Mr. Peacock has a thing for citrus juice reamers—specifically white porcelain or milk glass varieties. Here are a few favorites from my cupboard:
I call this porcelain beauty, by Rosenthal, my "Statue of Liberty" reamer. I think it looks great just as an objet d'art in my kitchen, but it’s also very functional.
I use it for oranges and large lemons. You hold the "handle" with one hand, while you juice with the other.
Then you tilt it to pour the juice, and the “prongs” catch the seeds.
I absolutely love this small porcelain vintage reamer! I use it all the time to juice limes and small organic Meyer lemons from my neighborhood produce market.
It’s simple, and very ingenious design, catches the juice in the pot, and strains the seeds on top. And it hold’s just the right amount of juice for dressings and salsas.
This vintage milk glass citrus reamer has the Sunkist logo type embossed on the side. It was probably a promotional item from the 40’s or 50’s. I found it at the flea market ages ago, and it’s been a workhorse in my kitchen ever since. You can find similar versions here or here.
I use it for grapefruits, large oranges and if I’m juicing a large quantity of lemons or limes. The “trough” doesn’t hold that much juice so I usually have my milk glass bowl (probably separated from someone’s mixer decades ago) with a sieve resting on top nearby to strain the seeds from the juice.
I found this little guy in China Town for a couple bucks.It's okay if you're juicing a couple of lemons or limes, and it strains the seeds when you pour the juice.
Of course you could use an old-fashioned wood reamer if you’re just juicing a single fruit...or if I’m feeling lazy—I just use a fork. I’ve seen this curious looking citrus reamer out and about at various shops. It looks like a naughty toy or medieval torture device to me. It would make a great conversation piece in your kitchen. I haven’t tried it for reaming citrus fruits, and I’m curious how effective it is for juicing. Has anyone tried this style of reamer?
Mr. Peacock would like to kindly thank a couple of wonderful sites for the shout-outs!
Beefranck, part of the Mr. X Stitch squad, kindly featured Mr. Peacock's naughty napkins on her weekly posting called, NSFW Saturday, which features naughty stitched items "not safe for work." Mr. X Stitch site features contemporary embroidery and needlecraft. The amount of talent and creativity showcased is almost overwhelming! You can easily spend hours looking at a diverse sampling of modern and experimental stitching.
After each visit to Mr. X Stitch, I immediately want to start embroidering—while my head is spinning from the amazing work they feature on the site. Even if you're not a needlecraft person, you will be inspired by the work shown on Mr. X Stitch. They also sell Mr. X Stitch patterns on etsy.Thank you Beefranck—and I love the adult content "warning-puppy!" And a big merci to the crafty, Skitso Leezra, for always thinking about Mr. Peacock, and turning me on to Mr. X Stitch! Mr. Peacock would also like to give a thanks to Thombeau, and his entire Fabulon Board of Directors, over at Planet Fabulon.Fabulon was "paging"Mr. Peacock from his fabulous universe...and I answered the call. If you need a good dose of glamour, fashion, and beefcake...all wrapped up with a sly sense of humor, be sure to make a pit-stop on the planet full of fabulousity at Fabulon.
And thanks to all of the folks who read and enjoy Mr. Peacock. The blogosphere is an amazing universe!
Steve Doyle is a stylish peacock and entrepreneur who resides in London. He’s the founder and editor of Buckstyle.com. Buckstyle premiered last year in a printed format (above), and has segued into a website that covers fashion, furniture and food. It’s still evolving, and will include video and even Doyle's Kitchen! The fashion show reports are very informative, and the images are large enough to see the details of each collection. Buckstyle promises to be a favorite bookmarked site for gentlemen peacocks everywhere.
Above: One of Mr. Peacock's favorite fashion stories from Buckstyle.
Mr. Peacock: How would you describe your own style? Steve Doyle: New Dandy, perhaps. I like to challenge pre-conceptions of what young men should wear, both in my shoots and in my personal styling. At the moment that means wearing a mixture of traditional ‘old man’ clothes like bow ties and Barbour jackets, with dandy touches. I like formality—button down shirts with buttoned-up collars, that kind of thing, but with a twist—clashing plaids are a current favourite.
MP: How old were you when you realized you were a peacock? SD: I knew it from a very young age. I was always interested in aesthetics; the aesthetic of everything in fact from clothes to cutlery to car design. I used to drive my parents mad because I was so picky. I always knew what I wanted, and still do. To be a peacock takes confidence though and on that front I have gained, lost it and regained it over the years. As a teenager I worked for the BBC’s local TV centre in Birmingham, England (where I grew up) and worked on several fashion TV programmes. At that time, everyone in my class thought I would work in fashion but as it turned out, I took a degree in Japanese Studies (long story!) and only came back into the fashion world for work years later.
MP: What's your favorite item in your wardrobe? SD: OK, I get it; you want me to tell you what underwear I wear? Ha-ha! A mixture of Calvin Klein and American Apparel. I always like to wear something red in my outfit—it gives me some kind of extra strength, and so sometimes the underwear is red.
