If there was ever a truly American food tradition, my vote goes to barbecue. This unique culinary tradition is quite a hot button issue in the "barbecue belt," which extends from the Carolinas through Tennessee and Georgia then into Missouri/Kansas and Texas. So, Smithsonian magazine's Food & Think asked, "From where did these traditions come, and how, in a relatively small region of the country, have they evolved along such different paths?" The answer, of course, is low and slow. And delicious.

"The history of American barbecue is as diverse as the variations themselves, charting the path of a Caribbean cooking style brought north by Spanish conquistadors, moved westward by settlers, and seasoned with the flavors of European cultures..." and early barbecuing traditions go back to pre-Christopher Columbus times. Yessir. 

Read the full history at Food & Think: The Evolution of American Barbecue 

Quick! There are only a few weeks left of summer, and clearly, you're not going to spend money on buying a brand new pair of shorts. So today we present you a super easy, super affordable, super badass way of making your own. This project is awesome (if I do say so myself), 'cause you customize the length to your personal preference, and you don't have to know how to use (or have access to) a sewing machine.

This project will take you only a few minutes, and you can wear them for many warm weathers to come. Best of all, you don't have to visit any of those dreaded teenage-infested shopping centers. 

Let's make 'em!

How To: Make Your Own Badass Shorts

Materials:

• A pair of old pants
• Scissors
• 1" fusable webbing tape (found at any fabric/craft store)
• Iron
• Pins (optional)

Make it:

1: Put on the pants, and determine your desired length. Add two inches (you can mark with chalk or a white penci), then cut the pants. NOTE: always leave extra room in case you want to fold them, it's better to trim any excess than end up having some 70's looking speedos. Also, angle your cut slightly (15° or so) up towards the inseam. This will make for an even seam. 

2: Choose your style: folded or raw.

- Raw: leave the shorts as is, they'll start to frill overtime. You're done!
- Folded: there are two versions, inside and outside fold. If you don't like the "rolled-up" look, then do it from the inside and they'll look like regular shorts. Either way, glue the folds using the fusing web and a hot iron.

That's it! You're ready to get some extra vitamin-D before your sun-deprived legs go to hibernation. Remember to play with the length!  As long as you are comfortable and look good, your shorts are good. Summer only lasts so long, so make the most out of it.

Booya!

It's hard to believe that this Vancouver property is actually a home and not the set of a perfectly styled magazine cover, but people actually live here. Want to see the rest? (you do). Click through to get a mini tour.

Omer Arbel, the designer of this dreamy home, might have created the perfect family nest by mixing a bunch of awesome ideas that are rustic, modern, eclectic, and everything in between. With LOTS of windows and open spaces, Omer Arbel has been able to merge urban living with rural beauty. As you can see the home is surrounded by nature, which seems to influence every aspect of the design.

The whole space is complemented with raw textiles, wood, and mid-century accents. The stunning lighting, which kinda resembles lanterns hanging from the ceiling, add a warm, modern touch. I mean, seriously, is there anything wrong with this house? Oh wait, there is - it isn't ours!

To keep lusting over this beauty, visit iGnant's blog

All images: Omer Arbel

Ever look to the silver screen for style inspiration? What looks get you going? James Bond, sure, but are you more of Steve McQueen or James Deen? How about Woody Allen (seriously)?   Esquire.com rounded up their picks for twenty of the most stylish film characters from the history of the medium. There's a good mix of classic Hollywood, like Cary Grant's iconic gray suit from North By Northwest, films from the 70s and 80s, and contemporary movies. The lesson here? Men's style has remained relatively unchanged for the last eight or nice decades. Embrace it.

The Best-Dressed Film Characters of All Time[Esquire.com]

This ManMade guest post was written by Misty Birchall, founder of PubCakes, makers of craft beer-flavored cupcakes.

I have been making craft beer cupcakes for over four years now down in San Diego with my business PubCakes. I design my cupcakes for beer lovers (and I’m talking about the kind of person who drinks beer for the taste, not chugs for the buzz), but these cupcakes are super tasty, even if you don’t crave a sudsy beverage on a hot day.

The base of my cupcakes is PubCakes Craft Beer Cake Mix, which you can find here on my Kickstarter which launched on August 5th. I’ve developed four distinct flavors to choose from, depending on what sort of beer you want to bake with, as well as a bunch of recipes to choose from on my website.

Because I’m guest-blogging for ManMadeDIY, I thought back to the days when I would cook at my boyfriend’s house.  And then I remembered what I was able to find on hand in his kitchen. So, I decided to make my Beer for Breakfast cupcakes using only a wooden spoon.... that’s right, I left my KitchenAid behind.

