nadsat

Adventures in Boston

November 18, 2012 – 7:43 pm

I really didn’t think I would like Boston. Correction. I was a Boston hater. The thought of me enjoying Boston just seemed counter intuitive. To Southerners Boston is the epitome of “Yankee land”, more so than even New York City. That being said, I set out for a business trip to Boston with an open mind. After only a couple of days exposure, I’m already thinking about my next trip. Yes, Boston hater to budding Boston-phile in two days and a snow storm.

Luck was not on my side for this trip. First I was attending an event at the convention center starting Tuesday, Election Day. That same convention center also happened to be Romney’s campaign HQ and after party venue for the night. It was an adventure getting back to my hotel Tuesday evening. I also experienced my first Nor’easter, at least a mild one. Thankfully this was only a minor inconvenience and gave me an excuse to visit Newbury St for some cold weather supplies.

I pack at two speeds: horribly ill-prepared or over packed to the brim. I didn’t check the weather report before leaving and I assumed I would be inside most of the time so I packed fairly light. This made me ill-prepared for the wintry blast that Boston received on Wednesday night. Fortunately I was already planning to explore Newbury St. Conveniently for me, Jack Spade and Barbour were right across the street from one another. I had already been eying a plaid scarf from Barbour and finger-less gloves from Jack Spade were also on my wish list so I’m only classifying these as quasi-impulse purchases. The hat was necessary for survival.

Dining centered around beer selection as I was traveling with my most beer astute co-worker. Thankfully he was also familiar with Boston and led me to two delicious spots, Lord Hobo in Cambridge and Publick House in Brookline. Both were easy trips on the train and both involved great food and beer. The highlights were sampling the Jack’s Abbey Hoponius Union, an Imperial Pale Lager, at Lord Hobo and the burger and mussels at Publick House. We also stumbled across a 150th Anniversary bottle of Chimay at Publick House that neither of us had heard of but were eager to try.

Not one to shy away from sweets, I also enjoyed at piece of the original Boston Cream Pie at The Last Hurrah, the bar attached to the Omni Parker House, inventors of the Parker House Roll and the Boston Cream Pie. I devoured my pie before even thinking about a picture but I did snap a shot of my JFK lobster roll. Apparently JFK liked to write his speeches in the Parker House. John Wilkes Booth also used the basement for target practice. Bostonians were curiously proud of that last fact.

I barely scratched the surface of Boston since all I had available were evenings but I’d really like to explore more. The city is full of culture and American history, the locals were surprisingly friendly, and it is easy to navigate. Another trip is definitely in my future, perhaps this spring?

Tags barbour, beer, Boston, Boston Cream Pie, clothing, Jack Spade, Lobster roll, travel | Comments (2)

Getting Ready for Fall: Waxed Jackets

September 4, 2012 – 11:00 am

I’m occasionally a slow mover when it comes to clothing purchases. The wide range of information available on the Internet doesn’t always help either. Case in point, I’ve been on the hunt for a waxed cotton jacket for the last two years. Along with the down vest, the waxed jacket is another must-have in my book. Sadly it’s a must have that I do not own yet.

The candidates:

Barbour Beaufort

Filson Cover Cloth Weekender Coat

Barbour jackets need no introduction. If you read AAAC or Styleforum, the Barbour jacket is the classic recommendation. The only downside is the price. These jackets clock in at a healthy ~$400. I’m all for paying for quality but that’s still a steep price of the entry and that’s partly why I’ve delayed my purchase so much.

At $290, the Filson Weekender Coat is not cheap but it certainly represents a savings over the Barbour coat. I love Filson’s bags but I have no experience with their clothing. If the quality is up to the usual Filson standards, then there should be nothing to worry about. My only hang up is with sizing. I have no idea how to judge the fit.

Fit is another general question; do I size up for sweater or do I buy it to wear with an oxford shirt? Do I go for the Jack McCoy Barbour as top coat look?

I fear this is not a debate that will be solved anytime soon. A casual search of the Trad Forum at AAAC gives Barbour a slight edge, but there are still plenty of Filson advocates out there. What do you recommend?

