Welcome to InsideHook’s Staff Picks, a compendium of all the beautiful and functional thinks our editors dug on this week.
If you’re looking for a good cornbread recipe for Thanksgiving, this is not one of them:
So I saw this Tasty video on how to make cornbread and I am utterly disgusted! pic.twitter.com/jAFvqUbaRC
— Kalen Allen (@TheKalenAllen) November 16, 2017
Now let’s get to the picks:
Waffle Towels by Parachute
“Sometimes impressing your guests is less about the big, flashy centerpiece items — leather sectionals, area rugs, big-screen TVs — and more about the details. Are your kitchen knives sharpened? Does the bed have decent pillows? And what about your towels? Are they worn? Smelly? Washed out? Abrasive? Or are they 100% long-staple Turkish cotton all bound up in a handsome honeycomb weave? If they’re not the latter, get with the program. These swaddlers from Parachute are lightweight, comfy and handsome on the rack. And at under $50, they aren’t bad on the wallet, either.” — Walker Loetscher, Editor in Chief
Sony Alpha A7IIK Digital Camera
“I’m not a photographer. I know how to use a manual camera to make artsy photos that are sometimes technically proficient. Too often I fumble the thing and ruin or expose the film. It’s expensive in time and money. For my last vacation, I picked up the model just before this Alpha a7IIK, and it’s served me well ever since. Lightweight, pretty rugged (I did dent it on some Icelandic rock or another, but it’s held up) and easy to use.” — Athena Wisotsky, Senior Editor
Astronaut Slippers
“The preferred slipper of the International Space Station. Seriously. These cozy clouds have kept toasty the toes of America’s space cowboys for over three decades, traveling a reported 500,000,000 miles in that span. Now, I’m probably not taking a trip to the thermosphere anytime soon, but between that suede leather sole and its ragg wool design, I definitely wouldn’t mind having a pair around the house for frosty mornings.” — Tanner Garrity, Editorial Intern
SureFire Maximus Headlamp
“There are a lot of headlamps on the market, but the SureFire can take a serious beating, rotates 90 degrees and lets you adjust the brightness from one lumen to 1,000 (roughly the same as a 75-watt bulb). It’s also rechargeable, so no more batteries. There are only a few left, so act fast.” — Reuben Brody, Los Angeles Editor
Tekkima Navigator
“Cold November rain doesn’t last forever, but even if it does, you’ll be able to weather the storm with this water-resistant wax cotton field coat. With plenty of pockets and a two-way front zipper, this modern take on the classic British coat is versatile with a capital V. Also recommended: Tekkima’s insulated and waterproof Cascade bomber jacket.” — Evan Bleier, News Editor
Romance Journal
“Started by creative design studio RoAndCo earlier this year, Romance Journal has been steadily collecting its fair share of fans, myself included. An elegant large-format print mag containing discussions with talented creative women may not sound like your cup of tea, but Issue 2 just arrived — and its theme, fittingly, is ‘Resist.’ Interviews run the gamut, from Carmen Perez (executive director of The Gathering for Justice and National Co-Chair for the Women’s March on Washington) to Refinery29 co-founder Piera Geraldi.” — Michael Nolledo, Deputy Editor
Mizzen+Main Performance Flannel
“My closet has always been half flannel. It lines the denim of my favorite pair of jeans. I’m wearing a vintage find right now. And last Christmas you would have thought I was a brand ambassador for Duluth Trading. But this season I’m wearing the first flannels from Mizzen+Main — yes, the menswear outfit that wants you to rethink polyester. They’ve manipulated their performance fabric to get an authentic flannel feel, and I can’t wait to see if I can fool the folks back home.” — Alex Lauer, Associate Editor
Red Wing Heritage Classic Bifold
“As a rule, I don’t change wallets too often — probably twice in the last 15 years. But when I heard that the legendary bootsmiths at Red Wing Heritage had debuted a new line of handsome billfolds, I went ahead and made the switch — quite possibly for the last time in my life. Classic six-cards-and-some-cash design done in all black, neither of which will ever go out of style. But most importantly, it’s crafted by the same master leathermen responsible for the pair of Iron Rangers in my closet. If this wallet is built half as solidly as those boots, some progeny of my progeny’s progeny will be paying debts out of it long after I’m dead.” — Danny Agnew, Creative Director
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