“PERFECTING THE ART OF DRESSING WELL SINCE 1969”TM
THE
COLOR POP
I N T E R V I E W W I T H N ATA L I E P O R T M A N
WAT C H C O L L E C T I N G
MOJO RISING
T H E E M P I R E S T R I K E S BAC K
INTERVIEW WITH EDDIE JOHNSON
SPRING & SUMMER 2011 • ISSUE 13
The ZERO WEIGHT Jacket
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Welcome to the Spring 2011 edition of The Clotherie Magazine. Spring…a time for new beginnings…fresh new looks, optimism, happy times! We would like to thank each and every one of you, our loyal customers for your patronage and support.
The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings. – Dave Weinbaum -
Spring Fever…cool it down with some fresh and exciting new looks from The Clotherie! Start shedding some layers and embrace the new season with outstanding attire from suits to sportswear. This spring issue is full of fashion, flair, and fun. Sunny styles are the trends this season with an extensive array of colors ranging from vibrant fuschia, orange, purple and electric blue to more subtle shades of pale pink, dove grey, and lavender. Planning your summer travels? Check out “Let’s Hit the Links in Ireland” (p. 28) for the greatest golfing adventure or “New Discoveries in Old Nice, France” (p. 46) for some top touring tips. Celebrity news? Don’t miss our highlight celebrity Eddie Johnson, Phoenix Suns announcer, along with Academy Award winners, Colin Firth and Natalie Portman. Nothing speaks spring more than baseball, so we’ve included a great article, “Reveling in America’s Pastime,” a look back at America’s favorite game. The Clotherie is getting a makeover! Our remodel will begin the end of June but we will remain open in a temporary space. We are very excited and can’t wait to share the finished product with all of you! As always we would like to thank all of you who partner with us, locally and abroad, for helping to make The Clotherie Magazine possible. We encourage our readers to do business locally with each of the world-class companies represented in the pages of our spring/summer edition. The very best in customer service can be expected from The Clotherie and all of our local partners. We thank you once again for voting us as the #1 men’s fashion store in Arizona. This is the 13th straight year we have been honored with the distinction as the prestigious “Best Men’s Store” by Ranking Arizona. Don’t forget to cast your vote this year by logging onto www.rankingazmagazine.com. With heartfelt thanks, Greg Eveloff
2 5 0 2 E . C A M E L B A C K R O A D , S T E . 1 6 9 • P H O E N I X , A R I Z O N A 8 5 0 1 6 • T E L : 6 0 2 9 5 6 8 6 0 0 • W W W. T H E C L O T H E R I E . C O M Photo Courtesy of Samuelsohn
issue 13
T H E
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ON THE COVER: JACK VICTOR
p14 This season, explosive hues lighten up any lingering post-recession blues
p22
3
Welcome
6
Out and About
8
Happenings
10
Eddie Johnson
12
Good Health
14
Color Pop
18
Interview with Natalie Portman
22
Are We There Yet?
26
Spies...Your Perfect Love Connection
28
Let’s Hit the Links in Ireland!
32
Watch Collecting
34
Interview with Colin Firth
38
Mojo Rising
40
Reveliing in the Past of America’s Pastime
46
New Discoveries in Old Nice, France
p28 p40
Todd Tufts • Editor in Chief, Publisher Leslie C. Smith • Editorial Director Vence Vida • Production Manager The Clotherie Magazine is published by Tufts Communications, 1201 E. 5th Street, Suite 1009 • Anderson, IN 46012 T: 765-608-3081 • E: todd@tuftscom.com © 2011, Tufts Communications. All rights reserved.
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Interview with Oscar Winner
p18 Natalie Portman
of the town
Mickey Shaw (far right) as a “High Five” kid at the Phoenix Suns/Orlando Magic game on March 13th.
out&about THE CLOTHERIE RECEIVES HONOR FOR 13TH YEAR! The Clotherie is proud to announce they will celebrate their 13th straight year as the #1 men’s retail fashion store in Ranking Arizona for Arizona Business Magazine. Don’t forget to cast your vote this year by logging onto www.rankingazmagazine.com. THE CLOTHERIE RAISES MONEY FOR BREAST CANCER The Clotherie Mikki Eveloff after in conjunction completing 60 miles of with the Phoenix the Susan G. Komen 3day for the Cure in Suns held a raffle Phoenix, Arizona in to raise funds for November 2010. the Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure Breast Cancer Walk. Mikki Eveloff walked 60 miles in 3 days, November 1214th and raised over $6000 for the organization, dedicating the walk to Ann Antoniadis. The winners of the raffle, Rick Shaw and his son, Mickey won 4 tickets to the Phoenix Suns/Orlando Magic game on Sunday, March 13th. Mickey got to be a “high-five” kid, watching the players warm-up, meeting the gorilla, and “high-fiving the players as they lined up before the game. It was a special moment for all!
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Our “EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN” Promotion was a Huge Success! Through this program The Clotherie collected over 400 outfits (suits, sportcoats, and pants) for valuable donations. We thank each and every one of you for your generous donations and participation.
CHECK IT OUT... The CLOTHERIE WEBSITE at www.theclotherie.com for shopping, news, fashion trends, blogs Our new CLOTHERIE ONLINE STORE at www.theclotherie.com/store which features a wide selection of shirts, trousers, shoes, accessories, and more from your favorite designers including: Agave jeans, Alberto pants, Eton shirts, Gardeur jeans, Georg Roth shirts, John Smedley, Left Coast T’s, Project E Polos, Zanella Pants, Donald Pliner shoes, Hush Puppies, Mezlan Shoes, travel needs, cologne, pens, and other gift ideas Join us on FACEBOOK (The Clotherie) or follow us on TWITTER WATCH for the NEW CLOTHERIE APP – We are very excited to announce the
M AG A Z I N E
soon to be released CLOTHERIE APP! This APP, easy to download on your phone or IPAD, is totally FREE! What can you do with the CLOTHERIE APP? Full access to hours, location, map view, and contact information Schedule an appointment with a wardrobe consultant Connect to The Clotherie Online Store directory and Look Book Stay up to date on The Clotherie Blog Get direct feed to The Clotherie Facebook page
THE CLOTHERIE APPAREL COLLECTIONS FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2010 See page 8 (Fall magazine) for list of vendors.
events SAMUELSOHN TRUNK SHOW WITH BEN ALLEN Date: Saturday, May 14th • Time: 11 am – 5 pm Select from new models of the outstanding Spring and Fall 2011 selection of suits, sport jackets, and trousers.
JOHN SMEDLEY TRUNK SHOW Date: Saturday, May 14th • Time: 11 am – 5 pm Entire collection of John Smedley knitwear.
fashion park
AT BILTMORE FASHION PARK
THE CLOTHERIE is getting a makeover! We are looking for-
serving traditional Japanese fare with a Latin influence; True Food,
ward to bringing a fresh and exciting new look to you with all of
founded on the healthy lifestyle principles of Dr. Andrew Weil;
our fabulous fashions. The remodel is a go and will begin the end
and Christophers offering simple, French-inspired cooking, the
of June…we will remain open in a temporary location so please
Biltmore is the perfect place to shop and stop for your favorite
come visit us whenever you are at Biltmore Fashion Park! We will
culinary fare.
keep you informed of any and all changes. If you are not on our email list, please email us at sales @theclotherie.com.
In addition to the exciting new and coming soon openings, the popular event series Movies in the Park has returned for the
The retail mix and flavor gets even better at Biltmore Fashion
fourth year this spring with a new line up of American classic
Park this spring. With a growing roster of restaurants and first-to-
films. Guests can come early, bring their blankets, 7:30 p.m. in
market retail, the center is pleased to welcome new additions that
Center Lawn. The remaining film schedule is listed below and can
continue to make Biltmore Fashion Park the most exclusive shop-
be found by visiting www.shopbiltmore.com
ping mall in Arizona. Opening late spring 2011, Black Chile Mexican Grill will
April 15 – Sleepless in Seattle
serve inventive Mexican culinary creations, along with traditional favorites, such quesadillas and enchiladas. The restaurant will seat
April 22 – Grease
more than 250 guests and will be located next to Zinburger Wine and Burger Bar. Along with such favorites as Seasons 52, a fresh
April 29 – Annie Hall
grill and wine bar with seasonally-inspired menu; Stingray Sushi,
Agave
Eton Cufflinks
Pantherella
AG Jeans
Gardeur
Pavone
Age of Wisdom
Gendarme Cologne
Punto
Alberto
Georg Roth L.A.
