MOUR Magazine | November | The Men's Issue

M UR november 2014 | the men’s issue Lexington’s Fashion & Lifestyle Magazine

holiday hair for every occasion!

www.dryartlex.com 309 N. Ashland, Ste.160 Lexington, Kentucky info@dryartlex.com 859.303.5364

table of contents dear readers - 3 ask lexi - 4 Life With Mr. Holt - 5 lexstreet style - 6 Mornings with men - 9 trend hunting - 20 The Kentucky Gent - 21 Mix it up - 22 THE PERFECT PAIR - 24 hot spot - 37 music now - 38 meet the pro - 39 gotta try it - 41 Watch & learn - 42 DFS: Recycle the Runway - 43

mour magazine llc www.mourmagazine.com 1

the mour team EDITOR- IN- CHIEF Tamra Graves

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ART DIRECTOR Maggie Christensen

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COPY EDITOR Jaime Shouldis

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Jamie Hagood | assistant@mourmagazine.com

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WRITERS: Lauren Allen, Carrie Burkett, Lee Cutlip, Madison Elder, Jamie Hagood, Edd MacKey, Jaime Shouldis, Jon Shouldis, Chris Trout

PHOTOGRAPHER: Paul Bradley

MODELS: Ben Banks, Evan Daugherty, Adam Evans, John Evans, James Tabor

ADVERTISING: Account Manager | Kasey Blackford | kasey@mourmagazine.com

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GENERAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR SUBMISSIONS: info@mourmagazine.com

Dear Readers,

With immense pleasure we present to you, this month, our first annual Men’s Issue. Creating an issue with the focus on our gentlemen readers came to be an incredibly wonderful experience, unlike any we’ve had in the past year and a half. We welcomed the change of pace which seemed, surprisingly, slightly more relaxed than our usual vibe. Coincidence? We’ll let you be the judge!

Searching for the fellows who were to be the faces of this issue was equally as trouble-free, as a dear friend of MOUR’s, Lexington Fashion Collaborative Board Member, Edd MacKey – who debuts in this issue as MOUR contributor and creator of our new segment Music NOW, page 38 - sent us model ideas a couple of months prior to planning. He couldn’t have made a better selection. We, of course, loved them all. These same five delightful men suggested to us are the same five men that make up our main spread, Mornings With Men, page 11, in this inaugural issue.

The Sunday morning of our shoot, although a tad gloomy with a chill in the air, was filled with laughter, smiles, and happened to be the quickest shoot in our history. Our talented photographer, Paul Bradley, was the icing on our men’s shoot cake.

Alongside our obvious choice to share menswear style this month, we also give you plenty to read up on in the way of bourbon.

Naturally. Skip to page 24 for three fabulous reviews on bourbon by our in-house food and drink guru, Jon Shouldis, and his long time partner in bourbon crime, Chris Trout – co-creator of thefourbarrels.com.

Adding to this bourbon frenzy, MOUR Copy Editor, Jaime Shouldis, reviews the fantastic new annual event, hosted by LexEffect, The Bourbon Social (page 27).

So, fellas, we sincerely hope you enjoy our efforts to style and entertain you. But, most of all, we hope that you’ll come back. We genuinely appreciate your support!

CHEERS! P.S. Ladies, not to worry, we’ll always include a little something for you too!

Tamra

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MOUR FASHION This month Lexi Asks our Lexingtonian fellas what they like to see their ladies in although we know most of the time ladies dress for ladies, it’s still nice to know what our guys think! - here’s what they had to say:

You’d assume “yoga pants” would fall right out of guys mouths as soon as they were asked this question because, quite frankly, our generation is obsessed with the “booty”, but to my surprise men are sick of seeing behinds. It seemed a lot easier for men to say what they DIDN’T want to see their ladies in than what they did want to see. After asking a group of men this question, it was unanimous that all men want to see their ladies in more dressed up attire rather than seeing them in lounge wear all the time.

Ryan, a 22 year old Lexington native, admitted that it got really old seeing girls on UK’s campus always in sorority t-shirts and Nike shorts and made fun of every girls necessity, the legging.

frank, 47: “Little black dress.”

MOXIE, 31: ”Anything casual and sporty.””

Ben, 25: “Wedding Dress. NO LEGGINGS!”

“Girls literally wear leggings casual and dressy,” Ben, a 25 year old Chicagoan said, “We see you girls in them 24/7. Are jeans out of the question these days?”

Pete, 21: “Something classy, sexy business suit. Show off that you’re smart and good looking.

Don’t wear exercise stuff when you obviously don’t workout.”

