Dapper Scout is a lifestyle web magazine for men. We keep you informed of all the things you need to know, with the latest in fashion, electronics, restaurants & nightlife, travel, and even more.
Say or think what you will, but as kids, one of our favorite ways to pass the time was to make paper airplanes (mostly of the gliding variety as we were obsessed with hang time). Now we know that statement dates us quite a bit, but it’s with quite a bit of nostalgia that we appreciate the Artful Flyer Plane Kits(available at Brooklyn 5 and 10 for $9). With a balsa wood frame powered by a rubber band, the Artful Flyer comes in two models illustrated by two separate artists: Happy Flyer (in orange by Robert Shadbolt) and In the Clouds (in blue/green by Maki). Assembly is simple and quick and before you know it, you’ll have the Artful Flyer aloft, and perhaps even reminiscing of the old days or just enjoying the opportunity to make new backyard summer memories.
Pop music can mean just about anything these days, but with some of the dross that gets passed off as such, you have to wonder about the merit that comes with being widely appealing. For the editors at DS, our taste in music runs a bit eclectic, with a slight bias towards indie bands that have some mainstream resonance, which is in so many ways epitomized by a band like Freelance Whales. There’s a burgeoning buoyancy in the way their vocals so effortlessly interweave with layers of instrumentation (e.g. synthesizer, guitar, glockenspiel, etc) and their debut LP, Weathervanes(available on iTunes for $7.99) is an ethereal mash-up of folk and pop music, one that revives as well as elevates the notion of what pop music is and could be (at least as we see it). Editor’s choices: Hannah, Generator (First Floor), Kilojoules, We Could Be Friends.
Over the years, we’ve seen art come in many forms using varied mediums—from diamonds to fecal matter and everything in between. And though we occasionally wonder what ever happened to just drawing well, our thoughts quickly became refocused on one thing (i.e. LEGO) after seeing the genius of Nathan Sawaya. This New York-based artist has more than 1.5 million LEGO bricks in his art studio and after looking through his extensive collection of work, it would be an understatement to say that Sawaya knows his way around a LEGO brick. Whether it’s his portraits or sculptures, Sawaya takes one of the iconic toys of our youth, and ever so meticulously pieces them together to actualize his artistic vision of well, just about anything you can imagine (from a life size Stephen Colbert to a sorority paddle). Though his medium may be steeped in the fond memories of our childhood, there’s no question his imagination and skills transcend the puerile into the sublime.
It’s a fact—men sweat (sometimes quite profusely). And while it may be the body’s natural means of cooling down, when sweating gets to the point where you’re leaving full size body sweat marks wherever you go (let’s assume you’re working out at the gym, otherwise you may have bigger issues), then it’s time to get serious about how you dry yourself off. Though originally designed for use during and after yoga sessions, the yogitoes SWEATLESS Towel(available at yogitoes for $14) wicks away your excessive sweat regardless of the situation. Made of terry microfiber that’s incredibly absorbent and quick drying, it’s like the ShamWow of workout towels, just without the incredibly aggravating spokesperson pushing it on you during an infomercial.
Working out at home has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantage: no gym membership to pay. Disadvantage: no gym equipment to work out with (let alone the space here in Manhattan). But even without access to the full spectrum of classes and equipment most gyms provide, you can still achieve your fitness goals at home with the simplest of tools by equipping yourself with Ader Kettlebells(available at Kettlebell Inc. starting from $20). Ader Kettlebells have a smooth and consistent finish (without being slick to the touch), a cast handle (vs. welded) and a wide base. With impeccable craftsmanship and durability, Ader Kettlebells are a cost-effective workout tool that takes up minimal space and with just a modest investment in a small set, paired with a workout regiment that maximizes their usage (e.g. CrossFit), you’ll be well on your way to making that potential gym membership something you’ll never have to consider again.
There’s only one thing that drives you these days and it has little to do with advancing your career, being a better man or losing that extra weight you’ve put on these past few years. Let’s face it—it’s all about golf. You read about it. You watch it. You play it with a passion that borders on obsession. Every vacation you plan is predicated on whether there’s a course nearby you haven’t played yet. Whether the playing conditions are idyllic or life-threatening, your single-minded focus on improving your game pushes you to lengths that leave most fair-weather golfers indoors and complacent. And if there’s one tool you need to get your golf swing back on track and elevate your game, it’s the iSwing iPhone App(available on the iTunes App Store for $5).
