Life + Culture

Pull Up a Seat

Inside Man & Oak, Portland's private bottle club Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Lauren Lear Walk down Oak Street in the Old Port and you might miss it—tucked discreetly behind frosted glass, with nothing to announce itself but a subtle logo. But inside Man & Oak, a members-only bottle club founded by whiskey enthusiast and industry veteran Michael Meir, something exceptional is happening. “It’s not that I pay to drink my own bottles,” one member told Meir. “I pay to share my...

Food + Beverage

Sipped, Savored, Selected

Man & Oak director Michael Meir picks five whiskeys that hit all the right notes Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Lauren Lear William Larue Weller  “My #1 all-time favorite bourbon. It’s high proof with mouth moisture wicking elements—a real flavor bomb—yet easy to drink. The mark of excellence!” EH Taylor Barrel Proof  “I’m a sucker for the history of this brand and a nerd for the history of the spirirt itself. Taylor is the godfather of bourbon for good reason, and no...

Arts + Culture

Brotherly Harmony

Sean Oshima talks music, Maine, and what it means to be a good man in a boy band Article by Becca Abramson For Sean and Jamie Oshima, music didn’t begin with a record deal or a viral hit. It started in rural Maine—at musical gatherings, family jam sessions, and homes filled with instruments rather than formal lessons. “Our parents are musicians and artists,” Sean says. “We grew up surrounded by songs. There were no lessons, but there was a lot of music.” Now, the Japanese-Italian Oshima...

Life + Culture

Worn Wild

How Sambob’s custom fleece became the outdoors’ most personal layer Article by Becca Abramson | Photography by Kim Chapman When Sam Roberts, founder of Sambob, traded bird banding and backcountry hikes for a sewing machine and stacks of Polartec fleece, he wasn’t trying to launch a business—he was just trying to make the perfect hoodie. “I got kind of into the ultralight backpacking world of gear,” Roberts says, recalling his days as a wildlife biologist crisscrossing national parks in Utah...