My Ole Man's Drink

His stories of youth are filled with success fueled by integrity, friendship, love, an occasional bar fight, business by handshake, and an overall good ole boy mentality. Few and far between here’s the drink of the man who defines man.

J&B on the Rocks with a Twist.

My minor at Cornell was beverage focused so I inquired curiously, why? Rocks “ice” watered down Scotch and blends have always been inferior to single malts and looked down upon. His response, “I gave single malts neat a try and when it came down to it son I was never really one of those guys.” This is raw cool which is not trying to be cool so capture it with a try.

Rock the Burly Beard

Shortly after I grew in my Brandon Walsh sideburns sophomore year in Prep school I got into the elusive beard not the stubble or shadow but pure burly beard. Two class mates and I would even sketch cartoons of us rocking beards trying to top one another, with the All Time winner being Serge who drew himself running me over heading to the forest shirtless, bearded, and to chop down trees.

Dear mom will hate it, most girlfriends, mine doesn’t “exception” cool chic, and with relaxed clothes you can look Hobo. One mother even pulled her child away from sitting beside me in an airport, although I did smell like stale beer from the night before.  So why do it? Why take it that far?

Simple, it’s for you, a statement, a sign of third world travel, toughness, higher level intelligence, rocker, and cred on the rugby field. I do it to get those feelings yet on an occasion I do it during darker times so when I look in the mirror I look just how I feel, a sense of peace in them both. Who rocks them: Professors, Salty Dogs, Texas Blues Players, Woodsmen, Drifters, Soul Surfers, and even Prince William took it for a ride, the exact type of person I design for.

 My Fashion Tips: First grow it in the summer and leave the "I'm growing it out for the cold winter" to the weekend warriors. You can rock it with a white tee, shirtless & jeans, and of course the flannel. 

However the true style tip is to counter it, just as extreme as it is head the other direction with options: fitted three suit, tie, fedora, bowtie, a preppy hair style, and polished shoes. To me this is the all time sex appeal for men of course.

Any of you headed this direction I would love to get a pic and if you’re in one of my ties I’ll give you a 25% Off Code. hugh@hughsimms.com

Starting a JUG BAND

Random jam sessions is the times of all smiles, laughs, friendship, suds, and the occasional in sync moment that gives a glimpse, a tiny glimpse, but yet a glimpse into the rockstar moment.

As an average guitarist, a below average drummer, and a one solo harmonica player I by no means will be echoing out on K-Rock. My music career highlights consists of younger days strumming on the sea wall of Ocean City, MD, performing at the Parlor Lounge, getting booed off stage after playing “Blowjobs on the Beach” written by band member JD Koonz, and becoming a member of LA based band “Cuilingus Dan & The Replaceable Backups”.

The electric chill rush however experienced from these times I would combat with these Rock Cats any time. We’ve all hopefully have been apart of a "sesh" so here is my inside look at “getting the band back together” and ignore "starting..." it sounds more homegrown.

Why Jug Band, here’s why: homemade instruments to accompany traditional ones so no bongos no problem grab two spoons, hide that bad player on a soup pot, little to zero cost, and it just sounds hipper/tougher to be in one. Picking up a vintage rusted washboard or making an upright broomstick bath tub base is entertaining by itself not to mention great conversation pieces for the pad. You’re done with you drunken college days of “Wonderland” and “Flake” so let’s step up the game and here’s how.

MAKE IT HAPPEN:

My Favorite Jub Band: http://www.myspace.com/thedevilmakesthree

How to Make the Instruments: http://www.ehow.com/how_2068161_start-jug-band.html

How to Play Them: "This down home teacher even shows you how to rock the tree saw!"    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb5WN5ivfJ8&feature=related 

For those out there who get this thing going I would be super stoked for you to send me  pics, links, or youtube vid. All in fun! Cheers!!  hugh@hughsimms.com

WEREWOLF PRIEST

This dusty Urban Legend I have used in various designs and in my current line is now featured on a unique rugby patch stitched upon the Werewolf Priests Tie. Hope you dig the story it's classic Good vs Evil.

The legend is based on a faded priest broken by personal loss. Residing in a small-impoverished village whose faith has long slipped away he is required to travel to service all his parishioners. Forced to camp out on one particular night he is attacked and bitten by a wolf. The priest fights off the wolf and returns to the village to heal. Now at his point the anticipation is a steady consumption of great evil in his werewolf form at night. However the unlikely occurs. His walking life becomes relentlessly fueled by a “RENEWED VIGOUR” in his preaching duties causing a rebirth of faith into the population.   

The priest later has a dream of killing a prominent local citizen and when the crime is replicated in real life, the Priest realizes he is cursed. At the same time the newly inspired village embark on a crusade to hunt down the evil that has killed one of their own.                        

Now it gets cool. Some say the townspeople killed the wolf and watched with surprise and great sorrow as it transformed into their beloved Priest. Others say the Priest committed suicide. A select few say the townspeople realized the truth and left him unaware and alive for his religious strength knowing a few sacrificial deaths would inevitably occur. It's up to you to decide.

TRUTH: Dr. Lee Illis of Guy's Hospital in London wrote the Aetiology of Werewolves, in which he argues that historical accounts could have been referring to victims of congenital porphyria, stating how the symptoms of photosensitivity, reddish teeth and psychosis could have been grounds for accusing a sufferer of being a werewolf.

The priest suffered great personal loss and was plagued by this deathly illness and that kind of dark situation can provoke extreme faith.  This story could have been true.