An Open Approach

I've been following Everlane, a small clothing company based in California, since they started up a couple of years ago. They set out to make quality items at fair prices, and to be as transparent about their manufacturing as possible, meaning they disclose information about the factories used by their suppliers, they visit and maintain relationships, monitor working conditions, etc. They also reveal the cost structures of the items they sell, which is pretty much unheard of in the fashion industry.

I decided it was time to sample the product, and they recently added several new color choices to their T-shirt line, so I ordered three from them. Their Ts are manufactured in Los Angeles, just like American Apparel. The fabric is just as nice, and Everlane's T-shirts sell for $3 less, in part because they only sell direct so they don't have AA's cost burden of a worldwide chain of retail stores.

The fabric is as soft as you could ask for and the construction is first-rate. I have one minor quibble with the Everlane Ts: the neck isn't cut quite as high as I prefer, and since its fabrication is softer it tends to droop a tiny bit. I might try going one size smaller to see if that helps.

So, an Everlane T-shirt that's made in the USA costs $15, and if you buy two or more items the shipping is free. How does that compare to what other stores sell? Target sells solid Ts for $8, Old Navy's are $10 (currently on sale for $6), and Gap's are $17 (currently $12.50 each if you buy two or more). J. Crew's men's Ts are regularly $25, and women's are $25-30 depending on style and fabric (they do go on sale, but typically only "select colors"). None of those are made in the USA. Wouldn't you like to buy a garment that you know supports American workers, and is also a top-quality product?

By the way, Everlane sells more than just T-shirts. They have oxford-cloth button-front shirts; cashmere sweaters for men and women; a collection of bags including weekenders, totes, and backpacks; a woman's sandal; and other accessories like bags and scarves. Some of these items are made in the USA and others are not, but Everlane provides full information about where and how each item is made. This is a company you'll want to keep an eye on.

Burrito Sandwich? YES.

The Mrs. and I have been faithful patrons of Anna's Taqueria for as long as they've been open (or at least open on the north side of the Charles). To our taste buds they make the best burritos around.

When we want them, we usually drive to Davis Square, which takes about 15-20 minutes each way from our house, depending on traffic. It wasn't so bad when we lived in Somerville, but after moving to Medford seven years ago it became more of a pain. For years Anna's seemed to be opening new locations all over greater Boston, and I kept hoping they would come to Medford Square.

Last spring we saw signs for a Mexican place opening in the Square, just a couple of doors down from our favorite coffee shop. Not Anna's, but we figured it would be worth a try when it opened. They make a nice burrito, but it's just not the same.

However, I hadn't paid much attention to the rest of the menu, and while having a conversation with the proprietor of the coffee shop, the subject of Tenoch (the neighboring Mexican place) came up. "You've had a torta there, right?" she asked. In fact, I had not tried a torta. I hadn't even noticed that they served it, and I didn't know what a torta was.

Turns out, a torta is like a burrito sandwich, served on a soft, fluffy, oval roll called telera bread. And they're freakin' fantastic. Other ingredients that are torta-specific (at least at Tenoch) are chipotle mayonnaise and Oaxaca cheese. Other fillings include beans, onions, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes. These are added to various meat choices; I have tried the Campechana, which combines chorizo and carnitas, and the Pollo Empanizado, which features flattened chicken pieces which are breaded and baked. You can also get either the carnitas or the chorizo solo with the other goodies, or roasted vegetables for the non-meat eaters.

Because all that stuff is on a roll instead of rolled snugly inside a tortilla, tortas are somewhat messier to eat, but they are so delicious no one would care about needing a few extra napkins. Tenoch also serves enchiladas, tacos, and other typical Mexican food, but if you go you really have to try the tortas. If you're staying there to eat, you can get beer or wine if you like.

Tenoch is at 24 Riverside Avenue in Medford Square (exit 32 off route 93). They're open Monday to Saturday until 9 pm (closed Sundays). They also have a trailer that has been showing up at various food-truck spots around Boston (they're at the SoWa market on Sundays, according to one of the staffers) and I've heard that they are going to open a second location in the North End, which will be an interesting counterpoint to that neighborhood's Italian fare.

This Week in Awesome (6/15/13)

Better late than not at all...

Vulture offers its choices for the 10 best sketches from this past season of Saturday Night Live; I only disagreed with one of them.

This week's time-lapse: Dubai. (Vimeo)

Jimmy Kimmel continues The Baby Bachelor.

A music mashup of the Beatles and the Beastie Boys? Controversial, to say the least, but points for effort. (Laughing Squid)

And finally this week, I've mentioned comedian Patton Oswalt a couple of times. He's posted a long and very thoughtful essay on his personal website that touches on a number of topics that are pertinent to his particular line of work, but reflect back on the rest of us as well. And not surprisingly, he's as adept with the written word as he is onstage. Not everyone will be interested in reading this sort of thing, but I promise it's worth your time. (The A.V. Club)

Retro Video Unit (6/14/13)

I've been looking at old Matthew Sweet videos for a while for this feature, and as good a song as "Girlfriend" is, I've decided to go with a different song, "Sick of Myself" from the 1995 album 100% Fun, because I think it's a near-perfect example of marrying bitter, self-loathing lyrics to a catchy melody. Sweet was by no means the first person to do that in a song, but he sure did it well. (And thanks to the blog Anthony Is Right for providing the idea.)



Also, those of us of a certain age will recognize and remember the "credits" that used to appear at the beginning and end of MTV videos like this one.

It Ain't So

So the New York Times reporter doing an overview of the Bulger trial decided that South Boston is now referred to as SoBo. Not only is this absolutely not true, but if I hear someone refer to it that way, I may not be responsible for my actions. (Hat tip to Universal Hub)

Follow-up: Boston magazine decided to have some fun with this and tagged all of Boston's neighborhoods with trendy namelets. These are for entertainment purposes only, got it? (Also via UH)

A Customer Service Dialogue

A couple of days after my home try-on frames arrived from Steven Alan Optical, I got an email from one of their customer service people asking me for my opinions and feedback. I wasn't expecting any sort of communication from them, so I took advantage of the opportunity and responded, sharing my thoughts on the frames and the try-on process.

I also mentioned my futile attempt to get sunglasses from Warby Parker a couple of months back, and subsequently learned that Steven Alan Optical would be able to make lenses for my prescription. I wasn't really planning to buy new glasses just yet, but since not all of their frames are available as sunglasses, I decided to ask if they could accommodate a special order.

Unfortunately that wasn't possible, at least not yet, and I also learned that, while they can make me sunglasses, they would not be able to make them with polarized lenses, which is another disappointment. But things change, and they will likely be coming out with additional styles in the fall, which might include offering more frame styles as sunglasses.

The opportunity to have a direct conversation with a rep was extremely helpful in my situation. I'm sure that I would have gotten satisfactory answers to my questions had I initiated a conversation via email, but the fact that they made the effort to contact me and say, "hey, how's it going?" elevated them in my estimation.

Dads and Non-Dads

This is an excellent week to shop for clothes. Because of Father's Day, stores have lots of sales going on men's stuff. If you are a father who expects to be receiving gifts come Sunday, and you want something specific, if may be in your interest to give some detailed hints. Or you could suggest going shopping with your loved ones so you can pick out some things.

The dog does not get me presents (ungrateful creature), but I can still benefit by going shopping and picking up a few things on my own.

This Week in Awesome (6/8/13)

I guess I really need to get a Bruins T-shirt now, huh?

This series of movie and TV vehicles illustrated in cartoonish style would make a great poster, or something. (Scott Park via Jalopnik)

If you're traveling to New Orleans, this looks like a fun place to stay. (Thrillist via Autoblog)

Did you hear the new Nine Inch Nails song? Pretty decent. I'm looking forward to hearing the whole album, which comes out in early September, and I might even consider going to see them when they tour in the fall.

Jimmy Kimmel debuted episode 3 of "The Baby Bachelor."

