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CultureMap Austin • August 15 2025

The Neighborhood Guide by Kuper Sotheby's International Realty

CultureMap Houston • August 15 2025

The Neighborhood Guide by Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty

CultureMap • August 15 2025

Travel Texas Road Trips

CultureMap Dallas • December 3 2024

The Neighborhood Guide by Briggs Freeman

Rebel Bourbon

A Rebel’s Guide to the 6 Best Meat Smokers

Summer may be for grilling, but real rebels want their meat served with a serious side of attitude year-round. Like the kind of attitude that comes in the form of a low, slow cook in a smoker. The right cut of meat, the right kind of wood, and the delicate science of marrying the two: It’s an art form worthy of the rebel spirit.

But smokers are a serious step up from your basic backyard grill, so you’ll want to make sure you’re investing in the right one. You’ll also want to consider your heat...

Limestone Branch

6 Best Martini Glasses for Your Sipping Pleasure

James Bond knew it, and so does anyone who wants to be the classiest person at the bar: You can’t go wrong with a gin martini.

Whether shaken or stirred, dirty or with a pickled onion (that’s a Gibson, by the way, don’t get them confused), martinis are a can’t-fail drink order for nearly any occasion.
While the cocktail itself does most of the heavy lifting, what glass it’s served in also makes a statement. Here are six that are guaranteed to start a conversation:
 

Verve Martini Glass
This ha...

Supernatural

7 sustainable cooking habits

Quarantine and lockdown have forced us all to become better home cooks, but there’s still plenty to learn. Even if you’re a true amateur in the kitchen, we’ve all got to eat. Even better, there are simple switches that can lessen your impact on the planet while improving your culinary skills. It’s a win-win, especially for your stomach.


1. Eat Local and Seasonal
Choosing fruits and vegetables that are harvested in your region cuts shrinks your carbon footprint. Most farmers markets have been...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

5 Ezra-Approved Swim Trunks for the Modern Gentleman

Despite the planet’s best efforts, summer is still on its way. It’s too soon to tell if you’ll be lounging poolside or kicking back in a backyard kiddie pool, but either way, you’re going to need a stylish pair of swim trunks in which to laze away the sunny days. Here are five that Ezra recommends.

Chubbies
The name is a clue to not take these trunks — or life — too seriously. Dedicated to having fun and looking good while doing it, Chubbies swim shorts (shown above) run the gamut from bright a...

Rebel Bourbon

Meet Michele Reina, Rebel Bourbon’s European Brand Ambassador

He creates and mixes cocktails for a living. He’s traveled the world, competing in competitions and studying with major distillers. He’s gone skydiving for charity. And he’s Italian. We get it, he’s really cool, ok?

It makes total sense, then, that Michele Reina is part of the Rebel Bourbon family. The Rome-born, London-based liquor lad is Luxco’s European Brand Ambassador, which is the actual official, trained version of what you call yourself.
“I look after their whiskey and tequila portfolio...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

5 Stylish Ezra-Approved Sneakers Under $100

Many people maintain that you can judge a man by his shoes — but not every day calls for your classiest kicks.
The modern man needs a pair of sneakers that are effortlessly cool while still being kind on your feet — you’re running with a busy schedule, after all. And to help keep that budget in check, they should also be under $100. Here are five that Ezra recommends.

Wacko Maria Chuck 70 Low Sneaker
You can never go wrong with Chucks, but you can help yours stand out from the crowd with a pair...

Rebel Bourbon

American-Made Custom Boots Fit for a Rebel

What can you always depend on? Your dog, your bike, your favorite whiskey — and your favorite pair of boots. It’s that belief that has kept firefighters, loggers, welders, farmers, and just regular old rebels loyal to the Spokane, Washington-based JK Boots for generations.

Founder John Khadzhi started as an apprentice cobbler when he was only a teenager, learning the craft and hand-building boots in his overseas hometown until 1994, when the late-twentysomething brought his skills to the Pacifi...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

5 Things in Life Worth the Extra Effort

In our high-speed, short-take, 140-character world, we’ve put cutting corners on a pedestal. We plunge in. Don’t read instructions. Make an early exit. Honestly, we’re lucky when we don’t wind up a winner of the Darwin Awards.


