Weber grill

Radio Flyer

If you, like me, are a fan of US movies and TV series, then the iconic Radio Flyer will be more than familiar. Indeed, I know they must be sold in other parts of the world, but like so many everyday iconic items of US life – check out our earlier post on Iconic US Sweets/Candies – Iconic American Candy – Part 1 – I don’t think I have seen one for sale in the UK. Certainly, when my kids would have loved such a product they weren’t available.

For generations, US kids have carted themselves, several siblings, pets, toys and other important treasures in these charming red trolley wagons. A wonderful item of great simplicity that’s use is limited only by the depths of a child’s imagination. As American as “Milk Duds” but what’s their story?

2017 saw the celebration of the first hundred years of the Radio Flyer. Antonio Pasin, a Venetian born son of a cabinet maker who, aged 16, in 1913 arrived in New York City to start a new life. In 1917, in Chicago, he started building wooden toy wagons and selling them to local shops. He was a jobbing joiner who built the wooden wagons to carry his tools.

Demand for the wagons led to Pasin forming the Liberty Coaster Company in 1923, and ten years after he made his first wooden wagons he was making pressed steel versions and selling them for just under $3.00. He was very interested in the many production techniques used in the local car industry, earning himself the nickname “Little Ford”. In the 1930’s he produced several versions of his “Liberty Coaster” including The Streak-O-Lite” and The Zephyr that echoed the Chrysler Airflow.

Renaming the company in 1930 the Radio Steel and Manufacturing, the brand name “Radio Flyer” stemming from Pasin’s fascination with the pioneers of Radio (Marconi) and Flight (Lindbergh).

Production was interrupted during the latter stages of the Second World War and turned to oil drum manufacture but the company survived. In 1987 Radio Steel and Manufacturinf became “Radio Flyer Inc” which has been overseen by Pasin’s grandson, Robert as CEO, since 1997.

The company’s range of Radio Flyer and associated products grows annually and aside from being voted a great company to work for, its iconic products are rooted deep in the warmth of the American psyche.

Images used with grateful thanks – Radio Flyer Inc., ClassicCars.com and Vintage Vending Inc.

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Iconic Surf Brands

I love surf/hippie/beach culture. Whilst it may be a complete mare to get to in July and August the realm of Tarifa, on Spain’s Costa de la Luz, is a Mecca for those who get their kicks on a kite, surf, SUP or boogie board – see our previous post here on Morey Boogie Boards – Morey Boogie boards.

This is a lifestyle, available to all adherents. Whether you are a weekend hippie with a real job in corporate finance, benefit from a distant relative having invented some practical gizmo that makes life easier even today, a vacationing student or a “Crusty”, who sees the conventional pressures to earn a living, have a mortgage or to otherwise conform to some dated middle class ideal of the perfect life, as pointless, then there’s a welcome for you on the beach.

For core participants of this tribe, whose transient existence may be complemented, if they have the funds, see previous references to those in the City and/or being a Trustafarian – by a VW bus – see our previous post here – Volkswagen Kombi – as the perfect transport for your kites and boards, their careful devotion to their appearance on an off the sand is crucial. Indeed being able to take the beach with them as they return to their other life is made possible by several wonderful and iconic surf brands who shroud the faithful when the smell of the salt air is a fading memory.

Founded in Tarifa in the 1990’s by designer Andoni Galdeano and entrepreneur Herbert Newman, the El Niño brand of surfwear is defined by a passion for the perfect wave and embraces much of what our tribe of surf worshippers love. It’s colourful, expressive and almost all pieces bare the distinctive El Niño logo that my family has always called “the Angry Sperm” – the little discontented drip. In fact the name comes from the “levante” wind of the same name that blows from the East over Tarifa.

For Adults and Children – add an El Niño shirt to your summer collection by clicking the Amazon link after the image

El Niño The Child 11102 T-Shirt, Men, Men, 11102, Grey (Stone Grey), Medium

El Niño The Child 0128013101 T-Shirt, Children, 13101, Orange (Fiesta), 12

Quiksilver was founded in Torquay (Australia) in 1969 by Alan Green and John Law. It is now a multi-million dollar business, one of the largest manufacturers of surf and related sports goods, operating many stores worldwide. The company developed the successful young woman’s wear brand “Roxy” – who’s logo is a duplicate of the Quiksilver wave doubled to form a heart – it also owns the DC brand of skate shoes.

