Prepare for Your Next Disaster With Boltwell
“Yo, what’s with all the camouflage?” asked Trae Nunnink when he was searching for survival kits online. Surviving a natural disaster or an attack can be the most harrowing experience someone has to go through, and imagine not being prepared. The trauma of surviving is difficult enough on its own, let alone without the necessary […]
6 Cold Brews to Quench Your Summer Caffeine Cravings
We can’t tell you how excited we get to have a cup of ice-cold coffee when the weather warms up. In fact, we even drink iced coffee when it’s not so hot outside. What we love more is the convenience of all these cold brews that have been popping up. There’s nothing like pulling out […]
The Manual Guide to Vetiver
If you pay any attention to fragrances at all, we’re sure that you’ve heard the word vetiver. If you’ve ever wondered what vetiver is, it’s a tall grass that has a multitude of uses. It can help stabilize soil, act as animal feed, and protect crops against animals and pests. It also has an alluring […]
4 Summer Drinks to Keep You Cool
It’s getting pretty warm out, here are four summer drinks to keep you cool. Rosé Don’t think of it as a pink girly drink; think of it as having the best aspects of red wine and white wine fused together. This stuff will make you feel cool on a hot summer’s day. If you want […]
Refresh Your Eyes With These Grooming Products
Have you ever had one of those nights where you were having way too much fun? Your friends were there, good looking women roamed around, and those beers just kept on coming. You just never wanted it to end. Next thing you know it was a bit later than you intended, and you only have […]
Feast Your Eyes on The Monarch Room
Now that the iconic French bistro Pastis has abandoned the Meatpacking District, New York’s style set needs a new place to dine and socialize, and The Monarch Room is well on its way to filling that gap. Located in a former 1930s warehouse, restaurateurs Lisle Richards and Eric Marx of The Metric opened The Monarch […]
Beats by Dre Pays Homage to World Cup Rituals
The 2014 FIFA World Cup begins in Brazil in less than a week, and when it kicks off the world will go insane over the monthlong event where teams from around the globe battle it out on the soccer pitch. To celebrate, Beats by Dre, with the help of R/GA and Sword Fight, came up with an […]
Fredericks & Mae Offers Classic Games With a Design Twist
Don’t you think games would be more fun to play if they looked good? That’s what Jolie Mae Signorile and Gabriel Fredericks Cohen thought after they met over a love of for materials. Think feathers, thread, gold and paper. In 2008 that love of materials made them come up with the idea of Fredericks & […]
A Log Cabin in the Middle of Brooklyn?
Lyon Porter knows the New York real estate market all too well. That’s why he made it to sales and leasing director at Town Real Estate. Porter, who once pursued a career in professional hockey, used his same determination in his career. So, it makes perfect sense when Porter realized that New York needed an […]
Jar Your Lunch: Mason Jar Meals and More
Mason jars seem to be everywhere these days — at our favorite bars, restaurants we frequent, and even in 7-Eleven. Julia Mirabella, who actually is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney, noticed the proliferation of mason jar salad recipes on the internet and thought, why not put them all in one place? That’s how the idea for […]
Give Your Kitchen European Sensibility With Flotsam + Fork
Adrianna Fie was so fascinated by food that she pursued a master’s degree in food studies from New York University, and when she moved to Madison, Wisconsin, she worked at the Kitchen Gallery, where she learned about all the accessories one can use in one, as a cheese manager at Metcalfe’s Market, and then she […]
Makers & Brothers Brings Artisinal Irish Goods to Your Home
Brothers Jonathan and Mark Legge grew up with hand crafted products made in Ireland, so when the two decided to launch a business together, they decided to create an e-commerce site that brings together a variety of artisanal products made in the Emerald Isle, aptly calling it Makers & Brothers. “We’re based out of Dublin and […]
Check Out This Story
While working as a brand consultant for brands like TOMS, Kraft and Lincoln, Rachel Shechtman came up with a clever idea: Why not create a space where brands and consumers could come together? Shechtman viewed herself as a matchmaker of sorts, so she found a 2,000-square-foot spot on 10th Avenue and 19th Street in Manhattan’s […]
The 5 Things I Can’t Live Without: Photographer Kareem Black
Leonardo Di Caprio. Russell Westbrook. Kanye West. Charlotte Rampling. Those are just a few of the bold names that New York-based photographer Kareem Black has shot in his career. Despite shooting some of the biggest celebrities around, Black maintains a laid-back attitude that also helps him capture his subjects when they’re relaxed. Hailing from Philadelphia, […]
3 San Francisco Restaurants You Can’t Miss
