Welcome to InsideHook’s Staff Picks, a compendium of what our editors are digging recently.
This kid gets the holidays:
Now enjoy this week’s staff picks:
Mack Weldon ION Series
Truth: We get pitched a million different weekenders, wallets and Dopp kits every week. But Mack Weldon — menswear savants who make up half our socks and jocks drawer — hit a homerun with their take on these seemingly familiar items. Built from water-resistant industrial twill (with antimicrobial, silver-lined interior compartments), these accessories are durable, stay odor free, come with an assortment of hidden features (chargers and RFID protection in the wallets, shoe compartments in the weekender, etc.) and, particularly with the powder blue travel kit ($48), look really damn suave. — Kirk Miller, Managing Editor/Nation Editor
Mission Workshop Gannet Sweatshirt
The difference between a sweatshirt you can confidently wear in public and a sweatshirt that makes you look like a slob is simple: structure. This number from S.F.’s Mission Workshop is made from a thick, water-resistant fleece called PolarTech, and features a tailored fit along with zippered pockets on the chest and seams for personal effects. Throw it under a shell for your winter ski vacations; by spring, it’ll be the only thing you need to wear on the slopes. (Well, besides pants. Definitely wear pants.) — Walker Loetscher, Editor-in-Chief
MasterClass
I recently forked over my hard-earned pennies to hear what David Mamet had to say about writing drama. Turns out he knows a thing or two. MasterClass does a great job with their videos, and Mamet actually talks like his characters, even when he’s showing you his storyboard. They provide notes and assignments that you can submit for review, as well as links to free texts like Aristotle’s Poetics. Cooking, playing piano, directing videos: if you’re honing a craft and don’t want to sit in a school, MasterClass works. And, like a good Mamet project, it’s entertaining. — Reuben Brody, Los Angeles Editor
’47 Lacer Hood
If it’s good enough for Victoria’s Secret Angel Josephine Skriver, it’s good enough for me. Even though it’s a hockey-style lace up hoodie, NBA and NFL teams are also available (in addition to NHL squads). Use the code LACEUP to take off 20% at checkout. — Evan Bleier, News Editor
Cards Against Humanity for Her
Exactly the same as the regular Cards Against Humanity, which costs $25, except it’s pink and costs $40. Because it’s “for her.” I love that I found a socially terrifying card game that works for my lifestyle. Plus, the way they keep their eye out for regular folks through small but radical moments of corporate activism really helps me unwind after a long day/year. — Athena Wisotsky, Senior Editor
Lucky Bastard Co. Lip Balm
You know that 10-millisecond wake-up scramble after a night of drinking when you track down your phone, wallet and dignity? I check for the chap, too. And though normally a “blue chapstick” or “black chapstick” purist, I’ve recently given the gents at Lucky Bastard Co. in Venice, CA, a lip. They offer the holy trinity of balm — tube, slider or tin — along with tees, candles and one of those Instagram accounts that’s fun to peruse while sitting on the toilet. — Tanner Garrity, Editorial Intern
Latitu København Holdall
It’s the perfect travel bag. You cannot go wrong with 100% Italian leather and minimal detailing. This thing makes you look like you’re going somewhere important — even if you’re just headed to Nana’s house. My fiancé is also welcome to take this as a hint as to what I want for Christmas. — Shari Gab, Senior Producer
THE BEST THING WE DRANK THIS WEEK
One of the perks of working at InsideHook? Sampling a hefty variety of whiskeys. Despite this privileged access, I have never claimed a “favorite” — a bottle I always keep on hand that hits the sweet spot in the palate and wallet. That is, until I got my hands on Standard Wormwood Distillery Rye. This eccentric spirit bypasses the normal debates of mash preference and sneaks into the realm of absinthe (wormwood is mixed with rye and corn in the distillation process). It’s spicy, compelling and perfect for impressing guests.
I enjoyed it neat, but if you’re looking for the perfect cocktail to pair with your inevitable Star Wars screening, the folks at How to Drink used the spirit to craft one they would imagine “Han Solo to drink in the Mos Eisley cantina if after shooting Greedo he decided to hang around and order a beverage to cool his jets.” — Alex Lauer, Associate Editor
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