Make It A Double: Scotch You Don't – But Should – Know

David Wondrich, Esquire magazine's resident "cocktail historian," writes often and knowledgeably about Scotch.

By reading Wondrich regularly, you'll learn not only what to look for in a fine Scotch, but also what's in a Rusty Nail and why you shouldn't drink one. But I digress.


Wondrich explores seven lesser known but impressive single-malt whiskeys in Esquire's November issue.

If you think there's more to life than Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Johnny Walker, but don't know where to turn, Wondrich will introduce you to the likes of Old Pulteney, Ledaig, Auchentoshan, and four others worth seeking out.

Here's his full selection.

The Enlightened Traveler: Hermes On A Budget In Paris

Saturday's Wall St. Journal reported on the November 10 sale of vintage Hermes at the prestigious French auction house Artcurial.

Great deals on vintage Hermes in Paris. Top: Hydra bag $189. Bottom: Mephisto bag, $259. Below left: watch, $689

The paper states that the appetite for Hermes, whether vintage or new, has not at all been affected by the global economic downturn. Indeed, the auction netted a record of nearly $1.2 million for 631 lots, mostly bags and scarves but also including some unusual pieces such as a pair of garden pruners and a circa 1930 ladies watch that records golf scores.

While items from Vuitton, St. Laurent and other luxury labels are gathered into group auctions, Hermes is the only house to have its own twice-yearly sale.

The famous Birkin and Kelly bags were the top sellers with prices to match. Some crocodile and alligator models in exotic colors went for $25,000 - $50,000.

Still, there were bargains to be had. Many scarves sold in the $200 - $300 range.

You could have purchased a Kelly bag in natural pigskin for $4,677 or one in black leather for $2,598. A large Kelly in blue leather went for $2,079.

One lucky buyer snagged a small Kelly backpack for just $693.

If you schedule your next Paris visit to coincide with one of Artcurial’s Hermes auctions, you can skip Printemps and the other grands magasins altogether and return home with an affordable and prized vintage Hermes.

Getting a bargain won’t be the best part. When others compliment you on your good taste, you’ll get to tell them that you picked it up for a song at an auction on the Ave. Montaigne.

The full WSJ report is here.
Artcurial’s website is here.

The Fine Print: Louis Vuitton Suddenly Affordable

While it still will cost you to put a genuine Vuitton in your closet, you can display the new Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture on your coffee table for a mere $53.55, available at Amazon.com.

This hefty 400-page volume comprises the breadth of the great fashion house's collaborations over the past 30 years with artists, architects, designers, and photographers, such as Jun Aoki, Shigeru Ban, Zaha Hadid, David LaChapelle, Jean Larivière, Annie Leibovitz, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Inez Van Lamsweerde, and Vinoodh Matadin.
From early collaborations such as Jacques-Henri Lartigue's Eiffel Tower-shaped suitcase back in 1978 the volume's glossy pages come stuffed with an unending stream of high profile partnerships.

There's a streamlined carbon fiber suitcase from Philippe Starck, conceptual art scarves from Sol LeWitt, and David la Chapelle’s Lil’ Kim tattooed with the LV monogram from 1999.

Vuitton's Murakamified store in Tokyo

Other work from the likes of Olafur Eliasson, with his unearthly tubular light installation from 2006; Vincent Dubourg and his aluminum encased travel trunk; and Vanessa Beecroft's 2005 body installation at the Petit Palais in Paris shows Vuitton’s creative outreach stretching beyond the realms of most other fashion houses.

Buy it now at Amazon.com

We also recommend:
Dior by Farid Chenoune

Tom Ford by Tom Ford

Ralph Lauren by Ralph Lauren, introduction by Audrey Hepburn

Yves Saint Laurent: 40 Years of Creation by Yves St. Laurent

Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 by Carol Squiers

Paris 1962: Yves Saint Laurent and Dior, Christian Dior, The Early Collections by Jerry Schatzberg

Interview: Photography Gallerist Peter Fetterman On the State of the Market, Collecting, and What to Buy Next

"One of the wonderful things about photography is that it is still possible to build up a significant collection for relatively small sums of money, if you go about it in a smart way," says Peter Fetterman.

