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THE GALLERY
The weather is great, the skirts are short and the rooftop decks are open for business! What better way to spring forward than with some of our must haves for the season. by Sam Beresford
TASK ESSENTIAL
Switzerland, known around the world as much for its precise timepieces, handcrafted chocolates, and cheese with holes in it, can now proudly add men’s skincare to that impressive lineup. TASK Essential, realizing the important place oxygen holds in the formula for healthy skin (and the voracity with which our skin cells consume it), heartily enriches all of its products with pure oxygen molecules in liquid form. Standouts include Oxywater, a refreshing spray made up of oxygen and spring water to rehydrate and a gentle antiseptic to open the pores, Face Wash, an appropriately named, cleansing and detoxifying gel chock full of flavonic glycoside, an antioxidant extracted from gingko biloba leaves, and Stop Burning, a soothing after-shave balm with extracts of aloe vera to moisturize and witch hazel to minimize redness and nicks. The line, fully developed, manufactured, and packaged in Switzerland, is a simple, effective way to protect and enhance an organ that oftentimes isn’t attended to with much more than your girlfriend’s Noxzema. Now if those Swiss could only come up with a good pocketknife, they’d really be on to something..
www.taskessential.com
Barneys, Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales
GRESSO AVANTGARDE ROYAL BLACK DIAMONDS
If Vertu’s titanium-clad, Ferrari-branded, and ruby-encrusted cell phones aren’t nearly rich enough for your blood, we’ve got something that might do the trick. Gresso, a new-on-thescene manufacturer of somewhat mysterious Russian origin, brings to market the world’s first cell phone made out of wood. More specifically, 200-year old African blackwood, inset with 18-karat gold, backed by stainless steel, and encrusted with 23 black diamonds. Handmanufactured in a limited edition of 50, Gresso seemed to literally spare no expense with the Avantgarde Royal Black Diamonds; the sapphire crystal display, laser cut keyboard, and a body secured by screws made of even more 18 karat gold make that point abundantly clear. The €30,000 price tag (you do the conversion) should also clue you in. While the company also offers a version without nearly as many black diamonds (although four is still pretty damn good), if you’re gonna pop for a cell phone made of African blackwood, you might as well go all the way.
www.gresso.com
Avantgarde Royal Black Diamonds, €30,000
NEOPORTE
When’s the last time you gave thought to your front door? Might it be a safe bet to say never? Ponder it for a moment though; the entrance to your home is logically (and logistically) the focal point of your domain, an announcement of your domicile’s presence to the world. Does it not make sense then, to take care in choosing it with the same reverence you did with that 8,000 inch flat-screen, now used primarily as an outlet for SportsCenter? We humbly present Neoporte. Built around seamless 16-gauge stainless steel panels and frames, commercial grade locksets, and a clean, contemporary ethos, these portals are as much about beauty as they are brawn. Real bambooinfused glass and simple window placement subtly complement the attention to detail of reinforced concealed hinges and automatic weather sealing. Available in single and double configurations, Neoporte offers 35 panel styles, 20 glass options, and over 25 levers and pulls; while the possibilities of creating a modern masterpiece seem limitless, the likelihood of the product being much more than a mere entryway is absolute. As they’re made of 100% stainless steel, they’re 100% recyclable, and endorsed by the US Green Building Council – although the usefulness of this fact is a little lost on us, as we can’t ever imagine replacing a Neoporte door with anything else. Oh, and for those of you who don’t yet own a house, not to worry, you will one day – it’s a great excuse to get a Neoporte door.
www.neoporte.com
from $5,900
VESTALIFE LADYBUG
When it comes to your household’s aural environment, we know you’ve pretty much got it covered. Your receiver is high-end, your speakers are wireless, your subwoofer bothers the neighbors, and you’ve got the capability to play music from every source known to man. In the rush to turn your living room into an A/V showcase, we remind you of an oft-neglected space. A place where strength is gained to greet each day, where inspired thinking takes place, where sins are washed clean….your bathroom (what’d you think we were talking about, church?). Music is just as important here as it is anywhere, and we like to think of Vestalife’s Ladybug as a perfect match for this highly important area. Its speaker ‘wings’ flip out to reveal the universal iPod dock (which charges while it plays), and a builtin subwoofer and digital amplifier provide rich sound controlled by a full function remote. Powered by AC or battery with an automatic shut-off, and accompanied by a carrying tote bag, the Ladybug was built to fly. While we’ll admit the Ladybug’s moniker is overly cutesy, don’t let it throw you off; it belies this sleekly designed contraption’s ability to fill tight spaces with robust sound. Plus, chicks dig it.