MP: Do you wear vintage clothes or only "new" clothes? SD: Lots of vintage. At Buckstyle, I created a policy of always including designer, vintage, and high street pieces in every shoot—I call this D.V.H—because this is how real men dress. Personally, I love vintage, the cheaper the better! I am fortunate to live close by some really lovely vintage stores as well. A mix of old and new looks more individual I think.
MP: Who is your style icon? SD: In terms of style, Diana Vreeland (above left). Not from her own look, of course, but from her thoughts on fashion and style. Editor of American Vogue (above right) in the Sixties, she appreciated and enjoyed all forms of beauty, and was a maximalist—always pushing for more, always “going all the way” as she would have put it. I have seen pictures of her office at Vogue—clashing reds, Persian rugs with Japanese wall hangings; a riot of colour—she always looked forward and believed fashion should be fun, as I do.
MP: Do you have a favorite menswear designer or brand? SD: For the Autumn/Winter season (above video), my favourite collection was by Les Hommes. They have a great aesthetic, very intelligent, bold, quite feminine but strong. They get better each season. My must-have buy for next season is a pair of wedge-brogues by Armand Basi—truly stunning; a metallic leather brogue in burgundy and navy with a thick wooden sole. For regular wear, I always find something interesting in Topman’s Design range.
MP: Any sartorial disasters you can share? SD: As a teenager, there were countless! At 16, I used to go clubbing in the same outfit every week—black T-shirt, black trousers and a diamante belt! Truly horrific, although it was the Nineties, when block colouring looked sophisticated rather than dull. Haha!
MP: Any menswear trends you adore? or abhor? SD: Love—wedge-brogues (not a trend yet but it will be!), Barbour jackets (above),Dr. Martens shoes + boots, plaid. Loathe—Crocs! Although that probably goes without saying.
Above: A Buckstyle interior shot.
MP: What city has the best-dressed men? SD: So difficult. I like guys who take pride in their style, whatever that style is. In London, New York and Berlin, I think you find some really adventurous guys but there are other parts of those cities that are awful. Paris and Milan are chic but quite conservative. Overall, Tokyo probably has the best-dressed—smartly turned out conservative men as well as young, adventurous hipsters. Everywhere is exciting though; some people think that globalization has made us all look the same but I think those people must have never left their own country. Parisians wear American Apparel, but in a completely different way to Chicagoans, and that’s how it should be.
MP: How did you conceive or get the idea for Buckstyle? SD: A couple of years ago, I was in a job I didn’t enjoy and decided, after a lot of soul-searching, that life is too short for jobs you don’t enjoy. So I took the plunge and decided to follow my dream—running my own business, publishing a fashion magazine. I lived in Tokyo back in 2002 and during my time there, fell in love with a men’s fashion magazine called Men’s non-no (above). It’s really accessible and commercial but still adventurous with its styling. So, this was my starting point—an accessible men’s fashion magazine for guys like me who know their own style and do their own thing but want to see what’s new and how other men the same age are styling themselves. I plan to continue this with Buckstyle.com, taking it forward with video fashion shoots.
Mr. Peacock finds Steve Doyle’s entrepreneurial spirit inspiring, and his style sense superb. Stop by Buckstyle.com and check it out. As I said, it will only get better, especially in the hands of Steve Doyle. Mr. Peacock is crossing his fingers they may produce an occasional special printed issue of Buckstyle. Thank you Steve!
Okay, I admit it; I’ve always liked tassels—especially on a nice pair of loafers. I think the loafers with the shorter tongues, usually worn by businessmen in office parks, have given the tasseled loafer a bad reputation. Most people think of tasseled loafers as stodgy and very conservative. This season, however, there are many modern interpretations of this ornamental tuft of threads (or cords) on men's shoes. Here are a few of Mr. Peacock’s favorites:
Who hasn’t owned at least one pair of Sperry top-siders, and knotted the cord into a tassel-like knot (I don’t remember how to knot them now—do you?).
Purple, encompassing shades from deep aubergine to the palest lilac, can add a sophisticated touch to your wardrobe. The color is historically associated with royalty; in the 80’s purple immediately brought visions of Prince—a royal of his own kind. Many peacock gentlemen wear purple...peacock icon, James Andrew, elegantly wears all shades of this regal color; and the peacock artist, Emile Norman, likes to wear his signature purple Converse sneakers. If you don’t already wear purple, start with a belt and then work your way up to a shirt or jacket. Here are some purple goodies that will get you started…
1)Pantone has a plethora of purple colors...and your coffee or tea will definitely taste better sipped out of this purple colored Pantone Mug(spot color 2583).
4)Mr. Peacock loves these steely lilac oxfords. They would look great with a dark suit or even just your favorite jeans.
5)The Fine and Dandy Shop always has a selection of economical pocket squares in various shades purple of purples.
6)Thank you Marc Jacobs for your “special items.” There are always bargain treasures, and these purple and navy web belts for $20 are worth their weight in gold for adding a bit of purple to your wardrobe this spring. 7)These slim fit purple jeans take be back to high school. They would look chic with a navy blazer.
