highland park 12 years

Emmelle recently asked me to blog about a variety of items that I'm interested in, so she can quickly navigate the latest posts to inform future gift-giving needs. She is a smart cookie, that one. I contend, however, that I already do that. If you scroll through the contents of these pages, I think it's fairly easy to identify what holds my interest. Moreover, it's easy to determine some of the cyclical phases I go through with my interests (obsessions).

The latest: single malt whiskies. I'm specifically avoiding the term "scotch" as my studies are showing that single malt varietals distilled outside of Scotland can please the palate much like their kilt-adorned brothers.

Now, I've always enjoyed whiskies on a night out. They've been a good ally on those nights when my stomach is too full for beer, and I can't make a decision on a cocktail. I'd most frequently sipped on a Jameson neat (not a single malt) in the past and have received a couple bottles of single malt scotch as gifts. I once attended a Johnny Walker tasting and finally had the opportunity to taste the ubiquitous Blue Label (I remember it tasting like vanilla). I drank (The) Macallan because my cousin told me to. Then I drank Oban because my cousin told me to. I accepted splashes of water in my dram as several enthusiasts told me that it would open up the flavors. I firmly believed that older aged whiskies are always smoother and taste better than younger ones. That's more or less my experience with whiskies; I'm fairly certain I had never purchased a bottle of single malt for myself until very recently. I've enjoyed them without knowing what I'm really tasting but television and print ads have beaten me over the head that as a man, I should know how to properly enjoy a finely crafted whisky.

Enough!

Let's hit the reset button.

A couple of weeks ago, after a particularly inspiring night out sipping single malt scotch at an upscale downtown hotel bar, I purchased my first bottle of single malt scoth - Highland Park 12 Year (less than $40). Leading up to this purchase, I had read that this was a great introduction into single malt, a nice blend of sweet and smoke for an underdeveloped whisky palate. One particular blogger that I stumbled upon feels that it's the best 12 year single malt in the world. That's a lot of hyperbole, but hey, I'm pretty impressionable, especially with all of the truths that I read about on the internets.

Highland Park 12 Year is certainly delicious. I was delighted by a wonderfully malty, butterscotch-esque scent on the nose. That sweetness remains on the tongue and finishes with just a little bit of smoke. Nice. There is a certain, unexplainable depth/complexity to this drink that I've noticed only when comparing to another label (details coming soon!) that I recently bought.

Anyway, in the coming years, I'll continue my education of all things single malt and share my tasting notes here. I'm curious to see how my palate develops and whether or not I'm able to improve in my articulation of tasting experiences.

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2010 - looking back and looking forward

I always feel a little devious when I wrote during work hours; but I can't help myself today as my inability to pen a PowerPoint deck has made it possible for a little catch up on GreensandBrowns. I meant to take a proper look back on the year that just passed, but the last six weeks have vanished like sand sliding between your fingers. That's what's happened to my memories from this past year as well; all that's left is a small pile of sand in my palm. It's time to cover it up, protect it from the elements, just some of the things I can recall at this moment, off the top of my head:

• New title: Senior Analyst to Manager
• I moved from a frat house in the Sunset to a (one bedroom-sized) studio in the Richmond
• I engaged myself with Emmelle
• Colonel Mustard and General Mustard engaged each other
• C-Monster completed her first year of undergrad
• Emmelle and I visited the motherland (Korea)
• I traveled to western Europe for the first time (Germany and UK)

Wow, that seems like a decent list. There is always more change in life than I think.

And now, one month into the new year, there are already new and pending changes that are sure to have a significant impact both personally and professionally. The obvious one is our wedding in May. New traditions, new habits, new sleeping pattern, new home, new everything. I am excited for it.

The other, which I only learned of this week, is a dear friend's departure from my company. Throughout my career, I have been both blessed and adept at identifying and aligning myself with strong mentors. At the end of the day, they are role models, and the best education for me has always been to try to emulate the work that they produce, mimic the way they interact with others and navigate difficult waters. It happens through osmosis, direct feedback and my own personal desire to be better. He's definitely helped me to become better. I will miss him.

Lastly, perhaps a poetic convergence emerges between these two changes. Without knowing exactly who, I assume there's at least one young person out there who recognizes elements of my life and/or behavior as a directional model. Maybe it's the lovely bride-to-be that I've chosen, or perhaps the smart career choices that I've made, or (most likely) my sophisticated fashion sense. Am I right? Could I be wrong?!

Thanks for stopping by.

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I'm not sure what my favorite commercial used to be, but I know what it is now. Apparently, this fantastic VW commercial will be airing during this year's Super Bowl.

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remembering london

Much has gotten in the way of a proper blog post. And I'm a little saddened to say that I didn't even offer up a holiday card in 2010. Tsk, tsk. We are keeping busy, and GreensandBrowns was unfortunately de-prioritized and neglected.

It looks like we last left off with a lovely photo of Abbey Road. There's not too much to say about my trip at this point. I flew to Heathrow Airport on a Tuesday night and arrived Wednesday afternoon. I spent a couple of nights in Brighton before having the weekend to myself in London. I rode all over the city, taking pictures and making mental notes of the sights and sounds I'd like to experience with Emmelle together when she has a proper opportunity to visit the UK. It was a hellish, tiresome Saturday - but I captured some decent photos.

I should say however, that I was not successful in meeting Harry Potter during this business trip - which was more or less my main objective.

