Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas Travelers! 

I hope everyone had a good one.  I got to see a very rare White Christmas, which was exciting.  I'm just glad it didn't cause me the headaches it is causing other travelers this week.

I just got a chance to look through my newest National Geographic magazine (always a good source of new 'life-list" destinations) and found this great photo of people dressed up as St. Nicholas leading Krampus, a "mythical Alpine mischief maker" in Bavaria (Germany).

Halloween Week Roundup

• I've wanted to experiment with my own burning pumpkins since I discovered these pictures a couple years ago.  Maybe I will get a chance this weekend.  The above picture if from the collection of the best burning pumpkin pics on the Web.

Travel Inspirations

Quick roundup of some pictures and videos to trigger your travel imagination:

First, an incredible time lapse video taken in Tokyo, Japan.
The newest one can be found here.  The rest of the artists videos are found here.

South Front Antiques - Memphis, TN

For many of us its pretty hard to get away and do any traveling even if just around your own city.  But it is good to at least get out of your normal home-to-work routine and check out something new, even if it is in your own city. 

I got a chance to visit some of our local spots one Saturday morning this spring and finally was able to get the pictures up.

It is one of the places I've been wanting to check out in Memphis since hearing about it in a newspaper article last year.  South Front Antiques in Downtown Memphis, on Front Street conveniently, became the main goal on this day.

Southern Legends

Found great article in Garden&Gun about a Legendary Southern Shotgun with roots in Memphis.

It is called The Legend of Bo Whoop.

"More than sixty years ago, the South's most famous shotgun went missing. Here's the story of how it was found"

Lures; Not Just for Fishing Anymore

Fishing Lures being used as decoration, nothing new, but with the resurgence of Classic Americana and vintage pieces incorporated into many design plans Lures are getting another look from people who normally don't fish.

I Need an Animal Skin Rug

 

The Stylish Pad

via Unabashedly Prep, via The New York Times

AMC's Guide to Drinking Like the Mad Men

In case your in need of a vintage cocktail, AMC has posted a guide to mix your favorite vintage fire water.

AMC 1960's Cocktails

Old Fashioned

Manhattan

Mint Julep

The Collection - The Montgomery Garrison

The boot I will have very soon:

The Collection - The Montgomery Garrison

I have been watching their website for months for this boot and they are finally coming out this month! A great boot company making a great vintage style WWII combat boot that is good enough to wear anywhere. Its good to see more and more companies going into their history to remake the classics.

Hunting Slide Show at Men.Style.com?

Im not sure whats going on at GQ. Either, someone is getting fired for letting this slip through the cracks, or they are starting to wake up to what normal red-blooded Americans like to do.

Guns? Hunging clothes? Hunting trips? I have to give them credit though, they actually found some good, useful peices. Not too sure about the $600 gun case though.


Game on: GQ Hunting slide show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage and Modern Motorcycle Design

Just like everything else, it seems that everything old is new again in motorcycle design.  I'll start by saying I do not have a bike at this time, at least not a motorized one.  So I can't talk about the thrill of driving a chopper or crotch rocket.  I can however, and do, appreciate the design that has gone into a good looking bike.  I never really paid much attention to motorcycles until I started watching, of all things, American Chopper.  They really do a good job of showing the work that goes into these bikes.  So here are a few pic of bikes I have found that I like and in a few cases would like to own one day.

The Art Deco lines of this BMW, actually designed in the 20's and 30's could be passed as something new and modern:












1930's BMW - My favorite from a design standpoint.  This bike's production run was never begun due to the war.  The only surviving unit was found in a box and restored in 2007.

1953 Triumph

Harley Davidson Iron 883

 

My favorite, flat track inspired Harley with Husqvarna tank:

Honda 'cafe cruiser' style

1963 Husqvarna

 Confederate Motors gets the industrial design nod for the following bikes:

 

Victory's CORE Concept is another good one:

And my favorite future concept is the hubless bike