The Life and Times of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Part 1)

Francis “Scott” Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul Minnesota in September of 1896. In a few weeks I will be older than he was when he died. I also share the same birth week as he did. I wonder if he celebrated his birthdays. Although he seemed like the type to celebrate all occasions both large and small.

Photo property of Fitzgerald estate.

During his short life he managed to write a handful of novels, one of which is considered THE great American novel. Although it was considered a failure upon its initial release.

He was a tortured soul to say the least. Never having done well in school, despite attending and subsequently dropping out of Princeton University, some 85 years after his death, he remains an enigma. We can never fully understand his genius nor his inner torment.

Photo property of Princeton University 1917

Fitzgerald’s exploits have been well documented, but it is not as well-known that he was named after Francis Scott Key, who was a distant cousin.

Fitzgerald is also credited with the first use of the word “t-shirt”, used in the novel “This Side of Paradise”.

Navigator Archive will continue to cover the life of Fitzgerald in future Field Guide posts.

THE ROOF OF THE WORLD - 1953

In 1953, New Zealand native Edmund Hillary and Nepali-Indian Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first two people to summit Mt. Everest. This incredible accomplishment of putting footprints on top of “the roof of the world” is one of the great feats in exploration history.

Hillary in a three-button tweed jacket, at an appearance with Sherpa Tenzing following the expedition. Getty Images

This success, which some at the time and previous doubted could ever be achieved, is a testament to what can be accomplished by pushing the limits of endurance. The summit was reached on the 1953 expedition, which was the ninth attempt to top Everest.

Towering over the range that is referred to as the “roof of the world”, Everest measures in at am imposing 29,032 ft along the border of China and Nepal. As the tallest mountain in the Himalayas, Everest had tempted mountaineers since the 1850’s.

The Rolex Explorer found its name after being marketed and designed to withstand such an expedition. However it is debated as to whether Hillary wore a Rolex to the summit or left it at basecamp and picked up the ref. 6352 on descent.

A look at the intimidating terrain of Everest.

Photo Credits, Getty Images

Birdland

Charlie “Bird” Parker was the kind of genius that comes along once in 100 years. His prowess on the saxophone is considered by many to have few peers. He lived hard in his short and sometimes tragic life, but his legend will live on forever through his prodigious catalog of vinyl.

The famous Manhattan nightclub “Birdland” that opened in 1949 was named in tribute to Parker, and also has an incredible history and storied past in jazz history. As the sign in the front proclaimed, it was known as “The Jazz Corner of the World.”

The original incarnation of Birdland closed in 1965.

Parker on the saxophone.

The front entrance to Birdland, located at 1678 Broadway Ave, in Manhattan’s Midtown neighborhood.

Greetings From Havana

The allure of cigars from Cuba, and their inherent elusiveness gives them a mystique. The classic look of the cigar bands and packaging is a master class in elegant design.

This is one of the recent boxes that I have enjoyed. The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 is rather approachable and pairs nicely with a martini and your favorite jazz record.

Jack Kennedy smoking his favorite, H.Upmann Petit Upmann.

A Field Guide to the Birds - Peterson

A gift to my grandfather on the occasion of his 40th birthday. It was given to him by my grandparent’s close friends. He passed away when I was two and a half years-old.

This initial post is a tribute to the faint memories I have of him, as I am now just slightly older than he was when he received this book. I hope he would’ve enjoyed Navigator Archive.

A Field Guide to the Birds was orginally published in 1934.