With summer days going away, the season for serious fall activities has begun. For many, that means cool water fly fishing.

Note, I did not say "for me, that means cool water fly fishing." Because, I have never been fly fishing.    I've caught my fair share of fish, sure. It's what we did ever summer as a kid for family vacation. But that was more of a drop a line in the water and see what happens sort of thing. And I haven't reeled one in in at least fifteen years.

But, I'd like to. I'd specifically like to learn fly fishing, and I'm especially interested in learn to tie my own flys...because, of course, ManMade. 

This interview with professional angler April Vokey is a great place to start. She doesn't mention any specific techniques, but gives a great tool list and some books that should help you get started. 

When you're ready to get started, check out the extensive list of videos from Seattle-based outfitter Orvis. They have an amazing variety that can help you seriously develop your technique.

I'm serious about learning this stuff. If any Pacific Northwest-based readers are willing to take me out and show me around, I'd love to learn more.

Search the ManMade archives, and you'll find no shortage of love for cast iron cookware. 

You'll also note lots of warnings about some of the pitfalls of buying new cast iron, and our recommendation to buy used or unseasoned pieces so you can indeed build that heirloom-quality non-stick surface that makes cast iron such a great investment and pleasure to use. 

Portland, Oregon-based film studio Cineastas recently visited FINEX, a company in NW Portland that's brought "machine polished, heirloom quality cast iron cookware back to America for the first time in over half a century."

The FINEX pieces are definitely an investment, but so is that $200 stainless saute pan you'd use for the rest of your life. If you are interested in learning more about FINEX, check out finexusa.com. More of Cineastas documentaries can be seen at cinepdx.com.

Thanks for sharing, Tristan!

Spanish creative agency Txaber created a series of beer cans and bottles where the labels match the brew's actual color and corresponding Pantone number. The picture kinda sums it up, really.     

It's kinda fascinating to see these tones representing as opaque matte colors, when we're so used to noting how light interacts with a beers transparent shade and clarity. 

See them all at CreativeBloq: Beer packaging takes inspiration from Pantone

via @CapreeK

Apparently, you can get tiny little MP3 players for less than $5 now. So, there's no reason not to grab one and start hacking it up, taking out the essential parts, and putting it into a much cooler case - like this cassette tape.    Instructable-r BrittLiv used a $4.26 LEGO-style MP3 player, added an SD card, and managed to rework the reels to serve as push buttons to control the music. 

The eventual inside wiring looks a little complicated, but its actually very straight forward, and should be easy enough for anyone who can use a soldering iron: 

Check out the full how-to on Britt's Instructable: Cassette MP3 Player

If you're the type of guy who pays attention to food or restaurant type things, you know "America's most celebrated butcher," Pat LaFrieda. His story, philosophy, and technique don't take meat for granted, but instead honor the fact that 1) it's not a commodity product 2) meat is expensive, and deserves to be treated well. LaFrieda now has a book, discussing the technique and recipes for, you know, cooking great meat. 

No one understands meat’s seductive hold on our palates better than America’s premier butcher, Pat LaFrieda. In Meat: Everything You Need to Know, he passionately explains the best and most flavorful cuts to purchase (some of them surprisingly inexpensive or unknown) and shares delicious recipes and meticulous techniques, all with the knowledge that comes from a fourth generation butcher. If you have ever wondered what makes the meat in America’s finest restaurants so delectable, LaFrieda—the butcher to the country’s greatest chefs—has the answers, and the philosophy behind it. 

On my holiday wishlist. Available now at Amazon: MEAT: Everything You Need to Know 

Yoga fan [and, ahem, ManMade reader] Dan Abramson created Yoga Joes, a re-imagining of iconic little green army men who've traded their battle poses for yoga positions. You know, like "Drop and give me 20 dogs. Downward-facing dogs."   

We asked Dan a little more about his conception and what it took to bring these guys to life. He began because he really wanted to "to get more dudes into yoga, because yoga is often assumed to be a [feminine] sport. This belief is false - yoga is macho as hell. Plus I wanted to get more army folks to give yoga a shot. A number of studies are indicating that is reducing the symptoms of PTSD." Wink.

