The Friday Belt : Flusser's Dry Manhattan

A retired FBI agent, Mr. Page, teaches sex crimes in the Florida Police Standards Course (police academy) and would weave his bizarre sense of humor into lectures. "There's a man in Jacksonville who can't get an erection unless there's a blue feather sticking in his ass." Half hour later Page pulls back his suit jacket to reveal a blue feather sticking out of his shirt pocket.

Page is at his lectern one afternoon, "A cop in Daytona was in high speed pursuit when he crashed into a wall. Horrible. Poor bastard was unconscious for months. He came to and was starving but could only mumble, 'Ah ghata eett sompun.' The doc says, "You gotta eat something?" 'Ya!' says the cop. 'But your mouth is wired shut due to the operation.' says the Doc. 'Am starvin!" says the cop. 'Okay' says the doc. 'I guess we could feed you through your rectum.' 'Enethen!' says the cop.

So they set the cop up in bed and raise his posterior. The doc puts a clamp in his ass and winds it open. The doc asks the cop, 'Is there anything you'd like to start with?' Cop says, 'I alwayz lik a cuppa coffee for ah start a meal.' Doc says, 'A cup of coffee?' Cop says, 'Ya.'

A nurse hands the doc a cup of coffee and he pours it into the cop's rectum. 'Schtooop! Da pain...etz too muucch!' screams the cop. 'Too hot?' says the doc. 'No.' says the cop... 'Too sweet.'

I still don't get it.


I covered the 'Manhattan' cocktail here in the first Friday Belt. Sazerac rye ($27) and Carpano Antica vermouth ($31) with bitters. Today, thanks to my new economy, we're gonna do a Manhattan for less than half of what we did it for over two years ago. I think it's better. Not too sweet. You with me? Good.


The problem is the vermouth. It's sweet. You need a bone dry rye to remedy that. Old Overholt is about as dry as you'll find. A perfect rye for the Manhattan and cheap as dirt. Between $10 to $15. A bunch of new rye is being heavily marketed and it's insanely overpriced. I suppose to pay for all that marketing. You may be inclined to think these brands are pouring coffee down your... but take comfort -- they'll be found out for what they are.



I used Dolin Rouge vermouth for two reasons. It's not sweet at all and it has history. They've been making this stuff with the same recipe since 1821. And while I would not be inclined to drink Overholt straight -- Dolin Rouge is fantastic with a little ice or sipped like a port.

Bitters, while expensive for what they are, last forever. They're the hidden value because they have such an impact on the drink. I used Fee Brothers West Indian Orange and Whiskey Barrel Aged. A shake of each is damned plenty.


If you're a Maker's Mark Manhattan drinker give the dry Manhattan a try. It's highly evolved and a very smart buy. Last Friday I was pretending to be highly evolved when I received an email from a designer friend. "You going to this flusser sample sale? 246 5th at 28th. 5th Floor." Never too proud to be out of the loop, I write back, "Flusser sample sale?!"



I'm out the door and burning down street when I get more details. Lot's of suits, shirts, socks, belts but no shoes. I get there and am astounded to see some 30 bolts of wool and cotton. The designer snags a beautiful bolt of madras that I'm sure you'll see in Saks SS/2012. Some guy with a strange accent throws on a white linen patch pocket sport jacket with side vents. Fits him like a glove.


I found a belt. But for me - it's a belt I've coveted ever since I saw it on my first visit to Flusser's shop. I cried about it here in an earlier Friday Belt post. Unable to afford this croc-surcingle master piece when I was flush -- somehow it finds its way back to me when I'm poor. Any hump can parade into Polo or Hilfiger and buy seven of these, 12 of those and slap down the platinum card. But when you find something you loved, but had to walk away from -- and you find it again and make it yours -- You're tempted to wear it everyday.

Ask The Trad: Eight Hours To Make Socks?

Customer photo courtesy of Scotweb

Edinburgh Castle guard - Photo courtesy of Corgi
42nd Regiment Officer circa 1780

A reader expressed doubt about how it could take Corgi eight hours to make a pair of socks adding The Trad should add a "Gullible Approved Badge." That's a stamp up there, mate and these are tartan hose not socks. With help from Corgi and a little research I learned why it takes eight hours not to mention some other tartan facts.

"To start with the yarn is specially twisted and dyed for us and is not generally available. It is a 4 ply pure merino wool. We knit the leg part of the sock on a flat knitting machine and it is then linked together by hand into the tube shape of the leg. By knitting it flat we can vary the thickness of the leg to allow more room for well developed calf muscles.

This 'tube' is then picked up stitch by stitch by hand on a 100 year old hand sock knitting machine and the foot section is added completely by hand. The toe is then linked closed, again by hand. Finally the sock is washed, then pressed in a 60 year old flat bed press on specially shaped wooden boards." Chris Jones, Corgi Hosiery

There are a number of hose patterns Corgi make to be worn with a kilt. The idea is not to match the hose to the kilt but rather for the hose to compliment the colors of the kilt. As an example, I've seen both red and navy checked hose with the Black Watch kilt as well as a burgundy and white check.

When it comes to who can wear tartan, Alastair Campbell of Airds, writes in Brian Wilton's, Tartans, "So the answer to the question 'What tartan am I entitled to wear?' is - Any tartan you fancy. The sole considerations are good taste - some tartans are appalling clashes of color!"

And you don't have to wear a kilt. When the Urban Outfitter designer showed me the Black Watch golf jacket, I mentioned the ugly lining should be replaced in three panels with the 42nd's regimental colors of green, navy and burgundy. This is where - what you wear - not only looks good but has some intelligence and thought behind it. Even if it's just you who understands what's going on.