And finally this week, you may remember that back in the fall I posted "Under Pressure" as my Friday retro video song. Over here you'll find not only the isolated vocal tracks of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, but also recollections by band members and studio personnel about the creation of the song itself. (OpenCulture via Laughing Squid)

Utility Work

Our utility provider has had a contractor working in our area for several weeks, replacing and rerouting the gas main that runs under our street. So far the inconvenience has been limited to occasional road closings, and when that happens there is always a detour available.

Last week we got a notice in our mailbox that the contractor would need access to our basement in order to connect the house to the new line, and after that the utility company would have to come into the basement and both units to relight all the pilots. We were instructed to call the foreman to arrange a time for this work. I set up our appointment for today.

The crew started digging around 8 am, for both our house and the one next door. As of 4 pm they are still at it. I had no idea this would be an all-day process; when I was told the contractor needed access to our basement, I assumed it was to do something that would take only a short amount of time. But there's a trench from the middle of the street right up to our front steps, where the gas line connects to the building.

It's not like I need to be anywhere, but it does mean that we don't have any gas service at the moment, and I don't know if we'll be able to get it restored today after the workers are finished—if they do finish today. And as an incidental consequence of the work being done, we're unable to get out of our driveway.

Update: We got our gas service back, but we had to call to get someone to come out. The regular National Grid customer service line operates only from 7 am to 5 pm weekdays, so I pushed the button for "gas emergency" and explained what was going on to the phone rep, which got the results I needed. The tech who showed up told me that the contractors are notoriously unreliable about remembering to call for service to be renewed after they've finished their work, which is good to know for future reference.

Watch Wednesday Wrist Want (6/5/13)

I haven't done one of these in a long time, mainly because daydreaming about expensive watches, while fun, is also somewhat of a built-in letdown. But who knows, I could win the lottery tomorrow, and there are at least a couple of pieces I'd want to get.

One of them is this watch from Bell & Ross, a Swiss company with a heritage of making pilot's watches. They have a few core designs and keep releasing variations on them with different colored cases, dials, and straps. This latest version, which isn't on sale yet, has numerals, hands, and dial markings that are meant to have an aged appearance.

This watch is about as simple as it gets, but I'm drawn to it because its design is so clean and readable. I have a thing for watch faces with large numerals, and this looks like it came right out of the 1960's. I love the circular date window, as well as its position between the four and five markers. The strap is rubber and its cross-hatch appearance is also a nod to 1960's dive watches.

In case you're wondering, when this hits the market in a few months it will retail for $3,100. There will also be a chronograph version, which will certainly cost more (similar models currently available run $4,500).

(I borrowed this image from the watch site Hodinkee; I hope they're okay with that.)

Steven Alan Eyewear Follow-Up

As it happened, my trial frames from Steven Alan Optical arrived today, just a day after I'd ordered them. They shipped from Brooklyn, so it's not so much of a surprise that it took only one day for the package to get to me.

The quality of the frames is excellent, and all four of my choices happen to fit my face and head well. (Years of trying on frames and paying attention to sizing have given me a strong sense of what sizes fit me well and what won't, as long as I know the measurements.) The rivets that hold the hinges to the frames have various decorative patterns or shaped covers, and the hinges themselves (five-barrel, stronger than most) are rose-gold plated, which I think was done to be visually distinctive. There was also a hand-written note thanking me for trying their frames, a nice touch.

The color SA calls "red havana" looks closer to amber in person, but it's quite attractive. They also offer many frames in a classic shade of tortoise. Other frame color options include matte and gloss blacks, and clear crystal along with tinted variations like gray and green.

Overall, I would be quite confident choosing these glasses. I'm not ready to buy new sunglasses yet, but it's good to know this option exists.

Another Eyewear Option

After striking out with Warby Parker and Classic Specs, I had more or less given up on finding suitable sunglasses through a company that offers try-at-home service like those two. (I know about Lookmatic, but nothing they have appeals to me or is the right size.)

Then I learned that New York-based men's clothing store Steven Alan has started offering prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses with frames of its own design. Each frame style is offered in multiple color choices, which I see as an advantage over their competitors (most of Warby Parker's frames are offered in only two color choices, sometimes three).

The pricing is not as wallet-friendly as Warby Parker either, but that's not unexpected because Steven Alan's clothing tends to be higher priced. (Their men's shirts range from about $150-200, in large part because almost all their house-label clothing is manufactured in the United States.) Prescription eyeglasses are $195 and sunglasses are $245, which puts them about $100 above Warby Parker's prices. There is also a $40 upcharge for the high-index lenses that I require, compared to $30 exta at WP. Overall this is still reasonable pricing for a prescription of my strength, but it's certainly not an eyewear bargain. (Non-prescription sunglasses are available for $145.)

The eyewear website says the acetate used for their frames comes from Italy, but makes no mention of where the frames themselves are manufactured, so I would assume they are made in China. I'll know the answer to that question soon enough, because I've ordered four frames to try on. Not all their frame designs are available as sunglasses, so I chose two that are and two that aren't, just to get a sense of how their frames fit and look.

This Week in Awesome (6/1/13)

I let this slip last weekend while I was on a mental vacation, so let's see what I've collected...

As Bill Hader was taking his Stefon character out the door at Saturday Night Live, Entertainment Weekly compiled a "directory" of all of his club recommendations. (EW PopWatch)

Jimmy Kimmel has been skewering reality dating shows with a hilariously inappropriate take on the genre (episode 1; episode 2).

This list of rules of behavior is the sort of thing that shouldn't need to be spelled out; it used to be called "manners," and it was a given that people had them. (BuzzFeed)

And finally this week, movie directors share their favorite unappreciated and overlooked movies. (Flavorwire via Kempt)

Retro Video Unit (5/31/13)

I've been trying to mix some memorable Boston bands into this feature, so this week we'll look at one that popped into my head recently: The Del Fuegos. Their single "Don't Run Wild" was very popular at the time of its release in 1985, and I saw the band play several times over the years.



The video is perhaps most memorable for the shots of the band playing on the Mass. Ave. bridge. The night shots are cool too; those appear to be in a parking lot on the waterfront, possibly on the Fan Pier?

Sun Clips

After my failed attempt to get new sunglasses from Warby Parker, I've been considering alternatives. I found clip-on sunglasses specifically made to fit my eyeglass frames at Ben Silver, a rather fancy men's store in Charleston, SC. Unfortunately the clip-ons alone cost $125, and for that much I might as well just go ahead and get new sunglasses made somewhere.

Some idle googling led me to a site called Western Ophthalmics in Lynwood, WA. They seem to be primarily a wholesale distributor to eye doctors and optometrists, but they do have clip-ons on their website in a shape that roughly corresponds to my eyeglass frames. The width matched my frames and they are available in different colors and cost only $12, but there was no other size information given on the site, so I sent an email with some questions.

I never received a response, so after maybe three weeks I decided to call them. The person who answered the phone, Jean, was very pleasant and helpful. She needed to find the product and measure it, but offered to call me back. It turned out that their clip-ons are not tall enough to fit my frames, which is what I was hoping to find out in order to avoid ordering them and having to return them.

As usual with my product quests, I'll have to keep searching.

Drugstore in a Box

I get a lot of my personal care items from Target, because they tend to have lower prices than the local drugstores. What I don't get from Target I tend to order from drugstore.com, which doesn't usually have the best prices but is often the easiest option.

My orders are typically packed and shipped within two hours of being placed, and they frequently arrive the next day. The minimum for free shipping is $25, which is easy enough if I order several items at once. They accept PayPal, which is a huge convenience when I want to make a purchase but don't need to add another charge to my credit card.

They also operate beauty.com, where I sometimes buy shaving and hair products, which tend to get me to $25 more quickly. And if your order something from that site, you get free samples of other products.

The Reentry

Oh, hi there. Yeah, my brain took a few days off. I guess that's what long weekends are for, right? I got my stitches out this morning, but I'm still healing.

I'm also in the midst of rewatching the three seasons of Arrested Development that aired on Fox (since I haven't seen them since they were first shown), to get ready for the new episodes on Netflix.

I'll be back soon with more fun stuff.

Retro Video Unit (5/24/13)

With everything going on last week I forgot this again...