If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably figured out that we’re going to tell you take your foot off the pedal. We’re going to have the audacity to assert that, sometimes, easy isn’t always better. Even a guy like gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson knew that “anything...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

5 Ezra-Approved Men’s Watches for Any Situation

When it comes to watches, there’s no lack of choice, and men can covet a variety of watches for a variety of situations. It is our main form of jewelry, after all.
Styles are seemingly infinite, and prices range from dirt cheap to laughably off the charts. To wit: You can have a Patek Philippe 5016R Minute Repeater Tourbillion Perpetual Calendar Retrograde in rose gold on a black leather strap and a black dial for a neat $650,000.
We’ve come up with five excellent timepieces that work for differ...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

The Modern Man’s Holiday Etiquette Guide

You’re staring down the gauntlet of holiday party invites, from work and charity shindigs to friend gatherings to maybe even a fancy dinner or two.
How can you be the guest that everyone wants on their list? Let us help.

Dress Codes
Fashion can be a mine field, especially during the holidays, so brush up on the most common dress codes to avoid a sartorial snafu:
Host Gifts
It used to be that you didn’t turn up at anyone’s door without a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers. Although today’s s...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

The Modern Man’s Holiday Etiquette Guide

You’re staring down the gauntlet of holiday party invites, from work and charity shindigs to friend gatherings to maybe even a fancy dinner or two.
How can you be the guest that everyone wants on their list? Let us help.

Dress Codes
Fashion can be a mine field, especially during the holidays, so brush up on the most common dress codes to avoid a sartorial snafu:
Host Gifts
It used to be that you didn’t turn up at anyone’s door without a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers. Although today’s s...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

3 Bourbon Cocktails for Spreading Holiday Cheer

The holidays are upon us, and with that comes parties galore. All good hosts have a few special cocktails up their sleeve. The following three sippers cover all your needs — from a warm and cozy hot toddy and season-appropriate bourbon-spiked cider to a festive sparkling bourbon drink perfect for ringing in the new year.
Ezra Hot Toddy
1.5 ounces Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon
2.5 ounces hot water
.5 ounce honey
.25 ounce cherry juice
Lemon peel and Luxardo cherry, for garnish
Add the fir...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

13 Grooming Essentials Every Man Needs

There was a time when a man could head out for a potential overnighter with nothing but a toothbrush in his pocket. If that.
We know better now. Among other things, we’re aware of the dire effects of excessive sun exposure. The appeal of the leathery Marlboro Man look is long gone, and for men who want to maintain a healthy — not to mention handsome — exterior, a few grooming essentials are in order.

Granted, it’s possible to become paralyzed when confronted with the vast array of products avai...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

4 Recipes for Bourbon-Infused Desserts

Bourbon straight is a classic; in a cocktail, it’s sublime. But sometimes we crave more ways, unexpected ways, to enjoy our bourbon. Like bourbon for dessert.
The idea of pairing spirits with sweets is not new. But bourbon and dessert is a game-changer. For starters, bourbon is not as sweet as the liqueurs you commonly see drizzled and doused on cakes and such.

Lacking that saccharine aspect, bourbon instead enhances the dessert. It balances the flavors, adding dimension rather than overwhelmin...

Rebel Bourbon

Bad-Axe U.S. Craftsmen Making Custom Hatchets

Why mess around with darts when you could be throwing an axe? Axe-throwing has become a thing lately, but you knew it was cool long before the rest of them. Which is exactly why you need to check out these three North American craftsmen changing the axe-game.

Hoffman Blacksmithing
If you visit this North Carolina company’s website, you’ll notice that new orders are currently closed. That’s because Liam Hoffman’s products are so popular that the demand for his hand-forged axes exceeds his abilit...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

The Modern Gentleman’s Guide to Buying a Suit

As our old friend Shakespeare notes in Hamlet: “The apparel oft proclaims the man.” In other words, it’s time to step up to an adult suit that wasn’t picked off the rack for you by Mom.

