LOOK BETTER • FEEL BETTER • KNOW MORE
WINTER 2016
SHARPMAGAZINE.COM
The Sharp List Gifts That Are
Better Than Socks Top Cars of 2015
The Raptors’ GM Knows How to Win
A Little Film Called The Coats, Suits, and Sweaters You Need
BONUS INSIDE
Anthony Mackie
WINTER 2015
The Night Before’s
The Good Wife’s
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
WATCH BUYING GUIDE
Editor’s Letter
The Tradition Police
Sharp is on the air The Sharp Magazine Show is now on SiriusXM Canada Talks (channel 167) every Sunday at 6 p.m. Hosted by myself and Ward Anderson (of SiriusXM’s Ward and Al), it’s yet another chance to enjoy everything you love about Sharp, in a funny, conversational format. You can also download all of the episodes at SHARPMAGAZINE.COM/SHARPSHOW
GREG HUDSON Editor-in-Chief
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Photo: Matt Barnes
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HILE I WAS GROWING UP — AND ESPECIALLY around Christmastime — I earned myself the mantle of Tradition Police among my family. My self-appointed responsibility was to ensure that, every year, we dutifully performed every Christmas Eve activity on our unwritten itinerary. If we failed, some cord of affection and memory would snap. Faith would falter. We’d miss a moment. As the then-youngest of five kids, the powers at my disposal to enforce obedience were essentially whining and passive aggression. Never underestimate the motivating force of a sullen 10-year-old. But my reactionary, pharisaical rule was untenable, and not only because my siblings kept moving away. The problem was that I could stand additions to our holiday itinerary, but not subtractions. For instance: if we read aloud The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (a classic of the Holiday genre) last year, the Tradition Police would demand that we read it again this year. This would be in addition to an already full roster of activities, including: listening to Alan Maitland reading The Shepherd on CBC, watching It’s a Wonderful Life (a film that feels infinitely longer than its actual run time), dressing up and performing a semi-sacrilegious depiction of the Nativity story, and opening one gift (always pyjamas, always “from the Tree,” and always followed by us running out into the cold Edmonton winter, shouting Merry Christmas in our new PJs). There was a lot to get done. Now that I’ve become one of the Children That Moved Away, my family has settled into a more streamlined Christmas Eve — pared down for the benefit of nieces and nephews with shorter attention spans and their own traditions to perform. Still, and I realize this isn’t a groundbreaking observation, there’s something incredibly powerful about traditions. They give you much-needed context. Sharp has its own traditions around this time of year. Every December issue we curate the Winter Sharp List, a roundup of impressive gear that works perfectly as gifting suggestions for the man who, seemingly, already has everything (pg. 136). There’s our big, year-end automotive blowout (pg. 108), along with SharpWatch (formerly Time&Style). We also run our Entertain Like a Chef package (pg. 118) to help you with the inevitable guests who arrive around the holidays. It’s not that we want to give you the same stuff every year — far from it — it’s that we know these subjects are worth returning to. They define who we are as men. Possessions are possessions, sure, but they’re also totems of identity. We are what we care about, what motivates us. And that includes more than just stuff. Still, every year we hope we do better. After all, traditions are wonderful, especially if you can improve on them. Nobody likes a hard-assed Tradition Police.
Contents Dec/Jan 2016
152 JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN
F E AT U R E S
WHAT A RIDE
A rearview look at the ultramodern automotive year that was and the one yet to come.
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118
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132
Tom Hardy is the ideal male. But don’t let that bother you. We can all learn something from the star of Legend and The Revenant.
We asked some of the finest culinary artists across the country how to not screw up a holiday dinner.
Author James Grainger learns that raising a son is a whole lot different than raising a daughter.
At some point this winter, you will likely have to buy people things. So you may as well buy them the year’s best things.
THE HARDY MAN
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ENTERTAIN LIKE A CHEF
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HIS FATHER’S FATHERING
THE SHARP LIST
Photo: Matt Doyle
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Contents Dec/Jan 2016 STYLE
86
MACK ATTACK The Night Before star Anthony Mackie puts on a clinic in winter fashion.
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HEROES OF MENSWEAR
Designer Patrick Assaraf tells you what should be in your wardrobe right now.
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COLD SNAP(PY)
Essential looks for blistering climes, featuring pieces from Strellson, Burberry and Calvin Klein.
ANTHONY MACKIE
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GROOMING
Just listen to your girlfriend already: switch to all-natural grooming products.
DYED IN THE WOOL
Wool suits no longer chafe like they did before. They happen to look cooler, too.
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THE EDITOR AT LARGE
Jeremy Freed finds mostly fear (and some loathing) in Las Vegas.
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106
The Good Wife’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan dons an array of rugged styles on his 60-acre ranch.
Making a case for blowing your money on fantasy sports.
FREE RANGE
THE RELUCTANT FANATIC
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Photo: Ian Maddox
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COLUMNS
Contents Dec/Jan 2016 GUIDE
52
WOMEN
67
Sara Lindsey is starring in Concussion this month. Which is fitting, because she’s a knockout.
DESIGN
The days are getting shorter. Let’s talk lighting.
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TRAVEL
A MAN WORTH LISTENING TO
Once a wasteland of drab office buildings and empty streets, Downtown LA is now America’s next great city.
William H. Macy may be cinema’s number one loser (Fargo, anyone?), but in the game of life, he’s kicking ass.
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Toronto Raptors’ GM Masai Ujiri has Canadian fans turned up to 11. He’ll take a fine for that.
BOOKS
Pick-up artist godhead Neil Strauss now swears by matrimony, and he proves it in his new tome, The Truth. Plus, the best books of the year.
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FOOD
Today’s diners prefer sharing plates and good vibes to wine lists and tablecloths. Maybe they’re onto something.
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FILM
Sizing up that new Star Wars you’ve heard about. And can you actually make a good Shakespeare movie?
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HEALTH
Plateaus suck. Here’s how to annihilate them.
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MUSIC
Kurt Cobain pulls a Tupac and releases “new” music from beyond the grave.
WOOL SUITS
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Photo: Peter Ash Lee. Virgin wool double-breasted suit ($1,200) by Circle of Gentlemen; PanoMaticLunar watch ($12,100) by Glashütte.
SPORTS
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Man About Town Timberland Blazes a Trail To give Timberland’s Made for the Modern Trail campaign a proper send off, Sharp helped the outdoorwear innovator throw a party in Toronto’s Distillery District. Guests got to gander at the company’s bold Fall 2015 collection and enjoy a Drake-heavy set by Brooklyn’s DJ Mick.
Photos: Evaan
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Simons Heads Out West After 175 years of being a Québec fashion institution, Simons has opened its first store in Vancouver. The family-owned retailer welcomed over 900 guests from the city’s arts, design and fashion communities as it unveiled its new 100,000-squarefoot home, featuring mind-bending installations by Douglas Coupland and Jody Broomfield.
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Photos: LeSean Brown
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Man About Town Café Boulud Opens Its Doors As Café Boulud reopened at the Four Seasons in Toronto, the occasion begged for a swanky dinner party. A cadre of local influencers indulged in a succulent rotisserie feast, while world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud presented his newest offerings.
Photos: Marc Atom Borins
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Ben Sherman Suits Our Fancy To toast the heyday of tailoring — as well as their 2015 Fall/Winter lineup – Ben Sherman held a soirée at their flagship store in Toronto. Soho House bar manager Kris Bahamondes prepped an array of Jägermeister cocktails while the city’s sleekest discussed all things timeless and sharp.
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Photos: Ryan Emberley
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Dec/Jan 2016 LOOK BETTER FEEL BETTER KNOW MORE
Guide Slope Style
HE SWISS ALPS HAVE A REPUTATION. They’re the best skiing in the world; they’re also frequently overrun, at least in high season, by stuffy old-money Brits and daredevilish Australians — anything but local colour. The five-star Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa, one peak over from celebrated Davos, is where the Swiss go. And for good reason: the hotel boasts a private funicular from the lobby to the top of the mountain (some years the hotel will even let you rent the entire mountain for private skiing), six restaurants, and a jaw-dropping 5,000-square-metre spa designed by the architect Mario Botta, set deep into the mountain save for its signature glass sails piercing the side. Reputation, well-deserved.
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TSCHUGGEN.CH
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S HARPMAGAZINE .COM 51
Guide A WELCOME INTRODUCTION
Sara Lindsey Doesn’t get squeamish BY BIANCA TEIXEIRA
ARA LINDSEY HAS held a human heart in her hands and lived to brag about it. “It felt technical,” she says, “like I was doing a job.” Which she was, sort of. This month, the actress will star alongside Will Smith in Concussion, a film about the spate of brain injuries suffered by NFL players. To properly research the role of a forensic pathologist, Lindsey had to sit in on her fair share of autopsies. But she wasn’t squeamish in the least. That rock-hard attitude is a product of growing up in Ellicott City, Maryland with three older brothers. An environment where being the slightest bit girly wasn’t an option. “Whether I liked it or not, being a tomboy was my lot in life,” says Lindsey. “Between having to play and watch football, all the way to not crying when I was holding something gross, my brothers are the reason I can handle shit.” Or, you know, raw human organs.
Photo: Collin Stark
S
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Guide A MAN WORTH LISTENING TO
William H. Macy Is totally faking the long face
You’re directing your second film, The Layover. And your latest acting role was in Room. Both are independent. Which is funny, because I’ve heard you say you’re not a fan of independent movies.
