The George Hahn Podcast

Several months ago, my friend and podcast co-host Amy Eddings sat me down for an interview to talk about… well… me. Specifically, Amy was curious about the origins of my personal style and about the blog. This interview was the first time anybody really asked me about how it all started, who were my idols and influencers, and such. In addition to being a dear friend and my co-host of The Downtowner, a podcast about Downtown Cleveland, Amy was the host of All Things Considered for many years in New York on WNYC and, since moving to Cleveland, has worked primarily as the host of Morning Edition on WCPN. Basically, she’s a serious news person. Being on the receiving end of questions from such a serious news person was a really fun first. Our whole conversation clocked in at a full hour. So I did some editing and turned it into a two-parter. This is part one. Enjoy! https://georgehahn.com

In this episode, I ponder the question: is it better to own or to rent? Each option has its benefits and bummers. But as I get older, having been a guest and keen observer of many owners over the decades, I’m less attracted to the idea of “ownership” and more interested in traveling light as the renter I’ve always been. I’m very lucky to live in an apartment in Downtown Cleveland that feels more like a customer service arrangement than the typical landlord/tenant relationship. Whenever I need something, it’s taken care of at no extra cost, leaving me to get on with the business of living and to focus my time and energy on things I’d rather do. The same idea works for my approach to things like a car or media. Where I once prided myself as a collector of vinyl records and CDs, I much prefer access to everything I already owned plus much more music than I can wrap my head around let alone afford to buy with services like Spotify and Apple Music. And the space I save without dealing with the physical media? Fuggedaboutit. And the car? Nah. Also in this episode, I give a little shout-out to my new podcast venture called The Downtowner, a new show about Downtown Cleveland that I co-host with the amazing Amy Eddings, our local host of NPR’s Morning Edition who also happens to be a native Clevelander who returned home after decades in New York City. She and I also live downtown, giving us much to discuss in this brand new production from ideastream, Cleveland’s public media company.

I jumped back onto the saddle this week after a brief but fantastic trip to Palm Beach, Florida last weekend. I have a client down there who showed me the ropes in their little universe both in Palm Beach and in the charming town of Lake Worth. Also in this episode, I talk about helping my nephew, a recent college graduate, with his first suit. Following my advice, he got a terrific navy suit from Suitsupply’s Blue Line, which comes at a very reasonable $399. For that price, they will send you three suits in different sizes just to make sure you get the right one. My nephew ordered a 38R, a 40R and a 42R. As I predicted, it turns out my nephew is a 42R. Now it’s off to the tailor. With lifestyle, I go over my morning ritual, which started this morning with a selfie posted on Instagram, indicating exactly what I look like when I get up. It ain’t pretty. Along with warm water with lemon followed by sufficient cups of coffee, it takes a village, spackle, sand paper, varnish and a soft buffing cloth to prepare me for the day. To conclude the episode, I launch into a petty tirade about the hideous parking lots that scar Downtown Cleveland’s otherwise beautiful cityscape. I have ideas and solutions for these ugly black eyes on our urban center, and I let it rip. Thanks for listening!

I’ve said it 1,000 times, and I’ll say it again: Nothing makes a man look better than a well-tailored suit. A recent article in the Washington Post mused about the “death” of the power suit, making me dread yet another excuse for men to frump out and be as casual as humanly possible. The simple truth is that no other garment in menswear elevates any man (fit or fat) like a well-tailored suit. Period. And speaking of elevating every man… In this time of unprecedented political and cultural upheaval in our country, it is more important than ever to double-down on living as consciously, conscientiously and ethically as possible. In many areas, the bar has been pulled down dangerously low. It is up to each of us to maintain higher standards. Thanks for listening!

I recently bought a pair of espadrilles online. They were too small. In order to exchange them, I had to return them for a store credit, then use the store credit to re-purchase them in the right size. Since this particular brand does not include a return shipping label, I had to go to their website, download a shipping label and print it. Unfortunately, I don't have a printer. This wonky return/exchange process was an unnecessary kids' table pain in my ass. Also in this episode, I talk about the terry cloth bathrobe experience and give a brief update on life in Cleveland. I'm pleased to report that things are getting better.

For the first time on this podcast, I have a conversation with someone other than myself. In this extended episode, I spoke with a young man named Steve Wright who has a unique and inspiring approach to editing his home and - more specifically - his wardrobe. As we move through life, we become virtual lint rollers, accumulating huge levels of stuff without really thinking about it. Steve Wright thinks about it, and he’s determined to avoid the common trap of stuff-overload, curating a very edited design for living that enables him to live quite effectively and efficiently without sacrificing his style.

