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G.H. BASS MAINE TRIP (LOOK 5)

Posted on August 9, 2016

The shorelines of Vinalhaven, Maine were so pretty and spectacular to shoot on because a good percentage of them were actually made of granite. I was actually lucky enough to have part of the my new kitchen countertop cut from the shore and brought back on the boat with us. (I’m kidding! lol But wouldn’t that have been awesome!) It really was beautiful, and then surrounded by a gorgeous ocean back drop?! So peaceful. I decided to style the G.H. Bass Layton Kiltie Sneaker Weejuns (in Brown this time. I kinda have a thing for the Kiltie!) Unfortunately the brown are sold out, but they do still have them in Navy, which I also have! 🙂 This style shoe is very popular right now and for good reason! Everyone looks good in this shoe silhouette, no matter your style, and you can easily style them up or down. I like them so much I have them in 2 colors AND also picked up a pair for my step father for Father’s Day and he loves them too! (look out for a collab between him and I coming soon LOL) I wore them with a pair of cropped navy chinos, which I think fall perfectly right above the shoe, and a matching workman style navy jacket from H&M. I always love brown shoes with navy pants. The jacket and pants are so perfectly matched it almost looks like they belong together as a suit. I wore a vintage style athletic’s Ralph Lauren short-sleeve sweatshirt under the jacket….because I’m just always drawn to more casual/sporty looks by nature. Overall, with my fitted full-on navy pieces, I felt both clean-cut and sporty at the same time, and that’s exactly the style shoes these G.H. Bass Sneaker Weejuns are…you seriously can wear them with just about anything!

Style Travel

G.H. BASS MAINE TRIP (LOOK 4)

Posted on July 26, 2016

We really took full advantage of Vinalhaven’s landscape and explored the coast as much as we could. I can’t even count how many rocks Nate and I must’ve skipped and tossed into the Ocean. There was a beautiful blend of rocky ocean side and greens from the trees accented with all the fishing boats in the background and beautiful colored buoy’s both in and out of the water. It was great to have my wife capture these moments with Nate. We had no cellphone service on the island, so it was nice to disconnect and not have the distractions of everyday life. Just being able to hold Nate in between my legs and play eye-spy and chuck rocks into the water really makes you appreciate the little things. Onto the outfit 🙂 Is there such thing as too much denim? I think I put that question to the test! (LOL) I wore my favorite Polo Ralph Lauren denim shirt with a clean and simple denim jacket from H&M, ripped jeans from ZARA and my Ranger Moc G.H. Bass shoes. The Ranger Moc shoe in Dark Brown from G.H. Bass is rugged enough to take anywhere but has the style of a shoe. I really like how versatile they can be. Their sole gives them a rugged look, and their low-top silhouette allows them to go with any look. I think this shoe is a great alternative to wearing a boot. Being a blue collar worker like myself, I can see these shoes going from office to the construction site with ease. I rolled up the bottom of my jeans to show my navy blue American Apparel socks to give the look a touch of preppy. To add a pop of color to my full-on denim look I also wore a red handkerchief around my neck. I really dig the handkerchief as an accessory to give it that Americana style. I topped off my outfit with a fitted beanie cap, slightly pulled back off the hair-line, well because, my wife thinks it looks sexy that way :p. I thought my look was perfect for the surroundings and scenery – I kinda dig that sailor-type style!

Style Travel

G.H. BASS MAINE TRIP (LOOK 3)

Posted on July 13, 2016

As beautiful as Vinalhaven, Maine is, there actually wasn’t much to do being that it was the off season. In trying to explore new places, Nathan thought this little bridge would be fun to hang out on for a little bit. We took the opportunity to take some shots, hang off the side of the bridge, look over and spot fish and buoys and throw some rocks in the water. Nathan was obsessed with buoys on this trip and he was on a mission to find one that he could bring home and keep. We eventually found one for him that we bought when we stopped in Portland on the way home. I decided to try something a little out of my comfort zone with the wide legs…a style that’s not really my norm, but I’m a big fan of. I’m honestly still not really sure if I liked the way the overall outfit worked out or if I’m just not used to seeing this kind of look on myself, but I wanted to try something different! I went for a military inspired look with this fantastic olive Diesel jacket….one of my go-to colors right now! I’m always inspired by the military look. I paired it with a pair of wide-leg khakis that have a high crop and a high waist. I decided to play with the style and show off my white American Apparel socks with these classic black laced G.H. Bass shoes (unfortunately, they’re no longer available online). I love the combination of all the neutral colors and how all the pieces worked together to give it the style I was looking for. Looking back, I wasn’t 100% in love with the fit of everything and feel like I should’ve went with a more fitted white tee. I would love to hear any comments on the look: Did you like it? Would you change it? Have you ever thought an outfit looked good in the mirror, and then saw yourself in photos and didn’t think it looked as good? Curious to hear your thoughts! (P.S. My wife thinks I’m nuts and thought it looked equally as good in the photos as it did at the time lol) I am really digging how these laced up weejuns can go with almost any look though! They’re a nice change than going with your normal slip-on weejuns. I really dig the details at the ends of the laces on these…I really feel like small details are what separates a basic piece with a quality piece. My wife was actually also rocking a pair of G.H. Bass weejuns. They’re the Jaclyn Tassel Weejuns in Black and White. So jealous of these! They actually do make them for men’s with a crepe sole, but were out of my size! 🙁 I’m hoping they get them back soon though because that’ll definitely be my next G.H. Bass shoe that I pick up!