Robert Barakett
Angelo Nardelli
Gravati Shoes
Robert Graham
Arnold Zimberg
Hush Puppies
Robert Talbott
Børn Shoes
Ibiza
Rufus Sportshirts
Canali
International Laundry
Samuelsohn
Citizens of Humanity Jeans
Italo Ferretti
Sand
Culturata
Jack Lipson
Tailor Vintage
Dion Neckwear
Jack Victor
Trussini
Donald Pliner
John Smedley
Zanella
Ecco
Left Coast Tees
Zegna Sport
Ermenegildo Zegna
Martin Gorden
Z Zegna
Equilibrio
Masonʼs
Zelli Shoes
Eton Shirts
Mezlan Shoes
Zenfari
Nat Nast
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veteran
Eddie Johnson My 45 and FOX Sports Arizona Color Analyst
A familiar face and voice returns as Eddie Johnson enters
Originally a second-round pick (No. 29) by the Kansas
his 11th season as a color analyst for the team’s television
City Kings in 1981, Johnson spent six years in the Kings organ-
broadcasts. For the seventh consecutive year, he will work
ization before he was traded to Phoenix on June 21, 1987 for
alongside both Tom Leander and Gary Bender on the team’s
Ed Pinckney and a second-round pick. The University of
My 45 and FOX Sports Arizona telecasts and will share color
Illinois graduate played three-plus seasons for the Suns from
analyst duties with Scott
1987-90. In the 1988-89
Williams.
campaign
helped
A 17-year NBA veter-
Phoenix improve to a 55-
an, Johnson served as the
27 record from 28-54 the
color
the
previous season and was
Phoenix Mercury televi-
named the NBA’s Sixth
sion broadcasts for the
Man of the Year.
analyst
on
first two seasons of the
The Chicago native has
team in 1997 and 1998.
maintained a Phoenix resi-
He also provided analysis
dence since his Suns play-
for ESPN Radio during
ing
the
playoffs,
President of JJJ Sports,
including the Mercury’s
which conducts basketball
run to the WNBA Finals
clinics
in 1998.
instructional
WNBA
analyst
for
days
and
and
is
the
produces videos
(www.jumpshotclub.com).
Johnson was a guest
He is also the President
NBA
Showtime on NBC dur-
and
ing the NBA Playoffs
Teamfone.com www.team-
2000 after serving as
fone.com) a communica-
color analyst for Arizona
tions company that caters
State men’s basketball
to groups and organiza-
Net during the 1999-00 season.
co-founder
of
tions. He and his wife Joy
broadcasts on Fox Sports
have a son, Justin (21), and daughter, Jade (18).
Johnson has the distinction of being the NBA’s all-time
Eddie Johnson always looks especially dapper announcing
leading scorer among players with no All-Star appearances
for the Phoenix Suns in his wardrobe provided by The
with 19,202 points, an average of 16.0 points per game. One
Clotherie. The Clotherie is a proud sponsor of the Phoenix
of the NBA’s best pure jump shooters, “E.J.” shot .472 from the
Suns.
field and .840 from the foul line while playing for Kansas City/Sacramento, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte, Indiana, Denver and Houston.
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Good Health Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men
Earl Johnson (name changed) had always been very athletic and sexually active, but after he turned 38 he started to notice increased belly fat, decreased energy, and a low sex drive. He initially visited his primary physician and was recommended to eat better and exercise more. He was also informed these were just signs of aging and prescribed Viagra for his low sex drive. Unbeknown to him, these symptoms are very common in men and are part of a medical condition called Andropause that affect men naturally as they age. After learning about the option to visit a specialty clinic specializing in men’s health; he was informed that his blood work showed he had low levels of testosterone, thyroid, and growth hormone, three of the most important male hormones. As men age, levels of hormones decrease especially after the age of 40. A few of these signs and symptoms include, low libido or sex drive, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, muscle loss, weight gain, fatigue, and irritability. With today’s medical technology, specialized treatment for male hormones and age related symptoms are becoming increasingly popular. In response to the growing population of baby boomers and the problems associated with aging, Men’s Vitality and Performance clinic was established. MVP offers customized programs, using bio-identical hormone therapy, testosterone replacement and other treatments that can make a huge impact on a man’s life. Dr. Ronald MacDougall. M.D. with Men’s Vitality and Performance located in Phoenix, Arizona has witnessed the phenomenal impact of hormone therapy on men to rejuvenate their physical and mental state of well being. “Bio-identical hormone replacement at physiological doses is safe and effective. The patients get back exactly the same hormones they already have circulating in their body but are no longer producing at optimal levels,” said Dr. Ronald MacDougall, M.D. “Unlike drugs, which are foreign to the body and can have serious side effects, bio-identical hormones are completely natural compounds and the side effects are minimal and dose related.” Replacing hormones to more youthful levels will decrease abdominal fat, increase energy, stimulate cell repair, and decrease the risk for these diseases of aging. In addition, treating sexual performance will allow men to live the lifestyle they deserve. Men’s Vitality and Performance (MVP) offers a new Replacing hormones to more youthful levels approach to improving the lives of men through customized will...allow men to live the lifestyle they deserve. programs of bio-identical hormone replacement, erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. The benefits result in increased energy, improved libido, better erectile function, enhanced sense of well-being, and general slowing of the aging process. It also assists with fast loss and muscle growth by controlling hormone levels. In addition, MVP offers nutrition, fitness and wellness programs, such as the HCG weight loss and a complete line of specially formulated supplements under the label name of Prime Vitality Supplements. The clinic provides exceptional quality of patient care by highly trained medical professionals; to learn more about the Men’s Vitality and Performance on the Web, go to www.theMVPClinic.com
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thoughts
This season, explosive hues lighten up any lingering post-recession blues
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Sometimes life is not all black and white – nor gray and khaki, for that matter. Certainly these are easy, masculine colors designed to work together in harmonious handfuls, which makes them such perpetual stars on the seasonal menswear circuit. Just as important, though, is the way they remain so very quiet, never calling attention to themselves if they can at all help it. Ever since the days of Beau Brummel, you see, guys have eschewed bright hues and fancy gewgaws, preferring instead to leave these fripperies to the womenfolk. For themselves, men chose solemn or neutral shades that gave them an air of sobriety, studiousness and industriousness. Take a look at any of today’s dress affairs, from the Academy Awards on down, and what do you notice? The guys in their black tuxes forming a shadowy accompaniment in the background, while the women all strut around like flashy, highheeled peacocks. Although this runs counter to nature show expectations (save for a brief societal blip in the 1960s), men have long preferred it thus. Yet this summer, menswear machers have added a whole raft of neons, primaries and candy colors to the dress lexicon, and they expect you to make some use of it. Maybe not in the same way that women are being urged – namely to cover themselves from head to toe in bright blocks of fuchsia, violet and hot pink, or embrace playsuits in floral prints so brightly hued they would give Carmen Miranda a headache. But the leash has definitely been loosened far enough for guys to experiment with a geranium pink here and an acid yellow there without necessarily having their manhood questioned.
