Luigi. Always hungry now that he just passed day 30 for P90X. Becoming Bond ain't easy.

I survived the first 4 weeks of P90X.

I feel great!  Although it’s been quite a journey, I am definitely glad I am 30 days closer to Becoming Bond and feel stronger each and every day.

Here are some notes and feedback for my first 30 days so far:

I am hungry all the time.
The nutrition guide has me eating 5-6 times a day and the first 30 days required me to eat more protein and very minimal carbohydrates.  With the workouts burning anywhere from 700-800 calories, I am always freaking hungry.

I am glad I purchased a decent heart rate monitor and thick yoga mat.
The heart rate monitor ensures I don’t push myself too far but also ensures I am pushing hard.  Since my knees hurt with a regular yoga mat, one that is slightly thicker helps me through the yoga days.

I am doing things I never thought I could do before.
You’ll be pretty surprised about what you can and can’t do.  From the first week to the last week, I saw significant gains in performance and significant gains in how I feel.

P90X makes you realize what working hard really means.
I used to think I worked out hard.  P90X taught me that I never worked out hard enough.  I am seeing gains in 4 weeks I have never seen before during my workouts.

Screw the gym membership.
Between spending the money in joining a gym or investing in P90X, I would go P90X all the way.  You will see gains much faster and you can go at your own pace.

Yoga is actually something I look forward to.
Hell has frozen over.  I now look forward to doing yoga once a week.  I am even getting better at it!

I am actually thinking about doing another round once I finish.
Dude.  I’m hooked.  I am actually worried about losing everything I have gained so far if I stop doing the program after 90 days.

Finally, as I am writing this, I am about 2 days into week 5.  It’s pretty intense. 

Case in point – you do one armed pushups on the first day of week 5.  One. Armed. Pushups.

I could only do 2 on each side and shaking like a mutha the whole time. 

But who cares?  I’m doing my best and forgetting the rest.

Let’s freaking do this.

Think he looks like a star? Wait until you hear his music. BAKER channelling vintage hollywood. Photo by Bryan Alano Photography.

Sometimes the most amazing outcomes have the humblest beginnings.

In our particular case, this piece started out by a simple email from BAKER’s, PR Managers’, assistant.

“We represent an artist that has a great sense of style and we think would be a great match to your online magazine.  You have a music section right?”

Right.

BAKER bringing his music to the people. Image from Bryan Alano Photography.

So we performed our due diligence and checked out his official website http://www.bakermusic.com/ to see what we were getting ourselves into.

Upon review, we thought to ourselves: Great website.  Good looking dude.  Nice sense of style.

But the thing that really got us interested was this song:

BAKER – ALL I’M GONNA SAY by BAKERmusicofficial

We actually listened to it a few times and the main reason this song piqued our interest was because it sounded like something which was already getting airplay on the radio.

But it wasn’t.

So we thought to ourselves, he’s got the look, he’s got a classic sense of style and he’s got the music.  Why wouldn’t ESM take this opportunity to feature what could possibly be the next big thing?

BAKER turns down modelling offers to pursue his passion for music. Image from Bryan Alano Photography.

As we dug deeper, we found out more information that got us excited about featuring BAKER.

• His family owns and operates one of the oldest men’s custom clothiers in the United States
• His dad races vintage Porsches on the East Coast
• He’s a Harvard grad who is also a classical cellist

Finally, he has songs like this:

BAKER – CONVINCE ME by BAKERmusicofficial

For us here at ESM, BAKER’s music is the amalgamation of style, the best in pop music and a persona that has every possibility to become very successful in the music industry.

Right now, it’s just a matter of time and exposure.  And we’ve got #2 handled.

Can't take a better photo than this. Vintage car, sunset on PCH and the next big thing in music. BAKER photo by Bryan Alano photography.

Finally, it’s hard for us to write this article without talking about the photo shoot and video interview.

We collaborated with BAKER’s team and came up with the concept of a modern interpretation of a James Dean photo shoot.  Over the course of a few weeks of continuous preparation, the final product is something we were very happy with.

We were even fortunate enough to use a vintage Speedster replica from the folks at TruSpeed Motorsports for the shoot.

