With all music heading to online streaming, I tend to buy my favorite albums on vinyl so I can cherish them for years to come. As my collection grows my need for space grows with it. So I had to quickly find a solution. Here's a simple project to create some stacking cubes that will hold records, books and more!

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 - 12"x 8' x .5" glued, paint grade pine boards
• Box of .5" wood screws
• 2 4'x 1.5" angled aluminum 
• Metal countersink
• Drill bit to match your .5" screws
• Hack Saw
• Clamps
• Sandpaper or Sanding Station
• Measuring tape

Before you get started, I recommend you crank up the best "workin' hard" playlist you have. It's certainly appropriate for this project.

Start by grabbing your largest vinyl, book, bottle or magazine you want to place in your cubes. You'll use this to base your cuts. I chose one of my favorites and it measures 12.5"all around, which is standard for most vinyls.

Using a table saw or circular saw, cut your boards to an equal length. I cut each of my boards 15" long. I'm making two cubes, so I cut 8 boards in all.

Once you've cut your boards, set them aside and grab your angle aluminum. 

Please Note: Cutting and shaping metal can increase your chances of hurting yourself ten-fold. Wear gloves and safety goggles at all times! Also, learn from my near 9-1-1 experience and DO NOT use a miter or table saw to cut angle metal unless you have experience doing so. 

Measure and mark a width just shy of the width of the box or be like me and don't measure! I used the first cut piece as a template for the others.

Use a hack saw to cut your pieces to proper length. Don't forget to wear glasses and gloves. The metal gets hot and flings tiny aluminum pieces everywhere! 

I used my sanding station (80 grit) to sand the cuts and straighten them out. Let's be honest, it's hard to saw a straight line with a hack saw.

These are ready to go!

Using a ruler or a sliding guide, set your hole marks. I spaced 5 holes evenly over ~12". Because I'm joining the boards by overlapping, not mitering, it's important to set your holes closer to the base (opposite of the peak) of each piece. On this 1.5" wide side, I set the holes 0.5" from the bottom.

Note: Make one with proper measurements, drill your holes and use this piece to trace the holes on all the other pieces you have left.

Using a waste chunk of wood, I set my aluminum up at the drill press, drilled holes then went back with a countersink. I set my countersink depth to allow my screws to sit slightly above the surface. This way, I could accentuate the industrial feel I'm looking for.

It's time to assemble! It's as easy as attaching the aluminum to the wood into a box shape. I didn't have to pre-drill holes into the wood due to the stubby 0.5" screws. I didn't have any problems with wood cracking. If you're worried about that happening, feel free to do so.

I will do my best to explain this. With the angle piece set facing up (like in the picture above) I had better, tighter fitting joints when I set the tip of each screw to bottom of the hole in the aluminum. When you drive in the screw it will center itself and pull the aluminum down, creating a closer fit.

Finished! Now, do it all over again until you have enough to handle your entire record collection. 

For a final touch, I cut 2 pieces leftover board to place between the two crates to create nice floating effect.

Other ideas to upgrade your boxes:

• Stain or paint the boards
• Brush the aluminum with steel wool for a stainless look
• Make the boxes into crates by adding a back panel
• Add another panel and hinges to make a cabinet
• If you want to make boxes larger than the ones presented I recommend that you strengthen the butt joints with glue and screws, then cover over the corners with the aluminum plates. If you're really handy you can also use a dowel system and add dowel rods to the end grain, or use a biscuit jointer for support. 

Go make stuff!

Updated from an article originally published March 11, 2015.

I'm not much for lattes. In general, they don't do much for me, but I especially can't stand the overtly frothy, foamy ones that demand all that sugar and syrup and whipped cream to cover up the fact that the coffee is burnt in the first place. 

But, I'll admit it: I get jealous that people get so excited about these pumpkin spice coffee drinks this time of year. I like seasons, especially fall, and I wish I could grab a scarf and march right down to the burnt coffee shop and Instagram the s--t out of my to-go cup and my boots standing in fallen leaves. But, I can't, cause I'm a dude; and I won't, cause...well, I'm not much for lattes.

So, this year, I decided to bring the seasonal, pumpkin-pie-spiced-thing to something that I like ... you know, like booze.

Thusly, we present - the ManMade guide to making your own pumpkin spiced liquors, to drink neat, in cocktails, mixed with cider, or even, well, coffee.

If you do a bit of research, you find that the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte doesn't, in fact, contain any pumpkin. Just the sort of spices one would use to flavor a pumpkin pie. Sad for pumpkin fans, but good for our purposes, cause it makes this project much easier and cheaper to create.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mix of cinnamon, ginger, mace, cloves, and allspice. You can find it pre-mixed at your local grocery store, spice shop, or online. Ground spices only last six months or so, so unless you're gonna be whipping out carrot cakes or raisin muffins like crazy this year, a small bottle is all you'll need.

For the spirits - anything will do, really, but I recommend sticking to liquors that mix well with spiced flavors. Any straight spirit that's been aged in oak will work: dark rum, bourbon, even brandy. Here, I've gone with a reposado tequila, because it plays well with all kinds of flavors. You could use vodka if you wanted, and actually give it some flavor, but I'd avoid anything with competing aromatic flavors, like gin or fortified liqueurs. A pumpkin spice Tom Collins or G&T might be delicious, but I'm not gonna waste a whole bottle to find out. 

When infusing liquor, the thing to keep in mind is: a little bit of stuff, a short amount of time. You're not making an aged liqueur or tincture here; you're just taking advantage of alcohol and water soluble flavors, which can be extracted quite quickly.

For a standard 750 mL bottle, you don't need anything more than a simple teaspoon of mixed pumpkin pie spice.

So, here's an official recipe for the scrollers:

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Liquor

• 1 750 mL bottle distilled spirits like rum, tequila, or whiskey
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix the two together in a large container, cover, and lest rest for one hour, two max.

The spices will settle at the bottom, so give it a sturdy shake or stir every fifteen minutes or so to keep things moving.

Then, strain the mixture back into a bottle through a coffee filter set in a funnel. This will probably take fifteen or twenty minutes to allow all the liquid to seep through. Use a marker to write "spiced" on the label or a strip of masking tape, and you're good to go. 

So, what do you do with it? Anything you want. Use it to make your favorite cocktail recipes, or simple highballs. A pumpkin spice Old Fashioned is a mighty fine thing to drink in October. It tastes awesome mixed with a strong ginger beer (a la a Dark and Stormy), or with some seasonal cider. Your brain probably associates this spice flavors with sweetness (think zucchini bread, sweet potato pie), but this will actually work well without any sugar at all. If you do find yourself upping the simple syrup, be sure to add more acid from fresh lemon or lime juice to keep things in balance.

Cheers, and Happy Fall!

For more autumn cocktail ideas, check out our guide to: 7 Ways to Make Your Homemade Cocktails Taste Like Fall

This ManMade post originally appeared on October 2014. We're sharing it again because it's fall!

Looking to add a little of the "roasting on open fire" flavor to some of your seasonal libations? Check out this cool technique for making smoked cocktail garnishes to add some toasty, earthy notes to your drinks.    

Creative studio The Jewels of New York suggests placing a singed, smoking rosemary sprig in the glass, to add aroma and flavor to the drink. Here, they've paired with warm, spicy flavors like mezcal and allspice dram. We could see this working in a lot of places - anything with whiskey, tequila, or rum should be a good place to start. Besides rosemary, consider other toast-able, edible things like thyme and cinnamon sticks.

Or, to add other kinds of good, charred flavor, consider charring citrus in a grill pan or cast iron skillet, or using ingredients like smoked olives or rimming a glass in smoked salt.

Or if you want to go all out and smoke the entire drink, ManMade has you covered with a complete tutorial: How to: Make Your Own DIY Smoked Cocktails 

Check out the technique and get the full drink recipe at The Jewels of New York: Sleepy Hollow Cocktail

Long live the print magazine. Seriously. We know the entire publishing industry is in a bit of flux, but we'll do everything we can to help them pull through. Because as far as a casual reading experience goes, the magazine format is just about perfect. 

Of course, there's that other issue of being a subscriber: the inevitable mass of to-be-read copies. Whether the always-cited-and-lamented stacks of The New Yorker or a random selection of last month's issues you just haven't gotten around to yet, being a subscriber means there's always pile in your house somewhere.        

What to do? Our vote – embrace them as legit decor. Why not? The covers are always bright, bold, and full of good design. They're literally made to jump of the shelf at you. So, show 'em off, readers!