Photo Courtesy of Ravazzolo
DION STYLE • QUALITY • SERVICE
www.dionneckwear.com
All this evolves from a generally sunny outlook on the stylists’ part, one that sees a broad spectrum of light shades at the end of the very dark economic tunnel we’ve all just traveled through. These apparel Polyannas want to have some fun, and they want you to join in on the festivities. So this season, think beyond denim in indigo and black, and even further than pure white. Tomato canary
red,
electric
yellow,
blue,
mandarin
orange, Kelly green – these jeans shades and more are there for the taking, to give you and your wardrobe a much-needed shot of color in the you-know-where. Or you can choose the same kind of eye-popping colors for your summer shirt and knitwear collection. It’s up to you whether you want to mix the two (or three, if you opt for a brightly hued jacket) garment shades together, as the women do. No worries this summer, after all, whether they go well with each other or not – just slap ’em together for full vibrant effect. May we suggest, however, that it’s better to bring things down a notch. Try using just one blow-out color in a top or jacket paired with your normal khaki pants or some new white jeans. Or stay neutral on the top, with white, dove gray or tan shirts, knits and jackets, and explode expectations below with denims brightly shaded in salmon pink or royal purple. You can even take an all-neutral outfit, say a right-in-style monochrome cream ensemble topped by a light olive trench and punch it up with a gorgeously shaded silk foulard tied negligently round the neck. Then there are other, even more creative means to acquire your color fix. For instance, you might opt for a single bold shade in a gingham or other mixed-with-white check, or get several colors muted together in our old friend, Madras plaid. You can even go for the crazily tinted cacophony that is yet another old pal, the Hawaiian print. And none of these patterns, by the way, need stick to shirts. They’re just as easily found in a light windbreaker and a pair of above-the-knee or midthigh shorts, even swim trunks, for that matter.
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Photos Courtesy of Stenstroms and Ravazzolo
Photo Courtesy of Jack Victor
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interview with academy award winner ÂŽ
Natalie Portman
When Natalie Portman cracked open the script for "Black Swan," the saga of an ambitious ballerina's mind-blowing nervous breakdown, she instantly understood where her character was coming from. It's not that Portman, who won a Academy Award for "Black Swan"-has any personal experience with mental illness. In fact, the actress, who's best known for roles in the "Star Wars" prequels, "Garden State" and "V For Vendetta," has a reputation for being one of the hardestworking, most well-adjusted stars in Hollywood. But Portman has a secret weapon when it comes to sussing out troubled characters - a degree in psychology from Harvard University. "This movie is actually a case of something that I learned in school translating into something practical, which is very, very rare," she says with a laugh during an interview with a select group of journalists. So, what's Dr. Portman's diagnosis of Nina, a dancer who begins to lose her grip on sanity as she prepares to dance the starring role in a pressure-cooker production of "Swan Lake"? “This is absolutely a case of obsessive compulsive behavior," says Portman, a native of Jerusalem who grew up in Long Island, the only child of a doctor father and an artist mother.
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"Nina's bulimic. And anorexia and bulimia are forms of OCD. Ballet really lends itself to that because there's such a sense of ritual that goes along with dancing - the wrapping of the shoes everyday and the preparing of new shoes for every performance. "It's almost religious in nature. It's almost like Jews putting on their Tefillin or Catholics with their Rosary Beads, and then [the dancers] have a godlike character in their director So I think Nina suffers from a sort of religious obsessive compulsion. That would be my professional opinion." From the beginning of "Black Swan," Nina has a loose grip on reality. Locked in a too-close relationship with her mother (Barbara Hershey), she begins to unravel after her company's artistic director (Vincent Cassel) fires his star ballerina (Winona Ryder) and hands the leading role in "Swan Lake" over to her. Nina's problems are intensified when a new dancer named Lily (Mila Kunis) joins the company. The pair instantly begin a pas de deux of love and hate, which pushes Nina even closer to the brink. As one critic noted, the Darren Aronofsky-directed film resembles " `Mommie Dearest' meets `Repulsion' meets `Single White Female.' "
www.samuelsohn.com
oscar winner
Portman is in nearly every scene of the drama and it's her out-on-a-ledge performance which is earning plenty of rave reviews. "The best thing that you can hope for when you make a movie and you put your soul into it, like all of us have done, is that people respond to it well. The fact that audiences have come away moved and excited and entertained and stimulated is extraordinarily flattering." A veteran of eight years of dance training (from the ages of 4-12), Portman still needed to work out for nearly 14 months to into tip-top shape for the physically demanding. Portman's teachers included former New York City Ballet company member Mary Helen Bowers and choreographer Benjamin Millepied (whom the actress is now dating but declines to discuss). So, what exactly did Portman put herself through while preparing to play a ballerina? "Mary and I did about two hours [of dancing] a day for about six months," recalls the actress, 29. "That was really just sort of strengthening exercises, getting me ready to do more so that I wouldn't get injured. "Then at about six months, we started doing five hours a day. I was swimming a mile a day, toning and then doing three hours of ballet a day. Two months before shooting, we added the choreography. So, by the end, we were doing eight hours a day." Portman says the intensity of the preparation allowed her to better get under Nina's skin.
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“THE PHYSICAL DISCIPLINE HELPED FOR THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF THE CHARACTER BECAUSE WORKING OUT EIGHT HOURS A DAY, YOU GET THE SENSE OF THE MONASTIC ELEMENT OF A BALLET DANCER'S LIFE.� N a t a l i e Po r t m a n
"You don't drink. You don't go out with friends. You don't have much food. You are constantly putting your body through extreme pain. I came to understand the selfflagellation of a ballet dancer." Amazingly, in the midst of her intense workout regime, Portman went off to Ireland to shot a romantic comedy called "Her Highness" with James Franco and Danny McBride.
"They were out having fun every night, and I was the little good girl; no drinking, waking up at five to do my workouts, and not eating," Portman told Entertainment Weekly. "I was the really unfun one." Still, despite all of the sacrifices she made, Portman calls "Black Swan" one of the best experiences of her career. "My relationship with Darren felt almost telepathic," she raves. "I never had that with any director before. Darren could say half a word and I felt like I could understand him, and I could say half a word and he could understand me. We were in some strange zone of focus that allowed us to share this attention." The idea for "Black Swan" began with Aronofsky more than a decade ago. During the making of "Requiem For a Dream," he kicked around ideas for a script called "The Understudy." A few screenwriters later, Aronofsky's idea was honed into "Black Swan" by scriptwriter Mark Heyman, who also worked on "The Wrestler." According to Aronofsky, "Black Swan" was hard to get financed despite the acclaim - and Oscar nominations - which "The Wrestler" racked up. "Two weeks out, the money fell apart," says the director. "But we were very lucky because we got Fox Searchlight to come in after we were on our hands and knees begging. We had so little money, so every single day was difficult.
winner
"Everyday was, like, 'Oh, my gosh, we have to do all that today', and then there was no money for post-production and we had to do over 300 special effects shots so it was very, very hard." Having to push back the production forced Portman to keep on practicing - and dieting. "I didn't realize until recently that every time we [delayed our start date], Natalie was going, 'another three weeks of carrot sticks and almonds! I'm gonna kill you!' So she really was tortured pretty badly because we had such a hard time getting the money for the film." As tortured as Portman was, she was able to shake off the role the day the production wrapped. "As soon as I finish a scene, I'm back to being me," she says. "I want to be myself again. I'm not someone who likes to stay in character. This clearly had a kind of discipline that lent itself to me being more like my character while we were shooting the film than any past experiences. But even so, when it's over, it's over. I'm back to my regular life." On the last day of filming, Portman kicked off the ballet footwear she'd grown to detest - "pointe shoes are torture devices; they felt medieval to me," she declares - and she went back to eating her favorite fattening foods. "I believe the first meal I ate afterwards was pasta," she says. "For breakfast, lunch and dinner."
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S M I T H
Are We There, Yet? And can we stop apologizing now for wanting to have nice things?
