The debut of Mr Porter, the biggest ever launch of a men’s luxury-goods website comes exactly 10 years after bringing designer labels to the ladies from Net a Porter. Today they launched  a little somethin’ somethin’ for the menfolk — a menswear site called Mr. Porter.

The dedicated men’s site will kick things off with a nicely curated mix of Spring/Summer 2011 pieces from A.P.C, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, J.Crew, Lanvin, Maison Martin Margiela, Roland Mouret, Ralph Lauren, and Rick Owens.

Mr. Porter goes much further than suits, oxfords, and cuff links, but also includes a fashion blog with editorial content, a style guide and how-to manuals for the man who enjoys the finer things in life. Mr. Porter also offers same-day deliveries in London and New York City.

www.MrPorter.Com

“How to Shovel Snow Like a Man” by: Simon Grey for The Art of Manliness

Those of you in the perennially freezing parts of the US will know this information as well as the back of your hand, but I thought this would be a fun primer for those who got surprisingly dumped upon by a big storm.

There are certain duties that almost invariably fall to men. Killing spiders. Opening stuck jar lids. Unclogging toilets. And especially this time of year, shoveling snow. Snow shoveling is often a back-breaking, tiresome process. If you have a driveway that is sixty feet long by twenty feet wide, and you get six inches of snow, clearing off the driveway means moving six hundred cubic feet of snow. It is thus a task that calls for some seriously manly brawn.

Shoveling snow is generally not a particularly fun activity, although it is an excellent workout and a fine opportunity to get some crisp, fresh air. And there are a few ways to mitigate the unpleasantness of this chore, which we’ll discuss today.

Dressing for the Occasion

First, you need to dress for the job at hand. If it’s above twenty degrees outside, you will want to dress in light layers. I recommend an outfit that consists of leather boots, wool socks, jeans, an undershirt, a thermal henley, a red plaid flannel shirt, and gloves. Maybe a cap, but only if it’s really windy outside. This outfit works best when it’s above twenty degrees outside, especially if you have a decent amount of shoveling to do. You don’t want to be dressed too warmly, because once you start getting into the swing of things, you’ll heat up fast. This makes wearing at least a couple of layers essential; you’ll want to strip one off as you get going and warm up.

If it’s below ten degrees, dress warmer. Add a second pair of socks and a heavier coat. If the snow is deep enough, wear snow pants. And make sure to wear thermal shirts and leggings.

Methods of Snow Removal

For Short Driveways

If you have a short driveway, a shovel will probably work best. Make sure to pick the right shovel for the job. Do not get a plastic shovel; they are poorly constructed and do not stand up to the rigors of moving any snow heavier than a light dusting. They break easily and cannot handle ice.

Also, do not get an “ergonomically designed” shovel. They do not offer any significant benefits to your lower back, at least compared to normal shovels, and they are slightly harder to scoop snow with.

Instead, opt for a shovel with a straight wooden handle and a reinforced metal blade. You will find that these are the easiest to work with and are generally pretty sturdy as well.

The process for shoveling a driveway is pretty simple: first, shovel a line along the edge of the driveway, on the side that the wind is coming from. Do not try to shovel into the wind. After that, shovel snow from that path to the opposite side of the driveway. If you need to toss snow across the driveway, you will be aided by the wind.

For Mid-Length Driveways

If you have a mid-length driveway, you should probably use a snow blower. There are a variety of different brands and types, and each will likely have its own starting process. Consult the owner’s manual for instructions.

Also, remember that snow blowers can be very dangerous. Never stick your hands in the snow chute or scoop while the snow blower is in operation.

Using a snow blower is fairly simple: plow down one side of the driveway and work your way to the other side of the driveway. Make sure to blow all the snow in the same direction. Also, make sure to blow the snow with the wind, not against it. This is a very cold lesson to learn the hard way.

For Long Driveways

If you have a long driveway, use a truck with a snow blade attached. This process is relatively simple as well: drive the truck onto the driveway, lower the blade, and clear off the snow. Make sure that you warm up the truck first, though; you don’t want to harm your engine or drive in a cold cab. If the street on which you live has already been cleared, try to push the snow either off to the side of the driveway or across the street. No one wants to have to drive through or around a pile of snow, including you.

