I took this photo of my homey, Bobby, while we met to talk about what’s coming up from Ideall.

Last Summer, I sat down and asked him to be my assistant with IdeallClothing. He agreed and has since been an enormous help with the brand and getting shit done that I would otherwise pull what’s left of my hair out over if I still had to manage all of it alone.

If I get something done with the brand, know that he’s probably behind why it was possible to make it happen without me dying of stress or drinking 8 days a week.

This is Bobby. Show him some goddamn respect and follow him on Twitter: @ideallclothing

Today, I dropped by Mankind to check out some of their services and consider getting a haircut. They’re a men’s grooming studio in Toronto that I was introduced to by my friend Bryan Brock of 1LOVETO.

When I arrived, I was greeted by Jay, who coincidentally is cousins with a friend of mine and shares a ton of mutual friends with me. I don’t ever go to salons or barbershops to get my hair cut because of my problems with panic and anxiety around people, so it was really tough for me to be there. It’s something that I’ve dealt with my whole life and I’m trying to get a handle on as I get older. So when I considered finding someone to cut my hair other than zaki ibrahim or my young cuz, Vince, I had to really do my best to find a place that would feel a little like home and would provide the type of service that made me feel comfortable.

My anxiety and panic attacks have held me back from so much more than I ever write or blog about. It’s one of the biggest demons I live with. It’s stopped me from getting jobs, made me run out on award shows and work responsibilities, and it has prevented me from doing simple things like have dinner at a family table, and obviously, leave home to get my hair cut. My struggles with it pushed me further into alcoholism and was the reason I would get drunk while I was at work for years. I realize that this can’t continue, and so today I tried to take a step in a better direction to beat this thing; a better direction that mainly deters me from getting back on pills which I used to abuse regularly.

I know it doesn’t sound like much, but being able to get passed today was a huge accomplishment in my life. I don’t really blog about this stuff because it makes me feel crazier than I already am, but I’ve always been honest with my readers and I don’t plan on slowing that down any time soon. Hopefully more things can happen like this and I can start to feel a level of normalcy that allows me to grow to my full potential.

After my cut, I was treated to a mini-facial with a hot towel and facial toner and a paraffin hand wax. I left the shop, shipped out my online orders and came back to shoot some photos of the space to blog about it. I haven’t shot in a little while, but it was the least I could do in exchange for great service.

I want to send a big shout out to Jay and Mya at Mankind for making today’s experience way better than I imagined. I appreciate it a lot.

Be sure to check them out:

MANKIND
grooming studio for men
477 Richmond Street West
Suite 103
416.551.1113
www.mankindgrooming.com

This is their reception area. I love the wood panelling and the glass top on the desk. Very dope. There is also a cut out in the front of the desk of what appears to be a mens collar and tie. It’s a nice subtlety that must go unnoticed often, but can be appreciated when it’s seen.

Today, Jay and Mya were working, but there are a number of other stylists, barbers and staff that help make this place a great option for a wide range of men’s grooming services.

There’s a little seating area with a stocked Red Bull fridge, a PS3, flatscreen TV, magazines, a bar and a leather couch. It feels like being at your rich friends house, sitting in his basement lounge. It’s definitely a place you could end up spending a lot of time in, shooting the shit with your homies and the staff.

I got a haircut. This guy got his whole head cut off. 1 for me. 0 for the moose.

Jay was cutting another client when I came back, but was just finishing up so I wasn’t able to get any photos of him at work. But I like this shot nonetheless.

This is the seat and sink I sat at for my wash, mini-facial and paraffin hand wax. Lucky me. Or lucky seat! ZING! lol.

It looks like an outdoor overground jacuzzi for a gerbil herd, I know. But really it’s wax bath for your hands. You dip your hands up to your wrist into hot wax, remove them and then they cover them with plastic. The wax dries, then is peeled away and you’re left with super soft hands for caressing your wife, or slapping your kids. I’m kidding. You shouldn’t caress your wife with your newly waxed hands. I’M KIDDING!

It was kind of strange, but felt amazing. Highly recommended.

This is Mya. She was responsible for giving me the mini-facial and paraffin hand wax. Jay tells me she’s going to be very famous and has a maniacal plan to make it happen. We’ll see how this story unfolds.

This is the chair that Jay cut me in. He shared a great story about it.

He found the chair in worse condition than it’s currently in, but bought it anyways with plans to rework it, weld some rickety parts and restore it to his liking. The father of a close friend of his saw Jay with the chair and said to him, “You’re gonna be really successful with this”, which humbled him since the man had a very successful business in the hair and grooming industry. Unfortunately, that was the last time he saw his friend’s father, as he has since passed away. But he honors him with a photo placed on the wall next to the mirror at that chair.

This is the father of Jay’s friend. It’s such a stand up move to have this photo in his shop. I loved this.

Shutting down.

This is me in my office with my cleaned up, Inglorious Basterds meets Asian Avenue, undercut fade, karaoke boy band hair. That’s my real face. Don’t make fun of me.

Once again, be sure to check them out:

MANKIND
grooming studio for men
477 Richmond Street West
Suite 103
416.551.1113
www.mankindgrooming.com

Love&Respect,
be.

Cliche photo but I shot it anyway. I need to start using my camera more often..

I took this photo today because it hit me very close to home. lol.

I don’t know what it is, but that Natural Gas has really been getting to me lately. Thank god my girlfriend loves me. :S

I saw this Ren and Daser tag today (looks like part of Kane’s tag got covered), and had to take a photo of it. REN was one of my biggest creative idols growing up and is a graffiti king. I looked at him and the rest of TCM like they were gods when I was 10 years old and finally met him when I was 12, sitting at Keele wall watching him paint. He tagged my royal blue JanSport bag and it was a prized possession of mine until I foolishly threw it out in 2004.

Big shout out to REN and all the true graffiti kings from my home town.

I saw this pic on facebook the other day. It’s DJ Lil Jaz aka eljay ll aka the I.T.F. World Beatjuggling Champion in 99, Winner of the D.M.C. Canadian Finals in 98 and the D.M.C. Toronto Finals from 96-98 aka k-os’ DJ aka one of the most talented and humble people I know. But more on him later..

He’s wearing a hat that I designed for LiveStock’s Fall/Winter 09 headwear collection at the closing ceremonies for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. It’s pretty dope for me to see stuff like this. The small wins mean a lot to me.

Shout out to Zeb at Nomad and Jaz as always.

Pictures of Rap Songs: Installment 1

This goes out to:

The island of:

&

is livin’

& the

enough

enough

Yo, I’m:

This is my first installment of “Pictures of Rap Songs”. Name the artist, song title AND write the referenced line out and I’ll give you daps next time I see you.

I’m packing small ziploc baggies again. But instead of piff, it’s pins. LL logo pins and Heartbreak logo pins are free with purchase from my online store.

(I hope you want these more than you want my blackberry PIN. lol)

It’s Monday. I got orders to ship. Thank you to all my supporters! I love you guys. No homer.

Send pics with your new Ideall product to info@thelegendsleague.com!

It’s not about being better than the next man.
It’s about being the best at being your own man.

- Bryan (with a “Y”) Espiritu (with a “Spirit”).

quote me.