Family Reviews Style Travel

G.H. BASS MAINE TRIP (LOOK 2)

Posted on July 1, 2016

During our GH Bass Vinalhaven, Maine trip, we were by the water a lot. My son loved exploring, climbing and playing on the rocks. He was having a blast so it was pretty easy for my wife to snap some really cute shots of us together. I just love chunky sweaters, especially cardigans. I decided to keep it casual as Nate and I hung outside the cabin and played around on the rocks for a good chunk of the day. The view from here was amazing! I paired this cozy and cool Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply sweater with a pair of ripped jeans and my GH Bass Decker Camp Boater’s in the dark brown color. Slip on shoes are just so easy to take on and off and always feel so comfortable to me. I love the contrast of the dark leather and the light colored sole and they’re a good mix of both dressy and casual – easy to pull off with most looks. The leather on these is stiff enough where it feels like a good leather but not overly stiff where they’re uncomfortable…I just love them. Pair them with some loose-fitting, cuffed up jeans, for that easy-going but clean look! More GH Bass looks to come 🙂

Family Reviews Style Travel

SKATEPARK SUNDAY WITH BROOKS HERITAGE

Posted on June 26, 2016

When it comes to sneakers, I have always been into vintage style running sneakers. When I saw the Brooks Heritage Men’s Beast 1, it immediately took me back to the 90’s…which is a good thing, because I loved that era! I feel like I haven’t been skateboarding since then, so when I put these on, I figured let’s really bring it back and grab Nate and my board and hit the skatepark. I threw on some black comfy joggers and a black oversized jersey shirt, to keep it comfy but cool. I went through a phase were I didn’t wear socks with sneakers at all, and now any chance I get to add socks to my look I’m on it. I figured a plain pair of white socks would really bring out the 90’s vibe with these Brooks Heritage Sneakers. And, since I’m probably going to skate like s***, I might as well look like a boss (lol). I have to admit, I was pretty stoked and nervous to get back out there. I haven’t been skateboarding since forever, and even back then I wasn’t even that good! 🙂 It was actually pretty fun cruising around and I definitely think it’s something I’ll be doing more often. My son, absolutely loved it! I was able to put him on the board hold his hands and pull him around the park. His balance was so on point, I was even able to pull him up and down the ramps and quarter pipes and he was fearless. Being back at the park definitely brought back some memories. There’s not as many photos of myself actually skating, because lets face it, there were very little that were blog-worthy (lol). Overall, I really dig the vibe the Brooks Heritage Men’s Beast 1 kicks gave my outfit. I’m a big fan of the way they bring out the retro in their line. You can never go wrong with a pair of vintage looking sneakers!

Family Style Travel

G.H. BASS MAINE TRIP (LOOK 1)

Posted on June 22, 2016

I was lucky enough to get invited to one of my favorite shoe brands’ fall photoshoot in Maine (G.H. Bass). I couldn’t have been more excited to take on a road trip like this. We opted in to drive rather than fly so we could make some stops in Maine to explore on the way home. The shoot took place on an island off the coast of Maine, called Vinalhaven (ferry required). The night before the shoot we drove to Rockland, Maine, where the ferry departs from, and stayed at a quaint little Bed and Breakfast, with a cute little room and delicious food – it was my first time eating stuffed french toast and it was YUMMY! The next morning we caught the ferry, which was pretty exciting since it was my son Nate’s first time on a boat – he was in awe! I have to admit I was pretty excited myself, as I had never been on a ferry before, especially one I could drive my car onto. We sat on the top deck the whole way – we couldn’t believe how gorgeous the views all around were on the way to the island. Once we reached the island we met up with the crew, who had already been there shooting the day before. We followed along to one of their shoot locations – a beautiful rock quarry that has a cool story with it’s ties to Brooklyn – the granite mined there was actually used for the Brooklyn Bridge! It’s a huge hangout in the summer – where you can actually go swimming – it was way too cold when we were there but I would’ve loved to have done some cliff diving and rope swinging if I had the chance! It was super fun exploring around with my wife and son….I’m a little jealous of my wife’s boots – I really dig the G.H. Bass Kerry Boot (she’s rocking them in one of the pics). I’m a firm believer that boot season is all year round – if you can get creative with your outfit! I’m also a huge fan of monochromatic looks. I paired the Combat GH Bass Ranger MOC II Lyndon High Boot with a pair of hiker style shorts, an olive t-shirt, an olive parka and an olive 5 panel hat. To throw in a splash of color, I picked up a pair of pink tube socks with you guessed right, olive stripes…lol. The Ranger MOC is probably one of the most comfortable boots or dare I say shoes I have ever worn. The saw tooth sole helps with that and also gives the boot that little bit of edge that I like. The height of the boot is perfect and I like to wrap my laces around the top of the boot before tying. It’s definitely a boot that looks great but you also don’t feel like you have to pamper them and can take them off the pavement! And we did – with a tons of exploring. Stay tuned for look #2!