This simple wall mounted magazine rack from the Merrythought is straightforward and easy enough that you can build it in an hour or two. It's a butt-jointed, three-sided frame attached to a plywood back, with a leather strap to hold the issues in. If you want to class it up a bit, switch the wood to walnut and go for a natural, veg tanned leather for a masculine, high-end look. 

Get the tutorial at The Merrythought: DIY Plywood & Leather Magazine Rack

When I think back to my first office job, I learned two key takeaways: 1) always share your process and thinking with your supervisor, and don't hold out til the end to show them the completed project and 2) drink a bunch of liquids all day long so you'll have to get up to go the bathroom. 

Seriously. Moving about the office gets you up and out of your seat, your eyes off the computer screen, and the ability to mingle a bit with your coworkers. And while we recommend switching to water after 11:00am, it's nice to enjoy a few small personal mugs of coffee vs. a huge thermos. It always stays hot, and remains fun to sip the whole morning through. Here are seven mugs to do it in style.      

1. Mazama Large Mug - $42

 My personal everyday mug. Handmade in Portland, Oregon in a variety of colors and finishes. Can't recommend highly enough.

2. Mugr - $60

A serious investment, sure, but look at that matte ceramic and lovely walnut handle. 

3. CB2 Black Clay Mug - $5

Sometimes, big chain stores do get things right. This piece is handthrown with simple glaze dip, and for the price, there's no reason not to give it a shot.

4. The Holdster Model 01 - $35

A hand-stitched leather insulating sleeve slips over a replaceable mason jar insert. Simple, and brilliant. 

5.  Stoneware Thumb Cup by Hanselmann Pottery - $27

Hand thrown ceramic mug forgoes the handle entirely, offering a simple imprint to place your thumb for maximum control and hand-warming coziness. 

6. Joey Mug - Set of two for $45

Simple, handsome, and, with the pair, you only have to do the dishes every other day. 

7. Startup Vitamins Get Shit Done Mug - $23

If you're accustomed to looking to your morning mug for a little motivation, we recommend the above. Cause saying it simple is always best. 

How do you drink your morning coffee or tea? Please share your favorites in the comments below. 

Legacy Overland restores and rebuilds classic off road vehicles such as Toyota Land Cruisers, Range Rovers, and Land Rover Series & Defenders. We sat down with founder Robert Madeira and team to find out more about who they are, and what it takes to preserve such iconic machines while maintaining functionality for the practical uses for which they were intended.     

Why classic 4x4s?

Land Cruiser FJ40s, Land Rover Defenders and 1970s Range Rovers were always there throughout my life. Those on our team whi have a bit more gray hair now share our heritage of riding around in these amazing trucks, learning to drive in them, and enjoying the best of times with them.

The trucks that we work on never really went out of style for me, they just became forgotten by most people for a long time. Over the past years, there’s been a global reawakening of interest in these icons. To me, it's just nice to see more people waking up to these timeless classics. In a way I feel like we work on these dinosaurs; utilitarian form, determined functionality, unmatched ruggedness – and just such an inspiration for getting away, taking the path less explored. This is just something I wanted to be a part of, shaping on my own unique way, not just be an innocent bystander!

To me, these off-roaders are not just about transportation, it’s about living the life you want or aspire to realize. They have immense inherent presence and a purpose that is functional, but also provide a feeling of excitement to our clients that only something really special can. To me personally, they capture that ethereal feeling of excitement as you travel, or maybe sometimes, arrive, somewhere.

Our builds are personal and each individual has their own style that they want to bring into the icon. It’s about making each truck special for each owner, that’s what’s important to me. But it is also fun, that creative process, visual, tactile and mechanical, it’s what gets me looking forward to each build. True, we stray from the strict original and go big, be it for a museum-quality build or something extraordinarily luxurious, but even in our extremes we don’t stray too far from the classy purpose that we are committed to deliver on. I don’t like bling, I don’t like rock-crawling – those are just not my things. Our builds reflect this – and clients we work with respond to this vision – and that is our art. 

I love the thrill of the deconstruction from the starting point, and then to see the emergence throughout the design and build process is something that rallies the team and me every time. Seeing craftsmen take leather and raw sheet metal and muscle it into these amazing shapes is a never-tiring cycle that I look forward to every time. I take each build personally. Perfection doesn’t have compromise and is non-negotiable. Obsession is a powerful motivator, but that’s what it takes to get it where I want it to be.”

Who is Legacy Overland?

We are a US company, headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut (about an hour north of New York City). From there, we do most of the customer-facing activities, such as working with clients, auction houses and dealers, as well as fit and finishing for our builds. We also have operations in Europe, with an office located in Portugal. From there we cover the European car scene, marketing activities (some of the photo-shoots, for example) and of course work on cars.

Why vintage off-roaders and not, say, supercars? 

Our team and garage has worked on cars for decades, not only vintage trucks, but all sorts of cars.  But recently, when we kicked off the dedicated Legacy Overland brand in the US, we have been working a lot on Toyota Land Cruisers, FJ-40s, BJ-40s, HJ-45s, because we think the timeless, rugged cool factor is just so high. Plus, we love them ourselves. 
This said, we are also currently working on some really high-end Land Rover Defender 90 and 110 builds that we are looking to complete shortly. We’ve staffed up the team to take on more Defender builds this and next year and are working on some really, really neat concepts that will be super-distinct. While we have done some classics and will continue doing so, we will still add the Legacy Overland touch to these to kick it up a few notches. But for this line of trucks, we are also going further and will be bringing on some exciting new designs, dome in collaboration with friends in the industry.

Additionally, we will also be bringing a 1973 Range Rover Classic to the Scottsdale auction in January 2018. It is just such a classic line and I think neglected line in the history of SUVs – it is the granddaddy of them all! This Bahama Gold project just oozes 1970s retro-cool, one of our current pet projects. Very few frills above concourse-level restoration, maybe the only real step into the 2000s is a special built Grundig Emden radio unit with upgraded Bluetooth and iPod connection. This is a build for the books! 
To date, we have kept other makes and models at a lower profile as a group and focused on 4x4s with Legacy Overland. For now we will keep focused and not have any ‘style drift’ in our Legacy Overland work. But I have my personal projects also in the sports car segment. I like the same type of cool and classic new vintage motors and look at Jaguar E-types, Porsche 356 and 911s (1960s and 1970s). Maybe that’s something we will bring to market under a different effort in the future in a more consistent and separately branded way. Let’s see!

Are these just collector pieces for rich people?

No way. As a lifestyle brand, in addition to performing frame-off restorations, we offer off-road packages. There are a lot of shops that build great cars, and while we also do that, we want to combine this with unique driving experiences through our “Live It” luxury off-roading journeys. Because no matter how much you go on about how cool a vintage off-roader is and what it’s capable of, you won’t know until you Live It. I felt it decades ago and the memories still echo to this day. The dust in the air, the rockiness of the road, the mud on the tires… Now, we want our clients to discover it too. Our goal is to offer them an exceptionally restored overland vehicle as a springboard for unforgettable adventures – get out there and go off-roading! 

These adventure tours, organized in Portugal and Spain, are an immersive way to take our classic truck restorations to that next level, beyond the machine and into a tailor-made, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We get that city streets are a great place to drive our builds. But why stop there? 

Additionally, we just launched our accessories and apparel brand to further help our adventurers on their journey. The clothing items, made with premium quality mélange yarn in 100% cotton, were thought out to carry on the classic overland legacy. We sat down on an ordinary Saturday afternoon in a Californian porch and surrounded ourselves with cutouts from retro magazines and old car parts. Slowly, reminiscences of off-roading days, dreams and childhood references all came together, and we forged original artwork meant to bridge the gap between vintage feeling and modern design. We never had a gender or age in mind. Everybody needs to escape. So we thought of a global tribe, united by the drive to explore; a community of ageless souls who long for endless, adventurous journeys. 

Learn more about Legacy Overland, their tours, and new line of gear at their website. 
 

I've gone on record countless times about my love of the standing desk, the research I've seen on the perils of sitting all day, and my own personal solution for long days on the laptop: the 5-second standing desk (on which I'm currently working.)    All that said, I'm super impressed with this take on the standing desk by Emma and Trey of A Beautiful Mess. It's essentially an affordable wall-mounted bar. I love that the default, err...only height is at standing level, and in order to sit down, you have to specifically choose to, in those cool rustic bar stools. (Anyone know where they got those?)

Their version is constructed from super inexpensive softwood panels and extra large shelf brackets, and mitered in the corner for a wrap around design. But you could switch up the materials and mounting technique to customize the look.

There's no storage, and of course, you've have to be staring at the wall all day, but I'm seriously considering something like this for my next office space. (You can see my current one here, if you'd like.) 

