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Happy Saturday, everyone! Man of Many’s Staff Favourites is back with another round of selections from our discerning team, showcasing the items, services, entertainment, and experiences that have caught our eye over the last seven days.
We get to try so much of the cool, novel, and chic on a daily basis, but these encounters don’t always result in full write-ups or reviews. Instead, we collect them here for you, in the hope you’ll find something new and exciting to give your weekend a lift. This week, we have cringe-tastic TV, the latest from Lark Distillery, and some curious hybrid footwear. Let’s go!
‘Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat’
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
If you haven’t watched Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat yet, do yourself a favour and fire it up this weekend on Amazon Prime. The premise is brilliantly simple: one unsuspecting employee thinks they’re on a legit company retreat while everyone around them is an actor orchestrating increasingly absurd situations. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, but here’s the thing. We’re literally about to take the Man of Many team to Byron Bay for our own company retreat, and now I can’t stop second-guessing every single activity on the itinerary.
Am I the out-of-touch boss who thinks a “team bonding” sunrise hike is a good idea? Is the group dinner going to turn into one of those forced-fun situations where everyone’s smiling through clenched teeth? Will someone quietly film a TikTok about how awkward the trust exercises are? These are the thoughts keeping me up at night now, so cheers for that, Amazon.
In all seriousness, planning a retreat as the boss is a weird headspace. You want people to genuinely have a good time, but you’re also painfully aware that you’re the reason they can’t fully relax. It’s like being the parent at your kid’s birthday party: you’re technically invited, but everyone has more fun when you’re in the kitchen.
Anyway, Byron should be great. I think. Probably. I’ll report back.
In other news, I’ve been on a bit of a writing tear lately, so forgive the shameless plug. I wrote a piece for AdNews about why Australia’s proposed AI legislation is already obsolete before it’s even passed. The ratio of 1,500 AI tools launching for every one piece of regulation tells you everything you need to know. You can read it here:
The 1,500:1 Problem – Why Australia’s AI Legislation is Already Obsolete
I also published two longer LinkedIn pieces that I’ve been chewing on for a while. The first asks whether men’s media needs its own version of The Cut, and why simply copying existing media models won’t work. The second is a more personal one about where Man of Many actually sits in relation to the manosphere, and why editorial standards still matter when algorithms reward outrage. If you’re in media or just care about where this stuff is heading, I’d genuinely love your thoughts:
Does Men’s Media Need Its Own Version of The Cut?
Where Does Man of Many Sit in the Manosphere?
Right, back to panicking about whether “casual dress code” means the same thing to a 24-year-old as it does to me.
Favourite Article of the Week: 2026 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package Review: Daily Driving Australia’s Quickest Car
Favourite Video of the Week: Is This Really the Perfect Pairing? (Golf & Whisky Tested)
1PM Sneakers by Village PM
I recently pulled the trigger on a pair of 1PM sneakers by Village PM. After spotting a random guy on the street wearing them, I then saw my brother-in-law in a pair a few days later, and at that point, it felt like a sign I needed to cop.
If you haven’t heard of Village PM, it’s a Paris-based footwear brand that launched in guerrilla style during Paris Fashion Week before properly hitting shelves in 2025. It’s the brainchild of Basile Lapray and Bram De Cleen, alongside Julien Traverse, with Lapray bringing experience from Salomon and the outdoor footwear world into the mix. At its core, Village PM makes skate shoes, but not in the traditional sense. The idea is to push a stale category forward by creating something that performs on the board while still looking sharp post-session.
The 1PM draws heavily from rock-climbing shoes, with organic lines, asymmetrical lacing and wraparound rubber that give it a soft, sculptural, almost technical feel. It’s built for grip, flick and durability, but just as importantly, it looks just as good at the bar as it does at the skatepark. You’re getting proper design thinking and innovation here, not just another retro pushed back into circulation.
Favourite Article of the Week: The Golden Child: Fender Celebrates 75 Years of the Telecaster
Lark Distillery’s New Range of Premium Whiskies
Rob Stott – Editor-in-Chief
A few of the Man of Many staff were lucky enough to sit down with Chris Thomson, the master distiller at pioneering Tasmanian whisky producer Lark Distillery, a few weeks ago. Chris was in town showing off Lark’s new lineup of premium whiskies, and with good reason. The four new releases, Fire Trail, Devil’s Storm, Ruby Abyss, and Cinder Forest, are absolutely sublime. Start with the Fire Trail – bold and vibrant with notes of citrus and baked fruit, it’s the perfect entry point – and work your way from there up to the more complex Ruby Abyss.
This range represents a new chapter for Lark as the team looks to showcase Tasmanian whiskies on the world stage, and they’ve gone all out with a stunning new 700ml bottle design. It’s a sign of how serious Lark is about competing with the major global players in the premium whisky space. The new releases are now available to the public, and I can’t recommend them enough. Pro tip: Gently pour a few drops of the Fire Trail on top of an oyster; you won’t regret it.
Favourite Article of the Week: Speaking from experience, spending a bit of cash at a tailor to get your clothes just right always offers a great ROI. Ally Burnie has a great guide to getting your clothes altered here. It pays for itself.
Benriach x Tokyo Lamington
Rob Edwards – Branded Content Editor
I love a hot cross bun. Even a sub-par one. Which is fortunate, because I recently tried the new Scotch Cross Bun collaboration between the Speyside whisky distillery Benriach and cult-favourite bakery Tokyo Lamington, and now all other hot cross buns taste sub-par.
Available in Tokyo Lamington’s Sydney and Melbourne stores until Monday, April 6, these limited-edition gems are layered with fruit that’s infused with Benriach’s award-winning The Original Ten single-malt Scotch whisky and finished with a smooth Scotch glaze. They’re also accompanied by the equally delicious Scotch Caramel Easter Lamington, which is filled with a whisky caramel centre.
If that’s not enough, Tokyo Lamington’s Newtown store is currently serving up a limited-edition whisky coffee. Infused with housemade honey syrup, finished with silky vanilla cream, and spiked with a shot of Benriach’s The Original Ten, it can be enjoyed hot or as a cold brew. I’m yet to try it, but it sounds like a bold start to my Sunday morning.
Favourite Article of the Week: Of Course Ryan Gosling’s Taste in Watches is Impeccable
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