Party 'Trick
View this email in your browser
Real people, authentic recommendations.
June 15th, 2022 | RAMBULL | Patrick Mealy
Rambull Newsletter - I ask interesting people for their favorite recommendations. A great way to learn about new people and to discover new products, shows, apps, podcasts, and more.
Last week we talked about fighting words. There a few words people who grew up in Charlotte just don’t use:
“I’d rather get a fruit cup from Chick-Fil-A than go to Bojangles”. Claire Virga, are you serious? Houston can have you.
That’s like saying “I just moved to Atlanta”. Or “growing up, I picked the Redskins instead of the Panthers”.
And that is why when you all dared me to make a Chick-Fil-A Crunchwrap, I had to put my own Charlotte specific twist on it…
Introducing The Bojangles Crunchwrap. (Click to watch)
Tortilla > Bo-minto cheese > Bo-tatos > Bo-slaw > Texas Pete > Chicken Supremes > Honey Mo & BBQ sauce
Highly recommend, 11/10.
Let’s dive in…
📷: Patrick Mealy
📍 Atlanta, GA
U.S. Office Leasing, Jamestown
Patrick’s Self-Description:
“A travel-loving extravert with an ear for good music, a nose for good wine, and all the time in the world for a great story… especially if I’m telling it!”
Why I wanted to profile ‘Trick:
He is one of my oldest and closest friends, which means I can publicly give him sh*t about this ‘nose for wine’ of his. It also means that I witnessed first-hand the guy growing up who never met a stranger, was always there for you (even when it wasn't reciprocated), and had the coolest new toys and gadgets. He is a great father to Evie and husband to MM/Mary Margaret, who is always up for exploring a new adventure. I’m excited about his latest one even if it is my/our sworn rival, Atlanta. However, I am more surprised that it is a move for a real estate job as this is the guy that everyone called the ‘mayor’ growing up but he hasn’t run for office….maybe that will be later down the line.
Written in their own words…any additional commentary denoted by “RB”….including this note that Patrick did not follow instructions and provided multiple recommendations per category. I’ll let it slide since they are pretty good.
📺 Stream
TV Show: Winning Time: The Rise of Laker’s Dynasty
With the “fourth wall” torn down and John C. Reilly revived, even a Hornets fan can get behind this slam dunk of a series. Adam McKay pulled out all the stops to deliver a star-packed show that is definitely not for the whole family. Watch it on HBO Max
TV Show: Under the Banner of Heaven
I’m always a sucker for a good murder mystery and, while Under the Banner of Heaven, is less of a mystery than it’s fictional counterparts, it packs a real punch and provides a thoughtful introspection on the complexities of modern faith. Watch it on FX by Hulu
Movie: Language Lessons
MM and I just watched this COVID era movie and were so impressed by it. It’s totally different in concept and delivery (it is told entirely between two people speaking on video chat) but the character development and the weight of the story left us both with positive vibes and warm hearts. Rent it on Amazon Prime
🛒 Purchase
MM is pregnant and I’m trying not to develop a drinking problem. Coravin lets me enjoy a great glass of wine without having to open up an entire bottle. They have a number of different options depending on what makes the most sense for you!
📞 Download
Vivino
I use it ALL the time. It’s a great way to discover and learn about different wines. They also do a wine club that sends you wines based on your taste profile.
Patrick’s ~$30 bottle of wine recommendaiton is The Dude Red, Capepa Koch. - RB
Audible Plus
If you have an AMEX, they will pay for it monthly! I LOVE their free history lessons. Most recently I took the course on Russian history. Admittedly, they are also great to fall asleep to…
You have to go to the AMEX benefits website to enroll in this offer. Here is a link to the ‘Points Guy’ with the details. -RB
Resy
If you like to go out to dinner, this is the app for you. They have all the great restaurants, provide priority reservation options if you have an AMEX (2nd plug, wow!).
💪 Incorporate
Working on Becoming A Morning Person
If the world were simple and perfect (i.e. revolved around me) I would get my best work done late in the evenings; this is the inevitable result of decades of academic procrastination and nearly a decade in New York.
Fortunately for all of us, the world does not revolve around me. In fact, in my case, it revolves around my wife and daughter, and the evenings belong to them. I spend around 10 nights away from home every month with work so I covet bath, dinner, and catch up time. The challenge is that I now have less time for myself, for “white space”, and (occasionally) for exercise. I know that the solution is to shift to the morning but its proven easier said than done. I’d love to hear some best practices!