Get the full how-to: Building a Standing Desk [A Beautiful Mess] 

You've built the bookshelf, covered it with great books, but it needs a little something more. Some classic records perhaps? Why not treat yourself to this essential guide to the greatest collection of jazz albums in the history of recorded time – bar none?

Ok that claim may be a little strong, but for those of you who have never ventured into the exquisite world of Jazz (or for those needing affirmation on their collection) we at ManMade have put together this list of the all-time greats, plus a guide on why and how to enjoy them. Buckle up.

THE STANDARDS:

These are the ones you simply cannot miss. These are the 2001: A Space Odysseys and Goodfellas and Ghostbusters. Start here and see what strikes your fancy.

1. Kind of Blue – Miles Davis

The most influential jazz album there is. Period. 

2. Time Out – Dave Brubeck Quartet

The soundtrack of New York City's bachelor pads in the 60's.

3. Blue Train – John Coltrane

Coltrane's first album as band leader and the album that first demonstrated Coltrane Changes. 

4. Mingus Ah Um – Charles Mingus 

The coalescence of Mingus' influences: driving Hard Bop and old-timey Gospel, plus a little Third Stream, Free Jazz, and classical music.

5. The Shape of Jazz to Come – Ornette Coleman

The birth of Free Jazz and the groundwork for Avant-Garde Jazz.

6. The Complete Savoy and Dial Sessions – Charlie Parker

No list of jazz albums would be complete without the word from Bird. Get your Bebop fix here.

7. The Complete Hot 5 and Hot 7 Recordings – Louis Armstrong

 The first true standard for jazz soloists.

NEXT STEPS:

You've dabbled about now, you have a good sense of the groundwork, and you're ready for something a bit meatier. 

8. A Love Supreme – John Coltrane

Nearly a gospel album, Coltrane is the only horn in the quartet and gets all the freedom he needs. As essential as they come.

9. Ellington at Newport – Duke Ellington

At a time when big-bands were dwindling, this concert revitalized Ellington's career and literally changed the course of music in 20th century. 

10. Moanin' – Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers

The essential hard bop album, with traces of gospel and blues.

11. Birth of the Cool – Miles Davis

Literally the birth of Cool Jazz and one of Davis' many and defining rebirths.

12. Somethin' Else – Cannonball Adderley

Adderley brings the Bebop, Art Blakely the Hard-Bop, Sam Jones the bass, Hank Jones the Swing, and Miles Davis the Cool.

13. Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 – Thelonious Monk

Monk is second only to Duke Ellington as most recorded jazz composer, which says something since Ellington composed more than 1,000 songs, while Monk had only about 70.

DEEPER CUTS

Now that you've developed your taste, here are the good ol' deep cuts for those who are ready – plus some lesser known, but highly regarded, game-changing albums. 

14. Saxophone Colossus – Sonny Rollins

Only five soulful songs and every one became a hit. Don't miss it. 

15. Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown – Sarah Vaughan

 All Music calls it "one of the most important jazz-meets-vocal sessions ever recorded."

16. Concert By The Sea– Erroll Garner

 A janky recording of one of the all time great pianists who couldn't read a lick of music.

17. Out To Lunch – Eric Dolphy

The high point in 60's avant-garde jazz.

18. The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery – Wes Montgomery

Trademark thumb-picking and octaves-employed, this record established Montgomery as "the most formidable modern guitarist of the era."

19. The Blues and Abstract Truth – Oliver Nelson

This post-bop classic explores the structure of the blues with a killer lineup and great subtlety a la Kind of Blue.

THE FAR OUT STUFF (MIXED GENRES AND GREAT HITS)

Kopi Luwak is to coffee, what these albums are to jazz.

20. Head Hunters – Herbie Hancock

The defining moment for Jazz Funk and the one of the best-selling jazz fusion albums of all time. 

21. Bitches Brew– Miles Davis

An older Davis rejects typical jazz rhythms and experiments with electric instruments and freer, rock-inspired style.

22. Speak No Evil – Wayne Shorter

Describing the album, Shorter said, "I was thinking of misty landscapes with wild flowers and strange, dimly-seen shapes — the kind of place where folklore and legends are born. And then I was thinking of things like witch burning too."

BONUS: DINNER PARTY SOUNDTRACKS

Disclaimer: All of these are truly great albums and should be given a properly focused listen... that said, they'll be a perfect soundtrack for your next dinner party.

23. Go!– Dexter Gordon 

You'll feel the nightclub surround you in all the best ways.

24. Getz/Gilberto – Stan Getz & João Gilberto

Lilting, intimate, and relaxing, it spawned a bossa nova craze and won the 1965 Grammy for Best Album.

25. Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Clifford Brown and Max Roach

The New York Times calls it, "Perhaps the definitive bop group until Mr. Brown's fatal automobile accident in 1956"

26. Sugar in My Bowl: The Best of Nina Simone – Nina Simone

Simone's best from a versatile five year period.  Yes, that's 26. We went for it!

If you're looking for some more in-depth jazz reading check out The Every Man's Guide to: Jazz. 

I won't make that mistake again. A few Octobers ago, I was at a medium-sized dinner party, and volunteered to be the guy who ran down the block to fill the three growlers the group would enjoy for the evening. The spot only had six taps, so I tasted every one, and came back with the three things I thought were the most interesting: a Northwest Pale Ale, a Cascadian Dark Ale, and a Semi-Dry Honeycrisp cider.

After struggling to juggle three (full and very cold) 64 oz. glass jugs in my lowly two arms, I "knocked" on the door with my left foot, entered, and declared my haul to eight very thirsty guests. Growler One? Good to go. Growler Two? Great, let's try it. Growler Three?

People, I drank Growler Three all by myself. Not all in the first night, but the semi-bubbled leftovers were all mine.

Turns out, absolutely NO ONE else in that group was even remotely interested in a hard cider.     

This blew me away, and I so asked several of my other amateur beer expert friends. And only a few expressed any interest in a well-crafted cider. IS THIS A THING? Or are all my friends just knuckleheads?

Look. I love beer. As much as I'm moved by whiskey, wine, gin, tequila, and the like, if you told me I had to pick a desert island beverage, I would most certainly opt for cerveza, because it has the broadest diversity within the category. A malty, bready pitch black ale isn't really even the same beverage as barely golden lager. I love that. 

But, I also think cider is perfectly interesting. I don't drink it year round, but come autumn, I absolutely look forward to celebrating with a crisp, refreshing glass of fermented apples. 

I mean, what's not to like?

It's apple cider, but cold, bubbly, and it has alcohol in it. To me, it's perfect to sip while wearing a sweater and listening to Bob Dylan while the leaves fall. Even my wife, whom I think is fantastic and with whom I share almost every taste preference, opened a bottle of hopped dry from a sixer I'd bought over the weekend, thinking it was beer, and then told me... I was welcome to finish it. 

This makes me wonder if I'm in the minority. So, okay ManMakers....

Do you like hard cider? Do you also like beer? Do you think cider is maybe not a completely interesting as beer, but a fun tradition to sip throughout the late summer and fall? And, most importantly, am I crazy? 

Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 

Happy fall, everybody. 

I've wandered through the Etsy offerings in the past, sometimes for inspiration, sometimes because something interesting has caught my eye. But lately, more and more great ideas are popping up on the handmade-centric site, and they're amazing. Here's a collection of Etsy's wooden offerings that are really worth highlighting.  

1. Wooden Cycle Fenders $30 Fenders on a bike aren't just about the looks, they really do keep you clean when riding on wet roads. But when the fenders are a set of sweet bent-wood masterpieces, your bike is going to upgrade from boring to bespoke in a second flat.

2. Wooden Handmade Watch $80 In a world dominated by shiny, chromed, polished timepieces, there's still a place for the natural, clean, easy feel of a wooden watch. Take a look at the many options to find the wooden watch that catches your eye. They also have Wooden Sunglasses $80 that are just amazing.3. VeloPolka Bike Wall Rack $75 I've always tried to stash my bike out of sight in my house. But this amazing wall mount turns it into a decoration out of the way but still comfortably within sight. They have a few different options with shelves for helmets or other items.

4. Stout Woodworks Santos Rosewood Ring $195This small mark on your hand is the perfect symbol that you're grounded enough to be classy without having to be flashy. If rosewood isn't your preference, take a look at the other options available.

5. Watch and Eye Dock Station $42 There are a few things I'm always losing or just can't seem to find when I need them. Here's a simple but really clean docking station that will keep it all in one place and on display at the same time.

