Sporting 101

SPORT DU JOUR #6

Meet Max Wastler, the man behind lifestyle blog All Plaidout. Max is a modern-day Renaissance man with an expert eye for high-quality hand-crafted goods. When he’s not blogging about new style finds, he’s managing his online sporting goods shop Buckshot Sonny’s, or documenting his travels and all things whiskey for his latest project with Basil Hayden’s. Though based in Chicago, Max is always on the move…But thankfully he found some time to catch up with TSP to give you Sport du Jour #6, enjoy!

Hometown: Saint Louis, Missouri

Home now: Chicago, Illinois

Paris is: an old mistress, one I think back on fondly, wistfully. It would be great to spend a night smoking cigarettes and reminiscing together further on down the road.

New York is: an ex-girlfriend, and though in the end she was too hard to handle, I will love her for the rest of my life.

What is your favorite brand right now and why? It may be played out to say it, but owing to the first lady’s donning his designs at the Inauguration which lead to profile by Guy Trebay in The New York Times and the recent debut of his first ever look book, I’ve renewed respect for the work of Thom Browne. I appreciate his desire to infuse his presentations with fun, with irony. Clothing is as much about entertainment as it is about adornment. Few have matched Mr. Browne’s sense of humor.

The best start to a day: a big kiss from my girlfriend, aquick shower with a few dashes of Doc Bronner’s Peppermint while listening to a sports podcast followed by Weezer’s “The Good Life”; thick cut bacon, eggs over easy, and whole grain toast, an Exxon-Valdez-strong cup coffee from Bow Truss, and a well-written piece from Alex Williams in The New York Times.

I would love to learn how to: make my own soap. I have bought the book, and I recently found out about some cool classes taking place this summer. 

I own way too many: Blue Shirts. Recently, I counted and discovered I own something dismaying like twenty (20) blue button down shirts.

I would never drink: Miller. If Patrick Henry were alive today, he may have said, “Give me Budweiser, or give me Death!” And he would’ve been right.

My ideal dinner guest: Because she’s a great interviewer (besides y’all, of course), and because I like the way her knees knock against mine and her fingers find mine under the table, I have to say my girlfriend. Forced to choose someone else, it’s easily my brother. Though he hates carrots, he’s easily the nicest person I know, and because as kids we were encouraged to seek out a number of interests, he’s a well-rounded conversationalist.

My favorite meal in Chicago: Recently, the lunch-menu-only Prime Rib Au Jus Sandwich at Harry Caray’s in Chicago has me in its clutches. 

Pro Tip: sit at the bar, watch the lunchtime edition of SportsCenter while sucking back on an ice cold Budweiser and eating the FREE house-made potato chips.

My favorite drink and who makes it best: Fire on the Lake. Created by Blake Royer of the Overserved Society. Blake’s one of my closest friends. This cocktail, invented over the course of a very fun weekend at Wandawega, a friend’s camp in Wisconsin, is comprised of many parts, but it’s main ingredient is love.

My guilty pleasure: The Dulce de Leche Cinammon Buns from Somerville, Massachusetts’ newest hang, Union Square Donuts. My buddy James Fox of 10engines insisted we go en route to Vermont a couple weeks ago, and I am so glad he did.

Where I’d like to travel next: Marfa, Texas. I am hoping to go this spring. I’d like to meet the folks who make Cobra Rock Boots, Joey Benton of Silla, and — fingers-crossed, I’m hoping to stay at El Cosmico.