Gear Patrol

One day, we may all look back at today’s digital gadgets with loving fondness. Call it a hunch, but we’re pretty certain a 3rd generation iPod Nano won’t quite conjure up quite the same nostalgia that vinyl does today. Digital treasures do exist though, and here in its latest guise, the quintessential HP 12c 30th…

Since 1883 Kaweco of Germany has been applying their company motto “small in the pocket, great in the hand” in their efforts to produce high end writing implements. Case in point: the AC Sport Carbon Fiber Fountain Pen ($112), which embodies the company motto right down the last dotted ‘I’ and crossed ‘T’. The pen is…

The Mixologist’s gotten you into plenty of blissful adventures, most of which ended without real long term damage to your record or your marriage. He’s a passionate guy, and he knows his craft: beer, that is. Malts, mash, wheat, barley, rye, and oh yes, sweet sweet delicious hops — he sucks them all down, grinning…

A key cocktail element hasn’t gotten much love lately, but Woodford Reserve Bourbon Aged Spiced Cherry Bitters brings small batch excellence back to our favorite drinking “dash”. The notable bourbon maker teamed up with Bourbon Barrel Foods, blending standard gentian root with cherry and spices to create a unique alcoholic add in. The bitters are…

You lean on him all year-round to assist, assemble and install everything from kitchen cabinetry to those amazing Patagonian rosewood floors you love so much. He tirelessly tackles the disparate demands of Honey-Do lists and familial fixes without so much as a peep. And yet, of all the men featured in our 12 Guys of…

They speak to Adobe software like a petulant brother, organize bookshelves by color for “fun” and fill photo albums with typefaces. They find calm through arranging objects in right angles (whether it’s their property or not) and take pleasure knowing that they’ll always notice the details we philistines ignore. “They” are designers of course, that…

The plastic pitcher currently filtering water in your fridge is a far greener way to stay hydrated than pounding down bottles, but it stills leaves plenty to be desired — both in terms of form and function. Its tupperware aesthetic isn’t exactly ready for the bright lights of the dinner table, and if you fill…

The Invicta Ove Fireplace (~$3,200) is the latest in a line of beautifully crafted cast-iron creations by the Invicta Foundry in France. At first glance (and without any flames) the Ove’s elongated shape resembles a re-purposed cryo-chamber, stolen from a Hollywood set. Stare a little longer, though, and you’ll warm up to the Ove’s delicate…

Your dog shreds his toys like Lindsay Lohan shreds career opportunities. No more. The Varsity Ball ($40) is a dog toy seemingly built by the makers of the M1 Abrams tank. Designed for active dogs (Bassett Hounds will probably just stare at it), the Varsity Ball is large enough to escape your dog’s hungry jaws,…

One of our many joys in life is taking the yearly hajj to our nearest ski Mecca. Days of fresh powder, nights of warm (or warming) beverages and dreamy broken-bone memories make this annual pilgrimage worthwhile. Luckily, even after the snow melts, there’s Lifts and Bounds Ski Run Art ($165) to add a dash of wall…

If you’ve ever tried to free-hand paint a straight edge after a four-shot Americano, you’ve most likely failed. But even without the caffeine hit, you know it’s no easy task; painter’s tape sometimes makes things even worse. With the Black & Decker EasyEdge Powered Paint Edger ($35), your molding, windows and door edges will be…

Blame Anthony Bourdain and his gallivanting food porn circus. Blame Bravo’s utterly watchable, bro-it’s-not-reality-TV show, Top Chef. Blame the hipsters, the bandwagoners, the trust-funders — and for Guy Fieri’s sake — please, someone, blame Bobby Flay. Because if one thing is certain in today’s chow-crazy culture, it’s that you’ve got a foodie on your holiday…

If having the right work environment means junking that garage sale desk you’ve had for years, then by all means, hop to it. But you’ll need a (cough) suitable replacement, preferably one that doesn’t have a pack of melted Life Savers glued to the calculator in the top drawer. The Ralph Lauren Highbridge Desk ($12,000+)…

Think about how much joy your pooch brings to your life (except for that time he chewed up your bespoke wing tips — that was bad). Well, there’s a way to pamper him that doesn’t involve dressing him up like Beverly Hills poodle. The Mountainsmith K-9 Cube ($60) makes the perfect holiday gift for your…

