FROM BULL DOG TO BULL RIDER Western Wear Shopping Guide.

By George Martin

Rating: Carnitas, Griffin-4 Eli-2.5 Carne Asada:

This Taco joint is your go-to spot after flashing some V12s at the climbing gym. The shredded carnitas, mixed with the finely chopped ciwill leave your in delicious carnitas bit on the but it was The tortiand it added meat. The carne asada was your typical meat but still delicious–juicy with small chucks, which guaranteed lots of meat in your mouth with each bite. The horchata was smooth and refreshing but was nothing to write home about. Don’t forget to hit up the Green Door on your way out for your side of veggies!

Western wear is a very versatile style that has influenced so much of American fashion. There are a million ways to do western and everyone has their own interpretation. But no matter what that may be, these items are the most classic and essential western wear pieces for any cowboy.

Wrangler Classic Cowboy Cut Denim

These pants are made to ride. Wrangler revolutionized jeans in 1947 when they released the classic cowboy cut jean designed by celebrity tailor Rodeo Ben. They quickly became a staple of the cowboy and the only jeans to be endorsed by the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association. They did this by making a few key changes. Wrangler made the pockets bigger and raised them so they were more comfortable on horseback. They smoothed the rivets so they did not leave indents in the saddle. The front belt loops are wider apart to accommodate for big rodeo buckles and extra loops in the back for increased support. The jeans also have flat seams on the inner thigh so they don’t chafe against the saddle and wider legs to fit over boots. They come in three different cuts, Classic fit, Relaxed fit, and Slim fit, and are all available for $39. But if you order them in raw denim, make sure to size up one inch in the waist if you plan on machine washing. The final tip when ordering these jeans is to order two to six inches longer in length than you would for a clean break. This is because you want them to stack over the boots so that when you ride the jeans still cover the entire shaft of the boots, forgetting to do so is a dead giveaway that you’re not a real cowboy. For increased longevity wash very infrequently inside out, then hang to dry.

Wrangler

Cowboy Cut Unlined Denim Jacket

This jacket was also designed by Rodeo Ben to be the perfect jacket to wear with the cowboy cut jeans. It’s slightly cropped to go with the high waist on the jeans. It is unlined, can be worn all year long, and is always available for $49.

Western Shirts

You can’t talk about Western shirts without talking about Jack A. Weil, the inventor of the modern western shirt. Before 1946, western shirts had buttons instead of the iconic pearl snap; Until Denver garter salesman Weil got tired of the buttons on his shirts falling off. He decided to make a new kind of western shirt with durable pearl snaps that would not fall off with wear. The shirts also had distinctive yolks, smile pockets and a slimming tailored look. In 1946, Weil opened Rockmount Ranch Wear in Denver and has not moved or opened another store since, despite their success. Weil died recently in 2008 at the age of 109 and it is said he worked at the store all the way until the end. Rockmount Ranch Wear shirts have been seen on celebrities such as Elvis Presly, Buck Owens, Elton John and Ronald Regan amongst numerous others. Although these shirts are not cheap starting at $108, they are a great timeless investment that will last you a lifetime.

Cowboy Boots

Although all of these things are important, none are as important as the boots. Cowboy boots are expensive and it’s hard to find a good pair under $180. But as an item that has been around forever and continues to come in and out of style, it is very easy to find them at thrift stores. A new pair of heels plus a shine costs about $40 and a pair of boot insoles from Ariat are $23, which will make them feel brand new again.

By Michelle Tong, Mia Andreeva, and Leo Carlin

NOT TOO SWEET Reviewing Asian grocery store snacks to determine which snacks deserve the quintessential Asian dessert compliment.

Mooncakes are a delicacy originating in China and are usually eaten during the Mid-Autumn festival. They are wrapped in a puff pastry shell and often filled with a lotus seed paste, and a salted egg yolk center. We reviewed Kam Wah Egg Yolk Pies (obtained at Costco but also sold at Uwajimaya). The pastry was flaky and the lotus paste was thick and not too sweet, but we were divided over the flavor of the salted egg yolk. Michelle and Leo cherished the dimension the egg yolk brought to the pie but Mia disliked its salty flavor and sand-like texture.

Price: $11.97 per tin (contains 8 pies)

Contains: Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Peanut

Score: split- 0/5 and 5/5