teyste & grandeur magazine
DESCRIPTION
Denvers newest Fashion, Music and Culture MagazineTRANSCRIPT
Teyste Grandeur
Fall 2011
Fash
ion
, Mu
sic and
the C
ultu
re th
at M
ov
es Y
ou
Magazine
&
No Mind Nate Maxwell
and His Original
Bunny Gang
Marlaesk Designs’
Bradi MacSleyne
The Man, The Myth The Legend Cliff Young and His Pioneering Culinary Spirit
ScarletV
www.scarlet-v.com
Jimmy Choo
Kemp holographic
pump
$1,495
Christian Louboutin
Super Woman Pythons
$1,119
Azzedine Alaia
Cutout Laceup Booties
$1,181
Gianmarco Lorenzi
Black Midcut Boot
$1,335
Jimmy Choo
Paisley Velvet Slipon
$795
Jimmy Choo
Black Vulcanized rubber
boot
$425
Mark Nason
Rock Lives brown boot
$532
Gucci
Orange suede driver
$395
Editor’s
Picks Fall Footwear
Fresh new looks for fall
“You want to fall in love with a shoe, go ahead. A shoe
can't love you back, but, on the other hand, a shoe can't
hurt you too deeply either. And there are so many nice-
looking shoes.” Allan Sherman
Teyste &Grandeur
Contents
The man, the myth, the legend Cliff Young Written by:Tate Allyson Fischer
Photography by: David Backus
No Mind
Nathen Maxwell of Flogging Molly
And the Original Bunny Gang
Written by: Josh MacSleyne
9
15
Marlaesk Designs
Bradi MacSleyne and her
theories on Green Design
Written by: Sandra Von Weisenheimr
Photography by: Enrique Parilla
28
Summer Fashion Wrap Up Written by: Cameron Cowan
Industry Tips
Keys to Successful Fashion Shows
By Michael Beckerman
18
An Outlaws Road
Regulator Records By Tate Alyson Fischer
20
MAKE YOUR BRIDAL
PARTY
FEEL AS SPECIAL AS YOU
DO
Bridesmaids Flower Girls Moms Accessories Shoes
Wing Chun Kung Fu
And Traditional
Japanese Jiu Jitsu-
Classes starting
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Call
720-536-8689
Self Defense
Letter from the Publisher
“The difference between style and fashion is quality.”
Giorgio Armani
Over the last several months, while we have been de-
veloping the concepts and goals for Teyste and Gran-
deur Magazine, I have met with many people who
have said the same thing, “Denver is not a fashion
town.” “We aren’t New York or Paris.” Though
many of these people and you know who you are,
were being discouraging, I do have to agree. Denver
is not a fashion town. We don’t have the big fashion
shows, manufacturers, or designers that are in New
York, LA, or Paris. I say this, so that I can respond by
asking, why aren’t we?
Over the last few years I have met a myriad of
extremely talented and well known designers who
live here in Denver and Colorado. I have met world
famous musicians who drink at the local pubs and
bars.
It is true Denver is not New York or Paris, Den-
ver is Denver simply put. Most of the people that I
meet are not natives. They are people who have mi-
grated to Denver because of what we have to offer.
This is what Teyste and Grandeur Magazine is.
Our Goal is to show the country and the world what
we, as a community have to offer. Let us as a city and
state bring ourselves up to a higher standard. Let’s
shed the “cow town” image that we have been held to
and truly show the world what we already know;
Denver is and can be the greatest city in the world.
Welcome to our world, a world of couture
fashion, good music and great culture. The world of
Teyste and Grandeur.
CliffYoung His Steakhouse and
his legend
Written By: Tate Allyson Fischer
Photography: David Bachus
It’s 6pm, and the night is still young
at 1222 Glenarm Place in downtown Denver.
The Maître D’ leads me through the sultry din-
ing room to a table where I nervously greet a
true Denver Restaurant Icon. Within seconds, I
feel as though I have known Cliff Young for
years. His success has not diluted his genuine
humility and kindness, and he is quick to share
his incredible life experience with me.
According to Cliff, his life can be reflected in
three major “periods”, in which his soul jour-
neyed through being a philosophy scholar, a
hard-working restaurant mastermind and a
man on his “2nd Honeymoon” in Burgundy,
France. To say that these periods are not inti-
mately intertwined would be sheer ignorance.