We can’t all be members of the Bel Air Circuit. For those scorned by the secret society, there’s Prima Cinema ($35,000). Designed in California and built in the U.S.A., Prima Cinema is a combination system/service that delivers Hollywood’s latest creations directly to your own private screening parties, simultaneous to their theatrical release. The system comprises…

The Zerocaster ($26 each) was designed by a bona fide rocket scientist in a space lab to transform your office chariot into a veritable Ferrari, especially in the black and red color schema. Their axle-less, precision ABEC ball bearings and poly-urethane design draw inspiration from a traditional skateboard wheels, allowing desk chair modders to silently…

If we hear one more story about an impending zombie apocalypse, we’re packing up our stuff and humping it to the upper reaches of Canada. Our supplies? A crapload of MREs, an accompanying supply of Pepto, several crates of whisky and The Cell Machined Survival Kit ($75+). The minds behind this baton-like kit are looking…

As thoughts of crackling fires, the laughter (and possibly screaming) of little children and more than your fair share of gingerbread descend upon you in the coming weeks, you might need some holiday cheer to get yourself through it all. What better time to start planning for the requisite imbibing by picking up some Crown…

Your four-legged best friend has borne witness to a lot in your life — new jobs, ex-girlfriends and the like — so the least you can do is repay your pal with some decent doggy gear. The Stunt Puppy Go Dog Glo Collar ($25) hits a good place to start: safety and security. Made of…

Throwing “it” against the wall to see what stuck used to be a hasty solution. Not any longer, my friends. In fact, with the Magic Wall Kitchen Organizer (~$340+), it’s encouraged. Knives, pots, pans, tins, tools, keys and even the kitchen sink (although we don’t recommend it) now have a designated vertical stowage space on this…

Standing in your front yard with a severe case of bed head while wearing stained overalls and whacking away at your rather overgrown landscaping with a machete just might scare the neighbors. Clean yourself up and then break out the rather benign-looking but highly effective Bahco Swedish Brush Axe ($54). Designed to clear both brush…

If you liked Steffen Heidemann and Viktoria Klein’s Map I: The Northern Sky, then the recently released companion Map II: The Southern Sky is just as likely to be your astronomical jam. This time, the skilled duo has teamed up to create a detailed printed silkscreen of the heavens as they appear in the southern…

A juicer may not be on your list of must-have kitchen gadgets, but that just means you’ve never had a gimlet made with freshly squeezed lime juice. Knighted by none other than Bon Appétit as this year’s Best New Kitchen Appliance, the Hurom Slow Juicer ($360) does far more than make mixers for your old-school…

The West Elm Design Workshop Modular Wall Storage System ($80-$900) is a customizable craftsman solution to that mess you call a bonus room. Made in the U.S.A. using blackened steel and lime-finished solid oak, each component in this do-it-yourselfer instills a high-grade industrial aesthetic to any living space — and brings a mighty reckoning to…

If you’re grilling as much as you can before the blizzard season hits, you may be growing a little tired of beer-can chicken and burgers. For a change of pace, Beefeater brings you their grilltop Pizza Oven ($250). A replacement for the conventional hood on a Beefeater 4- or 5-burner grill, this alternative top gives…

A fine movie poster adds color and character to a blank wall, but it also reveals a lot about you. Austin Powers smiles goofily from your den? You’re groovy baby, yea. Is Jason Bourne giving the cold stink eye from above your bed? You take your action raw and you’re probably a realist. But a…

Upstart Allied Maker is one of those stories we love exposing. All the elements are right. An individual pursuing a passion, an obsession with making things and a handsome product. Craftsmanship. The most overused word in recent history, but we’re saying it anyway. The young man behind Allied Maker is self-taught woodworker Ryden Rizzo. But…

Though the thought of jumping in a pile of leaves brings back fond childhood memories, the adult reality is that raking is a royal pain. Not too many technological advancements have been bestowed upon the humble garden rake (it’s not even exciting enough for witches to ride), but the Fiskars Leaf Rake ($25) has the…

You’re a man who likes to work around the house, taking on everything from home repair and tinkering under the hood to even more personal projects like building your own furniture once in a while. Pat yourself on the back for your self-sufficient ways. Then, use the moment of reflection to understand just how much…

Next to a steak, anything is a side dish. Serve a beautifully roasted capon on the same table as a steak and you’ve got a side of capon. Traditional accompaniments for steak like garlic mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms are altogether nothing to scoff at. But this being the Month of Beef, and…