Five Tips for Making Outlets Useful for Classic Essentials

1. The Ralph Lauren Skinny Polo for Women in size XL is virtually the same size as their Classic Polo in size L. (The White shirt is the Skinny XL and the Pink is the Classic L.)  The length and sleeves are the same and the most discernible difference is the Skinny Polo is cut in about ½" to ¾" at the waist.  This has been helpful as it can increase the number of color options. I agree with John that you can often find better polo shirt hues at the outlets.





2. All Patagonia outlets now ship, not just Dillon, Montana. And all items are returnable. Although I usually only buy a handful of core Men’s items (Synchilla Snap-Ts and Vests, Retro-X Cardigans, 9 inch Stand Up Shorts, Down Jackets and Vests, and Storm Jackets) and pay full price from their site, and although some of these can be found in their Web Specials section, I find the Patagonia outlets useful in two ways. First, they often have leftovers from past seasons –  colors and/or styles that have been discontinued and where I wished I had bought more. (Like the now discontinued 9 inch Stand Up Shorts above.)   Secondly, they also can have “Special” items, which are custom produced for other companies. Often this is where I can find more preferable color combinations, like this Retro-X Cardigan in Blue Black which I don't remember seeing before.

3. Don’t ever buy a Men’s “346” Blue Oxford shirt from the Brooks Brothers Outlet. Ever. The color is too dark; the fabric is too harsh; and the seams pucker. Stick to the “1818” classic oxford  from their regular stores or on their site.



4. Cape Madras has opened its first outlet store in Freeport, Maine, in the courtyard, directly across the street from Dooney & Bourke. See how their Madras is made in Christian’s interview with founder Brian Sisselman over at Ivy Style.





5. When shopping for Men’s Ralph Lauren shirts, be sure to look closely at the label. While virtually all of their shirts used to have the “Classic Fit” label, there are now many, with a trimmer cut, and have the label “Custom Fit”. I have had to exchange many a “Custom Fit” labeled shirt.

Memorial Day Moments

Enjoying a View from a Friend's Gathering.

Memorial Day Weekend provides so many moments.

Appreciating New Growth in Our Gardens.

Preparing Floats (here, my husband).

...in Good Company.

The core is appreciating and paying respect to our Nation's warriors.  This includes friends and strangers, men and women, to whom we owe so much.  My husband and I also pay tribute to generations of our fathers and grandfathers who fought in so many wars, from World War II back to the Revolutionary War:

My Great Grandfather from The Spanish-American War...

Some of our Civil War Grandparents (many now buried in at Gettysburg)...

Our Grandparents and Great Grandparents buried in Arlington.

This emotional dichotomy can present a paradox.  But what reconciles the brightness of celebration and the gravitas of gratitude and respect may be a deepened commitment to the mission of stewardship.

The three word mission of WWII, as captured on the monument on The Mall, provides a high water mark for a worthwhile ambition for generations to come.

The Mission of WWII

Old Port, Portland, Maine

While New England has some world-class and interesting cities, my personal favorite is Portland, Maine.  There are so many aspects about it that I simply adore.

• There is plenty to find if one in on a cultural quest, including The Portland Museum of Art with its Homers, Kents and Wyeths housed in its three buildings.  (One designed by John Calvin Stevens and another by Henry Cobb of I.M. Pei.)  My favorite is City Hall Auditorium,  now officially known as Merrill Auditorium, and its sizable pipe organ (in fact, the oldest municipal pipe organ in the country, donated by publisher Cyrus Curtis).  In the summer one can enjoy weekly concerts featuring major musicians from all over the world, including the brilliant organist and friend, Yale's Tom Murray.

• Portland is also known for its working waterfront (which admittedly now includes regular stops by cruise ships). The Old Port section is famous for its small shops and cobblestone streets (especially pretty during the holidays), as well as some rough and tumble bars.   

• The Jetport is one on the most pleasant and easy to access airports.

• And despite Maine being one of the least diverse states in the country (and many years it tops the list) there are over 60 languages spoken in its public school system.

But there is one feature that I find both especially impressive and representative.  Portland has become one of the top destinations in the country for its food.   As a result, not only can one enjoy fresh and exquisite meals in town,  but residents also enjoy the benefits of the growing number of organic farms that have sprung up in the outlying areas of the city to meet the needs of the restaurant business.  

Shout out to Dustin!

Ode to Bristol

Almost all of our long time friends to whom I show this blog ask the same question.  "Where's Bristol?"

When my husband and I were first married, we got a (Cloverdale) Golden Retriever. While she has a been a very minor supporting character so far in the blog, she does deserves a bit more virtual ink.  So here, on her birthday, is her story.

We thought it would be wise to have a dog be about two years old when our child was born. We ended up missing that target by one day.

We named her Bristol after a favorite place (actually, the Bristol Diner, seen here in the reflection)

She was sweet, loving, and obedient.  Except for the sweet and obedient part.

She had a subtle way of letting us know when she needed some exercise and intellectual challenge.

One of the many games we had to make up for her was to have my husband run off to another side of the park, unobserved by Bristol, and hide.  I would let her go, her nose would take to the ground, serpentining until she got his scent, and she was off.  She was so good at this that we had to add another layer of challenge.  My husband would hide up in a tree.  This was the result.

She enjoyed the company of her colleagues, both for some jaunty play...

...and a drink after.

Although female, she was all Alpha (much more than our current male Golden).

She loved Rockport Harbor as much as we did.

As well as this Muscongus Bay harbor.

We learned to be most nervous when she came home from a roam exhausted.  Over time we realized she had a rich life of friends and adventures away from us as well. (We once got a call from a neighbor informing us that Bristol was on their roof.)

She never met a body of water that she did not want to enter. 

As far as we could throw something, she could retrieve it. (We would toss pebbles in the water to guide her when the ocean was choppy.)

While she understood all of our commands, it did not mean that she followed any of them.

And she went everywhere with us (here, on the Chappy Ferry).

The addition of Sampson (our back-up auxiliary dog) was an annoyance, but Bristol still got most of the attention. 

Her eye contact was what got most people.  As she got older, she grew fully into her personality.  As much as possible for a dog, she became wise.   

We will have other dogs, but never another Bristol. 

Summer...