Design Your Own Shades With Made Eyewear
Summer is in full swing here and if you’re like me, you could use a new pair of sunglasses. But who wants to go to the mall to find a store just to search for a pair where they may or may not have what you’re looking for?
That’s where Made Eyewear comes in. This new eyewear brand launched just in time for you to get your summer shades. You can get custom sunglasses just how you want them with extensive options in colors and styles. Because you control the design process, you can get exactly what you’re looking for. The frames are high quality acetate composition. The sunglasses offer 100% UV protection and the prescription frames are available offering everything from single vision lenses to progressive sunglass lenses from the state-of-the-art digital free-form lens lab with options for everything from super high index lenses as well as anti-reflective and scratch resistant coatings.
The site is slick, easy to navigate and has a nifty tool called Fitting Box FitLive to see how any style will look on you right on your computer in 3D (if you have a webcam). Every frame is made to order and custom designed to fit you with the option to add laser engraving of a design, pattern, logo or up to 25 characters along the temples.
Starting at $84, made eyewear provides the perfect customized finish for your summer wardrobe at a great value. Check out my custom MANjr creation:
Jul 9th
Adam Savage from “Mythbusters” talks about the show’s 10 Year Anniversary and more
If you ever have watched “Mythbusters” you know that the show’s co-host Adam Savage has a deep passion for science. He and his partner in crime, Jamie Hyneman, along with the rest of the “Mythbusters” crew is celebrating the show’s 10 year anniversary this season.
Savage is a modern day “Renaissance Man.” Not only is he heavily involved in science, but Adam had a love for the arts. In his free time he sculpts and has had his work on display in San Francisco, New York and Charleston, West Virginia.
Adam has done special effects work from notable films and TV shows. He has worked on props for films like “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones”, “Galaxy Quest”, and “Terminator 3.”
I was able to chat with Adam about the longevity of “Mythbusters,” sculpting, and his work on film sets.
Art Eddy: First off I have to say congrats to you and the rest of the crew on “Mythbusters” for celebrating the show’s 10 year anniversary this year. I know the cliché is time flies when you are having fun, but do you feel like the show has been on for that long?
Adam Savage: No. Not at all. We kind of joke about it. When we go back through the stuff that we have done the thing that lets us know that it has been that long is that it is kind of an unbelievable mountain of things we did when we start to review for new episodes. We would be like oh I think that we already have done that.
We will remember a whole bunch of things from that episode we did seven years ago. For the most part we are having so much fun that I can’t remember what we did a couple of weeks ago.
AE: Do you have a favorite all time episode?
AS: It is impossible to choose. There are so many categories of things that were great to do. I love “Duct Tape Island” and “Duct Tape Cannon”, escaping from the Grand Canyon with Duct Tape. I think that these are really wonderful stories that were fun to tell.
I enjoyed very much the hybrid storytelling of jumping outside the standard “Mythbusters” format to still tell a story that was a true story in terms of the physics and in terms of the materials. I also love shows where we have done research that was genuinely part of some actual scientific published paper.
When we did “Drain Disaster” where we had manhole covers being blown off from the sewer. That was actually part of a published scientific paper that researchers helped us with that and we helped them. They were the leaders in their field of investigating the composition of gases at near supersonic speeds in sewer explosions. They never had the ability to build an experiment as large as the one we were able to build with their help. We were really proud that we were able to contribute to that.
All told with the storytelling and the problem solving in the science, really a high point and a great example of the highest ideal for both me and Jamie is “Lead Balloon.” We really feel that “Lead Balloon” shows this beautiful balance between taking something that is essentially mundane like building a bag that holds air that is made out of rolled lead. It demonstrates how difficult the process is, how much you kind of have to see into the future to understand on how to solve that problem. The way that Jamie and I worked together in a kind of unique way in which the participation of the two of us exceeds what one of us could do on our own.
AE: Was there ever a time where you went back after the show and did an experiment because you didn’t trust the results the first time?
AS: That is an interesting question. There are times when we are trying to do something sensitive. We actually might send the crew out so that we can really concentrate. When it is really working we are able to film everything that we are doing all at the same time.
There are times where we need all of our concentration on the experiment itself and not be thinking about the storytelling. We might send the crew out while we fix it or figure out what’s wrong. Wrap our heads around what is happening. Then bring them back and backfill what happened. No one ever made a lead balloon before.
That’s another thing that I am quite proud of over the years. I know we have done several things on this show that no one has ever achieved before. Most of those thing are quite mundane, but it is lovely to be first somewhere.
AE: At what point or which season did you and your co-host Jamie Hyneman feel like you had something special in “Mythbusters?”
AS: That all really happened quite slowly for us. We were originally hired talent on “Mythbusters.” We learned how to be on television while being on television. It is actually the same way both of us learned most of our professional skills over the years. We call it “the learn while you earn program.”
