Welcome to the next edition of JM’s Weekly Roundup. A quick hit of what’s new at La Matera and a few things that’ve popped up on my radar lately.

June always has a way of sneaking up on us. School is wrapping, the days are stretching out, and Father’s Day is close enough that it’s time to stop pretending there’s plenty of time left.

So this week I’m keeping the La Matera highlight simple: three belts I’d point someone toward if they asked what to get a dad who appreciates something well made, easy to wear, and a little different from what he already has in the closet.

TL;DR:

• La Matera Highlight: Father’s Day Gift Picks: Corbina, Cobalto, and the Exótico Collection: Three picks for Father’s Day: the Corbina Woven Belt, the El Cobalto Stretch Belt, and anything from the Exótico Collection.

• Worth a Read: Shop Class as Soulcraft: one of my all-time favorites on craftsmanship, meaningful work, and why building things with your hands still matters.

• Worth a Watch: Billy Strings on Austin City Limits: A stripped-down ACL performance of Away From the Mire that lets the musicianship do all the talking.

• On the Radar: Texas Parks & Wildlife’s Top Swimming Holes: A useful summer list from Texas Parks & Wildlife, with a few familiar spots and a few worth building a day around.

• Weekend Wisdom: Turns out kids don’t listen to much of what we say. Unfortunately, they watch everything we do.

1. La Matera Highlight: Father’s Day Gift Picks: Corbina, Cobalto, and the Exótico Collection

Father’s Day is close, so if you’re looking for a good place to start, these are my three picks. The Corbina Woven Belt is the classic La Matera answer: handwoven Argentine fabric, cognac leather, and enough color to make jeans or chinos feel a little more considered without trying too hard.

The El Cobalto Stretch Belt is the easy one for the dad who’s on the move. Golf, travel, backyard work, chasing kids around, whatever the day turns into, it has that clean blue look with the comfort of a stretch belt.

And if you want something with a little more edge, I’d look at the Exótico Collection. It takes our woven and polo styles and adds embossed leather with that quiet, rugged texture. Still refined, still easy to wear, but with enough character that it feels like a real gift instead of a last-minute checkbox.

2. Worth a Read: Shop Class as Soulcraft

I’ll be honest, I didn’t get much reading done this week. Between work, the girls, and everything else going on, the books on my nightstand didn’t get much attention. So instead, I found myself thinking about one of my favorites: Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford.

Crawford was a philosopher working at a think tank before leaving to become a motorcycle mechanic. The book explores something I’ve thought about a lot over the years: the satisfaction that comes from making, fixing, and building things with your hands.

Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the better part of five years renovating our house, or because so much of my day is spent staring at spreadsheets and screens, but the idea resonated. There’s something deeply rewarding about solving a tangible problem and being able to point at the result when you’re done.

The book isn’t really about motorcycles or shop class. It’s about craftsmanship, attention, and the value of doing meaningful work. If you’ve ever found yourself happier building a shelf, fixing a fence, or working on an old car than sitting in another meeting, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

3. Worth a Watch: Billy Strings on Austin City Limits

I’ve found myself coming back to Billy Strings’ performance of Away From the Mire on Austin City Limits quite a bit lately.

One of the things I appreciate about Billy is that for all the talent on stage, it never feels like they’re trying to prove anything. They’re just completely locked in. The song starts out pretty straightforward, then slowly builds until you realize you’ve been sitting there for eight minutes wondering where the time went.

It’s a good reminder that some of the best music doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from a group of people listening to each other and doing the simple things exceptionally well.

Worth throwing on while you’re wrapping up work, packing for a trip, or winding things down at the end of the day.

4. On the Radar: Texas Parks & Wildlife’s Top Swimming Holes

Texas Parks & Wildlife has a simple list of top swimming holes around the state, and it feels like the right kind of thing to have bookmarked this time of year. Barton Springs, Krause Springs, Balmorhea, Garner, Blanco, all the places that remind you summer is better when you can get in real water. Krause Springs is right in our neighborhood, just a few minutes down the road in Spicewood, which is a pretty good reminder that sometimes the best summer plan is closer than you think.

There’s nothing too complicated about it, which is probably why I like it. Pick a spot, pack the truck, bring towels, and give the day a little room. If you’re not in Texas, make a point to get into your local watering hole this weekend too. Mother Nature made is ideal. Man-made works too, especially if the watering hole has cold beer, a decent patio, and somebody else handling the cleanup.

5. Weekend Wisdom

“Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be.” — David Bly

That quote hit me a little differently this week.

As parents, it’s easy to focus on what we’re teaching our kids. The lessons, the rules, the conversations we hope they’ll remember someday. But the older Millie gets and the more aware Elsie becomes, the more I realize they’re paying attention to a lot more than that.

They’re watching how we treat people. How we react when things don’t go our way. How we handle stress, success, setbacks, and everything in between. They’re watching how we show up for our families, our work, and the people around us.

The good news is that kids don’t expect perfection. The bad news is they’re always watching anyway.

Feels like a good reminder heading into the weekend. Be the kind of person you’d be proud to see reflected back at you twenty years from now.

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Alright, that’s it from me. Onto the weekend we go!

Appreciate y’all being here.

Cheers,
JM

Jon-Mark Craddock
CEO

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Originally published in JM's Weekly Roundup on 2026-06-05.