It’s been a while since I’ve been on the wire here, and much has happened. The big news since the last episode is that I moved to Cleveland. Yes, Cleveland. There’s a lot to unpack in that story alone. There are things I love so far, and there are things that drive me nuts. This episode is just an introduction to what I’ll call “The Cleveland Experiment.” For those who may not know, Cleveland is my hometown. As expressed in a pair of posts on the blog last year, my reasons for leaving New York City after twenty two years are multilayered and largely (though not exclusively) economic. One reason for returning home that I didn’t write about in those articles was my mother, who was in dangerously poor health when I came back here in November. In a word, it was a crisis. Now that Lynda (mom) is making an inspired recovery, the ground beneath my feet has stopped shaking and I can start to really explore life in Cleveland. Much has changed here since I left in the early 1990s (I keep hearing "My City Was Gone" by The Pretenders in my head), but I’m really looking forward to digging deeper into the wonders of this well-kept secret on Ohio’s north coast. Thank you for listening. More to come. George

As one of the many Americans who feel crushed by vanishing work, I'm not so quick to point a finger at a villain in this story. The idea of making something "great again" has always felt like a reductive sentiment that conveys a distinctly backward motion. It boils down to this: record stores are never coming back. The sooner we accept that fact, the quicker we can get on with it. It's more about accepting that nothing stays the same (whether we like it or not) and being open and willing to change, grow and progress.

In this episode, I respond to some readers' reactions to an article about an affordable automatic tool watch that resembles similar watches on the luxury spectrum. I also share a few anecdotes about how dressing with a sense of occasion served me very well. The last segment is about what Gene Wilder's performance as Willy Wonka meant to me as a young boy. Featured Music: "Wonkavator/End Title (Pure Imagination)" Buy on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/willy-wonka-chocolate-factory/id1087154102

In this episode, I follow up on the insane feedback from a post I wrote last week about leaving New York. The comments and anecdotes that readers have shared have been absolutely incredible. I had no idea that so many people had experienced the same thing. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone and that the world won’t end if you leave New York City. Last week, my dog Lenore was attacked by a vicious English bulldog. She required minor surgery and an overnight at the vet, complete with sutures, staples and the dreaded Cone of Shame. And last night, I witnessed another dog attack that fortunately ended with all parties intact. My patience for irresponsible dog owners who don’t know their dogs, don’t have control of them and refuse to have them neutered is below the basement. Finally, I attended the New York premiere screening of my cousin Kathryn Hahn’s new movie Bad Moms. While it’s a light, easy and fun summer comedy, the real treat is Kathryn. She possesses an unteachable and unlearnable gift that makes her the one you want to be watching on the screen. She steals every scene.

Much has been said about Bill Cunningham since he died last week. The legendary New York Times photographer's contribution to the fashion world is legendary, and I have nothing new to add to that conversation. What was remarkable to me was Bill the man. I became a huge fan after seeing his documentary Bill Cunningham New York - a film he didn’t like because it brought him a fame he never wanted. But this was a man who loved his life’s work so passionately, with a childlike wonder and an uncommonly rare purity of integrity and virtue. It’s inspiring to me beyond description. I just felt like talking about it and sharing my thoughts, particularly after just recently seeing his wonderful conversation with Fern Mallis at the 92nd Street Y in September of 2014. To use one of Bill’s favorite words, it’s marvelous. (Visit my website for the link.) The second half of this episode is a reading of my essay about the crisis in the luxury business against the backdrop of our time’s unprecedented economic inequality. I hope you can relate. Thank you for listening! George

In this mini-episode, I take a few under-caffeinated minutes to describe a feeling that comes over me every morning while I have my coffee. The feeling probably occurs to me for about two or three seconds, and it can be summed up in one word: contentment.

This past weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of being quoted in The Wall Street Journal in an article about non-iron dress shirts. In the first paragraph, you'll learn that I loathe non-iron dress shirts and that I apparently "sniff." Article link: http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-war-over-non-iron-shirts-1462386777 Also in this episode, I share my love of some of the old-fashioned things. As much as I love technology and fully embrace our digital age, there are certain aspects of my life that remain decidedly analog.

Over the past twelve years as a freelancer, I’ve watched client budgets shrink more and more, whittling down to fees that come with higher expectations for less and less money. At the end of the day, it adds up to more work for barely livable wages. In this episode, I “open a vein” about my personal experience with how good work is valued or, perhaps more accurately, devalued today.

Reflections on the 73rd Annual Golden Globes and the untimely passing of an icon: Mr. David Bowie.