That one time Jess Graves and I were hosted by the Van Winkle clan in Louisville…
This is throwback to one of my favorite adventures and stories that I photographed for The Love List. For some silly reason, I never shared the images here. This was a glorious day, and these are a few of my favorite photos from it. Make sure to read the full story if this is your first time seeing it.
When the weather gets crisp, I crave tea. Here in Houston, the cooler weather is coming and going every few days, and when it dips below 60 I officially declare it Hot Toddy weather. Last year I shared my Go To Hot Toddy. It’s still my ultimate favorite, but it’s a lot of work. When Alabama based Piper & Leaf reached out about partnering up for a post, the first thing that came to my mind was if I could use their tea to whip up a hot cocktail much quicker. Every one of their loose leaf artisan teas sounded delicious, and I chose a handful that I thought may pair well with liquor for a super fast and tasty Toddy. Get a look behind the company with founder and owner Caleb Christopher, photographed by White Rabbit Studios. And of course, don’t miss the two incredibly easy recipes for winter sippin’ to warm your bones.
A bit about yourself:
I always loved starting business even as a kid, and I did everything from lawn-care to web-design before Piper and Leaf. I was born and raised in Huntsville, AL and still live here with my wife who is also a co-founder of Piper and Leaf. We have 4 small children and one more expected any day. When we get the chance we enjoy hiking, camping, traveling, and cooking as a family.
Tell everyone about how Piper & Leaf got started:
We got started as a collaboration between my wife, some of her siblings, and myself. We started by selling compost and compost tea at a farmers market in Huntsville, Alabama with our teas as a side product to hopefully attract attention to the booth. It did attract attention, so much so that we ended up ditching the compost and moving our focus to tea. We quickly expanded to several farmers markets in the area, and then opened up our first shop less than a year after our first farmers market.
What sets your tea apart:
Our unique process, which starts with farmers in our area. We source delicious fruits and herbs at the peak of ripeness and pair their flavors with various premium teas from around the globe. This results in a fantastic combination of flavors that you just can’t beat.
Current favorite flavor offering:
Summertime Chai is my all time favorite blend. To me, it is the perfect compilation of natural sweetness and spice. Refreshing in the summer and soothing in the winter.
With Christmas quickly approaching, what would you recommend to compliment seasonal eatings:
Mistletoe Grove is the perfect addition to any holiday meal. Hot, cold, or used as a mulling spice to create the ultimate cider.
In an 8 oz mug, steep 1 tsp of tea for 7 minutes in tea ball with boiling water.
Add rum and honey to taste, stir, sip.
The fruity flavors of strawberry paired with lemongrass make this black tea pair perfectly with rum. It has an element of a hot tiki drink to it!
In an 8 oz mug, steep 1 tsp of tea for 7 minutes in tea ball with boiling water.
Add brandy, stir, sip.
This tea is a combination of honeysuckle blossoms, echinacea, oranges, jasmine, lemon verbena, lemongrass, and mint. There is a small amount of black tea in this otherwise herbal brew, contributing to its unique body and slightly caffeinating it.
Photographed in Roswell, GA
Raised in:
I trace my roots to Louisville. That is where most of my cooking style comes from. Most of my family is from some part of Kentucky. I was raised in Upstate New York in Syracuse most of my life.
Lives in:
Roswell, Georgia. My wife and I love the small town feel but able to make it to the city whenever we want.
Favorite dish on the current Table & Main menu:
When people ask me what my favorite dishes are on the menu its hard for me to give an answer. In some way shape or form they are all my babies and have some kind of story behind them in my life. The one that is closest to my heart are my pinto beans. It was something my grandmother always made for me when I went to their house. It is my comfort food with fresh green onions and crumbled cornbread.
What would your three course, final dream meal be:
My dream three course meal would start with a fresh pasta made cacio e pepe with white truffles, then a second course of a large tomahawk ribeye reverse seared in a cast iron skillet with foie butter over Liz Porter’s big fat grits with a heavy oatmeal stout. I’d probably finish it off with a good cheese course and an old port.
