Director: James Mangold Written By: Christopher McQuarrie, Mark Bomback Cast: Brian Tee, Famke Janssen, Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee
Synopsis:
Based on the highly regarded comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan (Hugh Jackman), the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, adamantium claws will clash with samurai steel as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will change him forever.
Cup holders aren’t really conducive to growlers. It makes traveling with 64 ounces of some fresh brew a tad annoying. What’s even more challenging? Transporting that beer while you’re riding your bike. The Growler Cage will make sure your fresh-from-the-tap beverage makes it home safely when you’re riding your two-wheeler. Each is made with a steel core that is wrapped up in a soft, waterproof neoprene to keep that fragile growler secure. Available in 10 different colors, Growler Cages are made one at a time in Minneapolis. Now you don’t have to worry about your beer rolling around in a basket on the front of your bike.
Galaxy S4 Switch Cover is a minimalist design created by Cloud&Co for 11+. The case is composed mainly of polyurethane, which is a material that can be either rigid or flexible. The front cover can be removed to allow the user to mix-and-match various combinations of colors. The current selection of colors are inspired from Pantone’s accent color palettes, and include Clay Brown, EJ Blue, Dim Grey, Inspiring Orange, and Gold Pink
The back cover uses a special re-appliable adhesive pad that is easy to apply and leaves no residue upon removal. The pad was designed so that the cover is taking up as little space as possible, while still encasing the phone from external shocks and impacts. The front cover sports small pockets that perfectly fit credit cards, business cards, and cash. The Switch Cover is perfect for going out at night, as it eliminates the need to bring a separate wallet alongside the phone.
While 11+ typically commits $1 of every purchase to charity, the brand intends to donate the entirety of their sales profits from the Switch Cover to UNICEF’s ‘Gifts of Water’ campaign. Aside from the Switch Cover’s beautiful minimalist design, I love the texture and feel of the polyurethane material, which feels a bit like rubber, but smoother.
Moving on from last week’s article on jumpers, I thought it was probably about time we covered their older sibling cardigans, and thick knit clothing in general. Along with jumpers, I am a really into cardigans at the moment. Mainly because they can add a nice stylistic twist to the outfit you’re wearing but also, thanks to the time of the year and the weather outside, layering these pieces with your other clothes helps keep you warm for the winter months. It doesn’t hurt that these new breeds of cardigans are more fitting and slim cut than your granddads, making them the perfect complement to your striped and plaid shirts.
Rather than the thin layering that some of you may fancy, why not try some of the thicker knits out there? Fair Isle and Cable knits were really big last autumn and will most likely be so again this year. They come in a variety of styles and colours and the great thing about them is their simplicity. Rather than the complexity of thin layering and making sure everything is in its right place, just pull on a camel or cream cable knit jumper over your t-shirt to keep you warm as the daylight dwindles and set yourself apart from everyone else who thinks winter equals shades of black. Or for those times that you’re heading out straight after work, why not leave the jacket at the office and pull on a thick knit grey v-neck (like the one’s found in H&M’s current line) over your shirt and tie and head out ready for anything.
But in regards to cardigans, you can get them in thin knit materials such as cashmere and cotton or thicker versions predominately in wool. Thick knit cardigans are great as an overall top layer during the colder months, kind of like a cool substitute for your winter overcoats. My particular favourite way to wear them is over a blazer as seen in the picture above (far right) from Paris’ fashion week. However, I would recommend buying a few standard thin cardigans first before so that you have some versatile options all year round. You can wear them with pretty much anything and look great when layered with a shirt and blazer combination. But remember if you are going to sport these newer stream lined cardigans then remember to keep your under layers in a similar cut so that you don’t have any billowing or creasing material.
Ways to Wear
And as always here are some fool-proof ways of wearing cardigans : -
Trying pairing a black cardigan with your newly purchased denim shirt and jeans. Then add a knitted tie to compliment both the colour of the cardigan and the material of the shirt. Or just think of your black cardigan as you would your black blazer; it’ll go with anything.
For those days at the office, why not try wearing the same coloured cardigan as your suit under the jacket? It’s like wearing a three piece suit but not: all the connotations of power withnone of the stuffy drawbacks.
And for those lazy Sunday’s why not wear a navy cardigan over your favourite pair of jeans or chinos and a V-neck T-shirt. Or try substituting the tee for a vest as the weather starts to warm up or maybe even those jeans for some chino shorts?
