Football season begins today. As a Minnesota Vikings fan I cannot say I’m looking forward to it. I would prefer to not like football, I even say I don’t like it. But, to my shame, I watch NFL Red Zone every Sunday I’m in New York. The Vikings have a history of moderate but not triumphant success.
Read MoreHappy Menocal, among many talents, is a great dog portraitist. Do not underestimate that skill! It requires sympathy with the dog’s nature, an assured touch and a sense of flair. She brings those skills to her illustrations for small work like emblems and stationery and large-scale murals (one adorns the lovely dining room at the Hotel Kinsley in the Hudson Valley).
Read MoreThanks for tuning in during the first month of The Contender. We’ll be back next week with the Watch List, dubious advice, the miracle club chair restoration and more. Have a great holiday weekend. Salut!
Read MoreDid Instagram messages even exist three years ago? I’m not sure, but now I receive daily questions on the ‘gram from friends and friendly strangers alike. These questions are often about where to eat in Florence, where to buy a suit, where to fish and other urgent issues of the day. Well let’s take those questions into the clear light of day and I’ll try to answer a handful next week.
Read MoreTimo Andres is a composer and pianist. He records for the renowned Nonesuch label and is performing at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall next year. These are all good things! That he’s funny and well-liked are also good things. So is his new record, called Work Songs. Thanks for coming on the Watch List, Timo, and elevating our classical knowledge. Let’s bid, kids!
Read MoreIt’s hard to believe now, but a DVD library was once a source of pride. They were lovingly arranged on shelves by director and genre, with perhaps a row of the Criterion Collection (still not sure how RoboCop made it into that rarefied club). I remember feverishly comparing prices for Yojimbo the day it came out. It goes without saying that the DVD is now entirely anachronistic.
Read MoreChris Benz, head of women’s design at J. Crew, has been on the upward trajectory since he moved to New York from Bainbridge Island. He attended Parsons, interned at Marc Jacobs, was the creative director at Bill Blass, and now has the big job. I respond to his combination of self-expression and classicism, and am looking forward to his first J. Crew collection, which is Spring 2020. That he’s very involved in the renovation of his home in Bellport is appealing. That he is raising chickens is divine. Thanks for coming on the Watch List, Chris. Let’s bid, kids!
Read MoreTo read Naomi Fry’s work is to love her. Her byline means self-effacing comedy, pop culture insight, and a deep and curious knowledge of D-list celebrities. Her Twitter following is fervent, as are her readers at The New Yorker, where she’s a beloved contributor. Now she’s a regular guest on menswear podcasts, where she arrives like a conquering hero.
Read MoreSome good recent stories from around the internet including the day the music burned, the late great Dave Berman, bamboo fishing rods and the world’s most dangerous ski race.
Read MoreRecently, the Coggins apartment was featured on Cup of Jo, with photographs taken by the most excellent Stephen Johnson. It was great to be with a real interior photographer. Stephen is a true advocate of directional light. You might not guess it, but we covered all the windows but one with garbage bags so there was only one light source. Before the photo shoot I was not expecting to be standing on my window sills taping them up. Anything for a shot!
Read MoreWe know and love Chris Black because he invented Twitter. Well he didn’t invent it but, he refined it to an art form. As @donetodeath he offers sharp commentary on the highs and lows of pop culture, style, design and a lot of celebrity insanity I know nothing about. Now he has a terrific column at The Strategist.
Read MoreA good obituary puts a life in context and is both wide-ranging and specific. We should understand why a person’s life mattered in a broad sense and how that life impacted friends and strangers alike.
Read MoreOf all my idiosyncrasies, the oddest may be my devotion to podcasts about things I know nothing about. I’m not talking about some important but obscure historical event that sheds light on the modern world. No, these are contemporary topics that have no particular redeeming moral value whatsoever. Like wrestling.
Read MoreTony Sylvester is a force of nature. You might know him as a fierce dandy, devoted gourmande or have seen him onstage with the band Turbo Negro or in the Timothy Everest store. If you are passionate about some far outpost of the sartorial realm then chances are he is too and also happens knows more about it, which is not a problem since he’s easygoing with his expertise.
Read MoreWhy do I love buying books but hate buying an electronic books? I’m sure it involves some outdated romance with the object of a book itself and the prospect of assembling a library. An audio book is just code—you don’t find a forgotten concert ticket between the pages when you open it. Regardless, I’ve been very enthralled with the Libby app, which allows you to check out audio books from your local library for free. It’s a delight.
Read MoreEverybody remain calm, it’s just a friendly addition to the internet. The world might not need another website, but we do need a place to talk about where to buy a first suit, where to drink in Japan and where to bonefish in the Bahamas. Curious people on the hunt are always looking for insight and intelligence.
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