Favorite spot in Roswell (besides Table & Main, of course):
Osteria Mattone for their fresh pasta and Foundation Social Eatery for Chef Mel’s California take on Georgia food.
Now would ya look at that:
Table & Main‘s Executive Chef, Woolery “Woody” Back.
Founders Stefan Lewinger and Futhum Tewolde
Atlanta, GA
This is not the first time we’ve talked about our love for socks here. Mark and are I have always been huge fans of fun socks. A few months ago we had the pleasure of swinging by Sock Fancy in East Atlanta to chat with founders Stefan Lewinger and Futhum Tewolde and snag a few pairs of socks to photograph and rep in Houston. We’re excited to team up for y’all to get to know a bit of their story and give their subscription a whirl. It’s a blast!
When the idea for Sock Fancy came to y’all:
We launched Sock Fancy in 2013 as a simple solution to a growing frustration. Finding the perfect pair of comfortable, durable, and awesomely-designed socks was often too difficult, too expensive, and too inconvenient. My co-founder Futhum Tewolde and I met when we were seven. We were lifelong friends, and later became roommates when we both wound up in Atlanta around 2011. Futhum always showed off his socks around the house, but lamented the fact that he often had to settle for poorly made socks from big box stores or pay an arm and a leg for a decent pair from the small selections at specialty shops (if you could find one). With my background in e-commerce and digital marketing, handling SEO and other matters (similar to https://victoriousseo.com/verticals/magento-seo/ if you’re curious) we saw a big opportunity to team up and create something really exciting. I built the first website within a few weeks, we placed our initial sock order, and started shipping off of our Ping Pong table from our house in the Virginia Highlands. Today, we’ve grown into a 5,000 sq ft warehouse/office in Cabbagetown, shipped over 200,000 pairs of socks, and most importantly, helped fellow socks addicts in 80+ countries around the world to step up their ‘sock games.’
Why socks:
Socks are not only a great way to keep your wardrobe fresh, but the perfect instrument to express yourself. They provide an outlet to be playful, creative, and even a little funky with your style whether you’re in the boardroom or the bedroom. For many people, wearing crazy socks can even be subtle way to rebel against the uniformity and boredom of the workplace.
Tell everyone about how the subscription works:
At it’s core, Sock Fancy is a sock subscription that delivers awesomely random socks to your doorstep for as little as $11 per month. Simply hop on to sockfancy.com, customize your subscription options, and we take care of the rest. We create hundreds of small-batch designs each year in-house to ensure that you always get something new and exciting. If you are in a gift giving mood, you can even purchase 3, 6, 9, or 12 month subscriptions in advance. We never charge for shipping and you can even swap out any pair you’re not completely in love with.
Favorite design or partnership to date:
We design hundreds of styles each year, so it is getting really tough to pick a favorite! However, I will say that some of our favorite designs tend to come from the collaboration projects we like to do with other artists, startups, and companies big and small. We partnered with Shock Top (Anhieser-Busch) this year to design a special promotional sock for a Father’s Day box they were putting together. The socks had funky orange slices all over them. It was great working with them and we we’re always excited to partner with brands that we were big fans of. The socks turned out great and were a big hit for them as well!
Should customers be excited for anything new coming up:
As we continue to grow, we’re always looking for new ways to get our socks out there. Earlier this year, we launched our first sock vending machine concepts in a few locations to test the waters. We got a really great response from customers and we plan to start rolling these out in new locations in time for the holidays. We’re also expanding our product offering to include knee-high (just launched) and no-show socks (Spring 2017). Socks really are loved by so many people, and the quirkier the better it seems, from sparkly rainbow socks to custom face socks, the possibilities for gifts are endless.