This is one of those obscure bands from the New Wave era that were really good and deserved to be more popular. They're called The Brains, they were from Atlanta, and the song is called "Money Changes Everything."



You may actually know this song, because Cyndi Lauper covered it on her 1983 album She's So Unusual, but this is the original. It's not much of a video, but it's slightly better than the ones people make with just a static picture of the band or the cover of their album.

I have a lot of bands like this filed away in my head. In many cases I have the music on vinyl. Once in a while songs like this show up on compilation albums. I found this one on an album called Gold: New Wave (but the cover says New Wave Gold) that has several other excellent obscure songs on it and is worth owning if you ever come across it.

Tie Do-Over

After the tie incident a couple of weeks back, I continued browsing eBay for a suitable replacement. It didn't take long, which was a little surprising.

This tie is very different from the other one, but it's also from Liberty and made of cotton in the USA. The background is a coral pink, which my camera represents as more red than it really is.

We don't have any summer weddings or other dress-up events on our schedule, but if we did this would be a likely candidate to wear, probably paired with my cotton suit and the chambray dress shirt I acquired back in December:

(Blame the poor lighting in this shot on my basement's fluorescents.)

Meanwhile I'll still be checking eBay to try to find another tie in the same pattern as the one that got mangled.

Progressing

My recovery is proceeding; yesterday I was able to remove the bandage covering my stitches for cleaning. The area was rather swollen, but is improving.

I'm supposed to avoid physical exertion, which is never a problem for me, but I have to be careful even about things like carrying laundry down to the basement, so I'm doing smaller loads.

It has also prevented me from being able to switch my seasonal clothing, but fortunately it hasn't gotten that warm yet around here. It's a good thing, because I have no idea when we'll be able to install our air conditioners. The past two years they have gone in right around this weekend.

An eBay Story

Last month I mentioned my experience with a fraudulent eBay bidder who "purchased" one of the items I had for sale but neglected to pay for it. Since then I've been more wary of the offers that buyers have submitted, and have looked at their feedback information before responding.

A couple of weekends back I got an offer on a suit that I have for sale. It was for only 40% of my asking price so I rejected it, but I also noticed that the bidder had zero feedback and his eBay user account had just been created a week or so earlier.

A couple of days later he made another offer, higher but still lower than what I was hoping for. I contacted him through eBay and told him that as a seller I was looking to protect myself, and that to be blunt, I was suspicious of him. I said that I would feel somewhat more reassured if he could confirm to me that he had a vaild Paypal account with a confirmed address.

His response was more or less "oh yes I have a paypal account," which was not at all what I had meant; I was looking for him to provide information that I could use to confirm the existence of an account. So I came up with an idea: I asked him to send me $1 via Paypal, so that I would have a transaction connected to him, with the associated verifiable details. I would then deduct the dollar from the amount I wanted for the suit, which was still higher than his second offer.

Imagine my lack of surprise when I heard nothing from him, which served to confirm my suspicions. Interestingly, he tried again this past weekend, making another offer for the same amount as his second offer. Buyers get three offers per item per auction, and as a seller I can reject any offer without having to provide an explanation, so I was able to deal with that nuisance with a click of my mouse.

eBay does protect sellers from fraud, as happened with my earlier experience, but heading off a fraud before being victimized is certainly preferable.

Feeling It

Today I had a follow-up to my medical procedure from last week. I received stitches, and as soon as the local anesthetic wore off, it started to hurt quite a bit. So I'm going to rest up and I'll be back tomorrow.

In the Audience

The Mrs.' graduation went just fine, though of course it had to be 80 degrees yesterday. The ceremony was indoors, in a building that is used as a hockey arena, which would lead one to think that it should be easy to keep it cool inside, but that wasn't the case.

It was just barely comfortable enough, but sitting on a flimsy plastic chair for two hours is less than ideal. To our right we had a guy who sneezed raucously through the entire ceremony, and immediately behind us we had a fussing baby that I suspect was the child of someone receiving a degree, as the people caring for it were substantially older and were probably its grandparents.

The actual issuing of diplomas took only about 35 minutes, and the enthusiasm of the graduates kept things buoyant after I almost nodded off a few times during the speeches.

Under the Weather

Yesterday I had a medical thing. Nothing serious, but it needed to be done. Meanwhile I was enduring another cold (very unusual for me to be sick twice in such a short span of time), but now it seems it may in fact be a sinus infection. Yay.

It was kind of careless of me to schedule my procedure for this week, and it's an inconvenient time to be sick, because we're pretty busy otherwise: the Mrs. has completed her graduate school program and is getting her diploma on Thursday. We have family coming in to attend who are staying with us, which means we need to clean our apartment. I don't have a ton of energy right now, and I'm not exactly thrilled about cleaning even when I'm feeling 100%, plus I'm supposed to be taking it easy for a few days, so today will be challenging.

I'm not sure how much I'll be posting this week, but there will probably be something.

This Week in Awesome (5/11/13)

Back where it belongs, and full of internet-y goodness...

Everyone's probably seen this by now, since it's from last week, but local commercials really are the best. (Rhett and Link)

Remember a couple of episodes ago on Mad Men when the realtor told Peggy that when the Second Avenue subway was finished, the apartment she was considering buying would quadruple in value? That was 1968. 45 years later, they're still digging the tunnel. (TechGraffiti via The Nanigans)

One good thing about getting older: the benefit of hindsight. (Esquire via Put This On)

Don Draper somehow time-warped into the 1980s. (Videogum)

This tumblr attempts to distill movies to just nine frames each. (Laughing Squid)

And finally this week, another TV ad, though this one's not local. Why can't all commercials be this good? (Jalopnik)

Postal Perils

I have a bunch of ongoing searches for items on eBay, some of which I pursue more intently than others. I have very casually been looking for a Liberty of London floral-pattern tie in cotton, in the event that I have to go to a wedding or other dress-up event during warmer weather. Liberty ties are colorful and fun, yet still dignified enough for adults.

I didn't have any particular colors in mind; I'd just take a spin through the listings here and there to see if anything struck me. A couple of weeks ago I found something interesting. The print had the look of a watercolor painting, the tie was a standard width, the condition was excellent, the colors were bright but not overpowering, and it had a low starting bid.

I ended up being the only bidder and got it for something like $7 plus $2 shipping. I figured the seller was going to send it by first class mail, which meant it wouldn't be trackable. That's how these things go sometimes.

It didn't get lost, which is how these stories typically go. It arrived a couple of days ago, in one of those apology-festooned plastic sleeves the postal service uses when a piece of your mail gets devoured by one of their machines. I took pictures to document its condition:

It was sent in only a plain business envelope (addresses blurred, because duh). I contacted the seller right away and explained what had happened, and he issued a refund immediately, which was great. But I wasn't even concerned about the money, since the tie had been so cheap. I was more disappointed that the tie was ruined, because as you can see it was a really pretty tie. Here's a closer look at the damage:

It really got crunched and munched. And who knows how long it will be before I find another that I like as much.

As someone who's sold plenty of items on eBay, I know the importance of protective packaging. When I ship shoes I use bubble wrap and pack the box with wadded tissue paper, to prevent the shoes from banging around inside the box. Sure, a lot of the stuff that gets bought and sold on eBay is used and not necessarily of high value, but nobody wants to receive a purchase in this condition.

Watch Wednesday: Summer Straps

I bought my first one-piece nylon watch strap a few summers back, but last year I finally went all-in and got several different colors and wore them regularly, changing among them based on my mood on a given day and what I was wearing.

One strap I couldn't find was a suitably bright orange. Many were too pale, others were more than I wanted to pay. I saw one at Target, alongside the Timex Weekender watches that come with nylon straps, but it was too narrow, sized for a smaller woman's watch. For only $7 I figured it was worth waiting to find one.

Every time I went back to Target, I checked the watch section, but the orange strap in the correct width never appeared—until a few weeks ago. I was there on a weekday afternoon, picking up some household needs, and I went to check like I always do. There was only one, but it was what I'd been waiting for.