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rock and roll pilgrimage

I was in the UK last week and had the opportunity to spend a Saturday in London. Abbey Road Studios was, of course, my first stop. Checking this off my bucket list. More to come from London...

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dinobots for my hands

Don't have very much time to expound on this, but I've never made it through a holiday season since I began using the internets without poking around eBay for these guys:

• Grimlock
• Slag
• Snarl
• Swoop
• Sludge

It's time to stop searching and actually do some receiving/buying/stealing. Coincidentally, my very first blog post had a Transformers reference. I am, if nothing else, a consistent bloke. Why are they categorized in apparel? Because I'm going to wear these guys on my hands.

Thanks for stopping by.

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camper industrial boots for my barking dogs

Editor's note: There are times when Blogger doesn't do what I want it to do. For instance, this ridiculously large and ugly font. Shame on you Blogspot, please find this post and rectify it.

After a day of rest (decreed by the good Lord), I'm back to continue our countdown to a shiny and material Christmas.

What else could perfectly complement my business trip to the UK this week than to pamper my feet with a pair of British-made boots?

I'm generally not a fan of shoe laces, so the Camper Industrial ankle boots just barely make the grade. But I'm a fan of the urban nature of this pair; they offer a grittiness not found in some of Camper's more whimsical lines.

I hope I don't run into a Camper store in London.

Thanks for stopping by.

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burberry check skinny tie(s) for my neck

More gift ideas.

Burberry ties are nothing new. I actually pilfered one on eBay for a cool $35 a couple of years ago (yes, it's a genuine make). But I only recently discovered that Burberry offers a chic line of skinny ties. It's a desirable marriage of their traditional branding and contemporary styling. Who knows when skinny ties will go by the wayside again - it's taken decades to make its triumphant return, but these ties in particular may be able to stand the test of time and endure the wrong side of the cycle when we devolve back to its thick, clumsy and evil twin brother.

For the wintry months, I prefer these bolder, darker colors. And then for the warmer seasons, great to follow up with some of the lighter pastels, including the ubiquitous tartan pattern (but keep it thin). And when I say "prefer" I really mean "plan to buy".

There are some nay-sayers out there who might tell you that a $150 tie is a ridiculous amount to pay for an accessory with no functionality. I have no rebuttal; they are right. But if wearing a Burberry skinny tie is wrong, I just never want to be right.

Thanks for stopping by.

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victorinox montreal wallet (swiss army) for my bottom

Christmas gift idea #3. Now, I want to make one thing clear while I spend the better part of this month sharing cool guy accessories. I'm going to own all of these specific items at some point, so don't actually go buy it for somebody who is not a principle contributor of this blog. That's just bad form and entirely unoriginal.

These ideas are meant to be purely inspirational.

Anyway, during my recent visit to Munich Germany, I had a layover in Zurich, Switzerland and couldn't get over how cool the Swiss logo/emblem/insignia is. Even their passports are awesome. So I instantly became an ardent fan of Victorinox (Swiss Army), not to be confused with Wenger, and I'd like to get my hands on just about everything that carries its beautiful emblem.

Thus, I was excited to find that they have an ultra-slim wallet in their Altius 2.0 Collection - the Montreal. The price is very reasonable, and I love how minimalistic it is.

There are only two types of guys in the world - hoarders who collect all kinds of business cards and receipts into their ever-growing wallets and minimalists who aim to have a wallet as thin as possible. There was even a Seinfeld episode that covered this dichotomy. I'm part of the latter fraternity, and one of my life's passions is to continue to reduce my wallet size - until it's invisible and we can all just scan our thumbs for identification and purchasing needs.

But my thumb doesn't have a Swiss logo on it. Shame.

I hear that the Montreal makes for an excellent birthday gift (especially when one's birthday is relatively soon after the Christmas holidays and it doesn't make sense to buy consecutive gifts that empty the checking account).

Thanks for stopping by.

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oakley kitchen sink backpack

My season's greetings to you continues. Now I'm wondering if I can get through 24 ridiculously frivolous gift ideas right up until our Lord's birth. Should be fun.

Being the (ahem, international) road warrior that I am, I've been really enamored with Oakley's Kitchen Sink backpack since I saw it in an in-flight Delta magazine a few months ago.

While the bag offers a ton of components, I don't think most of us need anything so complex. Its utility is lost in its own usefulness. That doesn't make any sense, and I just confused myself. But that's what makes this bag so fresh; backpacks aren't supposed to be confusing - until NOW.

I mean, look at this thing. It looks more like a weapon than anything else. The bag also appears heavier than anything you might actually store inside of it.

How can you want anything else after digesting these notable features:

The KITCHEN SINKBACKPACK offers every conceivable innovation, from a mobile phone pocket to a padded sleeve that holds a laptop up to 17". The top storage compartment is compression molded to protect eyewear — or use it for a media player and take advantage of the headphone port. Cable zipper pulls let you add a lock to secure the main compartment. The mid-body access flap includes an inner organizer, and a compartment at the bottom has drainage ports for wet or soiled items. You also get plenty of pockets, attachment points and tie downs.

It's a pretty steep price tag for a backpack, but there are some online retailers that offer it for much less than Oakley.

Thanks for stopping by. Why am I so ridiculous?

One random thought du jour: All of these image URLs that I'm posting on my blog, these items or websites will one day be discontinued, and all I'll have to look at are some ugly boxes with a red 'X'. I should think about downloading all of these for posterity.

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