Tag Archives: Weekly Reading

Alex Petric | HelpAlexHeal.com

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Oak and Oar

I woke up Thursday morning and like most mornings, rolled over, fumbled my hand for my phone and then proceeded to make my way through the Winnipeg Free Press app with one eye squinting to read the latest happenings in the city. The last story I read was about Winnipeg Paramedic Alex Petric and for some reason it was fixated on my mind for the next few days. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mike McIntyre It was going to be a dream vacation for two Winnipeg paramedics as they set out last month for a lengthy trek through Central America. But an accident just four days into their two-month journey resulted in a life-changing nightmare for the young couple. Alex Petric, 28, was paralyzed from the ribs down after diving head-first into what he thought was deep water on an island in Panama. Doctors say he will never walk again as a result of the March 4 accident. Petric’s girlfriend, Meagan Minaker, was forced to put aside the emotions of witnessing the trauma and calmly use her medical training to get Petric out of the water and stabilized. “I just remember him saying ‘Meagan, I can’t feel my legs,’ ” Minaker told the Free Press Wednesday. “I jumped into the water to keep his spine straight. I could feel the fracture, I could feel the bulge.” The couple had been staying at a hostel and had walked out on a pier that was about 30 metres from shore. The owners had told them the area at the end of the pier was popular with swimmers, and Minaker said the water was dark and cloudy, which hid the fact it was only about a metre deep. “It doesn’t drop off as much as you’d think. The paralysis was instantaneous when he hit,” said … Continue reading →

SHAD | BEST OF 2012

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Oak and Oar

Shad’s Best of 2012 List… favourite song: jai paul – jasmine, major lazer – get free favourite album: good kid, m.a.a.a.d. city – kendrick lamar, the heist – macklemore and ryan lewis favourite music video: Kiss From A Rose favourite line: “scrambling, selling susan sarandon” – action bronson favourite wayback playback: higher love by steve winwood favourite tv show: homeland favourite 30 rock line: Jack: “Do you think I’m a villain? Liz: “I have heard you say ‘Guards, seize him!’” Jack: “I was a Knicks game, they needed to stop the clock.” favourite internet thing: kyle: https://www.youtube.com/user/kyle favourite non-internet thing: my new nephew’s don king-like hair. favourite dunk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzo4pHTZ-M favourite read: carmen aguirre – something fierce favourite movie: moonrise kingdom favourite sports doc (aka actually my favourite movie): 30 for 30: BENJI favourite show (played): tie* cologne, DE, Southampton, UK favourite show (watched): krs one – van, BC, david bazan – seattle, WA, blitz the ambassador – calgary, AL favourite quote: “elevation of style is a by-product of passionate conviction” – uptown sinclair Photo: Christian Bortey (via)

5 Minutes | Herschel Supply Co.

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Oak and Oar

When it comes to quality and timeless product you don’t have to look much further than Canadian brand Herschel Supply Co. Founded in November of 2009 by brothers Lyndon and Jamie Cormack the brand quickly filled a void in the marketplace. Drawing inspiration from vintage mountaineering, American heritage, world travel, fashion and Canadian heritage the team put a fresh take on simple essentials – duffels and backpacks. The brand reinterpreted the classics with a focus on the details and transformed the mundane into great utilitarian design. The concept caught on, and quite quickly, expanding the line from an intimate offering of  bags to an array of travel accessories. Today the brand has accounts in over 35 countries worldwide. The brand continues to grow and expand, offering up new options each season to store your essentials. I never leave for the lake without my Novel and Village in stow. Next purchase, the Desert Storm Outfitter. We caught up with one half of Herschel, Mr. Lyndon Cormack, for a little conversation about the brand, the rapid growth and a good spot to eat in Gastown. ________________________________________ Starting this off nonchalantly. What’s the most interesting thing that has happened to you in the last 24 hours? I’ve been on the road throughout Europe and Asia for the last four weeks. Many interesting things have happened to me and it is difficult to pinpoint a most interesting event in the past 24hrs. This being said, it’s always nice to see the appreciation that people have for our products is always interesting to me. So I scoured the Canadian map and arrived at 51.655 degrees N 108.423 degrees W where the 31 meets the 656, Herschel, Saskatchewan. Explain the role this town played in the formation of Herschel Supply Co. Herschel is not only the … Continue reading →