It seems that these guys just want to see women put a little bit more effort into their wardrobe. The guys all agreed that they’ll give women a second look if they are well put together and dressed nice.

JON, 35: “Dark denim, high heels and a form fitting top with a blazer and mixed metal jewelry. Modern Preppy.”

So ladies, when you’re rummaging through your closet and looking for that perfect outfit, just remember what these guys said. A guy is never going to mind if you put a little bit of effort into your look and he’s always going to notice! So remember, “A simple dress can go a long way in the eyes of a guy,” Pete, 21 said.

By Carrie Burkett

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JASON, 32: “Jeans, boots, a long sweater layered with a coat - in a sophosticated way.

Layers of jewelry.

Hair down.”

Jacob, 26: “Jeans and a cute tank top or flowy shirt.

Not shirts skin tight.”

Ask Lexi

MOUR FASHION Burberry

Dior

Dsquared2

Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs

Prada

Life With Mr. Holt A Pop of Color for Fall

Why let your fall wardrobe turn to boring neutrals as the weather changes?

Burst with color and stand out among the rest, like the designers and brands above and below, who broke the status quo this season.

Newsletter Editor and Style Team Member, Jamie Hagood, recently launched his own fashion blog, mrjamesholt.com. With a hint of Samantha Jones and a dash of Scott Disick in his personality, James Holt (Jamie’s pseudonym) serves as an outlet for his many rants and all of his fashion likes and dislikes. In celebration of MOUR’s first men’s issue, James will divulge his fashion loves and finds in his journeys to quench his designer label thirst. Follow him on Instagram & Twitter: @misterjamesholt

Fendi

John Galliano

Jonathan Saunders

Tom Ford

Valentino

Versace

Image Credit: Style.com

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MOUR FASHION

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MOUR FASHION

LEXSTREET

STYLE:

recycle the runway

2014 Nothing says style better than supporting a fantastic cause like Dress For Success Lexinton’s, Recycle The Runway. When the cause happens to be outfitting those in need with the sartorial skills neccesary to land their dream job, then it doesn’t quite get much better. All in attendence put on their best to generously donate. Style showed itself in the event’s attendees and on the runway where designs were created from items donated to Dress For Success that could not be used to suit their women.

Photos by Chris Marshall 7

www.paulbradleyphotography.com | instagram.com/paulbradleyphotography

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MOUR FASHION

mornings with men A Sunday morning spent chatting with and styling five delightful local men on our beautiful lexington streets They say one striking commonality amongst all “successful people” is their love of mornings. Apparently it starts your day off right and helps with perspective. There is something about rising with the sun; Chris McCandless recorded in his journal how “There is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”

On a recent Sunday, I rose early (though I admit, I was still sleeping when the sun came up) and drove downtown to talk with the five guys featured in this editorial. As is the case with early autumn days, the air was crisp and fresh - something always welcomed after heavy summers - and the sky was tinted grey. I saw the group, waved and drove to park. I swear, finding a spot only took about five minutes. During that short five minutes, the first guy had already changed and started shooting his first look. Ok, what? I know fashion is fast, but this is exceedingly so. And the entire shoot just kept at this pace! I kid you not: we finished two hours early. Two! All the men showed up early and ready to roll. They were efficient, direct and friendly the entire time. I have never seen a group of people so ready to work so early in the day - and on a Sunday! Clearly, we had a group of morning people.

When each of us sat down to talk, often times their goals and aspirations came up. Each of them is dreaming big, and some of them have already accomplished what they set out to do. They have vision and drive. And, as one can tell from their behavior on set, strong work ethics. It is my guess that these men will only continue on their paths to be very, very successful- in fact, they already are successes. So if you want to learn from them, take note: mornings are your best friend.

ARTICLE BY MADISON ELDER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL BRADLEY STYLED BY: JAMIE HAGOOD & ANDREA SCHURR

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Evan Daughtery, 23 Occupation: Senior undergraduate student at the University of Kentucky (Finance major) Favorite spot in Lexington: Chevy Chase. “It really defines Lexington. It still has its character.”

Style: “Pretty simple. I wear jeans or pants. It’s not a uniform.”

Favorite class at UK: Finance 480, Anthropology From: North East Arkansas.

“I moved here with my family 10 years ago. Small town life is awesome.”

Looks up to: Athletes (“Lebron”) Musicians (“Drake”) Money guys (“Zuckerman”) Plans: “To work in Chicago… that’s a tough [question].”