While working in the 1970’s for restaurants
such as the Broadmoor, Cliff’s intellect was ex-
panding and bearing fruit, including the pub-
lishing of a poetry book in 1980. After running
Le Profil for eleven years, the early 1980’s
brought about the signature restaurant, Cliff
Young’s, which was soon proclaimed “The Per-
fect Restaurant” by Michael Carlton, The Den-
ver Post Food Critic. This perfect restaurant
was born from a delicate combination of the
leading man, Mr. Young, as well as stellar chefs
such as David Query, Mike Wiest and Tyler
Waird.
An interesting insight from Mr. Young is
that “Denver hates arrogance, and has a huge sense
of independence and authenticity.” He feels that this
is an integral part of his drive to share quality and
yet With each new palette experience throughout his
time in France, the desire intensified to create a plat-
form that would commendably express what he had
learned. Five months after his return from France,
CY Steakhouse was born, boasting French influences
at every turn, complete with charcuterie, Foie Gras,
succulent sauces, extraordinary side dishes, 520 Old
and New World wine selections, as well as cigars.
As if that weren’t enough to meet and exceed the
longings of his patrons, Cliff has created, along with
his pastry chef, a delectable ice cream line named
Baby Bleu, and he is ardently forming an irresistible
artisanal product line, including house made butter
with sea salt harvested by children in Normandy,
house smoked bacon, pickles, jams and much more.
The sophistication of each of these artisanal products
is a dazzling blend of Cliff’s expertise, the inspiration
of the French and the aptitude of his pastry chef, Earl
Pettet. No matter what you choose to indulge your
senses at CY Steakhouse, you will undoubtedly sense
genuine hospitality during your visit.
Cliff believes that hospitality equals “sincere giving,”
which includes both making memories as well as
maintaining a high standard of integrity in his buy-
ing. Finding balance in his endeavors along the way
has emerged from the fine-tuned combination of
creativity and wisdom in partnering with his son
Zack. Together they ensure that they do not buy
from people who exploit animals or humans, and
that they strive to change the menu as frequently as
possible because “changing the menu only four
times per year is bogus.” Executive Chef and Beef
expert, Clement McHale and Chef d’ Cuisine, Chris
Jensen will keep you pleasantly surprised with new
offerings.
Is it any wonder that Cliff Young has been nation-
ally acclaimed as a legend and icon in the Denver
restaurant business?! In the true spirit of sincere giv-
ing, Cliff strives to help others realize their dreams
and reach their full potential. A main vehicle for this
training is his international consulting firm, Cliff
So where does one go next after such an incredi-
ble restaurateur journey? Burgundy, France of course!
With a curious glimmer in his eye, Cliff speaks of his
“second honeymoon” with his beautiful wife, Sharon, to
the captivating renowned region of France where he
found his inspiration to elevate the meaning behind
“allowing perfection to emerge in the lives of clients and
guests.” While living on their medieval estate in the cen-
ter of wine country in Beaune, France, Cliff soon discov-
ered that there were as many three star Michelin restau-
rants near Beaune as there were in all of Paris. The bril-
liant fare found in this region is due in large part to the
flawless integrity of the ingredients. From wild game to
French truffles, everything is 100% biodynamic, with no
fertilizers or pesticides…each ingredient “just is.”
“…teaches private restaurateurs to oper-
ate, with a concentration on the four-month pe-
riod of pre- and post-opening. Focus is placed on
attaining and exceeding industry standards, cre-
ating a culture of service and sales, including
teaching sales techniques and getting the highest
possible gains” (www.cliffyoungs.com).
As my time with Cliff comes to an end, I am
certain I have only gleaned a slice of wealth from
this Colorado-born Denver legend, and I am left
longing for more…just as you will be when you
get one taste of his delectable French cuisine.
However, we both agree that “fine dining” isn’t
quite the phrase for the preeminence he is creat-
ing, so the next restaurant you see from Cliff
Young is sure to declare a striking emphasis on
relevance and an emergence of perfection.