Tags Babour, fall style, filson, waxed cotton | Comments (4)

Getting Ready for Fall: Down Vests

August 27, 2012 – 8:53 pm

Fall is my favorite season. I recently received a nice reminder of fall in my inbox from the fine folks at Jack Spade. It seems they are offering a down vest this year. To me it doesn’t get much more fall than the simple down vest.

The down vest is nothing new. Eddie Bauer claims the invention of the down filled coat in the ’30s and I’m sure the down vest wasn’t too far behind. It’s one of the pieces of technical gear that consistently finds its way into the trends of the times. Need proof? Just look to the movies. Smokey and the Bandit and Back to the Future are both movies that I enjoy and really they couldn’t be further apart stylistically. The one common link? The down vest:

Snowman from Smokey and the Bandit and Marty from Back to the Future

While it can be worn in nearly every season, the down vest to me means fall. The Jack Spade offering above looks quite nice but I’m fond of the humble Lands End offering. Size down and look for sales. I have two and I don’t think I paid more than $30 in either case. The patterned version is currently on sale for $19.99. I have one in green and one in blackwatch plaid. It doesn’t matter when I’m wearing it, it always reminds me of fall, football, and a cold beer in my hand. It doesn’t get much better.

nadsat fall down vest

Tags back to the future, down vest, fall style, georgia tech, Jack Spade, lands end, nadsat, smokey and the bandit, weber down vest | Comments (2)

Cole Haan Lunargrands: A step forward or backward?

July 9, 2012 – 11:00 am

Nike sole + Cole Haan upper. Bizarre? Yes. Cool? Absolutely.

Nike bought Cole Haan in 1988. They have had iterations of Nike technology in dress shoes starting with “Nike Air” in loafers in 2000. This collaboration history eventually led to the Lunargrand. Nike has been working on the “Lunar” foam technology for sometime and first brought it to their athletic shoes in 2008. The Cole Haan Lunargrands were introducted in February of 2012 and to my knowledge are the first usage of the Lunar foam outside of the main Nike brand.

(As a side note, I’m not sure many collaborations are still in the pipeline. In a February interview with Cole Haan VP, Phil Russo, he told Sneaker Freaker, “Wait till you see what we’re working on for 2013.” However in May, Nike announced its intention to sell Cole Haan and Umbro to focus more on the Nike brand. So who knows what the future holds for these types of mash-ups.)

I tend to be more traditional minded so I usually steer clear of these cross-function mash-ups. I used to turn my nose up at the Cole Haan “Air” offerings. Dress shoes are dress shoes and tennis shoes are tennis shoes, right?

From the Cole Haan Lunargrand launch page

The Lunargrands seem to transcend this mindsight and prove that equal parts Nike and Cole Haan can actually work. Bloggers have been eating them up and through some personal mental gymnastics (I need dress shoes with more comfort and traction for plant and site visits, right?), I decided to pick up a pair from the SoHo store while in NYC this past June.

So far I’m quite pleased. I shied away from more athletic inspired colors (gray + yellow) and decided on a traditional “milkshake” suede and red sole. Compared to Cole Haan’s other offerings these are downright stealthy, which I prefer.

The first thing I noticed about these guys is the weight. They are incredibly light. I don’t own any recent Nike sneakers but I imagine they really don’t feel any different. The flexibility is far beyond even the most broken in pair of loafers. They worked well for walking around NYC and they also served me well on a recent trip to Toronto. If you want to feel like you’re wearing sneakers but don’t want to look like it, then these are the shoes for you. But I suppose that has been the point of all the “Air” collaborations over the years right?

My new Lunargrands side by side with a thrifted pair of Florsheim Imperial wing tips, “gunboats” if you’re in the know. And yes, I know the heel is worn.

That being said, I really didn’t want to like these shoes. As I’ve said before I’m more traditional and don’t really like the cross-function mash-up. I think that leather soled shoes can be quite comfortable if you get a nice pair that are properly fitted. Leather is not always the most traction friendly, sure, but there are plenty of nicely done rubber soled, traditional dress shoes too.

