EAT
Tender Greens with 4 locations, 2 in LA & 1 in San Diego, and a 5th opening in Walnut Creek, is becoming the hippest, healthiest restaurant chain on the planet. The owners describe it as comfortably urban and the majority of the produce comes directly from farms here in California.



Magnolia Bakery in New York is my happy place. Since 1996 they have been open at the legendary Bleecker St. location. 4 NYC locations later, they have finally opened in LA’s Beverlywood neighborhood on the corner of 3rd & Orlando Av. Have the carrot cake cupcake. It’s all about the cream cheese frosting!

Cafe Gitane in NYC’s Nolita is one of my fave coffee houses in the world. Yes, Nolita can be a lil too hipster but Cafe Gitane is a lil slice of Paris sitting right next to Sigerson Morrison. Grab a bite from it’s French-Moroccan inspired menu but really it’s about having a great glass of Bordeaux or the perfect cafe au lait.



San Diego’s Cucina Urbana, in the heart of Banker’s Hill is becoming not just a neighborhood fave but a city-wide sensation. With a comfy interior and delicious hearty Italian food prepared by Chef Joe Magnanelli it mixes Old World with hip new dining trends like using organic produce and sustainable products. Be sure to check out their monthly Winemakers Series.

My vote for best Happy Hour goes to The London Hotel located in West Hollywood. The hotel is gorgeous & super stylish. Happy Hour includes $5 gourmet bites and $5 glasses of Veuve Cliquot! $5 people! And yes, Gordon Ramsay of Hell’s Kitchen created the menu.

PRAY
We all have our own deities so I’m not even gonna try & tackle religion. God, Allah, Shiva…Pick one and believe. We all have to worship something. For some it’s not religion it’s the relentless search for perfection. And for others, it’s a new Madonna.

The Art Of Fitness in Laguna Beach operates by the credo “your body is a work of art. Let The Art of Fitness make it a masterpiece.” In this ocean front gym you can spin, lift weights with a personal trainer, or increase your flexibility through yoga or Pilates and even expand your mind with guided meditation or massage. Oh yes, there is a world class spa on site.



I don’t wanna be all name-droppy but at Easton Gym I’ve seen Patrick Dempsey, Eva Mendes and Dominic Monaghan working out. Yeah you can do Crunch or 24 Hour Fitness, both of which are basically sex shops. You can even do Gold’s and hang with a bunch of steroid-ed out meat-heads. Or you can spend an arm, leg & lung to work out at Equinox in order to “get discovered.” But if you really want a great work out, at a great gym with a neighborhood feel, at a great price, Easton is the place.

The Pilates Room in San Diego is a great place to learn. Devotees of Pilates claim the exercise lengthens muscle, strengthens and tones your core, & and liken it to yoga because the method uses the mind to control the muscles. Because Pilates requires a Pilates Reformer (the machine you work out upon) and a trainer, it can be pricey. Not at The Pilates Room where they offer group classes that are limited to 6 people. They also offer one-on-one training and mat classes for killer abs.



Saying that Lady GaGa has taken the music world by storm is an understatement. Since the release of her debut album 2008’s The Fame Lady GaGa has sold an estimated 13 million albums and 51 million singles worldwide. Fast forward 2 years and both Time and Forbes magazines have included her on their lists of the 100 Most Influential People. But those are just stats. Not since Madonna has one artist held the attention of music fans. And if you don’t believe that go to any gay bar, in any city, in the World. I bet a Lady GaGa song is playing right now. And her fans are dancing and singing along even if they don’t speak English. That’s devotion.

LOVE
Who understands that thing? You know, love. What is it? An emotion? A virtue? An action & a feeling? I know I’m not in love with any one right now. And that’s fine because the pursuit of love can be very fun. Here are 4 things I’m finding, well, lovable.



Marc Jacobs Bang is MJ’s new fragrance. Marc Jacobs is a gay icon and an iconic designer. From his legendary grunge collection for Perry Ellis which got him fired but changed fashion, to his eponymous collections that are always on the must have lists of fashionistas all over the globe, to his work as Creative Director at Louis Vuitton which has given a grand old fashion house new life, Marc Jacobs is one of the greatest designers of all time.

Nikita is the CW’s newest action show. It’s a story we’ve heard before; beautiful young girl is forced by shadowy government agency to become a spy/assassin. Yes, the original La Femme Nikita was a kinda hot & sexy French movie. Of course the American version gave us bland Bridget Fonda in one of the most unbelievable performances ever. Now we have a TV series based on the movies. What’s cool about this? Maggie Q, the star. How many American TV shows have featured a female Asian lead? Gorgeous and bad ass, after honing her craft in action movies with Tom Cruise, Jackie Chan & Bruce Willis, it’s about time for Maggie’s close-up & star turn.