Given that it took us a while to really understand that the show’s structure and story was based on our enthusiasm. The best episodes were the ones where we were having the most fun. Not necessarily the genuine fun, but the ones where we were most involved. The science was really interesting to us or the experimental methodology, or the build, or the mechanics or the physics, those were the ones that sang.
I guess it was about two and a half or three years in that we really started to understand that. I feel like that was right around “The Hindenburg” episode, which I think is episode 60, where we really genuinely began to feel like the show was ours. We had a handle on it. We knew how to approach these problems.
AE: You are also are a sculptor. How did you get into that form of art?
AS: That’s interesting because it’s something that I have been thinking about a lot right now. I grew up with a father who was a working artist, a painter. He engineered his whole life so he could work for three or four months of the year and pay for his mortgage. He would spend the rest of his time painting full time. I mean like four to five hours a day every single day.
I grew up with a lot of artists. Art is a conversation. It is not just a conversation between the artist and the culture. I think that at its best it is a conversation between the culture and itself. The artist is a conduit to what the culture is thinking about itself. So there is a wider consciousness there.
Freud might have called it the oceanic feeling, but I think of the artist as a kind of conduit. I spent a lot of time in my early 20s in being an artist. There was a switch when I discovered these skills that led me so creatively as an artist also fed me creatively and professionally in special effects. I made a turn.
I don’t think that I have stopped being an artist. I don’t think that I have stopped having that conversation with my culture, but I put it in a different context. I am in the process of looking at the things I do in my personal life like replicate movie props that I loved, film things that I want to film, and try things that I want to try out. I am starting to think about them in the context of how they fit into the culture that I am a part of and how I might be a part of the conversation.
AE: I love the fact that you have done special effects for “Star Wars Episode I and Episode II.” What were some of the parts of each film that you worked on? 
AS: For “Episode I” I got to work with a wonderful longtime ILM employee named Larry Tan on Nute and Rune’s Neimoidian shuttle. So when it lands on Naboo and you see the shuttle on the deck in Naboo and the two characters get out, the home landing bay, the interior of it I got to build it. I worked on the design of it with Doug Chiang, the production designer, and I got to paint it and light it. It was really thrilling. It was one of my first big jobs at ILM getting to work on a spaceship which was all I wanted to do since I was 11 years old.
For “Episode II” there are a bunch of exterior close ups of Padme’s apartment. That was actually a model. My friend Fon Davis and I built a large six foot tall model of Padme’s apartment with the windows and interior all accurate so that they could match up the inside and outside.
I think one of the most fun things I have worked on the whole time I was at ILM is the space shuttle for Clint Eastwood’s movie “Space Cowboys.” That was a team about six of us that spent three or four months, maybe even longer, making what I think must be one of the most accurate models of a space shuttle ever built for film.
AE: Speaking of “Star Wars” I saw a video of you and Jamie talking about your favorite film characters. He said Chewbacca was like Jar Jar Binks. I have to say I was stunned when I heard that. How much “hate mail” did Jamie get?
AS: I have no idea. I just viewed that as so incendiary. I have to chalk it up to that Jamie was just merely in a bad mood and looking for a fight. I can’t accept in any way that a human can look at Jar Jar bouncing around the world and look at Chewbacca, this wonderful example of the ultimate right hand man and think that they are in all comparable in any way, shape or form.
To listen to the entire interview click here.
Jul 9th
Winery Passport App Gives You A Guide To Local Wines & Wineries
If you read our Wine 101 for Dudes article here on MANjr, you would know wine is not just for the ladies. Plus that article gave you some useful knowledge to help you with your wine selection. To carry that forward a new app just hit the App Store. It is called the Winery Passport It is a mobile travel companion app to help you discover local wineries. It has the ability to let you record the details of your visit and share your newly acquired knowledge to all of your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.
With the Winery Passport you can search for wineries near your location or find them by state. Then you can see details for each, including directions, phone number, website and a wealth more of information. As you use the app you will be able to “stamp your passport” at each winery to record your tasting visit and track where you’ve been.
You also can store details of your visit in your Certified Passport journal. These details include rating the winery, favorite wines by type, additional notes and even a photo.
Winery Passport features wineries in the following 17 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. The developers of this app expect to reach 25 states by August as we continue to refine the app and head towards Napa and the rest of Wine Country.
“We wanted to build a product for wine lovers to interact and share feedback regarding which wines excite their palates,” said creator Scott Stanchak. “You just may find those perfect pairings for your next food and wine meal with Winery Passport.”
Winery Passport is also featuring certain wineries at the top of their state search. “There are several opportunities for wineries to stand out in our app,” Stanchak added. “The Authorized listing is a great way to get noticed in a crowded state list, as well as provide some insightful info to potential tasters.”
