Drink about something

The map said nine days; our hearts turned it into a highlight reel. We roll out at dusk, chase the Exorcist Steps before sunrise, get humbled by DC parking, and reset our nerves at Ford’s Theatre. A tunnel panic in Baltimore tries to hijack the ride, but we breathe through it and learn a trick we’ll use all week: pair fear with a bigger view. Philly greets us with a concierge win, a middling cheesesteak, and the Rocky Steps that feel exactly like you hope they will. At Black Tom Island we frame Manhattan from a safe distance—skyline, Statue, the whole promise—before diving in for real a day later.

New England turns the volume down and the color up. Norwood surprises us with an Italian spot where a guitarist clocks a necklace and invites our kid to play; Maine stuns us silent at Fort Williams Park and Two Lights, all spray and volcanic rock and World War II bunkers tucked into the cliffs. Hampton Beach gives us a sunrise worth the alarm. Salem offers context and restraint—Gallows Hill over jump scares—and Fall River lets us sleep soundly in the Lizzie Borden house with more respect than rumor and a checklist of sensible rules.

Then Manhattan wakes us up: Times Square’s theater of hustle, a hop-on, hop-off loop that turns chaos into chapters, Chinatown food that ruins takeout forever, and the wooden heartbeat of the Brooklyn Bridge underfoot. At the 9/11 Memorial, the world narrows to names and water. A deli Reuben stacks like a dare; Top of the Rock answers it with a Manhattan over Manhattan and a skyline that makes your phone feel inadequate. We drift west to Hershey for a nostalgic detour, then south to Gettysburg, where hills hold history and Dobbin House serves comfort in candlelight. A hidden mine bar under our hotel becomes our last great discovery, followed by one neon ghost town in South Carolina and a quick course correction back to a cracked-booth local joint. Buc-ee’s seals the deal with a snack victory lap.

This journey is part travel guide, part courage practice: how to plan smart, pivot often, eat well, and let a lighthouse, a bridge, or a sunrise be bigger than your fear. If you’re plotting your own loop, take the vantage point first, choose one unforgettable meal per city, and leave room for the places that find you. Enjoy the ride—and if this story moved you, follow, share with a friend, and drop a review so more road-trippers can find us.

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Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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A leather mask, a clink of cans, and a key turning in a famous front door—our night at the Lizzie Borden house started playful and got serious fast. We walk you room by room through Fall River’s most talked‑about address, balancing the eerie staging with the ordinary rhythm of a B&B: check‑in chatter, locals with big hearts, and a neighbor who opens the shop just to tell stories. The trip becomes a prism for the case itself, where small details—window washing, a handkerchief, a door latch—matter more than legend.

We revisit 1892 with clear eyes: Andrew’s frugality, Abby’s background, adult daughters navigating status and independence, and Bridget’s place in a home that called her by the last maid’s name. The illness that sweeps the house is likely spoiled mutton, not poison, yet fear sets the stage for two killings hours apart. From morphine to caffeine, from a chaotic search to a trial that boiled skulls and paraded them in court, the investigation shows how limited tools warp outcomes. We pull apart the stubborn question—how could anyone inflict that much damage without wearing the blood?—and weigh the possibilities without forcing a neat answer.

Along the way, we examine how media shapes memory. A detour into Ryan Murphy’s Ed Gein series sparks a frank talk about accuracy, empathy, and why production flair can both illuminate and mislead. After acquittal, Lizzie buys Maplecroft, hosts parties, and endures a rhyme that gets the facts wrong but wins the culture anyway. Standing in those rooms, we find less haunting than history—and a reminder that catchy stories often outlive careful ones.

Press play to explore the real timeline, the class and gender dynamics, the missing forensics, and the way travel puts you closer to truth. If this conversation grabs you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop your verdict in the comments—what detail convinced you most?

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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We’re sitting in Lizzie Borden’s bedroom, mics in hand, feet on century-old floors that creak like a metronome for the past. That intimacy changes everything. The famous rhyme fades once you see the sightlines, test the doors, and realize how a body could hide behind a bedframe and a myth could hide inside a tidy narrative.

We trace the real timeline: Abby’s silent fall upstairs, Andrew’s final nap on the sofa, a maid sick from bad stew, a family doctor with morphine, and a police force literally at an amusement park. The “obvious” story—Lizzie did it—runs into blood-spatter physics, the absence of a murder weapon, and the logistics of washing off gore without running water. We unpack motives people still cite (inheritance, resentment, control), then weigh them against capacity: clothing, time, acoustics, and witness angles in a compact, connected house. Along the way we meet Bridget “Maggie,” revisit the prussic acid rumor, and examine how a pharmacist’s claim and burned dress lore outgrew the evidence.