CABIN ESSENTIALS | ZINKA

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Oak and Oar

We took a week away from the city and took off in search of sun and water. It was a bit of a trip and I found myself in front of a WestJet inflight monitor watching a combination of the Women’s Canada/USA soccer semi-final – which was likely the worst display of officiating I have every seen in a professional sports game. That Gold Medal will always have an astericks beside it for me (*). When the states got their penalty kick I had to switch over to beach volleyball to cool my jets and to stop my lady from getting us air marshalled off the flight. I love watching beach volleyball, mens or women’s, I don’t care. It still remains one of my favourite Olympic sports and the one I wish I could play at that level. As I watched, I was remind of American beach volleyball stud Karch Kiraly. He always played in that fluorescent pink hat with the brim flipped up that either sported his last name or Speedo on the under brim. That got me thinking to the days of the flourescent Zinc Oxide nose block that surfaced during the 1980′s. I was curious as to if that was still around. Random enough the next day I walked into a surf shop and found the original OG Zinka. Memories flooded back of those photos of skiers, lifeguards and beach goers alike who would use the colourful nose block as a facial accessory while blocking out the UV rays. Zinka is still the best stuff out there. It is water-resistant making it a staple for the lake and beach. It is \o7 complete \f7 sun block meaning no light gets through it and you rarely need to re-apply. Sure if you are out in the sun long … Continue reading →

Wakeskating | The Ins and Outs

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Oak and Oar

Winch Madness from MikeL on Vimeo. I have never attempt wake skating even though every bone in my body wants (although I am sure they would beg to differ after a few face plants). As a result, stemming from this keen interest, I have spent some time studying the ins-and-outs of the sport and thought I would pass on some of the essentials, should you find yourself being yanked across the pond by the winch or latched on behind the boat. GEAR Any Boat Will Do… Almost The beauty of wakeskating is that almost any boat works. You can use an inboard tow boat with a tower and wake-building ballast. You can use a highly maneuverable personal watercraft. In fact, if your boat can go 20 mph, then virtually any type of boat propulsion system (inboard, stern drive, outboard, and jet drive) works. Line It Up Wakeskating’s line and handle come from wakeboarding. Most wakeskaters use a low-stretch, 70-foot line like Spectra. A 5-foot leader section attached to the main line features a 15-inch-wide highly padded handle to make grabbing the handle easier during spins. Tread Lightly Because there’s a non-skid surface on top, you can get up and ride a wakeskate with bare feet. However, Pierre says that skate shoes offer a lot more balance and stability. Companies like Reef and Nike recently started making shoes specifically for wakeskating. Pick a Board, Any Board Some of today’s best wakeskates are manufactured by Hyperlite, Ronix, O’Brien and CWB. Their construction ranges from basic wood to compression-molded fiberglass. Boards with multiple layers, known as bi-level boards, give the wakeskate a responsive skateboard feel. Wakeskates range in length from 39 to 45 inches to fit a variety of riders. Because wakeskates are so wide and provide plenty of standing room, most riders are … Continue reading →

CABIN READ | THE WORST CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK BY JOSHUA PIVEN AND DAVID BORGENICHT

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Oak and Oar

This most recent Cabin Read feature comes courtesy of the homie Jordan Brugger. This weekend while we were out enjoying lake life he brought out Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht’s book “The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook” and proceeded to educate me on how to conquer life’s worst case scenarios. If you ever have a chance to hire this kid to read to you aloud, I highly suggest you do. However that is beside the point. This book has been around for a while. In fact I am really over 10 years late on this, seeing that this book was published in 1999. I mean how can 10 million people in this world have this book and I have never seen or heard of it. The book essentially provides a synopsis of an array of crappy predicament and follows it up with some slightly useful information, that should you have be caught in that mess, improve your chances of getting out alive. The book is crammed with how-to’s, hands on lessons and step by step instruction that improve your odds if you ever drive your car into a lake, stumble across some bears, have to land a plane or delivery a baby in the back seat of a cab. All the information you would ever need, is found between its lustres white pages. And once you’ve crushed this book cover to cover (which honestly should only take you an hour or so) you can hop onto any of the anthology, like The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Weddings, Golf, Manhood, College or Dating and Sex. I’m waiting on the Cabin Edition. A few of the problems I would like to see dealt with: – What to do when your boat runs out of gas in the middle of the lake in … Continue reading →

