Timeless Classic



One of the most affordable Rolex Watches, the Air King  - Great Band!



WORDS OF WISDOM!!

DOLLA TRICK!!

GET YOUR FIX!!!

THE FASHION FIX!!!

Andy Warhol Polaroids!!!!

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN STUDDED SNEAKERS

Christian Louboutin Studded Sneakers
Contrary to what you may have heard, men's fashion can be fun and daring just like the lady's world. Check out these rad new kicks from Christian Louboutin. He's world famous for his death-defying (and highly-coveted) women's stilettos with the red sole—case in point, my best friend Shannon who would go without food or shelter for a month for a new pair of his shoes—but he has started to expand his men's business and I for one am grateful. I love the black studs on black leather. I would even wear these with a slim suit, especially since I've pretty much given up on dress shoes myself. They have broad appeal but limited distribution, so call the store now and put your name on the list. Just avoid rocking them through airport security


Read More http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201107/gq-best-mens-sneakers#ixzz1V3KQESoQ

Clive Christian - Worlds Most Expensive Purfume

Clive Christian ($865.00)

Gone for Minute!!!

Haven't Blogged in a minute.  Lot's of Changes.  Economy still a mess, but I did manage to get a new Job.  Loving that situation right now.  Changing Pampers again, welcomed Morgan Lillian Thompson into the World.  She is Beautiful. Also Found a great Tailor.  Yes Tailor, every body needs one in my opinion.  Clothes purchased off the rack are made for the masses, to get that look you want, get a tailor.  With the Fall collection hitting the stores and Resturant week coming I'll posting plenty of content.  Here are some flicks from the past couple months.



My Mom and the Girls!! 









Me and Cuz at a Q!!!



 

Lovin the Lebron's







This looks home made..NOT!!!





Work Entire - Stay Clean-SSSSONN!!!




Matt and Lara's Beatiful Day!!





Cheese-Steak Egg Rolls (Continental -Mid Town)





That's what I do at Weddings(look good, oh Drink too)



Put Some Prep in your STEP!!!

As we move into the Spring, Apartment3F is dedicated to bringing some great ideas for spring fashions.  So with that said, we took a walk over to J Crew where the preppy look is unmistakable.  We are big fans of J Crew.  They do what they do very well.  Here are some snap shots of some of our top choices in the store.

Pullover hooded sweat shirt. (Very lite and soft cotton)

Long sleeve Crew  (Love the strips-many colors availabe)

Military Style Jacket off set with the Plaid Scarf. (Nice Look)

Slub Cotton Plaid shirt!!

Vintage Style Jeans (Boot Cut)

Great Sweat Shirt (Fleece)

Accessories, Accessories, Accessories

A Lunch to Remember!!!

On Thursday March 3 2011 I decided to call up my good ol friend George aka G Rap and invite him to one of the best Lunch experiences of his life.  No it wasn't at Del Fresco or Barclay Prime.  It was Square on Square, hands down one of the best if not the Chinese restaurants in Philadelphia.  I mean food so good that I have never ordered a beverage and I have probably been there 80 times.  I am usually content with the ice cold water and the steaming hot tea.  The water is followed by your choice of soup, of which I always order without fail, the HOT and SOUR.  Its a spicy broth with a chunks of white chicken breast and tofu.  As the waitress approaches us about our order, G-Rap gives me a look of readiness and starts to question me about the Menu.  I ask for 5 more minutes.  I tell him "everything is good, my personal favorite is the Popcorn Chicken".  As I explain to him its enough to share we decide to order two entrees.  Popcorn Chicken and General Powell chicken.  (Chicken, Chicken, Chicken, you can never go wrong with Chicken) After we place our order we start to talk about what's going on with ourselves and I can't take my eyes off of his watch.  Its a beautiful Presidential Rolex with a Diamond bezel.  After I try on the watch, asked him an array of other questions, the food arrives shortly after and we dig in.  After we reach maximum Capacity G-Rap goes "God Damn S.Dot that was amazing" and all I can say is I told you.....  CHECK PLEASE???

