Gear Patrol

Not everyone can afford a black & white Leica, unfortunately. For the artsy set on a budget, Ilford HP5 Disposable Black & White Cameras (~$14) give the opportunity for a fun, alternative moment capture that can be processed nearly anywhere. Whether it’s for a date, a wedding or a spontaneous bit of artistry, Ilford’s cameras…

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 watched the creation, the fall, and the epic rise of your favorite (face it, the best) superhero in theaters. Now complete your Christopher Nolan trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises ($18) on Blu-ray, out today. The set also includes DVD and digital copies so you can watch Christian Bale, Michael Cain, Anne Hathaway and…

You may have never been beaned by one in the stands, but that doesn’t mean a cool baseball is out of reach. Bergino Handmade Baseballs ($20) combine your love of the sport with whatever else it is you’re into. Hippie who loves catching pop flies? Tie-dye peace ball. Crossword nut who always nails clues about…

What sets a notebook apart? Most of the time, what’s in it. But even filled with bad doodles, Word Notebooks ($10 per three-pack) are excellent receptacles for ink. From the minds behind Cool Material comes this deceptively clever spin on an everyday tool. The notebooks are perfectly sized for a pocket tote, but they’re also…

Eff Yeah! Gotta love Journey! Oh, wait… not the genius rockers of “Don’t Stop Believin’”? Okay, we can settle for a visually stimulating, comprehensively impressive video game, instead. Journey by thatgamecompany ($15) is being heralded as one of the most beautiful video games ever. It’s more of an adventure than a save-your-health, fight-this-boss-to-save-the-world epic; but…

It seems like everyone traveling has the same black roller bag. Herb Lester Luggage Tags (~$7) stand out and dress up that carry-on with more panache than the “Big Tag” or a random scrap of fabric, saving you from opening your luggage only to find the outsized garments of the lady who filled Row 32….

While smartphones and google calendar might have replaced much of the functional need for a physical calendar these days, we’re still nostalgic for the analog. Following in the tradition of our Grandfather’s garage, our pick for 2013′s planner is the Custom Motorcycle Calendar from Bike Exif. What it lacks in Bettie Page pinup curves it…

Tis the season for galas, charity balls and swanky get-togethers galore, which is why MR PORTER’s new Tux App (free) is impeccably timed. The free iPad app is packed with plenty of tips for navigating black-tie events, starting with lessons on how to wear a tuxedo and tying a bow tie. The lifestyle-minded team at…

Your thoughts are organized. It’s the contents of your pockets that you can’t seem to track down. You don’t necessarily need a system, as your wife suggests; you just need a one-stop-shop where you can dump all your contents at the end of the day. And, no, a cereal bowl does not a stylish man…

If you sneer when people ask “cream and sugar?” you have two problems: a mean attitude and a nasty coffee addiction. La Colombe Pure Black ($6) coffee concentrate aims to abate the latter (which, fortunately, may also dismiss the former). The bottled java is steeped for 16 hours in stainless steel wine tanks — ah,…

Artisanal condiments are the latest front in the slow food war, and our taste buds are thrilled to be part of the collateral damage. Jojo’s Sriracha ($12) is a new brand of small-batch chili sauce created by Joelene Collins, who became so entranced by the stuff at the age 15 that she now slathers it…

Mom, baseball, and apple pie might just be the only things more American than Budweiser beer. Except Bud’s not — American, that is. Though the logo of the number-one-selling beer in the U.S. remains burned into our national psyche, Anheuser-Busch is now a wholly owned subsidiary, bought out in a 2008 hostile takeover by the…

You’ve watched all the Bond movies — yes, even George Lazenby’s go at it. But the on-screen secret agent born from the extravagant wallet of Albert R. Broccoli bares only a fleeting resemblance to the card-carrying killer of Ian Fleming’s 14 seminal novels. The entire Bond book series has always been available in paperback form…

If you’re lucky enough to visit the Limeys in London, you’ll need a memento to remember all the rare roast beef, English IPAs and au naturel smiles. Forego the last minute airport tchotchkes and get the far more clever MONUminis by Another Studio (~$24). These tiny etched stainless steel pieces lock and fold together to…

