Approx 6 minute read:

🚀 The story of Space Jam

🏀 Western Conference proficies

🍸 The new spot in Toronto

🎦 Do not watch this movie

When was the last time you went to a party? Like a good a$$ party, the type where you still talk about it to this very day because everyone there knows how good it was.

Let this week’s playlist be that party playlist. Even if they played alternative rock or emo all night, this is not that stuff, at least not this week…maybe next week though 🤔

Some old artists, some new artists, and a lot of party music in this week’s mix. It’s Friday, wtf else are you supposed to do on Friday’s???

Also follow this playlist, will ya? How cool would it be if it became one of the biggest playlists on Spotify for no good reason other than a random newsletter features it every week.

Alright last week I broke down the Eastern Conference in the NBA and basically told you the Raptors are winning it all (go see for yourself! lol)

Now let’s run through the West…

Y’know, it wasn’t even the Finals loss that got me excited about Wemby coming back all pissed off dominating the league. It was when he lost at the All-Star game, did you see how pissed he was then???

And SGA shows no signs of slowing down, expect another MVP caliber season from Shai. OKC will be good for years though, the avg age of the roster is like 24.

Spurs vs Thunder October 20th 9PM EST, just sayin!!!

Yes Houston should’ve been better last year but with FVV out all season, I feel like they didn’t have someone bringing the ball up that structured their offence and then the ball just landed in KD’s hands and he did KD things - which made and broke Houston.

Expect Amen Thompson to have a suuuuuper breakout year this year. If everyone’s healthy I think the Rockets have a legit chance at going deep deep in the playoffs.

AI tells me this team is very Dulture-friendly LOL…whatever that means. I wanna see what these two do though. If anything they’ll be a lot of fun to watch - Minnesota has become a legit threat in the West, which only heightens this season.

ESPN just ranked Joker as the best player in the NBA. But does Denver have what it takes to continue to perform in the West at a high level? Jamal Murray played the most games he’s played last season (75) since the ‘18-19 season - dude needs to stay healthy and they’re a top 3 team in the West all over again.

I love Kyrie Irving. But does he still have “it”? He’s got Cooper Flagg to throw lobs to so who knows? Mavs are a low ranked playoff seed at best this year though. I don’t see anything better for them unfortunately.

I honestly think this team could be the sleeper in the conference. Like, what if Ja Morant turns into Ja Morant and compliments Lillard? Yo you need to watch Donovan Clingan, dude averaged a double double last season as the Blazers’ center…WHO?? Portland’s a sleeper for surrrrre! It’s Dam time all over again.

Ah how the mighty have fallen…

I actually think the Lakers will do decently, esp without Lebron’s shadow and presence looming over everything. A healthy Luka and Austin Reaves is a good combo.

The Warriors on the other hand? Will they even come out to play??

Sorry if I don’t have your team here - they prob aren’t gonna do much this year…I’m happy to be proven wrong tho!

It was my wife’s birthday last week, I hope all 39,305 of you wished her a happy bday…I was about to link her IG here but I don’t think she’d appreciate that 😅

So we went out to celebrate…and were surprisingly blown away.

Toronto’s food scene is lowkey (highkey?) really good. As an American, if you find yourself in Toronto you will 1) appreciate the exchange rate and 2) the selection of food from literally anywhere in the world.

In my house we tend to gravitate towards Japanese (I mean c’mon, you must know me by now).

After a Japanese dinner, we went to a spot down the street that was basically like a Japanese speak-easy/lounge.

Mizunara, translated to “water oak”, is famous for being used to age Japanese whiskey. And if you like whiskey, this is the spot you should find yourself in.

Michael Liu, the owner of the place, sat us down and proceeded to tell us a bit about the concept behind the restaurant. As the night went on, we picked up more of the story behind Mizunara from Michael and realized how intentional the restaurant was with what it did.

From the bathrooms - one of which plays the actual Family Mart jingle when you walk in…

The first drink on the menu is their signature Uncle Tetsu cheesecake partnered drink - the Tetsu Highball. Suntory Toki mixed with fino sherry and Tetsu distillate with Tetsu foam on top. It sounds like you’re drinking Uncle Tetsu cheesecake, you kinda are - it was pretty good though!

Not the greatest pic - had already started drinking it then remembered we should prob grab a pic. Uncle Tetsu himself tried and blessed the drink before it could be put on the menu.

Apparently Uncle Tetsu is a pretty big drinker himself 🤷‍♂

There’s a noticeable amount of care and love behind the choices made in Mizunara. From Michael’s own personal Japanese whiskey collection on display to Head Chef Alyssa Figueira’s life journey documented by the menu she put together (we’re coming for more than just drinks next time).

To even the music - they played 90’s RnB all night because that’s just what the owners like to listen to. This is the kind of place where while you sit there you kinda nod and agree like, yeaaah, this is probably what I’d do if I had a restaurant too.

Honestly, I would’ve just been happy to sit there with my wife, enjoying high balls all night but the hospitality is something you rarely experience, anywhere really. The wait staff are friendly, happy to chat if you are, but also will leave you alone.

The head chef comes out to the tables to make sure you’re enjoying yourself.

The owner Michael is making rounds, offering suggestions, recommendations, drinks on the house - I mean, who does that these days?

It’s also the kind of place where immediately you show up and feel like it could be your go-to weekend spot.

And we’ll be back because we kinda want to make it our go-to weekend spot.

You ever just turn on Netflix and pick the very first thing you see…

…because there’s too much effen content to choose from on that platform?

Disclaimer: I will be spoiling the sh*t out of this movie so you don’t have to watch it. I guess I kinda already gave away how I feel - read on, it gets better! (in a worse way)

The other night my wife and I watched The Last House starring Wagner Moura and Greta Lee. Conceptually this movie had potential: a family gets mysteriously trapped in their own house.

Then they realize everyone in their neighbourhood is trapped in their own house too, and it’s kinda like this Covid moment where you kinda enjoyed having nowhere to go.

Initially you’re like hmmm, what’s gonna happen? They can’t open their doors or windows to leave but they seem to have enough food and what not so they should be okay. And then time passes and sh*t gets worse, food is rationed, and you’re like ooookay, this is getting suspenseful.

The survival realism starts to suck you in until the film starts to show who/what is causing the doors and windows to be locked. These sea monster things come out when it rains and terrorize (?) the neighbourhood…although no one is outside for obvious reasons so not exactly sure what they’re doing?

And then all of the sudden these monsters are able to open the door to the house and you’re like oooooookay, wtf was that. Why didn’t they do this sooner when things were good for the family??

It turns out these monsters actually owned the land or water or whatever that the houses in the neighbourhood are situated on so they come out when it rains. This film left me with so many questions…

So the f*cking monsters wanted their house back and the damn thing sinks into the ground anyway hahaha make it make sense please!

Netflix be letting anyone make movies these days…