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During the Vietnam War, ZIPPO lighters became a powerful token of our soldiers’ lives. You can see through the engravings on these lighters the fear, lonesomeness, and frustration of the soldiers. However, there still is wittiness in some of these lighters. There is a saying that soldiers have two things that they always keep dry- cigarettes and their lighters.
“Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.”
“Death is my business and business has been good.”
With memorial day weekend just around the corner, be sure to take a moment to remember our soldiers who had served and are currently serving our country.
As summer kicks into gear people start to favor drinks like beer, mojitos, and white wine spritzers (some people). While the last two may have their place, beer is where we are looking to quench our thirst when things get hot. Here are a few profiles on the beers we’re poppin tops off these days.
Goose Island Summertime
This fresh-tasting Kölsch-style beer would be perfect with a grilled brat or a deli sandwhich. With a yellow-gold color, a slightly citrus nose and a nice creamy mouthfeel. It’s taste is dry and balanced with touches of apricot and peach. We’re big fans of this refreshing brew, ideal for a backyard BBQ.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
While not as famous as its pale ale cousin, this pilsner definitely holds its own. Even with a mild hop nose, it still bursts with pungent, hop flavor, in classic Sierra Nevada style. We tasted a hint of orange/ lemon and were surprised by how crisp this beer was. We are heading to the racetrack with a six pack of these hidden in our jacket.
Stiegl Lager
If you want drinkability, you want Steigl. Hailing from Austria, this lager is backed with a little more malt and hops than we are used to with our watery domestic lagers (looking at you Natural Light). With a light gold color, this beer has a slightly sweet, refreshing flavor profile. A little bit of apple, a nice snap of carbonation, and these beers almost open themselves….but not quite. Get an iphone bottle opener from Be A Headcase which not only helps you pop these, but keeps track of how many you’ve had. Trust us, with this beer, you’re going to need it.
Brooklyn Summer Ale
More flavorful than many other summer options, the Brooklyn Summer is mostly malty, with hints of tartness and a burst carbonation and bittering hops (we tasted lemon, and orange zest). The finish is clean long and clean, just like the barrels you’ll be watching if you hit up the local surf spot with this brew in tow.
Paulaner Hefe-Weizen
We picked this classic Bavarian style wheat beer because the Germans are the originators of the style and still make some of the best hef’s in the world. It pours cloudy orange with a creamy head that rises to the top of the glass. When smelled, one gets aromas of clove, lemon, and wheat. The malt base is mixed in with flavors of banana and orange. The finish lingers with a nice wheaty tang. Whether you put a lemon or not in your hefe-weizen is up to, but this beer is a can’t miss.
Part 2: Steve Urkel from Family Matters
Continuing the 3 part series of Styles of 90′s TV, we bring you Steve Urkel. Steve Urkel came into the show midway of first season and stole the spotlight. Soon after, he became the main character. I believe that this was partly because his outfit.
large-framed eyeglasses (with a sports band), striped polo shirt, suspenders, highwater pants, long socks, two-tone oxfords
Let’s be honest, Steve Urkel’s look is completely outdated. Long-sleeved polos with pants pulled far above your waist by suspenders? I pass. So why am I writing this article? I realized that there is a little Urkel in everyone of us. So I decided to do a “Who wore it better?” the Jungle Cents version. Note: click on pictures to enlarge.
1. large-framed eyeglasses: Who Wore It Better?
Steve Urkel vs. Jay-Z
Winner: Steve Urkel
What were you thinking Jay? Looks like you took those glasses from a nerd.
Kanye West vs. Steve Urkel
Winner: Kanye West
It was difficult choosing the winner but the tip went to Kanye on this one. Nerdy yet stylish.
This Monday, I got the chance to interview Drew Deters, the Co-Founder of RumbaTime. What makes RumbaTime stick out from other watch companies is its simple yet functional, affordable yet stylish products. Enough on me and my thoughts about RumbaTime. Check out the interview below!
JungleCents: What is RumbaTime and what is your role in the company?
Drew: As guys the only accessory you really have is a watch, so myself and my two best friends from college, Joe Anto and Jay Hartington, started RumbaTime out of a general love for watches. The three of us are active surfers, skiers, riders, runners, etc., but we also live in NYC and appreciate style and fashion. If you have seen most of the watches made specifically for active lifestyles, they aren’t exactly attractive. And most fashion watches aren’t very practical. We saw a gap there, and sought to create cool, affordable and comfortable watches that you can not only wear to the gym, but also out afterwards. Our roles are pretty flexible as we subscribe to a get it done mentality. With that said I focus a lot of time on our marketing and press efforts.
JC: How did you get to work with watches instead of, let’s say… sunglasses?
Drew: Ties into the answer above. Not to say we wouldn’t do sunglasses if we came up with the right design. But there’s just so much you can do with watches. We have a new design coming which I can’t talk about in full detail but as a teaser let’s just say it will literally take the wallet to your wrist. There’s a lot of exciting possibilities that we are exploring with new technologies.
