Quote Time! :: Jean-Luc Godard

"There is no point in having sharp images when you have fuzzy ideas."

Jean-Luc Godard

Have a great weekend :)

Should I Hire Summer Interns?

Interesting point. Right now, I got the Celtics and, gasp!, Bruins in the second-round of the playoffs. The Sox are starting to gel and the Yankees pitching staff is touting Bartolo Colon as their ace (yeah, the same dude who was on the way out in 2003. Of course I want him to pee in a cup!).  The Leisure season is only getting busier. The weather is getting primed up for Beaching, Golfing, and Phishing and it's going to be difficult for me to keep this part of a well-balanced Life of Leisure.  That being said, I think I've found a few gems.  Check out these two:

I like Eric's outlook and tenacity, but Travis seems pretty organized. Let me know what you think, Leisurilites.

Thank you Bill Maher

Guy sums it up in 140 characters or less. Awesome. 

"Semengate" :: Where were you when it happened?

 illustration by Zohar Lazar

Huffington Post-   Lazar Greenfield, M.D. is no ordinary surgeon. Until last week, he was the president-elect of the American College of Surgeons. The man is the inventor of the Greenfield Filter, a device that has saved countless lives as a means of preventing blood clots during surgery. He's a professor emeritus of surgery at the University of Michigan. He has written more than 360 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, 128 book chapters and two textbooks. He has served on the Editorial Board of 15 scientific journals and was also the lead editor of the Surgery News, the trade publication in which his writing initiated Semengate.

In the February issue, he penned some thoughts on Valentine's Day under the heading of "Gut Feelings." ("But Valentine's Day is about love, and if you remember a romantic gut feeling when you met your significant other, it might have a physiological basis.") Greenfield proceeded to then discuss the mating habits of creatures from fruit flies to rotifer . In each case, Dr. Greenfield made sure to reference to the scientific literature. Then he turned his attention to humans.

Dr. Greenfield noted the therapeutic effects of semen, citing research from the Archives of Sexual Behavior which found that female college students practicing unprotected sex were less likely to suffer from depression than those whose partners used condoms (as well as those who remained abstinent).

Presumably it was the closing line that caused the controversy: "So there's a deeper bond between men and women than St. Valentine would have suspected, and now we know there's a better gift for that day than chocolates."

The attempt at Jackie Mason-humor apparently didn't sit well in certain quarters. Dr. Greenfield resigned as editor of the Surgery News and gave up his stewardship of ACS after learning that his article had spurred threats of protests from outside women's groups.

Well, there you have it. From the good doctor's mouth and, maybe, into yours. People don't read or listen to Lazer Greenfield for his jokes though, they do it for his extensive knowledge.  And if Lazer says women will be happier having unprotected sex and semen is a better gift than chocolates for women, than who are we as simple working civilians to argue with a doctor? 


P.s. I envision Lazer giving his speech and someone in the crowd asks, "Dr. Greenfield, where does this rank in your studies as a doctor?"
"Doctor?" He questions, "I'm not a doctor, but I did stay a Holiday Inn last night. Ugh! Lazer Show!"

Portraits :: Michael Thompson

Michael Thompson's new book of photographs, Portraits, is a nice compliment to any coffee table.  Just don't spit out the coffee when looking through it. Por Ejemplo:

Keira Knightly 

Make Some Noise :: Beastie Boys

Leave it to the Beasties to bring the back the Music Video in all it's glory. Watch this whole thing and see how many celebrities you can spot.

P.s. I think that Limo driver has a fever, and the only prescription is...

It's one of those days

And I'm lovin' it! This was the breakfast of champs.

p.s. what do you know about frosty mugs?!

Happy 420 Everybody!

To Learn the Real Story of 420, as reported by the Huffington Post, Click Here.

If you just want to blaze out, watch this:

"Style"

"Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn." —Gore Vidal

Throw a Great Spring/Summer Party

Throwing a party shouldn't be difficult.  Yet, how many have you wanted to leave within five minutes of entering the room?  Either the host is too overbearing, the ratio of drinks to food sucks, or maybe you just did a little too much pre-gaming before you arrived and things start off weird.  Either way, make sure none of this happens when you're the host.  Here's how to throw a great party like a post-graduate member of society.  (Save the keg stands for the 4th of July Party.)

