Social Primer Brooks Brothers Tailgate Tour in Atlanta

This Thursday, November 10th, Cooper Ray of the blog Social Primer will be hosting a tailgate tour stop at the Brooks Brothers store in Lenox Mall. I will be there, along with JRS from Red Clay Soul, Caroline of Back Down South, and the guys from The Trot Line. There will be food, cocktails, and beach music by the legendary Atlanta motown band, The Tams. Cooper will be here in support of his bow tie line with Brooks Brothers, and will be unveiling a new, limited edition clothing item with Brooks (he's told me about it, and I think you're going to like it). The event will run from 6:00 and 8:00, so there's really no reason to not swing by after work and grab a free drink or two. The invite is below.

If you think you're going to be able to make it, please do RSVP to georgia@hwpr.com. And be sure to wear a bow tie. Hope to see you there.

The Milk Carton Kids

Back in June I went to see a Joe Purdy play a concert here in Atlanta. Opening for him was some band named The Milk Carton Kids. They were an opener band, I'd never heard of them, and their name was kind of weird, so I wasn't really that interested. However, I ended up watching them and really enjoyed it.

The band is made up of just two guys, Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, who I would describe as a West coast Simon & Garfunkle. They both play acoustic guitar and both sing. And while their music is very good, their shows involve more than a bit of banter which is quite entertaining. Last week they played at Eddie's Attic in Decatur and I went with a friend to see them play. The show was really good and was a steal for only $10 a ticket. If they make a stop in your town at some point in the future, I would highly recommend going to check them out.

They have two albums right now and, awesomely, both are available to download for free on their website. Below is a video for their song "Permanent," which may be my favorite song on either album.

Bearings/Warhorse Workshop/Billy Reid Launch Party

Friday night I went with some friends up to Buckhead to check out the launch party put on by Bearings Guide, Warhorse Workshop, and Billy Reid, which functioned as a pre-party to the Southern Swap Meet at the Goat Farm on Saturday. It was basically a pop-up shop for the aforementioned retailers to display their goods. In addition, practically the entire Oakleaf and Acorn store had been moved down there, and John Rich, the store's owner, was on hand to talk to everyone. I can't wait to make the trip up to Braselton to check out the store.

The guys from Warhorse Workshop, including Ryan Acker (who it was great to finally meet), were on hand to show off their wares. Billy Reid himself was not there, but staff from his Florence store was allegedly in attendance. Additionally, a rep from Sebago was there showing off some of their amazing shoes. I had no idea they were making half of the things they're making (wingtips??), but most of them looked great.

Overall it was a great time, and the free Dogfish Head IPA that was on hand certainly didn't hurt. Here are some photos that I took. I apologize that some of the pictures are kind of blurry.

The infamous and elusive Neil W. Blackmon of The Yanks Are Coming (which, as far as I know, is the world's greatest soccer blog) and Christopher Robinson. Chris is single, likes doing triathlons, and is interested in dating you if you are an attractive female with cool tattoos.

Hipsters doin hipster thangs.

Additionally, Tim Haught, chief designer at Warhorse Workshop had some vintage shirts for sale, as can be seen in the photo below (also in the photo is a collection of scents from CB I Hate Perfume, which is awesome, and which are available at Oakleaf and Acorn).

Seeing as how they were about the only thing there that I could afford, I picked up a couple of vintage Gant shirts from him (which can be seen below). They're a poly-cotton blend, but have a button flap pocket, and a third collar button on the back of the neck. In other words, they're pretty awesome. Be sure to check out Tim's Etsy store, Countyline General.

From Bearings: "Curators vs. Consumers"

Bearings is a website and bi-weekly email that bills itself as "A Southern Lifestyle Guide for Men." I look forward to it showing up in my mailbox every other Thursday because it is always interesting, always entertaining, and always well done. They usually have five or six short articles that cover things like clothing, music, food, and activities, and are told from a Southern male's perspective. I particularly credit them for turning me on to The Civil Wars and Heirloom Market BBQ. They were originally based in Atlanta, but have now expanded to Nashville (Paul from Dream of Perfection helps write for them up there). If you live in one of those cities, be sure to visit their website and sign up for their email list.