JC: Other than RumbaTime, what is your favorite watch brand?
Drew: Sorry man, it’s RumbaTime always.
JC: I read about how RumbaTime gives back through charities such as the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC, and much more. What made you guys incorporate charities into your business?
Drew: It’s the right thing to do. With some of our designs it made sense to use the watch as a means to raise social awareness (via the color, logo, design) and raise money too. And we wanted to work with organizations that we felt strongly about. Since Joe has been a Big Brother for several years that was a natural fit. I think people really respect and appreciate a company that tries to make a difference.
JC: What were some of the challenges that RumbaTime went through?
Drew: There’s a new challenge everyday when you own your own business. The toughest thing at first was trying to get retailers to carry the watches. Now the challenge is to continually innovate and keep the momentum going.
JC: How do you see RumbaTime in the next 1-2 years?
Drew: We will have a lot of styles incorporating some pretty cool technology. Again, that concept of taking the wallet to the wrist and more.
JC: Anything else you want to say?
Drew: Stay tuned for the new watch I’m alluding to which will launch this fall. It’s going to be unlike anything out there and totally liberating!
Thanks to Drew and to all the folks at RumbaTime!
It’s no surprise that fashion repeats itself. Some styles from the late 80′s to mid 90′s have definitely made their comeback. So this was the perfect excuse for me to write and article about the different styles of Jazzy Jeff, Steve Urkel and Carlton. Each deserving their own blog post, I decided to split it up.
Part 1. DJ Jazzy Jeff from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
In my opinion, Jazzy Jeff always had better style than the Fresh Prince himself. Jazz was able to pull off different looks much better. From the image above, it’s obvious that particular styles/colors come back and catch the trend. However, the oversized black cardigan is too baggy of a fit. Look at how this look evolved today…
The Bel-Air Cardigan from RockSmith, $40
Merino Half-zip Sweater from Brooks Brothers, $79.50
Standard Cloth Solid Shawl Collar Cardigan Sweater from Urban Outfitters, $30
With the anticipated launch of Google Wallet, carrying credit cards may soon be outdated. For now, Google Wallet takes either Citi MasterCards or Google Prepaid cards. It is secure, easy, and definitely convenient. Before every transaction, a password is required on the phone. If you set up a Google Prepaid card now, you will receive a free $10 credit from Google (offer valid “at least until the end of 2011″).
Just when I thought that smart phones couldn’t get any better, Google comes in with this. What can’t Google do?
Can Google catch a bicyclist get hit by a car? Yes.
Can Google catch someone trying to commit a burglary? Yes.
Can Google catch someone strolling down the street in broad daylight… say… with a rifle? Yes.
Can Google catch someone squatted behind a car taking care of some business? Oh, you know it.
Everyone knows the big players of the blog community like GQ and Esquire. However, there are plenty of other blogs that deserve further recognition. Here are five blogs that you should know. If you want to recommend a blog, feel free to leave one as a comment below! (Note: The list is in no particular order.)
1. coolmaterial.com – “Men’s Gear Blog Featuring the Latest Trends in Watches, Gears, and Gadgets”
The name, Cool Material, says it all. This site is great for discovering the latest gear and for deciding which gifts to get for your friends or even yourself. Cool Material features everything from backpacks, clothes, accessories, electronics to homes, cars, bikes, and much more. If you have a particular interest, there’s a good chance that Cool Material covered it.
My Favorite Feature: “The Black Book” – Under this tab, you can find an extensive list of stores that appeal to the readers. Each store has a short description, a rating score (out of 6 stars), and the price level (out of 4 dollar signs).
2. artofmanliness.com – “Reviving the Lost Art of Manliness”
The Art of Manliness takes a different approach to blogs for men. Unlike most men’s blog that feature material goods, Art of Manliness talks about ways to become better husbands, better fathers, and a better man overall.
My Favorite Feature: Its content. Art of Manliness stays away from pictures of hot girls, fancy cars, and clothes. Instead, it focuses on how to develop and maintain a well-rounded character as a man.
3. thequietus.com – The Quietus
The Quietus may be one of the few online music review site that actually dishes out high-quality articles. Unlike other trash review websites, The Quietus do not give into any hype. They keep stick to their main purpose—to review music and bring “intelligence and passion back into journalism.”
My Favorite Feature: Seeing the amount of work put into each article, I admire The Quietus. If you read some of their material, it’s clear that they aim for well-thought out articles over meaningless, hype-driven blurbs.
4. hypem.com – The Hype Machine
Can’t find a song on YouTube? Tired of waiting through ads? Hypem might be right for you! They compile a list of what music bloggers are writing about. Hypem is fun, easy, and interactive. There are many remixes and mashups on this site. Users can “favorite” songs to create their own playlist.
My Favorite Feature: The “Spy” button – When you click on this button, you can see what people are listening to in realtime. When you run out of songs to play, this button will provide you with an entire list!
5. acontinuouslean.com – A Continuous Lean.
