The Fine Things In Life

[chashardy]

Which astons?...had a db7 volante ...then to a porsche 996 turbo before back to a db9 volante...aa you say lovely cars...

Started with a Vantage but was looking for more of a grand touring type car and traded for a beautiful DB9 Volante. Crystal white convertible with cream colored hydes and mahogany trim. They are beautiful cars. But, have to say I always end up going back to Corvettes. I'm driving a 2016 Z06 convertible now. It's a beast and a blast to drive.

 

[spike.t]

Started with a Vantage but was looking for more of a grand touring type car and traded for a beautiful DB9 Volante. Crystal white convertible with cream colored hydes and mahogany trim. They are beautiful cars. But, have to say I always end up going back to Corvettes. I'm driving a 2016 Z06 convertible now. It's a beast and a blast to drive.

Nice my db9 was in the silver with blue leather and roof....also had a 1978 v8 vantage with factory handling kit...that was good fun as well.....always wanted a go in a late Corvette ..obviously with he hottest engine etc spec ...

 

[spike.t]

I suppose the finer things in life depends on what you are in to....with me it is or was...cars ..watches..guns...vintage port....a superb meal....yes as someone said they are only things...but it's what this thread is about in reality....the great life and family are of course great...but not really I think what the OP had in mind.....sure I will get some negative for that statement..but not my intention to piss anyone off.....

Going to leave mine at that, as probably bore people or some would sound bit strange...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

No, go for it Spike T. In this restricted year we have to live in our heads a bit more, invoke the imagination and also the memory. Appreciation Is a wonderful attribute, it goes beyond mere enjoyment and salutes those who went the extra mile to produce something exquisite.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A truly great fountain pen, like the Purdey Mont Blanc. On my list.
A crystal decanter for your best Scotch.

 

[John Telford]

Rifles in Their proprietary calibers Such as a .375 by Holland, 404 by Jeffery, 9,3 x62 by Mauser, 505 by Gibbs (still looking for that one)..

 

[mdwest]

+1 on fountain pens.

My personal favorite was a visconte medici... the body of mine snapped near the insert that the nib rests in several years back.. a truly sad day... I never replaced it..

I have several other fountain pens.. mostly common instruments from lamy, Parker, and waterman.. but haven’t been able to bring myself to spend the money to replace the visconte...

Truly a fine pen

 

[Alistair]

I've got a few.

Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 2006 (People say the 2008 is the best vintage. They're wrong.)

Jaeger le Coultre (A criminally under valued brand. As beautifully finished as the trifecta in my experience, but with arguably a better design heritage and at a third of the price.)

A piece of personally commissioned jewellery. A signet ring, some monogrammed cufflinks, whatever.

Trinidad Fundadores cigars

Scotch whisky. I've tried many, but the Glenfiddich 21 Gran Reserva stays in my thoughts.

Sheaffer Legacy fountain pens.

Fine glassware as someone said above. The town where I was born is famous for fine cut crystal so I'm accumulating a collection to take stateside with me.

Al.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Rifles in Their proprietary calibers Such as a .375 by Holland, 404 by Jeffery, 9,3 x62 by Mauser, 505 by Gibbs (still looking for that one)..

And a 416 by Rigby. Did Westley Richards ever have a proprietary cartridge?

 

[steve white]

pre 1980 Oxford bible, natural Morocco cover...great paper and print
First edition, "Tales of the African Frontier" by J A Hunter & Mannix (and other Africana)
Chas Frace' "Leopard" hanging in the trophy room

 

[spike.t]

No, go for it Spike T. In this restricted year we have to live in our heads a bit more, invoke the imagination and also the memory. Appreciation Is a wonderful attribute, it goes beyond mere enjoyment and salutes those who went the extra mile to produce something exquisite.

Ok...as I said cars....this is from a different life ....time..and world from here in zambia where I love my land cruiser....and as my father was into cars I will blame him....in a car especially an Italian exotic from the earlier days without every electric drivers aid that can be fitted...no finer thing than to learn the art of driving one correctly...from the starting procedure to letting it warm up...to learning to heel and toe on the down changes...so that when you drove it fast on a twisting road it all came together....that's a fine thing ...to drive a racing car and learn the limits....and to pump your balls up to take certain corners or difficult parts of a circuit flat in top gear ...when you know that's how it has to be done, and you work uo to it and finally do it...that is a fine thing ....to drive a Lamborghini countach qv on the limit on a circuit or the road on corners balancing it with the throttle ...that was one of the finer things in life....can think of more fine things with cars from 246 dino to first ever time driving a porsche 911...which was when I was an instructor at a racing drivers school and it was an open day where people brought their road cars to take around with us telling them what to do...after I had been around with the person the owner of the school said to him do you mind if he drives you around as he is desperateto have a go in a turbo....the customer said yes ...so off we went...all I knew about 911s was that you never lifted off in a corner...so did one lap to get feel and then went for it....going around a fast long right hander the back end came out and all I heard from the owner was oh my God...we were doing about 100 mph...all I thoughtwas dont lift off so pushed the throttleand we had a fantastic power slide on opposite lock for about 90 odd yards...think the owner was shitting himself...I had big grin thinking this is fkn great...so another fine thing to me....by the way when I asked if he would like to go around for another lap he just pointed at the pits for some reason... as I said probably strange for some people...but the finesse of being able to do that and the adrenalin and satisfaction to me is ine if the finest things and stays in my mind...quite a few more of those but definitely gone on waffling too long....as said love watches and guns...mostly rifles...had some beautiful Rigbys and a jeffery...and yeah vintage port...but these days makes me even loopier than normal......definitely must have caught @Velo Dog talkitis...so apologies for the length...but I was encouraged

 

[Newboomer]

My old truck is a 2005 Dodge Cummins 6 speed stick. Pre smog, pre piss tank, not a lot of garbage. Everyone wants it but no one is going to get it. I might decide to be buried in it.

