In the first blog post for sunglasses brand, Tens, we touched upon how the company was formed and they have been part of the Apothecary 87 Global Brand Celebration (#A87GBC). Now we want to share with you a bit more about the journey and how awesome these amazing lenses really are to experience! 

Ten's first launched on well known crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo, and reached their initial target of £10,000 within two hours of launching the campaign which was just phenomenal. To give you guys an idea of how successful their launch campaign was, in the end the brand reached 3904% of the original target, a whopping £374,213. 

This happened 3 years ago and they have since gone from strength to strength. Everyone began to love this new brand, including Sir Richard Branson who has become one of Tens biggest fans. In April this year, they decided to hit another crowdfunding platform to help support the launch of this years new range. Again they set a target of £10,000 and again they smashed it with backers just wanting to be part of the journey. Tens raised £84,000. 

Why are they fast becoming the coolest most sort after sunglasses in the world right now? Two key words: FILTER & PRICE. 

Let's just give you an idea of the quality of the lens used. To the right of the images below is the view through a normal pair of sunglasses, to the left is life through the awesome Tens lens. 

Now i personally have my own pair, the black Classics to be precise, and you honestly forget for a second that you have them on, simply because what you view, just feels like a slightly different filter over your normal eye sight and not the dull version you get with your average shades. They are incredible. 

Let's just put a little science in this for #TheManClub to digest...(If you're a photographer, you'll appreciate this bit)

Tens is defined by the idea of filtering the things you see through the custom, sense-heightening lens tint. Whilst typical sunglasses block out the light with desaturated, cold colours; Tens work with the warmth of the sun to lend an uplifting tint to the world beyond the lens. 

The lens features UV400 protection, blocking 100% of harmful rays. Made from a CR-39 plastic polymer, the lens is scratch resistant - holding up to the rigours of everyday life.

Heres a little more awesome action for you below! (The difference is incredible)

There will have been three lucky winners of the Tens sunglasses once the #A87GBC campaign is over for Tens next week. However, the other major plus point on these sunglasses is the price vs quality, so if you didn't win, don't be too disheartened because these sun blocking bad boys won't break the bank (Try saying that after a few bourbons.) 

For a pair of Tens you will only pay as little as £60 and currently as much as £80, which for a really good pair of sunglasses from one of the top brands, you are paying twice as much. 

These guys get the Apothecary 87 seal of approval and we wish this brand every success moving forward. They have been a pleasure to work alongside during this campaign and we truly hope to see more people wearing them across the world over the next few years.

To get yours just visit: https://www.tenslife.com

#Filteryourworld 

If anyone follows the Apothecary 87 brand closely, you will notice we are heavily influenced by the 1920's and prohibition era. Whether that be through our products, our visuals or other ways we communicate, it is an era which inspires us greatly. Something we will expand on  in another blog post.

During this particular era, alcohol was banned under the Volstead act and thus the 'Speakeasy' was born. Also known sometimes as a blind tiger or blind pig, these hidden yet highly illegal drinking establishments came into prominence between the 1920's and early 30's. 

Speakeasies largely disappeared after the probation ended but many themed bars still exist across the world. Our leader, Sam W Martin, is potentially the biggest fan of speakeasy bars currently living today (Not a fact, but he's like a bloodhound sniffing out these secret establishments), and is keen to sample as many as he can during his travels to different countries. 

We did our own research and asked Sam what his favourite speakeasy bars have been during his drinking years (This man can drink spirits like no other, knows his cocktails and certainly lives up to his Instagram name @drin_king)

So here is the Apothecary 87 top 5 speakeasy bars to visit:

1. The Blind Librarian  

First on the list and yes, we might be slightly biased with this one but this does not have any bearing on the quality and experience of this drinking establishment. Owned by Jimmy Cutthroat and based in Bawtry, Doncaster (UK), you enter this awesome hidden venue through a bookcase. Once you are through, 1920 pretty much smacks you delightfully in the face. The look and feel of the place is just awesome, really taking you back in time with the decor and hospitality. So many different drinks to try and the food menu will keep you standing, as you no doubt get a wee bit tipsy. 

Check out The Blind Librarian

2. Evans & Peel 

Outside of The Blind Librarian, this is Sam W Martin's favourite speakeasy bar and it's fairly easy to see why. Masquerading as a detective agency, to gain entry you have to submit your case. The detective (or doorman) will then ask you questions about your case on arrival. If you're lucky enough to be let inside following your creative story and answers to the detectives questions, you can experience awesome cocktails like the 'Cold Fashioned' a remake of the old fashioned. If you want to experience 1920's theatrics with your drinks, ladies and gentlemen, this is your establishment. 

