Holiday State of Mind

Listen to the mp3 of our conversation above. Read below for the edited transcript.

Josh: Welcome to Unscripted, a lighthearted, unrehearsed, and sometimes silly Q&A series with Rose Gauntlet Entertainment CEO Isaac Vega, COO Lindsey Rhoad, and CCO Josh McCurry. That's me. So, guys, this month is November—A.K.A. the start of the holiday season, A.K.A. please pass the stuffing, A.K.A. how is it already this cold, A.K.A. I just want a break from my family.

In celebration of the season, I have some on-theme topics to discuss, beginning with food—the real hero of the season. What dish are you most looking forward to for Thanksgiving?

Isaac: Well, for me, I'm lucky enough to be going home this Thanksgiving, and my mom's gonna be cooking her traditional turkey and her stuffing. Her stuffing is one of my particular favorites. It's very, very delicious. She usually puts smoked ham inside it with some of her Dominican seasonings. So, it's incredibly addictive and almost a problem. I'm almost glad that I won't have tons of leftovers to bring home with me because, in that way, I can limit my exposure to it.

Lindsey: Yeah, I'll be going to my in-laws for Thanksgiving this year, which is pretty exciting because they're from an Italian family, and that's really, really good. So, the food's always amazing. But my favorite food will actually be the day after Thanksgiving because what they do is take all the leftovers, shove them inside a bunch of pastries, and bake them. Those—I don't know what they call them. I think they might be called popovers, like Thanksgiving popovers. They have a name for them that they made up—not the real name—but they're really, really good. They're the best thing I've ever had at anyone's Thanksgiving, but you can't have them until breakfast the next morning.

Josh: Man, now I'm kind of embarrassed for mine. For anybody listening, my wife and I just had a baby last month. So, we are here. We live in West Virginia, away from our families, and we decided not to go home for family time this year with the baby being so new. I shouldn't complain too much, but the food's just not gonna be as good. I know it's not. We're going to a colleague of my wife's place for Thanksgiving and having a small plates thing, which... Tapas is not my deal. It's not my jam. But my wife loves it, so I'm sure it'll go well.

Then, I think the weekend after Thanksgiving or the week after—I can't remember—but in our community here, they're having a Friendsgiving thing. So, we decided we may just not really cook at all, which might be the biggest Thanksgiving gift of all.

So, nice. Yeah. Now, you guys talked about a lot of cool stuff it sounds like other people are likely making. But for you guys, what dish are you best at making? Bonus points—because we're keeping score—if you're actually making it this year, or if it's a Thanksgiving item.

Lindsey: Because I can just slander my name with what this answer is going to be... The thing that I’m most well-known for, and the tradition I have decided to carry the torch on for my family, is making Bloody Marys on Thanksgiving morning. And I am super proud of my Bloody Marys. They're really good. We always have them when we watch the parade.

But it does mean that my family has a strong tradition of morning drinking on Thanksgiving. So, I'm not sure how proud we should be of that. But, like, they are happy, and they're really good. Making a good Bloody Mary is such a craft, and I've spent my life researching and perfecting my grandfather's recipes. So, yeah, I'll be drinking morning drinks, and I guess I'll be really proud of it.

Isaac: Oh, for me, something that I've always been proud to make—I don't think I'm going to make it this year, unfortunately, because I'm actually flying in on Thanksgiving Day. So, I don't really have enough time to prep—but I like to make a nice apple crisp. I'm very, very happy with the way I make the crumble on top. It's just so, so good, and with vanilla ice cream? It's perfect.

Josh: Yeah. My wife and I, we both like making desserts and doing the baking. I usually end up doing the meat. And, like, I was looking forward to this year before realizing that a new baby just blows everything up plan-wise. I had the idea of, like, I have a pit barrel, a smoker, and I was like, "Oh, I'll smoke the turkey. That'll be cool."

