Friday, June 4, 2010

Trad Week: A Random Review

If you think my previous posts have been random and lacking gravitas then this one's gonna kill you. I'm blessed with tons of rewarding work to do and very little time to create even remotely well thought out blog posts…not that mine are ever too well contrived. Would you rather have daily random drivel or one or two more substantive (voluminous) posts from me each week?


Consistent with my previous randomanalia, I’m just gonna empty another one of my arbitrary files…
     You might remember a post I did last year titled "Three Boxes". The boxes included tons of divorce documents and random keepsakes from previous lives. Took me three days to recover from reliving the contents of those boxes. My New Orleans post manifested from those three boxes and I believe that God had a hand in that post not being recovered after I lost all my blog entries. And no, I won't be recreating that one.
     The good news is that I can now shred tons of the documents that for legal reasons I've had to keep till now. The other promising news is that as I reviewed yet again these three boxes, I felt no tug, no hitch in my gut, no tear duct activation...this is a good thing. I also found some wedding photos this time that didn't bother me a bit to gander. I'm saving them for LFG. Which brings me to one photo particularly... 
     Ever heard of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx? You end up on the cover and your performance wanes. I have a hybrid belief involving marriage. If your wedding is a blast…the parties’ all fun and the reception is one for the record books then look out.
And if your wedding photo ends up in Town and Country, you’re doomed. I think this photo of the former Mrs. ADG is distant enough that I don't have to blur out her pretty little face. My bottom line is this…the more fun and festive the wedding, the tougher the marriage will be. Don’t challenge me on this—I can’t defend my position.
Blurry and grainy iPhone picture from the Four Seasons in DC the other evening. I'm not one to name drop but I had a drink with Sir Paul McCartney. Ok, so he was at the other end of the bar but still.
     Amiable, jaunty, unassuming and not shrouded with fifteen burly body guards. Perhaps McCartney doesn't define himself as one of the greatest song makers ever.
Let's talk shoes for a moment. Can anyone provide an update regrading whether or not the Mark McNairy line of Bass Weejuns are gonna make it into full production? Notice the blue tassel baby.
I've got a clever pair of shoddings or two here at CasaMinimus but my stalwart Navy Blue Weejuns from college remain my faves. McNairy could, if the Bass powers that be will let him, bring relevance back to the brand.
But then there's an American maker that has the hubris to concoct these monk-algonquin-split toe hybrid babies. In whiskey shell cordovan. Fuzzy mongrels poster child if I've ever seen one. Sign my country ass up.
And a final word on things pedal. Guys aren't the only ones losing a sense of style, propriety and decorum from the ankles down. Enjoy this pic from the Avis Preferred shuttle bus at DFW last week. And these gals weren't on vacation. They had briefcases and work documents. Sad.


Ok, let's talk LFG.... THE love of my life.
She'll be ten years old in three weeks. The pierced ears debate has been a protracted one. We decided twelve would be a good age for this seminal event. Someone's calendar pages flipped faster than mine. To that end, LFG and her little girlfriends had a big ole girlie event at the ear piercing place. I'm ok with it but it just kills me that my baby is growing up.
LFG did shame me into getting a proper haircut. Look at that clean cut guy in the mirror. You can't see the martini that's about to pounce on this little hunk. Ok, I woke up.
Any other kids out there jumping on the Zany Band craze? LFG and her friends are collecting and trading these things. I bought her a couple of packs as a reward for doing such a good job on her book report the other weekend. I love these fads but I love them more when they only cost me five bucks.
I spotted this little cutie and her brother in the airport the other day. LFG would have gleefully traded a band or two with her. 
LFG gave me two zany bands from the "famous icons" (or whatever) package. The Sherlock Holmes is tres cool but I can't figure out who the other guy is. Someone suggested Alfred Hitchcock but the nose is too pointy. Who is it?

Further evidence that God exists....
My beloved but on it's last legs Saab convertible passed inspection. A car purchase is inevitable before summers end but I'm not gonna expedite it.