Located in London, take a look at Evans and Peel.

3. Stockton

So, if you ever find yourself out in Hong Kong, you might want to check out Stockton, a very secret cocktail/speakeasy bar. This isn't your average bar in Hong Kong. The secluded location - down an alleyway just off Wyndham Street and up a short flight of stairs, will take you back to 1890 London. That's if you get past the doorman. The most amazing thing about this place is the attention to detail throughout the establishment, especially the cocktails as each comes with an historical and accurate story. 

If you like your rum and whisky (and you're in Hong Kong), check out Stockton 

4. Please Don't Tell

Well it isn't your average speakeasy bar, but what speakeasy should be average. Based in New York, you gain access to 'Please Don't Tell' via a telephone booth, which is located in a hot dog bar, yes you read that right! 

This truly is the best of both worlds, as you can soak up the amazing cocktails in one of the classiest establishments on offer in NYC and then nip back into the vintage phone box and as if by some Dr Who time lord magic, you end up back in Crif Dogs. 

If you're up for some entertainment, awesome cocktails and a spot of time travelling, Please Don't Tell is worth a visit. 

5. Black Rabbit Rose 

In the words of Sam W Martin, 'this is a speakeasy in the loosest sense'. He isn't wrong. The Black Rabbit Rose, which is located in Los Angles, is a total mashup of 'West meets East' and 'Speakeasy' meets the magic of Hollywood. The tagline 'expect the unexpected' certainly rings true. 

Magicians, gorgeous food, burlesque shows and cocktails that will probably make you feel like a bit of a wizard by the end of the night! Just don't go flashing your wand about. 

For mystery, illusions and cocktails, check out Black Rabbit Rose in LA. 

If you know of any speakeasy bars that we can add to our list, please let Sam and the Apothecary 87 boys know by emailing liam@apothecary87.com

The Tens part of the Apothecary 87 Global Brand Giveaway (#A87GBC) is now in its second week and a second pair of sunglasses is currently up for grabs on Facebook. If you don't know who Tens are and what they are about, then keep reading because the story is quite something. 

Tens is a sunglasses brand founded by three friends in the Scottish Highlands and launched in 2014. Seems like a strange place to launch a sunglasses brand given the climate in the highlands, right?

Well this is a sunglasses brand with a difference. The founders are photographers and filmmakers, so they certainly have a 'vision' for how life should look through a lens.  The young entrepreneurs and designers set out to create a pair of sunglasses which acts as an 'Instagram like' filter, allowing the owners to see life in a far cooler way (Ten times better you might say). 

This is exactly what they have created, sunglasses that work with the warmth of the sun to lend an 'uplifting' tint to the world beyond the lens. Tens now have an awesome range of shades that are currently selling worldwide. The business has done that well across the globe and it is such a good product, that this year they received support and financial backing by Sir Richard Branson back in 2016.  

Also this year, the Cooper style from Tens was voted as one of the best pairs of sunglasses for Men by the Telegraph and appeared in the likes of GQ, Esquire and Time. Considering the quality of the product, the price is very affordable if you want to look cool over the summer months, starting from just £60 for the classic frame. 

Check out the latest advert from them (4k awesomeness): 

The Apothecary 87 boys were delighted to have received their own pairs of Tens sunglasses, as effortlessly modelled below by our leader Sam W Martin (Cruiser II's) and Liam Grady (Classic) on a business trip to Copenhagen last week. 

It's truly been an amazing journey from the guys at Tens and we will have more to come from them over the next week. Until then, make sure you visit our Facebook page and view our pinned post. Follow the simple instructions and enter the Tens #A87GBC giveaway. 

New York based curated wares and handcrafted goods brand, HOOD & Co, made it onto our Apothecary 87 Global Branding Celebration campaign (A87GBC), which is currently taking place on our Instagram feed.  We chose HOOD & Co because everything they produce is not only done to an incredible standard, but everything that's created, is based on personal experience and adventures that happen throughout the life of its founder, Bronx based artist, Jessy Montoya.

HOOD & Co are taking part in the #A87GBC campaign and have sent the Apothecary 87 team a selection of awesome handcrafted goods to giveaway to one of our Instagram followers.

We got the chance to interview Jessy so our readers have more of an idea about the brand, but we suggest you head over to Instagram, give HOOD & Co a follow and then check the website out. Cool and slick comes to mind.  

Liam: "So Jessy, thanks for taking part in this interview and thank you for being part of the Apothecary 87 Global Brand Celebration. Here goes..."

