Things to Do in Denver, Redux

Rolled into Denver on Wednesday for a work trip, visiting one of the regional offices. A day and a half of meetings and site visit, then off to Las Vegas to attend a wedding. But while in Denver I wanted to see more of the town I visited less than 2 years ago. So, after a full day Thursday of useful discussions of on-going projects, new management, and the same old things in the quasi-Federal stronghold of Lakewood, I was still a bit jet-lagged, but ready to head out.

Tim, a buddy I know through another friend in DC, scooped me up and took me to the Highlands neighborhood, where we grabbed dinner and beers at Gelman's Restaurant and Bar. Boston Jewish/Irish owner in an old Italian neighborhood, featuring multi-cultural brasserie-style food -- ain't that America? Nice, well-lit place. Inviting is the term I'd use, the way a neighborhood market is inviting. In fact, it used to be a market with some prepared foods before the family made it just a restaurant. Definitely try the ribs appetizer and the warn spinach and chicken salad.

After dinner, we went to the Churchill Bar at the Brown Palace Hotel. Opened in 1892, the place is simply stunning. All cast-iron, brown marble, and onyx, the 8-story hotel rivals anything I've seen from that time period. The atrium rises to a stained glass ceiling ringed in cast-iron grille and marble staircase. It speaks to the ambition of the people when Denver was little more than a cow town. Manifest Destiny, the beginning of the American century, the rise of the West, and gold. Seemed like an ideal place to have a cigar and cocktail. We kicked back for a few house of bullshit before calling it a night. For the record, El Rey del Mundo Oscuro Robusto with Mt. Gay Extra Old Rum was the play.

The next day, Friday, was spent looking at a National Historic Landmark district, Blackhawk historic district. Tried my hand at the slot machine and made a whopping $.10. For lunch we went to Red Rocks Amphitheater (Yep, the same one where U2 did the "Sunday, Bloody, Sunday" video) on a Chamber of Commerce day in the Denver area. Later in the evening I caught up with a colleague over coffee before calling it a night.

On Saturday, I headed to Las Vegas for a wedding, but I'll touch on that later.

What's in Your Pockets? Pt. 3: Watch

I decided to talk a bit about essential accessories guys should have and the significance of those things. I'll discuss a new essential accessory each post. Feel free to tell me what I missed.

Yes, I know most wear watches on their wrists, not in their pockets, but bear with me. The reason I'm discussing watches is because with the number of electronic devices we carry (cellphones, MP3 players, laptops) that have clocks has led to more guys not wearing watches. This is a shame because short of a ring, it's one of the few pieces of jewelry men can style. That being said, watch manufacturers aren't going out of business any time soon, with an estimated $33 billion in sales worldwide for 2010, according to Global Industry Analysts.

To me, wearing and keeping a watch was one of the first steps toward adulthood. Kids frequently don't know or care what time it is. But as you get older, time becomes important: time to get home, time for practice; time to meet up for a date. Suddenly, knowing what time it is has meaning. I got my first watch when I was 7 (Timex, blue rubber band, blue face) and had it until I was in my mid-20s -- My mom had it for years, but I don't know where it's disappeared to.

Since then, I've had numerous Swatches, Citizens, Seikos, and a 1950s Zodiac (that was liberated from me during a particularly rough stretch when my apartment was broken into 2 times in 45 days). Unlike my brother and David, my BBG partner-in-crime, I'm not a watch collector and don't long for vintage watches. Yet, I now find myself with several: a tank watch, three with leather bands, plus the two broken ones that may never be resurrected. I have watches with black faces, white faces, classic dress watches, and sports watches. I'm no Neil Armstrong, I just need mine to keep accurate time and maybe tell me the date. I'm willing to bet that most people who have the ultra-expensive chronographs like the Omega Speedmaster don't use 1/5 th of the functions.

The one thing I don't have and would recommend is a kinetic watch. It's powered by kinetic movement, which is stored in the watch when it's not on your arm. No battery, no winding, just the normal movement of your arm while walking or working will power it. Regardless of which type of watch and function you choose, don't leave home without one.

Sign of the Times? Costco Carries Allen-Edmonds

In the tradition of The Gentlemen's Standard, keeping it stylish without paying an arm and a leg, I want to let you know that Costco is carrying Allen-Edmonds shoes. I picked up a pair of brown slip-ons (Campbell) for $99. They had a few brands (Johnston-Murphy, Kenneth Cole), but this was by far the pick of the litter. To use one of the most overused phrases going, "In these economic times," you have to take advantage of a bargain. And for a shoe that would normally run $235 from such a venerable shoemaker, the price was indeed right. Costco's been selling more apparel from increasingly better manufacturers for at least the past 24 months, as Be Better Guys has mentioned in its Shopping for Less and other articles. Given the shoe brands I saw were American-made, this might be a trend to keep an eye on.

