Just in time for summer games season, we have improved our lighter weight kilt hose selection. A better blend and more color options to choose from. It never fails that in Oregon where it is perfect kilt weather 9 months of the year it goes from a pleasant 50 degrees and raining to 78 and blinding sun. You see we here in Oregon have Scottish weather about 9 months of the year. Oddly many of us here enjoy this cooler weather in the Northwest. Many Brits retire here, Washington and naturally Vancouver B.C. In Canada because the weather is so similar with warmer summers. My point is that when we get warmer weather here, we are just not used to it. At nearly eighty degrees it is a bit warm for kilts and gave me a chance to put the new lighter weight kilt hose to the test. They are sized generously with plenty of stretch. I have fairly large calves and they went over them with ease. I am also six feet tall and many kilt hose are a bit short to reach my knees. These new hose came right up to my knee with room to spare. We will be stocking these new hose in off white, black dark green and dark navy blue. We were sent the off white and the black. I assume we will the the other colors in the next shipment. On the first day our new kilt hose performed well with over an hour walking in the sun and I wore them all day. They kept their shape and were cooler to wear as advertised. You can’t go wrong with the Kilt & Thistle Brand merchandise. Kilt tested and kilt approved.

The Kilt & Thistle has now been serving you, our Scottish friends and loyal customers for fourteen years. From the start Cheryl and I knew that quality and consistency would be the benchmark of the values that we held dear. It would also become a very important part of our business model.
With that in mind we use and or give every product we handle a fair testing to make sure it meets your needs.
Our new Kilt & Thistle hose , the second wearing. Cheryl refuses to let me near the laundry equipment , as a bachelor of many years I acquired a unique way to do laundry. Frankly it scares Cheryl when I even get near the washing machine. So Cheryl was nice enough to wash my new kilt hose. Washing machine on warm water and cold rinse, and the hose wear hung to dry. In my original post I mention the slight extended length, which as a fellow of six foot tall is a welcome feature of any kilt hose. This hose will work well for much taller fellows as well without comprising the look of the hose. The washed version of our new kilt hose looked as good as they were coming out of the package. They did not seem to shrink any at all and retained that little extra length that I like.
Duncan’s Tip: For any hose new or not is to stretch the hose length wise before putting them on. This lengthens those other hose that don’t quite measure up and it relaxes the fibers to go around those of us with more desirable husky calves.
My daily walk is about thirty minutes to the shop on a average day, and about a mile by foot. Since I walk this nearly everyday, I get a chance to put wear on a product and test it before you have to. The sock held up very well during my walk. It kept it’s shape all day and without any sagging. Walking home that night they felt as good as they did that morning. I am confident that if you are looking for a mid weight kilt hose that will work in most North American climates , that the new Kilt and Thistle kilt hose is an excellent value.

My last try at a single malt is the Highland Park label. Highland Park 12 year old is certainly on the smokey side of Glennlivet or Glennfiddich. The color is very amber and sits in the glass well. When you want one of the Highland Malts Highland Park should be one you try. It starts smokey and ends up with a mild sweet finish. Certainly try this one with your favorite cigar. My next is a belnded Scoth under the label of Grant’s.

There once was a band called Bold Riley, well that’s how the story starts. This last Saturday evening was the time of much merriment as the band Bold Riley played at Cafe Noir. Bold Riley’s first performance was at the Reed Opera Mall for the Kilt & Thistle Celtic Holiday Celebration in December of 2009. Bold Riley was a three person band at the time and sounded great. It was hard to believe the band could sound even better with the terrific addition of a flute player/vocalist, but it did. The band sounded as professional as I have ever heard. The four had only three weeks rehearsal before this show and sounded like they had been together for years. For those of you like myself that are tied to a computer far too often, the evening out was a great time. A time a seeing many local friends like our new one Deb Parker from the NW St. Andrews Society, Cherie Renae of Cherie Renae Studios possibly one of the best wedding photographers around. Speaking of excellent photographers , our own Laura Devoe was the there escorted by a very sharp looking chap. They sat at our table along with Rebecca Maitland, Manager of the Reed Opera Mall. Cafe Noir was standing room only and many had to stand, as it was a very packed house. Bold Riley kept the entire crowd singing, and clapping through the entire two hour show. Random dancing would have broken out had there been more room. Laura Devoe, experienced Highland Dancer could hardly contain herself. Chris Buckley is the catalyst for Bold Riley had having known him since his youth, I was very proud of the show and his dedication to entertaining the crowd. The show ended on a high note with a surprise tune from Chris and the band. I can not wait to see the next shows at Brown’s Town Lounge on Wednesday the 17^th for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, and again on Friday night for a repeat performance. Saturday night a t the Coffee House Cafe for Spring Break. See more at www.boldriley.net