You can read more about Cliff at
www.vintenersclub.com and
www.CYSteakDenver.com
NO Mind By: Josh MacSleyne
There is something special about seeing seasoned musi-
cians perform. When a band comes together and has the experi-
ence to make the stage illuminate an ambiance that takes you
away from the rigors of your life, the audience will be treated to
what can only be described as amazing. Unfortunately these
types of shows do not come around very often. I have seen ones
that come close, usually in large venues with a lot of production
behind them, ensuring that nothing goes wrong. The real treat is
a live performance among the intimacy of a neighborhood bar
with very little production. It is where you can see the true band
perform. I recently had the pleasure of seeing such a show from
Nathen Maxwell and the Original Bunny Gang at the Marquis
Theater.
Nathen Maxwell is, of course, the bassist for Flogging
Molly, one of the largest and hardest working punk bands in
history. Over the last ten years they have become an interna-
tional sensation, playing over 200 shows a year. Nathen Max-
well is no novice when it comes to performance. What I saw that
Friday night made me want to know more about the Original
Bunny Gang. I wanted to learn more about the history and phi-
losophy behind them. A few weeks later I had the pleasure of
sitting down with Nathen during a rehearsal to discuss the ques-
tions I had.
“Original Bunny Gang” is Nathen paying homage to the
last ten years of his life. The majority of the debut album,
“White Rabbit,” was written over the course of the past decade.
He describes it as being written under his breath. Many of the
songs were developed while either on tour with Flogging Molly
or as lullabies to his daughters. The album
itself has a very soulful sound, especially
for being a working-class punk and reggae
influenced album. Nathen and the band
like to refer to it as “new rock steady.”
Nathen wants to create new music,
just like when reggae and punk first came
out. They were both new styles and
sounds that had never been heard before.
Though both influence Nathen’s creation,
in spite of wanting to create new music, he
wears his influences on his sleeve. Nathen
pulled heavily on the music that inspired
him as a young musician. He grew up in
Long Dale, CA during the reggae /punk
movement of the early 90’s. Being a
young, eager, musician, he sought out and
emulated bands such as the Clash, the
Cure, and Bob Marley. Nathen described
the debut album as romanticizing his early
musical career.
He believed that White Rabbit was something that
needed to be done.
So how did Nathen Maxwell and “The Original Bunny Gang”
come about?
Up until 2009, the thought of starting another band
separate from Flogging Molly, was not foremost on Nathen’s
mind. He had been writing for years, both for Flogging Molly
and for himself. Many of the songs from White Rabbit had
been performed while on the road, either on street corners, or
at after-parties. He knew at the time that he wanted to do
something with the songs, but realized that they just did not fit
with Flogging Molly. While in preproduction for the album
“Float,” Nathen played several of his songs for the band.
Some were new songs that they had not heard and others were
songs that they were familiar with. After he had played about
half a dozen songs, Dave King, the lead singer and founder of
Flogging Molly, told Nathen that he really had his own sound
and inspiration, and that he really should record his own al-
bum. This was the motivation that Nathen needed. He said
that getting the blessing from Flogging Molly really excited
and motivated him to start the work. Within a short time
Nathen started arranging the songs and finalizing the details to
record the album.
Bunny Gang did not develop along the lines of most
bands. They went from concept to album to world-touring in
a short time. Many of the details have been figured out on
stage. It is the trial by fire approach to music. Most bands
develop their sound and performance styles over a long period
of time, playing small shows or practicing in the garage.
Bunny Gang did not have this luxury.
Nathen’s philosophy on performing is
to put all his energy into the perform-
ance. This has given plenty of oppor-
tunity for personal development.
For Nathen, the actual per-
formances are both physically and
emotionally harder because the
songs are so personal to him.
They take more energy because
he sings and plays guitar for
Bunny Gang, as oppose to Flog-
ging Molly, where Nathen plays
bass and sings back-up. Since the
songs were written “under my
breath,” they were written and
recorded as quiet songs.
I asked Nathen if he would have wanted to take the
time to develop Bunny Gang in the “garage days” style.
The simple answer is no. Nathen believes that for the album
and Bunny Gang to exist it had to happen this way. If he
had taken the time to make sure everything was perfect be-
fore recording, playing it might never have happened. He
would never have been satisfied or it would never have been
perfect. There are things at the beginning that he did not
like: videos of the early performances where the band mem-
bers were playing bum notes or he is singing off key. He
sometimes wishes that there was not a record of the mis-
takes, but everything aligned at the right point in time, and
he had to take his chance.
