Flipping Fantastic

Here at the Ataraxian we love good service, in fact were doolally about it! We value care, detail, quality, and nice refreshing gin based drink in the afternoon. So we were very pleased when Threadflip, a month-old San Francisco-based company, landed in our lap this afternoon. It contains all of the above (expect for the gin unfortunately). 

The joy of buying that battered classic orange covered Penguin edition of Brighton Rock or that 60 year old Harris Tweed blazer is the story. You can only begin to imagine the adventures its had, you get the clues; like the 'To Harold, from your dearest Maggie' scribbled in beautiful penmanship on the inside cover, or the old cinema ticket in the top pocket of the blazer to see Pretty Woman in 1990. The rest you fill in with your imagination and then step out and start it's next chapter. 

The impersonal nature of shopping online, coupled with the standardized format and general coldness and blandness of sites like Ebay and Etsy takes a lot of that joy, mystery and story out of the experience. Like these sites, Threadflip lets you buy and sell secondhand fashion goods. What Threadflip does and where it differs from its established competitors, is it personalizes the experience, buyers and sellers are identified not by anonymous usernames, but by their Facebook profiles. It injects the story back into the online retail world, something that was loved but is no longer needed is passed on, it stops being a mere transaction. The format of the site encourages you to browse and explore, as if you were in a vintage clothes store on Portobello Road, rather than searching like you would on Ebay, further resurrecting lost pleasures of shopping.  

On top of this they ship you the packaging and an addressed, pre-paid mailing label so all you need to do it pack it up and send it on its way. And also offer a service called White Glove Service, where you send them your stuff and they do all the photographing, listing and posting for you. All together it amounts to a fantastic service and we at The Ataraxian salute you Threadflip. Threadflip are currently only in the US, so we have have a couple of requests, get over to Blighty sharpish & we would be ecstatic if you did Menswear as well.  

The American Art of the English

Greetings eccentrics and lost souls,

As you have been informed I have returned from the gracious company of our Chinese (do I say overlords yet? No) hosts, needless to say I shall be providing you with a chirpy travelogue shortly chock-a-block with trends, tastes and tipples. In the meantime I would like to draw your attention to a Spring/Summer collection from American Ivy League stalwarts Norman Hilton.

Under the mantra ''Doing one thing well'' Hilton specializes in producing soft, subtle, well-tailored Blazers for America's bright young things, and as you can see they deliver some fantastic wear for your consideration this year.
At around $650 they are certainly an investment piece for the younger reader, but the looks themselves (shot by Unabashedly Prep blogger F.E.Castlebury) displays some timeless Ivy ascetics (Madras, tie clips), indeed follow on to Castlebury's site for some real inspiration into the Ivy League dream and see how America manages to sell English often far better than we can.

How One Covets a Thing

Apologies to all for the brief hiatus in our usual broadcasting. Tea stocks at the Club house were running dangerously low so our editor-in-chief, brave man that he is, skipped off to China in search of new supplies. I am reliably informed he has just been seen putting back into port at Dover, laden with crates of Oriental provender and accompanied by enough pack-donkeys to cart it all back to Ataraxia HQ in time for elevenses.

We'd better get on with some work before he gets here.

Today I would like to show you an example of shoe design done right, courtesy of those gentleman cobblers over at Lodgers. 'The Hamilton Military' is an exquisite take on the classic Oxford which goes to prove that you can have colour in shoes without compromising one bit on their style or elegance.

Couple with a well-tailored grey 3-piece suit for a razor-sharp image that may well result in immediate job offers from Whitehall. Also ideal paired with a complimentary lightweight tweed when around town. Onlookers will see the care and craft evident in every detail, from the hand-burnished toe to the wine-red sole.

Unfortunately, but inevitably, they are very, very expensive. My advice? Think hard about which of your organs you need the least and sell it to raise the necessary funds. If you're hesitant about sacrifing a kidney for a pair of shoes, it may help to know that bespoke wooden shoe trees, shoe bags and a storage box are all included in the price.

A word of thanks and credit where it's due. This commendable and covetable morsel first came to my attention via Justin FitzPatrick's excellent blog 'The Shoe Snob'.

The Financial Crisis ( The Cartoon Series)

Raymond does Charcuterie

As I currently struggle to plan the making of my own ham and chorizo I found much encouragement in the unending enthusiasm of Raymound Blanc who this week in his current 'Kitchen Secrets' series cover Charcuterie (cured meat). Last year I tasted myself some of the very best local french produce and the local smoked(donkey meat) cured sausages were among the highlights in terms of quality, texture and deep flavour, here Raymound lets you in on the simplicity of some of the most highly regarded dishes in the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ztf1l/Raymond_Blancs_Kitchen_Secrets_Series_2_Charcuterie/

Port Magazine (no.. not that Port... sadly)

Heads up, there's a new gentleman's monthly loose on the market.
Titled 'Port' it aims to take on the monoliths of men's light reading Esquire and GQ. It certainly looks interesting (it should be at £6 an issue); contributions from Fergus Henderson (who possibly rivals Mark Hix in terms of foodie credentials)and Samantha Morton on film, with contributing editors for the first issue including  Jon Snow and author Hanif Kureishi. As if they hadn't declared there seriousness enough they also stuck Mr''I don't like puppies or breasts'' Daniel Day-Lewis on the cover. 
At a first glance, the format doesn't differ wildly from Esquire's, with a clear focus on unaffordable high end style. However it's chief editor Dan Crowe's clear intention to pursue  a return to the quality of the writing itself which may prove to be Port's trump card... 

Port issue 1 is currently on sale  

On the Menu..Green Risotto

Ingredients

• 100g frozen peas
• 100g salad spinach
• 20g fresh mint
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• salad onions
• 1 litre Vegetable Stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 350g arborio rice
• 150ml white wine
• 75g Parmigiano Reggiano (or Pecorino), finely grated

Method

1.)Cook the peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Wilt and drain the spinach and add into a food processor with the mint and crème fraîche. Blend until smooth.

2.)In a large pan, heat the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.

3.)Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, until soft. Stir in the rice, pour in the wine and allow to bubble. Add a ladle of hot stock and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue to add the stock ladle by ladle, stirring, until the rice is creamy.

4,)Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Add the green purée to the rice and stir to combine. Season.

Particualy excellent is to serve the Risotto as shown with some roasted bird; chicken,turkey and particulaly pheasent work very well. Additionally it serves to turn this dish into a hearty main meal. Serve with leftovers, as an added treat pour the roasting juices over the risotto itself, exceptional.