Tag / dublin

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Exploring Ireland with Glendalough Gin

Well, my friends: As hard as it might be to believe, considering that I was on the road in Minneapolis last weekend in pursuit of a whiskey-centric freelance writing story well, I’m on the road once more — but this time, the trip is a little more far-flung. I’ve been in Dublin and the rolling hills of Wicklow, Ireland since Tuesday as part of my freelance writing adventures, this time with the exceptional Glendalough Gin. While Glendalough also makes excellent whiskey, this venture is covering the process of obtaining botanicals for its gin, with a trek through the lush hills of Wicklow to complete the foraging experience.

I can’t share too much beyond that right now, but it’s been a wonderful trip to one of my favorite countries on the planet — complete with a day on Wednesday in Dublin visiting some of the city’s best bars and sipping Glendalough Gin in the process.

For a trip with such variety — from cocktail bars in Dublin to the wilds of Wicklow — I packed a few versatile favorites, like classic Mott and Bow blue jeans and a new pair of waxed Flint and Tinder pants from my friends at Huckberry. For your next trip abroad, I’d suggest you do the same!

And while I’ve covered the worlds of Scotch, Irish whiskey and bourbon, I’ve only lately begun dipping my toes (as a writer, that is!) in the world of high-quality gin. It’s one of many experiences in my freelance writing work for which I’m endlessly grateful, with the chance to expand my world and my comfort zone each and every day.

I’ve got a bit more time in Dublin yet before returning to New York City for what promises to be a lovely spring weekend, so in the meantime, be sure you’re keeping up with my pursuits over on my Instagram. Cheers and thanks for reading!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Dublin, Teeling Distillery & Arkells

Exploring Dublin Castle wearing the Orvis Heritage Field Coat and Tech Chambray Shirt, plus a classic Shinola Runwell Watch and new frames from Aspire Eyewear.

There are certain trips that leave an impact on you for days, weeks, months & yes, years to come. I’ve had the great fortune to take quite a few, and I know my trip this past weekend to Dublin is one of those such trips. It was certainly quick, but I had just enough time to get a feel for this historic city, complete with plenty of thankful reflection (and lots of on-foot exploration wearing my Orvis Heritage Field Coat!)

Highlights included the Teeling Distillery (go to the upstairs Bang Bang Bar, get the “New” Fashioned, thank me later), stellar menswear at Indigo & Cloth (packed with contemporary menswear brands like Norse Projects and Our Legacy) and the cozy, authentic confines of Bowes Lounge (get a pint of Guinness and take in the crowd). Fancy a bit of record shopping? Duck into the Sound Cellar — it’s next to a Subway shop & across from Trinity College, but that’s all the better!

Among the hustle and bustle of the city, I had two stellar Irish Breakfast platters (Canal Bank Cafe, near my quarters in Ranelagh, makes a great one!), I drank my weight in Guinness at the iconic Guinness Storehouse, and I had the chance to see one of my favorite bands, Scottish synth pop heroes CHVRCHES, play a powerful Friday night show at the iconic Olympia Theatre. If ever you get to Dublin, I can’t recommend sampling a little bit of everything this wonderful city has to offer — it’s a city and an experience I’ll always remember fondly.

As it were, I’ve got another quick weekend trip in the mix — similar to my quick jaunt to Vancouver to see Canadian rock stars Arkells, I’ll also be hitting the road to see them tomorrow! The trip is a much quicker one — a mere train ride to Philadelphia to see this powerful band play Underground Arts! My last time seeing this remarkable band (at the massive, sold-out Pacific Coliseum) was impressive, powerful & life-affirming, so I expect a similar showing this time, but in a much smaller setting! Start your own weekend with this week’s edition of The Friday Read, then coming back around tomorrow for our Style Pick of the Week. Thanks for reading!