And last but by no means least Eat, Pray, Love the book, not the movie. The book has been on the NY Times Best Sellers List for 158 weeks. Oprah loved it. And obviously a whole lot of people love it too. And darn it after seeing the movie I marched myself over to Borders to see if I shall love it too. It’s sitting on a stack of books that includes The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Running With Scissors & Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I’ll get to it. I promise. M*

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is one of the worlds most famous idioms. It’s most often attributed to William Shakespeare but actually dates back to the 3rd Century. Justice Potter Stewart once tried to explain pornography, or what is obscene this way; “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced.. but I know it when I see it…” Beauty is much like this. And trying to define inner beauty? Well you’d have to define what inner beauty means to you.

Here are 5 things you can do to find beauty, enlightenment or maybe just drop a few pounds quickly because I believe when you do good or feel good, you look good too.

Literally beautiful on the inside:




If you aren’t healthy on the inside you can not be healthy out. As we know what we eat directly contributes to our physical and mental state. If you don’t feel good you can’t look good. When I’m feeling sluggish and blah nothing makes me feel better than the C-word. Go to a holistic spa and have a colonic. I suggest We Care Spa or Two Bunch Palms in Desert Springs, Ca. Try the Crystal Sonic Treatment at Two Bunch. If it’s good enough for Gisele Bundchen and Leonardo DiCaprio, two of the world’s most beautiful people, it’s good enough for us, right?

Now colonics are not for the faint of heart. (And shouldn’t be entered into lightly.) A colonic is the infusion of water into the rectum by a colon therapist to cleanse and flush out the colon. Did you know you could have as much as 20 lbs of fecal matter in your colon? Did you know that a system that works eliminates itself 3, sometimes 4 times a day? If you aren’t regular it could lead to sickness and disease. Before embarking on this journey I suggest you do some research. http://altmedicine.about.com is a great resource for info on colonics.




If you can’t afford a few days away at a fancy spa or a colonic, I suggest doing the Master Cleanse. The Master Cleanse, also called the Lemonade Diet, was created by alternative medicine guru Stanley Burroughs in 1941. Now we all know Beyonce did it to get thin for Dreamgirls and both Ashton and Demi are famous fans. It’s a liquid diet made of spring water, fresh lemons, grade B maple syrup and cayenne pepper, as well as a laxative tea. No solid food is eaten during the cleanse.




I’ve done the Master Cleanse several times. It works. It’s a quick fix and if you go back to eating the way you did before starting the Master Cleanse, as with any diet, the weight is going to come back. It’s hard. It’s a mental challenge. The diet really makes you examine the way you see food and your relationship to it. We humans eat for a lot of reasons and most often not because we are hungry. It’s not pleasant but I’ve lost 2 to 4 pounds in a day on the Master Cleanse and you want to do it for 7 to 10 days. It’s really about cleansing the colon. You eliminate a lot of waste and lose a lot of weight. You feel lighter and cleaner in ways you can’t imagine.

Find enlightenment:
Sometimes inner beauty is about seeking enlightenment or searching to better yourself. I keep 2 books near me at all times that help to keep me grounded when life gets to be too much.




The Little Prince was written in the 40’s by French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It’s one of the most popular books of all time, having been translated from French into 180 languages. It’s been adapted into movies, for the stage and even an opera. My mother read me The Little Prince as a child and it represents both home & bravery for me. The Little Prince was very brave. He left home and on the journey learned about himself and discovered the true meaning of love as well as how to give it and receive it.




The Little Prince is filled with some of the most gorgeous quotes ever written about life, love and the search for happiness:
“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.”
“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”
And my favorite; “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”




The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler was published in 1998. Mr. Cutler is a psychiatrist who asked the Dalai Lama questions and recorded the answers. The Art of Happiness is about how one’s outlook can change how we perceive things. It combines “2500 years of Buddhist wisdom, combined with modern science & a healthy dose of common sense.” When you read it, you really feel like what your mama told you as child was true, “chose to be happy.” Or as Iyanla Vanzant, author of another of my favorite inspirational books, In The Meantime, says “re-language it.” Look for the good in a bad situation and do the work to be better “Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.”

And the biggest thing we can do to be beautiful on the inside:
Giving of ourselves is what makes humans, human. In a success driven world it’s very easy to be me, me, me. But what about others? And no, giving time and help to family & friends though wonderful, isn’t enough. What about helping those you don’t know? We are all part of the same World, the same life. If one person suffers, don’t we all? Think of life as energy. If we put out positive energy and help those around us be better and change their energy doesn’t that come back to us?