Another reason that you should download this app is that it is free. It is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Food & Drink category.
Jul 9th
Alison Teal talks about being “Naked and Afraid”….the new show on The Discovery Channel
Alison Teal, adventurer and filmmaker, who can be seen on a brand new Discovery Channel series “Naked and Afraid” where Alison’s survival skills are tested as she and a companion are left stranded, and quite literally, exposed to one of the world’s most extreme environments with no food, no water, and no clothes. They must survive on their own for a full 21 days, with nothing but one personal item each and their knowledge. “Naked and Afraid” is set to premiere June 23rd.
Alison’s Adventures, is a documentary film series created by Teal herself, to make the world a smaller place by sharing the wisdom of exotic cultures, showcasing authentic people, and entertaining the kid in everyone through storytelling that captures the mystery and intrigue of life’s adventures.
I was able to ask Alison about her unforgettable adventure on “Naked and Afraid,” filmmaking, and her love for the outdoors.
Art Eddy: You took part in the Discovery Channel series “Naked and Afraid.” For those who don’t know about the show two people, a man and woman are put in an extreme environment with no food, no water, and no clothes. This show looks very extreme and pushes the limits. How tough was it to be on this show?
Alison Teal: It was wild! One of the most challenging experiences of my life. It was literally life or death survival in the most extreme environments on earth. In my case I was on an uninhabitable island, almost on the equator in the Indian Ocean. I was dropped on the island with a man I didn’t know and we were completely naked and unfamiliar with our surroundings. For 21 days we have to try work together despite our very different personalities and backgrounds and create a “home away from home” with literally nothing to work with – plagued by misquotes, rats, sharks and the worst storm of the year!
AE: Tell me what were some of the major differences between your thoughts before you took part in the show to what actually happened to you in the show?
AT: At first when the producers contacted me I was like, “you want me to do what!!!” But then when I learned more about the show, and then actually went through the experience, I’m forever grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of it – my life is changed forever.
“Naked and Afraid” basically takes a step back in time to showcase a sort of “Adam and Eve” concept of two strangers dropped into the wild and forced to work together to survive. There is no prize and it is not a competition. It is simply a challenge that I signed up for to test my own skills, perseverance, connection with nature, and ability to work as a team with a complete stranger. In our current day and age “Naked and Afraid” is the ultimate survival challenge, but at the same time it is an interesting study on how it must have been to live in an ancient primitive culture and an eerie look at what would potentially happen if a sort of Armageddon hit and we could no longer go to a drive through Starbucks.
Even though I was pretty nervous to take on the challenge I knew I would have a strong qualified male partner to help me out, BUT when he got injured the first day and I had to provide for the both of us, my skills were put to the test and I even shocked myself with my incredible ability to adapt, overcome, and survive the Island From Hell!
I now have eternal appreciation for everything from a coconut to a supermarket to bottle of sunscreen to family and friends.
AE: Looking at your bio and your website Alisosnadventures.com you seem to enjoy the outdoors and living life to the fullest. Did being on this show make respect the outdoors even more?
Being in “Naked and Afraid” definitely gave me a deeper appreciation for nature and most importantly what nature can teach us if we listen and observe. Miracles are happening around us every minute, but we just have to take a moment to recognize them. Every time I thought to myself, “I don’t know if I’m gonna make it,” something magical would happen to ensure my survival. For example I spent forever watching the daily patterns of the eels and finally, when we are almost at the brink or starvation, I got one!
AE: If you could have taken one thing with you on the show what would it be and why?
AT: A chocolate bar. Oh and my pink surf board! I would lay in our shelter at night dreaming of a chocolate bar. And my pink surf board it one of my best friends and I think it would have been like ‘Wilson the volley ball’ in Tom Hank’s Castaway. My partner Jonathan got injured the first day and I had to take on a lot of the challenge on my own, so it would have been nice to have something else for moral support and a way to relieve stress! Although I was so weak from hunger it would have been more like floating then surfing.
AE: What was the biggest fear for you to overcome on the show?
AT: I have an extreme fear of eels after getting bit by one as a child in Hawaii…this was a fear I had to overcome as you will see it in my episode. Also, I’m not a fan of being naked in a close proximity with a man I don’t know for almost a month’s time. But luckily Jonathan was very respectful and even when I was freezing and we had to cuddle to stay warm he was a gentleman about it!
AE: On the show’s website I saw many fans, take a big interest in you. How was it to become a star and have people follow you on Facebook and Twitter?
AT: I’m a huge people person and I really love to make friends around the world! My Alison’s Adventures films series on my website is based upon teaming up with locals all over the word and sharing their stories in a way to connect everyone into a bit global family. Now with this Discovery Channel show, I’m excited to reach even more people and I hope that they feel comfortable to reach out to me on social media with any questions, comments, or ideas!