We were in the City by the Bay the weekend for last, and we stopped by three restaurants that you must check out the next time you find yourself in the Bay Area. They’re all owned by Doug Washington, Mitchell Rosenthal and Steven Rosenthal: Anchor & Hope, Salt House and Town Hall. Anchor & Hope […]
Brew an Awesome Cup of Coffee With the Canadiano
The Canadiano will give you an amazing cup of coffee
Eat This: Zingerman’s Bacon of the Month Club
If The Manual post on Theresa Gilliam and E. Jane Armstrong ‘s book Bacon 24/7 is any indication, you guys love your bacon, and who wouldn’t? It’s crispy, greasy, and so delicious. Now if you want to mix it up a little, there’s a subscription service that’s just for you. Zingerman’s has a Bacon of […]
Tex-Mex and More: The Delicious Eateries of Houston
We didn’t think of Houston as a food city when made a visit down there recently, but after some local residents took us to the best spots in town, we instantly changed our minds. Here’s the low-down on where to dine in this Texas city. Down House When we got to this restaurant we couldn’t […]
Funky Buddha Brewery Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
Here at the Manual, we’re total advocates of having breakfast any time of the day, in anything. There’s the famous Secret Breakfast ice cream, which is made with bourbon, caramelized corn flakes at Humphry Slocombe in San Francisco; hamburgers with bacon and eggs and Funky Buddha Brewery’s latest special release, the Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. […]
Whisky: The Manual
The debate may still be out on whether it’s spelled whisky or whiskey, but for the sake of the book we’re talking about in this post, we’ll go with whisky, since it’s called “Whisky: The Manual”. It’s pretty evident that we like manuals here at The Manual (just look at our name), and Dave Broom […]
Go Head to Head With Tool Chess
When father and son Charles and William Gallmeyer saw their family machine tool business in Grand Rapids, Michigan coming near an end, the elder Gallmeyer noticed that some of the employees used some pieces of hardware to be a fill-in for a missing chess piece, and the elder Gallmeyer’s father came up with the name […]
Epic Bar Packs Protein in One Nutritious Snack
With our fast, busy lives we often find ourselves on the go without enough time to eat. For those of us who are into working out, we need something that gives us the nutrients we need, not extra-added stuff like sugar. Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest, two outdoor enthusiasts who hail from Austin, Texas, discovered […]
The Illustrated Dictionary of Beer
Not sure how to tell your stouts from your pale ales, or your wheats from your lagers? A new book called The Illustrated Directory of Beer will help you do just that. It features 432 pages describing everything about beer, from its history to the process of making it. Learn about practically every beer imaginable […]
Grooming Alert: Portland General Store
These days, smaller and local is better, and grooming lines are starting to follow that whole ethos. One such company is Portland General Store, which was founded by Lisa Brodar and Troy Tyler in 2007, and produces all-natural, small-batch products in Portland, Maine. Here they discuss how they came up with the idea for Portland […]
Laugh With the House of Cards Against Humanity Deck
If you don’t know about Cards Against Humanity, you better get with it. We promise that this game will be the life of your next party. It’s hilarious, and you’re going to laugh so hard you won’t know what hit you. It’s basically like Madlibs on crack. Pick a Card Czar, and he/she then picks […]
Have a Simultaneous Sound Experience With Sonos
Have you ever dreamed of being able to hear music in all of the rooms in your home at once? The Sonos Wireless HiFi system allows you to do that. “Sonos allows for music to be a social experience again,” said Sonos senior PR manager Eric Nielsen. Choose from a number of wireless speakers and […]
Hip Hotel: The Broome Opens in New York
Next time you need to book a hotel room in New York, check out the brand new boutique hotel The Broome. Tucked away in a Federal Revival Style building built in 1825 that was a former artists’ loft located on the corner of Broome Street and Crosby Street, The Broome is like an oasis in […]
Burn This: Baxter of California Ash Series Candles
Former advertising executive Baxter Finley founded his eponymous grooming brand Baxter of California in 1965 after moving to Los Angeles from New York, receiving a beating on his skin from the harsh sunlight, and discovering that there were no products specifically targeted towards men. He aimed Baxter of California towards “men with an interest in […]
The Five Top Fragrance Picks From Elements
This one is for those of you who are looking for a fragrance that stands out from the sea of scents you can find at the department store. The Manual visited the most recent edition of Elements to find five colognes that you should get your nose on. Aperture Ulrich Lang This new scent by […]
Eat Bacon Around the Clock With Bacon 24/7
We were extremely excited when we saw that Theresa Gilliam and E. Jane Armstrong created a book titled Bacon 24/7: Recipes for Curing, Smoking, and Eating.
