Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Happy St. Patricks Day!








The famous Blarney Castle in Ireland was built in 1446. Located in Blarney Village, 5 miles northwest of Cork in southern Ireland, the castle is one of Ireland's most popular attractions.  An amazing piece of architecture wouldn't you say!
  
The Blarney Stone is without a doubt the most famous part of Blarney Castle. Also called the legendary Stone of Eloquence, it is located at the top of the castle’s tower. Legend has it that if you kiss it, you’ll be struck with eternal eloquence and will never be at a loss for words.

I've been told sometimes I'm full of blarney, guess next time I won't be so offended! 

Best regards,
Reynolds

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Ah, If Only I Had Brought A Cigar With Me!

Recently I was chatting up a friend of mine who by the way, I happen to have great admiration for. We were discussing the simple pleasures of life and during the course of conversation he painted a picture that struck my imagination with such an unexpected calmness. On occasion this friend would take his motorcycle miles out to a forgotten area of a local lake, parking in a secluded spot that he was certain only he knew of and revel in the views of nature. As he was visually enjoying the breath taking scenery, he would reach inside the leather saddle bags of his bike and pull out his favorite bottled beer along with a sweet smelling cigar. What could be better he said than looking at an untouched view, drinking your favorite cold beer and puffing on an expensive cigar. Normally, I’m not much a fan of the smokes but there was just something about this self indulgent tale of his that made me feel like I should be beating my chest like Tarzan!

 
What is it about a fine cigar that makes you feel so good when you felt so lousy? What is it about a nasty little habit like smoking cigars so regal? What is it about the world of cigars that embraces all of life’s luxuries….

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The world’s most stylish portable humidor, this 1925 Louis Vuitton created trunk originally housed a portable set of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica for the traveling scholar. However, a later owner adapted the rare item to a more practical purpose. The trunk was renovated to house 500 cigars in removable boxes lined with seasoned Spanish cedar along with a removable humidor in burled American walnut. This spectacular piece of vintage Louis Vuitton is valued at $27,800. Quite handsome wouldn’t you say?!

This vintage ‘69 Airstream has been masterfully converted into a cigar smoker’s dream on wheels! The Mobile Cigar Lounge completely renovated to include five flat screen televisions, a wine cooler, expresso and wet bars, ostrich leather covered seats, cherry wood cabinets, cedar walls and ceilings and a beautiful hand-hammered copper sink. A Reynolds Still 2009 You-ie Award Winner, this cigar lounge is class all the way!

The Jean Fillioux Cigar Club is a rich, full-bodied Cognac, specially blended to pair well with a cigar. The nose is honeyed and sweet with notes of unlit cigars, marzipan and vanilla spice, a little prune and stewed fruit. The palate is full and rich and the finish is long and sweet with spices.

Cigar Bar at No.5 Cavendish Square, London is a favorite of the cigar connoisseur.  This old school trendy establishment is filled with leather chairs, wood paneling and all things masculine.

Demeter's own Humidor scent is an irresistible balance of tobacco, spices and ozone.  Another Reynolds Still favorite.

And for those of you wanting to learn anything about cigars, their history, storage and etiquette.....Cigars4Dummies.com is a great place to visit. They provide useful information about everything that a cigar aficionado may need. If you have any storage questions, quality issues, problems choosing yourself a stick or if you simply want to know more about cigars, you'll want to check them out!

Here's to you, my cigar smoking friend for making me feel for that brief moment at peace and one with all MANkind!

Best regards,
Reynolds

Friday, March 12, 2010

I Had A Dream.....



Crazy what creative things we dream, don't you think?!

Best Regards,
Reynolds

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

It’s Not Black and White!

You have to hand it to interior design ARTIST Steven Gambrel who had a vision of creating a masculine flava’ when transforming a uninspiring 1890’s structure in the Hamptons into a living space fit for a modern king! Lucky to have a client fearless of good design, Steven took an ingenious palette of austere colors with repetitive geometric designs and created a warm, inviting interior that makes you feel at home with all its subtle drama.

Inspired by historical residence Mount Vernon, the entry hall displays an "ice block" wall treatment.  The double door entrance has an inviting presence wouldn't you say?!

Vintage stools surround the octagonal table in the reception room.  Reynolds Still needs one, a reception room that is!

Traditional yet modern in style, the living space is filled with a Chesterfield inspired gray sofa flanked by a french black leather chair and "only the brave" red lampshades to finish the design with an exclamation mark! 

The dining room is a perfect example of mixing traditional with modern and why it works.  Steven uses director chairs to surround the dining table adding a 19th century gold mirror above the fireplace.  Makes you look twice!

Now this is a man's kitchen!  Notice the custom hood above the BLACK subway tile and the restaurant style range, double stove with the red knobs.  Once again, a subtle statement with the exclamation at the end. 

