Gerber Shard

I've got drawers full of Allen key/screwdriver head tools, Leatherman tools, Swiss Army knives, and multi-function pliers.  And that's where they have been living for a good, long while.
There is always something about them that makes me easily forget about them for a while.

Now I'm a big believer in simplicity, and it's hard to imagine anything simpler - or better - than this wee tiny Gerber Shard to keep on your person. 


7 bucks gets you a nifty capable keychain tool that is airline-safe, less than 3 inches long, and has:
* Lanyard hole
* Pry Bar
* Small Driver
* Wire Stripper
* Medium Driver
* Bottle Opener
* Cross Driver

Just a nice, simple tool.

Mill Street Lemon Tea Beer

Summer is here, which means cold cold cold beer should be near.  The new fave heat wave suds of mine to slake my thirst on a hot day is the Mill St. Brewery Lemon Tea beer.
I plan on doing a lot of sitting out on the balcony on hot summer days (and nights) long enough to get a good dose of swamp butt, and it's nice to have a refreshing summery beer that also satisfies the beer nerd in me.
Unusually, Orange Pekoe and Earl Grey teas are blended with real lemon puree and organic cane sugar to the Mill St. ale.  The resulting amber ale is not too sweet, not too fruity, and just hoppy enough in the finish.

Definitely a better option than those proliferate beers with lime and such.  
Too bad I haven't seen it on tap yet, and also too bad that it only comes in pint cans.  You can't beat a bottle.

Would Pepé Le Pew Ever Get Penelope Pussycat?

Watching TV as I'm wont to do, I came across a commercial for Lifemates Canada - an online dating/matchmaking service.
The commercial seems innocuous enough, showing a woman complaining to the camera of the seemingly standard dilemma of stridently but fruitlessly trying to find a "perfect" partner.

Have a look:

Nice commercial, but what seems wrong here?
Check out the woman.
Now check out the man.

See anything out of place?

I cannot get over the fact that she would choose him.
She is quite a looker.  She seems just nice.  She seems fun.
Now check him out.  He seems nice enough.  He's also very average looking.  He dresses like he shops at Moores.  His job would probably be signing up World Vision donors on Yonge Street outside of a Starbucks.

I thought something was amiss about this unseemly seemingly random pairing.
Now most dating service ads use actual real couples who were joined up via their respective services.  The people actual look like they would be with each other - there never seems to be any proverbial dating up or dating down within ranks (see eHarmony).

Could this be an actual, viable pairing?
Could she see something in him that was enough to make her see past his milquetoast exterior?

Nope.

Turns out they are actors.
Link

Couldn't Lifemates Canada find one good personable and telegenic couple to represent them in an ad?  Seems not.

Re-Waxing Your Waxed Cotton Jacket

Purchasing a waxed cotton jacket is one (beautiful) thing, maintaining and reproofing your jacket is another.
Eventually your waxed cotton jacket will need to have a fresh coat o' wax dressing applied - recommend is one year, but it all depends on use.

Since I only came upon my waxed cotton jacket just recently, the wax is intact and does not need reproofing.   But I am curious about the process and I do intend to maintain the jacket myself, instead of sending it back to the retailer to be done, so I checked the web to see what is needed to be done and how to do it.

Here is a handy dandy video from Lark in Vancouver that shows everything quite nicely:

The coffee looks good.

Belstaff Sammy Miller 1955 Jacket

An impromptu shopping daytrip to Buffalo/Niagara Falls graciously led me to realize what I've been missing in my life - a waxed-cotton Belstaff jacket.  More specifically, a Sammy Miller 1955 Replica jacket.

I've been after either a Barbour or Belstaff waxed-cotton motorcycle jacket for some time - ever since I saw the Long Way Down adventure series on the BBC.  Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman were dressed like stars in their Belstaffs as they rode their BMW GSs from John O'Groats, Scotland, all the way down (get it?) to Capetown, South Africa.

I do like Barbour, and their quality jackets are anything but non-functional, but for me Belstaff is an equal in quality and functionality, and a level above Barbour on the fashion and style front.  I would compare it to the difference between wearing a Tommy Hilfiger suit and a Hugo Boss suit.  Both are fine suiting, but the elevated, proud, and confident feeling you get from wearing Hugo just can't be had from Tommy.

The Sammy Miller is heavy.  And waxy.  And very large-pockety.  And initially stiff.
I've never had a jacket of this type before.
The jacket exterior always feels damp, thanks to the waterproof wax dressing that is applied, which is a strange sensation to become accustomed to.     

My first ride with the jacket on was revealing.  Summer has finally hit Toronto, and the heat is on.  Wearing the Sammy Miller was a cooling experience.  I am accustomed to wearing heavy leather motorcycle-specific jackets whenever I go out on a good ride, and even well ventilated leathers leave much to be desired in the summer swelter.  It is nearly impossible to avoid a swampy back and sweaty belly.
The Belstaff allowed for cool, breezy ventilation and made me a believer in wearing a non-leather jacket for riding.
The Belstaff also helped in not making me feel like an outcast off of the bike.  It is definitely not easy to wear motorcycle leathers without looking like you dressed for motorcycle riding.  I could easily (and fashionably) wear the Sammy Miller to work or play.

A winner.