If you believe the economists, the Great Recession we’ve been so long enduring actually ended three years ago. Ah, economists! Great little kidders, those guys. They have to be, considering their vocation has more in common with voodoo chicken sacrifices than science. Everybody knows anyway that the real bellwethers for financial recovery are the fashion designers. When things look bad, these people show us a lot of gray fabrics and other muted tones, inexpensive materials molded into reduced forms, and generally less bells and whistles all over. But – and this spring represents a big but – when things start picking up, stylists revert back to their natural predilection for color, quality, expression, and accoutrements galore. 22
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Maybe in part it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: Their cheery attitude influences our own; we in turn buy the clothes designed to buoy the spirit and, suddenly, life seems fun again. We begin to unearth buried desires, feel the need to indulge ourselves a wee bit. We spend some money, then a little more, and soon the recession’s just an unpleasant reflection in our rear-view mirror. This season’s menswear and accessories are as sure a sign that prosperity has turned the proverbial corner as anyone could want. You just have to glance at all the candy-colored casualwear – jeans, jackets and shirts in eye-popping pinks and yellows, brilliant greens and blues – now available in the stores, not to mention the occasional one-off piece decorated in bold, highly oversized graphic print.
Photo Courtesy of GARDEUR
brighter days
Perhaps even more telling is the way linen, that luxurious summertime fabric, has abruptly taken over the tailored market. It seems that half the designers out there are touting linen suits and separates in their collections. And not just any old linen suits and separates, but ones shaded in oh-so-light cream or white that are bound to cost a bundle in dry-cleaning bills alone. The suits and sport jackets are lightly built too: relaxed and unstructured, with sleeves just begging to be pushed up the arm, Miami Vice-style. Their breezy appearance makes their wearer appear insouciant as well, like he hasn’t a care in the world beyond where his next vodka gimlet is coming from. Look closely at these tailored clothes and you’ll discover another bit of excellent news: Double-breasteds have begun to crest and higher waisted trousers may once again drape to the
ankle in pleated folds. What’s the significance? More material is used to make these garments; more material costs more money, ergo, menswear makers are betting on an ebullient economy. Maybe you should too. Even such small items as belts have become considerably less cost-efficient. The majority are now made from quality leather, braided by hand, and boast a long end meant to be worn casually crossed over at the waist and left hanging way down to one side. These little things can mean a lot – like the airy gesture of a colorful silk foulard tied loosely at the neck. This tiny trend speaks volumes because it’s a rich man mode, a gentlemanly mode, the kind of daily dress accoutrement Thurston Howell the Third never gave up even though he spent years marooned on Gilligan’s Island. And one doubts whether Mr. Howell would ever have considered sending his heirloom signet ring to be melted down at a gold broker’s. He’d know that some things matter more than mere base value. Hopefully, you do too and you’ve hung onto yours but if not, you might strike it rich at your local antique shop.
Yet another style that shows promising heirloom status is the big “weekender” bag, a smooth, sophisticated leather tote with padded leather handles – the kind you’d slip a thin laptop, some shaving implements and a change of clothing into for, say, a weekend getaway to Martha’s Vineyard. Of course, none of these furnishings fall into the strict necessity category, which is why they’re so nice and status-y and fin de la recession. It’s like wearing a fine wristwatch when you could merely look up the time on your cell phone, or reading a good hard-cover book instead of a cheap Kindle download – nothing that noticeable but everything with distinction. To put it in simple sports car terms: even though an automatic transmission is easier to use, not to mention the less-expensive option (and thus quite likely the chief choice among economists), wouldn’t you rather drive a stick shift? Well consider that fact when you get around to getting into this spring’s gear.
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Photos Courtesy of RAVAZZOLO
SPIES...Your Perfect Love Connection! W H E N
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SPIES (Single Professional Introductions for the Especially Selective) is one of the oldest matchmaking agencies in Arizona. Founded in 1994 by Roseann Higgins, SPIES has developed a reputation for attracting top clientele and producing hundreds of first-date and relationship success stories due to the personal and high-level service, extensive search methods, and use of photos and privacy.
Roseann Higgins is aptly reputed as a “romantic headhunter” with a 7,000 member, handpicked database available only to her clients. Since opening the doors to SPIES and taking on her first ER physician client in 1994, Roseann has attended thousands of events, vigilantly headhunting for the right men and women to introduce to her clientele. In the past 17 years, Roseann has met over 45,000 people by attending exclusive events; being involved in charities; recruiting with a booth at the Phoenix Open; sponsoring the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix Taste for 16 years; speaking at Women’s Expos and Chambers of Commerce; networking at breakfasts, seminars and mixers; and “keeping an eye out” wherever she goes to meet the most eligible men and women. Roseann collects nametags and business cards the way
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Steve Nash racks up assists on the basketball court. Roseann’s judicious discrimination of her “meet and greets” has resulted in a premium lineup of prescreened dates. The testimonials on the SPIES website (www.especiallyselective.com) speak the virtues of Roseann Higgins’ success. “Thank you for introducing me to a wonderful girl. She’s truly in love with me. I’m in love with her too.” “Thank you for changing my life! The efforts of you and your staff have allowed me to achieve balance in my life and begin having fun again.” SPIES is extraordinary! It is the selective matchmaking service for the selective individual. TOP REASONS SPIES IS SUCCESSFUL: • Is there chemistry? Close up photos in a variety of settings present the opportunity to check out the physical attraction factor. Love at first sight? It could begin with the perfect photo! • SPIES Screens: By your first date you know the answer to tough questions, which often take months to discover. Interviewing can take hours but you want to end up with that perfect match…right? Roseann’s methods make meeting the right one look easy! • Confidentiality: Roseann Higgins held a top secret clearance in the US Navy when she worked in telecommunications and Naval Intelligence. This is a private and confidential affair from offices, photos, and information. • Work Personally with Roseann: From interview to relationship, you have full access to your personal matchmaker. • Your best chance at success for love: A recruiter allows you greater access to people. The recruiters are constantly expanding their network at social, charitable, sporting, and business events. Roseann Higgins, SPIES for LOVE
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• The Proof is Positive: It is currently reported that the divorce rate in America is 50%; 41% for first marriages, 60% for second marriages, and 73% for third marriages (www.marriage101.org). Due to the intense screening and master “matchmaking” at SPIES, the divorce rate is less than 4% in the past 17 years! Matched couples have the greatest opportunities for great dates that lead to long-lasting love relationships. If you are looking for love, adventure, and a life full of memories…Roseann Higgins is your angel of love! Let SPIES do the headhunting, prescreening, and matchmaking. All you have to do is go out on the best dates of your life! For more information, contact Rosann Higgins direct: (602) 241.1800 www.especiallyselective.com Roseann@especiallyselective.com ESPECIALLY SELECTIVE/SPIES MATCHMAKING SUCCESS STATISTICS 95% Of Especially Selective singles introductions go out on second and third dates. 51 have fallen in love with their first date. SPIES averages a marriage every 12 weeks. Roseann Higgins has introduced herself to 45,000 people since starting the matchmaking company SPIES in 1994, and has handpicked the most desirable database.
ONDA SE Made in Italy Sizes: 6.5-16 Colors: Black, Chocolate, Brown Equipped with NEST technology
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Time to stop your dreamin’, son.
Let’s hit the links in Ireland! There's a story told of the great Irish sportsman Christy Ring going golfing for the first time. Standing on the tee box, he asks for instructions: 'The object with this shot Christy is to hit the ball as far up the fairway as possible', advises his playing partner. Ring duly steps forward and whacks the ball 200 yards up the centre of the fairway. Approaching his second shot, he is advised that anywhere near the green would be a success. Ring obliges and lands the ball twenty feet from the hole. Walking onto the green, Ring asks what he's suppose to do next. 'The object now Christy is to putt the ball into that hole where the flag is.' 'Why didn't you tell me that back when we started?' came the response.
The Irish have always had a somewhat quirky relationship with the game of golf. Without stating the obvious, golfing in Ireland is decidedly different than spending a week in the Algarve or the Costa del Sol. Although there have been improvements, five star golf resorts are something of a rare species in Ireland. Instead, you can expect to travel down narrow, unfamiliar roads, staying in family run bed and breakfasts at night and being humiliated by the western seaboard during the day - and they call this a holiday! Ireland's natural terrain boasts some of the finest link courses in the world, some dating back well over 100 years, from Lahinch to Ballybunion and onto Dooks in Kerry, one of the oldest in the world, and the trio of Royal Portrush, Royal Portstewart and Royal County Down in Northern Ireland and Portmarnock, situated only 12 miles from Dublin city centre.
