detroit lives

Palladium Boots' Urban Explorations is a pretty cool series I've recently stumbled across. This bit is about the urban decay and renewal of Detroit, Michigan. Johnny Knoxville (yes, that guy) drives around checking out some of the dilapidated landmarks and meeting some of the movers and shakers. Pretty interesting stuff, really. Sure, there's a fair share of ruin porn here, but once you start to look past that you realize that there's a resurrection of sorts going on. At the helm of this change is an artistic and entrepreneurial community that refuses to let the negative media surrounding what was once the 4th largest metropolitan area sway them. It's a story that manages to be both engaging and uplifting. And yes, you'll have some gratuitous shots of Palladium's products here and there, but the documentary still manages to seem legitimate, and hey, funding has to come from somewhere.

video series via Palladium Boots

i can't believe it's almost time for a new calendar already

Holy fuck, it's nearly December. That is mind-blowing. This year has gone by in a blur.

Oh well, at least that means I have a reason to purchase a new calendar. More specifically the "Bike EXIF 2011 Calendar". The Bike EXIF blog is one I frequent quite a lot for my daily fix of motorcycle porn. It delivers short, to-the-point write ups accompanied by excellent photography. Honestly, the site seems more like a well-curated bike museum than a blog. Highly recommended for you gearhead pals o' mine.

pick up the calendar here for $14.95 (holiday sale for 13.55!)

check out the blog @ Bike EXIF

cafe racer

Discovery's HD Theater has launched a new show simply called, "Cafe Racer". I am here to tell you that it is pretty damn awesome. The focus is on the history, present, and future of these bikes and the culture surrounding them. Unlike other "motorcycle" shows, there's no drama here--- just bikes, lots and lots of badass bikes. It's currently a few episodes into its first season and I'm really enjoying it. The show's producer, Mike Seate, is a motorcycle enthusiast and as such the show seems more a labor of love than the brainchild of some corporate think tank looking for the next trend to bank off of middle-aged men. As such, any fears I had of a television show like this putting a bunch of dentists on cafe racers is put to rest, thankfully. Cafe Racer airs Wednesday nights at 9pm EST on HD Theater and I cannot recommend it enough if you have any interest in cafe racers or motorcycles in general.

via Cafe Racer TV

pigskin

These Leather Head Handsome American Footballs are truly something special. In a world where the NFL is considering shoving microchips into their game balls, it's good to know there's still something so decidedly old-school kicking around (being kicked?). They are described on the label as being "The Official Football of Collegiate Tailgating" and the reasons are apparent. Meticulously chosen materials and heirloom quality craftsmanship ensure that each of these footballs will be unique and will stick around longer than you do. The size has been decreased slightly from official league balls to increase grip and help you throw silky smooth spirals.  Toss one of these handmade relics around the yard with a few friends and then display it proudly when you're done.

$110 @etsy

chief - your direction

I'm really enjoying this song by Chief. It sounds like the end of summer. The video is compiled home movie footage chock full of 1950's nostalgia and does the song justice. You can find the song on their Modern Rituals album which came out last month on Domino Records.

 Modern Rituals is $13 @Domino Records

so long, summer. it's been swell.

Alliteration aside, Summer is ending. That doesn't mean much here in Southwest Louisiana as we tend to take a detour around Fall completely by "enjoying" sweltering temperatures until the first cold snap. Oh well, we can at least hope for a bit of Indian Summer. The leaves are just barely beginning to turn and football is getting ramped up. Saints (Who Dat?!) host the Vikings in Thursday's NFL regular season opener.

Surely, sometime this season you'll want to break out the grill and host a house or tailgate party to cheer on your team of choice. This Old Smokey is a  classic and is pretty affordable. Sizes are 14, 18 and 22 inches. You'll want the 22" if you're grilling for a group. Fire it up, throw on some brats, pop a cold brew, and enjoy the game.

$30-60 @amazon

welcome

Welcome.

This is will be my first post in a continuing attempt to document the things that I hold interest in. I'll be writing about local spots, the occasional bit of travel, quality goods, and all manner of entertainment. Check back often and I promise to keep your brain filled with knowledge ranging from the slightly uninteresting to the mostly mundane.