What is in the future for the Bunny Gang?
When I met with Nathen, he and the band were
rehearsing and putting together songs to demo for their sec-
ond album. I asked Nathen where the album was going to
go. White Rabbit was written by Nathen over ten years.
There was not a band or a goal in mind. It was just
Nathen playing and writing what he felt. Bunny Gang now
has four members who will all bring their influences and
styles to the table. They have played together and have devel-
oped together. Nathen doesn’t want to lose the root of the
music, but the next album can’t be the same as the first. He
has already romanticized the past: it is time to look to the fu-
ture. His philosophy is “no mind,” let the music come and
figure it out later. Nathen describes himself as a lifer. There is
nothing else that he wants to do than play music. He idolizes
musicians who continue to perform and play until they physi-
cally can’t any more.
“I have no backup plan, this is it.”
What got my attention most, when I saw Bunny Gang
perform, was that after playing a full set, the entire band
packed up their equipment and walked across the street to an-
other bar to set up and play again. This is a band that truly
loves to jam. This is what the heart and soul of The Original
Bunny Gang is about.
Fashion shows matter in the fashion world for one simple rea-son: they are the focal point where everyone involved in the fashion industry gets to put their best foot forward and tell their story to the world in a live, energetic and exciting setting for all to see. Fashion shows are one of the most important ways for those in the fashion industry, from designers to models to MUA’s (Make Up Artists) and hair stylists, to each present the cumulative re-sult of all the time, energy and effort they have put into their profession. To put on a successful show, it is vital that all as-pects of planning and executing such an event be carefully thought out and considered, far in advance of the first model ever setting foot out on the runway. The following list of questions identifies many of the key points
to keep in mind when planning to host a fashion show. Thinking
carefully about these relevant issues throughout the entire plan-
ning process will help you to better structure and execute your
event. These questions and recommendations will help provide
the guidance needed to assure your success and prevent some
of the most common mistakes that are made when planning,
setting up and hosting a runway fashion event.
1. Venue Have you chosen the proper venue? The first question you should always ask yourself when thinking about putting on a fashion show is “Do I really have the right venue to hold a fashion show in?” Just because you can hold a fashion show some-where, doesn’t necessarily mean that you should hold it there. As we will discuss at length in this guide, not every location (even if it is a very popular one) is necessarily well suited for hosting a show. Is the venue the right size for your show? The size of the venue should be a good fit for the type and size of show that you will be hosting. To size the venue properly, it is important to first have a good understanding of how many people you will be expect-ing to attend your show. Having too big of a space will result in your show feeling smaller than it should and will likely mean that you have needlessly wasted money from your budget on renting out too large of a space. Conversely, having too small of a venue will result in guests and staff feeling uncomfortable by being crammed into an undersized space. Is the venue centrally located? If you have a great facility but it is too hard to find, too far away or too hard to get to, people aren’t going to be interested in attending your show. Ideally, it should be held in a location that is easy to find and easy to get to, without everyone having to drive a great distance to get there. The easier you make it for people to find and get to your venue, the more likely you are to have a good turnout for your show.
Is the venue located in a popular area? Ideally, you want to host your show at a facility that many people
already know well and have been to before. Additionally, you will
want to host the show in an area or part of town that people will likely
already have a reason to be going to anyway (diner, movie, drinks,
dancing, etc.) around the time that your show will be held.
