Journey Surf: Custom Boards, Slick Design
Although the German-born, Bali-based Markus Gneist didn’t grow up surrounded by waves, he knew that the water was where he felt most at home, so as soon as he had the chance, he moved to Indonesia, where he could surf as much as he pleased. Gneist soon felt the need to customize his board, and […]
The Camera of the Future: The Leica T-System
With innovation comes change, and for the last few years the role of digital photography in society has been evolving, from Facebook to Instagram and more. You need more than just a camera; you need a device that knows how to connect with the Internet. The folks at Leica took that into account when developing […]
Modelo’s Michelada in a Can
There’s something about a michelada that makes it the perfect summertime drink. Maybe it’s that wonderful flavor that happens when mixing beer with lime juice, hot sauce, salt, and depending on how it’s made, a host of other ingredients. It’s savory, satisfying, cool and light. That’s why we couldn’t tell you how excited we were […]
Design Meets Function in The Swirl Skateboard
As a wood maker Peter Duncan spends his days at his studio in Wilmington, North Carolina crafting gorgeous tables and more for The Wood Studio. Recently Duncan got into the art of carving skateboards from wood. His latest, the Swirl, uses carvings in lieu of grip tape, making for a skateboard that looks just as […]
Gin and Juice: 3 Bombay Sapphire Cocktails
Gin is no longer that staid, old man’s spirit that it used to be. This summer, the Juniper berry-based classic has taken a whole string of new identities in a number of various cocktails. The Manual met with the folks at Bombay Sapphire, who shared three cocktails with us: the Sapphire Peppered Peach Tea Collins, […]
The Men’s Soap Shop: Grooming Products in a Flask
Samuel Lopez founded The Men’s Soap Shop as an ode to when grooming was a cherished daily ritual for a men. What started out of his Boston apartment has become grown into a full-fledged small business that features handcrafted soap and aftershave made from all-natural ingredients. The Manual quizzed a spokesperson for the company about […]
Beats by Dre Fetes the Beats Pill XL With an Emotional Menu
The Beats by Dre Beats Pill XL is a small speaker packs one big punch
The Mac and Cheese Cookbook
Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade met by happenstance, when they shared a table with their husbands at a crowded café one Sunday. Arevalo, who worked in marketing, and Wade, who was a lawyer, started chatting about their love of food. It only made sense because Wade had previously worked as a pastry and line cook […]
Pikaplant Takes the Trouble Out of Watering Plants
They say that growing plants are the key to health and happiness, but we only wish it was a lot easier to remember to water them. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve accidentally killed a plant that was gifted to us because we either forgot to water it or we went away for […]
Pride 1978: Glenmorangie’s Rarest Whisky
As far as Scotch goes, Glenmorangie is one of the best single malt whiskies, and this week, the company upped their ante further with the release of Glenmorangie Pride 1978, an ultra rare whisky aged for 34 years, and then bottled in 2012, with only 700 decanters on the market. What’s the price, you might […]
Discover Handcrafted Cocktails in “Alchemy in a Glass”
The past few years have seen a proliferation in handcrafted cocktails, from the number of bespoke cocktail bars to the recipes we see in food magazines. For mixologist Greg Seider, his passion for creating handcrafted cocktails started early in life. As a child Seider has terrible allergies, so he used to have to use his […]
Prepare for Your Next Disaster With Boltwell
“Yo, what’s with all the camouflage?” asked Trae Nunnink when he was searching for survival kits online. Surviving a natural disaster or an attack can be the most harrowing experience someone has to go through, and imagine not being prepared. The trauma of surviving is difficult enough on its own, let alone without the necessary […]
6 Cold Brews to Quench Your Summer Caffeine Cravings
We can’t tell you how excited we get to have a cup of ice-cold coffee when the weather warms up. In fact, we even drink iced coffee when it’s not so hot outside. What we love more is the convenience of all these cold brews that have been popping up. There’s nothing like pulling out […]
The Manual Guide to Vetiver
If you pay any attention to fragrances at all, we’re sure that you’ve heard the word vetiver. If you’ve ever wondered what vetiver is, it’s a tall grass that has a multitude of uses. It can help stabilize soil, act as animal feed, and protect crops against animals and pests. It also has an alluring […]
Refresh Your Eyes With These Grooming Products
Have you ever had one of those nights where you were having way too much fun? Your friends were there, good looking women roamed around, and those beers just kept on coming. You just never wanted it to end. Next thing you know it was a bit later than you intended, and you only have […]
Feast Your Eyes on The Monarch Room
Now that the iconic French bistro Pastis has abandoned the Meatpacking District, New York’s style set needs a new place to dine and socialize, and The Monarch Room is well on its way to filling that gap. Located in a former 1930s warehouse, restaurateurs Lisle Richards and Eric Marx of The Metric opened The Monarch […]
4 Summer Drinks to Keep You Cool
It’s getting pretty warm out, here are four summer drinks to keep you cool. Rosé Don’t think of it as a pink girly drink; think of it as having the best aspects of red wine and white wine fused together. This stuff will make you feel cool on a hot summer’s day. If you want […]
Fredericks & Mae Offers Classic Games With a Design Twist
Don’t you think games would be more fun to play if they looked good? That’s what Jolie Mae Signorile and Gabriel Fredericks Cohen thought after they met over a love of for materials. Think feathers, thread, gold and paper. In 2008 that love of materials made them come up with the idea of Fredericks & […]
Beats by Dre Pays Homage to World Cup Rituals
The 2014 FIFA World Cup begins in Brazil in less than a week, and when it kicks off the world will go insane over the monthlong event where teams from around the globe battle it out on the soccer pitch. To celebrate, Beats by Dre, with the help of R/GA and Sword Fight, came up with an […]
A Log Cabin in the Middle of Brooklyn?
