Extra, extra........Read All About It!

One of my favorite blog posts of the week, straight from the Domicidal Maniac is a wonderful perspective about an attractive accessory to a not so attractive habit.

Antique table top lighter

Google Images

Check out his blog post about vintage table top lighters!

Domicidal Maniac

Best regards,

Reynolds

Happy Camper!

Being stuck indoors due to the many inches of snow outside my home and close to being brrrrrrr degrees, it seems like a perfect opportunity to dream about summer. One of my most favorite summertime activities has to be becoming one with nature. I spend a tremendous amount of time spring, summer and fall in the great outdoors, so it should be to no one’s surprise that pitching a tent in the wild blue yonder is my idea of heaven on earth. Well, maybe not a tent but how about camping with a teardrop!

SilverTearsCampers

The first teardrop campers were manufactured in the good ole U. S. of A. circa 1930's. Originally constructed with materials obtained from surplus, the design of the trailer is smooth and polished as well as aerodynamic and practical. Most trailers can sleep up to two or three adults, depending on size or two adults and a couple of children. These stylish little trailers can be pulled by almost any car, truck or motorcycle…….yes, even a motorcycle!!! If that’s not enough to sell you on the idea of buying yourself one, how about because of the compact size and light weight of these little puppies, they are such a budget saver on the ole gas tank. It’s almost like pulling a cloud of thin country air!

Google Images

If you are interested in owning a teardrop camper, you have several affordable options. You can buy a new one, purchase a vintage one….which is my preference or for those of you handy with a tool belt, you can build your own. AND believe it or not, I found out that one could even rent a teardrop!

Image via Flickr

While much has changed since the introduction of teardrop trailers, the reasons for owning a teardrop trailer are the same today as they were when your grandfather built his teardrop in the family garage. Not only are they affordable, they are practical and just down right cool!

Tinyhouseblog

Best regards,
Reynolds

My You-ies for 2009!

It had to be you, wonderful you!

For nobody else, gave me a thrill.

With all your faults, I love you still.
It had to be you, wonderful you, it had to be you!

A few of my favorite HAD TO BE YOU-IE’S this past year……

  1. Benjamin Bixby Men’s Fashion

 

Google Images

Grammy winning singer turned fashion genius, Andre 3000 of OutKast was nominated this year for GQ's Best New Menswear Designers in America and it’s no surprise to me. Talk about a creative soul! Ralph Lauren better watch his little cotton twilled chino behind!

2. Garden and Gun Magazine

Garden and Gun

One of my absolute favorite magazines, Garden and Gun creates page after page after page of Southern Lifestyle at its very best. With stunning photography and SHORT, to the point editorials, who could ask for more! Not me!

3. Peach Mojito Cocktail

Cooking Light

I started out the summer with an herb garden FULL of never ending mint. So what better to do with mint and a hot summer day than make the Cuban inspired mojito. If you’ve never had one, I strongly suggest you Cha-cha-cha to your favorite cocktail lounge and experience what summertime should always be about……..a tall peach mojito cocktail! Salute!

4. Hollister Hovey Blog

Hollister Hovey

Maybe I could just sing “I’ve Got A Crush On You” and you’ll understand where I’m coming from anytime I talk about the Hollister Hovey blog. I’ll leave it at that!

5. Garden Antiques

Pair of Iron Tazze c 1830 France 1st Dibs

A popular trend amongst the green thumbers and a favorite hobby of mine is searching for garden antiques. Everyone wants these oldies but goodies which could explain the prices you have to pay for the real deal. However, finding them is like finding a limited edition bottle of Dom Perignon in the beer section at your local Wal-Mart! Luckily there are a few places via the wonderful world of internet shopping that you can search for just the right piece without leaving your garden. Barbara Israel, Marsh Garden Decor, Detroit Garden Works and 1st Dibs are among my favorite go-to-dot-com places. If you're up for a road trip, go to Antique Week in Round Top Texas and tip toe thru the Texas Blue Bonnet to find incredible antique garden pieces. Believe me, it's WORTH it!

6. Restoration Hardware

Restoration Hardware

One of my favorite stores almost left me in their trendy little dust! With their expansion of high end interiors including works by Mark Sage of Bobo Intriguing Objects, you had me at HELLO!

7. Airstream Cigar Lounge

Airstream

Smoking is a dirty little habit that I’m actually not very fond of. However, when I came across the Airstream Mobile Cigar Lounge, I was huffin’ and a’puffin with the best of them. Inside the unit includes 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. It almost makes smoking attractive, NOT!