The Lunargrands to me represent the dress down phenomenon but I sadly can’t resist the appeal. They are lightweight. They are comfortable in that familiar way. They were damn nice while I was on my feet all day walking around a manufacturing plant. This leads to a bigger question, is there room for progress in the world of traditional men’s wear? As a materials engineer I’d like to think there is room for new material innovations like the lunar sole but these things will always be relegated to the runway and the world of fashion. The old guard will never accept them but maybe that’s OK.

Traditional gentleman, sometimes progress is a good thing. Just don’t get yellow soles.

Tags cole haan, lunargrand, menswear, nike, shoes, style | Comments (33)

There’s vermouth in my Manhattan!

July 6, 2012 – 10:23 am

The Manhattan has long been one of my favorite cocktails. It’s simple (three ingredients), uses whiskey as the base, and is named after one of my favorite places. What’s not to love?

Despite my love of the cocktail, I’ve never actually made one before. Shocking I know. Perhaps more embarrassing than shocking, the reason for my cocktail drought is that I’ve never owned a proper shaker or purchased vermouth before.

(Please don’t stop reading. Perhaps I shouldn’t admit to such basic holes in my bartending abilities before writing an article about drinking.)

Fear not, readers. Despite my lack of experience in the concoction stage, I’ve had plenty of experience with consumption. To me the Manhattan means whiskey with sweet vermouth and bitters. I thought subtle changes came from the proportions and the type of brown spirit selected (I’m partial to rye).

While doing some light reading in The Williams-Sonoma Bar Guide, I discovered a variation that I was previously unaware of, the Dry Manhattan. Everything is the same except dry vermouth is used in place of sweet vermouth. You may be more familiar with dry vermouth for its role in the classic Martini.

So what’s the difference? To the bar!

My Manhattan is simple:

3 parts rye (I used Bulleit for this study)
1 part sweet vermouth (dry if you’re making the dry variation)
3 dashes Angustora bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into your glass preference. Garnish is optional but I like a cherry.

1 part vermouth makes a big difference. To my palette, the dry Manhattan was more subdued but there was more separation of the flavors. The original Manhattan has a bolder flavor but I find it more balanced and it blends nicely into its own unique flavor rather than tasting like rye and vermouth. You can see in the picture below that is a distinct visual difference too. The dry variation (on the left) looks more like watered down rye while the standard (on the right) has a deeper, reddish color.

I tend to drink Manhattans more in the winter but the dry version might make a nice warm weather variation. Overall it was interesting but I’m sticking with the original. What’s your preference? Have any Manhattan tips? Let me know in the comments or on twitter.

Comments (3)

The Judge Dredd Drinking Game

June 15, 2012 – 4:00 pm

I’m taking a break from my usual topic to take a little trip down memory lane. I’m 28 years old which puts me at about the perfect age to love the amazing run of 90′s action movies that graced the box office. It was a time period that allowed the 80′s stars to age not so gracefully (looking at you Stallone) and make way for new action stars such as Keanu Reeves and Nicolas Cage. If you’re my age I’m betting you have a hard time not sitting down to enjoy The Rock or Speed if you come across it flipping channels.

For the purpose of this post I’d like to focus on one of my personal favorites, Judge Dredd. Judge Dredd extends itself beyond the realm of just 90′s nostalgia though. Judge Dredd has been given new life in the form of one of the more challenging 90 minute drinking games around. I can’t take credit for this game in any way, shape, or form. I’m only here to share it with the masses. The credit goes to this gentleman along with a few other contributors.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

I really like the comic book intro. I think it is a nice nod to the comic heritage of the character. Unfortunately things go downhill from here.

The Star Wars style back story works in this case and sets the mood. I’m pretty sure the East Coast viewers assumed this whole “Cursed Earth” thing was just a metaphor for the Midwest. Surprisingly, that’s not far from the truth. Also please note, you should have had at least four drinks during the reading of the back story.

The movie doesn’t take long to get to the action. Fun fact: the Judge Dredd costume was designed by Versace. Yes, codpieces make a comeback sometime in the future.

Hey, it’s James Remar taking a break from Sex and the City to play the film’s first villian. Sadly he was uncredited. I wonder if that was at his request.

