Hey Bill, not for nothing, but in my "point of view" no woman who walks down the streets of Santa Monica is a pinhead.
(Somebody needs to get this guy laid...)
When it comes to furniture, nothing screams guy louder than wood. It’s rustic, rough, natural, and fits into just about any well-equipped male domicile. Besides, who wouldn’t want a piece of furniture handcrafted from an old whisky barrel?
One-man San Francisco-based design atelier (that’s a workshop to you and me), Varian Designs is single-handedly bringing Modern Lumberjack back, crafting singular works of functional art out of reclaimed whisky casks, walnut, and steel. And after seeing some of their work, I think that it’s safe to say that founder Forest Dickey knows his way around a woodshop.
The latest collection - Broen from Varian Designs - bridges the gap between manmade and nature-made. And with its architectural lines, it looks just as good at work in the corner office, or at home in the man cave.
The artist is rumored to be designing reclaimed beer hall furniture for the upcoming Green Beer Fest in Arizona this winter. Beer and wood? I submit that it cannot get any better.
But be forewarned: The furniture of Varian Designs isn’t for those light in the pocketbook. The Bartizan Desk will run you just shy of $10,000... and the more bargain-conscious Dagda Chair a mere $1,200. So if you’re interested in sporting some high-class wood, head on over to
www.variandesigns.com to check out the entire collection.
BACHELOR PAD
July 29, 2009
Everyone’s heard of the enormous beer orgy known as Octoberfest. It’s basically the world’s largest excuse to get together and celebrate the beauty of beer and good friends (mostly beer). Well, you don’t have to shell out tons of money for a trans-Atlantic voyage to experience such an uberparty. There’s one held every year right in our own back yard.
The annual America’s Oktoberfest is held in Cincinnati every year, and this year’s bash promises to be one for the record books. People want to have a good time and people want to forget all of the shit that’s wrong with the world. What better way than to down a few gallons of German bier? I personally can’t think of any.
On Sept. 19th and 20th, Cincinnati will be transformed into Zinzinnati USA. More than half-a-million herren und frauen will converge on a six-block area to eat, sing, mingle, sport lederhosen, listen to polka music, try to speak German and perform the Chicken Dance.
I don’t condone the Chicken Dance in any way, but consumption of beer can relax the rules a bit. The event will also feature five stages showcasing
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I'm all for a spoof of the
"Baby, Baby, Baby" video from Make the Girl Dance... Especially when it's got four hot "naked" chicks walking abreast (ha ha, get it?)... but could they have at least given us a little more time to enjoy the view before they wedge in the naked fat dude?
And while we do appreciate the blacking out of his hairy moobs, I could have done without that lingering shot at the end. I may never eat pizza again...
The football season officially kicked off last week with the release of EA Sports’ NCAA Football 10... meaning your college football habit can now be sated, at least electronically.
But it doesn't matter whether playing with friends in your living room or some dude named "BallBustinBuckeye" online, there are always those players that do their best to piss you off with shady play, poor coaching and other frustrating maneuvers.
These are the five worst offenders:
The Elitist
Unless your alma mater is USC or Florida, there’s no reason why you should pick the two best teams in the game EVERY SINGLE TIME. Yeah, you’re pretty good when playing with handpicked, five-star athletes, but let’s see what your real skills are when you run with Duke or Baylor.
The Cheeser
Soon enough, the sports game nerds over at Operation Sports will figure out a play or two that works every single time due to some sort of coding bug. And then The Cheeser will use this play 80% percent of the time - or every time he needs a first down - making it practically impossible to win. Or have fun.
The Optioner
Hey, it takes skill to successfully
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Dear Megan:
Let me start off by saying how unbelievably hot you looked in the new
Transformers. (I haven't actually seen the movie... just the trailers... but still, very, very sexy.)
Now to the point: We men's site bloggers love you. And appreciate all the material you've given us over the last couple of years that has driven countless millions of horny eyeballs to our pages...
The shunning of the fat kid with the rose, the revealing of your bi-sexual fantasies, the way you made us love you even more with your freakishly imperfect thumbs... Even just walking to Starbucks in a plain white tee was cause for a full gallery on many a guy site.
Hell, Angelina Jolie could announce she's adopting half the Detroit Pistons, and we'd still push it down the page to show a pic of you eating a popsicle on a park bench...
But not on August 4th.
That's the day we band together as men's bloggers and say enough! Led by
Asylum.com, and followed by me, AskMen, Boobie Blog, Whip It Out Comedy, Banned in Hollywood, Double Viking, On205th, I Heart Chaos, Yep Yep, Just a Guy Thing, and Asylum UK, Australia, France, and Germany, and others... we have collectively decided that on that day, no matter what you do, we will not post about it.
We don't care if you announce you're moving in with Ellen DeGeneris, walk naked down Hollywood Blvd (just a suggestion), or marry that fat kid with the rose... you're not gonna get any space on our blogs.
We've decided instead to spend that day drooling over another deserving actress of our choice. Many of the other sites are going with Olivia Munn. Me? I was originally going to go with TCO (but I figured that was just cruel), and am instead leaning toward
Odette Yustman. Or as I like to call her: "The Poor Man's Megan Fox."
But don't worry, on August 5th we are back to scanning the newswires again to see if you got your nails done, or maybe a new tattoo. But we just need that one day to ourselves.
I hope you understand.
BG
Check out the ridiculous inverted triangle choke Toby Imada lays on Jorge Masvidal in this Bellator MMA bout.
Hanging upside down and backwards, he still manages to sink this in. And not just for a tap... but a full-on, drop-to-the-mat-unconscious choke out.
You got something better... bring it.
You're in a bar, watching some pumped up d-bag with a full-sleeve tattoos on both arms, calling out some pasty guy who is dancing around like an idiot.
Your money is probably on the jacked-up, tatted 'roid-head, but according to Dr. Pearlman Hicks, he's most likely going to be the one on the wrong end of that ass whooping.
