Hot, hot, hot, hot... Chocolate

In a city where a Remy Side Car goes for $23 in the King Cole Bar, an $8 cup of hot chocolate isn't that crazy. Not for what it is: thick goopy elegance that coats your mouth in a smooth layer of cocoa-sin. It's really something of a bargain for anyone used to living in NYC. Or, maybe I've been here too long.

Maison Du Chocolate is in the T.A.O. (Tourist Area of Operations). 30 Rockefeller Center (at 49th) and most folk, fresh from shaking signs at the Today Show, are scared off by the prices. For me, it's a convenient location on a cold and rainy afternoon. The kind of afternoon made for a Nooner at the Algonquin. But if you can't do that -- drinking hot chocolate at Maison Du Chocolate is the next best thing. Maybe it's the fourth best thing. Certainly it's in the top ten.

Dead or Alive: 25 Best Dressed (Full Article)

Esquire Gentlemen S/S 1993, Woody Hochswender - Editor











(click on image to enlarge)

The World's Best Dressed Man

Alan Flusser featured 25 of the best dressed men (living or dead) in Esquire's Gentleman issue - Summer, 1993. Sadly, he missed one. Not just a well dressed man but, as a certificate from the Swiss Tailor's Guild announced, "The World's Best Dressed Man." Even his shirts bore 'W.B.D.M.' monograms. I'm not sure how this man could have slipped by Flusser. Unless of course the monogram was on his cuff.

Khaibar Khan Goodarzian was, in 1961, man about town -- a man's man --a man of style, substance and, "550 suits, 50 tuxedos, a dozen full-dress outfits, several hundred pairs of shoes, lots of silk underwear and handkerchiefs from Sulka, $750,000 worth of jewelry and four rare and costly oriental rugs." or so says the proof of loss statement provided to the Continental Insurance Company.

Goodarzian claimed he was the hereditary chieftain of a northern Iranian tribe called the Bakhitari. An investigation revealed the humble roots of a dispatcher in a British Army motor pool. Still, New York City opened it's arms and charge accounts to Goodarzian. Parties at El Morocco, haberdashers and department stores, all on credit.

The "fire" (you knew there was gonna be a fire) occured late one night in his two bedroom apartment. Actually, it was a one bedroom apartment with a bedroom converted to a closet. A witness saw Goodarzian removing clothes from his apartment the day before the fire. And there was the testimony that, during a party at the apartment the same night of the fire, Goodarzian was upset when butane containers were late in arriving.

Good luck prevailed after Goodarzian disappeared with the butane containers in his bedroom but rejoined his guests and moved the party to a nightclub. It would be seven years before Goodarzian would learn his case, Saks & Co. et al. v Continental Ins. Co. et al., named after the creditors, would pay him nothing. A few years later, the W.B.D.M. was deported. I have no idea where.

Hipster Puppies

Genius available here


here’s what i think of you, and here’s what i think of jonathan fucking franzen

no, gary, i will not give you a ride to the fucking farmer’s market

there was an npr story about that, let me find it


when suggesting lunch options downtown, mike always pronounces phở extra correctly


gunther saved the pbr, and therefore saved the fucking day


the last time rufus rode his tall bike, he spent a month in a neck cone


enzo would usually throw a fit about the service but the bartender is hot

"God Tells Me What To Do But The Devil's My Secretary"

Subway Inn 143 E. 60th St at Lexington Avenue

The first of a series celebrating NYC dive bars. And while the honesty can be too much -- a good dive bar is a refreshing contrast to the vacuous sports bar where Bud Lite consumption is subsidized by insurance company expense accounts belonging to pasty white men in golf shirts, Dockers and Cole Haan Kilties.

The Subway Inn's neon is like a roaring Christmas Eve fire to the eyes of the afflicted. Tourists hurry their children by and must wonder how something so low brow can be so close to Bloomingdales and the Container Store. It's almost impossible to see into the bar through the window but once inside any sense of real danger is left to unknowing imaginations.

I was weaned as a 19 year old on the strip bars along Hay Street in Fayetteville, NC so my bench marking may be out of whack. The inside is not dangerous at all. In fact, the place could use a rougher crowd. Certainly a poorer one. Shots are $5 and bottled beer is less. Hipsters take over on weekends and regulars have it on week nights but to see the hard core pop in around noon. A beer at lunch ain't gonna kill you, but the guy at the end of the bar might.