www.vesta-life.com
Vestalife Ladybug, $130
FISKER KARMA
With nearly every major player in the worldwide automotive industry entering a horse (or at least some horsepower) in the hybrid race, 2008 may be remembered as the one that tipped the scales – a year that gave us the first real options when it came to environmentally-friendly, alternatively powered automobiles. So while we’re making predictions about future superlatives, here’s another: in this mad, green dash to the car of tomorrow, Fisker Automotive will be crowned king, and the Karma, their flagship, will be queen. This curvaceous beast operates in one of two Q-Drive modes; the vaguely ominous sounding Stealth Drive, which allows for 50 miles of efficient, purely electric cruising, and Sport Mode, in which the 4-cylinder engine, responsible for its 0-60 time of 5.8 seconds and 125 mph top speed, is called to duty. The low center of gravity and balanced weight distribution are provided in part by the location of the lithium ion batteries smack in the middle of this beauty, and its full-length solar roof refuels the car while parked between full charges. Add to all this the full complement of luxury accoutrements that you’ve come to expect in a motorcoach – swanky interior, navigation and DVD system, Bluetooth – and the Karma finally provides us with a hybrid that wouldn’t look out of place in a valet lot in South Beach.
www.fiskerautomotive.com
Fisker Karma 2009, $80,000
TIMEPIECE REVIEW
ZENITH GRANDE CHRONOMASTER OPEN XXT
If they say that seeing is believing, then the Grande Chronomaster Open XXT just converted us. The XXT features a tasteful open dial, displaying the ticking heart of a movement powered by Zenith’s legendary El Primero 4021 automatic chronograph. With a transparent sapphire caseback, and a grey guilloche dial and power reserve indicator, this watch is as elegant as it is sturdy. A solid steel case and a black alligator leather strap tie things together quite harmoniously. Lost the faith? Trust in Zenith.
www.zenith-watches.com
$8,300.00
OCEAN 7 G-1 GMT
A fine watch needs not tax your pockets to the tune of three months’ salary. So if upstart manufacturer Ocean 7 drives that point home with their entire line, the G series makes it crystalline. Swiss-made just like the big boys, the G-1 GMT is carved from brushed 316L stainless steel, with a unidirectional rotating bezel, screw down caseback and crown, and water resistance to 1,000 feet. The piece’s face doesn’t feature a whole lot of anything, and that’s why we like it. A sporty logo, Super Luminova markers, and a date magnifier, all under a sapphire crystal; works for us -- and your wallet.
www.ocean7watchco.com
$549.00 (available only on manufacturer’s website)
CARTIER PASHA SEATIMER
While the Tank usually takes all of Cartier’s glory when it comes to wristwear, the esteemed French jeweler puts together a few other fine specimens as well. Case in point (pun intended), the Pasha Seatimer. From the looks of its black dial, black ceramic crown cover, and black rubber-covered steel bracelet, one might think this a somber affair. But fear not, for the stylized Arabic numerals and offset date window provide a fine balance and meld with its darker features to present a sophisticated, understated instrument. If the Tank brings to mind, well, a tank, then the Pasha Seatimer is a vintage, chauffeur-driven limousine. How will you arrive?
www.cartier.com
$6,050.00
TAG HEUER AQARACER CALIBRE S REGATTA
Chronographs, while a vital tool on any respectable adventurer’s quest, don’t generally have a place in the daily routine of a boardroom all-star (like yourself). TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer Calibre S may change that. Tweaking the chronograph’s formula of three difficultto- read dials (in use since 1822), the Aquaracer uses five bi-directional, electromechanical microengines to power a cleaner, more intuitive chronograph, all in a case stamped from a block of solid steel and water-resistant to 300 meters. So while you may not be on the hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure or searching for the Fountain of Youth, at least look the part.
www.tagheuer.com
$1,950.00
MUSIC REVIEW
With gas topping 4$ per gallon, Bush still in office and earthquakes in China, we figured you could use some inspiration. Wellhere you go. RICO WASHINGTON
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
Someone crank up my Delorean because I am back in the 80s. Vampire Weekend is made up of four much hyped young men who came together when in Columbia and with the release of a few internet leaks became the buzz band. Their sound is similar to tunes recorded by greats like Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel in the aforementioned 80s. Theirs is a fusion of pop hooks with an Afro beat and lyrics that speak to their Ivy League background. Having said that, on many levels the disc works. Besides we have heard it all before. Standout songs like “Mansard Roof” (the first single) and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” deliver the goods. The lyrics don’t so much pack a wallop as they do a wink of the eye but they’ll make you want to hear more. It’s breezy and light but ultimately it will become a regular in your mix
Hot Chip
Made in the Dark
Hot Chip greets us on their third full release with more keys, more synths, more pop, and more outrageous flights of fancy. It all comes together to make one of the best recordings of the year thus far. This is music for people who simply enjoy music for the hell of it. Youll find they are a tighter unit than in their previous releases and have even one take live cuts of Hold On and Out at the Pictures which speaks to their musicianship. But just when all the various sounds are at a pitch Hot Chip takes it down with a couple of lighter ballads like Made in the Dark and In the Privacy of Love. Clearly, they are comfortable enough in their place to allow themselves the room to go in various directions without compromising the theme of creating tight, electro pop. Made in the Dark is a tour de force recording indeed and one shudders to think of the outcome had the lights been on.