And while they were inspecting my buggy I walked next door to an antiques/used furniture consignment shop. 
I AM gonna do a post on Campaign Furniture when I find the time. But I'm also gonna.....
Buy this old wicker campaign recliner if it's still there after June 16th...when the price goes to two hundred bucks. I'll put it in my office and for some of you, if you play your cards right, an invitation to come and sit on my lap may be forthcoming.

And finally, back to cars for a moment....
This was Porsche's darkest moment ever. Wrong. So wrong. On too many levels to ponder.

Onward. I'm going to pick up my baby from soccer practice.

ADG

35 comments:

Amy said...

Franklin Roosevelt?

JAM said...

Hey, ease up on the (mostly) VW powered mid-engine 914... I learned to drive on one: it was a freaking blast to drive (if a bit underpowered in the 1.8l version my dad owned...).

Yes, not the pretties of beasties (the 916 - a much more serious version - was a least less boxy), but it was fun to drive and was pretty easy on gas...

When you get a moment, you will need to google the racing versions... Also, much prettier...

And, to the ear piercing - got a few years till that fight... Darn, little girls are really persuasive...

Suburban Princess said...

To be honest, I prefer posts on just one or two topics...by the time I get to the bottom I forget what you were talking about at the top and have to scroll back up.

I hated my wedding and by 10pm was begging my husband to leave with me....I think your theory might be right on the money!

Main Line Sportsman said...

The other bracelet image is obviously Frank Perdue...No?
Ear piercing..there were many piercing screams at my House over that issue with 2 daughters...and 12 years old was our decision as well...and both girls ended up with lobe festoonery at 11. My son is 13 and inquired about a tattoo...I advised him that any body part he had so inked would be cut off.
The mutant Porsche 914. One Summer I worked as a lot boy and gopher at a Porshce dealer in Philadlephia. bathroom stall contained the following missive: Happiness is seeing a 914 burning in the street....

Toad said...

it's me, silly.

Anonymous English Female said...

ADG - Paul McCartney in the Four Seasons and Michael Douglas in your mirror - what a week!
Keep the manifold and myriad posts coming.

L.A.S said...

Re: McNairy Made in Maine Bass Weejuns -

So far Barneys is the only US store to have placed an order with Mark. You can find 3 (?) styles on their website for sale. I have seen the full line in person and it is truly incredible. The fact that more shops in the US have failed to pull the trigger on these is extremely depressing.

ADG said...

Amy...ya think? Seems like there would be a cigarette holder or something.

Proprietor ...Sorry. Can't let up on that Go-Kart!

Toad...damn. I shoulda known.

SubPrincess...thanks and duly noted.

MainLine...I asked about an ear piercing when I was 16. The conversation was brief.

LAS...thanks. Stunning interpretation by Mark.
AnonEngFem...Michael Douglas? Damn. My plastic surgery is better than his.

James said...

I have several points I'd like to make. I enjoy your multi-topic posts. I will assassinate a major world leader for the alligator weejuns. I agree it is Toad. The bandz fad is raging here in the heartland. And finally can LFG get any more adorable?

James said...

Oh sorry I forgot to say that my weight prevents me from taking you up on the lap offer, thanks anywho.

Chris said...

It is a bummer, I'm with ADG on the blue tassels. Can't get into the reverse horse butt pennies though.

K.S.Anthony said...

The other bracelet image is Aleister Crowley: The Wickedest Man in the World.

ilovelimegreen said...

I was eight when my parents gave in to my beggings to get my ears pierced. The first pair of earrings I wore after the requisite starter studs resulted in an ER visit for me and an order from the doctor to wait TWO WHOLE YEARS before getting my ears pierced again. I felt as if I was a social outcast during those next two years as I seemed to be the ONLY girl without pierced ears. Tell LFG this and she hopefully will be more responsible with her first pair of earrings than I was.

ADG, with your haircut, I hope you've not lost your strength - or are you and LFG acting out Samson and Delilah?

Finally, Winston Churchill?

Anonymous said...

