10E2498: Julia Child's (Provence) House For Sale

"Though Julia Child only lived full-time in France for a little over five years (from 1948–1956), she and her husband Paul maintained a small cottage in Provence until 1992. For the first time ever, the half-acre property is on sale to the public, with an asking price of about $880,000.

The kitchen counters are extra-tall to accommodate Child's height (a modest 6'2), and all the appliances are the original ones the chef actually used [actually the stove was replaced as she sold the OG- ed.]. Child's husband and his brother painted outlines of her professional cooking tools on pegboards, which remain part of the decor." via CNTraveler

This story is a month old. Still great. What? You want to be my intern?

10E2497: White Christmas?

Like the movie White Christmas - New England is looking pretty dry right now...  Let's review.

Even if you think you know White Christmas, you have to watch it on a big screen, in one sitting, preferably in a theater. So many throwaway lines and visual gags... Crosby and Kaye are on fire.

Captain: That's not the way to Headquarters...
Gen.: Joe, you know that, and I know that, but the General doesn't. At least he won't for the another hour and a half.
Captain: That sergeant will be a private in the morning.
Gen.: Yes... isn't he lucky.










Lots of suits, cuffs, cravats and wool in evidence of course; one of my fave pieces is Bing's undershirt though... thick arm cuffs. Where do you get those??











Who wouldn't want to retire to Vermont, with an old Army Jeep as a runabout, dib around with firewood and play horseshoes by day, then change into your smoking jacket by night -all the while just waiting for the snow to hit.

10E2496: Last Chance Guide

Guaranteed delivery and today only free shipping from fencepost retailer Huckberry.
The LLBeanie is back in stock.
Kid-proof dinex mugs via Topo Designs.

Or the EIO Kids Cup via Cuppow - free shipping on that too.

Heck, you are probably getting slammed by retailer emails... Remember those coupons kids would make for parents (will wash dishes, etc) - I love those. Take a few minutes and make a few really good ones for your kid, or dog, or partner.

Plus this truism.

10E2495: Needles Duck Remix

From Needles. $1K territory... as Our Man In London (OMIL) notes; "you should have enough to do your own". Great cut'n'sew action.

10E2494: Gift Guide Zero

Love a gift guide. To paraphrase myself;

Pretty much anything on 10e would work as a gift... the picks should probably be made of either leather, glass, stone or a combination of the above. Sidenote: 10e is a grilling-tool fee zone... and though parent friendly, 10e will always be a diaper-bag free zone.

• GingHAM print via The Old Try -$35 (psst plus a super secret chance to win their xmas print if spending over $100)
• Fly drying patch via Finn (VT) -$20.
• Farmhouse Pottery striker - you can feel the scratch of that match head from here... $32 if from Huckberry
• ESCAPE mason bag (USA), sourced and printed via Forestbound -$99 shipping included
• Hurricane Lantern via Simon Pearce (VT) -$145 shipping included
• Explorer's Compass Watch (MN). Everything you need - nothing you don't... $85 via Huckberry. (or just get the compass part from maker Tru-Nord for $44)
• Fantastic Face Wash traveler size (2oz) via Ursa Major -$12 (get $5 off if your first order ever, plus 3 minis for all... no brainer) This saves your weekend - lifesaver. Ingredients like black spruce oil, fir needle oil, rosemary water, grapefruit peel, lime oil, cedar wood, spearmint leaf  (USA)

10E2493: Alessi and Bialetti

Fantastic short video from Nowness (watch here - can't embed) with designer Alberto Alessi talking about his grandfather's invention - the moka pot coffee maker. I had no idea Alfonso Bialetti was his grandfather... Great stuff - 2.5 minutes - a must see.

What, you don't own one of these? Tell Santa. Aluminum was the material of the future in the post-war era, and this cast object not only signaled modernity but changed socialisation of coffee and increased caffeine consumption, framing it as a creative juice. Further reading via ineedcoffee.

Buy one for around $30. It may outlive you.

10E2492: Four On The Floor - Gift Guide For Dogs

Faribault Mill (MN) recycled wool dog blanket - various sizes - start at $30
Wandering Woods Walks print (even better if your dog's name begins with W!) $35 minus 15% -act fast!
Easton Leather (MA) punched ID tag. $15 shipped w/ hardware - email toddeastonatgmaildotcom
Filson travel water bowl - tan or blaze - $32

10E2491: Shared Lines - The Vermont Backcountry Alliance

The Vermont Backcountry Alliance (VTBC) is a program of the Catamount Trail Association (CTA), a growing voice for Vermont’s evolving backcountry skiing and riding community. Membership enhances your powder karma, includes access to free ski tours, discounted alpine and nordic skiing passes, deals on backcountry instruction and gear…and much more. 

Thanks for your interest in backcountry and human-powered skiing and riding here in Vermont.

VTBC just released a short video explaining their work (making designated sites more accessible, and not 'blowing up anyone's stash..."). Watch it here, and get psyched. [ok we DID get japan-levels of snow last year...but video still pretty damn good - ed.]

10E2490: Convenience Is The Enemy

Hope you create a happy family day everyone. Spare a thought for those reeling from the weather and worse...

This post is now tradition, and have to say thanks to all the readers [both of you! oh! -ed] and best wishes to the extended 10engines family. Cheers.

10E2489: History. AMIRIGHT!

I tell the interns all the time (and appreciate it myself too) - it is amazing to live in New England and experience on a day to day basis the sites and monuments and stories that other kids in America only read about. During this time of Thanksgiving holiday tales, and revised tales, Pilgrims and 'Indians' and Atlantic travel are constantly referenced across the States - but in New England you get to walk it if you want to.