Sweater, shirt & tie, Fox House Vintage Jeans, model's own 10

James Tabor, 27 Occupation: Chimney sweep - “Fate. I studied philosophy, now I’m working with my hands.”

Favorite spot in Lexington: The Lexington Cemetery, or the Henry Clay Estate “Because it’s convenient.”

“Plenty of time to reflect.

Mindfulness is important… and pretty flowers.”

Style: “Yeah… um, I’ve never considered it. I’ve enjoyed the late 1800s.

My influence is across the board. I like to mix and match.”

From: Lebanon, KY, or “BFE, college brought me here.”

Favorite thing about fall: “Oh, the colors, for sure. All of them - there is a good combination.”

Coffee or Tea: “Definitely coffee.”

“I’m 27 - the greatest year of my life. I’ve had real growth, finally!”

Model’s own clothing 11

John Evans, 28 Occupation: Writer.

(Sells on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Nobel - “Germany actually likes my books”) Favorite spot in Lexington: “I don’t think I have one.”

Style: “It’s about comfort. I’m lucky to get up and put pants on.”

Genre of writing: “I’m not sure… horror, fantasy, mystery.”

What do you wear when you’re writing?

“Underwear?

Whatever I’m wearing.”

Where do you write? “I write at home. I sit on my butt with my laptop and just go. When I’m not in the zone it’s hard to write.

When you’re in the zone, it’s awesome.”

Find his book: “Tobias Halson: Vampire Hunter”.

Currently working on a sequel about a werewolf hunter. “It’s fun to write about.”

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Sweater, Street Scene Vintage Shirt & jeans, Fox House Vintage

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Ben Banks, 20 Occupation: Student at Elizabeth Community College (Business major).

Favorite spot in Lexington: Keeneland Style: “I like to dress pretty nice.

More preppy than anything… ‘Classy’ may be a better word.”

Reasons for studying business: “I want to be out of the office a lot… or a lottery winner.”

Favorite thing about fall: “Fall meets at Keeneland; getting to wear sweaters; chili and peanut butter sandwiches to warm me up when I get off the golf course.

Everyone thinks they’re gross but they are so good!”

Role Models: “Tim Tebow or Ronald Regan. On a daily basis my dad and my grandpa.”

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Suit coat, sweater, Street Scene Vintage White shirt, Fox House Vintage Jeans, shoes, model's own

Adam Evans, 32 Occupation: Professor at Transylvania University and Sullivan University. “I was meant to do this.”

Favorite spot in Lexington: “I think right now, when I’m on Transy’s campus and looking at Gratz Park.

There is beauty in the details.… My career goals are coming true, here. I feel like I have finally made it after 12 years of school.”

From: “I moved here four years ago. I went to 18 schools before college.”

Goals: “To be a doctor by thirty - I accomplished it! I took some time off.

Now, I want to be a dean, have a family.”

“Ever ything happens for a reason.”

How did you become a professor? “I always loved higher education.

And I had so many bosses that were not so great. I thought ‘I can do this better!’, kept a journal – you can learn so much of what not to do. It fueled the fire.”

Shirt, Street Scene Vintage Sweater, shoes, stylist's own Jeans, model's own

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Editor's Note: We loved James’ style so much when he showed up that we asked him, begged rather, to let us shoot him in his own personal street style!

Model’s own clothing

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MOUR FASHION

TREND HUNTING IT’S EASY BEING GREEN Contrary to what Kermit famously crooned, the fall men’s runways proved that there’s no color easier to rock than green. The trend was commonly shown in head-to-toe lush tones but if you’re hesitant to take on the monochromatic look, opt for a stand out piece such as Calvin Klein’s evergreen overcoat; it’ll leave everyone green with envy.

UNDER WRAPS There’s a new way to fight the chill this fall and it might be the easiest and most effective one yet: a blanket! Designers took a cue from show goers and wrapped models in what appeared to be maniacally large scarves. These aren’t your grandma’s knitted creations though; shows like Burberry Prorsum showcased the trend in cool and artful geometric patterns, a far cry from your childhood blankie.

BOX IT UP Leave the backpack at home and make the switch to a roomy duffel this fall. The ‘It’ bag for guys proved to be neither too big nor too small but perfect for holding the essentials. When shown in sleek leather via Bally and Bottega Veneta, the transition from the gym to the office never looked so good.

BAD TO THE BONE While you might not actually ride a motorcycle, simply don a biker jacket and pretend you do! The symbol of bad boys everywhere made an appearance in classic black leather at Saint Laurent and Fendi, but avoid pulling a full on Danny Zuko and pair it with polished trousers, the perfect balance of Greaser and professional.

