Kai D: Slow Fashion Gaines Momentum
He’s the owner, designer and janitor, and that suits Kai Fan to a tee. Or a nice blazer or linen tie. Relatively new to the domestic manufacturing market (the shop is about to turn six months old), Kai D in Brooklyn is a supple collection of simple, rugged clothing lines and accessories that seem dipped...
Modern Day Chivalry
With a generation of “selfies” and social media implosion, some may believe that the art of chivalry may be on the verge of extinction as we become increasingly obsessed with our own placement in the world. Is pulling out a chair, holding a door or offering your seat to a senior when riding public transportation...
Tea Towels: The Softer Side of the Industrial Revolution
Once upon a time, back when horses and wagons roamed the Earth and the telephone was a twinkle in Alexander Graham Bell’s eye, tea towels were found in every Victorian English lady’s kitchen. Typically made from absorbent, finely woven soft linen, tea towels were ideal for drying china, glassware and delicate serving pieces without fear...
Getting Groomed: The Hazards of Becoming a Man
Whether you’re expressing your individuality or simply practicing good hygiene, there’s one thing most men can agree on—personal grooming never goes out of style. When it was my turn to begin shaving, it took years of enduring nicks and crooked sideburns to develop a signature regimen. Although I earned a badge of honor in razor...
Hudson, NY: A River Town’s Renaissance
Walking the streets of Hudson, it might seem strange that this river town 100 miles away from the open ocean is graced with the images of so many whales. You’ll see them on hotel and street signs, shop windows, banners, even on the city seal. But Hudson owes its name—and really it’s very existence—to the...
Born a Ramblin’ Man
Some people collect spoons. Others collect license plates or snow globes to remind them of their travels. I have always favored items that get me to a destination versus what I can procure once I get there. My growing luggage collection includes my mother’s “World Traveler” that has seen me from Toronto to New Orleans...
Crafting a Good Life, One Spoon at a Time
For Jonathan Simmons of Jonathan’s Spoons, running a cottage industry that creates and sells handcrafted, natural wood products is more than business. It’s an extension of his personal philosophy, which prizes independence and fair trade over all. “It means I am free to do what I want,” said Simmons, 58, “but it’s more than that....
Brooklyn Grooming
The latest addition to Hudson Made’s roster of artisan suppliers is Brooklyn Grooming, a company not yet a year old, and one we’re happy to announce as our Artisan of the Month for December. Founded by “alchemist in another life” Mckenzie Santiago and designer Alfredo Catedral, they offer a superb line of men’s grooming products,...
Sesame Letterpress
Lately a fellow Dumbo-based artisanal shop, Sesame Letterpress, has caught our eye, so we’re very excited to feature them as our artisan of the month for November. Sesame Letterpress handcrafts beautiful paper products, including stationery, business cards, calendars, note cards and notebooks. We caught up with Sesame’s Breck Hostetter to learn a bit about the...
Flame-Blackened Beauty Perfect for October
We are big fans of nice aesthetics here, and our flame-blackened ladle from Jonathan’s Spoons is a perfect example. At once both masculine and feminine; dramatic and sophisticated; beautiful and functional. Jonathan Simons handcrafted this ladle with care in Pennsylvania with sustainably-harvested cherry wood, and then achieved its rich color with a flame-blackening technique. He...
Andy Goldsworthy and Storm King
We love this quote from Andy Goldsworthy and are sharing it with you to honor fall and to mention that now is a perfect time for excursions upstate to destinations like Storm King. In addition to Goldsworthy’s masterwork Wall, see permanent installations from world-famous masters such as Alexander Calder, David Smith and Isamu Noguchi. We...
Happy October!
We love this quote from one of our favorite naturalists, Henry David Thoreau, and typed it out on our vintage Royal typewriter (ca. 1930s) to share with you. Happy October, everyone!
