The watch Nadal displayed throughout the tournament was none other than a Richard Mille and is entitiled the RM 027. For anyone who doesn’t know, Richard Mille watches are some of the most expensive and intricate in the world. Each is a work of mechanical art as well as a timepiece and a pleasure to look at. The company has always loved challenges and the RM 027 is Mille’s answer to one of the most amazing tasks ever taken on by a watchmaker. To make a watch light enough to not affect Rafa’s play, the company knew it had to have a combined weight of no more than 20 grams. This is the weight of four nickels. Thats including the strap.

The people at Richard Mille did this by using the lightest-weight materials in the world. That meant combining pieces of alloy, titanium, carbon and lithium, which is one of the world’s lightest materials. Add to this a polycarbonate strap and you have yourself a $525,000 watch strong enough to take the hardest wrapping forehand, slicing backhand, dive, slide, and serve the King of Clay can deliver. Nadal has agreed to wear the watch in all Matches and that says a lot about both the watch and the player.

There are a ton of cool things about Mangrate that make Freddie a fan. The first is the most obvious; it makes amazing steakhouse-quality steaks on your home grill. How does it do this? The answer is the 100% cast iron construction of the simple design. The owner, Evan bought a restaurant a few years ago, ripped out the grill and went straight home, throwing a section of it on top of his own BBQ. He realized then that it was what the grill was made of that affects taste, and the increased temperature put off by the thicker metal allows for a higher degree of heat directly to the steak. Another great feature is that the Mangrate will cook your frozen steaks to perfection right out of the freezer! That is HUGE, especially if you like to grill on a fly. You’re frozen or fresh steaks, chicken, fish, pizzas, and sausages have now met their match.

We first heard of the Mangrate through our friend Adam Carolla. Mangrate stepped up and offered to become one of Carolla’s first sponsors for his podcast. If Ace backs Mangrate, you know it’s the real deal. Head to AdamCarolla.com and click on the Mangrate link to get 25% off the normal price of $65. This is a company worth supporting. Every Mangrate is made right here in the beautiful United States of America and they were able to keep a mid-western steel mill in business just with their orders. So on this Fourth of July, support our country, our national pastime and maybe most importantly, our appetites by supporting Mangrate. We promise your grill and your guests will thank you.

Quiksilver OG Scalloped Boardshort

With a retro feeling, this boardshort is still riding the wave of a few years ago. Unlike many of the crazy Mountain Dew fluorescents that were so popular circa 2008, the simple black and purple of this suit make it timeless. Best for a wearer with a good tan or and olive or darker complexion. Available through the Quiksilver website.

Ralph Lauren 5″ Seersucker Swim Boxer

Channel your inner Jay Gatsby with these vintage-style swim boxers. With a 5″ inseam. these swimmies are slightly longer and more forgiving than the Quiksilver pair. They will work with a variety of skin tones and body shapes. All American, apple pie, crab cakes on the West Egg kinda shit. RalphLauren.com.

Tommy Bahama Risky Business Swim Trunks

As we mentioned before not every dude looks like an olympic athlete, but what we didn’t mention is that every guy should have the confidence of one. The is a great option for those Freddies out there that may have a few extra pounds their still getting rid of. To avoid the normal stigma attached to elastic-waisted suits, get this pair of trunks snug not matter what size you are.

Ralph Lauren 6′ Molokai Floral Trunk

These things are sick. Perfect for a European vacation or a trip to your favorite stretch of sand, this pair of trunks are just plain beautiful. Ralph nailed the Caribbean Hawaiian vibe with the laid back style while the colors and pattern are beyond impressive.

Volcom Scalloped Fade Boardshort

Similar in shape but a few inches longer than the Quiksilver model, this pair from Volcom also taps into that 80’s retro vibe. To let you know, the trunk also comes in an orange and yellow version that is great for the a paler complexion. If you haven’t caught on by now, a lighter color suit makes a lighter complexion come off with a bit less contrast.

So here we have shown you a few of the coolest pairs of trunks for this summer. As you may have noticed, classics rule this summer as they really have every summer. So grab yourself a pair and hit the beach, because summer only comes once a year.