I received today's email and particularly enjoyed a little piece that they wrote on Curators vs. Consumers. It summed up a lot about how I feel about buying things, particularly nowadays. I have posted it below, without their permission, but I hope they won't mind.

Curators vs. Consumers

We often think of the word curator in the context of someone responsible for acquiring, selecting and editing a collection for a museum or an art gallery. A consumer is a more frequently used label, often in the news describing the average American's spending and purchasing power. Aside from these definitions, how we see the world and live out our lives can be put in the context of being a curator or a consumer.

Think of it from this perspective: On one side is the man who is selective, intentional, thoughtful and on a quest to find things of greater value. On the other, there’s a mindset that defaults to thinking primarily of quantity, disposability, impulsivity and seeking more for more's sake. If we are living in an effort to make tomorrow better than yesterday, making it all count is part of the process of maturity and growth. How we use our time, money and relationships should look more like a curator than a consumer. More like an active overseer of meaning.

We are personally responsible for the safeguarding of our lives and we choose how we make the most of it. A curator asks: Am I making intelligent purchases, buying items that last, or just buying something because it's on sale with little regard for its quality? Am I continually simplifying my surroundings and getting rid of what I don't need or am I hoarding and cluttering up my life with stuff? Does this (experience, item or person) make me a better man?

A key part of living like a curator is defining what's valuable to you. We learn and refine this over time, but it needs to be a way of life and a process of thinking. We've been taught that the all-you-can-eat buffet approach was the standard. Yet, often with the one-size-fits all mentality you pay too much for poor quality, consuming more than is healthy - all because the sales pitch claimed you would be getting "more for the money." More shouldn't be our standard any longer. Life is a prized collection, make it unique and make the most of it. Be a discerning, interested curator and not a heedless, indifferent consumer.

Antico Pizza

Last week I went out to eat at Antico Pizza with some folks for my friend Chris' birthday. I had had pizza from Antico before, but hadn't ever eaten there. While the pizza was delicious the previous time I had it, eating at the restaurant is a whole experience in and of itself.

Antico is located at 1093 Hemphill Ave NW, which is just northwest of Georgia Tech's campus. Needless to say, it's not the trendiest part of town, but really, who wants to go to a restaurant in the trendiest part of town? The restaurant itself is pretty tiny; it originally only had the small front dining room and was meant to be more of a take-out place, but as more and more people wanted to eat there, the owners decided to add some tables in the kitchen. This is now the best seat in the house. Things are loud and bustling, you have to stand at some of the tables since there aren't any chairs, and the fluorescent lights aren't exactly romantic.


From your table you can watch the cooks making the pizzas, putting them in the ovens (which were reportedly imported from Italy), and pulling out the bubbling, crispy pies, which are cut and carried about 20 steps straight to your table.

Photo from Yelp

All the atmosphere in the world wouldn't make any difference if the food wasn't worth eating. Fortunately, this pizza is worth it. If you're from Atlanta, you may already be familiar with Antico's reputation as, arguably, the best pizza in Atlanta. While some online reviews indicate that the pizza is overrated, I have to disagree. I really do think that it's some of the best in the city. Chris and I ordered the Pizza Bianca (white pizza), pictured below; it was very good, though I would say that it was a little too intense with the amount of ricotta on top. When we ordered from Antico at my office, I got to try several of their other combinations and I remember the San Gennaro being particularly good.


Photo from Yelp

Perhaps one of the best things about the restaurant is that it is BYOB (or BYOW). We stopped off at Hop City (arguably the best beer store in Atlanta, and right around the corner from Antico) beforehand to get the necessary provisions. I picked up a 6-pack of Birra Moretti as I felt like an Italian beer was the most appropriate choice.

One final thing to note is that the seating situation can be a little touch-and-go. You order at the counter, and then it's up to you find a place to eat. Given the limited number of tables and the popularity of this place, this is quite a difficult proposition, especially at peak hours. Fortunately, the restaurant does take reservations for large parties (I think that we had 12 or 14 and were able to get two tables to ourselves), but it's probably best to bring some patience along with you regardless.

All photos were taken on my Blackberry, unless otherwise indicated.