Beer for Breakfast Cupcakes

• 1 package PubCakes Cake Mix - Vanilla Ale Flavor [you can try subbing another cake mix, but they won't taste as good ;) ]
• 1/2 cup AleSmith Wee Heavy (or similar Scotch Ale)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup bacon (cooked and chopped - plus more for topping)

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and place cupcake liners in muffin pan (12 regular size or 24 mini). In a small bowl, combine melted butter and beer, mix well.

In a large bowl, beat egg. Slowly add the beer and butter mixture. Add the cake mix then the crumbled bacon, and mix until combined.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full - I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup (and a lightsaber chopstick... you know, use what you’ve got). Bake for 16 to 20 minutes.

Cupcakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from pan, cool to room temperature, frost with maple cream cheese frosting.

Frosting

Place room temperature butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth... if you couldn’t tell from the pictures, this is a bit of a workout.

Add powdered sugar and maple syrup.  

Continue to whip until the mixture slightly lightens in color and gets a bit fluffy.

To frost the cooled cupcakes, pour the frosting into a freezer bag and snip off the corner.

Finally top the cupcakes with more bacon crumbles (this is what makes them pretty).

Now, go you drink that beer you had left in the bottle to enjoy WITH your cupcakes. Because it tastes so much better that way. ;)

Yield: 12 standard size cupcakes, 24 mini cupcakes, or one 9 inch cake round

Photos: Kim Villa - Carrascography

Author: Misty Birchall

PubCakes, San Diego, CA

August 2013

ManMade readers and filmaker Josh Brine created this cool video featuring Jacob and Luke Cowdin, two brothers who turned a tree that fell in their backyard into something they could skate.  

The wood appears to be a a trunk of spalted birch, which gives the wood those amazing black lines. Spalting is caused by fungus, which gives the wood awesome color and a killer figure, though you should be sure not to use it on any projects that might come in contact with food, and you gotta wear a respirator so you don't breathe in the spores. (Ahem...)

The video is definitely worth a watch:

Great work, Josh. 

This Friday - August 16th - is National Rum Day, so to celebrate the summer, give one of the original rum cocktails a try: the Cuba Libre. It's delicious, dead simple to make, and perfect for enjoying all weekend long.    To dig deeper into about the history of the drink, I turned to the experts at Bacardi rum. I figured they probably knew a little bit about it. Here's what I learned: 

The Cuba Libre was created in 1900 by American soldiers gathered in Havana after the Spanish-American War. The cocktail was named after the Cuban rally cry for independence, “¡Por Cuba Libre!”.

More commonly called “Bacardi and Coke,” the authentic Cuba Libre cocktail is actually made by squeezing a lime over a glass of ice before mixing  one part BACARDI Gold rum and three parts cola. Bacardi rum can be found in the earliest documented recipes  of other legendary cocktails such as the original Mojito and the Daiquiri.

So, this recipe varies a bit from our tried-and-true highball ratio, so I guess that's what makes it a proper Cuba Libre, not a rum and Coke. 

Cuba Libre

• 1 part BACARDÍ Gold® rum
• 3 parts cola
• 2 lime wedges and ice cubes

Fill a tall glass with cubed ice. Squeeze and drop a fresh lime wedge into the glass. Pour in BACARDÍ Gold® rum and top with chilled cola. Stir gently and top with remaining lime wedge. 

Done! 

When it comes to smart, minimal design, Japan often takes the cake. If you are going nuts due to the lack of storage space, you gots to take at look this!

This project design by Architect Kotaro Anzai is seriously brilliant. It's everything at once: a set of stairs, a storage area, and a little bit of an art installation. In places like Japan where having lots of space is out of the question, this kind of design couldn't be more suitable.

Even if you do have room to put away your things, this set of stairs/drawers would look amazing. The use of bare wood and black accents makes it very modern - even if you change your decor, they'd remain neutral and compelling.

If you need more storage ideas, check out this great roundup over at Dwell: 7 Under-stair Storage Solutions

Top Drawer via Dwell

Give your houseguests a tridimensional welcome to with this geometric doormat!

Whimseybox went very artful with this DIY project that requires very few materials. I rarely notice someone's doormat, but I'd be sure to note one this trippy, which is kind of a modern way to say "hello friends, yes, people in this house are cool and crafty."

If you want to take a step further, you should paint it neon! Yes! Go big or go home. Or if you want to keep it more subtle, then paint it white so it doesn't bounce with your flooring.

