Confessions of a Cascadian Prep

1. I went to a STATE school for undergrad.
2. I have never owned a VOLVO, tweed jacket, or a boat tote, nor do I intend to.
3. I ended #2 in a PREPOSITION.
4. I do not attend CHURCH very often.
5. More than likely, I will vote for the REPUBLICAN presidential candidate.
6. I prefer travel destinations such as Southeast Asia and Latin America instead of EUROPE.
7. I like all music, especially GOTH & BLUEGRASS music.
8. My house was built in the 1990s and it is furnished with very, very few ANTIQUES.
9. I don't care for PLAYS or MUSICALS.
10. My ear is pierced and I occasionally wear an EARRING.

Serendipity and Mike Tyson

When I started this blog over a year ago, my plan was to strive, to seek, and to find a prep sensibility in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. Well, in the wise words of boxer Mike Tyson:

“Everybody's got plans...until they get hit.”

Strived and sought I did; finding a true prep sensibility, I did not... at least not yet. But I will keep with my plan, even after being hit with "ubiquitous zip-up hoodies" and bitten on the ear by those who wear hats in nice restaurants.  I will not yield because I know that there are at least 15 of you out there who believe we can do better.  (See last post.)

Mike Tyson

So with the same serendipity I found the above picture of Mike gently holding this little French Bulldog, I also hope to find some true preps in Pugetropolis.  POW, Sucka!!

Is it just me? A Poll.

Last night, I had a business dinner at a popular steakhouse chain (here).  This particular restaurant is in a upscale part of town, surrounded by higher caliber shops. So when our party of six was sat, I was horrified when I noticed the two guys sitting at the next table were wearing baseball hats. I mean, I really thought I made a wrong turn and ended up in the building's break room. Their hats were pulled down in an "I'm a Hollywood star trying to avoid the paparazzi" kind of way... but these guys were no Hollywood stars.

So I ask you, dear reader, am I too old fashioned? Is wearing a hat in a decent restaurant acceptable today?

(BTW, I would have snapped a couple of photos of the guys, but I thought that would be just as off-putting as the flippin' hats.)

See Poll at right. The Poll has closed and the results are that 15 out of 15 voted for "Hell No - hats should not be worn in restaurants."  (I rest my case.)

A Cascadian Prep's Commute Home

One would think that for an urban region with mountains and snow about 30 miles east, we would be used to driving in a little of it here. NOT!

(Play with sound ON)

(music by Ra Ra Riot)

(music by incredible Portland, OR band - The Shins)

The Regionalized Polo Shirt

Much has been written on the venerable  Polo-style shirt, both here and throughout the blogosphere, so I will try not to be too redundant. Of late, I’ve observed that around the country, companies have been sprouting up that seem to base much of their business effort on the Polo, or more exactly, the Polo, the cap, and small accessories.

The strategy seems to be based around the logo – typically using a highly regionalized theme, which evokes a certain lifestyle in a given region.  Here are just a few:

The South

Southern Tide – with Skipjack (fish) motif

http://www.southerntide.com/products/Skipjack-Polo-%252d-Classic.html

Southern Proper – with bow-tied Lab motif

http://www.southernproper.com/store/gentlemen/proper-polo.html

Southern Point – with Pointer motif

http://www.southernpointco.com/category.php?cat=polo

Cash Robinson Clothing Co. - with horse racing theme

http://www.cashrobinson.com/small_batch_apparel/silks_reserve_polos?product_id=63

The Northeast

Green Lobster USA – with Green Lobster motif

http://www.greenlobsterusa.com/menspolos.html

Castaway Clothing – with Life ring motif
http://www.castawayclothing.com/classic-polo-shirts.html

Vineyard Vines – with whale motif

http://www.vineyardvines.com/product__129756_____13068_13050

In my brief Internet search, I didn’t turn up anything for the Midwest, the Rocky Mountain Region or the West Coast, so I apologize in advance for possibly overlooking. But as you can see above, the Northeast and The South are well represented with companies.   I understand that Polos are both a tradition and a traditional shirt in those regions, but is there any reason why other parts of the US can’t have a successful regionalized Polo shirt?  For the Rockies, I could see a pair of crossed skis as a nice motif, for California, perhaps a surfboard or wine bottle motif.  Here in Cascadia, I could see a mountain, an umbrella, a sailboat, or perhaps, a meth lab motif.