MAD MEN The influence of Mad Men was as apparent as ever on the runways, evidenced by the slim, cropped slacks and jackets to match. The look is a total throwback to the sixties but manages to steer clear of costume territory when paired with a simple sweatshirt and casual sneaks. Just think of yourself as a modern day Don Draper.

BLACK & WHITE VISION When the bright colors and eccentric patterns start to feel a bit too trendy, revert back to the classic pairing of black and white. It’s a look that can never go wrong and is easily attainable, whether it’s a suit-and-tie look like the ones seen at Band of Outsiders or black and white gingham at Margaret Howell. Boring is the last word to describe this match made in heaven.

by lee cutlip 20

Images from Style.com

MOUR FASHION

Blog Spot: The Kentucky gent fter only a year of being out in the blogging world, Josh Johnson has created a name for himself as The Kentucky Gent. Josh proves that men can have their own style and show it just as much as women can, the difference being that he accessorizes with tattoos rather than jewelry. Through his most recent journeys he has earned his right to work with many different companies ranging from local to national. Just recently, Josh has taken the big dive into blogging full time, leaving nothing to hold him back from growing his success immensely.

6. On your days off from blogging, do you still like to dress nicely or lean towards more casual looks?

I tend to dress the same whether blogging or just running errands. My go-to outfit is jeans, t-shirt, and my chucks, with a flannel for good measure in the fall. Casual is a way of life for me, and I try to emulate that through everything.

I never know what a day may have in store for me and because of that I always try to be ready for whatever may be thrown my way.

1. Name, Age, when the blog started?

Joshua Johnson, 24, September 2013

7. How has blogging changed your life?

That’s a loaded question. I’ve attended New York Fashion Week, quit my day job, been a starving artist (quite literally), worked the red carpet for Derby events, and followed my dreams. There isn’t a single facet of my life that hasn’t changed but all for the better. I’m making a life out of living the life that I’ve always wanted.

2. What made you want to start blogging?

I was traveling a lot for the job that I had at the time, and I was always being asked where I was from. When I would reply with Kentucky people were so taken back by the fact that I had my own unique style while living in Kentucky. I felt a need to show that we’re more than what one would assume.

3. What did you do before blogging?

What haven’t I done is probably a more apt question. I worked in retail as a manager at Forever 21 for almost 4 years (actually opened the Forever 21 in Lexington), attended hair school, and became the men’s buyer for a local e-commerce company. None of these jobs seemed to fit so I decided to create my own.

Keep up with The Kentucky Gent on his website at www.thekentuckygent.com, or on Instagram at @TheKentuckyGent

4. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Why? I wanted to be a handful of things from a rock star to a veterinarian. Even as a child I was quite the dreamer. By the age of 10 I had created several successful bands, mostly including my cousins and a few stuffed animals. But then again, who didn’t want to be a rock star when they were growing up?

5. What is your favorite thing about men’s fashion?

Men’s fashion is effortless, or it should be in my opinion.

While I may put thought into my outfits before leaving the house I never want to look like I spent an hour getting ready. The sexiest thing a guy can do is look like he just rolled out of bed while looking impeccable.

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MOUR LIFE

mix it up: about a bourbon, or two

By Jon Shouldis & Chris Trout

On a cool fall evening, four longtime friends sat down to taste and discuss their favorite subject...

Bourbon! Check-out their thoughts on three of their new tries. Head over to their blog to read more about what they have to say about this Kentucky favorite! thefourbarrels.blogspot.com

STAGG JR BARREL PROOF The 2014 variation on the popular barrel proof Stagg Jr comes in only a bit lighter than its predecessor in 2013 (pictured to the left). The initial release was just over 134 proof. This year’s round is just over 132. Both are delicious and offer subtle differences. We highly recommend trying both of them side-by-side to appreciate the variations.

The 2014 edition is dark amber in color. According to the bottle, this bourbon spent nearly a decade in the barrel. Based on this age, its proof and other aged barrel proofs, you would expect this product to be “over-oaked”. What you get is a perfect example of barrel proof bourbon.

The nose lends a pungent woody aroma with a classic bourbon scent. The hint of smoke is a reminder of a summer s’mores bake by the campfire.

The front palate is hit immediately by rich flavors of caramel; deep and smooth flavors of classic bourbon – all the while being super sweet.

The mid palate quickly turns up the heat and you can tell this is a barrel proof spirit. The flavor is densely flavored with rich full taste. As it sits on the palate, you can even pull out some tart fruits such as cranberry.

The finish is very dry – similar to a Cabernet.

