Technology is His Friend

A good friend of ours, I will call him Eric, OK that's actually his name, but whatever. Eric once said that Lou doesn't use technology to ignore people or as a distraction, he uses it to enhance your life experience.   I could not have put it better myself.    If there is a quicker, easier, cheaper, better experience to be had by using technology, Lou is going to find it and take advantage of it.   Need a cab as your leaving a meeting?   Lou probably has already queue'd an Uber black car outside for you.   Going to a busy restaurant for lunch or dinner?  I bet he's made a reservation ahead of time using Open Table, but wait, what if Uber isn't available?  What if the restaurant isn't on Open Table?   Chances are he's found another car service, Lyft or Ground Link, or something else,  or he knows the restaurant is on ureserve.  Checking into your hotel?  If there's a mobile app, he's checked in and just has to pick his key up on the way to the elevators.  Need the perfect song to set atmosphere?  He's queuing it up on Spotify.   Want to know how much real estate is going for in the city your visiting?  He's pulling up the local market on Zillow.   Love that song on the television playing in the background of your favorite show?   He's finding it on Sound Hound.  Need to get online?  His phone is a hotspot. Decide at the last minute you want to rent a car in the city you are visiting?  He'll get you a ZipCar, or use Get Around.   Want delivery from that restaurant that doesn't deliver?  He'll get them to through Foodler, or Eat24.  Coming home from vacation and you want the house to be the perfect temp?  He's turning the heat up or down with Nest.   I have never met anyone, who uses technology, or who is more in touch with new technology and apps then Lou.  I know, I know, he's my husband, but you can ask anyone.   I started calling him Loogle years ago.  Way before "Hot Tub Time Machine" stole my idea!  Oh and is it a coincidence that Rob Corddry used to work for me in NYC?  OK it is a huge coincidence, but STILL.  OK I digress.....  

My point?  Lou can get more done sitting by the pool with a drink (probably water he ordered through a mobile app) in one hand and a smart phone in the other, than most people know is humanly possible with a phone.

Closet by Brooks Brothers

I think you could ask any one of our friends what brand Lou wears the most of and every one of them will say Brooks Brothers.   His obsession with Randolph Engineering has NOTHING on Brooks.   His favorite saying is, " I put the brother in Brooks."   So I present to you the story of the Golden Fleece.

It all started when Lou needed clothes for his first job and he heard the Brooks was high quality yet affordable clothing.   He walked into the store in Chestnut Hill, and he was ignored by several sales associates, and then along came David, a man who appreciates fine clothing as much as Lou.

If Brooks Brothers was karate, David is Lou's Sensei.   He's been outfitting Lou for at least 12 years, and Lou is extremely loyal to David.   Lou even bought David a watch this Christmas for all the years of amazing service.

I thought of all the things I could write about Lou's obsession.   The fact that he tells everyone, Brooks Brother's made a coat for President Lincoln, or that he's been able to wear the same gaberdine pants for most of his career.  That he has the history of BB's book, or that it's all he asks for, for Christmas, but then I thought.   Let me just take some pictures of his closet. 

                                           

                      A sampling of the dress shirts he has from Brooks

                  

                               Brooks label on the back of one of his ties with the iconic Brooks power striping

Collar Stays

One of his favorite coats, not only because it is handsome and well made, but he got the deal of the century on it.

Suit jackets

Polos also by Brooks, His favorite look is buttoned to the top

                                                  

Even his casual sweaters are from Brooks

That's a lot of Brooks Brother Power Stripes, 

The last pic is Lou in his newest Brooks coat made special for Brooks Brothers by Beretta.  It came with a small game pocket in the back for hunting.   A hat, and a gel pack for kick back when shooting.

Case and Point Randolph Engineering

If you read my post about Randolph Engineering, Lou's obsession with the brand  and his life goal to have all our friend's buy a pair, you will look at this and say  I guess she wasn't kidding.  If you didn't read it, do it now.  You will get it. #randolphengineering

Sorry Buddy I'm Sticking with Helvetica

Incredible new apartments were just built on A street at 315A.   I read about a cool little art exhibit on green propaganda posters that were being displayed there, so I dragged Lou over to check them out.    As we were enjoying the posters, he points this little number out.

He says to me, "Futura". Me: " Um Ok What?"  Him: "Futura, a lot of people choose that typeface instead of Helvetica." Me(In my head):  ("Who would know that but him?!? Has he been reading my blog? He's trying to get me to switch from Helvetica, but he probably knows I won't find that typeface in blogger!")  Me(Out Loud): " How do you spell that?"