Look, it’s like a marriage. Well, I say that but then I insult them. [Laughs.] No, independent films are fantastic! And you know what, you can’t kill them. When the recession hit and the whole paradigm of our business moved to TV, independent films took a hit. But they’re roaring back. That’s because people love movies. Television’s great too, but a feature film seems to be the perfect time to tell a story in detail and really let people get invested. It’s addictive. That being said, they’re a heartache! It’s tough making an independent film, especially if you’ve got lots of skin in the game. It’s against the odds. You’re putting out fires all day. Someone recently asked me, “What do you think of directing?” I said I’ve got to learn to control my emotions. I go from great heights of joy to suicidal, and then we break for lunch. And then I repeat it in the afternoon. I’m easier as an actor.
BY ALEX NINO GHECIU
So Room is about a mother held captive with her son in a garden shed. She’s extremely protective of her child, and manages to shield him from the harsh truth. How protective are you of your kids?
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At the other end of the parenting spectrum, on Shameless you play Frank Gallagher, an alcoholic father of six children. It’s a more laissez-faire approach.
[Laughs.] Well, the writers on Shameless need therapy. All of them. I mean, the stuff they come up with! It’s delicious to go out of all bounds to play a complete narcissist and a complete liar. There are no rules. And I love the family dynamic of the show. Parenting — we all do it. And slowly but surely the world is starting to take it more seriously. I’ve
Photo: Getty / Kevin Winter
HEN YOU THINK OF PITIFUL, out-of-luck, in-a-bad-way men, it’s hard not to conjure William H. Macy’s worn-in mug. The workaday actor has carved a career out of playing the saddest of sacks, from a desperately broke car salesman (Fargo) to a cuckolded porn cameraman (Boogie Nights) to a contagiously unfortunate loner (The Cooler). He is the human Eeyore — his hangdog expression, in our cultural consciousness, synonymous with defeat. Off camera, however, the guy is winning at life. At 65, Macy’s big enough a name to do whatever he likes, whether that’s star as a drunk dad in an Emmy-nominated drama (Shameless) or hand-pick roles in critically revered indie flicks (Room). When we speak, he’s between shoots for his second directorial effort, The Layover, a sex comedy starring Lea Michelle and Kate Upton. What’s more, his 17-year union to Felicity Huffman may just be Hollywood’s happiest (and longest) marriage. Turns out some losers do get the girl in the end.
Boy, she is such a mother. It’s primal how much she protects that boy. What lengths she’ll go to, to give him a happy life. Am I protective? Sure. But it’s more complicated — these are dire circumstances that she finds herself in. It’s beyond imagination. How does my parenting compare to it? I think a lot of people, probably most people, would die — or even kill — for their children. I married very well and my wife is very smart at this. Somebody smart once said, “It’s your job to prepare your kids for the road and not the road for your kids.”
Guide
A MAN WORTH LISTENING TO
Well, in many ways, you’re also a winner. You’ve got arguably the most successful marriage in Hollywood. I hear you still stand up every time Felicity enters the room.
“All you men out there: if you want to get lucky, stand up when she comes to the table. Also, all you young men: take off that stupid fucking hat.” got two girls and I’m happy for them. It’s a fabulous time to be a girl. Schools are getting hipper, I think. We’re talking about what kids need, not what we’re willing to give them. Are there any real-life drunks in particular who gave you inspiration?
Yes, in a way. Were there drunks in my family? Absolutely. I think one of the reasons the show works is because everybody says, “Oh my god, you think you’re something? Well, my Aunt Gladys…” Everybody’s got a Frank Gallagher somewhere in the family, so it makes the story even more universal and popular. It’s all too familiar and sometimes too true to be funny. And I love how real the show is, especially in the way it depicts poverty. It’s not like Roseanne, where being poor is sort of wacky and fun. These are seriously destitute folks, who steal from UNICEF.
Yes! And they’re great characters — these people just do not give up. I really look for that in my heroes: people who won’t say uncle. Because, at the end of the day, sometimes it’s just the person who’s the most determined that carries the pace. These people are hopeful and they’re fighting for something better. There’s a morality to them. They’re at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, and when you’re in that spot, I think you have the right to look at the people making the rules and say, “Go fuck yourself.”
That’s true. It was a promise I made, a wedding vow. It’s hard to remember sometimes, but it’s very effective. All you men out there: if you want to get lucky, stand up when she comes to the table. Also, all you young men: take off that stupid fucking hat.
stuff. It’s beyond my control. Brad Pitt happened to be born perfect and talented, so fuck him. They’ll always tell him, “You be the hero… and Macy, the cook is a funny role. He gets dropped in a vat of lard, it’s just hysterical.” Everyone plays their part.
Great advice! There’s been much talk about the Death of Monogamy lately. They say the high divorce rate and the popularity of things like Ashley Madison and Tinder are signs that monogamy is a failed social experiment. What do you think?
I think we have roots that go way, way back to feeling guilt and shame about sex. You know, the church tried to control sex. Your parents tried to control sex. The times shift and tell us what we are, sexually. The more we let it out, the healthier we will be. I think prohibition doesn’t work and makes things look better than they actually are. But monogamy is not going to die out. We want to know our lineage and we always will. And it’s a great thing — it has benefits that jumping around can’t compare to. I think to myself, “At this age? Single? Out there trying to get laid?” It makes me sick to my stomach. [Laughs] I’ve felt that way for a long time. When you give yourself to someone it has other benefits. There’s safety in it. And if you work at it a little bit, and you both try to stay sexy, it’s a great thing to do. It’s not necessary for the survival of the species, but it’s great fun. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. I love being married. I fucking love it.
Were you ever worried about getting pigeonholed into that loser role?
Oh, sure. How does one escape that?
Perhaps you don’t. If you want to, there are a lot of ways to refuse to ever do that thing again. It’s hard to pay the rent with that kind of attitude, but it’s bold and it’s noble, I guess. I just ride the horse in the direction it’s going. I didn’t get pigeonholed. But if I’m best known for playing the everyman who is in over his head, that’s a noble hat to wear. A part of growing up is saying, “Never say never.” So I got to a point where I said, “OK, that’s it. No more of these loser roles.” Then, in 2003, they sent me a script called The Cooler and I said, “No way.” But thank God they kept pursuing and cooler heads prevailed. It was a great role for me and he’s the quintessential loser. Not to do something that’s in your wheelhouse is stupid. I am what I am.
Cultural Equation
Critics like to call you “the biggest loser in cinema.” Ever since Fargo, you’ve continuously been cast as these hapless characters who always end up with the short end of the stick in the narrative. Why is that?
I don’t know, man. It’s got to be the way I grew up. One thing about Hollywood is if you do something well, they’ll say, “Let’s get him to do that again.” And you get similar roles. If you’re lucky, you get different kinds of roles. I think it’s the way I was born, the way I was raised, background — all that kind of 56 SHAR PM AGA Z IN E .C OM
= William H. Macy
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+ Steve Buscemi
� Ned Flanders
The Coen Brothers
BOOKS
Don’t Be Afraid of the Truth Neil Strauss taught us how to play The Game. This is how it ends BY GREG HUDSON
F YOU KNOW NEIL STRAUSS AT ALL, chances are it’s because of his 2005 book The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, a piece of experiential journalism that doubled as a how-to manual on the creepy art of seduction. Strauss adopted the moniker Style, and learned how to get women to sleep with him. It became a classic of the genre, great for nerdy dudes, morbidly fascinating to regular folks, and kind of ruinous for Strauss. The lifestyle he adopted made it nearly impossible for him to commit. He ruined his relationship, and ended up in rehab for sex addiction. His new book, The Truth, is the story of how he got from there to the kind of marriage you can’t help but shake your envious fist at. It might just be the most important book about relationships you’ll ever read.
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Strauss is the perfect kind of guru: honest, self-critical, and skeptical enough that you trust what he says. The Truth doesn’t offer advice so much as show you what’s possible, along with the work necessary to get there. There aren’t many hard answers, but that’s as it should be. “The book is called that, but really, it’s about finding your own truth,” he says, only sounding a little hippyish. Still, Strauss understands better than most why men are the way we are, our desires and fears, and how we can live with them. Hint: it’s about honesty. What else is new? And speaking of honesty: Strauss is an uncannily good interview — possibly because he’s an uncannily good interviewer. Even over the phone, he connects with whomever he’s talking to. Like he’s been waiting to be your friend. His day job is profiling rock stars for Rolling Stone, and his last book, Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead, a sampling of never-published interview tidbits that are endlessly illuminating, is a great way to encourage feelings of inadequacy in an interviewer. The cumulative effect of all this — his personality, along with the frankness with which he writes about his journey in The Truth, is you open up almost immediately. Questions about his book turn into questions about your own marriage. And suddenly, you realize you’re not interviewing him so much as getting his advice. And that to print your conversation would be tantamount to publishing your journal. Which is essentially what The Truth is — written over the course of years, its arc feels deeply earned — but you’re not Strauss. So, you wonder, for example, if maybe writing a relationship book about recovery isn’t a little self-indulgent (and, to be fair, some of the sexual exploits he describes as he’s trying to eschew monogamy do seem a bit, well, boastful). If he was serious about finding the truth about relationships, he wouldn’t sell you the results. “That’s more about you though,” he says, kindly, “something from your family or childhood, maybe about not sharing your feelings. Because I think a book like this is a lot more important than, say, a book about interviewing Britney Spears.” It’s a reference to his last book, one I read without feeling like it was at all inauthentic. He’s right, too. You walk away feeling like you should pay him for therapy, examining your own shit. Which is one of the major lessons of The Truth actually: your unhappiness in your relationship? Turns out it’s mostly your own unhappiness. From your past, from your parents, from wherever. The more open you are about it, the better. You’re scared of monogamy, probably because you’re scared of it failing. And you learned that somewhere. It isn’t easy to swallow. But, apparently, it’s worth it.