At right: Menswear designer, Michael Bastion, showed purple trousers paired with a plaid jacket at his Autumn/Winter 2009 Collection. Why wait until the fall to wear purple, be inspired now!
Above video: Whenever I hear Prince, it reminds me of my late sister, Theresa. We saw Prince in concert numerous times together—we loved him in the 80's. She first turned me onto him with this album.
Jaime Hayon is a Spanish artist/designer who’s a whirlwind of creative energy and vision. He left his hometown of Madrid as a teenager in the early 1990’s, and went to San Diego to submerge himself in skateboard culture and graffiti art. He then landed a scholarship at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. In 1996, he went to work at Fabrica,Oliviero Toscani’s creative agency for Benetton.
In a short time he was promoted from student to head of their Design Department, where he oversaw projects ranging from shop, restaurant and exhibition conception and design to graphics. He broke out on his own in 2004, with collections of designer toys, ceramics and furniture, followed by interior design and installation. Above: A ceramic candelabra.
The common thread in all of Mr. Hayon’s projects is his inimitable grasp of form, style and color, combined with his sensual and whimsical touch.
Mr. Peacock first became enchanted with the work of Jaime Hayon after he saw his award winning bathroom collection.
The collection is sleek and sensual, without being too feminine or trendy. I’m not sure what I like better—the pieces in black, or in white?
In 2007, Jaime Hayon designed the restaurant interiors of La Terraza del Casino, one of Madrid’s most traditional member clubs. I love the plates mounted on the ceiling!
His Showtime Collection for BD Ediciones de Diseño is a home furniture collection inspired on classical MGM musicals. The concepts behind these pieces explore the contrast between what is external and internal and combines innovative material combinations like plastic and leather.
The Fantasy Collection for the Spanish porcelain brand, Lladró, clearly illustrates Hayon’s ability to make magic of the unexpected. The piece on the right, would be a perfect cake-topper for Tula at Whorange.
This chair is at the top of Mr. Peacock’s wish list right now! It’s from a twenty-two piece wood collection, from Hayon's first collaboration with Ceccotti.
I also like his lamps.
Mr. Hayon also designs shoes for Camper.“I wanted to make a simple shoe but one that had character, in solid colors...”
Limited edition pieces for Baccarat; and Grid vases manufactured by Turkish artisans. The first book about Jaime Hayon, published by Gestalten, presents the full spectrum of his work. Order a copy here.
Jaime Hayon said last year in the New York Times,“...not knowing everything can be an asset when you’re creating, because you’re not limited by what you think is impossible...you can always find someone to help with practical ideas—what matters most in the 21st century is having a great concept.”
Above: A piece from The Fantasy Collection, and Mr. Hayon living out his fantasies!
This creative gentleman definitely has an infinite amount of unique concepts. Take a look at his extensive work at his Hayon Studio website.Mr. Peacock salutes his creative vision, and can’t wait to see what’s in the future creative pipeline from this inventive peacock. Bravo Mr. Hayon!
Note: All the portraits of Mr. Hayon were a collaboration between himself, and the Dutch photographer Nienke Klunder (his girlfriend).
Mr. Peacock has a thing for citrus juice reamers—specifically white porcelain or milk glass varieties. Here are a few favorites from my cupboard:
I call this porcelain beauty, by Rosenthal, my "Statue of Liberty" reamer. I think it looks great just as an objet d'art in my kitchen, but it’s also very functional.
I use it for oranges and large lemons. You hold the "handle" with one hand, while you juice with the other.
Then you tilt it to pour the juice, and the “prongs” catch the seeds.
I absolutely love this small porcelain vintage reamer! I use it all the time to juice limes and small organic Meyer lemons from my neighborhood produce market.
It’s simple, and very ingenious design, catches the juice in the pot, and strains the seeds on top. And it hold’s just the right amount of juice for dressings and salsas.
This vintage milk glass citrus reamer has the Sunkist logo type embossed on the side. It was probably a promotional item from the 40’s or 50’s. I found it at the flea market ages ago, and it’s been a workhorse in my kitchen ever since. You can find similar versions here or here.
I use it for grapefruits, large oranges and if I’m juicing a large quantity of lemons or limes. The “trough” doesn’t hold that much juice so I usually have my milk glass bowl (probably separated from someone’s mixer decades ago) with a sieve resting on top nearby to strain the seeds from the juice.
I found this little guy in China Town for a couple bucks. It's okay if you're juicing a couple of lemons or limes, and it strains the seeds when you pour the juice.
Of course you could use an old-fashioned wood reamer if you’re just juicing a single fruit...or if I’m feeling lazy—I just use a fork.
I’ve seen this curious looking citrus reamer out and about at various shops. It looks like a naughty toy or medieval torture device to me. It would make a great conversation piece in your kitchen. I haven’t tried it for reaming citrus fruits, and I’m curious how effective it is for juicing. Has anyone tried this style of reamer?