1. When did you first start hood and co?

Jessy: "HOOD & Co. officially took root back in late 2015. Prior to that, it went by a different name”

2. Why the name Hood & Co?

Jessy: "I'm leaving that one up to interpretation, for now, hope that's not annoying ha ha ha. I grew up in The Bronx though, so that's part of the influence for the name.”

3. Where about's are you located?

Jessy: "Currently it's in what I'd call "the boonies" of New York City called Gravesend, Brooklyn”

4. In your words, what would you say Hood & Co do as a brand/business?

Jessy: "Originally HOOD & Co. was a way for me to curate and showcase the things I was passionate about. It has since evolved into featuring different mediums like design, photography, short films, illustrations, and branding to that I use to share experiences, inspirations, and stories that I gain through traveling and exploring cities.

"What HOOD & Co. sells is limited collections of goods usually tailored around accessories but not limited to them. I'm still working towards much larger concepts but we've previously sold a small collection goods inspired by city life here in New York City and my passion for leather crafting."

5. What is your mission or goal?

Jessy: "Nothing ever gets done alone or as a sole creator so over time I hope to bring more folks together share more stories and shape the brand around the people that make us who we are. A neighborhood of humans with a love for design, a passion for storytelling and a drive to be who we want to be."

6. Who inspires you? 

Jessy: "A whole heck of a lot of people but if I had to choose some specifics, I'd say a lot of my early influence comes from Marc Ecko, Johnny Earle, and Ralph Lauren (a fellow Gent from the Bronx) to name a few. Those guys were some of the initial inspirations for what I'm working to create but I have a lot of influences that are particular to the other aspects that make up HOOD & Co

7. Tell the readers more about the gent behind Hood & Co

Jesse: Well, my name is Jessy Montoya. I'm a first generation American, son of two Ecuadorian immigrants. I've been drawing since year 5 and designing since 2007. I grew up loving all things history and art which began my passion for photography and documentation. I live for the adventure and I'm always seeking the next learning opportunity. I'm not sure where this journey will take me but I'm always willing to go for the ride.

Don't miss out on the HOOD & Co x Apothecary 87 giveaway on Instagram. Look out for the like and comment posts with the hand stitched baseballs and card holders. 

Just to finish off, check out this journal post from HOOD & Co - The Race of Gentlemen. Well worth a watch! 

With Father's Day only a couple days away, we all usually turn on panic mode as we realise we've got nothing to show our Dad how much we are thankful for him raising us the way he has.

If you're anything like myself, you'll usually wait until the very last minute to get something, and hope they like it. Well, I'm writing this to help you all get something last minute, that doesn't suck! Here are five simple ideas:

1) The Classic Dad Shave - We have a range of awesome shave products fit for any Dad. Our Shave Oil is fantastic as a pre and post shave product to make shaving smoother and irritate less, while our Shave Cream keeps skin hydrated throughout the shave. We all know Dads who shave, shave daily, so make sure you help look after their face!

2) A Short Break - Dads lead stressful Dad lives, and sometimes a short break is all they need to get back on top of the world. Grab them a short break and a Dopp Bag for them to take all their products with them.

3) Just In Time - As you know, we are currently celebrating brands around the world. Currently, we have teamed up with McCabe to show the world what time it is, and celebrate their quality brand. Nothing says "thanks Dad" like an awesome watch.

4) Some Down Time At The Barbershop - We all love to go to the barbershop and come out feeling fresh and Dads are no different. A good barber will listen to the needs of the client, and build a service around them, creating the perfect styles and using the perfect products for their clients. Find your favourites, and head over to them and get your old man booked in. Our favourite barbershop is the infamous The Gentlemans Retreat.

5) A Sure Win Gift - If none of these suggestions have really got your ideas going, then why not go for the sure win of Father's Day gifts. Spend some time with him, and have some fun. Guess what, he'll love it, and you don't need to spend any money on presents! (although Dad's are known to love Apothecary 87 gifts!)

There are many amazing festivals that take place across the globe every year. The crew from Apothecary 87 have scanned the festivals worldwide and this our festival bucket list.

1. Glastonbury

It goes without saying this is one of the worlds best festivals, it’s iconic and boasts an extensive line ups year after year. Over 150,000 people attend the event in somerset. Radiohead and Foo fighters are just two of the headliners this year alone. However if you're wanting to grab tickets for this year, you may be out of luck. In order to obtain tickets, you must first register and then wait for tickets to go on sale, and competition for tickets is fierce...so maybe next year? At least you won’t be sleeping in mud though, right?