6. Kovereduk Wooden iPad Case $72 Even though I love technology, there really isn't much amazing about the looks most of the time. I find it's too hard and inorganic. This amazing wooden tablet cover is the perfect type of technological upgrade I can get behind with a natural feel and look that would feel right at home in my hands.

7. HC Woodcraft Wooden Toys $25 With kids sticking everything in their mouths, it seems like it's time to switch out cheap plastic toys with something a bit more natural. These make great gifts if you don't have kids of your own.

8. Engraved Wooden Flybox $15 This amazing little box is perfect for keeping all those fragile flies safe out on the water. Custom engraving makes it the perfect go-to when it's time to go cast a few.

9. Handmade Wooden Tie-Clips $23 These simple accents bring together your fancy suit with a bit of natural class. Simple and understated, but bold enough to be the perfect centerpiece on you duds.

10. Wooden Letter Coasters $18 These coasters bring back memories both wonderful and vexing of games I've had where my voluminous vocabulary seems to disappear without a trace. Great centerpieces, great conversation pieces, great idea.

So go take a look at the massive collection of handcrafted goods that Etsy has brought together for inspiration, or a great gift for just about any occasion.

This was the year I finally outgrew IKEA. There's still several pieces in my house, but I'm ready to move on from them as soon as possible. It's probably the byproduct of now being a home owner, and knowing that I can finally buy intentional pieces to fit in specific spaces, and they'll work there for as long as we decide to keep them.

It's not IKEA's fault. And I still think that buying attractive, clean-lined particleboard furniture from IKEA is better than faux-Tuscan and laserprinted woodgrained particleboard furniture from the discount store. But, while it worked in my twenties, I'm ready to surround myself with things that will last.       

Words like "heritage" and "authentic" get tossed around a lot in both the handmade sphere and men's lifestyle content. I'm not going to use those to describe the Men's Leather Briefcase from the Mr. Lentz Shop. What I will say is: this is one of the most beautiful objects I've ever held in my own two hands.

Mr. Lentz is run by Evan Lentz, a one-man leatherwork and accessory shop based in San Diego. He works with full-grain veg tanned leather from the finest tannery in the US, and uses serious brass hardware that's built to last. Every piece piece is backed with a 100-year quality guarantee. After experiencing them in person, I suspect they'll last even longer than that. 

Evan is a friend of ManMade, and we're proud to offer an honest, unbiased review. Well, at least unbiased prior to receiving it. Cause after opening the box, I have become quite biased indeed: I freaking love this thing. 

The beauty lies in its simplicity. It is, without any bells or whistles, a classic leather briefcase with attractive proportions and appointments. The leather is thick but supple, and bears the details and just-perfect imperfections of being hand-tooled. And the look can't be beat.

The insides feature a few pockets for keeping things organized, but mostly, it's a large, single compartment for whatever you need. There's a pocket in the back as well that closes with snaps, perfect for a folio, file folders, or a notebook. (I like to put my cables and cords back there. 

What's most fascinating to me as a novice leatherworker is seeing how the whole thing is assembled. The design work is clever, and exploring the insides makes me appreciate it even more. The main body is constructed out of a single piece, and the front flap cover tucks inside to support the inner pockets and create the slim back pocket. 

The whole thing is held together with rivets and snaps, so there's no stitching that can wear out. And that's how you can make a 100-year guarantee.

There's both a robust handle, and an adjustable shoulder strap with one of those wider flap that, in combination with the oversized buckles, sells the look of the whole thing. The strap is removable if you ever want to carry it by the handle alone, classic briefcase-style.

There are two straps on the back that unsnap to fit a magazine or newspaper while keeping the front buckles attached (nice for flying). I'll use these to attach the whole thing to the rear rack of my scooter for security, where it won't slip and slide around. 

If there was one thing I could change, I wish the assembly was just a half inch wider. While my 15" MacBook Pro fits, it does so just barely, and there isn't any additional room for a protective sleeve. My computer is a few years old, and I know more current models are much thinner and less wide. Also, Mr. Lentz does offer several larger bags and briefcases, and the dimensions are listed on their website. 

More than anything, the feeling I get from carrying one these is, simply, pride. I'm honored to own this, and I can sense the integrity of its whole story every time I pick it up. And I look forward to experiencing that... for the next 100 years.

I invite you to do that too. I can't recommend this highly enough. This piece is an investment at $398, but with each item handmade to order from the highest quality materials with this level of craftsmanship, it's worth it. Truly. Plus, Mr. Lentz is offering a 10% off coupon for our readers that will work on any item in the shop through the end of 2017. The code is: MANMADE10

ManMade Recommended: Men's Leather Briefcase by Mr. Lentz

Thanks to Evan and Mr. Lentz for providing this product for review. All opinions mine. 

The stock phrase "greater than the sum of its parts" is relied on a bit too much, but sometimes, there's simply no better way to describe why something so straightforward becomes so intangibly amazing: The Beatles, a perfectly made PB&J, or the memories formed of an epic vacation with someone you love. 

To that classic canon, allow me to submit a new nomination, something so simple yet je ne sais quoi-y that it's a wonder we haven't been doing this for decades already.    

Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration, I present: hot honey, a deceptively basic combination of regular old clover honey and chile peppers that is the perfect topping for basically everything during the crisp, cool, leaf-strewn evenings of fall. 

If you don't know why you'd ever do it, here's a brief, but absolutely inexhaustible list of things it will improve instantly: pizza, fried chicken, biscuits, salad dressings, waffles, roasted vegetables, ice cream, winter squash, fresh peaches, any and every cheese, toast, yogurt, granola, marinades for meat, sliced apples, cornbread, green salads, beans, barbecue ribs, berries, seared pork chops, and anything cooked on a grill. 

The flavors meld together and become more than just sweet and spicy; somehow both infinitely complicated and delicate at the same time.

And it takes, like, two minutes to make. Let's go. 

DIY Hot Honey Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups of standard grocery store honey
• 2 whole chiles, such as jalapeño, serrano, or fresno (see below)

First, a note on chiles: you can make this with dried chiles, such as chile de arbol, long and thin Sichaun chiles, or even a couple spoonfuls of red chile flakes, but the flavor won't be quite the same. Besides heat, the fresh chiles add a fruity complexity as well as an essential vegetal flavor that really sends this thing home. Plus, they only cost 10-15¢ each at the grocery store. 

Remove the stems and top from the chiles, then thinly slice them into rings. Do not remove the seeds. 

Then, add the chiles and honey to a small sauce pan with a lid. If you're portioning it out with a measuring cup, a quick spritz of non-stick cooking spray will make clean up a lot smoother. 

Place the mixture on a burner, and turn it to medium. Let the mixture slowly come to a simmer, about 180-190°, then reduce the heat to low. Put the lid on, and let it bubble slightly for about an hour. Then, turn the heat off, and allow the chiles to continue to steep for at least another hour, or overnight. As it continues to come together, the heat level is brought down to exactly perfect. 

Taste it, and if you want it spicier, add some additional fresh chiles (now would be a good time to bust out those red pepper flakes). A very tiny pinch of salt will help you taste the overall balance more clearly.  As is, this recipe produces a very nicely balanced "medium" level of heat. 

Place into a covered jar. You can strain out the solids if you want, but I wouldn't. 

Store in a cool dark place, and use on everything as often as possible. Bonus tip: this is an awesome holiday gift that you can make for everyone you know, and take out your whole list in a single afternoon for about $5 per person. Do it. 

Your kitchen stove is a recent development in human cultural evolution. For millenia, all cooking was live fire cooking. From traveling groups building a bed of coals in the wilderness, to stone and earth homes centered around the hearth, the use of wood as fuel for flame represented what it meant to be human for tens of thousands of years.

These days, cooking over an open flame makes a meal an event. Live fire cooking is portable, sure, but more importantly, it adds flavor and ambience your electric oven can never achieve. Whether grilling over glowing hardwood or slow roasting in a cast iron pan, cooking with real fire makes the meal the point of the evening.     

So, to bring you more smoke flavor into your life, we teamed up with  Pine Mountain, makers of the ExtremeStart Firestarter. Each one is made right here in the USA, and eliminates all the guesswork of starting the fire. They work indoors or out, in fireplaces, fire pits, charcoal grills, wood barbeque grills, smokers, or brick ovens.

 Just strike a single match, add a bit of kindling and fuel, and you get to focus your attention on getting your meal prepped. By the time the logs have burned down into those lovely, lovely coals, you'll be ready to cook. 

Building a Fire for Cooking

Unlike a consistent gas flame or an electric burner, each live fire has its own personality and character. This is good thing, as it allows you to use the diversity inside the fire to control the cooking process. 

