The Sartorialist: Above & Below The Line

These gents look like the Yankee (left) and Southern (right) interpretation of Modern Barbour Trad, as seen at the Ralph Lauren 2009 Fall Show in NYC.

Image Credits: Scott Schuman, www.thesartorialist.com

The Terminator

The last few days I have been rolling over an issue that finally came to a head this past weekend. Each time I think about how to handle the situation, I am reminded of the Steel Magnolia Julia Sugarbaker of the 80's TV show Designing Women. Known as "The Terminator" for her rapid-fire speeches, Sugarbaker always knew how to express her point-of-view and put someone in their place sans expletives and inappropriate language.

Here's my favorite rant:

Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!

I returned from New Orleans this morning exhausted, relieved to be home, and, not surprisingly, excited for next year (Feb 16, 2010). To celebrate Fat Tuesday 2009, here are just a few of my favorite things from Carnivals past:

Seeing Rex ramble down St. Charles Avenue under the oaks and toast past monarchs at the Grace Mansion.

Getting pushed to the curb for the bands, especially St. Aug's Marching 100, and seeing the Seniors in the dance teams with their sashes and tiaras.

The strict adherence to tradition during Iris - masks and gloves on all riders, coordinated classic costumes, and those Bart Brothers floats under a family-friendly theme are a contradiction to the irreverence of Tucks - here "12 Inches of Paradise" is a literary reference to Ignatius E. Reilly's hot dog vendor profession in Confederacy of Dunces.

Bringing first-times to The Columns Hotel on St. Charles Avenue, because nothing will make all y'all Northerners feel like you are finally in the Deep South then when you have a cocktail on the porch while the parades pass.

Each year, David Johnson produces a Mardi Gras poster in his signature style both to serve as the cover of Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide, and also for limited release. Of all the prints and covers he's done over the years these two are my favorite, The Captain and The Butterfly Queen. The latter, was inspired by Mardi Gras historian Perry Young's quote:

"Carnival is the butterfly of winter and Mardi Gras is its last mad flight."

Image Credits (from top to bottom): NOLA.com, google image search, NOLA.com, jazzystuff.com

Laissez Les Bon Temp Rouler

From year-to-year each trip down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras can be different, but there are certain things you can guarantee. Perlis shirts, hometown spirit, New Orleans Daiquiri's, Popeye's Fried Chicken, Crawfish (if we're lucky) and for sure a few local colloquialisms:

Happy Maughty Graw Y'all...Who Dat!...Let the Good Times Roll...Is the parade comin'?...Hey Lady!...Throw Me Somethin' Mistah!...What's ya name? Where ya from? Where you going? Can I come?...Where Ya At?...How's ya mama and daddy?...Do what with the head? Suck it!...Have a good ride!...Can I borrow your bathroom?...Mardi Gras Mambo, Mambo, Mambo...Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?...

I'll be in New Orleans for about a week and hope to post while gone. In the mean time, Laissez Les Bon Temp Rouler!

Kings of New Orleans

After 13 years together, Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond and Travis McNabb played for the last time as Better Than Ezra on Saturday at Metairie's Family Gras. McNabb will reunite with Kristian Bush to join Sugarland, the rising country duo, whom he played with in Billy Pilgrim (which predates both bands). Michael Jerome, the former drummer for James Hall & Pleasure Club will join BTE.

All the best to McNabb and BTE - here's an encore of some of their more well known and popular songs:

King of New Orleans courtesy of Broon95


Desperately Wanting courtesy of Roxtrs


Closer courtesy of JeronimoPalma

Sunday Funday

Presidents' Day Weekend will be the first long weekend in Washington this year that we aren't all preoccupied with other events - traveling back from New Year's adventures at the beginning of the month and The Inauguration over MLK weekend.

What better excuse then, for SUNDAY FUNDAY! A weekly ritual watching football in the Fall, a long weekend is all we need in the dead of Winter.

Urban Dictionary's top definition for Sunday Funday is:

I realized that we weren't alone in our planned celebration when we had to call not 2 or 3, but 4 places to get a reservation for 6 - probably no surprise that we started with the All-You-Can-Drink Bloodies/Screws/Mimosas restaurant, but four days out of we assumed we'd have a shot.


If, eh hem, when, you plan your own Sunday Funday, www.mysundaybrunch.com lists restaurants by neighborhood and my guess they pay for the listing, so you know their serious about their brunch. No matter where you go, have a few breakfast cocktails and let the buzz carry you to the nearest barkeep for a few more with friends.

If you wait a bit later in the day to get started or want to really finish strong, head over to Gin & Tonic in Glover Park for their beer pong tournament and "debaucherous" dancing.

CHEERS!

SG Gift Guide: Valentine's Day

In preparing the inaugural "SG Gift Guide," I decided to turn-the-tables on this traditionally female focused holiday and survey a diverse group of Gents on what they wanted for Valentine's Day.

Almost unanimously, none of them wanted material gifts, but instead suggested ways they wanted to spend the day with their sweethearts. Romantic bunch of guys, uh? Guess that's what makes them Gents.