Christmas at the Kilt & Thistle

Saturday’s Celtic Christmas at our retail store in the Reed Opera Mall was over the top terrific. Probably one of, if not the best, in store events we have ever done. Music was supplied by Chris Buckle’s new band Bold Riley. An traditional Irish three piece band, Buckley on guitar/vocals, Andi on fiddle/vocals, and Romney on bodhran. Pulling of a great performance with only two months in rehearsal. This band has great potential. Colin Robertson came through with a cadre of dancers from Celtic Footprints, the premier dance group. The sword dance, highland fling, and the chant-ruse were all done to the delight of a very healthy crowd. The Reed Mall , home of our retail store, saw a great many more shoppers than I expected with the iced roads and poor weather. Special thanks goes to Rebecca Maitland of the Reed Opera Mall for doing the heavy lifting for this event, as well as Chris Buckley and Colin Robertson for making this all possible. We will have videos and pics up as soon as we can get them sorted out.

Why is it that a guy can remember the name of the tight end for the Green Bay Packers that scored the winning touchdown in the 2003 Super bowl, but can’t remember his wifes Birthday. Let alone her sizes and dare I say her taste in , well anything. OK you’re pretty sure that she prefers red when it comes to tool boxes and naturally Delta skil saws are her preference when doing construction. But guys, what is so hard about knowing the least little thing about your significant other? There are men that do pay attention, but why does being John Wayne include a deep lack of knowledge about what your wife or girl friend would want for Christmas?
I bring this up after many years in retail seeing a battalion of men stumble into our retail store one after another, with what I call “deer in the headlights” look on their face. They shop once a year, and not really sure why! They go for something safe jewelry, because to pick out clothing would require even more work, the rare knowledge of her sizes.

Now I will brag a little here , but I do not consider me that unusual , or work extra hard at knowing the least little thing about my wife, but I do pretty well.
I must say as much as I considered my father to be a great guy, he was just as bad as many others.
He once confided in me a story that finally even embarrassed the John Wayne of our family. My Father after many years of vain attempts to buy things for my Mother he finally gave up. He told me that year after year everything he would buy would go back as he called “trading stock”  for the after Christmas returns. So he decided why go through the effort, he finally went into the Nordstrom ladies department, ask one of the sales girls to pick out some things according to his budget, her choice, and then proceed directly to the gift wrap department. He had no idea what he had bought, but there were always presents under the tree for my Mother. Until one year, you see this kind of apathy leads to more apathy, and one year he forgot his trip to Nordstrom. My Mother was devastated, and at the time, we kids were to young to buy for her and she had nothing under the tree. Now before you judge him too harshly, that man went to a job he hated for thirty two years straight, and never called in sick. He always made sure we had food on the table and a roof over our head. Born during the Depression, he knew that the essentials were a little more important than a few presents under the tree. But what is your excuse? We have know fifty years of the greatest prosperity on the planet, and you don’t even know your wifes dress size.
One year a good friend of mine wanted me to go Christmas shopping with him. I found out that he wanted me to help him with things for his wife. When he wanted me to help him pick out intimate apparel for her, I was a little suspicious. did he think that I had seen something that I should not have? Frankly I knew her sizes exactly, not because I had intimate knowledge of her sizes , but once you know the least little bit about womens clothing, it really is not that hard. Small women are easier, the larger the girl, the harder it is to estimate some specific sizes. I have also spent a great deal of time and energy, on my own with women of all sizes, purely as an investigation mind you. Once he gave her the presents, I found out that I did guess wrong on some of the colors for that intimate apparel, she doesn’t like green, but I got the cup size exactly. Go figure!

Our three lines are as follows, our Kilt & Thistle Premium Line, comprised of merchandise actually made in Scotland or of Scottish quality such as L&M Highland Outfitters the makers of our Premium Line of sporrans and leather items. This merchandise is made in Nova Scotia , but is frankly as good or better than anything any Scottish sporran maker ever put out.

Our Halifax Line is imported at our request and to our specifications. The closest to Scottish quality we could get outside of our Premium Line suppliers. The quality is a high quality product that competes with our Kilt & Thistle Premium Line , but with a more favorable price.
Our Great Value Line is exactly that , a great value. A budget line that looks to solve the budget problems of the young gent just getting started in life, or the budget minded individual that wants to wear Scottish apparel , but just does not have the budget to step up to premium Scottish merchandise.
What ever line you choose , we will work with you on your purchase as if it was us or our best friend, because the goal is to have you as a “customer for life”.

William Duncan
Capitalist