Location; Glastonbury, Somerset, UK.
Date; 21st-25th June
Price; £238
Where to buy; http://glastonbury.seetickets.com/content/extras (currently completely sold out, must pre register)

2. Fuji Rock Festival

Bjork, Gorrilaz, Queens of the Stoneage and The xx are just to name a few who will be performing at this years festival, not to mention the fact it's held at the base of Mt Fuji in the ski resort of Naeba.

Location; Naeba Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Date; 28th-30th July
Price; ¥17,000- ¥43,000
Where to buy; http://fujirock-eng.com/ticket.html#purchaseticket_overseas

3. Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is one of the worlds biggest electronic music festivals, it stretches over two weekends, you must also pre register for this festival, and it usually sells out in minutes, so this year it's unfortunately sold out. They put on amazing firework displays and amazing stage set ups which make this festival one of the best. So get this on your list for next year.

Location; Boom, Belgium
Date; 21st-30th July
Price; $88-$282
Where to buy; https://www.tomorrowland.com/global/ ( you need to pre register for tickets)

4. Burning man

Most certainly not a Music festival, and it doesn’t advertise music at all. Even though music artists are known to make guest appearances. So what is it exactly? well the website explains all, and it looks amazingly fun and completely weird and all in the middle of the desert. It does last a week though and you are encouraged to be self sustainable. So it’s not for the faint hearted, however there's a great community and atmosphere for those who have the minerals. Check it out.

http://burningman.org/event/preparation/first-timers-guide/

Location; Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Date; 27th August- 4th September
Price; $424- $1308
Where to buy; http://tickets.burningman.org

5. Benicassim

Also known as Festival Internacional de Benicàssim; a festival situated on the coast of Spain, only 92.2 km from Valencia, with impressive line ups and sun filled beaches it’s a great festival to attend. Headliners this year include Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Kasabian, and The Weeknd, amongst many other artists. Something for everyone.

Location; Benicassim, Spain.
Date; 13th-16th July.
Price; €140 +
Where to buy; http://fiberfib.com/en/entradas.php

6. Montreux Jazz festival

If you are looking for something more chilled out and intimate, this gem of a fesitval might be for you. Set in Montreux near the shoreline of Lake Geneva, although it’s not strictly all jazz and you can pick which artists you want to see so you aren't watching things you might not want to. This year boasts artists such as Alt J to Gucci Mane… so it’s definitely an eclectic mix.

Location; Montreux, Switzerland
Date; 30th June - 15th July
Price; CHF 58 - CHF 1420 (All round area pass Price on Request)
Where to buy; https://www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/tickets/passes#all-music-pass-0

7. Sónar

Based in Barcelona, it’s a 3 day Electronic music festival with some big names announced for this year. If you want to dance to the early hours, this festival is probably for you. There's even an App to give you all the info whilst you are there. The festival is divided into two parts, the day event (Sonar +D) and the night event (Sonar by night). Sonar +D hosts events focussed on digital creative industries creating opportunities for businesses, and Sonar by night is sets from international DJs and Acts.

Location; Barcelona, Spain.
Date; 15th-17th June
Price; €54-€270
Where to buy; https://sonar.es/en/2017/tickets

8. Leeds and Reading

A UK festival which started out its life as a Jazz Festival in the 1950s and then went on to
host some of the biggest rock acts in the world. For the past few years though the event has showcased a mixture of music genres. This years headliners include Eminem and Muse. Despite it being in August this festival has been known to catch a little rain, so like most festivals in the UK, you will probably need wellies. It's a 3 day event held at both Reading and Leeds with the same acts, so if there’s any clashes you could always head down to the other venue. Sorted.

Location; Leeds, UK & Reading, UK
Date; 25th-27th August
Price; £72- £213
Where to buy; http://www.readingfestival.com/reading-festival-2017-tickets
http://www.leedsfestival.com/tickets

9. Outlook

Another festival set next to the beach, this time it’s all about underground dance floor music, from techno to grime, no commercial crap here. There’s even boat parties, who doesn’t love boat parties? As if a beach stage wasn't enough… seriously check their website the photos are incredible! Oh and the line up looks great too. http://www.outlookfestival.com/galleries-and-music/galleries/

Location; Pula, Croatia.
Date; 7th-10th September
Price; £33.30- £151 + camping
Where to buy; http://outlookfestival.seetickets.com/event/outlook-festival-2017-weekend-tickets-gpb-/fort-punta-christo/1028590/

Here is a top 10 countdown of films the team at Apothecary 87 are excited to see in 2017.