Family Style Travel

FAIR DAY IN My #MSXEVERYWEAR BY MICHAEL STRAHAN

Posted on May 24, 2016

Carnival season is here and this kid loves carnivals – so we got to bring him to the first one of the season this past weekend. Being a dad, one of the most important things I look for in clothes is comfort. When I’m out with my son Nate, you can bet that it won’t be a casual day out and I’ll definitely be active, whether I want to be or not! Michael Strahan and his design team nailed it with this MSX by Michael Strahan Tech Knit Bomber Jacket I picked up from JCPenney. It’s clean enough that I can wear it with a pair of dress pants and sporty enough to wear with sweats and kicks. I really like that the pockets have zippers so I can put my wallet and phone in them when I’m chasing Nate and I don’t have to worry about anything falling out of my pocket (I’m known for losing them both on the reg..lol). I went for a clean, casual look, and gave it a subtle retro vibe with my Raybans. If you like a more fitted look I do suggest going down a size. I usually where a medium and the jacket I got is a size small and it fits perfect! This is actually Michael Strahan’s second apparel line and is inspired by his authentic style and his active lifestyle as a father and one of America’s most recognizable athletes and media personalities…and I was lucky enough to have met him at his collection launch event!

Family Style Travel

FALL FASHION IN #MYEASTLANDSHOES

Posted on November 20, 2015

One of the most depressing times of the year can be when the summer comes to an end, but it shouldn’t be because there is so much to look forward to in the following months! September is the start of apple picking and apple cider donuts (yum!), October has pumpkin picking, fall festivals, Halloween and to me is the start of boot season. Almost every weekend towards the end of September and throughout October we go to different farms to either do some apple picking, pumpkin picking, or just to try different donuts lol. So far my favorite donuts are from Vera’s Fruit & Vegetable Market in Cold Spring, with Fishkill Farms as a close second. When my family and I went to Fishkill Farms I broke out my Levis denim jacket with the sherpa lining. You can never go wrong with a denim jacket – with this one the sherpa lining just lets you extend wearing it into the colder temps. I have been wearing Eastland’s since high school. For me and my friends it was the go-to boot and still is for me. With all the different collections like the Made in Maine, 1955, and Mark McNairy I’m able to have different styles for all my different looks. I recently received these 1955 Sherman boots from Eastland and thought this was a perfect time to break them in. I already owned a pair in suede so I knew I was going to love them and was eyeing the leather for a while. The vibram sole makes this boot comfortable while giving the boot a rugged look. I also really like the height of the boot and the rich color – just a classic everyday boot to have!

