Surfeit Sputum

How many times has it happened that as you were enjoying a beautiful day someone just spat right in front of you?!

Sadly, this disgusting habit has been increasing, especially among children and adolescents. The lack of any specific rules or laws specifically prohibiting this in the United States and other less civilized parts of the world is party to blame, however the rest comes from a lack of proper education and sense of hygiene. 

Many viral diseases such as the Common Cold or Tuberculosis are transmissible through saliva and mucus, so why should we be exposed to your bodily fluids. Imagine for a second people would start urinating on the streets on a regular basis. Even though urine is very much sterile I believe the popular outcry would not take too long to generate a ban on this act.

So if you find yourself among this category of misbehaving spitters please STOP now! There is absolutely no medical or social reason that would require such an abhorrent act to be permitted. Saliva has an important biological role so spitting it out only worsens your bad breath and dehydrates your mouth and esophagus.

If you are sick and feel the need to eliminate mucus please buy some tissues!

If you are a smoker and dislike the aftertaste, stop smoking or wash your mouth with a strong mouthwash every time you feel the need to spit. 

If you have halitosis or constant bad breath, buy some gum (also a no-no when it comes to spitting) or some dissolving fresh breath strips.

If you just do it for fun, there is no hope for you besides self-education and restraint. Remember the street is a public space and therefore is owned by everyone. How would you feel if I came into your house and spat all over your carpet?!

Close To Perfection

Existence. Ephemeral and Ineffable.

Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty.

Having just seen Tom Ford's "A Single Man" has me pondering life's meaning again and I ask myself now, is there a universally distinct human purpose or is our sole animus a preparation for our inexorable destination?!

Exactly what fueled the creation of this blog was my wish of presenting the world and its objects, through their physicality, as being an anchor to all of us, against the flow of time and feelings. Many a poets, directors and other wielders of the fire of creation have ruminated over our irresolute and wayward lives with no avail, and I am certainly not one to claim to have an answer. Purposeful or purposeless, I enjoy the present, fondly remember the past and sometimes think of my future, but at all times I am anchored by my body, my feelings, my friends and my possessions. They are the ones who always remind me of my present physicality and it is they who give my life meaning until the final curtain falls.

In this post I would like to look at one of the things I enjoy doing most in life and that is observing beauty in all forms and shapes. Given that I just mentioned Tom Ford's recent movie I would like to praise everything from cinematography to set design, costumes to actors and their acting and dialogue to music. Nothing is superfluous under Tom Ford's vision and the timing for everything is beyond perfection. I would almost go ahead and call this a work of art but my lack of cinematographical education prompts me not to.

Nicholas Hoult, modelling for Tom Ford

Beauty in its physical human form was embodied most by two characters: Kenny, one of George's (played by Colin Firth) students played by Nicholas Hoult and Carlos played by Internationally renowned model Jon Kortajarena.

Nicholas Hoult as Kenny, in "A Single Man", wearing a nice mohair sweater, featuring a curious boat-neck 

Jon Kortajarena, modelling for Tom Ford

Jon Kortajarena as Carlos, possibly doing a better James Dean than James Dean himself

Enjoy the following portfolio of Spanish Model Jon Kortajarena for the beauty that is channeled through him negates the possibility of a random and purposeless existence since such a world would have no need for it.

Of Scents and Manly Sensibility

Deodorants, Colognes are Perfumes all great and every man should have at least one of each, however one man's journey into the world of scents should definitely not stop there.

I know how most of us guys dislike ironing tremendously, but nothing beats a crisp freshly washed and ironed shirt or set of bed linens. If you think only your mom or the dry cleaner hold the secrets to these you couldn't be more wrong.

Linen Water

Since ancient times, people have used plants like lavender, rosemary, tansy for imparting their homes and clothes with a fresh scent. They freshened their linens by placing fragrant sachets, herbs, and flowers in drawers and closets and fragrance was brought into the homes by hanging garlands of lavender and mint.

With just a simple recipe you can freshen up your clothes and linens, and if you are not very sensitive to essential oils, you can even be used to freshen and uplift your home.

If you ask yourself what do I do with this linen water, the answer is simple. After taking your clothes or linen out from the dryer just spray some onto them and iron as per usual. The heat will not only set the fragrance in but also make ironing a more pleasurable activity.

How to make Linen Water?

While the proportions are not set in stone, linen water is made out of three main ingredients: water, alcohol and one or more essential oils (definitely experiment combinations of two or more if you're more adventurous)

Here's a list of the common Essential Oils that can be used in Linen Water (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Berries Allspice Juniper Seeds Almond Anise Celery Cumin Nutmeg oil Bark Cassia Cinnamon Sassafras Wood Camphor Cedar Rosewood Sandalwood Agarwood Rhizome Galangal Ginger

Leaves Basil Bay leaf Cinnamon Common sage Eucalyptus Lemon grass Melaleuca Oregano Patchouli Peppermint Pine Rosemary Spearmint Tea tree Thyme Wintergreen Resin Frankincense Myrrh