  • I always talk about the little details making a difference in terms of the way you get dressed every single day — it’s with that in mind that I rounded up several of my favorite everyday carry essentials for The Manual, from a refined leather watch to a durable phone case.
  • The work being done by the team at Buck Mason is really never not Buck Mason Bruiser Bomber JacketGearMoose worth a look — case in point being the remarkable , one of my favorite leather jackets of the moment. It just so happens to be the subject of one of my latest features, too!
  • Let’s turn back to GearMoose for a menswear feature I had some serious fun writing — the Todd Snyder x Timex partnership always yields some fruitful, stylish results. On that note, it’s been enjoyable to test out the refined, slim Todd Snyder x Timex Mid-Century Watch, a sleek timepiece that calls to mind old-school watches. Again, head to GearMoose to check it out.

As we again transition slowly but surely into spring, I have one more menswear recommendation for you today — namely, check out this rugged workwear jacket from Flint and Tinder to take on all your weekend adventures. That’s all from me for today!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Dublin, The Best Old Fashioned to Drink Now & The Best Winter Jacket

Cheers to the weekend — and the best Old Fashioned on the market. Image courtesy of Esquire.

We’re here on the cusp of another weekend, my friends — have an Old Fashioned, you deserve it. It’s been a whirlwind month of February for me, seeing as I woke up on February 1st in Vancouver on a weekend jaunt to see one of my favorite bands, Canadian rock stars Arkells, and then spent the rest of my time checking out a neat coastal city (I strongly recommend you hit up Brassneck Brewery and the trendy-but-not-too-trendy beer & cocktail emporium Six Acres). In short, the show & the trip were extraordinary — but you know that if you follow me on Instagram. Vancouver was lovely & extremely walkable, with sunny, breezy weather, great beer, and some tasty Japanese curry fries. The Granville Island Public Market is another eclectic location worth a visit if ever you get out West, too.

What’s on tap next, then? Why, another trip, of course! Back in October, as I started planning out my 2019, I looked “across the pond” and found a neat 2-for-1 opportunity of sorts — the chance to visit iconic, historic Dublin, Ireland, and the chance to see a stellar show by another one of my favorite groups, Scottish synth pop heroes CHVRCHES! In fact, as you read this, I’m en route to Dublin (with a stop at the Guinness Storehouse planned later today). From the Guinness Storehouse, it’ll be off to explore the city and head to the Olympia Theatre to see CHVRCHES play a Friday night show sure to be packed with hits off three much-loved albums, including 2013 classics “The Mother We Share” and “Recover.” From there, I’m looking forward to exploring as much of the city on foot as possible (with my Huckberry Duck Boots in tow, naturally). What’s on your weekend to-do list? Wait, I know the answer: Kicking it off with today’s edition of The Friday Read, and listening to some CHVRCHES. Problem solved!

  • Aside from a rich, flavorful IPA, I might put an Old Fashioned second on my list of go-to cocktails for a chilly winter night (the photo at the top really says it all, honestly). On that note, the ever-refined team at Esquire offers up a recipe for what just might be the best Old Fashioned to drink now. It’s super simple, it accentuates the whiskey (I like Michter’s at the moment), and it’s a nice way to unwind after a long day.
  • On the hunt for a unique collaboration that’s designed to work at the beach and on the streets? The Hurley x Carhartt collaboration, recently launched, is for you. It blends the spirit of workwear with the adventure-ready mindset of the beach through stylish hoodies, heavyweight tees & more.. And the even better news? I recently wrote about the partnership for The Manual! Check it out above.It’s quite high praise to call out one jacket (that’d be the Fint and Tinder Type 3 Sherpa Jacket) as the best winter jacket, but I’m here to tell you that it’s seriously under consideration for that honor from yours truly. In fact, you should read more about this jacket before it’s snapped up off digital shelves.
  • The best style moves are sometimes the simplest — take the Proof Nova Series Jacket, a minimal jacket that offers up big-time performance. To get the full scoop, I’m going to send you to GearMoose to read my latest feature.

So, that’ll do it for today’s edition of The Friday Read. I’ve got some exploration of Dublin to get done now — if you have any suggestions for sights to see in the city, feel free to let me know on Twitter. And in the meantime, I’d urge you to keep your weekend going by shopping for some of the best menswear essentials. There we go! Thanks for reading.