I have consumed copious amounts of Rye in the past year — maybe that is something I should address or not address in my 2009 resolutions. For better or worse, I am Rye obsessed. Manhattans and Old Fashions every chance I had at Tailor, B Flat, Marlow & Sons, Smith & Mills, White Star, Weather Up, Hotel Delmano, Apotheke, Milk & Honey, The Back Room, Death & Co., Angel’s Share, Little Branch and many more.

The International Herald Tribune breaks down Rye’s allure in one paragraph. “It used to be the signature whiskey of the United States. George Washington distilled it. Men fought over it in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Classic cocktails like the Manhattan, the Sazerac and the Ward 8 were invented for it. Humphrey Bogart swigged it.”

The folks at Anchor Steam in San Francisco have been distilling a really nice single malt (now we are talking) rye whiskey called Old Potrero for a few years now. This 100% Rye mash has become my go-to home Manhattan making solution. Jim Beam spirits also got in on the “ultra-premium whiskey category” with their (rī)¹ (pronounced rye one) earlier in the year. To be completely honest, I am underwhelmed with the approach, the name and the branding. In my opinion, the trend in the cocktail / spirits world right now is based on old-timey mixology and decor. Think Mad Men’s Don Draper and Roger Sterling downing cocktails all day and night. Not a chemistry set and the word “ultra-premium.” If I don’t get to see Sterling Cooper, I want to see a label that depicts George Washington harvesting some Rye at Mount Vernon with Martha in the background rolling a joint. Okay, maybe I took it too far.

See the medals? This shit is decorated.

I have also come up with a solution for crappy home ice. I used to fill a milk carton with water and freeze it, then peal the cardboard and decimate with an ice pick. I have since moved on to filling silicone baking pans with water, freezing and splitting up. This creates a larger, more rigorous ice cube — the calling card of any good cocktail. The er, silicon technique works well, but it doesn’t hold a candle to those Japanese ice machines that spit out the massive ice spheres. Like Kanye says, wait till I get my money right!

If anyone ever says to you that style isn’t cyclical, send them this link and then bitch slap them. Pictured below from the LIFE archive (that has become a worse addiction for me then, well, some of my other massive addictions), are two cyclists on Fifth Avenue in NYC circa 1960! If the cars weren’t in the background I would have definitely said that this photo was from this past summer. Pure insanity! Found via Milano Fixed.

One thing about New York City is we don’t get a ton of snow. Occasionally there will be a Nor’easter and we will get pounded with two feet of the white stuff. Outside of that, there will be a dusting here or a dusting there. It has been coming down all day today but because the temperature is barely at the freezing point we aren’t getting a lot of accumulation.

When it does snow a lot, the city’s sanitation department is tasked with the clean up. The city says that it costs about a million bucks per inch of snow to clear the streets — which is astonishing to me. The other problem is there is no where to put the snow when they plow, so the city deploys 20 massive snow melting machines that cost about $200,000 a piece. To see the process in action is pretty awesome.

Well, I suppose that is enough of a weather report for now. Enjoy the snow.

All photos via Tien Mao.

One of my favorite things about living in New York is our local NY1 news channel. Every morning the monotoned host Pat Kiernan summarizes “What’s in the Papers.” You get all the news without any of the schmutz on your fingers. Well, much to the delight of me, it seems that Mr. Kiernan has taken the segment to the internets on YouTube and his own site Pat’s Papers. God bless these internets!

I’m guessing that most Selectism readers don’t watch 60 Minutes. The reason I say that — not because I don’t see you as a cultured bunch — it’s just that 60 Minutes is so old. Every time Andy Rooney comes on the screen, a little part of me dies. Last night the venerable news program profiled one of my heros, Mr. Julian Schnabel. Strictly from a style perspective, Schnabel is everything I want to be. He makes wearing pajamas in public cool and not creepy (talking to you Hefner), and values comfort over everything. I put together a little “get that look” so you too can dress like an ultra-successful New York artist or like you are just getting the newspaper, however you want to look at it.

Moscot Yale frames although Schnabel gets his from A.R. Trapp on Madison. (Don’t forget to replace the lenses with yellow tinted versions.)

Brooks Brothers Pajamas

While Mr. Schnabel has his purple pajamas custom made, this pair from Brooks will do the trick for the Oscars or a gallery opening.

Paul Smith Morning Coat

While he prefers a large and loose fitting double breasted overcoat, this Paul Smith number is a sleeker alternative.

Loro Piana Cashmere Slippers

How nice do these things look? I would wear these slippers at all times, even in the shower.

Check this off my list. My Brooks B17 Champion saddle arrived last week. Now all I need to do is get Jeff to help me lace it.

One down and four to go…