Selecting Wood for Cooking. If you're just looking for maximum flames for an outdoor bonfire, you can burn anything that's non-toxic, including pine, fir, and other softwoods. Fuel for a cooking fire is a little bit different, especially if your burning in an indoor fireplace. You want domestic hardwood, species like oak, ash, hickory, maple, cherry, and birch. And of course, never use treated lumber, plywood, or old shipping pallets that have added chemicals. 

Preparing Your Fire. Using the ExtremeStart Firestarter eliminates the need for tinder, as it burns for a solid twenty minutes, which is more than enough to get your fuel logs going. But before you strike your match, it's best to have your wood ready to go.

Kindling - these small pieces of wood, from the size of a pencil to as thick as your wrist, help to generate the heat that helps larger logs catch fire. The easiest way to start is just to use a pocket knife or small ax to rive the wood along its grain to create smaller pieces that will easily burn . 

Fuel - The dry, seasoned wood that will produce the heat. While a huge log is awesome for producing flames, the goal of a cooking fire is about getting to coals as quickly as possible. A large pile of small wood will produce a coal bed much quicker than a small pile of large wood. So, bust out that ax. 

Never Cook Over Flames. Only Coals. As fun as roasting something on a stick in a bright orange flame can seem, cooking should happen over glowing red coals. They're more consistent, and won't produce the acrid smoke that can give the food harsh, off-tasting flavors. You'll control the heat by adding or removing coals.

A Multilevel Fire Works for Almost Everything. By arranging your coals with a variety of heat zones, you can make sure your food gets as browned as you want it (and not a bit more), while guaranteeing the inside is cooked through. This is especially important when cooking over a long period of time, such as stewing, braising, or baking. You don't need to build the fire to account for this, but once your coals are established, move them around to create hot, medium, and low zones. 

Methods of Cooking Over a Open Fire

A wood fire is an extremely versatile way to cook almost any food and actualized it to its most delicious self. Searing a steak, braising a pot of beans, and baking biscuits all require a different type and intensity of heat. Thankfully, with the right tools, you can create whatever environment works best.

The cast iron skillet is a campfire's best friend. It can be placed directly on coals or on a grill grate and heats evenly for searing, sauteeing, and pan-roasting and frying. In this way, the fire is most like using a skillet on your range for direct heat cooking.

The dutch oven is best for moist cooking methods like boiling, braising, stewing, simmering, and some baking. It retains heat very well, and the lid can be used to control evaporation and condensation. The handle also makes it great for suspending over the flames, cowboy-style, for controlling heat levels.

A camp oven is variation on the dutch oven with two important features: it has been cast with three legs to raise the bottom of the pot off of the direct heat. It also features a flat, rimmed lid that allows you to place coals on top of the cooker as well. Together, this create an even source of convection for baking and slow roasting. 

Many dishes can be prepared in either form of oven, but a flat-bottomed dutch oven can be set on any surface, such as a burner, indoor oven rack, etc, so it's a more versatile investment. 

A grilling basket is an excellent way to cook solid, flat foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, fish, and vegetables. The long handle can be held by hand or rested on the fire ring, and its double sided design secures the food, guaranteeing you won't have to sacrifice anything to the flames.  

The hobopack method of cooking involves create a packet of aluminum foil that can be placed on the outside of a fire for indirect, high heat cooking. The food inside is cooked via steam roasting, and it's the perfect way to cook vegetables and sides with little attention while you focus on the main event.

To make one, place a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil on your surface. Place the food in the center, and add a bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. Then, place a second double layer of foil on top of the packet, and fold and crimp in the edges to make an air/liquid tight environment. Place it on the edge of your fire, flipping frequently with tongs. 

Building a Grill for Wood Fire Cooking

You can buy an adjustable grill for your fire pit or indoor fireplace. Known as a Tuscan grill, these featured handled grates that sit on a tiered rack to allow you to choose a specific height for intensity of heat. They're great, but they're expensive, and take up a lot of space to store and transport.

A more simple solution is to build your own grill using a replacement grill grate from the hardware store and a collection of firebricks. These cost less than $2.00 a piece, and can be stacked and turned on either side to create the perfect height. They're also useful for a variety of grilling and smoking tasks, and can be cut with a circular saw and specialty blade. I bought ten of these from a masonry supply store years ago, and I use them all the time.

Ash is Essential

Ash is by-product of burning wood, and it's also an essential component in maintaining your fire. Once your coal bed is established, surround it with a layer of ash around the outside. This restricts combustion, reducing the likelihood of flames, and protects your coals from burning out too fast. Seriously, try it. Your coals will last nearly twice as long. 

Intentional Leftovers: Don't Let All That Flavor Go to Waste

A fire has a long life. Once the high heat has burned out a bit and you've cooked your meal, it's time to use the remainder of the fire to live its second life as a leftover maker. It has to cool down anyway, so you might as well use that smokey goodness to make tomorrow's dinner taste extra awesome.

The obvious choice here is vegetables, which don't need to be cooked all the way through to be safe to eat. (You can finish them via indoor cooking methods if you run out of BTUs.) Plus, most vegetables have a protective outer layer built-in that allows them to be placed directly in the coals.

I never let a fire (or charcoal grill) cool down without throwing two things in the coals: whatever onions and shallots I have on hand, and whole eggplant. Once you've had charred eggplant cooked until the bitterness is gone and it collapses on itself, you'll never want it another way again. (And if you think you don't like eggplant, this method will actually convince you). The results are super flavorful smoke paste, and its amazingly versatile stuff: spread it on flatbread, mix with garlic and tahini to make baba ghanoush, extend some leftover cooked meat to make an amazing (and healthier) taco filling, or mix it in with your scrambled eggs in the morning. 

Also awesome cooked directly in coals: ears of sweet corn, butternut and acorn squash, bell peppers, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and whole heads of garlic. Mushrooms are amazing as well, and a grilling basket will keep the ash off the surface.

The Recipes: Let's Cook Something.  

Okay, now that you have you coal bed bright red and glowing, it's time to eat.

Cornbread Johnny Cakes

Cooking technique: Direct heat, pan-frying
Cooking vessel: Cast iron skillet

Except for fried chicken, there's no better expression of what a cast iron skillet can do than a pan of cornbread. Baking over the open fire is possible, but an advanced technique, so our vote: make it easy on yourself, and just cook up your cornbread batter as johnny cakes. These savory bites of deliciousness were originally known as hoe cakes, as workers would cook them in the field on an actual hoe, holding the irons of their farming tools over a fire.

The cornbread recipe is the same no matter how it's cooked, and if you wanted to make it easier with a box of Jiffy mixed up, no one here would judge you. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow corn meal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking power
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons butter, or equal parts butter and bacon drippings
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk

Instructions:

Mix all the dry ingredients together. If camping, place them a sealed container and mix in the wet ingredients just before cooking.

Place the cast iron skillet over a medium fire to heat up. Warm the butter and bacon fat in the pan, and then add to the dry ingredients. Mix in the egg and milk and stir to combine.

Once the cast iron skillet is heated through, add a bit of oil or more butter, and spoon about 1/4 cup mixture onto the surface to make a johnny cake about 2 1/2" wide. Cook on the first side until you see the bubbles from the chemical leaveners start to pop up all over the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Flip, and cook the second side for 1-2 minutes until cooked through.

Top the hot cakes with butter and syrup/honey/molasses/sorghum, and serve with sausage or bacon (or both), some fried eggs, or last night's leftovers. 

Braised Beef with Cowboy Beans and Chiles

Cooking technique: Low and slow
Cooking vessel: Dutch oven

This is my favorite way to prepare a pot of beans. It has lots of savory, baked bean-like flavor without the extra sweetness, while using beef instead of pork also recalls a tasty bowl of chili. Cooked low and slow, it's immensely satisfying, and tastes amazing with leftover johnny cakes from breakfast. 

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2" strips
• 3 cups diced yellow onion, diced (about one and half large)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 whole dried ancho chiles or 3 dried New Mexico chiles --OR-- 2 tablespoons ground Ancho chile powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 lb pinto beans, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• Water, salt, and pepper
• Soy sauce or fish sauce (optional)

Instructions: 

Pile your coals into a pile producing a medium-high heat. (You can hold your hand above it for about two-three seconds.) Place the dutch oven on the coals to heat. Season the strips of chuck with salt and pepper on all sides. Once the cast iron is hot, add a glug of oil, and sear the beef hard until its nice and brown. Flip and repeat on all four sides.