Carney’s a good guy from the midwest with a quick smile and a quick wit. New to the southern Californian area, he already has installed himself behind a bar and is making  some great drinks. Our personal favorite of Carney’s is called a Black Opal, but for ease, summer day relevance and crowd pleasing, the Sangria recipe is hard to beat.

Sangria:

This recipe will make enough sangria four about four to six drinks. If more or less is desired, just shift measurements accordingly.

16 oz. Cabernet (Any decent one will do.)

4 oz. Riesling (Again, any one you would drink on its own is great, and Cava may be substituted if desired.)

2 oz. Mango juice

2 oz. Passion juice

2  oz. Cranberry juice

2  oz. Simple Syrup (Equal parts sugar and water heated and stirred until mixed. Let cool.)

Add sliced Apples, Pears, Pineapples and Oranges to the pitcher and stir. Top with one ounce of soda before serving.

The Black Opal

1/2 oz. Vodka

1/2 oz. White Rum

1/2 oz. Tequila

1/2 oz. Gin

1/2 oz. Chambord

2 oz. Sweet & Sour

2 oz. Sprite or 7 Up

This recipe might look familiar, and it should. It’s all the things that make up the classic Adios Motherfucker, but with simply Chambord replacing Blue Curacao. No one said you had to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes just a slight tweak on the original can create a pretty melody. Just ask Amy Winehouse.

Harvey’s Guss Butcher Shop

This one is for the pro or close to it. This place is full of history, great meats and a sometimes-business, sometimes-friendly guy named Harvey. Harvey’s has long been one of LA chef’s best kept secrets and the reason is obvious. The meat is AMAZING, dry aged, and reasonably priced for the quality you’re getting. Be forewarned though, this place is meant for chefs. That means no fancy store, no holding of hands and 24 to 36 hour advanced order. Know what you want before you call, and be prepared to pay cash. But if you’ve eaten a steak at almost any of the best local steakhouses, you’ve found out what all the fuss is about. The real deal.

Marconda’s

Another one of the pro’s favorites is tucked into LA’s famous Farmer’s Market. This place has amazing ribeyes, tri-tip, lamb and made-on-site sausages. Some may say the guys behind the counter are a little cold, but we’re at the butcher’s people! Embrace the old school vibe and if they give you a little attitude, give em’ some back, but with a smile. Also, their homemade meat loaf will convert even the most fervent opposition.

Huntington Meats

Just a short walk from Marconda’s in the Farmer’s Market, this place may just take the cake as our favorite. Dan and Jim behind the counter are great, both willing to take some time to answer questions and when applicable, give out some samples. If you want a little hand-holding and a bit of an education, this is the place to go. We were glad to hear these guys love Harris Ranch cuts, a trusted name for great sustainable hormone-free prime meat. In addition, Huntington has great pork, ham, lamb and even suckling pig. Another major plus of this place are the great sausages made in dizzying variety (think Apple Cinnamon Chicken and Pepper and Onion) and some great jerky. If all this isn’t enough, their own line of sauces and chutneys are ridiculous, especially the Chipotle Lime BBQ and the Mango Chutney.

The Farms

If you’re on or near the Westside, this is a great place to go. The people are friendly, the hours are good and after 35 years in the same place, you know you can trust them. Unlike Harvey’s, feel free to walk in anytime from 8 a.m to 8 p.m during the week or until seven on the weekend, and cut it up (pun intended) with the guys behind the counter before placing your order. Near the holidays, give ‘em a few days notice. This place also has fresh organic produce and some great wines.

Above we have given you the closest to a real butcher we have here in Hollywood (Harvey’s is 100% legit). We know we’ve left a few great mom and pop markets like Bel Air Prime Meats off the list and a ton of great carnicerias in deeper LA but for convenience, you not getting shot, and avoiding huge mark ups, we think the list above will do. If you happen to live in a place that has nothing even close to these, Whole Foods has a great butcher department at almost every store with dry-aging available at most. The above endorsed establishments are everything that is great about food. Personal relationships, getting an education, and supporting the best and most ethical farmers should be on the top of your list when you’re feeding yourself. Spend some time at a few of these places and we know you gain some knowledge, some confidence, and what the hell, maybe even a few pounds.