I love interactive media and how it is making the world a smaller place, and I believe this is a great opportunity to get involved! I’m blessed to have an incredible photographer Sarah Lee capture my adventures and the stunning images have really helped to grow my fan base by actually showing people what it’s like to grow up in some of the most extreme/fascinating places on earth and meet the primitive people who taught me my survival skills.
AE: You also are a filmmaker and you document your adventures. What made you decide to become a filmmaker?
AT: I’m a soul surfer, survivor, and adventurer and spent my childhood home-schooled in a whirlwind of high adventure by extreme expedition parents — my papa is a world-renowned photographer whose work has been featured in numerous outdoor magazines including National Geographic, Outside and Patagonia, and my mom is a legendary Yoga teacher. I grew up living in a six-foot by six-foot tent in some of the most primitive, inaccessible, and often dangerous mountains, jungles, and uncharted wilderness areas that cover the face of this planet.
What was and is normal family life for us is light years away from most peoples’ idea of normal, but for me it was the only life I knew from the moment I was born until I first saw the inside of a school room on the high slopes of the Himalayas in Nepal at the age of eleven.
A school with other children. And a teacher.
Inside a building. How strange. How weird. How exotic.
Dying to have an all-American college education, I received the blessing of a scholarship to the University of Southern California and after braving the jungles of Los Angeles and a real school, I graduated summa cum laude from its highly acclaimed film school. My thesis film Rita, a Himalayan adventure showing how I got my first taste of being inside a school won international acclaim at numerous film festivals including Telluride.
After graduating USC film school, I grabbed my surfboard, camera, and laptop and set off around the world to make a film series which would offer viewers a special passport into my global family and their mind blowing secrets of survival, sustainability, and happiness – through humorous and inspirational story telling. After eight years of filming I have just edited and released my first Alison’s Adventures films on my website www.alisonsadventures.com
AE: What is the next big adventure you are looking to set off for?
AT: Now that I have my first Alison’s Adventures films completed I’m excited to go on a, slightly less life threatening, “School Tour” adventure and inspire/educate kids across the nation on culture, customs, survival secrets, and dreams – fully clothed and happy of course.
My goal for my Alison’s Adventures film series it to enlighten and educate the kid in everyone through humorous entertainment that leads to action!
In each film, I team up with a local companion who will guide me through their universe, and offers you all a firsthand look into their culture, customs, and secrets to survival, sustainability, and happiness.
Each film calls attention to global, environmental, and human issues through entertaining story lines that educates and inspire viewers to be a part of the solution.
I’ve launched a crowd funding campaign to help me achieve this goal and I would be forever grateful to anyone who can donate to kick start my school tour! You will see the link on my homepage www.alisonsadventures.com
Jul 8th
Sherry Oak Finish Spiced Rum is Captain Morgan’s latest creation
The famous Captain Morgan is back at it again. Just in time for summer there is a new limited edition rum from the Captain Morgan line. It is the Sherry Oak Finish Spiced Rum. For those who are fans of this line let me say that you will not be let down.
I tried this limited edition many different ways. I first sipped it on the rocks. As I poured it into my glass there were a bevy of sweet smells that was released out from the bottle. I was able to pick up hints of vanilla, cherry, raisin, toffee and a bit of molasses. Of course the smell of oak was present as well.
Just like the aroma the taste gave off the same vibe. Tastes of oak, vanilla, and cherry were all there in each sip. I also was able to pick up the taste of cocoa and caramel. It was very smooth to drink and it doesn’t need any mixing, but with that being said I still like to make a few concoctions when drinking rum.
I did the traditional Captain and Coke recipe with this version of rum. It was a bit sweeter to me than the original mixture, but still went down really well.
Another recipe that I tested out was the cocktail called Captain’s Invasion. This will be a great summer beverage. It was refreshing and it will be one of my go to drinks while the rum is still available. If you want to make this cocktail check out the directions below.
There is a very cool story behind the Sherry Oak Finish Spiced Rum. Legend has his that in 1671 Captain Henry Morgan and his crew were involved in a battle in the shores of Panama in 1671. Last year there was a discovery of a few remains of that fleet from the 17th century.
There were treasures found in a hull from one of those ships. One of the artifacts collected was a barrel. Inside that barrel is believed to be Captain Morgan’s brand housed sherry. This discovery led to the creation of the limited edition blend.
This rum will be available for a short while and you can pick up a 750ml bottle for $19.99. You can’t miss the bottle. It has a metallic label that commemorates the legend of Captain Morgan’s battle of 1671.
Captain’s Invasion
1 ¼ oz. Captain Morgan Limited Edition Spiced Rum
¼ oz. Grand Marnier Liqueur
¾ oz. Lime juice
2 Dashes of bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients to an ice filled rocks glass. Stir to blend and garnish with a lime wedge.