The Friday Belt - Sir Rose Single

Castello di Ama Rosato & J Press

That rather plain Jane belt up there was purchased at J Press almost 10 years ago. I thought it was perfect for khakis. I've probably worn it twice in the last five years because of the word, 'contrast.' A tan and navy surcingle almost disappears on a pair of khakis. Rather, it should be worn with a navy or olive chino. Matchey - match, for me, is the hallmark of boring. I saw ex mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown on television recently and while I was amazed he was wearing a tie that matchey -matched his pocket square - - Brown's reputation of a sophisticated dandy is legend - - I was even more amazed he was defending a man who raped a 13 year old girl. There's contrast for you.

I suppose Rose' should be put away with the seersucker and white bucks but I can't just yet. There's been a week of perfect Indian Summer days here in New York and as I share a bottle of Castello di Ama with the Foxtrot on the roof deck ... the chatter of TV news readers screaming NYC was, is and always will be the target of terrorists disappears as a third glass is poured and I look out at the Hudson. Most Rose' is pretty weak but well chilled it can hit the spot on a hot Summer day. This Rose' is big. Almost like a big Italian red from Umbria. It's $14.95 at Sherry Lehmann, where they've never given me anything-- free or discounted-- but where they'll happily take back a bad bottle for a refund or exchange.

So, I don't wear that belt anymore but I can't stop drinking a wine meant for Summer. I'm living in a city that has cross hairs on it but I'd rather ponder David Letterman's future. And I just can't understand - - for the life of me -- what Willie Brown is talking about. But I do have three more bottles of Rosato. Maybe they'll help me make some sense of it all.

Friday Belts: Surcingle - Cerveza

J Press Surcingle, Polo tie from 1988 and Pacifico Cerveza

William F and his Surcingle

The Mind Blowing Plastilina Mosh

Just this week I received an email for some advice regarding the purchase of a belt.

Hey,
First of all, I want to say I'm a big fan of the blog, always a fun read. Second, and the purpose of my email, I seek your sartorial advice. You seem to be the authority on cool belts around these parts (of the internet) and I want to purchase a (my first) cloth leather belt, i.e.
However I am unsure of which route to go, I was thinking a stretch webbing one in navy/white or a pattern one in either anchors or tennis racquets. In your opinion, without any knowledge of my style, which do you like best?
In advance, thank you,
your loyal reader
Neto
netovargas.tumblr.com

I gave Neto's email a lot of thought. First off, who am I to tell Neto what to wear. Even if he was my brother and I knew his closet like my own. Again, it has to do with, "Anyone can tell me I shouldn't wear it. No one can tell me I can't." They say on the internet anyone can be an expert. I'm no expert. But I can be a resource. And Neto was a great resource for me. I enjoyed his blog and found some music I fell in love with. Plastilina Mosh's, "Pervert Pop Song" is now in my iPod along with their Essential iTunes collection. Amazing music. A Wes Montgomery like, "Ode to Mauricio Garces" with Brazil 66 like background vocals to this video. I couldn't help but think "Que Langosta!" at the opening.

I asked Neto if he was ok with using his request for this weeks Friday Belt. And he was.

Neto, without knowing anything about you, except for your blog, I say, for your first surcingle, go the non stretch, Navy/Red Surcingle shown wrapped around that Cerveza and I'll tell you why. You can wear it with anything. And I mean anything. It looks great with jeans, chinos, grey flannels or even a suit. In the picture of Buckley up there (I've always been a fan of Gore Vidal) you'll see he's wearing a red surcingle with grey trousers. Very traditional and a little out of the box at the same time.

Most consider the surcingle casual belting. I've worn this Navy/Red belt with a J Press blue pinstripe suit with a yellow foulard bow tie. Not because I'm an old WASP and saw my daddy dress like this - - but because I saw a photo of Daniel Patrick Moynihan in a pin stripe suit with a Navy / Red surcingle belt and bow tie and I liked the look. By the way, I saw it on the Trad Forum of Ask Andy, another place where there are a lot of 'experts' but I think it's a great resource.

Surcingle belts are a subtle twist on a suit and I think it really does something for a cotton or wool khaki suit in Summer. I threw the yellow paisley tie in there because I like Navy, Red and Yellow. And I like messing around with these colors but not matching them. Here's a very early post of a Navy& Yellow rep tie on a Yellow button down. And here's a Navy & Yellow bow tie on a Red stripe double cuff. This isn't rocket science. But throwing the three primary colors around with what you wear sure beats khaki cargo shorts and a black tee shirt.

I picked Pacifico for the label but I'll tell you this. It's a favorite cerveza of mine. I still like Carta Blanca in a can. Something soulful about that. But Pacifico is my pay day cerveza. More complex than Carta Blanca and there's a beautiful finish to it. I ordered carne tacos in a small Mexican restaurant down in Florida last Winter with, "...corn tortillas, onion and cilantro. That's it." The waitress told me, "You eat like a Mexican." I was hugely flattered. As I am by Neto asking me for my advice.

So, Neto... here are some places to start the hunt: Cable Car Clothiers, Brooks Brothers, Ben Silver , J Press, Eljo's , O'Connell's, Lands' End , Orvis, LL Bean & Leather Man. They are in the order of price with Cable (Hands Up!) Car being the most expensive at $98 and Leather Man at $28. Try Leather Man first. Made in the US. Huge selection. And a whole lotta soul.

Or, you may want to be my first customer in my new venture, "Belt, Borrow or Steal." For a nominal monthly membership fee you can rent any of my belts. For a week. For a month. Of course some belts require a small premium in addition to the membership fee. And I could probably be talked into renting the Submariner. Anyone want to rent some catalogs?