George Enjoy the Meal

Popcorn Chicken (The Star)

The Conversation Piece

Orangelinephila.com

Top 10 Reasons Your not Wealthy!!

10. You Care What Your Neighbors Think

If you're competing against them and their material possessions, you're wasting your hard-earned money on toys to impress them instead of building your wealth.

9. You Aren't Patient

Until the era of credit cards, it was difficult to spend more than you had. That is not the case today. If you have credit card debt because you couldn't wait until you had enough money to purchase something in cash, you are making others wealthy while keeping yourself in debt.

8. You Have Bad Habits

Whether it's smoking, drinking, gambling or some other bad habit, the habit is using up a lot of money that could go toward building wealth. Most people don't realize that the cost of their bad habits extends far beyond the immediate cost. Take smoking, for example: It costs a lot more than the pack of cigarettes purchased. It also negatively affects your wealth in the form of higher insurance rates and decreased value of your home.

7. You Have No Goals

It's difficult to build wealth if you haven't taken the time to know what you want. If you haven't set wealth goals, you aren't likely to attain them. You need to do more than state, "I want to be a millionaire." You need to take the time to set saving and investing goals on a yearly basis and come up with a plan for how to achieve those goals.

6. You Haven't Prepared

Bad things happen to the best of people from time to time, and if you haven't prepared for such a thing to happen to you through insurance, any wealth that you might have built can be gone in an instant.

5. You Try to Make a Quick Buck

For the vast majority of us, wealth doesn't come instantly. You may believe that people winning the lottery are a dime a dozen, but the truth is you're far more likely to get struck by lightning than win the lottery. This desire to get rich quickly likely extends into the way you invest, with similar results.

4. You Rely on Others to Take Care of Your Money

You believe that others have more knowledge about money matters, and you rely exclusively on their judgment when deciding where you should invest your money. Unfortunately, most people want to make money themselves, and this is their primary objective when they tell you how to invest your money. Listen to other people's advice to get new ideas, but in the end you should know enough to make your own investing decisions.

3. You Invest in Things You Don't Understand

You hear that Bob has made a lot of money doing it, and you want to get in on the gravy train. If Bob really did make money, he did so because he understood how the investment worked. Throwing in your money because someone else has made money without fully understanding how the investment works will keep you from being wealthy.

2. You're Financially Afraid

You are so scared of risk that you keep all your money in a savings account that is actually losing money when inflation is put into the equation, yet you refuse to move it to a place where higher rates of return are possible because you're afraid that you will lose money.

1. You Ignore Your Finances

You take the attitude that if you make enough, the finances will take care of themselves. If you currently have debt, it will somehow resolve itself in the future. Unfortunately, it takes planning to become wealthy. It doesn't magically happen to the vast majority of people.
In reality, it is probably not just one of the above bad habits that has kept you from becoming a millionaire, but a combination of a few of them. Take a hard look at the list, and do some reflecting. If you want to be a millionaire, it's well within your power, but you'll have to face the issues that are currently keeping you from creating that wealth before you will have a chance to call yourself one.

Spring Fashion!!

As we embark on 60 degree weather, trees growing leaves and kids playing in parks, we must also start to think about what we are going to wear this spring.  Colors, brands, what's new, what's hot what's not.  So in APT3F fashion, we hit up some stores and snapped some flicks.  This is Just a sample of what we seen.  Much more to come.

So, above is the Ralph Lauren's Polo's (Polo Polo's)

RL usually adds one or two new colors to their spring selection each year.  It is usually a new shade of an existing color or just a very old color they haven't used recently.  While my personal favorite is the interlock, these  are the mesh polos.   

This is a Vintage style plaid.  You can tell by the packaging that it's a vintage look.  The shirt was very light weight and filled with great spring colors. 

This is BR version of the Cambray Shirt.  Everyone is doing there own version.  They did a good Job.