The impassioned collector turned dealer displays images in an intimate salon-style atmosphere at his popular Peter Fetterman Gallery, where visitors can see carefully curated shows by both master and lesser known photographers.

We spoke with the congenial Fetterman at his gallery in Santa Monica.

Peter Fetterman at his gallery in Santa Monica

What is the state of the photography market today?

I think classic photography is strong. Cutting edge art is in trouble.

Why?

There was so much hype. The buying was purely speculative. Kids were coming out of art schools that dealers grabbed and put extraordinary prices on untried work. These days are over.

This isn’t a bad thing, is it?
No it is good that a saner environment will now prevail. Hopefully real
artists – people with genuine, unique insight and original vision – will now
emerge instead of “wannabes” expecting to be treated like rock stars.

Which photographers are you talking about here?

I’m not naming names! We deal in a lot of blue chip, classic photography. A lot of the artists we work with are in their 80s and 90s. These people have spent 40-50 years practicing their craft.

What are people buying today?

Our clients are buying images that move them, that have a haunting quality that they can connect to.

Sebastian Salgado

Who's in vogue now?

We represent the foremost photo journalist in the world, Sebastiao Salgado… What he’s been working for the last 30-40 years is bringing people together. (He believes that) we in the first world can’t ignore the third world… The images have great humanity and great beauty; they’re inspirational and humbling at the same time.

Willy Ronis, Amoureux de la Bastille, Paris, 1957 Willy Ronis, Amoureux de la Bastille, Paris, 1957

Who should we be buying now?

Sadly, one of our great photographers died a few weeks ago, Willy Ronis. He was 99 years old and undervalued.

Next year MoMA in New York is doing a major Cartier-Bresson retrospective. He’s Rembrandt. I know that show is going to change the perception of him and also change his market.

So this would be a good time to be collecting Cartier-Bresson?

I think it’s a very good time, because I think he’s undervalued.

Explain!

If a Robert Frank is selling for $220,000 and a Cartier-Bresson is selling for $20,000… those prices seem to be out of sync. As a collector, you want to buy not only something that moves you… but also something that is somewhat undervalued.

Who else is undervalued?

I think Salgado is. I think Willy Ronis now is. Also Andre Kertesz and any of the master blue chip photographers.

My impression is that those are expensive, established names and already command high prices.

The prices, they are not as high as they’re going to go. As the contemporary market decompresses, people go back to the masters. The recent successful auctions have been the Old Master painters and classic Impressionists. People have been going back to those tried and true names. Everything else seems unstable. The hype that was going on about Chinese and Indian art!

Jeffrey Conley, Snow Covered Reflections, 2005

Jeffrey Conley, Snow Covered Reflections, 2005

Great collectors always have an eye for new talent? Who should they be watching today?

Jeffrey Conley. My eye tells me that he is a master American photographer in the Ansel Adams tradition, but with his own originality and voice. This is the first young photographer we’ve taken on in many years. We’re putting a lot of time and energy to promote him. I believe in the work. I think it’s special… I’m not a landscape person, but I’m very moved by these images. I’m very inspired by them.

Lillian Bassman, for years no one ever heard of her. She was a contemporary of Irving Penn (who just died) and Richard Avedon. But because she was a woman in the 1950s bringing up her children, she wasn’t into her career as those guys were. Now she’s having a major renaissance. Fortunately, we’re a big part of that.

Lillian Bassman, Fantasy on the Dance Floor: Barbara Mullen, Paris, 1949. The ball gown is by Dior.

Tell us about your new show, "Faces of Fashion."

We’re doing a major show of fashion images. We’re also doing a one-woman show to celebrate Lillian Bassman’s new book.

Who else will be in the fashion show?

You’ll see great Irving Penns, great Horsts, a wonderful French photographer Georges Dambier, who was a photographer for French Elle in the 1950s. This will be his debut West-coast showing.

