“From the sparkling canals of Venice to the ‘Lost City’ of Machu Picchu, join Duke, Lauren, Penelope and Max as they travel Orient-Express’ world of iconic hotels and unique experiences. This family journeys in style, seeking out adventure and enjoying their time together in their own individual ways.”  View more at ajourneylikenoother.com

Leffe continued their search for stories of passion, spirit, and living, as part of their search for true men of character by inviting more than 250 men with inspiring stories to take part in their “Craft of Character” mission. Five men were chose, each of whom “best embodied the rich taste of Leffe” with their unique insight and social experiences. The character that each of these men bring to the table should inspire us all to continually craft our own characters.

Comedian, Adam, Strauss (above) brings us his tale of spontaneous acceptance through new friends.

See more stories from Leffe “Craft Your Character.”

Dickies, the leading global work wear brand is introducing the Detroit 874, a limited-edition, U.S. made work pant benefiting unemployed workers in Detroit. For every pair of Detroit 874s sold, Dickies will donate a pair of Original 874® Work Pants to the Salvation Army of Metro Detroit to assist workers in need.

Titled “874 vs. Unemployment,” the special program provides Detroit workers with a basic necessity to help secure a job and stay protected on the job site – a good, tough, reliable pair of work pants. Starting today, 5,000 pairs of the Detroit 874s are available for the purchase price of $50 (with free shipping) at www.dickies.com.

It is not an easy period to be a denim junkie. Those who seek the exclusivity of the raw selvedge craze soon discover that breaking in a pair of jeans is a job in itself. As fun as it may seen to break in your blue jeans from a raw state, it is a bit commitment. As the term selvedge becomes the common buzzword amongst the mass consumers of the U.S.A., many will soon realize that wash is more important for them. For those, the options remains. Denim will continue to be the most important staple item in your wardrobe, and it does not look like it will stop soon.

Scion, everyone’s favorite forward-thinking car brand, is running an interesting promotion to reel in more of you gearheads with a taste for personalizing your ride as much as possible. The Unlock the tC Road Trip contest sparks a series of interactive gaming challenges that culminate in an event where four finalists will compete for a new 2011 Scion tC to call their own. Players take part  virtual rally across the United States, accumulating points by completing specified tasks and side-trip challenges and inviting friends to join in along the way, with leaderboards keeping track of the action and encouraging players to pull ahead of the competition. Did you ever wish being really good at Grand Theft Auto would get you a new whip? Check out the Unlock the tC contest at www.unlockthetc.com.

Following up on Jason Dike’s Selections from the John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2010 collection, we return with some new picks from our features editor, Nick Schonberger.

For those not familiar with Nick, he’s the guy who happens to write about exhibitions, beer, and mail-order meats here at Selectism. He’s also the editor over at our brother site, Curated, and the obsessive Nacho Hunters. On top of being a big Gunner’s fan, he tends to pull for UCONN basketball whenever possible. Meats, nachos and basketball aside, Nick’s perspective on the world is about as unique as it gets. There is no bigger “understander” (I said it) of the world today.

Nick’s selections from the Varvatos Spring/Summer line – The John Varvatos Hood Drawstring Jacket and the Chuck Taylor Vintage Slip-On Sneakers – are true to his own aesthetic of keeping it simple and as casual as possible.

View Nick’s Selections from the John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2010 Collection after the click…

The John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2010 collection is now available online for browsing and acquisition.  Fans of Varvatos  (new and old) will happily discover a variety of pieces that will complement their wardrobes from top to bottom.

While we would usually cover new collections with an overall appraisal of the line, the folks at Varvatos have asked our staff to select their personal picks for consumption from their Spring/Summer offering. We’re calling them “Editor’s Selections” for short. And just like the football loyalty we discussed earlier in the week, you’ll find our “selections” to be fairly unique to each of us. This week, we’re starting it off with London’s own Jason Dike.

Jason’s picks should come as no surprise to our readers. The John Varvatos Suede Filmore Chukka and the Convertible Pick Stitch Jacket (shown above) are about as proper as it gets. We’ll let Jason tell you why.

View Jason’s Selections from the John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2010 Collection after the click…

There is a refreshing focus on the individual at Equinox Health Clubs that goes well beyond the locker room floor and group programs. Their technology and creative departments work just as hard to offer members personalized options that integrate their workouts with their online and mobile tools and their music.

For example: MYEQ. Equinox’s technology department has been hard at work in bringing reservation tools for their members that go beyond the traditional signup. With the MYEQ iPhone application, Equinox members can not only easily check in to their member club, they can also reserve their favorite bike for a spinning class, view schedules, and import them into your favorite calendar application.

As your time becomes more and more of a premium, MYEQ ensures you’ll have access to your equipment when you need it. No health club makes it easier to stay connected. With your iPhone app keeping you in order, it’s time to get your playlist ready for your workouts. Feel free to set up a playlist before you step into the Equinox club, but if you’re looking for some new sounds be sure to explore their “EQ Sessions.”

“EQ Sessions,” is a collection of curated music selections from well known artists including Laroux (you know the Skream remix), Stevie Knicks, Madonna, and many others. Don’t have an iPhone? All good. The “EQ Sessions” are also available through their online MYEQ site. From personalized web and mobile tools to music and playlists, Equinox caters to the members and that’s how it should be. Readers, get a no-cost three day guest pass at any Equinox club in your city and experience it for yourself.

Jeff Castelaz career in the music industry started back in the 90’s around the time the grunge movement started stretching itself across the United States – musically and in design. He was a manager, a booking agent, and even had a gig writing for graphic designer David Carson’s Ray Gun Magazine. In 2004, he co-founded Dangerbird Records helping to push acts coming through Los Angeles’s thriving Silver Lake scene. Today Dangerbird’s roster includes Silversun Pickups and the Eagles of Death Metal to name a couple.

But Castelaz’s most important and personal work began while his son, Pablo, fought a difficult battle with pediatric cancer, specifically bilateral Wilm’s Tumor. During the struggle, Castelaz updated the PaBLog, which kept friends, family, and supporters of Pablo’s fight up to date with photos, and news of his treatment. Unfortunately, on June 27th, Pablo’s individual battle with cancer ended, just days after his sixth birthday.

Read the full interview after the click.

It’s no secret that fewer men attend group fitness classes than women – though Equinox hopes to change that. With new group fitness classes catering towards more intense strength building exercises, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find some of these classes as serious as your weightlifting routine – if not more serious.

Take Whipped! for example, one of Equinox’s newer group fitness programs. The tools are simple but the motions are extremely difficult. You’ll be using a heavy weight ungulating strength rope for 30 to 60 second intervals. Sounds easy enough? Not really.

As Mark Hendricks, from Equinox’s Group Fitness Department explains it, “Essentially what you do is lift it up and down as fast as you can for very short intervals. The intervals are only about 30 seconds to one minute… to watch someone do it, you think ‘I can do that,’ but once you take the class and lift that rope for 30 seconds, you’ll barely catch your breath.”

You’ll work harder than you can imagine taking the Whipped! classes. With a strength rope as thick as your wrist, it will make you appreciate the full body workout found in a group fitness class

You’ll have to give all you’ve got to give when attending Whipped!

Selectism readers, head over to your local Equinox health club and experience a group fitness class with a three-day guest pass. We’re certain you’ll be telling your friends about it.