Don't usually go for the shirt sleeve oxford but, I dig these.  RL did a great job, from the light weight material to the colors selected for the line.  Really like the read and khaki color.  They also had, navy, green,orange and white.  (All great color choices)

Classic Chinos with color variations.

Spring Jackets with the the large Logo.  Not really a fan of the large Logo but this is an exception.  The large Logo compliments the jackets.  The color scheme and of the logo match very well against the colors of the jacket it self.

RL  5 pocket Utility Jacket.  This is a GEM...  With a price tag of $345.00 this should be used as multi functional jacket.  Personally I like to take pieces like this and dress it up with a shirt and tie and wear to the office.  Weekends you can match it up with jeans and a tee shirt. (That's just me)

You just can't go wrong with the half Trench Coat..  This is from Banana Rebuplic.  There spin is with the Military straps on the shoulders.  They have it in the classic khaki and black.

Great Casual boots from BR.  Love the brown.  They do a great job with there shoes.

MORE TO COME!!



•  

Mortgage Rate UPDATE

Mortgage & Savings Center

• Mortgages

Overnight Avg Rate	Latest	Change	Last Week
30 yr fixed	4.87%		4.86%
15 yr fixed	4.14%		4.15%
5/1 ARM	3.60%		3.56%
30 yr refi	4.87%		4.87%
15 yr refi	4.14%		4.15%

Visit CNN.com for complete story!!!

Good EATS!!!

I love Restauranting.  Here are a couple Pics of some of my favorite meals!!!

Turkey Burger (Continental Midtown) -  Lunch Menu

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla ( Continental Mid-Town) Lunch Menu

Dessert  - Blonde (Continental Midtown)

Rock Shrimp Tempura (POD)

                                                                                       Szechuan Lamb Chops

 (THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS)

Shrimp PAD THAI (POD)  SOOO GOOOD!!!

Dessert Time Again - Mocha Brownie
cappuccino ice cream, dark chocolate sauce, toasted macadamia nuts!!!

AKA - Crack!!!

 

Chicken Ceasar Salad.

This is the best CCS I have ever had.  They Use Real Chicken sliced off the bird. (Nobody does that)

Orewa Deli in Suburban Station.  - 1615 JFK - The Pita Sandwiches are crazy also.

I went H.A.M on that LAMB

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND FOLLOW CHARLIE SHEEN ON TWITTER AND WATCH A MASTER AT WORK!!!!!!!!

 @charliesheen

The iPhone Predicament

The iPhone Predicament

What seemed like the longest running internet tech rumor has finally come true.  Verizon has the iPhone.  The iPhone 4 to be specific.  And so begins a new battle between Verizon and AT&T.
So what are you supposed to do with this information?  In my opinion, nothing for now.

The timing of the early February 2011 Verizon iPhone release seems odd to me.  Most people who currently have an AT&T iPhone 4 are under contract and would incur large unnecessary charges to break contract as well as put out another $200-$300 for a new phone on a 2 year contract which is almost identical to their existing phone.  I say almost identical because there are minor cosmetic differences with button placement but there are some larger differences under the hood that may or may not matter to most people, like AT&T's ability to make calls while surfing the web or Verizon's out-of-the-box ability to use your iPhone as an internet hotspot for your other wireless devices.

Then there are those with older iPhone versions who are no longer under contract, ready for an upgrade and are feverishly loyal to the Apple brand who could theoretically make the switch with no exorbitant fees or costs.  Verizon should see a good amount of migration there I suppose.  But in February of 2011, there are just too many choices between quality smartphones with competent operating systems to expect every loyal fan to stick with Apple as the law, let alone a carrier.  I don't want to get into the iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone here but do some research and you'll find that they all have some of the same features and some features that set them apart from the competition and it's up to the consumer to decide what they want or need.
Do the AT&T network "issues" force a mass migration to Verizon out of spite, regardless of cost?  I say no, but that is very opinion based.  If you live in NY or SF, you probably already jumped ship, cost be damned.  I currently have an iPhone 3G on the AT&T network and in the Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs I haven't seen the call drop issues that people are up in arms about.  I can say that in the past year, I may have had 5 dropped calls, which is no more than I ever had while I was previously with Verizon.  I do see some lag in data during peak hours in Center City Philadelphia, but it's actually improved greatly over the past few months which shows me AT&T is trying to fix these issues and improve their image.  But I am not here to debate AT&T vs. Verizon service either.  The question here is simply do you buy an iPhone 4 from AT&T or Verizon or wait.  I say wait.