This photo looks like it could have been taken in 1955. Classic style never goes out of fashion. BAKER image from Bryan Alano Photography.

So in the future when you hear one of BAKER’s songs on the radio, turn it up and remember you heard it here first on ESM.

Like we said in the beginning, sometimes the most amazing things come from the humblest beginnings.

Want more BAKER?  Check out the behind-the-scenes video and interview below:

BAKER behind the scenes video and interview with Essential Style for Men from Essential Style on Vimeo.

Special thanks to Bryan Alano (http://www.bryanalano.com/) for the photos and video for the shoot, Milsa Watson (stylist), Megumi Wakabayashi (hair and makeup), Christine Kim, TruSpeed Motorsports and the entire BAKER management team for helping make this photo shoot happen.

BAKER looking forward into the future. Image from Bryan Alano Photography.

For more photos, music and information on BAKER, you can check out his official site at http://www.bakermusic.com.

Want more photos from the shoot?  Check out the gallery below:

The beautiful Bacara Resort & Spa property made me feel like a professional photographer. Sunset at Bacara will always be memorable.

I knew I should have gotten a new overnight bag.

Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to visit Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, CA for a quick trip out of Los Angeles to recharge my batteries.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bacara Resort & Spa, the resort is about 15 minutes north of Downtown Santa Barbara and is primarily known for the venue of their spa as well as their spa treaments and services. 

According to one of the people working at the hotel, Bacara houses one of the largest Spa facilities in the state of California.

The famous Bacara spa. As beautiful inside as it is outside.

What most people may not know about this venue, is how secluded and beautiful the property is.

The pool and jacuzzi of Bacara Resort & Spa. If you look between the trees, you will see the ocean, which is a 5-minute walk away from the resort.

My wife and I had a chance to walk around the property and it really felt like we were in our own world, far away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

Through a short trail and a quick 5-minute walk we discovered one of the most amazing views we had ever seen.

The back of most hotels are alleys. The back of Bacara Resort and Spa is this. Luigi enjoying the view.

Beyond the beauty of the architecture and surrounding environment, what made our stay extremely enjoyable was the service and the food.

The entire staff was friendly, attentive and made you feel at home.    Given the fact Bacara is a high-end hotel, it was refreshing to see the staff providing the same service for everyone that walked through their doors. 

Everyone made us feel comfortable throughout our entire stay.

Additionally, (although we only stayed for a night) we had a chance to eat at their Bistro (by the pool) and Miro, their fine dining restaurant. 

The food and service at both venues were amazing.  In fact, we’re going to do a follow-up article on Miro later this week (the experience was that good).

Our room, on the other hand was spacious and above average (we got the regular room with a fireplace).  It was designed in-line with the rest of the hotel with Spanish influences and was very comfortable.

If we had any issue with our stay, it would be the fact we could hear our neighbors if they spoke loud enough.  But to be honest, the rest of the experience was so good, we easily overlooked that minor detail.

So if you’ve got plans to visit the Santa Barbara area, we would highly recommend going to Bacara Resort & Spa.  It may be a little pricier than some of the other hotels in the area, but well worth it.

Luigi basking in awesomeness at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, CA.

The only real problem with Bacara is the location is so beautiful, you may never leave the resort to check out the rest of Santa Barbara.

For more information about Bacara Resort & Spa, you can check out their official site at http://www.bacararesort.com/.

The 2011 Roc Nation Aviator Headphones by Skullcandy. I'm roc-king mine right now.

I never thought I would buy high-end headphones.

I mean, they’re all the same right?

For all the audiophiles out there, I am sure you all have the same resounding answer: hell to the effing no.

As I was checking out the differences between all the headphones available out there (and by out there, I mean Best Buy), I found out there was a clear difference between headphones that cost less than a hundred dollars, headphones between a hundred and two-hundred and those above the two-hundred dollar mark.

Luigi, his 2011 Skullcandy Roc Nation Aviator headphones and a 2012 BMW M3 Competition Package.

It’s simple – the more you pay, the more amazing sound you get out.  The more you pay, the better your headphones look.  The more you pay, the more comfortable they feel on your head. 

