These Laid-Back Ski Towns Have All the Powder and Half the Crowds

• [Let It Snow: Some of Our Favorite Ski Towns](#toc_item_0) • [⛷️](#toc_item_1) • [Chef Sohla El-Waylly Is the Toughest Judge to Please on ‘The Big Brunch’](#toc_item_2) • [Out to brunch](#toc_item_3) • [So You Think You Can Batch](#toc_item_4) • [Cheers to that](#toc_item_5) • [The Biggest Bowl of Guacamole in the World](#toc_item_6) • [Guac o’clock](#toc_item_7) • [Sign Up for Salt to Taste](#toc_item_8) • [Your Inbox, Now with More Flavor](#toc_item_9) *Header 728x90 [] It’s another Thursday in paradise, and I’m your humble host. I finally get to open my advent calendar. This one’s very adult; it has nips of Sambuca, lotto tickets, and a vitamin D capsule for bone health for every day of December. I’m trying to get in the mood for Christmas, but I’m having a little trouble this year. I need some caroling in the snow, I need someone dressed as an elf to yell some strongly worded advice at me, and I need to get to the bottom of why I’m suddenly interested in watching sports. I got distracted at an outdoor bar in the middle of the day watching a World Cup game while out on an errand and I hardly recognize myself anymore. Maybe surprising myself is what the holiday season is all about. Bah humbug. Today’s newsletter is like figgy pudding and a partridge in a pear tree for the heart and mind, and I mean that in a good way. We’ve got a list of the best ski towns, a chat with one of the judges from the new show The Big Brunch, a how-to guide on batching cocktails, the world’s largest bowl of guacamole (I will eat it all), and all our natural wine recommendations for the wintry months. I’ll leave you to it. Have a glorious Thursday. [-Ned Riseley, Senior Copywriter]( [ [( travel [] [Let It Snow: Some of Our Favorite Ski Towns]( There’s nothing like hitting the slopes to enjoy some fresh pow pow, and we’ve made a definitive list of the best ski mountains in the country, from North Carolina to Vermont to Michigan to Utah and beyond. These are some of the greatest hits as well as the hidden gems, mountains that might be (a little) less crowded this winter. I’m saying that now, but don’t hold me to it, and don’t tell too many people, so we can keep the chairlifts calm. I’ll be in the lodge enjoying some poutine and a deep tissue massage if you need me. [] [⛷️]( [( [( Food & drink [] [Chef Sohla El-Waylly Is the Toughest Judge to Please on ‘The Big Brunch’]( The Big Brunch on HBO Max is our new favorite cooking competition show, and Sohla El-Waylly can be one tough omelet to fry, holding the contestants to a high standard and always striving to be honest about the dishes. She chatted with us about her associations with brunch, the emotional roller coaster of kicking off a new show about communal eating in 2021, and her self-described role as show “villain.” Now grab a mimosa and a bowl of Corn Flakes and get reading. [] [Out to brunch]( [( *Sponsored Ads List [( food & drink [] [So You Think You Can Batch]( Batching cocktails is a fine art, and often extremely helpful when you’re trying to host the party of the century and have enough booze on tap. We go in deep with Alex Day, co-author of Death & Co’s new cocktail book Welcome Home. It’s an impressive, somewhat nerdy, and completely comprehensive guide to making the at-home cocktail bar look completely effortless. And it comes with a recipe for a Lady Stardust, a cocktail developed in 2019 by bartender Tim Miner that features tequila, amara, and strawberry syrup. Whip up a batch, hang some tinsel, put some Bing Crosby on the turntable, and get to partying, why don’t you? [] [Cheers to that]( [//groupninemedia.createsend.com/campaigns/content/edit/DE0CA41E849921082540EF23F30FEDED?origin=CampaignCreationChecklist#]( *720x300 Ad Banner [( food & drink [] [The Biggest Bowl of Guacamole in the World]( I relish a story like this for its simplicity, elegance, and amusement. The attendees of the Avocado Expo in Peribán, Michoacán have made the world’s largest bowl of guacamole. I don’t know whether to grab a tortilla or put on my swimsuit and jump in. It’s a lot of guacamole, and it breaks the previous record for biggest bowl of guacamole that was set in 2018. Just think of what you could do with 11,000 pounds of guacamole. The possibilities are endless. [] [Guac o’clock]( [( [ [] [Sign Up for Salt to Taste]( [] [Food and drink]( food & drink food & drink [Your Inbox, Now with More Flavor]( [Natural Wine for Cozy Winter Nights]( *Footer 728x90 Thrillist Editorial - Favorable reviews cannot be bought. Read our [Terms & Conditions](, [Privacy Policy]( Delivered by Thrillist.com, 568 Broadway, Suite 507, New York, NY 10012 [212.966.2263]( Sent to {EMAIL}. Add themove@newsletter.thrillist.com to your safe-sender list so our emails get to your inbox. [View On The Web]( [Content Settings]( [Unsubscribe](