Back from my long trip

Hello!

Was in the motherland (US) for a few weeks, and just got back. NYC was vibrant and energetic, as always, but as I get older, the appeal starts to fade. Lotsa new restaurants (will write about them later) but I gotta say, I am a bigger fan of the tried and true old fashioned places in NYC. My previous trip (of which I really ahven't written about either) was filled with visits to the new and trendy, but this time around I went primarily to the older established places that I ha been going to for years. My conclusion- I like the older palces much better. Better food, better service, the ambiance might be more energetic at the Geisha's of NYC but the Smith and Wollensky's are where it is at. I went to Smith and Wollensky twice this time around, to the bar side and the main restaurant. Both times the food was excellent and the service was top notch. THe food is what you expect from a top steakhouse and the portions were huge. I wonder why such an old-fashioned steakhouse does not exist in Tokyo. I think it would do well.

I also hit One if by Land Two if by Sea, a tourist favorite and another old school restaurant in the Village. I hadn't been there is a few years, but the beef wellington was good as usual and the service wasw competent and professional. I can't stand it when a restaurant (like Balthazar) has your reservation but still makes you wait an hour to seat you. This is an outrage. Nothing like that at OIBLTIBS, THe only thjing missing at these older restaurants is the young vibe of the "must be seen" crowd, but I don't want to be seen and I don't want to be bothered by people interrupting my meal so I don't need to go to those places anymore.

But to the point of the blog for today. I finally bought a pair of croc shoes. I have been meaning to buy a pair for the longest time, but haven't for myriad reasons. This time at Bergdorf I found a pair I liked so I pulled the trigger. Expensive, and sort of a impulse buy, but worth it. Every well dressed man needs a pair of croc shoes and belt. It may be gaudy for some people, but you cannot deny their distinctiveness.

Louis Vuitton

Went to the Japan CEO's birthday party on Saturday. No swag, unfortunately. Lotsa cute models though. Got a few digits, but nothing special.

My friend was ecstatic though. He had a good time.

Went to an interesting ramen shop over the weekend as well. In Nishi-Azabu there is a place called Go-gyo, close to the Stars & Stripes. There was a line (like all Japanese, queuing seems to be a hobby for everyone).

The point is that the ramen was interesting. The koge-miso ramen was a new taste for me. It is basically burnt miso soup with ramen inside. It tastes like burnt miso soup (as the name implies). I don't understand why anyone would lne up to eat burnt ramen. I did not like it.

However, I was reminded of the coffee ramen that someone on TV suggested.

Church's shoes

I have to say that Churchs' shoes is one of my favorite shoes. They are not as stylish as Lobb's but they are workhorses. They look nice and are very comfortable.

I broke in a pair yesterday. Shiny new penny loafers in black. Looks OK with just about anything. Penny loafers sort fo date you though and are not trendy. I have another pair of Church's shoes, a pair of brown cap toes. Excellent. Haven't worn them yet either... Can't really wear them with anything except grey suits or khakis....

I need more shoes.

Actually I want a few new things. One is a bamboo jacket (very nice from Brioni) and one is a pair of shoe, the name of the color escapes me though. The color is not black, but very close, and has tints of red. Very unique color. Darker than burgundy. IT is basically black with a red hue...

Any help?

Cufflinks

Men don't have a lot of opportunities to be individualistic in their fashion. OF course you can be crazy and dress like Elton John, but he can get away with it becuse he is Elton John, eccentric and rich. So unless you want to be like Elton John, there is not much a man can do to show individuality.

One accessory that allows this, however, are cufflinks. You obviously need a French cuff dress shirt for these accoutrements, but every well-dressed man should have a few in his wardrobe anyway.

Cufflinks should tend to contrast rather than match the shirt. Bringing the viewers' eyes towards the cuffs. The cuffs should not clash however, just contrast. Red on Blue for example. Or a yellow. No blue on blue.