But seriously, if there are any venture capitalists reading this, contact me.  Let’s work up a business plan, do a feasibility study, and hopefully represent the West in the regionalization of the Polo shirt.

(by the way, I do like all of the clothing companies shown above... except for one.)

The Joys of Summer

Cascadia is settling in for the "90 Day Gray".  We had a nice December, but Mother Nature is making up for it now... cold... wet... windy.  So naturally, our thoughts turn to sunnier days.

Shark Reef Park - Lopez Island

It was early September - the best time to sail in The San Juan Islands. Mrs. Cascadian Prep and I were anchored in a little cove off of Lopez.  Just a warm and cloudless summer day spent on the foredeck reading and rocking gently with the waves. She - a bikini top and shorts from that lemon (lululemon?) place. He - Orvis quick dry shorts, sans shirt, and Top-siders. The other "she" - at Grandma's place. Could life get any better?

Suddenly, I felt the need to change the tunes and freshen my Dark 'N' Stormy, so down the companionway to the chart table I sprang. Upon my return, I noticed something else had changed.  Her Top was beSide her.

Life did get better.

Jay Ferguson's Thunder Island (I was a wee lad when it came out. Loved it then, love it now.)

Doin' lines at lunch, part II

(For Part I, click here.)



Crystal Mountain

Hers - tight turns right. His - big turns left.

"Go-To-Hell" is Risky Business

Richard Westall's Sword of Damocles

Maybe because it's because I live in the sartorially-sheltered Northwest (we do have either mountains or water on every side), but I only just came to understand the phrase "go-to-hell" [insert article of clothing here].  Examples, "I wore my 'go-to-hell palm tree belt' from Eliza B last Friday," or "Did you see his 'go-to-hell' corduroy holiday pants last night at the Christmas party? What a chump."

castaway clothing

Well, I love this term and shall use it regularly. I believe it aptly conveys the spit & vinegar attitude one must have, at times, while trying to cultivate his or her own look.  Tweed & Velvet posted an excellent piece on the very subject (outclick here.) I can't tell where the writer is from in looking at his profile, but I highly suspect he is not a Cascadian. Therefore, I offer my own humble, Pacific Northwest perspective on going to hell with one's clothing.

The author is reminded of the dialogue between Joel and Miles in 1983's Risky Business.

Joel, you wanna know something? Every now and then say, "What the f**k." "What the f**k" gives you freedom. Freedom brings opportunity. Opportunity makes your future."

Say "what the f**k."... If you can't say it, you can't do it.

I know that the hair of the horse is thin and the sword sharp, but I would risk its peril to know what it's like living in an area whose people clad themselves as colorfully (and quirky) as they really want to be. 

So Go-To-Hell Seattle, Go-To-Hell Portland, Go-To-Hell Vancouver... and say "WTF!" It will bring you freedom, opportunity, and a brighter future!

On Hating Walmart and Other Ruminations

Hating Walmart is not a new concept. Their treatment of suppliers, employees, and the towns and environs in which they operate haven't earned them too many accolades. Yet, business classes across the land caution students not to rush to judgment. Much may be learned from Walmart's business practices and much can be learned from observing their typical store patron.

Our former Dutch foreign exchange student asked me if we could really get bananas, paper towels, shoes, and guns in the same store, to which I shamefully had to reply, "Yes."  I mean, I've heard of lawyers, guns, and money, but WTF?! And then she also asked if there were whole supermarket aisles dedicated to breakfast cereal, to salad dressing, and to frozen pizza. Alas, I had to say "Yes."

