MY DARLING CLEMENTINE | AUTHENTIC CLASSIC COUNTRY FROM THE UK

got a mail from my buddy DR. KAI HOFFMANN with this wonderful music hint: MY DARLING CLEMENTINE from the UK. here just some reviews to their newest and second album THE RECONCILIATION?

“This is a great album. A finely crafted all original tribute to the classic country duet” | The Guardian

”One of the most exquisitely pained American country albums of the year comes from this British couple” | New York Daily News – Top Ten Album of the week

“A baker’s dozen of originals that sound like they came straight out of the June/Johnny-Emmylou/Gram-Nancy Sinatra/Lee Hazelwood catalogs. This is as authentic as anything out of Nashville or Texas…A batch of superb C&W corkers.” | American Songwriter, USA  **** 4/5

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the best British country record ever!” | Duncan Warwick, Editor – Country Music People.

“Truly a great record” | Chris Hillman (The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers)

and now watch the vids and listen to the music. it is really nice. have a great sunday! pics & vids | MY DARLING CLEMENTINE







10 MUST-HAVE-X-MAS-PRESENTS | #02 | RANDOLPH ENGINEERING SUNGLASSES

an absolute american classic. love my sunglasses especially the combination of the golden frame with brown glasses. and these are optical ones – perfect fit, perfect watch. RANDOLPH ENGINEERING was founded 1972: “In the late 1970′s Randolph Engineering started manufacturing Mil-Spec Aviator sunglasses for the United States Air Force as a subcontractor producing in excess of 200, 000 sunglasses annually. Led by Jan’s sons, Randolph won the government bid to become the prime contractor in 1982. By the late 1980′s Randolph had expanded into the commercial sunglass market after civilians learned about the quality of its sunglasses and prescription frames through military channels. Today Randolph remains an iconic brand accelerated by a growing demand for genuine,  well-made products with a strong American heritage. Tried and true manufacturing methods are maintained using the machinery and tooling created by the founders. Randolph Engineering, Inc. is still owned and operated by three generations of the Waszkiewicz and Zaleski families along with a highly skilled and dedicated American workforce.” a great product for an affordable price with a lot of different frames and colored glasses. AKRAM owner of KLAR here downtown darmstadt, sold me a classic silver colored frame with optical glasses – no sunglasses, but for daily use. AKRAM has a lot of different models for sale. the price range is from 139,– € up to 196,– € for gunmetal, silver, matte black and gold frames. it depends on the glasses if they are polarized or not. the more expensive ones are made of synthetic the cheaper ones of glass. for sure these glasses don’t just look american, they are made in the USA. you all know the other “wish to be american brand” that is meanwhile made in italy. i prefer the american original. pics | KLAR & LTG

that’s the LIFE TIME GEAR approved RE


SHWOOD WOODEN EYEWEAR @ KLAR DARMSTADT, GERMANY

what a surprise when AKRAM owner of KLAR in darmstadt, germany, called me up that he got his first delivery from SHWOOD. i like these wooden frames handmade in portland, usa, from the first moment on i saw them. so yesterday i went to KLAR and checked the frames. it was the first time i could try and touch them – lightweight and best handmade stuff: amazing. and the best is, that it is possible to put optical glasses into the frames up to 4 diopter. very nice the PENDLETON x SHWOOD collaboration frame with this special spectacle case. beside AKRAM did a really nice decoration of his shop window: woooooooood. tasty! hope the folks here will honor AKRAM’s courage to sell SHWOOD downtown darmstadt. i checked the retailer list at shwood’s website and except KLAR there are just two shops in berlin selling SHWOOD in germany. pics | LTG


10 MUST-HAVE-X-MAS-PRESENTS | #01 | VINTAGE PANERAI HISTORY 2 BOOK

he guys, the next days before christmas i will tell you what i would put on my wish-list for santa claus when i were you. all this stuff i own myself and for this it is guaranteed life-time-gear approved. i will start with this fantastic books.

maybe you remember LTG post about VINTAGE PANERAI HISTORY 2 from july 2013. i was exalted about the book that i read it completely in 2 days. and believe me, this book just as HISTORY 1 is not only for PANERAI lovers. the stories about the KAMPFSCHWIMMER and their adventures and experiences during WWII are really fascinating and impressive. both books VINTAGE PANERAI HISTORY 1 and 2 are available at: www.vintagepanerai.com .

here some sentences from the authors VOLKER WIEGMANN and RALF EHLERS about these two fascinating books.

Watches with History – History 1: This book documents the stories of three german “Kampfschwimmer” units, their training in Italy and northern Germany, their missions at the eastern front in the last weeks of the 2nd world war, followed by the story of the commander of the italian submarine “Ambra” who delivered SLC and Gamma units to their target zones at the harbours of northern Africa. These four personal stories are building the columns of moving chapters together with detailed views on their watches, using latest extracts of the authors’ database of today existing vintage Panerai watches. The result of years of intensive research, diary extracts, interviews with the veterans, combined with more than 250 historical photos, maps, documents from allied secret services and 30 illustrations are writing Panerai’s unique history. 26 x 26 cm, 420 pages, trilingual (= german, italian and english language in one book), hardback jacket, slipcase.
Watches with History – History 2: History2 continues where History1 ends – the 2nd volume documents five previously unreleased stories of frogmen units of the 2nd world war. Their personal stories are building the columns of five moving chapters together with detailed views on their watches and instruments, using the latest extracts from the authors’ database of today existing vintage Panerai watches. Years of intensive research, diary extracts, interviews with the veterans, combined with more than 290 historical photos, maps, documents from allied secret services and illustrations are writing Panerai’s unique history, having been a supplier for an essential tool in dangerous underwater missions during the 2nd world war. 26 x 26 cm, 480 pages, trilingual (= german, italian and english language in one book), hardback jacket, slipcase. all pics by VOLKER WIEGMANN