I know it's a little cliche and HGTV-y, and like "man cave," I've vowed to try to avoid the phrase "curb appeal," at all costs, but...for real, switching out your house numbers can totally change how you feel about the entrance to your home.    

This mid-century house number project is actually one of mine: I wrote it for modernism month on Curbly a few years ago. I made these for a previous home and address, and now they just sit on my bookshelf as a typographic curio. 

They're constructed from an outdoor-friendly composite material called Extira, and sealed with an outdoor silver paint. They've held up quite well for a little over three years.

The post has a template to create these Neutra-alike numbers, or you can select a typeface that works best with the style of your home. Happy Weekend!

How To: Make Your Own Mid-Century Modern House Numbers

I love this bicycle design evolution gif. It's awesome to see the wheels adapt, but my favorite is looping the handlebar/steering mechanism. Mesmerizing. Found on Imgur. 

I love pegboard. I love organizing my workshop with it, I love using it in our office, I think it's cool when people do the Julia Childs-style pegboard pot rack thing...and I even like seeing it in store aisles, and noting all the clever and and adaptable industrial design things used to display items.

But...But! While pegboard is amazing for hanging stuff neatly on a grid, it does absolutely nothing for items without a hole in them. And there are plenty of those used-on-every-project type tools that it simply can't handle: glue bottles, drill bits, paint and putty, and most significant to me, a tape measure. I have three or four of them, all basically identical, and I use them all on nearly every project because there's no obvious place to store them on my pegboard in between making measurements, and they get set down in all kinds of places.

So, I came up with a solution to create very affordable, very customizable DIY pegboard shelves that integrate into any pegboard system and can be made in just a few minutes. They're just as moveable as normal hooks, so you wont have to drill any holes in your pegboard, yet they still can support a surprising amount of weight across their length.

The system is based on two key materials: 3/4" thick select grade pine, and square bend hooks. The 3/4" pine is sold as a 1x4, 1x6, 1x8 etc in the lumber section, and the L-shaped hooks can be found with the eye bolts and other hooks in the hardware aisle. 

The are two important things to keep in mind when making this style of shelf:

1. It's best to keep things to whole inch increments, at least for the width - the part that will butt up against the pegboard. Pegboard holes are 1" on center, and it's easiest just to consider the shelves as taking up a certain number of hole real estate, so they don't interfere with more spots than necessary. It's also wise to think of these as long rather than deep shelves. Pegboard is a mostly vertical system that allows you to use your wall space, not the floor space, so I'd recommend keeping these to no more than 6" deep.
2. In order for the shelves to be installed tight and flush against the pegboard, you need to knock down the back top edge so that you can tilt the shelf to install it with the hooks. You can do this easily with some medium grit sandpaper, a knife, a hand plane, or a router. 

More on both below. 

The assembly process is super simple.

1. Measure out your hook spacing on the back. Since pegboard holes are 1" on center, as long as your holes are spaced at a whole inch length, you'll be good to go. 
2. Make a mark at least 1 1/2" inches from either side, doing your best to keep them on the same center line.
3. Drill a pilot hole for the square bend hook. I used a 3/32 drill bit for a #10 hook.
4. Add the hook to each hole, making sure it's an equal number of turns from the back so that it's evenly spaced against the shelf. Obviously, both hook ends will need to be facing up towards the knocked-down edge. 

The hooks can be a little tough to drive with just your fingers, so I like to grab them with a pair of pliers, and then spin the wood to drive the threads into the shelf.

Then, attach it to the shelf. You can see how the rounded over or chamfered edge is important to get a tight fit here. It allows the hooks to sit just the pegboard's thickness (usually 1/4" or 3/16") away from the shelf, and still be able to attach it.

And... you're done!

That's the basic, use-a-scrap-piece-of-wood-and-some-hardware system. It works great for small, flat items, and can easily be integrated between similar tools that hang on hooks.

For an even stronger, more versatile shelf, you can add a bottom support that will handle much more weight. The idea is basically the same: 

Cut a shelf to length, then add a slightly shorter and thinner bottom rail. Here, I cut the shelf to 18x5" and the bottom piece to 16" x 3 1/4", creating a total height of 4", or four pegboard holes.  Attach with a butt joint, and drill and sink screws to hold everything in place. 

