It’s begun.  I’ve put some of the items I wish to sell on this site.  Click the image above or here to view larger photos and product descriptions.  This is round 1.  There will probably be 2-3 more rounds of selling.  These are most of the warmer weather items, so I wanted to get them up first.  I have some shorts and polos that will be included in the second round.  There are some nice items available, so please have a look.  I will ship anywhere in the lower 48.  If you live locally, and would like to give me cash in person, that is ok too.  Please email me at crabapplenyc@gmail.com with any questions.  Questions may also be posted to this entry or to the sale page (above).

Thanks!

These dropped last week, so I apologize for the delay in my review.  As far as I can tell, nobody has ever asked yet I continue to deliver my take on the latest batch of new arrivals from J.Crew, but here it is.  This month the once preppy powerhouse turned ubiquitous fashion-forward every-house brings us another dose of the practical and risky and downright weird.  There are lots of horizontal stripes (bad for the husky), lightweight fabrics, and slim cuts, all of which are good for the impending summer swelter.  Personally, I really like a couple of the new jacket options.  Not crazy about what they’ve done with polos.  Over all, they’ve added a few cool things that I will proceed to review, in no particular order…now.

Washed linen sportcoat $218

I have been looking for a laid back, casual sport jacket in linen.  My first choice would be something in navy, but I should probably try to change things up a bit – I mean, 76% of my wardrobe is navy and grey.  I really like the cuts of their jackets these days.  And with all the weight I’ve lost, I may even fit into the medium.  I will try this in the store.

Wallace & Barnes chore jacket $288

This looks like it would be a chore to wear.  Hardly smells of summer, and it looks like a uniform piece for the North Korean army.  Skip.

Stanton short in yarn-dyed stripe $98

Ok, but certainly not meant for those with a few extra pounds.  Horizontal stripes are the least flattering look for anyone even slightly overweight.  I just started to feel comfortable in a sweater.  I’ll wait on the shorts.

Stanton short in floral $78

Yes, I’d probably even wear floral shorts before I wore striped shorts.

Soludos® for J.Crew navy espadrilles $36

I really will say that I randomly selected the order of the photos, and I did not plan on inserting only the items I dislike first.  I do not dig the espadrilles.  But I am not surprised to see J.Crew jump on the bandwagon.  If you do like these shoes, the price is right, and they appear to be well made.  ‘Nuff said.

Mariner-stripe sweater $79.50

I am not 100% opposed to horizontal stripes.  I like them in a sweater.  The introduction of a little bit of orange is a nice touch against the navy blue.

Secret Wash lightweight shirt in faded gingham $64.50

Gingham has been my go-to pattern for much of the past few years.  The few I wore rather regularly are feeling a bit too loose these days.  I like the color and grid size on this one.

 Patchwork plaid sportcoat in Ludlow fit $298

Not quite Go-To-Hell patchwork, but as close as I would dare tread.  Summer is the time to be a little more colorful and experimental, but I still prefer my blues & greys.  I like this jacket a lot.

Bowery heather twill in urban slim fit $88

I bought these two years ago in classic fit.  I’m inclined to re-buy them in slim fit, or to have my tailor make mine fit more like these.  See, one of the downsides of dropping 25 pounds is you need to either buy new clothes, or tailor the ones you currently own.  I have been doing both.  It’s fun and exciting, but expensive.

Alden® for J.Crew limited-edition flex-toe navy suede chukkas $515

There are few things in this world that I love more than a good old suede chukka.  I have a pair of the ubiquitous desert boots in dark tan, and a dressier pair in dark brown that I purchased in Germany.  These are a bit pricey – even for Aldens – but, damn do they look good.  And I bet they’re really comfortable.  And I bet they would last a long time.  See how I’m trying to convince myself?

