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A M E R I C A NTM

A M E R I C A NTM

T h e G e n t l e m a n R e d e f i n i n g t h e M o d e r n M a n

CHAMPAGNESTO IMPRESS

HERSOPHISTICATED GADGETS

HOLIDAYGROOMING

GUIDE

LIFESTYLE

SPEED

L IBATIONS

DESTINATIONS

ESSENTIALS

TASTE

FASHION

& More

WINTER ISSUE Vol 1 • Issue 4

WHISKEY TASTING

VOLKSWAGON E-BUGSTER

AG BONDGIRL

TUXEDOS HOW & WHEN TO

WEAR THEM

The GENTLEMAN Boxer

VICTOR ORTIZ

■ PAGE 2 ■PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Imported Cognac Hennessy® 40% Alc./Vol. 80%. © 2012 Imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, NY. HENNESSY is a registered trademark.

neverstopneversett le.comA PARTNERSHIP TO FIGHT PARKINSON’S DISEASE.Martin Scorsese and Hennessy have joined forces to contribute to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

“That would have never happened in real l i fe.”

That’s what my father used to say about movies. He loved them, but he would always measure them against what he had known

and l ived, and then judge them accordingly. So I decided to make stories that capture real l i fe and real experiences.

To portray l ife as people real ly see and feel it . That’s my Wild Rabbit.

— M A R T I N S C O R S E S E

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Join Us.T H E A M E R I C A N G E N T L E M A N . C O M

Are You An American Gentleman?

Education begins the gentleman, but reading,

good company and reflection must finish him.

~ John Locke

A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.

~ George Bernard Shaw

Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage.~ Theodore Roosevelt

A gentleman can live through anything.

~ William Faulkner

I think a gentleman is someone who holds the comfort of other people above their own.

~ Anna Kendrick

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The Holiday’s are here and for the American Gentleman that means ‘tis the season to create new traditions and habits. How many times have we said we’re going to do something different in the New Year. Or maybe it’s a “Let’s eat healthy through the holidays” proclamation just as the friend who makes amazing baked goods shows up asking you to take “just a taste” of their new bread pud-ding ...And just like that, everything you resolved to avoid just went out the window...and into your mouth!

There’s only one thing that works: to change your life you must change your mindset. It’s common to hear “so and so is just lucky in life” Here’s the truth, luck rarely has anything to do with it. Luck can propel you into a promis-ing situation however it’s the choices you make, one at a time, that help (or hinder) and ultimately shape your life. The reason people fail at getting what they want is not that they don’t know what they want, it’s that they aren’t willing (or able) to pay the price...and success always demands a price be paid.

For example, I wanted to become suc-

cessful in business which takes time

away from loved ones. I’m always

working. So for me I am sacrificing time

with my family and friends to be a suc-

cessful businessman. Say you want to

get in shape, you will likely have to cut

down or give up foods that prevent you

from your fitness goals. You need to

identify what you want and what you

have to sacrifice. In short, you need a

plan.

How? In order to achieve results, you have to ask yourself

these questions.

1)What do I want to do?

2) What skill level do I need in order to do it?

3) Who do I know that is already doing that? If you don’t

know anyone then go online or find someone who is doing

what you want to do. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

4) Next, put together a plan to get what you want.

5) Once your plan is in place; follow it and don’t quit!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: realize that, as

in business, plans need to be re-evaluated

monthly to see if your results are on tar-

get. If they aren’t make adjustments! Put

together a plan and do it. If you BELIEVE

you can then you can... and don’t let any-

one tell you otherwise.

Finally take heart. Changing your life is

a process. Every day think of small steps

you can do TODAY to get you to your

goal. It takes time. Success is nothing but

an accumulation of failures. As Michael

Jordon famously said “I’ve missed more

than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost al-

most 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted

to take the game winning shot and missed.

I’ve failed over and over again in my life...

And that is why I succeed.”

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE

SETTING THE NEW STANDARD

“A true gentleman is a man who adds value to the lives of everyone around

him...

Bring Back the Gentleman!”

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“Don’t get too comfortable with who you are at any given time - you may miss the opportunity to become who you want to be.”

