As I often say, it was another momentous week in my neck of the woods — or rather, if you follow me on Instagram, my neck of the woods looked a bit different this week. That’s because, as part of my many freelance writing pursuits covering everything from menswear to music to spirits (like the new The Macallan x Bentley partnership), I trekked south to Mexico with 1800 Tequila on behalf of Maxim.com. Talk about the trip of a lifetime, indeed!

And there was certainly plenty in store. Our itinerary (myself and a handful of writer and influencer colleagues) included a visit to the town of Tequila itself, a special media tour of the famed tequila producer’s facilities, some truly excellent local and regional cuisine, and of course, stunning accommodations throughout. The reason for the trip — aside from trying nearly the full line of 1800 Tequila expressions — was the forthcoming debut of an exceptional new bottle of tequila.

It’s yet another reminder that I’m very fortunate to be in this business, pursuing my passions all the while — be it my passion for a stylish Todd Snyder shirt, a classic Huckberry waxed jacket or a fine, sipping-worthy pour of tequila.

In fact, we visited the namesake site and inspiration for the tequila itself, but those details will arrive next week, in good time, as I craft a story around this trip. In the meantime, you can certainly look for my daily bylines at sites like Maxim.com, as well as a full rotation of menswear stories here at your favorite neighborhood style blog. Thanks, as ever, for reading, for following along and for supporting my many freelance pursuits!

I’ve said it plenty of times before when it comes to seasonal style, and especially the best spring style essentials – it pays off to be prepared in advance, or to be prepared right when you need it. In the case of one of the best spring rain jackets, well, the time is now, and the Line of Trade Portland Rain Jacket — from my friends at Bespoke Post — meets the mark perfectly in terms of that preparation.

It joins other seasonal essentials from the Line of Trade offering at Bespoke Post (an in-house brand from the New York upstart, as you well know if you read the blog). And it’s not the first Line of Trade review we’ve covered here on the blog, but it’s certainly timely as spring showers roll into town. The lightweight polyester shell of the Line of Trade Portland Rain Jacket fights back against wind, rain and spring breezes, and the 5K breathable membrane will keep you cool in the process.

Plus, a duckbill storm hood with an elastic drawstring provides crucial coverage, and a storm flap conceals the performance zipper. All of the bells and whistles are certainly covered with the Line of Trade Portland Rain Jacket, which is precisely what you need in your next-level spring outerwear. See for yourself, and then get out there and get after it.

One thing leads to another, or in this case, one seasons bleeds into the next, calling for a wardrobe refresh — this time for some of the best spring style essentials on the market, of course. And as per usual, it seems that California-based Aether Apparel, with its blend of technical silhouettes, adventure-ready fabric and streamlined, city-minded designs, is one heck of a place to be as we end this season and cruise into another one.

Perhaps you shopped the Aether Apparel Archive Sale earlier this season, which delivered savings of up to 50 percent off, but the key with the Aether Apparel End of Season Sale? Even greater savings (try up to 60 percent off) on highly technical yet highly stylish gear for the modern man (and woman).

The offering covers everything you might need to fight spring rain (or one final snowstorm), from the Aether Apparel Mission Snow Shell (as seen above) to pieces like its Hybrid Tech Hoodie, a range of technical jackets and fleece layers, and sleek shirt jackets.

In short, these are the kind of pieces to get you from point A to point B without missing a beat, and all the while looking perfectly ready for whatever the season throws at you. Amp things up while saving big at the Aether Apparel End of Season Sale.