Gabe Brosbe

Gabe Brosbe (GSB) works as a seller for enterprise software startups. In his off hours he is culturally omnivorous, checking out music and art around New York. We used to work together and he was always guaranteed to make me laugh. - Noah (NRB)Gabe here. Even after 8 years in New York, I still very much consider myself a Californian. I grew up on boards (skate and snow) and even went to YMCA skateboard camp as a little kid. The stories of iconic California brands, like this oral history of Oakley from Mel Magazine, always reel me in. The brand was started by Jim Jannard in 1975 and named after his dog. He started out selling motocross handlebars before expanding to goggles, giving them to the top BMX riders. Unfortunately, the first iteration was essentially unwearable, leading them to be worn atop the helmet. “Every kid that had a BMX bike wanted to mimic BMX pros like R.L Osborne and Stu Thomsen,” explains former supercross champion Mike Bell, “so they bought the goggles, but they never actually put them on their face.”Driven by action sports lifestyle, car culture, and even the geography of the state itself, Oakley is a company that could have only come from California. The famous wrap around sunglasses were born out of an epiphany from driving on the Pacific Coast Highway:Basically, right at the end of the day, the sun was coming straight off to either your left or right side because you’re parallel to the ocean. So he had on his sunglasses, and obviously, if you had on sunglasses back then and the sun was directly off to your side during sunset, you’re getting a lot of glare in from the side. Because he was already making goggles, he asked himself: How come there isn’t a sunglass that has the same coverage as a goggle?Even the marketing came to be as a result of Jim driving down to Chiat/Day in Venice so he could get the same guys who worked on Apple to make his ads. Oakley was considered too small at the time for Chiat/Day, but a few of their agency guys had enough brand love for Oakley enough to work on it independently and the Apple design aesthetic made it to action sports.Why is this interesting?When I read about the discipline and personal relationships that went into making Oakley a global phenomenon (Tom Cruise wore them for free in Mission Impossible: 2), it contrasts heavily against the monopolistic forces that now drive uniformity and ubiquity in the eyewear industry itself:With Jim’s early days, he was about the image and held it close. He never wanted Oakleys to be on sale and even wanted to control where they were sold. There was one instance where a sunglass shop sold excess stock to a discount store, and a rep personally went there to buy them all up so consumers wouldn’t be seeing Oakley sold in that manner.Oakley’s original commitment to authenticity and innovation ultimately lost out against the industrialization that drives the global eyewear industry (Luxottica bought the brand for $2.1 billion in 2007). Reading about Oakley I couldn’t help but think about brands like Levi’s and Vans that have achieved scale while seemingly continuing to stay true to their roots. On the flip side, the idea of a brand seeing ubiquity as a threat also seems quaint in the age of Allbirds, where the ubiquity almost seems woven into the identity. (GSB)Think of the Day:There’s a whole culture of scouring Google Maps/Earth for weird stuff. Here’s a bunny caught mid-air by the Street View camera in the village of Olszowice, Poland. (NRB)Quick LinksHow do you draw a horse? This was a perfectly lovely coming of age tale. (GSB)A 65-Year-Old Dentist Who Left It All Behind to Work at America’s Best New Restaurant. (GSB)Can Fashion Brands Ever be Ethical? (GSB)Thanks for reading,Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN) & Gabe (GSB)

Why is this interesting? - The Oakley Edition

Gabe Brosbe (GSB) works as a seller for enterprise software startups. In his off-hours, he is culturally omnivorous, checking out music and art around New York. We used to work together and he was always guaranteed to make me laugh. - Noah (NRB)Gabe Here. As I started to venture out and explore new restaurants earlier this year, I found myself encountering not a new dish, but a new fruit. The waiter had excitedly explained that this meal featured “the world’s first truly heatless habanero”—the Habanada.  Capsicum chinenseIt turns out this pepper has a particularly prominent provenance! They came from Dan Barber’s (of Blue Hill at Stone Barns fame) Row 7 Seed Company and had a 20-year journey from seed to plate:Breeder Michael Mazourek was studying at Cornell University in 2001 when he received a mysterious packet of seeds from researchers in New Mexico. The seeds were related to habanero peppers, a pepper famous for its intense burn. The twist? These particular peppers were heatless—the result of a natural mutation in the field. And they soon became the focus of Michael’s (surprisingly delicious) doctoral research.Through years of crossing, selection, and DNA analysis, Michael discovered how to limit the habanero’s heat while preserving its floral and melon-like flavors. The resulting “Habanada” is aromatic with lingering sweetness, and it defies everything we’ve come to expect from a pepper. You can eat them green and unripe for a potent hit of aroma, or savor the habanadas’ full potential as a bright orange flavor bomb.Why is this Interesting?Like natural wine or tinned fish, I soon began to see Habanadas everywhere. Shortly after my meal at Niche Niche, they were on offer at Rolo’s and Nura, and proudly being sold at my local farmer’s market in Greenpoint. Why is everyone so excited about this pepper? Sweet peppers already exist, was this pepper really changing the game? Is this solving any sort of pepper problem? I asked the vendor at McGorlick park why people are so pumped about this pepper. In not so many words he said, “So we already have plenty of seasoning peppers, but people are really excited because it is Dan Barber. They want to support. Chefs will continue to pick it up and it will catch steam.” Yes, showcasing this pepper on a dish gives you a loose, but clear association with Chef Dan Barber and by extension, his acclaimed restaurant. It becomes an IYKYK (if you know you know) situation with diners. At Nura, it was found on the menu as “Grilled Prawns: Habanada, Passion Fruit, Urfa Biber, Mezcal.” A deliberate choice was made to give this pepper courtside seats.So how does it taste? I bought a small box from the good folks at Brooklyn Grange. While I didn’t get the “flavor bomb” as advertised, it was a step above your standard sweet pepper. It has a pleasant brightness and a funny anticipation as you get a signal that heat is coming, but it never does. And with the thin skin, it was far less watery than your conventional mini sweet pepper. But it is also waving a flag of support for what Dan is going for with Row 7. Four seed companies now control 60% of the global market. Dan is trying to tip the scales back towards farmers, and away from global commodification: “Tastier food, healthier soil, more diverse and nutritious diets for as many people as possible.”So with that, I’ve stopped looking side-eye at this little orange addition to my world. I will proudly order the Habanada when I see it, even if I do prefer a little spice in the end. (GSB)Quick LinksDo artists throw the best dinner parties? (GSB)The activists working to remake the food system. (GSB)The United States of Mexican Food (GSB)Pete Wells thinks Midtown dining deserves a second look. (GSB)[Sponsored: Atlas Bars are GMO-free and keto-friendly with 15 grams of protein and just a gram of sugar. We’ve tried Atlas and they are very good. Use this link for WITI readers to get 20 percent off. Get started with the sample pack.]--WITI x McKinsey:An ongoing partnership where we highlight interesting McKinsey research, writing, and data.Solving the net-zero equation.  As COP26 continues, the climate crisis is top of mind for many leaders. And despite promising developments in promoting a sustainable future, net-zero is not currently in sight. To get there, the world needs to move swiftly from focusing on what needs to happen to how it can best be done. One way to start? Understanding the fundamental requirements of solving the net-zero equation. A holistic framework, explained in an in-depth new article, can help in this critical, collective quest.--Thanks for reading,Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN) & Gabe (GB) —Why is this interesting? is a daily email from Noah Brier & Colin Nagy (and friends!) about interesting things. If you’ve enjoyed this edition, please consider forwarding it to a friend. If you’re reading it for the first time, consider subscribing.

The Habanada Pepper Edition

Gabe Brosbe (GSB) works as a seller for enterprise software startups. In his off hours, he is culturally omnivorous, checking out food, music, and art around New York. We used to work together, and he was always guaranteed to make me laugh. - Noah (NRB)Gabe Here. As we move through August, I have one thing on my mind: BLTs. The Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato has a humble ranking in the sandwich world. As the sixth-most popular sandwich in the United States, it falls behind the ham, roast beef, turkey, grilled chicken, and grilled cheese sandwiches (Source: Seduced by Bacon by Joanna Pruess).There is little evidence of BLTs prior to 1900. The BLT is most likely an alteration of the club sandwich, which was introduced in the 1903 Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book by Dr. Evan Mee, and includes sliced turkey along with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. The rise of the BLT can be tied to the rapid expansion of supermarkets after World War II, which allowed ingredients to be available year-round. In 1958, in an effort to boost sales, Hellmann’s pushed mayonnaise as the “traditional” BLT condiment, further moving the sandwich into public consciousness. I have to agree with Hellmann’s: although I prefer Duke’s, the BLT is one of the rare times I reach for the mayo and I do it with gusto! Why is this interesting?Ultimately, the beauty of the BLT lies with sage fashion advice credited to Coco Chanel: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” In this case, the slice of turkey was the bucket hat that you left on the dresser before you met your friends at the bar. The BLT is less of a sandwich and more of the world’s most perfect tomato delivery device. I eat 95% of my BLTs during the months of July and August, when tomatoes are at their perfect peak. Food writer J. Kenzi Lopez-Alt “believes that a BLT is not a bacon sandwich with additional ingredients, but rather, a tomato sandwich seasoned with bacon.” My fiancé is a vegetarian (Samuel Jackson voice) and I don’t even think the BLT suffers much when we sub well roasted shiitakes for bacon. The BLT from Winner in Park Slope, Brooklyn showcases their amazing bread.I wanted to learn more from the folks putting out the best BLTs in NY, so I went down to Diner in South Williamsburg, drawn in by their promise of “House-cured and smoked pork belly” and She Wolf bread. Speaking to our waitress Leigh and her colleague at the bar, we learned that a great BLT is about having “great product.” Leigh told me they are so close to their suppliers that she knows the names of the pigs at the farm. I didn’t ask, not wanting to get to know my sandwich so intimately. What makes the BLT special is that great ones are fleeting: Diner only have their seasonal heirloom tomatoes for less than a month and you have to come down to the restaurant to see if they truly have the sandwich on the menu. In fact, the smoked pork belly had been substituted with bacon on the day I went. The Diner BLT With BLTs, as with life, you never know what you’re going to get! Ultimately, high-quality seasonal BLTs are like rare Pokémon for locavores: catch them while you can. (GSB)BLT Recipe of the Day:My ideal BLT to make at home consists of the She Wolf sourdough pullman, Duke’s Mayo, bacon from The Meat Hook, heirloom tomatoes, and green leaf lettuce from the McCarren park farmers market. (GSB)—WITI x McKinsey:An ongoing partnership where we highlight interesting McKinsey research, writing, and data.Sustainability and innovation in fashion. The leader of a cutting-edge institute talks about innovative new materials that “eat” carbon and may enable cotton to grow without irrigation, as well as the potential for building the world’s shortest supply chain in two 40-foot containers. Check it out.Thanks for reading,Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN) & Gabe (GSB) —Why is this interesting? is a daily email from Noah Brier & Colin Nagy (and friends!) about interesting things. If you’ve enjoyed this edition, please consider forwarding it to a friend. If you’re reading it for the first time, consider subscribing (it’s free!).

