Getting To Know Us A Little Better | First Up, Mat

When Starbucks approached us to tell us about the 20 hour process behind their new Cold Brew coffee, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to slow the pace down a little, and share some things about us you may not know. We've been sharing on Buckets & Spades for eight years this March! That's pretty crazy to think about – be that with creative ideas, interesting design notes, style features, city guides or more personal subjects. But how well do you guys actually know the people behind the blog? First up, me!

Each batch of Starbucks' Cold Brew is made freshly in-store, daily. The bold and subtly sweet flavours is the result of a unique cold-brewing method. Over the course of the 20 hour steeping process, the flavours are extracted and released, leaving a naturally sweet batch of coffee. They only brew one batch per day, so once it's gone, it's gone.

In light of this slower process, and with the aim to get to know us better, myself + Hollie graded a cup of freshly brewed coffee and discussed what makes me tick.

Hollie - What's your family background like? It's clear from knowing you for 10 years that you look back at memories with your grandparents very fondly.

Mat - I grew up in a single-parent family, so I never had that direct father figure. I didn't do me any harm, but I guess it wasn't ideal. We lived in our grandparents' house in Blackpool, and me + my Grandad were inseparable. We'd go on day trips, play football at the park, watch Saturday sport together, hang out at cafes, and generally just muck about. I have really fond memories of us organising his his stamp collection into leather-bound files. One of my earliest memories is of my Grandad pushing me along the promenade in my pram, for what seemed like hours.

I loved that guy; he was a true gent, with a fun-loving, kind nature. A proper family man. I truly believe that those early years spent with him – he was an East London lad, of Russian parents – shaped the person I have turned into today. His wife, my Grandma, was a Yorkshire-born professional hair model in her earlier years, before devoting her life to raising a family.

In this photo - Glint Glasses | Vintage Motorcar Badge, Car + Photos | Paul Smith Watch + Ring

Your Grandad's love of collecting things seems to have rubbed off on you

Without a doubt. He didn't seem to have a specific interesting, rather he just loved seeing a collection come together. We would arrange his toy cars, model planes and travel collectables into glass cabinets - he install the idea of buying two of one item into me from an early age. One for play, and one for keep (in boxfresh condition). Now I collect all sorts of stuff, but like him, nothing in-particular!

But even more interesting, tell us about your Great Grandad. He had a cool job, right? 

He sure did! In his younger years he was a coal miner, and at some point the teams' mineshaft collapsed, and they were stuck down there for a week. They crew were rescued, but he emerged completed bald - loosing his hair from shock. He later became a theatre Stage Hand, and finally the Staff Manager at The Grand Theatre, and the ABC concert venue in Blackpool. He rubbed shoulders with popular comedians and singers of the time – most notably being The Beatles. He was later rewarded for his long-standing services by the TV programme, This Is Your Life, where he was given the iconic big red book live on stage, in front of his friends, family and a theatre-full of his peers.

Wearing - Wolsey Peacoat | Reigning Champ Sweatshirt | Urban Industry T-Shirt | Barbour Chinos | Common Projects trainers c/o MR PORTER | Chup Socks | Paul Smith Watch | TRiCKETT Cap

That's seriously cool! Personal style is obviously quite a big thing for you, where do you think that interest comes from? What about your role models?

Man, that's actually hard to answer. I had trouble expressing myself when I was at school - we were all told to dress and act the same way, keeping things pretty uniform. So any small changes would make the world of difference, and to me that meant wearing trainer styles that others hadn't seen, or brands that people hadn't heard of (usually from clearance isles or charity shops). My big sister was at art collage, and I guess I saw how free and creative she was becoming, so I enrolled too. College around 2005 was all about standing out, and seeing how far you could push creativity, and for me (who didn't have much artistic skill, I just blagged it) that was through clothing, and my afro...

Whilst I was at university I started to obsess over the smaller details of menswear, which I think came from being exposed to early style blogs and inde magazines. Throughout my 20s I started to - unknowingly - define my own style, somewhat; buying brands, and styles which were quality-led, and less about trend. 