Jul 4th
Dee Brown talks about playing for the Celtics and his 1991 Slam Dunk Performance
When you think of Dee Brown a few things come to mind. One is the ridiculous no look dunk he performed at the 1991 Slam Dunk. Two is the Reebok Pump Omni Lite shoe that he made famous during that contest.
Besides winning the Slam Dunk title that year, Brown had a great career in the NBA playing for 12 years most notably for the Boston Celtics. I was able to have Dee Brown answer some of my questions while he was being interviewed for a documentary on the late Reggie Lewis, directed by Torey Champagne.
I wanted to know where and how Dee came up with the no look dunk, who if any pushed his competitive edge on the court, and how it felt to have his own shoe.
Art Eddy: How many weeks or months did you plan out the iconic no look dunk in the 1991 Slam Dunk Contest?
Dee Brown: The first time that I did it was in during the dunk contest. Never practiced it. I didn’t figure I was going to do that dunk until I was running towards the baskets. I pretty much knew I already won the dunk contest. So I wanted to do a signature dunk. I wanted something that everyone would remember me by.
Michael Jordan taking off from the free throw line or like the Dominique windmill, I wanted to do something that no one has ever done before. So while I am running I thought why don’t I just close my eyes? If I close my eyes no one will know that my eyes are closed because the judges are behind me. So it went from closing my eyes to maybe just putting my hands over my eyes and it just gravitated to my arm.
As I was jumping my hand going, my arm going, my eyes closing and it was the first time I ever did that dunk. I was either going to make it and have people talk about me now or I miss it and guess what and talk about it now. People would be like remember that guy that ran into the side of the backboard? That would have been me so never practiced it at all.
AE: You were going head to head with a phenomenal dunker in Shawn Kemp that year. What was it like to compete against him?
DB: The funny thing about the Shawn Kemp head to head thing was that all the contest guys were sitting all together. Rex Chapman, Otis Smith, Blue Edwards, a bunch of really good guys that could dunk, and I was sitting next to Shawn Kemp. Everyone knew who Shawn Kemp was. We both had the Gumby haircut.
So everyone is asking Shawn for his autograph. I remember one kid goes, ‘Hey what’s your name?’ I said Dee Brown. He really didn’t know who I was and he looked at Shawn and said, ‘Shawn is that your little brother?’
I said, ‘Wait a minute….wait a minute…did he just say? Ok I get it.’ That got the competition started at that moment when that kid asked me if I was Shawn Kemp’s little brother. It transpired into the contest with some great dunks. For a guy that tall at 6’10” to be able to move his body the way he did and being able to slam with so much force it was unbelievable.
I just tried to be creative as possible and do different dunks. Do things that people haven’t seen like pumping up my shoes kind of got the crowd into it. It was one of the good head to head battle in the finals.
AE: Was there one player whether it be a teammate or an opponent that drove your competitive spirit?
DB: I think the main guy was Larry Bird because he was the best player on our team. To me top two or three player in all-time Celtic history. Him and Russell. I got a chance to play with Larry. He drove me as a rookie because even though he was the best player and it sounds cliché, but he was the first guy in the gym and the last guy to leave.
He made sure I understood what Celtic Pride meant, being a student of the game. You wear the uniform the right way and respect the game. He drove me to the best player that I could be in not so much personal glory, but for the team. For all the Celtics like the Havlicek’s, the Jo Jo White’s, the Dennis Johnson’s, the Dave Cowens, and the Bob Cousy’s.
On a daily basis I got to see those guys respecting that uniform. The other guy that was more like a mentor type was Robert Parrish. He was like my big brother. He took care of me. He made sure I know what people to stay away from. Taught be to be a professional and go buy suits. He took to places on where to buy suits my rookie year. He mentored me in the professional way off the court. Larry was my inspiration and driving force on the court.
AE: Is there one thing that stands out most in your career?
DB: People would assume it would be the dunk contest because it was an individual event. I think the really big thing that drove me and stands out was when I got drafted. To hear Red Auerbach say your name. To hear him say, ‘We are taking a 6’2” guard from Jacksonville, Dee Brown.’ It is Red Auerbach.
He has said everybody’s name. Every guy that he had drafted over that 30 year time came out of his mouth. To be a part of that group and that guy wanted you, the greatest coach of all-time, to make sure that you are a part of that franchise. He wanted you to be a part of that Celtics history and Celtic pride. Just to hear him say that and be around him for so many years was such a great feeling.
AE: How cool was it to have your own shoe?
DB: It’s good because you can go anywhere and I mean anywhere, beyond the states, China, Australia, you say Reebok Pump and the first thing that comes up is Dee Brown. You felt like you did something. I really put a mark on a shoe and identify with a shoe.
