FIELD JOURNAL 36: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, I+W & Willie Nelson, Faherty Surf Ghana
Plus, the new YETI tumbler made for 9-5s, the Mount Everest xenon gas debate, how to replace scrolling with microjournaling, and more...
Welcome to the weekly FIELD JOURNAL by LIVE A LITTLE, the place to get style & gear news, outfits, & inroads for the adventure-seeking man.
OVER THE WEEKEND, I spent some much-needed time off in Jacksonville, Florida. I was visiting my best friend from college. He’s been a police officer in the city now going on five years. His courage and passion in what he does is inspiring.
We spent a ton of time at Jax Beach chucking the football and catching rays. One day, I devoured a Publix Chicken Tender Sub while looking out at the crystal blue water.
On the night of July 4th, we went out to Neptune Beach. There’s an incredible pub out there inspired by Edgar Allen Poe called “Poe’s Tavern.” The concept and execution is 10/10.
After dinner, we walked over to an iconic dive bar called Pete’s. We shot some pool. Caught some music in the backyard area where the DJ was playing. Crushed a few $3 PBRs.
The last night of my trip we went to a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game, the Triple A affiliate team for the Miami Marlins. The stadium is in the middle of downtown, right next to the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium. It’s a beautiful park. Clean. The hot dogs are $2. There’s an old church that sits behind the 3rd base side of the stadium that sticks up over the seats. The weather was perfect.
We all deserve small trips like these. We deserve great friends that keep us grounded and remind us who we are at the core. It’s part of what makes a life one we can proudly call our own. A life that’s lived on purpose and with intention—never by default. I hope your 4th of July weekend was just as enjoyable as mine.
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STYLE & GEAR NEWS
Here’s what’s happening in the men’s style and gear universe—from the best new releases to up-and-coming brands you should know.
imogene + willie x Willie Nelson
I love the ongoing partnership imogene + willie has with Willie Nelson. They’ve made a handful of iconic graphic tees and hats already. This new drop comes with three unique hats and a screen printed graphic tee.
What’s cool about the timing of the new I+W x Willie Nelson is it was released the day after Willie’s 4th of July picnic—an annual concert event he’s held since the 1980s. This year’s event included some of the artists from Willie’s Outlaw Festival Tour, including Bob Dylan. (I actually saw Willie and Bob play last summer at Jones Beach in Long Island. It was a bucket list event for me.) The Armadillo Land hat is my favorite. Pricing varies.
YETI Rambler Travel Bottle with Commuter Cap
Finally. A slim YETI travel tumbler that fits in my Jeep’s cupholders. The new Rambler Travel Tumbler appeals to the 9-5 version of myself. He’s the guy who tries to save money on coffee by making it at home during the weekday, only to then rush out the door so he’s not embarrassingly late to the office.
The Rambler Travel Bottle is marketed as 100% leakproof, thanks to its accompanying Commuter Cap. Tons of colors available. And like I said: work friendly enough to keep in a car cupholder or store in a backpack sleeve. Priced at $32.
Faherty Surf Ghana
Sandy Alibo started the Surf Ghana Instagram page in 2016 when she fell in love with Ghana’s local surf scene. The page became so popular that Alibo decided to leave her corporate job in France to focus on youth empowerment and community development in the country’s rich surf and skate culture. One of the many awesome projects they’ve done is build Freedom Skatepark, Ghana’s first-ever skatepark.
The story of how Faherty x Surf Ghana came together comes from this story Monique Mitchell wrote for Faherty’s blog:
“Last year, on the set of Faherty’s spring 2024 campaign shoot, Mike Faherty overheard me talking about Ghana’s incredible surf community. He said it was his dream to do a shoot there. That dream was realized…”
The lineup is full of surf apparel inspired by the Ghana flag. There’s also a Reef x Faherty flip-flop and tote bag collab that’s part of the collection. The yellow hoodie is a top pick from me. Same with the trucker hat. The coolest (and most functional) piece, though, has to be the Long Sleeve Rash Guard Shirt. Pricing varies.
OUTFIT
INROADS
The 15 Best Bars in America 2025
Esquire writers reveal where to go when they need an escape from the world. I recommend Pete’s Bar be added to next year’s list. [Esquire]
Can You Cheat at Climbing Mount Everest?
Austrian climbing guide, Lukas Furtenbach, the grandson of a famous Austrian mountaineer, climbed Everest last month in just 5 days from the day they left London. So, how did they do it? The two weeks prior, they took xenon gas via medical mask to prepare for the altitude adjustment. Keep in mind xenon is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in pro sports, and medical experts are saying it’s unsafe. What do you think? [National Geographic]
How to Replace Scrolling with Microjournaling
In a recent AoM interview with illustrator-filmmaker Campbell Walker, Walker offered a clever hack to swap mindless scrolling with microjournaling. It’s an action I’ve been trying myself the past week, and I’m having a lot of fun taking what I write and then logging it into ChatGPT to help organize my notes. [Art of Manliness]
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READ MORE FROM THE ARCHIVES
Are you caught up on my latest posts? Here’s what you might’ve missed.
My recap of the 23 Best Style & Gear Releases in June is now live.
I published a style breakdown on the 15 best shirts for summer under $100.
Paid subscribers have access to two recent style breakdowns: 105 Men’s Style Summer Style Essentials and 23 Men's Watches That Will Never Go Out of Style.
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT
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Very nice, we have the other location of Poe’s here in Wilmington, NC. Great spot!
Bookmarking for micro journaling!