10. JUMANJI

This is purely in our top 10 out of curiosity. We think it’s safe to say this won’t compare to the original, especially as Robin Williams was pretty much in every amazing film we loved as children and he was just pure genius in the original Jumanji. Its only saving grace is that apparently the new Jumani is not a remake, so hopefully it won’t crush our childhood memories… even if it does, it’s a must watch to be able to say Robin Williams and the original are the best and always will be. Thats not to say it won’t be funny, at least Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Jack Black will be starring along side each other. Hopefully it will make a whole new generation of children love Robin Williams and the original Jumanji. 

Released; 22nd December

9. IT 

If you have a horrendous fear of clowns, chances are the original of this film is partly to blame for this, if not entirely to blame. Pennywise (the evil ba**ard) is as creepy as ever but looks completely different from Tim Curry’s Pennywise in the original take of Stephen Kings ‘It’. The trailer showed some familiar scenes and some pretty terrifying things obviously, however the movie only adapts the first half of the novel focussing on the efforts of the Losers’ club and their mission to rid their town of Pennywise. Like the original, the second half of the novel should be part of a sequel but we can’t 100% confirm how this will be done. For the meantime we’ve got a link to the trailer. 

Released; 8th September

8. THE CIRCLE

Emma Watson? Tom Hanks? A powerful internet cooperation? Bad situations concerning privacy, surveillance and humanity’s freedom? Well this isn’t real life, this is a film based on the 2013 novel by Dave Eggers, and it’s certainly peaked our interest. Maybe it’s because of our deep connection with technology and how much we rely on it. We think a lot of people are going to be leaving the cinema feeling a little on edge and probably feeling like they are being watched. Don’t believe us, check out the trailer.

Released; 28th April

7. BAYWATCH

Well lets face it, Baywatch has always been everyones secret guilty pleasure. No Pammy in this one, but we have Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Dwayne plays devoted Lifeguard, Mitch B and Zac plays the new recruit who doesn’t see eye to eye with Dwayne’s character, Mitch Buchanan (Originally played by The Hoff). This will be a nice break from the hoards of Super Hero films set to flood the cinema this year. Hopefully they’ll be some light comedy and peril in true Baywatch style. Here’s the trailer!

Released; 23rd May

6.THOR - RAGNAROK

Who doesn’t love Thor? All we know so far is that Hulk and Thor will be fighting for an intergalactic champion title in some gladiator style battle. Thor is stuck at the other side of the universe with no hammer and needs to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok from destroying the Asgardian civilisation, that’s if he survives his fight with the Hulk (and you thought you were having a bad day). How this all happens we have no idea but just watch this trailer! Awesome.

Released 27th October (UK) Nov for the US.

5. BLADE RUNNER 2049

ARGH. When rumours first emerged of another Blade Runner, people were understandably worried that is was going to be a terrible remake or even a horrendous sequel. There isn’t too information to back the original worries, however all our fears have been quashed with the trailer, featuring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling and Jared Leto. Take a look for yourselves, we are excited!

Released 6th October

4. ALIEN - COVENANT

Ridley Scott has been a busy guy. The short preview trailers are called Run, Hide, Pray and after watching them I think most people will be hiding their eyes from the terror which will quite clearly be taking place. The Covenant (a colony ship) is bound for a remote planet on the other side of the Galaxy, to a planet they think is a paradise, only to discover it’s definitely not and must attempt to escape. Be prepared to be jumping out of your seat every 5 seconds…

Released 9th May

3. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - VOL 2

I AM GROOT, I AM GROOT. Baby Groot is one of the best things we have seen! Peter is still trying to unravel his parentage and of course and the journey through the galaxy causing chaos with the group. Another awesome soundtrack, explosions, peril, comedy and baby Groot… what more do people want from a film???

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is scheduled to have its premiere in Hollywood on April 19, 2017, and is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on April 28, 2017, and in North America on May 5, 2017, in 3D and IMAX 3D

2. SPIDER-MAN - HOMECOMING

It’s about time Spider-Man got a second chance at being a decent character in the Marvel universe and it looks like he’s gonna make some big mistakes while trying to impress Mr Stark. This is at number two because we believe that Spider-Man deserves to be the bad ass superhero he was meant to be.

Released 6th July

1. STAR WARS - THE LAST JEDI 

Here concludes our number one film for this year… and it has to be Star Wars…well because it’s Star Wars. We don’t need to say much other than we can’t wait for December. There’s no footage yet or trailers but it’s sure to be amazing!

Released 15th December