You get my point.

In fact, the sound difference is so distinct that after listening to headphones above the $100 mark, there was no way in good conscience I could purchase anything else.

So which ones did I decide to purchase?  The 2011 Roc Nation Aviator Black Headphones by Skullcandy.

Love the packaging the 2011 Roc Nation Aviator headphones by Skullcandy came with.

There were plenty of alternatives to choose from, but aside from the sound quality, I was looking for something that was oozing with style, had amazing sound quality and didn’t break the bank.

Bose? The sound cancelling feature was pretty amazing, but the design was boring. 

Beats by Dr. Dre?  Dope as hell, but $299 was a little more than what I wanted to pay for. 

Everything else?  No competition.

So if you’re in the market to get yourself a dope pair of headphones, check out the 2011 Roc Nation Aviator Black Headphones from Skullcandy. 

You’ll definitely be glad you got yourself a pair – especially since it has a microphone and you can use it with your iPhone.

For more information about Skullcandy and their 2011 Roc Nation Aviator Black Headphones, you can check out Skullcandy’s official site at http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/aviator-black.

SecretEntourage.com - a great place to get some career and life advice; check out some killer cars and gear; and some beautiful women. Image from http://www.secretentourage.com.

Dude, I must have spent a good 3 hours going through http://www.secretentourage.com/ last night.

It’s a great site that is focused on featuring the lifestyle of successful entrepreneurs and business owners.  They have a lot of interesting articles, such as:

• Featuring successful individuals and how they got to where they are now
• Advice for entreprenuers
• Motivational pieces
• High-end lifestyle features
• Watch reviews
• Models
• High-end luxury cars

And much more.

What we particulary enjoyed was their project cars.  They’ve got some great taste in automotive upgrades and the projects they have completed would be a welcome addition to our Dream Garage series of articles.

So if you’re looking for a website that will help motivate you and your career, give you great advice on how to become successful and to check out the best in the high-end luxury lifestyle, check out secretentourage.com.

Hell, we’re even thinking about buying one of their e-books.

In case you find yourself asking the question: “Since ESM and SecretEntourage.com have a lot of overlapping topics, what is the difference between the two websites?”

First off, good question.

We thought long and hard about it and we came up with the following analogy: 

If essentialstyleformen.com and secretentourage.com were cousins, Secret Entourage would be the cousin who is good looking, successful, is a part-time motivational speaker, parties with Jay-Z, lives in Miami, smokes the best cigars, owns a yacht, subscribes to Forbes Magazine, has a ton of successful friends and gets into any club he wants.

ESM on the other hand is the funny, enigmatic, ultra-chill cousin who lives on the west coast, is an action-sports junkie, reads the Robb Report in the bathroom, wears sneakers (but drives a Ferrari) to work, has an impeccable sense of style and happened to purchase stocks in a burgeoning tech company (which made him a millionaire). 

The reason ESM gets into clubs is because he knows a lot of beautiful women, is best friends with all the bouncers and promoters, and has rich friends (or is related to someone that can get him in).

Makes sense, right?

For more information about Secret Entourage, you can check out their official site at http://www.secretentourage.com/.

Two things in life aren't easy: 1) to Become Bond in 6 months and 2) the first week of P90X. Luigi passed out on the floor after a workout.

Becoming James Bond in 6 months isn’t easy.

When I first thought of the idea, I figured it was going to be fun. I get the perfect excuse to try things I had always wanted to try -  shooting a handgun, getting a new tux, evasive driving and hand to hand combat were all fair game in this article series.

For my first task, I decided to do the thing that would take the most time – getting into shape.

To get the most bang for my buck, I opted to do P90X, a wildly popular DVD set of exercise videos that combines strength training, plyometrics, yoga, kenpo and “muscle confusion” to get people “into the best shape of their life.”

But that’s the stuff that you see on their infomercials.