There will be a lot of beautiful surprises. Fashion photography as a genre seems to be one of the most expanding sectors of the market. When you pick up the newspapers in the morning, it’s depressing. So it’s great to look at these beautiful images.

How do you decide whom to show in your gallery?

The question I ask myself before I write a check is, in 500 years time, will this image have any significance in the history of photography?

You have great confidence in your judgment, because you won’t be around to find out! Does the photography market mirror the art market in general?

The status of photography has changed; it’s no longer the poor relative.

What shows over the next year should we be looking for?

In April the Museum of Modern Art in New York is hosting the biggest Cartier-Bresson retrospective ever. Robert Frank’s The Americans has just opened at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Those will be two significant, great shows.

What is your favorite luxury item? What items give you the greatest pleasure?

I’m not materialistic. I’m not interested in cars. I value peace of mind, serenity, clean air and being away from the computer!

"Faces of Fashion" is on view through February at Peter Fetterman Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. Call (310) 453-6463 for exhibition hours.

For an appreciation of Irving Penn, who died earlier this week at the age of 92, please click here.

This Just In! The Cool, New Must-Have Gadget Everyone Will Want This Holiday Season

Anyone can watch a movie on a television set. Big deal!

The lucky few soon will be able to watch movies and videos on any wall, anywhere with the aid of a 6 oz. device that is small enough to fit in your hand but powerful enough to project a crisp 60 in. image from eight feet away.

We're talking about the amazing Wowee Cinemin Swivel microprojector.What's a microprojector? These pocket-sized gadgets take video from an iPhone, iPod, DVD player (including portables), video camera (including the Flip) and laptop computer and play it on any surface, indoors or out.

The New York Times called them "the newest blow-away-your-friends devices."

We call them the perfect cool gift for your clients, business associates, cast friends, and family this holiday season.

Here's what New York Times tech reporter Bob Tedeschi had to say about the Wowee Cinemin Swivel:

In short, this is easily the coolest new thing I’ve seen since the iPhone...

The Swivel came in handy on a sweltering afternoon last week, when we retreated to my son’s air-conditioned bedroom, connected my iPhone to the Cinemin Swivel, and voilà! An instant big-screen matinee of “Cars.”

Score big points for the Swivel’s simplicity...

Battery life was just enough. On a full charge, the Swivel lasts about two hours and 15 minutes, but when our unit started to fade on an incompletely charged battery, we just plugged it in and cruised through the end...

The Swivel has an audio jack for connecting the device to external speakers. [It also has a small built-inspeaker.] We plugged in a lightweight speaker, and at full volume the experience was amazing — a portable big-screen movie with big sound to match.

Luxury campers, I know what you’re thinking. How will this setup work if you have no power outlets to plug in your speakers? Simple. Newer audio devices like the JBL On Tour XTB feature very good speakers, and they work on batteries or AC power... Purely battery-powered speakers like the Nokia MD-8 are easily loud enough for the task.

Another nice feature: the Swivel’s hinged design means you can flip the business end of the device upward, and the video plays on your ceiling.

As we said before, this is very cool. See for yourself:


At $349.99, this clever gadget is already often sold out on Cinemin's website and will continue to be in short supply through the holidays.

Please call us now at (310) 581-6710 to make sure that we set aside several for you in time for holiday gifting.

Do You Know M0851?

Fashionistas who appreciate quality construction and design that stands the test of time know M0851, and you should, too.

Their fabulous leather bags, clothing, and small accessories will take you from morning through evening and around the globe in timeless style.

Constructed of the fashion house's signature soft, supple analine leathers from Italy, these items are simply gorgeous. Every one of the minimalistic, functional designs is handcrafted at M0851's workshops in Montreal.

(Did you know that some very well known brands of leather goods are manufactured in China? Not so with M0851.)

We've been big fans of M0851 since we shopped at their Toronto store in the early 1990s. In those days, the company was known as Rugby North and had shops only in Montreal and Toronto.

Since that time, they've opened attractive boutiques in New York, Paris, and trendy Antwerp, home to avant-garde designers Dries van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester.