Since I have a router, I used a chamfer bit around the whole top, knocking down the top edge for installation, and to add a more finished look. 

You could even add small hooks to the bottom support for even more versatile storage options. 

I plan to use this technique to create even more workshop storage solutions. Let me know what else one could make with this idea in the comments below. 

In 1947, Life magazine asked the some of the most well known cartoonists and comic strip artists to attempt to draw their title characters - faces and lines they'd recreated for years - with a blindfold on. 

The results are pretty fascinating, and surprisingly consistent among the artists.    

See, the lines are marks are right on, no doubt the product of countless practice. But they're just not arranged in quite the same way, creating somewhat of a Cubist affect, or a Linklater-alike rotoscoped floating feature thing.

Interesting, right? See them all at Boing Boing: Famous cartoonists draw with their eyes closed 

The author, host, and chef Anthony Bourdain reckons he's been away from home for about 250 days a year, for the past decade. If you're familiar with his adventure food and travel properties like The Getaway and No Reservations, you can see how it happens.   Esquire.com figured that with all that experience, Bourdain might have some solid tips for travel, and they've shared his tips for everything from what to wear, to what to pack, to whether to eat or drink on the plane, and then what to do once you've arrived in a new place. 

There's actually a surprising number of tips here. I especially like the perfect travel shoes (Clarks Desert Boots) and his interesting tip to get the best recommendations from locals...by claiming you've had the best _____, and eliciting their critical remarks and suggestions. Don't know if I have the guts to do it, but I bet it works. 

Anthony Bourdain: How to Travel [Esquire.com]

Anyone who reads menswear or men's lifestyle content has noticed the shift over the last three-four years. The suiting dichotomy of "off-the-rack" vs. "tailored" no longer exists, and you simply don't have to spend at least $1000 to look sharp.

The sources are varied: general clothing brands, like J.Crew and its infamous Ludlow, and over-the-seas tailors like Indochino. Suitsupply is awesome, and all of these have a definite, overarching theme - they're slim. They're "tailored," as it were, and they look like the Italian cuts that were out of reach for many just a decade ago.

This isn't news to most of us, but this piece in The Wall Street Journal does a nice job of summarizing the brands and the leaps made over the last few years. Most interestingly, they highlight that this switch doesn't mean guys who would normally have bought high-end suits are now getting theirs from Asia; it's just that more guys can now have well-fitting suits in organic fabrics. 

The Reinvention of the Entry-Level Suit [Online.WSJ.com]

In summer, light breathable cotton works wonders to keep you cool, but as fall and winter weather approaches, its time to turn to more heavy duty fabrics to keep the wind and water out - wool, leather, synthetics, and canvas.   While canvas can be made of cotton or linen as well, its heavy-duty plain woven texture makes it much more suitable for the changing weather. And you can turn any canvas piece - a jacket, a pair of pants, a hat, a bag, whatever - into some seriously weather resistant with a simple dressing of wax. 

Taylor Stitch, a San Francisco-based outfitter who creates canvas outerwear, offer this helpful video about adding a wax dressing to an existing garment. The process is pretty simple, and they provide plenty of tips for getting the dressing into key areas, like seams and pockets, where water can seep in.

Check it out below and learn more about Taylor Stitch here.

Friday pizza nights nearly always mean Saturday leftovers, which can almost be as much of a treat as the night before. While I've eaten my fair share of cold cheese slices, some more complex recipes deserve to be brought back to life in the way they were intended.    

Food52 put a couple methods to the test - the oven and whatnot - and determined the best way is actually a lidded skillet. The skillet's cook surface provides the heat to crisp up the crust, while the lid and a few drops of water bring the cheese and toppings back to life. Kinda like our method of frying an egg.

Check out the full details with an illustrated graphic at Food52: The Best Way to Reheat Pizza at Home

Happy Weekend!

Yesterday, I took the day away from the computer to hang out with some family who stopped by on their way back home from vacation. We headed away from the city to enjoy some of  Oregon's best features - traveling through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, then taking the long way around Mt. Hood, checking it out from every angle.