Project Angel Food is a Los Angeles based charity that provides hot nutritious meals for people suffering from life-threatening diseases. Since 1989, Project Angel Food has prepared and delivered more than 5.7 million meals. For the past four years I have been part of The Angel Mafia. No, we don’t go around whacking people. The Angel Mafia is comprised of actors, singers, writers & reality stars. In 4 years The Angel Mafia has raised almost $80,000 for Project Angel Food. I’ve not just participated in their annual Bowling For Angels event, or shopped at the Divine Design event, I’ve also worked in the kitchen helping to prepare meals. It’s an important charity and it makes me feel good to be a part of it. M*

Skincare basics: cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize!
Cleanse:





Any good skincare regimen begins with a good cleanser. Normally I’m one for something that exfoliates as it cleanses. DDF Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash is my go to product for promoting cell turnover and removing dead skin. But sometimes you need a product that soothes the skin. Like when you spend a little too much time in the blistering summer sun. Murad Soothing Gel Cleanser removes impurities and helps calm and soothe the skin. It helps reduce the appearance of redness & relieves tightness and discomfort. It’s got goji berry extract & moisture enriched beads to soften rough skin.
Exfoliate:





Summer skin should be soft & even-toned. Bliss Sweet Orange and Spearmint Sugar Scrub is a ’skin softening body polish.’ With orange oil, raw sugar and sweet almond, when applied in a circular motion to damp skin, it removes dead skin and leaves you baby smooth and smelling lick-able sweet.





Sometimes a lil scrub isn’t enough. What if you’ve had a break-out and need to remove dark spots? Ren Clean Bio Active Skincare has the product to help! Their Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask contains glycolic acid, lactic acid and papain. It’s designed to renew the complexion, reduce fine lines and improve skin tone.





Summer skin can mean oily skin and in that case you need a good toner. Anthony Logistics Alcohol Free Toner has highly concentrated aloe vera to retain moisture, calendula to soothe, chamomile to calm (no more tea baggin) and essential oil of grapefruit to revive. If you have sensitive skin this one’s for you. It smells yummy too…

Moisturize:
Now you might ask why use a toner to remove oil only to turn around and put it back on? Good damn question. One I’ve asked my dermatologist often. A good moisturizer should contain nutrients that are delivered right onto the skin. Also some moisturizers help minimize fine lines as well as wrinkles and can clear skin discoloration. Think of it like this, cleansing and exfoliation take away the bad and moisturizer puts in the good. Got it? Great!





A moisturizer needs to not just moisturize it needs to protect the skin. Philosophy’s Hope In A Jar SPF 20 is a high-performance moisturizer that hydrates the skin with multiple antioxidants, gently exfoliates helping improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The SPF 20 helps prevent further sun-damage while inspiring a healthy glow.

THE EXTRAS:



We all want that golden glow of course, but prolonged sun exposure can cause sun & dark spots and damage the delicate skin around the eyes! To combat dark spots and hyper-pigmentation there’s no better product than Perricone MD Pigment Corrective. The formula corrects the appearance of dark spots & prevents further photo (sun) damage. Dr. Perricone is a leader in skin science. His Pigment Corrective contains his patented Pycnogenol & DMAE, as well as vitamin C which brighten, firms and tones the skin.





For the eyes Perricone MD has a two-part system that over time fades dark circles, removes puffiness and improves wrinkles around the eyes! 1st you apply Perricone’s Vitamin C Ester Serum around the eye. This is like precious serum that actually comes with an eye dropper! Next you layer on Perricone’s High Potency Eye Lift. It goes on silky smooth and you can literally feel the change in the quality of your skin!

So that’s it boys and girls. If you wanna look good this summer you must work at it. Drink lots of water, eat right, work out and take care of your skin. After all it’s your biggest organ. Tee hee hee… I said organ. Until next month, stay fab! M*

Let’s face it, every day we get up and we put on basically the same thing. Men wear some variation of a pant be it shorts, trousers or sweats. We all put on a shirt of some sort. Ladies luck out and can toss on a dress. But it’s what we decide to add to the mix that makes us individual. As a stylist I think it’s the use of accessories that separates us from one another. Two men can wear the exact same suit. How they chose to accessorize that suit is what makes it different. Individual.

I’m from the school that to build a wardrobe you need a few basics; a black or navy double vented, single-breasted suit, dark denim jeans that are not distressed & have no holes, a crisp white cotton shirt, black, grey or navy flat front trousers or a knee-length pencil skirt for ladies, and a Khaki blazer for men/light-colored, light weight cardigan for ladies. Once you have the basics then you add accessories which show your personality and separate you from the proverbial fashion herd.

Summer 2010 is all about bright color, bold prints, plaid, and classic menswear touches. Don’t want to invest in that au courant Spurr plaid blazer or that amazing sherbet orange Ralph Lauren maxi-dress? Accessories can help you be trendy and right now. Here are my top accessory picks to boost your personal style into the stratosphere:




Nothing says summer like a hot pair of SUNGLASSES. When your future is bright you must wear shades. For men it’s about classic styles like the Ray-ban aviator. Let’s all thank Jon Hamm of AMC’s hit show Mad Men for that. And let’s not forget Tom Ford who gave us last year’s most stylish movie A Single Man. My pic for summer ’10s hottest shades is Tom Ford’s ‘Christopher’ aviator. Look for them in tortoise to match just about everything in your wardrobe.