This is part of the reason why nightclubs are often very popular places to hold smaller, local fashion shows. Since they are in the business of frequently drawing a fashion conscious, well to do, younger demographic, clubs are already bringing in the types of peo-ple that you will likely want to be presenting your designer’s products to. Be careful here though, as this does not necessarily mean that every night club out there will always serve as a good location for a smaller fashion event. Only certain clubs with the proper space, staff, security, layout, location and lighting will be a good fit for hosting a show. Just because one club in an area turns out to be a good fit for hosting a show at, does not necessarily mean that the other clubs in that same area will also be good facilities to host a show at as well. Each facility must be carefully investigated and evaluated on its own individual merits before making a decision on which venue to go with. Don’t just jump at the first location you see. Take your time when evaluating a location as having the right venue is absolutely vital to the success of your show. Does the venue have sufficient parking? Parking is always an important issue when selecting a venue to host a show at. No one wants to go to an event if they are going to have a difficult time finding a place to park when they arrive. Additionally, guests will not be pleased when they arrive at the facility if they have to pay inordinately high parking fees or have had to park too far away. This is especially true if the weather turns out to be less than ideal on the night of your show. Does the facility have the proper amount of lighting on the runway? If there isn't already sufficient lighting in place at the facility to prop-erly light the entire length of the runway and you aren’t able to bring in your own runway lighting, then don't host your show at that facility. There is no point in putting on a show if the models and designs they will be wearing in the show can’t be seen by the guests. Additionally, having proper and sufficient runway lighting will also allow the pho-tographers that you have hired to shoot your show to take the best possible photos by shooting in available light. When photographers have to rely exclusively on their flashes to light the models on the runway, they will usually come away with shots that are not as good as they could be if proper, overhead runway lighting had been in place. Can the venue provide VIP guest seating along the runway? Most well executed shows will have reserved, VIP seating along the length of the runway using folding chairs. The best executed shows not only have these seats in place for high profile, VIP guests when they arrive, but also have place cards set out on the seats (or taped to the seat backs) indicating who the seat is specifically reserved for and what organization they are with. If the facility does not have such seating available for you, you will have to rent and bring in these chairs for the event, at an additional cost.
Industry Tips By Michael Beckerman
18 Key Factors In a Successful Fashion Show
Can the facility provide a long enough runway for a show? Regardless of whether you decide to go with an elevated runway or a ground level runway, you will want to be in a facility that can provide you with a runway that will be long enough for your show. A runway that is too short doesn’t give the models sufficient time to be out in front of the guests. Ideally, the runway should be as long as possible so that the models and the designs they are wearing have the best chance of being seen and for the greatest amount of time. Having a longer runway also allows for as much front row, VIP seating as pos-sible for key guests that you will want to be absolutely sure and have an entirely unobstructed view of the designs that are in the show. Remember that a fashion show is primarily about seeing and being seen. The designers are there to promote and sell their new lines. Their designs have to be both seen and properly photographed on the runway for that to happen. Has this facility successfully hosted other fashion shows before? This is an important thing to note because you don’t necessarily want to be the “guinea pig” that this venue uses to figure out how to prop-erly hold a fashion show with. If the venue has never hosted a show before, they are far more likely to overlook the little things and make mistakes in their execution of your event. It is far better to work with a facility that already has many successful fashion shows to their credit and has long since worked the kinks out of the process of how to present and execute a successful runway show.
Copyright © 2011 – MichaelBeckermanPhotography.com
“BDK” (Pat Rasile), “Osiris” AKA “O” (Michael Imperatore), “Hop” (Gerald Harper), “Ty” (Edward
McGriff), and “Red Eye Bandit” (Brian Vacante), were rough and tumble teenagers with a young vision to
run their own record label when they began acquiring equipment and setting up their recording studio. Mutual
zeal for the industry propelled their journey toward rebuilding the studio and laying tracks in 1997. Their first
recording artist was Ruga who, along with these passionate young men, successfully executed potential hits
such as “Make the Skies Fall” and “Sincerely Mine.” In 1999, the crew suffered the loss of Gerald “Hop”
Harper, and vowed to carry on the dream in honor of his name. Although financial challenges lead these young
men to take different paths, they did not let go of their dream.
The Outlaws Road
The History of Regulator Records
By Tate Alyson Fischer
“We’ll Make You Famous”—this is the company slogan of Regulator Records that is continu-
ally upheld by their emergent success. Rarely instantaneous and effortless, the entertainment
industry is quite possibly the epitome of a war-beaten path to living the dream. Regulator Re-
cords is currently topping Radio charts, but they did not create their label over a couple years
of hard work. As I spoke with Pat Rasile, CEO of Regulator Records, he took me to the true be-
ginning of this successful label, and we found ourselves back in 1995.