Plymouth - as in ROCK - is a short drive away. So much history. Fantastic. Just words on a page to others - daily life for yankees (small y... #evilempire).

And speaking of Revolutionary, [nice segue -ed] we live just north of Boston and Paul Revere basically rode past our front door in 1775 (ok it was Medford but I can walk over there anytime...).

And walking the kids to school we pass markers of battles and more. Minuteman Trail on a bike - big smiles.

Over the River and Through the Woods (to grandmothers house we go)? That one? Original title A Boy's Thanksgiving Day, that was another (sleigh) ride nearby. http://10engines.blogspot.com/2011/11/boys-thanksgiving-day.html


As another commentor mentioned, one of the best parts of living here is imagining the civilization that has trod this path before us--from Wampanoag in our backyards, to JFK at Harvard.

 *******

The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower is a historical fictionalisation of young John Howland's travel to the new lands here form England. Detailed first person account of life in the 1600s form busy London to Pilgrim-style living in early America. Suitable for the interns...

10E2488: Giveaway - Ursa Major Hoppin' Fresh

The crew at Ursa Major have delivered on a long-time request, creating an all natural deodorant that really works. I bought a few during their kickstarter a little while ago and it has a nice minty/grampa zing to it. Made in the USA. Recyclable container.

- Eliminates odor-causing bacteria
- 24-hour protection
- Fresh, cooling aroma on application
- 100% natural & toxin-free (no aluminum)
- Non-staining formula

You can buy it right now at Ursa Major.  Join their email list and you get $5 off right off the bat. Boom!

GIVEAWAY - plus they are giving away sticks to two 10engines readers - today. Just go check out the product at on their site and email me the favorite ingredient they use. Or follow them on twitter @UrsaMajorVT and tweet and us both the favorite ingredient you see. Winners will be picked at 5pm - prize delivered for the weekend. UPDATE: Winners notified; congrats Stuart and Michael.

 

10E2487: Very Orange Work Gloves

Steerhide palms (like those woodstove gloves your gramps had), Thinsulate liner, and nylon backing. Slim fit. And orange as all get out. Made and shipped out of Missouri. $3 + postage.

10E2486: Hugh's War On Waste

This guy Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal is a British chef/turnedfarmer/turnedmostlyvegetarian. Anyway - he rails against food idiocy in many forms. He did a great thing on fish bycatch a few years ago - even got some EU laws changed.

His new one War On Waste focuses on supermarkets and home food waste (related to recycling a few ways). First episode is an hour so brew a cuppa. We know some of this but seeing it (esp at the sharp end at the farms) is pretty insane...

Pops has an expression, "Americans are the only people on earth that refrigerate their garbage for 2 weeks before throwing it away..." Many western countries guilty of this in fact - but it was not always this way... Happy Monday!

10E2485: Carhartt Cord

Great looking piece from Carhartt Europe aka WIP / whatever you want to call it. Sleeves and handwarmer of a Detroit and pockets of a chore coat. Cord double knees are still a unicorn, along with unwashed denim Detroit - American Classics in London used to have them (unless I dreamed them up), 25 years ago...

You can bid on the above from seller VanKits12.

10E2484: Rugby...

Long / short - you missed 30 days of World Cup Rugby (not like some fake "world" series that only involves teams from 48 American states...) and the finals are approaching on October 31. This is another neat primer on the state of affairs.  

NBC will broadcast the Rugby World Cup 2015 Final next Saturday, Oct. 31 at noon ET.

10E2483: Fridays Are Tie Days - The Old Boy Network II

Well, you know how it is when you're in some public spot and a stranger comes in wearing the old school tie. You shove a hasty hand over your own and start to sidle out before the chap can spot it and grab you and start gassing.

-from Tried in the Furnace by P.G. Wodehouse

Not sure why but I'm not that wild on striped repp or regimental (long) ties. Striped bow ties I like, and the crested ties look fantastic. I went to LSE (dubbed "Let's See Europe" by the American students) but can't bring myself to wear their gold/purple/black. LSE is a constituent of the University of London; their (Ben Silver'd) ties are v v tasty. Around $75.



In other great news for me - another alma mater in London, City University will soon join the federal University of London (UOL). City will continue to operate under its Royal Charter which will be amended to reflect its change of name and the titles of its senior officers as an autonomous college of UOL. That means I can wear either the tie above or below to reflect both B.A. Phil/Econ and M.A. Arts Crit. You want fries with that?

10E2482: Cat Power - Fool

10E2481: It Was Only Smuggling

Have mentioned documentary filmmaker Sumner McKane a few times on 10E - he specializes in synthesizing history lessons from archival footage, found and original interviews and photographs, and his own original music scores. The films always reference the great state of Maine. Try In The Blood first.

I gave him a jingle and got a little more info on his latest project, "It Was Only Smuggling - How New Englanders Succeeded During Prohibition". It looks at prohibition era smuggling of whisky and rum (called rum running) that went from Canada into the US - notably by sea via Penebscot Bay in Maine in this case. It also happened across the unguarded 48th parallel all across New England at the time.

McKane: "I am still gathering footage for this project. I have a few archived interviews, but plan on conducting numerous more. It seems everybody has some sort of family connection to smuggling/running!" 

McKane: "I don't have any family members who were 'in' the biz but they likely partook in the spoils!

There are a number of stories that can be told about the subject of rum running, and I plan on touching on a few, but mainly I hope to illustrate how everyday Mainers made a living in a not so secretive, although illegal, business. It is just interesting history!"[Agreed - ed].

 Check the trailer above, and watch here for release details.