Last fall, Andrea Nesbitt from Candy Glass Productions did the same thing...but instead of snapping random iPhone pictures every time the summit peaked out from over the trees, she actually took a camera and a tripod and used the images to create this awesome Hyperlapse of "spinning a mountain."

Check it out below. The spinning begins around 1:15: 

And it came to pass that the season for sandals and gin subsided, leaving in its place jackets and layers, autumnal aromas, and whiskey season. 

So, this is a collection not for the kind of guy who finds a label he likes and sticks with it. Cause, those sort of fellows know what they're enjoying this season. Instead, these are the best-bang-for-your-buck bottles, those that have a great relationship between their price and their flavor.

And by that, we don't mean these are value whiskeys that are simply tolerable or "good for the price." Instead, they're solid, investment whiskeys; some of our favorites that will make you happy to spend a couple dollars more, and you'll look forward to enjoying the full 750 ml. They enjoy the happy medium and have a lot to offer for the price; bottles to enjoy again and again, or to give as gifts. 

1. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon

There's a saying in Bourbon country - "the best bourbon is the one you like the best." And, of the options, the one most people to whom I've ever served bourbon seem to like best is Buffalo Trace's eponymous offering. It costs between $19-22.00, and is the same mash bill as beloved high-end brands like Pappy Van Winkle, Blantons, George T. Stagg, and Eagle Rare. It's a low-rye, corn forward bourbon that's simple as versatile as it gets. While it's certainly not the only bourbon I love, or buy, it's the one I'm never bored by, and always chose this guy to take to a party. 

2. Wheated Kentucky Bourbon: Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon

I don't care much for the most well-known wheated bourbon - the one where they dip the bottle in red wax - but I think the Larceny is quite good. And it's different enough from high corn + rye bourbons that it's worth keeping both on hand. This one goes for around $23-25 depending on where you live, but it's definitely a different take on bourbon that really delivers on flavor. Seek it out. 

3. Rye Whiskey: Bulleit Rye Whiskey

Bulleit's become beloved by the cool kid, Instagram set, but for good reason - it's really delicious. Of course, the bottle looks awesome in pictures and makes your blog post look sharp (guilty as charged), but I actually really, really like both the bourbon and the rye. This one hovers right around $25, and is easier to find than the classic Sazerac, and, I think, more fun to drink neat. It's probably made in that giant factory in southern Indiana, but it's still my go-to. 

4. Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Highland Park 12 Years Old

I'll come right out and say it: this is, by far, the most expensive whiskey on this list. It retails for around $45.00, no bones about it. 

But! It is, at least for me, the best deal in Scotch out there, and delivers incredible depth of flavor and complexity for under $50.00, which, for anyone that knows single malt, is an achievement. It's very lightly peated, for just a few hours, which gives it a richness that 1) makes it worth drinking neat, but 2) won't break your heart when your buddy adds a full glass of ice cubes to it. This is not a cult Scotch, and that is a good thing: you can find it nearly anywhere, and offers so much more nuance of flavor than anything else in its price range.

This is the Scotch to buy in between your adventurous bottles. It will never disappoint for the price. 

5. Irish Whiskey: Kilbeggan Blended Irish Whiskey 

I much prefer this to the more well-known Jameson, and it usually comes in for at least $5.00 less at around $20-24. If you tend to like Irish whiskey, this one doesn't disappoint, and if you're new to the style, it makes a great introduction. It has a malt forward-flavor, like the best Irish beers, with just a bit of sweet to make it really elegant. 

If I hadn't just recommended a $45 bottle of Scotch, I'd have chosen the $40 Redbreast Irish Pot Still Whiskey, a 12-year-old that's simply really, really great for sipping. 

6. Best Value Whisky: Canadian Club 1858 5/6 Year

Lastly - yes, Virigina, there is an awesome sub-$15.00 bottle of whisky - the 1858 from Canadian Club. This would absolutely be my first choice if i were going to make a basic highball and mix with cola or ginger ale. It's a really well-rounded whisky that tastes, well, like whisky should taste. Would be a great standby for the holiday season of guests, or to mix in a pitcher or punch. I don't know a ton about Canadian whiskys, but I know this guy is really solid for the price of a fast food dinner for two. So, skip the takeout, raid the fridge, and pick up a bottle of this instead.