WINGS + HORNS TALKING TO SERIES | JESAR GABINO

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Oak and Oar

This week Canadian brand Wings + Horns debuted an interview series entitled ‘Talking To’ over on their blog. The first in the series catches up with one of our favourite designers and former Winnipegger Jesar Gabino. Jesar has held all types of titles from Senior Designer at Goodfoot, Creative Director / Designer Ransom Holding Co and Owner/Creative Director and Buyer at Nomad. name: jesar gabino twitter: @jesargabino store: nomad role: buyer/creative director/ owner hometown: winnipeg, MB current city: toronto drink: pineapple juice vice: cigarettes what is your favorite thing about the city you live in…. best about toronto? variety. people always talk about how canada is multicultural but toronto is really the place where this is most evident. i’ve been & lived in a few canadian cities & for the most part toronto really holds true to that. food, people, neighborhoods, culture, city vibe… it’s all a mixture of cultures. toronto always gets the bad rap of being “the center of the universe” in terms of how other canadians look at toronto but it has stepped up in terms of being that place for canada. our little shop is a microcosm of that, we get all types of guys shopping at nomad… young &old, grimy & clean cut & guys of all shapes & sizes. when you’re not in the shop where can we find you… i’m usually roaming taking in this fine city of ours or seated at one of our fine restaurants in the city. more likely than not i’m roaming for food to eat or make at home. i also love being at home. i’m lucky where my better half & i have a great place with a fantastic piece of backyard in the city that is off a private lane. feels like the country back there … Continue reading →

Guess Who’s Back | Inqmind Magazine

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Oak and Oar

After a short hiatus, Toronto based digital publication, InquiringMind Magazine, has been revived and revamped. Founder Michael Bercasio and Creative Director Greg Washington remain the cornerstones of the Canadian based online magazine that planted roots back in 2005. Inqmind will continue to focus and explore men’s fashion, while keeping a finger on the pulse of multiple categories, that are sure to spark conversation and debate. If it is anything like the V.1 of Inqmind, we can expect some unique hand crafted editorial pieces that will not only appeal to their large Canadian following, but the global community. “So here we are in 2012. Same name, same beliefs and the same passion to push the boundaries of our platform and industry. In the months to come we hope you enjoy the new things we have to offer. But more importantly, we look forward to sharing our ideas and embarking on an exciting new journey with you all.” – InquiringMind Welcome back. InquiringMind V.2 Previous Site

MOVEMBER | FACE GROWN AND HAND BRUSHED

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Oak and Oar

Every mans favourite month and every women’s most dreaded is upon us. Us men, well we all plug in, dust off, sharpen up and lather on in an effort to bring the world the most astonishing lip ticklers, soup strainers, lip spinach, cookie duster, muzzy, third eyebrow, stach, pushbroom and nose mullets around. This Movember I think I’m going to make a push for the Salvador Dali. Although its been so long since I have been clean shaven that I am thinking I will have to work from the outside in and hope that come November 30th I have something to show for it. For most it is an opportunity to make a mockery of ourselves and rattle the cages of the women in our lives but it has also become one of the most successful Cancer awareness campaigns. “During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in Canada and around the world. With their “Mo’s”, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts. Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words, they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health.” Having lost my uncle to Prostate Cancer a few years back I know the devastation and toll Cancer has. As you can imagine my appreciation for this … Continue reading →

Michael J. Fox Foundation | Nike MAG

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Oak and Oar

Well it is safe to say the internet below up this week thanks to the marketing and creative team at Nike. What had been hailed as the “greatest shoe never made” will be hitting the internet shortly. I assure you that I never thought I would be dedicating a post to a specific shoe on the site but here it goes. Ever since the release of Back to the Future II, shoe collectors and movie buffs alike have questioned why the infamous Nike shoes worn by Marty McFly were never released. You would think considering the movie was released in 1989, that now, 22 years later it wouldn’t really make any sense to issue the shoe. However, the team at Nike has step up and made a bold and admirable move. In of the best executed marketing ‘events’ the team at Nike will be releasing 1,500 pairs of the once mythical shoe in support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. The Foundation’s mandate has been to work on building a future without Parkinson’s Disease through funding of embryonic stem cell studies. Around the same time as filming Back to the Future III (1990) Edmonton, Ablerta native Michael J. Fox, began to experience early signs of Parkinson’s. It was not until 1998 that he decided to go public with his disease ultimately leading to the founding of Michael J. Fox Foundation. To date the organization, spear-headed by Mr. Fox, has gone on to donate over $10.5 million to Parkinson’s research. Beginning tonight 1,500 pairs of the shoe, that with a simple pinch of the ‘ear’ lights up for 5 hours of uninterrupted light, will be auctioned off exclusively through eBay. Once all is said and done 100% of the net proceeds will directly benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation. For a ten … Continue reading →