Clive Pursehouse, Decanter Magazine

Role:            North American Editor, Oregon & Washington Correspondent
Location:    Seattle, Washington

What's your background, and how long have you been in the beverage industry?
Not very long in a full-time capacity, September 15th marked two years at Decanter. Prior to that, it was as a hobbyist, I started writing about Pacific Northwest wines in the mid-aughts and then took on a role as a travel editor at Peloton (not the stationary bike) Magazine for about ten years, but that was not a full-time role. So, I'm bringing a bit of an outsider's take to things, which I think is desperately needed in the wine space.

What are the top 3 challenges to maintaining your well-being in your work? 
1.        Excess, this is food and drink. I had a bit of an aha moment last Spring after going on quite the streak of wine travel, our big NYC Fine Wine Encounter etc. I was burning it at both ends and eating and drinking too much. I have prided myself on taking care of my body, I'll be fifty next month, and I had started to not look or feel very good, and I knew I had to check myself moving forward.
2.        The peaks and valleys of an editorial schedule related to my role make it tough to keep positive streaks going and not curtail negative streaks as quickly as I'd like.
3.        Saying no. Because we're sort of new on the scene in the US (and North America), I get a lot of requests to visit, etc., and I want to honor those because it's important that we're getting out to those regions. However, I'm also the only full-time person here in the US for Decanter, so that is a bit of pressure to balance the two.

What are 3 things you do (or try to do) to maintain your well-being?
1.        I have two boxers who need at least one long walk a day, and I live next to a 500-acre city park in Seattle, so I'm often there with them in the mornings or afternoons.
2.        I am a longtime avid cyclist, and so I shoot for between 100 and 200 miles a week in the saddle. This is sort of my cure-all for anything that bothers me physically or emotionally.
3.        Maintain perspective. It's difficult as my colleagues are all 8 or 9 hours ahead of me, depending on the time of year. I often get information second-hand or after the fact, and I have to remember that it's not personal, and that's just how business goes sometimes. That and a kettlebell.

 What other beverages do you drink when you're not drinking alcohol?
Black coffee and water. An occasional cocktail.

 What would people be surprised to know about you? 
I hadn't left the country until my, late, late 20s and really didn't start travelling until I was in my 40s.

What are you looking forward to?
Having a more solid team on the ground in the US and Canada for Decanter and hanging out with my teenage daughter when she'll let me. She's far cooler than I was at her age.

What's your weirdest wellness hack?
I'm lucky to have a hot tub at home, and I live within 5 minutes of the cold, cold waters of the Puget Sound. So I definitely do the cold plunge thing and the hot tub.

What inspires you on your journey in the beverage industry?
I'm not the kind of person who finds inspiration in my work believe it or not. I certainly may find motivation or ideas, but I look for inspiration outside of people just being human. For me, that's people like Aidy Smith, who I met on a fam trip. He's a British content creator in the drinks space and pushes the boundaries, but what I find so inspiring about him is his unflinching commitment to getting the word out about the neurodivergent community. He's an incredible human being.

What is a quote that you love?
"From the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made." Isaiah Berlin 

You can connect with Clive on Instagram at @clivity