Sweetness pulled for almost 10 years in oak lead to a very brief completion.

Coming in at $60 a bottle, if you can find it, this is an excellent example of a much welcome trend in the industry of barrel proof spirits.

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WILD TURKEY RYE 101

KENTUCKY OWL BOURBON A few years ago, Samuel Dixon Dedman, who currently serves as the Innkeeper of the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, ran into a fellow Innkeeper by the name of Mark Carter during a convention being held in Texas. After sharing stories, they arrived on a common point of interest – Kentucky’s native spirit. Dedman’s family has a history in the industry and ran a successful distillery prior to prohibition. The two settled on bringing this ancient spirit back to life.

This is not just a one-time release. The duo plans to release multiple batches to showcase the evolution of their product.

The recently released first batch comes from five barrels that were hand-picked from a pool of 20 to 25 that Kentucky Owl currently has in inventory. These barrels are all short of 8 years old. The process of making the first batch included choosing five which were dumped at 4 years and then rebarreled in new charred American white oak barrels of differing char levels. It’s then bottled non-chilled filtered at barrel proof of 118.4 With such a limited release of around 1,400 bottles, the first batch was only distributed in Kentucky.

The nose releases tropical flavors with coconut and an aroma of ripe banana along with crème brûlée.

Originally released in small quantities to retailers, this delicious rye has started to become a bit more plentiful this fall. Years ago, this product could easily be found on store shelves. With the boom of popularity in Rye, this bottle became sought after and harder to track down. The first time we tried it was in a Lexington bourbon bar so as soon as we found our own, we snatched it up..

The nose of this spirit is quite deceptive. Not as fruity and fragrant as many ryes. We expected to get floral notes but instead got a nose of lightly sweet caramel.

The front of the palate was incredibly smooth; surprising for a rye at this proof. Tropical fruits reminiscent of coconut and banana extend to a buttery smooth mid-palate.

The finish sneaks up very quickly with characteristic rye spice and is pleasant with only a slight burn.

The whisky lingers on the palate for some time with a long peppery sense with only a hint of the oak in which it was aged.

Although it has no age stamp, based on the flavor profiles, we estimate that this is roughly a 6-8 year product. Coming in 1 liter bottles for roughly $40 – this is a great example of a delicious rye whisky.

At first sip, the spirit delivers a dense and viscous mouth feel that has a strong presence of rye and spice at the front. Surprisingly it followed immediately with a rich soft mouth feel to finish, as if it misses the middle of your palate completely. The finish is long and clearly spent eight years in oak. It carries a great thick flavor with intense berry fruits.

Overall Thoughts: We thought this was a great start to a help revive a once forgotten bourbon. The whiskey has good character and carried a solid flavor throughout the tasting experience. We look forward to seeing what else comes from the Owls Nest – the bourbon bar at the Beaumont Inn. Coming in at a proof of 118.4 and a price tag of $179 - $199, it may be steep but worth a try.

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The Perfect Pair

For her debut editorial - seen here with models Grace England and Tommy Withers (featuring Fox House Vintage clothing) Elizabeth Withers captures an aire of innocence and ultimate cool that only the young-in-love can exude Photographs by Elizabeth Withers www.elizabethwithers.com 25

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36 Editor's Note: All clothing, save model's jeans and shoes, courtesty of and styled by Erin Reynolds-Turner of Fox House Vintage

MOUR LIFE spent 7 months on an ocean liner promoting increased interaction with the wood; this lead to an intense upfront flavor, a heavy middle and a strong finish in powerfully flavored bourbon. These seminars provided us bourbon enthusiasts an opportunity to interact with industry experts and further our knowledge of Kentucky’s much loved bourbon.

hat better way to spend a Fall Saturday in Kentucky than learning about and celebrating the history of Kentucky Bourbon? Recently, we got to do just that at the Bourbon Social. The Bourbon Social was a celebration of all things Kentucky, held at a historic part of the horse world, Fasig-Tipton, combined with delicious local food. The day started with roughly 25 bourbon enthusiasts having the opportunity to rub elbows with, and learn from, experts on our most famous Kentucky spirit. We were given the opportunity to attend seminars that would further our bourbon knowledge.

The first seminar of the day was with Mark Coffman, the master distiller of Alltech. Alltech is the maker of Town Branch Bourbon and Rye. We were treated with a Bluegrass Sundown, a delicious morning pick-me-up that includes coffee infused bourbon, hot water and heavy cream. It was the perfect way to start our day! Mr. Coffman was there to detail the history of spirits in America. He discussed the evolution of quality which began with rum, the first Native American spirit.

