A letter from the Editor of Dan's Daily

For quite some time now, we’ve been toiling away in secrecy, struggling to explain to our families how we were employed by something that didn’t yet exist. And now, approximately 4,529 video calls, 27,183 Google Docs, and at least 8 squillion spreadsheets later, we’re finally here and ready to shout it from the rooftops (Siglo’s, preferably). Was it all worth it? Abso-bloody-lutely.

Welcome to Dan’s Daily – a new digital publication serving up the inside word on drinks. I’m Lara Chan-Baker, your Editor in Chief, and believe me when I say I am SO truly chuffed to have you here. You look great, by the way. 

But why are we here? Well, there are plenty of places you can go to enjoy marvellous writing on food or travel, where drinks may feature occasionally as the lowly sidekick. But for us, drinks are giving real main character energy. We obsess over them and the rich culture that surrounds them. Not only because drinks can (and should be) delicious – but because there’s far more to drinking than what fills your glass. Yes, we’ll help you with the basics – how to choose something decent at the bottle-o or order from a wine list without succumbing to existential crisis – but it’s more than that. Behind every sip is an endless stream of fascinating people, places and stories. Dan’s Daily exists to celebrate them and empower you to explore, learn, discover and experience more of what gets you excited.

I love this world – the drinks themselves and the people within it. I love it so much I want to make it a romantic candlelit dinner and open a joint bank account. I want to walk down the aisle to a deep house remix of Champagne popping, ice clinking, and the glug, glug, glug of wine being poured into a glass. Why? Because the passion and ingenuity of the people who so carefully craft these liquids is at once intense and inspiring. Because the history of alcohol is as bizarre and compelling as its present. Because it is a wild and weird, ever-expanding and always-evolving world and I want to experience the newest of the new and the best of the best. I want to go beyond the bottle, stretch my palate and comfort zone, and truly understand what I’m drinking. I want to finally learn how to pronounce ‘gewürztraminer’. And I want all of that for you, too.

For me, it all comes down to community and connection. (Perhaps that’s a little cheesy. But cheese is delicious – and goes brilliantly with a good drink.) My favourite word of all time is a Spanish one; one we do not have an adequate English translation for: “sobremesa”. It literally means “over table”, but refers to that languid stretch of time spent drinking and talking around the table long after the meal is over. In Mexico, from which half of my family originate, sobremesa is so ingrained in our culture it can easily double or triple the length of a meal. I think this reflection of our love for leisure and kinship (and tequila) perfectly captures how, at their very best, drinks are a way to come together. What’s in the glass is enjoyable, but it’s the community and connection around it that makes it precious.

After this, you may not see me around on the surface all that much. I live behind the scenes, where I sip, plan and edit away. But know that I will be here, trying to make Dan’s Daily the best home of drinks news and culture it can possibly be. And what an unreal privilege it is to get to explore and tell these stories. What an honour it is to work with some of the country’s greatest writers, photographers, creatives, and experts to bring those stories to life. It is early days, but we have big plans for what we want Dan’s Daily to become. For now, with great pleasure and a full glass, please join me in raising a toast to this new adventure. 

Yours in spirit (see what I did there?),

Lara Chan-Baker, Editor in Chief of Dan’s Daily

P.s. My metaphorical door is open to pitches, feedback, comments, acrostic poems, etc. Read more about Dan’s Daily and find our contact details here.