Remove the beef to a plate, and saute the onions in the drippings until translucent. After two minutes or so, add the dried spices and chile powder if using. When the onions are almost done, scoop in the minced garlic, stirring occasionally.

Place the beef back in the pot, and if using whole chiles, toast them briefly by holding them in tongs over the fire until they get bubbly and pliable, about 15 seconds per side. Put the chiles in the pot and add enough water to cover the surface of the beans.

Spread out your coals with a barrier of ash around the side to maintain a slow simmer - small bubbles every second or so. Put the lid on and cook for two hours.

About an hour before you think everything is done, add the barbecue sauce and ketchup. If the solution is very wet, take the lid off and allow the water to boil away. Cook until the beans are tender and the meat shreds up.

Removed the chile stems, and season to taste - if you're at home, a splash of soy or fish sauce will lend some extra umami. If you're in the backcountry, salt will do just fine. 

Grilled Whole Trout with Bacon and Herbs

Cooking technique: High heat grilling
Cooking vessel: Grilling grate and fire bricks, or steel grilling basket

If you're lucky enough to have caught your own fish earlier in the day, this is the best way to make them shine. But you can find cleaned and boned whole rainbow or brook trout at fish markets or a well-stocked grocery store. 

Ingredients: 

• One whole trout per person, cleaned, scaled, and deboned if you know what you're doing
• Two strips thin-cut bacon per trout
• Thin sliced lemon rounds
• Whole springs of woody herbs such as rosemary and thyme

Instructions:

Season the fish with salt inside and out. Place three lemons slices in each belly. 

Top the lemon slices with the herbs. 

Then, wrap two slices of bacon around each whole fish, pulling it tight to secure the whole thing into a nice compact package.

Build a hot fire and set up the grill about 6" from the coals. Allow it to heat up, then oil the grates, and lay the fish over direct heat. Cook, without moving, until the bacon starts to crisp along the edges and smells amazing, about five minutes. Carefully flip, and cook four-five minutes more until the bacon is finished cooking. 

Place on a plate, and remove the herb stems and lemon slices. Pick every bit of meat off with your fingers, saving the shoulder and collar for last. (This is the best part). Marvel at how lucky we are to live in a world where nature just makes food like this and we figured out how to catch it. 

The Final Embers

Whether your camping, cooking in the backyard, or your own fireplace, cooking with wood and flame makes simple ingredients into something seriously special. It turns dinner cooking into hang out time, and if you're having friends over for dinner, it's much less awkward to have everyone sit around the fire than awkwardly stand around in your kitchen while you saute stuff. 

A fire is the source of many things: heat for food, warmth for people, something to stare at an think about life's big questions, and a non-ending supply of cheer. Well, at least until the woodpile runs out. 

This ManMade post was sponsored by Pine Mountain. Thanks for supporting the brands the support ManMade. Learn more about Pine Mountains products on their web site and Facebook page. 

These are thoughts, the artwork, the news stories, the tools, the food, the conversations, and whatever else we just can't get out of our heads this month.      

1. The Rock and Roll Medley That I've Slowly Been Understanding for 15 Years: "A Quick One While He's Away" by The Who

Fifteen years ago, I discovered "You are Forgiven" by the Who on a mixtape. 

Twelve years ago, I learned that it was actually the final movement of a nine-minute multi-song suite called "A Quick One While He's Away" 

Nine years ago, I read that the medley came about when there was ten minutes left on side B of The Who's second album, and the producer encouraged Pete Townshend to fill it up with a single song. Unable to escape the idea that a rock song must be 2:50 minutes long, the producer said "if you can't write one song, then at least write several short songs about the same thing." This process became the forebearer to The Who's revolutionizing idea, the "rock opera," reflected in Tommy and Quadrophenia. 

Eight years ago, I found out the version I actually love is a live recording, from the The Rolling Stone's Rock and Roll Circus concert

Five years ago, I listened super closely, read the lyrics, and realized what the work is about:

• a newlywed woman moves to a town with her husband, who immediately disappears and leaves her all alone (to war? to work?)
• Eventually, she becomes so lonely that her friends convince her they "have a remedy" - she should be intimate with Ivor the Engine Driver
• She finally succumbs to the pressure, and spends the night with Ivor. He's super creepy. 
• Her husband finally returns to town, and they are reunited. She admits to him that she was unfaithful, but all he can tell her, over and over again, is that she is forgiven. 

Two years ago, I found out that what I thought was a high nonsense lyric at the beginning is actually John Entwhistle singing "cello, cello, cello, cello," in falsetto, because the band had wanted a string section for the recording but couldn't afford one. 

This month, I learned the personal impetus for the suite. It was born from Pete Townshend's experience of being sexually molested as a child. His parents had left him to live with his grandmother, who allowed men to come into her house to abuse him. 

The "You are Forgiven" part is the only song that Pete Townshend sings lead vocals on the record, and during live performances, it is repeated ad infinitum while the band goes into one of their signature frenzied states.

I find this whole thing immensely touching. It obvious the song is not a record of abuse, and it goes into a weird hippy cult spiritual revival like thing at the end that has replaced the original metaphor. But it gives a whole new meaning to a rock star screaming "you are forgiven" over and over at millions of people. 

Good story. 

2. The TV Show: Big Mouth

I was prepared to just watch the first episode of this so I could cross it off my list as something that wasn't really for me, but the truth is: I totally love it. Yes, it's a bunch of boner jokes, but it's so charming and bursting with friendship that it's a seriously compelling watch. Not everything works, but the warmth and tone is awesome. I have never been so disappointed to not have more episodes to consume immediately. I hope they make 100 more. 

3. The Op-Doc: "I Have a Message for You" by Matan Rochlitz

This one can speak for itself. 

4. The Thing I Want to Put in My Mouth All the Time: Grill Smoked Winter Squash

I could eat winter squash every day during the fall. And, for the last week, I have. I discovered it's even better if you roast it on the grill with a chunk of hardwood. The sweetness becomes something else entirely when perfumed with wood smoke, and it becomes center-of-the-plate satisfying. 

Here's how I do it: I cut the squash into chunks, take out the seeds, and leave the peels on for now. I toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then place on a medium hot grill over indirect heat (about 400°). The grill has a nicely toasting chunk of cherry or pecan wood to produce smoke. I cook over indirect heat to drive off the moisture and soften the flesh and pick up flavor. Then, I move it to direct heat to carmelize. Or, I let it cool and remove the peel, then I sear it off in a cast iron skillet to reheat for the next few days.

God bless you, fall.

5. The Album: "Go Farther in Lightness" by Gang of Youths

I once heard a band describe itself as "everyone running around high fiving each other all the time." I think that perfectly describes this sub-genre of driving, straightforward, Springsteen meets punk rock with synths group of bands that I always seem to like. (See also Japandroids, Titus Andronicus, Ringo Deathstarr, and Fang Island).

This fits firmly in that category, with a bit of post-Avett stomp and even some emo wailing...but in a good way.

Listen to it. You'll like it. 

6. The Photo Series: People Matching Artworks by Stefand Raschan

It might seem staged at first, but apparently, it's completely legit. Photographer Stefand Raschan patiently waits in museums for just the right visitor to come along.

Taken as a series, it's pretty intense.

7. The Playlist and Accompanying Thinkpiece: "Why Questlove's 201-Song Playlist For Keith Olbermann Is Bigger Than Hip-Hop" by Rodney Carmichael (and Questlove)

Keith Olbermann has been ignoring hip-hop. This is not okay. So Questlove decided to do something about it. 

Read the whole story, with awesomely thoughtful commentary by Carmichael, at NPR's music blog, the Record. 

Sharpening a blade at home - whether a pocket knife, a chisel, a kitchen knife, a hand plane blade, a pair of scissors - is a relatively simple process. In theory. In practice, it can be a bit difficult, since the essence of sharpening a blade is less about the ability to remove material and create/straighten a new edge. Rather - the trick is removing that material at the right angle to create the bevel that makes up a blade's sharp edge. Instructable-r gpierson came up with this great way to create a jig to safely sharpen your knives. He says,

For years I have sharpened my knives on a bench stone (with the stone resting on a table or "work bench"), and most of the time, I'd hold the stone in my hand.  I didn't like having the stone flat on the table, so most of the time, I'd hand hold the stone.  After cutting my fingers on more than one occasion, I decided I should figure out a safer way to do this.  If you are sharpening free hand, many of you already know it's very difficult to get the right angle while sharpening your stone.  So not only is this jig a safer way to sharpen your knife, it also helps you get the right angle every time.

He explains how to create the basic structure, then set it up to create the right bevel so you can sharpen at 90°. As he reminds us, a sharp knife is actually safer than a dull one. 

