Nate Farley has played guitar in Guided By Voices and The Amps. He currently runs the kitchen at a specialty market in his native Ohio.
Read MoreCOLE GERST
Cole Gerst is a designer and illustrator living in Portland, OR. He recently illustrated and authored the book Buckminster Fuller: Poet of Geometry.
What was the food highlight of your year?
Sometimes my fondest memories of food are not simply great meals but revolve around other events of some sort. I've had some spectacular meals this year but I think my favorite food highlight was just an impromptu trip to the Oregon coast where my girlfriend and I hit every dive bar and seafood shack we could, devouring massive amounts of oysters & crab and just drinking beer and getting to know the local people far away from all the touristy places.
What was the music highlight of your year?
Built to Spill at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. I had seen Rocket from the Crypt earlier in the day at an outdoor festival so I was already in a good mood and full of PBR. I hadn't seen them in maybe 15 years, it was a bit sentimental to me. I think I teared up for a second.
Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?
A friend of mine surprised me with last minute tickets to Guided By Voices and told me to meet him at the taco place below the venue. When I got there, to my surprise, the taco place had been replaced by my favorite sandwich shop, Bunk Sandwiches. I proceeded to eat my old standby, the Meatball Parmigiano Hero, and bounce around to GBV for almost 3 hours. Now every time I have that sandwich I remember that show.
TOMMY HABETZ
Tommy Habetz is co-owner of Bunk Sandwiches and Bunk Bar in Portland.
What was the food highlight of your year?
The food highlight for me was a dinner that Nick and I were lucky enough to be a part of a few weeks ago in Toronto. My friend, Scott Vivian, invited us up to take part in a Charlie’s Burger dinner with the Group of 7 Chefs and David Bazirgan from the 5th Floor in SF. We got to cook alongside some of Canada’s best chefs. It was a great dinner, so much fun. It really opened my eyes to the incredibly talented chefs living and working in the great white north. David Bazirgan did a great Walleye poached in horse fat. And Matty Matheson did a sort of a Horse Pot au Feu. Eating horse is pretty common in a lot of other countries, but still is a hot button topic in Portland, OR. I really don’t understand why it is socially acceptable to eat cows, ducks, deer, etc., but horse is a no-no. Or is it a nay-nay, maybe? Anyway, one animal’s life is just as important as another animal’s life - And, as a disclaimer, selling horse meat is still illegal in the US, including Oregon. It was a great meal, and incredibly eye opening and educational to boot. Unfortunately, Mayor Rob Ford and Drake weren’t there, but you can’t have everything. Thanks, Canada!
What was the music highlight of your year?
I feel so lucky to say that this is a really tough question. There have been so many musical highlights this past year: Parquet Courts, Deafheaven, Angel Olson, Love Language…so many great shows at Bunk Bar. But the highlight, for me, was getting to go to Chicago to Riot Fest with my brother, Michael, to see The Replacements reunion, and then an after show from the one and only Rocket From the Crypt at The Double Door. They shook both doors off, goddamnit. So good.
Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?
Food and music came together for me at Huichica Festival at Gundlach-Bunschu Winery in Sonoma. Whether it was driving through the Redwoods blasting “I Am a Tree” by GBV, eating Poppycock. Or maybe somewhere right about here: Bob Weir! Muffalettas! God bless America!