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Every year the holidays come and go. The new year starts and then - suddenly - it’s the second week of February. I swear, the older we get, the faster it all moves. That quiet moment to reset doesn’t last long. If it ever really exists at all.

I’ve never been big on social media. I’ve always stayed quiet. For a long time, I told myself that building a personal brand felt vain. Lately, I’ve realized that was just an excuse.

When your life and work revolve around creating experiences and connecting people, choosing not to share your perspective isn’t humility - it’s absence. And absence doesn’t make anything better.

I’m not saying I’m always right. I’m not saying the world would be better if everyone listened to me. I am saying I know my opinions matter - and there’s nothing wrong with sharing your voice when it’s honest and considered. It’s a piece of you. Why hide it?

Something I've been reminding myself lately: you're not afraid of failure - you're afraid of being seen failing. That's ego. We want to look effortless, refined, composed. But the people who actually get better are the ones willing to look a little foolish in pursuit of something real.

New year. Same me. Slightly louder.

No Bad People

A spotlight of beautiful people from our community.

Dr. Trent Smith - The Local Dentist

If you know Trent, you know he’s always building something - whether it’s a DJ set, his practice, or a new set of beautiful teeth. There’s rarely a quiet moment around him, and that’s part of the charm.

He can talk to anyone and make it feel easy. If you’re at his house, he’s pouring you a drink while adjusting a speaker or fixing something in the backyard. Hosting comes naturally to him.

By day, he runs The Local Dentist in East Austin, and it feels more like visiting a friend than walking into a clinic. You pick the music or the TV show, and the next time you come in, he remembers.

He’s precise and honest. He’s not pushing unnecessary work or reaching for the drill too quickly; he tries the simple fix first and explains what’s happening so you feel taken care of, not sold to.

I was in the chair last week and halfway through realized I’d forgotten I was at the dentist, which is about the highest compliment I can give.

At French Leave Friday, we’d been playing Nostalgia, Ultra all night. Trent stepped in after and carried the room into Khruangbin, 70’s soul, and eventually something that felt like East Austin met KitKatClub in Berlin at 2AM.

He builds everything the same way - with intention and taste.

No Bad Food

Recipes, restaurants, and things worth cooking slow.

Anthony Bourdain is my favorite writer.

Not because he used big words or tried to sound smart - but because he didn’t. He had this rare ability to make you feel every word, every place he visited, every late night, every bad decision, every perfect meal. Nothing felt polished - It felt real.

He didn’t just write about food. He wrote about what food reveals - about people, about culture, about the marks we leave on each other. We all eat. What matters is what happens around it.

“Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start.”― Anthony Bourdain

Start here: Kitchen Confidential Audiobook

PARTNER OPPORTUNITY: THIS SPACE IS RESERVED FOR A BRAND WE GENUINELY BELIEVE IN.

No Bad Hosting

A new way to start a conversation

The fastest way to make someone feel welcome is simple: make sure they have a drink.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into someone’s house and wasn’t offered anything. No cocktail. No water. Nothing. It’s wild.

When people come to my place, they’re getting a drink. Especially new guests. If someone asks what I have, I don’t list options. I ask, “What do you like?” and make something simple.

You don’t need to be a mixologist. Learn a few basics. Keep decent glassware (tempered glass is best). Keep a few garnishes on hand - lime, mint, basil, dehydrated citrus. Get a shaker. A solid Old Fashioned goes a long way. Short on time? Batch margaritas.

Cocktail Codex is a book every host should own. It breaks cocktails down into six foundational templates - Old Fashioned, Martini, Daiquiri, Sidecar, Whisky Highball, and Flip - and once you understand those, you can build almost anything without memorizing recipes.

No Bad Music

My Producer of the Year

If you listened to Justin Bieber's SWAG, you've heard Dijon. He was one of the three primary producers on the album, and that work just earned him a Producer of the Year nomination at the 2026 Grammys.

But that’s not why he’s here.

I found Dijon last year and he quickly became my most-played artist. His music is raw and emotional - but controlled. The same pull I used to chase in high school with emo bands (Brand New, anyone?) just grown up. Calmer and smoother. Fully his own.

If you want an anthem, play “Many Times.”

Vibes like: Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, James Blake, Blood Orange

Watch Absolutely

No Bad Design

Something beautiful I simply had to share.

Nikolas Bentel Studio.

He takes digital language and turns it physical. Laptop cases that look like Mac desktop folders. Pasta-box bags you’d grab off a grocery shelf without thinking twice.

It works because it does three things at once:

●	Feels stupid simple
●	Looks insanely clean
●	Quietly messes with your sense of reality

It’s design that makes you look twice.

No Bad Plans

Tomorrow night, skip the fixed-course dinner.

The reservations are loud, the menus are limiting. Half the room is negotiating expectations for the night.

Just, stay in.

Pull out that cookbook you bought and never opened. The one that’s been sitting on the shelf looking expensive. Each pick one recipe and cook it together. Take your time - there's no rush.

Melt chocolate and make your own chocolate-covered strawberries. The point isn’t perfection - It’s participation. You’ll learn more about each other over a cutting board than you will across a crowded table.

Today’s Thought

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

― Charles M. Schulz