Flowers Cannabis Chamomile Clary sage Clove Scented geranium Hops Hyssop Jasmine Lavender Manuka Marjoram Orange Rose Ylang-ylang Peel Bergamot Grapefruit Lemon Lime Orange Tangerine Root Valerian

As you can see, the choices are quite varied and opposed to most recipes that you can find online, which use Lavender, I like fragrances that are a little more spicy and strong. My favourite oils that I use in linen water are: allspice, almond, nutmeg oil, cedar(masks the smell of wool from adult moths), peppermint (especially for linens) and Rose (shirts)

BEST retailer for essential oils is Snow Drift Farms; they even offer free samples for all of their essential oils

Linen Water 1
2 1/2 cups mineral water
5 ml essential oils, of your own choice (approx 100 drops)
1/8 cup vodka

- add the essential oil to the alcohol then mix with the water
- use in a spray bottle for best results

Linen Water 2 (Floral - not my favourite but it makes a great gift)
2/3 cup mineral water
1/4 cup (50 ml) alcohol
1 1/2 ml (30 drops) lavender true essential oils
1 ml (20 drops) palmarosa essential oil
1/2 ml (10 drops ) rosewood essential oil

- same as Linen Water 1

Linen Water 3
1 teaspoon (100 drops) Bulgarian lavender essential oil
6 oz. cyclomethicone (a mixture of Cyclopentasiloxane & Cyclohexasiloxane; dries very quickly; does not stain)

Pour essential oils and cyclomethicone into a bottle, cap and shake. Spray on dry linens before ironing or use as a fabric freshener (no need to iron and makes for a much better alternative to Febreze).

Line Water 4
4 tbsp. of fresh rosemary
2 cups of water

- chop the rosemary and place it in a saucepan with the water.
- bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- allow to cool and strain. discard the rosemary leaves.
- add water up to 2 cups and decant into a large spray bottle.
- works the same way with fresh rose and jasmine flowers or other herbs

Tips:

- use distilled water as tap water contains chlorine which destroys the essential oils
- inexpensive vodka works the same as more expensive one; go for the highest proof
- linen water works best for cotton garments and linens. If you would like to use it on any synthetics, make sure to test it for stains on an inconspicuous part first.

Rugby Ralph Lauren Video Campaigns

One of my favourite labels of all is Rugby, part of the famous Ralph Lauren Empire.Following you will find their video campaigns, which are always original and very appealing, in reverse chronological order.

Spring/Summer 2010

Holiday 2009

Fall 2009

Spring/Summer 2009

Holiday 2008

Fall 2008

Holiday 2007

Clip-on Flip-up

These new glasses from Oliver Peoples, part of their Spring/Summer 2010 collection, function both as sunglasses and as prescription glasses by means of flipping the sunglass lens up or down depending on your needs.

While I am not entirely convinced of their intrinsic practicality, I do think the concept is a little cheeky and quite novel.

What I liked most about Oliver Peoples was their Spring/Summer 2010 campaign video, featuring Elijah Wood and Shirley Manson. I think their choice of interpretation and integration of the glasses was enticing and original which combined with a great musical choice added up to the following:

The glasses can be purchased here.

Vintage Menswear

This 1927 ( my grandmother was born then so quite an old video by my standards ) clip allows a glimpse into what would soon become a dying fashion (capes and hats and bastons oh my)

This 1954 Menswear video is an interesting look at the world of Men's Fashion in the 50s. You can all see that mostly no accent was put on the models' looks (or is it our perception of male beauty that has changed? ) and the fit was mostly loose, especially for pants (I'm sure the dreadful pleat was present).

The shorts/office look curiously portends to some of the modern takes on men's formal-wear (see my previous post on Engineered Garments )

CFW - FTW

The weekend is over and I have had almost no rest, but all the energy was indeed well spent. This last week witnessed the first edition of the Cluj Fashion Week (CFW - Cluj is my hometown), an event born out of the previous organizational failure of the Romanian Fashion Week

CFW meant art exhibits, workshops, lots of great parties and obviously a great fashion show. The runway saw creations of many talented Romanian Designers (Iris Serban and Raluca Coman) and also quite a few foreign designers (Kavathas Vangelos - Greece and Choi Boko - South Korea were my favourites).  My only major disappointment was that the Fashion show featured absolutely no designs for men, all designers focusing exclusively on Women's Fashion. While it is true that in Eastern Europe an even lower number of men are interested in fashion and the trappings of style, there is no excuse for omitting this niche completely.

I am not going to claim I know as much about Women's fashion than Men's, however there were quite a few designs that I enjoyed very much. Even "A Shaded View on Fashion" 's Diane Pernet was present at the show and her presence meant a lot for an event that is only just taking form.

My friend Jenya, visiting from the States on the left and myself on the right, on the last night of the CFW

CFW, great job and I'm looking forward to next year's edition, hopefully, bigger, better and definitely "manlier"!

Will You Add to My Baggage?

Will you add to my baggage?

Will you help me unpack?

Or will you just look at my things and take me right back?

Do you have the time to help me unpack?

To put away my baggage,

To never repack?

