Author: Land du Pont

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6 Gifts for Your Urban Outdoorsman

By Land du Pont

(Graphic: Helen Jane Hearn/TueNight) Does your man like to hit the trail, or just to look like he does? These gifts range from practical to elegant, inexpensive to extravagant, but each would get real use in either the mountains or the city. 1. The Cinder Cone Some books are better as hard copies. Designer and surfer Foster Huntington, best known for his A Restless Transplant hit-the-road project, documented the building of a treehouse and skate park complex located in the mountains of Washington State. The Kickstarter-funded book shows that the 1970’s luxury hippy aesthetic lives on. $35 A Restless Transplant Store 2. Backcountry Navigation with Map and Compass Class GPS batteries die and cell phone signals fade, so knowing how to read a map with a compass might help your guy get back on the trail. REI offers a range of orienteering and backcountry navigation classes at locations across the US. $50–80 REI 3. Light Up Dog Collar There is no motivation like a dog to go hiking, whether it’s on the trail or through …

5 Timeless Gifts For The Classic Man

By Land du Pont

Ask a guy what he wants for a present and he will often deflect the question with, “surprise me.” Can you blame him? Gifts for men are often either welcome-but-overplayed (single malt scotch) or nice-but-rarely-used (fun cuff links.) This year, don’t ask, but choose from these handsome, utilitarian objects that have stood the test of time. 1. Model 9090 Espresso Maker 1978, Richard Sapper The first espresso maker released by famed Italian manufacturer Alessi, the 9090 has been in continuous production for almost 40 years and, like most of designer Richard Sapper’s work, looks like it has arrived from the near future. Made of chromed steel and cast iron, it is glossy and satisfyingly heavy. Recently updated to work with energy-efficient induction cooktops, the 9090 is available in a range of sizes. The seven-inch size is probably the best choice, perfect for making Sunday morning coffee for two.  From $193, alessi.com 2. Akari Lamp 1951, Isamu Noguchi In the late 1940s, sculptor Isamu Noguchi traveled to Japan where he first saw traditional fisherman’s mulberry paper …

The Slightly More Secret Side of Paris

By Land du Pont

Dali mural outside Centre Pompidou (Photo credit: Margit Detweiler) There is nothing better than walking around Paris, wherever your feet take you, stopping at cafés, either with your better half, in love, or by yourself, in love with the city. You’ve likely got a list of things you daydream about seeing or returning to. If you don’t, the guidebooks will send you to the Louvre for the Mona Lisa and the Raft of the Medusa, up la Tour Eiffel and down into the Catacombs, all wonderful and all places you should visit first. But here’s a slightly more secret list — the hidden Paris that you might have overlooked on your first visit. Visit Atelier Brancusi Constantin Brancusi’s studio, remounted in a purpose-built building designed by Renzo Piano, and hidden to the side of the plaza at the Centre Pompidou. Have lunch or tea at Ladurée in St. Germain de Prés This is the best location of a wonderful chain of patisseries. Ask to sit upstairs in the deep blue salon. Order a sandwich or salad …