Wore a pair of the McNairy dirty bucks today. While not thrilled with the price, they are one of the best versions of the classic buck of yesterday (e.g. Walk-Over or its BB version) that I have found recently. I missed out on one of the Alden make-ups this spring however.

With regard to the pictured McNairy shoe on the left with the Horween stamp exposed, this is, what's the word... precious? We all know what shell is and where it is produced. This is like Trad bling, only worse. Worse that the RL big pony or splashing Dior in huge letters on the side of your sunglasses.

Anonymous said...

Like it or not, Hitchcock is the official answer.

http://www.amazon.com/Rubba-Bandz-Rubber-Bracelets-Guess/dp/B003MA9OIE

Lisa said...

Your theory on wedding celebrations/durations may hold some water. Mine was somewhat subdued. My mom planned the whole thing, I didn’t even get to choose my colors etc, all I had to do was show up with the groom and dress (from Texas to Iowa and my parents met said groom a week before the wedding). The wedding reception (cake/punch) was held at the church hall BUT the wedding dinner was at my parent’s home. A whole ‘nother ball game. Lots of fun but NO dance as my groom didn’t dance (still doesn’t) and said ‘no’. Very low key, but the house was filled to the gills and rockin’ anyway. The liquor flowed like water, plenty of great food, lots of laughter but no party favors, themes or whatever goes today, just plain old fun – did I mention that it was 20 below zero??? To date, the best wedding I’ve ever attended and I have my mother to thank. We’ll celebrate 34 years in December. DAMN!!!!

As for the ear piercing, I was told ‘No” at 14, SO one night I gathered the necessary items: potato, knife (cut the potato in half), lots of ice, alcohol, needle and gold post earrings and promptly did my own piercing in the upstairs bathroom. I was so screwed after the first piercing because I KNEW I had to do it again. I did, and the face on my parents’ face was ‘priceless’. Mom had her ears pierced within a month. I also pulled a similar stunt with skydiving. Mom said “no’, but as I was 18 and could do as I pleased, waited until after my first jump to actually tell them what I had done. Called the parental units after the jump, got them both on the phone and broke the news. All I remember was my mom saying ‘Willard, TALK to her’. After she got off the phone, dad wanted to know all of the details. He was thrilled.

My ‘princess’ will be 20 in August and I can remember several years ago upon returning from attending an afternoon tea that she proudly showed me what she had been up to in my absence: piercing her own belly button. I totally lost it (but in hindsight, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree). I was worried about infection, which did set in, and the offending piercing had to be removed. Later, on her birthday, her dad took her to the proper authorities to have it properly done. We hadn’t discussed it but I’ve learned to choose my battles. She doesn’t have the piercing today. They DO grow up too fast and as a parent, it’s an occupational hazard. Carry on.

Anonymous said...

I have 2 young friends going through miserable divorces right now. You seem to have come through your divorce with some sanity and cordiality towards your former. How about a nice long post on how you know its time to get one and how to go through it with grace for the sake of the children? I think you could write with intelligence and certainly wisdom while looking back. Then I could refer my 2 friends to your site to learn about clothes. (They need a refresher course!) Please include if you can how you settle the custody and vacation issues. My views are outdated and your sweet daughter seems to lead a lovely life.

Sandra said...

Nothing compares to your navy weejuns. Nothing. That shade of blue, the worn creases in the leather, and the stitching. Love them. The stitching is always a giveaway for authentic weejuns. It's fatter and ever so supple and I love it. Old age does that :-)

Enjoy every moment with your baby girl. In one week and one day, mine will be taking that walk down the aisle to become a Mrs. How time flies. So cliche, but so accurate. Honestly, I would just love to be back in those days of deciding when she could get her ears pierced.

Love this post. Yours are just the best regardless . . .

xoxo

Old Timer said...

How many of these "famous silhouettes" would be recognized by today's kids?

(1 pack of 12 bands Guess Who Famous Silhouettes contains:

2 each of Sherlock Holmes, Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Elvis, Alfred Hitchcock, Marilyn Monroe).

Who is Michael Jordan?

ADG said...