Photo: Getty Images / SuperStock
Guide
Guide BOOKS
If You Only Read One Book This Year... You aren’t reading enough. But here are some good options anyway EADING IS AN IMPOSSIBLE game of whack-a-mole, only with pages, paragraphs, sentences and words instead of animatronic rodents. But don’t lose hope! Even the most well read person has gaps in their personal library. (There are people who still haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books, for example!) If you are reading this, you can read at least one book before the year is up. If that’s your goal, here are some to try:
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This year, if you read only one...
story about the rapaciousness of American capitalism, along with its surprising ennui, told with off-handed wisdom, clarity, and I-should-probably-underline-that-amazing-sentence kind of wit, (that, not for nothing, also involves men who turn into wolves)… Let it be: The Hunger of the Wolf by Stephen Marche
This year, if you read only one...
entry into the growing canon of literature that explores, explains, and exemplifies the narrative complexities of America’s current wars, and the effects they’ve had on the confused and confounding Millenial generation, that flows with poetry, heart, irony, and hard-won truth… Let it be: War of The Encyclopaedists by Christopher Robinson and Gavin Kovite
This year, if you read only one...
surprisingly light literary blockbuster that inevitably drew as much praise as (possibly jealous) ire, about technological ambivalence, the questions of identity in our never-not-online world, family (a favourite topic of the author), and our potentially futile quest for authenticity and connection… Let it be: Purity by Jonathan Franzen
This year, if you read only one...
shockingly ambitious, full-hearted doorstop of a debut novel (which, even in these print-averse times, sparked a million-dollar bidding war) about interconnectedness, art, music, and obsessions set in the manic, lonely, and all-but-disappeared New York of the late 1970s… Let it be: City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg
This year, if you read only one...
novel that will change the way you see the debate that forever swirls around immigration — no matter how you see that debate now — while forcing you to keep the pages turning because of prose that bursts with energy, life, and unforgettable intelligence… Let it be: The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota
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Guide
2
Downtown LA Hollywood and Malibu are nice and all, but when it comes to Los Angeles, everything’s waiting for you downtown B Y YA N G - Y I G O H
T’S A STORY YOU HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN, in cities all over the globe: an unloved, desolate section of town goes through an unexpected renaissance and quickly becomes the trendiest new ’hood in which to see and be seen. But Downtown Los Angeles is more than just another hackneyed hipster flavour-of-theweek. It isn’t just the great restaurants, shopping and nightlife that are drawing Angelenos here. There’s a real culture brewing amid its mishmash of industrial spaces and grand old buildings, a palpable energy and eclecticism and rawness that call to mind New York in the ’70s or Tokyo in the ’90s. We’d say Downtown LA is finally back — except it isn’t clear that it was ever as fully present as it is today.
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1 STAY 1. THE ACE
HOTEL
Housed in a hulking 1920s Gothic Revival straight out of Tim Burton’s Batman flicks, The Ace’s LA outpost is heavy on sunny, offbeat charm. The soaring cement walls, colour-blocked midcentury furniture and curated in-room vinyl collections make it feel like you’re staying the night in the penthouse loft of the art world superstar friend you wish you had. There’s a stunning pool (and correspondingly hip social scene) on the roof, a historic 1,600-seat theatre space in the basement, and a host
of excellent food, coffee, and cocktail options wedged between the two. You’ll feel — and might even actually be — the tiniest bit cooler just for being there. ACEHOTEL.COM
EAT 2. BESTIA
Don’t make any plans for after your meal if you dine at this deceptively laidback Italian eatery. You’re in for the kind of awe-inspiring culinary experience that you’ll need a good three to four hours following to unpack and recover from. Begin with the house-cured salumi, which comes with a flavour-packed burst
BESTIALA.COM
MARUGAME MONZO
When you approach this unassuming Japanese noodle joint, you’ll likely encounter the round-the-block lines for Daikokuya, the raved-about ramen hotspot right next door. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Monzo’s delicate hand-pulled udon will give you just as satisfying kicks of umami minus the hour-long wait — especially if you opt for the sumptuous Kakuni Udon, chilled Shisho Mentai or their truly elevated take on Tempura. 3 2 9 E 1 S T S T.
Photo: Bestia, Sierra Prescott
T H E T R AV E L L I N G M A N
of mostarda and fresh grilled bread. Move on to the Agnolotti alla Vaccinara, an assembly of delicate cacao pasta parcels stuffed with braised oxtail and heaped with a blend of burro fuso, grana padano, pine nuts, and currants. Or try the grilled Aspen Ridge skirt steak, which, surprisingly melts in your mouth, over a bed of cipollini agrodolce, heirloom carrots and fingerling potatoes.
Guide
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T H E T R AV E L L I N G M A N
7 5
6 3
3. EGGSLUT
E G G S L U T. C O M
4. COMMIS-
SARY
Led by homegrown chef Roy Choi, Commissary boasts a gorgeous greenhouse setting, a somewhat cryptic pictograph menu and cocktails served in plastic takeout containers. Whether those quirks sound fun or frustrating is almost beside the point, because the food is indisputably delicious: Choi serves up fresh, vegetable-focused dishes like charred carrots topped with a zesty chimichurri and a pitch-perfect take on avocado toast topped with goat cheese, green chillies and smoked salmon. THELINEHOTEL.COM
6. EIGHTYTWO
4 5. THE PIE
DRINK
Let’s keep this simple: we all love pie. This cozy café serves up dozens of seasonal, sensational variations of it: a superb apple crumble for classicists, a heavenly maple custard for sweet tooths, and an exquisite Earl Grey for the adventurous. Great coffee, too. Go there, and be happy.
Looking for a Swingers-esque LA nightlife experience? Head to this speakeasy hidden in the back of Cole’s Downtown, the landmark French dip sandwich spot, where you’ll tipple classic cocktails and soak in first-rate live jazz. You’re money, baby.
HOLE
THEPIEHOLELA.COM
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THE VARNISH
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Relive your childhood — except, you know, with alcohol — at this reconverted warehouse space loaded with over 40 vintage arcade and pinball games, a top-notch selection of craft beers and a spacious outdoor patio. EIGHTYTWO.LA
SHOP
APOLIS: COMMON GALLERY
Everything in this unfussy boutique was created by establishing responsible, fairtrade partnerships with manufacturers everywhere from Uganda and Peru
to right around the corner in LA. So you’ll feel extra good about yourself when you walk out with a hardy wool chore jacket, waterproof leather notebook and hand-stitched linen pocket square. APOLISGLOBAL.COM
7. POKETO
Is it possible to be minimalist and maximalist all at once? Poketo makes us think so. The shop focuses on home goods, accessories and stationery that are cleanly designed and functional — except you wind up wanting to clutter your space with every last geometric
chandelier, brass watering can and Japanese organic bath mat they sell. POKETO.COM
DO 8. THE BROAD
MUSEUM
The vast, astonishing architecture of this newly opened gallery is a mustsee work of art in itself, but they still saw fit to pack its interiors with over 2,000 contemporary masterpieces by the likes of Chuck Close, Jasper Johns, and Cindy Sherman. Best of all — thanks to its billionaire philanthropist founder Eli Broad — admission is entirely free. THEBROAD.ORG
Photo: Commissary, Audrey Ma. Broad Museum, Iwan Baan, courtesy of The Broad and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
A new-school highlight of LA’s century-old Grand Central Market, Eggslut specializes in to-die-for breakfast sandwiches that are the perfect complement to a stroll around the stall’s sprawling, enchanting surroundings.
Guide PROFILE
Don’t call him a sports exec. Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is a goddamn folk hero
True North BY ALEX NINO GHECIU
B
You’ve got a knack for using expensive four-letter words. Fans find it refreshingly genuine. There’s too much censorship nowadays, isn’t there?
No, I don’t think so. I’m just the crazy one who loves to lose money. It wasn’t the best way of standing up for the team and the fans, but it was the only way I knew at the time. This is me. But I got scolded by my wife, the commissioner, and [Raptors senior advisor] Wayne Embry. I don’t want those three people scolding me anymore, so I’m going to be more careful. Plus, the two times I’ve done it, we haven’t gone past the first round. Maybe I should just be quiet for one year and see how we do. 74 SHAR PM AGA Z IN E .C OM
Raptors fans are used to getting dumped by flighty franchise players for hotter, ESPN-ier American cities. There’s this narrative that NBA stars don’t want to play here. Have you noticed this?
Not at all. It’s cold in Chicago. It’s cold in New York. There are taxes in New York and in California. There are great restaurants in New York and in Toronto. The difference between those cities and us is there’s no history of winning. We don’t have that legacy. We have to create that now. You can be in a remote village — if you build a winning basketball product, players will go there. We don’t have to be apologetic to anybody. If you take history aside, I’d say this organiza-
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tion is a top five NBA team, in terms of ownership, marketplace and fan base. We’re actually lucky. There’s one team and one country. You can galvanize this fan base in a second if you win. Look at what the Blue Jays did this year. It’s crazy! We’re dying for a winning team. Tell me about Drake. As global ambassador of the Raptors, does he entice players to come here?
Look, Drake is fantastic for our city. We just saw value in having someone like him, who’s a No. 1 fan of our team and loves the game. We do a lot of things off the court, marketing and campaigns. But he has a phenomenal mind, too. People don’t know this: you sit down with Drake and there are tons of ideas that just flow. A couple days ago, I was at home and my wife showed me his new video. It was the one where he’s doing the funny dance. [Mimics “Hotline Bling” dance.] So I texted him to say, ‘Cool video!’ He’s a good friend. One of the smartest guys I’ve ever been around. I can now see how he makes songs, how they just come to him. He’s a quick thinker.