B-74 5TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT 30TH NOV 2013

yesterday i joined B-74’s 5TH anniversary event. it was really nice to meet some friends there and it was a relaxed atmosphere. good people, drinks and food – at the perfect location! all in the invitation listed artisans and merchants were there. KAMI and his staff did a perfect job – smooth. at the same time i could take a peak to UWE E.MAIER’s new AMTRAQ show room which is on the 3rd floor in the same building berliner strasse 74: perfect! pics | LTG

OLI THE BARBER (in the middle), on the right ALEX c/o FEINSCHMUCK & because blog
on the left MARIA c/o FEINSCHMUCK on the right WOLFGANG c/o PassionFrance®
RAKELLE customizing the B-74 RINGS
ROB LONGSTAFF with a fan
customizing belts DUKES
REMSPERGER VATTER” with his little ones – they are so sweet!!!
the HASHEMIS: on the left KAMI, on the right the master of bmx cycling KIAM, in the middle KAMI’s mum & dad
Mr. “WURSTFONTÄNE” SASAN
FEINSCHMUCK
Alex & SABINE c/o PassionFrance®
my little LEVI with Sabine talking about knives
ANDI c/o AMTRAQ
on the right UWE E. MAIER c/o AMTRAQ

DARMSTADT II DER ANDERE BLICK | LTG CO AUTHOR FOR PHOTOBOOK BY CHRISTIAN GRAU & ANDRÉ RISTO

it would be a lie if i would say that i am not a bit proud of being co author of photobook DARMSTADT II DER ANDERE BLICK. as the title tells you this is the second DARMSTADT book of photographer CHRISTIAN GRAU and pilot ANDRÉ RISTO. all pics show DARMSTADT my hometown city from the view of a plane. and believe me this is great: it is as the german booktitle says THE OTHER VIEW. and the guys are really crazy, because sometimes they went down less than 300m to get the best view for the perfect shot. a flying altitude that is absolutely forbidden over cities … okay. yesterday evening there was a vernissage for an exhibition at the biggest bank in DARMSTADT where both show some highlights of the new book and i got my first copy because of writing some lines beside my most beloved pic: HERRENGARTEN, DARMSTADT’S central park … every author should write something about DARMSTADT. i did a comparision between FULDA, the city i was born, the city i still feel at home too because of my parents and my brother and his family, friends and a lot of memories from the past and DARMSTADT, the city i live meanwhile since 1988, damn, for 26 years. a lot of people told me that they like the comparision because you have to think a bit before understanding what is meant. and so i am really angry about the guy who did the english translation – he did not understand what i was writing. blockhead, this was the last time, i give something i wrote without an approval to print. the resume: FULDA | DARMSTADT … it is like it is: HOME! pics | LTG 

sorry, but this is written bullshit: this translation has absolutely nothing to do with the lines i wrote in german … 

 Georg Sellner CEO of Sparkasse Darmstadt and Christian Grau

 Christian explaining how it works …

 André explaining what’s about flying 


THE CORSE VENDETTA KNIFE | PassionFrance®

this is the first knife i bought from WOLFGANG c/o PassionFrance® some time ago: a CORSE VENDETTA. with this knife my passion for french knives started. this one is special because of its limited design: the three crosses are showing a triangle. it was the last of this series. the „normal“ version of this VENDETTA with an elegant handle of bones has the crosses set in a straight line. it is told that the roots of this knife lie in the genoa daggers, but not for sure. but for sure is, that this knife wasn’t use for working in the garden but for fighting. i don’t know if the name comes from the origin meaning of VENDETTA which stands for blood venegance – i have to ask WOLFGANG. i love the really nice so called TAILE DE GUÊPE, the wasp waist. isn’t that a beautiful knife? pics | LTG


POINTER BRAND CHORE JACKETS @ SNAKE OIL PROVISIONS

found this shop because of a post from a BootOC (Boot Owners Club) member. the SNAKE OIL PROVISIONS exclusive POINTER BRAND DOUBLE NEEDLE CHORE JACKET made of duck canvas is so nice. check the details: green double-needle stitching, white contrast breast pocket with snap, antique brass buttons and a pen pocket. the jacket is hand-sewn in bristol, tennessee. with the indigo chore jacket and the navy duck canvas one it is the same: just simple as nice – great. and with the price it is the same. the S.O.P exclusive is 155 $, the indigo denim 135 $ and the navy duck canvas 90$.  pics | Snake Oil Provisions



Shawl Collar Jacket – Indigo Blue Denim

Pointer Brand Unlined Chore Coat, Navy Duck

EVENT UPDATE WITH FEINSCHMUCK & PassionFrance® | B-74 CELEBRATES ITS 5TH BIRTHDAY

he guys, today KAMI c/o B-74 told me that the line up for the 5TH birthday event of the shop is fixed. happy to hear that FEINSCHMUCK and PassionFrance® will be in FRANKFURT next saturday 30TH NOVEMBER. FEINSCHMUCK will show a lot of works and the upcoming new collection 2014. WOLFGANG from c/o PassionFrance® will show a selected range of his unique knives. i know what he will bring with him – exciting! so much to see, so much to tell. the event starts at about 12:00 and will end at 20:00. check the schedule below with DUKES, who will do belt customizing, live music by ROB LONGSTAFF, customized worscht, meat & sauces by WURSTFONTAENE and RAKELLE. see you at BERLINER STRASSE 74 in frankfurt next saturday! The pics show some nice works from FEINSCHMUCK, DUKES and PassionFrance i am happy to own. pics | LTG