The Beatles: A Lifelong Love

LeDandy is taking a break from the fashion world for a short time. One needs more than fashion in life to keep life interesting. My closets are overflowing with clothes and frankly I'm a little burned out with fashion and style.

LeDandy has rekindled his interest in Beatles music. Ever since I was a teenager, I have loved Beatles music. It would be an understatement to say they represented the 1960's. Anyone who knows their history understands that the Beatles were the 1960's. They underwent a sad transformation from lovable moptops to long-haired hippies. Fortunately their music seldom suffered and they produced a tremendous amount of work.

My favorite album / cd by far is "Live at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany 1962." If you are not a Beatles fanatic, you probably never heard of it. If you are a Beatles fan, this album has received a lot of criticism and negative reviews. Beatle George Harrison is reported to have said "The Star-Club recording was the crummiest recording ever made in our name." The sound quality is poor and the Beatles perform only two of their early songs on the double album. Nevertheless it is my favorite because of the raw energy and historical significance of the recordings. These aspects transcend everything else.

Just like clothing and style, LeDandy opts for the unconventional choice in music. Damn the critics and experts. Full speed ahead.

The Wikipedia entry for this album is quite informative and I recommend reading it.

As I wrote back in an April post of this year, I found my old double album which I bought when I was fourteen or so in 1978. I recall buying it at Smitty's in Phoenix at the Tatum & Shea Blvd. location on a Saturday night. Funny how some memories stay with you.

The Star Club album is one of only two commercially available live concert recordings. The other album is the Hollywood Bowl recordings which has much better audio quality and was made at the peak of their popularity in 1964 and 1965. Bootleg albums of other concerts are available but these are hard to find as bootlegs are illegal to trade or sell. LeDandy recommends owning both the Hollywood Bowl and Star Club albums/cds.

Does the West Coast Have a Style?

No.

But this is not a bad thing. Of course there is not one predominant style in any region as we are now a diverse country in so many ways. Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the East Coast is more formal and traditional when compared to the West Coast. Ossified, as one of my new work colleagues so eloquently stated in regard to East Coast style.

There are many reasons for the coastal differences. LeDandy isn't going to bore you with the reasons as you can figure them out for yourself.

I will state from personal experience that while the West Coast may not have a style, the men on the West Coast have a more individual sense of style. There is greater freedom and acceptance on the West Coast when it comes to appearance. My pince-nez and bold socks seldom raise an eyebrow in SF. Of course there are young people with purple hair, piercings all over and tattoos. And that is just the city's Board of Supervisors. Just kidding.

Yours truly is shown here dressed for work with his bright green trousers, black tuxedo shoes and navy polo sweater. Yes, SF is cold in the summer. LeDandy calls this ensemble his "country club eccentric" look.

I am glad to be living in California.

White Sox

With little dots. Yes, LeDandy ventured into new territory with his recent purchase from Happy Socks in Sweden. In my June 27th post, I showed stock pictures of the two dot socks. The one pictured at left is the multi-colored socks and the other pair has black dots on a white field. I thought it would be great to pair the white socks with khaki pants and brown shoes.

So what does LeDandy think of the goods from Happy Socks? These socks are a good value at $10 a pair. The cotton is finely knit and I am quite impressed by the woven designs as seen in the photo below of the black dot socks. Happy Socks didn't opt for the cheap dye print but produced these socks the right way. It is the same quality as you would find in the far more expensive Duchamp sock.

As I wrote in my May 15th post, these socks are 80% cotton, 17% nylon and 3% elastic. It is a winning formula as the socks retain the cotton texture while the nylon and elastic help with wear. I've learned not to go with all cotton in my socks as they tend to fall down more during the day.

The aspect of these socks which really impresses me is that they come in three sizes. It really irritates me when a manufacturer (e.g., Nagrani, Marcoliani) sells socks in only one size. These businesses sell only one size for their benefit, not yours. LeDandy believes it is incredibly cheap and thoughtless for sock makers to sell only one size.

There is one serious downside to these socks. They are quite short in height when compared to the standard mid-calf socks. Happy Socks' socks cover only a little more than the ankle. I like a little bit more height to my socks.


These socks are a good value for their bold colors and design. However the short height of these socks discourages me from buying more pairs.

The Agony of Bike Riding

Ok, I admit it wasn't this bad. However, I forgot the problems of riding in the suburbs with considerable traffic. It is not fun especially with a ten year old boy who hasn't grasped the finer points of bicycle safety. If we want to do any bike riding, I'll have to mount the bikes on the car and drive somewhere. I hate doing that.

Oh, another reminder of local hazards. Fremont is a nice, middle-class community in the East Bay area of Northern California. We don't have the same problems as San Francisco. Nevertheless, we get our share of panhandlers. I was at a red light the other day while William and I were bike riding. Two women came up to me and asked directions to the local hospital. Then, one asked me for cab money to get there! The direction shtick was a big ruse and I told her that I wouldn't give her money.

Bad traffic and panhandling. Think I'll stick to the home exercise equipment.

The Beautiful Sport of Bike Riding

Last Saturday Jon Dean and I took young William to get a new bike. He is ten years old and the thrills don't get much better than a new bike. The previous day Jon Dean bought him a bike at Target which needed some major adjustments. We ended up returning that one. LeDandy has quite a bit of experience with the sport of bike riding so he and Jon Dean took William to a bike store to get a quality bike.