Of course there are many tour companies organising golf holidays to Ireland, which can do a lot of the legwork for you. Many specialize in "self-drive" holidays where they arrange for accommodation, starting times and a rental car. Some also offer guided tours, in which you travel in a small bus with a number of other golfers. Differences in price between various packages have little to do with golf and everything to do with accommodation. The most expensive tours use vast (and often quite luxurious) hotels, while the cheapest will likely use bed and breakfasts. The advantages of a guided tour are obvious. Little advance planning is necessary on your part, there are few surprises and you will travel with a bunch of like-minded people with whom you may well make fast friends (a guided tour holds particular attractions to those who may be travelling on their own).
Self-drive tours offer more flexibility and privacy within a reliable itinerary and are used by about half of the North Americans who travel to Ireland specifically to play golf. 28
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www.natnast.com
irish treasures Personally, I have an unapologetic viewpoint when it comes to golfing in Ireland it's links or nothing. One of the most spectacular new courses in the British Isles is Doonbeg in West Clare. With the help of Greg Norman, Doonbeg serves as an example of what can be achieved when a traditional links course is married to a state of the art luxury development, incorporating five star accommodation, spa and leisure centre. Far too often the lack of adequate facilities
has been used as reason for keeping professional tournaments away from Irish sand dunes, yet all that is gradually changing. That doesn't take from the decision to hold the Ryder Cup in the K Club in Kildare. There are some fine parkland courses in Ireland. The newly revamped Kileen course in Killarney is a treat, especially after it's recent 2.5 million makeover. Advance booking is a pre-requisite though it is Killarney after all. Leaving Killarney, an
Once you have your package type nailed down, the next choice is where to play.
THE FACTS Links of Heaven are a well-known company Irish company catering for golf journeys in Ireland. Below is a sample of a golfing holiday in Ireland offered by the company: THE GRAND TOUR - SHANNON TO DUBLIN - TWO WEEKS Day One - arrive Shannon, drive to Killarney (option: afternoon round at Killarney) Day Two - Killarney: Mahony's Point (morning); Killeen (afternoon) Day Three - Waterville Day Four - Tralee (option: substitute Dooks) Day Five - Ballybunion Old (morning); New (afternoon) Day Six - Ballybunion Old (option: New in afternoon) Day Seven - Lahinch Day Eight - drive to Sligo Town; afternoon round on Enniscrone Day Nine - Donegal Day Ten - County Sligo Day Eleven - drive to Portrush, afternoon round on Portstewart Day Twelve - Royal Portrush (Dunluce) Day Thirteen - Royal County Down Day Fourteen - Portmarnock Day Fifteen - European Club (option: substitute Royal Dublin or sightsee) Day Sixteen - depart Dublin
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obvious choice would be Fota Island in Cork, which has hosted both the Irish Amateur Open and the Murphy's Irish Open and the new Sheraton Hotel at Fota adds five star luxuries to the experience. From there you could do worse than travel to either Adare or Dromoland Castle, both challenging and scenic parklands. Dromoland has undergone extensive refurbishment over the past decade while Adare hosts the JP McManus Pro Am annually.
One of the new kids on the block, Carton House is quickly earning an international reputation, buoyed by the hosting of the 2005 and 2006 Nissan Irish Open. Golfers have the choice of two courses - the Montgomerie Course or the O'Meara Course. During it's colourful history the house played host to Queen Victoria, Prince Rainier, Grace Kelly and Peter Sellers, so you're in good company in the bar afterwards.
Really, when it comes to golfing in Ireland, you are spoilt for choice, and can mix your courses at will. Regardless of where it is played, the Ryder Cup will be guaranteed an electric atmosphere in Ireland, and facilities at the K Club are of the highest international standards. Yet imagine for a second if the world's best golfers were to battle it out on the sand dunes of links courses such as Ballybunion or Waterville, as the wind and rain swept in
from the Atlantic. Now that would be something. Admittedly, the Ryder Cup though has never been a tournament to utilise the most challenging courses in a region, as The Belfry bears testimony. The fact remains though, for many golf enthusiasts it doesn't matter what type of course the Ryder Cup is played on, so long as the right team wins. There are some things more important than aesthetics!
The Ireland's Eye and golf field, in Howth, Dublin, Ireland.
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Watch collecting demystified
Patek Philippe: Calatrava
There is a thin line between building a watch wardrobe and building a watch collection. If you are a watch lover with a few nice pieces, you are likely to have one or two collector’s items in the mix. If you are strategic, however, you can be sure that all of your watches have some collectible value. The key is to acquire something coveted by other collectors, and that’s what gets you into the game of buying, selling and trading up for your favorite timepieces.
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That said, the first rule of the game is to know that watch collecting is not an investment; if it’s a quick flip you want, buy a condo. A fine watch is something to be enjoyed, as a connoisseur enjoys fine wine — except that you can enjoy the same watch over and over again. The more you know about watches, the more you will enjoy them and prize them for their many wonderful qualities. A watch’s value derives from many variables: historical importance, provenance, brand name, functions, materials and its value as a status symbol or an expression of taste and style.
The best way to start building a collection is to visit a retailer with a good watch selection. Investigate these options, and determine which features are important to you. Decide what interests you. For example, chronometers, chronographs, divers, time-only, multi-function, automatics, manual wind or vintage... there are many possibilities. While some people buy watches online, it is best to start with a reputable retailer who can service the watch and stand behind it. Some collectors, although they sell pieces on line (in order to trade up), will only buy from a trusted retailer who is an authorized dealer and with whom they have built a relationship.
time to collect If you are a budding watch fanatic, you are not alone. We asked a few collectors why they love watches, and this is what they told us: Sam: “For me, it is a passion, not an investment or an attempt at accumulating something for the sake of accumulation. My watches have all come from precious resources and are the result of high craftsmanship, and as such, mean even more to me than most material things. They bring me a huge amount of personal pleasure and satisfaction, or there would be no point in owning them.”
Jeff: “Books or art collections are for the home, but an interesting vintage watch is something you can wear and enjoy throughout the day, and it has a practical function. Also, I enjoy the process — the search for interesting pieces; it requires some knowledge, some luck and perseverance.”
Marc: “I once thought owning six watches would be a perfect fit for me...I soon learned that just wasn’t going to happen. It has nothing to do with quantity or anything; it’s about owning what I love and loving what I own...with well over 30 watches in my collection I have a special feeling for every one.”
Oliver: “I am fascinated by the mechanics of a watch and I love that they last a long time; watches can actually be handed down from one generation to another. I also love their practicality — watches do track time, can measure gaps of time, and track the day, date and leap year as well.”
4 More Watch Collectors’ Icons
TAG Heuer: Monaco
Omega: Speedmaster
Breitling: Navitimer
Bob: “Watches help me express my mood, even if it’s only to myself. They represent real craftsmanship, something that is lacking in today’s disposable world.”
Watches from the below collections, whether vintage or introduced recently, represent classic favorites. Patek Philippe: Calatrava pictured on the previous page
Panerai: Luminor Marina
Five tips for novice watch collectors: 1. Peruse auction catalogues and sale results: Antiquorum, Patrizzi & Co., Christie’s and Sotheby’s. “Auction darlings” can be expensive — complicated pieces from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audemars Piguet and the like can run into the hundreds of thousands — but you can also get deals at auction, starting at under $1,000. 2. Some collect special pieces made in very limited editions. Others go for “transitional” pieces — when a brand takes a well-known collection and upgrades the case size or material, or changes the movement, the models made in the last year before that model was changed are considered “transitional,” and tend to become collectors’ items. 3. Know your seller; until then, stick with authorized dealers. If you do consider buying online, take a look at the “buyer beware” sections of web sites that sell pre-owned watches (such as TimeZone.com, watchnet.com and hodinkee.com); collectors tend to warn each other about bad dealers. 4. Find out about repair and restoration. Some prestigious watch brands, including Patek Philippe, Blancpain, Glashütte Original and Breguet, will authenticate and restore their watches, but others do not repair or provide components for vintage pieces. 5. Build a relationship with an authorized retail dealer. This will pay off when your favorite brand releases a limited edition of which there are only 12 pieces in the world — and you want one. T H E
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Colin Firth Last year, Colin Firth lost out to Jeff Bridges in the contest for Best Actor. This year, the tables were turned.