You'll find a small selection of their leather goods at chic shops, such as Fred Segal in Hollywood.

Sure you can buy a bag that is more famous and costs a lot more. But do you want to be known for your $2,000 bag of the moment, or do you want to be recognized for your sense of effortless, sophisticated style?

You'll feel very pleased with yourself if you choose the latter.

Here are two of our favorite M0851 designs.

For women,
the Round Bag

This large bag (shown here and on the model, above) has a slouchy, half moon shape and ample room for many items. Equipped with an interior zippered compartment and three patch pockets, it closes with a zipper and has a wide, adjustable strap.

Made from buttery soft leather, it has a luxurious silky, padded interior.

Available in black, brown, gray. $350

For both men and women, the Large Weekend Bag

Rectangular in shape, this handsome bag opens to reveal a roomy interior that will hold a weekend's worth of clothes and gear.

Centered handles and a comfortable, large adjustable strap.

Available in black or brown soft leather. $595

Accessories perfect for business gifting

M0851 also makes wonderful computer cases, passport covers, travel wallets, document carriers, jotters, and many other small items – all from their signature soft leather.

Your valued clients and business associates will love you if you give them one.

We can have them made to order for you in a variety of colors – not just black and brown, but also navy, off-white, turquoise, gray, and more.

We can also have them embossed with your logo, if desired. Quantities start at 10-15, depending on the item selected.

For holiday gifting, please call us now at (310) 581-6710 to discuss your custom order.

The Enlightened Traveler: Where The Locals Dine In New Orleans

Here’s a secret we’ve learned from our many visits to the Crescent City over the past 25 years: the shabbier the restaurant looks on the outside, the greater the likelihood that the food is fantastic – and cheap.

Thus, we were pleased to read that Indiana Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning recommended two of our favorite New Orleans eateries in the September issue of Esquire.

In New Orleans, the worse it looks, the better the food. As for Domilise's shrimp po' boy, brace yourself!

They are in the Uptown neighborhood and mostly patronized by locals, the folks who rarely venture into the French Quarter.

Neither Domilise’s or Camellia Grill is what you’d call a restaurant. “Joint” is more like it, especially in the case of Domilise’s, which from the outside looks as if it might be closed. The interior isn’t going to win any design awards either. But, the service is friendly and the po’ boys are outstanding. The true taste of New Orleans in every bite.

Camellia Grill's burger: all "dressed up" plus bacon and cheese

Compared to Domilise’s, Camellia Grill is posh. Still, it’s just a counter, a few booths, and often long lines outside, unless you go late at night. (If you go after a Saints game, be prepared to wait!)

No po’ boys here, but they do offer great beans and rice for Sunday supper. Their hamburger is what most people want. Ask for it “dressed,” the New Orleans equivalent of lettuce, tomato, pickle and ketchup.

Another favorite of ours is the better known Mother’s in the Central Business District. We prefer their Jambalaya to the version at The Gumbo Shop (take out only at their Uptown kitchen; eat in at their French Quarter cafe).

Mother’s will “cold pack” a gallon of Jambalaya so you can take it back on the airplane as your carry-on. This won’t seem as crazy as it sounds once you’re home and tucking in to a brimming bowlful a few nights later. (Freeze the rest in serving portions and enjoy sparingly until you return to New Orleans.)

We especially like Mother’s debris sandwich. It’s a French Dip affair made with the small leftover end pieces of the roast beef, the debris, that have been sitting in the juice for a while. Do not leave Louisiana without having sampled one.

More on where to dine in New Orleans, Uptown and elsewhere, in future postings.

Domilise’s, 5240 Annunciation St., (504) 899-9126 (take a taxi)
Camellia Grill, 626 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 861-9311 (on the streetcar line)
Mother’s, 401 Poydras St., (443) 408-6004 (walking distance from the Quarter)

Photos: Domilise’s – Eating in Translation, shrimp po’ boy – hollyeats.com, Camellia Grill hamburger – David Adams, Camellia Grill – Nola-Shiva