The Cold Set

ATTENTION CALIFORNIANS:  50 DEGREE WEATHER IS NOT COLD

Zara Sweater and Scarf, Burberry Leather Motorcycle Jacket, 5cm x Dr. Martens Boots, Forever 21 Backpack

It seemed like winter crept upon the city over night.  A few weeks ago the winds were particularly vicious, finding ways to make you colder than you thought physically possible.  The rain that followed was almost soothing to your broken and chapped skin.  I haven't even gotten to the snow yet.  The blizzard "Nemo" was a rude awakening for my closet.  I thought I had an idea of how cold it gets in New York, but my calculations were very wrong.  This was the first time in my life where I checked the weather in my area and it was at 7 degrees.  You have to appreciate advancements in technology when a website can tell you "7 degrees, feels like 4 degrees."   Emergency bundling and tech-fabric stockpiling was crucial to my survival.   I avoid wearing anything too conspicuous when the weather is like this because I probably look like a miserable wet animal.  Precipitation can be unpredictable and I don't like taking chances with expensive designer outerwear or accessories.  Thank goodness for fast fashion and low prices.  This scarf kept me warm and acted as a shield for my face and ears.  Beneath the leather I am wearing are layer after layer of long sleeves, including UNIQLO's heattech crew neck.  Long johns of the same material are worn everyday.  Without these, I probably would freeze to death.  It might be time to invest in some real snow gear.  Canada Goose has wonderful offerings including a bomber model, longer minimal styles, and (my personal favorite) a down-filled oil rigger coverall.  Also, I might need a ski mask.

The day we shot these I realized that my rings absorb the cold efficiently and I might as well be carrying around ice cubes.  Never to be outdone by mother nature, I owe much gratitude to the human who invented gloves.  Udon or soba with hot tea and an extra bowl of pho on the side is mandatory on days like this. Whenever I am struck with homesickness, it usually stems from food.  There is nothing like the Asian food in California, but when the winter comes there is much more to miss about the west coast than noodle soups.  

There is another side to the coin.  It began to snow as I was walking home from the last fashion shows at Lincoln Center last night.  There is nothing like new snow fall; it is just as magical as people say it is.  Let's see how I feel about this in the next couple of years...

- jerome

I Found Nemo

You know how when like you feel like youre doing amazing things and then a blizzard happens and you have a high fever? I do.

Bleecker Life

AND NO NOT BECAUSE THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS LOST THE SUPERBOWL

Thom Browne for Black Fleece Bleecker St. Exclusive Key Ring

When I moved to New York, my first job was at a store on Bleecker Street.  I was a little weirded out because the street's name is a homophone for a word meaning "hopeless."  I couldn't be more wrong.  The friends that I met (including Anthony Amadeo who took these pictures), the beautiful walk to work, and life in the West Village were all instrumental in my assimilation to the city.  I have since moved on but I carry this with me as a reminder of life on Bleecker St.  I was returning from my last-day-at-work lunch with a co-worker and we popped into Black Fleece to check out their sale.  The store was a few doors down from ours but I never stopped by.  That was surprising considering I adore the Black Fleece in San Francisco, the only other stand alone store in the US.  After weeping quietly about being low on funds to splurge on wool suits and precious knits, we toured the rest of the store for accessories.  The first thing that caught my eye was this Bleecker St. key ring.  It was bold, graphic, and the perfect keepsake for my time in the area.  I was sold immediately - but it was a good thing I sounded hesitant by asking if the hardware came in silver because the sales associate closed the deal by explaining that the piece is only available at the Bleecker St. store and he would have Thom Browne sign it himself!

I had seen Thom Browne walking around the neighborhood on occasion.  He lives in the area, so whenever I caught a glimpse of a cropped pant or a flash of a red, white, and blue ribbon on the cuff of a calf skin brogue my heart would skip a beat.  He really dresses like that every day.  I never had the opportunity to approach him, so to have him personalize something would be the cherry on top of this sweet purchase.  I wish they had a Fillmore St. version in San Francisco, but alas this is the only one.  The gold finish on the hardware compliments the deep navy of the contrasting leather.  It appears black at first like in these photos, but in better lighting the navy is a subtle surprise.  Brooks Brothers logos are stamped into the charm attached to the ring, as well as on the claw attachment.    

Special items like this key ring have so much meaning when you get them at a destination location.  It isn't about exclusivity, more so it is about the pride that comes from supporting one of your favorite places; a badge of honor of you will.  I like Black Fleece, Thom Browne, and the West Village.  I will always remember walking from 14th St. and 8th Ave. on a beautiful sunny morning, smelling the freshly baked cupcakes at Magnolia, and smiling about the fact that I moved to New York City by myself to follow a dream.  This key ring is the perfect memento for that.

- jerome