The greatest player to put on a pair of tennis shoes has a style that both dominates and outsmarts his opponents. John Mcenroe calls his forehand shot “the best weapon in the game” and his single-handed backhand does things that boggle the mind. If you happen to be a player, notice that Federer is a master of the slice return and taking angles away. The most important lesson you can take from Federer as a player is that he is in impeccable shape. This is what has led him to victory in so many five set matches as well as allows him to get perfect position on the ball.

Off the court, Federer lives a life that even Freddie has to admit is pretty amazing. His sponsors include Rolex, Net Jets, Mercedes-Benz and of course, Nike. His lifetime (What!?) deal with Nike is not dissimilar to Michael Jordan’s and the guy’s making more money that God on a yearly basis. Federer is known for having great fashion tastes and is almost always dressed well. To this point, we think his custom white blazer he wears at Wimbledon is pretty much the epitome of badass. Federer is also known for being a great sportsman and always wins and loses with grace and style, if maybe a bit too much crying, but if you so completely dominated a sport in the same way, we’d give you a pass as well. It is important to remember to have the same even-keeled approach to life and remember that you can’t win every (single) time. Roger Federer is an amazing tennis player, liver of the good life, and by all accounts, a pretty great guy as well. So take some parts of his game, on court and off, and plug them into your own.

The Flower Diagram:

This great exercise from Dick Bolles’ What Color is Your Parachute? (It can also be found online) is perfect for a recent graduate, someone considering a career change, or anyone else looking to generally map out their lives for the future. The best characteristic of the exercise is that it helps you to identify your values and those you seek in a professional environment. It takes some time and is best worked on over a few sittings, but the Flower Diagram a very powerful and useful tool.

Jung/Myers-Briggs:

Probably the most popular and widely-used personality test around. After answering a series of questions you are assigned a four-letter personality type (No, FUCK is not an option). Depending on exactly what test you take the letters may vary, but generally they deal with how you learn, how you make decisions and how you perceive the world around you. Most everyone loves to hear themselves described, so many enjoy taking this test and learning the results.

CA Career Zone Self-Assessment:

This a short test that can be found at the CA Career Zone website. The assessment helps to identify what you want in a career and what you probably would do well, and as important, those fields that you probably would not do very well in. Knowing your limitations and weaknesses is just as important as knowing your strengths, especially in a professional setting. After you complete the test, a series of possible professions are offered and although some may seem comical, read through the entire list and we’ll be surprised if you don’t find one or two that seem a perfect fit.

Keirsey Temperament II Test:

Similar in structure to the Myers-Briggs, this great assessment available at Keirsey.com will put you into one of four groups; Guardian, Artisan, Idealist or Rational. This assessment we believe does the best job of informing a person what characteristics go along with their personality type. We were surprised how spot-on many of the descriptions were and highly recommend everyone take this test.

Creax Creativity Self-Assessment:

This test is very easy to complete, requiring approximately fifteen minutes. After filling out a very brief survey, you will be asked a series of questions about yourself. You are shown a line with a movable check to rate yourself from “A lot like me” to “Not like me at all”. The freedom this way of judging your personality allows is a nice touch.You are then asked a serious of random questions and finally given a creativity index score. The purpose of this test is not to say whether one is creative of not, but to tell what kind of creative you are. This great assessment can be located online at http://www.creax.com/csa/frame.asp?session=zero.

The overall lesson to be taken away from this article and these assessments is to know thyself. After much debate, we believe this may be the “meaning of life”. Without proper knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses, true brilliance in any form cannot be recognized. So take a few of these tests or find your own if you’d rather. The most important thing is spend some time looking within because at the end of the day, you’ve only got yourself.

1.) Smile and Keep Any Problems to Yourself

Take like the British in this regard and keep your personal problems personal when meeting new people. With the odd exception of your problem being of the comical nature, keep your personal issues for conversation with closer friends, or if you live in the LA area, your therapist. In first encounters you should be upbeat and emphasize the positive.