The Manual Guide to Super Bowl Sunday
We show you what to wear, eat, drink and where to shop on Super Bowl Sunday.
Use the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean for Pearly Whites
You haven’t experienced toothbrushing nirvana until you’ve tried the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean. This remarkable toothbrush combines advanced technology with sleek lines. The more you use this device, the less time you’ll have to spend in that dentist’s chair — aside from your semi-annual check ups. The DiamondClean is not only proven to remove five times […]
The Surfboard Grooming Kit
Although there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this you’re probably somewhere that’s below freezing right now, but if Instagram and Facebook are any indication, there are quite a few of you right now who are somewhere with surf, sand and sun. Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Australia and Fiji are just a few of […]
The Manual Holiday Gift Guide: For the Design Junky
For the At-Home Cook: Folding Cutting Board They’ll be able to throw away their food scraps in a pinch with this cutting board. $20 at momastore.org For Tea Time: Alessi Pito Water Kettle Who says boiling water doesn’t have to look good? $490 at shop.cooperhewitt.org Recommended Videos For the Chair Nerd: Charles Eames and Eero […]
Brew at Home With Mr. Beer
With all those delicious microbrews around, we’ve been wondering what it would be like to brew our own beer. Thanks to the good folks at Mr. Beer, we can get everything we need in one handy kit, which comes complete with a two gallon keg; a spigot, washer and nut; a can of hopped malt […]
Bulleit Teams Up With the Big Apple Film Festival
“Whiskey is the water of life,” joked Bulleit master of whiskey Stephen Wilson at recent whiskey tasting dinner held in New York in honor of the Big Apple Film Festival. The guests, who included Howard Goldberg, the writer and director behind Jake Squared, Wilson, various press members, as well as us at The Manual, dined […]
A Taste of the Season: Abraham Bowman Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon
Abraham Bowman Gingerbread Beer Finished Bourbon Is the Perfect Whiskey for Fall
Get Your E-Cig Fix: The Henley Vaporium Opens
Kick your disgusting cigarette habit with Henley e-cigarettes.
Xtracycle’s EdgeRunner: The Range Rover of the Bike World
feel like you have too much cargo and not enough bike? The EdgeRunner from Xtracycle will take care of that. This handy bicycle combines the functionality of a baby seat with the practicality of a baby seat and a passenger seat, and on top of that, there’s a built-in bike rack as well! Referred to […]
Stock Up on Essentials With Manpacks
You’ve all done it before. You’re going about your daily business and then you realize that — you’re out of shaving cream or toothpaste. Or worse — you’re about to get lucky with a lady and there aren’t anymore condoms in your bedside table drawer! You won’t have to find yourself in those situations anymore […]
HEKK: The No-Nonsense Hookah
Smoke this handy hookah without the complications of your traditional water pipe.
The Audiowood Barky: Tree Trunk Turntablism
Two experiences caused Joel Scilley to conceive of the Audiowood Barky Turntable. Scilley, who was a carpenter at the time living in the San Francisco Bay Area, had purchased a vintage turntable that played his vinyl well, but that wasn’t so aesthetically pleasing. Following that purchase Scilley found himself in a local lumberyard when he […]
The Hottest Cars of the New York International Auto Show
The 2013 edition of New York International Auto Show is under way through April 7th at Jacob Javitz Center, showcasing 1,000 vehicles and the newest automobile innovations. We selected a handful so you can get a sneak peek of what to expect, from the Range Rover Sport’s dazzling introduction by none other than James Bond himself, […]
The Pocket Knife Gets an Update
We’re pretty sure that when you were younger you had a pocket knife, probably a red Swiss Army Knife. You cherished it and carried it with you everywhere — while exploring your neighborhood, camping with your family or to hang out with your friends. It came in handy — you used it to fix your […]
Vintage Bike Meets Contemporary Cool With Brooklyn Cruiser and MoMA
How did New York-based bicycle company Brooklyn Cruiser manage to snag collaboration with one of the city’s most esteemed art institutions, the Modern Museum of Art? All they had to do was make their bikes look good. One of the museum directors spotted a Brooklyn Cruiser roll by on the street, and he was instantly […]
Bedroom Furniture Facelift: The MODLOFT X Fab Collection
When Ted Toledano founded MODLOFT, he wanted to make modern furniture, inspired by European design, available to the masses. Toledano set out to produce “a unique blend of urban modern style with practical affordability,” according to MODLOFT’s website. “We aspired to create a lower priced alternative to modern furniture for budget-minded urban dwellers.” Toledano and […]