Mike Newman
Managing Editor at Cool Material
Concrete LEGO Minifig
The LEGO Minifig piloted a great number of our childhood creations. But as we've gotten older, their bright yellow bodies and C-shaped hands have seemed too immature for display in our home or office. If you want to remember the days of building block cars and trucks, put a Concrete…
Craft Beef: A Revolution of Small Farms and Big Flavors
People have bastardized the word "craft," transforming it into something that brings to mind ultra-hipstery products that cost a fortune. Craft, in its true form, is about quality and care, which is something we'll always support. That's why we're all in for Craft Beef: A Revolution of Small Farms and Big…
What to Watch This Weekend: Evil Genius
With cable, Netflix, and internet options, finding the best thing to watch during your downtime is difficult. Instead of flipping through menus all weekend and settling on nothing, turn to What to Watch This Weekend, a series in which we give you our pick for the best new show or…
Converse Star Player Low Intangibles
We're not saying Wes Unseld was LeBron or MJ, but he did lead the Bullets to four NBA Finals appearances, which ain't too shabby, and in 1978 his squad knocked off the Seattle SuperSonics to take home the trophy. Converse is paying homage to one of the great rebounders and…
Spy Hill Was Built for One of the First American Undercover Agents
Enoch Crosby was a spy during the Revolution, attending a meeting of British loyalists and relaying the information acquired to help jail the others in attendance. When he wasn't running covert ops, Crosby was kicking back at Spy Hill, a colonial estate in the heart of the Hudson Valley. You…
This Harley Is the World’s Most Expensive Motorcycle
A brand new Harley will run you upwards of $10 grand. That is, unless, you're shopping at Swiss watchmaker Bucherer's shop, where a custom Harley-Davidson Blue Edition will run you 179 times as much. The opulent bike clocks in at a cool $1,790,000, making it the world's most expensive new…
Bucket List Steaks: 15 Steakhouses You Need to Visit at Least Once
A great steak is fairly simple. You get a really good cut, season it properly, cook it just right, and, ta-da!, you've got yourself a great steak. Knowing that, it's strange that there aren't more great steakhouses. Next time you're craving a cut, forget the hunting and just try one of these.…
Cocaine + Surfing: A Sordid History of Surfing’s Greatest Love Affair
When we think of surf culture, we think of perfectly tanned people spending the bulk of their days in the water. When they're letting their wrinkled fingers stretch back out, they're doing so while partying. Cocaine + Surfing: A Sordid History of Surfing's Greatest Love Affair takes you inside those parties,…
Prince’s Island Estate
A long and winding purple driveway leads to Prince's former island getaway on Turks and Caicos. That drive could soon lead your car to your new home, if you're willing to spend pop superstar-level cash. The late-singer's 1,000+ sq ft pad is up for auction and is the epitome of…
Winston Churchill’s Land Rover Series 1
Your feelings about Sir Winston Churchill aside, you can't knock the man's taste in vehicles. He was one of the big names that helped usher in the dawn of the motorcar era, and that passion lasted his entire life. This Land Rover Series 1 was a gift to the British…
‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 Trailer
The Bluth family is back. Arrested Development returns to Netflix on May 29, meaning Michael, Buster, Lucille, and the gang are all back together. While Season 4 didn't quite live up to expectations, we're not missing the return of one of the all-time great comedies. If the trailer is any indication,…
Alsta Reissued the Watch from ‘Jaws’
Few big screen timepieces are as iconic as the watch worn by Richard Dreyfuss in Jaws. While many moviegoers have seen the ocean-ready watch on the wrist of Matt Hooper, few have ever had the chance to slap that same piece onto their own wrist, as Alsta, the company that…
A Burger to Believe In
We have two rules when it comes to making a great burger: select quality meat, and exercise restraint when it comes to toppings. Those have served us well for many years, but we're not out here proclaiming that we're the burger kings. To upgrade your burger game, turn to A Burger…
Away x ‘Star Wars’ Luggage
Brands collaborating with movies scares us. It usually results in an ultra-tacky product, outfitted with graphics from the film and text of the most infamous quote splashed across the front of the item for sale. Away, the sleek luggage brand we've recommended a few times before, got everything right when…
This App Lets You Stream an Album by Taking a Picture of It
We'll often find ourselves flipping through records at a shop and stumbling up on a small collection with killer artwork. Great cover art doesn't always equal great music, unfortunately. With Record Player, a new app that works with Spotify, you can snap a picture of an album cover and stream…