Obviously everybody knows that you say Jordans, its one guy. It’s Michael Jordan. When you say Reebok Pump you think Dee Brown. So that is unique and it feels good. To this day 20 some odd years later people still talk about the shoe and the contest and what I did. They identify me with that. Even the kids who really don’t know or were not even born, because I work with a lot of kids on the basketball court or even guys I coach in the NBA, will say ‘You are that guy who did the pump thing.’
So it is good that people still talk about it and still identify me with it. So it is good to still be relevant in a way every few years when people want to talk about the shoe. Even in February when the Dunk Contest comes I’m popular again, so it is always good to talk about it.
Jul 2nd
MANjr’s interview with Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe is known for his great career as a quarterback in the NFL most notably for the New England Patriots. Bledsoe was the focal point of the Patriots offense which was the reason why he drafted number one overall in 1993 from Washington State University. The two time All-Pro also played for the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys.
Now retired from football Drew has pursued another career. He founded the Doubleback Winery located near Walla Walla, Washington. Along with his friend and co-founder, Chris Figgins they strive to make an outstanding cabernet sauvignon. Drew takes his new career very seriously. He looks to educate people on the fact that great wine can come from other states than just California. For more information on Doubleback click here.
Drew is also a proud father of four children. Bledsoe and his wife take a hands on approach to parenting. He and his parents created foundation called Parenting with Dignity.
I had the great pleasure to chat with Drew about his days in the NFL and how he created his wine business.
Art Eddy: Before we get into your playing days in the NFL, I first want to start off by talking about your vineyard, Doubleback Winery. What made you get involved in the wine making industry?
Drew Bledsoe: Wine is a passion of mine and my wife as I was playing. As I started to look at life after football and what I wanted to do and how I wanted to spend my days, wine was something that had an allure for me that went in a lot of different directions. It was something that I felt I could learn about for the rest of my life and still not know everything.
I felt like it was something that would get me out of the bed in the morning and get me excited about what I was doing. When you are in the wine business you are always around interesting people, great food, and great wine. So far it has been everything we had hoped it would be. It has been really successful for us. It has been a ton of fun at the same time.
AE: Do you find it hard for people to get past the notion that in the United States only great wines come from California? 
DB: Yea, the American population in general, if you get outside the Northwest, when they think if fine red wine they think of California. They think about Napa and Sonoma. While that is challenging for us right now it also gives us a huge opportunity for growth.
Washington has continued to grow, but we got a market out there that still, in the broader market, still doesn’t grasp the quality of wine coming out of Washington state, particularly in Walla Walla. We do some tastings from time to time. There was actually one here this last weekend up in Walla Walla. It was our wines versus the best out of Napa.
Our wines stand up just fine against the very best from Napa at generally a fraction of the price. If we can get the wine in the glass and let people try it all of a sudden it is a real eye opener. This is not just another wine region. It is a wine region that is producing some amazing stuff and at generally a more reasonable price point.
AE: I know with wine you usually pair it up with a certain foods. Do you have a favorite meal to go with your wine?
DB: With our wine we strive to make a cabernet (sauvignon) that’s a little more subtle. It has a little more nuance to it. It is not so overpowering. Because of that it is a lot more versatile with what you can pair with it. We have done things like scallops. My favorite pairing right now is lamb. We have a wood fire oven here at the house. We throw some rack of lamb in the wood fired oven and that shows just amazingly with our wines.
AE: Which was a tougher challenge for you playing in the NFL or starting up your own business?
DB: There are a lot similarities really. It is highly competitive. You got to have a great team around you. You got to be excellent in every area from your production to your bottle. How it looks on the table. Your story behind it. The authentic nature of our story is a big advantage because I grew up here in Walla Walla.
If you are excellent at all of those things you can be successful which is similar to football. In football you can’t be good at just one thing. You got to be great in all phases to be really successful. The biggest difference from football to wine is if I made a decision playing football I knew instantly if it was a good decision or a bad decision. In wine it can take up to seven to ten years before you really know about the implications of the decisions you made.
AE: Now let’s talk about your great NFL career. In 1993 you were the number one overall draft pick in the NFL. Did that add more pressure for you to make sure you succeeded in the league?
DB: When you are playing the position of quarterback there is pressure on you all the time. You either love that or you don’t. I personally really enjoyed it. I enjoyed being the focal point of an organization and being the guy that had to carry the big part of the burden.
I relish that challenge of knowing that everyday an entire organization of the other side of the ball tried to devise personnel and schemes to try and shut me down. To go out and try to be successful in spite of that was a great challenge. I love that. Pressure is not necessary a negative thing. Often times it is a positive thing if you embrace it from that standpoint.
AE: You played for three very different coaches in New England with Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll, and Bill Belichick. How big of a contrast were those three coaches?
DB: It really wasn’t. The coaches that are successful share they share far more in common than people might think. If you are going to be successful you got to be attentive to all the details. You got to guide your team. You got to make sure you focus on the important parts of the game, executing consistently, eliminating distractions, and all those kinds of things.
Beyond that all you are really talking about is personality differences. Those personality differences were pretty dramatic between Parcells, Pete, and Belichick. You learn to deal with that and communicate in different ways. Parcells was loud and in your face all the time. Pete was more of a positive motivator. Bill was all business all the time. The kinds of things that you actually have to focus on to be successful they were surprisingly similar.
AE: Speaking of threes you played for three NFL teams, the Patriots, Bills, and Cowboys. How was the transition for you to play with those three different teams?
DB: The first move was challenging. Going from New England where I was there for nine years where I had come pretty accustomed on how everything works and then moving to a new organization with the Bills. Once you made the move the first time it is not that big of a deal the second time.
Part of it to was from a pride standpoint it was a bit of an eye opener. When you are in there you think that you are pretty important to this organization, then you realize that you move on and the organization continues on. Once you realize that you are a cog in the machine that when your tenure is done someone is going to move in and replace you then you understand that and move on down the road. The first move was a bit of an eye opener for sure.
AE: What will you remember most about your career?
DB: There are a lot great memories. More than anything it is the relationships that you have that you look back on with the most fondness. I have developed relationships with some truly amazing people with people I played with, coaches, owners and other across the board.
In terms of certain games and memories there are some that stand out. My second year in the league when we came from behind to be the Minnesota Vikings in overtime. The year that I got hurt and Tommy played so well that I couldn’t get my job back, but I got to come in and play in the AFC Championship game against the Steelers to where I was able to help get us to the Super Bowl.
There are a lot of those memories that I look back on very fondly. The nice thing is that when you retire the negative memories fade away.
To listen to the interview click here!
Jul 1st
Spice Up your BBQ this July 4th with Great Whisky & Rum Infused Recipes
Burgers and hot dogs are barbeque staples. Sometimes it is great to try new variations. So this year when you are celebrating our country’s independence try some of these new recipes.
One that might catch your eye is the “Sweet Swine O’Mine No. 12 Sauce.” The sauce is a combination of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, mustard, and BBQ sauce. It is the perfect way to complement BBQ favorites, such as burgers and dogs.
If you are looking for a great rib recipe then the Spike Mendelsohn’s Cream Soda Braised Ribs is something you should make.
So enjoy the 4th of July weekend with your family and friends. If you do venture out and try these recipes I hope that they will be a hit at your party!
Sweet Swine O’ Mine No. 12 Sauce
2 cups Prepared or Store-bought BBQ sauce
2 TBS. Yellow mustard
1/4 cup Maple syrup
1/4 cup George Dickel No.12 Whisky
1/4 tsp. Ancho Chile Powder (or other mild-medium chili powder)
Directions: Combine ingredients in a pot at medium heat. Simmer uncovered (don’t boil) for about 15-20 minutes to cook the alcohol out of the whisky, stirring occasionally. Will work as a great glaze and table sauce for all of your BBQ needs.
If you are looking for more heat add 1/2 tsp. of black pepper and 1/4 tsp. of red pepper.
Bulleit Bourbon Burger
Burger Patties and Cheese: 
30 ounces ground chuck (20 percent fat)
2 ½ TBS. Bulleit Bourbon
1 ½ TBS. Worcestershire sauce
1 ¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 ¼ tsp. table salt
30 grinds fresh black pepper
6 ounces Dubliner cheese (Kerrygold brand), thinly sliced and divided into 6 (1 oz.)
Directions: Combine well-chilled ground chuck with Bulleit Bourbon and Worcestershire sauce and mix lightly with a fork to combine. Add oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper and mix lightly with a fork to combine. Combine more thoroughly with hands, being careful not to over mix. Separate meat mixture into 6 even portions and form into patties. Set patties on a board.
Place patties on grill pan and cook for 2 ½ minutes on 1 side. Flip patties and place cheese on top of each. Cook for 1 minute and then tent foil over patties and cook for 1 ½ minutes. Remove patties from grill and place on a clean board. Replace foil tent over patties and let rest for 5 minutes. Turn heat under grill pan down to low and give pan a quick wipe with a damp paper towel (held in tongs).
Whisky BBQ Shrimp
1 lb. shrimp (with tail)
¼ cup of Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
¼ cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup honey
¼ tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic pepper
Directions: Combine all ingredients, except for the shrimp, in a bowl. Add shrimp and allow to marinade in the refrigerator for an hour. Add shrimp and mixture into a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook until shrimp is opaque and cooked through.