Here’s the stuff you don’t know about:

• It is freaking hard.  I thought I was in decent shape, but from the first week of the program the first thing you learn is how badly out of shape you are.  Case in point – on day 2 (plyometrics) I could only make 45 minutes of the workout before almost passing out on the floor wondering if I should dial 911 before losing consciousness.
• You will need to buy more equipment that just the DVD.  At the very minimum, you need a pull-up bar and some weights or resistance bands.  But after finishing my first week I realized I needed a heart rate monitor (to prevent myself from passing out), a jump pad (for plyometrics), a yoga mat and some healthy snacks to stick to the diet.
• There is a minimum requirement.  Unfortunately, because of how difficult this workout is, there is a minimum level of required fitness before someone can start the program.  Not everyone can jump into P90X and there are actually some tests you have to take before starting it.   And no, I didn’t bother taking those tests.
• The diet is a HUGE component to the workout.  The workout program is very specific about what you should eat for the entire process.  It changes from the first 30 days to the middle 30 days to the last 30 days.  Deviating from the program will reduce my chances of looking like James Bond.  Since I eat out a lot, I opted to do the “portion” option of the diet where I tried to match the amount of food I ate to the dietary requirements of the program.
• Beach Body is a one-stop shop for everything.  They’ve got a brilliant business model.  They sell the DVD’s, the equipment, the protein bars, the shakes.  Hell, all they need to sell now is the actual food.
• After doing the first week of the workouts, you know it is going to work.  If you are vaguely familiar with workout programs and dieting, you can see how P90X will absolutely work in getting someone into the best shape of their life.  The only caveat is following the diet and surviving.
• Although the people in the video are ripped, they are still people.  One thing I really liked about the videos was that people messed up on occasion.  They would fall out of poses in yoga, they would get tired and you could see them shaking when something was difficult.This made me feel like I wasn’t the only one suffering through the program.
• Get ready to invest in some pain medicine.  True story – on my third day (shoulders and arms) I thought I did pretty good with the workout.  That night I realized I was wrong.  My shoulder muscles were so sore I couldn’t even go to sleep.  I needed a buttload of icy hot and some serious pain killers.

So all-in-all P90X is a great way to get into amazing shape, but there are some things you should know before trying it out for yourself.

First off, I am a highly motivated individual because I am writing the Becoming Bond article series and I wanted to get into really good shape in a short amount of time.

Given the difficulty level of P90X, I am not surprised people give up on the first week.

It’s not easy, but I can see how it can get me to my fitness goals quickly and efficiently.  I can also see myself using this workout in the future or in the off-season when I am not playing beach volleyball without it getting old.

Additionally, what is great about the P90X workout is I can do it at home.  I don’t have to embarrass myself in front of other people.  I just look like a jackass in front of my dog and wife.

But you have to be committed if you do decide to do P90X.  There’s no way you are going to make it through the first week otherwise.

I will post my next update on my P90X training after I finish my first 30 days.

Wish me luck – as of today I am 5 days closer to Becoming Bond.

For more information about the P90X exercise program from Beach Body, you can check out their official site at http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do.

Join Essential Style for Men as Luigi takes his 6 month journey trying to become his favorite super spy. Image from Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Thinkstock.

James Bond is the man.

Our hope here at ESM is that all our readers love all the James Bond movies.  So much so, in fact, that they want to become him.

I love James Bond (in the platonic dude kind of way) and always fancy myself James Bond when I am wearing a suit, drinking a martini, or driving a nice car.

So I thought to myself: why not take this bitch to the next level and really try to “become Bond”? 

What would it really take to make it happen?

I know what you're thinking and I don't care! We're going to do it anyway! Image from http://obamapacman.com/2011/03/james-bond-daniel-craig-ipad/.

So we did a little bit of research and found a list of things that made up the James Bond character (since it’s 2011 we picked the Daniel Craig version) on the James Bond Wiki page:

• Blond, short hair
• 5’10″
• In extremely good shape
• Scottish heritage
• Royal Naval Reserve Commander
• MI-6 secret agent
• MI-6 bankroll
• Wears Tom Ford suits
• Expert in hand-to-hand combat
• Expert marksman
• Expert swordsman (80′s and 90′s version)
• Expert in evasive driving
• Expert in Baccarat and Poker
• Expert ballroom dancer
• Drives an Aston Marin DBS
• Awesome with the ladies
• Killed 2 people to get double O status
• Can do any imaginable physical activity with ease
• And much, much more

So obviously there were things that I can’t do, such as get a license to kill or become a commander in the British Royal Navy.