~ Jon Bon Jovi , American Musician, Actor and Rock singer

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WebsiteTheAmericanGentleman.com

Subscription Information Info@theamericangentleman.com

Customer Service 818-570-1568

Editor in ChiefLemar L. Joichin III

PresidentRrivre Davies

Creative DirectorJennifer East

Managing EditorHeidi L. Graf

Contributing EditorHanieh Jodet

Style DirectorNoelle Monares

Photo EditorBobby Quillard

Digital Media DirectorRobert DiCapo

Marketing & Advertising2 Blue Media Group

Public RelationsCasandra Walker, RCW Media Group

Video ProductionSypher Productions

Television ProductionEmerge TV

Executive AssistantAmy Melvin

Contributing Writers

Lemar L. Joichin III, Hanieh Jodet, Heidi Graf, Micha Christians

ModelsLeticia Billinsgley, Lisa Gleave

CONTACT US

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LeMar L . Jo ichin I I I Editor- in-Chief

EDITOR’S DESK

Creating the winter issue was l i teral ly a labor of love for me and the staff of American Gentle-

man. Reviewing al l the concepts and topics we created for this issue made me nostalgic for the

hol idays of my past . I wanted in some way to marry the modern ideals of hol iday style and cel-

ebration to the c lassic tradit ions of the past without i t seeming stale or stuffy. How in the world

would we achieve that?

The best way to create this issue (or communicate personal style for that matter) is to be true

to your character. With that in mind we used our guiding principle for the magazine which is of

course “The Gentleman Redefining The American Man” and infused i t with “Bond, James Bond”

style .

I t ended up taking on a l i fe of i t ’s own.

The 50th year anniversary of the extraordinary Bond series and the latest release in the 007

saga “Skyfal l “gave the issue the sense of cool sophist icat ion that we wanted. Our cover story

features the incomparable Victor Ortiz , a gentleman, world c lass boxer, businessman and al l

around great guy whose inspiring story captivated and charmed us al l .

With Bond as our base we also considered the Holiday season and al l the events that would re-

quire formal att ire . In this issue we provide the need to know information and the wheres ,

whens and how tos of suits vs tuxedos. When to rent , when to buy and more. There are always

tradit ional occasions when you should wear a tuxedo, however the rules have loosened up con-

siderably in recent years and i t is now common to see tuxedos popping up in more places and

events than ever before.

This issue is a lso brimming with ideas to inspire a new, better you for the new year while cre-

at ing hol iday tradit ions in style , decor and entertaining that we hope you keep for a l i fet ime. I

personal ly hope you enjoy the winter issue as much as we at American Gentleman did in creating

i t . Here’s to a season of e legance, tradit ion and uncompromising gentlemanly style!

Al l the joy of the season,

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10 Dressed To Impress Her: A Sommelier’s Tips For The

Grand Champagne Gesture

12 A Gentleman’s Dignity

26 Beats Of The Season: Mixes For The Perfect Holiday

Party

30 Shaving 101: The Wet Vs Dry Shave

34 EV-Vehicles Past And Present

43 The 50thAnniversary Of A Legend

54 AG’s Guide To Libations: The Art Of Whiskey Tasting

60 The Return Of The Pocket Watch

65 For The American Gentleman: Tree Trimming

66 Andrew Bagg DJ Cobra

68 The Mark Of A Gentleman: Always Walk On The Outside

46

A M E R I C A NTM

44

35

19COVER

66

COVER • Victor Ortiz: The Gentleman Boxer • We sat down for a chat with the incom-

parable Victor Ortiz, a gentleman, WBC Welterweight Champion, businessman, and all

around great guy.

14 VISUALS • Holiday Beauty: Leticia Billingsley • This lovely young lady has been

associated with the American Gentleman publication since it’s inception and has been

awaiting her turn to join the AG movement and show her stuff. We definitely think her

time has come!

18 LIFESTYLE • Simple Holiday Style 101: Quick Tips To Make Your Place Holiday Ready • Simple tips and fast fixes to transform your formerly function-only

space into a warm holiday space.

19 STYLE • Designer: Anthony Franco • Los Angeles native and self-taught designer,

Anthony Franco has dressed Hollywood for years. We went along on a magical mystery

tour to discover his latest creations.

23 STYLE • The Importance Of Fit And Cut: Tuxedo Advice • Dressing for formal

occasions is a completely different world from the normal demands of business attire.

Fortunately, American Gentleman is here to help you in suiting up for the holidays.

35 SPEED • World Premiere Of The E-Bugster • American Gentleman unveils the

exciting reinvention of a classic, Introducing the electric Beetle!

44 RETRO FIT • Profile Of A Gentleman: Sean Connery • “The name’s Bond.

James Bond.” Few movie quotes are as famous as those five undeniably sexy words. The

same can be said of the man who made them famous, Sir Sean Connery.

