Nocking Point’s Monthly Bulletin
Trends, tastes, causes, and inspiration that help shape our own ideas…curated and slapped together by our Co-founder, Andrew Harding
Our monthly bulletin rounds up what we’ve been following, what we’re into, what’s inspiring us, and what we’re thinking about lately. The hope is that it inspires and brings something new your way that makes your days a little better . And, we’ll always share a little Nocking Point news that we think will pair perfectly with your next glass of wine…cheers!
→ A quick note to start with →
We love new ideas, new opportunities, new stuff, new trends, and new information that makes life better for everyone around us. We’re SUPER lucky to get to cross-paths regularly with really smart people who are creating ideas, content, products, and services that inspire us in every way possible. That got us thinking, why just keep this stuff to ourselves? So, each month we’ll share what we’ve found, what we’ve learned, what’s inspired us, and what we think you might like as well in Nocking Point’s Monthly Bulletin. Oh, and if you have ideas for us to share in the future, we’re all ears. Send them to me via IG/Twitter (@andrewharding) or you can find us everywhere @nockingpoint as well. We hope you enjoy this 5-10 minute read as much as we enjoy putting it together for you and our team.
Cheers!
–AH
→ NEW (at least to us) GOOD STUFF →
Listening to (music):
Wiz Kid
Great end-to-end, upbeat album to play in the background while you’re working…
Watching:
The Chef Show
Love a super creative cooking show that inspires creativity. Bourdain inspired me to start NP…
Listening to (learning):
Snacks Daily
Found this during $GME. Great quick hits that teach me new things daily.
Eating:
Bitchin’ Sauce
(image above!) Put this on everything. Seriously. All meals. Start with Chipotle. You’re welcome.
Reading:
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Mark Manson has solid perspective takes. Not new but worth a read/listen if you missed it.
Drinking:
Tazo Zen Green Tea
Less jitters than coffee on an empty stomach and SO MANY health benefits. Loving it daily.
→ WHO WE’RE FOLLOWING →
I’ve been drinking and following Liquid Death Mountain Water for months now. Their packaging and “death to plastic” message is great. More interesting to me is anyone who can take something as ubiquitous as WATER and position it in a way that drives consumers to want it more than, A) dozens of other water brands out there, or B) the H20 flowing in their own home. My fridge is full of this stuff right now and I’m following them closely to glean what I can from this smart crew. We can sell wine over here but if you asked me to create a new water brand I’d have no clue. Big kudos to these guys and we admire the “death to plastic” movement!
→ STUFF WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT →
The entire world of sneakers, sports cards, collector culture, and everything else driving the NFT craze has been in our FACES over the past couple weeks. As the “Official Wine of Sports®” we’re locked in on the sports world but these $millions in card values is bonkers. I’ve got a giant trunk of cards at my parents’ place in Walla Walla. Can’t wait to dig through them, open up some 1986 Topps packs, eat some 35 year-old gum, and see if I have anything in there that’ll pay for my kiddos’ college. Ha! In the meantime I’m still trying to figure out how to apply NFT’s and who the long-term winners will be when there are so many “assets” out there that they can be tied to and the barriers to entry seem almost non-existent.
Can anyone think of ways we can use NFT’s in the wine game? Would anyone care? Could we use them to spread the love and help people who need it? I’m curious.
→ IMPACTS WORTH SHARING →
We take great pride in raising awareness and funds for causes and organizations who are doing the good, hard work of helping others in a meaningful way. Last year we donated over $1 million to charities here in the U.S. As you know, the Cleveland Cavs are a partner of ours and for every bottle of Cavs Cab that we sell, we’ll make a donation to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. What’s more essential than making sure our communities don’t go hungry? This organization is putting the work to eliminate hunger in Northeast Ohio and we’re here to help. Every dollar raised feeds 4 people so even a $5 donation goes a LONG WAY. If you can help, please think about it. Families in Ohio will thank you for it!
→ NP FRIENDS & COMMUNITY SHOUT-OUTS →
MERCADO — 21 E Main St, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Chef Andrae Bopp has been our go-to chef in Walla Walla for years at our annual Spring Release event (in years prior to 2020!). His food truck skills won him the national “Best Food Truck” award a handful of years ago too. His food is off the charts and his new spot in the heart of downtown Walla Walla — called MERCADO — is going to be our landing spot for sure when we make it home.
This location used to be called Merchant’s back when I was a kid and we’d get our fresh meats, pastas, and baked goods there weekly. Croissants and eclairs all day long. It was basically of the only place my grandmother shopped. Seeing Andrae and his team take this space over is incredibly cool for me and my family to see…and I know he’ll do it right. He’s a long time Nocking Point friend and supporter so show some love on your next trip to Walla Walla and tell him we sent you!
→ ICYMI →
Wine & Gold Radio: We had a blast joining the Cleveland Cavs Beat Writer Joe Gabriele, TV play-by-play announcer John Michael, and Spanish Radio announcer Rafa Hernandez Brito on a recent episode of “Wine & Gold Radio”. This one is filled with stories and laughs for sure. Love these guys…have a listen when you’ve got some free time soon!
→ SNEAK PEEKS? →
We have a BIG sneak peek. It goes way beyond wine too. Any guesses? Here’s a hint:
→ FINAL THOUGHTS (AND SOMETIMES RANTS)? →
I was raised in the 80’s and 90’s. I loved Jordans and while I was NOT the kid who always had a pair, mom and dad got me a couple pairs throughout the years and I loved them so much that I STILL LOVE THEM NOW (thank you mom & dad!). I’ve never grown out of it. I wore Dunks exclusively for years when I moved to LA; they were classic, easy to find, and under $100. NOT ANYMORE. THEY’RE ALL GONE, ALWAYS, AND I CAN’T SWALLOW PAYING SOMEONE $500 FOR A PAIR OF KICKS I KNOW THEY GAMED YOU AND ME OUT OF!
Sure there are better things to spend $$ on for sure but it’s a nostalgia thing that reminds me of when I was a kid and I just want some kicks for the 13 year old me, K!?! If anyone has better ideas on how to find kicks than I do please let me know. I’ve got good wine to trade for good info and/or kicks. 😉
Anything awesome or important I missed? Let me know on IG or Twitter!
@andrewnharding
→ YOU MADE IT TO THE END. YOU WIN! →
Wow! You took this whole thing down. Thank you! As appreciation we want to give you 20% off your next purchase. Just use code “Drew-Sent-Me” and enjoy a glass out of your next bottle on me. Thank you!
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