I decided to do a group shot of all the straps I have and the watches I wear them on. My camera tends to underexpose, leading to photos with incorrect color representation. From my recent batch of eBay sales I've learned that the photos come out looking more accurate if I photograph items outside, so I took the straps outside and took a couple of shots, but they looked wrong. Maybe the sun was too bright?

So I brought everything back inside and tried again, with better results:

All these straps are 20 mm wide except the two striped ones on the far left, which are 18 mm. I wear those two on the Timex watch on the left. I'm not feeling a strong urge to add any additional colors, but if something interesting presents itself I will consider it.

Mad Men Note

I'm not going to return to doing Mad Men writeups, but I did want to add an observation about this week's episode. (It will be spoiler-free, insofar as saying that the agency pitched for new business does not constitute a spoiler.)

So far, a lot of this season has felt like treading water, waiting for something significant to happen. Last week was devoted to a crucial historical event and its aftermath, and I sensed the beginning of a shift. "For Immediate Release" felt like the show finally hit a groove that had been missing so far this year.

The business SCDP goes after in May 1968, an upcoming Chevrolet product code-named XP-887, was a real car in development at the time. Some of the discussion in Don's office might have led you to believe that Chevy was preparing a product to compete with the Mustang, but in fact they had already introduced such a product, the Camaro, in the fall of 1966 (two and a half years after the Mustang's debut).

The car in question was to be the Chevrolet Vega, a subcompact launched with the intention of offering an American-made alternative to Japanese imports like Toyota and Datsun, and other brands like Volkswagen, all of which were starting to gain acceptance in the US (especially in California and the Northeast). Honda was just getting started selling cars here, but they would become a formidable force in the 1970s.

The introductory ad campaign for the Vega, which went on sale as a 1971 model, was enormous, and the car initially won praise including Motor Trend's Car of the Year award, but the car was rushed into production and was compromised by cost-saving demands imposed by GM management. The biggest issues were with faulty rustproofing and engine problems; there were three recalls in 1972 alone, covering hundreds of thousands of vehicles. By the time GM had sorted out the car's problems, it was too late; the Vega was a lemon.

I have no idea what this could mean for the agency, as the show is supposed to end with next season and I don't think it will move that far into the future. But I thought it was interesting to look at this plot development with the benefit of hindsight. (I used Wikipedia as a source and there's much more on that page, which I've linked to above.)

Today's Notes

Yes, TWiA is AWOL. We were gone most of the day yesterday, and I didn't really feel like dealing with it when we got home, so we'll just let things simmer until next weekend.

I just learned that Trader Joe's sells bacon cheddar ranch dip. Come on, TJ, you trying to kill me or something?

There's also news today that Davis Square barbecue institution Redbones will be opening a satellite location in Malden that happens to be stumbling distance (or perhaps more appropriately, waddling distance) from our house. Come on, Red, you trying to kill me too?

Retro Video Unit (5/3/13)

As I mentioned before, I've been digging around in YouTube's storerooms looking for stuff by old Boston bands. This song, "Lonelyhearts" by The Atlantics, is one in particular that I'd been hoping to find, but this video is a bit of an oddity because the music has been combined with a gritty chase through New York and into New Jersey from the 1973 movie The Seven-Ups.

Interestingly, it kind of works. The other option was a shorter edit of the song with only a static image of the cover of its original 45 release. So, here you go:

And Now for Something Completely Different...

This is vulgar and tasteless, and I can't stop laughing at it...  

"...that's why Senator Joe Manchin, who co-sponsored the original background-check bill, has vowed to reintroduce it, all on the flimsy excuse that over 90% of Americans want it, making it slightly more popular than nacho cheese and reacharounds... not to mention Nacho Reacharounds, which, incidentally, is the worst Doritos flavor ever."

A Look Back, Old Sport

You have probably seen an ad for, or at least heard about, the new movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby that's coming out next Friday. The publicity machine has been ramping up over the past month or so; next week Carey Mulligan (who plays Daisy) is scheduled to appear on The Daily Show, and the movie's director, Baz Luhrmann, is scheduled for The Colbert Report.

The movie was actually supposed to be released at Christmas but was postponed, probably due to production issues related to Mr. Luhrmann's decision to make it in 3-D. Yes that's right, a 3-D version of The Great Gatsby. Does that not make sense to everyone? (Don't worry, there will also be a 2-D version. There always is.) After all, this is the guy who made Moulin Rouge, and I'm sure he would have done that in 3-D if it was an option at the time.

Anyway, I'm very interested in seeing this movie, even if it's a complete disaster (which is a distinct possibility, and one which provides its own distinct sort of pleasure). It's one of my favorite books, and you may recall that I went to New York last year to see a six-and-a-half-hour play in which the entire text of the book is recited onstage.

With the release of the new adaptation, I thought it might be interesting to revisit the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. When it was released it was considered a flop; the director did not make another movie for almost a decade afterward. I saw it once, maybe 30 years ago, but I didn't really remember anything about it other than the cast, and that much of the filming was done in Newport, RI; as a child growing up in RI at the time, a movie production in the state was a big deal and it was covered pretty extensively in the media.

Conveniently, the movie is on Netflix streaming, so I sat down to watch it one afternoon last week. (Still one of the best things about being unemployed: you want to watch a movie at 2 pm? Go right ahead.) It's kind of long, about 2 hours and 20 minutes, and it kind of bogs down about an hour in, right around the point in the story that Gatsby and Daisy are getting reacquainted. This is probably because their relationship has zero chemistry, and because the Daisy of the book, a passionate and impulsive wild card, comes across onscreen as a vapid, vain airhead.

I think some of the blame for this has to be directed at Francis Ford Coppola, who adapted the book for this screen version. The story plods along, feeling much slower than the book, and the sense of this world, which is supposed to come across as a giant money-filled playground, ends up as tedious and antiquated.

On the positive side, Sam Waterston gives a nicely understated performance as Nick, the narrator and moral filter of the story. Karen Black goes in exactly the opposite direction in her portrayal of Myrtle Wilson, the doomed mistress of Daisy's husband Tom, and succeeds beautifully in her excess.

One other detail worth noting, especially for those interested in style: the production design is suitably sumptuous, and the clothes in the movie are uniformly fantastic. All the outfits for both women and men were designed by Ralph Lauren, and you can tell just by looking at them. (Whenever I watch a period movie like this, I can't help but wonder how men were able to stand wearing three-piece suits with stiff shirt collars in the middle of summer.)

I'm very ambivalent about the choice of Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby in the new movie. I've never been that big a fan of his work, and I was going to complain that he's too old for the role, but then I checked IMDB and Robert Redford was basically the same age, maybe a year younger, when he played Gatsby. But he comes across as younger onscreen, so we'll see if the same is true for Leo.

Although they are lesser characters, I am looking forward to Isla Fisher as Myrtle and Jason Clarke as her husband George, mainly based on the other work of theirs that I've seen. As for Tobey Maguire as Nick and Carey Mulligan, I'll have to reserve judgment until I've seen their performances.

Hi There

Still here, just preoccupied. Stuff coming real soon...

No Glasses for Me

I've been a fan of Warby Parker's approach to selling eyeglasses—stylish frames offered at a supremely reasonable price of $95 including lenses—since they started up a few years ago. After establishing a successful online sales model, WP opened its first permanent store a few weeks ago in New York, and other cities will be following soon (there are job postings on their website that indicate a Boston store will be opening shortly).

When they added prescription sunglasses for $150, I was eager to get a pair. Initially, though, none of the frames they were offering looked right for me, but after a while they added more styles. I ordered some frames for a home try-on (free shipping both ways) and figured out what I wanted.

But when I went online to place my order, I was surprised and very disappointed to find that Warby Parker was unable to fill my prescription. Now, my eyesight is terrible, and there's no question that my prescription is at the extreme end of the vision correction spectrum, but I've never had anyone tell me that they couldn't make me glasses.

I sent an email to customer service asking for a further explanation. I received a very polite and apologetic reply that said, in essence, that because the prescription for my left eye is so strong (it's much weaker than the right), the lenses they use cannot be ground to the level of correction I require.