Evelyn Colbath (excerpt)

One of the great things that I have learned from my father is that smart people buy once while others live a lifetime buying. What my father wanted to have me understand is that quality should be one of the most important things I look out for throughout a life of purchases. One of the things that every respectable young man should own is a good piece of luggage. We are young, we travel a lot and we are more interested in adventure rather than comfort, which means our luggage should be there to withstand the most arduous of challenges.

Nik Palmer

Jack Palmer

When I first discovered Palmer & Sons, the first thought that went through my mind was, this looks like refined quality, I should look into purchasing one of their items. For good reason, Palmer & Sons, a Vancouver based, family-owned business is a great investment. All their items are hand-crafted by the Palmer men using traditional methods, heritage materials and vintage tools, turning into some of sturdiest and most fashionable pieces of luggage I have seen, They also allow for quite some freedom of customization, without the bill having to jump exponentially.

Examples of different finishing touches

1. For all of you who prefer a messenger bag to a backpack, me included, I recommend their Leather Suitcase No. 3 (Prices start from $435 - shipping included for the XXS model and go up to $545 for the M version)

- the XXS model can also be worn as a backpack or carried as a suitcase

2. For light to medium travelling I would recommend one of their Gladstone No. 10 pieces which also comes in different sizes (from XS - $450 to L - $700)

Notice the exquisite build and attention to detail. That's what will last you a lifetime!

3. Last but not least, there is an option for all you MacBook users out there, although I would not exclude other similarly sized computers from being carried in P&S's Leather Macbook Sleeve No. 14

Lightweight and quite manly thanks to the over-sized lock 

Whatever you might purchase in your lives, remember that quality lasts you longer than quantity and will always be much better appreciated by your peers!

Keep it in Style!

Give In Style

As it has become Rugby.com's custom to support different humanitarian causes, just like a good Prep should do,  Rugby is hosting a 6 day event in which all of you can help the victims of the Haiti and Chile earthquakes. 

On top of receiving a 25% discount (Enter the discount code GIVERL) on any Rugby item you can feel even better about your purchase knowing that 10% of what you pay goes to support the cause. Get out your credit cards and shop for a cause, I'm sure your Spring and Summer wardrobes could use some new additions! Rugby.com is also great about shipping: free if your purchase is over $150 or a flat $5 fee otherwise.

Here's a few of my favourite Rugby Items, which I would definitely wear and wholeheartedly recommend:

Top Left: GRAPHIC PRINTED CHINO SHORT - $79.50
Bottom Left: BLACK SKINNY JEAN - $89.99 and ENGLISH ROSE STRIPED BOW TIE - $49.50
Center: COTTON CABLED ARM STRIPED CREW - $89.50 and CANVAS MESSENGER BAG - $99.99
Top Right: SCOUT DECK JACKET - $198
Bottom Right: WADHAM GINGHAM OXFORD - $69.50
Note: Prices are before the special Give in Style discount!

Keep it in style!

It-Must-Be-Hard-On-You

As one site that I can't recall right now wrote, you should walk out the door every day with the same excitement that could get you...well you know, excited !

Shipley & Halmos jacket and pants, Original Penguin shirt and tie, Burberry belt, Nooka watch, Fred Flare cup

I can't comment much on this except how much I like this take on male fashion. While Women's fashion is always edgy and sometimes bordering the pg-18 zone, the same is not true for Men's as well. Why is it that breasts are always flaunted, meekly covered or behind wet white clothes and men are almost always kept fully clothed, god forbid someone might find out they have a penis?! This Vice-Magazine photoshoot does exactly that, and brings the MAN back into Men's Fashion.

Enjoy the Pictures!

Shipley & Halmos suit, Loden Dager shirt, Original Penguin tie, vintage pocket square from Screaming Mimi’s, Incase iPhone cover

agnès b. jacket, Sisley shirt, Topman pants and bow tie, Ben Sherman shoes

agnès b. jacket, Sisley shirt, Topman pants and bow tie, Ben Sherman shoes

The rest of the photos from the shoot can be viewed here.

Nautical Articulations Of The Being

What lies in names of furtive random faces,

That often hint at meaning just right before the future coalesces?

Is it the souls of waves that are now fleeing

From Nautical Articulations of the Being?

The sea has always been part of human nature and even nowadays it is still part of quite a few people's lives. Sailing and Yachting are often exclusively taken up by civilization's privileged, the few who can afford the time for his expensive hobby.

Perusing through my copy of The Official Preppy Handbook has brought something I had forgotten about, back into view, something that has to do with both sailing and a privileged lifestyle: Nautical Monograms.

Nautical Monograms have been and probably still are one of the few secret alphabets that are not that well known and could be easily overlooked by the uninitiated. The Nautical Alphabet consists of 26 distinct flags that each have a letter and a meaning associated with it. This particularity of "Vexillolinguistics" as it might be called, affords for easily creating one's monogram and then using it for anything ranging from signing a message, displaying membership into an elite sailing club to discovering other Preps that are passionate about sailing.

Here are the Alphabet and Numbers Chart in the Nautical System, useful for quick reference:

My Nautical Monogram for example would be the following:

One website that offers notecards with Nautical Monograms is Polygraphics.com

Enjoy being creative with your monograms in a new way!