Shiny Objects -- No. 1

Here are a few of the more interesting things that have distracted me this past week: 

1. “Where They Raced: Speed Demons in the City of Angels”: This fun documentary of SoCal race tracks over the past century is currently streaming for free on Hulu. It’s remarkable how many classic tracks peppered the Los Angeles area over the years, only to be overrun by developers.   

Here’s a trailer for the film:

2. The Best American Infographics 2014”: I’ve long believed in the power of great infographics and this terrific collection captures the depth and breadth of prime visual storytelling from around the world. I was given this book for Christmas and am finding it ideal for browsing for a few minutes here, a few minutes there. 

For more on the book and background on infographics, here's Leo LaPorte interviewing editor Gareth Cook on a recent episode of “Triangulation”: 

Click to read more ...

WSJ Plus and the power of community

This is long delayed but will post anyway because 1) the warm feeling still is with me more than two months later and 2) I haven’t had made the time time to post until now. 

On Oct. 16, I attended a special event for Wall Street Journal subscribers at The Petersen automotive museum in Los Angeles titled “Visions of Glamour, Automotive Design and Style.” This three-hour “WSJ Plus” event was part of the Journal’s new “membership” rewards program and featured: 

1. An hourlong roundtable with WSJ auto columnist Dan Neil (who is so good he earned a Pulitzer Prize for his work); Ian Callum, chief stylist for Jaguar; and Stuart Reed, chair of the transportation design department at the Art Center College of Design. 

Click to read more ...

Creating my own barrel-aged Smoked Manhattans

Updated on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at 1:41 PM by Logan Molen

Updated on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 8:16 PM by Logan Molen

My finished Smoked ManhattansWhether you call them barrel-aged cocktails, casked cocktails or something else, they’re a tasty reward for drinkers looking for a bit of adventure. 

In my case, I created what I call Smoked Manhattans, a blend of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. What surprised me was not that my end product was tasty -- it is -- but that its three ingredients took new directions inside a charred cask. Granted I’m a novice at barrel aging liquor, so expectations at the start of this process were cloudy to say the least. But even if my next batch is a mess, I’m loving the adventure. 

Click to read more ...