Something just because it’s a good deal.
Photo:
Khakis (31×30) from Gap, $45
blue striped shirt (attic)
Green sweater from Target, $5
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There’s a gulf: those outside the service industry who want to pay too little, and those in the service industry who ?? Here’s our rule of thumb: Tip in paper. Give them the benefit of the doubt: don’t assume they’re taking a route that’s going to try to eek more money out of you. They could in fact be, but they also know the city better. This is their job. From Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-tipping-cab-drivers (Jan. 2008) Allow me to ground you all in a more personal perspective, rather than all the hypotheticals about cab drivers. My husband is a cab driver. He is a great cab driver, one who keeps a clean cab, calls patrons “sir” or “m’am”, helps with baggage, and even gives free rides to cancer patients and others he has a big heart for. He showers daily, is well spoken, and more than willing to put whatever you would like on the radio. You know what? He is still stereotyped into being an ignorant immigrant, propositioned for sex, has to deal with people getting waaaay too frisky while still in the cab, has had a gun held to his head, has to suck up the higher cost of gas while rates remain the same, and has to deal with people being jerks. He gets the perk of everyone assuming he is one of the worst drivers on the road. You know why he might take a different route than the one you think is most direct? Because he has driven the streets for so long that he knows he can get you there faster on a different route where there is not as much traffic or not as many traffic signals. It is only in his best interest to get you there as fast as he can, because he has another fare to pick up. More fares is always better. Talking in generalities doesn’t really help. What if we started talking about all the salespeople? Or contractors? Or personal trainers? Some are great, some are poor. But if you experience great service, it is worth a great tip. Period. And a great tip is 25%. A good tip is 20%. An ok tip is 15%. If your ride is less than a $5 fare, tipping a between $1-$2 is appropriate. On all fares, you can round to the dollar higher, and then base your percentage on that. And, if you have a great cabbie, ask for his cell number so you can use his business in the future. My partner has plenty of clients who have an ongoing working relationship because they set up fares in advance, for example a 4 am pick up to Ohare. We just caught wind of a sweet new venture, and we want you know about it. American extraordinaires Joe Gannon, Max Wastler and Matt Springer announced a new T.V. project today. Taking into account the other made-in-America shows over the years, this is one of the most original ideas we’ve seen in quite a while.
It’s called “Made Right Here,” and it’s dedicated to showcasing American-made products that have stayed strong by remaining here instead of going overseas. At its heart, it’s about story. The story of Billy Moore (Cause and Effect), the unconventional Tennessee belt maker who I wrote about last week. The story of Imogene + Willie, the denim makers who watched sadly as their parent company moved production to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The story of Pointer Brand, the outerwear maker that sources its materials from Kentucky, Texas, North Carolina, and elsewhere in the U.S.—and has since 1913. The story of people.
And it follows Max and Joe as they take a turn at making these items themselves. Here’s Max:
“I say we made… Really, we tried and failed to make all these things. This is part of the story, too. These are craftspeople who’ve dedicated their lives to mastering a skill, a skill that is really tough to do.” There it is: the essence of why American craft is important, why it costs a little more and why peoples’ livelihoods depend on you voting with your dollar. Give it a watch, and tell everyone you know. We’re proud to call these talented guys our friends.
You’re short on time. It’s noon. I mean, in half an hour, you’ll be going for a long lunch. Then after a leisurely trip to the bathroom, it’ll be 2 p.m. And we all know that that’s practically the end of productivity during the week—not to mention Friday.
So, yeah…the day’s pretty much over already.
Here’s how you should spend the rest of it:
From our archives:
From around the Internets:
And a story related to the Midwest but unrelated to style:
Finally, this is where we’ll be this weekend. There ain’t no party like a Pyongyang party, because a Pyongyang party IS ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY (via Kourtney Geers). Alright. Now, get outta here.
Behold: NorthernGRADE. Every September, some of the movers and shakers in American-made menswear descend into the cluttered, boozy labyrinth of the Architectural Antiques in Minneapolis to hawk their wares.
Inspired by NYC’s Pop Up Flea, the ladies and gentlemen at J.W. Hulme Company and Pierrepont Hicks tie shop decided to add the Midwest to the conversation by founding their own market in 2010—which makes this the second of a (hopefully) annual tradition.
I hitched a ride up to the fest for the launch of Buckshot Sonny’s, Max Wastler and Joe Gannon’s vintage sporting goods store. (If you’re not familiar yet, you should be.) It was hard to contain the excitement as it built over the 7.5-hour drive, and it wasn’t long before there were copious amounts of rapping during the 3G-less stretches of Wisconsin and Minnesota. When we arrived, we weren’t disappointed. What follow are simply snapshots punctuated by a few important quotes, because like many of the best experiences—you just kinda had to be there. Next year’s your chance.
Buckshot Sonny’s, named after Joe’s grandfather Sonny and Max’s dad, who they called ‘Buckshot’ as a kid, is “the store your grandfather would have taken your father to for his first baseball glove.”
Red Wing, this year’s main sponsor.
Intelligentsia coffee was on site.
One of the (many) interesting things about Billy is that he’s not much for the indecisive. Like a maverick who pops up unannounced at spots all across the country, it’s “Buy a belt here and now, or wait and see where I appear next.”
And his process is nothing if not unique. It’s all about the story for Cause and Effect—whether it’s wading into a Tennessee river to drape a hide over a big, wet rock or hammering belts on a cobbled New York street.
The trick is to take a breath before you take a drink.
Billy had me make a belt, which you’ll see in coming posts as we track its progress from natural leather to seasoned beauty.
One of the fine products from Duluth Pack, which we’ve written about before.
I had a chance to chat with Molly Solberg, Duluth Pack’s marketing director, who filled me in on why the company’s heritage matters to so many people:
A clever business card from Angie Sheldon.
Becca James, the editor of Pop ‘stache, browses wool shirts offered by Greenwich Vintage.
On the culture of NorthernGRADE:
And this, from Noah Zagor, is perhaps the best summation of why any of this matters:
“I had an uncle who was a geology professor at Oxford University,” Noah says. “I remember visiting him, and he would point to the motto emblazoned on the gates: ‘Manners Makyth Man.’”
Correction: An earlier version of this story misattributed the above quote. Our sincerest apologies to Noah. We regret the error.
The shop looks amazing. *drools* |
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by Jeffrey