CHARLES HODGKINS

Charles Hodgkins writes about music, food, and travel. Founder of BurritoEater.com, he has served as a San Francisco taqueria expert for the New York Times, Cooking Channel, and other press outlets.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I've eaten a boatload of doughnuts/beignets in 2014, and somehow I still fit into these 46-waist slacks I got for Xmas last year. I'm a Bob's on Polk man. Mark Trombino's clever joint in Highland Park is also fun (if kinda pricey).

What was the music highlight of your year?

Oh, I could say it's been my five-month Neil Young binge, in which I chronologically listened my way through *everything* (including rafts of live shows) the man's done over the decades; an epic journey I had to beg out of at...1991. I'll pick it up again eventually.

I could also say it's been Nothing's 'Guilty Of Everything,' Cheatahs' self-titled debut (which sounds just like Swervedriver, and it's OK with me), Cloud Nothings' 'Here And Nowhere Else,' Solids' 'Blame Confusion' (which sounds just like Japandroids-lite, but it's OK with me), and Spoon's 'They Want My Soul' (which I think sounds just like Spoon) -- nutbusting 2014 records, all of 'em. I could even say it's all the Explosions In The Sky I've been subjecting my ears and neighbors to for the last couple weeks straight, daily and loudly.

And how could I almost forget my excitement over the idea of seeing Ride reform and perform in 2015? Really, I can't forget that. But I have a strong feeling my music highlight of the year will turn out to be Centro-matic's 'Take Pride In Your Long Odds,' which is not only my top album title to come along in many moons, but also one hell of a swan song for My Main Band Of The Last 15 Years. I'm off to Chicago and St. Louis to witness their farewell tour this month, which not only will probably be the finest rock shows I catch all year, but only furthers my long-held belief that compiling a best-of-year list in December sells our twelfth month of the year ruefully short. Why must we annually front on December? Why?? It's high time I stand up for my birthday month. I'm a December Boy and I like September Gurls just like everyone else, but dammit, I'm demanding the year's darkest month gets some respect handed down from Swimmingly's editorial crew. We're dealing with a legitimate month here -- like April, like September, like all those other months. It's more than just one holiday hoohaw after another; it's more than Bing-and-Bowie duets; it's more than drunken uncles doing the lampshade shuffle into the indoor pine tree after a couple too many eggnog-and-Fireball-chasers. Cool shit goes down in December, man. OK, happy new year.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

This year, no...but there was that time in 1993 when I bought a Pepsi at 7-11 and 'Right Here, Right Now' came on the radio -- right there, right then. Totally wild. Just unbelievable.

CARL SUTTON

2012 IN FOOD & MUSIC - CARL SUTTON

Winemaker Carl Sutton founded San Francisco’s Sutton Cellars in 1996. 

What was the food highlight of your year?

I had to think a lot about this, I don’t think in superlatives because food is such a quotidien experience. My wife and I cook at home and have a bottle of wine nightly so I’m fortunate (in my mind) to have a good food experience daily. And that’s the definition of a good food experience for me - some good food, a bottle of wine, and great company. This can be accomplished on a daily basis, there’s no reason to compromise or expect more… That said there was a food experience in 2012 that got my attention - the night market on Place Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech. Every evening there a hundred plus stalls set up with a broad variety of foods. I can’t remember the stall number for sure, I think it’s #31, but we got a tip that the merguez there was the best - we were not disappointed. We snuck a little red wine with us (local of course, who knew Morocco makes wine?!?) and the experience was fantastic. I could go on about how good the merguez and the khob (bread) and the sauces were but it was also the noise, heat, stink, energy, life, and everything else. Sure the food was simple but the experience was sensory overload. This is the original Off the Grid! Thanks for asking and making me think of it.

What was the music highlight of your year?

I was honestly disheartened with Neil Young’s performance at Outside Lands. He’s still got something to prove and he did it loud and fucking distorted for the first 20 minutes or so. Good for him, he’s not an old fart… For the rest of us out in the freezing fog, IDK. I’m sure people ate it up, I went and got the car and drove home early. On a positive note - music is like wine in our house, we have some every day. Most of the time it’s KALX for the great mix of DJs, new and well known music, and the DIY/indie spirit that embodies my winemaking as well. If I’m not listening to KALX it’s old 60’s garage/psych/R&B/soul or music made by my friends like Mike Therieau. Bart Davenport, Tim Bluhm, or any of the musicians I’ve met through them over the years.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Dinner at home with my wonderful wife. I don’t care what we’re listening to or what we’re eating so much as I enjoy the company. Best part: it’s easy to duplicate.