No One Man Should Have All That POWER. So... Real recognize Real... or should I say Bon Vivant recognize Bon Vivant!!!

"Power consists in one's capacity to link his will with the purpose of others, to lead by reason and a gift of cooperation."
Woodrow Wilson

It would be very easy to scan the blogosphere and see a group of people with big opinions and bigger egos. Although, there are obvious benefits to differentiating a product, I want to take a moment and analyze the similarities we the Sophistiques have come to admire in some of our fellow style bloggers. Two specific blogs I'd like to shine a spotlight on are Street Etiquette and Cool Table. These guys have a certain level of savoir-faire they we, the Sophistiques, can truly appreciate.

Street Etiquette consist of Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs two guys from the Bronx (BX STAND UP!) who use beautiful colors, settings and photo angles to weave intimate descriptions of the latest in menswear (and they do tell a very captivating story, I might add). It's amazingly apparent that these are gentlemen with passion for the subject matter (the love they have comes across very clearly). The articles they post are akin to school being in session. (...and TRUST, I do take notes.)

Next is Cool Table, who's a product of Cambria Heights, my neighborhood in the Q Boro (that's just how we do). Like every good teacher, Cool Table was visibly an even better student of the swag sciences. He has an eye for the interesting and an ear for the unique. Personally, I only sit at the Cool Table. (Is there really any other table to sit at?)

In Street Etiquette and Cool Table, we the Sophistiques, have finally found comrades in arms. The holy swag alliance seems to be taking shape. We are now prepared to go the war against the Swaggerless (We shall... save mankind!). POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!! (...who've been blessed with swag)

To whom much is given much is expected.

Young Euro

Mo (Mo'Betta) & Oz (Young Euro) a.k.a. The Sophistiques

They say death comes in 3's. If this is death then life must really suck!

"There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."
Jerry Seinfeld

Picture it, it's New York City on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in 2006. We're heading south on Broadway and we make a right on Prince St. We roll to a stop in front of the Apple Store and an impromptu car show seams to have broken out. There are Ferraris, Porsches, Aston Martins and Maseratis all over the block. But surprisingly, we're garnering all the attention. The "we", would be Mike Green (a longtime friend of mine), myself and his Campagna T-Rex. Now, Mike maybe pretty good looking and I'm no slouch but the sight of the Campagna T-Rex is like your favorite model walking down the block topless (simply irresistible!). The Campagna T-Rex makes Ferraris, Porsches and those other guys look almost run of the mill.






The T-Rex, which is a 2 seat, 3 wheeled motorcycle (technically speaking, but it has a steering wheel), is built by the Campagna Corporation, which is a Canadian auto / bike manufacturer (job well done CANUCKS!!!). This beast is powered by a Kawasaki inline 4 cylinder engine. The T-Rex has "DEADLY" performance figures to match. Also, it's hard not to fall in love with it's beautiful silhouette.


Now, THAT'S what I call a good time...

Young Euro

Mo (Mo'Betta) & Oz (Young Euro) a.k.a. The Sophistiques

Wine of Kings, King of Wines (GET WIT ME!!!)

"Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever."
Aristophanes



All jokes aside... I am an alcoholic. (As I spill my drink, unapologetically). I remember the first time I met Tokaji (she was named after the place she came from), we fell in love with one another. Even though she was older than me, I didn't mind. But, we knew it wouldn't last. She was Hungarian royalty (her parents spoiled her rotten) and her family would never approve of our relationship. We still run into we other every now and then. We share a laugh and reminisce about old times. She was the sweetest thing I've ever known. In my heart, I'm always love her.


Circa 1680 bottle of Tokaji

Wines from the Tokaji region of Hungary have been traced back to 1630. The sweet dessert wines are made from grapes that have been affected by noble rot or Botrytis cinerea. The 6 types of grapes approved for Tokaji are Furmint, Hárslevelű, Yellow Muscat, Zéta, Kövérszőlő and Kabar. The velvety smooth kiss of Tokaji is absolutely unforgettable. It caresses your tongue like silk does your body. This kiss has been coveted by the likes of King Louis XIV, Thomas Jefferson, Prince of Transylvania, Queen Victoria (did I mention Tokaji liked girls), Voltaire and Bram Stoker. But, I know she only truly loved me...



"Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum"

Young Euro

Mo (Mo'Betta) & Oz (Young Euro) a.k.a. The Sophistiques

Bon vivant, Gallant or Dandy... they all describe me quite accurately (Thank you very much)

"Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fool."
Napoleon



Mid 19th century Paris gave birth to a good number fashion and style powerhouses that have remained with us to this very day (Hermès (1837), Cartier (1847) and Louis Vuitton (1854)). However in 1838, Paris also graced the world with Charvet Place Vendôme, or simply Charvet. Collectively, it can be said that these are sort of the Ivy Leagues of Fashion. But in a world where LV, Hermès and Cartier would be the Harvard, Princeton and Yale, Charvet has kind of become the Brown or Dartmouth (an atrocity). Being the Sophistique I am, it is my personal duty to correct this (like Matthew Farnes, I too am a Men's wear Freedom Fighter). (As my fist pounds in the air!)



The Charvet roots run deep as you may expect. The father of Christofle Charvet, founder of Charvet, was "the curator of the wardrobe" for Napoleon Bonaparte (I should have one of those). (I guess it's safe to say Napoleon had SWAG). Chistofle Charvet launched the first shirtmaker store in Paris in 1838. In the process he helped coin the term chemisier (which means shirtmaker). (That may not seem the big deal but WE ARE talking about the FIRST in PARIS.)



When you purchase a Charvet product you should pay close attention to the symmetry in the regularity of the stitching and the matching of patterns (love maybe a more accurate word than symmetry).

Charvet clientele included all manner of king, queen, maharadjah, sultan, prince and princess from Turkey to Spain and Egypt to Monaco. I love being around my old friends!

P. S. Charvet can be found at your local Bergdorf Goodman, Sak's and Neiman Marcus.

Young Euro

Mo (Mo'Betta) & Oz (Young Euro) a.k.a. The Sophistiques