OldTimer...silly. Michael Jordan is that child prodigy singer-dancer originally from Gary Indiana...had some brothers and sisters too.

Preppy101...Yes! I remember the upcoming event and I wish for you and the couple all good things. Your son is giving his sister away right?

Lisa...thanks for such a great story(ies) and yes, I'm carrying on...like a fool.

Kurt...I think the nose is too pointy.

Anonymous...damn, I'd forgotten all about Walk Overs. Yes, the Horween reverse is a bit much.

LimeGreener...I watched LFG's cleaning ritual last night. Very responsible young lady. Strength...never had any.

KSA...I was thinking that it was Jiminy Glick.

Chris...visual delight but no access to the McNairy line of Weejuns is about as rewarding as a fully clothed lap dance at the Ti_tie Bar called Shoddings. They should rename them "McSwaggart for Bass". You can take them out of the box and ogle them but never, never "did I touch any of them".

James...thanks. Flattery about LFG will get you everywhere...almost. I love you, aas my business partner says to me..."in a heterosexual, manly kind of way"...but you were never, on your best day, gonna be on the invite list for the Campaign Chair Lap Sitting. Sorry buddy.

ADG said...

Lisa...P.S. ... "Willard, talk to her..." Damn that's funny!

Unknown said...

http://static.intellego.fr/uploads/1/5/1504/media/hitchcock-silhouette.jpg

It's definitely Hitchcock.

David V said...

Charles de Gaulle

Mal said...

Ok, first the weejuns, more details if you find out, those look sweet..did the green ones you special ordered ever come in?

Glad to know that I wasn't the only person who noticed the Alden Monks from LS. Lust is not the correct word but it comes close.

I'll be waiting for the post on Campaign Furniture.

In so far as pierced ears, my nieces didn't get theirs until 14 or 15. Good luck with that..I have three boys, I have my own problems.

Have a good weekend

Paul said...

I just know you're gonna buy those blue tassel jobs... they're great but could use a high shine on them.

I wish I'd invented zany bandz! I could use the lifetime income.

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to the promised post about campaign furniture.

ADG said...

Anonymous...I'll get to the Campaign Furniture post sometime soon.

Paul...I'd be all over those blue babies and yes, they'd need a good buffing.

Mal...the green babies won't roll in until September. The LS Monks are exclusively for the Beverly Hills Store...opening on 16 June.

David V. and Aaron...the nose looks to pointy for Hitchcock but I've moved on anyway. We bought two more packs yesterday

Debi said...

Flip flops belong in the shower at the "Y". Not in public. Ever.

JDB said...

Shit. My wedding was the best party I have EVER given. Guess that explains why everything is starting to go down the toilet.

Scott said...

My best wedding reception ever involved Clifford Curry playing live in the private room of a four star resturant. I think even on the day there was a pool on how long it would last. Whoever had just under two years won it.

Scott

Debi said...

A good friend has told us that he knew his first marriage was a mistake as he watched her walk down the aisle. Yikes!

I, on the other hand, was completely terrified to be the center of attention and the day was bone-chilling. 11 degrees was the high I think ( in North Carolina! ).

We will be married 25 years in December and my husband is still my very best friend, so there is more anecdotal evidence for your theory.

Turling said...

I'm agreeing on two items. First, it's Alfred Hitchcock.

Second, that Porsche is an abomination. A Volkswagen Bug it is. Nothing more, nothing less.

Patsy said...

If my husband was able to sweep me up into his arms, there'd better be a picture to prove it.

I have an orange cobra silly band - a gift from a young neighbor. It's becoming somewhat concerning that LFG and I dress a lot alike. Good thing she's adorable.

ADG said...

Patsy...the zany band thing is out of control.

Turling...I've conceded the Hitchcock thing...but the nose is too pointy. VW Bug...indeed.

cdclaycomb....good on you re...the marriage thing. It ain't never been eleven in NC

Scott...there you go. I'm on to something.

JDB....sorry

Ollie said...

What say you about casual footwear for men, such as CVOs and Topsiders?