The iSwing is the simple but highly innovative swing analyzer you can take with you wherever you go (as long as you’ve got an iPhone). With its built-in recorder, the iSwing records your golf swing and allows you to play it back frame-by-frame, in slow motion, in a repeated playback loop or in the newly released Motion Echo setting. You can also draw in lines over your swing to check the angle of your swing plane, and the iSwing lets you share a frame-by-frame sequence photo via Facebook Connect and E-mail as well as store your recordings/sequences in a diary by date and time. Whether you’re a novice or scratch golfer, the iSwing can help you analyze, refine and adjust your swing (on the go) in ways like never before.
Standing outside this morning waiting for the crosstown bus, we realized it’s time for a much-needed escapade to significantly warmer climes. Though it won’t be happening for us anytime soon, if you were smart enough to make plans that take you over international waters in the near future, show a little pride for the red, white and blue with the Valextra U.S.A. Passport Holder(available at Barneys for $295). This passport holder comes in a grained, royal blue leather accented with red stitching and a contrasting cut-out image of the United States—a visually striking reminder of where you’re departing from before you head off to wherever you’re going (to get away from it all).
And while we recognize the inherent perils of white leather (and just how few of us can pull it off), for those with the properly rakish demeanor and style quotient, the Valextra 6 Credit Card Wallet(available at Barneys for $370) is the ideal leather accessory (editor’s choice: white) to house all your important plastic and foreign currency as you work on little more than getting intimately reacquainted with that thing called sleep as you take in some sun, and thoughts of that thing called work, slowly start to dissipate.
The last time we watched a movie about werewolves, we were admittedly entertained (and Kate Beckinsale in a full body latex suit never hurts), although in the end, we were left feeling vaguely unsatisfied. Having grown up reading books like Stephen King’s Silver Bullet and watching old school werewolf movies like An American Werewolf in London, we’ve been yearning for a movie that’s a bit more of a throwback, something a little less slick, and instead, more macabre and gritty. Enter The Wolfman. A remake of the 1941 classic, the 2010 update features an eclectic but accomplished cast that includes Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving and Emily Blunt (a favorite of ours as well). At this point, we have no idea what’s truly in store for us, but based on the newest trailer, we’re eagerly anticipating its release on February 12, 2010.
Fear is a funny thing. It can take rational and level-headed individuals and reduce them to a practically incoherent, babbling mess of nerves by simply throwing them into the darkness of the unknown. And that’s the very thing the creators of HAUNTED HOUSE accomplish, wreaking absolute havoc with your mind as you anxiously anticipate what awaits you behind the ominous doors of this experimental haunted house experience. From the ingeniously twisted minds of those who brought you A Midsummer Nightmare, the timely HAUNTED HOUSE is an even deeper and darker reinvention of the original summer experience that had this DS editor thoroughly questioning his decision (and sanity) while waiting/hyperventilating in line. The rules are simple yet compelling. You must walk through the house alone, and though the path is clearly marked and you’ll be equipped with a flashlight, we can assure you that between the fog, strobe lights, and absolute depth of darkness in certain areas, you’ll be disoriented in a way you’ve never experienced before. You will have to crawl. You will be touched. And you will see things you’d rather wish you hadn’t. All of these components add up to the most tantalizingly terrifying 15 minutes we’ve ever had to experience. Now it’s your turn.
As much as the editors at DS enjoy traveling, with our busy schedules, even something as simple as packing can become a stressful chore, especially because we like to keep our travel bags as efficiently packed and uncluttered as possible. The OHSO Marko Travel Toothbrush (available at OHSO for $15) is our favorite new travel accessory as it combines three separate toiletry components (i.e. toothbrush, holder and toothpaste) into one compact and polished item. Toothpaste is drawn and stored in the handle using vacuum technology and can be easily refilled with any toothpaste brand using a universal adapter, if necessary. And with a simple twist of the handle knob, toothpaste is directly dispensed to the bristle head, which also comes off for cleaning and replacing. The Marko Travel Toothbrush even comes with both a watertight and vented cap to provide air circulation for drying the bristle head (because the last thing you want is something growing in there).
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