After a difficult period of trading in 2016 and restructuring the majority shareholder is now Oaktree Capital Management. In 2017 the company’s name was changed to “Boardriders” and is now based in Huntington Beach, California.

Quiksilver, along with Rip Curl – also founded in 1969 in Torquay (Australia) and still owned by co-founders Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer – and Billabong – founded on Australia’s Gold Coast (Queensland) by Gordon and Rena Merchant in 1973 and now co-owned by Oaktree Capital – are regarded as the “Big Three” Surfwear companies.

Add a pair of Quiksilver nubuck flip-flops to your beach collection by clicking the Amazon link below the image

Quiksilver Men’s Molokai Nubuck Flip Flops, Multicolour (Brown CTK0), 42 42 EU

Or a pair of cool DC low top shoes….

DC Shoes Trase TX, Men’s Low-Top, Blue (Navy/Camel Nc2), 8 UK (42 EU)

Orange County on California’s Pacific Coast is the home Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach each with their own distinctive surf communities. In the 1984 Shawn Stussy – a young surfboard manufacturer – who signed his boards with his distinctive signature – founded his eponymous surfwear brand with Frank Sinatra Jnr (unrelated to the singer) in Laguna Beach.

Stussy surfwear became a favourite of the hip-hop scene of the late 1980’s/early 1990’s. The brand is now a favourite of Drake and A$AP Rocky.

In 1996 Stussy left the brand selling his holding to Sinatra’s family who still own it.

A piece by Stussy is a must ….how about this signature cap? Click the Amazon link below the image

Stussy Stock SP18 Snapback Hat Teal

Images with grateful thanks – El Niño Tarifa, Quiksilver/Boardriders, DC Shoes and Stussy.

Aestheticons’ Lady’s Guide To Perfect Gifts for Men

Ladies, OK, I admit it – we men are not easy to buy for. So Aestheticons has done some of the leg work for you. Our recent affiliation with AMAZON allows us to offer you a carefully selected range of gifts for Men – as you’d expect from us they are all great looking, iconic and design classics. We can assure you that they will be perfect to show the men in your life just how well you know them and their impeccable tastes…….Please enjoy! PS. You’ll need to do the wrapping!

Oh….and there’s nothing stopping Men buying for themselves or other Men!

After each image there’s a link to the Aestheticons post – if one already exists – which is then followed by the AMAZON link for ease of purchase.

Clothes

Levis 501 – Levi 501’s

Levi’s 501 Original Fit Men’s Jeans, Blue (Stonewash), 34W x 32L

RM Williams boots – RM Williams “Craftsman Boot”

R.M. Williams Craftsman chocolate/suede, Größen:45

Woolrich Shirt –Woolrich shirt –

Woolrich Men’s Sportsman Chamois Long Button Down Shirt, Dark Navy Heather, XXXL

Bass weejuns – Bas s Weejuns Penny Loafers

Bass Larson Mens Leather Loafers Wine – 9 UK

Dr Martens – Dr. Martens

Dr. Marten’s 1460 Original, Men’s Boots, Aztec, 10 UK

Vilebrequin shorts Vilebrequin swim shorts

Vilebrequin Danse du Feu Swim shorts – Men – turmeric – XL

Lacoste Pique Lacoste Shirt

Lacoste Men’s L1212 Original Polo Shirt, Blanc (Blanc), Medium

Ralph Polo – Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt

Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt Men’s Classic Fit Solid Mesh (M, Bright Yellow)

Car T shirts

Porsche 911 Targa Porsche 911 Targa Evolution of Man to Porche 911 T shirt

Mens Evolution of Man to PORSCHE 911 TURBO T-Shirt S – 5XL (Large, Black)

Alfa Romeo Spider T shirt Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider

Men’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider T-Shirt Indigo Blue, Large

Karmann Ghia VW T Shirts Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

VOLKSWAGEN KARMANN GHIA 1970 STENCIL MENS T SHIRT CLASSIC CAR (LARGE(42-44), CHARCOAL)

Ferrari Dino – Ferrari Dino T shirt

Ferrari Dino Classic T-shirt L

Classic & Sports Car Magazine Subscription – Sunbeam Alpine – Bond’s first car

Classic & Sports Car

Hunter Wellingtons Hunter Green Wellington Boots

Hunter Men’s Original Tall Wellington Boots

Le Chameau Boots The Country Is Calling – Be Prepared!