After the verdict, the story doesn’t end. Maplecroft, charity done quietly, a sisterly split over a party for actress Nance O’Neill, and a life lived under a headline all reshape the woman behind the legend. We also bring you with us on the road—Fall River coffee, a Portuguese dinner, bridge panic, and that odd feeling of calm inside a place the world calls haunted. It’s part true crime, part travel log, and fully grounded in the stubborn details only a house can teach.

Hit play, then tell us what the floorplan and timeline suggest to you. If this deep-dive hooked you, follow, share with a friend who loves unsolved cases, and leave a review so more curious listeners can find the show.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4B9itkeqlw

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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The seltzers crack open, the laundry hums, and we dive straight into the story that haunts American horror: Ed Gein. Coming off a nine-day run through New England and a somber detour to Gettysburg, we trace the path from a Plainfield farmhouse to the birth of a cultural myth, focusing on the small, brutal truths that too many summaries skip. We talk about Augusta’s iron grip, the isolation that starved Ed of normal life, and the suspicion around Henry’s death that left him even more alone. Then we walk through the squalor, the grave robbing, and the mother-obsession that shaped his most disturbing acts—not to sensationalize them, but to understand the forces that pushed a damaged mind over the edge.

From there, we map how Hollywood picked up the pieces. Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Silence of the Lambs didn’t copy Gein; they transformed the raw material into stories about control, identity, and terror. We compare what each got right, what they invented, and why those choices still shape how people think about real cases. Along the way, we weigh schizophrenia and dissociation as reported in Gein’s case, keep a clear line between explanation and excuse, and talk honestly about the officers who walked into that house and carried its aftermath for years.

The road-trip energy sneaks in, too—Lizzie Borden’s house, the hush of Gettysburg’s fields, and the way music and history can deepen empathy for victims. It’s a conversation that blends research, reflection, and a few raw laughs to keep us grounded while we handle heavy material. If you want a thoughtful, unflinching look at how abuse, isolation, and illness intersected with one of the bleakest chapters in true crime—and how that chapter echoed through film and TV—this one’s for you.

Hit follow, share with a friend who loves true crime done right, and drop your take: which film adaptation comes closest to the difficult truth?

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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Ever wondered where Hollywood's most iconic villains came from? In our landmark 50th episode, we pull back the curtain on Edward Theodore Gein—the Wisconsin recluse whose nightmarish crimes spawned Norman Bates, Leatherface, Buffalo Bill, and countless other fictional monsters.

Born in 1906 to an alcoholic father and fanatically religious mother, Ed Gein's childhood was defined by isolation and psychological abuse. His mother Augusta, who taught him that all women were "harlots," kept her sons completely secluded from society on their 155-acre farm. When she died in 1945, Ed—then in his late 30s—was left utterly alone, having never developed basic social skills or relationships outside his family.

What followed was a descent into unimaginable horror. While the sleepy town of Plainfield saw Ed as merely an odd, pitiable figure who babysat local children, he harbored gruesome secrets. After the disappearance of hardware store owner Bernice Worden in 1957, authorities discovered her body at Ed's farm—along with furniture upholstered in human skin, bowls made from skulls, face masks crafted from women's faces, and most infamously, a belt made entirely of human nipples.

From Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Silence of the Lambs," Gein's influence on horror cinema is immeasurable. As Netflix prepares to release "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" on October 3rd, join us for this unflinching exploration of the real-life nightmare behind your favorite scary movies. Because sometimes, truth is more terrifying than fiction.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlPCSfvnoXE

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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We're raising our Bloody Marys to celebrate both Lindsay's birthday and our podcast's first anniversary in this raw, unfiltered episode that perfectly captures what makes Drink About Something unique – our ability to balance life's joys with exploration of its darkest corners.

The celebration kicks off with a recap of Lindsay's birthday dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant, complete with a sombrero, singing waitstaff, and a tiny margarita with a candle. Jesse went all out with gifts, focusing on Lindsay's love for Bloody Marys with an impressive array of mixes, garnishes, and specialty vodkas. We also highlight meaningful purchases from survivors' businesses, including clothing from Jennifer Turpin (of the Turpin family case) and Aaron Goodwin.

But true to our format, we don't shy away from the darkness. We delve into the horrific case of David Parker Ray, known as the Toybox Killer, whose crimes were so disturbing that Jesse experienced an emotional breakdown during our recording. This raw moment underscores the weight of what we cover – a serial predator whose full victim count will never be known, leaving countless families without closure.

The episode captures a profound realization: how cases like this highlight the everyday fear many women live with, and how covering true crime has opened Jesse's eyes to this reality. We recommend "Cries in the Desert" for listeners wanting to learn more about this disturbing case.