Photo: Getty Images / Steve Russell
EFORE FANTASY SPORTS got kids to ditch their dreams of playing like Mike for reveries about trading him, general managers were just faceless suits in the background. Now, they’re stars in their own right. And perhaps no other GM in the NBA is more idol-worthy than Masai Ujiri. Since rejoining the Toronto Raptors’ front office in 2013, the 45-year-old Nigerian native has been an adrenaline shot into the franchise’s heart, engineering a culture change that’s made the team an Eastern Conference contender. His big personality has cost him — he’s been fined two years in a row for directing expletives at opposing playoff teams (see: “Fuck Brooklyn!”). But it’s also captured the hearts of Canadians coast to coast, and brought hope to legions of fellow Africans with hoop dreams. Here’s to the real MVP.
Guide PROFILE
“We’re actually lucky. There’s one team and one country. You can galvanize this fan base in a second if you win.”
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It’s surreal seeing a Canadian at the top of the American rap game. This season you signed two Canuck players: Anthony Bennett and Cory Joseph. Is it important for people to see their own kind succeed at something?
I’ve always believed that. That’s why it’s very important for me to go back to Africa every summer and relate with the continent. Kids have to see it. It has an impact. We have to be role models. They need to see someone and say, “He’s from here. He’s from our place. If he can do it, maybe we can try to do it.” It’s huge. Did you have a similar moment of inspiration growing up in Nigeria?
I always thought about the NBA. I played soccer first, and I’d watch players like Zico and Maradona and think, “Wow, I want to be as talented as them.” Then I started playing basketball at 13 and it became Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. It’s funny. I was at the Board of Governors meeting in New York a couple days ago, and Michael Jordan came to me and said, “Masai, how you doing?” I almost fainted. I’ll bet when the Denver Nuggets upset the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1994 playoffs, that image of Dikembe Mutombo clutching the ball at the buzzer had huge resonance in Africa.
It did. But I feel Dikembe Mutombo and Hakeem Olajuwon, legends that they are, got shorthanded because they came during a different era. I wish they played in this current era, where they would have had such a bigger platform. They would have affected more kids in Africa, rather than having them listening to a crappy GM coming to tell them stuff. [Laughs.] Can you imagine if we had the Olajuwon’s Dream Shake or Mutombo’s finger wag in this era? That stuff would be going crazy all over social media, even in Africa, where everyone has a cellphone now. Every summer, you return to your home continent and teach kids basketball in your
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Giants of Africa camps. Why not just kick back on some private island, like most sports execs?
Because I grew up like those kids. I grew up in Africa dreaming. God has given me this opportunity. You bust your ass every day and you remain true to who you are. And one of those things, for me, is loving my continent and using basketball as a tool for helping kids in Africa grow. People say “giving back.” I hate that. I’m not giving back. I have to do it. It’s a responsibility. I have to go back to the continent and figure out a way to affect the youth of Africa. If there are no young African scouts or basketball players or coaches or GMs coming after me, then there’s no success. Do you think a lot of us in the Western world are ignorant about what’s happening in Africa?
You get disturbed sometimes when talking to people. You get the whole, “Oh, I went to school with an African.” But we have to get the continent better and more people will come. And we’re getting better. The truth of the matter is, everywhere you go, there are good areas and bad areas. I say 80 per cent of the world’s people are genuine and good. There’s 20 per cent who are not so good. And we, as the 80 per cent, have to work harder to outgrow the 20 per cent. That means being good leaders and affecting more people. You don’t have to be a leader of a company or a team or country. Most sports execs who come to Canada just rent here. But you bought a house. Why?
It’s my home. I’m not hopping on a plane, going somewhere else for the weekend and saying that’s my home. I love it here. My daughter is Canadian. I have a second kid on the way. I’m going to have two Canadians! I’m just mad I can’t follow my wife and my kid into the Nexus line. I don’t think Canadians do the country enough justice in terms of talking about how great it is here. Trust me, if we, in Africa, had a country like this, we’d be telling everybody.
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As the (Jurassic) World Turns
Toronto Raptors fans have a history of being jilted by franchise players who skip town for greener American pastures. Behold our grief-ridden black book. THE FIRST CUT
1. Damon Stoudamire, 1995-1998 Why he left: He lost interest after his idol and mentor, Isiah Thomas, was forced out of ownership. Lesson: It wasn’t us, it was our front office.
MR. JEALOUS
2. Tracy McGrady, 1997-2000 Why he left: He was itching to escape the shadow of his cousin and teammate Vince Carter. Lesson: Insecure partners are emotionally draining.
OLD MAN GRUMPUS
3. Vince Carter, 1998-2004 Why he left: After a disappointing post-season, knee injuries and crankiness over the team’s direction soured Air Canada’s love. Lesson: He stopped appreciating us. We deserve better.
THE WANDERING EYE
4. Chris Bosh, 2003-2010 Why he left: One day, he stopped looking at us the same way. Next thing we knew, he’d checked out on court, his heart already in Miami. Lesson: Once a cheater, always a cheater.
THE CURRENT FLAME(S)
5. DeMar DeRozan (2009-present) 6. Kyle Lowry (2012-present) Why we’re smitten: There’s real chemistry here. Plus, there are two of them, so we get the attention we deserve. Lesson: Share the love.
Dec/Jan 2016 LOOK BETTER FEEL BETTER KNOW MORE
Style HOODIE CULTURE Quilted, downfilled and with a heavy-duty fur hood, the parka’s design is pretty standardized for a reason: it works. If you have to choose just one coat this winter — or any winter — this is the one.
HOW IT’S DONE
Winter Ready Anthony Mackie shows you how to brave the elements in the season’s best outerwear PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN MADDOX S T Y L I N G B Y J E A N N E YA N G AT T H E WA L L G R O U P
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POLYESTER GOOSE DOWN PARKA ($350) AND COTTON BUTTON DOWN ($120) BY EDDIE BAUER; WOOL SWEATER ($450) BY J BRAND.
Style
HOW IT’S DONE
High Anxiety
Anthony Mackie brings the funny Anthony Mackie is way overqualified to be telling pot jokes. And yet, here he is, decked out in an ugly sweater and a Santa hat, preening beside Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the poster for The Night Before, a raunchy, drug-fuelled Christmas comedy that is, let’s just say, a departure from his usual work. Which, before we even get to his professional career, started with Shakespeare. That was his first taste of acting, in high school, where his teachers liked to stage ridiculously ambitious productions with budding talents. “We did King Lear. We were all terrible, but we had the best teachers who always taught us the classics, and pushed us to do them. I played Edmund. And there’s a scene at the end where Edmund dies. So opening night I’m doing that on stage, and these two girls in my class scream out from the audience: ‘Anthony! No!’ That’s when I knew I wanted to become an actor.” And so, as happens with talented people, a few years later he was at Julliard, and a few years after that he was doing Shakespeare on Broadway and booking film roles, playing Tupac Shakur and Martin Luther King Jr. Anthony Mackie is an Actor, the kind that deserves a capital A. And even he admits to
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INVESTMENT Don’t overthink the logic of the quilted vest. Who needs warm arms anyway? Just know that it looks great, and is the perfect layering piece all winter, whether as a jacket in its own right or under all kinds of scarves and other outerwear. Try to find one in textured wool. WOOL-ELASTANE BLEND VEST ($670) BY VINCE; WOOL SWEATER ($430) BY APOLIS; COTTON DENIM BUTTON DOWN ($300) BY AG; WOOL SCARF ($120) BY BROOKS BROTHERS; COTTON TWILL BLEND PANTS ($240) BY J BRAND; LEATHER AND SUEDE BOOTS ($180) BY TIMBERLAND. GROOMING BY: DIANA SCHMIDTKE AT SOMETHING ARTISTS PHOTO ASSISTANT: GIZELLE HERNANDEZ STYLIST ASSISTANTS: CHLOE TAKAYANAGI AND SOPHIE PHONSAVAHN
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being out of his element in a movie like The Night Before. In fact, he barely even has the vocabulary to talk about it. Ask him about comedy, and he’ll dive straight into Ancient Greek theatre and Commedia dell’arte, trying coolly to compare his roles in 8 Mile and The Hurt Locker to the buddy in his latest gig: “Comedy is all about timing. So is acting, no matter what you’re doing.” If that’s true, then Mackie has impeccable timing — comedic or otherwise. The 37-year-old is in full-on breakout mode these days. After more than a decade of earning stellar reviews for relatively small film roles, and kicking ass in the obscure niche that is American theatre, Mackie’s 2015 has been ridiculous. There was Avengers: Age of Ultron, in which he reprised the role of the Falcon, his very own Marvel superhero. He took that winged costume into Ant-Man, the Paul Rudd-starring surprise box office smash, and he’ll play Falcon again next year in Captain America: Civil War. Which is to say that, strapped into a rubber suit and a set of latex wings, Anthony Mackie is flying pretty damn high. Might as well light up a joint with Seth Rogen while he’s up there. It’s the serious thing to do. — Peter Saltsman
Style DOWN IS FOR SUCKERS
Want to stay really, really warm? Pick up one of Strellson’s new 4Seasons jackets. Instead of goose feathers, it’s filled with a proprietary material called Isocloud_500, which, like down, lets air circulate around it, retaining body warmth to an almost unparalleled degree. Because the jacket’s meant to be worn year-round (you probably guessed that by the name), it’s best used this winter as a base layer. You can pick one up at their two stores in Toronto (a recently renovated Bloor Street location, and a relocated one at Bayview Village), while Vancouverites are getting a new downtown shop just in time for winter. Lucky them. $300, STRELLSON.COM
NEW KNITS
Knit sweaters are always going to be a winter staple, but that doesn’t mean they have to be staid. Trade in your classic cable knit for something more geometric, like crewnecks with blocky patterns and prominent cuffs and collars. $ 1 1 0 , C A LV I N K L E I N . C O M
WALE MUSIC
Thank god for corduroy, and for its impending comeback. The ribbed fabric is soft and warm, but not overly bulky. Find a trim pair in a deep colour like navy, emerald or plum. $ 9 2 5 , B U R B E R R Y. C O M
SUITED AND BOOTED
Photo: Pants and Sweater / Liam Mogan
TRENDS
Bundle Up
So many boots, so little time. If you’re going to pick just one, make it a classic Chelsea boot — ideally with traditional details and a hardwearing sole. They’ll stand up to the worst that winter has to offer, wherever you live and whatever you need them to do. $395, MEPHISTO.COM
ORM OVER FUNCTION? Not when it’s minus 20 and snowing (for the fourth straight day). Here’s how to add some texture and warmth to your wardrobe with winter-ready pieces that prove being stylish and seasonally appropriate aren’t mutually exclusive.
