Lifestyle
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Have a Manly, Manly Christmas…
Time to break out the list and write down your gift buying plans for friends and family. Men, I’ve found, can be quite tricky to buy for. There are the tried and true staples; shirts, ties, shoes, gift certs and booze. Such things seem to be great “go-to” items, but I try to be a little more creative in my gifting. Something with a bit of humor or a compelling story is a really good thing.
For instance, I have one friend who is always grilling and cooking. He’s very good at it. He loves using recipes but gets frustrated when they don’t turn out as planned. I don’t know why he even worries about it as anything he serves is always delicious. So the gifts I have planned to get him are a little cheeky.
Esquire Man’s Cookbook 
Esquire Men’s Cookbook I have another buddy who loves his whiskey and bourbon, so I found this little gem while shopping at Noah Marion Quality Goods. One little taste and I was sold. It is friggin’ delicious! (Plus is has a Texas story to go along with it, so win, win, win.)
Ben Milam Whiskey More info here:
Ben Milam Bourbon Lastly, cool shit that no one else has. Now that is alway a winner!
A local recommendation is Noah Marion Quality Goods on S. Lamar at Oltorf. Cool leather goods that show you took the time to look and buy something special.
Noah Marion QG If you want to do it all online, check out Smathers and` Bransen
I also have some great ideas on my Pinterest page
Oh, try Kate Hershe, aka Austin Morgan, too
Happy Holidays!
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Getting Through the ATX
If only they had actually followed through with this.
Rumor has it the Austin elders didn’t want the city to grow.
1960’s map -
Chronicling Cars
After some wine consumption with my sister, we decided to chronicle all the cars we’ve owned. We were both surprised at the number of cars we’ve owned and the vast range in vehicle type. Turns out, I am a Ford and Chrysler guy; the Ford prevalence was surprising.
I decided to rebuild the list in a catalog on Pinterest.
Update… I got another Caddy. Admittedly, the dealership left me less than happy with my last one, but we had a heart to heart and I came back to GM/Cadillac.
ATS Performance -
“Make Beautiful Affordable Again”
I love that title!
I wish developers would get on a bandwagon to build homes with artistic merit:
More here.
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More Reps, Less Weight
It is a philosophy I completely agree with. I hear of middle-aged men tearing tendons and having ACL issues; all due to too much weight and jerking their weight s around while doing a circuit. I almost think machines are better for older men because you can manage the motion better.
This is a good read with some pointers for middle-aged men.
P.S. – I am not 60, but these tips still apply!
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It Never Hurts to Ask
…for help.
I have two pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. I love them! The style, the fit, the lenses – everything about them. However, I didn’t love the scratches. I don’t know if it was a flaw in design or just a care issue, but both sunglasses got marred on the inner lens where the earpiece folded onto itself. So upon wearing them, I would see blurry out of the bottom corners. Well, I decided to give Maui Jim a call and describe my situation. Their custom support was extraordinary. I received return instructions, packed and shipped those babies and in less than two weeks, I had them back; completely repaired for a nominal expense. I can’t say how happy I was with their customer care. So… whenever you think you don’t have an option but to toss out a pair of damaged sunglasses, call the manufacturer. You just might be surprised!
Incidentally, I did the same thing with a set of D&G sunglasses and they are sending replacement lenses for a major scratch in one lens. $20 bucks for shipping and handling – and Lenscrafters will replace them for free. Whoo hoo!
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Advice for Aging from Men’s Journal
Many of the behaviors suggested in this article should be rote for all men, but a gentle reminder is a good thing.
