California footwear brand SeaVees recently collaborated with Pantone on a collection of colorful canvas sneakers. The people from Pantone were gracious enough to let SeaVees founders Steven Tiller and Derek Galkin into the company archives to curate a group of colors that “epitomizes the cool, casual style of California in 1963.” This collection is especially interesting because, Pantone has never granted anyone outside of the company keys to the vault. The full collection can be seen here.

This also got me thinking about Panton’s branding initiatives as of late. From the GAP pop up shop, to their adventures in Japan. It seems the company is on a 3M style mission of “we don’t make things, we make things better.”

This scene from Deadwood could be my all time favorite brawl. Dan Dority versus Captain Turner. Note to self, I need to name a child or pet or something “Captain Turner!” Awesome! (Slightly graphic.) “Argh! Arghhhhh! Arghhhhh! Arghhhhh!”

I made the 400 mile drive from New York to my hometown of Cleveland to see The Black Keys (one of my favorite bands) perform at The Agora (one of my favorite venues). Since The Keys are from Akron, the show was super packed. I was fortunate enough to see the performance with the band’s family from the loges at stage right, which was pretty exciting. Also exciting were the 24oz tall boys of Coors Light that the Agora sells for $4.50. Being accustomed to NYC prices, the bartender slams down the beer and says $4.50, to which I retort, “$14.50??” “No! $4.50,” she says as the sheer joy washes over me.

The show was absolutely worthy of the long drive. The Agora is such a great old school venue and I’m glad The Keys choose to perform there as opposed to The House of Blues. Over the past couple of years Cleveland has been losing some of its great venues due to either mismanagement or the increased competition from HoB. I hope that the Agora is able to weather the storm and host great bands for many years to come.

Part of what makes living in New York City tolerable is the fact that everyone comes through for one reason or another. This week I was lucky to hang out with one half of the Freeman Transport team, Mr. Benjamin Ferencz. We met up for lunch at Cafe Select to shoot the shit. It is especially cool to meet Ben (for the first time), since we have been emailing and talking between New York and Montana for the better part of a year. Look out for big things from Ben (who’s a fellow Selectism columnist and a helluva nice guy) and Freeman Transport in the near future.

Ever wonder what the guy that runs Selectism does on the weekends? Without comment, I offer photographic proof…

I’m dying to go to Copenhagen this year. I need to just make a decision to visit, crappy economy or not. I found this great video that combines a panoramic photo of the Danish capital, tilt-shifting and the Ken Burns effect. Pretty amazing stuff.

A few weeks ago an ACL reader emailed me a link to Kentucky Correctional Industries, who makes Dickies style workwear, furniture and even mattresses using incarcerated workers in the state of Kentucky’s prison system. As you would imagine — thanks to the super depressed labor cost the — KCI prices are dirt cheap. (One of these days I’m going to order some pants etc., and try them out just for the hell of it.) Now I have to admit, KCI is one of the stranger um, “brands” that has been suggested for my American List. Then today I discovered the Hamburg, Germany based Haeftling, who makes a collection of “jail wear.” No joke. Most of the clothes look pretty average (the items shot on models look downright freaky), but the metal cafeteria tray and wool blanket look pretty cool. The Haeftling products aren’t actually made by prison labor, but the line does draw its inspiration from jail attire. That is one type of manufacturing that you don’t have to worry about being sent offshore since there is no cheaper labor than prison labor. Gives new meaning to Folsom prison blues now doesn’t it.

File this under things I want but do not need. BMW R65 WWII replica motorcycle with sidecar. How long do you think I would last on the highway with that fake machine gun before some statey had me in a choke hold? I suppose you would have to leave some of the props at home.

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.