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Style GROOMING
You’re a Natural Green grooming products sound healthy, but do they work? HERE WOMEN GO, men follow. You think men would deign to go out dancing, try yoga, drink paprika-laced green juice, or experience the exultant joy of a pedicure if not for women? But damn it if they aren’t right... most of the time. The next obsession you’ll be asked to try? Going all-natural. To hear some women describe it, toxins are the root of all social and physical ills. And the push to use all-natural products extends to their (and likely your) grooming regime. “The Green Beauty industry is the fastest-growing market in the beauty industry internationally,” according to Laura Townsend of the Detox Market. And while you’re right to be skeptical of the vague dangers of meticulously tested mainstream products, the move toward more natural ingredients won’t hurt you. The question is how well those hippy-dippy products will work for a man who relies on unpronounceable chemicals to keep him looking his best.
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Holy Spritz, this feels good Logically, this is not something we should get behind. Being a man, even a well-groomed man, is about focusing on what’s important and eschewing that which is superfluous. Moisturizer, pomade, coffee bean-infused exfoliation scrub? All essential. But, little bottles of lightly fragrant water, even if it contains essential oils, to mist your face with? That’s just silly. Only, it’s not. We’re as surprised as you are. Get a few bottles of Happy Spritz (man, even that name!) and use them, whenever you want to. Aromatherapy won’t heal your soul, but it has been proven to help with stress. Mostly though, they’re damn refreshing, and they smell great: sandalwood, cedar, hints of citrus and... is that lavender? Subtle enough that it won’t overpower your signature fragrance, but powerful enough to make your clothes, room, and face more inviting. Here are your options:
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W O O D S Y. L U M B E R . J A C K .
For your face and body.
JOSH ROSEBROOK MEDIUM HOLD STYLING CREAM
SOAP
CARRIAGE 44 CHARCOAL SOAP
Why it’s good for you: Prepared in small batches with certified organic ingredients, without synthetics or guilt (because it’s not tested on animals, obviously). Strong enough for a man? Hold is a personal choice. Some men’s hair needs a little more discipline than others. This citrus-scented cream is a fine choice if you like your hair to have a bit of freedom — plus, it provides some conditioning while it’s doing its job — but, if you need a product to tame your mop, you’ll need something stronger.
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Why it’s good for you: Charcoal is having a moment in the grooming industry right now. Something about its purifying power. This soap is full of the stuff, plus shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, and other essential nutrients. Strong enough for a man? It gets you clean, without leaving your skin dry and damaged, which is more than can be said for a lot of bar soap. Plus, since it looks like a lump of coal, it feels pretty badass to use. But, it will make your shower dirtier than Ivory.
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S H AV I N G :
SCHAF ULTIMATE COMFORT SHAVE CREAM Why it’s good for you: While it still contains mysterious ingredients (what exactly is sodium hyaluronate?), it doesn’t contain the typical rogues’ gallery of stuff found in other shaving creams, like parabens, animal by-products, artificial colours and fragrances, and petroleum. Also, no gluten for some reason. Strong enough for a man? It’s hard to mess up shaving cream. Still, Schaf does the trick. It’s rich, sturdy, and it lacks the ominous, unidentifiable smell of freshness that can feel vaguely oppressive in your typical shaving product.
R U N . S W E A T. R E C O V E R .
To invigorate after a workout. RUGGED. GENTLEMAN.
For your linens.
Photo: Vivian Lai
HAIR:
T H E R E L U C TA N T FA N AT I C
Final Fantasy The relative merits of putting your money where your fandom is
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BY NICHOLAS HUNE-BROWN
“
HE SECRET IS: DON’T BE THE SUCKER,” I told my friend Ben one Saturday afternoon this fall, as I absent-mindedly scrolled through a seemingly endless list of wide receivers I had never heard of. He looked at me quizzically. “The sucker, the patsy, you know,” I said impatiently. “What’s the thing Warren Buffett said? ‘If you’re at the poker table and you don’t know who the sucker is, it’s you.’” I went back to my fantasy draft, trying to decide if adding A.J. Green to my roster against the Bills was the move of a genius or a patsy. “Isn’t the writer joining fantasy football for an article probably the sucker?” Ben asked, but I ignored him. Ben knows more about football than me and is better at math, but he doesn’t have the killer instinct needed for high-stakes fantasy action. I entered my Paypal account number and locked in my investment: $10. Then opened a new tab, carefully typed “how to play fantasy football,” and hit enter.
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IF YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING WITH the slightest interest in sports, you have felt the behemoth that is daily fantasy sports trampling through 2015, like the harbinger of some terrifying new age of fandom. There are commercials between every break in play during a football broadcast, ads that follow you across the Internet, “sponsored content” baked into columns and podcasts by sports journalists eager to siphon off a few drops from the rushing geyser of cash that is the fantasy sports monster. (This column isn’t one of them, obviously; I wasted my own money.) Fantasy has been around since the 1980s — when Rotisserie leagues were created with the goal of providing the mildest form of fun possible between awkward co-workers — but the game only reached its current, perfect form in 2009, when FanDuel became the first company to offer daily fantasy. Like traditional fantasy, the concept is simple: draft a team of players and use their real-world stats to earn points. Get more points than your opponents and you win. But by freeing fans from a season-long commitment, promising big cash prizes, and offering a shiny, endorphin-producing interface, daily fantasy has turned a casual hobby into an omnivorous moneymaking machine. FanDuel and DraftKings, the two companies that control the market, have grown into billion-dollar businesses in an unregulated niche that exists because of a loophole that says that fantasy, unlike gambling, is
Photo: Getty Images / Norm Hall
Column 2
“What’s that thing Warren Buffett said? If you’re at the poker table and you don’t know who the sucker is, it’s you.”
a game of skill. Both companies boast about their massive prizes. One FanDuel commercial claims they pay out $75 million a week, with testimonials from average-looking dudes who claim they’ve become millionaires. “It’s like the best adrenaline rush ever,” says a tired-looking man in a button-down who seems, frankly, like an unlikely connoisseur of adrenaline rushes. The leagues promise sports nerds the ultimate dream: the monetization of fandom. I figured it was time to get in on the action. ••• WHEN I CREATED MY FANDUEL account, I’d unthinkingly gone with some modest combination of first initial and last name. Now, looking at my competition in the “$250K Sun NFL BIG $10 Double Up,” I found myself pitted against people with names like Smackers34, Coxsackle, and Wallydogg. I imagined a grown man who called himself “Wallydogg.” What kind of time did he have on his hands, absent friends, and loved ones? A man without any sense of personal dignity, without anything to lose, that man could be a dangerous opponent. Using a mixture of reasoned analysis, Internet research, and dumb guessing, I selected my team. That Sunday, roster intact, I went to the bar with Ben to watch the games. Within minutes, I was putting up points. After just a few downs, with a couple of nice Carson Palmer completions and a turnover caused
by my Houston defence, I was set to double my money. I felt a surge of adrenaline. Was the button-down shirt guy right? Over the next three hours, my eyes toggled among the three screens playing the games and my phone, where a tiny stick figure representing my imaginary team inched its way up or down the imaginary playing field. My rooting interests became entirely warped, devoted to individual players and specific outcomes. I was hoping the Bears would advance downfield, but just far enough so they’d be forced to kick a field goal (three points). I desperately hoped for a Cardinals touchdown, but only a passing touchdown and only if that passing touchdown went to Larry Fitzgerald (six points). The sensation was like watching an episode of Game of Thrones, ignoring the major plotlines, and concentrating exclusively on the actions of a young squire in the background, fervently rooting for him to eat a ham hock or button his tunic or get roasted by a dragon (10 points). It was thrilling. My early lead quickly evaporated. By the late afternoon games, as the Packers refused to give Eddie Lacy the ball, it was clear I had lost, while Ben had his head in his hands, occasionally peeking up to check on the dismal production of some unknown San Diego running back he had foolishly chosen. The truth, of course, is that if you are someone who looks at the world of daily fantasy sports and thinks,
“I wonder if I’m the sucker?” it’s already too late. The daily fantasy world has the same taxonomy as the poker world, with rapacious professionals, the sharks, snacking on minnows like me and occasionally landing a whale, the big-spending amateurs who have more money than sense. The sharks use statistical modeling to figure out their teams, and then use software to manage their hundreds of lineups. According analysis in a Bloomberg article, the top 100 DraftKings players enter 330 winning lineups per day. The 20,000 other players, the minnows, won just 13 times. If you are someone choosing a lineup because you have a hunch that Riley Cooper might have a good game, you don’t have a chance. Which isn’t to say the game can’t be fun. At the bar, I sat watching the Chicago Bears/Detroit Lions game go into overtime, thrilled as two terrible teams I didn’t care about did battle in a meaningless midseason game. It’s obvious why ESPN, FOX, MLB, the NFL, and NFL owners Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft are all investors in FanDuel or DraftKings. The synergy is perfect: more people watching meaningless games means more ad revenue and more eyeballs on those fantasy commercials, which creates more fantasy players watching more meaningless games, et cetera, ad infinitum, in a glorious cycle that enriches everyone involved and, at last, makes it perfectly clear where the average fan sits in the ecosystem of big-money professional sports. We are, of course, the suckers.