SCARVES are a great way to add color and of-the-moment trendiness to any outfit for both men and women. A scarf is a great and often inexpensive way to look instantly current. Of course every woman wants an Hermes scarf but with stores like H&M and Zara getting in on the craze, a hot scarf can be had at any price. Plaid is so big this summer. My pick for men is a plaid scarf by Engineered Garments. And for the ladies I love the amazing ‘Pleated Petal’ scraf by Diane von Furstenberg. Here’s a style tip ladies: forgo a blouse and wear your scarf under you fave boyfriend blazer as a shirt! Just remember, keep that blazer buttoned!




HATS have made a strong resurgence for summer as we take our style cues from the ’50s and ’60s. Think about it, a gentlemen wasn’t dressed without a hat in the good old days. And when I say hat I don’t mean a Christian Audigier trucker hat or your fave NY Yankess baseball cap. I mean a hat much like your grandfather would have worn. I can not get enough of Christy’s Crown Series hats. Christy’s has been making hats since 1773 and suddenly some of entertainment’s hottest men like Joel Madden, Justin Timberlake & P. Diddy have discovered them. They’ve even turned up on ladies embracing the menswear trend like Britney Spears & one of the World’s best dressed women, Kate Moss. From panamas to bowlers to flat caps, Christy’s does it all.




Everyone needs a WATCH. Wait… scratch that. Watches have in a major way become obsolete. Think about it; now when we need to know what time it is we reach for our iPods or our cell phones. But watches unlike any other accessory communicate power, class and wealth. Yes, a good pair of shoes can do it too… and for ladies a good purse can show wealth. But nothing says money like a Patek Philippe, Rolex ‘Submariner’ or a Cartier ‘Tank Francaise.’




The aforementioned watches start at $6,500 and up but if you can’t play with the big boys do not fret. Nixon is doing cool, over-sized watches for the modern hipster. A style tip for the girls: nothing is cooler than a mens watch on you. Over-sized mens Rolexes have been spotted on Sharon Stone & Paris Hilton.




Let’s face it, SHOES are how women judge each other. Thanks in part to SJP on SATC everyone knows about Jimmy Choo & Manolo Blahnik. And with J. Lo releasing a single titled ‘Louboutins’, famed French shoe designer Christian Louboutin is definitely a household name. Right now, at this moment, here on planet Earth, no shoe is hotter than the Louboutin ‘Meree’ lace-up bootie. It’s sex on heels period. And at $1,100 you’re not gonna wanna wear this bad girl unless it’s a very special occasion. What I love most about it, aside from the lacing, is its neutral color is perfect to wear with summers hottest trend, brights.




If Jimmy Choo & Manolo Blahnik run this as far as ladies shoes, the male equivalent must be John Varvatos. From his uber-cool collaboration with Converse that’s taken sneakers to the next level, to his beat up, worn out, ‘please sir I want more’ Oliver Twist take on his namesake collection shoes, John is making the most covet-able shoes on the planet. Style note for the guys: for summer it’s all about the John Varvatos slightly distressed Converse slip-on. Cooler than flips, they make suits hip casual yet dress up shorts.




So there you have it ladies and gentlemen how accessories can help express your personal style, keep you of-the-moment and boost your swagger. Questions? At your wits end on how to wear the newest trend? Email me at Marcellas@MarcellasReynolds.com. I’m just a few mouse clicks away! M*

So Details did THE BEST MENS SHOPS IN L.A. Though I agree with their choices why only 3? Yes, LA is incredibly style challenged. On any given day all you see is too-skinny, slacker actors in too-skinny colored jeans, vintage tees and those girly lil tennis shoes that make a man’s foot look like he’s a tranny at an all girls parochial school. This however just means they should stop shopping at Urban Outfitters (in the girls section) or Fred Segal (in any section).

These boys just pick wrong. That’s it! They have broken pickers!

Here are my fave stores in LA:

Douglass Fir

Owner Jon Noble says “basically we just buy what we like & put it in the store.” Jon has really good taste. This understated cool boutique has been around for 10 years & counting. One day while shopping the crew who recognized me & were super cool, cut me a break on a pair of Paul Smith boots. They were on sale at Barney’s and the guys matched the price. That’s customer service.

Faves: Paul Smith, Martin Margiela

8311 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 651-5445

Albert Hammond Jr Black Suit

Confederacy

Is it Silver Lake or Echo Park? I don’t know. I normally don’t like going east of  Crescent Heights but I will for Confederacy. If you wanna know what hipster are wearing in NY this is the place to go. Exposed brick and beams give the store a warehouse feel and provide the perfect back drop for one of the best edited clothing selections in LA. This is what Fred Segal thinks it is.

