Gentlemanly Means Pursued

Posted on Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 at 10:36 pm

Darkness arrives before eight now and that’s the first dead giveaway. The temperatures will cool, the leaves will turn. Fall is settling in for a visit.

Not that I’m complaining. Fall, for me, is the king of seasons, a welcome reward for having yet again endured the often stifling heat and humidity of a Mid-Atlantic summer. Spring is the season of renewal but fall is a season of opportunity. I don’t have any hard evidence to back that up but it’s been my experience.

Be ready. To help get you started, six essentials:

1. Tools
I mean this both literally and figuratively. Now is the time to make sure the knife is sharp. Make sure the kit is stocked. Make sure the batteries are charged. Get your mind right because, well, summer’s over.

2. One Good Jacket, One Good Sport Coat
The way I figure it, cooler weather demands that every man should have at least one solid jacket for casual wear and one versatile sport coat for dressier occasions. I’ve always known the former (at least as long as I can remember) but the latter has been a recent revelation. This fall will be my first with a sport coat, and if early returns are any indication I feel comfortable recommending the strategy to everyone.

For the women out there I’d imagine that something similar applies, yes?

3. Rye Whiskey
Rye seems to be making a comeback and I’m fully on board that bandwagon. Nothing against bourbon or scotch — I dig both — but rye is a unique pleasure. It’s got an edge to it, a little more complexity. It’s both demanding and rewarding.

You should be able to find a handful of options at any good liquor store but I say head straight for Copper Fox Rye. I could attempt to describe it but really the only word I need is delicious. Great anytime but essential for the cooler months.

4. The National, The Walkmen, Jamey Johnson
Three of 2010′s best albums:

Lisbon, High Violet, and The Guitar Song.

Put ‘em in heavy rotation — each rewards repeated listening.

5. Apple Cider
Get a jug of the freshest cider you can find. Pour as much as you like into a saucepan and mix in some cinnamon. Heat it up to just short of a light boil. Pour it into a cup then add a shot of that rye I mentioned above (bourbon works great, as well).

Trust me on this.

6. A Plan for Winter
Last winter, on the eve of the First Great Blizzard, I realized that I didn’t have boots. My old pair had fallen victim to a dog chew towards the end of the previous winter and I didn’t think to get another pair. So there I was at Wal-Mart, digging through shelves that had mostly been picked clean, looking for suitable footwear. I actually got lucky and found a decent enough pair in my size, for which I was rewarded with a wait in the most ungodly checkout line I’d ever seen. Awful.

This year I’ve got my eye on these classic LL Bean boots, which I figure ought to last forever if I can muster up the courage to pull the trigger. No doubt they’re well worth the cost but, well, $150 is $150.

I’m also planning on taking my dad’s old Navy pea coat (more on that beauty later) in for cleaning and repairs. I’m not going to get caught short again. You’d do well to see to the same.

Honorable Mention
A fire pit. This didn’t make the cut out of sensitivity to those who might not have anywhere to put it.

What about you? Hit me up in the comments with your own list (however long or short) of essential fall items. If I get enough of them I’ll put up a new post collecting the best recommendations.

Filed in: advice, essentials, living well.