To get the full list of materials and steps, visit Whimseybox.

BONUS: Doesn't this mat remind you of this tape art by Aakash Nihalani?

In 1957, poet, author, and "laureate of American lowlife" Charles Bukowski wrote a poem entitled "Friendly Advice to a lot of Young Men."   Brainpickings shares a rare recording of Buk reading the poem, as well as some behind-the-scenes reflection on its inspiration and the loneliness of creativity in general. 

I guess what I meant is that you are better off doing nothing than doing something badly. But the problem is that bad writers tend to have the self-confidence, while the good ones tend to have self-doubt. So the bad writers tend to go on and on writing crap and giving as many readings as possible to sparse audiences....When failures gather together in an attempt at self-congratulation, it only leads to a deeper and more, abiding failure. The crowd is the gathering place of the weakest; true creation is a solitary act.

Read and listen to the poem at BrainPickings: Charles Bukowski Reads His “Friendly Advice to a Lot of Young Men,” Plus Buk on Creativity

Jamaican jerk chicken is one of those regional food specialities that have been historically nearly impossible to recreate elsewhere. Sure, you can do an overnight rest in a scallion, scotch bonnet, and allspice heavy marinade, grill everything nice and slow, but you'd still be missing the signature ingredient that makes jerk chicken something truly unique: the pimento wood on which its cooked. This tree, which produces allspice berries, is native to the Caribbean, and cooks take lengths of green wood, soak it in water, and lay it atop the glowing charcoal, placing the chicken halves or quarters on top.

The Food Lab took a look at what makes pimento wood so special, and figured out a way to recreate its unique flavor with easy-to-find dry spices and aromatics. The results are a totally accessible recipe that I'm totally planning to make this weekend. 

This smoking with spices technique is similar to this recipe from America's Test Kitchen (subscription required), which I made on July 4th this year, and totally fell in love. 

Check out The Food Lab's recipe and technique: How to Make Jerk Chicken at Home

Ladies and gentlemen, The Shelby GT 350 Pool Table. It's like a race car bed...for grown ups.

The pool table combines good times and great design. Are you freaking out a little bit? It's ok, we kinda did.

In the meantime, you can daydream of playing pool in this awesome car. 

The best kinds of creative inspiration are always born out a specific need. "Leftmusing" found herself looking for a very special solution for her apartment: "a table in my oddly shaped kitchen that could act as additional counter space, a place to eat, store kitchen stools and general spot to put stuff on, all while being 16"x52". After some research, she realized: she'd have to make one. So, she came up with a solution using reclaimed wood, copper pipe from the hardware store, and some epoxy. What I love about this project is its adaptability: this project was designed for a specific footprint and a certain height, but it can easily be adjusted to fit another set of needs: a desk, a coffee table, a nightstand. 

Check out the full process at Instructables: Easy Copper Pipe and Reclaimed Wood Table 

Okay - fess up: What do you think about this 6-Pack Bike Frame Clasp? Would you rather walk when carrying your babies..er..beer? Should drinking and cycling ever mix? Or, is it (as we suspect), kinda the coolest thing we've seen this month?   

The 6-Pack Bike Frame Clasp is one fancy gadget that will allow you to transport your beer from point A to point B. We've already seen a bike wine rack which seems to work pretty well, but I am curious about this one for the following reasons: aren't the beers too wide to be placed in the middle of your bike? Wouldn't they interfere with you stroke? Or, especially if they were cold and condensating, would they come out or break through the bottom of the case?

Then again, if you have bike routes in your city that are well kept, then this would probably work for you as you don't have to go through any bumpy roads. It could also work if you just walk your bike for a short distance, say from the store to the beach.

It's $29 dollars, so it's totally affordable. Especially if you do transport lots of suds - you know, for professional purposes.

So, would you get it? If not, then how do you transport your beer when biking? Do you do the good ol' 'one hand on the handle bar and one hand holding the beer'? Let us know in the comments!

Fun fact of the day: the Leatherman multitool company is actually named for its founder, Tim Leatherman. I'd always imagined it being a vision of some hardcore Platonic ideal of a rugged tinkerer with everything at the ready. Kat Bauman and Outlier Solutions took this totally engaging look at the Leatherman factory in Portland, Oregon, and the production and design process of its eponymous tools.

Check out the video below for some history and a look at how these tools are conceived and manufactured:  

Read more from Kat's visit at Core77: A Visit to Leatherman, in Which I Briefly Become One with Their Production Process

There are two basic principles to the ManMade approach to style and dress: fit is everything, and buy high-quality, universal items that will last. In order to help you hold on to those investment items, and make sure they suit you as best they can, ManMade is happy to present our latest series: The DIY Tailor. This summer and fall, professional tailor and alteration specialist Danni Trester will teach us some basic sewing principles and easy DIY repairs that every guy should know. 

