Last Minute Made in USA Gift Guide: Part I/II

By on December 15, 2011 in Gift Guides with 1 Comment

While I appreciate the attraction of ‘Black Friday’ and other BIG SALE days leading up to the holidays, I must admit, I do not partake. It’s not that I don’t want a good deal, I do. It’s just that when you tally it all up – all the time, effort and attention devoted to being stuck in traffic, waiting in lines (next to crazy people, obviously) and generally being part of a spectacle that’s half Running of the Bulls/half Men’s Warehouse commercial, with all this taking place on a hard-earned day-off – I personally prefer to spend my precious time doing much more productive things, like watching football and eating cheese hamburgers.

So for all you people out there who relish the last-minute because you cherish your time on this great green earth and, frankly, demand the challenge, here are a few neat things, all Made in the USA, to help steer you in the right direction this holiday season.

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Handmade Artisan Soaps, by Trillium Soaps; Made in USA; Rockland, ME

By on December 2, 2011 in Home, Made in Maine with 2 Comments

[I'm excited to announce a new collaboration with Charlotte Wilder of the fantastically entertaining blog The Wilder Things. In exploring the cool of Made in the USA, it has become increasingly evident that Maine is a truly robust center of manufacturing and craftsmanship. Pound for pound, the state packs the meanest punch, and Char will be covering the action for us ringside. Char has spent all her summertimes since she was a wee one in Maine and knows it like no other. At the end of each of Char's posts, be sure to click over to her site to enjoy additional behind-the-scenes, in-depth coverage of the best of Made in Maine. With that, Char. -- Scott]

MADE IN MAINE SERIES:

Rockland, Maine, is known for being occasionally smelly, due to it’s seaweed processing plant. The smell it should be known for, however, comes not from the sea but from soap. Trillium Soaps’ store and studio, at 17 Pacific Street (from which you can see the Atlantic), greeted me this past weekend with wafts of Sage, Grapefruit, Verbena, and hundreds of other scents that blended together in a heady mix. The soaps are all handmade in the back room of the store, and the mechanisms and vats that produce them whirred away as I browsed the lovely displays and smelled the day’s offerings.

Trillium Soaps, Rockland, ME

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Flannel Shirt, by Stormy Kromer; Made in USA; Ironwood, MI

By on November 28, 2011 in Men, Winter Warm, Women with 3 Comments

[Winter Warm Series - Second Installment. In the Winter Warm Series, we'll be seeking out the very coolest of Made in America to keep you warm this Winter]

I’m just gonna get right to it because, frankly, my brain is still half asleep from the obscene amounts of turkey meat I’ve ingested over the past four days. Man, I adore Thanksgiving.

Everyone needs a good flannel; that’s a fact. Even if you live in a tropical clime, you should have at least one warm shirt for when the temperature dives at night. I like flannels because they’re comfortable, layer well, are invariably cool and become even cooler with wear. As it is with your favorite tee or pair of jeans, a flannel shirt will earn a personality and level of comfort that only heavy use brings. The fibers of the garment break down through cycles of dirt, sweat and detergent and the shirt becomes “yours”. It’s an ancient process, for which there are no shortcuts – despite the commendable efforts of enterprising hipsters.

Red Flannel Shirt_Stormy Kromer

Red Plaid Flannel Shirt, by Stormy Kromer; Ironwood, MI

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A Very Made in the USA Thanksgiving

By on November 23, 2011 in Home with 4 Comments

Roasted Turkey

 

If heaven is unique to each one of us then mine would look a lot like Thanksgiving on loop. I suspect I may not be alone in this sentiment. In September, I wrote about the emotional roller coaster that is the NFL season and here’s what I had to say about Thanksgiving:

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Super Tough Chew Toys, by West Paw Design; Made in USA; Bozeman, MT

By on November 16, 2011 in Dog with 2 Comments

“You wanna get nuts? Come on, let’s get nuts!” — Michael Keaton, Batman (1989)

Sure, let’s get nuts. Poodles are awesome dogs (Wha???? Did he just say ‘Poodles’ are awe– but he’s so manly. Does he really think Poodles are awesome?) It’s true, I said it. Poodles are sick dogs, and here’s my case:

West Paw Design Huck Chew Toys

'Huck' Chew Toys by West Paw Design, Bozeman, MT

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Rag & Bone Denim Jeans; Made in USA; Los Angeles

By on November 11, 2011 in Men, Women with 1 Comment

[I’m very happy to introduce a new guest poster on apg: Paul Sanford. A fixture in the Central Park dog circuit, Paul and his yellow lab Parker are the proprietors of a killer web boutique, the Eaton Trading Co., which purveys a curated assortment of contemporary Women’s and Men’s clothing and accessories by brands well-known and others about to take off. Between Paul, who used to work at Marc Jacobs, and his wife Roxanne, who’s at Tory Burch, this family’s got style in abundance – and I’m excited to make the intro. One last thing: Paul’s grandfather, upon returning home from service in WWII, used to take ads out every week in the local Buffalo, NY newspaper encouraging the purchase of American-made products. This was in the ‘50s. USA Cool is in Paul’s blood  -- Scott]

Rag & Bone Jeans Back Pocket

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A Cheap, Fun Toy That Might Just Make Jake Read Good Too; Made in USA

By on November 9, 2011 in Kid with 1 Comment

What stretches without breaking but can be “snapped off” cleanly, bounces higher than a rubber ball, floats or sinks depending on its shape, and will retain its shape if you slam it as hard as you possibly can with a hammer, but will flatten with the greatest of ease if you press it with light, even pressure?

… Give up?

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