Recent content by Joe_Frances

Divine EdeP by Divine is fabulous; Vega by Guerlain is incredible; Manhattan Rose by Kriegler is captivating; Cuir de Russie by Chanel is fabulous. These are in order of preference. All of these will make a lady smell like a movie star or better yet, simply unforgettable.

Agree Plymouth is great gin. I also like Brokers, and gave Langley to my fellow gin millers for Christmas this year, as it is new in the US.

In my opinion, besides the Reverso, which is pictured above, the Oris Culture Series Atelier 18 Rose Gold handwinder is the most fantastic reproduction art deco watch I have ever seen. Of course, when I say "seen" I mean seen on the internet, as no watch purveyor in the NYC area has one because...

Thanks for the excellent review. I plan to see this film tomorrow and hope to add my comments to those you have already posted.

Pardon the interruption from one of the guys, but let me alert you ladies to a fantastic and very rare fragrance called Vega by the renowned house of Guerlain. It was made for Josephine Baker and has an incredible sensuous, heady beauty that would be hard for a lot of gals to pull off, but...

The 1970s, no doubt about it. Men in cuban heels, looking back it's enough to make you cry. And just remember Lawrence Welk in a suit with lapels that would have enough material to make a whole suit today. It's too horrible to even contemplate. Sorry I posted this. I may end up having bad...

The Kingdom of Shadows...Disappointing I tried to read Furst's the "Kingdom of Shadows" but found it very hard going, and ultimately I gave up. It started off very promisingly, as I recall. The narrator recounts that on a certain date in 1937, the night train from Budapest to Gard de Nord was...

I am an Uncle Billy fan myself, and old Peter Bailey too. One can notice that the villain of the piece, Mr. Potter, is not much of a hat guy.

I really think Manhattan Blue by Noodler's is a classic looking blue/gray ink that looks close to Legal Blue, which is very traditional permanent ink that never, ever washes out, so I didn't buy the "Legal" but went with the Manhattan.

I have seen some great films on TCM this month and last, on Carole Lombard and Kay Francis, great stuff not to be missed. Also, they have played a number of films not available on DVD, such as the fantastic "Double Harness" with William Powell and a gorgeous Ann Harding. Sometimes I think...

Found a website yesterday for a company that is selling a new product called 1940's Big Band Brilliantine! Anyone who appreciates the style and look of the Golden Era knows how hard it is to duplicate the look of mens' hair from that time frame. I am going to give this a try. Anyone here...

As a daily commuter to New York, I would say hats (Autumn and Winter primarily) are rare on the Metro-North train, but not totally absent. I wear a hat almost every day in cooler months, and see quite a few on the streets, again once it gets cooler outside. Commuters are generally a dull...

First of all, the mini-series had a dozen or so episodes to develop the story. Second, the pacing was so great that you really came to know and understand the characters, and why they did the incredibly complex and sometimes crazy things they did. How could you possibly give this story its due...

Two things: practicality and aesthetics started me with fedoras and bowlers. First, I moved to the suburbs of NYC, and it gets cold on the platform in the winter. I found it utterly silly to see guys in suits and topcoats with baseball caps. Additionally, when I occasionally saw a man in a...

If you in Chicago and don't at least visit Optimo, then you are missing out on a great experience to at least understand what one of the last surviving quality hat makers is done. I would go for one quality hat over three bargains.