It's pretty sucky when a pair of your favorite jeans gets ruined because they're too long and you're stepping all over them. So what? So, there's a fix. Not only does hemming your jeans prolong the life span of your clothes, but you look less like a college sophomore circa 1998.  

1) Supplies: you're going to need a couple of tools for this project.  Basic items include a ruler, scissors, tailor's chalk, and thread.  Some bigger things: iron, ironing board, and sewing machine.

If you're wondering what tailor's chalk is, it's a marking tool used by all sorts of professions.  It's either a waxy or chalk rectangle that is used to temporarily mark on fabric.  The waxy kind disappears when you steam or iron the fabric, the chalky kind disappears if you rub it or wash the garment.  You can get it at fabric stores in the sewing or quilting notions area. 

2) Once you've got all your supplies, you want to mark the jeans so you know where to shorten them.  It's easier to do this part if you have someone to help.  Try on your jeans and wear the shoes you would most likely wear with them.  If you wear a couple of different pairs of shoes, put on the lowest ones.

3) Turn the excess fabric under until the pants are the length you'd like. 

4) Mark on the back the leg using your tailor's chalk where you'd like the length. 

5) Use your ruler and measure up from the floor where this mark is.

6) Roll up the other leg and transfer this measurement.  This is called checking for a leg difference.  Most people have one leg longer than the other, based on how you stand, the way you're built, or if you've had any surgeries/breaks.  So if you measure the same distance from the floor for both legs, they'll hang the same. 

Now both legs are marked!

7) Line up the side seams and lay out your jeans on a table or flat surface.

8) Make your chalk marks a little bigger/darker so they're easier to see.

9) Line up the marks and lay the legs one on top of the other.

10) Lay your ruler so the chalk mark is on the ruler's right side. 

11) Hold the ruler firmly down and run the chalk along the ruler with your right hand making a solid line across the pant leg.

12) Keep your left hand holding the ruler down, and use your right hand to flip over the top leg.  Run your chalk along the ruler marking the backside of the top leg, and the top side of the bottom leg. 

13) Again, keep hold with your left hand, and flip over the bottom leg to mark the back.

14) When you're done, you should have a solid line all around both legs. 

15) The solid line you just made is where your finished hem will be.  Now you need to mark extra fabric that you'll roll up to make the hem.  The second line will be a fold line, and the third line is where you'll cut the excess off.  Most jeans have a 1/2 inch rolled hem.  But if you like a deeper hem, you can make it up to an inch on a pair of jeans.  Men's jeans usually don't have anything wider than that, but if you're feeling fancy, go for it.  But for this example, we're doing the traditional 1/2 inch.

16) One you've measured for your other lines, mark 'em up!

When you're done, it should look like this:

17) Cut off at the bottom line.

If you look at the pants from the front, the lines should be straight across.

18) Now you're ready to start sewing!  Set up your machine with thread.  For this demo, I'm using a heavy weight jean thread.  Depending on your machine, you might have to use a lighter weight.  If that's the case, just find a gold thread that's pretty close to the color thread that's on the rest of the pants.  Once you've got your thread set up, practice sewing on your scraps so you can get the thread tension and stitch length correct. 

19) When you are ready to start on the real deal, start on the inseam.  Roll the fabric once to the fold line, and again to the hem line.  Place the fabric under the foot and sink your needle.  You may have to hand turn the wheel on the side of the machine a few stitches over this thickness. 

20) Once you're over the hump, continue sewing and rolling, following your chalk marks.  Use the measurement marks on the sewing machine to help you keep a straight line.

One thing you want to keep in mind as you're working is to line up your side seams.  While you're sewing, the fabric on top has a tendency to work towards you.  If you don't line it up, the hem can get twisted.  Some denim companies do this on purpose, like Raleigh denim.  But traditionally the seams should line up. 

21) Keep going around, line up those seams!

As you come around to where you started, sew over the same stitching to make a continuous line.  Again, you may have to turn the machine's wheel to slowly get over the thickness. 

22) Once you've gone all the way around, snip your threads off and sew up the other leg!

23) Now it's time to press!  Set the iron to a steam setting, heat alone won't do as good of a job.  Press around the inside of the hem flattening the fabric.

Steam!

24) You can also press the outside a little if there is still chalk visible.

You did it! 