Lyon Porter knows the New York real estate market all too well. That’s why he made it to sales and leasing director at Town Real Estate. Porter, who once pursued a career in professional hockey, used his same determination in his career. So, it makes perfect sense when Porter realized that New York needed an […]
Jar Your Lunch: Mason Jar Meals and More
Mason jars seem to be everywhere these days — at our favorite bars, restaurants we frequent, and even in 7-Eleven. Julia Mirabella, who actually is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney, noticed the proliferation of mason jar salad recipes on the internet and thought, why not put them all in one place? That’s how the idea for […]
Give Your Kitchen European Sensibility With Flotsam + Fork
Adrianna Fie was so fascinated by food that she pursued a master’s degree in food studies from New York University, and when she moved to Madison, Wisconsin, she worked at the Kitchen Gallery, where she learned about all the accessories one can use in one, as a cheese manager at Metcalfe’s Market, and then she […]
Makers & Brothers Brings Artisinal Irish Goods to Your Home
Brothers Jonathan and Mark Legge grew up with hand crafted products made in Ireland, so when the two decided to launch a business together, they decided to create an e-commerce site that brings together a variety of artisanal products made in the Emerald Isle, aptly calling it Makers & Brothers. “We’re based out of Dublin and […]
Check Out This Story
While working as a brand consultant for brands like TOMS, Kraft and Lincoln, Rachel Shechtman came up with a clever idea: Why not create a space where brands and consumers could come together? Shechtman viewed herself as a matchmaker of sorts, so she found a 2,000-square-foot spot on 10th Avenue and 19th Street in Manhattan’s […]
The 5 Things I Can’t Live Without: Photographer Kareem Black
Leonardo Di Caprio. Russell Westbrook. Kanye West. Charlotte Rampling. Those are just a few of the bold names that New York-based photographer Kareem Black has shot in his career. Despite shooting some of the biggest celebrities around, Black maintains a laid-back attitude that also helps him capture his subjects when they’re relaxed. Hailing from Philadelphia, […]
3 San Francisco Restaurants You Can’t Miss
We were in the City by the Bay the weekend for last, and we stopped by three restaurants that you must check out the next time you find yourself in the Bay Area. They’re all owned by Doug Washington, Mitchell Rosenthal and Steven Rosenthal: Anchor & Hope, Salt House and Town Hall. Anchor & Hope […]
Brew an Awesome Cup of Coffee With the Canadiano
The Canadiano will give you an amazing cup of coffee
Eat This: Zingerman’s Bacon of the Month Club
If The Manual post on Theresa Gilliam and E. Jane Armstrong ‘s book Bacon 24/7 is any indication, you guys love your bacon, and who wouldn’t? It’s crispy, greasy, and so delicious. Now if you want to mix it up a little, there’s a subscription service that’s just for you. Zingerman’s has a Bacon of […]
The 5 Things I Can’t Live Without: Will Leather Goods’s William Adler
William Adler started out as an actor, heading to L.A. after finishing a stint at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. Then the Screen Actors Guild went on strike in 1981 and Adler had to find an alternative way to support himself. He sold “Rainbow Belts” on the Venice Beach boardwalk. He eventually moved […]
Tex-Mex and More: The Delicious Eateries of Houston
We didn’t think of Houston as a food city when made a visit down there recently, but after some local residents took us to the best spots in town, we instantly changed our minds. Here’s the low-down on where to dine in this Texas city. Down House When we got to this restaurant we couldn’t […]
Funky Buddha Brewery Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
Here at the Manual, we’re total advocates of having breakfast any time of the day, in anything. There’s the famous Secret Breakfast ice cream, which is made with bourbon, caramelized corn flakes at Humphry Slocombe in San Francisco; hamburgers with bacon and eggs and Funky Buddha Brewery’s latest special release, the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. […]
Whisky: The Manual