Get the full how-to here: Knife Sharpening Jig[Instructables]

I always like a tool whose name indicates its purpose. Oh, what's a screwdriver do? A citrus squeezer? How about a box cutter? The function is all right there in the name. 

In many ways, a speed square falls right into the category. It tells helps you determine "square" - that is, when one edge or line is exactly 90° to another, and it helps you do it quickly. Done. Right? Wrong. 

Well, actually, yes, but, wait! There's more. 

A speed square is a carpenter's tool rather than a fine woodworking tool, which means its intended for quick and reliable marking of butt and miter joint lines, rather than precision layout of parts for furniture. And, in this case, that's a good thing: cause, combined with a tape measure, this will help you break down dimensional or "two-by" lumber in no time. When using a marking knife, I'll reach for a try or combination square; but anytime I'm using a pencil, the speed square is the way to go. 

Since it's a solid piece of metal with no joints or moving parts, a speed square can be used as a try square and a miter square, or, a simple way of marking 90° and 45°, due to the long fence that runs along one side. It protrudes on either side, allowing the square to be flipped and used on any edge. 

One of my favorite uses for the speed square is to scribe long lines parallel to the edge of a piece of plywood or solid wood, as for a rip cut. There are notches spaced every 1/4" on the inside of the square, allowing you to place a pencil in the notch, butt the fence firmly against and edge, and scribe a long straight line along the grain.

When making crosscuts along shorter widths of stock, a speed square makes a great fence with which to guide a hand held circular saw. Just use the square to mark the cut line, and then a guide line the same distance of the blade to the shoe plate's edge. If making a rip cut, use the scribing technique above. 

The speed square includes common angles for roofs, stairways, and decks, noted by the Hip - Val (hip and valley rafters) scale. That can take some practice to learn, and specific jobs to use. But along the hypotenuse edge lies a relatively accurate - and super fast - protractor: a way to read and mark angles.

It works like this. Find the pivot edge (the right angle) and hold it up to one side. On the opposite edge, find your angle, and align it to the same edge. The long side of the triangle - the hypotenuse - now crosses your project at your desired angle.

So, as an example, let's say you want to scribe a 20° line across the face of the stock. Do this:

Just make sure the pivot point is butted firmly against the edge once you've made your rotation. There. 20° line. Two seconds. 

The speed square's "rough and tumble" build quality is a strength, and key to its usefulness on a variety of projects. It's cast aluminum, not finely machined, which means you won't think twice about throwing it in a toolbox, taking it to a buddy's house, or using on a ladder above hard concrete, because there's no way for it to go out of whack. If you drop it, it'll still be a-okay. 

Oh, and they cost less than ten bucks. With that price, you might as well get two. Just make sure to keep the little blue book to reference in case you want to learn more about the Hip-Val scale. 

ManMade recommended: 

            Swanson Tool SO101 7-inch Speed Square -  $9.48 

            Swanson Tool SO107 12-Inch Speed Square - $18.23

Spring had traditionally been the time for deep cleaning and purging, but we say fall is better suited. It's the one time of year when all your layers are on display. You've pulled out your wool sweaters and heavy coats for the season, but your short sleeves are still viable options. Every single item you own is in the same place. Only then can you truly assess what you have, and to what you can say goodbye.     

1. White Cotton Tube Socks

Are you an eight-year-old boy in gym class? Then stop covering your feet like one. The truth is, if your clothes fit properly, someone (namely, you) will see your socks multiple times throughout the day. And there is literally no time in a man's life where white, mid-calf length cotton socks are the ideal option. If you need cotton, go for a sub-ankle liner sock for warm weather, or for a medium gray or brown tone for jeans and sneakers day. But when you buy new socks, buy wool or wool-blend. They're the ones that actually wick moisture away from your feet, and don't get dirty brown dingle-pills all over them. 

2. More than One Pair of "Paint" Jeans and Two Shirts

Yes, you need a set of clothes that can get dirty. Believe me - every hobby I have involves something messy: sawdust, glue, bike grease, ink, spray paint, or mud. And its natural to downgrade a pair of jeans once they develop an unrepairable hole or a spill that will simply never come out.

But you only need one set. One pair of pants, and two shirts. These are not your "work clothes," and if you're a tradesperson or craftsman, you know what you need to do your job. But for DIYing or stuff that will just get straight up stained, you need to cover yourself for a weekend: one pair of pants, two shirts. Save the nicest ones, or downgrade something else you're getting rid of. Then, let the rest go. 

3. T-Shirts with Deodorant Build Up

It's unfortunate, but it happens. If you wear deodorant and/or antiperspirant, it will get on your clothes. And eventually, it will build up to the point that the pits of your t-shirts are covered in a waxy, wet-looking layer, especially on colored or dark clothing. And, when that happens, it's time to let it go. Solace: at this point, the collar and sleeves are probably also completely worn out, so at least there are multiple strikes against. 

4. Ties or Belts You Haven't Worn in the Last Two Years

Generally, the rule is to move on from anything you haven't used in the last year. With dress accessories like ties, belts, pocket squares, and the like, give them two years, but no more. The truth is, unless you suit up for work everyday, a lot of these items are used sporadically, and might not get called upon seasonally. But if they've managed to stay on the rack for two years or more, their time has come. 

5. That Button Down Shirt That's Just so Wrinkly You Never Actually Wear It 

You know the one. You liked it at the store, perhaps even shot one of those mirror photos in the dressing room. And you wore it, and everything was great. And then you washed it, dried it, and it's 100% cotton-ness and interesting details came back to haunt you so hard that it's just stayed on the hanger for years. Not even two hours of ironing could help that thing (not that you'll do it anyway). 

6. Your Oldest, Most Worn Out Pair of Shorts

Before you put all your shorts away for the season, set your next summer self up for success and remove one pair. Preferably, the dingiest one - anything will extra pockets, dangly bits, or longer than a 9" inseam. 

7. Socks and Underwear That Will No Longer Stay Up by Themselves

Shirts rest on your shoulder. Pants fit your whole lower half and have belt loops and buttons. Socks and underwear, on the other hand, use elastic or woven ribbing patterns to stay put. And, because these things are designed to compress and expand, they will eventually wear out. And when they do, it's their time to depart. Yes, it's annoying to have to spend money to replace things you already own. Yes, that is what's called being an adult. 

8. Anything You've Ever Worn as Part of a Wedding Party

Yeah, maybe it isn't that bad, and maybe you do like it, but the truth is: that tie tack or handkerchief isn't something you bought for yourself, and you have a hard enough time remembering to wear those that are. The wedding party asked you to join them on their special day, and to be all matchy matchy in the photos, not to design your wardrobe. You're not going to wear it, and they won't care if you do. 

9. Anything With a Hole In

You know why. Yes, you love it, but yes, people can see it, and yes, you can make do without it. Rip off the band-aid. 

10. Extra Warm Coats You Only Wear a Few Times a Year

It's good to have options, of course, but the truth is: if you own coats that you only wear once or twice each winter, they're not doing their job as a coat. And, most importantly, there are people out there who need a coat every single day to survive and stay healthy. Find out who in your city helps those people stay warm, and give them your extras.

The one exception here might be a classic wool top coat that you'll wear over a suit or tuxedo. Those basically haven't changed in a hundred years, and their the kind of thing you buy once and use for life. 

11. Any Piece You've Ever Said "Just in Case" About

You know the item. For when you lose weight, or gain it. For when you might need five different suits for five days. For when you have out of town guests and they need to go waterfall diving with you but didn't pack accordingly.

If you don't wear it, you don't need it in your life. Let it live its true purpose elsewhere. 

Hello to all our favorite people out there in ManMade land. We have a pretty exciting announcement to share:

ManMade is currently looking for new contributors. Kaboom.    

Here's a little more information about what we're looking for.

Job Description:

ManMadeDIY.com is seeking contributors. This is a paid, freelance position. We're seeking crafters, makers, designers, woodworkers, writers, and other creatives who are passionate about the handmade scene, men's style and decor, goods and gear, and the DIY lifestyle. Potential areas of contribution: how-to projects, men's style and accessories, guides and reference posts, and general men's lifestyle content.

We're looking for someone with a clear voice, strong writing, DIY skills, and excellent taste. Preference will be given to those who can shoot original photos or source high quality image illustrations. 

If you're a fan of ManMade and familiar with our point of view, please get in touch. Please send all inquires by email to chris@manmadediy.com, with the subject "New ManMade Contributor Position." Please include a statement about your experience, why you think you're a good fit for this position, and, if available, a resume or links to your other work or social media accounts.