Since 1985, Dr. Hicks has sat at ringside for over 300 fights as a California State Athletic Commission ringside doctor. And he's developed an uncanny ability to pick the winner simply based on how the fighter looks - along with a system he believes will not only predict the winner of a boxing match (listening you degenerate gamblers?), but if you're ever involved in a bar fight, may help you decide whether to fight or get your drunk ass out of there.
Here's what the fight doctor looks for during a match... and what you should look out for in a bar:
1. In a boxing match always look at a boxer’s shoes.
If they're brand new with fancy colors and tassles, the guy's usually going to get his ass kicked. Any boxer worth his salt will wear comfortable, broken in boxing shoes. The ring is slippery enough from water, sweat and blood. He knows that new shoes are uncomfortable as well as slippery.
In a bar fight, if he is wearing combat boots, watch out. A roundhouse from a heavy boot across the chin can take you down in an instant. Ballet slippers? Not so much.
2. In a boxing match, the more tattoos the fighter has the bigger his ass whipping is going to be.
Boxers with lots of tattoos wear them to give themselves a psychological edge and they hope the tatts will intimidate the opponent. In most fights I've seen just the opposite happens, these guys get worked. Now I'm not talking about a few tattoos, I am talking about guys who cover more than one quarter of their bodies with them.
In a bar fight, watch out for the Asian guy with the kanji arm tattoos. He'll clobber you.
3. In a boxing match the guy with the best physique is going to get his butt handed to him.
Big muscles with superb definition are usually the result of hard work with the weights, and steroids. We used to call this type of a physique "muscle bound." This means that while they look great, they are slow with their punches, and
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GUY GUIDES | SKILLS
July 24, 2009
Ah, National Tequila Day. Nothing like a holiday set aside to celebrate and honor a truly great spirit. (Now if Hallmark would only get on board: "Roses are Red, Agave is Blue...")
I've have no idea whose idea it was to set this day aside. So when I was interviewed this morning on John & Kate in the Morning on K107.1, I told them I believe it was established in 1873 by then president of Mexico Jose Cuervo... and that's the story I'm sticking to...
So when you're tipping back a few in honor of Mexico's agave-filled wonder, add a few of these cocktails to the party drink menu. They were developed by mixologist Victoria D'Amato-Moran for a partnership between Cabo Wabo tequila and Midori melon liquor.
The great mix of fruit (which the ladies will love) and premium tequila (which gives it the kick you love), make these drinks a good choice for an imbibing crowd.
Midori Mambo
1 part Midori Melon Liqueur
1 1/2 parts Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila
1 1/2 parts Coconut Cream
1/2 part fresh-squeezed organic Lime Juice
Spicy Yubari Margarita
1 part Midori Melon Liqueur
1 1/2 parts Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila
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This is your last shot to score the $1600 HP Server and entertainment notebook bundle... I'm picking the winner tonight.
If you didn't see my original post on Monday, you can
read it here. But for those of you busy looking for Megan Fox pics, the bundle includes: an HP MediaSmart Server LX195 with 640 GB of hard drive space, and the HDX18 18.4-inch entertainment notebook.
Remember, all you have to do is just
enter your email here, and as a favor, click through to see the product descriptions and demos. (That makes the reps happy and lets me keep having giveaways like this for you.)
For the HP MediaSmart Server LX195
click here, and for the info on the HDX18 Entertainment Notebook
click here.
Good luck. Only a few hours left...
Well, I
asked you to take part in the Great Male Survey for 2009, and ya did.
More than 50,000 guys took part in the survey, and the results are in.
Here are some highlights:
- 69% of us have fantasized about a girlfriend or wife’s friend.
- But 70% would never actually cheat. (I'm crying shenanigans on that one.)
- 84% cook at home.
- 95% don't mind dating a chick who makes more than he does.
- 48% would dump a girlfriend if she got fat.
- 27% drink 7 or more alcoholic drinks per week.
I'm not sure I like us any better after reading some of these...
Click here to see the complete results.
You know how Ned from Sales is always invading your personal cube space to tell you about the latest self-loathing cougar he hooked up with from Craig's List? While you're trying to finish your TPS report before the afternoon meeting?
Well you can keep him away with Les Nessman-like efficiency (From
WKRP in Cincinnati...
look it up), with the new CubeGuard Cubicle Message Barrier.
Who needs walls and doors, when a simple "DO NOT DISTURB" or "GO AWAY" across a retractable strip can ward off unwanted interruptions from gabby co-workers? Especially when accompanied by a smiley face.
Attaching to the sides of your cube (up to 50 inches), by either velcro or magnets, in seconds you're letting coworkers know your 6 x 6 office space is now as exclusive as a downtown nightclub... and they're not on the list. (Because we all know, nothing stops a chatty office worker like a 50 inch strip with smiley faces.)
They'll even customize a CubeGuard for you, with your own "special" message to those you work with. I'm having mine made to say: "Don't ask me where I got this, just go away."
$19.99. Custom messages $29.99.
www.CubeGuard.com
I guess you can chalk this one up to "marketing hype" too...
In case you actually have a life and missed all the chatter on the Intergoogles, Nike discovered and "confiscated" a video of some amateur dunking on LeBron James.
So embarrassing was the footage, so damning to his superhuman talent, they were going to lock it up forever, lest we mere mortals gaze upon it and thereby consider King James anything less than the god they pay him millions to be...
Well TMZ got ahold of the tape (imagine that), and immediately turned on the hype machine that were going to release it today.
And they did.
Is it as devastating as Nike made it out to be? Um, no. Not even close. In fact, it sucks.
You can see it for yourself, by clicking the image below. (TMZ didn't give an embed code... must be looking for hype traffic...)
[
UPDATE: A much better version has surfaced...