46 VISUALS • American Gentleman Bond Model: Lisa Gleave • As it is the 50th-

Anniversary of James Bond we thought it would only be fitting to nominate a young lady

that has the sophistication and sex appeal worthy of the silver screen. Meet our choice for

the next Bond Girl, actress/model Miss Lisa Gleave.

52 TASTE • Chef Stuart’s Ultimate Christmas Dinner • Savor the perfect holiday

feast with simple yet stylish recipes from celebrity chef Stuart O’Keeffe.

58 FEATURE • John Michael Higgins- Actor, Husband, Father, Gentleman • We

sat down with John Michael Higgins on the set of his new Television show called “Hap-

pily Divorced” to discuss his success and what being a gentleman means to him.

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ON THE COVER

By Hanieh Jodat

9 a .m. Hol lywood Hi l l s , CA: I t ’s an over-

cast October morning as I dr ive thru the

winding narrow streets leading to the new

home where 3 t ime Boxing champion Victor

Ort iz has recent ly moved.

Walk ing into the zen- l ike contemporary,

the atmosphere is bust l ing with a team

of photographers sett ing up equipment in

Victor ’s immaculate k i tchen. Large atr ium

doors lead to a terrace perched above a

dramatic v iew of the h i l l s , a perfect back-

drop for the fa l l cover of American Gent le-

man magazine.

Suddenly, I come face to face with a young

man whose personal i ty I would descr ibe

“as larger than l i fe .” Looking pol ished and

modern in a K le in Epstein & Parker sports

jacket and fedora, he introduces h imsel f as

V ictor Ort iz as we s i t down.

HJ: When did you d iscover you have ta lent

as a f ighter?

VO: “ I d iscovered I had ta lent as a young

k id when both my mother and father were

st i l l around.”

Born to Mexican immigrant parents in

Garden City Kansas, the L ight Welterweight

boxing champion speaks evenly about h is

parent ’s departure at the age of seven

which forced Ort iz and his 5 s ib l ings into

the Kansas foster care system.

VO: “ I remember I was seven years o ld,

and after coming back home from school

my mother and father were just gone. I

never saw them again; but pr ior to that ,

my father had put me in the boxing gym,

continued on page 40

Cover: Black classic tuxedo with satin shawl collar Anthony Franco Black Two Piece Suit with Satin Lapel,

Tuxedo shirt: white texture, Anthony Franco White Button-Up Shirt

Prices Available Upon Request

Above: Navy Suit 2 button, notch collar Anthony Franco Navy Two-Piece Suit

Dress shirt : Sherbet Prices Available Upon Request

Navy Scarf, available at Nordstroms $75.00 Shoes : YSL navy

■ PAGE 10 ■ ■ PAGE 11 ■

and hues of pinkish rose dance among extra f ine

bubbles. Comprised of 90% Pinot Noir and Pi-

not Meunier, and 10% Chardonnay with a nose

of wild strawberries, red-f lower potpourri and

toasty brioche, this s i lken pleasure beckons your

f i rs t s ip. On the front palate, there is a presence

of cr isp tangerine, dried apricot, and r ipe rasp-

ber r ies. After the f i rs t few sips notes of can-

died orange, g round cloves and lavender emerge

harmonizing in a long, e legant, l imestone laden

f inish.

STYLE ALERT #2: Remove the cork wi th as l i t t l e

noi se and movement as poss ib le . “Popping” the cork

i s dangerous and more impor tant ly, i t depressur izes

the bot t l e too quick ly which det rac t s f rom the car-

bonat ion and f lour i sh the Champagne has to o f f e r.

So often I am asked what is my favori te choice

in wine or alcoholic beverages. That’s l ike ask-

ing me which chi ld do I love more than the oth-

ers ! When pressed to answer I wil l respond with

one word: Champagne! Once you experience the

s ingular pleasure that is Catt ier NV Br ut Rose’ ,

you’l l see why that’s my answer.

In layman’s terms, this Champagne is a Rock

Star.

Gentlemen, let ’s get real . As much as we al l

may enjoy popping a bott le of champagne

(or two) on New Year’s Eve, more often than

not, we ut i l ize this dazzl ing l ibat ion as a

great tool to woo our Ms. Right (or occa-

s ional ly Ms. Right Now).

Natural ly as tr ue gentlemen of s tyle, we are

smar ter than the average gent. We know that

select ing a unique and beauti ful champagne

is a subt le reminder of our sophist icat ion.. .

and by associat ion HERS! As a professional

Sommelier I am often asked what is the best

of the best . Not only is the Catt ier NV Br ut

Rose’ the def ini t ion of discr iminating good

taste, but as the champagne recently named

“One of the World’s 30 Most Prest igious

Champagnes,” i t far exceeds i t ’s competi -

tors in the $100 range.