My style is very much influenced by workwear, denim and old American sportswear. If in doubt, I'll just wear navy, and make it a button-down. I look up to people like creative minds like Paul Smith, Todd Snyder, and the don Aaron Draplin, but also those in technology and science.

In this photo - Headphones c/o RHA | Bellroy iPhone 6 Case | Albums

You rarely talk about music, what can we expect to find on your playlist?

This is an interesting one, music doesn't play a big part in my life at all. I'm not particularly interested in live music, and I don't really listen to anything when I'm working. Sure, there's bands I really enjoy, but it's not a big deal to me. I grew up on hip-hop, like most 90's kids. Wu-Tang, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, Mos Def...but I'm also big really into old American blues and country too. Modern stuff - bands like Hot Chip, The Black Keys, First Aid Kit...

Share something that people may not know about you? What interests do you have away from Buckets & Spades?

This one may seem a bit "out there", but I'm a huge pro-wrestling fan, and have been for some time. Like many of us, I grew up being mesmorised by the over-the-top antics of WWF superstars; Bret Hart, The Undertaker, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the-like. I'd followed their weekly escapades through the mid 90's, to way into my teens, when it was all about smashing each other through tables, and smelling what The Rock was cooking.

I lost interest when I was about 15 years old cos it was "uncool" to like such a thing, but I rekindled my love for it when I hit my mid 20s. It's hard to explain to an outsider as most people's reaction is, "but it's fake, they know who will win?" Well so is James Bond, but no one ever questions that. It's my soap opera, my release, and I guess my way of escaping from daily life. The skill, athleticism, showmanship, and dedicated to pleasing an audience is what I love about pro-wrestling. At the end of the day, it's only entertainment, and they have to do it live, everyday - and that's the bottom line!

Aside from the wrestling obsession, is there anything else?

Well I'm a big fan of cartoons in general, but that's probably no surprise. Tintin is my go-to fella - I'm working on collecting the whole series of illustrated stories. I love the style of language Hergé used to create the stories, I love the ott illustrations, and I love the ridiculous humor. It still feel super readable today, even though some were written in the 1930s.

In this photo - Lamy Ballpoint Pen | TRiCKETT Baseball Cap | Tintin's Destination Moon | Coco Chocolate | Steve 
Austin + Homer Simpson Figures

What about when your phone isn't on silent, what are some of your favourite sites + blogs to read? And how about TV programmes?

I guess this is where my love for design kind of blurs the line between hobby and job. I love creative marketing, packaging design, branding, graphic design and product styling, and have done since I studied Fashion Promotion at uni. Sites like Creative Boom, It's Nice That, This Is Colossal, Swiss Miss, and We Heart all scratch my creative itch, covering all the subjects I love. 

But I also enjoy grabbing a coffee, and following along with personal blogs like The All Night Listening Post, Winding Ridge Lane, Our Ruins, Jordan Bunker, and In Honor Of Design, Coccorina to name a few.

I don't want much TV these days, but I'm totally into the new season of X-Files, and all its oddness. I also really loved True Detective, and Fortitude. If I'm planning a chilled evening I'll just pop on a nature documentary. But to be honest, I love nothing more than watching Rik Mayall + Ade Edmondson in Bottom! "We're...erm...toilet inspectors".

Goals, aspirations, dreams?

Yeah, but maybe not the massive ones you hear people chucking around. They're pretty modest. I just want to be the best person I can be, and be happy. I'd love for Buckets & Spades to be a success, and grow on what we've already created over the past eight years. It's given me the opportunity to travel to lots of cool places, meet awesome creative people, and work on some really fun projects. And if that was to continue then I'd be more than happy with my lot.

I hope you guys feel like you know me a little better. Now it's your turn, share one thing about yourself that I may not know, and a link to your blog!

This post is in partnership with Starbucks. Thank you for taking the time to support the brands + businesses that make this blog happen.

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