Thanks! We're excited to meet you. 

You know those little pumpkins you practically trip over in the supermarket this time of year? It turns out: they're good for more than just Instagram props. With, like, no work, they make a really tasty pumpkin butter you’ll want to have in the fridge all year long. I’m talking about pumpkin butter with the magical spice flavor of pumpkin pie, but simple, less sweet and much more, well, pumpkin-y. Making a batch with “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins is easy because they’re small enough to roast whole in the oven. A slow cooker really does all the work letting the flavor develop a wonderful intensity and a just-right spreadable texture. All you need to do is throw everything in, hit “low” and let it go. All. Night.

Then, in the morning... wow. Delicious brown pumpkin butter. A great little energy booster spread on toast at breakfast. Keep some in the fridge so you can just dig your spoon into it, but keep more in the freezer so it will be ready to serve as a secret ingredient in all kinds of delectable creations. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A 6-8 quart slow cooker (Crock-Pot) with a “low” heat setting. (Total cooking time will be about 8 hours.)
• A food processor or strong blender
• A hammer and a screwdriver (for venting the pumpkin)
• 3 or 4 resealable half-pint canning jars
• A few zip top bags for freezer storage (sandwich size works great)
• An immersion blender (only if you have one -- completely optional)

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 small pumpkins -- usually labeled “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins”
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ¼ cup apple juice or cider
• ½ cup maple syrup
• Juice of one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt

The spice mix:

Spices can easily be adjusted based on your preference. Keep in mind, you can always add more of anything right into the slow cooker later if you want a bigger spice punch. Same goes for sweetness. The following amounts are more of a guideline -- no need to be exact.

• 2 cinnamon sticks (or at least 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon)
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg (grind fresh if you can)
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• >optional: ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (one pod ground)

Step 1: Bake the pumpkins

Line a large cookie sheet with foil or parchment. Carefully punch 2 ventilation holes near the top (stem) of each pumpkin. A hammer and a clean screwdriver work nicely for this task. (Small pumpkins tend to be very tough and jabbing a knife into these little guys can be ridiculously difficult.) Place whole vented pumpkins on cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350º. The pumpkins are done when they darken and are tender when poked with a fork. Be careful not to let them burn or blacken.

Step 2: Prepare spices and additions

While the pumpkin is baking, make sure your slow cooker is ready but don’t fire it up yet. Measure out the brown sugar, the salt, and all the spices into a separate mixing bowl so that everything is ready to add when needed. Separately, measure the juices and maple syrup so that they are also standing by. All of the added ingredients will go into the slow-cooker at the same time.

Step 3: Make the pumpkin puree

Carefully remove pumpkins from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once they are cool enough to handle, use a knife to carefully cut them in half horizontally. Using a tablespoon (or a grapefruit spoon if you have it) scoop out the seeds and all of the stringy matter and set aside (you may want to roast the seeds later). Scoop the remaining pumpkin flesh away from the shells and into the bowl of a food processor. Mix together well until it is a smooth puree. A strong blender will also work for this but you may have to mix in batches.

Step 4: Let the slow cooker do its thing

Put about half of the pumpkin puree into a slow cooker. Add the brown sugar, spices, salt, juices, syrup. Pour the rest of the pumpkin puree over this mixture and stir everything together. If you have an immersion blender, give everything a gentle blend breaking down any residual clumps and smoothing out the texture even more. If you are using whole cinnamon sticks, add them to the blended mixture now. Cover the slow cooker and turn it on the low setting for about 8 hours. If you’re comfortable with your slow cooker’s low heat setting, just let it go all night long. If you’re not sure, it’s always a good idea to check in occasionally to make sure the mixture is not burning along the edges. You may want to stir everything a couple times during the cooking process to help prevent this.

As the cooking time approaches 8 hours, the pumpkin butter should be turning to a darker brown, caramel color. This is a good time for a taste test to check out the spice level and sweetness. Feel free to add more maple syrup or brown sugar (or any sugar) now. Same goes for any additional spiciness you may want to add. Simply stir in and let simmer a little longer. If there is too much liquid in the mixture at this point, let the slow cooker work longer with the lid off.

Step 5: Store in the refrigerator and freezer

When the pumpkin butter is ready, turn off the cooker and let it cool down a bit. Fill up some jars to keep in the fridge or pass along some refrigerated ones to friends. The rest can be stored in the freezer for months. A good way to freeze pumpkin butter is by filling up individual bags with about a jar’s worth in each one. This way you can use one at a time to refill your jar in the fridge or have a perfect portion to use in a different recipe.

In addition to spreading it on toast or a muffin, pumpkin butter works great in raviolis, cheesecakes, soups, sauces, lattes, bread, pizza, cookies and cocktails. My favorite way to use it is on a grilled cheese sandwich made with gruyere. Get creative and enjoy. Cheers.

Yum, right? Here's all those photos all formatted up for social media. Do use a favor and share it on Pinterest, please?

Tom O’Connor is a photographer with a primary interest in food, travel and lifestyle photography. You can view his work here. He recently moved from Brooklyn to Pittsburgh where he is busy navigating his way through the city’s excellent bars and vibrant food scene. Tom is also the co-creator of Little Island Kitchen, a food based web store featuring a curated selection of small batch food products and kitchen items.

Follow Tom at his site and Little Island Kitchen, and on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

There are times for spending on an investment bottle, but there are even more times for enjoying something perfectly good that cost less than an Andrew Jackson. None of them are going to blow your mind, but you know that already. But - seriously - if you're having fun and it's more about the conversation than what's in the glass, twelves drinks of anything palatable for less than twenty bucks is money well spent.     

1. Kentucky Bourbon: Evan Williams Black Label – $14

Evan Williams is the second best selling Bourbon in the world, and, to our palate, is in a completely different class than the first, Jim Beam. It's pretty mild, which means it's smooth enough to drink neat. But it really starts to shine when mixed with ice and/or soda, and it holds its own with a simple mixer such as ginger ale. Once chilled and diluted, it almost becomes too drinkable. It goes down fast and easy, so be careful.

2. Kentucky Bourbon: Kentucky Tavern Bourbon – $10 

At the same price as a lunch plate at your local food truck, it's hard not to give this one a shot. The truth is: it's different, but it's really not that bad. Sipping it has a pleasant, oily texture and gives you a grain-forward flavor that reminds me a lot of Four Roses, one of my favorite distilleries. It's not too sweet, so it works well with cocktails with sugar added, like an Old Fashioned. 

3. Kentucky Rye Whiskey: Old Overholt – $18

In practice, I tend to prefer the spicier, more challenging whiskeys to corn-forward Bourbons, and I believe these show better in the less expensive bottles. Old Overholt is a damn good whiskey for the price, and if you're mixing up Manhattans or Sazeracs at home, there's not much reason to spend more. If I ever mixed a whiskey with cola, this would be the one I'd choose. 

4. Tennessee Rye Whiskey: George Dickel - $19

This is not as interesting as Old Overholt, in that it's not as challenging. But, for the price, it tastes pretty great. If you pretend it's not a rye and just a solid American blend, it's worth sampling at least once. This is what I think that other super popular and well-known Tennessee whiskey with the black & white label should actually taste like. 

5.  Irish Blended Whiskey: Kilbeggan - $18

From the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland comes a solid entry into the world of pot still whiskey. It's flavor is very grain forward, but still sweet and smooth. If were going to sip one whiskey on this list neat, this would be the one I'd choose. 

6. Canadian Whisky: Black Velvet Reserve - $12

The age statement on the bottle says it "contains whiskies age eight years," which likely means they blend a tiny bit of the old stuff with a whole bunch of brand new corn whiskey. That said, there is a fair bit of barrel flavor in this guy: some smoke, fresh fruit, and fall spices. It's not "smooth," but it's a bottle I'd take to a party or use in a bowl of punch or pitcher cocktail. At its price, is not much more of a risk than a six pack of craft beer, and it'll work with lemon-lime soda or juice or whatever else ends up on the make-your-own-drink table. 

7. Blended Scotch Whisky: Chivas Regal - $19

There are no single malt Scotches worth drinking under $20. There are barely any worth drinking under $40. 

But, I like the flavor of malted barley whiskeys, and I think Chivas Regal is a perfectly fine way to get there when you don't want to spend $50 on a bottle. (Or when you know someone is going to fill their glass with ice and club soda and you just can't bear to share the good stuff). This is likely the Scotch your grandfather drank, and it'll do the trick in between your investment bottles, or after your palate has been burned out by the Islay peat bombs. 

What are your favorite second-from-the-bottom-shelf whiskies? Please share in the comments below.