When both Clint Eastwood (Mystic River
Dennis Lehane’s
Archive for December, 2008
Dennis Lehane
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008The ProCarpenter tape measure
Monday, December 29th, 2008
Using the right tool for the job is more than a cliché. Whatever the job is, having good tools makes it more pleasurable, and, we might add, easier. FastCap bills itself as “innovative tools for the professional woodworker,” and although we’re not professional woodworkers, we do like to putter occasionally and we like what FastCap has to offer. In particular, we’re liking its ProCarpenter line of tape measures.
These tapes come in your choice of six different blade styles, including metric, left-right, flat back and story pole. (A story pole is a stick with markings used in construction to easily repeat measurements. The story pole tapes come with an edge that are easily marked, and erased, by pencil.) The tapes also have an erasable surface on one side of the case for making quick notes, and — this is very handy– a built in pencil sharpener.
These tapes are available at most woodworking stores and at Amazon
Jet-Lag. And a Place to Love It.
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
If you have a lay-over in Tokyo, do as the pilots do and visit the Jet Lag Bar in the town of Narita. Its non-smoking (a first for Japan) and stocks a killer wall of destination travel posters from the 50s and 60s which was the heyday of the genre’. This little place could change soon, so take your camera and snap some pictures. Ask for directions as I can’t seem to find any. Talk about arcane.
Criminal Cool
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Best bets are usually pure breeds. A slick example of this are gangster and/or beach shirts. While perpetually in fashion, you should stick with the originals to avoid looking like a middle aged man. This means avoiding anything made by Tommy Bahama and acquiring a wardrobe full of Nat Nast originals. Nat Nast invented this type of shirt in the forties for the mob in Miami. They are still made by the original crew although someone may have bought the brand (website is too attractive). Then there is always Wal-Mart for cool polyester versions of the above for a mere six bucks. That kills me.
The shirts and other items are available from various retailers via Amazon
Get her between these sheets
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
I am talking about dressing your significant other in couture from Issey Miyake. Issey’s line PleatsPlease is not inexpensive but then the best art sometimes is not. These Kimono-like textiles that are simply beautiful sheets that are exquisitely creased to create texture and form that make women look fetching, far out and fabulous. Just like you, right?
Phaidon, Taschen, Assouline. They publish, you buy.
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
The groovy man puts knowledge to imaginative use. To avoid the “garbage in” syndrome, groovy men stash away anything from the following sources: Phaidon is the foremost fountain for this knowledge, followed by Taschen and the wonderful Assouline. When Phaidon, in particular, makes a book on anything, it is the final word. Denying this will make you and yours a very dull posse, Jack.
