If you’re anywhere near Made Man’s headquarters in NYC—or lots of other places across the country, honestly—you’re feeling the brrr.
Your rosy-cheeked friends and coworkers are complaining about even colder days ahead. And all the negative energy is really killing your vibe. So why not flip the script and embrace the winter wonderland?
Sort of like the people behind these super cool (literally) ice palaces around the world…
Oahu is rightly famous for its postcard shoreline, but devote too much time to sun worshipping and you’ll miss the forest for the palm trees.
Venture beyond the resortland of Waikiki and you’ll find a burgeoning creative scene in downtown Honolulu, plus a sophisticated culinary identity that has nothing to do with piña coladas.
On the island synonymous with big-wave surfing, here’s what to see, eat and do away from the sand.
This progressive watering hole is part of Honolulu’s growing craft cocktail scene, and combines masterful mixology with a focus on seasonal ingredients. Local produce shines in original concoctions and reimagined classics, like a molecular Mai Tai with a candied ginger foam, or a G&T elevated with elderflower, tarragon and citrus. The commitment to sustainability even extends to the decor, from the reclaimed-wood bar paneling to a banquette upholstered in old jeans (locals know to dig around in the pockets). Don’t miss the murals inside and out—some of them were part of the annual Pow Wow street art festival that takes place in the trendy-industrial Kaka’ako district.
This forward-thinking design store is the place to discover local and indie brands mixed in with established mainland and overseas names. Browse home furnishings, accessories and art from MAU-haus and Paiea Millwrights as you sip a coffee from the in-store cafe. Among the vintage typewriters and Jonathan Adler sofas you’ll find plenty of suitcase-friendly items, like P55dle tote bags ($20) and organic Coyuchi linens ($40–$100). The space also hosts regular art shows, fashion shows and pop-up markets (speaking of which, check out the monthly Honolulu Night Market just a few blocks away).
Serious ink collectors and off-duty servicemen make pilgrimages to this tiny tattoo parlor in Chinatown, opened by Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins in the early 1960s. The granddaddy of modern American tattooing—and inspiration for Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum—turned out game-changing work here until his death in 1973. Although the shop has changed hands numerous times since then, two things have endured: the porthole in the front door and Jerry’s influence on Western tattoo aesthetics. Check out the wealth of Norman Collins paraphernalia on the walls, such as old business cards, black and white photos, and original flash (tattoo designs on paper) of his signature pin-ups, swallows and nautical motifs.
In recent years Hawaii’s locavore movement has really come into its own, thanks in part to farmers’ markets like this one. The Saturday morning market at Kapiolani Community College is one of the oldest and largest on Oahu, drawing between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors each week. Bring a shopping bag and an appetite to peruse 70 vendors hawking uniquely Hawaiian products like sea asparagus, grilled abalone, island-grown coffee and fresh pineapple juice. Be sure to stop by Vietnamese street food stall the Pig and the Lady for a bowl of breakfast pho. Like several other vendors who got their start at KCC Saturday, The Pig and the Lady has expanded to a brick-and-mortar restaurant in town, with interiors by Fishcake’s in-house design team.
A 45-minute drive from Honolulu brings you to this working cattle ranch that boasts some of the most gobsmackingly beautiful scenery on the island. Dozens of films—including Karate Kid 2, Jurassic Park and Hunger Games: Catching Fire—have been shot on the 4,000 acre property, which is best explored via horseback, zipline or ATV. You won’t do any wheelies on the two-hour guided ATV tour ($119), but you’ll see a World War II bunker, several film sites, and a series of vistas that will turn your social media followers green with envy, especially if they watched Lost. Sunglasses are a must since eye protection is mandatory, plus you’ll feel even cooler on your quad.
Swim: Wild Side Specialty Tours
Out past that famous break there are whales to spot and reefs to explore—and plenty of package boat trips willing to take you out there. But this is one activity where you truly get what you pay for, which is why we suggest splurging on a Wild Side charter tour ($175–$195). In addition to whale-watching, each 3-4 hour trip includes snorkeling stops and a chance to swim with wild dolphins; trust us when we say that’s an encounter you won’t forget in a hurry. Tours are capped at 10 people for an intimate experience that’s tailored to the group, just let the captain know when you’re done hanging with turtles and want to go chase some humpbacks.