Le Chameau Chasseur Heritage Kevlar Mens Wellington Boots Green – 42 EU

Barbour Waxed Jacket Barbour Jacket

BARBOUR CPS0819 MWX Jacket Men XL

Converse High Tops Converse – Chuck Taylor All Star

Converse Unisex-Adult Chuck Taylor All Star Hi-Top Trainers, Black- 8 UK

Rab Jacket Rab Down Jackets

Men’s Microlight Alpine Down Jacket

Guernsey Jumper – Guernsey sweater

Traditional and Genuine Guernsey Jumper – Navy (46)

Gloverall duffle coat Duffle Coat – by Gloverall

Gloverall Men’s Classic Duffle Coat, Grey (Grey),44 UK (54 EU )

Hackett’s Moleskin Trousers – Hackett’s moleskin trousers

Hackett Men’s Slim Fit Moleskin Chinos 36 Regular Navy

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein Men’s Basics Button Front Boxer Briefs, Black, Medium

Paul Smith Socks

PAUL SMITH Mens Cotton Socks Maroon Red Pink Polka Dots One Size

Fruit of the Loom T Shirts – Fruit of the Loom – T shirts

Fruit of the Loom Men’s Heavy T-Shirt Pack of 5, Heather Grey, X-Large

Tools

Opinel Knives – Opinel Knives

Opinel Trekking Knife No.8 with Leather Thong

Swiss Army Knives Victorinox SwissChamp

Victorinox Swiss Champ Pocket Knife – Red, Medium

Leatherman Wave Leatherman “Wave”

Leatherman Wave LT650 Pocket Tool

Maglite – Maglite D3 cell torch

Maglite ST3D016 3D Cell LED Torch – Black

Wahl clippers – Wahl Clippers

Wahl Super Taper Hair Clipper

Stuff

Chanel Egoiste – Chanel Egoiste

Chanel Egoiste Eau de Toilette – 100 ml

Go Pro Camera – Go Pro Hero 4 camera

GoPro HERO5 Session Camera – Black

Zippo Lighter – Zippo lighter

Zippo Armor Lighter – Brushed Brass

Oculus Rift – Oculus Rift – a future classic?

Oculus Rift + Oculus Touch Controller

Casio MS-8 Calculator – Casio MS-8 calculator

Casio MS-80VERII 8 Digit Currency Desk Calculator

Eastpack backpack – Eastpak backpack

Eastpak Padded Pak’R Backpack – 24 L, Traditional Navy

Rayban’s Wayfarers Ray-Ban Wayfarers

Ray-Ban 2132 New Wayfarer

Apple 9.7 inch IPAD New 9.7″ iPad

Apple iPad Pro 9.7″ 128GB Wi-Fi – Space Grey

Weber Grill – Weber Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Barbecue 57 cm Black

B&W Zeppelin – Bowers & Wilkins – Zeppelin

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Speaker – Black

Roberts Radio – Roberts Radio

Roberts Revival iStream2 DAB/DAB+/FM Internet Radio – Duck Egg

Anglepoise lamp – Anglepoise Lamp

Anglepoise Original 1227 Brass Desk Lamp – Deep Slate

Brooks Saddle – Brooks bicycle saddles

B17 STANDARD HONEY

Artemide Tizio lamp – Artemide – Tizio lamp

Tizio 50 Desk Light Black

Mont Blanc Rollerball – Mont Blanc Rollerball pen

MontBlanc Meisterstuck Platinum Line Ballpoint Pen – Black

Amazon Kindle Fire – Amazon Kindle Fire

All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa, 8″ HD Display, 16 GB, Black — with Special Offers

Moleskine Diary – Moleskine Notebook

2018 Moleskine Large Weekly Notebook Diary 18 Months Hard

Billingham 225 Camera Bag – Billingham 225 Camera Bag

Billingham 225 Canvas Camera Bag With Tan Leather Trim – Khaki

Le Creuset Casserole – Le Creuset – Flame Kitchenwear

Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Oval Casserole, 29 cm – Satin Black

