Benchmade Tassel Loafers
There is this pomp and circumstance about a benchmade tassel loafer that distinctly says, "I care." Perhaps it's the ornamented aura they induce when you slip them on; or the Goodyear-welted construction and double leather sole; or the full calfskin lining for comfort and longevity (because let’s face it, we’ll rarely be wearing socks). Maybe it's the fact that they're crafted with Chicago's Horween cordovan (arguably the best cordovan in the world today); or that they're kept on a shoe form far longer than today’s standard; or it could easily be the over 200 separate operations spanning eight weeks...
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P.J. Clarke's
We're running a bit late to the corner of 55th & 3rd. Max Wastler is waiting for our lunch date. After a handful of text exchanges, we spot him in the red brick saloon—penny-tile floors, carved mahogany bar, tin ceiling and stained-glass transoms. P.J. Clarke’s is a vestige of a better time—another century all together. It also serves a legendary burger. It’s wall-to-wall packed with suits (and deals were certainly being made) but we manage a grip of stools at Doug Quinn’s bar with a bit of timing and keen eyes...
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J.G. Melon
The patronage is meager by the time we duck in and grab the table in the front corner. It’s usually packed at dinner—the line running out the door. Back when Lee introduced me to J.G. Melon, we skipped the wait in favor of the bar as he nonchalantly pointed out all the somebodies everybody treated just like anybody...
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