Pulling from their suggestion, great gifts I've received and seen exchanged, here's the SG Gift Guide: Valentine's Day!

DINNER FOR TWO

Breakfast. Brunch. Lunch. Dinner. Spending time together over a meal was the #1 request, whether it be in bed with the Post, over Mimosa's, at the hottest new restaurant or home-cooked.



ACTIVITIES TO BE SHARED
Pick a common interest, no matter how inconsequential, and plan it out. A friend of mine bought a Moleskine pocket journal and wrote 1 restaurant from the Top 100 on each page for their own joint reviews. Or register for GoldStar to find out about steeply discounted tickets for cultural events, concerts and sports across the country.
1. Moleskines HERE 2. Register for GoldStar HERE


GEAR FOR GUYS
A new polo in his favorite color. A belt with his favorite activities. A monogrammed bottle stopper for his booze of choice - and all from independent, small businesses.
1. Skipjack Polos from Southern Tide 2. Belts from Leatherman Ltd. 3. Wine Stopper from Adler's Jewelry

SMALL WONDERS
At the end of the day, it is the small (and in this case inexpensive) things that can mean the most: a "minibar" of his favorites, a fix for the sweet tooth, a good cigar for a stroll through the neighborhood together and simple silk knots in his alumna mater's colors.
1. Whitman's Official Sports Heart HERE 2. Cigars HERE 3. Silk Knots HERE

Tie My Hands

It's taken me 48 hours, but through www.lilwaynehq.com found Lil Wayne's Tribute to New Orleans during the 51st Grammy Awards. Regardless if you agree with the lyrics or not, his passion, respect and love of his hometown is admirable.

From the sobriety of "Tie My Hands," Lil Wayne ends in a flourish that captures the spirit of the Big Easy with "Big Chief" featuring the renowned Alan Toussaint and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Feet. Don't. Fail me now! Feet don't fail me now!

Image Credits: Screen Shots

The District: Episode 1

Newsweek Magazine has been smart enough to capture the first 100 Day of President Obama's administration through a spoof of "The City" on newsweek.com

Here at Southern Gent, I'll share the new episodes each week tracking our new President, his friends (Joe & Hillary) and family (Michelle and the first daughters).

Absolutely worth the 3min 47 secs of your time...

Gat'or Done!

For a while now I have been in the market for a taxidermy alligator. Not sure if I want one of those small 2 foot guys, standing on his hind legs and holding a tray, like the one collecting tips at Acadiana's bar in DC, or a 6 footer climbing a rustic ladder propped against a wall, or one of those gator heads you find in just about any souvenir shop along the Louisiana coast.

Browsing eBay this week, I came across this two-part trophy out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The merchant is selling the 11' Alligator Mississipiensis in two parts, the head/torso and rear legs/tail for a small sum of $2,995 each (+ $800 shipping fees).

I can't fathom the two parts mounted next to each other, however, it would be something to hang the front and back on different sides of the same wall. With the right architecture, this Gator could find a happy home in someone's coastal hunting cabin.

The HEAD can be found HERE and the TAIL can be found HERE.

Image Credits: Garden & Gun Magazine

SG Recommends: Bojangles

The Zac Brown Band is performing their #1 country hit, Chicken Fried, in DC tonight. While I would have loved to go to the sold out show at the 9:30 club, what I would love more right about now is Bojangles.

What Popeye's is to Louisiana and the Gulf Coast (stay tuned for a future post), Bojangles is to North Carolina and the Deep South. From the perfectly fried chicken to BoBerry & Cinnamon Biscuits from open to close to the down-home sides served cafeteria-style, Bojangles is Southern food done good.

But what I love most about Bojangles, by far, is that amazing sweet tea - whether in their XL styrofoam cup (no lid, please) or taken home by the gallon - its better than 1000 Cokes on a humid August day.

If you ever see Bojangles traveling along Interstates 95 and 75 from FL all the way up to NY, pull over and get a chicken biscuit and some tea, because:

"You know I like my chicken fried, cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right, and the radio up...."

Image Credits: Bojangles.com

Satchmo

In the Pursuit of Lombardi

CONGRATULATIONS to the six-time Super Bowl Champion, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their 27 - 24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Well, that put's an end to the 2008 football season. Here's to a winning 2009 Saints season...

Dip Bowl

My friend Emily is hosting a dip competition at her Super Bowl party tonight. While I considered doing dips like This, This, and This, influenced both by the economy and what I remember having while watching football at my grandparents' house in New Orleans, I went with the ole classic, Onion Soup Mix & Sour Cream.

The ingredients on the kitchen counter

Maybe its the nostalgia of having enjoyed the dip during Saints' wins (and many losses) or how easy it is to make (mix 1 packet of soup mix with 16 ounces of sour cream) or how versatile it is from casual get-togethers to cocktail soirees (as shown below):

In a basket with Wavy Lays and a beer OR on a silver tray with crudites and a cocktail.

I love this dip for its simple, inexpensive ingredients and most of all comfort food quality. And since Emily's doing a competition, I topped the dip with caramelized onions. Hopefully, it'll score a 'touchdown.'