People of Cascadian Walmart (use extreme caution)

I thought that by being a "Host Parent" to an exchange student, I would get to play tour guide for ten months or try out some parenting techniques on her, so that when my own daughter reached that age, I would have an idea of what works and what doesn't. I had no idea that on Day One of her living in the USA, I'd have to go into how having an infinite amount of choices is, in part, what it means being  American, and that if one doesn't have the discipline to manage the choices, financial (and other forms of) ruin could be right around the corner.

Often called "The Disease of More" (see The Paradox of Choice), this disorder has the basic premise that if we had to chose between three of four similar items, we would be much more happy than having to choose between five and fifteen items. I believe this is why authentic preps tend to gravitate to the same disciplined style and quality brands. Be it via "nurture" or "nature", we have transcended the need to chase fads, to want what's new, and other compulsions which we think will make us relevant to society.

Now if you will excuse me, I have some men's style blogs to peruse.

Duck Head Heading West

Since I grew up in the South, or is it the Southwest, or is it the Southcentral? STOP. Since I grew up in Texas (technically a "Southern state") I know Duck Head. Based in Tennessee, Duck Head  is widely recognizable by Southerners as THE prep brand where quality and value meet. In this case, I don't throw the word "prep" around loosely.

I was first introduced to Duck Head in the mid 1980s, while attending  Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas (just call it "Jesuit".) I was a wide-eyed Freshman clad in my khakis, loafers, white oxford cotton button down, tie (Full Windsor, please), and navy blazer. So were the other 200 entering Freshman.  We all looked alike and that was the point. But it didn't take long to learn to play in the margins and thrive in the gray area. Those of us with a unsuppressable streak of individuality looked for brands which complied with the school uniform, yet set us apart.  Duck Head was my brand. At first, it was all about the logo of a duck's head above the left rear pocket, but then it was clearly about the fit. These babies fit perfectly! And they were much softer than khakis of similar style and higher cost. 

Alas, since graduating from high school, and thus, not having the daily need for wearing khakis, I lost touch with DH.  My moving to the Pacific Northwest didn't help keep the brand present of mind either, as Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder didn't sport them. 

It was not until Red Clay Soul did a piece on this most hallowed of brands did I awake from my cryogenic sartorial slumber. ("Thank you" RCS). After seeing that posting, I rushed off to order a pair of the plain front khakis, a polo, and a cotton cap.  I wanted to ease back into it and see what, if anything, had changed over the past few decades. I was not disappointed. The pants fit and feel better than I remember, and here's a tip - if you are an odd size in the waist like me, order up to the next even size. After washing and drying the heck out of them, they will turn out perfectly. The polo has nice "longer" short sleeves - something I like - but if you are one of those chaps who enjoys showing off "the guns" - proceed with caution - you may not have the room with these sleeves. And the cap is perfect for that trip to the hardware store, to the coffee shop, or out to the grocery store for pre-game party supplies. 

So my advice to any Cascadian prep or any of my pals from the old school who are reading this, click over to http://www.duckhead.com/ and order some swag.  Start with the khakis. They will only set you back $29.99 - very little risk there and certainly less risky than wearing those g'awful Dockers you know you have. If on the outside chance you feel funny pioneering this classic Southern brand here in Cascadia or any other region in which you dwell, save them for the weekend.  They're more comfortable than jeans and they have more pockets than that polyester track suit you wear when no one's looking.

Fly fishing

Yakima River - Cle Elum, WA, USA

Air temp: 30° F. Water temp: 33° F 



"The fish got lucky."

Cascadian preps love fly fishing because we love sporting brands such as Orvis (waders & boots), Patagonia (down jacket), and Eisbar caps. We also love fly fishing because it takes the type of patience, skill, and artistry not found in the crude camps of the bait fisherman.

A Different [Preppy] Drummer

In Mark Twain's 1897 travelogue, "Following the Equator", he begins with his maxim, "Be good and you will be lonesome."  Now, I'm no English professor (yet), but I take that to mean that if you are well-behaved and tend to conform with the mainstream, you might not be too popular.  In fact, you might be viewed as a one dimensional bore. And that to do things a little differently - to PAVE the road less travelled - you stand a chance to live a better life - rich with a multitude of friends and experiences.