Their choice of lenses is a business decision. There are many cost decisions that factor into being able to offer a pair of eyeglasses with prescription lenses for only $95 (my current glasses cost about $250, and I've paid as much as $400), and one of those choices is not being able to service outliers like me, so I understand it, but like I said, it's still really disappointing.

They offered to sell me frames without lenses so that I could have them made at a local shop, but that still defeats the purpose of buying from them, because the total cost would end up as high as my previous sunglasses, which were almost $300.

I like what WP offers and I like their approach to the business. I even feel a little bad writing about my experience, because I don't want it to seem like I'm criticizing them. I was hoping to get a new pair of sunglasses at a much better price than I've paid in the past, but that won't be happening, for now at least.

Warby Parker does have some competition. Others saw their success and figured they could do something similar. I ordered frames to try on from a company called Classic Specs that offers pricing within $10 of Warby Parker and seemed to be able to handle my prescription (at least as far as their website indicated), but none of their frames fit me right.

Note: I want to amend a clarification. When you have a strong prescription like mine, optometrists typically recommend a high-index lens, which is significantly thinner than a standard eyeglass lens. This helps to avoid having your lenses resemble glass ashtrays. Most places, including Warby Parker, charge an additional fee for high-index lenses. If I'd been able to get glasses from Warby Parker, they would have been $180 instead of $150.

This Week in Awesome (4/27/13)

Between yesterday and today, I remembered I was supposed to post this about six times... and then forgot again five times.

Jimmy Kimmel Live pranked a few of the folks attending Coachella.

These movie posters will look familiar, but their titles may not. (Nerdcore)

Here's a pretty talented dog. (BuzzFeed)

A reunion of the stars and director of Wayne's World was bound to result in a couple of good stories. (Grantland via Kempt)

And finally this week, Steven Spielberg's next project is another presidential biopic. (White House via Tastefully Offensive)

Retro Video Unit (4/26/13)

With everything that was going on last week, I completely forgot about this. Sadly, once again this feature becomes an occasion to remember a performer who has passed away.

Christina Amphlett, lead singer of the Australian band Divinyls, died last weekend at only 53, a victim of both multiple sclerosis and breast cancer. The band will probably be best remembered for the 1991 hit "I Touch Myself," but Divinyls released six albums over the course of a decade and a half. While popular at home, most of their work received little attention elsewhere, and they remain one of the most underrated bands from the early 1980s.

Amphlett's stage persona, at least early on, was something like a mix of Chrissie Hynde and early Britney Spears (and I never, ever thought I would put those two names in the same sentence). She had the gift of an immediately identifiable voice, and she was a true badass, a trailblazer who became an icon for later performers like Shirley Manson of Garbage.

My favorite song of theirs is one of their earliest, "Boys In Town," and it happens to be one that I've had in mind for this feature for a while. As with many music videos from the early 1980s, it's a low-rent production, but is distinguished by the presence of a light-up mike stand. How cool is that?



And just for fun, how about a fierce live performance of the same song from the 1983 US Festival?



Thanks for the music. You will be missed.

Cheap Summer Sneakers

Yesterday I found myself in Old Navy, a store I rarely visit. But sometimes even stores where you don't normally shop are worth a look. For one thing, there are a lot of promotions and discounts in ON stores that are not available on their website. This sort of practice can be confusing, but it's done to draw customers into the stores.

For summer, I've become devoted to simple canvas sneakers like Vans. (I briefly tried wearing sandals, but they're not for me.) They are relatively inexpensive, are wide enough to fit my problem feet, look good with shorts, and come in lots of interesting color choices.

While poking around the store, I found that ON is currently offering a sneaker that looks exactly like a Vans Authentic, except it doesn't have a tag sewn onto the upper or a rubber logo patch on the heel. So what? They're $25 a pair, about 60% of what a pair of Vans typically costs.

Then I saw the sign: sale price $15. That's lunch money. Among the color choices they had, a nice bright blue caught my eye. I don't have anything like it. And when I got to the cash register, the shoes rang up at $10! I don't know if that applied to all the colors, but I wasn't about to question it.

There are as many as eight different colors available; of course, the selection is going to vary by store. There's off white, a creamy beige, gray, the bright blue, red, a sort of dusty olive, navy, and black. You could get two or three of these in different colors, or two or three of the same color to have a clean pair in reserve. Even at the $15 sale price, who cares how long they last? (Here's a tip: if you rotate among several pairs, they all last longer.)

They have a nicely cushioned insole that is lined in cotton (the rest of the inside is too), so these are going to be decently comfortable to wear without socks. Also worth mentioning: they are only available in whole sizes (up to 13), which isn't really a big deal for a casual kick-around shoe.

Remember, this deal is not available online. You'll have to visit your local Old Navy store, but in this case I think it's worth it.

Kind of Early

I took the dog out right around midnight, and though it's about 50 degrees, someone down the street has an air conditioner running. I guess they could have turned it on earlier today and forgotten about it.

Aging Out

I have subscribed to GQ for many years. There's much more to the magazine than fashion, so there is always something interesting to read. But for some time now, I've felt that the style pieces have less and less relevance to me, not only because of the way I dress, but because of my advancing age.

I am simply too old for this magazine now.

Some of their advice is helpful regardless of one's age. The new issue (with Robert Downey Jr. on the cover) has a feature on pocket squares. I have long believed that paying attention to the details elevates an outfit above the ordinary, and if I'm dressing up I will have a square in my jacket pocket. And any man, regardless of build, can benefit from getting the fit of his clothing right.

On the other hand, GQ offers plenty of style advice that I would never consider taking. Skinny ties have been popular for a few years now, but because of my height and build, they look wrong on me. I don't wear my pants hemmed two inches above my shoes. I am never going to wear a suit and wingtips without socks (with the pants hemmed to show off my ankles). And I have no interest in what NBA players are wearing (or, for that matter, in the NBA).

Many of these are just personal choices, but age factors in as well. Younger men can get away with taking more risks in the way they dress. Conversely, by the time someone reaches my age, he has typically figured out what works for him and what doesn't, and is more likely to stick with a certain look or style.

I also get Esquire, which seems to be aimed at a slightly older audience than GQ, but still someone younger than me. But there does seem to be a void in the market. Older men tend to have more disposable income (I am obviously not a good example of this, but still), and buy things like boats and vacation homes. Condé Nast attempted to claim this space a while back, but you're excused if you don't remember. The publication was called Men's Vogue, which sort of doomed it from the start.

So I'll keep getting these magazines, but not for the style advice. Men of any age can appreciate Alison Brie.

Auction Status

Last month I put a bunch of my stuff on eBay. Things generally went quite well, but I did have one item that was "bought" but the buyer never paid me. It's kind of my own fault, because I didn't notice that the buyer had zero feedback, a warning sign that I should have heeded.

In such circumstances, eBay makes sellers wait a certain number of days before opening an unpaid item claim, then they make you wait a while longer. Eventually (which is to say, today) eBay notified me that I could mark the case as closed and relist the item, and that they would refund the fee they charged me when it "sold."

So I've posted this particular item for sale again. All my other auctions have ended, either with items selling or, in a few cases, with them unsold. In the meantime I have rounded up another batch of things to try to sell, and I'll start posting those tomorrow.

This Week in... (4/20/13)

Using my usual title is totally inappropriate; nothing about this week was awesome. But there were still some notable moments...

Food photography eats itself, gets indigestion. (Grub Street)

Earlier this week I endeavored to show why the world needs more Patton Oswalt. Not that any more evidence is necessary, but if you haven't seen this yet, it's totally worth a watch. (NBC)

Seeing the city on virtual lockdown on Friday was eerie, but it created some interesting photographic opportunities. (BuzzFeed; Jalopnik)

And finally this week, welcome back, Papi.

Top You Off?

It's been a hell of a week, even though we don't live near the bombing site and don't know anyone who was directly involved or affected. But even so, comfort can be found in simple things like a daily routine.

For me, making and having coffee is part of my routine. For the sake of economy, I buy half and half in the half-gallon size. But when I open a new container it's very difficult to hold the carton and pour it into my coffee cup. I tried using a couple of small creamer pitchers we had around the house, and both of them dribbled and made a mess.

