The Dream. -Step 1-

Did you bump your head? Have you gone insane? Were the questions I asked myself on the thought of aligning a group of men solely focused on following a path that many people would consider just a "dream". A young and starving camera guru? Two music producers with tremendous talent and drive? Yes! And yes! The ultimate collaboration!

It's summer 1992, in Barcelona and the courtside announcer introduces the following lineup with great emphasis: "at the point guard position from the LA Lakers, hee EEE ere is Magic Johnson! Followed by the center from the New York Knicks, Patrick Ewing!" The crowd goes wild as he continues, "playing the small forward position from the Chicago Bulls, Scottie Pippen! And power forward, Charles Barkley representing the Phoenix Suns. Now, ladies and gentlemen please welcome, your shooting guard from the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan!" A few players part of by far the greatest sports team ever assembled, they hold the nickname "The Dream Team".

2:00 am it read on the home screen of my phone, as the one-man debate continued. The ultimate tug of war between a dream and the reality was dead centered. 3:30 am, it read on the phone as I scanned over the most recent notes I typed on my notes app. As my eyes opened from the light coming through the living room window I rolled over and checked the time. It was now 8:00 am, and glancing at the notes written, three words caught my attention. "Dream Big Alliance".

Let's fast forward it's now January 2017, in Orlando Florida in a room filled with abstract art, L.E.D lighting, and a strong smell of Java. Four men with a nervous yet excited look are sitting across and alongside me, listening attentively to what I would like to call "The Dream".

The Dreamer 〽️

Marc Darius

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Urban Gentleman -The teaser-

Urban Gentleman

A polite way to refer to a man is what the label reads, a gentleman. Gentlemen can be spotted by their choice of words as well as their gestures. But what screams “gentleman” to me is the shaped item covering their heads, their unique formal top, fitted trousers, and distinct assortment of accessories. When combined they display what I refer to as their style.

Being a gentleman raised in an era where hip-hop ruled, and “Jay” and “Z” weren't simply two letters in the alphabet, I was greatly influenced by the urban style of the 90’s. In this day and age, I find others like myself who, if I may include my generation of gentlemen for a sec, are referred to as the Ultimate Urban Gentleman. I did not lose my urban side, in contrary, I have simply incorporated my urban side with the classic look! An urban gentleman to me is one who can improvise from the urban lifestyle and the classic look to display their uniqueness with elegant style or better yet “elegant sauce”. To be continued....

Clothing: Shirt by TÔR -Truth Of Revelations, Denim jacket from Closet Freekz located in Orlando Fl.

Accessories: Hat design created by The Dreamer and made by Anthony Davis

The Decision. - The dreamer's hobby - 〽️

The Decision.

There is a point in a man’s life where he must choose.

Choosing your first cigar is no walk in the park. It was love at first puff when I made my decision, interestingly I made my decision blindly. I popped my cigar cherry with the 1926 series Padròn. The 1926 series was everything I ever dreamt a cigar would taste like. Since finding my favorite cigar I fell upon what I now call “ Cigar Lounging The Dreamer’s Hobby.”

On March 2nd, 2014 a good friend of mine Eric, invited me out to a spot called Coronas; a cigar lounge one of his usual hangout spots. Quite frankly I did not know what to expect, but at the time the thought of having my first cigar was thrilling. Upon arrival, after doing our infamous handshake I was asked “the question.” Now let’s pause for a second…. This is the moment where I get a chance to shine, because I knew I would get asked “the question”. With that said, I was ready to lie my butt off! So Eric asked, “Have you had a cigar before? if so what’s your favorite kind?” Of course, at 25 years of age, I wanted to say, “Yes, of course, I’ve had a cigar! I’m a mild kind of smoker.” However, I stuck with the truth and simply answered, “No man, this is my first time.”

At that time Eric and I had been friends for about 4 years. During those 4 years of friendship there has not been one time I did not get teased or laughed at over the silliest things and of course, this time would be no different. Following my response, he laughed hysterically and slapped his knee. At that point, I was ready to call it quits and just watch him do his normal “cigar lounging ritual”, and simply order a beer. But, au contraire, mama ain’t raise no punk, so instead, I said, “There’s a first time for everything right?” With a sly grin on his face, he agreed and we began to browse.

During the hunt for my first cigar, I was able to find out that cigars not only come in multiple brands but also multiple flavors. There is the Earthiness flavor, in which you can taste minerals and some salt right at the edge. There are Spicy flavors, where there is usually a fiery spice, such as cinnamon or clove on the top of the tongue with licorice on the sides. There is also the Fruit flavored cigar which speaks for itself and many more. Strolling through what seemed like aisles and aisles of cigars I felt overwhelmed and did the unthinkable. I discarded all the fancy brands and flavors suggested to me and went for a blind choice. I reached for the 1926 series Padròn. A Cuban cigar manufactured in Nicaragua, founded in the early 1960’s. The 1926 series Padròn was everything I ever dreamt a cigar would taste like, it was love at first puff. The five to ten year aged cigar was exceptionally smooth, complex, and rich with a full balanced flavor. I must say as of today it is still my “go to” cigar. Of course, I’ve foolishly ventured out to try other cigar brands but I always go back. Now, looking back I must admit that night was perfect, besides the fact that I ordered a Blue moon instead of a Heineken as my choice of beer.

What have I learned and would recommend for the big decision you ask? I learned to not steer away from Padrón and not to get a Blue moon as a drink of choice stick to something familiar. As for me, I will always go with Hennessy, the higher the blend the better. What is your dreamer’s hobby?