Rating: The Classic 8/10

Chino Tasting- Best Overall

Trad Dad 1st Row Far Left

Dad's Khakis

Bills Khakis

The Bullard

We all bring baggage to everything we do and I certainly have a Mayflower truck following me. The desire to find anything today made with the quality of yesterday is what I strive for with The Trad. My taste and passions may not be yours and that doesn't make me right and you wrong. Until it comes to khakis.

I was surprised when my taste level in a simple cotton pant lined up with the judge's assesment of the Bullard by Bills Khakis. Easily taking the high score of 97.5, there has been a complaint from a contestant that they too could build a decent khaki for $165. Maybe.

When I pitched the chino tasting to a contestant I mentioned throwing some ringers in the mix. A 1970's US Army khaki and a 1950's French Army khaki. The maker emailed me asking for clarification. Did I want cotton or wool? Their khaki expert Googled my ringers and the description was for wool not cotton. I assured the maker I was looking for cotton.

I'm not a khaki expert. But Bill Thomas is. He didn't so much create the Bullard as much as he took an American traditon and improved it. Thomas didn't choke it to death with bogus details but by keeping it simple and pure he created a khaki better than any I've ever seen or worn. Better than what was issued to me at Ft Jackson, SC in 1976.

A Master Sergeant told me, "It's not what you do in life that makes you a man. It's what you don't let people take away from you." At the risk of sounding like a J. Peterman ad - I think that defines the Bullard.

Chino Tasting: Bryan's Best Khaki

Robert Bryan's pick for Best Khaki: Selvage

Introduced in 2020 and long gone

History (please let it repeat itself)

I've been told they're gone. That picture does not do this pant justice. The LINCS selvage khaki came in Navy, Breton Red, Forest Green and Khaki. If anyone out there has a pair - PM me. This is an outstanding pant that didn't do so well with the Dillard's customer. And I'm not surprised. You don't see khaki selvage very often. In fact, after this pant, you may never see it again.

At $110, this was on the high side for the customer who, like a few commenter's here, thought it was, "just a khaki." Selvage is where you'll find the khaki cognoscenti circling. Robert Bryan knew there was something going on when he picked this pant up. He noted the tape seam (selvage), called the pant exceptional and gave it a 95 and "Best Khaki."

So why would I would knowingly enter a pant that's impossible to find? It's almost like saying, "Hey, there goes a really good looking nun." I entered it because I want some designer who's sitting at his desk shooting rubber bands at the ceiling tiles to try this again. Only this time try to give a wider market. Maybe Dillard's and Belk.

Blind Chino Tasting: Most Traditional

A Blind Khaki Tasting

The contestants

Bryan notes Most Traditional

Boyer inspects Most Traditional

Seven companies provided 13 pair of trousers to The Trad for a "Blind" tasting judged by men's style writers, G. Bruce Boyer and Robert E. Bryan. LL Bean, Bills Khakis, Brooks Brothers, the French Foreign Legion, J Press, Lincs and Martin Greenfield all put up entries with the requirement they be all cotton and plain front.

Due to the size of the venue, Le Veau d'Or, the inspection was limited to a tasting. That is, a close inspection of the pant with a focus on the fabric, manufacture, hand, details, and authenticity. A 1-100 point scale was used for five categories: Most Traditional, Most Original, Best Dress Chino, Best Khaki and Best Overall.

Winner for Most Traditional is the Bullard Field Pant by Bills Khakis. A whopping 10.2 ounce twill, authentic yet simple design and details that remind me of khakis issued at Ft Jackson; seam on seam pockets - high rise - wide belt loops. I can't wait to see what these look like with heavy starch.

Robert Bryan gave the Bullard a 97 commenting, " washed fabric, heavy trad, high rise, authentic khaki." G. Bruce Boyer gave the Bullard a 98 and noted, " best fabric + color, standard styling; well made; most authentic." No tags were left on the pant to give away it's maker or origins and so the Bullard won on its own merits (and weight) with the consensus afterwards that while some entrants tried, "too hard for authenticity" the Bullard kept it simple and pure.

I'd say the Pennsylvania terroir contributes to a beautiful hand feel while the twill shows nice legs. This is a huge khaki that reminds me of Silver Oak's Napa Valley release. It comes on big and the finish lasts forever. No need to decant. Pairs well with a rib eye at Peter Luger. At $165, this is a special occasion khaki but unlike $100 Silver Oak, you can open the Bullard more than once.

And even though Nordstroms (and probably the French) will tell you not to cuff plain front khakis - - I say cuff these babies big time. An inch and a half is perfect.

