Mister Four Eyes

Hillfiger Campaign, lots o’ tweed, and very, very Ralph Lauren.

Southern Hospitality with Billy Reid.

A day with the gentlemen from 3sixteen

Not sure how I missed this in the NY Times, but great insight into the GQ/CFDA Best New Menswear Designer competition last winter.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall during the panel presentation; Billy Reid, Franky Muytjens and Eunice Lee are a few of my favorite designers.

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Tell Us Why You Deserve Fame (You Have 30 Minutes)

By ERIC WILSON

Published: February 10, 2010

IT is commonplace among Serious Fashion Insiders to decry as an outlandish caricature the version of the rag trade seen on reality programs like “Project Runway.” Still, when a group of real designers prepares to be judged before a panel of distinguished industry leaders, the urge does strike to call out, “Make it work!”

The scene: It is 9 a.m., Feb. 4, in a conference room at GQ magazine on the ninth floor of the Conde Nast building, where our panelists are sitting on one side of a very long table to receive the finalists in a contest to name the “best new men’s wear designer in America.”

The contestants: Six finalists who speak to “a new wave of American fashion,” in the words of Jim Nelson, the GQ editor, will each have 30 minutes to make their case with a presentation of their designs. They are, in the order of their appearance, Frank Muytjens, the men’s designer of J. Crew; Richard Chai; Eunice Lee, the designer of Unis; Billy Reid; Vincent Flumiani, the designer of Caulfield Preparatory; and Doug and Ben Burkman, brothers and the designers of Burkman Bros.

The stakes: Each finalist will be included in the March issue of GQ, but the winner receives $50,000 and a chance to create a collection for Levi’s. The winner will be announced on Feb. 12, following a Fashion Week kickoff cocktail party Feb. 11 with lots of male models and ogling.

A slide projector (yes, they still exist) is whirring loudly, as Mr. Nelson calls in the first contestant.

Mr. Muytjens, a salt-and-pepper sort from the Netherlands, is wearing a denim shirt over a white T-shirt, ancient Levi’s and a navy blazer. He explains his influences as midcentury modern design combined with old-school Euro architecture and shows a slide of his college designs that were inspired by Levi’s. This is not to be misinterpreted, but one of the judges happens to be Erik Joule, a senior vice president for the Levi’s brand. After Mr. Muytjens, accompanied by five models in the fall J. Crew collection, leaves the room, the judges confer.

“I like his philosophy,” says Jim Moore, the creative director of GQ. “He’s a modernist, but there are all those traditional elements there.”

Mr. Chai, who started his men’s collection in 2008, follows with models wearing a representation of his work through the seasons. The takeaway is that it is design-y but not so avant-garde as to seem isolating.

The reaction is not so enthusiastic. “From a design point, it looks very jeans-y to me,” says Italo Zucchelli, the men’s designer for Calvin Klein.

“I fell asleep a little at the end,” Mr. Joule says.

Ms. Lee, of Unis, begins her presentation with a charming video, then shows her fall looks on a bunch of non-model guys she cast from her Lower East Side neighborhood. Her best line: “I’m not a man. I don’t know what the pants feel like or the jackets feel like, so one of the things I really have to do is listen to my customer.” The judges love her.

“She’s very scrappy,” Mr. Nelson says.

“I’ve got to say, she’s one of the few girls I’ve ever had a crush on,” says Kevin Harter, the men’s fashion director of Bloomingdale’s.

Next, Mr. Reid arrives wearing the same outfit as Mr. Muytjens. Faux pas!

Mr. Reid, who works out of Florence, Ala., is clearly nervous as he wheels in an overstuffed rack of his Southern comfort fashion. His legs are trembling as he piles look after look onto the table until it is a mosh pit of waxed-cotton barn jackets and boots and Hemingway hats made of nutria, a fat rat that evidently has a bounty on its head in Louisiana.

Though incoherent, his story charms the judges. Mr. Harter notes that Bloomingdale’s already sees Mr. Reid as a major player, since even his most uncommercial design, a red union suit with hunting-themed patches, was reordered five times last season.

Mr. Flumiani, a wisp of a thing whose Louis Vuitton wallet is sticking out of his pants, goes on, and on, about being disowned by his parents before starting a collection inspired by the adventures of an imaginary cad named Finnigan Nash Sinclair, when all he really had to say was “preppy.”

“This was a therapy session,” Mr. Zucchelli says.

Last, the Burkmans present their collection with a group of five models that includes themselves, plus a handmade inspiration book handed to each judge. The look can be summed up in two words: International Lumberjack.

“We’re totally feeling hiker boots this season,” Doug Burkman says. “It’s kind of our move on from the Red Wing thing.”