Historically, Apple releases the newest version of their iPhone sometime in the summer.  The rumor mill on the iPhone 5, or whatever it will be called, is heating up.  There are even rumors of two distinct sizes being offered with one being a larger 4"+ and the other a smaller "nano" like version.  Other rumors speculate that the larger iPhone 5 will have an even faster processor with larger storage than iPhone 4 while the nano version could have very little local storage and rely on "the cloud" to stream music, etc.   The benefit of a smaller version is a decrease to the cost so much so, that off contract you could have one for less than $200.  Pretty significant since an off contract iPhone 4 can cost well over $600.  This may work for some people, but I know I certainly am not in the market for a smaller screen.

Will it be "4G" or not?  No one knows.  Frankly, most people don't really know what "4G" even means.  In a nutshell, we know it's faster than 3G but the major carriers are spinning their advertisements and in my opinion are being very misleading.  I've read that true "4G" service is a ways off (2012 and later) and what carriers are pedaling now is 3G on steroids, for lack of a better understanding on my part.  And you'll likely pay even more per month for this faster service.  I do believe the next round of iPhones will have "4G" capability though simply so Apple can help Verizon and AT&T compete with the likes of Sprint and T-Mobile who are pushing their "4G" networks and devices pretty hard.

So based on all of this speculation I intend to wait to upgrade my iPhone 3G until we see what Apple brings us in June or July of this year.  I recommend you do the same if you can keep that hard earned money from burning a hole in your pocket for now.  I am looking forward to the choices I'll have as far as carrier and device.  The competition is intense and there should be some great incentives to go around as well.

To 3D or Not to 3D, That Is The Question????

With the dawn of 3D in the home, those in the market for a new television are left to wonder if shelling out the extra money for a 3D TV is really worthwhile.
In short, the answer is a resounding "YES!"

You really can't form an opinion until you actually experience home theater 3D.  Some people draw their conclusions based on their experience with what they've seen in the theater recently under the "RealD 3D" or "IMAX 3D" formats.  Others recall the 3D of yesteryear where you wore futuristic paper glasses with red and green cellophane lenses.  All of these comparisons are unfair for various reasons.

A truly great 3D experience begins with how the source content was created.  Was the film actually shot in 3D, as is the case with "Avatar" or was it more like "Clash of the Titans" which applied the 3D in post production?  These two examples, in my opinion, illustrate the best and worst of the new 3D in the past year or so.  "Avatar" was in 3D throughout the entire movie.  You were immersed in the film and the 3D experience felt natural.  It only added to the experience and you forgot you were even wearing the glasses or that the movie itself was pretty terrible.  "Clash of the Titans" tried to piggyback off of Avatar's success and crammed in a few 3D scenes.  It was essentially non-existent with only a few scenes in 3D leaving you wondering why you paid extra and why you were forced to wear these ridiculous glasses.