With my Win 70 375HH in my hands.

 

[Alistair]

Ok...as I said cars....this is from a different life ....time..and world from here in zambia where I love my land cruiser....and as my father was into cars I will blame him....in a car especially an Italian exotic from the earlier days without every electric drivers aid that can be fitted...no finer thing than to learn the art of driving one correctly...from the starting procedure to letting it warm up...to learning to heel and toe on the down changes...so that when you drove it fast on a twisting road it all came together....that's a fine thing ...to drive a racing car and learn the limits....and to pump your balls up to take certain corners or difficult parts of a circuit flat in top gear ...when you know that's how it has to be done, and you work uo to it and finally do it...that is a fine thing ....to drive a Lamborghini countach qv on the limit on a circuit or the road on corners balancing it with the throttle ...that was one of the finer things in life....can think of more fine things with cars from 246 dino to first ever time driving a porsche 911...which was when I was an instructor at a racing drivers school and it was an open day where people brought their road cars to take around with us telling them what to do...after I had been around with the person the owner of the school said to him do you mind if he drives you around as he is desperateto have a go in a turbo....the customer said yes ...so off we went...all I knew about 911s was that you never lifted off in a corner...so did one lap to get feel and then went for it....going around a fast long right hander the back end came out and all I heard from the owner was oh my God...we were doing about 100 mph...all I thoughtwas dont lift off so pushed the throttleand we had a fantastic power slide on opposite lock for about 90 odd yards...think the owner was shitting himself...I had big grin thinking this is fkn great...so another fine thing to me....by the way when I asked if he would like to go around for another lap he just pointed at the pits for some reason... as I said probably strange for some people...but the finesse of being able to do that and the adrenalin and satisfaction to me is ine if the finest things and stays in my mind...quite a few more of those but definitely gone on waffling too long....as said love watches and guns...mostly rifles...had some beautiful Rigbys and a jeffery...and yeah vintage port...but these days makes me even loopier than normal......definitely must have caught @Velo Dog talkitis...so apologies for the length...but I was encouraged

I think there is a certain joy to be had in driving any car well. It's a pretty visceral thing that those who like cars and driving will understand and those who just drive to get places likely never will.

Yeah, ok, it's probably purer and more satisfying to nail that downshift, kiss that apex or really push the limits of traction in a proper performance car, but even a cheapy hatchback can become an experience if you know you're really on it and are playing on the ragged edge.

Certainly my cheap first car at 18 brought me loads of joy and satisfaction taking in out on the back roads late at night or in the snow and truly learning how to drive it, how to get the most out of it, how far you can push it before it goes, then learning to push it some more.

When you're driving a cheap car (especaly if you're 18 and therefore invincible), such passing concerns as 'accidents' or 'mortality' seem less pressing somehow. Plus in that old Golf, I could floor it through the first 3 gears of the box, reaching 5000rpm plus in each and still only be doing about 70, so much less chance of bans for speeding!

 

[spike.t]

I think there is a certain joy to be had in driving any car well. It's a pretty visceral thing that those who like cars and driving will understand and those who just drive to get places likely never will.

Yeah, ok, it's probably purer and more satisfying to nail that downshift, kiss that apex or really push the limits of traction in a proper performance car, but even a cheapy hatchback can become an experience if you know you're really on it and are playing on the ragged edge.

Certainly my cheap first car at 18 brought me loads of joy and satisfaction taking in out on the back roads late at night or in the snow and truly learning how to drive it, how to get the most out of it, how far you can push it before it goes, then learning to push it some more.

When you're driving a cheap car (especaly if you're 18 and therefore invincible), such passing concerns as 'accidents' or 'mortality' seem less pressing somehow. Plus in that old Golf, I could floor it through the first 3 gears of the box, reaching 5000rpm plus in each and still only be doing about 70, so much less chance of bans for speeding!

Yup had great fun in my alfasud ti with 1186cc engine...but back when we were playing with the countachs on the roads there wasn't too much in the way of speed traps... those days it was they had to catch you ......and mortality didn't appear in the brain till long after that ...or would never have got in a race car or got up to what we did with road cars....

 

[Alistair]

Yup had great fun in my alfasud ti with 1186cc engine...but back when we were playing with the countachs on the roads there wasn't too much in the way of speed traps... those days it was they had to catch you ...

Not so easy now sadly. I have no doubt that I could lose the fuzz on my bike at least, but its all a bit pointless if they'll just run your plates and send you a court summons...

 

[Philip Glass]

Armani tux
Wolf range w/ griddle
Fine whiskeys with friends

 

[spike.t]

Decanter of 1945...63..or 66 Taylor's vintage port with some nice stilton or mature cheddar...

 

[fish hunter]

Cold Budweiser
Wrangler jeans
Copenhagen snuff
Screaming bull elk
Walleye fillets on a camp fire

 

[JLF]

Remington 700 BDL Custom DeLuxe
Tanqueta, so I baptized my Renault 12, year 1980, I bought it to use it in my hunts, it is almost indestructible.
Good people and good friends.
The Mantecol

 

[318AE]

I’m also a fan of rifles in their proprietary cartridges - 300 and 375 Holland (there are many more), 275, 350 and 416 Rigby, 333 Jeffery and one could include the 450/400 3” as well (also known as 400 Jeffery). Westley Richards has the fine 318 WR and 425WR, and much less common 476 - still looking for that one.