5 Things of the Moment: February 2013

In less than a month we rejoice at the arrival of Spring, warmer weather and  slightly longer days which melt into the balmy nights and sunny days of summer.

WITH temperatures shyly rising, in-between seasons are tricky times and although we will be releasing our Spring 2011 Manual (this Friday) for now these are our five favorite things of the moment…

The Venerable Home Shirt

A gentleman’s home is his castle, not his cave and one can neither parade around in a smoking jacket all day nor can one walk around shirtless. This is why we believe that in a man’s wardrobe there is the need for the venerable, comfy, home shirt.

The Henley is the perfect shirt for this; long-sleeve for the cooler mornings (which can be rolled up as the temperature climbs, and, should you need to run a quick errand, a button short can be thrown on top of it at a moment’s notice. Look for a Henley that’s, made of soft cotton and comfortable. Fit is important, you shouldn’t be swimming in it, but neither should it look like you spray-painted it on (it’s not a muscle shirt).

The Safety Razor

The comfortable shave

Even the most ardent gentleman is tempted to go ‘grizzly’ during the cold winter months but Spring is time to welcome a new year, clean-shaven and properly groomed. Paying $24USD for four-pack of triple razors for a $3 razor that looks reversed engineered from a Transformer can be fun, but overall an unnecessary waste of money.

The truth is while three blades may give you a closer shave- they also irritate the skin much more causing razor bumps and ingrown hairs. The solution: an old-fashioned safety razor (the above is from German stalwart Merkur available at http://www.Amazon.com or here): “I swear by it,” says Alejandro Ortiz our Editor-at-Large “first off their incredibly economical and a single razor can easily sustain two weeks of regular shaving and they give a great shave without irritating my skin…”

The razor head itself may cost more than the drug-store plastic wonder, but pays for itselves in razor-savings within a few weeks.

A Boat Club

The life…

If you live by water and you don’t have a boat, then move somewhere else! We know why you don’t of course- the Young Gentlemean has many things to take care of and financial prudence is one of them which is why a Boat club is the best option.

Owning a boat is expensive, nevermoind the cost of buying the boat, but then you have to keep it in a marina, maintain it, insure it and the list (and costs) go on and on. With a boat club all those worries are gone! You only pay a monthly fee ($150-$300 depending on your club) and there will always be a boat waiting for you! No maintenance fees, no docking fees nothing= no headaches= pure pleasure. Enjoy

We like www.freedomboatclub.com but there are many boat clubs out there- shop around!

The iPad

The ultimate past-time…

Sure it’s been around but there is no better gadget on the planet (Barnes and Noble’s Nook and Amazon’s Kindle are good, but cannot do everything an iPad can!). As the spring draws near and the nights slightly warm, it’s a good time to squeeze in a couple more books before it’s too late. www.store.apple.com

Cotton Chinos (by Brooks Brother’s)

The standards of Spring…

Chino season is coming, but it’s not too early to begin dusting the mothballs off them. A soft pair of chinos with a comfy Henley is the ideal stay-at-home get-up one which can, with a simply button-down shirt, be immediately dressed up. Live a little though, experiment with colors far beyond khaki and grey. We like Brooks Brother’s new line of soft cotton twill chinos which can be both casual-cool and with a roll or two of the cuff and a polo or a spruced up with a sports coat and an oxford..

-TGG

Happy Valentine’s Day from TGG!!!

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TGG_Insider

Where’s my favorite blog?!

And we’re back… excuse us for the absence but we’ve taken a break, recalibrated and back with much more content and a wider reach than ever before!

WE’VE got great bourbon recommendations, dreat digs for man shoes, easy recipes in “Man Can Cook”, more silly seasonal colognes that matter and a slew of other great content. We’re reaching into the archives bringing some of our best hits, emptying our mail with some great reader questions and are signing up a slew of contributors to round out our pieces. “

Where have you guys
gone!?” was a question we got… fret not, you’re favorite men’s blog is back. Spread the world—let the world know. This is The Young Gentlemen’s Guide.

Guide to Man’s Drinks: Whiskey Cocktails from Saveur

Whether it’s a traditional drink like a Sazerac or Seelbach, or a brand-new classic like mixologist Jill Schuster’s cherry cola La La Lola or Julian Cox’s beet-spiked tipple, we’re ready to open our hearts — and our liquor cabinets — to American whiskey…

More about Whiskey Cocktails here at Saveur.com.