But if you think about it, there are things a person can do to get as close to the dream as possible.  Here are some ideas we came up with:

• Get in shape in a short amount of time by doing p90x
• Take ballroom dance classes
• Take evasive driving classes
• Get a few nice suits
• In my case, getting a haircut
• Taking classes on how to handle a firearm
• Renting an Aston Martin for a day

So over the next 6 months, I am going to try to fit everything I can (on a budget of course) to try and become my favorite super spy, James Bond.

I know it’s crazy, but it gives me a perfect excuse to try and do all these things I have always wanted to try anyway. 

Furthermore, I know I am going to have a blast..

Additionally, with the opening of the latest installment in the James Bond franchise Skyfall coming out next year, the timing is going to be perfect. 

I should be pretty close to done with my 6 month journey.

And who knows?  If this works out, our next article series can be titled “Becoming the Most Interesting Man in the World in a Year“.

Why not, right?

Finally, if any of our readers have any suggestions on what you think I should try out, let us know!!!

Special thanks to Brian Mauleon (http://www.myspace.com/brianmauleonmusic) for the track used in our video.

Blow it up using JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App! Image from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-Y4vGxv6_0&feature=player_embedded.

Blow shit up!

We now have downloaded one of the coolest apps on the planet thanks to a tip from the folks from MacRumors.com (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/23/jj-abrams-action-movie-fx-app-blows-up-just-about-everything/). 

According to their article:

The free app allows users to insert incredibly realistic special effects into videos shot within the app. Action Movie FX includes two free effects, Missile Attack! and Car Smash. Four more effects — Chopper Down and Tornado, Air Strike and Firefight — are available in two-packs via in-app purchase. Each set is $0.99, with more effects promised.

Here is a video sample:

For our first video, we decided to blow up one of the desks in our office:

So what are you waiting for??!?!  It’s time to blow up your boss!

This app is AWESOME!!!!

You can download the app here: http://appshopper.com/entertainment/action-movie-fx or search for “action movie fx” on the app store.

As the great philosopher Matthew McConaughey once said in the movie Dazed and Confused, "You just gotta keep on livin', man. L-I-V-I-N." Image from iStockphoto/Thinkstock.

We don’t typically write two editorials in a row, but I thought we should make an exception for today.

Why?

Because yesterday some friends and I attended a memorial service for one of our good friends’ mom.  She was 54.

The day before, one of our friends’ step-brothers passed away.  He was 32.

Last week, we heard another friend of a friend passed away.  He was 37.

Don’t get me wrong, this article isn’t going to be about how sad it is to hear about these events, especially as we end 2011.  This article was written largely because of the inspirational words during yesterday’s service about how our friend’s mom lived an abundant life.  Although I hardly knew her, I could tell she was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and person.

As I looked on and thought about the other people that passed, I couldn’t help but realize that none of us ultimately knows how our time is going to end.

What we do have control over, however, is what we are going to do before that time.

When that time comes for you and people talk about who you were as a person, how do you want to be remembered?  As a person who was afraid to take challenges?  As a person who was afraid to live life?

I don’t know about you, but I know how I want people to talk about me.  I want people to remember me as someone who lived.  Took chances.  Tried to be awesome 24/7 (in a non-egomaniacal way of course).

So I’m going to ask again: how do you want to be remembered?

If I were to guess, it would probably be as someone who made sure that every minute of their life was spent improving themselves and the ones around them.  Someone who was remembered as an amazing individual.  Someone who can look back at their lives and be proud of both their mistakes and accomplishments.

So why wait another minute?  Start being that person now.

If there is one thing that the past few days has taught me, it is the fact that we don’t know how long our timeline is.  Don’t wait another minute to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.

Go take those foreign language classes.  Go travel the world.  Go follow your dream to give the “Most Interesting Man in the World” a run for his money.

I know I’m going to give it a shot.

Have a great and happy 2012 and don’t waste another minute of your time.  Go be awesome now.

The Lounge Spa, Culver City is the place to go for amazing spa services at reasonable prices.

