» Peter Buchanan-Smith: Designer + Founder, Best Made Co.

My A-list

Peter Buchanan-Smith: Designer + Founder, Best Made Co.

Country Inspired but City Styled, His Design-Centric Axe's Will Make Your Gift List and His A-List Will Improve Your Lifestyle

ELAINE SAYS: It started like any romance...I noticed, admired, fantasized. I couldn't shake the image. It stuck with me, creeping into my thoughts, finding it's way onto my...well...gift list. Lithe and lovely, dare I say, sexy, these limited edition, hand painted and absolutely gorgeous....Axe's [yes] by NYC-based Graphic Designer turned Product Designer/Craftsman, Peter Buchanan-Smith, beautifully speak to us city folk who also enjoy the country flavor. Now the cardinal product in his BEST MADE CO.'S line of design-centric but manly and practical goods, his Axe's speak to a simple value while also boasting pedigree, having been hung in the Saatchi Gallery in London and featured in many prominent newspapers and design mags. The contrast echoes the inherent dichotomy in Peter's lifestyle, which can be described as, "designer meets outdoorsman". Here, he delivers on both, sharing this NYC-based list filled with everything from stylish restaurants and urban escapes to a DIY-ers dream of hands-on resources...with a little bit of playful fun mixed in. [photo courtesy, Finn O'Hara]

SHOP PETER'S ONLINE FINDS:

Eat Well: Lobel's of New York SHOP | LOCATION: Lobel's of New York 1096 Madison Avenue [Upper Eastside]One of the first Best Made axes went into splitting the hardwood fire that was used to cook a $100 wagyu steak bought at Lobel's. This is one of the more unassuming butcher shops you'll set foot in, but the quality is beyond compare. Whenever a celebration calls for it I head straight to Lobel's for the best meat and expert steak advice.
Project Perfect: Lee Valley Tools SHOP | LOCATION: Lee Valley Tools, CanadaThis is a place where the catalog will inspire amazing projects, and no matter what the project I can always find the right tool here, and if I can't find it then chances are the project wasn't even worthwhile! Lee Valley also has a nifty assortment of gadgets, toys, puzzles, and old tool catalogs. Perfect place for anyone to seek inspiration to build and grow things.
Big Kid Bonanza: American Science and Surplus SHOPYou don't have to buy anything from this place to appreciate the splendor, excitement and allure of objects. Where else can you find spade robot parts, 49 rubber bumpers, a hydraulic making kit, whoopee cushions, and a conductivity pen? This is a place that adults can dream big and be kids again.
Good, Clean, Fun: Pears Soap SHOPIf there is one brand in this world I have been the most loyal to in life it's gotta be Pears soap. Pears smells good (a scent beyond comparison, somewhere between cedar, sandalwood, and smoke), it lasts long, and can be bought by the case for half the price of a normal bar of soap. Sure I may smell like the old headmaster of a British boarding school but I can imagine worse.
A Wine Find: Stew Leonard's Wines and Spirits SHOP | LOCATION: Stew Leonard's Wine and Spirits Rt. 17 Paramus, New JerseyThere's nothing terribly exception about Stew Leonard's except that it's directly on the way up to Lumberland NY (Best Made's secret upstate hideout and camp ground). Speaking from firsthand experience I can vouch for their selection of IPA's, bourbons, and California reds… by the time the weekend's over everything else is a blur!
Outdoor Adventure Experts: Tents and Trails SHOP | LOCATION: Tents and Trails 21 Park Place, NYC [Tribeca-Lower Manhatten]If you've been to The Strand bookstore in New York then know that this is the outdoor equipment equivalent: vast, floor to ceiling jam packed, disorganized, and full of good deals and character. Word has it that it's even the first stop for for many Nepalese sherpas looking for work stateside. Nothing beats planning for your next adventure and this is the spot to scheme big.

VISIT PETER'S LOCAL FAVES:

Au Poivre C'est Magnifique: Raoul's VISIT WEBSITE | LOCATION: Raoul's 180 Prince Street, NY [Soho]Without a doubt the best steak au poivre you'll ever sink your teeth into, so good in fact you need not order anything else on the menu (aside from a bottle of bordeaux). Raoul's is NYC-French at it's best: it has all the warmth of an old neighborhood standby with the buzz of something new and exciting. If I was ever sent away to war Raoul's would be the place I would dream of coming back to for a first meal.
A Perfect Piece...or 3....of Pie: The Dutch VISIT WEBSITE | LOCATION: The Dutch 131 Sullivan Street, NY [Soho]Across the street from Raoul's, new to the scene, The Dutch is one of the cozier restaurants in the city and if you're lucky enough to get a reservation here then I suggest always going for the pie, get one piece of every flavor. If it's a last minute plan then the weekend brunches are always quiet and relaxed and easy to get into.
A Rare Respite: The Garden at St. Luke's Church LOCATION: The Garden at St. Luke's Church 487 Hudson Street, New YorkThis really is like a secret hidden garden- so secret that I hope I don't get death threats from my neighbors about announcing my love for it here. A perfect place to escape the city for a minute or an entire afternoon.
Their Farms, Your Table: Barryville Farmer's Market VISIT WEBSITE | LOCATION: Barryville Farmer's Market 3385 Route 97, Barryville, NYThe closest farmers market to Best Made's secret hideout and campground in Lumberland NY. We'll hit the farmer's market in Barryville every Saturday for fresh supplies of homemade rhubarb strawberry pie, meats, and seasonal vegetables. Plus it's a great place to catch up with our friends and the latest gossip in town. [pictured: "Sweetie," A goat belonging to vendor, Green Pasture Farms]
Hardware Heaven: Chinatown Buidling Supply Inc LOCATION: Chinatown Building Supply Inc 72 Walker Street #1, NY [Tribeca-Lower Manhatten]I love this place because it's family owned and operated and most of the stock hasn't been replaced since the early 80s (with a layer of dust to prove it). Nothing's worse than having to run back and forth to the hardware store for parts you neglected to budget in your project- well this is one and a half blocks from Best Made in lower Manhattan, Tribeca.
A Book Store To Live For: Three Lives & Company VISIT WEBSITE | LOCATION: Three Lives and Company 154 West 10th Street, NY [Greenwich Village]Bar none the best bookstore in the entire world! Small, cozy, the perfect place to while away the better part of a sunday afternoon. Relative to The Strand or any of the big chains, Three Lives always has the absolutely perfect selection, staffed by people who simply love books. Plus I insist that we all support our local independent bookstores!