BOSE QuietComfort 35 – BOSE – Future Design Classics

Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones – Black

BOSE Soundlink Revolve – BOSE – Future Design Classics

Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluetooth Speaker – Triple Black

Duralex Provence and Picardie Glasses – Duralex Provence and Duralex Glass – Picardie

Duralex Super Strong Provence Tumblers Tumbler Glasses 8.8oz / 250ml (Box of 6) – Height 98mm

Duralex Picardie water glass 360ml, without filling mark, 6 Glasses

IMPERIA Pasta Maker – Imperia pasta machine

Imperia Italian Pasta Gift Set

A Dualit Toaster and a hamper of great holiday treats….. Holiday Breakfast

Dualit Combi 2+2 Toaster 42174 – Polished

If you liked this post please “Like” and share it with your friends. We’d really like to hear your experiences of the subject(s) featured in this post. Please share them below in the “Leave a Reply” section. Thanks

Images all courtesy of manufacturers

Weber Grill

Designer: George Stephen (1951)

George Stephen worked for Weber Brothers in Chicago, who were metal fabricators that primarily made marine buoys.

Stephen noticed that an open grill – usually brick built – produced an uneven heat, tended to smoke and annoyingly allowed ash to blow onto the grilling food. He decided to split a metal buoy in half and weld three legs in a triangular configuration to the upturned half.

Stephen called his iconic invention – a round charcoal “kettle” grill – “George’s Barbecue Kettle”. He received considerable interest in it and began selling the grill in 1952 when he formed the barbecue division of Weber Brothers. In the late 1950s, he bought out the Weber Brothers factory, becoming sole owner and changed its name to Weber-Stephen Products Co.

Weber-Stephen Products LLC was family owned until it sold a majority stake to BDT Capital Partners in 2010.

Still a very strong seller the original kettle grill – and its various re-workings -continues to be extremely popular product but the company has diversified in other outdoor products.

We have received a useful list of tips from our friends at Weber-Stephens which we thought we’d share with you – we are certainly going to try them. We’d be delighted if you could join us.

Under the umbrella heading “Let Us Take Care of Your Sunday Night Plans” – just how creative can you be using a Weber Grill?

Grilling a leg of lamb – Grilling a leg of lamb

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus – Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Grilled Potato Tips – Grilled Potato Tips

My Weber Grill – My particular favourite product of Weber-Stephen’s range is the butane gas driven version of the grill. With a large rectangular cast iron hooded body and wide grill space mounted on a study metal frame that can be wheeled to different locations. It’s extremely versatile and I have proved that you can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared on the grill with various additional cast iron griddle plates and a rotisserie mechanism.

It’s gas rather than charcoal fired so is ready to use within a couple of minutes of lighting and real benefit to the busy barbecue lover!

I do get some flack from some charcoal-head friends, who claim that lighting charcoal is the only way to use the Weber grill, but I am sticking with my grill which I have had and loved for over twenty years!

Your Weber Grill – Do you use a Weber Grill? Why not share your recipes, tricks and techniques for preparing your favourite barbecued dishes – we love to hear from you. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to post a reply or to re-blog.

Photo from Weber-Stephens

Dorothea Lange – “Migrant Mother”

The power of great photography is alive and very well. Taken in an era when 35 mm film became a popular format and without the luxury of multiple digital “bursts” to chose exactly the right shot, the clear and enviable skill of manual photographers is undeniable.

This is the first of a selection of those iconic photographs that resonate with succeeding generations, such that their relevance today is unquestionable.

The first in our series is “Migrant Mother” by the Great Depression-era photographer, Dorothea Lange.

Born in 1895 in Hoboken (New Jersey, US) into a family of German immigrants, Ms Lange, succumbed to polio aged 7 – that left her with a limp and recurring pain – and at 12, she and her family were abandoned by her father. The influence on the young Dorothea of these harrowing events indisputably led her in her work as a social commentator and photojournalist.

Graduating from Columbia University, in 1918 she determined to travel the world but her plans were foreshortened as a result of crime en route to San Francisco where she settled, married and raised two boys.