CLICK HERE to see it up close and in HD]
Just a word of advice from your Uncle BG... if you're going to participate in something as stupid and infantile as a "Slap War" in some lame and misguided attempt to prove your manhood... well then, my friend, you deserve to suffer the consequences...
Man Loses Slap War - Watch more Funny Videos
By Bob Lesher
Does the thought of having your personal information stolen by some asshat hacker get your blood boiling? Yeah, mine too.
And with the amount of personal data floating around the Interwebs only getting larger - and the pool of cybercrooks getting deeper - making sure your private info is kept private ranks pretty high on the list.
But even the strongest Internet security doesn’t completely protect you while you shop online. Hackers can still access your personal info while you're entering it into your computer... and while it resides in your computer’s memory. So instead of typing it in, swipe it in.
The SmartSwipe is a personal credit card reader that attaches to any open USB port. Install the software, and the next time you’re online to renew your Bacon of the Month Club membership and you’re ready to check out, just take your credit card and run it through the card reader.
It automatically encrypts your info using the same technology used by major retailers worldwide before it gets to your computer. The software then prompts you to approve the transaction, you click OK and your shopping trip is complete. You get monthly deliveries of bacon, and cyberdouche gets nothing.
$99.99
www.smartswipe.ca
What would happen if the major sports leagues opened its doors to women athletes? Of course, not every female standout could cut it playing with the big boys, but there are a couple who might at least make intriguing test cases.
And by "test cases" I mean chicks we'd actually pay to watch. Women with that rare combination of athletic skill and sex appeal...
Here are a few who give true meaning to the term Fantasy Picks:
Baseball: Jennie Finch
Trying to hit Finch’s blistering fastball is practically impossible from the 43-foot distance of a softball mound, but could she make it work from 60 feet, 6 inches and with a smaller ball?
The effect would probably be similar to the arm action used by sidewinder pitchers – the ball would come out so low that even at a slower speed it’s harder for the hitters to pick up.
And if she winds up sucking, well... at least she could distract the hitters.
Soccer: Hope Solo
Soccer is the one sport where you can actually image a woman playing. After all, the biggest thing you need to play is stamina. It doesn’t ever get too rough, because the refs call fouls at practically any contact (which is how pretty boys like David Beckham get to thrive).
But Solo is a perfect candidate – as a goalkeeper, she has the skills that transfer without any special needs.
Plus, as the U.S. team’s national keeper, she’s faced high quality teams and
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SPORTS | WOMEN
July 19, 2009
Attention strippers who really wanted to be fitness trainers and fitness trainers who really wanted to be strippers...
(My favorite part of this? The "Magic Vibe" sponsorship on the side of the stage.)
Polefitness championships - Watch more Funny Videos
Every once in a while I've got a prize to give away that amazes even me. This week is one of those times...
I've got an HP Server and entertainment notebook bundle - valued at $1600 - to award one of you lucky readers. (Yeah, I know, I didn't believe it either at first.)
Here's what's included:
An HP MediaSmart Server LX195 with 640 GB of hard drive space. (And 4 USB ports to jack in external drives for even more storage.)
It'll automatically back up and store content from any and all Macs and PCs on your home network. And it'll let you remotely stream about 147,000 songs, 405 hours of video or about 168,000 photos to your computer, from anywhere. So that embarrassing video of your buddy hitting on that big, big girl at the bar - on his way to joining the Mile Wide Club - will be safe and protected forever. ($399)
Then there's the HDX18 notebook. It's 18.4-inches of pure laptop entertainment. (The kind that doesn't leave body glitter and the smell of stale beer on you.) It's designed to deliver home theater-quality audio and video, (there's even an HDMI output), has a built in web cam, a Blue-ray drive and more, all packed in a "liquid titanium" case. ($1,199)
Now here's the deal: I'm not going to make you jump through hoops, write any essays, or make any YouTube videos, to win this unreal HP bundle. All you're gonna have to do is just
enter your email here, like all my other contests...
BUT I am gonna ask you to click through to see the product descriptions and demos (you'll want to 'cause I purposely left out a lot of the good stuff), so that I can keep having giveaways like this for you.
For the HP MediaSmart Server LX195
click here, and for the info on the HDX18 Entertainment Notebook
click here. You're on the honor system.
ELECTRONICS
July 19, 2009
by Ryan Coombs
Once again we're here to plead for a return to the manliness of yesteryear.
And after seeing that
Brüno was the number one movie in America last week, we need it now more than ever.
Last week we lobbied for the return of duels to settle disputes. (
Read)
This week? Lets bring back the
Liquid Lunch...
The Situation:
Important client meeting for lunch. Seal this deal and that prick Bob in Sales can eat shit cause you're the new king of the office... well on your way to mid-6 figures, a new Bimmer, boat, and ever present "exotic dancers".
How Guys Deal With it Now:
Schmooze the client. Impress him by remembering his snot-nosed kid plays T-Ball. Listen to endless stories about his snot-nosed kid playing T-ball. Expound on all the ways you can make his life easier. Sip on unsweetened ice-tea while you eat your arugula salad.
How Guys Dealt With it Then:
Open with a long discussion about the rack on the new skirt behind the reception desk. Steaks, scotch, cigars. Impress him by explaining why his son is a no good beatnik pussy. More scotch.
Repercussions Now:
Follow up a few dozen times and jump through all the hoops. Client takes his business elsewhere because they can get better price points. Its just business ya know.
Repercussions Then:
Shake hands over a table full of empty glasses because you have a deal, sir. Now, more importantly: Do you have time for a quick stop at the titty bar before you head back to the office?
Case in Point:
Don Draper from Mad Men or any other pop culture depiction of the 50's. Ask any honest older coworker at a happy hour, or your grandfather, about how things "used to be done". Or just take a look at the successful "Good Ole Boy" networks that thrive in politics, universities and athletic leagues.
Business is meant to be hashed out over a few cigars and some good whiskey. A true business relationship should thrive on mutual respect and openness, not be confined to stuffy conference rooms and boring salad-filled lunches.
