Mike Newman
Managing Editor at Cool Material
Grovemade Catch-All
Early in the creation of the Catch-All, Grovemade decided that the standard shelf was too limited in functionality. Tinkering and fine-tuning led the team to the Catch-All, an entryway wall piece ideal for holding keys, a wallet, a phone, and an assortment of loose items. For the design, the Grovemade…
‘The Gymkhana Files’ Official Teaser Trailer
If you're unfamiliar with Ken Block, just know that he pretty much treats real cars like they were toy cars, whipping them around tracks and unique terrain with reckless abandon. The Gymkhana Files is an unscripted series that takes you inside the world of the race car hooligan and his Gymkhana series.…
Business Cards of Famous Horror Movie Characters
Any movie buff with a love for great design will enjoy the latest product from Dorothy, a UK-based product design shop we've featured a handful of times. Titled "Business as Unusual," the collection includes 31 different business cards mocked up like they belong to well-known characters from horror movies. Yes,…
Web’s Best: Steak Sandwiches
You don't need to take sides in the Pat's vs. Geno's war or know what "wiz wit" means to appreciate a good steak sandwich. In fact, you don't even have to make anything remotely similar to what you'd get on the streets of Philly. A great steak sandwich is easy…
Bollinger B2 Pickup Truck
The Bollinger B1, which was unveiled around this time last year, looked a lot like a Land Rover with harder edges. Now the company is doing to the pickup what it did to the off-road SUV. Meet the Bollinger B2, an all-electric pickup truck with the same DNA as its…
Bucket List Foreign Beers: The 20 Best Beers Brewed Outside the U.S.
America might be home of the Double IPA and the Maple Syrup and Coffee Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, but that doesn't mean you should limit your intake to brews produced in these 50 states. Far from it. Some of the world's best beer is produced outside the confines of our country. While you…
Smartly Is Target’s New Line of Ultra-Affordable Basics
Ah, the grownup wonderland that is Target. Few things get young 30-somethings going like a trip to the red and white bullseye. As if Target wasn't glorious enough already, now there's the Smartly line of staples. You'll find always-needed items like cleaner, sandwich bags, laundry detergent, and other cabinet mainstays,…
Paul Newman’s 1979 Datsun 280ZX Is For Sale
Some our favorite actors have also dabbled in auto racing. James Dean, Steve McQueen, and Gene Hackman have all hopped behind the wheel of a four-wheeled rocket. But of all the actors with a need for speed, Paul Newman is our favorite and probably the most strongly tied to the…
Decoded: Levi’s Two Horse Patch
Have you ever looked at the back of your Levi’s? Outside of checking the size when you were purchasing them, you probably haven’t studied the backside of your jeans. The iconic denim company has a fairly famous patch on there that shares a few clues about the company’s history. Here’s…
Portal From Facebook Is a Video Calling Unit With Alexa
If the cold, impersonal interactions through Facebook aren't fulfilling your need for human connection, there's hope... from Facebook. Portal from Facebook is a video calling unit that boasts Amazon's Alexa and a bevy of features. The device follows the action, so you can call and talk to friends and family…
Decoded: Heinz Ketchup
Whether to top a burger or to dip some fries, the ketchup of choice is almost always Heinz. The famous ketchup has been produced for well over 100 years and annual sales now reach around $1.5 billion. But how much do you know about the king of condiments? Here’s a…
A Banksy Painting Self-Destructed After Selling For $1.4 Million
Banksy, always one to make a statement, pulled off quite the buzzed-about move this past Friday. Girl With Balloon, a famous piece from the mysterious artist that depicted a little girl holding a heart-shaped balloon, sold at Sotheby's in London for a cool $1.4 million. But it wasn't the sale that…
The Balvenie Bar Cart Is Made from Old Whiskey Barrels
The bar cart was once a home and office staple, a place where you could pour yourself and a colleague a bit of the good stuff before shooting the shit. It's time to reclaim the practice, and we found just the bar cart to do it. The Balvenie Bar Cart…
Making an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe
In an age of artisanal ice and ludicrous infusions, it's nice to have a well-made classic. And no one does the classic Irish Coffee like the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. They perfected the recipe back in 1952, and they haven't changed it since. We stopped by to see how…
The Zip Top Is Part Ziploc Bag and Part Tupperware
Tupperware is the worst thing to happen to cabinets since jumbo boxes of cereal. Storing them is a pain and finding the appropriate lid is scientifically impossible. Ziploc bags are a sometimes alternative, but they aren't sturdy, good for the environment, or ready to see time in the microwave. Well,…