So there you have it, buy some cardigans and thick knit jumpers to see you through these remaining months before the summer finally arrives. Just remember if the cardigan is simple in design and colour you’ll have more room to play with patterns and designs with your under-layer. Similarly, if you’ve picked up a patterned cardigan (like I have, it’s got crazy argyle going on), try to keep the shirt and tie as simple as possible and let the cardigan do all the talking. Look for ones in navy, grey and, particularly as spring kicks in, camel or cream and you can’t go wrong.
It must be the last act of superhero revisionism: abolishing the word "super". In this new movie directed by Zack Snyder, and produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan, the letter on our hero's chest doesn't mean what we all thought it meant. This is no English S, but a Krypton symbol denoting hope. The word "Superman" is stutteringly or suspiciously pronounced, like "the bat man" in the Dark Knight movies. He is referred to by his earthling name, Clark, or his Krypton name, Kal-El, or even as the "alien", by the frowning Pentagon brass. This is a 21st-century superhero who must steel himself against the agonies of being misunderstood by the people he is trying to help.
Man of Steel
Production year: 2013
Countries: Rest of the world, USA
Cert (UK): 12A
Runtime: 143 mins
Directors: Zack Snyder
Cast: Amy Adams, Christopher Meloni, Diane Lane, Henry Cavill, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe
The origin myth is perhaps the most interesting part of any superhero story; for some, the only interesting part. Snyder has created a colossal, grandiose genesis for the Man of Steel, a titanic Moses-out-of-Nietzsche tale, a planet-clashing spectacle that is seen perpetually through a glowing, lens-flaring light: the opposite of the twilight of the gods – the daybreak of the titans. We go way, way back, substantially before Clark Kent coolly makes his career leap into journalism, joining the Daily Planet as a "stringer", a move that incidentally shows that CV-faking must be one of his superpowers.
There are some striking ideas and images, and interesting casting for the chief role. To go with his gym-built, digitally assisted pecs, abs and thighs, Britain's Henry Cavill has a thin, intriguingly pale and sensitive face, with a buttock-cleft on his nose, like George Osborne, a nose that will surely make him very identifiable up close in the Planet newsroom, chunky glasses or no chunky glasses. Cavill's Clark has an fraught relationship with his tough foster-mom and troubled foster-dad: nice performances from Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. He faces off satisfyingly with his terrifying Krypton enemy, General Zod, of whom more in a moment. But this story doesn't quite have the wit of Joss Whedon's assembly of Avengers, nor the gothic seriousness of Nolan's Dark Knight, and the all-important romantic spark with Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams, sadly isn't there. There's naturally a lot of swooping and flying: compulsory for 3D films.
Snyder and Nolan have modified the beginning of the story so that a primal clash has been designed into the narrative from the get-go. (There is, as yet, no sign of the famous adversary Lex Luthor, although keen-eyed observers will later note trucks on the streets of the Metropolis belonging to "Lexcorp".) The planet Krypton is dying, because of environmental issues. Dignified soldier-statesman Jor-El rails against mismanagement of the planet's resources; he is played by Russell Crowewith a posh British accent, presumably hailing from a part of the planet far distant from that of General Zod, played by Michael Shannon with an American accent. Zod uses the crisis to launch a failed mutiny against the planet's revered leaders.
At the same time, Jor-El and his grieving wife, Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer), launch baby Kal-El in a tiny escape capsule as the planet is consumed by fire. The child finally arrives on Earth to be named Clark Kent, and the rest is history, remembered and effectively narrated in flashback glimpses by traumatised, grownup Clark. But it isn't long before Zod reappears and makes his way to Earth with intergalactic dominion on his mind. The Man of Steel decides his loyalties are with his new friends: the Earthlings, who are nonetheless suspicious. Shannon does what he does as Zod, and this role has reasserted this actor's virtual monopoly on scary-with-a-touch-of-integrity roles. He certainly won't be getting the Gene Kelly part in any upcoming remake of Singin' in the Rain. Zod's head-butting confrontations with Superman, and indeed Jor-El, always look plausible, and I liked Kal-El's epiphany of horror as he realises what Zod's intentions are: a Pol Pot-style heap of skulls.
Lois Lane is a pretty supercilious star journalist, on the trail of the Man of Steel ever since rumours of his adolescent feats of strength started to leak out, and prone to temper tantrums with her editor, Perry White, played by Laurence Fishburne. "I'm a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter!" she yelps. "Then act like it!" booms Perry. That, of course, is what Amy Adams thinks she's doing, but her role is sketchily conceived in this fanboy creation.
This is a great, big, meaty, chewy superhero adventure, which broadly does what it sets out to do, though at excessive length. What I missed were the gentle, innocent pleasures of Superman's day-to-day crimefighting existence, depicted in normal sunlight and in primary colours: the bullets exploding harmlessly on the chest, the casually lifted automobile, the look of horror on the faces of low-level bad guys, the awestruck Rockwell kid's gratitude. Due to the cataclysmic battle in this film, much of the Man of Steel's mystery and novelty have been used up. Subsequent adventures may lose altitude.