Most played tunes in the shop lately:
Lately, we’ve had Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book playing on repeat. But, the hands down all-time most played song at Sock Fancy is “Throw It In The Bag” by Fabulous. We are a subscription company that does a lot of picking and packing, so this song has a special place in our hearts.
Photographed in Atlanta, GA
Raised in:
Marietta, Georgia
Lives in:
Decatur, Georgia
Favorite Cobbler Union design:
Definitely our Miquel whole cut oxford in mustard patina. Miquel is a classic with a twist – as it’s finished, burnished and patina added all by hand.
Spot you most frequent in PCM:
Hop’s Chicken! The chicken sandwich, side of mac & cheese, then add the mac & cheese to the sandwich, a little hot sauce & a little gravy – it’s pretty epic.
Now would ya look at that:
Meet Eric Collins, man in charge of retail operations and in-store experience at Cobbler Union in Ponce City Market.
Photographed in Houston, TX
Raised in:
Greenville, South Carolina
Lives in:
Houston, Texas
Favorite thing about your move to Houston:
Definitely the people! So much authenticity and generosity in this town. The restaurant and sommelier community here is fantastic and just like Atlanta everyone is really supportive and happy to see each other succeed! Also, the humidity is great for my skin I’m told!
Go-to cocktail order at State of Grace:
The two on our specialty cocktail menu right now that are my favorites are the Southside, Antique and the La Parilla. The Antique is our play on a classic Southside cocktail with local Texas Waterloo barrel aged gin with citrus, fresh mint, and grapefruit bitters. The Parilla is our spin on a smoky margarita with Reposado Tequila that has been infused with blistered Serrano chiles, grilled lime juice, smoked salt rim, and a Mezcal float.
From start to finish, what’s your take on the perfect dinner from the current menu:
The twice fried Korean style hot chicken has to be on the table along with the Gulf crab hushpuppies (they’re like dessert!) along with Chef Bobby’s hearth roasted Spanish octopus with Thai curry vinaigrette that is hands down the most tender octopus I have had. Of course we would need something to bring all of that into balance and I would pair that with our Schloss Gobelsburg, “Gobelsburger” dry Riesling from the Kamptal in Austria that we offer by the glass. Moving into an absolutely necessary mid-course of our new to the menu Caramelle pasta and the Lasagnette di Crespelle. The Caramelle is house made pasta with a confit duck filling on a bed of kimchi folded in with butter, daikon radish, and crispy garlic, while the Lasagnette is essentially a mushroom lasagna with house made crepes used instead of pasta ribbons. Would need to have our Solena Estate “Grand Cuvee” Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon to pair with that. For entrees you have to go with the Sticky, Smoky Beef Rib! It is Jurassic in size and has the flavor to match. It literally falls off of the bone and comes with pickled watermelon rind, an herb salad and house made Malaysian Roti bread to deliver all of that deliciousness! I would have to see how our by the glass, 1998 Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux(Chateau Queyron Pin du Fleurs), paired with that! For dessert I have to go with the Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Now would ya look at that:
Meet Matt Crawford, General Manager of Ford Fry’s State of Grace. We don’t even live in Houston yet and have eaten here twice in it’s year of business. Chef Bobby Matos’ heavy Gulf Coast menu grounded in Texan roots celebrates it’s anniversary on October 23rd and we’ll be there!
Photographed in Atlanta, GA
Raised in:
Kansas City, Kansas
Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia
Tell everyone about Cobbler Union:
We started Cobbler Union to bring respect and attention back to the art and craft of shoemaking. We use a very traditional, bespoke-inspired approach to shoemaking and wrap it in a vertically integrated, direct-to-consumer business model. This combination allows us to make some of the world’s best classic shoes at 1/2 to a 1/3 the price of our heritage luxury competitors. Our new take on luxury means we focus on quality of materials and craftsmanship, not price and elitism. And by doing so, we help give more men the chance to empower and express themselves through their sense of style.
