It's the beginning of an extended and enduring winter, an underwhelming period of darkness, a forlorn absence of meaning, it's very dark.
So let's talk about warm and soft stuff like:
*Introducing a new monthly wine club level, 1 bottle + 1 pint for $32+tax.
*10% off at both shops if you choose Cash App when checking out online.
*The return of pot pies.
*Wine clubs make a great gift, so does merch.
Details on these and more (rare ice cream still available in Union Sq) below.
Have you forgotten how to love yourself.
I don't know how to start this newsletter, so do you want to hear about the time when I was really little and I gave an old man the finger because I didn't think he'd be able to see me, but then he did, which oopsie doopsie, I guess there's not much more story, but I'll do my best. When I was, I don't know, seven? five? six? I was playing outside in the driveway in the minivan with the door open just being a bored kid in the suburbs and the driveway was a little bit below grade so there was a three foot wall which meant I was barely visible as a bored kid in the suburbs sitting in the minivan, think one of those early Dodge Caravans. And to a bored six year old, barely visible means invisible, doesn't it, rhetorical, it does. We lived 4-5 houses from Cleveland Rd, a busier cross street, about 200 yards away (because this is a factually rigorous newsletter I measured on Google Maps and it was actually 300 feet) from the corner. So here I am a tiny child, functionally invisible in all facets of my life, and basically invisible behind a wall in the open door of a minivan, 200 yards (300 feet) from this cross street and I see an old man walking by and I think what any little kid in this situation would think, hell yeah, let's give this guy the finger, there's no way he can see us and then I thought why are we talking in the third person.
And I bet you can guess what happened next if you read the first sentence of the first paragraph OR have any sense of narrative arc because the old man was walking along probably not thinking nothing and just enjoying the cool weather and I know it was cool because I have a vision in my head of him wearing a pretty heavy coat and why do I have this vision? It's because Ol' Eagle Eyes McGee stopped his walk and was looking right down the street at me and the vision of this old man in a heavy coat was burned into my brain as I thought, there's no way you see me, I'm invisible, gramps, keep moving, but he didn't did he? No he just kept staring down the street at me and it was really terrible. This felt like it went on for forty minutes, though it was probably no more than three minutes, but it was an agonizing amount of time as it dawned on me how I wasn't being nice to this old man and also how much trouble I was going to get in when this man decided to come tell my parents what I had done because holy shit I was sitting in my parents' car in the driveway of the house they lived in and so for the second time that morning I did what any little kid would do and I ducked down behind the wall, crawled into the back of the minivan and lay down on the floor between the second and third bench for a long time thinking my life is over jk life rocks hoping the old man wasn't walking up the street. And I don't know what happened the rest of the day, but I imagine I know I was panicked about how this guy knew were my parents lived if he wanted to tell them about me giving him the finger. I don't think I've ever told anyone this story before so I hope you feel special and important. As always, there's a book recommendation if you make it to the bottom of the newsletter and you can pre-order and pay for Gracie's in Union or Earnest Drinks in Kendall Square. You can order delivery from both locations just by visiting those websites. Macaulay Culkin's middle name is Macaulay Culkin making his legal name Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin. You can look it up if you want. Spreadsheets are great, except when they're not. You've never heard this word for shapely buttocks.
A corrupt Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case which will likely result in the weakening or complete reversal of Roe v Wade, so it's as good a time as any to remember abortion is a private health decision between a doctor and a pregnant person and to give money to the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Now on to trying to sell you stuff like a new option for our monthly Wine + Ice Cream Club. As you know, we've got the three bottle + three pints option for $70, but some of you mentioned not needing 3 bottles + three pints of ice cream per month, so this month we're introducing a 1+1 option for $32 plus tax. Each month, Chris is curating a new bottle of wine and I'll figure out an ice cream flavor for you. The wine club picks up generally the third week of the month, though the date shifts around a little bit and of course your kit will be available for pick up any date after the pick up date. The 1 bottle of wine + 1 pint of ice cream also makes a really good gift for yourself or someone else. Order here. On the invention of Gummi Worms. Every machine is a smoke machine if you really want it to be.
Consider also sending your pals some Gracie's merch including our world's softest Ice Cream Weather zip hoodie sweatshirt, very comfy sweatpants, winter pom pom beanie, and all our shirts, fanny packs, etc. All shipped orders come with stickers and/or buttons. These are also available for pick up in Union Square (and mostly available in Kendall Square). If you select Cash App as your payment option you'll save 10% on your whole order all month long. Pineapple pizza is not a crime. Cats where they shouldn't be. Cat's where they shouldn't be.
There are other things which make a good gift, too, including tickets to our pop up series with chef Amanda Lowry. Our next event is sold out, but we've got plenty of others ready to wow you in January and February. Click here to see the full list. If you select Cash App as your payment option you'll save 10% on your whole order all month long. Do cats like pistachio ice cream? I always imagine how long this took to accomplish.
It's peppermint stick ice cream season now. (Peppermint stick ice cream season is December into January and July/August in my opinion.) Starting Friday, we'll have peppermint stick ice cream in pints, by the scoop, and as ice cream pies in Union Square, and coming soon to Kendall Square, too. It's AMAZING with hot fudge. You can see what pints or scoops we have available in Union Square if you want to and please, please, please, please (I'm not afraid to beg for something I want badlyyyyy) order some pints to stock up your freezer. The cold weather is killing us this year. If you select Cash App as your payment option you'll save 10% on your whole order all month long. Here is another song I like to listen to. Fashionable cat. Not every dream is something to pursue.
We've still got some Frank's RedHot ice cream at both shops, order at Kendall Square or Union Square. We've got a lot of different ice cream pies in Union Square. In Kendall, we'll make the pie to order if you give us a few hours notice. Along with a fall cocktail list, we've also got a four new beers from White Lion Brewing in Springfield for you to drink with your lunch or dinner or ice cream. If you select Cash App as your payment option you'll save 10% on your whole order all month long.
Last winter, one of the brightest spots were the deliciously flaky pot pies James made at Earnest for you to bake at home. I think I ate 40 of them. They're cheddar crust on top of chicken, onion, carrot, celery, peas, and a whole lot of thyme and parsley, in a sauce made with slow cooked chicken stock and apple cider. Next week we'll be re-introducing the vegetarian mushroom pot pies as well. These 5 inch pies are a pound each, and more than enough food for one person, or enough for two people with a side or two. When you get it home, put it in the oven at 375 for 45 minutes until golden toasty. Click here to order one today. If you select Cash App as your payment option you'll save 10% on your whole order all month long.
Thank you for reading, forward this to your friends so they can read it, too, and thank you for all your previous support. There are no exclamation points in the newsletter this week which is what we try to do regularly. Would you like a book recommendation? How about Matrix by Lauren Groff. I really liked Fates and Furies and Matrix was good, too, but a completely different kind of story. If you think you might want to read about a bad ass world building nun, this one's for you. It's good, you should read it. Buy it at Porter Square Books or Amazon.
Gracie's + Earnest Drinks team