Starting with rum, these spirits were able to evolve through the Food and Drug Act and the Truth in Labeling Act, which forced companies to match the quality of product to how they were marketing it. From rum, the first distillers in the US were able to transition to other spirits, like bourbon, using native grain such as corn, wheat and rye. While, technically, bourbon can be made in any part of the United States, it is most beneficial to produce it in Kentucky due to the changing climate, which promotes the interaction of the spirit with the wood in the oak barrels. Our limestone filtered water is softer and minimizes impurities in the bourbon. After our morning history lesson, we were treated to a classic Kentucky lunch of burgoo, bourbon BBQ and Ale 8 One from DeRae & Friends Catering.

Our afternoon seminar was with Trey Zoeller, the Master Blender of Jefferson’s Bourbon. Trey talked to us about his theories on aging and production. His production process involves sourcing bourbon from other distilleries and blending them to meet his flavor profile. Unlike the practices of traditional distilleries, Jefferson’s embraces the inconsistencies from batch to batch. To demonstrate the value of these inconsistencies he shared with us two of his favorite bourbons, the Jefferson’s Reserve and the Jefferson’s Ocean Aged. The Ocean Aged

That night, the main event kicked off by celebrating everything we love about Kentucky. We were treated to live music, delicious local food vendors and, of course, bourbon. To soak up some of the bourbon we hit the food room first, trying a little bit of everything offered. Some of the highlights were a Bourbon Glace Chicken Osso Bucoo with Butternut Squash Risotto and Tobacco Onions from DeRae & Friends Catering, Apiary’s Bourbon Gingerbread pot de crème, a pulled bacon “BLT” from Bluegrass Hospitality Group, and delicious ice cream from Crank & Boom. The bourbon room included samples from such giants as Jim Beam, Buffalo Trace and Heaven hill, along with up and comers such as Wilderness Trail Distillery and Pennypacker Bourbon, all offering fine examples of our native spirit.

Lingering around the bourbon room was Hugh Acheson of Top Chef fame. Hugh is also chef and owner of 5 restaurants in the Atlanta area. After fangirl stalking him for a few minutes, I finally worked up the nerve to talk to him and –obviously- get my picture taken with him. Hugh prepared a few dishes for an earlier VIP dinner prior to the main event. Hugh divulged a few Top Chef secrets that we won’t share and we put out a few hints that a Hugh Acheson restaurant in Kentucky wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Full of great food, great booze and a little star struck we moved on to the final event of the day, The Bourbon Social Barrel Cup-cocktail competition, where nine mixologists from Lexington and afar competed for a cash prize and bragging rights. The top 3 were selected by a panel of experts including Chef Hugh Acheson and other cocktail experts.

The evening ended on a high note as the bourbon enthusiasts left the arena having spent the day celebrating bourbon and our great state of Kentucky.

BY JAIME SHOULDIS

Jaime Shouldis with Chef Hugh Acheson at The Bourbon Social

Samples of bourbon during a seminar at The Bourbon Social

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music now

MOUR LIFE

BY EDD MACKEY

itting with my friend David DesJardins at Common Grounds Coffee Shop and waiting for the Open Mic session to begin, David introduces me to a pleasant, unassuming young man. Later as the session ensues I hear a voice that penetrates our table conversation and quiets the chatter, it’s him.

The unassuming young man, now onstage, has a captivating tenor groove that mesmerizes the crowd. In his own words he is a 23 year old Lexington native, DeMarko Murphy (sometimes known as Dajom Spades) who has been a singer/poet/songwriter since before he can remember.

Having been raised by an enormous family of singers (who started their own family mass choir) and taught to hone his voice in church and the high school choir, he’s managed to mold it into a soulfully unique tenor/baritone vaguely reminiscent of John Legend. He usually frequents Common Grounds Coffee Shop during their Open Mic events. He loves working with unique voices and stepping out of his comfort zone in order to show everyone in the crowd a good time. His contemporary musical influences are John Legend, Sam Smith, Justin Timberlake, Drake and Pentatonix.

Pay him and his many friends a visit at Common Grounds every Monday at 7:30, or visit his websites to hear some original music and covers he’s done recently! (And yes, he also sings at weddings!) What more can I say but listen now!

Hear the artist at www.mourmagazine.com DAJOM SPADES ON SOUNDCLOUD www.soundcloud.com/dajomspades

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DAJOM SPADES ON YOUTUBE www.reverbnation.com/dajomspades

ARTIST PROFILE:

DeMarko Murphy a.k.a. Dajom Spades

MOUR LIFE

Meet The Pro: Cristian Caballero 39

from Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati converged at The Ice House to execute their vision. The project was simply a catalyst to bringing the entire creative community together.