A Man's Movie: OC and Stiggs

"If we could combine really loud noise with the ugliness of poverty, we'd have the ideal car." Mark Stiggs

When I first thought of doing, "A Man's Movie" O.C. and Stiggs was the kind of film I had in mind. No, that's wrong. O.C. and Stiggs was the film I had in mind. Every woman who has sat down to watch this with me hated it. And not just hated it but found it so annoying and stupid that I'm reminded of how a lot of women react to The Three Stooges.

Shelved in 1984 and released direct to video in 1987, Robert Altman took a lotta criticism for this and that's a shame because no one ever saw it. Wildly confusing on first viewing, it veers every damned where. It pokes fun at just about everything 'middle-class-white-watusi' including insurance agent, Randall Schwabb, whose company motto is, "Misery loves our company." It's totally unpredictable and maybe that's why women hate it. Safe and sound is put to the test through the insanity of this film.

A college buddy, Jeff, introduced me to O.C. and Stiggs via National Lampoon Magazine. There were a number of different stories but, "The O.C. and Stiggs Guaranteed Method of Porking the Vice President's Wife" in the June 'Do It Yourself' issue of 1982, gives you a taste for the concept.

Jeff had a movie poster in his dorm room for the obscure underground hard core film, "Cafe Flesh" with the sub title: "Post Nuke thrill seekers looking for a kick." After dumping Jeff, his ex girlfriend tried to make nice at a college dance and asked if he would like to dance. Jeff replied. "On your grave."

Jeff found a 1961 Lincoln Continental for $500. Five of us were going to split the cost but a $1,500 exhaust system would be needed for the car to pass state inspection. Our dream of living a scene from O.C. and Stiggs, "Utterly Monstrous, Mind Roasting Summer" (Oct 1982) was not worth $400 each.

Riding in a friend's Mustang convertible, Jeff found it impossible not to sit on top of the back seat and wave. 25 years later he's still certifiable. When I introduced him to a business colleague a few years ago over lunch - the unsuspecting underwriter asked, "So what do you do?" Jeff deadpanned, "I work in the adult film business." Never invite old college friends to business lunches.

This cast is pretty damned amazing. Tina Louise, Cynthia Nixon, Jane Curtin, Ray Walston, Dennis Hopper, Lois Nye, Melvin Van Peebles, Bob Uecker, John Cryer and Martin Mull in one of the most bizarre roles and yet he's pitch perfect... like it was written for him. King Sunny Ade rounds the whole thing out (and is a major plot point) with an amazing soundtrack. Hey, is it true Ade's US tour has been cancelled?

Look, I'm not gonna BS you -- This film is an acquired taste. But just like Tripe, try it 10 or 20 times and you may find it grows on you.

Off My Back: New Old Stock

O'Connell's Clothing in Buffalo is well known to the cognoscenti as one of the few purveyors of honest and true Trad apparel. With Quoddy back ordered to God knows when - - I found a pair of Quoddy Camp Mocs ($175) at O'Connells and they were a shade under the Quoddy price ($209) to boot or to moc.

I check their web site every week because I'm sure as Hell not driving to Buffalo. Just last week I found something amazing. New Old Stock of Brooks Brothers shirts. I first heard someone say "piss shiver" when I was in the army. I swear I had a piss shiver when I saw these.

Bang the 1-800 and Ethan answers. Ethan always answers. "So what's the story on the Brooks shirts?" Ethan explains O'Connells was one of eight or so retailers who had a Brooks "store in store" concept from the late '80s to the mid '90s. They sold suits, ties, dress shirts and polos. I ask the big question, "Those Brooks shirts you have on your web site - - Are the collars lined?"

A quick primer. Unlined collars are very important to the obsessed Brooks Brothers oxford fan and here's why. It was that detail of a sloppy looking collar that actually made the shirt. In much the same way the bagginess did and still does. It is - - 110% American. Actually, it's North American but that's another story.

"Unlined" says Ethan. Pull out wallet, credit card, bing, bang, bong. Two days later it's here. A pink - I ordered pink - I haven't seen this pink in years. Softer in hue and almost peach when you hold it up to a recent purchase. Amazing.

Maybe it's better. Maybe it's not. The collar is 3 1/4" compared to 3" today. The shirt tail hits 33" compared to 32" today. But oddly the weight (on a kitchen scale) pegs the Old Stock at just over 11 ounces while the new oxford weighs in at just under 13 ounces. Odd that. Ethan thinks they were made in the early '90s somewhere in the south. Maybe Alabama but don't quote him.