Faves: Band Of Outsiders, Shipley & Halmos, Patrik Ervell, Albert Hammond Jr

4661 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 913-3040

Seize Sur Vingt Shirt

Apartment Number 9

I’ve known the girls from Apartment Number 9 for ages. Their 1st store in on Damen Ave in Chicago remains one of my favorites and is a must visit each time I return home. Their cozy, lil store in Santa Monica’s Brentwood Country Mart is a haven of cool, wearable clothes for the guy that wants to look great without a lot of tricky bells and whistles. Don’t go unless you wanna buy something because what you are looking for is there.

Faves: Seize Sur Vingt, Steven Alan, Trovata, Mason’s

225 26th St., Santa Monica, (310) 394-9440

American Rag

I have a major love/hate relationship with American Rag Cie. The worst customer service in LA. The best shoe department in LA. The coolest mens vintage in LA. The worst merchandising in LA. The coolest collection of books & music in LA. The worst customer service in LA. The only store more over-priced than American Rag Cie is Fred Segal. They really do have a great selection of new and established designers but it’s a fight to pull a hanger out of the racks & God forbid you need help from the pouty, insouciant sales staff. This is where disgruntled hipsters work before they go to die at Fred Segal Melrose.

Faves: Acne, Fred Perry by Raf Simmons, Comme des Garcons

150 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 935-3154

Mick Dressed Wool Blazer

J. Lindeberg

Don’t even get me started with “J.” The best tailored suits at a surprisingly inexpensive price (if compared to comparable designers like John Varvatos, Helmut Lang, and Paul Smith). Sleek, minimal, perfect are words I think of when describing Stockholm based designer J. Lindeberg. Every man needs a tux and no one cuts a young, hip tux like J. When you see Brad Pitt dressed up, odds are he’s wearing J. Lindeberg. I’ll never get over the fact that he no longer does boot cut trousers! Never.

Faves: Mark Dressed Wool Trouser, Mick Dressed Wool Blazer

8500 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 659-7340

Engineered Garments Scarves

Legion Los Angeles

Coolest thing on Larchmont Blvd. I’m a huge fan of their mens accessories. The store is sort of uneven. For every cool thing there’s a slightly cheesy thing. You kinda have to be careful here and edit well.

Faves: Engineered Garments, A.P.C., Gilded Age, Rogan, Marc by Marc Jacobs

141 1/2 N Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 871-1900

Alpha Man

It’s not just because the owners Darren Gold & Christos Garinkos are such cutie patooties, it’s because this store is a mens emporium. From the best cashmere sweaters to the coolest underwear to the newest in skincare to the best stationary, games, books, gadgets, et al., this is the store to get the guy, that has everything, the gift he doesn’t have!

Faves: John Richmond, Vince, John Bartlett

8625 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 855-0775

Opening Ceremony

The coolest mens & womens store in LA. Period. I haven’t been so floored by a store since the 1st time I entered Colette in Paris in ‘97.

Faves: Rodarte, Gitman Brothers for Opening Ceremony, T by Alexander Wang

451 La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 652-1120

Parke & Ronen

Ronen is sexy. You can just imagine Ronen wearing is barely there swimsuits, sunning himself in Capri. I love that this store doesn’t just sell Parke & Ronen but also cool tees and even cute tennis shoes by Le Coq Sportif.

Faves: Corcovado Bikini, Naples Shorts

8012 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 852-1635

Details choices (while maverick they are a bit too specific for my taste). I do like Craft but would like to see more:

Surfing Cowboys

Vintage furniture and beach-bum-worthy hoodies.
1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 450-4891

The Stronghold

Rugged classics by Filson and Pendleton, plus its own denim label.
1625 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 399-7200

Craft

Alden shoes and Moscot glasses, along with Japanese heavyweights like Sugar Cane jeans.
513 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 855-3976

And 1 store I’m terribly excited for:

Andrew Christian

My pal & sidekick Andrew Christian is opening his eponymous store later this month. AC* has become one of the top mens underwear and swim wear designers in the world with his sexy take on very male iconology (firefighters, policemen, rugby players, etc.).

8943 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (no phone # yet.)

So there you have it! I take on LA’s hottest mens stores with just a little help and inspiration from Details magazine. Think I missed anything? Please comment below! Happy shopping! M*

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Hanging with friends, talking and laughing. Sleeping in my own bed with my bills paid.

Which living person do you most admire?
The Dalai Lama, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela and Kanye West.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Fear of the unknown, of the future and even success. I’m working on being brave.

What is your greatest extravagance?
Shoes. Clothes. Skincare products. Nights out. Fun!

On what occasion do you lie?
All the time. You simply must. I try to make them lil ones!

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
The word “no.” It has power and I’ve finally learned to use it. It’s easier to go from “no” to “yes” than from “yes” to “no.”

What is your greatest regret?
None. Why waste time & energy living in the past? Mistakes? They’ve gotten me to where I am. As far as regrets, I’m happy and have come to terms with so much.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Waking up each morning and being able to look myself in the eye is awesome. Professionally my 1st appearance on The Tyra Banks Show and hosting E!’s Perfect Catch.






