Bulletin Board 74

Silk dressing gowns, a podcast sneak-peek and an Aperol spritz alternative.

WORK IN PROGRESS

I love a good dressing gown and will wear them in any weather, which for the hottest days of summer means silk. So I’ve collaborated with my friends at New & Lingwood once again to put out a new version of its lounge robe made from 100% tussah silk.

The silk, woven in England by a mill with more than 100 years of experience, is amazingly lightweight and breathable. I also appreciate that we found it in black, which means it can be worn with a pair of trousers and a little something for a creative black tie invite. From lazy Sundays to travel to the occasional evening out it’s super versatile and something I’ll be wearing the rest of the summer.

Perhaps best of all, each robe—like all of New & Lingwood’s dressing gowns—are made directly below the brand’s Jermyn Street flagship, tapping into a long tradition of artisanal crafts in London. Which means if we do not have your size (a few sizes—XS and S—have sold out) they can easily make one up for you! Check out what is in stock here… available online now, go get ‘em!

PICK UP THE PHONE

What’s better than reading the WM Brown newsletter? How about listening to it? Coming soon: The WM Brown Hotline, a weekly-ish podcast featuring dispatches from abroad with Matt Hranek and in-studio correspondent Adam Rapoport. Think of it as an audio travelogue, catching up with Matt as he galavants around the globe, detailing all things WMB, from essential hotel and restaurant tips to sunscreen and swimsuit recs. You’ll be able to access the Hotline in both audio and video format wherever you get your pods, as well as here on Substack, where you can find show notes, including imagery and links to everything discussed in each episode. Stay tuned.

HAPPY HOUR

Last week I popped into Krasi, a Greek wine bar in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, for a long lunch of zucchini carpaccio, tomato fritters and chicken souvla capped by ouzo. However, the most memorable part of the meal may have been its start, when I noticed a spritz cocktail called Amber Antics made with something called St. John Commandaria.

I’d never heard of it, but having grown up obsessed with medieval history I was very familiar with the Knights of St. John, a crusader order that holed up in Cyprus after losing the Holy Land. Commandaria, I soon learned, is a style of dessert wine made in Cyprus from grapes that are picked late to max out their sweetness and then produced through the solera aging system. The end product is sweet and nutty like a PX sherry but feels considerably lighter and lush with a nice citrus touch—in other words, perfect for summer.

I enjoyed it neat after Krasi’s wine director Jeremiah Cates poured me a small measure to sate my curiosity, and also loved it in the cocktail, which the restaurant cans in-house (I was also given a few to take home). It’s incredibly simple, with just Commandaria, orange wine (Krasi uses Mylonas Naked Truth Savatiano, from Greece) and a topper of Italian lemon soda. I’ve produced the recipe provided by Krasi beverage director Lou Charbonneau below; and if you’re looking for an Aperol Spritz alt, you could swap out the lemon soda for prosecco. —Eric Twardzik

Amber Antics

1 oz St. John Commandaria

2 oz Orange wine

3 oz San Pellegrino Lemonata

Add all ingredients to a long-stemmed wine glass over ice, stir lightly and lift to incorporate. Garnish with a lemon peel and serve.