I think the line was “Court’s adjourned”. If the Judge is truly the judge, jury, and executioner all in one then would people in the future really get this reference? Does court even exist? It’s best not to think about these topics during the film. The drinking helps supress these thoughts.

Judge Dredd had a pretty decent cast for the time period. Diane Lane plays the smart, sexy Judge that Dredd relies on. Rob Schneider plays the ne’er-do-well hacker that provides comic relief. You can knock Rob Schneider all you want but try to name one movie that was made worse by his presence. It’s not possible. I wonder if Diane Lane wishes she’d taken the James Remar strategy of taking the money and going uncredited?

I won’t spoil the whole movie for you but I wanted to give you a little taste, you know, to whet the appetite. Now it’s time to pick up your copy and get to drinking. Without further ado, here are the rules:

Take a drink when any of the following are said:

Law, laws
Judge, judged, judging, judges
Justice

Take one shot when someone says:

I knew you’d say that

Simple right? A word of warning, best to do this in the safety of your home with an average to below average booze content beverage. Be careful with your shot selection too. Light beer and bourbon makes for a nice evening.

Enjoy!

Tags comic book movie, diane lane, drinking game, judge dredd, rob schneider, Sylvester stallone | Comments (36)

Musings on Key Cases

June 13, 2012 – 11:00 am

Ever been stuck in the thigh by your keys when sitting down? You, sir, need a key case. I’ve been using a key case for going on three years and I can never go back. It’s one of those men’s accessories that is a little harder to find but well worth it. Not only does a key case keep your keys organized and out of your leg, but they also protect your pants. Keys can destroy the pocket lining on a pair of pants especially on wool pants. A case also protects your shiny new smart phone from scratches if you carry your keys and phone in the same pocket. The only downside is the added bulk of the case.

I purchased my first key case in 2009, a vintage Gucci case from eBay. It has served me well and I don’t plan on getting rid of it but I’ve had my eye an alternative for some time. Hickoree’s sells the made in Japan Phigvel-Makers key case and this past Memorial Day I finally snatched one up with a nice discount.

The Phigvel-Makers case cannot hold as much as my old case but it cuts a much slimmer profile. It’s made out of horsehide that’s left over from shoe production. It is rather stiff at first but I’m sure it will soften nicely as it ages. The closure is quite different than the Gucci case but this is the key to the smaller size. I was able to fit my apartment and mailbox keys along with my garage opener and one grocery store reward card. I can’t fit anything else but this is actually perfect since those are the only four items I use.

I’ve used it for the past two weeks and couldn’t be more pleased. It takes me a little longer to get my key out but I’ll gladly sacrifice those 10 seconds. The more tube-like profile is easier to fit in my pocket especially when wearing jeans. If you’re curious to see more shots of the case including how it comes apart then check out my flickr album.

So, still getting stuck in the leg? Consider a key case. Unfortunately the Phigvel one I have is currently out of stock at Hickoree’s but several brands sell cases like my old Gucci one including Burberry, Louis Vutton, and Filson.

Tags Gucci, Hickorees, key case, Phigvel Makers | Comments (795)

A Needlepoint Birthday

April 29, 2012 – 12:37 pm

Earlier in April I officially turned the page on another year. I prefer to take the stiff upper lip approach to birthdays. ”It’s just another day” is a phrase that I have uttered over the years much to the chagrin of those that care about me. If Don Draper doesn’t care about his birthday, why should I? But I digress, I’m actually writing to talk about the wonderful gift I received from Jess, a needlepoint belt.

My belt is the Mallard Blue by Tucker Blair. Tucker Blair was started by a Colgate grad that sometime in 2007 grew tired of the corporate world and decided to start making needlepoint belts (ref). Needlepoint is type of embroidery. It’s unique because rather than modifing an existing fabric, needlepoint creates a new fabric.

In the case of belts, cotton yarn is stitched through an existing canvas weave to create the pattern (ducks, flags, monograms, whatever your heart may desire). On its own this new fabric is not very stiff so leather is attached to back to provide the structure and durability necessary in a belt.

