Barguments

When I was on a 10 hour road trip with a girlfriend I would ask questions from a book I'd picked up full of "getting to know you" kinds of questions. It was a little lame, but as we crossed the wilds of Canada it was at least a distraction. If only we'd have Barguments, a book full of totally random and totally entertaining questions with very open ends. Even better, you can debate these questions drunk!

A few examples:
"In your dream kitchen, would you rather have a beer tap or a Slurpee machine?"
" If you could marry into any family, which would you choose?"
"Who would win in a war: Texas or California?"

Image from Amazon

A primer in conflict diamonds

Every woman out there wants conflict free diamonds. As a suitor you must be responsible and aware of what a conflict diamond is (beyond what you learned in Blood Diamond). Wendy B, jeweler extraordinaire, has written a primer in conflict diamonds that you should check out before you start purchasing bling for your lady.

Image from about.com

The Art of Manliness

I provide advice on "how to be a man" from a woman's perspective here at the Charming Dandy, and the Art of Manliness provides similar information from the perspective of a man. The Art of Manliness is well written and touches on some great topics, go check it out!

Image from The Art of Manliness

Charming Chat: Colette

Colette was more than a writer in France, we was a cultural icon. Upon her death she was given a full state funeral. She was the second woman in history to be made a grand officer of the Legion of Honor by the French government.

This podcast talks about who Colette was, her major works and why she was so important.

How to tie bowties and neckties

Margot from Ralph Lauren Rugby emailed me today to let me know their spring line has been released. She also included a link to Rugby's youtube website which has absolutely perfect videos providing instructions for how to tie a four in hand knot and how to tie a bow tie. As a woman who's husband was late to the church on her wedding day because he could not tie his bowtie I appreciated the how to tie a bowtie video a great deal:

A step by step guide on how to tie a four in hand knot:

A step by step guide on how to tie a bowtie:

Why don't you...

Why don't you replace this poster from your college dorm...

...with a vintage beer or absinthe advertisement?

Posters from allposters.com

Introducing Charming Chat

Introducing Charming Chat, the new podcast brought to you by Chic and Charming and the Charming Dandy! I have been able to figure out how to do almost everything except post one of those little players in my actual blog. So, my dear readers, you will have to click on the image above to find out what my new podcast is all about!

If you would like to subscribe to my podcast via RSS (ie on your blog reader) click here:

I will keep you posted each time I put up a new podcast! I am not on iTunes yet, but I hope to be listed within the month so that you can automatically download Charming Chat to your iPod!

Every man should wear cologne

My very first boyfriend wore a cologne from Abercrombie and Fitch and Old Spice deodorant. To this day, when I smell either one I think of him. My husband wears Acqua Di Gio Cologne for Men by Giorgio Armani and before we got married he used the same laundry detergent for years. When we were dating I used to get upset when his mother would do the laundry because he smelled different. All humans associate scent strongly with feelings and memories. Do you want your significant other to remember you as smelling of sweat or cologne, because trust me he/she will always remember what you smell like.

Image from directfragrances.net.au

Cocktail Hour: Old-Fashioned

The old-fashioned is a classic cocktail that every bourbon and whiskey lover should know how to make. It is one of my personal favorites, and requires little skill to prepare. There is a great deal of room to personalize the cocktail to suit your tastes. I like mine with extra cherries.

The base:
Muddle a maraschino cherry with an orange slice in the bottom of a glass with a teaspoon of sugar and 2 dashes of bitters. Pour 2-3 oz of Bourbon (I favor Markers Mark).

Variations:

• You may serve it neat or on the rocks, I prefer rocks
• The drink is typically topped off with soda water. I find the amount of soda water preferred varies from person to person.
• Some people add lemon.
  
• Using an fruit infused bourbon adds a nice touch. To infuse bourbon, dice up fruit and add to bourbon. Let the mixture sit for a week or two in the fridge. Strain out the fruit and the bourbon should now taste like the fruit. I like peach infused bourbon.
  

*Angostura bitters is available from the grocer
**Muddling means crushing/pulverizing into the bottom of the glass

Image from seriouseats.com

Why don't you...

Why don't you buy an orchid for yourself? Orchids are absolutely fabulous on so many levels. Aesthetically there is a minimalism about them which blends nicely into masculine surroundings. They are absolutely beautiful and sometimes they smell lovely as well. I had an orchid once that smelled of chocolate. Orchids are very easy to care for! They require you to water them once every couple of weeks and they flower, literally, for weeks to months. If you have a Trader Joe's near by you can buy an orchid for 10-20 dollars! Just don't keep your orchid in the kitchen, the ethylene from ripening fruit can cause the flowers to die prematurely.

Orchids also make great gifts! Why not take one as a hostess gift to you next dinner party?

Image from happyorchid.com

Groom's Guide: The bridal party and what to wear

• You get to pick your groomsmen! You get to pick your best man! You get to pick what you wear! You get to pick what your “entourage” wears! These things should be done in consultation with your bride-to-be, but you get the final say.
• Consider letting your groomsmen wear their own suits to the wedding. Everyone looks better in their own suit that in a rented tux, it also saves money. Coordinate them by requesting they all wear the same color suit and shirt, with a tie and pocket square or boutonniere of you choice.
• For heavens sake, let your groomsmen wear their own shoes!! There are few things grosser than rented shoes. If anyone is going to notice that your groomsmen are not wearing matching patent leather shoes with 1 inch rubber lifts, it will only be in a good way.
• If you choose tuxes, your wedding should be 6 pm or later. If you foresee wearing a tux more than four times in the next 2-3 years, it might be worthwhile to buy one. You should be aware that while you might own a tux, some brides will not let you wear it in their wedding as they feel everyone must “match” like a little army .

Cocktail Hour: Sidecar

Cognac is an excellent spirit to keep stocked in your liquor cabinet, it is a high quality brandy from a specific region in France. Cognac can be sipped straight up, as an excellent after dinner drink, however this is a little too strong for some palates. So, while you might sip your cognac, your friends could prefer a delicious sidecar.

The Base:
Shake 1.5 oz. of Cognac with .5 oz of Cointreau and .5 oz of lemon juice. Strain into a cocktail glass with a cherry nestled at the bottom.

Variations:

• I like to make my "sidecars" by mixing 2 oz of Cognac with 1 oz of a mixture of lemon and orange juice and a dash of simple syrup. I only use fresh juice to make mixed drinks, it makes a huge difference.
• If you MUST, you can substitute triple sec for cointreau
• Other Brandies can be substituted for Cognac.
• I like my sidecar with a sugared rim

Image from drinkalizer.com