In this week's episode: Nikki and Steve talk about the book Ready Player 2 by Ernest Cline, the PS4 game Marvel's Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition, and Alison Roman's cooking subscription e-newsletter. Bonus chatter: the movie On the Rocks on AppleTV+, the movie Palm Springs on Hulu, meatballs, living recorded memories, and Lego architecture. Links from the show:

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/elon-musk-neuralink-wires-up-monkey-to-play-video-games-using-mind.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/realestate/tiny-house-pandemic.html

https://anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/p/a-newsletter-14

https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP9000-CUSA02299_00-MARVELSSMGOTY000

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/557223/ready-player-two-by-ernest-cline/

In this episode: Steve and Nikki talk about Mars exploration, magical mushrooms, WandaVision on Disney+, Servant on AppleTV+, the book Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, and the Netflix movie The Midnight Sky starring George Clooney. Bonus chatter: a Super Bowl bet, versions of Life on Mars, bodegas & corner stores, and Hasselback potatoes (no relation to the football player).

https://www.cnet.com/features/uaes-hope-mars-probe-could-change-everything-we-know-about-the-red-planet/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZrQElycML0

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/women-who-travel/id1321118314

In this episode: Steve introduces a new season, a new show format, and a new co-host...Nikki! They share articles about poets and mole rats, and toast to the end of Dry January with a Backwoods Bastard by Founders Brewing. They also discuss the notable show The Mandalorian on Disney+, the book Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker, and the book A Promised Land by Barack Obama. WARNING: Scrappy the dog barks really loud directly into the microphone in this episode. There are also a few curse words (unrelated).

Links discussed in the show:

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/29/962030186/amanda-gorman-and-poetry-will-be-part-of-super-bowl-lv

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/28/960497406/friend-or-foe-naked-mole-rats-can-tell-by-a-unique-squeak

https://foundersbrewing.com/our-beer/backwoods-bastard/

In this episode, Steve talks about the Netflix original anime visual album Sturgill Simpson's Sound & Fury, the graphic novel Grand Theft Horse written by G.Neri and illustrated by Corban Wilkin, and the comic Ms. Marvel: No Normal written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona. He tries a Special Effects non-alcoholic beer from Brooklyn Brewery for Dray January. He also responds to some listener tweets and emails about phone games and booze bottle/can labels. Relevant links from the episode: 

No-Booze Bottle Labels:

https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/who-needs-booze-when-youve-got-gorgeous-bottles/

Grand Theft Horse NPR story:

https://www.npr.org/2019/11/29/777839608/grand-theft-horse?fbclid=IwAR11iDGB2q-8jNQ9Ebvr_X0ccOeSqapZFa80zPt2kX5kwwrGwnMaeghsui4

Mario Zucca:

www.mariozucca.com mariozuccamaps.com

In this jam-packed episode, Steve talks about the book Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard, starting the game Marvel's Spider-Man on his PS4, watching MCU movies in timeline order, and the Captain Marvel movie. He reads listener emails about amazing pets. Then, the show's Food, Wine, and Travel correspondent Nikki stops by to talk about the travel show Basic Versus Baller: Travel at Any Cost on Hulu. She shares some of the weird new snacks she bought on a recent trip to H-Mart in Koreatown.

In this episode, Steve talks about the World War II book The Forgotten 500 by Gregory Freeman, the movie Captain America: The First Avenger, the PS4 video game Need for Speed Payback. He learned about WWII pilots, Serbian revolutionaries, and spies' role in helping to save American airmen down behind enemy lines. He discusses his attempt at entering the MCU. He basks in the glory of finally finishing Need for Speed Payback, the source of his man-tantrums for nearly two months. Nikki, the show's Food, Wine, and Travel Correspondent also stops by the share some delicious Dry January beverage ideas from https://athleticbrewing.com/,  https://www.casamaraclub.com/, and https://rasaspirit.com/collections/shop

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In this episode, Steve talks about some of his 2021 resolutions, the book American Prison by Shane Bauer, learning Spanish on the Duolingo language app, and watching Death to 2020 on Netflix. He also kicks off Dry January with a bottle of ice cold Topo Chico Twist of Grapefruit.

In this episode, Steve talks about the best villains ever and hears some listeners' opinions on the debate. Then he discusses the 2002 book Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan, the Altered Carbon series on Netflix, and the anime feature Altered Carbon: Resleeved.

In this episode, Steve talks with the pod’s Food, Wine, and Travel correspondent Nikki! She brings a delicious beverage and reviews three of her favorite cookbooks. We talk about and enjoy an Aperol Spritz then talk about Nothing Fancy by Allison Roman, Cooking for Jeffrey by Ina Garten, and Appetites: A Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain.