Disclosure: This post includes free product provided for review from TRUFF Hot Sauce and also uses affiliate links, from which a small commission might be earned on qualifying purchases. All thoughts are my own. 

My friends, as I always tend to say when we dive into the Friday Read, well, it’s quite literally *time* to step into the weekend, and you should assuredly do so with the aid of a stylish and rugged timepiece from the likes of Nixon. You’re hopefully familar with the brand’s rugged dive watches and a nice mix of casual leather watches & more, and that’s where it gets even better. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Nixon is offering a men’s and women’s custom watch program. It’s a neat process that allows you to customize everything from the case color to the color of the dial and the seconds hand, and of course, you can add an engraved message on the back, too. I’ve had a chance to check out the Nixon watch customization program on my own and am seriously pleased with the results (I got the Nixon Time Teller Custom Watch) — you can and should follow me on Instagram to see the finished product, and if your partner could use a new and stylish custom watch for Valentine’s Day, this is the perfect opportunity to make it happen. Now, onward to the rest of today’s Friday Read.

Now, if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, or if you read my twice-weekly newsletter, The Style Guide In Brief, I bet you’re caught up on the latest in my neck of the woods. If not, well, allow me to get you up to speed. I’ve been so honored and excited to share my first-ever  feature for Esquire.com (yes, Esquire.com!) — and for the occasion, I went big. I’ve admired the style of Brandon Flowers, frontman of The Killers, for years and years, and with the band’s excellent new album Imploding The Mirage continuing to delight fans and critics, I knew I had to speak with him about the album and his standout style. If you’d like, you can read my interview with Brandon Flowers here. — what a band, what a frontman, and what an opportunity! Of course, that’s not the only thing I’ve been working on, because I also covered the best at-home menswear for GearMoose and a new Scotch whisky for Maxim — both of those pieces are below! Thank you for reading, thank you for your support and let’s dive into the rest of The Friday Read below.

• We tend to cover a lot of ground here on the blog these days, from the best on-sale Chelsea boots to the best new henley to buy now, but I think you’ll like this change of pace. I’m no gourmand, but I’ve truly loved the opportunity to test out what I think is one of the best hot sauces on the market, TRUFF Hot Sauce. They offer white truffle hot sauce, classic hot sauce, truffle pasta sauce and more. The white truffle hot sauce is my favorite, to be sure. I’ve tried it on sandwiches, rice, eggs, pizza and more — it really delivers quality flavor and a not-overpowering, slightly sweet heat. It’s infused with truffles and presented in some seriously eye-catching packaging (and they also offer hot sauce bundles). Consider it a great gift for yourself or a great gift for the gourmand in your life for Valentine’s Day, or consider it one of the best hot sauces to buy now, regardless of the time of year.

• Let’s get back to menswear briefly, shall we? If you haven’t yet checked out the other wares being sold by NYC brand Bonobos (beyond some of the best chinos for men on the market, that is), you should check out my Style Pick of the Week feature — published every Saturday — covering the Bonobos Wool Bomber Jacket. It’s an essential winter layer that could become your new favorite winter jacket.

• I mentioned above that we’d get into the best gear to wear at home, or rather, the best gear for a weekend at home (from whiskey to stylish loungewear and more), so in the spirit of sticking to my word and helping you look great in the process, you best check out my guide for GearMoose on at-home weekend style, grooming and more.
• Speaking of what to wear and sip as you stay at home, you’d do well to check out my latest for Maxim on a new, seriously delicious and nuanced Dewar’s Scotch whisky aged in Portuguese port ruby casks. Cheers to a weekend winter warmer, my friends.

The winter months present all kinds of style challenges, including staying warm as you take on the elements at a sidewalk bar or an outdoor heated patio — and that’s why I can’t recommend enough that you check out my pick for one of the best men’s thermal shirts, the rugged Freemans Sporting Club Homespun Thermal. I’ve got the full scoop in this blog post. Happy layering & happy shopping! And once again, thank you for your support, thank you for reading, thank you for your kind comments and E-mails — it means the world! Onward and upward, my friends. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.