The Campbell hints at the moccasin/penny loafer, but with a nearly chisel-point toe and thinner sole (probably Bologna construction and the picture doesn't do it justice), it's a great shoe for less formal occasions, a jeans and sport jacket sort of weekend, or even for the no-sock look. Admittedly, this wasn't a "must-have" as much as a "want-to," but considering the price and the maker, the shoe's a bargain.

I have no idea if these shoes are being offered nation-wide or for how long, but if you find yourself at a Costco getting a trough of rice, 15 gallons of milk, and 1/2 a cow, look around and you might find a deal.

What's in Your Pockets? Pt. 2 -- Wallet

I decided to talk a bit about essential accessories guys should have and the significance of those things. I'll discuss a new essential accessory each post. Feel free to tell me what I missed.

I remember getting my first wallet. Actually, I made my first wallet from a leather craft kit I received for Christmas (ah, the 1970s). Bi-fold with a pocket for bills, a clear plastic window for my "ID," and a place for change. Things have changed a bit since then. One, I have money; two, I actually carry the wallet. I try to minimize what's in it, which can be hard. Men have multiple credit cards and some sort of ID (license, work badge, Social Security card, etc.). Basically, anything that can identify you, buy you stuff, or save your life (health insurance card) you carry in your wallet.

And that's the thing, carrying the wallet. I personally don't go anywhere without mine, but I don't want it bulky and overstuffed. Most guys place it in a pant pocket, or maybe a jacket pocket if you're wearing a suit or sport coat. Talk about an unsightly bulge. I use a black leather bi-fold with a clip for cash (which I only use when I travel, since you can't bring anything onto an airplane these days), two pockets one each side for cards, so it's at most 1/2" thick. It's simple, discreet, and by design, impossible to overload. In a day and age where so few of us carry much, if any, cash, a tri-fold wallet with multiple pockets seems like a burden. Unlike our female counterparts, guys don't swap out wallets depending on what they're wearing. That being said, no adult male should have a nylon wallet with Velcro enclosures. Really, I'm not kidding.

Don't want leather, there are alternatives. Don't want black or brown, got that, too. Why not give your pocket some pizazz? Remember, it's not a storage unit. If you really treasure the ticket stub from the '09 World Series of Poker, put it away at home. Dump the receipts in the trash, and if you get a phone number you need to keep, put it in your cellphone -- it has an address book. In the era of "Less is more" a slimmer wallet speaks volumes.

What's in Your Pockets? Pt. 1 -- Key ring

I decided to talk a bit about essential accessories guys should have and the significance of those things. I'll discuss a new essential accessory each post. Feel free to tell me what I missed.

Everyday, I reach into my valet tray and grab a wallet, money clip (hopefully with money), keys, card holder, watch, maybe a lighter (old habit from bartending) or pocket knife. At some point, I put a bit of thought into them all because I use them every day and they should be things I like since I use them all of the time. These accessories are as much a part of your wardrobe as the tie or shirt you wear. Even more telling, because they don't change as frequently as your clothes.

This all comes to mind because I received a key ring for a Christmas present. I asked for it and it was my favorite gift. Rectangular rod with Deco detailing, it has a spring-loaded latch on one end and a loop on the other. One loop's for house keys, one's for the car keys. I can give someone my car key without having to take it off the ring or hand over all my keys, to in some cases absolute strangers. I had a similar one, but the spring mechanism broke. This one is sturdy, with solid components.

Sounds crazy that I wanted a key ring? Well, I wanted a practical one that let me unload keys as I need. While I probably wouldn't have gotten it from Tiffany -- thank you, Honey -- but I love the details. I'm not a rabbit's foot sort of dude and she knows that, and I'm not interested in having someone else's name or logo on my accessories either, so this was perfect. Seems like a mundane thing, but you'll grab that key ring more than you'll grab that Turnbull and Asser tie. It's a subtle thing that says you care about the details. And it's the details that make for being a better guy.