Photo credits
Zipline: Kualoa Ranch
Bevy: Bevy
Fishcake: Tracy Chun
Old Ironside Tattoo: Tracy Chun
KCC Saturday: Sarah Theeboom
Kualoa Ranch: Kualoa Ranch
Wild Side Specialty Tours: Wild Side Specialty Tours
A finger here, a flick there—rude gestures make the world go round. How else would we embody the perfect summation of disgust in one neat and tidy signal of disapproval? We tend to think of the middle finger as the only good gesture to designate a worthy “eff off, buddy,” but in truth there’s a stockpile of awesomely offensive gestures out there. Let’s go global and look past flipping the bird.
The Crossed Fingers
Where: Vietnam
How to perform it: Cross your middle finger over your index finger.
What it means: To us, crossed fingers are a well-wishers sign of good luck. In Vietnam, however, crossed fingers resemble a woman’s private area. Here, it’s the equivalent of calling someone a c*nt.
The Moutza
Where: Greece, Mexico, the Middle East and Africa
How to perform it: Thrust your palm outward toward the person you wish to insult.
What it means: Though the gesture is easy to do, its history is quite complex, and as such it can mean a few different things. Among them are: “I’d like to rub shit in your face!” or “I’m going to perform five sexual acts upon your willing sister!” or “To hell with you!”
Fun fact: The Moutza is said to have originated in ancient Byzantium where criminals were chained to a donkey and displayed for all to see in public areas. To add insult to injury, local townsfolk would rub dirt, feces or ashes into their faces to humiliate them further.
The Chin Flick
Where: Belgium, Italy, France and Tunisia
How to perform it: Brush the back of your hand under your chin in a flicking motion.
What it means: The chin flick is used to mean “get lost,” typically when an argument has gone past the point of meaningful discourse. In France, it’s known as la barbe (the beard); the idea here is that the gesturer is showing his masculinity. In Italy the gesture simply means, “No.”
The Idiota
Where: Various countries in South America and sometimes in the UK
How to perform it: Simply place your fist on your forehead.
What it means: Did you eat a bowl of stupid for breakfast? Are you an idiot? The gesture is in reference to a mentally handicapped person trying to eat ice cream and planting it on their forehead instead of in their mouth.
Fun fact: The gesture can be complemented by grunting. Yes, the Idiota offends all mentally handicapped and their advocates as well!
The Thumbs Up
Where: Parts of the Middle East, Greece and Australia
How to perform it: Exactly how we give each other the thumb’s up for a job well done.
What it means: Instead of good job, a thumbs up in bizarro world means that the receiver can go ahead and sit on your thumb. Essentially it’s an elaborate, “Go fuck yourself…with my thumb.”
The ‘OK’ Sign
Where: Greece, Spain, Brazil and Turkey
How it’s performed: You know damn well how to do this already.
What it means: In the U.S. it means “A-OK, good sir,” but in other places it is recognized as forming the shape of a certain bodily orifice and meaning either that you’re calling someone an asshole or insinuating that they’re homosexual.
The Five Fathers
Where: Many Arab and Caribbean countries
How it’s performed: Point your left index finger at your right hand and purse all five fingers of your right hand together.
What it means: It means that, although you have just one mother, you have five fathers, insinuating wildly uncouth things about your mother’s disposition and your eventual conception. Or in the words of Celebrity Jeopardy Sean Connery, “Your mother is a whore, Trebek.”
Fun fact: This is the most offensive gesture in the Arab world so just go ahead and forget you ever learned what it is.
The Cutis
Where: India and Pakistan
How to perform it: Flick your thumb outward from the back of your upper front teeth. (Try it—it even feels unpleasant.)
What it means: Simply, fuck you and your entire family. How kind!
Fun fact: This is almost certain to get you kicked out of any establishment you perform it in, and perhaps even the entire country. Hope it was worth it.