If this interests you -- give Ethan a call. Chat him up and give it a go. No discount from this blog. I paid full freight - - so will you. But these little opportunities of history are hard to find in a world of J. Crew 'curatorial' washed horse pooh. You may wanna strike - - while the gettin is (a-hem) unlined.

The Best Restaurant In Za Vorld

42 East 20th Steet - Just down the street from TR's birthplace

Empty table but not for long

It'll make you giddy

Update: Check out this NY Times Sunday Metro piece (25 April) on Danny Meyer's sharing his hospitality secrets through his new consulting business, Hospitality Quotient. Nice is Lesson 1.

I remember reading the NY Time's restaurant review of Gramercy Tavern when it first opened 15 years ago. I was on the commuter train to work in Chicago and it was a Wednesday morning. Had to have been. That's when the restaurant review ran. I don't remember who wrote it. Possibly Ruth Reichel but not sure.

What I am sure of was a B&W picture of two women sitting at a table framed by the simple letters of the restaurant on the front window. One woman elegantly tilted back a glass of white wine as if she was taking the very last sip. It was the sexiest newspaper photo I have ever seen. When I got to my office I called the Times and asked how I could buy it. The Times didn't really care about what I wanted - - but Gramercy Tavern does.

I haven't been in a better restaurant. It's rare I don't find something to bitch about but never here. Flawless and intelligent service by people who know the menu and are passionate about food - - not pretentious. Fantastic local and seasonal menus that change but always a pasta that melts in your mouth. Hell, even the nuts at the bar beat out what was once the premier nut dish of New York - The King Cole.

A wine list where I've been steered to what became magnificent obsessions of mine - - Sagrantino di Montelfalco and Domaine Serene Evenstad to name two. A room that is simple and elegant and not a stick out of place. I look up from my plate and see a famous actress and I don't give a shit. Any of the anxiety I brought in off the street melts out my feet. I am calm and at peace and I am happy. It's expensive but it's cheaper than therapy.

The Art of T&A...

New digs in old Asprey digs...


Where buttons come from


Silk shirting from the archives


More silk shirting - via Instagram



WWII shirt from Jermyn Street



"Torches" from WWII


Brolly handles


Dressing room


Pocket frogging


and sleeves


Another world...


another Friday belt?


Silk dressing gown makes use of 12 screens


Sleeves


Moleskins


Limited edition shirts...


utilizing vintage T&A designed fabric


My "Magda" editor jacket


Traditional T&A stripes


Kingdom of Evening Wear


Smoking jacket



More sleeves

The Morning Coat


Custom shirts...


and even socks (by Corgi)


Photo by Cecil Beaton


The library


More Brolly handles


Preppy?

Turnbull & Asser recently moved a couple store fronts east from their old location to the long vacant Asprey Shop on 57th Street near Park Avenue. It's like walking into some very grand hotel... a hotel I could never afford unless I was on business. It's like meeting a beautiful woman in a bar, and I can't figure out why she's so interested in me, until I discover her business. In short, it's a place I don't belong.

But NYC is full of people who belong. Missing here is the, "We're not worthy" Midwestern attitude I came to love in Chicago... along with Old Style beer and the Chicago Cubs. T&A probably threw out the welcome mat after I wiped my feet upon entering but I never saw anyone do it. They're that discreet and even that friendly.

You enter the store through a small library. An archives of beautiful vintage shirts sit behind glass as if they're in a museum. And they are. T & A has taken great care of their history unlike many retailers I can name. But then we Americans love to throw old stuff away.

There's a hip new section of black, Gore Textual, Loro Piana (why are the Italians here?) that I found out of place. But I was reminded of how little I know when a celebrity, tall and good looking, made a significant purchase of a black, Gore Textual, cashmere lined something or other. Certainly he belonged.

Lighting grows with a beautiful sun like intensity while climbing the stairs from the ground floor library. Small boutiques are sartorially bordered by T&A kingdoms of evening wear, dressing gowns, shirts, ties, jackets and suits. Classics abound. A hacking pocket navy blazer might be considered a bit off the reservation but their solid charcoal suit has to be the best suit a man can buy.

But it is the dressing gowns I especially lust after...If I were a magazine editor -- the male version of Magda from Ab Fab -- I'd get a bevy of beautiful women and shoot them wearing nothing but T&A dressing gowns and smoking jackets. Of course, it's the celebrities who belong here. I'm just visiting.