I couldn't agree more.

One thing I've attempted to do in The Cascadian Prep "blog" (really "experiment") this past year is to approach things a little differently than the majority of my Cascadian cousins; to challenge the norm, and, at times, to admonish the mainstream. I have done this all with tongue planted firmly in cheek. And I have done this, hopefully, with a "prep twist." I love "prep" because it's what I grew up with and I'm proud of my upbringing. So naturally, it's the sensibility I've sought in the lovely Pacific Northwest for the past 12 months.  Well, I have been disappointed with what I've found... the hipsters who wear fancy-stitched jeans, untucked dress shirts and black (always black) Euro-trash shoes have really dug in here, as have the hoodie & backward-hat wearing, skater shoes set. "Northwest Prep"... Cascadian Prep may just be for blogs.

I think it boils down to pride - pride in oneself and pride in where one was born and raised. "Original  Prep" (New England) and "Southern Prep" are as distinct and full of pride (not vanity) as their regional dialects and accents. Both of these parts of the country have rich history and deserve to be proud of their traditions. Cascadia, on the other hand, is a region with unparalleled natural beauty, but no distinct regional dialect, accent, traditions or hometown pride... NONE.

So I think to myself, we must be patient; we are the new kids on the block, after all. These things take time; give it another hundred years. But until then, don't be "good". Be a little uncommon... be a little unexpected... be a Cascadian prep!

You Are A Tourist [in your own town] - DCFC

Lowell's, Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, USA

Lowell's at Pike Place Market

Lowell's - 2nd floor where the "tourans" are less present. Find your self here. Not a bad place to contemplate all manner of things. Since this is supposed to be a prep-themed blog, I was wearing Sperry Top-Siders, L.L. Bean ragwool socks (gray), Boss jeans, Orvis viyella shirt, Henri Lloyd vest, Castaway Clothing jacket. Not a bad kit, if I do say so myself. Totally lost on the crowd, however.  WTF Cascadia?!

The Double Life

How very simple life would be
If only there were two of me
A Restless Me to drift and roam
A Quiet Me to stay at home.
A Searching One to find his fill
Of varied skies and newfound thrill
While sane and homely things are done
By the domestic Other One.

And that's just where the trouble lies;
There is a Restless Me that cries
For chancy risks and changing scene,
For arctic blue and tropic green,
For deserts with their mystic spell,
For lusty fun and raising Hell

But shackled to that Restless Me
My Other Self rebelliously
Resists the frantic urge to move.
It seeks the old familiar groove
That habits make. It finds content
With hearth and home - dear prisonment,
With candlelight and well-loved books
And treasured loot in dusty nooks,

With puttering and garden things
And dreaming while a cricket sings
And all the while the Restless One
Insists on more exciting fun,
It wants to go with every tide,

No matter where . . . just for the ride.
Like yowling cats the two selves brawl
Until I have no peace at all.

One eye turns to the forward track,
The other eye looks sadly back.
I'm getting wall-eyed from the strain,
(It's tough to have an idle brain)
But One says "Stay", and One says "Go"
And One says "Yes" and One says "No"
And One Self wants a home and a wife
And One Self craves the drifter's life.

The Restless Fellow always wins
I wish my folks had made me twins.

by Don Blanding

Doin' lines at lunch

Nijo's, Pioneer Square, Seattle

Like "preppy", sushi is trendy. Also like "preppy", sushi has staying power.  Long after the conveyor belts have stopped serpentining through the strip mall sushi restaurant, authentic sushi bars will be patroned by authentic sushi lovers and those of the authentic prep variety. Until that time....

(By the way, despite what the photo above shows, I am not a proponent of hiding the taste of fish in wasabi (or green mustard), pickled ginger and soy sauce. That is akin to putting A-1 or ketchup on your $50 bone-in rib eye. Come on Cascadia! We have more fish than we know what to do with, so it's up to us to lead the way. Dump the condiments in Elliott Bay, the Willamette River, and Burrard Inlet !)