8. Gabriel Aubry

Google Images

We should all make note of French Canadian Gabriel Aubry. A favorite of Versace, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, this supermodel scored one of Hollywood’s most beautiful actresses, Halle Berry for those of you not in the know. Gabriel is considered in the industry a perfect gentleman. His style of dress is classically simple usually wearing a blazer with t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. And if that wasn’t enough to rub in our faces, the guy has perfect hair! Damn him!

9. Urban Style

Refueled Magazine

I would definitely say that 2009 was overcrowded with Urban-ishy things. We had urban architecture, UrbanOutfitters.com, urban furniture, Keith Urban, urban slang…………..everywhere you turned, here an urban there an urban. Besides vintage urban furniture, one of my favorite urban finds was Chris Brown and Urban Refueled. Chris produces a creative urban publication and urban blog. If you looked up urban in Wikipedia, it wouldn’t surprise me to find a photograph of him there.

10. Ralph Lauren Home

Ralph Lauren Home

I bet most people would say ENOUGH ALREADY…….but for me, everything this little man touches screams I’VE GOT GOOD TASTE! Lucky for us guys we have someone to help us decorate our homes. How does that song go……. I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and Ralph Lauren still makes me feel like a man! Thanks Ralph!

Congratulations to all those You-ie Award winners and in closing I’d just like to say………..We liked you.  We really, really liked you!

Best regards,
Reynolds

Happy New Year!!!

Guy Lombardo and I would like to wish

you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Best regards,

Reynolds

Enough said!

Best regards,
Reynolds

Gardens, Guns and Christmas?

Those of you who have never seen a Garden and Gun Christmas may not know that REAL men do decorate for Christmas and damn proud of it!  We, meaning us BOYS, enjoy putting up a tree or 2 or 3.  We decorate our mantel with fresh garland mixed with old photo cards of men who maybe did the same back in the day.  We place a Winter Forest  or Firewood candle carelessly on our library desk along side our trusted black ROYAL typewriter.  We hang our wreath proudly on our front door made up of fir and spruce, mixed with a few used Prince Albert tins.  Seriously!  Christmas use to be nothing but a typical grandma and grandpa red and green holiday, however today many people have taken a brave leap of faith expressing their own personal creativity and what a breath of fresh Christmas air!  I've been inspired this season by so many creative souls, the publication of Garden and Gun, the great Tartanscot, Brooks Brothers holiday windows and the always creative rebel, Debbie Dusenberry, owner of the Curious Sofa in Kansas City...  So as I begin to pack away a little bit of myself, I invite you into my home for one last look at my vision of a Reynolds Still holiday and wish each and everyone, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Best regards,

Reynolds

The Great Tartanscot

Brooks Brothers Window via Flickr

Curious Sofa Kansas City via Curious Sofa Diaries

Reynolds Still

Reynolds Still

Reynolds Still

Reynolds Still

My first!

Everyone remembers their first…….their first kiss, their first car, their first job, their first BLOG! My introduction to the blogosphere was a bit late probably due in part, I thought blogging meant countless hours of reading and as those close to me know, I HATE to read. What does stimulate me however is visuals. I can spend countless hours looking at photographs in coffee table books, magazines, the internet, blogs, whatever! When I first caught a glimpse of Hollister Hovey, it absolutely took my breath away! The style and sophistication Hollister shares with the blog world is nothing short of classic. I must admit, I became obsessed with the Hovey-way. Hi, my name is Reynolds and I’m a Hoveyaholic. I wanted to BE Hollister! Everything from men’s fashion, architecture, landscape, shopping, traveling, entertaining………Hollister has something to say. So much so, I found myself reading!!! The agony of it all! Could these words behind all the images Hollister shares give me any insight into the Hovey-way? You bet they do! I read every single post of HH thank you very much! I finally felt connected, NOT! Once I started to read the words I discovered Hollister was a GIRL, a beautiful girl! How could such a beautiful woman paint such a masculine picture? At first I didn’t know what to think and for a few days refused to go anywhere near her! Here I wanted to be Hollister and to find out this, I felt like such a girl! The shame of it all. After several days of sulking and soul searching, I have since made peace with Hollister and am back to being one of HER biggest fans. So here’s to Hollister Hovey and the incredible style we, both men and women, can admire from afar.

Best regards,
Reynolds

Ralph Lauren via HH

Riding Boots via HH

Downtown Association Building NY via HH

Blithewood Mansion Gardens via HH

Marlow + Sons Cocktails via HH

Duke of Windsor WASP Fashion via HH

HH Living Room via HH

The breathtaking Hollister Hovey