TGG Answer Corner: Q & A

It seems the Young Gentlemen’s movement is gaining some steam. In our Q & A forum we have received questions and queries from Gentlemen-in-Training and the Established-Gentry alike. The most persistent theme being: Being A Gentleman; how do I do it?

A: Keep reading the blog, spread the word, and remember: “Classic is timeless” paired with “Less is More” (and a dash of “substance over brands” is a good start and a mantra to keep with you.

Okay, let’s get to it!

Dear TGG,

I am in a bit of conundrum. I feel somewhat abashed writing to you about this, but hopefully you can offer me some insight… I am an aspiring young gentleman at the age of twenty-three. I think to disclose this fact to my comrades would make me feel somewhat ostracized. It is unfortunate that we live in a society that feels a resentment for those who are concerned about appearance and live the hedonistic lifestyle. How do you think I could practice being a young gentleman without giving off the notion that I am snobbish or dislocated from my peer group? Or do you feel that this challenge that all gentleman today have to face? On that note aside, do you happen to recommend a good reference book that I can follow to improve myself and learn more of the art of being a gentleman.

Sincerely, Aspring Young Gentleman

Answer:

he·don·ism/ˈhēdnˌizəm/Noun

1. The pursuit of pleasure.

2. The ethical theory that pleasure is the highest good and proper aim of human life

WAIT, what’s wrong with that? Nothing.

Some people don’t get it, but it would also be a glaring oversight to not note that many religious dogma carry a footnote on Hedonism: Don’t do it. But, this is silly, the pursuit of pleasure is as unique as the grooves on the tips of our fingers which make up our fingerprints. For Mother Theresa (if I can continue on this tangent) her cause was her hedonism. For others that pursuit may be different in nature but never in aim.

If this is your life’s philosophy, why disclose it at all? This is your life, live it and pursue what is ultimately excellence in everything you do (eat, wear, drive, are a part of, believe etc…)— if genuine (and grounded in substance) people will recognize this. If one’s intentions are not grounded in substance or are false, then such aspirations will come off exactly as that; aspirational, snobbish, and obnoxious.

How we define what it is to be a Young Gentleman answers the second part of your question: is a Young Gentleman A) a male fashionista who indulges in reflecting the world’s runways and indulges in all things Gucci while donning an Hermes belt with a huge “H” on the buckle; B) a ‘dandy’ who walks around in innocuous social situations (at the Café, pub, or relaxing with friends) in monogrammed velvet slippers and owns a collection of pocket squares and cravats which are all worn generously OR C) is a Young Gentleman one who understands that life is a mix of pursuing pleasure and dreams while simultaneously understanding our obligation to the world and those around us never forgetting to indulge in celebrating life’s occasions with the best the world has to offer.

We think a little bit of B and a whole lot of C (we can attest to our Editor-in-Chief’s large collection of custom-made cravattes and his yearning for velvet-slippers). All men who wish to care a little bit more about what they wear and spend a little more time worrying about what they look like will always face certain amount of consternation- this depends largely on what part of the world you live in.

Go to Capri or Napoli in the summer and the endless cascade of pinks, light blues, and faded yellows on men wearing close-fitting pants and cropped jackets will amaze you (all straight macho-men by the way). Try to dress like that in Detroit, Michigan or in Podgorica, Montenegro and you may seem somewhat out of place and ripe for the picking. To be a Gentleman is, yes, to dress… but to dress timelessly, to have a style which is the most understatedly apparent in the details; and those details (all of them) are never forgotten; what’s more those details extend to every corner of your life.

So, Aspiring Young Gentleman, go forth into the world follow your bliss and forget what anyone has to say about it- for your happiness is, ultimately, your own private pleasure.

And remember… Although it may have taken you 45 minutes to get ready a man should never look like he took more than 5 minutes to do so. Anything else comes off as contrived (i.e. trying to hard).

PS- Alejandro’s personal favorite (and we agree with our dear Editor-in-Chief) is GENTLEMAN: A TIMELESS GUIDE TO FASHION (Ullmann) by Bernhard Roetzel which you can find here: http://amzn.to/msprmg

The Young Gentlemen’s Summer Guide 2011

The temperature keeps rising, the days longer and the nights become balmier as Spring unfurls into summer but not to worry The Young Gentlemen’s Guide is here!

Although not quite “hot” yet in most parts of the world (Europe is still quite cool, and the band that stretches from Barcelona through Milan, Istanbul and Dubrovnik a bit on the grey and rainy-side) the time has come to get ready for summer nonetheless. For the true gentleman, one that eschews the wonts and desires of trends and fashionistas respectively what then does summer mean to him?

Wardrobe

Time to loosen it up… hot weather overall all too often translates into the degeneration of a man’s attention to the ‘smartness’ of his attire: i.e. when it gets hot, he gets sloppy. No reason; beating the heat does not mean dressing any less sharp than before-. Size is still king, wearing a size to two too big does not equal cool (in either use of the word). Play around with fabrics; most makers, houses, haberdashers and designers offer lighter-weight versions of their shirts and trousers.

• Looking Forward (Posts to Come…):
  • 5 Things of the Moment: The summer wardrobe.
  • Linen Primer
  • “Color Me Bad: The Ins and Outs of Bright Summer Sartorial Splendor”

Drink

The time for “dark spirits” (re: Scotch, Cognac, etc…) is slowly coming to an end. But if you still can’t put down your Bourbon try the myriad “white whiskeys” or “moonshine” out on the market today; sadly many of these are only available in the States. Gin, as ever, is appropriate (and welcome) at any time of the year and a Gin Fizz (Gin+Soda Water+Squeeze Lime) is always welcome (leave the Vodka for another time). No spirit is as identifiable with summer as Rum and with it the brilliance of a TRUE Daiquiri (one part rum+two pars lime juice+1 part sugar/ shake/ on ice + bitters); this was one of Hemingway’s favorites, often called the “Hemingway Daiquiri”- one sip and you’ll know why. Stick with traditional white Rums (Don Q, Methuselah, Havana Club) or Premium whites (Orinoco, Cane 5 etc) and don’t skimp on the fresh lime.

• Looking Forward on Man-Can-Drink:
  • Summer Gin Drinks
  • The Hemingway Daiquiri
  • The Perfect Mojito
  • Punch

Wine

Need we remind any gentleman out there that once the temperature surpasses a certain point at midday reds are out of the question. Most of the French (especially those sun bathing on the Mediterranean coast) may argue that that point is 77F while others may argue this point the dictum stands: If it’s hot / sunny enough to get a tan, it’s warm enough for a rose. There we said it. Man-up, rose is not foppish, nor is it supposed to be sweet… a great rose carries with it the refreshing crispness of a white with the nuanced romance of a red; all in a wine that can be enjoyed with anything from a burger, to grilled prawns or a beautiful sunset.  For an authentic summer rose stick to those of Provence  (southern France).

• Looking Forward on Man-Can-Wine:
  • The Rose Primer
  • California Summer-Wine Round-up
  • The Allure of Italian Whites
  • Obscure Pleasures

Fragrance

You DON’T HAVE TO change your fragrance with the seasons, this is true—but you don’t have to stop wearing as Jacket either… it’s just nice to. Most of life’s pleasures are purely elective and those small details which bring civilization into our daily lives can too be casted as frivolous—but then again that’s their nature (so stop complaining already). At this point all the heavy oriental fragrances, the colognes with heavy woods and musks and those with an orange hue need to go away (remember: cool, dark, place…). Reach out for fragrances which remind you of the pleasures of summer. Last year we brought you the “Smells Like Summer” which we are bringing back on 2011 with a new line-up of fragrances. Summer is the time for fragrances that are light, airy and err on the green, fresh, citrus or aquatic side. Stay tuned. (We like the Heeley Sel Marin above… review coming soon).

• Looking Forward on Smell’s Like Summer 2011
  • Summer 2011 Basics
  • The Aquatics
  • Fresh and Citrus

Life

Summer is time to let go, relax, and through out all the baggage. Take up a hobby; sky dive, learn to fly, go boating but whatever you do…. Relax.

• Looking Forward on Bespoke Life:
  • A boat all your own…
  • A Man, A Plane
  • Superfluous Necessities
  • Ron Tulotta keeps lighting up our blog with his Cuban Cigar posts
  • And more!

Stay tuned and join the discussion, leave your comments and follow us on Twitter (TGG_Insider) and Facebook!