Now get off your ass, take a swig of that scotch in your desk drawer and get that damn deal done.
It's an inspired pairing of Cornholio stupidity and promotional genius... these zombie shirts are being given away - free - at Comic-Con by CapCom to promote Resident Evil.
It'll turn you from mild mannered cubicle dweller into a brain sucking zombie with the flip of the front.
And it actually made me consider going to Comic-Con just to get one. For about 4 seconds.
[Via
NextRound]
A few tweets and here's what I know about Khloe: She's from Southern California, loves wakeboarding, playing video games, and that guitar. Suddenly I'm a fan too.
Follow her at:
twitter.com/scggkhloe.
See more pics
here.
By Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, BG Style Editor
Gabby, the BG Style Editor, gives you the lowdown on what's hot in shades this summer.
Sunglasses can make or break more than just your outfit. They can affect your game. Face it, one of the first things that hot chick is going to notice about you this summer is your sunglasses.
But your shades have to give off the right vibe. There's a very fine line between "Hot Guy With Confidence and Style" and "D-Bag Trying Too Hard".
I spoke with the stylists at the Solstice Sunglass Boutique to get an idea of what's hot this summer... and what kind of guy should be wearing what frames.
So here is your quick guide to fitting your shades to your personal style:
Indie Rockers (You're a Cold War Kids fan, wear skinny jeans, plaid shirts, and anything nonconformist)
You've got that "not concerned with others’ viewpoints of me" attitude in regards to your lifestyle, music, and clothing. Pair these hot specs with your favorite hoodie and gray straight leg denim.
Hip Hop Lovers (You've got Common on heavy rotation and rock kicks like Nike SB and BAPE)
Keep the bad boy styles going by sporting these hot red frames with some fresh new kicks (try the R+ Sneaker by Rocawear) and a deep V-neck tee. These ‘80s inspired shades by Carrera have been seen on celebs such as Kanye West, Gwen Stefani, and Usher.
Surfers-Skaters-Snowboarders (You listen to Taking Back Sunday, have an ever present skate-/surf-/snowboards, and wear Kenneth Cole work shoes by day and Vans by night)
Wear these ocean blue aviators with your favorite boardshorts, tee, and straw fedora.
Mr. Eclectic (You rock out to whatever you deem cool, wear whatever is clean without a care of what’s “in,” are always on the go, and are a work hard-play harder disciple)
You need to keep a look that plays off your laid back style and personality. These classic shades look great regardless of the outfit.
Check out any of the featured styles at
www.solsticestores.com
By Bob Lesher
You gotta love the California-based
Stone Brewing Company. They’re out of control, push the envelope, crazy-ass dudes... and they make some of the finest ales on the planet. Perhaps nothing typifies their overall attitude like their Arrogant Bastard Ale. According to the Stone Brewing Company website, when it comes to Arrogant Bastard Ale, “You probably won’t like it. It’s quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth.” Do I smell a challenge?
Arrogant Bastard Ale is brewed in the style of American strong ales. Well, it’s not really a recognized style, but more of a catch-all for those beers and brewers that don’t follow convention and that basically like to give the big middle finger salute to style guidelines. In the case of Arrogant Bastard Ale, it’s dark, its hopped to the hilt, and it packs a malt punch.
The 22-oz bottle is intimidating on its own. Sporting a winged demon with a devilishly knowing grin; it dares you to pop the top. The beer pours a slightly thick deep amber color with just a touch of haze. The
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You watch and feel the pleasure and huge enjoyment coming from the special hilariousness of the full and proper laughing. Please to enjoy...
(Thanks to our boys over at College Humor)
ENTERTAINMENT
July 15, 2009
By Bob Lesher
3 Days.
400 breweries.
1,800 beers.
That about sums it up. Three days of yeast, love, and hoppiness. The 2009 Great American Beer Festival is heading to the mile high city and if pre-event ticket sales are any indicator (which I’m pretty sure they are) this one promises to be a blowout.
The annual Great American Beer Festival is a true celebration of all things beer. Where else can you get the chance to sample such a wide variety of beers from all over the US? Nowhere. This is the granddaddy of beer shows and if you are even remotely interested in beer you owe it to yourself to be there.
The way it works is pretty simple: There are four sessions (two on Saturday) during which you get to run around like the malt maniac you are, sample cup in hand, getting your taste buds on just about any kind of beer you could imagine. (Sorry, I had to wipe some drool off of my keyboard.)
The cost of a session ticket is $55. You can also get a 4-pack to get
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Let’s face it – we all watched some part of last night’s MLB All-Star Game because there was absolutely nothing else on. It was fun for a while, and then you started to notice the flaws. By the time the game was over, no one cared anymore.
The All-Star Game will never be as huge as it once was, but at the very least, it could be more exciting. Here are some suggestions.
Expand the rosters:
Every year, people bitch and moan (sometimes rightfully so) about deserving players left off the All-Star team. Why does there need to be some arbitrary roster restriction? Does anyone care about this? If you set some parameters – say, any player with 20 homers, over 60 RBI or 10 wins is in – you’ve covered most of the people who got screwed.
Ditch the World Series rule:
Why should a mercy selection from the
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A lot of guys don't have room in their house for a dedicated man cave or even a dude den. (Yeah, I know. You married guys. Sorry.) But everyone's got space for a Man Wall. Even if she's using the spare bedroom as her scrapbooking center...
Designed to bring complete guy entertainment ("Guy-tertainment"? Someone call Spike) in one convenient and customized wall-sized center, the Man Wall's got everything we need to spend a weekend planted in one heavenly spot.
The centerpiece is a 42″ Vizio flat panel LCD HDTV, surrounded by three 26″ flat panel Vizio LCDs. A matrix splitter lets you control all four TV’s by a single remote, so there's no juggling.
