tinker tailer soldier spy -trailer

Can't embed the trailer yet, but go to TheGuardian now to see it. George Smiley is looking good...

Gary Oldman in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Photo: Universal Pictures

watch this -i dropped the ball...

At the Edinburgh Film Festival this past weekend, Nokia held a screening for the eight finalists of its Nokia Shorts Competition. With more than 600 entries and a $10,000 grand prize on the line, the competition produced some surprising results. Nothing was quite as impressive, however, as the film shot by winner J.W. Griffiths. His two and a half minute short entitled Splitscreen: A Love Story was shot entirely on his Nokia N8 mobile smartphone and takes viewers on a split-screen journey through two of the world’s most iconic and romantic cities. Watch for yourselves to see why Griffiths’ film took home the prize.
-via Hypebeast

See all the eight finalists over at NokiaShorts2011

DISCLAIMER; I worked at the EdFilmFest for a few years/seasons/summers in a purely admin capacity (read; great parties, met Sean Connery, still have friends from that time). Sidenote; it is the world's longest continuously running film festival.

Anyhow, the Edinburgh Film Festival caught not a little flak this year (ouch) and though I was not there to see any of the successes or "challenges", they continued with their tradition of gritty programming and introduced some inventive commercial partnerships with Nokia (as above) and Cutty Sark (they did an event to power the projector by pedaling). Anyhow, I have nothing but good memories and hope they can rekindle the flame of former years. That cameraphone short though above... next level, I skipped over it when the news broke. V v smart to use a split screen, essentially doubling the quality of the images -geddit?

late to the party -the concretes

Meeting some friends from Sweden tonight so apropos. Someone wrote in the comments "They arent bored. They are Swedish"... bit harsh, though maybe not office music... more at their site; The Concretes.

rust-oleum tractor paint

IH red. Ford blue. Allis Chalmers orange. John Deere yellow, and green. All available at Gemplers. Did you know Rust-Oleum was initially a fish-oil based paint? Me neither. Further reading.

dj c's carrot -hrvatski's nightvision

A decade old I think, nice long build. More from DjC/ElectroOrganicSoundSystem/Jake Trussel here.

isenseven’s -kaleidoscope

Found via Yobeat. Featured isenseven before, good stuff. #fullscreenbonkers

timothy fenwick jr

Fenwick spends the whole movie in white canvas plimsolls of some kind, maybe Converse, hard to tell. Last pic from the "football quiz" scene in the rec' room. Don't say you never saw this one...

stone work -ogden&chalmers

My buddy Skye has the touch to build great rock fencing / dry stone walls. If you have ever been by the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT (as above, that wall is about chest high) you can see some of his handiwork. All these photos are from projects eventually completed by Ogden&Chalmers.

north wharf fish shacks -nantucket

This was a tag sale buy on Nantucket a few years back. Image is a screenprint (I think?). Very crisp draughtsmanship. Really love it. By Jaye R. Phillips, who I believe may be this Jaye R. Phillips -a Boston area type. Would make sense.

poler -two person tent

Poler doubleheader today... hey they could have used that as a name for this product even... The Two Man Tent. $240$200 and free shipping for a limited time.

...the same spacious design as our one man tent, only wide enough to accommodate 2 big people, or if you're feeling snuggly, even 2 big people and a child, or possibly even 3 smaller sized people. The variations are nearly limitless.

The tent has two doors and two vestibules for stashing gear, fully taped seams on the fly, and just one pole that snaps together and is simple and efficient to set up. The eye shaped window allows for a view of the forest canopy. It weighs about 6 lbs... -Buy at PolerStuff

Via their super secret email (that anyone can sign up for) they note a product coming out called the Duffaluffagus Duffle. Just show me where to sign... #greatname

poler -one man/woman/child tent

Get your camp vibes on with Poler's first release, The Man Tent. The side-door configuration and higher peak allow the camper to sit up, change clothes etc undercover. Eye-in-the-flysheet lets you check the weather. For a limited time they are $150 plus free shipping.

Soon (I think) Poler will be releasing more; their sleep bag, magic tarp, retro-y backpack, a ton of soft goods (thoughtfully in kids sizes too). Good people trying to provide the tools so regulars can get outside and enjoy it.

carhartt -this is the sort of detroit i'm talking about

Before getting into it, if anyone amenable to contributing to a timeline project on your Carhartt Detroit jacket I want to start collecting facts/pictures...