What are your favorite, always-worth-the-money whiskeys? Share your thought in comments below. 

Each Wednesday, I post some of my favorite can't-miss links, images, and otherwise mindblowing goodies from across the web. 

A group of adventurers gathered for the annual International Highline Meeting, a collection of 18 slacklines hung up to 330 feet in the air in the Italian Dolomite mountains. 

Here, the participants hang out in a series of hammocks strung up amongst the lines. See more photos at My Modern Met 

David McRaney investigates how some people can believe things you cannot...particularly, non-dominant belief-mapping...things like young earth creationism, conspiracy theorists, intense prejudice, etc. 

In "A New Kind of Living," artist Nathan Prouty expands the scope of the snow globe.

The Kitchn offers a 'name that crazy kitchen gadget' quiz

"The Animal that Wouldn't Die" tells the tale of the seemingly immortal animal, the Hydra. 

They're a go-to lunch for people everywhere: office workers, college students, older children looking for something to fuel their growth spurts. And...I'll admit it - they're delicious. I love just-add-water noodle packs, particularly the Southeastern Asian brands that supply Indonesian or Korean flavors. Add a bit of frozen veg, some fresh herbs, some leftovers or a broth-poached egg, and you've got a legit meal. But, if you're gonna do the worth to improve them, why not start with whole ingredients in the first place, and avoid the preservatives, control the sodium, and otherwise improve on what, we can all admit, is a seriously good, easy lunch.

That's exactly what Kenji from Serious Eats' The Food Lab set out to do, and by my count, he succeeded. He says,

But for all of its pleasure—the salty, MSG-packed broth, the little freeze-dried nubs of vegetables, the slippery, way-too-soft noodles—instant noodles, even the best of them, could never be considered healthy or satisfying in any form other than the basest. Wouldn't it be great if you could get all of the convenience and pleasure of instant noodles—the portability, the just-add-water cooking, the lunch-sized portions—but pack it full of fresh vegetables and real, honest-to-goodness flavor?

Here's a secret: you can, and it's easier than you think.

He goes on to share the technique and recipes to make it happen. There's no mention of freezing here, but I think that'd be possible and worthwhile to explore, so you can whip these up in bulk and not have to eat noodles for lunch for five days in a row...which, while likely fun, defeats the purpose of making a more healthful option. 

Check out the piece in full - The Food Lab: Make Your Own Just-Add-Hot-Water Instant Noodles (and Make Your Coworkers Jealous) 

Suits are a common site on an airplane. Sure, there are the business travelers who made be going straight to a meeting as they arrive, but just as likely - guys wear suits on a plane because they're impossible to put in your luggage without becoming a wrinkly, creased mess. 

Except, there is a way to do it, and its worth a shot if you've a long flight ahead and would much rather snuggle down in something more comfortable.   

Wayfarer, the new travel blog from Lifehacker, highlights this tip from Travel+Leisure on packing a suit in an ordinary bag or suitcase. You tuck one sleeve of the jacket into another, aligning the lapels, and then insert your rolled pants in the bundle, compressing the whole thing down into a manageable -and packable - parcel. 

How to Pack a Suit - TravelandLeisure.com

Pictured at top: Abingdon Weekender and The Ludlow Suit in English Tweed from J.Crew

As far as iconic food images go, the Sriracha rooster has gotta be in the top five. It's got all the style and positive associations of the product, but avoids the overt marketing images of a Tony the Tiger or Mr. Peanut or even the Kool-Aid Man. Oh yeah.    

So, who made it? Turns out, no one, not even the founder of the company, knows the name of the street artist who drew it. Rebecca Katzman reports for Modern Farmer,

The genesis of this iconic image took place back in the ‘70s, on the streets of a war-ridden Vietnam. David Tran, Vietnam native and founder of Huy Fong Foods, stumbled upon a street artist. Tran asked for a drawing of a rooster, and the rest was history.

As far as the "why the rooster" question - there's a reason. Several, in fact. Check out the article in full: Who Drew the Rooster on the Sriracha Bottle?  [via Kottke.org]