Color-Coordinated Calendar
I color coordinate my calendar based on activities and I review it monthly and adjust my behavior accordingly. I want at least 50% of my schedule to be outwardly focused and 10% to be focused on my own education / development. If I have a month that was heavily administrative or dominated by internal meetings, I try to be really intentional about only joining meetings where I can add value.
I started doing this at the height of WW chaos and now do it almost instinctually.. didn’t even think to mention it but it’s one of the rare areas in my life where I’m actually super organized / disciplined.
📝 Consume
Magazine & Podcast: The Economist
I do my best to read / listen to it in its entirety each week but, when I can’t, their Editors Pick’s podcast is great… once you get past the monotonous English reading. I appreciate their global perspective and their commitment to being fact-based, with some color. All of their podcasts are generally interesting.
Book: Red Notice by Bill Browder
It’s an older book but is a great read given everything that is going on in Europe. It’s a personal memoir about an American born financier who was investing heavily in the privatization of Russia following the fall of the Soviet Union. It reads like a Grisham thriller!
I wish I listened to podcasts more but I check in on what these people are saying: Dan Coyle, Yuval Harari, Laszlo Bock, Dror Poleg, Packy McCormick, PFT / Big Cat, Richard Haas, Richard Koch, Adam Grant, Brene Brown, Tim Ferris (sometimes!)
🥉 Honorable Mention
Geeking Out
I love the question, “what are you geeking out about?” It’s so open-ended and often yields visceral responses from people, sometimes totally unrelated to the topic at hand. It’s a great trust builder in a professional setting but I think it would also be a nice addition to this.
For me, right now, I’m geeking out about how space and brands create feeling and loyalty. I think that the key to getting anyone to do anything in this age is to create a feeling around it. For example, rather than sell car, be the reason people love to drive.
Why does a billionaire go to a dive bar? Why does someone who identifies as LBGTQ go to Chick Fil-A? In a world with so much optionality, why does anyone choose to go anywhere or do anything?
To that tune, another question I would love to have asked is “What brands are you loyal to and why”
What do we think, should I add these questions? Replace them with any of the above? Let me know. -RB
🔌 Plug
LaLaBox and MTBxLB (Mommy-to-be)
My sister Lauren offers a service where she puts together a box of clothes, specifically picked to the style of the recipient, and manages returns, etc. on the back end. It is an all time gift for a significant other if you, like me, consistently miss the mark with clothing and jewelry gifts. All you have to do is give her a budget, a credit card and she handles the rest. Reach out to her on Insta @burgin.Walters !
Programming 📆
Next Week: Kathy Izard
My Rambull - what I’ve been recently rambling about…...
Using Spotify Features
Best Podcast Episodes
I’ve compiled a series of recommended podcasts episodes and podcast story based series into a single Spotify playlist.
Check this out for all your long drive, workout, and general podcast needs. I’ve had a few friends say that they’ve loved listening to Exit Scam and did so during chores (e.g. yard work and moving boxes).
Best podcast episodes playlist here.
“Blend”
Search ‘blend’ on spotify. You should be prompted to ‘create a blend’. Once you click in you are allowed to invite up to 10 friends. Spotify then generates a playlist based on your shared music tastes. Its a really cool way to listen to existing and new favorites.
Click to join the Rambull blend.
Top Hits - Summer 2022
My buddy, Buddy Carter has been working on this spotify playlist for 8 years! He has thousands of people that have saved this playlist. Buddy consistently updates it with new music and keeps only the best music. It is a great playlist for sitting on the beach this summer or try it for your next workout or run.
Do your ears a favor and click here.
🤯 - [Closing recommendation] I just found out that my mom sprinkles cinnamon on top of her coffee grounds in the morning. Love this idea - who else has clever coffee plus-ups?
I want to hear from you. You can reply directly to this email to:
Nominate someone to be profiled
Share feedback on the newsletter
Help petition Bojangles crunchwrap on their menu
RAMBULL.CO
Copyright (C) *|2022|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*. All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|**|LIST:DESCRIPTION|**|END:IF|*
Our mailing address is:
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|**|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|**|END:IF|*
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe