Best Beach Gear/Wear for @ and Apres Beach

    Memorial Day kicks into gear COB this Friday, Summer arrives on June 21st and the World is actually going to end on October 21st (May 21st was just the Rapture). Taking all 3 of these hard empirical facts into account...this is going to be your best Summer ever (or just your last)!

    Thus you are going to want to take as many day trips to Long Beach/Rockaways, weekends at your favorite Shore, finally take those long weekends to Cartagena/Reykjavik/Toronto and of course that dream vacation sailing the Adriatic, a Surf Safari in Bali or Biaritz and that Romantic getaway in the south of France, Italy or Spain. To help you look great and go out in style (read that as you please) pretty much everything you need to play in the water or just work on your tan is here...

     To get you where you're going whether it's hoofing to Penn Station or heading to the Airport for your Beach adventure you need what I call "Adventure Shoes". You may know them as Hiking Shoes,Trail Runners, etc.... Get a light-weight breathable pair with a rugged sole that will put your gym sneakers to shame. Bring out your inner Gladiator with a pair of Sport Sandals (I like Teva's)...I've been wearing them for years and swear by them or try the new 5 finger shoes...which I have yet to try on...so not sure if brilliant or insane. EMS carries all of them. Once you get to where your going throw on a pair of Flip-flops to hit the shore. Scoop carries Brazil's must have footwear Haviana's or check out the selection from Cali at Rainbow Sandals.

    You can get your board shorts at the various surf shops mentioned below but for something a bit more upscale while on vacation in the South of France, on the Adriatic, out East or simply by your friends rooftop or backyard pool you can pick up both great solids and graphics from Villebrequin. They are made out of sail-cloth and these suits while pricey fit great and last. The back pocket also comes equipped with a water-proof plastic wallet for your ID, AMEX and cash. Scoop carries Orlebar Brown which are cut like tailored shorts with adjustable side tabs in basic solid colors that will take you from the beach to town and back. They also carry the well cut Sun Deck line out of Cali. Cargo Shorts for all I'm concerned never go out of style and are essential guy-wear for the summer. You're a guy...you like stuff...you need to get to it. My favorites are from Polo and Quicksilver.

    Oh no...where is my stuff ( like this never happened to you)??? You don't want to forget where you decamped...but you got caught up playing in the waves. For your beach towel go large and in charge and pick up one of the great bold prints at Pull- In or go bright and plush with one from Villebrequin.

    You hit the surf early or late or maybe the wind just picked up and you're feeling a bit more chill they you like. Throw on a Hoody to warm you up. Better yet give it to your better half to keep her warm and show you care (also makes a good pillow to rest ones head). Check out the fleece or cotton versions at Patagonia or the cotton/wool ones at Saturdays. Judging by how much precipitation we've been getting so far this year...you may want a breathable gore-tex Rain Jacket just in case it rains on your parade.  Patagonia makes great ones and EMS carries a very good selection from Marmot (the Precip), North Face, as well as their own line.

    Cheap sunglasses do not protect your eyes nor make you look quite as cool as you would like to think. I like Oakley's for the beach and water-sports. Oliver Peoples and Persol are my choice for going out and about apres beach. You can get them as well as a number of other high quality brands at  ILORI.

    Before a day in the water or just baking in the sun you need Sun Tan lotion not oil (unless you are treating your skin like leather so it will look that way) Afterwards I always apply Aloe Vera (keep it in the fridge). Ricky's caries a number of lotions (SPF means how long it lasts...not how strong it is) and the Panama Jack line of Aloe Vera. I use the green but if you burn easy go for their blue. Saturdays carries the Zinka Noseguard line. I get what I call Rudolph nose and this stuff works great. Plus Zinka comes in bright colors to rock that surf warrior look or just amuse the kids...

    To carry my "stuff" to the beach I just picked up a new backpack by Dakine at Billabong. It's roomy, has a sleeve for your laptop/"tablet" a cold pack section for sandwich/beverages and pockets on the side for beverages. EMS has a full range of backpacks and camping gear for when you need to get back to nature. Patagonia's new Black Hole duffel bags are for that upcoming surf safari and for your trip to far flung lands. Tumi has the best built 2 wheeled carry-on size luggage bags (just please note, though while even in "expand" mode it is the approved size...weight is also a factor...keep that in mind...if it's too heavy...it's no longer carry-on...I found out the hard way on a business trip to London to meet with Bear Sterns. The rest is history...)

