I’ll start by owning this one… cigar smoking is absolutely one of my guilty pleasures. 😎 I know it isn’t for everyone, and I certainly don’t pretend that it is. For me, though, cigars have become about much more than simply smoking tobacco. I love the history behind handmade cigars—the agriculture, the blending, the craftsmanship and the generations of people who have learned how to create them. But I’m equally fascinated by the history of the gentlemen who smoked them. Churchill is obviously one of the most famous examples, but cigars have been woven through politics, literature, business and culture for centuries. And perhaps most importantly for me, enjoying a cigar forces me to do something that I’m frankly not always very good at: Slowing down. A good cigar can take an hour or two. You really can’t rush it. I sit down, put the phone away for a while, have a strong coffee or a drink, think, read, talk with someone, or sometimes just do absolutely nothing. In a life that seems to move increasingly fast, I’ve come to really value that ritual. So when I was planning my London trip, one stop that was very high on my list was James J. Fox on St. James’s Street, where I arranged a private Cuban/New World cigar class for my friend and me. The history of the place is pretty incredible. The business on St. James’s Street traces its roots to 1787, when Robert Lewis began trading fine tobacco there. James J. Fox itself was founded in Dublin in 1881, expanded into London in 1947, and eventually acquired Robert Lewis in 1992, bringing the two historic tobacconists together. Among the customers associated with the St. James’s Street shop over the generations were royalty, Oscar Wilde and, most famously, Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill’s relationship with cigars began early. During his 1895 visit to Cuba as a young army officer and correspondent, he developed what became a lifelong affection for Havana cigars. He later became so closely associated with the large cigar format that we still casually use the word “Churchill” to describe that style of cigar today.

It’s MONDAY!! 🎉🎉 As I start another week, I’ve been thinking about intentionality and what that means in my own life. I know how easy it is for me to get caught up in what comes next. The next goal. The next project. The next thing I want to improve, accomplish or experience. I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. I enjoy growing, learning and continuing to push myself. But I also don’t want to become so focused on what’s next that I miss what’s happening right now. So one of the things I’m trying to be more intentional about is appreciating the life I’m actually living while I’m living it. Being intentional about how I show up. How I treat people. The effort I put into my work. The things I choose to learn. The people I make time for. Even something as simple as getting dressed in the morning and deciding how I want to present myself to the world. And alongside all of that, being intentional about gratitude. I’m thankful to have another Monday. Another week of opportunities, challenges, mistakes, conversations, experiences and hopefully a little more growth. I’m also thankful for the people in these groups. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from many of you, enjoyed getting to know you, and genuinely appreciate having a place to share some of the things I enjoy and some of the things I’m figuring out along the way. That’s where my head is on this fine Monday: keep moving forward, but don’t move so quickly that I forget to appreciate where I am. Today’s OOTD felt appropriate for that mindset as well — simple, comfortable and intentional. White shirt, blue trousers, tan shoes and the Panama getting some proper summertime use. 😎 I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday. I’m certainly thankful to have another one. 🎉👏 Wishing you all a wonderful Monday!

This is what can happen when you let your youngest choose your work outfit, she chose the Yiume shirt first and built the rest of the outfit from there, inckudi g the watch. My part in it was choosing the cap, Overcoat and bracelet. Oh and fragrence Today's pitfot consists of: Brixton Brood Cap in Washed Navy and Aluminium M.J. Bale Pascal leacoat on Navy Yiume Long Sleeve Blue Aloha Reef Rules Button-Down OTAA Bondi Navy Blue Pinstripe Floral with butterfly 🦋 light blue pocket square OTAA Navy Anchor Bracelet OTAA Marine Blue Ribbed socks CNES MTO Oxford with Goodyear welted construction and crafted from Italian crust leather SOTD - Vesace EROS Flame with Amore Cafe on the wrists WOTD - Islander Greenport - Stone Grey Dial with Sky Blue Accents