Erykah Badu
New Amerykah, Pt 1:
4th World War
She’s Baaacckkkk! With fist raised in the air and pick defiantly sticking out of her signature afro Miss Badu is taking no prisoners. Her newest disc in her words is all about the music. “The music is the star. I just laid down my vocals and let the music breathe while the melodies tell the stories”. This is a story seldom heard because there are few things on the airwaves that will sound like this album. The first single “Honey” is good but not great. Produced by 9th Wonder you’re left wanting more. Cuts like “Me” and “Soldier” are more in the signature Badu style mixing social commentary over melodic grooves that wash over you. Much of the music is designed to do as she says. The issue that we have is sometimes at the end of the ride there should be a destination. I think if given enough listens each person will determine that destination for themselves.
Spy for Hire
Speak in Numbers
When the first track “Luck” opens up you know this is not another hipster, moody band. This is straight ahead rock and roll and it’s been missed. This is not to say that Spy for Hire sounds like some retro band; just the opposite. Their tunes embody a freshness that is new because it sounds honest. When you listen to the plaintive chorus on “Things Used to be Good” the melody is infectious and binds the listener to the tune as one of the standouts on the EP. Just when you’ve settled in comes a thrashing romp like “Motorcycle” where you better strap yourself in and take the ride. Spy for Hire is one to watch and we’re awaiting the full length disc.
Duffy
Rockferry
With the onslaught of British female singers that are dipped in soul and heartache i.e. Amy Winehouse & Lily Allen it would be easy to dismiss Duffy as being cut from the same cloth. She is a soul songbird that actually shares more in common with Joss Stone than the two aforementioned singers. The buzz has reached a fever pitch and every bit of it is justified. Songs like “Rockferry” and “Mercy” reach out and take hold and take you on a journey with the young singer. The production is stripped down and does not overpower the tracks instead letting Duffy’s voice shine through and become the main instrument. There is nostalgia to her sound without merely being a retread of earlier sounds. Instead Duffy finds honesty in her music that makes it unique in a time of retread cool. Old school soul with a decidedly unlikely face but perhaps that is all part of the charm.
Thom is Dead:
Long Live Tom
I don’t care what anyone says: Men look absurd in pants and jackets that are too short. Thom Browne won the coveted CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year award in 2006, largely because he somehow convinced a handful of hipsters to run around in highwaters. But guys, where’s the flood?
Sure, Thom helped usher in the slimming down of the traditional boxy American suit by introducing (for better or for worse) a now-iconic cropped silhouette. But slim fitting is one story. Dressing like Huck Finn is a look best left for fiction.
Surprisingly, Thom’s real success is the unlikely partnership he struck with Brooks Brothers, one of the original purveyors of the American sack suit. This meeting of extreme minds produced the lauded Black Fleece Collection, a much-needed addition to the underserved segment of the menswear market halfway between overly stylized heroin-chic designer suits (along the lines of Dior, Versace and D&G) and the classically oversized silhouettes pushed by old-school retailers like Hickey Freeman and Paul Stuart. Named DNR’s 2007 Collaboration of the Year, the collection merges Browne’s quirky modernity with the 190-year Brooks Brothers heritage. Though as Thom adapts his aesthetic to gain broader market appeal through Brooks Brothers, his own line struggles to remain relevant as men realize that his clothes make them look, well, silly.
Enter Tom Ford. This quintessentially elegant designer has quickly dethroned Browne as the tour de force in American menswear. After restoring Gucci to its former grandeur, breathing new life into the outmoded Italian label, Ford has set his eye on bringing refined sophistication back to menswear with an eponymous luxury brand. Recently named DNR’s 2007 Person of the Year, Ford is peddling superlux wares with a classic style reminiscent of Cary Grant or Fred Astaire, without being retro or old fashioned. His focus on beautiful quality, beautiful fabrics and beautiful cut emphasizes what renowned menswear expert and author Alan Fusser described as “permanent fashion.” Tom certainly isn’t going anywhere: After the successful debut of his lavish New York flagship, the designer has embarked on a bold global expansion that will bring Ford fever to cities from Moscow and Milan to Hong Kong and Dubai.