Bikes are one of the items one really needs to buy from a full service bicycle store, even if you have to pay more. Why? Because your bike will periodically need repairs and most bike shops will provide minor adjustments for free on the bikes they sell.


Pictured above, William has a Redline 1.1 BMX freestyle bike. Oh yes, he wears a 'brain bucket' (i.e., helmet) for safety's sake.

LeDandy just had his old Rocky Mountain Fusion hardtail bike tuned up at the bike store since it hasn't been ridden in about four years. We will be doing some family riding soon.

Why did LeDandy take such a long absence from bike riding? Time. Bike riding is a time consuming activity and I switched to a stationary bike and elliptical trainer. Now that I have a riding partner, I'll be riding again.

Oh yes, what does one wear for recreational bike riding? LeDandy recommends a t-shirt and shorts for warm weather. Why would you want to wear nice clothes when you work out? As for spandex shorts, wear 'em if you can!

The Dixon-Ticonderoga Pencil

LeDandy loves the Dixon-Ticonderoga pencil. It is the classic, functional All-American pencil used by grade school students and above. Since I was a child, I have liked the grip and smooth writing of this brand's pencil. It was superior to others. Somehow I liked them more when these pencils were worn down to barely usable stubs.

Is there really something special about these pencils? I believe so. The grip is superior because of the wood and the polished finish. Most generic pencils are crude and have a rougher texture. You can feel the difference. Also, the pencils are very attractive with their green and yellow ferrule.* Simply put, these pencils look good and feel good.

What about mechanical pencils? LeDandy can't stand them for some reason. Sure, they look nicer but the damn things are impractical. The lead snaps off the tip and I find the lead too thin. When it comes to putting graphite on paper, there is no substitute for a wooden pencil. There is also a primal gratification in sharpening the pencil by hand. It gives us time to reflect while doing a productive, manual task.

The Dixon-Ticonderoga pencil is more expensive than your generic drugstore counterpart. The market rate for this brand is about $2.50 dozen compared to $1 dozen for the cheap generic. LeDandy believes this premium is well worth the difference. Treat yourself to an American classic.

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*Big word for the day. Ferrule is the metal sleeve joining one part to another. Don't worry, LeDandy had to look up this word too.

Summer of Hope

This column goes beyond the superficial aspects of clothing and answering such inane questions as "Can I wear black socks with a navy suit and black shoes?" LeDandy assumes you know the basics. The most important part of dandyism is your spirit.

The soccer program at left has a tremendous significance to me. It is the unofficial program to the Group F games held at Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga, Spain for the 1982 World Cup. Sadly, I wasn't there for these games. This program was an eBay purchase a few years ago for about $25.

At the time of these games in June, 1982 I was eighteen years old and just finished high school. It was a memorable point in my life as I held the highest expectations for my future. In a few days I would leave for a long vacation to the Middle East for most of the summer. When I got back, I would head off for college. It all seemed so real back then: a great career, women, money and happiness. It seemed all within reach and I could taste it.

The apex of this quixotic* optimism occurred on June 22, 1982 while I watched the Group F match between the USSR and Scotland. It was a 'must win' game for Scotland. The game had a wild finish and ended in a 2-2 draw, thus eliminating Scotland and propelling the Soviets into the second round. I remember the details of that game. It wasn't really the game that mattered but it did mark a precise point in time. My trip was just a few days away and I sensed a high point in my life. It was the exact point in life where one has the adult knowledge to appreciate the real world while still harboring a childlike optimism for the future.

I am sorry to say that my life took some very bad turns over the next twenty years. As with most people, life didn't work out according to my dreams at the time. Only within the last ten years has my life turned around. Nevertheless, I still recall with great fondness those magical days in June of 1982 when I thought that everything was within reach for me.

I try to keep the spirit of that time alive in me. It influences everything I do.
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* Big word for the day.

Jackson Pollock: An American Genius

Last weekend I watched the movie "Pollock" starring Ed Harris. Great subject but a horrible movie. Ed Harris overacted in it and the movie could have been improved by focusing on the art or the character of the artist. Instead, it was just a superficial narration of his artistic years.

LeDandy is a big fan of Pollock's later works, especially the "drip paintings" from the early 1950's. Many have called it garbage as it really shocks the conscience. One time about twenty years ago I visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York and saw one of his large drip paintings. It really is something in person and very powerful. One can feel the emotion and vitality of his work. The canvas was huge and the viewer can sense the textures and colors of the work. Yes, he was a very troubled man. It shows.

Pollock's work belongs to the class called abstract expressionism. On the Unauthorized Jackson Pollock website, the author states that abstract expressionism "...is an approach that involves complete freedom from all traditional aesthetic and social values and favors spontaneous, free personal expression." Sounds like Reform Dandyism? No wonder LeDandy is a fan of Pollock.

A good website for an introduction to Pollock is on the National Gallery of Art website. It is interesting to see his progression from the accepted styles of his period to his "action painting" with the large canvas.

Pollock turned the art world on its ear with his bold new work. It is inspiring to see true genius.