On Magnolias, Lucky Charms, Avocado, and Change

06/06/2020
A letter from Brunette, the wine bar my husband and I owned. This was the last newsletter we sent, as we sold the bar in Spring 2020.

Just a few months have passed since we last wrote, but we might call them eternities, so much has happened.

In our small world, in winter, we dreamt about fresh avocado and tortillas warmed in the Mexico sun. And then we were lucky enough to catch a flight south to Oaxaca and eat them for breakfast four days straight. They were the fuel we needed to make it through the cold months. 

In early spring, we discovered the yellow magnolia. With chalky lemon petals like Lucky Charms' crescent moons, it was the first tree to bloom in our yard and a signal of hope - not that we would make it out of pandemic unscathed, but that we would emerge even better than before.

And in late spring, we passed the keys to Brunette to Jessie Harris and Max Botwick.

Former Philadelphians, these two recently moved to Kingston and are working hard to get the bar open for you later this month.

Yes, there will be hot dogs. Yes, there will be ramen. Of course, wine and beer. Yes, a playful menu (spicy salad!). Yes, sandwiches! Yes, daytime hours! Yes, bathroom bobbies.

We could do a proper intro and tell you that Jessie has always wanted to own a bar or that Max most recently was a chef for a big sports team in Philly, but here is the thing: 

You will like them, not because of their prior accomplishments (there are many), but because they are very talented, very honest, very humble, very smart, very charming, and very ready to feed you and to pour you a drink.

You’ll get to meet them in just a few weeks.

Before we go, can we tell you how many times we have re-fallen in love with our community? During the pandemic, our upstate business community has kept us nourished and safe. So many businesses have pivoted (Village Coffee, Boitsons, Tivoli General, Hearty Roots, Solid Ground Farm, Otto’s, Cub Market to name just a few) so that we have been able to get groceries and necessities and even treats (hello, Fortunes ice cream sandwich) without ever stepping foot inside a store.

And now, it is time to keep Black people nourished and safe - not just for the duration of this pandemic, but always. Thinking about, talking about, and acting upon ingrained and systemic inequalities is uncomfortable, but it is time. 

Last week’s peaceful protest in Kingston and the heightened activism in our community has been inspiring. We are grateful to be surrounded by and learning from so many people who are not just saying Black Lives Matter with their voices, but also with their platforms and their actions.

We feel honored to have been a part of this community and are excited to welcome Jessie and Max into the fold during this important time.

Looking forward to pulling up a stool next to you,
Your former bartenders,
Tracy & Jamie

p.s. We made you a playlist. Listen here. And if you want to say hi, you can find Jamie hiding out in rivers and streams and mountains, here and me just hiding out, in general, here.

p.p.s. It’s only fair we should warn you: Jessie is not a brunette. She is a ginger. However, Max is a brunette - and he has more hair on his head than Jamie and I do combined. We think that counts.