fresh air you bring to our national politics will always be welcome.