High desert air, half-cooked theology, and a bottle passed among the faithful. Turns out, nothing pairs with family history quite like a generous pour.
50 Years on the Rocks
Author: Isy Badger
attempt at self analysis over jazz
A story about the kind of night that only happens when you’re broke, 23, and full of accidental magic ……… there’s kissing, cab scams, breakdancing, a minor collapse of global infrastructure — and, hopefully, a little honesty too.
Throttles, Tremors, and Bintang Beers
Isy rides the Edge of a volcano (and his own competence), testing the Line between Top Gun and Total Disaster.
Surviving the Circus: Five Rules for Conference Success
“Cassidy was the undisputed Queen of the Conference Circuit. At any given function she became the individual in the room whose ring was kissed. Even the party hosts or resident power brokers eventually came to her for validation. Or if they didn’t, she was busy plotting a strategy to win them over so they soon would be. She was uniquely able to bludgeon the careful norms associated with white glove events while simultaneously expanding the possibilities for how electeds were allowed to behave.”
This is some of her playbook.
The Real Housewives and Retired Generals of Lima
Everything that rises must converge. Issy has another Near Life Experience while brushing up against the rich and fabulous in the Peruvian countryside.
Bar of the Gods
“I am a great friend of chaos. It’s all we have. Life is risk, life is chance, life is being open to chance. The best things in my life, and probably in anybody’s life, comes out of being open to being blown off course.”
~Tilda Swinton
The Great Hampstead Turkey Shoot: Isy and Vic’s Thanksgiving in the Swamp
There’s a famous Chinese proverb, “nothing eases the pain of heart break like shooting assault rifles with new friends who might be in a cult or are actually knife salesmen”.
Vic tests this wisdom with his old friend, Issy Badger. The two visit a famous dive bar from the film Blue Velvet, and turn Thanksgiving weekend into a screwball affair that would make Dennis Hopper proud.
Brutal Ends & Beautiful Beginnings: Up Late in Spanish Speakeasies
Watermelon Poison: drinking fire water in Bogota
The notorious first meeting of Izzy Badger and Captain Dick occurs under the watchful eye of Vic Neverman and Colombia’s finest bargain spirit.
Uncharted Dives 