All posts by David Amrani

Cascading Style: The Art and “Science” of Layering

Winter is coming.

Here at the Geeky Gentleman, rather than dragging out those old, bulky coats, we’re preparing with a different approach: layering. The idea is simple enough: Wear a few different items (from shirts to sweaters and jackets) to keep out the cold. But with a few basic principles, layering can be a very stylish answer to a practical problem. Continue reading Cascading Style: The Art and “Science” of Layering

Culture, Taste, and What We’re Thankful For

gg-thanksgiving

What we like can say a lot about us. As sociologist Pierre Bourdieu said, “Taste classifies, and it classifies the classifier.” The claim is that you’re born into a certain milieu, and that ends up influencing what you like. More interestingly, though, these tastes end up “classifying you” through your attitudes toward the tastes of others. You defer to those whose tastes you view as superior and look down on those who can’t match your own cultural cred. When this plays out, we have ourselves a class system.

Continue reading Culture, Taste, and What We’re Thankful For

Exploring Earl Grey

gg-teaAlmost anyone who drinks tea has at least tried Earl Grey. Every brand makes its own version, and each has its differences in taste, smell, color, etc. However, it takes a truly refined palate to really appreciate and compare these often subtle variations. While we lack such a thing here at the Geeky Gentleman, I still decided to try my own blind taste test of some common brands found at your local supermarket. Continue reading Exploring Earl Grey

Death, Life, and Halloween

halloweenWith Halloween just around the corner, it’s worth taking a moment to ponder why we celebrate the day in the first place and why it emerges from its grave every year at this same time.

Every culture has its days of the dead: the Mexican Día de Muertos, the Chinese Yu Lan, the Japanese Obon, and, more recently, the Christian Hallowmas are some notable examples. But why the universal human preoccupation with those who’ve left us? The answer might lie somewhere in the dark, primal past of the mind. Continue reading Death, Life, and Halloween