I get my eyebrows waxed.

Yep, I said it.

And no one else can touch my fine brows except for one person - Alice Koskas from The Lounge Spa in Culver City.  My wife and I discovered Alice and The Lounge Spa over 5 years ago and since then, they have been exclusively taking care of all our spa needs.

Their customer service is great, the prices are reasonable and whenever we go visit Alice and her team, we’re treated like family.

Wait, are you still stuck on the fact I wax my brows?  Check our advice on men’s eyebrow grooming before bringing all that noise. 

Alice Koskas from The Lounge Spa in Culver City.

What I especially like about The Lounge Spa is that it doesn’t feel like a stuffy, snooty, “you don’t deserve to be here” spa. 

The Lounge Spa vibe is definitely relaxed, easy and welcoming.

We had a chance to sit down and talk to owner Alice Koskas about The Lounge Spa, her career and her grooming/spa advice for our readers.

Hi Alice, thanks for taking the time to talk to us here at ESM.  Tell us about how you got started in your career and how you started The Lounge Spa?

I know this may sound crazy, but at 5 years old I knew I wanted to be in the beauty industry. 

I used to play with my Barbie doll for hours fixing her hair & makeup. While most Asians were heading to UCLA or USC after graduating from high school, I enrolled at Santa Monica Jr. College in their cosmetology beauty department.

The inspiration for The Lounge Spa came during a drive to Palm Springs, CA where I came across a billboard promoting a lounge-themed radio station.

It was a retro-cool vibe billboard and the lounge theme immediately caught my attention. I began to think of what a cool concept of a spa with a swanky decor with fun, unique names of services.

After the two-hour drive to Palm Springs from Los Angeles, my theme, concept and mission statement fell into place.

The spa would not only provide excellent massage and skin care services, but attain a hip and fun atmosphere for clients and staff. Far from the typical clinical, sterile environment where the same facials and massage techniques are done.

What is The Lounge Spa all about and who do you cater to?

There are too many Zen, mind, body and spirit spas saturating Los Angeles, you’re not going to see Buddha statues and water fountains in the spa, playing flute like music.

I wanted something more hip, relaxing and cool, as if you were at a lounge bar where you can chill with a loved one, friends or by yourself, so I created the menus of treatments that are as refreshing as cocktail drinks, of which each service is named after.

The entrance to The Lounge Spa. Always a welcome sight for my sore muscles.

Our clients are everyone from students in college, to busy business people, to stay at home moms, to celebrities.

We also have clients that drive as far as Santa Barbara to San Diego!  It’s very flattering that we have clients who drive from far.

We’re pretty busy outside of the spa too, since we do a lot of outside events and travel to studios to massage cast and crews.

We feel very fortunate to be in the position we are in and appreciate our clients, because without them we wouldn’t be open today.

How long has The Lounge Spa been in business?

We celebrated our 6 year Anniversary on December 11th 2011.

We have been fortunate during these hard economic times probably due to the fact our prices are affordable enough where one can come in more than once a month (and for the fraction of the cost if you were to go to a Beverly Hills or a hotel spa).

We feel our clients are already stressed coming in and shouldn’t feel stressed having to pay high prices.

Are there services you provide at The Lounge Spa for men?

Absolutely! From massage to facials, we cater to men.

When you walk through our red velvet ropes, you’ll see were not a pink, fluffy spa.  Men won’t feel intimidated when coming here, with our masculine men’s locker facility, there are showers, robes and slippers provided for them.

Massage is the most popular when it comes to men services, especially deep tissue.

We think you’ve got a great sense of style as can be seen with the interior design of The Lounge Spa.  What inspires you when it comes to design and style?

I’ve always loved decorating and have done interior decorating for friends.   Once I opened the spa, I’ve also gotten clients to do their homes and offices.

Everyone always asks me who did the design for The Lounge Spa. When you’re on a budget and have no investors, you really have to make do with what you have. 

Quite honestly, I’d rather spend money on furniture and decor over shoes and clothes.

What is your personal philosophy on men’s style?

Men’s style is whatever makes you feel comfortable.

