A little over a year ago I stumbled upon The Good Flock from Portland, Oregon and picked up one of their wool iPad cases. I still use that case nearly every day, it even works with my iPad2 and smart cover all together. I toss them in a bag, am on my way and don’t have to worry about it. In the past year the product line has grown and The Good Flock now offer additional items like leather goods, bags and a more complete line up of technology cases. I love the wool stuff and my iPad case always gets lots of love from people, but the waxed canvas bags are, in my opinion, really something special.

The Tokyo Bag (above) is far and way my favorite. On the surface it is a standard waxed canvas tote (of which we have seen many similar variants before), but when you drill down further you start to get a better idea of the functionality that is built into its design. The carryall has a total of eight pockets (four on the exterior, four on the interior) which come in amazingly handy. If you want to drop your keys, phone, cell phone and sunglasses all in their own compartment it’s a maneuver orchestrated with ease. I don’t ever want my keys and phone in the same pocket (because of the potential for scratches) and same goes for my glasses, which makes me appreciate the pockets on the Tokyo Bag. It’s a simple concept but one that I got into immediately after using the bag.

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While up in Toronto this week we met up with some friends at their office in the city to check the place out and then have dinner. Upon arrival we got a little tour and then had a little meeting, very standard stuff. Once that was over we packed up and started to head out to have dinner — right before we were to leave, our friend Jeremy said there was one other thing he wanted to show us. We then went into his business partner’s office and discovered the most awesome thing every imagined by man: a super huge and massively detailed RC race track that was so big that it had to be built in the room. The best part about it, the guy’s wife didn’t know he had it made (or of course, how much he spent on it) so we are bound to secrecy and can’t disclose his identity.

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It’s that time of year again, Pop Up Flea time. Come December 2nd, 3rd and 4th we will be holding the fourth edition of our menswear market of desirable new and vintage goods — and all are welcome. We’re excited to release the brand line-up soon, but until them know that we are going to have a lot of the great folks from previous PUFs, and a bunch of great new labels. This could be dangerous — hide your kids, hide your wallet, hide your wife.

*New Location*
159 Bleecker Street, NYC
December 2nd, 3rd & 4th.

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Occasionally something will land in the ACL inbox that warrants some attention on the wider internets, this short video by reader Adam Lytle is certainly one of those things. This year when heading up to his family’s annual hunting trip in Michigan Adam packed his 7D (I’m assuming — and you know what they say about assumptions) to capture what has become a cherished male bonding tradition with his family. It’s not necessarily about how much game that is “harvested,” it’s more about the stories and the time together in the outdoors. It’s something I see in my many sets of old Kodachrome slides, America’s love of hunting and fishing. Watch the video and read more about Adam’s family tradition below.

Every October for the past thirty years, my father and his brothers have come together in northern Michigan to spend a week hunting roughed grouse and woodcock amidst the color change of the leaves. The trip was originally organized by my grandfather, Robert J. Lytle as a way to spend time with his four sons, all who grew up tagging along on his many trips into the woods. On his passing, in the early nineties, his ashes were spread over his favorite hunting grounds. Every year we return in his memory.

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There are certain companies that make me crazy with how awesome their stuff is — Schoolhouse Electric is definitely one of those companies. It’s like Restoration Hardware, except real and everything is made in America. With the launch of its new website (which goes live today), Schoolhouse is releasing a few special items not previously seen. My favorite items is this classic 1960s wall clock which is made in partnership with IBM and offered today for the first time.

More info from Schoolhouse:

Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. partnered with IBM to exclusively produce their iconic 1960s standard issue wall clock. Over the last 100 years IBM has evolved from producing time clocks to pioneering data processing. This classic clock celebrates IBM’s product heritage and centennial along with Schoolhouse’s recent product expansion into iconic American home and office products.

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The people at Brooklyn-based craft juggernaut Etsy just released a pretty cool video on the Liberty Tool store and its proprietor H.G. “Skip” Brack. Located in Maine, the shop sources used tools (not vintage, used) to offer back (or recycle) to local tradesmen and hobbyists at a decent prices. The whole idea is to help support the working people of New England and to allow them access to the tools that they need to provide for their families. To me Liberty Tool looks like a pretty incredible place. I have to say, the more and more I learn about and visit Maine, the more I want to live there.

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