It truly meant the world to me to have the opportunity of being part of such an amazing project. We all worked very hard to make “Project Oneiric” a success.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring fashion photographers, what would that be?

Just keep going. It’s so easy to give up, especially as there is so much rejection. If it’s really what you want to do, you just have to keep doing it. Everyone has let downs, everyone has bad shoots, everyone has rejection, just try and learn from it.

How long have you been photographing?

It all started in Texas, back in the summer of 2009 at my We know that you’re a pretty stylish fella. How cousin’s wedding. It was a very impromptu session with my would you describe your personal style? first camera, a Nikon D-90.

Let me begin by saying that finding your personal fashion style is about getting to know yourself. It’s about being Have you always been into fashion photography connected with the very essence of who YOU are and or did your interest start somewhere else? be confident about it. Style = Individuality. Creating your It began as a hobby. I began by taking pictures of my own personal style is the art of combining an outfit based family and friends. My interest in fashion photography on the various aspects of your personality and lifestyle, developed after I was assigned my first fashion event which consists of: Your taste, interests , desires, inspirations, by the local bilingual newspaper in Lexington, La Voz of aspirations and history.

Kentucky.

Once you connect with your core fashion persona, your style will improve and you’ll look fabulous.

What inspires your work the most?

Doing this job inspires me a lot. The real and surreal side What does fashion mean to you? to it feeds my hunger. Women and fashion, as well, inspire Fashion is my world, fashion is my future! me.

Is there one photographer in particular who’s work you look up to and admire; or who has inspired you in some way?

Believing I’m [moving] forward with my ideas, pushing myself with my vision inspires me a lot. I admire Clay Cook, Josh Eskridge, Antonio Pantoja, Heather Rous Weeks, Joey Goldsmith, Amanda Diaz and Emily Soto, but I admire different images from many different photographers.

There’s so many talented visions out there it’s hard to be influenced by just one.

What has been your most memorable shoot?

I have to say “Project Oneiric”. Eight photographers were given a team and one word (oneiric). With that word in mind each photographer and team was responsible for creating just one photograph, shot all at the same location. Photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists 40

What is your favorite part about working in Lexington’s fashion community?

Connecting with people, being able to express yourself, get inspired by others and just be a part of a growing movement in style.

THE LEXINGTON BOTTLING COMPANY

GOTTA TRY IT:

MOUR LIFE What is the story of The Lexington Bottling Company?

While working extensively in the restaurant and bar industry, Kevin Miller (President) and Erik Martin (Vice President) saw an unequal balance between craft liquors, craft beers and craft mixers. Therefore, The Lexington Bottling Company was started with the sole purpose of creating better quality mixes. These make the bartender’s job easier, and therefore consumers benefit, too. Drinkers get to enjoy better and more consistent old-fashioned cocktails. Before, both Miller and Martin had life long dreams of entering the industry with their own style and tastes, and it was with the growing popularity and demand amongst family and friends that a company was born!

What is something you have worked with to differentiate your business?

Cocktail mixers - in many cocktails it is the base and majority of what one consumes, yet not a lot of time and grace has gone into the production of them in the past.

Tell us about some of your drinks!

Erik Martin has been the father and developer to our spin off of an old prohibition cocktail. And the Bloody Mary Mix was indeed a stroke of genius. The Old Miller’s Club Bloody Mary was invented by Kevin Miller after many Keeneland tailgates and UK football games. It will be the first of many Kentucky Proud cocktail mixers coming from the LBC. With its dark, smoky and spicy flavor, our bloody gives you a mixture of flavors never before experienced in the cocktail realm.

What do you see for the future of you’re company?

We will be making many new mixes with the same goal of bringing quality and craft to a booming, exciting industry in our state. Our upcoming mix will be a ginger mint mix, perfect for paring with our much loved Kentucky Bourbon and many other cocktails and spirits.

It’s always about keeping that “Old Kentucky Home” taste, yet with a new edge and flavor never seen or tasted before.

By Madison Elder 41

MOUR LIFE

Watch & Learn Creating your cocktail cove

very man, every woman... OK - every one, needs their very own corner of afternoon delight just across the room for the days when nothing’s right and everything’s wrong. Or, for the days when everything’s right and nothing’s wrong. Who needs an excuse to sit down after a draining day of strictly business, for a sip of stress relief, anyway?

