Archive for September, 2011

Samson & Detielah

September 29, 2011

Well, show me…the way…to the next…Whiskey Bar. Oh, don’t ask why, oh, don’t ask why. –the Doors, Alabama Song

Big night in Fewville (Fewtown? Fewsbury? Fewborough?), as we Few had a huge launch party at world-renowned Delilah’s, down in Lincoln Park. We had a fantastic crowd down there, as many folks from Evanston made it out, on a school night no less. Owner Mike Miller was the best host, and his wonderful wait staff put out a great offering of cocktails.

I thought it may be a stretch to wear a tie to a punk-rock whiskey bar, but I figured it’d be okay with my Few shirt. This vintage plaid strip from Monsieur Cravatieur feels woolen, but thank goodness it’s pure synthetics! Trevira Polyester rears its pretty head again into my 100D100T world!! I wonder if the ancient clans of Scotland ever imagined synthetic wool. Nae…

I wasn’t alone for long, as the newest GWT walked in soon after we set out our gin & whiskey. Alan sported a very cool bowtie, which would be visible if the flash on my not-as-crapiPhone camera had actually worked.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Advertisement

Tags:, ,
Posted in Guys With Ties, Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »

The Tie Traveler’s Wife

September 27, 2011

I’m going to go out on a limb here: I’ll probably never have the chance to time-travel. There. I said it. So, I can guess I can finally use this post subject that’s been sitting in my drafts list for quite a while.

And though the chances are somewhat greater that I’ll have an encounter with author Audrey Niffenegger, an Evanstonian by day (and night), I figured I’d just go ahead and use it to signify that I’m going back to one of the 5-7 ties that remain un-posted.

Mildly interesting backstory on my Tie du Jour, and that’s putting it very mildly. This TdJ is solid in at least a couple of ways – color scheme and craftsmanship would be my choices. It’s from designer RVR Neckties, owned by Robert Valdes-Rodriguez, with whom I used to work at ABN Amro Bank. Or for whom, I guess you could say, at least for a few months. I nearly choked on my bowtie when I saw that his strips go for $185 a throw. [long, slow whistle] Give me 30 days and I could find 100 above-average ties for less than $185. And, no, I wasn’t really wearing a bowtie when doing my research. My good friend Lee Allison designs ties that have personality, AND are half that price.

MWT?

In my last post, I can’t believe I left out a Guy With Tie. Mike Ryan is a mixologist-extraordinaire at Sable. Paul and I visited there a couple of times in the past week, thanking them for carrying Few. Here’s Mike in proper mixology-gear, i.e. waistcoat and tie. Go see him, and ask him to make you a Few-inspired cocktail.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Guys With Ties, Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »

Multiple personali-ties

September 23, 2011

Do not adjust your set. In this case, “set” obviously means your PC/Mac/Smartphone/random-futuristic-interweb-viewing-device.

My vintage Tie du Jour was sold a long time ago at Marshall Field’s, which, along with its celebrated holiday traditions, was swallowed up several years ago by Macy’s and their own celebrated holiday traditions. There was much hullabaloo when the deal was going through, as folks worried if they’d still be able to go to the tea room in the Field’s/Macy’s flagship store in downtown Chicago. That and the walk-around story-telling are still there, as far as I know. Go, capitalism!!

The designer is Pierre Cardin, who joins Yves Saint-Laurent and Louis Vuitton as the spiritual triumvirate of French designers that even the average Yankee non-fashionista has heard of. This TdJ looks like Monsieur Petey was trying a few different things out…on ONE tie. It’s got a nice solid dark brown as its base, then hits on some stripes in a cool cream, crimson and some more o’ that cornflower that I dig on. He must not have hit his paisley quota for that season, ‘cuz he fires up two small strips of them. To top it off, he throws in some kind of tapestry thing between the paisley rows, making this one a candidate for the legendary Ugly Tie Week.

This strip, and all its glory, accompanied me on a few sales calls down in the city. I was spreading the Few Spirits-ual gospel to Andersonville – Simon’s and Big Jones – and downtown Chicago – Henri & the Gage. Look for a Few new additions at those fine establishments soon.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Tie du Jour | 2 Comments »

Heinz 57 and French-tied potatoes

September 21, 2011

Jimmy Bowfett? Yeah, terrible joke...

Rather ironic that my title channels a guy who likely despises ties: Jimmy Buffett. I originally wrote that first sentence to allege that he never wears ties, but that theorem was rather hastily dashed after a quick search of “Buffett photos.” And I’m pretty sure this isn’t Warren Buffett…

This is my first post in the “Back in Time” series, as I journey into my less-crapiPhone’s photo bank and find pictures of ties that I have worn, yet did not post. Out of order? The shame!

My Tie du Jour is from the French designer Claude Montana (no relation to 49ers hero Joe Montana), who is known for his outrageously colored style creations. This TdJ is no different. Thank goodness there’s a picture, because I could never describe this without sounding like a moron. “Um, it’s kinda green and kinda yellow with some blue and gray (British translation: grey) lines making a kinda floral pattern.” Yep, I went ahead and described it anyway. Moron.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:,
Posted in Guys With Ties, Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »

I saw it with my own two ties!

September 19, 2011

If it seems like I’ve begun my last two or three posts with some major whining about being behind on my tie posts, it’s probably true.

But, I’m done complaining, and will just get to it. I will post all of the ties, but not in the order in which they were worn. We’ll just post the last one I wore, and go backward in time from there. And, if I wear another tie, I’ll post that one as I wear it.

If it seems like I’ve made these kind of promises in the last two or three posts, it’s definitely true. No more promises, I’ll do what I can.

Hmmm…now what do I say?

Oh, yeah, I know…on this particular day in question, I wore two ties. Let’s get to them…

Diamonds are Forever...or at least until you wear another tie

I had some sales calls to make downtown with Few Spirits, so I got gussied up in Tie du Jour numéro un, this geometrically-unchallenged strip from Burberry. After meeting with the beverage director at Mastro’s Steakhouse, I went for a little walk, stopping in at several places, ending up at the grand opening of Cantina Laredo, version Chicago. Delicious mini-fish tacos…or were they fish mini-tacos? Fish taco minis? Either way…yum.

Then, I got home and wanted to be a bit fresher for the 2nd Annual Evanston Business Mash-Up, which is run by my former employer, the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. It was such a nice night (like last year’s event), right on the beach at Northwestern (like last year), and I was able to go home straight after (unlike last year). Paul and I sampled some Few for the masses.

Part of my fresher ensemble was cedntered around TdJ#2, my bow tie from Paul Fredrick, picked up on their website recently. This is that cornflower blue that I love, and the fabric is just top-quality. This and my diamond-patterned shirt went nicely with my new Astor & Black suit. I’ll have to make an ensemble photo with that soon.

Although there were many ties at the Mash Up, I only took one picture, as I was more in Few Spirits mode. But, since this FSFAWT (Former Senator, Former Ambassador With Tie) was wearing a scarf around her neck, I figured that was enough of a tie to make it into 100D100T. Say hello to Senator Carol Moseley Braun, holding her very own bottle of Few White Whiskey.

At the risk of being simply satisfied that I have actually completed a posting, I’ll rest my case here.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Girls With Ties, Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »