The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » sex

Not Just A Label: Exclusive Organic Collection

joshuakatcher — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:43:03 +0000

NOTJUSTALABEL.com, a global business directory for the avant-garde fashion design industry, presents its first, collaborative, Organic Collection for Spring-Summer 2010. Maintaining their strong focus on championing the industry’s eco-fashion sector, NJAL's t-shirts are made from organic fair-trade cotton, meaning the fabric is void of any synthetic chemicals. As a company aiming to break the ground for the design of tomorrow, ethical production is the only way to go. Since its beginnings in 2008, NOT JUST A LABEL (NJAL) has strived to support new fashion design talent from around the world by providing a destination site for consumers to reference and buy direct from their favorite new designers. As a limited edition offering NJAL have partnered with three very exciting new designers that currently showcase on the NJAL directory to create a unique collection of organic cotton t-shirts and tank tops featuring signature designs and prints by the designers. The handmade pieces feature a special embroidered label, detailing the designer’s background and choice of design and each piece comes in a beautiful presentation box. NJAL worked with three designers on the project, chosen for their unique sustainable sensibilities and eclectic style. London based Japanese designer Aoi Kotsuhiroi has applied her individual poetic imprint to the collection. The pristine yet powerful expression of her jewellery design is perfectly translated through print on her sheer cotton fabric ‘Nowhere’ Tank Top. Patrick Mohr is one of Germany’s most current and prominent designers; his loose-fitting t-shirt silhouette provides a perfect template for the style of the NJAL t-shirts. The simplistic graphic black and white fabric divide on both the t-shirt and tank gives a masculine edge and simplicity to these unisex styles. Spon Diogo is the design duo that provided the unique print for the third unisex t-shirt. With the graphic and structured take on prints and cuts that is so characteristic of young Danish design, the Ying Yang t-shirt perfectly balances out the collection. In addition to the ethical modes of production, t-shirts ordered from the collection will be delivered in custom designed sustainable packaging by UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company. UPS will provide in-kind delivery of the orders placed via NOTJUSTALABEL.com. Nick Basford, marketing director, UPS UK & Ireland, commented: “Every day, UPS’s expertise helps facilitate the movement of fashion goods around the globe. This project offers a unique opportunity to support the work of some of the world’s most exciting new designers, while at the same time helping to promote a more sustainable and ethical industry, an aim UPS is wholly committed to as a company.” The NOT JUST A LABEL Organic T-Shirts will be available in a limited stock from the online shop NOTJUSTALABEL.com from Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 and priced at £55 / €65 each.

San Francisco Treats: Wholesome Bakery & PACT Organic Underwear

joshuakatcher — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:40:39 +0000

Let's make a PACT. Sustainably manufactured, premium organic cotton underwear for men (and women)! PACT just released its newest print -- one designed by African architect David Adjaye and inspired by Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement, a nonprofit that promotes peace and democracy in Africa through tree planting. PACT underwear is designed in collaboration with Yves Behar and fuseproject, the industrial design studio behind the Jawbone headset, the One Laptop per Child XO Laptop and the Herman Miller LEAF lamp. Each underwear collection is developed in partnership with a nonprofit, which gets 10% of all sales, and an artist who creates print designs inspired by the nonprofit’s work.

My pal (and vegan model) Jayce Alexander, strips down to his undies in this video for PACT:

• Wholesome Bakery in San Fran has a brand new location and is serving up some amazing treats. Have any of you visited? If so, what are the must-have treats?

Cocoa V, Manhattan

joshuakatcher — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 22:51:03 +0000

When I visited Chelsea's sweetest new boutique, Cocoa V, I was blown away by the craftsmanship and visual appeal of the brightly spattered and patterned confections filling the glass cases and the artistry of the decadent pastries piled on the cake stands. I was even more impressed when I discovered that everything is 100% organic, vegan, and fair-trade. The space itself is quite versatile; a long wall divides a candlelit dining area and a vibrant storefront - making it ideal for lunch, dinner, a social gathering or a romantic date. Everything is made on premises in a small kitchen by Chocolatier Patrick Coston, who offers a complete line of bonbons, truffles, bark, bars and baked goods. Special treats like their signature vegan "milk" chocolate truffles, almond toffee, and chocolate covered caramel popcorn are impossible to resist. The vegan cashew-cheese plates and savory tea sandwiches like the chickpea melt and a delicious, umami vegan quiche are a great way to balance the sweets. Cocoa V has a carefully edited selection of wine and beer, and offers an already-infamous hot cocoa, fresh juices, and smooth Stumptown coffee. They even make handmade holiday treats like chocolate Easter rabbits and eggs (see bottom of page). Being able to indulge in a plate of dark chocolates and cashew cheese has always been a fantasy of mine (I dream big) and now I get to have it! Go be a kid in a candy store again, and when you visit, make sure to mention that you read about it on The Discerning Brute, and get 10% off ! Not in NYC? Don't worry, you can shop online!

Fluevog Fancy Feet, Our Hen House, and TV Stars go Veg

joshuakatcher — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:45 +0000

• My new spring shoes are these killer, plaid, vegan oxfords from John Fluevog! How cool are these? They're perfect with khaki shorts, jeans, or black trousers. From a punk rock club to wall street, you can mismatch them with other patters, or let these kicks stand alone as the centerpiece of your outfit. The best thing of all is that help you tread more light since they're free of leather, one of the nastiest sources of pollution and global warming. $179 • I was recently interviewed on the podcast "Our Hen House, Episode 9" where I discussed The Cave Man Diet, Mainstream Manliness, and other interesting tidbits with fabulous hosts and activists Jasmin and Mariann. If you aren't subscribed to this podcast that discusses all kinds of ideas on how individuals can make change for animals, you should SUBCRIBE.

• American Idol's Ruben Studdard, went vegan and has lost over 100 lbs already! One of his favorite restaurants is Soul Veg in Atlanta. Ruben explained his weight-loss on 'The Wendy Williams Show', saying, ”I went to vegetarianism about a year-and-a-half ago, and then about 6 months ago I started being completely vegan.” Read the full article on Ecorazzi and his interview with Peta.

• According to VegetarianStar.com, Biggest Loser host and trainer, Bob Harper is almost 100% vegan, and has challenged his twitter followers to go vegan, too! When his cholesterol dropped 100 points after going veg, he couldn't help but send out tweets like this: "Your Challenge today is to go the next 24 hours, starting now eliminating ALL animal products. Good for your heart AND the environment!!" "I'm a HUGE fan of Gardein!!" "I love this day..getting together with a couple of close friends and I'm preparing a VEGAN FEAST..hope they like it!!" Follow Bob on Twitter, too.

Human Breast Cheese, SIGG Sale, Tofu Tester & Sonic Fedora

joshuakatcher — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:00:05 +0000

• I'm trying to figure out what the hell all this infantile (haha!) hysteria about he human breast milk cheese is really about. Is it really being considered the worst idea ever? It it really illegal? C'mon. Really? When comparing cow and human milk, let's ask a few question. Which milk comes from a consenting individual? It's not the cows'. Which milk typically has pus, blood, synthetic hormones, and feces in it? Nope, not the human milk. Which milk is designed by nature for human consumption? Not the cows'. Which milk is responsible for the veal industry and global warming? Not the human milk. So why are people freaking out? Why is human breast milk any more gross than drinking the random tit milk from a cow stuck in a filthy factory farm up to its knees in feces? Let's face it, people are so boob obsessed that's all they can think about. Boobs! But if you had to push a calf aside, crawl under a cow and put an udder in your mouth and suck - you'd have a much different point of view. The anonymity and safety of the milk carton obscures the truth. The newness of the human milk illicits visions of adults sucking on pregnant tits, which is, apparently, very scary. That's why I prefer almond, coconut, rice, and soy milk. Yum! What do you think about this issue? Leave a comment! • SIGG sale at Gilt Groupe! Only $10 - $15. Click here for you invitation to Gilt. • Serious Eats' Michael Natkin conducted a taste test of several store-bought tofu brands to bring you the least-bland winner of the taste test! I've never been a huge fan of plan old tofu, but according to Michael:

"...not all tofu is created equal. Some tofu has a mild, sweet beany flavor and a smooth consistency, while other brands have flavor defects and strange textures.

In Japan, it's understood that top-shelf bean curd is an artisanal product made with only the best soybeans and spring water and processed with labor-intensive traditional techniques. That level of appreciation is unusual in the United States, but perhaps it will become more common as we realize that tofu is a versatile and delicious food in its own right, not a replacement for meat."

• Remember those recycled cassette tape ties? Check these recycled cassette tape fedoras from the same people!

Future Cave Man: The Paleo Diet

joshuakatcher — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:36:53 +0000

When John Durant of Hunter-Gatherer.com appeared on the Colbert Report the other night to promote the Cave Man Diet (Paleo Diet), it seemed easy to dismiss him as a total kook hooked on machismo. He sat on stage talking about climbing trees for exercise, looking for a lady with lactose-intolerance and celiac disease (that he could bash over the head and drag back to his New York apartment?), and complaining about the inherent health problems associated with industrial food production - especially grains and refined sugars, which most vegetarian chicks are hooked on, apparently. When asked what he eats for breakfast, he responded "eggs and bacon." "Huh?" I thought. I may not be an anthropologist, but I wondered if he snatched those eggs from a pigeon's nest in Central Park (illegal) like his ancestors may have done in their local niche? His breakfast, unless it was wild boar bacon and local wild goose eggs is in contradiction to his own argument. But he did not clarify, so it may have been! It turns out he's not a total kook. The unfortunate part of this testosterone spectacle is that there is a lot of legitimacy to what John Durant might have to say about the way pre-civilized people lived, aside from what he thought they ate. For people like John and a gastroenterologist named Walter L. Voegtlin - who popularized the fad diet in the 70s, it's just about diet and nutrition. Like At kins, the focus on meat is neither nutritionally or historically accurate. The idea of hunting equaling manhood and simulated running-from-mammoths as a form of exercise belongs in the 1970's along with the outdated and prejudice ideas anthropologists had about primitive peoples during that time. The true tragedy is that the social and political implications of dispelling myths about primitive peoples are not only left by the wayside, but stereotypes are embraced and exploited. In the same way that Durant might argue for the healthfulness of eating the entire orange as opposed to just drinking the juice, the fiber of the argument is left out in favor of something refined and out of context: the sweet juice of masculine vanity . In a NYT Article in January, Durant's three-foot-tall refrigerated meat locker is referenced, yet would never have been found in any cave. "The caveman lifestyle, in Mr. Durant’s interpretation, involves eating large quantities of meat and then fasting between meals to approximate the lean times that his distant ancestors faced between hunts. Then he says, “I didn’t want to do some faddish diet that my sister would do.” Ironically, the Cave Man Diet has been qualified as a fad diet by the National Health Service of England and American Dietetic Association, yet well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets that his sister, and many of the women he complains about in his Colbert interview may partake in, are considered "healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases... suitable for all stages of the life-cycle," according to the ADA. Colbert was clearly onto something in asking if this were some glorified form of the Atkins diet. The biggest problem with John Durant's beliefs about food lie in anthropological inaccuracy. Even today there is far too much variability among gatherer-hunter cultures to be able to illustrate “typical” behavior. But Recent discoveries like Ardi require us to re-write our evolutionary history, and more recent anthropological findings make a strong case that pre-civilized planet earth was, in most favorable climates, a bounty of gatherable foods, and evidence suggests that women provided 60-80% of the diet in gathered plant foods, much like the !Kung of the Kalahari Desert in southwestern Africa and the Mbuti of the central African rain forest . Also left out of this popular fad diet is the evolutionary importance of the introduction of new plant foods, such as tubers, into the human diet when our ancestors transitioned from the forests into savannas . If Durant were following a more accurate gatherer-hunter diet, and not one based on movies and out-dated anthropology, it would consist mostly of seeds, berries, roots, shoots, fruits, nuts, leaves, larvae, honey, shellfish, crustaceans and occasional additions of the organs and high-fat body parts of animals. Let's consider that hunting required a lot more energy, time, and tool-making than gathering plant-based foods. Hunting game is preferred in areas where gathering was not the obvious and efficient choice, like the arctic circle. It seems that if you threw a few grubs into a raw foodists salad once in a while- they and fruitarians are more evolutionarily accurate than John Durant's diet, which is based on European Ice Age and traditional Eskimo diets. In the majority of cases, the term hunter-gatherer should be flipped with the "gatherer" as being primary. We can agree with these modern cave-men that incredible prejudice exists against pre-civilized peoples. Theorists, anthropologists and writers who have become more mainstream, like John Zerzan and Derrick Jensen and Daniel Quinn, deal with these issues and make the argument that, in fact, many pre-civilized peoples lead very leisurely and healthy lives full of play, sex, rest, and minimal "work". Primitivism, and the study of pre-industrial and pre-civilized peoples often contradicts the idea that life was a perpetual struggle ending in early death. The idea that it was all struggle and pain is a modern rationalization as to why we chose to head towards civilization - we must have abandoned that lifestyle for good reason, no? But many anthropologists now ask whether it was a choice or was there a draconian drama that unfolded? You'd think that someone who bases their ideal diet on the way things were thousands of years ago, would have some concern for the environment, since the earth was in quite a different state back then. Currently, raising animals for food is the greatest single cause of global warming and rainforest destruction. There are 300 million indigenous and non-indigenous people who live in forests and whose livelihoods and very homes are threatened by modern meat production. It's ironic that the peoples whose lives are modeled in this diet are threatened because of the very foods it suggests we focus on. Unless of course, Durand makes the silly suggestion that there is enough wild game and grass-fed beef to feed the world a meat-centered diet. A plant-based diet easily resolves this problem. Durant complains about all the vegetarian girls he meets being addicted to sugar. However, far from being a rare delicacy, honey contributed a substantial portion of the calories in many primitive diets. The Hazda of Tanzania, the Mbuti pygmies of the Congo, the Veddas or Wild Men of Sri Lanka, the Guayaka Indians of Paraguay, the Bushmen of South Africa and the Aborigines of Australia, all put a high value on honey and consumed it in large amounts. It appears that salty and sweet taste-buds are not, in fact, superfluous. Furthermore, many American Indians consumed Maple Syrup and used it in preparing other foods. John Durant's fascination and promotion of the Cave Man Fad Diet seems due to the romanticized manliness associated with hunters and his personal desire to identify as a "real" man. However, what he has to say about the dangers of sedentary lifestyles, the benefits of play and exercise, the health hazards of industrialized food systems, dairy products and refined grains and sugars do offer serious legitimacy and are all things we should get on board with. Even attempting to re-learn what is edible in our local bioregions could be crucial to our survival as a species. But the preference for meat is riddled with prejudice, historical inaccuracy, ecological devastation, and outdated definitions of manhood.

The Strong, Sexy, Silent Type (of New Year’s Cleanse)

joshuakatcher — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:28:34 +0000

By featured contributor, Dr. Alejandro Junger

How does a discerning gentleman such as yourself get ready for the brand spanking newness of 2010? By getting squeaky clean, starting from the inside out.

No matter how many better-for-you-than-the-alternative-but-still-sweet-vegan goodies you scarfed down this holiday season, there's hope for squeezing into those animal & eco friendly duds you got for Christmas or Hanukkah and feeling your overall fabulous (yet manly) self. All of you gentlemen out there want pretty much the same things: to get rid of that spare tire or beer belly, look in the mirror and see clear, chiseled features, hear the women in your lives exclaim over how good you smell, alleviate depression (common with the lack of sunlight this time of year), feel sharper and stronger, have clear thoughts and increased stamina, as well as lower your risks for possible diseases and health problems in the future. You know that to accomplish all of this, a detox is definitely required, and before you write them off as too expensive or complicated, think again, because a detox is something you can easily do at home with a bit of advice and some motivation. So here you go: Consider this a house call/kick-start from your very own personal detox specialist! 1. YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE, SO CLEAN THE HOUSE! Literally, by getting rid of toxins from as many areas as you can. Consume, bathe, slather, sleep on, wear and generally surround yourself with as many organic and all-natural products as possible. Yes, it's incredibly important to eat chemical-free foods (local and seasonal as well) but don't forget about your cleaning products, or the sheets you spend 1/3 of your time in (maybe more if your new clean habits increase your stamina and suddenly magnetic attractiveness!), or the shaving lotion, cologne and toothpaste you use. Our skin is our largest organ and if toxins are going on it, you can rest assured they're doing harm in your body as well. 2. LOVE THOSE GREENS. There was a reason Olive Oyl was enamored with Popeye. He loved his green vegetables and had the muscles to prove it. Dark green vegetables are powerhouses of energy, vitamins, minerals, mood-boosters, immune system strengtheners, weight loss tools, and basic overall miracle workers. They are tools that no man should be without on the road to optimal health and vitality. Raw, juiced, steamed, sauteed, blended; however you eat them, just make sure you are! 3. BE THE STRONG, SEXY, SILENT TYPE. It works for rugged cowboys, and it will work in more ways than one for you. When you find time to be quiet as often as you can throughout the day, you are alleviating the stress and anxiety that builds up from normal everyday life. Stilling the mind works the connection between mind and body and when your mind is calm, quiet, strong and regenerated, your body immediately follows. Nothing fancy, just a few minutes a day, so instead of zoning out in front of the tv, lie, sit or stand with your eyes half lowered or closed and let your thoughts simply fall away without control or stress or pressure to do anything in that moment except BE. When you're called out for being lazy and unmotivated, invite whoever it is to join you and raise the peaceful love vibration of the world, so suddenly you have entirely universal and unselfish results for what started out as sort of a self-serving act! Oh and don't forget your beauty sleep either. . . most of us need roughly 8 hours to have the best skin, metabolism, immunity and overall mood possible. Winter is the perfect time to become a bit more bear-like and hibernate more than usual, it actually harms our health to fight nature as we do, working like crazy even when the sun is telling us to slow down a bit. 4. LOSE/HEAL YOUR GUT. When you work to promote optimal gastrointestinal health, you simultaneously streamline your size as well. . . a healthy gut is usually not a bloated and extended one so take a daily probiotic, eat lots of fermented foods (miso, sauerkraut, spicy kimchi, kombucha), and make sure you're staying well hydrated with plenty of water. Also don't forget to move around. Walk, run, stretch, lift, swim, climb stairs, play with your kids, play pickup ball games, have sex, cook a meal, hug everyone. . .any kind of movement benefits you in more ways than one, between losing extra weight, acting like happy pills, and making human connections.

So what are you waiting for? Get busy cleaning up your act this January. . . and get your sexy back.

Dr. Alejandro Junger lives in New York City, where he practices at the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and at the Akasha Center in LA. He is the Director of Integrative Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Biomimicry, Celebrity Auction & A Veg Hanukkah

joshuakatcher — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:30:40 +0000

What Would Nature Do? Biomimicry is a fascinating emerging discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems.

Still looking for the perfect, wool-free peacoat? If we didn't wow you with our previous list, here's a few extras. The Armani cotton peacoat, and Helmut Lang cotton/acrylic pea coat are not cheap, but they're wool-free and will stay in your wardrobe for life. Classic styles like this are not going anywhere.

Instead of a shorter coat, Banana Republic's moleskin trench and French Connection's Moleskin car coat are great alternatives - and brushed moleskin is a warm, heavy, sturdy and soft cotton. No moles are hurt!

Have you ever wanted to do yoga with Russel Simmons or take five of your friends to a private dinner party prepared by Celeb Chef Tal Ronnen with actress Ginnifer Goodwin and Author Rory Freedman? What about lunch with Supermodel Tatjana Patitz or 2 VIP Tickets to the Ellen DeGeneres Show or two tickets and backstage passes to see 30 Seconds to Mars? Whether it's art, a health consultation, or meeting the stars, the Farm Sanctuary auction on Charity Buzz has some amazing stuff worth checking out. This could make a really great holiday gift and help out one of our favorite organizations!

It's almost Hanukkah! If you have no idea what to make your brisket-loving family, quit your kvetching and start smoking your marijuanica, compiling Jewish recipes and planning a traditional menu. From Sweet and Sour Cabbage Borscht, Carrot and Sweet Potato Tzimmes, and Potato Latkes with Tofu Sour Cream and Applesauce, to Roshinkes un Mandlin and Cranberry Apple Cinnamon Strudel - this is a real traditional feast.