Category: Lifestyle (Page 165 of 274)

Great Shirts from Alara

May 27, 2014 / Gerardo Orlando

I’ve been upgrading my dress shirts lately, so I was happy to have the opportunity to try out two new shirts from AlaraShirt.com. I found two slim-fit shirts that looked great on the website – the Lavender grid slim fit shirt and the Navy – White pencil stripe slim fit shirt. The Lavender shirt has the grid pattern that’s been popular lately and the second shirt had a classic blue and white thin stripe look.

When I opened the package I was impressed right away with the colors, which were very vibrant, and the overall look of the shirts that reflected the high-end quality of the items. I’ve been moving towards more fitted shirts for years, and both shirts were very well constructed and fit perfectly. Of course, that means I’ll have to stick with the healthy eating habits and working routine I’ve been I’ve been trying, as these slim-fit styles are not forgiving!

Both shirts are made with two-ply Egyptian cotton with meticulous craftsmanship, including 18 fine stitches per inch ensuring durability, adjustable mittered barrel cuffs, ultra flexible removable collar stays, side gussets for style and strength and Alara’s exclusive unbreakable mother of pearl blend buttons. With each item, you also get Alara’s
15-day, no hassle free return policy.

The fitted shirts look fantastic with jeans or casual pants and of course under a blazer as well. You’ll find a wide variety of styles from trendier patterns to more classic looks.

If the slim-fit look isn’t for you and you prefer roomier shirts, those options are available as well with Alara. Keep that in mind, as well, if you’re shopping for anyone else. It also helps to have some variety in your closet. If you’re wearing an undershirt, you might want to choose some standard-cut shirts for work.

Both shirts we tried are competitively priced as are all the items on this website. Bullz-Eye readers will get an additional 10% off the sale prices listed on the site by using coupon code “alara10” at checkout.

Along with dress shorts, you can also check out AlaraShirt.com for quality sports shirts and new items have been added for Spring & Summer. With Father’s Day around the corner you can find some great gift ideas as well.

Lifestyle, Stuff to Buy, Style

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Drink of the Week: The Leatherneck Cocktail

May 23, 2014 / Bob Westal

Memorial Day weekend of 2014 is about to get underway. For most of us, it’s just another Monday holiday and the gateway to summer vacation time. For those of us who have lost someone important in one of America’s wars, however, it’s another kind of day entirely.

Though it’s origins are somewhat foggy, Memorial Day began as Decoration Day, honoring the many fallen soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War. Though it was intended as a solemn remembrance, especially given the shamefully scant number of days off most Americans get these days, you can’t blame people for spending it doing fun things like, say, making cocktails. That definitely applies to me.

The Leatherneck Cocktail is one of the beverages unearthed by famed cocktail archeologist Ted Haigh in his hugely influential Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails. As many of you probably know, a Leatherneck is a member of the United States Marine Corps, but I think it’s fair to salute anyone who’s put themselves in danger and perhaps paid the ultimate price on behalf of the rest of us.

The Leatherneck Cocktail

2 ounces blended North American whiskey
3/4 ounce blue curacao
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice.

Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Frank Farrell, a Marine turned journalist credited with creating the Leatherneck Cocktail, said you should shake this drink “violently” and that’s not half wrong. Definitely a very vigorous shaking is in order to bring out its more refreshing aspects.

Strain your Leatherneck into a cocktail glass and toast anyone you may have known who sacrificed something important in a war, anywhere in the world. If you actually don’t know anyone who’s endured that sort of a loss, toast that instead.

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A number of very familiar booze brands will probably work here. Technically, I believe, “blended” means any whiskey that’s not single malt or is also not “straight” bourbon or rye. In practice, a classic Leatherneck Cocktail must, I gather, be made with something that is North American and is neither bourbon, nor rye, nor Tennessee whiskey (e.g., Jack Daniels). Good examples would be most brands of Canadian whiskey, like my beloved Canadian Club or Seagrams VO. Seagram’s 7, which is actually U.S. made and blended, would definitely also qualify if you happen to have that around.

Ted Haigh uses Crown Royal, which to me has always tasted like an ever-so-slightly smoother, higher-end version of Canadian Club. I usually have some CC on hand but didn’t this week. I did, in fact, have an actual vintage spirit on hand. It was an unopened bottle of Crown Royal dating back probably 20 years or more given to me by some beloved relatives of mine.

This testament to the very moderate drinking habits of many Jewish-Americans comes to me from two of my very favorite cousins, who know who they are and how much I appreciate their generously provided free aged booze and overall wonderful cousin-hood. My Crown Royal-based cocktail definitely made for a refreshing beverage that, I think, is a reasonable credit to our fighting forces.

Of course, this is a very simple drink — really, a whiskey daiquiri — that could maybe be spiced up and improved in a number of ways I’m sure. Any ideas on what could constitute a Flying Leatherneck?

Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Vices

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8 Survival Traits of the Modern Man

May 22, 2014 / Bullz-Eye Staff

What does it mean to be a man? Anatomically speaking, not much is different among the sexes. Genetically, people of various ethnicities and backgrounds are nearly identical. Three hundred years ago, a man shaved his face much in the same way he does today. So, what does it mean to be a ‘man’ by today’s standards?