Check out some of the other cool posters from the exhibit:

Training for the Boston Marathon

Because of Lou's love of Helvetica, the documentary, I have decided to only type in Helvetica on this blog from now on.  If only he new about the blog...  

Four years ago Lou ran 4 marathons.   He tries to be humble about it, but he isn't very good at it, and why should he be.  He ran 4 marathons in a year!  That is pretty impressive.

He started with the LA Marathon inspired by his  brother who was living in CA at the time.   He trained for it in less than 2 months during a brutal winter.   We all think that 2014 has been a bad winter, but 2011 was worse,  much more snow and hazardous conditions, and to top it off, there was a monsoon the day of the LA marathon!

After he ran LA he ran for a charity in the Boston Marathon, and once he had the bug, he had to do Chicago and NYC in 2011 too.  It was a great year whether I was cheering from near or far, it was so exciting.  I remember the day of the Chicago Marathon, I was in Maine with my best friend Stephanie.    She and I were watching the updates throughout the race.  5K down, 10K, half marathon,   I knew he was trying to break 4 hours and it was getting so close.   We were headed to lunch and I said, if we don't get an update soon, he didn't do it.   And then it came.... the last update.  He had beat 4 hours by seconds, literally.  There we were at lunch in Maine dining al fresco on a beautiful day , and we started cheering him on.  It was almost as great as being there. 

Today, Lou is training for the Boston Marathon again.  He got a number last minute from work.  He and another employee, a female, were chosen to represent the company and the company's charity.  A big honor, and as a new employee, and primary fundraiser, a big responsibility.   In typical Lou fashion, he immediately rose to the challenge and started training, but he also bought the best and sweetest gear, because you have to look good to feel good.

Lou in his New Ultimate Direction AK vest.  Every time he runs he tells me how great it is.  The vest was one of his latest perfect product quests.

The jacket and head gear are new as well,  and of course, he runs with his RE's  (see previous Randolph Engineering Sunglasses Post)

Peer Pressure? Never heard of it.

I have never met someone with more confidence than my husband.  I am not sure I ever will.   He has what I call the most undeniable true North of anyone I have ever known.   I've never seen him second guess himself.  If he isn't getting a result he desires, he never worries about what lead him to the place he is or whether he made a poor choice, he only adjusts and moves on.   I've never seen him scared.   Even when we've been aggressively approached by a screaming drunk lunatic he keeps his calm.  A few weeks ago we walked into the house and the radio in our room suddenly turned on.  He just turned to me and said, "Go back outside." As he walked straight into the bedroom to see why it came on.  ( it was just a fluke, the alarm somehow got set)  He is never afraid to ask for what he deserves, to negotiate, to stand up for what he knows is true.   Maybe that is why he always looks like he's modeling!    

Hang Ups

Lou has hang ups.  When I say hang ups, I am not talking about issues, baggage, depressing things he can't let go.  It probably would be better to say, he gets hung up, and what I mean by that is he gets hung up on subjects where he will obsess about them for weeks, and then he will move onto something new.   Today, this week, this month.  He is hung up Allen Iverson's famous quote, "Talkin' Bout Practice".   

It is hard to figure out where each obsession starts.  He could have been reminded of the quote and then found this shirt, or he may have seen this shirt and then became hung up, but once something becomes a hang up with Lou, I will hear about it for about a month, until he finds a new hang up.  With this, for example, he asked me if I knew the quote, then he made me watch the video, then he got the shirt and he is proudly displaying it on a hanger in our closet.  He then posted a picture on facebook so everyone could share in his hang up.

Other things Lou has gotten hung up:

John Denver

Steve Winwood

Commuter Bikes

Any type of alternative transportation to a cab ie. Uber, UberX, Lyft, Get Around

Dodo cases

Helvetica (I used Helvetica on this blog in tribute:)

To name a few....

Randolph Engineering according to Lou

If you are around Lou long enough you realize when he likes something, he REALLY likes it and it is his mission to tell you why it is the best thing in the world, but, you know what? It probably is. There are several topics like this I will probably talk about eventually like his love affair with Brooks Brothers for the past 14 years, but I will start with Randolph Engineering to give you a typical example of how Lou operates.

Several years ago, Lou was on a mission to find the perfect sunglasses.   When a mission like this starts in Lou's world it begins with a simple idea.  " I need sunglasses" but it always turns into something more.    It starts with a lot of Research.   Lou will never buy anything on impulse.  It's not in his nature.  He needs to know what he got is the most unique, best quality, best looking, high functioning, at the best price item of whatever it is he is looking for.   It needs to fit into his lifestyle.   He needs to understand how it's made, who owns the company, what the history of it is, and if he respects the company, their process and their standards.

