Well. These are crazy, dark and frightening times. It's been a tough year so far for Aussies with bushfires and now the reality of a global pandemic. Whether we really want to or not, we have to stay indoors for the safety of the wider public and most importantly, ease the stress on the medical system. 

Now, that is all we're going to mention about the doom and gloom. We're here to put a smile on your face. That's what we all need right now. SO. From today until the end of this crisis, we're going to be putting together our Isolation Survival Guide. Things that our team has been listening to, watching, eating and most importantly drinking - because far out we all need a drink right now. All the things that have made us feel good and overall just take our mind off the chaos. So here it is, Edition #1 of Unico Zelo's Isolation Survival Guide.

Music

Matt Berninger's 'Social Distancing Distortion' Playlist

Ahh bless Matt Berninger. His incredible band The National has sadly had to cancel plenty of dates due to the outbreak - if you haven't yet listened to The National, go listen to their brilliant album High Violet before you do anything else today - and the frontman is doing social distancing right by catching up on his music listening, and he's not just keeping it to himself! He's created a wonderful playlist entitled 'Social Distancing Distortion' (great name) which he is updating WEEKLY full of all the tunes he's discovered and loved. Expect some laid back acoustic tracks from legends like Neil Young, Nick Drake and Chris Isaak and throwback indie rockers like The Breeders and the titular Social Distortion (remember this track from Guitar Hero 3?!?!) This has given us an idea...

 

Film + T.V

'Ugly Delicious' - Netflix

We've always used Momofuku's David Chang as a North Star for Unico Zelo, someone who is dedicated to exploring food cultures, diving deep into their rich history, and sharing them with the world. It's what we're dedicated to doing with wine. So when we hear Season 2 of Ugly Delicious is out on Netflix, you know for damn sure we're gonna be straight on it. This time around he dives into balancing the chef's life with becoming a father for the first time, the misunderstood history of Indian food, and what the heck is going on with Steak and the future of the Cattle Industry. It's everything we want it to be, fun, engaging, insightful and god damn salivating. Guaranteed if you watch this, your next emergency grocery run you'll be grabbing supplies for Curry. Phenomenal viewing.

Food

Pasta Aglio e Olio

This is a recipe we believe literally every human being on the planet should know. A simple, cheap and outrageously delicious recipe that only has seven ingredients. Yup. Seven. Bloody. Ingredients: Garlic. Chilli Flakes. Olive Oil. Parsley. Lemon Juice. Parmesan. Pasta. It's so easy - Pasta Aglio e Olio. If you've seen the cult foodie classic that is Jon Favreau's Chef, this is the pasta that the man himself makes for Scarlett Johansson. It's so easy you can literally learn to make it just from watching the scene from the movie. You might struggle with getting pasta from the supermarket right now but we've attached a recipe from the legends at Bon Appétit for fresh homemade pasta - you've got so much time at home, it's time to dust off that old pasta maker! Unico guarantee: you will not regret it.

Book

The 12 Bottle Bar

Exactly what we need right now. A handy way to start making epic cocktails at home, that doesn't break the bank. The 12 Bottle Bar from David and Lesley James Solmonson is a perfect way to start making amazing drinks at home while you can't visit any bars, full of super simple and downright delicious cocktails. No roto-vaps or lacto ferments here, only classics - for a lot of these all you'll really need is those 12 bottles they're talking about! An excellent read that pulls back the curtain, and really lays it out: home bartending ain't no thing! Get a very small group of friends around in this crisis and get cranking on some excellent beverages. 

Booze

L.A.S.Vino 'Native Flower Ferments'

This is something we red about around this time last year when Nic Peterkin of L.A.S. Vino was making these completely one of a kind wines and have been eager to see what came of them. Well, they're here! And while we've not tried them (yet), these are guaranteed going to be some of the most interesting wines you will try this year. 3 different fermentations from the same base of a Pinot Noir Rosé, one naturally fermented, and two inoculated with indigenous Australian Flowers - Mariwood Blossom and Red Grevillea. There was only 10 dozen made of these and there isn't too much in the wine world quite like these. Snap them up quick - They're offering free shipping with the code 'selfisolation' so get em before they're gone!

Meme of the Day!

thanks to @nakedbunch