For the Men... Alexander West

Alexander West. Do the men know about these custom tailored shirts? Any wives/girlfriends looking for gift ideas?

The founder, a former banker, was perpetually chasing the perfect shirt and after several trips to Madison Avenue boutiques, he discovered that a great-fitting store bought shirt matching his body type just didn’t exist. He was then forced to go the customization route. Faced with the veritable cul-de-sac of exorbitantly priced options or the traveling Asia-based tailors with little interest in customer service, the idea for Alexander West shirts was born.

The level of customization, construction and price makes going the bespoke route with Alexander West a no brainer. The shirts range from about $95 to $150, which considering the price of some off-the-rack shirts out there, is pretty great. Custom cuff links range from $110 - $125.

If you are in NYC, you are in luck. You can get right into the store and have your measurements taken. Other options:
- send in your best fitting shirt, which they will then reproduce
- visit your local seamstress/tailor, have them take your measurements based off Alexander West's measurement instructions
- take your own measurements! scary for most men, they offer the first shirt as a "test shirt"... if you aren't happy with it, they will fix it till it fits perfectly or you can get a full

www.alexanderwest.com

Afternoon Music

A Human Being Should Be Able To

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -- robert anson heinlein

Adopt a pet...

We've decided to start volunteering our time at the LA Animal Services West LA center because we love animals so much and I find myself wanting to adopt a dog on a weekly basis. What a great way to spend a weekend afternoon.

Click here to find out how to volunteer in the Los Angeles area.

Click here for general adoption information. - animalshelter.org

More general adopt a pet information/resources - adoptapet.com

New Music

DOWNLOAD: Fredrik - Black Fur (MP3)

Live Graffiti Art Painting

Live graffiti art painting time lapse by Rogan from Tar Productions on Vimeo.

by Tar Productions
Live art painting is something special that many people don't always appreciate. It takes time to develop and master. Watching art go up in the moment can leave some people not understanding it completely. For others it gives insight and knowledge into art.

Here's a time lapse by Rogan, an underground artist who has been gaining lots of ground and recognition lately, at an event at one of San Diego's nicest hotels.

Ad Campaigns Part 1

I love this ad campaign.. especially the first edition. I don't know if it's still running but it would make me happy every time it would come on. "Half Acre" by Hem is a must download.
Developed by Hill Holliday for Liberty Mutual
1st edition
Song: "Half Acre" by Hem


2nd Edition
Song: "The Part Where You Let Go" by Hem

http://www.hhcc.com/

Etsy Picks... special edition

Holiday Gift Ideas!

Molly stumbled upon these gorgeous hand knit items from the UK.. moocowhandknits

Love all of these handmade journals....

Hugs & Kisses Freezer Bag by inklore ... instead of a bag of peas for bumps, bruises and sprains

A clock made from a computer hard drive from pixelthis

Bailarina Bars

In Bailarina Bars, you can rent a girlfriend by the song.

For $2, you get a dance with Rosa.

For $40, Rosa will sit with you for an hour.

For $500, she's yours for the evening.

She brings in around $35k a year. When Rosa was a kid, her dream was to become a detective. When Rosa was five months pregnant, her fiancé was shot to death by his business partner during a fight about money.

Continue reading the New York Magazine article here.

Morning Artist Rec

The Tallest Man on Earth
If you like early Dylan, you'll like Scandinavian folksinger the Tallest Man on Earth (also known as Kristian Matsson)

Target Launches Digital Camera Gift Card

Target WOW! Card

This 1.2 MP Digital Camera GiftCard takes pictures and comes with 40 free prints

MTV Music's new site

Remember when MTV used to actually play music videos? Well last week MTV launched it's new music site.. MTV Music that provides access to MTV's extensive archive of videos..for free. Adding videos everyday, the site's library currently includes more than 16,000 videos. The videos lack advertising except for the banner ads at the top of the page. Check it out... MTVmusic.com and just for fun... The Sign- Ace of Base

Ace of Base |MTV Music

http://www.mtvmusic.com/

Energy Independence

This week in the NYT, Nobel Prize Winner Al Gore laid out a 5 part plan to repower America with a commitment to produce 100 percent of our electricity from carbon-free sources within 10 years. It’s a goal, he notes, that’s been on the table since the Nixon administration; since the early 1970s, however, the country’s dependence on foreign oil has doubled from one-third of its use to two-thirds. The bold steps are as follows:

1. Build solar thermal energy plants in our deserts, longitudinal wind farms through the middle of the country, and geothermal “hot spots” wherever possible.
2. Design a smart-grid to take in and more effectively route electricity.
3. Incentivize the Big Three automakers (and start-ups) to develop plug-in hybrid cars.
4. Retrofit buildings to make them more energy efficient.
5. Replace the Kyoto treaty with a more stringent document that calls for caps on worldwide carbon emissions.