Great, slightly older Detroit. I find it hard to date these things, not a ton of info online but from the darker collar, no internal pocket and no branding on the zipperpulls I'm guessing late 70's? Had one that I believe was 60's; that had straight cuff stitching (and that is now curved)... The duck material used as a hanger-loop (rather than later nylon) is a date mark as well... again, not sure of the cut off date on that. Then external branding, love those folded, inseam labels. More washed than worn I think, quite soft. New ones cost around $75, this cost half.

johnny walker x shanghai

As part of their design of a new 'experience space' in Shanghai for whisky brand Johnnie Walker, creative agency LOVE created a series of commemorative edition bottles, referencing the Chinese decorative style of blue and white porcelain... via CreativeReview

Honestly JW is not my go-to but these porcelain bottles (only 1,00 made) look great.

james brown -illustrator/artist

These prints are for sale at his shop.

the package store goes for the jugular

reblog -things my father taught me

Max at AllPlaidOut has run a series of Mother's Day/Father's Day guest post over the last few years; inviting family and (internet)friends to post their thoughts. Sons and daughters, mothers and fathers. Recently a bunch of women from around the loop have been posting there with thoughts and pictures for Father's Day.... Fantastic stuff and really transcends the usual, def' check it out. Below is my post from last year, but still applies...

Things my father taught me: how to shake a martini (aged 7), milk a cow, drive a tractor, tie a bow tie, sharpen a carving knife, polish shoes, make an omelet (hell, how to build a hen house, raise chicks, pluck feathers, keep a ‘chicken bucket’ under the sink for food scraps, collect the eggs THEN make an omelet).

“Pops” or more properly, my father, Dr. Fox arrived in Boston from England in 1974 with family in tow. English born and bred, sartorially he was preppy through and through; at that time shopping at the Co-op and JPress in Harvard Square, or Brooks Bros. and Filene’s downtown. Fast forward a few years and we have moved to cocktail-culture / summer-resident ground zero; southern Vermont. Southern VT was also ground zero for aging dairy farms, aging farmers and at that time a huge need for a community medical center. Pops answered that call.

Sure he’ll drive you crazy at a museum reading every scrap of literature but he is in turn a fountain of knowledge. Insane. I have actually called him rather than Google something. I do get my appreciation of hi/low style from him though, which is really a preppy trait in a sense, use it up, fix it up and wear it out… He’ll turn up to a town meeting in his torn tweed jacket (pockets probably full of old nails or his pipe) and muddy wellingtons, plus a yellow OCBD and bowtie, probably whistling. About 5 years ago he did break a lifelong streak and get a pair of jeans, but true-to-form he has patched and re-patched that pair ever since. A cook, botanist, farmer, beekeeper and musician, but foremost a country doctor… he sets the bar pretty high. Anyway, let’s not get sappy here, onto the clothes…

Exhibit A. Young Doc. Everyone wears a cravat when they go skiing right?
No gloves, no nylon fibers either.

Exhibit B. OK, It must be said, this is a damn good picture of the old man (hey!) but 2 hip replacements and recent rotator cuff surgery have slowed him down quite a bit.
This is almost 20 years ago now, playing against southern horse traders and some Argentinean stable guys.

Exhibit C. Fox men. 4G. Remember, grandpas are fathers too.

council tools -velvicut

Celebrating 125 years in business [since 1886 -ed.] Council Tools is introducing the Velvicut® line of premium axes. (Velvicut trademarked years ago when sharpness, the ability to hold an edge and the feel of the tool made the day shorter -or longer, based on performance. -via CouncilTools).

Drop forged from alloy steel, bit sharpening is by hand. Handles, selected for grain orientation and density, are grade “A” American hickory, white sapwood, or red hardwood. Axe heads are lightly oiled and left unpainted.

Council Tools say, "It is not for everyone but rather for those who seek the best." [my itals -ed.] Every component is made in USA.

The first product in the line is the 4# Premium American Felling Axe (Dayton Pattern) with hickory handle (pictured). $165. Next will be an upgraded version of their Hudson Bay Axe. For those following along, Council Tools are the current source for the Best Made felling axe.

whatever you do to the world you do to yourself

inspiration -mash

Trapper John: ...without olives, a martini just doesn't. quite. make it.