2.) Contribute to the Conversation

Although asking open ended questions is a steadfast way to start and keep alive a conversation, if your opposition adheres to the rule above they want to keep most personal information somewhat to themselves. Forget the “what do you do/ where are you from” stalk questions and instead bring up a relevant current event and voice your opinion after asking for and listening to theirs. Talk about a cool band’s new CD or the upcoming championship rather than the oil spill. Remember to keep it positive.

3.) Be Funny, or as Funny as You Can

Injecting appropriate humor into a conversation is the #1 way to be remembered well, especially if you’re not a male model. Don’t get out of line or worse yet, try to be the comedian guy. One or two well-placed jokes is all that is needed to be remembered as even more funny than you may have been.

4.) Remember Names and Use Them

Remembering and using peoples names are both great ways to be recalled in a positive way. More importantly though, they can go hand in hand. When someone first introduces themselves to you either associate their name with one of their features or a feature of the situation or repeat it three times to yourself, emphasizing it carefully each time. Then within the conversation, use their name, either directly to them or in a joking way to one of their friends. Either way, everyone loves to hear their name used and you will touch a good nerve in them by doing so.

5.) Shake Hands Like You Mean It

There is nothing more repellent in a new meeting than a horrible handshake. Well maybe a few things, but it certainly doesn’t help. The handshake sets the tone of the relationship and is a perfect time to inject a little bit of who you are. If meeting a person you want to impress, say a prospective employer, match their strength being careful not to exceed it. A woman deserves more attention. Take her hand and cradle it, if appropriate, using your other as a guide. Hold the hand shake for a beat longer if she appears interested. But ladies, this doesn’t mean that you should simply extend a limp limb as many seem to. A woman should present a confident outstretched hand with palm slightly faced down. Start the conversation in the right manner with an appropriate hand shake and often the rest will flow naturally.

The tips above may seem obvious but are far too often forgotten. These rules of course, are dependent upon other measures that will boost your confidence. Never leave the house in clothes that don’t make you feel your best, work out, and take care of your physical appearance. Develop hobbies and educate yourself. All of these things produce one factor that almost every person is attracted to: Confidence. Notice we say confidence. After all, in the words of Freddie, “It takes a whole lot of confidence, and just a little bit of cockiness.”

The style of alcoholic sweet tea that we have become accustomed to today first gained fame at the 1904 St. Louis World’s fair, and soon made its way into the homes and hands of some of the south’s most influential figures. Where tea is held in complete reverence by some eastern and european cultures, leave it to the good old USA to bring a little life to the party.

Jeremiah Weed is actually a tea-flavored vodka, but drinks almost exactly like a glass of rich, sweet ice tea, making it perfect for those with sensitive taste buds. The great thing is that you can simply substitute it for the real thing; perfect in an Arnold Palmer or any other favorite drink calling for iced tea. Be careful though, because the Weed can be lethal, and your drunk will creep up on you because of its unassuming taste.

The spirit is available at many grocery and liquor stores, and also online at Bevmo.com for around $17. Get a bottle today and have the perfect remedy for your summer day dilemma.

After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, Bill Hackett and David Courts started the now famous British jeweler Courts and Hackett. They quickly realized their shared interest in bizarre and exotic imagery and designs would lead to intricate and amazing creations. One of this first major projects they decided to undertake would be to create a silver mold of a human skeleton. A detailed skull ring based on a cast made from the actual human skull was the first completed item. The night the first ring was ready to wear happened to be the night that Keith’s birthday invitation came to their door, and the rest is history.

Because the ring has meant so much not only to Keith but to the two jeweler’s business, they decided that there should be no duplicates of it made. In fact, Courts and Hackett shied away from literally thousands of requests to recreate the famous ring. Finally, in the late 2000’s Courts and Hackett decided it was time to appease the people and set rumors of the origin of Keith’s ring to rest. After giving, you guessed it, Johnny Depp two of the first produced in the new series, the rings became available to the public for the first time in almost thirty years. Although the ring is not a technical copy of Keith’s, it is made from a cast of the same human skull. Upon inspection, the detail involved is obvious and makes that of other skull rings almost laughable by comparison. If you want the real thing, this is it. For more information and to purchase your ring, go to CourtsandHackett.com. Make Keith and Freddie Happy.