The debate may still be out on whether it’s spelled whisky or whiskey, but for the sake of the book we’re talking about in this post, we’ll go with whisky, since it’s called “Whisky: The Manual”. It’s pretty evident that we like manuals here at The Manual (just look at our name), and Dave Broom […]
Go Head to Head With Tool Chess
When father and son Charles and William Gallmeyer saw their family machine tool business in Grand Rapids, Michigan coming near an end, the elder Gallmeyer noticed that some of the employees used some pieces of hardware to be a fill-in for a missing chess piece, and the elder Gallmeyer’s father came up with the name […]
Epic Bar Packs Protein in One Nutritious Snack
With our fast, busy lives we often find ourselves on the go without enough time to eat. For those of us who are into working out, we need something that gives us the nutrients we need, not extra-added stuff like sugar. Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest, two outdoor enthusiasts who hail from Austin, Texas, discovered […]
Bring It: 10 Lunch Kits to Take to Work
As much as we love running out of the office at lunchtime to grab a burrito bowl from Chipotle or a burger from Shake Shack, the cost adds up — and, it’s not too healthy for our waistlines. Bringing your lunch to work can save you around $2,500 a year, and we’re guessing a few […]
The Illustrated Dictionary of Beer
Not sure how to tell your stouts from your pale ales, or your wheats from your lagers? A new book called The Illustrated Directory of Beer will help you do just that. It features 432 pages describing everything about beer, from its history to the process of making it. Learn about practically every beer imaginable […]
Grooming Alert: Portland General Store
These days, smaller and local is better, and grooming lines are starting to follow that whole ethos. One such company is Portland General Store, which was founded by Lisa Brodar and Troy Tyler in 2007, and produces all-natural, small-batch products in Portland, Maine. Here they discuss how they came up with the idea for Portland […]
Laugh With the House of Cards Against Humanity Deck
If you don’t know about Cards Against Humanity, you better get with it. We promise that this game will be the life of your next party. It’s hilarious, and you’re going to laugh so hard you won’t know what hit you. It’s basically like Madlibs on crack. Pick a Card Czar, and he/she then picks […]
Have a Simultaneous Sound Experience With Sonos
Have you ever dreamed of being able to hear music in all of the rooms in your home at once? The Sonos Wireless HiFi system allows you to do that. “Sonos allows for music to be a social experience again,” said Sonos senior PR manager Eric Nielsen. Choose from a number of wireless speakers and […]
Hip Hotel: The Broome Opens in New York
Next time you need to book a hotel room in New York, check out the brand new boutique hotel The Broome. Tucked away in a Federal Revival Style building built in 1825 that was a former artists’ loft located on the corner of Broome Street and Crosby Street, The Broome is like an oasis in […]
Burn This: Baxter of California Ash Series Candles
Former advertising executive Baxter Finley founded his eponymous grooming brand Baxter of California in 1965 after moving to Los Angeles from New York, receiving a beating on his skin from the harsh sunlight, and discovering that there were no products specifically targeted towards men. He aimed Baxter of California towards “men with an interest in […]
Feast Your Senses at Queen of the Night
Queen of the Night stimulates all your senses like nothing else.
The Five Top Fragrance Picks From Elements
This one is for those of you who are looking for a fragrance that stands out from the sea of scents you can find at the department store. The Manual visited the most recent edition of Elements to find five colognes that you should get your nose on. Aperture Ulrich Lang This new scent by […]
Eat Bacon Around the Clock With Bacon 24/7
We were extremely excited when we saw that Theresa Gilliam and E. Jane Armstrong created a book titled Bacon 24/7: Recipes for Curing, Smoking, and Eating.
Top 10 Picks From the MoMA Design Store
The Manual selects its top 10 picks from the MoMA Design Store’s latest in cool gadgets, slick furniture and handy kitchen tools from your home.
The Manual Guide to Super Bowl Sunday
We show you what to wear, eat, drink and where to shop on Super Bowl Sunday.