The British star carried off the gold statuette for his role in 'The King's Speech.' The low budget -by Hollywood's excessive standards-movie has Firth playing Albert George -- the man who would become King George VI (the current Queen of England's father) who is depicted as a sickly lad with a terrible stutter. Along comes a quirky speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush, aided and abetted by George's wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) and the stuttering royal dramatically overcomes his handicap. After his father dies and his older brother abdicates the throne, Albert becomes King of England. who finds the steady voice to inspire his country as they march into World War II. Firth, as is his wont, turns in yet another powerful and memorable performance. The 50-year-old Brit, who started out catching eyes -particularly those of susceptible females -- in mostly romantic/comedy roles (as the hunky Mr. Darcy in the l995 'Pride and Prejudice' and Bridget Jones' beau Mark Darcy. Along the way he starred in the frivolous but popular 'Mamma Mia' opposite Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan and in the very funny 'Love Actually.' He came whisper close to winning an Oscar in 2010 for a role as the troubled, gay academic in 'A Single Man' and he is currently shooting a big screen version of John Le Carre's spy novel 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.'
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Q: How did you view the British monarchy growing up in England? A: I just don't think my attitude to the monarchy comes into this, really. Q: Surely every youngster had an opinion? A: Anything that felt like establishment or authority was not my friend as a kid. Some people are royal watchers and love it. Some feel it's very, very important to their identity and to what it means to their sense of nationhood and all of that stuff. I'm not one of those people or that kind of patriot. Q: Did playing this part change things? A: No it didn't alter any political or social views. It's about a man caught in the crossfire of the history of circumstances with pretty high stakes. I think that the reason why royalty is used for drama is because of those stakes. It heightens things. And it's interesting that this seems to have such a universal appeal. Q: Isn't that encouraging? A: It seems to be all kinds of people are responding. How? Why? A king that isn't even that well known in history with a particular disability which, most people don't understand, in 1937, which most people weren't around for. How does he reach people?
oscar winner
Q: What's your opinion?
Q: And isn't he isolated from real life?
Q: So you started from scratch.
A: I'm trying to figure it out. But I think that you take normal human obstacles and heighten them. We all have trouble communicating. We don't always have the eloquence or language we want. Sometimes it's much worse than that. If you're intimidated by somebody you see that completely. If you're in love with somebody you probably see that completely. I mean there are all kinds of circumstances in which you can't summon the powers to communicate. We all have fears of fulfilling ambitions. There are people who always feel there's somebody else who throws us into the shadows.
A: He literally lives behind high walls. He has to. In order to be greeted, you have to get through a whole bunch of titles about five names before you're even allowed to talk to the guy. He has to hold his hand out first before you get to shake his hand. So you're building up all these protocols that we hide behind on a daily basis. Universal things that have been beefed up. And it's a human story.
A: Yes. I think it's interesting to follow what history might pronounce as the minor characters offstage and see where they go. It interests me turning a minor-- an ostensibly minor character-- into a protagonist. Realizing they're not that minor at all. And also, I think, different versions of heroism. I like stories that reflect on human virtues, not in the superhero realm.
Q: Can you elaborate on your character? A: This is a man whose problems with communication are so very, very extreme that he's written himself off. It's not uncommon for people in mid-life to just think, 'Well, I just never amounted to enough. I reached this age and, you know, if it's not fixed by now it never will be.' Problems between men and intimacy. Notorious, you know. This happens to be man revealed as vulnerable. It's a story about one man trying to reach another through those barriers we put up. So let's exaggerate those. And make him royal.
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Q: Were you familiar with the story? A: I knew that he existed and about the abdication crisis. I had never watched any of the dramas about it. I wasn't even quite sure whether he was George the fifth or George the sixth. I remember my mother telling me that she had great sympathy for him because of the stammer. So I knew about that. I knew he died relatively young and that the queen came to the throne very young. We all know that because that was 1952 and she's still here. I always understood that she was very close to her father and it must have been very tough to take that job on while you were still grieving. As I said I'm not a royal watcher.
Q: Would you encourage your children to go into acting? A: It's precarious. It can be bruising. It's a bit of a lottery and painful not to make it. It can even be troublesome if you do make it. And it's not an easy choice. I wouldn't push it. I would want to expose them to as many options as possible. That's pretty much what my parents said to me. I wouldn't stand in their way.
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Q: Don't you have a son moving in that direction?
Q: Did you hang out together when the cameras stopped rolling?
Q: Can you analyze your career and movie choices?
A: My oldest is in drama school now and I'm trying to encourage him.
A: We spent a lot of time in each other's company and because Hooper, as I said, worked every last hour he possibly could of every day of the week. There wasn't a lot of down time. And sometimes you'd end the day in a state of complete and utter, almost debilitating exhaustion. We did feel drained. And we wouldn't go home because Tom and Geoffrey and I would just talk. We'd start to get our costumes off and start chatting and we'd be there until midnight talking about tomorrow's scene or laughing. That just became an intimacy that helped. We laughed a lot between takes.
A: Oh, that's the lottery. I didn't always want to get masterpiece screenplays? Without the masterpiece you do what you can to stay in the game. I love working, the collaboration and telling stories. I think there's a lot of value in light entertainment and there's a joy in being a part of that. Sometimes I've done movies I wouldn't go and see. But some of them I enjoyed immensely. And some of them were, 'I hope this keeps me in the business long enough to get the one I really wanna do.'
Q: Are you now in the prime of your career. Have you reached your stride?
A: It feels like luck. I don't think it can be. It's hard to analyze. I must be doing something.
Q: How did you and Geoffrey Rush get along? A: I didn't know him well. We had met fifteen years or so ago in 'Shakespeare in Love.' We hadn't really worked much together on it but we did the promotional stuff together. You don't get to know somebody when you're on junkets and you're unwinding. He's a lot of fun. And I found him such easy company. He loves ideas, to talk and find the humor in things. He loves to turn things around in ways that are interesting. Like, (director) Tom Hooper, he's never banal. There's nothing obvious in his thinking. There's always a fascinating twist. And I found him stimulating company and exhilarating.
Q: How have you made the choices?
A: Well, it's a great moment. Stride? I think it's too random to call it a stride. If I keep getting roles as good as this, I would like to think it could be a stride. This is a profession which notoriously trips you up. I felt there were moments when I had my mojo, I just didn't have the scripts. I feel I'm at an age which is making the stories interesting. I don't relish the deteriorization process, but I do find it interesting to play characters where the past counts. I've lived long enough to actually have one now. T H E
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Mojo Rising Historically, Rioja and Ribera del Duero haven't exactly pumped adrenaline into my palate. And I'm not alone. They're two famed wine regions in northern Spain but, aside from perhaps a special occasion, Average Joes don't go cuckoo for it. For everyday consumption, California's juicy fruitiness is winning the competition for thirsty mouths against austere Europe, at least, among those not aging wine. And producers in Rioja and Ribera del Duero know this. So they decided to change up their dusty, Tempranillo-based grape juice and make wine the new-fashioned way: upgrading to modern equipment, becoming judicious with their use of oak barrels, and letting the fruit shine through. A recent tasting of both regions showed me they're onto something.
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One reason Rioja [ree OH ha] remains elusive is like so many other European countries -- the restrictive production standards and labeling. A quick primer: "Crianza" on a bottle of Rioja indicates the wine has aged at least a year in oak and then spent some time in bottle before being released after two years; "Reserva" also enjoys a year-long oak sojourn then a minimum of a year in bottle and sold after it turns four; "Gran Reserva" wines are only made for the best vintages, aged for two years in oak and can be placed on the market after six. I lean towards the Reservas, but it all depends on your love for wood in your wine.