Perfect visual appeal with the 19th century Belgian oak table accompanied by benches from the estate of Bill Blass running down the center of the room leading the eye outdoors. 

The shower walls and bathroom floor are covered in travertine tile making for a sleek and tasteful appearance. 

Found in Paris, the vintage steel fireplace surround gives it a definite masculine appeal.  What caught my eye in this image is the collection of vintage apothecary jars.  I would like to add those to my collection!

I have become a big fan of Stephen Gambrel's creative style and am inspired to imitate some of his ideas in my own home.  I tip my hat to Elle Decor for sharing a story specific to a man's point of view when it comes to interior design and to Eric Piasecki for taking such incredible images!

Best regards,
Reynolds 


Sunday, March 7, 2010

A Little Off The Sides…

Remember back in the day when a man needed a haircut, all he had to do was sit back in the barber chair and the only thing he had to tell Hank the barber was.....“A little off the sides”. He walked out with the perfect cut and took his masculinity with him! I miss those days!









Best regards,
Reynolds


Friday, March 5, 2010

Where’s The Beef?!

Have you ever taken a bite of food and after chewing for only a brief moment it seemed that your eyes rolled back in your head and the only words that instantly come to mind are OH…..MY…..GuhOD!?! Well let me just say, I have. My eating habits tend to be on the lean and clean side of unprocessed cuisine but every once and a blue moon a guy (and a few of you gals) just has to have a thick juicy steak! Can I get an AMEN out there?!!!!

Fortunate for me to discover THE perfect way to prepare a ribeye steak, a Reynolds Still favorite by the way…..cooking it cowboy style. Think about it, cowboys on the praire after a long hard day of herding cattle, sitting by a campfire dining on a basic menu of steak and potatoes. Their chuck wagon stocked with minimal supplies didn’t allow for extravagant recipes, so the recipes were pretty basic. They definitely were on to something when it came to cooking a delectable piece of meat. Let me share.

One of the main tricks to successfully cooking any piece of beef is to let it set at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Why you may ask? This will help to cook the steak evenly. Using a well seasoned cast iron skillet to cook the steaks, wipe down the inside of your skillet with canola oil and then place it in a 500 degrees, preheated oven for a good 15 minutes. While the skillet is warming, season your rib eyes with liberal amounts of salt and pepper, nothing more. Once the skillet is hot, take it out placing it on the stovetop. Arrange the steaks in the skillet, leaving them for 30 seconds on each side to brown. Once they’ve sizzled, place your steaks in skillet back into the 500 degree oven to cook for 5 minutes on each side. Depending on how you prefer your steaks, more time can be allowed for preparation. When the allotted time has expired, remove the skillet and let your steaks rest for a good 3 to 5 minutes. Resting is important to flavor so make it a point to let them.

Something so simple and easy doesn’t seem like it could be incredibly delicious, but I promise you!  Bon Appetit’, ya'll!
Best regards,
Reynolds

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

One Little Two Little Three Little Indians.

Manufactured in Springfield, Massachusetts from 1901 to 1953, Indian Motorcycle Company were the creators of the most admired bike in the world. Indians most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946 and the Chief, made from 1922 to 1953. Today, the once popular brand now acquired by the Indian Motorcycle Company of Kings Mountain, North Carolina produces mechanically superior, beautifully constructed cruisers and are successfully working to rebuild the once king of the road into one of the world's leading motorcycle companies. With many new styles to choose from, the Chief Vintage is a favorite of Reynolds Still. Take a look and you’ll understand why…

 

 




You can check them out HERE!
Best regards,
Reynolds

Monday, March 1, 2010

Watch Out!

I’ve been window shopping again and this time on a hunt for the perfect wristwatch. Wanting to find something that was versatile, both formal and casual, luckily I discovered the perfect choice……the MILITARY WATCH! I had spotted some at J Crew and Fossil some time ago that were quite handsome but just wasn’t comfortable that this was absolutely Reynolds Still style. Saying that, I knew I needed to look “outside the box” and consider vintage.

A lot easier to find than you’d think, I’ve spotted a few vintage pieces as I shopped at antique shows and flea markets. Most are very affordable and have so much more appeal than the NEW military watches advertised in the catalogs of your favorite trendy MAN stores.

1914-1916 PATEK PHILIPPE TRENCH WATCH
1917 GOVERNMENT ISSUE WATCH WITH PATRIA MOVEMENT
There is something captivating about military watches, maybe it’s the history or maybe just the striking appearance of these masculine timepieces that caught my eye.

HARRODS RETAILED 1915 SILVER MARVIN HALF HUNTER

HUGE HENRY MOSER COMPLICATED WW1 CHRONOGRAPH
With the cases rugged and strong, they are completely at home in the woods or the boardroom.

Military ULTRA RARE ROLEX ADMIRALTY 1916 WATCH
So before you contemplate buying yourself a NEW timepiece, set the trend and consider going vintage with your watch.


Best regards,
Reynolds
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