Bow Ties: Tasteful Or For Tools?

Blame it on the recession, but many designers sought meaning in craftsmanship this fall, resulting in collections where fine apparel and dressing up were major themes. As such, bow ties were seen in abundance. To try out this trend, don’t resurrect your neckwear from prom night; instead, consider this of-the-moment graphic printed bow tie from avant-garde Scandinavian label Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair. Continue keeping things fresh by pairing this pre-tied bow tie, not with a three piece suit, but with a deep V-neck cardigan and a pair of slouchy pants. Or, try it with a button-down, a military-inspired jacket and some distressed denim.

Founded in 2004 by two Swedes, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair specializes in seriously fashion-forward, expertly cut and masterfully tailored pieces made from high-quality fabrics. In fact, so skilled are these designers at what they do that in their hands even the most basic pieces somehow become incredibly cool. Take their graphic bow ties, for instance. It’s hard to make this neckwear hip given that many people consider bow ties to be a stuffy accessory reserved for the most formal of occasions. However, this label has managed to turn out a selection of three for Fall 2009 that are not just wearable in many settings, but add character to your ensembles. Plus, because this label doesn’t have the same following as mass-market chains, there’s no chance you’ll see anyone else wearing one of these pieces this season. Choose from copper or green paisley prints, or black with slightly psychedelic swirls.

Every piece from Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair’s collection is a carefully designed and artfully executed labor of love, so expect your bow tie to endure for as long as you’d like to keep it. As this fall saw a renewed interest in traditional gentleman’s apparel, you’ll be bang-on when you sport this piece in the coming months. It’s unlikely that bow ties will establish a huge fan base, however, meaning that you can’t expect this piece to look as cool as it does now in one year’s time. If you’re willing to don a bow tie on any old day it suggests you’re deliberately giving your outfits an edge, in which case $100 isn’t necessarily an insane amount to pay for an accessory. Don’t even think about it, though, if wearing a bow tie everywhere this fall seems more like a punishment to you than a fun fashion statement.

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Dine among pretty young things

An Italian trattoria in the heart of NYC’s bustling West Village is something that has been done before, but never before has it been done in such a relaxed and stylish way. Scuderia is the brainchild of NYC landmark restaurateur Silvano Marchetto (of Da Silvano) along with his 29-year-old daughter Leyla. This chic and casual restaurant takes a rustic approach to traditional Italian dishes and it is fast becoming one of the hottest dishes in town. It also happens to be a hot spot of beautiful young women and the menu includes perhaps our favorite dessert of 2009. Yes, you want to go to Scuderia.

Simply by virtue of the Marchetto’s involvement, the scene at Scuderia is one you want to be a part of. Regulars include Famke Janssen, Lake Bell and a host of other PYTs. The clientele is stylish and youthful, with an almost European vibe. At night, the casual dining tables are filled with groups of women out on the town. During the day, young moms stopping by for a glass of wine after dropping their children off at the neighboring Little Red Schoolhouse are the norm. Either way, the airy dining room lends itself to striking up a conversation with those around you; Scuderia is nothing if not a social restaurant.

The menu at Scuderia dabbles in both the classic and the creative. Italian staples such as gnocchi and lasagna Bolognese are present and executed well. American classics are available too; things like a classic cheeseburger and skirt steak with jalapeño salsa verde dip are two favorites. Things get even better when the extensive daily specials list is presented. A fresh lobster salad featuring slices of avocado and fruit was a surprise hit, and the lobster itself was some of the freshest we’ve tasted in Manhattan. Another interesting dish from the specials list is a breaded artichoke over polenta. However, no visit to Scuderia would be complete without one of the most outstanding desserts we’ve tasted all year, the pizzetta con Nutella e marscapone. This dish alone is worth a trip to Scuderia, and we predict it will become their trademark.

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Tequila: 5 Things You Didn’t Know

Tequila has a bad reputation and it’s because we’ve all been there, lured by its ritualistic methods of consumption and its promise to take us to a higher level of consciousness, but in the end we’re left with a vague recollection of the night’s proceedings, wondering who’s in the bed beside us, cotton-mouthed and crusty-eyed. Some might blame all that on the volume of tequila ingested, others might point to the sugar-based ingredients tequila is sometimes mixed with (then called mixto), and yet it likely has something to do with the quality of the tequila (inferior tequilas often add sugar and caramel). Our typical college or tavern experience with tequila contradicts one of Danny Schneeweiss’ (cofounder of Milagro tequila) guiding principles in life, which is: “tequila shouldn’t be painful.” When you drink premium brands like Milagro, which is made from 100% agave, insanity shouldn’t follow and hangovers will be a thing of the past.

If you’re in the market to buy some tequila (and why wouldn’t you be, since 90% of tequila sales are made in Mexico and the U.S.), there’s basically one thing you want to look for on the bottle, and that’s “100% de agave.” This means is that all the alcohol contained within the bottle is a direct result of the fermentation of the agave and only the agave; no sugar or other additives have been included to supplement the creation of the alcohol. In the end, this results in better tasting tequila and hopefully no hangovers.

Tequila is the heart and soul of Mexico. It’s the national drink and it has been unfairly branded throughout history -- even after the conquistadors introduced distillation to mezcal in 1530. Bet you didn’t know that or these other five things you didn’t know about tequila.
1- Tequila is aged in the plant, not the cask
Most of us know that spirits like whisky and wines are aged in oak barrels, which typically enhance their flavors and smooths out their edge. There’s usually a point of perfection, but there’s often a certain amount of prestige associated with older spirits, and with that prestige comes a higher price point. Unlike these fruit- or grain-based beverages, tequila is derived from the blue agave plant (not a cactus as many believe), which is a member of the lily and amaryllis family of flowering plants. While some tequila, such as Milagro’s reposado and anejo is aged in barrels (unlike the brand's silver line, which is not), the time to maturation is short; allowing tequila to age longer than four years could deteriorate the quality of the spirit. Nonetheless, blanco is bottled directly after distillation, resposado (rested) must be aged a minimum of two months by law (Milagro, however, ages theirs for six months), and anejo (old) is aged a minimum of 12 months by law (and, again, Milagro, ages theirs for 18 months).

The blue agave plant takes 8 to 12 years to mature, at which time the heart, called the pina because it resembles a pineapple, is harvested. The harvested pina typically weighs 50 kilos and will produce one case (12 bottles) of tequila. Timing is crucial when harvesting the blue agave, which is why it’s said that the aging is done in the plant. After waiting 8 to 12 years for the plant to mature, you know you’re getting close when the leaves are between five and eight feet tall, the plant’s diameter is 7 to 12 feet and the quiote (stem) shoots up from the center of the plant. As soon as the quiote shoots up, it’s removed (and harvesting isn’t far behind) because it will reduce the amount of sugar in the pina, which would make it unusable for the tequila-making process.
2- Tequila is like champagne
Like champagne, tequila has Denomination of Origin, meaning that the spirit can only be produced in Mexico -- and that’s usually done in the Jalisco state. If you think tequila is only a step above moonshine production in a broken-down shack, consider that it is among the most closely and regulated spirits in the world, watched by the Mexican government, the Tequila Regulatory Council and the National Chamber of Tequila Producers. While individual distilleries decide upon their own techniques or what they consider quality, other specifics like aging requirements down to what’s printed on the bottle are closely regulated.

Want a little blood to go with your tequila?

Yes, tequila got its start in the Jalisco state and a local town even gave its name to the spirit, but what about the region makes it deserving of being awarded with Denomination of Origin? First, tequila must be made with blue agave (agave tequilana). Second, the volcanic soil and climate in Jalisco is especially conducive to growing the plant. The region is further subdivided into two regions, the lowlands and the highlands, which has an affect on the profile of the final product. As Danny from Milagro puts it, “The highlands of Jalisco… provide a microclimate that provides an agave of extremely good quality, that provides tequila with a very distinctive profile; it’s very smooth, it goes down very, very smooth and it’s a fresh, clean, crisp taste.”
3- Tequila once required human sacrifice or blood
While archeologists state that agave has been cultivated for roughly 9,000 years, the Aztecs didn’t discover pulque (tequila’s modest predecessor) until about 1,000 years ago. Legend has it that the Aztecs discovered pulque after lightening struck an agave plant and cooked the insides and caused the juice to seep out. Sweet and mildly alcoholic, the Aztecs believed the drink to be a gift from the gods, one that opened communication between mortal and immortal (we know a few people who still feel this way whenever they consume an alcoholic beverage). Typically reserved for priests, nobility and the sick, pulque was used in religious rituals that often required human sacrifices to ensure a plentiful supply so that, you know, the Aztecs could keep talking to the gods.

At a later date in Mexico’s history, during the Mexican War of Independence, another ancestor of tequila was brought into battle and used to toast the revolution. So, yeah, there’s more blood spilled -- and don’t even count all the bar fights because some drunk did body shots off another drunk’s drunken girlfriend.
4- Tequila goes bad
In our first point, we said that barrel-aging tequila for more than four years would deteriorate the quality of the tequila. By that, we mean that tequila loses some of its agave qualities and takes on more of the bourbon qualities from the cask in which it’s aged. So, actually, it doesn’t go bad, but you end up with something closer to whisky than tequila.

To help you out at home, you should know that once you open a bottle of tequila, you better be in the mood to drink it. Generally, you have one to two months before oxidization and evaporation diminish the quality of the tequila and destroys the agave profile.
5- Tequila is technically a mezcal
A lot of people confuse mezcal and tequila. And a lot of people who think they know a little something will say that tequila isn’t mezcal. They’re wrong. However, mezcal can never be tequila. Confused? Think of mezcal as whisky and tequila as Scotch, which is a whisky but “better.” And, as eluded to above, pulque came before mezcal. The primary difference between tequila and mezcal, however, is the plant. All tequila must be produced using blue agave, while a variety of agave plants can be used to make a single mezcal batch. Also, mezcal can be produced in multiple Mexican states.

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“Megan Wants A Millionaire” Cancelled

VH1 has postponed all future airings of the popular reality dating series Megan Wants A Millionaire as police in Los Angeles search for a Canadian finalist suspected of killing his wife.

An international manhunt is on for Ryan Jenkins, a contestant on the well received show who is now a suspect in the strangling death of his wife, 28-year-old swimsuit model Jasmine Fiore.

Police say Fiore’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a trash bin in Buena Park, California last weekend. She was last seen Friday night at her home in Los Angeles. According to local media, Jenkins took Fiore to a poker party in San Diego the night she disappeared.

VH1 released the following statement regarding the case late Wednesday: “Ryan Jenkins was a contestant on Megan Wants A Millionaire, an outside production, produced and owned by 51 Minds, that is licensed to VH1. The show completed production at the end of March. Given the unfortunate circumstances, VH1 has postponed any future airings. This is a tragic situation and our thoughts go out to the victim’s family.”

All information regarding the show has been removed from the network’s official site. According to some media reports, Jenkins won $250,000 on I Love Money 3, which was taped in March and is scheduled for broadcast later this year.

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Attract Women With Confidence

Women are attracted to confidence. It’s hardwired into their brains and it’s not difficult to understand why: Confidence is typically reflective of value. Confidence is an indicator of intelligence, strength, charisma, and good looks. Women want to be around confident men because there’s a good chance confident men are worth being around. This is why confidence is what women notice first: It’s an indicator of just about every other quality women find attractive.

So, when trying to meet women, projecting confidence should be at forefront of your mind. You should be thinking about projecting confidence the moment you walk into a room; you should be thinking it as soon as you introduce yourself; heck, you should be thinking about it even before you leave the house, when you’re at home getting ready.
How do you show a woman you’re confident, you ask? Below, we’ve assembled a list of the things that women notice first -- these are the clues they use to determine whether or not a guy is confident. If you master these tips, you’ll definitely attract women with confidence.
Smile
The look on your face is definitely one of the things that women notice first, and a smile is a great way to convey confidence. A smile communicates to those around you that you are happy and having fun. You’ll look comfortable and confident -- smiles open doors. So force yourself to smile, especially when you first arrive somewhere -- that’s when all eyes are most likely to be on you.
Hand movement
When you try to attract a women with confidence, hand movements are another thing you'll need to mindful of -- you need to keep them under control. Most importantly, don’t cross your arms or hold your drink in front of your chest: These are defensive postures and they indicate that you’re not comfortable being approached by strangers. Instead, keep your hands at your side, and use them sparingly during conversation. Pat your friend on his back and shake hands with new people; these actions emphasize friendliness, civility and improve your social capital.
Friends
When you’re out on the prowl, a wingman can greatly improve your chances, and not just because he can distract your target’s friends while you make your move. A companion also automatically indicates that you’re not a social pariah (at least someone is willing to spend time with you). Don’t get carried away, though. It’s better to circulate in pairs. Large groups intimidate people, so don’t prowl around the club like a street gang.
Grooming
Good grooming is absolutely essential to displaying confidence. In fact, grooming may be the one thing that women notice first. A guy with a bad haircut or unkempt facial hair is pretty much doomed before he even opens his mouth. And don’t even get us started on body odor; if nothing else, make sure you don’t smell.

Our final insights on how to attract women with confidence you should work grooming into your regular routine, because you never know when a pickup opportunity is going to present itself. If you bump into a beautiful woman at the mall or on the street, you’ll want the confidence that comes with knowing you look good.

Clothing
Style is one of those things that is both objective and subjective. Objectively speaking, it’s important that your clothes are clean and generally in good condition (unless we’re talking about deliberately damaged denim). It’s also important that your clothes fit properly; many guys wear baggy, ill-fitting clothes, and women notice.

Beyond that, style choices are up to you. Whether you dress like a biker or a preppy, the most important thing is that you feel good in your clothes. You want that shirt that hugs your body just right, and you want to wear the shoes that your female friends are always complimenting. When your clothes make you feel like a million bucks, you’ll exude confidence.
Temperament
Confident men don’t need to put others down. They aren’t jealous, petulant or mean. If you’re sneering at a passersby, making snarky comments about strangers or being rude to waitresses, women will notice. A calm, affable temperament may just be what differentiates confidence from cockiness.
Posture
Stand like you’re worth something and walk like you’re going somewhere -- there is no need to rush, hustle or scamper. When you’re important, people will wait for you. Walk purposefully with your head held high. Walk a bit slower than you usually would. Here’s a trick: When you walk into a room, pretend you’re wearing a cape, like Superman. You’ll stand up straighter and walk more confidently -- women notice good posture.

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