Judges: Hot.

credit: sweattearsthesea

sun kill moon; carry me ohio

—-

sorry that
i could never love you back
i could never care enough
in these last days

her tears fell on her pages
found me out
on her words
i don’t know what to do or say

wading through
warm canals and pools clear blue
Tuscarawas flow into
the great lake

riding back
where the highway met dead end tracks
the ground is now cement and glass
so far away

heal her soul
and carry her my angel
ohio

green green youth
what about the sweetness we knew
what about what’s good what’s true
from those days

can’t count to
all the lovers i’ve burned through
so why do i still burn for you
i can’t say

sorry that
i could never love you back
i could never care enough
in these last days

heal her soul
carry her my angel
ohio

children blessed
gather round the home she will rest
so poor and cold in their midwest
moon and sun

flashes bringing on
my open eyes to lightning storms
the touch of mist
felt soft felt warm on my face

graving dreams
a million miles ago you seem
the star that i just don’t see
anymore

words long gone
lost on journeys we walked on
lost her voice is heard along the way

sorry for
never going by your door
never feeling love like that anymore

heal her soul
carry her my angel
ohio

In May 2009, my blackberry buzzed with the following text message during a normal working day at lunch-time: “POTUS having lunch across the street”-sent by my friend, who runs his web development shop from his condo in our building.

“POTUS?,” I muttered to myself. “Wait, the PRESIDENT?” I replied to no one in particular, dumbfounded. A series of texts with the following topic began blowing up my bb from neighbors and friends. 

In a matter of 45 minutes, the President of These United States put a then-only-locally known burger joint, known as “HellBurger”..on the map of for every foodie in all 50 states. It even made the CNN headlines (must have been a rather slow news day).

I’ve traveled the country and must say, I dare challenge anyone to step forth with a better burger. I don’t believe it’s out there. From NYC, to South Beach, to L.A. to Seattle, I have yet to taste a burger so robust you’re left speechless afterward. Once inside, you’ll notice 2 large maps. One of the maps is of the U.S., and the other of Europe and Asia. A small sign beside them asks customers who have traveled to ask the cashier for a color coded “pin” to insert into their homeland.

The entire map is covered.

Michael Landrum, the owner, began his mini-empire with a small steak house (where Hellburger is now located) named, “Ray’s The Steaks.” Again, best steak-particularly the Cowboy cut, I’ve ever had.

Landrum’s an interesting character. The nicest guy you’ll meet. My Dad’s a restaurateur with a restaurant down the street in Georgetown (my aunt now owns it), and I appreciate the constant pressure restaurateur’s face. You’re only as great as your last dish (I could tell you a few stories of hilarity about critics “secretly” dining). Landrum will take the time to speak to any diner, educate them, laugh with them, and make your experience feel not in a restaurant, but his home. Disheveled, and now with a somewhat-bulging belly from his earlier svelte restaurant days, he’s like a mad-man bent on doing what he does best-making a damn good steak and burger.

Landrum ages his own steaks and meat. He also believes in a fair deal for his customers. At his steakhouse, you’ll only pay for the meat; the sides of never ending garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach in overflowing bowls are free.

Yes, free.

No, no strings attached. Your server will continuously bring out as much of the rich goodiness as your stomach desires.

If you’re in the DC area, swing by. But be prepared for the wait. The first photo in my strip shows a common-line for folks waiting for a burger from our view inside our building.

*apologize for the graininess of the photos, all are taken from my bb phone, except for the Obama photo, credit to the Huffington Post

*please note HellBurger has no signage. Yup, no sign to let you know you’ve arrived. Just look for the line wrapping around the corner.

*i typically order the B.I.G. POPPA burger pictured in my photos (they all have funny names). it’s an Au Poivre Burger With Black Peppercorn Crust, Aged Danish Bleu Cheese, Cognac & Sherry Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Red Onions..Hellburger offers customers free toppings, for example, sauteed mushrooms, roasted garlic, ects. the sides on my plate are: seven cheese mac ‘n cheese, regular and sweet potato fries. i plated the items myself, they come in separate containers and holders

On my birthday, Maureen organized a sushi tasting menu dinner for a small group of our friends. The chef and friend, Randy-san, was designated the #1 Sushi Master in DC last year after winning a renowned competition of the area’s best. He placed 2nd in L.A. in the national competition. Randy-san and his mentor, Chef Tao-san brought along all of the ingredients, fish, plates and utensils. We only provided the venue (our home) and the wine. The dinner was 3 hours long.

The assorted fish & shellfish were flown in from Japan the evening before dinner. I’ve never seen such freshness-fresh lobster, scallops, jumbo prawn, aji, uni, otoro, tuna…

The education of the dinner was the best part. Being informed of every ingredient, from the Okinawan salt to the various prefectures of fish origin was mind blowing.

21 small dish flights of the most amazing fish I’ve ever had.

Neon Indian; Sleep Paralysis

via enthusiasmdocumented.

I hope I age this gracefully.

An old but personal look into Alex Carleton’s (of Rogues Gallery and LL Bean Signature) favorite places, destinations, and a thing or two on the Sig line.

Source: T Magazine