What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My family and myself. My pal Melanie too.

Which talent would you most like to have?
Diplomacy.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
“Deep?” I’d forgive others & not judge. “Fluff?” I’d have my eyes done and get a raging six-pack.

What would you change about your family?
We’d be closer. We could love each other for who we are.

What would you consider your greatest achievement?
Happiness and optimism in the face of the obstacles faced by African American men & gay men.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?
The President of The United States.



If you choose what to come back as, what would it be?
A philanthropist.

What qualities do you most like in a man?
Humor, intelligence, kindness, honesty and strength.

What qualities do you most like in a woman?
Strength, self-assurance & wit.

What do you value most in your friends?
Loyalty, truth and humor.

Who are your favorite writers?
Ernest Hemingway, Kurt Vonnegut, Alex Sanchez, David Sedaris, Gregory Maguire and Dan Drown.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
I love the Little Prince, Charlie Brown, Holly Golightly and that kid from BB3. Marcellas… Yeah him.



Who are your heroes in “Real Life”?
I am my own hero.

What are your favorite names?
Marc, Nicholaus, Christian.

What is your motto?
“Be your own hero.” I also like “Do not cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

M*

Here are the 5 stars that I think are the best dressed men of stage and screen;

Let’s start at #5 with super-hottie Matthew Morrison, Will Schuester from Glee. Who would have thought that an all singin’, all dancin’ celebration of the hell that is high school would become one of TVs hottest shows? A lot of Glee’s success has to do with the adorable Matthew. I didn’t have teachers who looked like Matthew. And thank goodness! I would have failed his class over and over and over just to be near him! Matthew’s Will Schuester makes preppy look easy & mixes it with a dash of hip! Look for cashmere sweaters & vests layered over collared shirts with loose ties, boot cut jeans & a leather jacket tossed over it all to edge it up.

#4 on my list of TV Star Style Icons is Sheldon from CBS’ Big Bang Theory played by Jim Parsons. You may think I’m crazy to add Sheldon. If you are a fan of the show you know Jim’s awkward, socially inept genius physicist could probably care less about fashion. Now look closely. Even closer. Sheldon has mastered ‘geek-chic’. He mixes flat front khakis, vintage shirts, flares & ironic, funny tees with old school trainers in a way that has personality and a definite point of view. He’s also mastered the art of layering. If you don’t believe he’s become a fashion star then check out SheldonShirts.com. Yep, there’s a web-site dedicated to tees that Jim has worn on the show.

Roaring in at #3 on my list of TV’s best dressed men is Michael Westen of Burn Notice played by super hot Jeffrey Donovan. Jeffrey has made a career out of playing complicated, sexy characters and his Michael Westen is no departure. As a fired or ‘burned’ spy turned do-gooder who is constantly on the run from bad guys, Michael is like MacGuyvr meets Bond meets Sonny Crockett. He makes running, shooting, hand-to-hand combat and blowing stuff up hot! His style is a mod mix of Miami pastels, hip, tailored suits, fitted polos that show every muscle & the best trousers on TV. He mixes ethnic influences like guayaberas with American standards like khakis, pulled together with a straw hat to look cool with a side of menacing. Simply put if you’re gonna tangle with the bad guys yet get the girl you better look the part.

Speaking of natty no one pulls it off better than our runner-up Jon Hamm playing the stunning ad exec Don Draper on AMC’s award winning hit, Mad Men. Set in the 50s the show could easily fall, stylistically anyway, into kitsch, like watching an old episode of Bewitched. But it’s Jon Hamm’s complete immersion into the role of Don Draper & his style that leaves viewers panting for more. Don Draper wields style like a sword letting everyone know he’s a master of the advertising universe. Wearing sharply tailored suits, skinny ties and very male accessories like pocket squares, tie clips, wayfarers and even fedoras Jon Hamm exudes power & sex appeal. He makes you want to dress up & look like a man.

And the #1 most stylish character on TV, my top Star Style Icon is Neal Caffrey, (Matt Bomer) from the hit show White Collar. As if from out of nowhere Matt Bomer is everywhere. With a face and body to die for Matt has made White Collar, a show about a globe-trotting, art thief and con artist, turned FBI agent, the number one show on USA and a cable TV must see. Matt wears clothes like a male model. His style is definitely dressed up natty with a shot of urban cool. Think a young, modern (gay) James Bond… with piercing blue eyes and a penchant for John Varvatos suits. Nobody does it better.