But the world of fashion is bewildering. Where to begin? First, answer a few fundamental questions:
Great, but what does all if that mean? Let’s break it down:
Color
All elements of a suit depend on your personal taste, and that includes the color. Unless you’re going to show up on the Oscars red carpet, it’s pr...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

The Modern Man’s Grilling Guide

The joy of sizzling meat on an outdoor grill is practically part of a man’s DNA, a skill usually handed down by preceding generations. But if you still haven’t flipped your first burger, it’s time to start. Here are some basics for bringing the heat.

Start With the Right Gear
There’s no easy way to start without plunging into the greatest of grilling controversies: gas or charcoal? We’re neutral, but most people tend to use gas for convenience, greater safety (no flying ash), and better control...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

Honestly Good Stuff: Rancourt & Co. Hand-Sewn Shoes

What does it take to keep a family business going? Dedication, perseverance, and — perhaps most important — timing. That’s what the Rancourts learned not once, but twice, over the decades while hand-making moccasins.

Patriarch David Rancourt arrived in Lewiston, Maine, in the 1950s from his native Quebec, ready to learn the trade of shoemaking. By 1967, he had opened his own factory producing hand-sewn moccasins; his son, Michael, came on board in 1970. After producing luxury calfskin loafers f...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

Bourbon and Bitters: A Primer (With Recipes)

Bitters are some of the bartender’s most powerful ingredients. These potent extracts serve as super-concentrated shots of flavor: Just a drop or two is all you need to give a cocktail that extra something.

Bitters have been around for centuries but have come back into favor as part of the current craft cocktail trend, as modern-day mixologists embrace an artisanal approach of making things by hand.
For all their might, bitters are surprisingly simple: Natural ingredients such as flowers, berrie...

Rebel Bourbon

Custom-Built Campers to Fuel Your Spirit of Adventure

Not all rebels want to rough it while camping. Enter: Vintage Overland. Brothers Britton, Cody, and Cullen Purser, along with Britton’s wife, Ami, build single-axle rolling campers inspired by Danish design but made with all-American parts, preserving the quality and heritage of handmade craftsmanship.

They piece together each custom caravan in their Colorado studio, with one goal in mind: helping adventurers escape to the middle of nowhere.
“Britton and I were ready to take a leap of faith, s...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

Ezra-Approved Whiskey Glasses for Your Home Bar

Putting together a well-stocked home bar is a chance to show off your personal style. But it can be overwhelming, especially when selecting glassware, because there are so many types, styles, and price points.
Your Ezra Brooks bourbon deserves the right drinking vessel. Here are five suggestions for high-quality and stylish whiskey glasses.

Dragon Glassware Diamond Whiskey Glasses
Dragon Glassware’s 50-degree tilted glasses (shown above) are inspired by diamonds, but their look isn’t all cosmet...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

A Whiskey-Lover's Guide to Aperitifs

Looking for a fresh way to enjoy your whiskey? Then try it in an aperitif. The centuries-old tradition of pre-dinner cocktails has seen a major revival in recent years. There’s something inherently civilized about setting aside time to sip a light, sophisticated drink before you sit down to dinner.

Designed to wake up your palate for what’s to come, aperitifs date back to ancient Egypt. But it was the Italians and French who devised the recipes and approach that inspire us today.
That includes...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

Ezra-Approved Duffle Bags Made in the USA

Every modern gentleman knows the importance of seeing the world, but it’s hard to globe-trot without a good duffle bag. These three stand out for their American craftsmanship, because you should never have to sacrifice style or longevity.

Bradley Mountain
Though Bradley Mountain might not be a real place, the workshop in San Diego where six craftsmen hand-make each bag for modern-day adventures is a very real wonderland. Started in 2012 by the self-taught Tyler Axtell, Bradley Mountain now cra...

Ezra Brooks Bourbon

Honestly Good Stuff: Holtz Leather Company

When looking for an American success story, it doesn’t get more authentic than that of Coleen and Rick Holtz. Despite a series of tragic events, including almost losing their home, the resilient couple rebounded by starting a monogramming business in their garage.

But Rick had dreams of founding a leather company. They started small, selling leather keychains on Etsy. Now, two decades later, Holtz Leather Co. has become a boon to its headquarters town of Huntsville, Alabama.
Holtz’s 30-some emp...