So when he started looking for Sunglasses, the first thing he figured out is that about 99.999% of sunglasses are owned and manufactured by an Italian company called Lexotica.  If you by RayBans, or Dolce and Gabana, or Prada or almost any brand you can think of for sunglasses,  Lexotica owns them, manufactures them and brands them for these companies.   What is interesting is they also own Lens Crafters, so not only are they making all these frames, they are charging a premium at a VERY little cost to them.   This was a big turn off to Lou.  It's not how he operates.  It lacks integrity in his world, and so he sought out the .1% Lexotica could not get to, and along came Randolph Engineering.

I am not sure if Lou knew about RE because his brother had flown in the airforce, or if he found them another way, but once he found them.  He was ALL about them.   When he realized they were manufactured in Randolph, Ma.  down the road, it was merely a bonus that he could support the local guy, and when he found out they turned down Lexotica's offer to buy them, even better.

So do you think that Lou looked up Randolph Engineering, where they sold their glasses and bought a pair? Sorry not his style.   He decided, he would have to go to Randolph Engineering directly to buy his glasses.  Not only that, he decided he would research everything about the company.   He found out the man who started RE also built all the machines that manufacture the glasses.  He researched when they got their government contract to provide the military sunglasses.  He even looked into the way they make and test the sunglasses with a 200 step process, done almost entirely by hand.

 RE is only open during the week from 9 to 5 so getting there is a bit of an inconvenience, but once Lou finds what he deems the perfect item of anything, he will wait and wait and wait until he can make it happen.    When the day finally arrived that he could get to RE.  It took almost a year.  Seriously, he will and has waited longer.   He went down to Randolph extremely happy to finally be buying his sunglasses, but the story doesn't end there.

Lou went into the plant and started to tell them about their own history, and how much he admired the brand.    He met the niece of the original owner, as well as, other relatives.   He realized this was still very much a family business, and he convinced them to give him a tour of the manufacturing plant.  He came back with pictures, two pairs of sunglasses and a huge grin of satisfaction in completing his mission.

Today Lou owns all the RE's in the picture at the top of this blog.   He finds out when they have a factory sale every year, and he convinces as many of our closest friends as he can to go buy some RE's with him.   My dad has them, my brother in law, I do, our friend Erin bought 4 pairs.   

You see to Lou, they aren't just sunglasses, they are a work of art.    They are a symbol of high standards and expertise.   Where someone took a typical product and raised it to another level of quality, and that is how Lou finds a product.  

There is one more piece of this story that I shouldn't leave out.   Lou and I were at an open studios event in Somerville, Ma when a girl approached him and said, "Great sunglasses"   He thought it was because she was wearing RE's too and he immediately recognized this, but it turned out to be the Marketing Manager for RE's, also a niece of the owner.  When something like that happens after all his time researching and falling in love with a product, it's just a bonus to him, and in case you were wondering.  Yes it happens all the time.

Here is Lou in San Fran rocking the RE's

"He lives in a Rarified Air" - Chris McDavid



Louis C. McDavid III

This is Louis.   Pretty smooth right?  I mean who looks that good pumping gas?  Seriously, he was pumping gas when I took this.   Louis is my husband.   I have been making fun of him for years for this.   He always looks like he's modeling.   He'll come home from work when most people are tired and disheveled, and he will be perfectly quaffed, jacket swung over his shoulder, hand on his hip as he tells me about his day.    I've often asked him, why are you modeling right now?   He just laughs and says he's not.  This picture, and about 20 others I took that day were my proof to him.   He always looks like he's modeling.

I started an instagram account with pictures of him on it.   doesntknowhesmodeling...  All but two of the pictures are candids of him when he had no idea I was taking them.   I started to realize as I observed him.   It isn't just that he appears to be modeling all the time that is impressive.  It is the entire way he leads his life, the things he finds, the research he does to find the perfect example of everything.....and so, I decided to write this blog.  I guess it is a lifestyle blog, except that the person who leads that life doesn't know I am writing it.   He knows about the instagram account, but this one I am keeping a secret.   So, Guess what Honey?  This is dedicated to you, and how awesome you are.

The quote above is from my brother-in-law, the "other' Chris McDavid during his best man speech at our wedding.  It wasn't meant to signify that Lou thinks he is better than everyone else.  It was as testament to who he has been his whole life.  He seeks out the best in everything, people, clothes, objects, and then he shares his knowledge with everyone.  I hope I can do him justice in this blog.