Continue reading →

“As a housewife, she had a light touch- She did not seem overburdened or cranky, she didn’t remind the rest of us how much she did- and yet she sewed many of her own and my clothes, kept the house meticulous, and always prepared our meals. The food we ate was acceptable more often then delicious; she favored pan broiled steak or noodle and cheese loafs, and she taught me her recipes in a low key, literal way, never explaining why I needed to know them. Why wouldn’t I need to know them? She was endlessly patient and a purveyor of small sweet gestures: Without commenting, she’d leave pretty ribbons or peppermint candies on my bed or, on my bureau, a single flower in a three inch vase.” – American Wife by: Curtis Sittenfeld

Images: Vogue.Com

Parents traveling with kids are probably all too familiar with the grimacing faces of fellow passengers when you board a flight with a baby or toddler… It’s enough to make any new parent feel apprehensive about traveling.

My daughter Violet was born three years go, right around the time my husband’s work was due to take him around the globe. Not wanting to be apart for so long we decided to travel together, so at 3 weeks old Violet had her passport and we were packing our bags… and we haven’t looked back since!

Saying that, traveling with a baby isn’t what I’d call ‘easy’, but there are things you can do that make it a lot easier. Here are my top ten tips to making journeys with little ones bearable, even enjoyable!

1. Routines are key! While everything around them is changing keeping to a routine helps to make your baby feel secure in their new environment and adjust faster to time zones. It also helps avoid those tired/hungry melt-downs! If it’s bedtime or naptime at home then it’s sleep time on the plane too. Bring diapers, pajamas and their favorite cuddly toy and make it clear it’s time to sleep. When you land, adjust this routine to the new time zone. Sticking to it can be hard but persevere as over time it really does pay off.

2. Consider travel plans when investing in key baby equipment, particularly your stroller. Go for a compact, light-weight, fully collapsible one. I recommend a sling for very young ones, which allows you to carry your baby but be hands-free at the same time. BabyBjorn does a brilliant one.

3. Travel with your own car seat. It’s a pain but better than arriving somewhere and finding there isn’t one or it’s the wrong size. When you check-in ask them to bag it in plastic or pay to have it wrapped by machine. Otherwise they get battered, dirty and often wet when stowed.

4. Organize your hand luggage ready for security checks. Sounds silly but you’ll have your hands full with baby, removing coats & shoes, folding down the stroller etc, so make life easier by putting lap-tops and liquids within easy reach. Plus wear easy to remove footwear!

5. Bring a change of clothes in your hand luggage – for you as well as your baby. Spillages, leaky diapers, sicky-babies… there’s nothing worse than a long haul flight wearing soiled or wet clothes!

6. Don’t fall into the sugar trap! Tempting as it may be to give sweet treats to toddlers to keep the peace, avoid at all cost! Sugary snacks, juices & sodas make them more over-excited and less likely to behave. Bring a good stock of healthy snacks and keep them hydrated with regular drinks of water. Bringing your own beaker cup helps avoid spillages.

7. Don’t reply on airlines to provide healthy food. It doesn’t matter which airline or class you fly, kids food always seems to be junk and usually full of high-sugar snacks. Try to cook up one meal to bring with you – something simple like veggie pasta. There are great lunch boxes designed for kids-on-the-go – invest in a fun one.

8. Bring a good selection of toys and activities. Pack a ‘bag of tricks’ full of little things for them to play with on the plane, plus some good books. Coloring pens and children’s magazines are excellent too. Anything they can play sitting down! Bring one DVD for long flights – but save it for emergencies!

9. If you are staying in a hotel phone in advance and put in a list of requests. Hotels are usually happy to provide basic baby equipment. If you know people where you are going, beg & borrow whatever you can to make life easier. The less you have to carry the better!

10.  Make it exciting! If you are relaxed and enthusiastic your child will most likely follow your lead. Things will go wrong sometimes but try your hardest to stay calm in front of your baby. Chat to your toddler about your travel plans. Get excited together about the trip to the airport, the plane, the hotel and the prospect of a new bed/crib to sleep in. Do some research into fun things to you can do when you get there. There are lots of websites and baby-blogs with good city guides and chat to hotel staff for suggestions.

Happy Travels! – Chloe Buckland