Creating your libation haven will suddenly transform your space into one in which you’ll want to sit, stay and never leave. You’re welcome. Or, we’re sorry. We can’t decide.

Start by selecting your indulgence of choice and the favorites of those with whom you spend the most time. Next, gather your glass collection by finding fantastic glass singles from all around. Vintage and antique shops are the ideal trove to find retro gems befitting of your new bar. Finish by adding the few cocktail tools you may need to make your set up complete. Add all items, in no particular way, shape, or form, to the cart best suiting you and voilà - it’s social hour!

Photo from GQ.com

#localalert

Adele | 445 South Ashland Avenue

Hayworth Bar Cart from Society Social available at Adele

Wine Pearls (set of 4) $25.50

Whiskey Rocks (set of 12) $25.50 42

Kentucky Rocks Glasses (set of 4) $55

Photos: societysocial.com & adelelexington.com

DFS: Recycle the Runway

By Madison Elder

Hello! How are you? I’m fine, thanks- enjoying a beautiful Lexington autumn (my favorite).

Before we really delve into this article, I was actually hoping you could do me a small favor. Go ahead and pull out your phone or your computer- it takes some effort, I know - and open your Facebook page. Go to your Friends List.

Just scroll right on through there for a second. Look at the profile pictures of your friends (look at you, popular). Keep scrolling…

Ok, that’s good! You can stop, now. Seeing as we are back in a middle school classroom (which is what we have all been wanting, I think), I have a few discussion questions. Team up with a partner, if you please: 1. How many of your friends have a picture with children in Africa?

2. How many of your friends have a picture with a homeless man or woman? (On this last question, Humans of New York does not count.)

Maybe you have more well rounded friends than I do. For me, the answer to the second question is dismal.

Please understand that the point of this article is not to berate or criticize. Our desire to spread our wealth around the world is an incredibly beautiful part of what makes us human. However, I do believe it is important we recognize that another aspect of being human is our tendency to distance ourselves from things that make us, erm, uncomfortable. Because we like to save-face, it is easy for us to embrace with wide arms the starvation across the world, yet difficult for us to make eye contact with the starvation on our own streets.

There is a lot of biological, sociological and psychological (lots of –logical’s) research that explains why we are the way we are. We are not a bad race; we are a wired one. Yet…. I don’t know…. I can’t help but shake this idea that we must change.

Change. Are you serious? No, no, no. Stop. Sick and tired of that word. Way over used since 2008. NO. As the current mid-term election has demonstrated, Americans are tired of politics. We do not trust our leaders, and we are losing hope that the word “change” even means anything to them. Politics is about marketing, not us, and we have given up. We will not be changing anytime soon.

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I understand, but what if we are the group that needs to change? Us. What if we started to expect change to come from each other, and not our politicians? What if we examined our tendencies, and worked on our habits? What if we faced what makes us uncomfortable? We would experience the change we long for. And I have proof.

Dress for Success Lexington has used this mentality to help those in our society we ignore. It is part of a global organization founded in New York City in 1987, with the goal of promoting “the economic independence of disadvantaged women.” By providing office-appropriate attire, career counseling and support, they “provide the tools to help them succeed in life”. Our local affiliate, only one year old, has managed to dress one hundred of these women, and has suited fifty. They have helped them get jobs. They have faced a problem in our country head-on, and made some tangible changes.

With the ushering in of a new co-chair, a new era is beginning for the young affiliate, and it was launched at the recent Recycle the Runway Event. If this event is any indication of not only how far the organization has come, but how far it will go, then the future is bright. A supportive group of attendees enjoyed good food, good company and a good time. The talent seen in a design competition on the runway was inspiring (congratulations to Maui Crane for winning the runway competition), and the spirit of the event was celebratory. It was hopeful.

The event, and Dress for Success Lexington, shows the change in our society we need to fight for. We must look at the problems that make us feel guilty. When we do, instead of looking to the government to fix them, we must look to ourselves. Thank you, Dress for Success Lexington, for shining light on issues we put in the shadows. Thank you for reminding us there is bright beauty in the dark. Thank you for creating change, and for creating it here.

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Two-time winner of Recycle the Runway design competition, Maui Crane, with his winning design on model Gabby Sabad. To learn more about Maui visit mauicranedesigns.com and catch his feature in the November/December 2013 issue of MOUR at issuu.com/mourmagazine/docs/mournovdec1

The LEXSEWS project is designed to provide refugees and low-income participants with multidisciplinary educational and skill development opportunities that promote self-sufficiency through professional sewing courses which incorporate entrepreneurship.

Lexington Fashion Collaborative

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