They spent days and nights in the studio, and
soon learned that having the dream and having
the studio were important, but crucial elements
were lacking. Thankfully, Pat “Bdk” Rasile met
Jake Tanner, who taught them the great art of
audio engineering, as well as Vinny DeGeorge,
who cultivated music theory and expanded their
instrument repertoire. Over the next few years,
these young hopefuls were laying a strong foun-
dation for creative knowledge.
This era also brought on the venture of
Young Gunz. With Michael “Osiris” Imperatore
leading the way, the next several years yielded
the production of “A Dolla 4 Da Dead,” “Out 4
Blood,” “Not Forgotten” (in reverent memory of
“Hop”), “Return of the Bad Men,” and finally,
the highlight of their collection, “Escape New
York” in 2001. Although financial challenges
lead these young men to take different paths,
they did not let go of their drive. In late 2003,
Rasile met Gyasi Parkins who, through divine
intervention, became the business manager for
Regulator Records.
Gyasi brought the valuable knowledge and busi-
ness skills of publishing, endorsements, and spon-
sorships, which complemented Rasile’s strength in
the field of promotions and audio production.
Combining a vast list of connections and rising
stars , the two young men rebuilt Regulator Re-
cords. 2003 also brought upon some change for
this flourishing business when Roc-a-fella Re-
cords, who had expressed interest in Young Gunz,
bought the rights to the name (and continues to be
a rap group until today). Between 2003 and 2010,
Regulator Records experienced a continual evolu-
tion toward inevitable triumph.
In Rasile’s words, “instead of a little step,
it’s taking a more like leaps now!” Presently,
Regulator Records boasts their fully capable In-
House Productions Studio as well as Make You
Famous Publishing Company. Furthermore, many
different media outlets are ready to promote their
new music video of “I Don’t Make Believe” by
DreadChild of the Knotz featuring Nature
(formerly of “The Firm”) off the upcoming album
“The Ladder,” which is due to release in 2011.
P1 Radio stations are picking up this song and mul-
tiple regions seem to be drawn to the hit from Flor-
ida to New York, Europe to Asia, and beyond.
“We’ve hit several radio charts with this one,” said
Rasile: that includes #4 in the Urban Market, #5 on
Rap Attack Live Charts, #2 on Record Breakers
Chart, Top 100 for Pop and Top 26 in the World.
www.HipHopDX.com premiered the music video
for 48 hours before releasing it to more media out-
lets. In the true spirit of impelling success, Regulator
Records will be bringing you Snake-II'z of the First
Family, album “The Rapture” coming soon for 2012.
Rasile multi-tasked during our entire inter-
view, yet his etiquette remained flawless; as we end
our conversation,
he lowers his voice to emphasize the significance of
what he is about to say.“I’d like to give thanks to
Mr. Rasile [his father] for believing in us, and Tho-
mas Mann "Skilly The Spider” [ VP of Regulator
Records] for bringing this all together. Special shout
out to Travis Macklin "Spunk" for making big things
happen, these men have been key players and our
special weapons.” Regulator Records is moving for-
ward and bringing a dynamic, encouraging revolu-
tion to the music industry as we know it.
You can check out their stellar website at
www.regulatorrecords.com
ScarletV A New Line of Comfort, Style and
Photography : Dave
Wood
Hair & Makeup :Chelsea
Garcia
Model : Marissa Trujillo
Special Thanks To :
Rob McKenzie
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around the country also hosted
live parties that coincided with the online
event. Both the in-store attendees and those
playing from home joined in by posting on
Twitter. This form of online tasting is be-
coming increasingly popular with compa-
nies who are looking for new ways to ex-
pose consumers to their products.
Some virtual tastings are focused
on a single variety of wine. All of the par-
ticipants simply buy a bottle of wine that
fits in with the variety that has been se-
lected, and then they get on Twitter or Face-
book to talk about them. These tastings
have had large participation numbers, but
they end up feeling like you are in a room
with a bunch of people shouting about dif-
ferent wines. The fact that the participants
are not drinking the same wines makes it
difficult to really have any meaningful in-
teraction, but the continuing popularity
indicates that people enjoy these events.