First things First: The Key Word is "Abundance" 

• Make sure you have an abundance of food and drink. Especially drink. Make a house drink in bulk and keep it flowing. 
• For Spring/Summer, try an Aperol-Orange Fizz. It's strong enough for everyone and girls like it. To make it, put equal parts Aperol (a particular orange liquor) and [good] orange juice. For a aesthetic touch, add sliced orange. 
• Fill glass with ice. Add half the aperol-orange mixture. 
• Top with Prosecco

Marathon Monday Bitches!

This is one of the those rare times that living in Massachusetts pays off; Marathon Monday.  Also known as "Patriots Day", it gives Massachusetts residents a day off work.  I don't know who's worse, the marathon runner or the marathon cheerer?  You couldn't pay me enough to run 26.2 miles (which is why I don't write for Runner's World), But how about the people who spend a day standing outside yelling at a bunch of runners? It's almost as boring as NASCAR, except without the speed, crashes, beer, and abundance of left-turns.  

The Red Sox play at 11:30am though, giving Massachusetts' large contingent of Irish people an acceptable reason to drink before Noontime.  

That being said, I'm going to go tee it up in great weather and then catch the end of the Red Sox game. Happy Monday indeed!

My 10 Essentials

A well-known magazine does a periodic feature called 10 Essentials in which people of interest name 10 things they can't live without. I thought about it for a few minutes.  Then I thought about my 10s of thousands...10s of hundreds...10s of 10s of readers and knew you guys were curious as to what mine are.  Well, let's start the insanity!

MacBook- I do everything with it. Write this blog, everything associated w/internet, music, movies.  It's a complete extension of me.  And, more importantly, it does it with style.  The design and the program graphics, like all things Mac, are slick.  It's ironic, considering Steve Jobs is always in a black turtleneck and mom-jeans.

iPhone- It's like my mobile MacBook.  I think it's honestly one of the most important inventions of the 21st century.  People will look back on it and think, "Damn, how could a nerd in a black turtleneck and mom-jeans invent something so great."

Keurig Coffee Machine- I need coffee in the morning. Stat! As fast as possible. This does it for me. Sadly, I brew a pot while drinking the 1st K-Cup, shocking myself into coherence in the morning.

Hardcover Books- Preferably leather bound, and that smell of a rich mahogany.  Seriously though, as much as I love technology, there is no substitute for a nice hardcover edition of a book you like.  I've bought hardcover editions of books after reading the paperback because I know I'm going to look back through them.  Some of my favorites: The Tender Bar by JR Moehringer, In Cold Blood by Capote, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris, The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway, The Autobiography of Mark Twain: Volume 1, and Chronicles: Volume One by Bob Dylan.  That's a short list, btw.

Titleist Golf Gear- I love golf. Slightly obsessed, actually. It's a game I could write about ad nauseam. In short, there's a lot of technology out there, so when it comes to blending what works with what looks good, you get Titleist golf.  I don't like stuff that looks futuristic, so a lot of the things Titleist put out look pretty classic. And the material they use is incredible if you're a low to mid handicap and notice that stuff.

Pandora.com- I actually canceled my Sirius/XM subscription because I listen to Pandora so much. I have the app on the iPhone and plug it into my car.  I listen to it through headphones a lot too. I scaled down from 10 stations to 3, and I give 1 constant feedback so one day I won't ever have to hit "skip" or "thumbs down".  That's my goal! Maybe I'll post the link to it on here....

Monogrammed Desk Caddy, Flask, & Swiss Army Knife- Two of them were gifts for being in some very cool people's weddings! The desk caddy keeps my life organized every time I'm coming or going. The flask helps me become unorganized and sloppy, and the knife helps me protect myself when I get too drunk or find myself in strange territory and need to survive overnight (because I lost my way from from what ever was in the flask).  Having your initials on these things looks very classy because the monogram is subtle,not like the LL Bean backpack you wore in middle-school.