Bringing the noise is a 1000 watt Panasonic 5.1 Home Theater System complete with two wireless surround sound speakers and a DVD player with 5-CD changer and iPod docking station.
And if those four HDTVs aren't enough to satisfy your sports jones, the Wall is topped by a 7-foot live sports ticker with its own built-in computer. (My broker can kiss my ass with his stock ticker...)
Because man can not live by visual entertainment alone, the Man Wall boasts a full-sized, built-in, refrigerated beer keg with tap. (I need to change underwear.)
Light up a cigar from one of the two humidors. Each has its own humidity gauge and holds 25 smokes.
Hungry? Heat up some frozen burritos in the 1000 watt microwave oven. Got a date? Pop the cork on a red from the 32-bottle wine rack. You could go an entire week and never move more than 9 feet.
So what's it going to run you for this wall of dude dreams? $14,900. Plus shipping. And beer.
For more info, head over
www.hybridspacefurniture.com
GEAR | BACHELOR PAD
July 14, 2009
Wondering what's the one piece of clothing no guy should be without? Didn't think so. But I was, so I spoke to our friend Fred Reali, snappy dresser and chief style guru over at
Hamilton Douglass Clothiers, and asked him.
He came back with an immediate answer: The White Shirt. (And the way he said it, I'm pretty sure all the words were capitalized.)
Season after season, year after year, it leads the list of wardrobe staples.
Why's the white shirt so essential? Reali backs it up with four good reasons:
1. Very few pieces have the level of versatility of a white shirt. It's a fresh canvas, that can be painted upon with any color or pattern of necktie and worn with everything. (Style gurus talk like that.)
2. The white shirt is the number one selling shirt color in the world, and is gaining ground in popularity. It's followed closely only by blue. Everything else, in the way of patterns, stripes, etc. is a distant third.
3. When times are tough men want to be serious about their look. In a vibrant booming economy many men turned to colorful dress shirts. Now, in an era of restraint and conservatism, a simple white dress shirt sends a savvy and timely message that a man is seriously ready for work.
4. Whether it's properly pressed and crisply accenting a pinstriped suit or worn wrinkled with a pair of faded jeans, the white shirt is about as classic of a fashion icon as they make.
And who doesn't want to be iconic?
www.hamiltondouglass.com
By Bob Lesher
You like beer. You like food. It’s only natural that you want to combine the two, right? I agree whole-heartedly... and so does food author and fellow beer-lover Lucy Saunders. In her cookbook, "The Best of American Beer & Food," she’ll have you crafting the perfect pairing of suds and grub in no time. And this book isn’t your run-of-the-mill cookbook. It’s loaded with full-color pictures and easy-to-follow recipes that just about any guy should be able to nail – even after a few pints.
The Best of American Beer & Food showcases chefs and craft brewers from around this great nation who not only love beer, but cook with beer. You’ll get suggestions on beer and food pairings that cover the gamut from pilsners to porters and everything in between. The book starts off innocently enough with a useful primer on the art of beer and food combinations and then dives straight into the goods.
There are 75 recipes, each complete with a suggested beer pairing to get you off on the right foot. The first half of the book is arranged by region of the country so you can easily head down south for some pulled pork and IPA or up to the Pacific Northwest for some salmon and hefewiezen.
Isn’t it time you beefed up your culinary game? We all know that women love a guy that can cook, and if you can get your beer at the same time, it’s a win-win.
$22.95
www.beertown.org
From Lance Armstrong's personal video files: Funny man and bike race fan, Robin Williams stopped by to chat with Lance after a Tour de France stage... and do a few impressions, give Lance shit about his compression socks, and show off his heart surgery scar.
A little something for everyone...
By Bob Lesher
In a previous Brew Review I covered the brilliant English elixer, Newcastle Brown Ale (
read), and was quick to point out that the best way to experience this classic is on tap at your favorite pub. Well, the folks at Newcastle agree and have decided to make it even easier for you to get your hop-loving hands on some Newkie the way it was meant to be served.
They announced recently that they would begin test-marketing the Newcastle DraughtKeg. Incorporating some pretty sweet (and patented) beer technology, together with Newcastle’s unique flavor and refreshing, smooth finish, the DraughtKeg is basically your own porta-pub, giving you the real draught experience just about anywhere. I wouldn’t recommend trying to sneak it into a movie, though. It’s not exactly stash-friendly.
Featuring the same technology used in the Heineken mini-keg, the Newcastle DraughtKeg combines an internal CO2 system with a mini tap. This feature helps keep the beer fresh for up to 30 days after tapping, and
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By Bob Lesher
You know it and you love it. One of the greatest rock shows ever to grace the planet, Lollapalooza, is getting ready to rock eight stages in the windy city August 7-9 and we here at BG don’t want our readers to be left out in the cold.
So The Bachelor Guy is teaming up with Island Records to celebrate their 50th Anniversary... and to give you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the annual Lollapalooza festival in Grant Park, Chicago.
What? You can’t afford the gas money? How about we take care of that and throw in a $100 gas card to help get you there.
So you’re just that much of an asshat to complain that a weekend full of live music with mega-stars The Killers, Beasties Boys and Tool (to name just a few) isn’t quite enough... then you’re in luck because Island Records is also hooking up the Grand Prize winner with the entire Killers’ catalog - as well as albums from Noisettes, Airborne Toxic Event, and Ida Maria. Now that should shut your hole.
But wait, there’s more. (Thanks Billy.) Just because you don’t win the biggie doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to share in the love.
Island Records is also giving away custom Zippo lighters and music download cards with the top 50 Island songs from the past 50 years to 25 runners up.
Don’t pass up your chance to get in on the action. All you have to do is get off your lazy ass and
enter your info here. The contest runs until August 3rd, so get on it. For more information on the festival lineup and stage locations check out the Official Lollapalooza Website at
www.lollapalooza.com
ENTERTAINMENT
July 13, 2009
Summer vacation time is here. And when you're planning yours, take my advice and make sure Houston is on the agenda. With a side trip to Atlanta.