Then I came across this item for sale on ThinkGeek: a creamer that looks like a miniature coffee pot from a diner. I loved its appearance and figured it couldn't be any worse than what we already had, so I ordered one. The elongated lip does a great job of preventing drips, just like with coffee in the full-size version.

(By the way, the mug is from Fishs Eddy in New York. I got it because I liked its color and shape. I may also have a thing for coffee mugs...)

The Cycle

Inside the Wellington T station there used to be a Dunkin' Donuts. It closed several years back and was replaced by a generic coffee-doughnuts-lottery place.

I noticed a while back that that place had also closed. Passing through Wellington today, I saw that it's being replaced...by a Dunkin' Donuts.

Dine Out Today to Help

In the aftermath of Monday's events, people are looking for ways to help. A number of area restaurants have joined together and agreed to donate a portion of today's sales to assist victims and their families through a local foundation.

By choosing to dine out today at one of these establishments, you can do your part to help those directly affected:

62 Restaurant & Wine Bar (62 Wharf Street, Salem, MA)
Bella Luna Restaurant & Milky Way Lounge (284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain)
Blue on Highland (882 Highland Avenue, Needham)
Bondir (279A Broadway, Cambridge)
Cafeteria (279a Newbury Street, Boston)
China Blossom (946 Osgood Street, North Andover)
Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse (75 Arlington Street, Boston)
Grafton Street (1230 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge)
Harvest (44 Brattle Street, Cambridge)
Olé Mexican Grill (11 Springfield Street, Cambridge)
PARK Restaurant & Bar (59 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge)
Piattini Wine Café (226 Newbury Street, Boston)
Ristorante Olivio (201 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington)
Russell House Tavern (14 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge)
Salvatore’s Restaurants (225 Northern Avenue, Boston; 545 Washington Street, Boston; 55 High Street, Medford)
Temple Bar (1688 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge)
Tryst Restaurant (689 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington)
Tuscan Kitchen (67 Main Street, Salem, NH)

(This list may not be complete; I obtained the information from this post on Inside Medford.)

The Good

In light of yesterday's events, I didn't see much point in posting anything. What could I offer? I don't even live in the area like PB does.

I still don't know what to say. But fortunately for us, people like Patton Oswalt know what to say, and how to say it. His facebook post has been reprinted, with his permission, on Huffington Post, so I'll just suggest you go over there and read it if you haven't seen it already.

This Week in Awesome (4/13/13)

I have more or less recovered from whatever early-spring plague variant I was afflicted with, and somehow, in the midst of being sick all week, I managed to collect a fine batch of stuff for this week.

Have you seen what the view looks like from the top of the new World Trade Center building? I regret never going to the top of the original; I will certainly be visiting the new one after it opens. (Gothamist)

Another place I hope to visit someday is Vietnam (particularly after seeing the Top Gear special a few years back). They just opened some kind of fancy new bridge there. (The Verge)

The Arrested Development-related stuff is picking up with the arrival of the new episodes on Netflix now only about six weeks away. This industrious person made an AD-themed structure for a cat. (Nerdalicious)

David Bowie added a bunch of his old videos to his online archive.

Here's a collection of Los Angeles-area modernist houses that have been used in movies. It happens that I've seen all of the movies on the list, and all of them are worth seeing. (Mr Porter via Kempt)

And finally this week, for our requisite piece of Mad Men-related content, a photo tour of the Time-Life Building (location of the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce offices) during the 1960s. (Time)

Throw Me A Throw

Sorry folks, I've been sick all this week. Not great, but at least it's on the way out now. I have a good tip for everyone though, courtesy of fellow blogger United Style.

Setting aside the fuss about the recently fired CEO, JCPenney has some very nice wool throws on clearance. These are made in America and are currently available in eight different color/pattern choices, marked down from $75 to a very reasonable $36. But wait, until April 17th the code SPRINGUP will take off an extra 20%, bringing them down to just under $29 each. These would make really nice housewarming or hostess gifts, or are just nice things to have around your own house.

(For you true patriots, there's also an American flag throw from the same maker in a slightly larger size for $75, down from $150. Apply the code and it drops to $60.)

Sandwich Spreads

I can recall asking my mother, as a child of about six or so, as she was preparing my lunch for school, "We eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and we eat peanut butter and Fluff, so why don't we eat jelly and Fluff?"

Last Week in Awesome (4/6/13)

Late two weeks in a row is not a good precedent. I can only claim that I was not feeling well yesterday. I probably picked up a germ from riding on the T, or something like that. Ecch.

The manipulation of aerial photos results in striking imagery. (Beautiful Decay)

HD footage of the San Francisco Bay area. Yes, it is kind of like a time-lapse. (Vimeo Staff Picks)

This is Mad Men-related, but will only be of interest to those who are also fans of FX's Archer. (Vulture)

And finally this week, vintage albums reimagined as multi-volume book sets. (Laughing Squid)

Retro Video Unit (4/5/13)

I just got back from seeing Living Colour at the Paradise. They are touring to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Vivid. They played the entire album plus a few other nuggets, and they sounded just as good as they did a quarter-century ago.

So, I think the obvious choice here is the video for the song "Cult of Personality."



And for a little something extra, here's a clip of the band performing the same song live on The Arsenio Hall Show. Video quality aside (it says it came off a VHS tape), in some ways this is even better than the studio version.

The Rewatch

I imagine you know by now that Mad Men returns this Sunday with a two-hour episode. As I said last year, I don't care for this approach, as it has the net effect of shortening the season by one week. So I thought it was interesting that in this interview with the New York Times, Matthew Weiner said that AMC forced him to do it.

Courtesy of Netflix, I've been spending some time this week revisiting earlier seasons of the show, and I imagine a lot of others are doing the same thing. Even though I watch each episode at least twice after recording it, I still like to go back and immerse myself in the show's world before each new season gets up and running. Plus it's just handy to get my memory refreshed after nine months away from the show.

I haven't followed this pattern for any other show, but with the announcement that Netflix will be releasing the new episodes of Arrested Development on May 26th, I think it would make sense to go back and rewatch all three seasons of it, as it's been off the air since 2006. I've caught bits of them here and there in reruns on IFC, but out of context of the series as a whole.

And as the final season of Breaking Bad approaches this summer, I think it would be worthwhile to revisit that series from the beginning, if only to relive its many amazing moments.

Bargain Bin

I never found the gray dress shirt I was hunting for a couple of months back, but I have found good deals on other dress shirts at Marshalls, especially when they put items on clearance. It's chance as to whether or not I will find something good in my size, but so far I've found two shirts for $20 each that originally retailed for $90 and $70. I don't need to wear dress shirts often, but it's nice to have them on hand—they give me options when trying to assemble appropriate outfits.

Playback, Interrupted

Last week I took advantage of Comcast's free online viewing of shows from the premium cable channels to watch season two of the HBO series Girls. I think I enjoyed it a bit more than the first season, and I think I have a better understanding of what show creator Lena Dunham is attempting to express.

But man, Comcast's online streaming SUCKS. The video frequently lagged behind the audio, when it did catch up it stuttered, playback would stop for buffering at least three times during each episode (and these are only 30-minute shows), and a couple of times the screen went black while the audio kept playing. It made me think of the old days of dial-up internet access.

Of course it's possible that there were a lot of other people doing what I was doing, and the servers couldn't quite keep up with the demand. But I really hope that people who pay for the premium channels don't have to put up with such poor performance, although I suppose if you are an HBO subscriber you'd just use their site or app and not your cable provider's.

Last Week in Awesome (3/30/13)

Late and minimal is how it is this time around...

To help get us in the mood for season six of Mad Men, illustrator Dyna Moe's tumblr of MM-themed art. (Laughing Squid)

Honesty is always nice, but in this instance it doesn't make me feel any better. (Tastefully Offensive)

And finally this week, an important medical message (note: this is not an April Fool's gag—it came out last week). (Pleated Jeans)

Spring Dissonance

I was out looking around in a few stores yesterday, and everywhere the stores are already filled with shorts, polo shirts, all the summer stuff. I know this happens every year, but it still seems to catch me off guard each time.