Musical Evolution of a Transient Prep

1980s

but a few shows I went to in the 1980s

1990s

and a few from the 1990s

The Internet and barcoding killed the "ticket stub" in many cases.  A pity. But, I guess sentimentality is overrated.

Huzza!

[huh-zah] originally a sailor's shout of exaltation, encouragement, or applause. Perhaps originally a hoisting cry. (1573) 

 

With Summer fading into the half-light of Fall and madras giving way to viyella, it's time to get the reading lists together. Here are a few "shout-outs" to sailing-themed, non-fiction books I've enjoyed reading over the past few months.  Hit me with an email or comment if you have recommendations! Please note, I try to read only non-fiction or "classics"... oh, and the articles in Playboy.

• My Old Man and the Sea: A Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn, by David Hays and Daniel Hays
• A New England father and son sail around Cape Horn.
• The Bounty : The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty, by Caroline Alexander
• A true(r) account of Captain Bligh and the allure of Tahitian women.
• The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman's Search for the Meaning of Wife, by Janna Cawrse Esarey
• Cascadian author(ess) and hubby sail around the Pacific (a fun read).
• Sailing with Vancouver: A modern sea dog, antique charts and a voyage through time, by Sam McKinney
• Late Cascadian author retraces the footsteps (wakes) of Vancouver's circumnavigation of Puget Sound.
• Unsinkable: A Young Woman's Courageous Battle on the High Seas, by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent
• About that 16-yr old girl who attempts a single-handed trip around the world.

There's only two things I hate in this world...

1) People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and
2) The Dutch.

(OK, I jest, but I do love this line from Austin Power's Goldmember (2002))

What was suppose to be a 10-month long cultural exchange experience, turned out to be a 3 1/2 week American vacation for our Dutch Foreign Exchange student.  It seems that homesickness got the best of her. My family is grateful for the experience, albeit short, because it brought us closer together. This was a trying experience for us all.  The student was on an emotional roller coaster half the time - going from being amazed at American high school football to being depressed about our food, our time spent in cars, and our amount of choices for anything.

Walking into any American supermarket and seeing entire aisles dedicated to breakfast cereals or salad dressings was a little overwhelming for her. Telling her that "Yes, it's true.  You can buy food, shoes, motor oil and guns in the same place" was a reflective moment for me. "Thank you, Walmart."

The Disease of More - see "The Paradox of Choice" has a basic premise that if we had to choose between three of four similar items, we would be much more happy than having to choose between five and fifteen items. Perhaps. But I think 'mericans are quite good at choice management. Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I like watching "Inside the Actors Studio", sometimes I prefer "Inside Edition".

And then there's the discussion we had about 'merican teens' (18 yrs +) ability to vote, smoke, go to war, but not drink alcohol. Wow! I'm not really sure what to do with that one. Lucky for me I have a 7-yr old daughter, so I have a few years to get my spiel together. It had better be water-tight or she will see through it just like the other 20 million teenagers in America do.

A Note for my Absence

Day 12 of 300 days of having a Dutch Foreign Exchange Student living on our house. I will return to these pages as soon as things settle down.  Future postings will surely include my reflections on the questions I have been getting from a 17-year Dutch girl - subjects which include America, Cascadia, and preppiness.

Walmart patrons, Advocates of the current US drinking age,  and NRA members watch out!!!

Church

Here is a church. Here is a steeple. Open the doors. Hey! Where's all the people?

The Church at Roche Harbor

I like church, but I do not go regularly.  Apparently here in Cascadia, neither do many of my fellow citizens - at least not the ones from the cities and close-in suburbs. (Click here and here for anecdotal evidence of that.) The further-out suburbs and exurbs... now, that's a different story.

I grew up in the South/Southwest part of the US - the buckle of the Bible Belt - as a United Methodist.  I went to Episcopal schools from K-8, and Jesuit Catholic school from 9-12. I have a good working knowledge of the Bible and many denominations' views on things.  In general, I believe that the coffee and cookies in the church basement all taste about the same, that is to say, a bit stale, a bit bitter, but always a little sweet.