Another example of online tasting
events is a recent Twitter tasting that was
conducted by Whole Foods, involving a
selection of their popular summer wines. In
addition to the online portion of the tasting,
Whole Foods stores around the country also
hosted live parties that coincided with the
online event. Both the in-store attendees
and those playing from home joined in by
posting on Twitter. This form of online tast-
ing is becoming increasingly popular with
companies who are looking for new ways to
expose consumers to their products.
Regardless of the format, online
tastings are a great way to learn more and
to connect with other people who are inter-
ested in wine. Possibly more than any other
beverage, wine is a social drink, and online
tastings allow drinkers to share the tasting
experience with wine lovers around the
world. My participation in online wine tast-
ings has lead to my becoming friends with
fellow winos (yes, we actually call ourselves
that) around the United States, and I have
had the opportunity to talk about the wine
making process with some of the top wine-
makers in the country.
Although our definition of the
word “friend” may have changed over the
years, the experience of tasting wine with
those “friends” is roughly the same as it has
always been.
New technologies effectively ex-
tend the walls of the winery tasting room to
anywhere with an internet connection, but
the essence of wine tasting remains the
same.
If you spend a lot of time on social media
and are interested in wine, you should give
one of these tastings a try. One upcoming
online tasting is the Pinot Noir Smackdown
that will take place on August 17th. For
more information about the event, visit
http://pinotsmackdown.eventbrite.com/,
or follow the Twitter hashtag
#PinotSmackdown.
“The times, they are a-changin’.”
Bob Dylan
Every once in a while I stop to
think about a time when the word “friend”
meant someone with whom you have a
close and personal relationship. In the mod-
ern world a friend isn’t necessarily even
someone you’ve met, but merely someone
you felt obligated to accept a friend request
from. Those were simpler times, times
when the word “tweet” was just onomato-
poeia for a sound made by a bird and when
having something viral was still considered
undesirable. There is no doubt that the
online world has reached out and touched
every aspect of our lives, and the wine
world is certainly no exception.
Among wine enthusiasts, a circle
of people I affectionately refer to as
“Swirlers,” wine tastings have long been a
favorite pastime. Wine tasting is generally
distinguishable from wine drinking by the
ratio of pretentious sounding nonsense to
slurred declarations of platonic love. Typi-
cally, the idea behind a wine tasting is to
actually evaluate the quality and character-
istics of the wine, as opposed to just cop-
ping a nice buzz. Until recently, wine tast-
ings have always taken place at a central
location, such as a winery or a tasting party.
Within the last couple of years a new kind
of tasting has started to become popular,
and that is the online tasting. Another ex-
ample of an online tasting is a recent Twit-
ter tasting that was conducted by Whole
Foods, involving a selection of their popular
summer wines. In addition to the online
portion of the tasting, Whole Foods stores
Online Wine
And How They
Written by:
Ben Simons
Tastings
Work
Keepin’ it Gangsta Photography by: Robert A. Rice
Wardrobe Provided by: Boss Vintage
The last leading summer lady I want to feature is the ever fashionable Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine. Florence has a
very open lithe personality and it comes across in her clothes as well. She is like a delicate doll that you just cannot touch.
This red carpet number worn at the Oscar’s made her and the dress famous for fashion. With its many layers it is structured and yet still
moves easily. What makes the dress really work is her incredibly slight frame. This really could not work on hardly any other celebrity
which makes Florence Welch a very special fashionista.
These celebrities show that regardless of your body style you can create a red-carpet ready look if you know how to accentuate the right
areas.
I’m very exciting to be writing a fashion column for the inaugural issue of Teyste and Grandeur Magazine! Since it’s still summer and still very hot here in
Denver I thought I would talk about some of the great fashion we have seen from those great artists that have been touring this summer. Celebrities have the
advantage of stylists and a variety of clothes to pick from. Celebrities can teach we mere-mortals a great deal about fashion and what to wear and how to best
pull it off. Our first lead fashion musician is Adele.
Although Adele had to postpone part of her American run due to voice strain her fashion this summer after the release of her sopho-
more album ”21” has been spectacular. Not only does she show that ladies can look classy, fabulous, and even sexy and not be a size 4
but that they can do with ease!