Danni Trester is a textile designer that's been daylighting as a tailor for the last seven years.  In addition to alterations, she designs and produces accessories which she sells at indie craft shows across the Midwest. 
Etsy shop: www.innad.etsy.com

If you're planning to do any traveling soon, be sure to add another essential item to your packing list: a watch. Cause - heads up, Boy Scouts - you can use an analog watch to find your way around, whether in the middle of a new city or in the depths of the backcountry.    Andrew from Primer shares this tip: "You can use a watch to determine general direction by pointing the hour hand at the sun. The midway point between the 12 o'clock position and the hour hand is south."

Check out the full graphic at Primer. There are even tips for a digital watch wearers, i.e. you, Mr. I-don't-need-a-watch-anymore-cause-I-carry-my-phone-everywhere. 

Perfect for serious wayfinding? Perhaps not. But to make sure you're not walking the wrong way as you exit that subway station in this new neighborhood you've never been in before? Pretty handy. 

Spy School: How to Use an Analog Watch as a Compass to Find Direction 

Healthy protein intake is essential for all of us, and especially important for adult men. Unfortunately, for lots of us, the standard delivery system - namely, the muscles of animals - can be high in fat, cholesterol, and other baddies that need to be taken in moderation. So? This roundup has 5 meat-free protein-laden alternatives that are worthy of a Game of Thrones Warrior. True fact. Or something....

1. Beans: These fellas are full of protein and fiber, which will help you feel "full". Try making this Greens and Beans salad by Sweet Paul and you'll be hooked!

2. Quinoa: You have probably heard lots about this pseudocereal. And all of it it's true. Quinoa is not just a trendy fad, it is actually super nutritious and with *4.4 grams of protein per 100gr, you can't go wrong (*source). These cheesy quinoa cakes by Shop Girl are quite the treat! Yes. Cheese, protein, and veggies. All in one. Bam!

3. Tempeh: Temp..what? Tempeh is a soy product that's cultured and fermented. Unlike tofu, tempeh contains lots of good bacteria for your gut and it's usually flavored and ready to go, which will save you lots of time. You can find tempeh at almost any natural foods market. As with any soy product, it is high in protein and calcium. Wanna make the mouthwatering black bean quesadillas shown above? Then visit Bev Cooks to get the full recipe!

4. Hemp: Don't get too excited. This ain't a "magic brownie" recipe. Hemp seeds are one of the best ways to get some extra protein in your diet, you can sprinkle them on anything! Yogurt, cereal, soup, you name it. Take a bag to work so you can add it to your lunch when needed. Make this easy hemp cilantro dip and pair it up with some good ol' chips.

5. Tofu: this meat alternative has the bad rep of tasting like cardboard, but that's because it hasn't been prepared correctly! Yes, tofu CAN actually taste awesome. Consider tofu as your wild card which can be used on anything: sweet dishes, salads, stews, skewers, etc. One thing to ALWAYS remember is to season the tofu before hand, that way you won't feel like you're eating your tax return. If you don't believe me, then try this tofu fries recipe by White on Rice Couple. F-R-I-E-S!

So, are you sold on some of these ideas? Or are you still on the fence? If you have any favorites you want to share, let us know!

Want to upgrade your cabinets? We got a super easy idea for you that requires only a couple materials.

CAMP has these awesome hexagonal cabinet pulls that are super sleek, modern, and masculine. The pulls are handmade and include an awesome brass bolt that can be easily installed in virtually any drawer.

If you were to recreate this look, you'd need two things:

• Thick leather straps (available at most fabric stores or you could even reuse an old belt?).
• Bolt in the shape of your choice.

Lots of stores have "leftover" leather pieces that are usually discounted, so you could get a few of those, cut them to the desired shape and use them for your pulls, this will significantly reduce the price of your project.

For the bolts, there are TONS of choices at the hardware store. You could leave them as is, or you could spray paint them to add a pop of colour.

And hey, why stopping there, do a "his" and "hers" version and paint them in different colours. Everyone wins!

TheSuitsofJamesBond.com is an entire new website dedicated to exploring the clothing and style points of the 50+ year film franchise. Its got suits, yet, and James Bond, sure, but note that the site attempts to discuss all the men's style elements of the films, from a variety of characters including villains, henchman, and various MI6 staff, as well as other pieces from Bond's wardrobe: shirts, swimming trunks, and the like. 

And, there's plenty of Bond related ephemera to boot, so its not just looking at snazzy pictures of Sean Connery and Roger Moore for pages and pages. 

Fascinating stuff. Take a look: The Suits of James Bond