What’s most inspiring the designs right now:
All our design work is done in-house at Cobbler Union. We strive to achieve classic style and elegance, taking some of our inspirations from architecture and vintage cars. For example, our quilted heel-cups are inspired by the driver seat of an Aston Martin. We are a company focused on timeless style, not fast fashion.
Spot you most frequent in PCM:
Grabbing a table on the second floor next to the big windows that over look Ponce de Leon is a great place for me to chow down on my El Super Pan, answer some emails, and people watch.
Photographed in Atlanta, GA
Raised in:
All over. Grew up in Kenya but landed in Forsyth in 2001.
Lives in:
Atlata, Georgia
How Citizen Supply came to be:
What started as a pop-up marketplace in our co-working space Foster ATL turned into a full on reality last November. My goal has always been to help bridge the gap between where artists, makers, and entrepreneurs are currently and where they’d like to be. We curate an incredible line-up of brands from local and abroad and brings them to one storefront. We currently have over 75 companies represented in the shop and are growing almost every other week. My favorite project we’re working on now is building out the in-store makers space!
Maker(s) in the shop you’re digging most right now:
Bradley Mountain, Billiam Jeans and Mick Bailey Boards.
Spot(s) you most frequent in PCM:
Biltong Bar is my spot. GREAT cocktails (I’m a whiskey man) and their staff is killer. Botiwalla and Ton Ton are pretty much a daily tradition for me. Spiller Park is also the reason I’m not mad all the time. Need that caffeine.
Now would ya look at that:
Meet Phil Sanders, Founder of Citizen Supply in Ponce City Market.
Photographed in Atlanta, GA
Raised in:
The mean sidewalks of Richmond, Virginia
Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia (13 years and running)
Y’all say “Coffee So Good We Drink It Ourselves” so gotta ask, what’s your go-to order:
I crush black coffee everyday. Complex, sweet, and bright all day. Which could be me in general in days that end with “y.”
Spot(s) you most frequent at PCM:
I love a lot of the spots in PCM. I’m a lucky guy to have all the delicious things. I’d say that I spend most of my times at Biltong, The Mercury, Minero and King of Pops. And for about a 2 months solid I had pizza at Brezza for lunch.
Now would ya look at that:
Meet Dale Donchey, Owner and Partner at Spiller Park in Ponce City Market. “I think that my title is something like Managing Partner, but I like ‘Coach.'” Spend 15 seconds with this guy and he’s your friend, though you’ll likely wish he was your best friend.
Photographed in Atlanta, GA
Raised in:
Cumming, Georgia
Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia
Tell everyone about Flordeliza Brand:
We are a leather accessory design studio seeking to push the lines between minimal and functional with the continual mindset of generosity. It all started in 2014 after someone saw a the first wallet I had made from scrap leather and gave me $500 to invest in some quality leather and tools. I’ve poured hours and hours into my craft and it’s paying off!
What you want people to know most about your products:
They are made by real, genuinely relationally-centered people. Someone told me when I started making waves with the company that they love what I do and to remember that a “wise” person can often be seen as “well-crafted.” That really resonated with me and I made the conscious decision to invest in a few pairs of hands rather than a ton of machinery. You can see this happen at our in-store studio at Citizen Supply at Ponce City Market!
What’s inspiring you right now:
I’ve had the distinct privilege to have some really talented and insightful friends. One such friend is Josh Stewart, an Atlanta composer who just came out with a record called 1850, which he recorded with his friend Dan Snyder in a cabin in North Georgia. Every track on it just feeds into the soul!
Now would ya look at that:
Meet Carl Caballes, Founder and Lead Artisan of Flordeliza Brand. This meeting and photo happened randomly while I was shopping in Citizen Supply. As he mentioned above, you can watch him create beautiful leather works in studio there, and I had to stop by and see what he was working on. He’s such a nice guy with a killer look and products. Go check out what he’s up to!