This dress in particular shows her effortless style. Rather than going with a strapless stress she is using a nice sheer lace to show some
shoulder. Her hair is up in a stylish up-do which elongates the face and body. The cut of this dress is also spectacular because not only
does it create waist, it also doesn’t bind or bunch which is important in plus-size fashion. She is also showing some leg simply going
with a knee length skirt here and the very popular nude hosiery that came into fashion on the legs of another British fashionista, Kate
Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
Our next leading fashion lady is Jennifer Hudson. After her 2009 marriage and having her first son in 2010 she decided to lose weight
with Weight Watchers and now she is sexy and svelte. J Hud was always a looker since she burst onto the scene on American Idol in
2005, but with the release of her sophomore album “I Remember Me” she looks even better.
She is really showing off her new body in this asymmetrical dress with the detailed bodice. The bodice lifts and showcases her chest
while slimming and creating shape against the skirt portion of the ensemble.
Katy Perry has been the “it” this summer with her new “California Girls” album and the Smurfs movie coming out. The woman has
been everywhere and although Joan Rivers calls the now famous Smurf dress a fashion “don’t,” Katy Perry does it well here. Normally
something like this would be hideous and on literally anyone else but she makes it work. This dress is like awkward song that is hard to
play and hard to cover but always works when played by the original band.
The reason this dress works at all is because it is covered in the same sequins throughout making the Smurfette protion of the dress
blend in and stand out at the same time. It also helps that the design is made to conform to the shape and angle of the dress as well so
the design really blends and works.
Ready for a trip to Harajuku station? Nicki Minaj, who identifies as a “harajuku Barbie” in the tradition of the eclectic fashion of young
people around the famous train station in Tokyo, takes us there on a daily basis with her quirky fashion. I do not often recommend that
others take fashion cues from her but I can say that her penchant for body suits, crazy hair colors, and busy patterns shows us that if you
have the body and the look you can step out with confidence in almost anything.
This is my favorite outfit because even though the leggings have a strange pattern they conform to the shape of the leg and draw the eye
right up her to the lacy bodice and gloves. The big hair also puts everything into proportion which is very important. Even though there
is plenty of skin showing she looks sexy without being risqué or looking like a street-walker which is hard to do.
Summer Fashion Wrap Up
Cameron Cowan
By: Cameron Cowan
www.marlaesk.com
6 Great End of Summer Wines
2009 Dr.L Riesling
$9-$12 a bottle
This off-dry (slightly sweet) wine is an affordable example of a quality German
Riesling, and pairs wonderfully with spicy foods. The nose of the wine offers
great mineral aromas, mixed with citrus. The palate is a mixture of apricot
stone fruit and some nice citrus acidity to balance out the mild sweetness of
2010 Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc
$15-$18 a bottle
A great example of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, this wine features the stan-
dard combination of cut grass and vegetal nose, as well as powerful lime,
grapefruit, and sour apple on the palate. Some great acidity makes this wine a
Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Sparkling Wine
$10-$12 a bottle
One of the more consistent value wines, which famously out-performed Dom
Pérignon in blind tastings in the book The Wine Trials by Robin Goldstein, this
budget bubbly is produced in the traditional French Champagne method, and
features an approachable nose of baked apples and a touch of yeast. The palate
Late Summer Wines
2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir
$20-$25 a bottle
Summer doesn’t mean that you have to forsake red wine altogether. One of my
favorite summer reds is Pinot Noir. Good Pinot can be hard to find at a reason-
able price, but at under $25 a bottle, this is one of the better values that I have
2009 Aime Roquesante Rosé
$10-$13 a bottle
No summer wine list would be complete without rosé. Despite what you may
have heard, real men (and women) drink pink. This Provençal rosé is made from
Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. The color is closer to salmon than pink, and the
nose is comprised of floral components, strawberries, and some apricot. The pal-
ate is dryer than the nose would have indicated, with strawberries carrying
2008 Laurenz V. Singing Grüner Veltliner
$10-$13 a bottle
This somewhat less known variety from Austria makes for another great summer
wine. This Grüner is on the dryer side, with some lively aromas of wet stone,
lemon, lime, and subtle white pepper. The palate is refreshing, with light honey,
apples and well balanced citrus. This is a great introduction to an underrated va-
Andrea Li Photography by: Dave Wood
Makeup by: David Brawner
Styled by: Michael Imperatore
Living Art
www.andreali.com
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