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A Change Is Gonna Come
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OBOT TAXIS, electric supercars, car-sharing services that don’t suck. The stuff of dreams, science fiction, far-off fantasies. Or, they were until this year, when suddenly they weren’t. Doc Brown had the right year all along: welcome to the future, friends. In 2015, Porsche showed us an electric sedan that could recharge in 15 minutes. Mercedes and BMW proposed car-sharing services using autonomous vehicles that deliver themselves to you. Apple and Google are both spending massive money on top-secret automotive projects. And Tesla finally put its electric crossover/gullwing SUV into production, not to mention a semi-autonomous Model S. The cars aren’t flying, but they’re driving themselves. They’re already here. Kind of. Sometimes you don’t see change coming until it’s sitting in your driveway. Of course, there was a fair crop of new supercars and luxury SUVs, too. But, more than anything else, this will go down as the year big automakers got serious about the future, the year we realized everything was about to get weird. Here’s what you need to know about the year that was, and the year to come.
Specs ENGINE: 3.8-LITRE TWIN-TURBO V8 POWER: 562 HP GEARBOX: 7-SPEED DUAL CLUTCH PRICE: $219,750
McLaren 570S A supercar for the people (or, at least the people with $200,000 in home equity to blow) Imagine a rocket-powered go-kart, and you’re 90 per cent of the way to understanding McLaren’s latest sports car. The last 10 per cent requires an appreciation of perfect handling, sublime balance, deft steering and explosives. McLaren’s new “entry-level” machine has a carbon-fibre chassis and a twin-turbo V8 engine — just like the million-dollar P1. There’s nothing really entry-level about it, except the price, which undercuts everything from the Italian supercar houses. The 570S blasts its way between corners with a whoosh of turbo boost and a new-school V8 buzz. But it’s what it does with corners that makes this car special. And you don’t even have to be breaking the speed limit to appreciate it. The 570S is a goddamn ballerina. Oversteer, understeer, late braking, pirouette: it’s got all the moves. And it’s ready to dance whenever you want. DEC EMBER/JANUARY 20 16
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MAN A S E R I O U S
YOU’RE AFRAID OF TOM HARDY BECAUSE YOU’RE AFRAID OF MANHOOD BY GREG HUSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG WILLIAMS /AUGUST
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YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO INVITE YOUR FAMILY OVER AT SOME POINT THIS WINTER. MIGHT AS WELL MAKE THEM SOMETHING GOOD
SEATINGS BY CHRIS JOHNS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIAM MOGAN • STYLING BY ANDREW BULLIS DEC EMBER/JANUARY 20 16
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Children of Men
You’d think it’d be easier
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Photo: Getty Images / H. Armstrong Roberts
One of the responsibilities of fatherhood is teaching your son how to be a man.
Manhood Explored
By James Grainger
T Twenty years ago I found myself cast in the most unlikely role:
a stay-at-home dad to my eightmonth-old daughter Petra. I say “unlikely� because the 10 years that preceded my initiation into full-time parenting consisted of drink- and drug-binging, school, late nights working in bars, and generally doing whatever the hell I wanted, when I wanted. My girlfriend and I had talked about having a baby, but as any parent will tell you, talking and planning does little to prepare you for the very real switch from a 3 a.m. bedtime to a 6 a.m. wake time. Because my girlfriend had a better-paying job, I stayed at home when Petra was eight months old. My ocean of free time was immediately and irrevocably drained by the 16-hour days of parenthood.
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the winter
SHARP LIST The words “must have” get thrown around a lot these days. Over the next eight pages, we put those words to the test. This is the year’s best stuff — simply, everything you must have this holiday
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1.
02
GRAMOVOX FLOATING RECORD PLAYER
KATHY FENDI ARMCHAIR
This innovative record player lets you make your impressive vinyl collection the centre of attention. And, with fullrange speakers and an Audio-Technica AT95E cartridge, it sounds swell too.
The Kathy armchair by Fendi is a thoroughly current take on clean and elegant midcentury lines. Made of solid beech and soft cognac leather, it’s as close to perfect as a reading chair gets.
$400 / GRAMOVOX.COM
PRICE UPON REQUEST / FENDI.COM
3.
WINGS + HORNS SHEARLING AVIATOR JACKET Wings + Horns have turned the traditional aviator on its head by merging a shearling body with knitted sleeves, finished off with leather straps and metal buckles. $2,445 / WINGSANDHORNS.COM
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LEICA ULTRAVID EDITION ZAGATO
The Japanese brand has seriously scienced the shit out of the ordinary backpack. There are pockets for just about everything, waterproof nylon twill construction, and a classic minimalist design.
When Germans and Italians get together, terrible techno music is usually the result. Not this time. Italian auto designers Zagato have teamed with German optics gurus Leica for a cutting-edge, aluminum pair of 8x32 binoculars. There are only 1,000 of them — way more exclusive than DJ Euro’s latest mix.
$280 / HEADPORTER.CO.JP/EN
$3,800 / EN.LEICA-CAMERA.COM
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Wool suits are warm — and no longer uncomfortable. The material’s softened up, and so should the way you wear it
Sheep’s Clothing Photography by Peter Ash Lee • Styling by Luke Langsdale
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D E CE M B E R /JA N UA RY 2 0 1 6
Wool-cashmere-silk blend suit ($1,350) by L u i g i Bianchi Mantova; cotton button down ($65) by I n d u s t r y o f A l l N a t i o n s ; leather shoes ($1,495) by Z Z e g n a . On her: Elastane underwear ($80) by L O U .
Shot on location at Kilruddery House & Gardens, Ireland Special thanks to: Tourism Ireland
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Wool sweater ($370) by A . P . C . ; western straw hat (his own) by Durango Western.
The many looks of The Good Wife’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan Photography by Matt Doyle Styling by Rachel Wirkus at Starworks Artists
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THE
WINTER 2016
Amazing Watches YOU’LL WANT NEXT
Your Watch Style Manual
The officer and the gentlemen What to get her for the holidays
WHAT TO WEAR WITH THIS YEAR’S MUST-HAVE TIMEPIECES
One and Only THE WORLD’S CRAZIEST TIMEPIECES
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SHARP WATCH
Table of Contents 2
LETTER FROM OUR RESIDENT WRISTWATCH ENTHUSIAST
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NEWS
Big things from Bulova, TAG Heuer, Vacheron Constantin and Hublot.
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ANOTHER CREATIVE DIRECTOR WORTH LISTENING TO
Bulova’s Thierry Casias makes a case for listening to the ticking of your heart.
10
STYLE IN WARTIME
Brush up on your history of military timepieces.
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WHAT TO GET HER THIS HOLIDAY
We solicit gifting advice from the editors of Canada’s most sophisticated women’s magazine.
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WATCH WHAT YOU SAY
Every timepiece has a right time and a right place.
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ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD
Mapping out the biggest international players in the time-telling game.
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POWER HOUR
Pulling out a cellphone at the table to check the time reeks of bad taste. You need a good dinner watch.
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THE WRIST STAYS IN THE PICTURE
Watches never pop up in Hollywood films by accident. These are the most striking timepieces to hit the silver screen this year.
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TIME ALONE
Call it old-fashioned, but the dress watch is still a vital sartorial accessory for an evening out. Here’s a visual argument.
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ONLY WATCH 2015
We take a look at a one-ofa-kind auction.
PHOTO: ADRIAN ARMSTRONG. COTTON SUIT ($2,000) AND COTTON BUTTON DOWN ($295) BY GARRISON BESPOKE; ROLEX CELLINI DATE ($20,400), AT HUMBERTOWN JEWELLERS.
INDIE WATCHES
Let’s hear it for the small guys.
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NEWS
SHARP WATCH
The New and Noteworthy
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TAG HEUER KEEPS SHARAPOVA AFLOAT 3
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VACHERON CONSTANTIN COMPLICATES THINGS Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has claimed the title of the most complicated mechanical watch ever made. Constantin’s watch, the Reference 57260, took a team of three watchmakers over eight years to design. It features 2,8000 components and 57 distinct functions that go beyond standard time telling.
To put their “Don’t crack under pressure” slogan to the test, TAG Heuer recruited tennis superstar Maria Sharapova to play on Singapore’s first floating tennis platform. Arriving by boat, Sharapova, a TAG Heuer ambassador, squared off against tennis great Michael Chang in a thrilling exhibition match. The platform, created by TAG Heuer, took 10 days to construct and was set on the waters of the historic Clifford Pier.
JUST SOME OF THE REFERENCE 57260’S MANY COMPLICATIONS.