J.Crew [type] clothes- Orson Welles said, "Create your own visual style...let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others."  I can't do that with just one brand, and I'm not advocating it whatsoever.  However, my personal style has been compared to that of a J.Crew catalogue.  I grew up on Cape Cod. I'm proud of that shit.

Alcohol- Like I said, I grew up on Cape Cod. What the hell do you think people did when it wasn't the Summer? Oh, and when it is Summer, it's even more ridiculous.  And in case you haven't noticed, this blog is called The Leisure Study. I'm also a bartender who has a golf problem.  I'd say booze is an integral part of my life.  And right now my friends are nodding, laughing, and probably saying, "and everything that goes along with it!"  Fuck all of you ;)

Martin Acoustic Guitar- I love music. I respect great live music as much as anything in the world. I try to play guitar. Nothing sounds better than a Martin, preferably the D-28. The guitar is one of those things you can enjoy by yourself or with other people, kind of like sex...drinking...golf. And you don't have to be good at them to enjoy them ;)

New Balance 574 Customs :: Welcome to Cool School

Sneakers. Polarizing topic. Some people live in them.  Others, like myself, wear them occasionally.  Summer is one of those times.  If you want to have only one pair in your arsenal this year, look no further.  New Balance has launched a new custom sneaker website!  Customize everything you want about a pair of 574s, New Balance makes them somewhere deep in the woods of Maine, and you get them 5 days later!  I don't like these because I'm a sneaker-head, I appreciate these because I'm an individual.  

Check the video out for more info:

Back to Basics :: How to Hail A Taxi

Tired of stumbling around drunk between 2-4 am looking for a cab?  All you want is your bed.  Every pair of headlights that approaches gets you excited because you figure, "here it is", then...zoom! Blows right by you with 4 in it and you're screaming into the cold night air.  Never again, my friend.

Find one that's available. Think "All of the Lights":

It's all about the roof light, so look at it while it's approaching:

• Available Cab: Just the center number is lit and nothing else. Hail away!
• Occupied Cab: None of the lights are lit. This cab is already running a fare, so don’t hail it.
• Off Duty Cab: Both the center number and the “off duty” lights are lit. Though, sometimes I saw cabs that just had the “off duty” lights on without the center light on and they were still off duty. This cab isn’t picking anybody up. Don’t hail.

Here are possible combos:

The Execution:

• Stand on the side of the street that has traffic going in the direction you’re headed. 
• Find an ideal spot. Street corners are the best places to hail a cab. If you’ll be hailing cabs in New York City, download the Cabsense App to your smartphone. The CabSense app uses data from the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission to help you find the best nearby street corners to hail an open cab based on the day of the week, the time, and your current location.
• Step off the sidewalk and into the street a bit. 
• Stick your arm out like you mean it. 
• Don’t whistle or yell “Taxi!”  
• Look the driver in the eyes

Once you're inside:

• Give an address, not a name of a place. Don't act trendy.
• Tell the taxi driver from the get go if you need to make multiple stops. 
• No more than 4 people in a cab at a time. This is actually a rule in most states, so don't put the driver in a tough spot because you want to save a few bucks by adding an extra person. If you're calling the cab before you're going out with friends, tell them how many people are in the group. 
• Exit Curbside- Keep it safe
• People say Cabbies get 15%, I give 20%.  Sometimes more if they get me there quickly, leave me alone, and don't blare foreign radio while speaking Patois on their cell phone.

P.s. Open the door for her when entering/exiting :)


via theartofmanliness.com

How to Insult Someone

"If you wish to insult a person, vague generalities are ineffective and often counterproductive.  It pays to be as precise and specific as possible. Alluding to someone's race, ethnic background, or sexual preference demeans only yourself. Insults should precisely characterize the fault you find in the recipient. Correct usage of common terms like asshole, dick, prick, or scumbag is important. For example, an asshole is a person with a delusional world-view who is incapable of observing social boundaries. A dick is a careless egotist who abuses others in demonstration of his high and misplaced self-regard. While a prick is similar to a dick but with a connotation of a more refined and thought-out maliciousness. A scumbag delights in the misery of others and will do his best to contribute to that misery if it is convenient and without onerous repercussion. A scumbag is a meaner and more malevolent dick. But such words are all too common. Think of the allure of an insult that not only sounds bad, but which is quite specific and possibly unknown to the recipient making him feel even more stupid. Confusion over arcane terms can only help drive the point home to a lickspittle, toady, stumblebum, rube, bounder, middlebrow, mythomaniac, charlatan, yokel, lout or shmendrik. And those words just feel good on the tongue."