Talking with My Nephew

My nephew Brandon was just here visiting for the holidays. He and I have been running buddies since he was 2. Now he's 16 and like all 16 year-old boys, he's into video games, girls, sports, and being respected by his peers. Like a good uncle, I try to exert a positive influence on him (teaching him how to use cutlery, getting him to read instead of playing video games, how to deal with girls), which extends to his general appearance.

He's a skinny-jeans-below-the-waist, too-small-t-shirt sort of dude (see Pharrell, left). I know, he's 16, and this is driven in part by the fact he's impressed with his physique (5' 10", 185 lbs). Still, I see too much of his underwear, I wish he had more than t-shirts in his wardrobe, and he's way too careless with his stuff. I know he cares, that he even reads Be Better Guys on occasion (now that's funny). He's obsessed with his hair (brushed to death, waves, with the multiple parts shaved in on one side a la Michael Irvin), but his fingernails could use some work. When I was that age, my brother regularly questioned my ability to see colors or match patterns, so I come by this honestly. I feel that teenaged boys need to have men talk with him about how to be, one of the things I appreciated about my brother giving me advice (or giving me a hard time, you pick the phrase).

Over the holiday I constantly talked with Brandon about the details: about keeping his nails clean and giving him a nail kit; giving him a wallet to keep his money rather than it spilling out of his pockets; what's on his Facebook page; and so on. As often as not, we discussed the world from his P.O.V. while showing him that the world is much bigger than his buddies, his rep, and his ability to throw and take a punch. Choose your friends wisely (which he has always done), pay attention, be good to other people -- it comes back. Half of the time, I felt he was tuning me out, yet he keeps asking for advice, so that's a good thing. I hope that by talking with him, listening to him, that he gets it that all the macho B.S. about being a man has very little to do with what he hears on the radio and sees on BET. Now, if I can keep him from losing his coats, I can keep mine from now on. . . .

Car-Buying, Part II -- Did you say "minivan"?

OK, you've heard me mention the whole looking for a new car thing: Wifey's pregnant with Joyner girl #2 and we need a car big enough to accommodate two cars seats, two adults -- one being 6' 2" and 220 lbs -- and stuff, yet small enough so that Jill will feel comfortable driving it (she thinks our Mazda 3 is a perfect sized car). We initially thought "sedan" like the Honda Accord, Ford Fusion or something else of that ilk. But we realized we might need to transport the occasional visiting grandparent(s) and decided to go bigger. So, we looked at a small SUV/crossover, like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, etc. Loved the RAV4 because of the optional 3rd row, but it's just a hair too small. The CR-V has no 3rd row, but really is a nice, comfortable ride.

This leaves us with the Kia Rondo, Subaru Forester, and Mitsubishi Outlander, big enough to hold us and our stuff. On the periphery, Ford Taurus X crossover, which I like but nudges closer to serious SUV-land. The idea of buying an SUV for the sake of a bigger vehicle seems wrong, especially since we don't drive that far, haul that much (save for the quarterly Home Depot runs), and have never driven off-road in my life. I'm an urban guy, what do I know or care about stump-jumping?

While tweeting away last week (follow me, @BDJoyner), I asked @rreimund about his Honda Odyessy minivan. He loves it, perfect for him and his family and gets great gas mileage. In his words, they just work. I felt like I was getting the Peyton Manning pep talk about acceptance of the minivan. My man @kwamster is vehemently opposed to the minivan and applauds my wife's refusal to own one ("That's why I luvs her" he said). He's has a two-Honda family (CR-V and oversized Pilot, which is too big for Jill) and has said "renewable resources be damned!"

Now, I know that for for comfort, ease, and being wallet-friendly, the minivan is the best bet. But let's face it, a minivan is about as sexy as your Grandma's apron. Wifey will have no part of one, which is good since Jill's father has been trying to "give us" his minivan (he wants the Lexus SUV). I don't see myself as a minivan guy. Yet, my father-in-law helped me haul nearly 1000 lbs of soil, plus wood to make an elevated garden bed in the back yard with the minivan. But I don't need an large SUV with crappy gas mileage.

I'm starting to feel like a sheep, being led to slaughter by my own vanity and I know that I'm not alone in this. It's just transportation, right? I'm not my vehicle, right? Hell, for the business end of 15 years, I didn't have a car and made out just fine. Rented on when I needed to, borrowed if necessary. Then again, I didn't have a wife, kid(s), house, a growing list of projects that require me hauling stuff back to said house to perform said tasks for said family.

I certainly hope either the Taurus or Outlander works out. Maybe we compromise with a Volvo station wagon or something. My mom can ride in the ba. . . no, that's probably not ok, is it?