Whatever the meat is, I feel like I'm good at it, but I usually need a couple of whacks at it. And, like, I don't know—does anyone cook turkey more than once a year? Like, for Thanksgiving? I don’t know anyone that ever cooks turkey. So, it's like every time I cook it, I’m like, "Oh, I'm gonna not make these mistakes again next time I do it." And then it's a year later, and I make the same mistakes again. So, like, last year was really, really salty. I don’t know what happened with the seasoning, but that was my bad. I'm going to pretend I would have done a really good turkey this year.

Outside of strapping on the feed bag for Thanksgiving, this is also the unofficial start to the cozy season. So, how do you embrace the homey vibes when you're inside, it's freezing out, and you're all warm inside the house? What are you doing? How do you stay cozy?

Isaac: I go out for nice walks because it's, you know, 70 degrees.

Josh: Oh man, ruin the question. Forgot about Texas.

Isaac: But when it actually gets cold in January, tons and tons of blankets and throws. If you've ever been to my house, I just have so many of those lying around. I just enjoy cuddling up everywhere.

Lindsey: Let's see. I'm in Michigan, so cozy is definitely needed. I have gotten those little fake fireplaces—the ones that are like room heaters but also look like a very tiny fireplace—and I have put them in as many rooms as my electrical system can handle.

Those are the biggest motivation for me to go into any room. If there’s a tiny little fake fire crackling in the corner, I’m like, "Okay, I can go to my office if there’s a tiny fire. That’s all right." But yeah, I’d say that’s probably the biggest contribution I have to the cozy atmosphere of my home: tiny, tiny electric fires.

You can even get these little noise packs and tape them to the back of the device, and then they make a crackling noise. So, I can really sell myself on the illusion that I own a house that would have a fireplace.

Josh: That’s... Well, we do have a—don’t want to make you jealous—we have a fireplace upstairs that we use, so that’s nice. We also have one of those plug-in ones downstairs. That’s definitely... We use that. It looks real. It’s got some sort of... It’s not infrared; this is going to reveal I’m not very smart... Whatever the heat wave thing is that bounces out. It doesn’t use—it’s not hot to the touch—but it’s got something that bounces around the room and heats the room up.

So kids, look that up after this if you’re curious. It’s a real thing. I’m not insane.

For us, I feel like I end up drinking an entire year’s worth of tea around this time. I don’t drink tea all year—here and there, hot tea. I’m much more of a cold tea person. And then once the season starts? It’s tea all the time.

So, on the cozy side, when it comes to board games, is there one that is the epitome of cozy to you? Whether it’s something that you play that feels cozy when you play, or something you’ve seen, and you’re like, "Hmm, that just sounds like a January in Texas."

Isaac: Hmm. Trying to think. What’s the right cozy game?

Lindsey: I think for me, it’s not going to be cozy to anyone else, but for me, I’m really into really difficult solo games. For whatever reason, they make me feel cozy. So, I’ll be playing a lot of Robinson Crusoe. I’ll probably crack out my copy of Ghost Stories at some point because I like losing.

Yeah, like sitting down to any sort of big, complicated game. But it doesn’t matter if it’s big and complicated because it’s only me. I don’t have to teach it to anyone, and I don’t have to hear about the intimidation factor from anyone else at the table.

And yeah, just playing through some of those really cool solo games—preferably ones that I’m really bad at because I just like getting smeared across the table, and then resetting it and trying again. I think there’s a new expansion for Robinson Crusoe. And when I say "new," I mean not this year—new to me. So, I might go get that and just get lost on an island this winter.

Josh: Just some cozy ghost stories. That’s... I can’t even handle that game. We have The Last Bastion because I’m like, "Nah, I’ll play the other one that’s incredibly similar but not nearly as hard." That one steals your soul.

Isaac: I think for me, I would love to just kind of have a whole day with nothing going on and play some heavy Euros—something like Caverna.

I wouldn’t mind throwing down Windmill Valley again; that just came out. Those are just kind of chill. They’re complicated enough that there are some really cool combos and things going on, but it’s not super intense for me to get into or feel like I have to learn a whole bunch of strategy or pay attention to everything that’s going on.