Among other things, it features wide blue hands (1), a three-shaft tourbillon (2), small gold hands for a second time zone (3), a world-time indicator (4), displays for the Gregorian (5) and Hebrew calendar systems (6), a star chart for your city (7), a moon phase dial (8), sunset times (9), sunrise times (10) and a sun clock indicating the seasons, equinoxes, solstices (11) and signs of the Zodiac (12). Just in case, right?
DEEP SPACE BULOVA
HUBLOT WON’T STOP In order to keep pace with surging demand, Hublot inaugurated its second manufacturing building in Nyon, Switzerland — just six years after opening its first plant in 2009. To mark the occasion, 300 VIP guests from around the world showed up for the event, including Hublot ambassadors Bar Refaeli, Lapo Elkann and Pelé. To Hublot, the expansion is symbolic — it bears witness to its continued success, market trends be damned.
The Bulova Chronograph worn by astronaut Dave Scott on Apollo 15 happens to be the only privately owned timepiece to have ever visited the moon. The piece of history recently sold for $1.62 million at auction. Of the 12 men who have stepped on lunar dust, all have worn NASA-issued Omega Speedmasters, which are recognized as government property. Scott wore an Omega, too, but it (uncharacteristically) broke while he was on the moon. He therefore had to rely on his personal backup, the Bulova, making it a first.
SHARP WATCH
PROFILE
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A Creative Director Worth Listening To THIERRY CASIAS OF BULOVA FINDS INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE By Joanne Jin
T
alking to Thierry Casias, the creative director of Bulova, will make you a firm believer in the idea that following your passions, whatever they may be, will lead you to your greatest achievements. It’s a lot to say about a man who designs watches, but you can’t argue with fate. Or good design for that matter. Casias graduated out of the Pratt Institute with a bachelor’s degree in industrial design in hopes of getting into the automotive business. Instead, he toiled in consumer design, working on packaging and point-of-purchase materials. But, he always kept his eye on the intricacies of design, how it could inspire and reflect one’s identity. Finally, after refreshing the women’s line for Fossil watches and making Marc Jacobs timepieces a thing every woman needed, he moved to Bulova, one of the pioneers of luxury watchmaking. It’s here that Casias finally realized the parallel between his two passions: car and watch design. And, not surprisingly, the results have been awesome, in the truest sense of the word.
Accutron watches of the ’60s, along with the history of the brand. Fossil was a great company to work for, and I learned a lot, but Fossil is only about 30 years old. They’ve built a nice aura around the brand, but Bulova already had that.
Q: HOW DID YOU FALL INTO THE WATCH INDUSTRY? A: I am an industrial designer. My other passion is cars. Typically men don’t have a lot to play with in terms of jewelry and status symbols. It’s cars and watches. But, I was always more interested in the technologically inspiring aspect of them. It’s the same thing that appeals to me in cars. Watches are an expression of your personality and individuality, but in terms of an object, they are also incredible little machines, the amount of technology that goes into one. The geeky part of me as an industrial designer is playing with new construction and new ways of making things.
Q: WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION WHEN YOU WERE APPOINTED TO BULOVA? A: I was very excited. I liked the history of the brand, but it also had a personal resonance for me. My mom had a Bulova watch when I was a kid that my grandmother gave her when she turned 16. My mom collected several watches, and the name has always been in the back of my mind. And being an industrial designer, learning about the history of design at school, we learned about the Bulova Accutron watches. In terms of design they were some of the most forward products that you saw. Even now, how often do you see a shield-shaped case like the Alfa? From a designer’s standpoint, I saw the potential the brand had.
Q: WHAT IS IT ABOUT BULOVA THAT ATTRACTED YOU PERSONALLY TO MAKE THE MOVE? A: It was my taste as the designer for those
THAT WATCH HE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT Bulova came into its own with the launch of its famed Accutron in 1960. Using a 360 hertz tuning fork movement and a one-transistor oscillator circuit, it was the world’s first electronic wristwatch. Bulova was so proud of these developments, they kept the mechanics visible with their signature Spaceview case — which also helped make the Accutron, for a time, the world’s coolest watch, too.
Q: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATIONS? A: Whenever we are not designing, I will take my team to a museum for the day, go to the MoMA to look around, or we will go walk the market, or go to SoHo to look at little fashion shops. We just went to the car show. We get inspiration from everywhere. Watch shows and watch magazines are a way to keep track of what is happening in the industry, but I try to push my designers to not look at other watches for inspiration, because it is can get very incestuous, everyone inspired by everyone else. Everything starts looking the same. So I really push them to look at other things. We look at a lot of cars, motorcycles, planes, mostly transportation. We look at fine art, sometimes even nature. That’s the odd thing: it’s a 9-to-5 job, but I have ideas come to me at 1 o’clock in the morning on Saturday and think “Crap, I have to sketch this before I forget.”
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STYLE
SHARP WATCH
Watch What You Say THE RIGHT TIMEPIECE FOR EVERY SITUATION
By Joanne Jin
You wear a different watch on different occasions for two simple reasons. First, the right watch completes an outfit — it solidifies your visual statement. Whether you’re dressed to the nines or keeping it casual for the weekend, your timepiece is the bon mot that completes a story. The second reason is even more self-evident: you change your watches with your outfits because you can. Go ahead, show off a little. Here’s how to do just that, no matter what you’re wearing.
SHARP WATCH
STYLE
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Everyday
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his isn’t about getting attention. This is about simple harmony. Think pared-down features. This watch isn’t loud, because you’re daily attire isn’t loud. It’s just right.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE: The first time I wore a twotone steel and gold watch I was self-conscious about it. After I became accustomed to it, however, I found it hard to go back to plain steel — it just seemed dull. There’s something to be said for the sparkle of gold.
CHOPARD L.U.C 1963 TOURBILLON PRICE UPON REQUEST
ROLEX DAY-DATE $40,050
GIRARD-PERREGAUX 1966 LARGE DATE AND MOON PHASES $34,000
PIAGET ALTIPLANO DATE $28,300
BLANCPAIN VILLERET COMPLETE CALENDAR $26,570
IWC PORTOFINO HAND WOUND 8 DAYS $23,400
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AROUND THE WORLD
SWITZERLAND
USA
All the Time in the World
BECAUSE THE SWISS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES WORTH WATCHING
By Jeremy Freed
Remember when Americans used to make things? Uncle Sam churned out millions of timepieces from the mid-1800s well into the 20th century. As ownership moved overseas, so did production, and the numbers of true made-in-America timepieces dwindled. In the last couple of decades, however, small-scale watchmakers have begun to create a range of innovative designs.
DEVON
Devon’s eye-catching Tread, which uses a rotating belt to display the time, was released in 2010. This brand gets by on its unusual looks and equally innovative hybrid electro-mechanical movement.
KOBOLD
W
ho makes the world’s best watches? That depends entirely on who you ask. The Swiss are renowned for their mechanical movements and the Japanese have a lock on hightech quartz. But they’re by no means the only players in the game. In fact, there’s a whole world of watches out there worthy of a place under your shirtsleeve.
Contemporary aesthetics, American-made components and the endorsement of modern-day explorers have earned this Pennsylvania-based brand a reputation for toughness and reliability.
RGM
This atelier has been putting its own movements into a line of handsome watches since 1992 — including the world’s first American-made tourbillon.
After cornering the global watch market following WWII, the Swiss wasted no time becoming the best in the world at making mechanical timepieces. While things slowed down tremendously in the 1970s and ’80s with the advent of quartz movements, a focus on luxury and craftsmanship has helped Switzerland regain its position as a global leader.
ROLEX
A combination of marketing genius, timeless design and technological innovation helped Rolex produce some of today’s most coveted watches. Their success is even more noteworthy considering they were founded in 1908 — more than century after many of their competitors.
PATEK PHILIPPE
People regularly pay astronomical sums for watches by this independent atelier known for superb craftsmanship and elegant design — $24 million dollars is the current record. The reason would make sense to anyone who has bought a diamond engagement ring they couldn’t quite afford: because they’re beautiful and because people want them.
TISSOT
A prime example of a company that changed with the times while keeping sight of their past. This giant brand produces countless models from heritage-inspired mechanical pieces to solar-powered touchscreens.
SHARP WATCH
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GERMANY
ENGLAND
Although the Brits are more or less credited with inventing the modern watch, true English-made timepieces are as sparse these days as Prince William’s hair. These up-and-comers are keeping the tradition alive.
ROGER W SMITH
From a tiny workshop on the Isle of Man, this truly old-school operation creates a handful of exquisite timepieces each year, including a limited number of bespoke orders. The waiting list is years long.
BREMONT
With a foundation in aviation-inspired pieces, Bremont is a contemporary brand upholding the proud British tradition of building handsome, functional watches (even if a few of their components are actually Swiss).
Most German watchmaking happens in the small Saxon town of Glashütte, where a handful of brands exert a mechanical prowess second only to the Swiss.
A LANGE & SÖHNE
This brand, founded in 1845, is Germany’s answer to Patek. While owned by the Swiss Richemont group (one of the watch world’s two mega conglomerates) they still produce everything in-house.
NOMOS
Combining old-world watchmaking with modern design, NOMOS produces a range of contemporary pieces powered by in-house mechanical movements.
TUTIMA
A Glashütte watchmaker with almost a century of experience, Tutima is known primarily as a producer of high-quality aviation watches.
JAPAN
The Japanese watchmaking tradition goes back to the late 1800s, but it really took off in the 1970s with the advent of quartz. Characterized by sturdy, precise, non-mechanical movements, the best Japanese watches remain synonymous with high-tech features, contemporary design and reliability.
