Perfecting The Craft

With all of this talk about which country things are made in, by which original factory, with what materials and on which machines, some of the focus has shifted away from the most important aspect -- the individual. That person making the product with their hands. That person sweating over a machine which took years to master. That person pouring their heart over what's being created in front of them. So what do I do for those people? I start a blog. Hey, we make what we know.

The Get Up And Get Down not only highlights products for sale by the individuals who make them, but teaches you how to be a craftsman with an expanding series of "how to" guides. One picture - one craftsman - one link at a time. Keep it simple and let the materials speak for themselves.

I have a few awesome collaborations in the works and will hopefully be launching those in the near future. Until then, the site will be updated when I see something handmade by an individual and cool. Send me things you make. Send me things your mom makes. Send me links to things you saw that one time on that one blog. Send me anything and keep it local... wherever that may be.

So So Cal... Via NY

When The Drums aren't busy making pop surf-rock and giving blue steel to flash bulbs, they're selling socks with with rolled pants -- and we're buyin. America's best dressed band endorses that classic surf styling of the 60s with an unmistakable contemporary touch. No wonder their faces are splashed across both 14-year-old girl's trapper keepers and design office concept boards alike.

Espada, Prada, The Chopper It Got The Uzi Lens

Like many stylish statements made in the 60s and 70s, the Lamborghini Espada was designed to be cool, was, became horribly dated, and today ends up standing out for the very audacity and penache' that made it so damn great to begin with. It's as if the car stood still as time walked around it, catching the same angles in different lights, only to stop in front of it again, with the Espada framed in the spotlight it was made to be under. Sure, I see 10 Lambos a day driven through this city by guys who think dropping 200k on a black and gold badge will allow them class -- this is another level. Ain't nobody gots these!

Thanks to the design skills of Marcello Gandini, the Espada boasts zero major body styling changes in a ten year run. Not many models out there today can hang with that. Wrap that much class around a V12 and you've got the key ingredients for an icon. Besides the LM002 and the Miura, this is one of the few Lamborghinis I could get down with. Not too shabby for the equivalent of paying a quarter million dollars for a John Deere super car.

Just Like Haven

Period shots of the Havens House outside of Berkeley taken by Man Ray. That house? Plop that thing up in the LA hills and I'm set.

"In contrast, the western wall is all glass, extending the living space toward the view by way of a wraparound balcony, where the eaves are 15-feet high. In the dining room, the east wall displays a world map mural painted by Patricia Fudger..."

Stepping Over The Shark

I would usually start off a post on something as random as these by asking the rhetorical, "why didn't I know about these?" Well, this time the question isn't exactly rhetorical -- because if there was ever a time in my life when someone said, "hey, you should check out hand-painted eggs from Romania," I'm sure I responded with a, "yeah, I'll totally do that," with a simultaneous thumbs down and fart sound. Well, shame on me.

Say what you will and accuse ATG of getting off-subject, but inspiration rears its hand-painted head where is wishes, I have no control. I get enough shit for posting the hell out of Porsches and watches, so don't complain about eggs. Looks like it might be spring break in Bucharest for me.

Ceci n'est pas un prophete

I have a friend who refuses to watch foreign films. It kills me. Every time I try to suggest a non-English film, he goes into a long-winded diatribe about not being able to concentrate because he's too busy reading. I suppose it's not for everyone, but I can't seem to imagine my world without films like A Bittersweet Life or Gomorrah in it. In fact, if I were to make a list of my top ten, I'd be willing to bet the majority would come from beyond our borders. Well, time to add another film to that list. Un Prophete has got me searching Craigslist for a used Rosetta Stone box on French.

I rolled my eyes when I read the DVD box boasts of comparisons to the Godfather (1-2 only, I had hoped -- part 3 doesn't even exist as far as I'm concerned), but was willing to take a chance. Cannes and The Academy can't be all wrong... usually. Like most great things in life, it started out slow and ended with me begging for more. As cool and tough as it is engaging and beautiful, this film comfortably settles toward the middle of my ten. "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." Trailer after the jump.

Oh, Mr. Fiiiiilson.

Has anyone ever heard of this new brand, Filson? They seem to make some pretty great stuff. I wonder why nobody has covered it on these blog things. I don't care how "played" these little guys are, you put a pile of beautifully worn ones on display in your shop and I will come. Well, Unionmade, here I come. On display, for a limited time, is one of the better collections of lovingly-used and abused bags ever assembled. I heard next month they're going to showcase a collection of Steve McQueens.

Hit List: George Nelson Action Roll Top Desk

The stand up "architect" desk is topping my list, but I'd take pretty much any variation. The best part? THEY'RE CHEAP..... compared to buying your own jetliner. Found one on eBay with an 8K "buy it now." Like I said, cheap.

Lunch Break: Cuban Sandwiches & Italian Cars

*Cuban sandwich not pictured