The BLT Edition

Gabe Brosbe (GSB) works as a seller for enterprise software startups. He’s currently traveling internationally and writing about his culinary experiences at Snackventures. We used to work together, and he was always guaranteed to make me laugh. - Noah (NRB).Gabe Here. I was lucky to be back in Hanoi in October and once again pop a deep squat on a tiny red stool before biting into legendary street food. The beauty is in singular focus:each place tends to do one dish especially well. You don’t even need to think about what you are going to order, you go to the pho spot for pho, you go to the bun cha spot for bun cha etc…Places become famous for their specialties like the Bún Chả at Tuyết Bún Chả 34 whose pork patties had just the right amount of char. It’s that fatty char: think of the edges of some good Texas brisket, combining with the gingery broth and fresh noodles that really makes everything hit a harmony like Boyz II Men in their prime.Why is this interesting? Places are known for their famous dishes and people line up for the specialty. But because there are known leaders, competitors frequently set up shop across the street or next door. They copy their logo with a slightly different wording and sow confusion (chaos!). Bun Cha Dac Kim’s crafty competitor has nearly identical signage across the street. This happens all over Hanoi and there are even TripAdvisor reviews warning people not to fall for subpar competitors.Sneaky! Make sure you go to Bun Cha Dac Kim. My fiance fell in love with the dessert chè in Vietnam. Chè is essentially dessert soup. You take a bowl, add coconut milk, ice, sometimes ice cream, and a range of toppings from jellies, fresh fruit, even corn. The quirky combo somehow works as the mouth is greeted with a range of textures from the fruit and candy.Tasty fruit and jellies swimming in ice and coconut milk combine to make chèWe were on our way to a highly reviewed chè spot but when we arrived we found not one, but three chè spots with identical signage and barkers out front trying to recruit people to eat their superior dessert soup. One restaurant owner was chastising her employee for not barking hard enough. We ended up eating at one of the copycats by accident (still delicious!).Caption: Will the real Ché ngon 93 please stand up?Copycats aside, I love this way of eating. You decide what you want to try, be it bun cha, bún ốc (snail noodle soup), pho ga etc…and go eat the perfect version of that dish. It's effectively a menu-less system. There’s no trying to figure out “the move” on a menu, as is the case in New York. You just walk in, place your order, and slurp it down as the scooters whiz on by. And if you end up at a copycat location like us; don’t fret, it is truly hard to find a bad meal in Hanoi. (GSB)WITI Classifieds:We are experimenting with running some weekly classifieds in WITI. If you’re interested in running an ad, you can purchase one through this form. If you buy this week, we’ll throw an extra week in for free on any ad. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop a line.For 10 years, this has been the go-to newsletter for people who like to keep up with what’s exciting in design, books, beauty, food, & more. SubscribeDaly is a comms+ agency that reaches beyond the standard PR playbook to deliver results (and some magic) for our exceptional clients. Check us outThe Intermodal Spirit. Writing about Exploring, Relating, and Being. Available by newsletter or online. Subscribe here.Noah here. I've got a new newsletter about brands and AI called BrXnd Dispatch. If you're in marketing, creative, or just interested in understanding what's up with AI, check it out. Subscribe to BrXnd DispatchQuick Links: Falling victim to the cult of Jay Fai in Bangkok linkUncovering Northern Thailand linkHow Restaurant Workers Help Pay for Lobbying to Keep Their Wages Low linkThe New York Happy Meal (martini & fries) link—Thanks for reading,Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN)—Why is this interesting? is a daily email from Noah Brier & Colin Nagy (and friends!) about interesting things. If you’ve enjoyed this edition, please consider forwarding it to a friend. If you’re reading it for the first time, consider subscribing.