Your old plastic bottles no longer are useless when they’re being made into the felt that forms the Torbuschka family of bags by Kaaita. Each Torbuschka comes with two slightly smaller bags fitted into the largest one giving you a trio of totes handmade exclusively in Slovenia.
I’m a real big advocate of these little beauties for two simple reasons. The first is that they areessentially seasonless so you can reach for one at any time of the year and you will look good. The second reason is because no matter what body shape or size of man you are a jumper can be incorporated into your wardrobe extremely easily and can be used to give other items you already have a more formal, less formal or all round more stylish feel.
You also get a lot of choices when it comes to your jumpers too. Materials range from cottons in the summer to wool’s in the winter and cashmere all year round, with the knits coming in varying thickness and styles. For the case of simplicity – and because it is aimed at fashion beginners – I am only talking about long sleeved traditional jumpers in this article; cardigans (which I am a big fan of too), polo shirts and turtle-necks will covered at a later date.
The jumpers I’m talking about come in either a V-neck or a crew-neck. It usually comes down to personal preference in regards to these cuts, but I would say that if you’re a man with a broader jaw line than the average male, V-necks give you a little extra room below the neckline and draw less attention to the chin. Crew-necks are also great for being worn by themselves or with a shirt but if you like showing off your ties or enjoy the layered look again a V-neck would a better option as it reveals more of the layers below.
Similarly, when it comes to colours, personal preference is paramount and always bear in mind what other colours are in your existing wardrobe because, after all, more often than not you will be pair your jumpers with them. I would say try to have one black V-neck for semi-formal occasions to wear with a shirt and tie and either a navy or medium grey jumper in either style to pair with whatever suits your fancy that day. In the summer you can go for lighter pastel shades in sky blue, pink, yellow and greens because they always look better in the summer sun and can be used within the whole French Riviera look that is a big Spring/Summer trend each year.
How To Wear Ideas
As always, here are some fool-proof ways of wearing a jumper: –
Combine a neutral V-neck jumper in black, grey, navy or brown with a burst of colour by wearing a coloured crew neck T shirt underneath it. Try out purples, reds and greens and see which ones you like. Then pair them with dark denim jeans and your favourite pair of shoes.
Alternatively, a look to bear in mind for spring. Try a brightly coloured V-neck pulled on over a neutral polo shirt. Stick to black for the polo and see what colours suit you best; again reach for some spring colours like light blues, greens, purples and reds. Or if you’re feeling brave try colours that complement each other such as a teal polo with an aqua blue jumper, or a red polo with a fuchsia jumper. Then pair these with my go-to spring item, white, beige or pale grey jeans/chinos, cuff them up and go sockless with a pair of brown loafers for the ultimate casual spring time look.
For a relaxed formal approach, try using a medium grey crew-neck jumper with a white shirt. Pair with charcoal grey chinos/suit trousers or dark denim jeans and (again!) those brown loafers for a smart evening outfit. Also, try swapping the jumpers colours around but still keep them neutral and get adventurous with types of shirts. Think plaid, stripes and bolder colours. Why not add a navy or grey blazer over it as well for those still chilly evenings?
So there you have it my budding fashionista’s, another essential item of clothing to add to your wardrobe! They really are one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can own and are the one thing I can rely on to see me through the days when I don’t want to think too much about what I’m wearing. Steve McQueen was rarely seen out of one, and if it was good enough for him… well enough said really.
Muay Thai might sound more like a cocktail than an ancient martial art from Thailand, but in fact it's an ancient martial art that is about culture, honour, respect and discipline. It's fitness with meaning, which is empowering.
Kicking is similar to dancing in the sense that everything has to be perfectly aligned, and for that you have to focus on your core, which you need to keep switched on for Muay Thai. The weight drops off you because it's like interval training, which gets great results because it's such a high-cardio workout.
It uses every muscle in your body. With boxing you usually just work your arms, but with Muay Thai you punch, kick and use your elbows and knees, so you are using almost every muscle in your body in an interval-style training regime that most people find their body will respond to quickly.
Brooklyn-based company VOLK introduced some new pieces this year during New York Design Week that feature hand-painted designs full of geometry, color and pattern.
Gorgeous, hand-selected wood pieces are embellished with hand-painted patterns on linen in sun-washed colors. Brass details further adorn them, adding a bit of elegance.
These modular tables create triangular and hexagonal shapes when joined as a whole, but look great no matter how you decide to arrange them.