-Glenn O'Brien 

I'll take it!

Seriously....

Friendship

"The most memorable people in life will be the friends who loved you when you weren’t very lovable"

"Gotta Get Up" :: Asher Roth

"Gotta Get Up" - Asher Roth from Luke Tedaldi on Vimeo.

TLS would like to give a HUGE shout-out to two friends involved in Asher "I love College" Roth's new stuff.  My boy Luke Tedaldi directed this video. Obviously I love the Big Lebowski theme.  Reminds me of some great days in the sun. And the girlfriend in the video? None other than the lovely Jase Dillan, musician, U Miami fan, and cool chick.  Congrats guys on a cool video :)

Something to help get over the 0-6 Boston Red Sox

Boston Globe- The Red Sox have reached an agreement with Mayor Thomas M. Menino and other interest groups to begin selling mixed drinks to fans at Fenway Park, based on testimony before the Boston Licensing Board Wednesday morning.  The mayor, police, and community groups expressed support for the Red Sox plan to begin selling mixed drinks at five locations in the ballpark -- after the Red Sox agreed to relocate one stand further away from the bleacher section.

Screw getting two beers every inning, get two cocktails.  That way you'll blackout before the Red Sox blow the game and you won't feel bad about paying $300 on two tickets so you could freeze your ass off before June.  Fenway beers (like many stadiums) are watered down and seem to get smaller every season.  It'll be interesting to see how strong they make their drinks. My guess is a shot in a soda for around $10-$12.  I'm looking up the stock quotes for nips and investing heavily.  Either that, or my monogramed flask is going to be shipping up to Boston with me for games. 

In all honesty, the Sox will make the playoffs.  They have some issues to work out, but also too much talent to keep this up.  They'll go on a 10-game win streak soon that will make all Sox fans forget about this....even though we don't forget anything.  

-Thanks to TP for the tip!

TLS Endorses "The Beer in the Shower"

This blog is long overdue. I was talking about "the best beers you can have" with some people the other night, and "The beer in the shower" came up. I couldn't believe that some people hadn't heard of it!  After a long day/night at work, after the beach, before you're going out for the night...The Beer in the Shower is one of the best beers you can ever enjoy.  Those who have indulged know the unrivaled delight.  Those who haven't yet, you are in for a treat. 

Just make sure it isn't during your morning shower.  Unless you're on vacation :)

Michael Jackson :: This is Awkward

(ESPN) LONDON -- Fulham unveiled a statue of Michael Jackson outside its stadium on Sunday, with team chairman Mohamed Al Fayed telling fans to support another Premier League club if they don't like the idea. Al Fayed, who was close friends with Jackson, danced with children after unveiling the statue of the "King of Pop" before Fulham's home match against Blackpool.

The statue outside Craven Cottage has divided opinion, but Al Fayed launched a passionate defense of his move to commemorate his friendship with Jackson, who died in 2009.

"Why is it bizarre?" he said. "Football fans love it. If some stupid fans don't understand and appreciate such a gift, they can go to hell. I don't want them to be fans. If they don't understand and don't believe in things I believe in, they can go to Chelsea, they can go to anywhere else."

Chelsea, the defending English champion, is the nearest Premier League team to Fulham, with both clubs located in southwest London.

"People will queue to come and visit it from all over Britain and it is something that I and everybody else should be proud of," Al Fayed said.

Hahaha. As a Chelsea fan, this is real intimidating. While Chelsea is busy working on Back to Back titles, Mohamed Al Fayed is dancing with children and telling his fan base to "go to hell" if they don't like the King of Pop. What the hell does MJ have to do with soccer? He went to one Fulham game?!