One standout winery creating riffs in the Rioja establishment is Vila Viniteca Paisajes --a partnership between Barcelona's top wine merchant Quim Vila and Rioja producer Miguel ngel de Gregorio of Finca Allende. They produce a group of pricey, limited, single-vineyard Riojas that cast off conventional practices, using ber modern techniques to craft intensely fruity, softly tannic and complex wines that drink like heaven. They operate much like n gociants in France, who buy juice, fruit or finished wine from a grower and create their own blend. Then, they bottle and label it under their name. Delicious stuff.
Growers in Ribera del Duero [reeBEAR-a del DWEAR-o], a high altitude region southwest of Rioja, historically dumped their fruit into the village co-op wine vats. This resulted in a wine stew with little or no complexity or character so their reputation floundered. But about 15 years ago, impoverished and watching the boom in worldwide consumption pass them by, they realized what consumers want - better wines for the money. Many began bottling under their own name, increasing quality by limiting crop yields - growing less fruit on the vines to concentrate the nutrients in fewer grapes. Their tannic Tempranillos are
tempered with Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha (Grenache) grapes to smooth out the tough flavored edges. Ribera employs quality level designates, similar to Rioja, based on how long the wine sits in oak barrels (from least to longest): Cosecha, Roble, Crianza (or Crianca) and Reserva. This usually dictates price as well, but not necessarily value. I'm not sure how these Spanish regions will fare in an American wine marketplace dominated by domestics but time will reveal all. However, if you're looking for a more food friendly alternative to the easy sipping California Cabernets, Rioja and Ribera might be just what your tongue ordered.
Taylor Eason is the wine columnist at Creative Loafing in Atlanta.
RECOMMENDED WINES Vila Viniteca Paisajes Rioja III, V, VII Earth-moving wine. Powerful, rich and loaded with juicy fruit, restrained vanilla oakiness and an elegance rarely achieved in Rioja. Sw=1. $32- $50. 5 stars and worth every penny. Sierra Cantabria 2007 Tinto Rioja Sexy and very soft but not at all sweet. Red fruit like raspberry, cherry, delicate oakiness and solid acidity on the finish. Sw=1. $12. 4 stars. Figuero 2005 Crianza 12 Ribera del Duero “12� indicates how much time the wine spent in oak. Fresh, ripe black cherry, plums with mild tannins and mint. Finishes with an earthy, astringent flavor. Sw=1. $30. 3.5 stars.
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AMERICA’S PASTIME When Major League Baseball's All Stars take the field in July , thousands of fans will be thinking of Jackie Robinson and Eddie Joost instead of Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols. They’re keepers of the flame for teams alive only in sports history books and their own memories. The New York Giants, Washington Senators, Boston Braves, St. Louis Browns–thousands of diamond enthusiasts still hold allegiance to these bygone teams. They organize fan clubs, celebrate great moments at meetings and swap items on eBay every day all in the name of honoring the past of America's pastime. And their own youths.
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Ron Gabriel grew up two miles from the Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, at a time when you could hear radio announcer Red Barber's play by play 'from every open window in Brooklyn,' he recalls. These days Gabriel lives in Chevy Chase, Md., but Brooklyn never quite left the boy. On October 4, 1975 at 3:44 pm, he formed the Brooklyn Dodgers Fan Club. It was 20 years to the minute of the team's first and only World Series victory. 'I realized this intensity needed someone to bring [Dodgers fans] all together, to kind of act as a clearinghouse. I was confident I could do that.' Gabriel hosted annual meetings at his home (serving hot dogs and Schaefer Beer, a long-time Dodgers' sponsor). When the 50th anniversary of the team's World Series victory rolled around in 2005, he organized a commemorative dinner and passed out bumper stickers: We Loved the Brooklyn Dodgers–and We STILL DO!!
But for Gabriel and thousands of fans of dem bums, the world changed when the team moved to Los Angeles beginning with the 1958 season. 'I went into a state of shock, and I still am, still can't believe it.' Diehards were devastated and many, like Gabriel, never transferred their allegiance to another team. 'Once a Brooklyn fan, always a Brooklyn fan,' he says.
the old ballgame
There is a common thread that binds fans of defunct teams, a certain poetry in their recollections that are valentines to the boys of summers past. You can hear it in the way they share stories--always in the present tense. Bobby Thomson hits the 'shot heard 'round the world,' Willie Mays makes his magical over-the-shoulder catch. With each re-telling, there are new insights, a deeper understanding. The drama of the game continues to unfold. Instant replays, never distant replays. 'We're in the Twilight Zone,' says Bill Kent, founder of the New York Baseball Giants Nostalgia Society. 'To us, the old Giants are still alive. We relive their exploits.'
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Kent grew up in the Bronx, a trolley and subway ride away from the old Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan. As a youngster, Kent would sometimes sneak into the ballpark by climbing over the fence before crews arrived and stake out empty seats with his friends. Other times, he'd get picked to turn the turnstiles at the entrance gate, earning spare change and free admission to the game. It was a highly coveted role. 'There were always more kids than jobs.' The Giants society is a loosely knit group of baseball fans, lawyers, teachers, sports writers and even 'a lady umpire and a lady baseball player' among them, who participate in an online discussion group and get together three times a year for what Kent calls schmoozing. Three or four people showed up at the first meeting held at a Chinese restaurant. Word spread and Kent had to find larger quarters at an Italian restaurant. These days, meetings attract upwards of 50 and are often held in a church basement. Ten dollars pays for the pizza. There are even a couple of Dodgers fans and a sprinkling of Mets fans. 'We don't care. We have nice people and if they're not nice, they're out,' he says.
The 1950s was a turbulent decade for baseball fans. In 1953, the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee and the St. Louis Browns played their last game at Sportsman's Park before moving to Baltimore. Brownies pitcher Ned Garver, who won 20 games for the 1951 team that ended with a 52-102 record, once famously said: 'Our fans never booed us. They wouldn't dare. We outnumbered 'em." At least their legacy is alive and well. The St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Fan Club is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. When the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City starting with the 1955 season, it wasn't a surprise but that didn't make it any easier for fans like Dave Jordan. 'For a couple of years it was clear the A's were running out of money,' he says. The city couldn't support both the A's and the Philadelphia Phillies. Still, Jordan says when the mayor announced a 'Save the A's committee, I was one of few people who took him seriously.'
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the old ballgame Jordan is chairman of the board of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society in Hatboro, Pa., a robust organization of 800 members spread coast to coast. The society puts out a bi-monthly newsletter, runs a museum and holds functions in which original players are invited. There are a few younger members, but Jordan says that for the most part, its ranks are filled with people who were Shibe Park regulars in the days of Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Collins and Mickey Cochrane. One of Jordan's favorite ballpark memories was the 24-inning game against the Detroit Tigers on July 21, 1945 called due to darkness. 'I kept score for 22 innings until I ran out of space.' He donated that incomplete scorecard to the A's Museum and Library. When the team moved on to Kansas City, Jordan stayed a fan. 'In 1955 and 1956 I went to Yankee Stadium when Kansas City was in town, but it wasn't the same. They changed the numbers of quit a few players and, eventually, I had to face the fact that the Phillies were what we had left.' Middle-aged fans are now golden agers and elder statesmen. 'That's something we at the society think about,' Jordan says. 'Until recently, we always had a big breakfast in the fall, selling out with hundreds of fans showing up.' But, he says, as volunteers get older, functions are being scaled back. There are also fewer players alive who wore the uniform. The repercussions are showing up in the sports memorabilia market. Mike Heffner, president of Lelands.com, the oldest and one of the largest sports memorabilia auction houses, says the 1980s and '90s were the boom days in memorabilia of defunct teams. 'In the past few years, we've noticed a slowdown. People who were following teams in the 1940s and '50s are mostly retired, some have passed away and their collections have been sold. ' Some team items are valuable not because of the passion of their fans but because of their scarcity. The Seattle Pilots, for instance, played one year in 1969 before becoming the Milwaukee Brewers. 'They didn't have a huge fan base. There aren't a tremendous amount of them out there. But a uniform patch or a teamsigned ball is so rare, so it's tremendously collectible,' Heffner says. The Colt. 45s (1962-1964), a squad that became the Astros, 'were a terrible team but they had really neat uniforms with a pistol on the front so they're highly collectible.' The latest franchise to join the brotherhood of bygone teams is the Montreal Expos, now the Washington Nationals. But don't look for big returns there. 'Canada and baseball don't go together that well,' Heffner says. Of course, for fans it's not about money and not even about memorabilia. Their teams may not be in the box scores and the ballparks may long be gone, but the boys of summer never grow old.