I recommend the knot type links, as they are very cheap and can add contrast very easily to the shirt. Cufflinks can easily cost you thousands of dollars, for ones that have precious stones or ar made of gold or platinum.

I also happen to like animal motifs. Duckbilled platypus or turtles. Anything to spice up the wardrobe and aadd a touch of individualism to the outfit.

When using metal lnks try to match the material with other accoutrements you have. The watch should match the links and belt buckle. NO gold watch with silver links.

On tuxedos, cufflinks are essntial and required. Usually onyx or some precious metal. They should match the buttons on the tuxedo shirt. Pearl links work well with a tuxedo too.

My current favorites are skull links that I got made at 13 Designs in Ebisu. He is a designer that does stuff for Aerosmith. They are sterling silver so are OK for formal affairs, and are not loud enough to attract attention, but for people who look, offer a bit of audacity to an otherwise formal affair.

Well rounded

I was looking over the past entries in this old blog o' mine and I realized that all I talk about is food and toys. That was the original point, but I figured that the blog should better represent the modern Tokyo Man as is the title. So what makes a modern man? This is a long topic that cannot be answered in one post, so I will break it up over the next couple of posts.

As an executive summary though, I offer the following: The true gentleman is a man who knows what he wants, who he is and is proud of who he is. However, he does not covet wealth, seek to harm others and maintains integrity in all circumstances. He always treats ladies well, maintains discretion, is loyal to friends and is not boastful of deeds or possessions. He is also always learning nad shares the wealth of knowledge freely.

This may be a definition of a gentleman, and I agree whole-heartedly, but these aspects of a gentleman are personality traits. Let's get into the accrutrements. The stuff.

They say shoes make the man. I agree. A good outfit can be ruined by a poor pair fo shoes. A good pair of shoes will last decades. A good pair of shoes do not go out of style. A good pair of shoes save an otherwise pathetic outfit.

Where to get shoes? In Japan shoes cost a fortune. So I say if you are going to get a pair, get nice ones. Don't go for the trendy ones marked up to the hilt and will be out of style next year, get tried and true good quality shoes. They night even cost a bit more, but they will be worth it.

I am very particular about my footwear. So I will have very distinct opinions about shoe makers and will only buy from a few companies. My personal preference is bespoke. But that is not for everyone. It is a bit costly and takes 3 months for the shoes to arrive.

If you are desperately in need of shoes now, go to John Lobb. Get a pair of cap toe lace ups. They are a classic design and will go with just about anything (except jeans perhaps). For jeans I recommend the John Lobb double monk straps. This is a shoe that will go with just about anything (excpet tuxedos, but tuxedoes require toally differnt footwear). Ferragamo makes a sturdy, well-balanced shoe as well. I like their slip on loafers. Gucci- only the higher end stuff is worth owning. The lower end stuff tends to wear out too quickly. JM Weston makes a good shoe as does Chruch's. Church's shoes are de rigeur for suits and business. This shoe, if treated properly will last a lifetime.

I have never liked Testoni or Magli. The shoes tend to wear out too quickly.

Styles: I recommend the cap toe or split toe, as shoes with designs (wing tips) are trickier to wear with simple clothes. Monk straps will tend to make your foot appear bigger, due to the extra material, but for most people it is not an issue. I also recommend getting at leat one pair of brown shoes, especially if you like to wear khakis. Classic slip ons like th Gucci buckle slip on or penny loafers can do the rounds at business or play so they are also a good investment. Avoid shoes with multiple colors. They will go out of style immediately, unless you spike them and go golfing.

Some rules for shoes:

1. never wear the same pair on consecutive days. Always rotate. It gives the shoe time to breathe. SO one pair is not enough.
2. no black shoes with brown pants. Ever.
3. shoes match your belt color. Always.
4. keep your shoes clean. Whether you go to a shiner or shine them yourselves, always keep them clean.
5. Always buy a comfortable shoe and always buy quality over trendy.
6. A well dressed man will always have more shoes than one thinks.

I also like boots but that is another topic.