Why? Because Trojan condoms did their "Pleasure Survey" and both those cities score at the top of the list in both Sexual Frequency and Sexual Satisfaction.
Down in Houston, they're knocking cowboy boots an average of 101 times a year. Or about every 3 days. Trouncing second place Hot-lanta which came in with 88 times a year. The national average? 79 times a year, or about 1 and a half times a week (Insert "Who is having sex half a time?" joke here.)
Rounding out the Top 10 most sexually active cities are:
3. Washington D.C. 86
4. Los Angeles 82
5. New York 80
6. Boston 79
7. Chicago 73
8. Dallas / Ft. Worth 73
9. Philadelphia 73
10.San Francisco 60
But quantity does not equal quality. When it comes to the most satisfied cities, Houston drops to number 3 with 70% satisfied with their sex lives, and Atlanta rises to the top with 73%. (I may have to rethink my suggestion to make the ATL just a side trip...) And NYC, number 5 on the frequency list, slides
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Here's the thing about Monday mornings: I'm usually dragging ass because I was so wired from the weekend - and probably from the fact that I slept till noon - that I don't fall asleep until 2 or 3 Sunday night.
And when that alarm goes off at 6:30am, I know I'm in for a hellish 8 hours of trying to be focused and productive on 3 hours sleep.
Well, Drank, the relaxation drink I told you about last year (
here), has a solution to that problem. And it's called Drank Deuce.
What they've done is take their mellowing formula of ultra-relaxing herbs melatonin, valerian root and rose hips, and squeeze them into a 2-oz anti-energy shot. This stuff knocks you out faster than Brock Lesnar. Without the headache and hungover feeling.
No need to refrigerate, fits in a pocket (or overnight bag), and it's got a light, almost flavorless, taste - unlike the sharp sweetness of its energetic cousins - that makes downing it easy. I just tried one ten minutes ago and I'm star... zzzzzzzzzz......
www.drankbeverage.com
Lt. Dangle, his shorts and the rest of the squad are back spoofing Reno's finest in the 6th season of Reno 911! on Comedy Central. And I've got the complete season - uncensored - on DVD to give away.
It's got every episode, guest stars like Carmen Electra, Rachael Harris, Jonah Hill, George Lopez, Patton Oswalt, and Nick Swardson, and over 2 hours of bonus footage, extended and never-before-seen outtakes and audio commentary from the cast. And a digital version of every episode to upload to your iPod for viewing on the road.
All you need to do to win the set is
enter your email addy here. And on Friday the 17th two of you will have the cops of Reno knocking at your door.
ENTERTAINMENT
July 12, 2009
In honor of our boy Lance kicking ass and taking
noms over in France - again - I'm posting a couple of recipes for healthier barbecue from his site,
LiveStrong.com.
Now I love me some ribs and flame broiled marinated meat like the next guy, but according to the numbers they gave me from LiveStrong, a 3 ounce serving of beef short ribs is 251 calories and has 15.4 grams of fat, pork ribs have 103 calories and 8.4 grams of fat per ounce, and a single hot dog ranges between 170 -280 calories and has between 12 to 17 grams of fat.
Think of how much pedaling you'd have to do to work that off.
So, when you fire up the grill this weekend, try his Grilled Shrimp over Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad instead. And rather than use traditional barbecue sauce, which is big on calories, use their Susy's Everything Marinade. It works on fish, chicken and steak. Lot of flavor. Without making you big enough to bend your bike frame.
(For more recipes and healthy eating tips, head to
www.LiveStrong.com)
Grilled Shrimp over Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad
Makes 6 servings
16 oz shrimp, cooked
3 cups arugula
8 slices, thick/large (1/2" thick), red ripe tomatoes
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Summer time is party time... but nothing kills the party quicker than forgetting plastic cups or limes, or running out of beer and mixers halfway through.
But worry not party people. No longer will you have to play Rock Paper Scissors to see which one of you has to leave the fest to make the next beer run. No more calling friends to see if they can pick up some ice on the way in.
Delivery.com will bring the party supplies right to your door.
Available in 75 cities in the US (and rapidly expanding to more), this 24/7 delivery service has your back for anything from dinner and a movie... to a bottle of wine, candles and flowers... to condoms and an extra toothbrush. (Depending on how well the party goes.)
All you need to do is log on, place your order, and in about a half hour, your fridge is packed, the bar is stocked, and the party is back in full swing. And you can even order ear plugs for your neighbors.
www.delivery.com
BUYING GUIDES
July 09, 2009
By Bob Lesher
Summer has landed smack dab in our faces and there was much rejoicing. It’s time to wake the Weber and get to grillin’. But hold on... do you have everything you need? Grill? Check. Flammable heat source? Check. Meat? Check. Beer? Check. Multi-purpose grilling tongs with integrated silicone basting brush and sauce pot? Um, huh?
From the “Why the hell didn’t I think of that?” files, the Grilly Goat product line combines three essential grilling tools - silicone basting brush, 2-cup capacity sauce pot, and 16” soft-grip tongs - into one well-engineered set. (A rare combination of "well made" and "functional".)
And if you have one of those Weber 18-1/2" or 22-1/2" charcoal kettle grills, you can pick up one of their saucepot caddies. It comes with both a drink holder for your beer and utensil hook for all your stuff that needs hooking. Just make this sure this is the only goat on your grill.
$29.95
www.grillygoat.com
I don't know which is worse: That marketers keep coming up with these viral videos that millions watch or that idiots like me keep it going by posting them.
Either way, several people sent me this vid of a bunch of babies who are way cooler than us, and probably get more ass too. And the viral just keeps on rolling...
ENTERTAINMENT
July 08, 2009
We're still stuck in the recession. Almost 1 in 10 of us are unemployed. Major corporations are crumbling. Things are so bad Jewish women are marrying for love. (I'll be here all week, folks.)
