So how do I know about all this stuff?

Some of my friends have asked me how I know so much about what the best "this" is or "that" is. It's a very good question, so I'll address it here.

When it really comes down to it, when I need something, I want the best representative of that item I can find.  I really started to learn about the finer things in life about 15 or 20 years ago just to satisfy my curiosity. I read many magazines, including the Robb Report, GQ, The Perfect Vision, Dwell, Cook's Illustrated, etc., and do a lot of research online. I also had a great mentor in Chicago who taught me how to appreciate wine and cigars. (Thanks, Tony!) I often wonder why things cost so much or so little, and the engineer in me is always wondering how things are made. I have also learned by experience that, generally speaking, you get what you pay for. The big question for most of us is whether the additional benefits derived from the more expensive item is worth the additional cost. For example, I will gladly pay top dollar for shoes because I've learned that more expensive shoes tend to be more comfortable, last much longer, and look better. I'll pay extra to get Riedel stemware, because I know that wine really does taste better from their wine glasses. I will not, however, spend big bucks on a gold plated "this", or designer "that" just for the sake of spending more money. In fact, once I figure out what the best product is to meet my needs, I'll do my very best to find it at the lowest price I can, and if it's still too expensive, I'll buy something else that comes close to that item in terms of function and style but at a price I can live with.

One example of a cost/benefit question in this context is what makes one suit cost $400 and another one cost $4,000 (or $40,000, but we won't go into that here)? The answer is that the materials and manufacturing processes are dramatically and tangibly different. The quality of the fabric and the amount of manual work that go into a $4,000 suit are enormously different from what you get in a $400 suit. In the more expensive suit, the sleeves and collar are attached by hand, with the tailor using different tension in the thread at different areas where the sleeves and collar join the body of the suit. This results in a suit that moves with you much more readily and that can feel more like a second skin. I have an Oxxford suit like that and I can't tell you how much of a pleasure it is to wear it! No machine can duplicate that process. The inner and outer fabric that form the lapels in an inexpensive suit are glued ("fused") together and can be prone to puckering because of that. That's not the case in a more expensive, better made suit in which the lapels are distinct layers separated by a lining material. (You can determine whether or not your lapels are "fused" by trying to gently pull the inner and outer fabric apart.) Now, on that basis, I definitely want the $4,000 suit, but I can't justify the expense, so I look for suits that come as close to that level of quality as possible, and then try to buy them at clearance sales or online. Canali, Corneliani, and Zegna fit the bill for me. (Helpful hint: If you are looking for the best names in designer clothing at great prices you need to check out Bluefly.com. Alternatively, you can go to the big clearance sales everyone has in January and June/July.)

Over the years, I've researched or just learned about virtually every category of product that I've needed or that piqued my curiosity. That would include things such as audio and video equipment, footwear, small appliances, furniture, food and wine (I like to cook), watches, BBQ grills, even women's lingerie! (Yeah, I'm a lot more interested in women than in lingerie, but it was fascinating to read how La Perla makes their finer bras! The looms date back to the 1700s, and modern looms can't work with the fine threads they use and get the same results.  Or so they say.)

That, in a nutshell, is how I came to know about all of these things I'm going to be blogging about. It really comes down to a matter of personal tastes, research, and budget.

P.S. Look for my upcoming blogs on the Big Green Egg and the Harman Kardon Go + Play.