STYLE ALERT #1: You’ve gone thi s far i s s e -

l ec t ing a showstopping champagne be sure to use

ac tual c l ear glass champagne f lutes that wi l l

showcase the s tunning f lour i sh o f bubbles and

co lor to per f ec t ion!

Second and not to be underest imated is the

champagne i tsel f . Shimmering amber l ights

L I B A T I O N SD R E S S E D T O I M P R E S S H E R :

A S O M M E L I E R ’ S T I P S F O R T H E G R A N D C H A M PA G N E G E S T U R E

Provided By Anthony Fagundes, Cert i f ied Sommel ier

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While surfing the Internet for all things gentlemanly, I came across some-

thing that I found pretty interesting. “A Gentleman’s Dignity,” a show current-

ly on Korean TV is apparently making some big cultural waves. It raised my

curiosity to see what a contemporary Korean comedy/drama was all about.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, and “Noooo I don’t Speak Korean” but I can

read Closed Captioning with the best of them. What I found to be interesting

is how universal and relatable these men’s lives were and that men in Korea

seem to be dealing with the same themes we are in this country... like“How

to Get The Girl?”

Something else I noticed that was really interesting was the style of the

gentleman’s clothing and homes. The central characters wear tailored suits,

and have dressing closets that would put Mariah Carey’s to shame. Speaking

of their “humble bachelor pads” these gents all have homes that look like

an A-Team of stylists from Pottery Barn, Z- Gallery, and Ikea ran wild with

unlimited creativity...and unlimited budgets. Talk about masculine style?

These guys are off the charts. They dine and party in places that are a mash up

of the Four Seasons Beverly Hills and the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas…Chic,

swanky and sexy are the defining principles for these young men of style. I

have never been to South Korea but I can tell you this show made me want to

make travel plans immediately!

Interestingly, the main character Jang Dong-gun is known in America for his

leading role in the movie “The Warrior’s Way” and has also gained notoriety

in his native Korea. “A Gentleman’s Dignity” has been renamed the male “Sex

and the City,” because it is about the careers and ever changing love lives

of four urban professionals. The story centers on these men who have been

friends since they were eighteen and follows them as they go through love,

breakups, successes and failures. Some might find the show a bit tame by

American standards, but from my point of view maybe there’s something to

trading in our jaded American expectations to remember what it’s like to be

open to life and each other again.

A G E N T L E M A N ’ S D I G N I T Y

L I F E S T Y L E

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Holiday Beauty

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V I S U A L S

This young lady has been associated with the

American Gentleman publicat ion s ince i t ’s

inception. Miss Leticia Bi l l ingsley has been

await ing her tur n to take par t and join the AG

movement and show her s tuff . (Modeling that

is ) . What better way to introduce her than to

put her in something that wil l a l low her to

show off her long and s lender body as wel l as

her cur ves. By putt ing her in something decid-

edly elegant with a sexy backless sur prise for

the winter issue we think this is the best gi f t

we could give you for the hol idays.

Standing barefoot at 5’9” Leticia was bor n in

LeticiaBillingsleySouther n Cali for nia to African American and

Spanish parents. Let icia is a ver y lovely yet

fe is ty young woman who at t imes is a bi t of a

jokester.

Known by her nickname “Tee,” she walked

on to the set with a smile and mischievously

said to our Editor in Chief ; “It ’s about t ime

I have my chance to be in the publicat ion” .

Tee seemed eager, a l i t t le ner vous but ready to

jump in. So began the transformation to our

Beauty for the Holidays!

Her gorgeous mane of wavy long hair, br ush-

continued on page 16

Photography: Bobby QuillardStyled: Zoe Battles

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ing her shoulder blades is

s traightened as the Edi-

tor in Chief continues his

direct ives for a s leek and

sexy look. “We envision

her await ing the high pro-

f i le gentleman in her l i fe

who is to ar r ive and whisk

her away to a Gala hol iday

event which has al l the

glamour of the red car pet

and the Oscars rol led into

one.”

Tee emerges as a s tunning

winter swan ready to star t

the photo shoot. “I feel

ver y sexy and ver y expen-

sive,” she said while s ip-

ping champagne as we al l

laughed. Given l i t t le in-

str uct ion she moved in

front the camera with grace

and tremendous style.

Let icia Bi l l ingsley’s pho-

to shoot was a resounding

success. She charmed us al l

with her beauty and kind-

ness. She is a tr ue example

of the woman that a man

would be proud to bring

home to meet the family.

continued from page 15