Looks like even Benjamin-starved rappers are all about the Roosevelts these days.
ENTERTAINMENT
July 07, 2009
with Ryan Coombs
Over time, society has progressed and we've become more "civilized."
Sure, some of it's positive. Like Democracy, indoor plumbing and Internet porn.
But sometimes things that were crucial to our manliness get forced to the wayside. Giving way to guyliner, murses and mantyhose.
You think your grandfather could have taken Iwo Jima wearing bronzer and a sequined Ed Hardy t-shirt? Hell no.
So we've had enough. And we're here to plead for a return to the manliness of yesteryear.
First up: Duels.
The Situation:
Some douchebag tries to grab your girl’s ass.
How Guys Deal With it Now:
You can let her handle it herself and blow him off with a snide remark. (And make you feel like a pussy.) Or, you can crack him over the head with a Rolling Rock bottle. (If you don't mind drinking homemade toilet alcohol with your "Cell Husband" for the next 5 years.) Either way, you lose.
How Guys Dealt With it Then:
A glove slap and a challenge of pistols at 10 paces.
Repercussions Now:
His dad, the lawyer, takes everything you’ve got.
Repercussions Then:
One of you is leaving in a body bag. But honor is restored.
Case in Point:
Aaron Burr was a respected politician. A Senator, Vice President and
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"Wanna know if a guy is well-dressed? Look down." -- George Frazier
It's true. A man is often judged by his shoes. Women readily admit to this. And watch the interviewer's eyes track down the next time you're on the job search.
And since a good pair of quality kicks can be a pricey investment, you're gonna want to make sure they last as long as possible.
So I spoke to Fred Reali, master clothier and style expert at
Hamilton Douglass Clothiers. He's the guy high-powered execs turn to when they need to get outfitted with everything from custom suits, to one-of-a-kind ties, to the dress shoes that announce their status to lesser men.
Here are his tips for keeping your wing-tips tip top:
Like man's best friend, if you love your shoes and take good care of them, you'll be repaid with years of loyal service. There's a huge return on a gentleman's investment in acquiring and caring for a few pair of fine footwear. While they may not last a lifetime, with proper care and routine maintenance you can log substantial miles and years in a good pair of shoes.
Consider these pointers for extending the life of your loafers or beefing up the performance of your brogues:
1. Invest in the best footwear you can afford - and re-sole and re-heel them as necessary, just like routine maintenance on your automobile. Regular tune-ups and even re-crafting over time will restore and extend the youthful vigor of your favorite shoes.
2. Always rotate your shoes, allowing at least a day of
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You may have never heard of Lucky Tiger, but I guarantee your grandfather has.
A barbershop icon since 1935, it's been resurrected and reformulated to give our generation a taste of old school grooming, when a man was measured by the length of his handlebar mustache, and shaves were given with a straight razor by a tonsorial artist who spent years mastering his craft.
The line includes everything we need to keep our mugs in shape, including Face Wash, Face Scrub, Liquid Cream Shave, and an After Shave and Face Tonic for invigorating the skin. (He may not admit it, but grandpa knew all about that.) And they've added Face Moisturizer and Eye Serum, to help reduce puffiness and keep you looking good even after a long night out.
And while the brand is as old school as it gets, the current formulation is definitely new age - every product is made from the highest quality natural and certified organic ingredients, including borage oil - a botanical unique to Lucky Tiger, that delivers deep penetrating moisture - along with a host of antioxidants and vitamins, all working to to keep your epidermis healthy.
So the next time you take your dame out for a night out on the town, she'll think you're the bee's knees.
www.luckytiger.net
By Bob Lesher
You know you’ve been there... lying in your bed, headphones in, drifting away to a world where beer flows free out of kitchen faucets and you live in a condo filled with sex-starved massage therapists, when you have a thought: If only I could enjoy my favorite music and enjoy the benefits of a comfortable, climate-controlled environment. Without the hazard of strangling myself with the headphone cord in my sleep.
Now, what used to be available to only the very rich and those working in an office: music coming out of the ceiling - is available to the average guy, courtesy of Hunter Ceiling Fans.
Introducing the ConcertBreeze™ Ceiling Fan and Sound System with Soundolier® Wireless Audio Technology. Now you no longer have to choose between jamming along to your Kiss Alive CD and the steady, climatic bliss that only a ceiling fan can provide.
Hunter has partnered with one of the leading manufacturers of wireless audio technology, Soundolier, to bring you the perfect marriage of music and comfort. Wirelessly. The ConcertBreeze is touted as the first and only fan-sound system combination that blends the cool comfort of moving air with the rich beauty of high-definition audio.
So, what do you get for your money? Check it out:
- 360 degrees of beautiful, high-definition audio
- Proprietary 2.4 GHz wireless
- Compatibility with most audio sources, including mp3 players, televisions, stereos and satellite radios
- Four distinct stereo signal channels to virtually eliminate wireless interference
- A powerful signal, that reaches up to 300
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BACHELOR PAD
July 06, 2009
By Gabrielle Nicole Pharms, BG Style Editor
(BG Style Editor Gabrielle Nicole Pharms has the goods to make your daily grind easier, and more fashionable.)
Every guy needs something that’s dependable, functional, and will last forever. No, I am not talking about a woman. I'm talking about a bag, made just for guys, to keep all your daily gear in: Laptop, files and important documents, mobile device, MP3 player, lunch... and not look like you're carrying a murse around town. (Or, for you fans of The Hangover, a satchel.)
All these qualities can be found in the great lineup of bags designed by Chrome. The company is based out of California and boasts that their bags are “guaranteed for life.” Which, if your commute is like most guys', it'll need to be to put up with the punishment.
Check out some of our faves:
(pictured above)
The Vega: (left)
This style of bag was inspired by the Tour de France feed bags. “We wanted a minimally designed bag to carry stuff around the city that was still tough,” say the designers.