“You stand on the very brink of the unknown, and every duck that you shoot bears pebbles in its gizzard which come from a land which the maps know not”. Before satellites, before Google Maps, before GPS on your cell phone, there was bold-faced exploration. For a young medical student by the name of Arthur…

The problem with fresh herbs is a matter of practicality. Show us a single man that has ever used up one of those giant bunches of cilantro on himself before it’s started to spoil, and we’ll show you a liar. Here to save your salsa accompaniment is the Prepara Herb-Savor Mini Pod ($15+). Made from…

It’s time to give up sipping the double IPAs of summer, but not quite time for a winter warmer. If you have a strange itch for a liquid sort of pie, there’s an explanation: it’s pumpkin beer season. Tragically, this classic fall seasonal is damn easy to mess up — we’re tired of one dimensional,…

If being heckled by your friends for using AOL makes you think you should get with the times, well, you’re right. But Alto, AOL’s rebooted attempt at relevance in today’s email provider market, looks to be downright useful. The formerly ubiquitous provider describes their newest web-based mail client as the result of frustration with “the…

Director Wes Anderson’s most recent (and perhaps most Wes Andersony) film to date, Moonrise Kingdom ($20), is now available on crystal-clear Blu-ray — obviously the best way to watch a movie that looks like it was shot on film equipment from the ‘60s. Featuring customary Anderson regulars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, the film also…

Think of the best home cook you know. Now think of their kitchen. It’s probably full of pots, pans, mixers and gadgets galore. Know what it’s not full of? Cookbooks. That’s because they don’t need them. Anyone can follow directions from a recipe — well, almost anyone — but not everyone knows that a salty…

Whether it’s installing brake pads or inhaling barbecue ribs, things we love involve messes. And until there’s a sink or shower in every single garage, garden or BBQ shack in the country, we’re left to our own devices to get clean. Grime Boss Hand Wipes ($20+) work hard to get you (at least somewhat) presentable….

Good writers (if we should say so ourselves) respect good writing. Grantland, one of our favorite publications, certainly in sports and culture if not in general, catches our eyes with intuition, integrity and irreverence. Print may be in bad shape, but it still feels right to hold good journalism between your fingers (your keyboard doesn’t…

What happened to drinking in America? It used to be that you wouldn’t come back from lunch without at least a martini or two in you, but nowadays, people won’t even order a beer at dinner for fear of judgement. Personally, we constantly whisper our thanks to whomever invented brunch and gave us an excuse…

Dried beef. Water. Vinegar. Sugar. Sugar. Spices. That’s it. Beef jerky, once a lightweight survival necessity for Native Americans and settlers heading west, has become so much more: a beloved snack, a traveler’s meal, backpacking fare, a gourmet treat, a protein boost after a workout. Obviously, it’s a perfect addition to our Month of Beef…

We love our cars. We love our smartphone apps. Torque (free+), an app that measures all the driving data your heart desires, is the perfect marriage of the two. Essentially an OBD2 (On Board Diagnostics) tool, Torque provides data such as mpg and fuel usage, GPS (with HUD mode) and essential vehicle data like fault…

According to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Americans throw out approximately 25% of the food they purchase each year due to spoilage. Though we’ve never conducted our own study, the moldy strawberries and wilted spinach in the bottom of our waste bins suggest that number is fairly accurate. To combat this problem,…

The superhero movie of the century is now ready to blow up your living room. Naturally, you’d expect top notch audio and video quality, and the Blu-ray version ($20) won’t disappoint — especially for 3D fans looking to recreate the theater experience at home. There’s also plenty of intriguing extras to enhance the second go…

What are great authors for if not poignant, timeless prose? For example: “I have great faith in fools. Self-confidence, my friends call it” (Twain). “We are all lying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars” (Wilde). “Why did I walk into this room again?” (self). Obvious State Literary Quote Illustrations…

Not yet convinced we’re living in the future? Check out the Therapik ($13), a Star-Trekian device that cures bug bite itch and pain rather than Klingon disasters. The somewhat unwieldy, pen-like creation uses heat — yes, that’s it — to neutralize the discomfort-causing saliva or venom in mosquito, bee, hornet and even jellyfish bites and…