Don't get me wrong, I'll jam Billie Jean, Thriller, Smooth Criminal, PYT, maybe even some Rock with You. But I don't play it on the way to the game, and I wouldn't feel like I'm walking into an arena to watch men battle walking by that statue. I'd feel like I was walking into Neverland Ranch.

Keep that Vuvuzela to yourself, guy!

Congrats UCONN!

Jeremy Lamb with a steal and 2 of his 12 points in the second half

"Ball Don't Lie" -Rasheed Wallace

It didn't tonight. Butler shot 18.8%. The refs couldn't shoot for them!  The difference was UCONN's Jeremy Lamb had 12 points in the second half compared to zero in the first.  That, and UCONN was about half a foot taller in the paint. If I'm Jim Calhoun, I retire as a 3-time Champion and avoid serving a suspension next year for NCAA violations.  (Sorry Pantos, I gotta call 'em like a see 'em)

Good Looks!

You want better skin and that healthy glow before the Summer roles around?  Eat these foods.  It doesn't mean you have swear off everything else, just make sure to incorporate them into your diet.  Here the benefits of each.

1. Tomatoes. Organic tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant shown to help fight illnesses of all stripes. They're also loaded with vitamins C and A, and if you believe Dr. Oz, they could be as good or better than açai and goji, those trendy, expensive antioxidants you couldn’t stop hearing about for a few years.

2. Green tea. In a nutshell, people who drink green tea have about a dozen health advantages over people who do not—from cancer prevention to longevity to gentler skin aging—thanks to its antioxidant polyphenols. Organic green tea is preferable (nothing undoes positive health effects like a load of pesticides) and can be found in bulk for cheap at large grocery stores.

3. Broccoli. This is the item on the list you'd be best off learning to love if you don't already, because its nutrition profile beats out all other veggies according to a Harvard University study. It has well-documented anti-inflammatory effects, which can help with everything from eye health and arthritis to heart disease and sun damage. Eat it a couple of nights a week if you can. A favorite simple recipe is broccoli steamed with olive oil, salt, and garlic.

4. Salmon. You obviously want to be careful about sourcing when it comes to any fish choice—check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's new recommendations for salmon here—but the short version is, wild Alaskan is a good bet. Salmon is loaded with anti-inflammatory omega 3s, healthy fats, and vitamin B12. Bonus side effect: Glowing skin.

5. Extra virgin olive oil. It’s gotta be EV: Eat it for heart-disease prevention, cancer prevention, its cholesterol-lowering good fats, its antioxidants, and because it’s completely and utterly delicious and frankly, a good olive oil tastes better than butter.

6. Dark leafy greens.Yes, they can be bitter and less than exciting at first, but they are loaded with vitamins and iron and can be snuck into meals easily (omelets, pasta, salads, etc.). Prepared the same way as the broccoli suggestion takes five minutes and is super tasty with eggs for breakfast.

7. Walnuts. These shelled suckers are packed with good fats (the monounsaturated kind), which is great for heart health, lowering cholesterol, boosting brain function, and reducing inflammation. You don't need many of these to reap the benefits, though. Go easy.

8. Blueberries. What gives these guys a leg up on other fruit is the fact that they're super low in calories and very high in vitamin C, fiber, vitamin E, and other brain-boosting nutrients. A Tufts University study found that when they evaluated 60 other fruits and veggies for their antioxidant capability, the blues came out on top.

9. Dark chocolate. You should eat this because it’s delicious, and because a recent study also showed its capacity to protect skin from UV damage. The claims that its packed with antioxidants have been recently called into question—you can read more about that here andhere—but for now? Might as well go for it.

10. Avocados. As if anyone needed another reason to eat avocados, it's encouraging to know that in addition to being nature's unadulterated butter, they're also loaded with cholesterol-lowering power, potassium, folate, carotenoids, vitamin E, and happiness-inducing monounsaturated fats. (And yes, guacamole counts.)

11. Buffalo Wings. Yeah right :) Good for you for reading all of this, though.

Emmanuelle Chriqui :: Photographs by Alexi Lubomirski©