Needlepoint has a special place in the preppy world. Preps tend to love a motif (ducks and flags especially) and needlepoints historically were hand stitched by a loved one. The Trad has a great post on needlepoints that includes a funny anecdote about his wife finding the belt stitched by an old college flame. While my belt was not hand stitched by a loved one, it was hand stitched and then purchased by a loved one. That’s more than good enough for me.

One last note, why are ducks so special? Because The Official Preppy Handbook says so. Wait, you don’t have a copy? Fear not, I’ve copied the relevant passage below.

Hopefully Ms. Birnbach won’t mind. The handbook has long since been out of print. If you’re interested in her work I recommend reading True Prep. It’s something of a sequel or updated version of the original handbook.

Tags clothes, curating style, needlepoint, preppy, style, trad, Tucker Blair | Comments (1,380)

The Annual Delaware Road Trip

April 7, 2012 – 1:02 pm

For the second year in a row, three friends and I saddled up a Honda Odyssey for a pilgrimage to what could be considered the microbrew capital of the world, Milton, Delaware, the home of Dogfish Head Brewery. OK maybe capital is my personal opinion, Denver might be able to truly call itself the capital, but for my palate, Dogfish is just about as good as it gets. Think Dogfish just cranks out good IPAs? Take a trip to the Weekend of Compelling Ales and Whatnot to really see what they can do.

It’s a long trip from Columbus to Milton (technically we stay in Rehoboth Beach, close to the brewpub) so it’s best to break up the roughly 525 mile trip. Along with beer geeks, we also happen to be history nerds and our road trip takes us right through Civil War battlefield country. In 2011 we visited Gettysburg and for this past year we visited Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD. Antietam is home to the Battle of Sharpsburg, most well known as the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War.

The trip was a blast and I could write for hours but you know what they say… so enjoy the pictures below. You can browse all my shots from the trip at my flickr page.

Road Trip entertainment consisted of Indiana Jones and South Park

Dunker Church, Sharpsburg, MD

Burnside Bridge

Sunken Road aka Bloody Lane

Tasting Glasses at WOCAW

Part of the Beer List at the Brewpub

Breaking for Oysters in Rehoboth Beach

Meeting the legend, Sam Calagione

My completed tasting card from WOCAW

Tags Antietam, beer, Civil War, Delaware, Dogfish, food, Sharpsburg, travel | Comments (774)

Getting Organized – Klein Tool Bags

February 26, 2012 – 12:23 pm

Organization is one of those tasks that I have to constantly remind myself about. I’m always more satisfied when things are organized but it is not always my first instinct. My tools are a perfect example of this. My current tool storage and organization consists of an old plastic tool box that I purchased in high school and a shoe box that has become my “picture hanging” tool kit. Unfortunately both are a mess.

The latch on my red tool box doesn’t hold the lid closed as securely as it once did so I’m wary of carrying it from the top handle (yes, I have had everything fall out before). The shoe box is filled with enough hardware to hang three times as many pieces as I own and also will not stay closed on its own.

My goal is to consolidate, organize, and get everything into one container. Luckily I remembered my Dad having some old tool bags from Klein Tools and I thought they might have a solution to my problem.

You can read their website to learn more about Klein Tools but there are only two things that matter:

People that use tools for a living use Klein
Everything is Made in the USA

On top of the functionality, I also find their designs aestetically pleasing. Maybe aesthetics aren’t the first consideration for most and I can understand the appeal of a simple red tool box but canvas and leather just feels right to me. The bags from Klein are also quite affordable (definitely more so than the leather roll-up I originally lusted after).

I purchased the Klein 5102-16 16″ Canvas Tool Bag, Klein 5139 12-1/2-Inch Canvas Zipper Bag, and Klein Tools 5140 Canvas Zipper Bags, 4-Pack (colored). My plan was to use the pouches to organize my screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches, and other loose hardware. Once the pouches were filled, my main tool bag would just be filled with the pouches and any other large items.

It took a little wrangling but I was able to fit everything. The 18″ bag might have been a better choice but in reality I should probably make another pass get to rid of more tools and hardware that I don’t need or use.