Travel

CHRISTMAS IN NYC

Posted on December 18, 2014

Nothing’s more festive than visiting NYC during the holidays. Like most kids, Nathan’s a big fan of choo choo trains, so we decided to take the train down – it was his first time on the train. We took metro north from White Plains and Nathan was beyond excited. He was so excited on the train he had us and the passengers around him cracking up. We went down on a Saturday, which happened to be the same Saturday as Santa-Con, so there was a bunch of youngsters getting buzzy on the train. I’d be lying to say I didn’t want to go home grab my Santa getup and go to the bar…there’s a good chance next year at this time you’ll be seeing a blog post of myself at Santa-Con lol. We started at Grand Central where Nathan was mesmerized – he’s been here before but he’s finally at an age where he gets excited over evertyhing and is like a sponge taking it all in. It was hysterical…The Santa’s from Santa-Con were like celebrities – everyone at Grand Central were asking to take pictures with them all – wish we would’ve gotten a shot of it! We made our way over to Bryant park and shopped the holiday huts. One place really stood out to me – CLIFF – they sold cork accessories…wallets, belts and more all made of cork. We stopped at the Bryant Park tree, watched some of the ice skaters then stopped at Le Carrousel which me and my soon took a ride on. Being that we had a lot to do in a little bit of time we stopped to get a dirty water dog for lunch and kept it moving. From there we headed up 5th for some shopping and to see some of the holiday window displays. Nathan kept asking about the big toy store that we promised to take him to so that was our next stop. Helpful hint…at this time of year the line for FAO goes around the block. If you have a stroller they let you right in. So no matter your kids age grab a stroller! Across from FAO I got a little lost in watching some street dancers and had to be pulled away by my wife lol Next stop…Rockefeller! Nathan was in awe of the big tree. He kept telling me to get closer and closer…so we pushed and squeezed our way all the way until we were right under the tree – I think that was the closest we ever got. Tough task with a stroller. After the tree we stopped for some food. We wanted to keep it casual since it was a long day and Nate was getting tired. We stopped at the British Pub, Cock & Bull where they had a large assortment of tap beers, some cool signature cocktails and some really good bar food. I got the Steak Sandwich, which had Sliced Hangar steak served on toasted Baguette with Balsamic Caramelized onions, roasted garlic aiolo and melted stilton cheese served with hand cut french fries. Their fries were really good – almost like McDonald’s fries, really thin, but you could tell they were hand made and they were well done – just the way I like them! My mother-in-law got the crab cakes which were also really good – and my wife got her usual burger. After dinner we made our way back to Grand Central. Next year we def want to get a hotel in Times Square, like my wife’s family used to do every year, and start that tradition all over with Nate!

Reviews Style Travel

HUDSON WHISKEY

Posted on November 25, 2014

Been wanting to take a trip up to the Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery for awhile now, so I finally made the trip up to Gardiner, NY with my family and my cuz. I wanted to take the tour and check out how they make and distill their Hudson Whiskey and other alcohols. The tour starts with you checking in at the beautiful store where they sell their merchandise…from whiskey to coasters. The store has a very rustic feel and is decorated nicely with the perfect ambiance for the distillery. After checking in, you go outside on the deck with your group and tour guide (our guide was Lyon) where he gives you the history of the company, starting out with how the owner’s idea went from “Bunks in the Gunks” to the first distillery in NY since the prohibition. To kick off the tour of the grounds you start in a barn at these massive metal canisters where the mash ferments. You then move on to the room that houses the big copper distills. It’s pretty cool that they’re still using the very first distill that the founder, Ralph Erenzo, started his business using. We continued the tour into the bottling room where there is a little assembly line for filling, corking and labeling. We were lucky enough to be one of the last tours to be shown this original room, but due to their growth, they’re soon moving to a larger building to up production. We finished the tour with the best part – the tasting. Unfortunately, by law, you can only try 3 different alcohols out of their selection, which included different whiskeys, a vodka, a gin, and a few other selections. I tried the Corn Whiskey, Baby Bourbon, and the Maple Rye Whiskey. I ended up bringing home a bottle of Baby Bourbon and Corn Whiskey to enjoy at home! I would’ve cleaned house and probably bought damn near a bottle of everything if I didn’t have the wifey with me. *Side note to all the men out there…I love doing things with my wife but on trips like this maybe keep them at home so you can actually clean house lol (just kidding, you need a designated driver lol) I didn’t even know they made anything else besides whiskey, but I am def glad I know now. Besides loving their bourbons I am now a huge fan of their gins and vodka! Though I have never actually used them myself I also like their bitters and plan on adding them to my next purchase. I have only recently discovered my love for whiskey, so I have not ventured on to making drinks – been just drinking them straight up to get a nose and taste for them. If you take the trip up here, I highly recommend you stop by their restaurant, The Gristmill, after your tour. I truly cannot wait to go back…as a matter of fact, I already have a date with my cousin to do so. Their menu ranges from chicken wings and burgers to steaks, ducks, lasagna, and rack of lamb. They all have their own little twist to make them different from the norm. The bartender, totally drawing a blank on his name, was very personable and one of the best cocktail craftsmen (which he called himself lol) I have come across. He definitely earned the title! He made the best tasting cocktails by far and also some of the wildest. I told him I wanted to try a couple of different types of drinks. He started me off with a drink that had garlic in it, which was surprisingly good! After that I tried a drink with tequila and cilantro…which might be the best drink I’ve ever tried. He was doing everything from putting actual smoke in drinks for flavor and had a ton of his own bitters on the bar to use. When we visited, we sat at the bar with a good friend of mine, Gable, who works at the distillery as a distiller and brand ambassador and is also the son of one of the owners, Ralph Erenzo. He walked us around the restaurant, which has an amazing history and a lot of cool, vintage features. He took us downstairs and showed us some of the original parts of the mill. He also brought us out back and showed us the working dam that’s also part of the restaurant. Nathan enjoyed asking him a bunch of questions lol Now I could’ve went on about more of the history and tastes but I don’t want to give everything away and want to make sure you get the same great experience I did on my first visit!

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