ckearns

I was at a theme park the other day with the wife and kids for a family outing and out of the blue I ran into the man himself, Hamlet. I couldn't believe it. It was one of those moments where you say to yourself... of all the gin joints in the world (and him of all people)! Our run-in was a great opportunity to catch up, shoot the breeze, and meet each others' families. It was truly a great moment and a highlight to an already great day. Here's a pic of us and our boys. Cheers.

Keith, thanks for bringing this up and thanks to Trevor for suggesting a workaround. I lost this function some time ago and it was driving me crazy not to have as I find it a very useful feature.

Rest in peace, good Sir.

I still long for Chanel Egoiste. Not platinum, the original. Its not sold at retailers anymore and I often think about sourcing one from ebay or the like. Maybe I'll pull the trigger today...

Wow, a great experience there all around. Austin has been on my to do list for a bit and an F1 race would be a great way to do it. Thanks for the write up.

Happy birthday Jose! I hope you have a great day my friend.

Welcome back, guys. Looks like a fabulous time!

I'm easily convinced, however I'm not familiar with their products. What do you recommend?

Exactly, mate! There are lots of good resources out there that just take time to go through. The ones you mention above, I watched as well. I also found reading the forum theshaveden.com to be very helpful and a lot like FOH in culture. Steve's post about his Astra blades motivated me to order a sample pack of blades and it arrived in the mail today. I'll give these a test drive over the next number of weeks and maybe I'll find one that works best for me.

Good to hear, Warren. You won't look back. A few tips that have helped me along the way and hopefully they'll help you as well. - Get to know your face and what direction your hair grows. The direction of your facial hair will typically change from section to section and is important to know for determining the type of pass (With the grain "WTG", Across "XTG", Against "ATG"). Mine for example, grows normally on my face, however my neck hairs sort of fan to each respective side. Let your growth determine what direction to take. - Pressure. Unlike cartridge shaving, pressure is not the answer or your friend. Proper technique uses the natural weight of the blade to do the cutting. For the first number of weeks I remember holding the handle in my fingertips so to not subconsciously apply a firm grip and transfer that pressure to the blade. Also, firm up your wrist and use a whole arm motion when making a pass. Stick with it and don't get discouraged. The first week can feel like a step back, but then it'll all come together. Keep us posted.

I agree. He's a great cook with very good technique. Unfortunately his skills are overshadowed by his tv persona.

For those who are drooling like I am, but the cooler weather is a deterrent for making mk's recipe, I've used the following Ramsay recipe with scrumptious results: Video: Text: http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/roast-loin-of-pork-pressed-belly-of-pork-caramelised-apple-wedges-with-broccoli-and-mustard-mash-recipe Its dead easy to make and tastes unbelievably good. I hope you enjoy.

That looks spectacular!

Congratulations Amos! Well earned.

Not a bad idea, however I think a sub-form which encompasses other Gentlemanly topics, such as clothing and accessories, grooming, pipes, lifestyle, timepieces, etc, which don't necessarily fit in the watering hole discussions could appeal to a wider audience. Colt, always a single pass with cartridges and always with the grain. It wasn't until DE shaving that I even attempted a pass that wasn't with the grain. My morning shave is two passes: 1) with; 2) across, and my results are so good that I don't even bother poking the bear with an against the grain pass. If you haven't already converted, do your face a favour and pull the trigger on a new shave system.

You had me worried for a minute there, Steve. I started second guessing my purchase because it was sold as silver tip badger. They may be known for their horse haired models, but the one I bought is pure badger. Model 16726 like this one on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vie-Long-16726-Silver-Shaving-Olivewood/dp/B008MNPOUS

Possible. And I can vouch for the quality of Sir Prez's Havana parties.

Bought it online, mate. I believe my first brush was synthetic because its much more coarse feeling than the soft silky bristles of this one. Here's what it looks like. Also, here's a picture of the aftershave tonic I mentioned earlier. One splash of this stuff and your man card gets an automatic 10 year renewal. Happy shaving, guys! Cheers.

Happy birthday, brother! I hope you have a great day.

I smoked blind cigar #5 and it reminded me of a cigar I had once before, a _______. Same as the first, it just never took off. Each draw you sit there thinking this could be the one where it makes the turn. Those flavours and brilliance its hinting at are on the edge and about to come over. Unfortunately that never happens. Guess sent to Prez. Thanks again Rob for organizing this and I look forward to next year's.

Agreed, nice to see a shaving topic here on FOH. I converted to a double edge razor and shave routine a year ago and haven't looked back. As an example, I use to shave my neck every other day due to irritation and now I could shave it three times a day without irritation if I had to. Once you get the preparation and technique down, its like a whole other world. For anyone reading this that struggles with irritation, heed the advice on this thread and get yourself a DE razor, some natural shave products, learn the techniques (youtube is a great resource) and say goodbye to razor burn, ingrowns, etc. Results aside, the best things about traditional shaving are the routine and the aromatics. Your morning shave becomes a therapeutic ritual and you smell like a million bucks all day long. My favourite products are from a local producer called Crown Shaving Co. Their aftershave tonic is link a scent from the gods. Here's a pretty recent photo of my set-up (I've since bought a good silver tip brush).

Thanks for the input, Gents. Very much appreciated as most of your suggestions are available locally for me to try.

I'll buck the trend and pick the Laph as I think its superior to the Nadura. There's a beautiful sweetness to the Laphroaig 18 that makes it unique compared to other Islays, imo. And as Claus said, taste and see for yourself for that price. Cheers.

Happy birthday, Gary. I hope you have a great day!

I recon Martin Berasategui's is the best in San Sebastian. Out of it, Mugaritz, and Arzak it was hands down the best. Still not as good as the laundry, but dam good.