Cream Soda Braised Ribs, Glazed with a Chipotle Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum BBQ Sauce 
Ingredients for Chipotle Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum BBQ Sauce:
8 oz. can chipotle peppers
2 cups BBQ sauce
1 TBS. molasses
2 TBS. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
1 tsp.n vanilla extract
½ cup orange juice
Directions: Blend ingredients together until smooth
Ingredients for the rub for the ribs:
2 racks of St. Louis ribs (about 4 pounds)
2 TBS. of smoked paprika
2 cups of brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBS. of ginger powder
1 tsp. of allspice
4 shots of Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
1 can of cream soda
Combine paprika, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger powder, and allspice to create the dry rub.
Directions for rib preparations: Rub dry rub all over ribs and season with salt and pepper. Place in a “hotel pan” or roasting pan. Add enough cream soda to cover. Add 4 shots of Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum. Cover with foil. Pre-heat oven to 375°F and place pan in the oven, cooking for approximately 2.5 hours, until the ribs are tender and the rib bone is showing. The meat will pull of the rib, but not easily. Finish on the grill on medium heat for about 15 minutes and baste with Chipotle Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum BBQ sauce.
Jun 29th
Actor Brendan Penny Explains His Role on ABC’s “Motive.”
ABC’s new show “Motive” focuses not on who committed each crime, but why the crime took place. The killer and victim are identified at the start of each episode, leaving viewers with a twist on the typical who done it type of show.
I was able to talk with actor Brendan Penny who plays Detective Brian Lucas. His character is a young and eager officer fresh out of working in financial crimes looking to make a name for himself.
Brendan gave me some insight into “Motive” and how he prepared for this role.
Art Eddy: The new ABC show “Motive” takes a new look at the crime-drama genre. Tell me a bit about the show and your character, Detective Brian Lucas.
Brendan Penny: The best way to describe ABC’s new show “Motive” is, it is a whodunit. Right away you see get to see who the killer and the victim is, so the whole show is figuring out how they are connected, and what was the motive for the crime.
I play Detective Brian Lucas. He is a young, ambitious man, fresh out of financial crimes, looking to get his feet under him as a new homicide detective. He is a very “good” person with good morals, and has many quirks.
AE: The show is produced by the same people who worked on “Dexter” and “The Mentalist.” Do you see any influence from those shows on “Motive?”
BP: The similarities between “Dexter” and “The Mentalist” with “Motive” that stand out for me is that it is very suspenseful writing with great detail. I am a big fan of both those shows.
AE: Your character is an up-and-comer looking to learn from his colleagues? How did you try to portray that in your character?
BP: As for preparation for this role, it was really nice to have a meeting with the writers and get a good sense of what they thought about the character. To be honest, it was really right on the page and I just connected with him and the dialogue.
I was lucky enough that the writers and producers really gave me the freedom to make Lucas different from the other detectives in our group. I did more in depth analysis of the character than anything else.
AE: Did you talk to any police detectives before you guys starting shooting the series to get some perspective on your character?
BP: We did meet with some detectives who work for VPD. It was very informative and they were very open to discuss everything from day to day procedures to handling working in such intense environment. They were really nice people
AE: The show identifies the killer and victim in the start of each episode. Usually that is not the case with these types of shows. Does that put any pressure on you and the rest of the cast to keep the audience involved in the show?
BP: I don’t think it adds any pressure at all to keep people involved. I believe that the way the show is set up, you are instantly sucked in, and so you want to see the next scene. You just have that feeling like you have to.
AE: You work with a very talented crew. How is it to work with actors like Lauren Holly, Kristin Lehman, and Louis Ferreira?
BP: Working with Louis, Lauren and Kristin is a privilege. Louis is one of the funniest people around, and Lauren is an absolute treat. Did I mention she is in my favorite movie of all time, “Beautiful Girls?” So I was pretty pumped to work with her.
AE: Have you gotten any feedback so far from fans of the show?
BP: We have gotten some great feedback from the show, which is always nice. Also, we got picked up for a second season, so that speaks volumes in its own.
AE: I also read that you are filming a movie called “The Virginian.” Can you talk about that movie at all?
BP: “The Virginian” is a movie that I just shot with Trace Adkins, Victoria Pratt and Ron Pearlman. It is an old style western about murder, deceit and love. It was an absolute blast, and the cast was terrific to work with.
Jun 27th
Get Your Shoe Game to be Patriotic with Reebok Classic
Celebrate July 4th all summer long with the new Patriot Pack by Reebok Classic.
With six Classic models to choose from including the Pump Twilight Zone, Question Low, Ex-o-fit, Phase One, Workout Mid and Workout Mid Plus, this seasonal pack lets you rock your own red, white and blue style.
The Patriot Pack bursts into stores this Friday, June 28th at key retailers Foot Locker, Finish Line, Champs, Expressions, DTLR, Shoe City, and Reebok.com.
Pricing (from L-R in above image):
Phase 1 – $75
Workout Plus -$70
Workout Mid – $75
Ex-o-Fit Plus Hi – $75
Pump Twilight Zone – $125
Question Low – $125
Jun 25th