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New Discoveries in Old Nice, France If you want, Nice can be simply about sun and sea. The Baie des Anges, that arc of smooth stones against the Mediterranean's azure expanse, seduces most visitors into a happy nap-swim-eat routine. But if you explore the back streets of Old Nice, the city reveals pockets of other pleasures. Yes, there are the markets, restaurants, and shopping. But even more rewarding can be unexpected encounters with locals eager to share the area's culture and history. Going back to the fourth century BC, when Phoenician-Greeks sailed over from Marseille to establish this trading port, Nice's seafaring roots have encouraged foreign affairs. Romans showed up and built baths and arenas, then Dark Ages invaders plundered the city.
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Rebuilt by the 14th century, a fortified Nice, allied with the Italian counts of Savoy, upset French kings, who blew it apart again. In 1860 the city became part of France. Shortly thereafter, the British turned Nice into a luxury destination, and painters such as Matisse discovered the Riviera's sunshine. The grand quai-side casinos still speak of this golden age, even as most visitors nowadays pass them by, opting for budget rather than palace hotels, dressing in tank tops rather than formal gowns, and traveling by Rollerblade rather than Rolls-Royce. By chance, the dates of my visit coincided with the annual Festa de San P ire. Fishing boats garlanded with flowers and colored lights lined Castel Beach while a statue of Jesus was carried from a church in the old city into the water. After a paganlike burning of a boat effigy, young folkloric dancers took the stage with middle-aged crooners belting out songs such as "Total Eclipse of the Heart."
Just before this blessing of the fleet, I was enjoying my favorite post-beach Nicois tradition: a plate of "socca," a chickpea cr pe baked on a mammoth copper pan in a wood-fired oven. In line at Ren Socca, my preferred takeout joint, I struck up a conversation with Jean-Pierre and Maguy Mouret, Nicois who now live in Grenoble. "You have to eat it hot," said Maguy, recalling a childhood memory of eating socca to ward off the winter cold. Between bites, her husband spun tales about battles before the now-gone city walls. They gave me a quick tour of their personal history. "This is where I was born," Maguy said as we walked down the rue St. Francois. "This was bombed by the Allies in the war." The walk was quite a contrast to my usual Nice afternoon of carefree sunbathing. While I have visited this fifth-largest French city probably 10 times, this was the first time I ducked into the free Palais Lascaris, a fresco-festooned 17th-century palace with vaulted ceilings and quirky objets d'art.
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The premises were all but deserted, except for a small French-language tour group that allowed me to tag along. The guide told us stories about the Flemish tapestries, regal portraits, silver ex-votos and reliquaries, and a reconstructed apothecary on the ground floor. This same Baroque mansion, in ruins then, had sheltered Maguy's cousin with her five children during World War II. At the market on the Cours Saleya, the gastronomic belly of Old Nice, you can stroll by the stalls and soak up the flashy colors of zucchini blossoms and buckets of green tapenade. Food is such a serious matter that a cannon rings out each day to mark high noon and lunchtime. You can learn more about the food scene by hiring Rosa Jackson, a Canadian gourmet who runs Les Petits Farcis ("stuffed vegetables"), a market tour and cooking class business. "I want to give people an opportunity to shop and cook as if they lived here," Jackson said. Nicois specialties include an onion, anchovy, and olive tart called a "pissaladi re," the sweet Swiss-chard pie "torte de blette," and a corn-and-almond cookie called "estouffadou." Yet the city's traditions have ceded some ground to hipper restaurants such as Terres de Truffes, a truffle-themed bistro serving risotto, foie gras, and smoked brisket. All you need for a long weekend is within walking distance of Old Nice, that triangle of crooked streets defined by the Quai des Etats-Unis to the south, Boulevard Jean Jaur s to the north, and the looming Colline du Ch teau (Castle Hill) to the east.
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Many of the shops sell typical -- and avoidable -- Provencal-themed tourist items such as straw shopping baskets and chirping ceramic cicadas. Look for anomalies such as the Espace Loas (Haitian Art Center, 36 rue Droite) or the Water Bar (rue de la Loge) for sampling designer mineral waters. In the old city, amid mostly pedestrian-only alleys, mustard- and tomato-colored buildings predominate, punctuated by clock towers and steeples of churches that seem more Italian than French. One Sunday morning, I turned an aimless amble through the cool, shady streets into a hunt for the city's best homemade pasta. In less than an hour, I had found four shops displaying tortelloni and panisses (chickpea flour disks) like precious colored seashells. After all, Nice is only 12 miles from the Italian border. This also explains the profusion of gelato shops (the best being Fenocchio on Place Rossetti, with dozens of flavors including tomato-basil). Outside the old city, there's the endless boardwalk to the west. But don't neglect Nice's lesser-known eastern end. You'll either have to take the route around the ch teau hill, along the Quai Rauba-Capeu (literally, "cape of the flying hat," because of the winds), or climb over it; choose thelatter for panoramic views. Down the other side lies the restaurant La Zucca Magica and the placid Port Lympia, where yachts moor and massive ferries embark for Corsica.
If you have a few extra days and crave a taste of small-town Cit d'Azur, Nice is an ideal base for exploring coastal villages such as the 1,400-foot-high Eze, as well as Cap Ferrat with its 6-mile coastal path. No need to rent a car: Take the local train that hugs the sea from Cannes to the Italian border. You can make a day trip and be back in Nice in time for supper. Relaxing at a cafe along the Cours Saleya, it's easy to understand why Nice, which combines the chic C te d'Azur with the feel of an easygoing Italian town, attracts families, retirees, and party-going college students. For me, just watching the water turn from milky-blue to iridescent gray at sunset is reason enough to return. That, and a plate of hot socca, a glass of wine, and an unexpected encounter make Nice live in all the senses long after one returns home.
WHERE TO STAY Hotel La Perouse 11 Quai Rauba-Capeu 33 4 93 62 34 63 www.hotel-la-perouse.com Tucked into the Colline du Chateau, this affordable four-star perched above the quai traffic noise has a private pool garden, restaurant and many windows with sea views. High-season rooms $265 and up.
WHERE TO EAT Fennocchio 2 Place Rossetti 33 4 93 80 72 52 The city's best gelateria, with more than 50 flavors, overlooking a spacious square and a statue of Nice's patron saint. Open daily 9am-midnight. One scoop $2.40, two scoops $4.20, three $5.40. La Zucca Magica 4 bis, Quai Papacino 33 4 93 56 25 27 No fuss, five-course Italian meal so fresh and fabulous you'll forget it's all vegetarian. Open for lunch and dinner, TuesdaySaturday, 12:30-2:30 pm; 7:30-10:30 pm. Fixed price dinner menu is $32.50 (without wine); lunch $20. Chez Rene Socca 2 Rue Miralheti 33 4 93 92 05 73 Grab a plate of the famed chickpea crepe (or other Nicoise treats like fried squash blossoms), then grab a table across the street and order a pitcher of rose wine. Linger with the locals at this neighborhood spot in business for 40 years. Open daily (closed Mon and January) 9am-11pm (until 9pm off-season); prices: portion of socca $2.40; other dishes $1.80-3.60, glass of wine: $2.60
Ethan Gilsdorf is the author of "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms" (Lyons Press). He contributes regularly to The Boston Globe, New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, and The Christian Science Monitor.
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