A New Seasons market opened recently in our neighborhood and we are ecstatic about the whole thing. I'm incredibly amazed by the quality of the people who work there. Not only are they friendly, they are helpful and even funny. They obviously enjoy their jobs.
I swear that the wine steward, Tucker, works all day every day. He's always there no matter when I show up. And, I love that he actually knows something about the wine. In fact,he knows quite a lot. And, he can help you pick out great wine at the price YOU want to pay.
Right now, I'm drinking one of his recommendations, Behemoth, a blend from the Columbia Valley AVA, which crosses the Oregon-Washington border and runs from The Dalles to Walla Walla. The 2008 vintage is produced by Portland Wine Co.
I don't remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't a lot and it's terrific as an everyday red. Great red fruit and wonderfully drinkable. The blend is 53% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah. Great with everything from steak to pizza.
22 November 2011
Returning to the Art of Shaving
Today, I'm revisiting an old topic -- shaving. In the past two years, I've come full circle from Gillette Fusion cartridge razor to Braun electric razor and now it's back to basics -- a good old fashioned double edge safety razor, the kind my father used to use (I can even remember my grandfather using a straight razor, I think.).
Previously, I had used a shaving brush and soap bowl, but still stuck with the trusty Fusion. So, when an Art of Shaving store opened in Portland, I decided to give it a try. My first purchase was a Merkur Futur, a heavy, Germany made razor with a dial on the handle to adjust the angle of the blade. Then, I decided to give the more dainty, English made Edwin Jagger a try. It's very nice, but the handle is a bit on the short side. Still, it seems to suite my needs a little more than the big German machine.
At first, I was very off-and-on about the whole idea. I was put off by the need to really slow down and take a whole different approach to shaving, even shaving two or three times to get a super close shave. After numerous cuts, I just gave up and went back to the Fusion. But, I keep coming back to the safety razor. I've now been using the Edwin Jagger for about a week with excellent results and liking the idea more every day.
I've been using a pre-oil (made from rape seed) to soften up the beard, but just read that I should be shaving after I get out of the shower, not before in order to better moisten my beard.
It does take longer to shave. This morning, I shaved twice because I watched a video where it was recommended. Also, learned that I should soak the razor in warm water before using as it makes a difference. I'm getting better and better at it and haven't had any major cuts in awhile. One of the tricks is to figure out how long a blade will last. I think it's going to be about a week. I could make one of those Fusion cartridges go a month.
One of the things I really like is that double edge shaving gives me a smaller footprint. No hunks of plastic and metal to throw away, just a very thin blade that is recyclable. And, the razor itself should last for years. In fact I asked a friend who's into antiquing to look for an antique razor. And, you'll definitely save money. Costco sells a 16-pack of Fusion cartridges for about $44, so that's less than $3 each. A double edge blade runs about 25 cents.
I also like the feel after using the double edge razor. It seems like more of an accomplishment and a throwback to a time when he lived in less of a throw away world and cared more about permanence. I'm not surprised that it took me several starts and stops to actually get to a point where I was using the safety razor for more than a day or two at a time. But, I think I finally may be hooked.
If you're inclined to go double edge, read this post from one of the commentators from Badger & Blade, a shaving website.
Previously, I had used a shaving brush and soap bowl, but still stuck with the trusty Fusion. So, when an Art of Shaving store opened in Portland, I decided to give it a try. My first purchase was a Merkur Futur, a heavy, Germany made razor with a dial on the handle to adjust the angle of the blade. Then, I decided to give the more dainty, English made Edwin Jagger a try. It's very nice, but the handle is a bit on the short side. Still, it seems to suite my needs a little more than the big German machine.
At first, I was very off-and-on about the whole idea. I was put off by the need to really slow down and take a whole different approach to shaving, even shaving two or three times to get a super close shave. After numerous cuts, I just gave up and went back to the Fusion. But, I keep coming back to the safety razor. I've now been using the Edwin Jagger for about a week with excellent results and liking the idea more every day.
I've been using a pre-oil (made from rape seed) to soften up the beard, but just read that I should be shaving after I get out of the shower, not before in order to better moisten my beard.
It does take longer to shave. This morning, I shaved twice because I watched a video where it was recommended. Also, learned that I should soak the razor in warm water before using as it makes a difference. I'm getting better and better at it and haven't had any major cuts in awhile. One of the tricks is to figure out how long a blade will last. I think it's going to be about a week. I could make one of those Fusion cartridges go a month.
One of the things I really like is that double edge shaving gives me a smaller footprint. No hunks of plastic and metal to throw away, just a very thin blade that is recyclable. And, the razor itself should last for years. In fact I asked a friend who's into antiquing to look for an antique razor. And, you'll definitely save money. Costco sells a 16-pack of Fusion cartridges for about $44, so that's less than $3 each. A double edge blade runs about 25 cents.
I also like the feel after using the double edge razor. It seems like more of an accomplishment and a throwback to a time when he lived in less of a throw away world and cared more about permanence. I'm not surprised that it took me several starts and stops to actually get to a point where I was using the safety razor for more than a day or two at a time. But, I think I finally may be hooked.
If you're inclined to go double edge, read this post from one of the commentators from Badger & Blade, a shaving website.
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