gallus lad – Gallus Lad

My “SPRING” Wishlist

March 22, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in MENSWEAR

Regular readers will know that my blog is usually reserved for my writing about style mistakes which I have witnessed each week or gleefully boasting about the wonderful trips that I have managed to wrangle unsuspecting people into accompanying me on. However, this week is a little different.

With this being the first week of the Spring season … I was reminded of New York’s SPRING store which I was introduced to at roughly this time last year. I love rediscovering online stores; however, I ALWAYS end up flicking through the site and adding approximately 60% off their offering to my “TO BUY” list that I keep on my phone. It’s an expensive process…

So below…is a Top Ten Wishlist from SPRING this Spring.

1) Comme De Garcons Play – Peek A Boo

Living in Scotland, wearing canvas trainers is the equivalent of living on a knife edge. Even in the height of Summer we have the ever-present threat of rain. However, for these Peek A Boo beauties, I am willing to take this wet-sock risk. I think I have found the ideal pair of Summer trainers for me this year. I’d pair these with a some light blue slim-leg jeans and a plain white tee to create the perfect Summer barbecue outfit.

2) Uniqlo – Oxford Shirt (Pink)

I have big-love for the brand Uniqlo. It makes the staff uncomfortable. Unfortunately, Uniqlo haven’t yet opened a store in Glasgow, resulting in me always finding the nearest Uniqlo store whenever I travel out of the city. This particular shirt mixes Uniqlo with two of my other Menswear passions …oxford shirts and pastel colours. A great item for the office during the Summer months.

3) Uniqlo – Short Socks

Nothing fancy. These were added to the list because I need new short socks. Carry on…

4) Pintrill – Speech Bubble Pin

Those who know me personally will be aware that I am a big collector of pins. Whenever I travel I buy one of these tourist pins you see being sold in shops with titles like “I LOVE LONDON”. The SPRING accessories store (unisex) has a good collection of day-to-day pins …but this one was definitely my favourite.

5) Ray-Ban – Clubmaster Wood

When buying Ray-Ban glasses you can always be guaranteed both style and quality. The Clubmaster Wood only further enforces this reputation…

6) Gents – Matt Paint Splatter Cap

There are two types of people who can successfully pull this cap off. Body Builders and professional football players. I fit into neither of these categories (clearly). However, I do fancy taking a risk on it and seeing what sort of feedback I get…

*Bonus Note* …and the need for this model to be topless is??

7) Scoop – Knit Jacket

Another article for my office wardrobe. Combining the polished look of a smart blazer with all of the comfort of your favourite house-sweater. Superb.

8) Axel Arigato – Chukka White Marble Sole

Drool. Everywhere.

9) Everlane – Large Backpack

Backpacks are an essential item for me, especially when I am travelling or attending some kind of convention. It is also an item you need be extra careful when selecting though. There is only a tiny line between the stylish gent look and the private school-boy look! That’s why I included this Everlane Large Backpack on my wishlist. Simple, elegant, stylish.

10)Uniqlo – Dry Stretch Pants

I love these. Uniqlo does it again!
Combine this with an open neck white shirt for a casual summer look.

Let me know what you guys think, what is on your TO BUY list this Spring?

Travel Blog: Berlin (Part 2)

January 19, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in GERMANY, TRAVEL

The world I heard most often in Berlin was definitely “rebuilt”.

From the time I spend there, one thing became perfectly clear, Berlin was bombed to ruins during the Second World War. Seriously, go on the “big red tourist bus”; I promise almost every single attraction will have been “rebuilt” after the war.

One of those attractions to have been rebuilt was Berlin Zoo.

Germany’s oldest zoo, it hosts a collection of over 16,000 animals. Rebuilt after the war, it received heavy artillery fire; only 91 of the animals survived the war. I loved Berlin zoo. While I am not entirely comfortable with the thought of a zoo at all, there is no denying that seeing some of the world’s rarest animals is a thrilling experience. The zoo’s separate aquarium is also absolutely worth the money.

After the Zoo, we headed along to the infamous Alexanderplatz; the largest urban square in the whole of Germany. If I am honest with you, we didn’t spent much time in the square. At that time of year (December) it is entirely taken over by a Christmas market and shopping stalls. If I am honest with you, by this point in the trip, we were both pretty much burned out on these entertainment options.

However, my girlfriend and I spent significantly more time in another German urban square, Postdamer Platz. During the war, Potsdamer Platz was almost completely destroyed (as with most other things…) and spent more than 40 years in a state of wasteland located between the East and West. After the city’s reunification though, Berlin had the unique opportunity to completely rebuild a section of their city centre. They have done well; even the sceptics have had to admit that Potsdamer Platz has been a great success.

My MUST SEE from Postdamer Platz is Panoramapunkt, a stunning viewing platform offering a 360° panoramic view of Berlin. This offers one of the best opportunities for photographs in the whole of Berlin; a must for budding photographers.
An added bonus is the ability to ride the fastest lift in Europe; taking just 20 seconds to reach the top the 24^th floor. Stomach churning, but enjoyable!

Checkpoint Charlie was next on this speedy tour of the city. Checkpoint Charlie is the most famous East German-West German border crossing. You will no doubt have heard of/seen it before; this particular army crossing is a favourite for many thriller and espionage movies. One of the reason for its fame is the so-called “tank stand-off” which occurred on October 1961 during the Cold War.
The threat of war was high; but no one fired. It is a really interesting story, if you’re not aware of it, you should look it up.

After all of this walking around the city … we felt we needed a little substanance to fill our rumbling bellies! Pfffft, who needs substanence when you can have sugar!

Fassbender and Rausch is the famous Chocolate producer from the center of Berlin. However, it isn’t just a haven for those with a sweet tooth, it also offers plenty in the way of eye candy: scaled-down (yet somehow still enormous) chocolate sculptures of Berlin landmarks. You can pick a selection of specially made sweets; however, we ended up buying pre-packaged chocolate (which was lovely) after sauntering around lost for a while. We simply couldn’t make our minds up. Far too much to choose from! haha

Close to the Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Made up of 2,711 concrete pillars of varying heights, the final appearance creates a grid-like structure. The uneven terrain helps with the overall effect, creating a beautiful wave like effect. It’s powerful to see and is a fitting tribute to those lost in such a horrific manner.

Now… last week I promised to talk about the Reichstag Glass Dome.

This was the last thing we did in Berlin, attending on our final night. The Reichstag was redesigned between 1994 and 1999 as a modern Parliament building with an attempt to retain the extensive, historical dimensions.

Part of the redesign was the opening of an accessible Glass Dome. Originally the glass generated a lot of controversy, but has since become one of the landmarks of Berlin. You can see why. It’s a stunning piece of architecture.