We're barely able to say that winter is over, and I'm just starting to transition from my everyday cold-weather boots to ordinary shoes, and I'm able to wear some of my lighter coats and jackets for the first time since fall. I'm not ready to think about shorts, let alone look at them.

Watchathon

Comcast is offering free viewing of premium-cable shows (Dexter, Game of Thrones, etc.) all this week through Sunday, either online or on-demand. The catch is, you have to be a Comcast subscriber to take advantage of it.

Still, I got season one of Girls from the library a couple of weeks ago, and instead of waiting months for season two (which just finished airing on HBO a couple of Sundays ago) to come out on DVD, I can watch it now.

This is a nice alternative to college basketball for people like me who have no interest in it.

A Bridge Too Close?

I hastily snapped this picture today in Marshalls, where these framed pictures are for sale. I didn't do a great job of fitting the whole thing in the camera frame, but it's sufficient:

Something seems a little off about the geography here...

Assigned Tasks

In order to remain on unemployment, I have to meet certain obilgations. Three weeks ago i attended a seminar for people receiving extended benefits, and we left with a homework assignment of sorts and an appointment for a follow-up interview.

I have to maintain a log of my job search activity for each week. I also had to visit a particular website and do some very cursory research on employment trends for my general work area, and fill out a couple of brief forms.

I had to complete these things and go back for my follow-up by a certain date. The follow-ups are done on several different days of the week during specified blocks of time; you show up and sign in on a sheet, and staffers come and call people in the order they have signed in.

My interview was this morning. I arrived just after 9 and signed in; there were eight or nine people ahead of me, but there were also three or four different staffers doing the interviews, so it didn't take long. What did surprise me was that there was really no interview to speak of; the staffer looked over my paperwork to verify that I had completed the required tasks, and entered some info into my file on a computer, but that was about it. They didn't even keep the forms, and I was out of there in about 45 minutes. I guess they just want to make sure people are not totally slacking off.

What A Croc

Sometimes I go looking for post ideas, and sometimes the ideas find me. Courtesy of The Awl, I learned today that the Hermès store in Manhattan sells a T-shirt made of crocodile skin, and that this garment costs a mere $91,500. (Scroll down to the comments on that article to find a link to an image from a runway show, if you must.)

And now that I have this knowledge, I'm left not quite knowing what to think about it.

I mean, I know the world of the rich is very different than the world the rest of us live in, but of all the things to potentially blow a shitpile of money on... that? There's just something awfully Eurotrash about it, you know?

This Week in Awesome (3/23/13)

Didn't win the Powerball jackpot; guess I'll keep blogging for now...

Would you like to see a graphic with every one of Robert De Niro's outfits from Casino? Got that covered. By the way, the artist is local, and his work is available to purchase. (Ibraheem Youssef via The High Definite)

Speaking of graphics, there's a guy in the UK who made these two very stylish maps (also available to purchase), of American TV show locations and the birthplaces of English musicians. (James Chapman via Laughing Squid)

Sometimes it's nice to see the lyrics of a song written out; other times it isn't really necessary. (BuzzFeed)

I love these reimaginings of Quentin Tarantino's movies as paperback covers. GeekTyrant)

A hacker used an illegal botnet to create a map of internet usage. Means to an end? (The Daily What)

And finally this week, an overhead view of cities around the world, created from 3D map images. Boston is included. (Vimeo Staff Pick)

Retro Video Unit (3/22/13)

I just felt like hearing this one... here's "Cities in Dust" by Siouxsie & The Banshees, from 1985.

Hidden Benefit of Unemployment

I had a physical today for the first time in three years, not because I was avoiding it but because I forgot. Most interestingly, my blood pressure is very nicely low, even lower than when I went in January to get a referral to a couple of other departments. I don't know why for certain, but I'm going to attribute it to not having to commute to and from work for the past year.

Four-Wheel-Drive Luggage

I don't spend much time thinking about luggage. One reason is I don't travel that much, but also I tend to purchase a suitcase or two and use them for a long time. But I do have a tendency to be a bit behind the curve regarding features that make travel easier. My main suitcase has wheels, but it's not the "spinner" type with four wheels. I didn't think much of this until I tried rolling one around at a store, and then I understood immediately.

Two-wheeled bags are still somewhat prone to tipping over, especially if you happen to cross an uneven surface, like a curb. Also, the position of the handle causes your wrist to fatigue very quickly, because it's turned against its natural angle. (I solved that problem by getting a bag with a single extension pole with a rotating handle on top.)

As soon as you experience a four-wheel bag, you realize how much easier it is to maneuver, and the wrist-angle thing is eliminated too. I still have my two-wheel bag because it's perfectly good, but I have been contemplating getting a four-wheel spinner bag, because it would be nice to have something larger for the occasional longer trip.

One of the nicer bags I've seen, as well as one of the lightest, is from Muji, the Japanese purveyors of all sorts of interesting and useful things. Muji's only US stores are in New York and San Francisco, but they have offered online shopping for a while now. They are currently offering 30% off some of their hard-side four-wheeled suitcases: the 27-inch model that usually retails for $198 is currently $138, and the 29-inch is down from $238 to $166. These bags weigh nine and 10 pounds empty, respectively, so you don't have to worry as much about how much weight you are putting inside.

I don't know how long these are going to be discounted; there are other, similar-looking bags on the main luggage page that are not discounted, and are labeled as "new," so it looks like Muji may be clearing out the older stock, and if you're interested you should act quickly.

A Few Notes

1. Okay, winter, that's about enough out of you. Time to go...

2. I've been a little busy managing my eBay auctions. Several items have already sold, though only one (that I'm aware of) as a direct result of my shameless plug the other day. In looking through my stuff, I see that I have a lot more that I can list, so I'll be adding to the list, probably a couple of items each day.

3. Dealing with that stuff, along with spending a chunk of time over the weekend trying to get caught up on Downton Abbey, caused me to forget about TWiA. I guess I'll just hold the stuff I had collected for next weekend.

4. Last night I got to go to a fancy benefit for diabetes research, courtesy of the Boston Restaurant Examiner (who was invited to cover the event, and to bring a guest). We enjoyed samples of healthier food options from nearly two dozen local restaurants and other food vendors, including some delicious desserts, and got to do some fun people-watching too.

5. See #1.

Shameless Plug

If you'll allow me a moment of self-promotion...

I have written here at length about my clothing purchases. For a while I bought things somewhat indiscriminately, and as a result a percentage of those purchases didn't work out for one reason or another. Some items were bought new; others came from eBay. Over the years I have accumulated a number of items that I intended to attempt to resell at some point.

After procrastinating for years, I have finally started to list these items on eBay. If you visit here for any style-related reason, then some of my stuff may be of interest to you, provided you are size-compatible. I'm at the larger end of the clothing size range: I typically wear a 44 jacket, 36 waist pants, 10.5 or 11 shoes (depending on style and brand). For dress shirts I wear a 16 x 34 or 34/35, depending on brand.

I started with the items that I had already taken pictures of in previous half-baked attempts to get this going, and two pieces have already sold (yay!). I still have a number of things I need to photograph, including a few watches that I'm no longer wearing. All auctions are fixed price ("buy it now") and include free Priority Mail shipping, and I am accepting offers on every item. I will be adding to the selection daily, so if anything catches your eye you may want to check back periodically.

Please check out my auctions here. Thanks for your indulgence.

Winter's Leftovers

It's cold out again, but I choose to believe that this winter has breathed its last upon us. Meanwhile, there are still a few space savers scattered around, though they are not being actively used at this point.

This is by far the most interesting object I saw used as a space saver in our neighborhood this winter:

No sign of its sibling, or the device to which it once belonged. How long will it sit on this curb before someone disposes of it, or reclaims it?

Discounts on Boylston

Today is the opening of the Nordstrom Rack store on Boylston Street. I don't typically rush to store openings, but by coincidence I will be in the Back Bay this evening for another event, so I'll probably stop by just to have a look around.