A man is what he does, and traits determine behavior and associated thought. Here are traits of a man:

Smart

There are multiple intelligences, and today’s man knows how to exact tangents of intelligence at apropos times. For example, decades ago, it was custom for young men to attend university, and then seek employment in associated lines of business.

Today’s entrepreneurs take samples from a number of classes to create an original business. Others, drop college classes or don’t attend university altogether, opting for immediate access in the business world. Today, being ‘smart’ means succeeding regardless of GPA and diplomas.

Lifestyle

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Drink of the Week: Bitters & Blonde

May 16, 2014 / Bob Westal

After kinda sorta creating four new classic cinema inspired cocktails, I’m definitely ready to take it easy this week with a cocktail that’s about as simple as cocktails get. It’s actually worse that that because I readily admit that this oh-so-easy recipe has been spoon-fed to me, along with some very nice photography and Papa Pilar’s rather exquisite Blonde Rum.

I’ve featured this outstanding new brand before but it deserves another go. It’s truly flavorful stuff, no mere mixer, with a delightful mega-hints of vanilla and molasses. It’s part of an exciting trend of new high-end rums, and we’ll be working with some more of those in the not very distant future.

In the meantime, just to show you I’m not entirely a tool of big premium booze, I’ll admit that I don’t think this week’s drink is necessarily the absolute best way to enjoy Papa Pilar’s Blonde Rum. On the other hand, it’s a very nice way to enjoy it and perfect for the heat wave that’s engulfing Southern California as I write today’s post. If only it could fix my air conditioning.

Bitters & Blonde

1 1/2 ounces Papa Pilar’s Blonde Rum
3 ounces ginger beer
Angostura or other aromatic bitters
1 lime wedge (garnish)

Build this drink over plentiful crushed ice in a Tom Collins glass. Add the rum and the ginger beer and, if you feel the need, stir gently. (They’ll get together on their own even if you don’t.) Top with as much bitters as you think wise and stir no more. Toss in the lime wedge if you like.

You sip this cocktail through the bitters in the same you sip through the cream at the top of an Irish coffee. As you enjoy the icy concoction toast the fact that, while you might have to crush your own ice to follow this recipe strictly, at least you probably don’t have to buy it from an ice man like your great-grandpa had to.

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As I alluded to just now, the only slightly tricky aspect of this drink is coming up with the crushed ice if, like me, you don’t have a crushed ice-maker and are making an aversion to blenders into your personal trademark. What works best for me these days is putting ice into a plastic bag and whacking it with a hammer-like implement of some sort…but not too hard. You don’t want to break the bag and send all the ice flying, which happens a great deal of the time if you’re not careful.

I tried Bitters & Blonde with a few different brands of ginger beer — a generally delicious product that also happens to be just as expensive as many brands of actual beer. All my attempts came out about the same regardless of the ginger beer though, and that’s because the bitters tend to dominate. In fact, I enjoyed my Bitters & Blonde more when I switched from uber-ubiquitous Angostura to Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters. I found it imparted an almost peppermint-like back taste that worked well with the rest of it.

Still, this drink might not be for you if you’re not mad about bitters. If you prefer a more subtle use of the stuff — and even if you don’t — may I suggest an Old Fashioned with the Papa Pilar Blonde?

Just muddle a teaspoon full of sugar (I used turbinado) with just a dash or two of bitters (Fee Brothers, I’d suggest) and an orange slice in a rocks glass. Next, add two teaspoons of soda water and lots of ice, and, finally 2 ounces of the Papa Pilar’s Blonde and stir. If you can go wrong with that one, I have no help for you.

Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Vices

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Empire Rockefeller Vodka

May 15, 2014 / Gerardo Orlando

I love trying new spirits and discovering bottles that I can recommend to friends, but that rarely happens with vodka. Sure, there are subtle differences between premium vodkas and the volume brands that you can appreciate when drinking vodka straight, but it rarely makes a lasting impression.

That was not the case then I first tried Empire Rockefeller Vodka on the rocks. From the first sip I sensed something different and I wanted more. It starts with a very mild sweet taste which then gives way to a remarkably smooth and subtle finish. It’s really unlike any other vodka I’ve tried.

Empire Rockefeller Vodka came to market in 2012 but it builds on a heritage that goes back for generations in France. It is the only vodka in the world that is distilled six times in copper cognac kettles in the Cognac region of France which contributes to its unique qualities. The winter wheat used is grown organically in France and the water used in its production comes from pristine French springs, filtered through Champagne limestone. Taste it and you’ll experience why these details matter.

The vodka is produced and marketed by the Vintage Rockefeller Wine & Spirits Group which is committed to continuing the tradition of their French forefathers by bringing to market the finest champagnes, wines and spirits handcrafted in and imported from France. The company also produces F. Rockefeller and Sons Champagne, a vintage 2004 champagne, and Signature Rockefeller Cognac, consisting of three lines of fine French Cognac: VS, VSOP and XO.

New vodkas are springing up all the time with catchy and unique marketing plans. In that sense, Empire Rockefeller Vodka fits right in with an elegant logo and bottle that will look great on any bar. But this premium vodka lives up to its name and offers real quality that stands out. I rarely order vodka on the rocks when I’m out, but if Empire Rockefeller Vodka is on the shelf it now becomes one of my new, favorite options.

Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Vices

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