As we toast to our 50th episode and prepare for our upcoming New England trip, this milestone recording embodies everything our podcast stands for – finding moments of connection and joy while confronting the darkest aspects of humanity. Join us for this unedited glimpse into both our celebration and our contemplation of a case that left us forever changed.

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Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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The twisted saga of David Parker Ray, known as the Toy Box Killer, represents one of the most disturbing chapters in American true crime history. From the shores of Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico, Ray orchestrated a reign of terror that spanned decades, leaving an unknowable number of victims in his wake.

Perhaps most disturbing was Ray's methodical approach. He recorded an "orientation" tape for victims, detailing the horrors they would endure. He drugged women so thoroughly they would later have no memory of their ordeal—though nightmares and flashbacks would haunt them for years, as happened with Kelly Van Cleave, who only discovered she had been a victim when investigators identified her tattoo in Ray's videos.

If you've found this episode impactful, please share it with others who appreciate thoughtful true crime analysis. Your support helps us continue bringing these important stories to light, ensuring victims' experiences are never forgotten.

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Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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Set in the tight-knit community of Bill City, Michigan, this harrowing story begins when 13-year-old Lauren and her boyfriend Owen start getting increasingly hostile, sexually explicit, and psychologically damaging messages from a mysterious sender. What starts as insinuations about infidelity quickly escalates into a full-blown psychological assault, with the unknown caller telling Lauren she's worthless, flat-chested, and should kill herself—sometimes sending dozens of messages per day.

The moment the FBI traces the messages back to their source delivers one of the most shocking revelations in recent documentary history. Lauren's own mother, Kendra Licari, had been sending these vicious messages while simultaneously comforting her daughter at home. The body cam footage capturing Lauren learning this truth is absolutely heartbreaking—a teenager faced with the ultimate betrayal from the person who should have been her fiercest protector.

But Kendra's deception went even deeper. Her husband Sean discovers she'd been lying about going to work for over a year, putting the family in financial ruin while she dedicated herself full-time to anonymously tormenting her daughter.

The documentary raises profound questions about maternal relationships, mental health, and digital safety. How does someone compartmentalize such radically different personas? What drives a mother to systematically destroy her child's self-esteem? And how does a young person recover from such a fundamental breach of trust?

Have you ever wondered if you truly know the people closest to you? This documentary will make you question everything about trust, family bonds, and the masks we sometimes wear. Share your thoughts after watching—I'd love to hear your perspective on this unbelievable true story.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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When neighbors described David Parker Ray as a friendly, helpful mechanic, they had no idea about the soundproof trailer parked on his property—a meticulously designed torture chamber he called his "toy box."

From the moment his father began supplying him with sadomasochistic pornography as a child, Ray's path toward becoming one of America's most terrifying predators was set in motion. His mechanical aptitude, which earned him respect in various jobs across the Southwest, would ultimately serve a darker purpose: constructing elaborate torture devices for his countless victims.

In this first installment of our two-part series, we explore Ray's development from troubled child to sadistic predator, raising uncomfortable questions about what creates monsters and how they hide in plain sight. The story serves as a stark reminder that behind seemingly ordinary facades can lurk unimaginable horrors—leaving us to wonder how many other David Parker Rays might be living among us, waiting for their opportunity to strike.

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https://www.instagram.com/solemn_tw/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/@Solemntw

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Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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Dive into the darkest corners of American history as we unpack the chilling tale of Belle Gunness, one of the nation's first and most prolific female serial killers. Over drinks and unfiltered conversation, we trace the bloody path of this Norwegian immigrant who transformed from farm girl to calculated murderer in early 1900s Indiana.

The story unfolds like a macabre fairy tale – Belle arrives in America with dreams of wealth, only to discover that marriage and honest work won't satisfy her appetite for money and power. What follows is a masterclass in manipulation as Belle orchestrates insurance scams, suspicious deaths, and ultimately creates a deadly trap for lonely men seeking companionship.

This raw, unedited recap captures our genuine reactions to each twist in Belle's story while saving some revelations for listeners who want to experience our full episode. We also touch on a current case involving child abuse that reminds us how vulnerable populations continue to fall through society's safety nets.

Listen now for a haunting journey through one of America's most fascinating true crime stories, told with the perfect balance of historical detail, dark humor, and genuine human connection. Then join us Friday for our next two-part case that promises even more shocking revelations.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Ready to explore more shocking true crime cases with us? Subscribe to Drink About Something for new episodes every Friday, and visit drinkaboutsomething.site with links to see all our content, including visual evidence from the cases we cover. 

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