Epic early scene where Trapper (Elliot Gould) pulls out the jar of olives from his parka...

I didn't see the movie version of M*A*S*H till I was maybe a teenager, and the first half (the fake assisted suicide) was a little intense, think I might have turned it off. Need one of those woodsy camo Jones hats like Hawkeye (Donald Sutherland) sports. Or Col. Blake's lure-studded Kromer. The football game at the end occupies a good quarter of the movie, had forgotten that. #stencilledsweatshirts

The TV version of the show was my babysitter in the late 70s though. The story of an eccentric doctor who preferred martinis and came from New England? I could relate to that character-type. The officer's club bar, all ramshackle with Christmas lights etc, realise now that has ingrained itself in my mind as inspiration for a mancave barn/bar.

The novel M*A*S*H is good, and the sequel M*A*S*H Goes To Maine isn't bad... the rest not great. BTW, Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, great name...

carhartt -fall 2011 lookbook

A few weeks ago Carhartt (US) released a Fall 2011 lookbook online. The clothes are inline with their general movement to newer shapes and materials (not necessarily bad) and seems to be moving away from the splashy-graffiti-twisted-barbedwire graphics (good). Plus, Fall2011 looks generally like the blocks used for the AdamKimmelxCarhartt stuff, so if you like that you are in luck.

They are also continuing the Series 1889 line they started this year (which is not related to the 1989 Centennial stuff); e.g. chambray shirt and jacket below.


If you have been following along, since almost day 1 of this blog I have posted about Carhartt pieces that evoked some kind of fuzzy memory for me or were shorthand for rural/woodsy. But I would have to think Carhartt's continued reliance on imagery of the American worker is risking becoming disingenious, as since 2009 not-all/less-than-half/maybe-even-only-10%-now of their manufacturing is done domestically -via WSJ (read the comments section btw, essential). Yes they employ around 1,300 American workers still (fact from their Facebook) but the brand had a faultless workwear pedigree until these changes; i.e. Union made in the USA. The comments from consumers [former -ed?] on Carhartt's Facebook page are pretty strong on this issue... perhaps an example to discuss for any social media advisors?

I rarely go negative on 10e, but this particular issue touches a nerve -I mentioned the same thing in the post over at Details. OK, now back to regularly scheduled programming.

huf -summer 2011

Again, I am no streetwear officianado, but great edit from HUF(SF) rolling around NY.

They take their caps seriously as well (as below), 10oz duck "don't tread on me".

home improvement

Two neat tricks some friends in VT incorporated into their home; 1) use sections of USGS maps connected together to fill an odd wallspace, and 2) make banisters out of old hexagonal drilling rods from the local quarry. Slate inserts from said quarry take it to 11. V smooth. Should also mention, WIP.

belle and sebastian -come on sister

Old news if you haunt Pitchfork, but here is a day in the life (off-stage) of B&S... pretty great.

It is the official video for the forthcoming Belle and Sebastian single, Come on Sister, from the album, Write About Love (Rough Trade/Matador). Directed, Filmed & Edited by Paul Fegan [who then uploaded it to Vimeo -ed.], includes concert footage filmed by The Forest of Black and Glen Thomson.

gardening -father's day

1. Ames Tru-Temper steel-barrow. 6 cubic feet. Not easy to get made in USA 'barrows; usually the wheel is imported, sometimes the handles, these come close I believe. Plus, stealing idea from the NYT, fill this thing w/ ice and tonic for later...

2. Slate stakes/row markers. There are a lot of these around, these happen to be by Ancient Graffiti in Vermont. $36 for 6.

3. LLBean rubber moccasins. Great for gardening. Same price or less than Muck boots and you can wear them out and about afterwards; just hose them off. What, you were gonna buy crocs?
[sidenote: these run big imho, def order a 1/2 size down.]

4. Sipsmith Gin. Distilled in London. Sis is in the drinks biz, says this one cooler than the other side of the pillow... Cue the G&Ts.

case of tapes

Got this case of Willie/Don Williams/Slim Whitman et al on eBay years ago; on a rainy day it comes up big. Kitchens need cassette players, house rule. BTW isnt that pleather luggage better than any zipped CD "pouch".