Gore leaves the op-ed piece with this: This year similarly saw the rise of young Americans, whose enthusiasm electrified Barack Obama’s campaign. There is little doubt that this same group of energized youth will play an essential role in this project to secure our national future, once again turning seemingly impossible goals into inspiring success.

I recommend reading the entire NYT article: The Climate for Change

Music Picks of the week...

So lately Molly and I have discussed how much we love music documentaries...in honor of this appreciation....

No Direction Home- Bob Dylan Trailer..
(I also highly recommend Gimme Shelter and Shine a Light about the Rolling Stones)

M's Pick:
Joe Strummer - The Future is Unwritten


And my favorite Joe Strummer song:

New Pixar Movie: UP

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.

— Albert Camus

Starbucks News

Starbucks' profits fell by 97% in the last quarter as the coffee chain faced a weakening demand for lattes, americanos and skinny macchiatos. The company has had to close under-performing outlets in reaction to the news that its net profits were $5.4m, down from $158.5m a year earlier, perhaps due to a new mood of frugality amid fears of just how bad the recession will get.

I know I have curbed my Starbucks visits almost entirely. Except for today. There was a significant chill in the air and all I wanted was my ever so coveted chai tea. In my visit, I discovered a few things.

1. Starbucks Gold
Starbucks Gold is for those who visit Starbucks every day. The ones who keep the coffee chain going. An annual membership costs $25 and you receive 10% of every purchase. So, I would have saved 36 cents this morning. Big Deal. You also get a free beverage on your birthday and free wi-fi up to two hours a day. Still, not too enticing.

2. The Good Sheet
Good is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. They make a magazine, produce videos, curate their website and host events around the country. I picked up the 9th edition of the Good Sheet, part of a series of graphical explorations of some of the major issues that faced us this election season and still face us today.

The first 100 days is the topic this week. FDR spent his first 100 days enacting a dizzying number of reforms designed to stabilize an economically depressed nations. Since then, a president's first 100 days have been an indicator of what he is able to accomplish. In January 2009, the clock starts again.

3. The Starbucks holiday cups are back!

4. Four new signature hot chocolates now available. Let me say, they are delicious.

A Dose of Cindy

At 42, Cindy Crawford is HOT. That's really all I can say about her. Just take a look as she graces the October issue of French Vogue.(photo courtesy of stylenoir)

LOST premiere date leaked?

If you're as addicted to ABC's Lost as Molly and I are... According to this EW article.. LOST will return Wednesday, January 21, 2009. A Wednesday night 3- hour premiere. An hour-long recap special at 8 PM, followed by the first two episodes (back to back) from 9-11 PM. The recap specials are actually really good.

Monday Morning Memo...

Molly and I have decided to bring back the Monday Morning Memo so as it were....

Weekend Recap:
Molly and I had dinner at the Library Alehouse in Santa Monica.... this is one that has been on our greater Los Angeles to do list and we can finally cross it off.... huge selection of beer - 29 microbrews and imports on tap... great atmosphere. We sat in the bar area but the patio in the back offers completely different vibe. Grab a gourmet Angus burger and sweet potato fries.
http://www.libraryalehouse.com/

Saturday morning.. a little game called "Running the Towers" in Santa Monica.... In order to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and get a little exercise in the process.. Molly and I headed out west and alternated running/walking the beach in between the lifeguard towers. Bottom Line: I'm still sore.

Sunday my dear friend Jon and I ventured out to the Fairfax/Melrose flea market. One of my favorite booths sells tons of old and used books ... picked up a copy of The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway along with Conrad's Heart of Darkness and five critical essays. One of my top 5 favorite books of all-time.. helped get me through high school essay writing. Dark but brilliant. My other favorite area is where they have all of these random photos. It sounds slightly creepy but something about someone else's old photographs is kind of cool. Like passing on a good book? but instead photos?

And to round out the weekend a few of us went to see LACMA's Vanity Fair exhibit Sunday evening. Pay what you wish after 5:00pm and they're open utnil 8:00pm! With work by Cecil Beaton, Harry Benson, Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, and Edward Steichen it was as monumental as we expected it to be. Highlights included a photo of Clint Eastwood that made all of us weak in the knees, a young and playful Katherine Hepburn, a caricature of dinner at the Coconut Grove, and many others. For example, Nickolas Muray's Douglas Fairbanks, Jr and Joan Crawford, Santa Monica, 1929 on the left. If you're in LA, this is a must as it is the only U.S. stop on the international tour. http://www.lacma.org/art/ExhibVF.aspx

Hope you all had a great weekend. Cheers.