SEIKO
Since producing the first quartz wristwatch, the Astron, in 1969, this Japanese mainstay has focused on refining the technology (though they make some good mechanical movements, too).
CITIZEN
A pioneer in precision quartz, Citizen gained renown for its invention of the Eco-Drive, a revolutionary solar-powered movement. Their newest models use GPS technology to keep accurate time anywhere on Earth.
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DINNER WATCH
Power Hour BOLD WATCHES FOR WHEN YOU’RE ON THE CLOCK Photography by Adrian Armstrong • Styling by Joanne Jin
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE: If you’re serious about style, you really need four basic watch types and colours: something simple on a brown croc for suits, something steel on black rubber or nylon, something with gold, and a steel watch on a steel bracelet that goes with just about everything.
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1/LEFT: COTTON CORDUROY BLAZER ($695) BY BOSS; COTTON BUTTON DOWN ($180) BY STRELLSON; ANNUAL CALENDAR MODEL 5205G WATCH ($59,200) BY PATEK PHILIPPE, AT HUMBERTOWN JEWELLERS. RIGHT: COTTON BLAZER ($560) BY J.CREW; WOOL TURTLENECK SWEATER ($165) BY MICHAEL KORS; MASTER QP 8 JOURS PERPETUAL CALENDAR MODEL WATCH ($27,200) BY JAEGER LECOULTRE, AT HUMBERTOWN JEWELLERS. 2/ WOOL SUIT ($1,000) BY TIGER OF SWEDEN; COTTON BUTTON DOWN ($110) BY BROOKS BROTHERS; MUSEUM WATCH ($850) BY MOVADO, AT GEM BIJOU. 3/ VIRGIN WOOL SUIT ($1,200) BY CIRCLE OF GENTLEMEN; COTTON BUTTON DOWN ($180) BY STRELLSON; DRESSAGE PETITE SECONDE CROC STRAP WATCH ($33,200) BY HERMÈS. VIRGIN WOOL BLAZER ($800) BY STRELLSON; VIRGIN WOOL TURTLENECK ($205) BY BOSS; LINEA MOONPHASE WATCH ($4,950) BY BAUME & MERCIER, AT HUMBERTOWN JEWELLERS.
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SHOT ON LOCATION AT CITTÀ TORONTO
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WATCHES IN FILM
The Wrist Stays in the Picture
IN HOLLYWOOD, A WATCH IS THE ULTIMATE CHARACTER STATEMENT
By Jeremy Freed
M
ost people don’t notice the watches in movies. They’re small, and not given a lot of screen time. But for actors and directors, those little things can hold the keys to a whole performance. A film’s art department will assemble them before the cameras roll, agonizing over each choice — often in consultation with the stars on whose wrists they’ll eventually (if briefly) sit. Here are some of the most impressive watches found in this season’s most important films, and how they got to be there. We bet you’ll start noticing now.
THE MARTIAN, 2015 Watch companies often participate directly in the placement of watches in films, working with art departments and costume designers to select pieces, and even designing new ones. Hamilton does this more than most, with a credit in over 450 movies to date, including 2001: A
Space Odyssey and last year’s Interstellar. This fall, the wise-cracking astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon in The Martian, was alone on the red planet sporting a Hamilton BelowZero. “They needed a large size watch with a strong character that would represent a survivor,” says Sylvain Dolla, Hamilton’s CEO, whose team
spent a year working with prop master Noel Cowell and director Ridley Scott to find the perfect watch for the project. “Mark Watney is left behind on Mars, and has to survive on his own and create his own resources, therefore he needed a strong reliable watch that could withstand the dangerous situations he’d encounter.” Hamilton’s BelowZero is designed for deep sea exploration, not interplanetary travel, but its black-on-black colour scheme looks impressively futuristic, and its chunky 46mm case makes it easily wearable with a space suit — the perfect timepiece for the man of tomorrow.
LEGEND, 2015 Ronnie and Reggie Kray, two of Britain’s most notorious gangsters, terrorized East London for over a decade, running nightclubs and protection rackets, intimidating their enemies and stymying the law. For a period biopic like this month’s Legend — which
charts the Kray’s rise and fall — historical accuracy is vital, and extends down to the finest detail. Watches were no exception. Ronnie and Reggie, played in tandem by Tom Hardy, were celebrities of London’s swinging ’60s, mingling with Sinatra and Judy Garland. Tasked with creating the look of the film’s sets and props, production designer Tom Conroy was fortunate enough to have an inside connection. “We were able to get access to some family photographs from the extended Kray family,” he says. The Krays' timepieces, however, remained elusive. “In a lot of the photographs you get a tantalizing glimpse of a watch, but sometimes it might be covered over by the way the suit falls.” Conroy and his team scoured London for every existing shot of Ronnie and Reggie, and when those turned up little additional detail, they pored over other period photographs for clues. Sourcing from various antiques dealers and period watch specialists, Conroy
SHARP WATCH
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BEST SUPPORTING TIMEPIECE
THESE WATCHES WERE READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UP T H E L A DY K I L L E R S (1955)
A luckless gang of thieves attempt to carry out the perfect crime with the help of a batty old lady. Not everything goes to plan, but Alec Guinness’ Tissot Triple Register Chronograph times the heist with Swiss precision.
T H E PA RTY ( 1 9 6 8 )
The story of a failed actor who gets accidentally invited to a big Hollywood party, Peter Sellers’ bumbling hero seals his fate in the industry by wearing his diving watch in an 1878 period movie, then blowing up the set.
COMMANDO (1985)
took his best guess and let Tom Hardy’s intuition take it from there. From 25 options, Hardy chose a Bentima Star for Reggie — slim, elegant, Swiss timepiece becoming of a savvy gangster with aspirations of class. For Ronnie, Hardy picked out a Josmar, a chunkier sport watch to fit a psychopath in a suit. These choices are among 10,000 details in the film, each a product of research and imagination, each one telling a story.
THE BIG SHORT, 2015 This film, which stars Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale and Steve Carell as Wall Street traders betting against the banks ahead of the 2008 financial meltdown, was based on a true story. Prop master Mychael Bates was tasked with selecting timepieces. While it would have been possible to find out exactly what watches the men portrayed in the film actually wore — since they’re still around — he chose, instead, to select pieces that spoke to
each character’s personality. “The timepieces chosen for the main characters reflected their intensity and lifestyle,” says Bates. For Ryan Gosling, who plays a bold, cocky and self-assured stock trader, he chose an IWC. “It’s fierce, dark and striking. Very much like his character.” Steve Carell, a self-absorbed financial wiz, wore a stainless blackface Rolex. “Simple, as well as a statement of wealth and taste,” says Bates. Brad Pitt, who plays a retired trader from the NYSE, wore a Breitling Emergency II — the watchmaker’s famous timepiece fit with a built-in locator beacon. “He was a neurotic, germ-fearing mad scientist of sorts with issues about the demise of the banking system,” the prop master says, adding that he created a custom hemp-fibre band for the watch. It’s a detail almost no one would notice. Despite that — or perhaps because of it — Bates is especially proud of it. “It really defined the character,” he says.
With the help of a sassy flight attendant — and the countdown timer on his trusty Seiko H558 — the future governor of California saves Sam from Who’s the Boss from the guy who plays Wez in The Road Warrior. And not a minute too soon.
G L E NG A R RY G L E N R O S S ( 1 9 92 )
Alec Baldwin breaks down the secrets of success for Ed Harris and Jack Lemmon while waving his gold Rolex Datejust in their faces. Rule number one: Always Be Closing.
PULP FICTION ( 1 9 94 )
Christopher Walken is in top form as he tells the — ahem — uncomfortable story of keeping Bruce Willis’ grandfather’s gold Lancet watch safe through the Vietnam War.
DRIVE (2011)
Between the scorpion jacket, the toothpick and the cool leather driving gloves, Ryan Gosling’s Driver is a man who knows how to accessorize. Likewise, his gold Patek Philippe is the perfect combination of business tool and style statement.
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THE DRESS WATCH
All Wound Up WATCHES FOR AN EVENING OUT — OR IN, AS THE CASE MAY BE Photography by Kourosh Keshiri Styling by Donovan Whyte at Judy Inc
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COTTON TUXEDO SHIRT ($195) BY HUGO; MIXED METAL AND CRYSTAL CUFF LINKS ($145) BY SWAROVSKI; TOCCATA WATCH ($895) BY RAYMOND WEIL. ON HER: POLYAMIDE LACE BODYSUIT ($130) BY IRINA SHAD.
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COVER STORY
One and Only By Ariel Adams
1 1/URWERK UR-106 ONLY WATCH
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asily one of the world’s most extraordinary luxury timepiece-buying experiences, Only Watch is a charity event held every other year to raise money for a children’s medical foundation. Started in Monaco, this year it was held close to watchmaking country in Geneva. Each timepiece donated by the participating brands is required to either be the first of a limited-edition collection, or absolutely unique. It is, quite literally, a one-of-a-kind auction. More than that though, it’s a watchmaker’s opportunity to go a bit wild with regard to design, throwing market research and tradition out the window in favour of pure extravagance. Here are some of the most awe-inspiring picks.
Urwerk recently released its first women’s watch with the UR-106 Lotus, which has been ironically re-imagined as a men’s watch for this special Only Watch version, rendered in black-coloured titanium and steel with neon green accents. Using satellites to indicate the time for what is an iconic Urwerk style, the dial also features a moon-phase indicator to complete the UR-106’s modern take on a traditional timepiece.