And that dear readers is my list of TV’s top Star Style Icons. Fashion can be hard and true style is not easy. It takes work. Research. And in this case a DVR and some spare hours spent watching TV’s hottest shows! Up next month when we talk Spring/Summer ‘10 Fashion. Until then, keep it stylish. M*

Music is everywhere. It’s a part of everything we do. It’s blaring from the cars cruising down the street. It’s drifting from the powder room as your boyfriend sings in the shower. It’s the best part of our favorite TV shows like Ugly Betty and Glee (hell yeah I’m a proud Gleek)! These days who isn’t toting around their iPod, computer, MP3 player and even phone while grooving to their fave tunes. As Miss Grace Jones sings we ‘work to the rhythm, live to the rhythm, love to the rhythm‘. We’re all slaves to the rhythm!

Here are 6 fab choices to help you groove more stylishly:

“Babe, pick a night to come out and play.
If it’s alright what do you say?
Merrier the more.
Triple fun that way.
Twister on the floor.
What do you say?” - 3, Britney Spears

Kitschy, fun, over-the-top & quirky-cool these LEGO-inspired earphones by Brick are hysterical. But don’t discount them because they’re cute, these colorful in-ear headphones deliver amazing sound and feature a standard 3.5mm stereo audio plug. There are five different colors to chose from: black, blue, green, pink and red. The Brick Earphones are available over at Gadget4all.com and are less than $10. Yep!

I’m always looking for cool ways to tote my stuff around. And I have a lot of baggage! Here are two wicked cool options:

“This kind of love is getting expensive.
We know how to live, baby.
We’re luxurious, like Egyptian cotton.
We’re so rich in love, we’re rolling in cashmere.” - Luxurious, Gwen Stefani

Who is cooler than Gwen Stefani? Her fine ass husband Gavin Rossdale but I digress… When it comes to rocker chic Gwen Stefani’s label L.A.M.B. (which stands for Love Angel Music Baby) reigns supreme. Grab your iPod, earphones, charger and a lipstick and toss it all in L.A.M.B.’s cool graffiti print Gadget Pouch. Keep all your gear organized while looking oh so chic.

“I’m your biggest fan.
I’ll follow you until you love me.
Papa-Paparazzi
Baby there’s no other superstar.
You know that I’ll be.
Papa-Paparazzi.” - Paparazzi, Lady GaGa

I can’t leave the house without my computer. No, my BlackBerry and SideKick aren’t enough. Especially when I’m traveling. I have upwards of 4,000 songs in my iTunes library so it’s safe to say I’m addicted to music. This Wool Check Computer Case simply oozes style. With it’s exterior slip pocket, and interior and exterior organizing pockets it easily doubles as a hip briefcase. Of course it’s by genius menswear accessories designer and CFDA Award winner Jack Spade. Jack I’m your biggest fan.

“Well in your house there are servants, and the lights all dim.
Such a beautiful home, your agent’s on the phone, they never leave you alone.
The party never stops…
You say that’s fantasy, I say “So what, I need a little beauty…” - Precious Box, George Michael.

The Apple Remote is the coolest thing ever. Uber-chic, beyond cool. God forbid as you lounge in your Corbusier chaise, whilst wearing that Gucci suit, as music wafts from your iPod Universal Dock, you should have to arise and stroll over to your Niedermaier console to change a song. And you won’t with your Apple Remote. Touch it… You know you want to…

“Let it drop.
Make it rock.
Baby I’m your boombox.
Make you spin like a top.
Shout it out from the rooftop.
I wanna get in.
Let it drop.
Make it rock.
Baby I’m your boombox.” - Boombox, Kylie Minogue

Evocative of early LL Cool J, Run DMC & the Beastie Boys this modern riff on a bass-thumping boombox looks all kinds of old-school meets high-tech. The Altec Lansing Mix blows your bitchy lil iPod Dock the hell off the corner. And it does it with style and specially engineered tweeters and mid-range drivers. This sound system delivers massive volume from a sub-woofer that bangs bass and beats which will have you singing “Hey DJ just play that song. Keep me dancing all night long.”

“On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair.
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air.
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light.
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim.
I had to stop for the night.” - Hotel California, The Eagles

And lastly for the true music officianado and purist, a destination. Who would have thought to experience something this cool you’d have to travel to Austin, Texas? But let’s not clown Austin, it’s a city steeped in a rich musical tradition. It’s also one of the coolest spots in the biggest state in the Union. Check out the Hotel Saint Cecilia in South Congress. What makes this boutique hotel so musically cool? The owners outfitted its 14 suites with record players. So bring your vintage vinyl. The Eagles, maybe a lil Kansas and if you don’t, never fear, the staff will pull your favorite artists from its ever expanding house library.

There you are my fab readers, 6 things to enhance your enjoyment of the music of your life. I had fun writing this article. I actually created a cool new play list for my iPod. Rock on! M*

E! Net's 2009 Oscar coverage. Charlize Theron make-over.

It’s 2010 and if you are reading this it means we’re already a month into a new year. Time is moving quickly. The world is becoming more and more advanced. Is there time for age old conventions like ‘romance’ and ‘love’ in our modern world? I say yes. As we become more global yet separate with advances in technology, I for one think the human connection & its celebration is the most important thing we can do.

