Gooooooood Morning,

Grab your morning cup of pipin’ hot joe, we’re going to jump right in.

• “In America, the professional kitchen is the last refuge of the misfit” – Anthony Bourdain. We lost a living legend this week. A man who brought people sitting on their couch around the globe through his culinary adventures and cultural curiosity. In a world that strives to be politically correct in all instances (perhaps to a fault), thank you for staying true to yourself and being a misfit in and out of the kitchen. The world will miss your unapologetically brash yet genuine nature. You’ve inspired us all. Rest easy, chef.
  • “I would say that the angriest critiques I get from people about shows are when I’m drinking whatever convenient cold beer is available in a particular place, and not drinking the best beer out there. You know, I haven’t made the effort to walk down the street 10 blocks to the microbrewery where they’re making some fucking Mumford and Sons IPA. People get all bent about it. But look, I like cold beer. And I like to have a good time.” – Anthony Bourdain in an entertaining, no holds barred Thrillist interview
  •  A thought provoking reflection and important reminder about the lessons learned from this week’s unfortunate passings via The Globe and Mail
  • One of Anthony’s classic literary gems… His food essay to The New Yorker titled, Don’t Eat Until You Read This.
  • Last but not least, some raw insight into what outsiders might consider “the pinnacle of success” in business and how/why things aren’t always so peachy on the inside.
• Tom Brady. The GOAT. If you haven’t seen the mini-documentary Tom vs. Time, I would highly recommend it. It’s a raw glimpse into Tom’s life off the field and brings to light his unwavering commitment to greatness. If you ask me, watching the weird and wacky things Tom does to prepare himself to shine under the lights is all kinds of awesome.
• As you might be able to tell based on frequency of articles featured, I am big fan of Mark Manson. His raw, brash, satirical introductory paragraphs can scare off the faint of heart but if you can get past his wild vocabulary, Mark’s insight into the shittier parts of life is refreshingly on point. He dives deep into the parts of life that few other authors and bloggers dare and does so in a very practical manner. Real life isn’t lived through an Instagram filter of glamour and perfection so why should the world of self help articles? Keep on rocking in the free world, Mark. This read, The Four Stages of Life, won’t let you down. And if you care to share what stage of life you’re in (or trying to transition into), let’s grab a coffee and chat about it. Coffee is on me.

Coffee of the Week: If you haven’t been to The Colombian in Edmonton, it is my favorite new shop in the city. The owner, Santiago, is an awesome guy with an even better back story, dating back to his roots and coffee heritage in Colombia. He roasts all of his coffee on-site with his partner in crime and wife, Kristin. They dial in a perfect medium roast every time. Nestled in the heart of Glenora, the best part is, the staff are all super friendly and love helping you pick out a great cup of joe. A sour free zone in more ways than one is my kind of place!

Song of the Week: “Feel It Still” – Portugal The Man

Quote of the Week: “The possibility for greatness and embarrassment both exist in the same space. If you’re not willing to be embarrassed, you’re probably not willing to be great.” – Paul Angone

Rise & Grind,

Mike