    For Surfing you can get Long boards to hang ten and short boards for cut-backs at Patagonia,Quicksilver, and Saturdays. Wet-suits for when it's brrrrr at Quicksilver and Saturdays, and Rash Guards so you don't tear up your chest or burn your back. are available in a number of styles at Patagonia, Quicksilver and Billabong. Need a break from the beach but still want to hit the water for a simple change or not so easy challenge? You can find Kayaks and all the required gear at EMS.

    Ok...you have had enough sun for the day and you already hit happy hour (right off the beach in your cargo's and t-shirt. Ladies if you are reading this, this especially applies to you. You look so beautiful right off the beach...don't ruin it by doing your hair, your make-up and getting overdressed...please) for your night out on the town in NYC, out East, a city by the sea like Biaritz, a Greek Isle or what was a quaint fishing village before it became the next best place...

     Linen Shirts and pants are the way to go to both look and feel cool. For my shirts I'm a big fan of Villebrequin's. Good luck trying to choose between all their beautiful choices in blue. John Varvatos has beautiful button downed long sleeves and t-shirts in muted colors. For Linen pants again you have John Varvatos who does his as both trousers and jeans and of course Polo does great linen pants as well as shirts.

    As much as I love my cargo's...there is a time and place for everything...at night pull on a nice pair of Tailored Shorts. My current favorites are Save Khaki's that come in a number of muted colors and Polo for something in madras or more colorful.

    The Breton Striped Sailor Shirt with it's wide cut neck is a classic that has been around for quite a while and happens to be in vogue this season...(if that matters to you). APC does a beautiful version in long and short sleeve. I like their red striped version. J Crew carries their own as well as those from Saint James of Normandy, France.

    I don't have a whole lot of white in my wardrobe but I do like White jeans during the summer and I'm not quite sure why Grey jeans have not always been with us. When it comes to jeans I'm primarily thought not exclusively a Levi's guy. John Varvatos jeans are great as well (just keep in mind they cut the legs on the long side). If you need something trendier Scoop will likely have what you are looking for. Rock a linen shirt with your white jeans when you're out for dinner or a stroll along the beach with your girl and throw a t-shirt on with your grey jeans when you're hitting a ball park or sea-side dive bar with your boys.

    For when there is a chill in the air...pull on a lightweight cashmere V-Neck Sweater. Polo and Villebreqin do some of the best fit, color and quality wise. You will pay for it, but they will last, never go out of style, look great and better yet feel great to her touch.

    Boat shoes are for perfect for slipping on for happy hour, a walk around town, a nice quiet dinner or even a BBQ. Palmer Trading Company and J Crew both carry a great selection as well as moccasins and camp boots for when your shore is by a lake or river.

    As an added bonus, for while you are working on your tan or plane/train/busing to your destination here are some great Summer reads...

The Wave(Rogue Waves) and Devils Teeth (Great Whites) by Susan Casey
Sex on the Moon and Ugly Americans by Ben Mezrich
Carte Blanche by Jefferey Deaver...You know his name...(007's latest)
Godfather of Kathmandu...(Bangkok Crime Noir) by ....John Burdett
Nuclear Jellyfish (the entire ultimate anti-protagonist Serge Storms series) by Tom Dorsey
In Search of Captain Zero by Alan Weisbecker
Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow (Surf Noir) and the  upcoming sequel Gentleman's hour
Jaws by Peter Benchley  and the Deep
The Tiger by John Vailiant - Now that your too scared to go in the ocean...this will keep you out of the forest
Jennifer Government by Max Berry  (while not about the beach...since this is the Shopping section...consumerism being co-opted by the govt gone mad)


    Special Xtra Bonus...Either you are too fried to go out, just chilling before you do...or too lazy to read/need a break while traveling... check out these great Surf Movies on your Blu-Ray, Net-Flix, or downloaded on your I-whatever

Riding Giants - Traces the history of Big Wave surf-riding from Greg Knoll to today's Laird Hamilton
Step into Liquid - Surfing as an allegory on life
Point Break - "Look at it! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, man! Let me go out there and let me get one wave"
Blue Crush - Yes it's a chick flick...but the surf scenes and the surf lessons are dead on...
Apocalypse Now - "You can either surf, or you can fight!" Need I say more?
Forgetting Sarah Marshall - The surf lessens with Koonu..." If you get bitten by a shark, you're not just gonna give up surfing, are you? "
Jaws - After you've read it of course
The Deep...ditto
James Bond - Thunderball for underwater battle, Dr No & Die Another Day for Honey and Jinx rising out of the water...and Casino Royale for Craig revitalizing the franchise and for the tongue in cheek take for the ladies of Craig pulling the rising from the depths goddess move...




APC is located at 131 Mercer St
Billabong is located at 597 Broadway
EMS is located at 530 Broadway (Spring & Broadway)
ILORI is located at 138 Spring Street
J.Crew is located at is located at 484 Broadway,
John Varvatos is located at 122 Spring Street
Levi's is located at 536 Broadway
Oakley is located at 113 Prince Street
Patagonia  is located at 101 Wooster Street
Palmer Trading Company 137 Sullivan Street
Polo is located at 109 Prince Street
Pull-In is located at 252 Elizabeth Street (new location opening at 259 Bowery)
Quicksilver is located at 109 Spring Street
Rainbow Sandals is located at 245 Elizabeth Street
Ricky's is located at 590 Broadway
Saturdays is located at 31 Crosby Street
Save Khaki is located at 327 Lafayette Street
Scoop is located at 473 Broadway
Tumi is located at 102 Prince Street
Villebrequin is located at 436 W Broadway

Mad Men Season 6 1967 Episode 1: Borders

I have always been a big believer that actions speak louder the words. However, to ignore the power of words...written or spoken would be rather foolish. It is often words that lead to actions. In President Obama's recent speech on the Middle East...we see that he seems to have learned the hard way that placating and apologizing to the Dictators, Mullah's, Maniac's, and two faced liars running the various failed states was getting no one anywhere. He for the most part gave the speech he should have given back in Cairo vs the one he delivered apologizing for all the West's transgressions against the Mid-East. Not for nothing...but that speech is for Price William of the UK or Sarkozy of France to give. The Crusaders were primarily English and French Knights...not American Indians.

The thing is for all the good he said, what everyone seems to remember is the comment he made on the 67 Borders. Not what he said about the Syrians, Egyptians, Iranians or even how he acknowledged the progress in Iraq ( I can't wait for W and O to take the show on the road like Bush Sr and Clinton have done ie Disaster Relief, National Institute for Civil Discourse ). I just don't know sometimes when he makes like comments does he really get what he's saying or just doesn't get how others perceive it...

"The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states."

The Israeli's lit on fire over it saying no way...they would be unable to defend themselves. The Palestinians are grumbling that they are not going to  acknowledge a State of Israel. First off let's look at some hard facts. Not one of the three areas in question were "Palestinian". Gaza was Egyptian, the West Bank Jordanian, and the Golan Heights Syrian. Take a look at a map and see if you see any potential issues with this. In my own personal opinion I would either give Gaza to the Egyptians and they can decide what they want to do...but will be wholly responsible for security and be ready to face the penalties of what may come if they don't or turn it over to Israel. The West Bank and possibly some settlements to create the Palestinian State...which I do believe should be created (if for no other reason it will force their security forces to contain the maniacs or face war as a repercussion of their actions) As for the Golan Heights I would tell the Syrians to go F themselves.

    The reason Israel has possession of the three aforementioned chunks of land is because those three countries attacked Israel unprovoked in 1967 (Six Day War)and got their asses handed to them by the Israeli Air Force, Armor (led by a young Ariel Sharon) and Paratroopers. The land was taken for security concerns, not oil, diamonds, gas, trees...for security from attack on their civilian population. These same wonderful peaceful neighbors attacked again in 1973 (Yom Kipper War) on the highest holy day in the Jewish religion. To put it in perspective it would be like attacking the Vatican on Christmas Eve.

In regards to the Palestinians, the only way to peace is for the moderates to gain control over the maniacs and deal with the fact that Israel is not going away and that not everyone is going to get their hill and olive tree back. If they would get it through their heads that the Israeli's treat them better then the Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians etc...and that if they became peaceful neighbors their children would be going to school with Israeli's, working in Hospitals together instead of sending each other to the hospital, and gaining employment for their youth everyone would be better off.

There will have to be compromise made by both sides. However compromise works when both sides feel they accomplished something and walk away with some of what they wanted. Not when one side kills innocent civilians and then throws candy in the air to celebrate the death of their neighbors children and the martyrdom of their own.