TGG Welcomes Editor-In-Chief…

The Young Gentlemen’s Guide celebrates it’s third year in publication this August and as you have no doubt noticed we are shaking things up for our anniversary (ahem… the look).

More over we want to ensure our loyal readers and subscribers that they can always count with timely, fresh and high quality content every week. In an effort to keep TGG current and continue to develop a more effective Web-Zine we have tapped the talents of our current Editor-At-Large; Alejandro Ortiz, to spear-head the effort to refresh TGG.

Alejandro is a life-style, luxury, and hospitality consultant whose clients includes one of the world’s top boutique hotel-groups as well, celebrity chefs, and private individuals. Alejandro was a regular contributor to Sommelier India Magazine and has been  the editor-at-large of the lifestyle blog The Young Gentlemen’s Guide (an earlier interview in this blog with Alejandro here). Alejandro splits his time between Singapore (office), India, Montenegro and Miami. He is currently working on a novel and random works of short fiction.

The overall Mission of The Young Gentlemen’s Guide will be kept in tact as the overall feel evolves and the content and contributors expand as does our reach and our ability to be around not just three years but twenty years from now.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (TGG_Insider) for inside scoops on Gent’s gadgets, clothes and gear, sales, happenings and much more.

Follow Alejandro on Twitter @ Alejandro_TGG

Support Japan – Round-up for a great cause

In 1965 Teruyoshi Hayashida, a photgrapher, published a book which, although little known outside fashion circles, is the reference for classic American style. Out of print for decades, it has only recently found its way back to shelves. Until now that book “Take Ivy”, fashion insiders, creative directors and designers had copied, ebayed and scanned pages of this bastion of Classic Americana men’s wear.

Solidarity...

 

It would seem the Japanese inadvertently preserved a relic of our sartorial heritage– now it’s time to give back.

Look Good for a Cause…

Design your own custom polo here

San Francisco’s: Hope to Japan

Tuesday April 5th at the Hotel Nikko. Check out details here.

The United Way

“You can make a difference. Support the People of Japan through the United Way” here

Send a Message

Join Toyota’s “Support for Japan” and make a difference. (here)

TGG’s new look…

After a difficult two weeks, alot of traveling and a buys schedule our efforts have paid off with a new dynamic look for The Young Gentlemen’s Guide (give us feedback, tell us what you think!) and follow us on Twitter at TGG_Insider.

 

Pull up your pants… and get ready for the ride.

(please bear in mind with our new look some of our menus and links will change…_)

 

 

The Cuban Cigar Field-guide presents: The Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2

TGG CIGAR PRIMER

Type: Figurado specifically: culebra

Origin: Cuba

Brand: Juan Lopez

Background: Founded in 1876 by Mr Juan Lopez

 

Last night I decided to crack open a very special bottle of Quinta do Portal “40 Year Old Tawny” Port (one of the few Ports still crushed by foot, yum!) to enjoy with an after dinner Habano; the Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2 (given to me as a wedding gift almost 2 years ago).

I spent a few hours braising beef short ribs for the wife in a homemade demi-glace, alongside roasted root vegetables and hearty polenta made with Vermont cheddar… What a meal!

 

The Drink

Alas, to the main event:

Juan Lopez started his eponymous brand in 1876 and his heirs eventually sold it in 1918 to la Sociedad C. Del Peso y Cia. Eventually, like all Cuban cigar brands, it was nationalized after the revolution.

At the first draw I thought this was going to be a medium-to-full-bodied cigar and it was, although about one third of the way into the cigar it began to mellow quite a bit with background notes of chocolate. As it burned, now halfway through, the bluish/grey some was almost as good looking as the 2-inch ash (a sign of great craftsmanship). At this point this cigar comes to full bloom with an array of flavors ranging from rich creamy coffee to more dark chocolate that evenly coated my mouth. Towards the end a slight-peppery note and spiciness let’s you know this was a multi-faceted smoke and burned perfect from start to finish!

The Smoke

The stick matched up perfectly with my Quinta do Portal which had a very predominant fruit flavors, notably figs (a favorite) which, with the stogie’s slight flavors of cocoa and black pepper, you have a dessert to die for!-RT

 

Ron Tulotta, a Staten Island Native and trained Chef has worked in the kitchens of some of the America’s most renowned restaurants and lends his discerning palate, sacrifices it really, for TGG’s newest column, posted every other Wednesday: The Most Benelovent Cuban Cigar Field Guide”.