$80
The Corsair: (middle)
This bag is perfect in any situation with
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Clear your calendar for the weekend, action is getting unleashed. Fights. Explosions. Car chases. Gun battles. All of it. And you've got a shot at taking it all home, free.
Here's the deal:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment recently launched the "Action Unleashed!" DVD bundle featuring testosterone-laden films like, Bad Boys, Bad Boys 2, xXx: State of the Union, Black Hawk Down, Rocky Balboa, Ghost Rider, Bobby Z, Half Past Dead 2, Bobby Deerfield, Revolver, and Southland Tales.
Movies made for a night on the couch with a few beers, a bag of chips... and your girl nowhere to be found. Just you, the flatscreen, and a shitload of bullets, blood and bruises.
All you need to do to score this essential guy-pack of DVDs is
enter your email addy here. And on Friday, July 10th, one of you is going to be bringing home the boom.
(
UPDATE: I just rechecked with the Sony Pictures people, and all 11 of those movies are included in the prize.)
www.actionunleashed.com
ENTERTAINMENT
July 05, 2009
By Bob Lesher
Brown ales have been around for hundreds of years. Actually, 300 years ago, most ales were dark brown, cloudy, questionable beverages. (Still better than the shit and water cocktail passing as drinking water back then.) This dark color was due mainly to the almost singular prevalence of roasted malts that were often heated over wood fires. Not only did this darken the final product, but it often lead to smoky flavors in the beer (this is a good thing in rauchbier, but that’s for another column). Brown ales, also known as the workingman’s beer, are smooth, easy drinking, and typically low in alcohol content.
Times have changed for the meek, unassuming brown ale. Ingredients have become more readily available and brewing practices more exacting. Most modern brown ales owe their distinct mahogany color to specialty malts like caramel and chocolate and are brewed with pale English malt rather than the more unpredictable roasted malts of old. The pale and caramel malts lend the distinctive caramel and nutty flavors most often associated with the style and Newcastle is no different. Brown ales are quite rare in the US, and imported versions are even rarer still. Craft brewers are slowly reintroducing the masses to this underappreciated beer, but to truly experience the style as original, you need to get your hands on one from across the pond.
Newcastle Brown Ale is one of the few truly English brown ales available in the States. It's brewed from a recipe created back in 1927 by one Colonel J. Porter, and is currently marketed by the Scottish & Newcastle division of Heineken International. It's the most popular bottled beer (by volume) in England, and the US tosses back over 50% of their production every year. The bottom line: this is the perfect beer for those that want to taste traditional brown ale.
[Serving Note: Brown ales should be chilled to about 40F (4C) before serving in a traditional pint glass. As most refrigerators are set to about 38F (3C), just take it out about 10 minutes before you intend to drink it and wait. That should do the trick.]
Newcastle Brown Ale pours a crystal clear brown-amber that produces a transient tan head. As is expected,
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NFL: Cleveland Browns
Since the “new” Browns returned in 1999, they’ve gone 54-106 with only one playoff appearance and a litany of terrible decisions for their trouble.
This is the franchise that drafted Tim Couch... thought Butch Davis was going to be a legit NFL coach... couldn’t even make the playoffs despite going 10-6 in 2008... gave Romeo Crennel a two-year extension... and hired Eric Mangini.
Braylon Edwards has the dropsies, Brady Quinn is headed for bust-ville, Donte Stallworth is in just a little bit of legal trouble, and apparently, their facilities are a festering pile of human disease, since the Browns lead the league in
staph infections.
NBA: Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are so historically inept, trying to list their foibles over the years would take up way too much space. So let me point you to Bill Simmons’
astonishing breakdown of how amazingly awful this franchise has been over the years.
Not only are they second-banana L.A., they're number two in their own arena. Their owner is a racist cheapskate, they have
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When's the last time knowing the 1947 major league MVP got a hot chick to take her shirt off? Exactly.
So head over to
SportsQuizXD.com and test your sports knowledge in football, basketball, baseball or racing. Get a question right, and the lovely lady removes one piece of her "uniform." Get it wrong, and she disappears.
Make it all the way through the test (and trust me, these are no throw away questions), and not only does she get full-on, bare-assed naked, but you'll score a five day pass to
EdgeXD.com, the recently launched premium "adult" portal. And get unlimited access to a vast library of adult content, from classics to original productions, featuring the hottest playmates, pets and porn-stars.
All those nights of watching SportsCenter are finally gonna pay off.
SportsQuizXD.com
ENTERTAINMENT
July 01, 2009
By Bob Lesher
The problem with how we normally make coffee is that not only do you get all that roasty goodness out of the beans, things like acids and irritating oils come along for the ride as well. This can make those of us without iron stomachs rethink a second cup. So what’s a java junkie to do? Try a little cold brew.
The Toddy® Cold Brew System is the brainchild of former chemical superfreak, Todd Simpson. Designed and patented back in 1964 this thing uses cold water to brew a cup of coffee that is 67% less acidic than those produced by traditional hot-brewing methods. By using cold water, you’ll be able to enjoy your coffee without all of the things that can have you making a beeline for el baño.
The instructions are fairly straightforward. It’s basically four steps: grind beans, add coffee and water to brewing container (make sure to put the rubber stopper in the bottom unless you like to lick your coffee off the counter), wait. It takes about 12 hours for the coffee to do its thing.
The process produces a thick, deep umber liquid concentrate. It’s super-strong, so I don’t recommend doing shots of the stuff. One pound of beans produces about six cups of the coffee concentrate. The beans tend to absorb the rest. The Toddy people recommend that you combine one part coffee concentrate and three parts water/cream/whiskey/liquid of your choice. It’s basically a taste thing. Add as little or as much as you want and take it either hot or iced.
I have tasted the end result, and it’s damn good. It produced a smooth, less-bitter, brew that is
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