The Rack stores for me are a hit/miss proposition; the only things I've ever bought there are shoe trees, which are generally an excellent deal at around $13 a pair (and sometimes on sale for less). But as is true with all discount shopping, luck and timing can result in good deals. I have seen high-quality shoes from brands like Allen Edmonds that I would have bought if they were my size. I've seen excellent values on clearance suits from brands like Hickey Freeman and Burberry. They have a good selection of reasonably-priced dress shirts and ties if you find yourself in need of such on short notice.

Also, while nothing will ever replace the original Filene's Basement, it's good to see an empty storefront get filled, and once again offer an alternative to the Marshalls across the street.

Shackin'

Hey, guess what's opening a week from today? The new Shake Shack in Chestnut Hill! Which is great, but obviously we're going to need one that's easier to get to, like downtown or Back Bay.

A Pledge to Make Something Better

Hoodies aren't really my thing. I have a couple that I wear mainly around the house or for walking the dog, depending on the weather. But I do care about how and where things are made, and I believe that clothing shouldn't wear out after a year or two of normal use and wear.

If your interests are so aligned, you may want to check out this Kickstarter project offering a 100% American-made hoodie backed with a 10-year guarantee. The amount you need to pledge to get one is $89, which might seem steep, but consider this: the famous gray hoodie that Bill Belichick sports on the sideline costs $75 at the Patriots Pro Shop, and you can be certain those aren't made in the USA. (Plus, you have to cut off the sleeves yourself.)

The people behind this have already raised eight times the funding they were asking for, so you can be confident that the project will go forward. If they were offering a pullover version, I'd be a lot more tempted to get one.

Four Weeks to Go

Check out the official poster for the upcoming sixth season of Mad Men:

(You can see a larger version here.)

Did Don just pass himself? Could that be Peggy over his left shoulder, in the hat? Whose hand is he holding?

By the way, this poster was hand-drawn by a 75-year-old English illustrator who worked in advertising during the era the show depicts.

This Week in Awesome (3/9/13)

I know we've been doing this for several years now, but it still feels very strange to switch to Daylight Saving Time so early in the year. For those of you who don't like the lack of sun in the winter months, today's sunset will be at 6:45 pm in Boston.

This appeals to me on multiple levels: a greyhound named after a Patriots player is tearing it up down in Palm Beach. (The Roosevelts)

Sometimes movie and TV show creators make up products (like the Morley cigarettes in The X-Files). And sometimes these made-up brands end up being celebrated in unusual ways. (Laughing Squid)

Really retro: there was a time when charge account holders at department stores were issued "coins" marked with their account numbers. (Shopping Days in Retro Boston)

And for a corresponding bit of retro-futurism: looking back at past visions of what the future would be like is always interesting. Here's a bit of corporate propaganda produced by General Motors for the 1964 World's Fair. (LS)

And finally this week, National Geographic has started a blog to showcase images from their vast photo archive. (The Verge)

Retro Video Unit (3/8/13)

This is one of those installments where the video isn't anything much (keep in mind it predates MTV), but it's just a song I always liked. This one is definitely obscure, a band from Australia called The Angels, who were known outside their home country as Angel City.

It took me a really long time to track this one down, partly because of the name confusion, and partly because I couldn't recall the name of the song. But I did finally figure it out—it's called "No Secrets."

Brews You Can Use

Related to the previous post: those of you in my general geographic area may want to stop by the Kappy's Liquors in Medford this Saturday. They're hosting a local craft brew tasting from 2 to 5 pm.

Participants include Cambridge Brewing, Somerville Brewing, Night Shift, Idle Hands, Pretty Things, and others.

Welcome to Castle Guinness

It must be getting close to St. Patrick's Day:

Also while at the liquor store, I noticed that Rolling Rock now comes in tallboy cans. Seems like a desperate grab for some of the PBR crowd.

Trying to Buy Locally

I like to support small and local businesses as much as I can, but it isn't always easy, or even possible.

Last week I needed a 22 millimeter wide watch strap. It's not the most common size (those would be 18 and 20 mm) but enough larger watches take them that they aren't that unusual either. I went to the Watch Hospital downtown on Bromfield Street. The spinning rack on the counter contained only the 18 and 20 straps, so when I was asked if I needed help, I said I was looking for a 22. The woman behind the counter said, "We don't have much," reached behind her, and placed a single strap in front of me.

I thought I might have misunderstood her. "This is all you have?" I asked, just to make sure. She said yes. I said thanks and left. I went home and ordered what I needed from an eBay seller I'd purchased from before, Holben's. They're out in Washington, but my order managed to get across the country to me, via first class mail, in two days. (They are currently closed, but I recommend them enthusiastically.)

Then I needed a blue refill for my Pentel EnerGel pen. I had to be downtown again today, so I stopped in at Bromfield Pen, down the block from the Watch Hospital. They don't carry the refills I needed. I walked over to Staples, where I bought the pen last summer. I found a rack with refills for many different brands of pens. I was starting to think they carried everything except what I needed, but then I found them down by the floor, and in two-packs, which is quite sensible.

This Week in Awesome (3/2/13)

Busy day, busy weekend (for us, anyway). But wait, what's that coming over the horizon? TWiA...

Check out this video of an art installation made up of hundreds of clocks. (Laughing Squid)

If you visit Albuquerque, you're going to want to see some of the locations used in Breaking Bad. (Uproxx)

This month's Vanity Fair has a good read on the making of Pulp Fiction.

And finally this week, what happens when you buy a cake pan to make a specific sort of naughty cake (think bachelorette party), then decide you want to get some additional use out of it? (Consumerist)

Buffalo Plaid

A while ago I was scouting eBay for a wool buffalo-plaid "lumberjack shirt," the kind of thing you can use for layering in winter or as a light jacket in spring. The shirts originated with hunters and other outdoorsy people but became popular for everyday wear; Woolrich has been making them for decades.

(Did you know that hunters prefer wool clothing because, unlike synthetic outerwear, it doesn't make noise when moving?)

I couldn't find a shirt that was in good enough condition for a reasonable enough price, so after a while I stopped looking, but I kept the search I'd set up in my saved eBay searches. This fall, J. Crew had a red-and-black buffalo plaid wool shirt in its Wallace & Barnes line. I thought it might be a nice thing to have, and I got a couple of gift cards for Christmas. The shirt went on sale right after Christmas and had an extra discount stacked on top of it, but as is often the case with J. Crew sales, my size was gone almost immediately.

My customer service contact was unable to locate one of the shirts in my size. Weirdly, a couple of weeks later the shirt went back to full price (when something gets marked down at J. Crew, it tends to stay in the sale section until it's gone). Miraculously, all the sizes were back in stock too, but at full price that wasn't helpful to me.

I decided to revisit my eBay search and see if I could find a shirt that way. It took about a month, but I was successful. Since it was sunny and kind of nice yesterday, I hung it outside to air out, something I do with any item I purchase secondhand. I bought a simple hook at the hardware store and screwed it into one of the porch support pillars, so air can circulate all around a garment:

This shirt isn't new, but it's in excellent condition. There are no moth holes, no snags, no tears, no stains or other weirdness. It was well cared for, and, I suspect, worn very little.

Part of the fun with stuff like this is trying to figure out how old it is. It's made in USA, which means it's probably at least 20 years old, but the dark blue "sheep" tag suggests it's older than that, at least from the '80s. (Does anybody remember the Woolrich store on Boylston Street?) There are only six buttons down the front, which makes me think it's from the '70s.

Woolrich sells these shirts for $119 now. They have seven buttons and the pockets are pattern-matched instead of biased like these, but they've also added an ugly light blue cotton lining in the collar, something that has no place on a shirt like this. And they're made in China. (So's the J. Crew shirt, for that matter.)

I paid one-fourth of that for something that is practically new, and will likely last as long as I do. If you want to try to find something similar on eBay, you should also search for other brands like Filson, L.L. Bean, Pendleton, Johnson's Woolen Mills. Or you could structure a search the way I did: casual shirts, 100% wool or wool blend, long sleeve, button front, and then narrow by your preferred size(s) and color(s).