Who says valentines are just for lovers? You can send a valentine to any loved one. Here are 5 gifts that celebrate love in all it’s forms.
Parent to child:

The gift of reading is a life-long one. There is nothing better a parent can pass on to a child than a love of learning. Think about being read to as a child. Those private moments between you and your parents, where lessons are taught, stories are told and child bonds to parent. One of my favorite books is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Published in 1943 it is the story of a young boy’s search for love and self-knowledge. There are so many gorgeous quotes in this book. My favorite is “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” If only everyone believed this.

Co-workers:

Co-workers? Yes, I said it. Co-workers. Think about how much time you and your co-workers spend together. Often it’s more time than spent with friends or family. If you’d buy them a Christmas card, why not a Valentine’s Day card? In an effort not to make this creepy/stalker-ish I suggest giving EVERYONE in your office a valentine (like you did in primary school). How fun, right? And while you are at it give the classic Valentine’s Day candy hearts by NECCO. And don’t worry, some of the newer ones have replaced ‘Be Mine’ with ‘Tres Chic.’ Tres tres chic indeed!

Owner to pet:
Now I am not a proponent of bestiality. In fact I don’t really like pets, though I do have a black tetra named Marcellas. Love is love and people love their pets. I have to admit there are few things cuter than little dogs in outfits. Unless they happen to be held by annoying starlets named after major fashion capitals who have no style whatsoever. I love DoggieVogue.com. They make adorable little sweaters for dogs that I wish they made for humans! I love a Fair Isle knit.

Friends:

I sometime think I love my friends more than I like most of my suitors. To find a friend that you really connect with and trust is a rare blessing. It deserves to be acknowledged, exalted and rewarded. I never get enough one-on-one time with my ‘bestie’ so this year I’m treating my pal to a weekend at the W Hotel. We are getting massages, mani/pedis and salt scrubs at Bliss Spa. Then I’m hooking up with my beau all smooth and silky! See, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Lovers:

All the cliches apply: champagne and chocolates (Dom Perignon and Godiva), lingerie (Carol Malony), sexy undies (Hello Kitty), and sex. As I type this month’s article, looking for glamorous things to ignite passion or show love, my heart is not in it. Haiti has been devastated by an earthquake. A country already devastated by poverty and strife. My suggestion to show the one you love or desire the depth of your emotion? Donate money to the American Red Cross in their name. Then tell them you love them. Tell them that this world is better with them in it and you never want to know a world without them. Happy Valentine’s Day.

M*

This was either a good month or a bad month for shopping. In a way it was great because I spent very little money. But since I’m a consumer and consumers consume, it was kinda bad for the economy! In all honesty I don’t need a thing. I’m also on a new work out regimen. If I drop 20 it will be like having a whole new wardrobe since I can get back into my skinny clothes.

Without further ado here’s the list of what’s going and coming:

From Barneys New York -

Trovata Blue Bib Stitched Shirt $79.73 ($195 marked down to $119 then 33% off! I love it because it’s woven in mini blue houndstooth check with a tuxedo detail. Fab!)

Barney’s CO-OP Blue Stripe Shirt $59.63 ($145 marked down to $89 then 33% off.)

From H&M -

Red & White Stripe Shirt $15.00 (Originally $29.90 but all shirts on sale for $15!)

Heritage 1981 -

Black V Neck Cashmere Sweater w/Epaulets $21.90

Black V Neck Cashmere Sweater w/Epaulets $21.90 (Who can resist cashmere for $22 bucks?)

From Urban Outfitters -

Donny Readers $6.99 (Marked down from $10. My next look is gonna be Black boy ‘geek-chic’ meets prepster.)

Vulgar Tee $14.99 (Marked down from $24. Biting the (fashion) hand that feeds me!)

Generic Surplus Military Hi-tops $29.99 (Originally $70. I love these for spring! Canvas & suede, so very chic.)

I had to buy a few non-fashion things for the home. I’m ADDICTED to art, photography and fashion books by Rizzoli and Taschen. I’m also addicted to Kelly Wearstler. She’s like my hero. Effortlessly chic and has a profound impact on the style world around her. And she was a playmate of the month in ‘94!

From Amazon.com -

Hue by Kelly Wearstler $32.97 (32% off $49.95!)

Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style by Kelly Wearstler $32.40 (28% off %45. Kelly at a discount! Priceless.)

From Taschen  (Who was hosting a 50 - 70% off warehouse sale!) -

All-American Ads 50s $19.99

Film Posters of the 60s by Tony Nourmand & Grahman Marsh $7.49

Film Posters of the 70s by Tony Nourmand & Grahman Marsh $7.49

So that is it. A lil glimpse into how I shop, strangely how I live and actually my future. Which could be the poor house if I don’t slow down and stop shopping! Not gonna happen… This weekend is Bloomies’ 50 - 70% mark down sale on previously reduced merch. I love a sale! M*