Welcome to the twenty-third edition of The Rec Room, a weekly lounge-meets-newsletter from your friend John A. Paradiso. A big thank you to everyone who’s subscribed so far. And, if you haven’t, hit that big ol’ subscribe button now!
If you have no idea what’s going on, no problem!
Every Friday, I’ll be sending out an email with five recommendations from a friend with fantastic taste. Then, each guest will end the email with a game to add to our Rec Room Game Collection. It’s like walking into your new favorite brewery.
Today’s guest is my friend Kaitlin Cornelius! I first met Kaitlin on an early Hop Culture trip to Pittsburgh. We randomly stopped in Easton, PA looking for some decent food and drink and stumbled into Sole Artisan Ales. The stained glass windows, Danish-inspired interior design, and delicious beers were a welcome break on our drive. And, Kaitlin was behind the bar!
Fast forward a few years and Sole has rebranded to Separatist Beer Project - one of the best, most underrated breweries in Pennsylvania imo. And Kaitlin and I have stayed in touch through the glorious world of Instagram. Kaitlin is now Separatist’s GM and runs their 2nd location which opened up in Philadelphia. Kaitlin lives in Philly with her two dogs and pizza chef partner. She’s a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things Philly, beer + food, and frankly anything cool. Plus, she has an online Philly food-based publication in the works that should be live around the holidays. Give her a follow on Instagram to stay tuned for that awesome project!
So, all of that is to say it was a super easy choice to have her as a guest on The Rec Room. And she nailed it! I actually just bought Molly Baz’s cookbook so I’m stoked to give that a read. And anyone who knows me knows I’m a fan of a simple, delicious Americano.
So, sit back, enjoy your Friday, and relax in The Rec Room.
The Recs
Cook This Book - Molly Baz
“I recently decided it was time again to cook a cookbook front to back. I've been working my way through Molly's book and I've learned infinite useful knowledge like Kielbasa (K-bas) being the perfect protein, what "frispy" means, and that potato c's (chips) can elevate sooo many meals. This book feels like a personal love letter from one Cae Sal enthusiast (Molly) to another (me.)”
Forin Cafe - Kensington, Philadelphia
“I guess I hit the lottery when my new apartment ended up being literally in the same building as Forin. This sweet lil' industrial cafe hosts thoughtful pop-ups with local purveyors selling anything from flowers to wine to vintage vinyl. I'd be remiss not to mention the killer coffee and remarkably sweet staff. Pro-tip ---> order the pistachio latte on your walk to the local grocer @riverwardsproduce.”
Americano
“I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Find me anytime, anywhere sipping some combination of bitter red aperitivo (á la Campari, Forthave Red, or Capitoline Tiber), sweet vermouth, and Vintage brand seltzer. Yeah, I work in beer but my soul is sold to the Americano.”
edX
“I've been racking my brain on how to make this not sound like one of those sponsored ads that interrupt your favorite podcast where you promptly hit that conveniently placed ‘30-second skip’ button. But HEAR ME OUT! Like a lot of folks, I spent way too much money at an accredited higher education institution that shall remain nameless. But nowadays I crave that kind of experience. I'm obsessed with the idea of dabbling in academia on my own time and, wait for it...for free. My most recent 6-week course was called "Masterpieces of World Literature" taught completely online by Harvard University professors. These are high-caliber courses from high-caliber academics. Absolutely invaluable.”
Low Budget/Shitty Horror Movies
“Look, I could certainly give you an expansive list of all my favorites that fall into this category but I'll do you one better. Get a Shudder streaming subscription (super cheap) and take your own deep dive. I'm that person that has never seen the popular Netflix show everyone is talking about and the thought of watching another Marvel movie sends chills down my spine. But you can bet your bottom I will throw on a hilarious slasher flick at our next dinner party about Death Metal Zombies (1995) or Bloodsucking Freaks (1976.) If you don't know where to start, Joe Bob Briggs is an old school style horror movie host that has killer marathons called ‘The Last Drive In’ that will take you through all the classics. Have an Americano in hand and thank me later.”
Rec Room Game Collection
Nightmare VHS Board Game
“I really wouldn't feel myself unless I recommended a personal game from my collection that, like me, you will probably spend hundreds of hours scouring thrift stores to find. The premise is simple, dust off that old VHS player you retrieved from your parent’s basement, pop in the tape, turn the lights down/volume up, and play the dice-based Candyland-esque board. Not for the faint of heart. Includes grotesque screams and ‘The Gate Keeper’ as your VHS host.”