The years of the Great Depression, provided Ms Lange with ample opportunity to study the lives of those left destitute. Her work became of interest to the federal Resettlement Administration who employed her to document the lives of migrant workers suffering rural poverty.

In 1936, Dorothea took the photograph, “Migrant Mother” in Nipomo, (California) – at a settlement camp for out of work pea pickers, the crop having been destroyed by freezing rain. Her stark image truly captured the essence of a mother’s struggle to provide for her children in the present and portrayed the loss of her hope for her children’s future.

She made her images available at no cost to the press across America in order to raise awareness of the plight of these displaced families. A San Francisco newspaper carried the story and the photos, as a direct result the Federal Government provided emergency aid for the camp.

The woman photographed was Florence Owens Thompson, then aged 32. She later admitted that she had managed to keep her family alive but they “just existed”, she had sold car tyres and they had eaten frozen crops. Dorothea had promised Ms Thompson, a Cherokee Indian, originally from Oklahoma, anonymity as she felt the photos may assist the plight of her six children and of the poor itinerant labours who roamed the country seeking work. Above all she wanted to avoid any embarrassment to her children as she didn’t want them to be seen as specimens of poverty.

Ms Thomson resolutely remained anonymous until the late 1970’s but she gained nothing material from her role in this iconic work. In 1983, after suffering a stroke and being unable to afford her medical care, her children used her identity as the “Migrant Mother” to raise donations. She died shortly afterwards.

On May 28, 2008, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Ms Lange’s induction into the California Hall of Fame.

RM Williams’ “Craftsman” Boot

Reginald Murray (‘RM”) Williams was born into a pioneering settler family in 1908 at Belalie North about 200 miles from Adelaide, a horse trainer and bushman who rose to be a millionaire entrepreneur. His adventures in the outback created a recognisable and iconic Australian style of bush-wear.

RM was taught leather working by a horseman, Dollar Mick, including making bridles, pack saddles and riding boots. In 1932, to fund the hospital care of his son, RM founded “RM Williams” and he began to sell saddles. In 1934, he established and rapidly expanded a small factory running in his father’s back shed at 5 Percy Street in the Adelaide suburb of Prospect.

RM’s most iconic designs were his handcrafted riding boots. They are formed of a single piece of leather or suede and stitched at the rear with elasticated sides. As of 2013, the company’s handcrafted riding boots comprises 70 hand processes and a single piece of leather.

RM sold the business in 1988 but sadly it entered receivership in 1993. The company was then taken under the control of RM’s long-time friend Ken Cowley who, with businessman Kerry Stokes, and Ken’s family ran R.M. Williams Ltd. for over twenty years.

RM died in November 2003. In March 2013, the Cowley family released a statement of an intention to sell the company to a new owner for AUS$100 million sum. In April 2013, R.M. Williams sold a 49.9% stake to L Capital, the private equity affiliate of LVMH.

These guys a wish list item for me. I have known of them for over twenty years as a friend from Sydney had the well known classic Craftsman boot which at that time he had owned for over fifteen years – they were pristine with minor tell-tale wear and a fabulous sheen.

In July 2016 I was in London and went to the new Westfield Shopping Centre at Shepherd’s Bush. I walked into the newly opened RM Williams store to discover I was in fact the very first customer.

A charming girl who had been seconded from RM William’s office in Adelaide was so well informed and enthusiastic in her desire to impart details about the hand-made boots I felt almost rude leaving after the limited time I had ran out…only to be stung by the excessive parking charges at Westfield!

She explained that they would prefer – if I lived in the UK – that I should opt to have a rubber rather leather sole, as the leather is so thick it took a while to dry out and risked deteriorating if not totally dried before it got wet again. She explained the use of kangaroo hide – which caused my son some disquiet – but it was explained as a by-product of meat production.

I am determined to return to place an order in due course – but suspect I may go for a suede pair.

Stop Press: Since we became an Amazon Affiliate in December 2017 I have now discovered that I can get my favourite RM Williams chocolate brown suede Craftsman via this source – so the order is on its way! If you’d like to join me in this please click on the link below the following image

R.M. Williams Craftsman chocolate/suede, Größen:43

Images from RM Williams

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Clothes

Tools

Stuff

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