Not all theaters are equipped to produce a genuine 3D projection.  They will still charge you for the pleasure but I have seen too many now to believe that all theaters are created equally when it comes to 3D.  If you want to the best possible in-theater experience, you must go to an IMAX theater.  They are built specifically for this reason and do a great job when they have the proper source content.  Frankly, the absolute best in-theater 3D I have seen is during the previews when IMAX pushes their own documentaries about space and animals.
In order to get a feel for the home 3D experience, you really need to walk into one of the big box stores, like BestBuy or the Sony store in The Comcast Center in Center City Philadelphia and give it a try.  Your friendly blog host Shaun and I did just that, a few times actually, and we were absolutely taken with what we saw.  Personally I am partial to Sony but the format is pretty standard so if you prefer another brand, my advice would be check it out and try on the glasses to see which ones fit or feel the best for you.
I recently purchased a Sony 55" NX810 3D television myself but originally my goal was not to bring the 3D experience home.  My goal was to get a truly beautiful High Definition picture with crisp, bright, clear colors and deep, dark blacks.  I wanted a super thin TV on the wall with no motion blur while watching a football game or a hockey game.  This is where, in my opinion, you'll want to base your own decision when making your TV purchase because at this stage in the 3D game, there is no substantial content available for free on cable/satellite.  Sadly , most of the 3D BluRay movies are awful as far as story/writing/effects.  You don't want to go spending $1,500 - $4,500 on a 3D TV just so you can watch "Saw 3D" or "Piranha 3D" do you?  I hope not.  
I chose the 55NX810 because it has 1080p resolution, the most powerful Sony Bravia Engine, Dynamic EDGE LED backlighting and most important to me, MotionFlow 240hz refresh rate. You can read about those features here (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666249185), as Sony will do a much better job explaining the finer details, but it all boils down to having the guts to do any job, 2D or 3D, and do it exceptionally.  This TV has it all.  My package came with the necessary 3D starter kit which includes the 3D transmitter, 2 pairs of glasses and "Alice in Wonderland" in 3D BluRay for $2,500.  If you go this route, remember that your cables are just as important, and just as expensive.  In order to take advantage of the 240hz refresh rate I had to buy cables that were capable of delivering the 240hz from the source to the TV.  One 12' cable from Monster certified for 240hz and 3D transmission was $150.  
BluRay movies are absolutely incredible!  Even regular DVD up-converted via Sony Playstation look amazing.  Watching the Super Bowl in HD blew me away.  It was exactly what I was hoping for in a TV.  Even when it's off, it looks like a piece of art hanging on the wall.  The fact that it had 3D was simply an after thought until I actually took the time to set it up and experience the 3D for the first time.  It was amazing.  I was hooked.    
We made some popcorn and sat down to watch "Alice in Wonderland 3D".  Incredible.  You have to see it to really believe it.  Scenes have true depth and objects seem to float in your living room.  It's not as dramatic as an IMAX theater of course, which is partially due to the screen size restrictions of the TV's themselves.  The bigger the screen, the more dramatic the 3D effect but at this point it is simply a very enjoyable in-home entertainment experience.  

As far as the glasses go, by the time I got to the end of the movie, I was ready to take them off.  You really don't want to wear them much longer than a standard movie running time.  Maybe they need to be broken in a bit since they were brand new but they started to irritate behind the ears and left a nice indentation mark on the bridge of my nose, although not much worse than some sunglasses.  This is where comfort and brand loyalty come in.  The only other brand I tried was Panasonic and although the glasses were slightly more comfortable,  they seemed to be tinted darker than the Sony glasses and the frame didn't block out ambient light as well and I felt that took away from the image on the screen.

Next I had to pop in Call of Duty: Black Ops.  This game gives you the option to play in 3D.  Although the initial visual is mind blowing, putting in a 4 hour video game session in 3D will either result in  permanent brain damage at worst or a puddle of vomit on your floor at best.  Check it out though, some people aren't as sensitive to the motion sickness it can produce and there are plenty of other games out there that aren't as intense.  For instance, with my purchase I was given a free copy of a game called "Pain!" to download through the Playstation Network and it was much less vomit-inducing and the 3D added to the object of the game.

All in all I am glad I bought in to the 3D revolution, albeit early.  For all I know this technology could fizzle out or be completely replaced in a year or two and I'll be left with some useless but futuristic 3D glasses to display next to my Betamax and my HD DVD player.  For now, I see 3D technology as an enjoyable change of pace or a special 3D movie screening event with the family on a Saturday evening.  I even went out and bought "Saw 3D" and "Piranha 3D".  And I recommend them.

(WORDS BY TECH GURU - JACK OD)