Ford, a former model, can sell sexy. Placing himself at the center of his ad campaigns, he is the epitome of the well-dressed man and buying into his successful line of eyewear, fragrances and now shirts and suits gives real men (at least, those who can afford it) a little piece of his mojo. Toms clothes are designed to flatter, compliment and enhance the wearer. Thom Brownes styling, on the other hand, draws attention away from the wearer, obscuring him behind a mess of exposed ankles and wrists. Its an ill-fitting statement that lacks staying power in the mainstream.
Thom may be a one-trick pony, but Tom is here to stay. Ford’s aspirational aesthetic has longevity and will broadly influence the entire menswear market in the coming seasons (stay tuned for copycats). Perhaps it’s a reflection of Ford’s approach to the world: Clothes may make the man, but I’m the center of attention. And isn’t that what we all really want?
- MICHAEL MANTEGNA
Books
Self Help books are a dime a dozen. True self reflection and thoughtfulness are priceless. The bestseller lists are filled with volumes of books that profess to tell you how to be a better person, use your time wiser, and be more fulfilled. Most of them end up being noise and fury signifying nothing. Keeping that in mind, we at FREE have identified some works that truly make it worth the while to find a moment to be still and reflect.
Practicing the Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle is best known for his bestselling book The Power of Now. It has been translated into 32 languages and is one of the most influential spiritual books of recent time. Mr. Tolle expounds a philosophy of “Living in the Now” which is categorized by stripping away analytical constraints and preconceived notions of who we are. His follow up volume Practicing the Power of Now is a guide to taking action to realize the philosophy expounded in the first work. The book is filled with exercises and meditative processes designed to help you reach a higher spiritual plane. Although it can come off as vague at times if given proper attention and time there are powerful lessons to be learned. Mr. Tolle takes an important next step in going beyond the written word and has designed a program that is very actionable in the real world.
Harvey Penick’s Litle Red Book
Harvey Penick with Bud Shrake
Golf is life and life is golf. Very simple indeed but Mr. Penick’s well crafted long time journal turned instructional booklet is a must read for all students of the game. Golf for many who play it is an exercise in not only futility but in frustration. The Little Red Book takes you through basic steps on how to improve your golf game from swing, to putting and beyond. The depth however rises when those same lessons of taking 'ones time', repetition, and joy of improvement are transferred to 'ones life'. Whether a golfer or not The Little Red Book is a great read for the thoughtful.
Ponder on This
From the writings of Alice A. Bailey and Djwhal Khul
Ponder On This is a compilation of writings from the more than 24 books written by Ms. Bailey and Mr. Khul. This is dense reading and not for the faint of mind as they delve into such topics as The Ancient Mysteries, Karma, Serenity and The Physical Body. The chapters are very short but the questions raised are so thought provoking it can take hours just to get through one of them. Ponder On This is a serious work for serious minds that dont necessarily need all the answers but dont mind exploring the questions.
Conscious Eating
Gabriel Cousens
This volume is considered the bible for vegetarians and vegans alike. It allows you to personalize a healthier diet for yourself and your particular lifestyle. Most importantly it delves beyond food and makes a connection between what we eat and how we feel mentally and physically which is a dramatic difference in approach to most diet books which deal with how we look. All of this is neatly woven with aspects of religion, meditation, and potential environmental toxins. Conscious Eating is a must have for anyone interested in a balanced and healthier diet.
Thierry Henry
It is human nature to want to get a sense of things. It is natural to want to explain the world around us. To seek answers to the unknown. The desire for completion coupled with the elusiveness of certain truths makes us discontent. But that discontent pushes us forward. Even if the goal is no closer, we yearn to find the answers. There are those among us who embody that yearning in everything we do. It is in their work, their accomplishments, it is their very spirit. They are FREE spirits and we salute them.
Thierry Henry is not a household name. You may recognize him as “the guy that is not Tiger Woods and Roger Federov” in those Gillette ads. Despite that lack of recognition, Thierry Henry is a giant in his field. Clearly, there is more to “football”, as it is known throughout the world, than Pele and David Beckham. Those are the names are known Stateside, but internationally they are just the tip of the iceberg of a cadre of football superstars that rival the notoriety of any of our American stars. Few of those rise to the level of striker Thierry Henry. He has excelled on the stage of football for well over a decade, playing for the Arsenal, the French National team and currently FC Barcelona. He is renowned for his style and pace of play on the pitch and his courage and grace off of it. Though an international game, European fans of football have not always embraced the diverse make up of their teams. Henry has used his acclaim as one of the games biggest stars to draw attention to the racialized jeers and abuse that is often hurled at players of color. It is that courage, the desire to speak when so many would remain silent that shows how he personifies the FREE Spirit. It is easy to lead in times of comfort but ones spirit shines when tested with adversity. Breaking the mold of most superstar athletes, Henry chose to look beyond himself and attempt to right wrongs that plagued his sport. We celebrate excellence in all endeavors and there are few clearer examples than footballer Thierry Henry.
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