Many times, while browsing through blogs, you find something you want to buy. When you follow the link, you realize that it’s a foreign company and the shipping cost almost doubles the total. A Continuous Lean makes sure this does not happen. It focuses on American goods and their significance in the past and present.
My Favorite Feature: It is simple yet relatable. A Continuous Lean does not try to impress its readers with exaggeration and sophisticated topics. It is an easy read for those who are interested in well-designed, American things.
1. Mavericks, California. Located just north of California’s Half Moon Bay, this spot gets its name from the dog of one of the first riders there. It is a popular destination for winter surfers seeking big waves (and possibly big wipeouts). Wave faces can get to be as high as 60ft, and surfers were often towed into the waves using jet skis, until the practice was recently discontinued. A powerful wave, Mavericks has claimed the lives of multiple professional surfers and is recommended that only very experienced surfers attempt to ride it. In other words, if you need floaties to swim, you probably don’t want to go out at Mavericks.
Umm, I'll just watch from the beach
2. North Shore, Oahu. One of the most recognized surf areas, the North Shore is home to Waimea Bay, Jaws, and The Pipeline, one of the most famous breaks in the world. Named for its cylindrical barrel (that’s what she said), Pipeline is home to the Vans Triple Crown, the biggest surfing contest of the year. The thrill of getting spit out of a Pipeline barrel is like buying a diet coke with the red wine already in it.
Pipline, just doing it's thing
3. Mentawai Islands, Indonesia. One of the more consistent of surf locations around, these chains of around 60 islands provides countless number of breaks, beaches, balmy temps, and beer. Access is restricted to ferries and charter boats, so start up that paper route again cause things could get pricey with travel.
I'm calling in sick to work this week
4. Teahupoo, Tahiti (pronounced Cho-Po). Known as the “heaviest” wave on earth, the lip, often as thick as it is tall — pitches with such velocity that one must take off under it to avoid being launched. This freak of nature is one of the most breathtaking breaks on the planet. It was here tow-in pioneer and unrivaled hellman Laird Hamilton was pulled into a wave that by all accounts was the heaviest ever ridden.
Don't. Look. Up.
5. Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. Known as J Bay, this long, fast, tubing right hand point was first promoted in the surf movie The Endless Summer. In the movie it was billed as the perfect wave, and if conditions are right, rides can cover up to a ½ mile! Think about that next time you’re stumbling the ½ mile home after the bar.
Can you Facebook "like" a wave?
We had the chance to interview Jensen Callaway, one of Dunkelvolk’s team riders. We caught up with the 22-year-old surfer and skater from West Palm Beach, Florida and asked him a few questions.
Jungle Cents: How’s everything going with you? What are some of your plans this summer?
Jensen: Everything is good, just got back from Mexico competing in the WQS 4 star competion. Just hanging doing surf school with a friend in the mean time and just laying low. Plans for summer are getting crazy. I’m doing eight contests in the next three months so getting ready to be real busy!!!
Jungle Cents: When did you first pick up a surfboard? At what age did you start competing?
Jensen: I got my first surfboard when I was 5 or 6 for my birthday and since then just started and haven’t stopped!!! I started competing when I was 10 …. got fourth in my first contest!
Jungle Cents: I understand that you skate as well. If you had to choose one, would you skate or surf? And why?
Jensen: It’s so hard for me because I have injured myself several times skating and can’t stand more than anything to not being able to surf. But I can never stop skating though!!! But if i had to chose one i would have to say surf because it’s just you and the ocean and there is nothing else like that or the feeling you get when surfing.
Jungle Cents: Where is your favorite place to surf?
Jensen: Mexico, home when its on!!, and the Caribbean.
Jungle Cents: Favorite skate spot?
Jensen: Local parks, miniramps, indoor parks, and pools. I like it all!
Jungle Cents: Who is your favorite surfer/skater?
Jensen: My favorite surfers are A.I., Dane, Taj, Archy, Wardo, Julian… there’s too many haha! My favorite skate guys are Chris Cole, Nyjah Houston, Nilton Neves, and Alex Chalmers.
Jungle Cents: You must have traveled quite a bit to surf. In your opinion, where are the most beautiful girls?
Jensen: Haha, the most beautiful girls are, I’d say, Latin women. I haven’t been to Europe much an d never been to oz (Australia) but I don’t know… I think the Latin countries are holding it down.
Jungle Cents: What is a typical Jensen Callaway outfit?
Jensen: Shorts, shirt, sandals, and an FLA fitted cap or boardshorts with no shirt.
Jungle Cents: Any additional comments for the readers out there?
Jensen: I’d like to thank all my sponsors for the support. I couldn’t’ have done it without all them!!! I want to thank my parents most importantly and thanks to everyone who helps me out and supports what I’m doing. Thanks !!! Never give up !! Be the best you can be !!
Photo cred: Dunkelvolk
Thanks to Cody from Dunkelvolk for arranging this interview! Check out our deal with Dunkelvolk here.