So Cold, So Sweet, So Fair

Billie Holiday called him 'Pops.' King Oliver called him 'Dipper Mouth.' The British called him 'Satchmo.'

If this number does not shake the core of your being. Well then I do not know what will.

New York Fashion Week 2010 ~ Yigal Azrouël

Spring 2011 Runway Show 

No schooling or formal training, with talent alone, Yigal Azrouël coasted into the New York Fashion World in 1998. Columnists seem to referred to Yigal's style with phrases such as, chic with modern freshness, inventive draping and not a designer to follow the trends. Yigal is soft spoken and a modest individual with always a confident posture about him. He is man that doesn't need to say much for one to understand. Yigal knows his collections are good and if there were a phrase to supersede 'trendsetter' that is the type of person that needs to put on Yigal. I am going to call that type of person an 'avant-gardist with modern freshness.'  

It is a Beautiful Thing

Revealing to All

The perverbial male skirt lift is looking into his refrigerator.  It could be nice, it could be a surprise or it could be repulsive.  But like everything, one needs his necessities.  Obviously, you have the two types of extremes when it comes to filling one's refrigerator.  The 'White Collar' refrigerator consists of lunch meats, Healthy Choice, hot dogs, eggs, milk, condiments, salted/ unsalted butter, Pilsbury Doughboy biscuits and some frozen pizzas in the freezer.  The other extreme is the 'Condiments' refrigerator, which is self explanatory.

The necessities being the Krug and the espresso container in this particular example.  A conclusion may be drawn that this particular person does not spend much time in his apartment and treats the city in which he lives in like his own backyard.  The chilled Champagne displays class and shows preparation for the later hours.


One never knows when a subway will pass underneath a street vent and rush out hot air that turns a lady's lovely Spring dress into a broken umbrella....revealing to all.....so be prepared to impress.

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Échelle des Crus currently deems 17 sites in Champagne Grand Cru worthy.  The Karl Lagerfeld of these sites is Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.  Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is the most southern Grand Cru of  Champagne and located in the department of the Cote des Blancs, which holds in it's nest 4 other Grand Crus; Chouilly, Cramant, Avize and Oger. Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is 100% chardonnay fruit that grows on slopes of chalk, limestone and fossilized sea shells.  Of the three grapes allowed in Champagne chardonnay is known for its precision, freshness and ageablity.  For example, when a Champagne bottle is labelled 'Blanc de Blancs' you can be assured this is only produced from chardonnay. Now, with this fresh information do not abuse it by asking the next sommelier at a restaurant "Do you have any Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne?' You will embarrass yourself, not impress your date, the sommelier will give you an odd look and hit you with a question beyond your knowledge or take advantage of your wallet. The reason being, is that wines exclusively made from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger are rare, single vineyard and have a vintage stamped on the label. If you want a ballpark figure, some bottles will cost you as much as a fully loaded Citroen C4 or just check The French Laundry's winelist for Salon.

As it is important to be well versed in Champagne, it is equally important to pronounce it correctly.
Lou - Men-Knee - Sir - Oh-Jay

Viper's Dream

It is not even an opinion but a fact that Django Reinhardt is the greatest guitarist. His improvisions, sheer talent, dedication and his casual way of life, enough to drive most people mad, made him a prodigy.

Janurary, 23 1910, Jean-Baptiste Reinhardt later given the pet name 'Django' was born. A Manouche Gipsy traveling around Beligum, Northern France and dipping into Germany when times saw fit.  His mother a gypsy entertainer and his father a musical intrusment repairman.  At the age of 12, Django was given a banjo-guitar.  No formal training, Django just had countless idle hours to listen to other musicians, pick at the six-stringed instrument and create his own sound.  Django's reputation grew in Paris, especially around the Red Light District, as a teenage and he recorded his first couple albums with an accordianist Jean Vaisaade. In 1928, Django returned to his caravan and wife after a night of playing.  He thought he heard something later that night in the caravan and used a candle to luminate the room.  He dropped the candle and it instantly caught fire to the confections of flowers in the caravan.  Django saved his pregnant wife but the personal injuries substained caused him to spend time in the hospital.  The doctors wanted to amputate his leg, Django refused so his cousins quickly removed him from the hospital.  Django kept his leg but the tragedy to be was his left hand, the fret board hand.  The pinky and ring finger were burned, scared and paralyzed....

Django returned but this time with a guitar and playing for cafes in the streets of Montmartre with his newly adapted 2 fingers and thumb technique. The rest you can read in a Django biography.

Le Marais

The new trend in Paris is walking in Hermes shoes for 25 miles then tossing them to the street. An urban way of catch and release.

France the Target

France is always the target in the wine world.  Most prominent wine regions try to emulate France in their wine-making techniques in an attempt to knock them off the horse or beat them at their own game. There have been tasting contests in the past, most notable 'The Judgement of Paris' wine tasting in 1972. I do believe that outside wine regions have made up ground on the French but when all is said and done, Napa Valley's Schramsberg Tete de Cuvee 'J.Schram' will never reach the height and precision of Krug's entry level 'Grande Cuvee' mv.

Definition: Champagne, is a wine that must be made up of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.  These varietals can be but do not have to be blended. It must come from the Champagne region of France and anyone that thinks sparkling wine is interchangeable with Champagne has committed blasphemy.
Champagne est ni Cava, ni Prossecco, ni Cremant, ni Franciacorta ni Vin Mousseaux (Sparkling Wine) et etc.  It is worlds apart from any other sparkling wine if you are a person that places an emphasis on the details. It is not difficult to decipher the quality and harmony of Champagne when one tastes it side by side to other sparkling wines. Once one has discovered Champagne there is no need to look back.  Find the desolate corner in your refrigerator and occupy it with wine that is compressed to 6 atmospheres. Be reminded that the cost of wine is not always synonymous of quality.

Thierry Fluteau Blancs de Noirs Brut nv - $29
Bruno Paillard Preimer Cuvee Brut nv - $44
*Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs 'Grand Cru' Brut nv - $45
Ayala Brut Majeur nv - $49
Aubry Premier Cru Brut nv - $49
Jean Lallement Brut Reserve nv - $59
Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut nv - $60
Gosset Grand Brut Rose nv - $65
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose nv - $70
Krug Grande Cuvee Brut mv -  $100

It is a challenge to stop after ten suggestions but do not feel limited to these. There is plenty of fine Champagne.

Bespoke

A man of the town, Mr. Aaron Vogel. Talked about by many but seen by a few.  This is a bespoken man. The British term bespoke use to apply only to men that wore properly tailored acquired attire. This would involve a blank canvas approach, with measurements, multiple fittings and original designs by the tailor or client. Now, the word has been abused and placed into industries such as car, furniture, electronics, you name it.  But so that you know where bespoke originates is what will ease me at night.

Mr. Aaron Vogel is not just what meets the eyes.  Fortitude is behind the martini and beneath the suit. He draws the attention of many but only attracts a few.