I can just kind of do my own thing, and it’s fun and easy and cute to look at. I love those types of games, especially when everybody at the table is feeling relaxed.

Josh: Yeah. I feel like for me, I like—I feel like a weirdo because it’s like I want the biggest, most complicated game to set up on the table. That feels cozy to me because it’s like, you know, we’re going to be here for a long time. You’ve opted into this long experience.

So, one of my favorites has always been War of the Ring. It’s one of my wife’s least favorites. So, whenever that gets brought out, I mean, it’s a whole experience setting it up. That’s almost like the solo game for me—setting up the entire game.

I always think that’s cozy. And then I love Patchwork because they have the digital version that, to me, is actually better than the physical version—which I don’t feel like very often about games. But that one always feels cozy because I’ve just played it so much. Setting it up is so easy; it’s like somewhere in the back of my mind, the rules and how it works. It’s simple.

Isaac: Yeah, Patchwork is a really good answer. It’s certainly very cozy and just kind of a fun, easy little game. But it’s nice that we all kind of chose something big and meaty.

It seems like we’re all just like, "Yeah, let’s just sit here for a while and enjoy the experience of gaming," especially if there are really cool people that are in the same vibe as well. So, that’s nice.

Josh: So, closing question here: What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Isaac: What about you, Josh?

Josh: I mean, it should be the birth of my son. That would be a really easy one.

I’m a little bit thankful that... If anyone can’t tell, I’m low-energy because, baby. I think collectively, these two just got back from BGG Con, so they probably aren’t as thankful that PAX Unplugged is coming up. But I am feeling quite thankful that PAX Unplugged is coming up because that is days and days and days that I am not on baby duty, I don’t smell like baby vomit, and I’m not having to change diapers.

So, I’m thankful to have a little—it’ll feel like a break. It’ll be work, but it will be a little break. I’ll be at the airport. Everybody will be so frustrated, waiting in line for something, and I’ll just be daydreaming and thinking, "This is amazing. Where am I? I feel like I’m at a resort."

Lindsey: I’ll definitely be thankful that you don’t smell like baby vomit.

Josh: It can be hard to get out of clothes. I still might. We’ll see.

Isaac: And I’ll be thankful that you’ll have the possibility of a full night’s sleep.

Lindsey: At least you’ll be used to it. You’re going to handle it better than any of us right now. You’re primed.

But yeah, I mean, I’m thankful that we’re going to all see each other. It’s been a while since the whole team has been in one place. I think Gen Con was the last time that happened. It’s just so cool. We just click so much when we’re together and have so much fun.

It’s really great for our friendship beyond just the company. So, thankful for that. And then I’m thankful that I don’t have another convention after PAX Unplugged. I’m really hyped about having a few months at home and being with my family.

And, you know, maybe tinkering around with some designs and stuff. So, we’ll get a little break here before Gamma kicks it off again.

Isaac: Yeah, for me, I’m incredibly thankful that my mom has her new place. It was a whole ordeal of getting her old house sold and her new house purchased, and I was helping her with all of that.

I’m thankful that my entire family can actually come and help make that a home for her for the holidays and come together to make her feel at home in a new home. I’m appreciative of that because now that we’re all in so many different places, it’s harder and harder to make that happen. But I’m glad we’re able to make it happen this year.

Josh: Well, I think we did it. That’s a wrap on this month’s edition of Unscripted.

Thank you to Isaac and Lindsey, and thank you to everyone listening or reading. Remember, if you like this new format, let us know in the comments section. If you miss the old format, you can let us know that too. If you don't like either, you could always keep that to yourself.

That would be our team will be on a teeny tiny break for Thanksgiving. And then, as I mentioned, we'll be off to Philadelphia for Pax Unplugged. , make sure to stop by our booth, , Rose Gauntlet booth, two six zero four. , to say hi, we'll also have a demo table for our new big box game, Gone to Gaia, that we'll be launching next year.

So come check that out as well, and we'll see you then.