I feel it’s important to look your best and wear the appropriate clothes depending on where you’re going.

Can you give our readers some advice when it comes to men’s grooming and skin care?

I love this question.

Some men are brought to the spa with their girlfriends or wives who feel facials are only for women and I always get asked “Do men get facials?”

My response is “Do men have skin?”

Ask any guy this question: “Do you get your car wash?” and they will respond: “of course!”.

Next time you get your car washed, I want you to put your hand on the hood of the car after an hour it was washed.

What do you feel? Probably dirt, dust and grime.

That’s what your skin is exposed to everyday, that’s why you need to wash your face every night.

Now think of a moisturizer as the equivalent of car wax. It helps protect the top coat, (such as your face) from absorbing any dirt and bacteria. By keeping the exterior washed and protected, your car looks attractive and clean, that’s no different with your face.

Additionally – women like smooth, attractive skin on men :} so why wouldn’t you want to take care of it?

What does the future hold for you and The Lounge Spa?

I would love to see my concept in Boutique hotels, since boutique hotels are much smaller and have a more intimate feel.

Customer service is a key to any business; I’m a hands on person and at the spa, it’s important as a business owner to be there.

So if you live in the Los Angeles area and are looking to treat yourself or your significant other to the most amazing spa services this side of the 405, make sure to contact Alice and the folks at The Lounge Spa. 

Your body – and checkbook – will thank you.

For directions and more information about The Lounge Spa in Culver City, you can check out their official site at http://theloungespa.com/.

If you’re not excited to see The Dark Knight Rises featuring our ESM Icon, Bruce Wayne, maybe you shouldn’t be reading our website.

This movie is going to be rad.

Although we were originally a little worried about Anne Hathaway playing catwoman, we are more concerned about not making it to one of the first showings of this movie.

For more information about The Dark Knight Rises, you can check out their official site at http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/.

Learning how to ride, Ducati style. The 2012 Ducati Riding Academy is accepting enrollment.

Let’s see, what would be more exhilarating than taking classes in Italy for the 2012 Ducati Riding Academy?

We’ve come up with a few suggestions:

• Hooking up with a Victoria’s Secret supermodel
• Driving a 599 Ferrari GTO in Modena
• Skydiving (naked)
• Trying to put a great white shark to sleep by grabbing its nose
• Hooking up with 2 Victoria’s Secret supermodels at the same time

Yeah, that should be comparable.

According to the most recent press release from Ducati for their 2012 Ducati Riding Academy:

Ducati now opens subscription for the 2012 Ducati Riding Experience (DRE) events, the excellent riding courses suitable for all levels, from absolute beginner to race track specialist. Held at some of Italy’s most famous circuits and offering the expertise of highly qualified professional instructors, the courses provide a complete fleet of Ducatis on which to perfect riding skills or simply take the very first steps into motorcycling in complete safety.

2011 saw the introduction of the Troy Bayliss Academy and, by overwhelming demand, the 3-times World Champion and global racing icon returns for 2012 for his advanced track courses aboard the brand new 1199 Panigale S. Ducati’s incredible new Superbike, which scooped the “Most Beautiful Bike of Show” award when it was unveiled at the Milan show in November, is now awaited around the world and its use in both the DRE Master Racing course and the Troy Bayliss Academy means that DRE is sure to be sold out fast.

Troy Bayliss, Ducati 1199 Panigale S, Italy.  A threesome which is only  a close second to the aforementioned Victoria’s Secret fantasy.

Think you've got the stones to train with Troy Bayliss? Sign up for the 2012 Ducati Riding Academy and find out.

So you ready to do this?!?!?!

For more information about the 2012 Ducati Riding Academy, you can check out http://dre.ducati.com or contact them directly at dre2012@ducati.com.

Subscription opens on December 15, 2011 and the schedule is as follows:

Ducati Riding Experience calendar (*)  

• 18-19-20 April – Adria Circuit
• 29- 30 May – Mugello International Circuit
• 18-19 July – Imola Circuit
• 4-5 September – Misano World Circuit
• 18-19 September –  Monza Circuit

Oh and if you’ve got some room on that credit card to bring a +1, try to remember your good friends at ESM.