 Ebbets Field Flannels® for J.Crew twill ball cap $45

 Contrary to the name of this cap, it’s actually made out of cotton twill.  It’s nice to see that they’ve thrown us some options other than wool flannel.  Even in the winter time I can’t wear those because I sweat too much from my gigantic head.  It’s true – big craniums run in my family.  You’d think we’re smarter for it?  Eh.  I like this better than the wool New York option.  This time around they have a couple Brooklyn options too.  Problem with this one is it looks too much like a Yankees hat.  Sorry, Ebbets Field Flannels®, maybe next time.

You can view all of these, plus more new arrivals at JCrew.com.  And as a bonus, they are offering 30% off sale items starting today.  Whoo hoo!

Gained a few in Saba.  Lost 2 of those pounds last week.  I could have lost more, but I ate like crap towards the end of the week, and had a pitcher+ of beer on Sunday.  Most of it was Coors Light, but still.  I tried running Sunday morning, but could only do 3 miles and change thanks to my left hamstring tightening up on me again.  My right ankle has been fine, but I was bringing an old piece of furniture to the curb on Sunday, and accidentally hit the top of my right foot.  I ran to the gym Monday morning and it felt fine, but it hurts to the touch.  I have less than two weeks before my Central Park 4 Mile Celebrate Israel race.  I plan to take it easy most of this week, get in a good run on Sunday, and kill it next week.  Sorry if it sounds like I am being self-loathing.  I’m not.  Just psyching myself up to do better (and to be more careful.)

In other news, I have had some friends ask me about losing weight.  For whatever reason they are reluctant to join Weight Watchers for Men.  I don’t know why.  I don’t even think of it as a diet.  It’s a tool to help you balance your food consumption.  I still eat a lot of the same things I was eating before – just less of it, and not as frequently.  To anyone out there looking to drop 5, 10, 20 or more pounds, I highly recommend joining.  It has helped me to remain focused (last two weeks not included), and in addition to these posts every Tuesday morning, it makes me accountable to someone/something other than myself.

You may notice the large pile of crap behind me in the top photo.  Yes, that’s still the pile I intend to post to eBay, or just to a SHOP page here on Crabapple (to start).  We have guests in town for the long weekend, so it would probably be in my best interest to try to clean up the room before then.  The weekend will also be a challenge as this is the first real holiday weekend since I started Operation Trim back in January.  I’m sure we’ll go out to dinner, and indulge in a few beers, etc.  Actually, I did that throughout most of April and May, and have basically remained stagnant for that period of time (mid 170′s) so I should be ok.  It will be fun.  What does everyone else have planned for the weekend?

Whoops!  What happened?  I’ll tell you what happened – The Caribbean is what happened.  Kristina and I just spent 5 days on St. Maarten & Saba (more about that later this week, or next – whenever I can find time to get to it).  I ate more than usual, drank more than usual, didn’t sleep the way I usually do, and let’s face it, I didn’t exercise nearly enough.  Caribbean hotels (the ones we stayed in) didn’t even have gyms.  I did get in one run (our first morning), and we did do a very strenuous 3-4 mile hike on our second day (in Saba – more on that later), but it just wasn’t enough.  Am I worried?  Nah.  Once I get back into my regular routine I should be able to shed those 2.7 pounds and more fairly quickly.  It’s probably all water weight anyway, right?

I’ve also decided to change my ultimate goal from 165 to 160.  Last week, I was hovering around the 170 mark, and realized that even with all the weight I have lost I still have quite the belly.  I attribute this to my enjoyment of alcoholic beverages, and to not doing enough abs exercises.  I figured the running would help that.  Maybe it has.  Maybe it hasn’t.  Maybe I just continue to look in the mirror and see the same thing, when in reality my mid section has actually shrunk.  I don’t know.  Kristina says I look slimmer around the middle.  It’s hard, when you’ve seen yourself one way for so long to accept that you really do look different.

Until next week…

 J.Crew Allerton Bluchers $168

I have had trouble with J.Crew shoes in the past, but seeing as everything else has improved over there, that maybe it is time to give the shoes another shot.  These are as basic as you can get, and come with a comfortable, and practical rubber sole.  Dress shoe purists will argue against a leather sole, but as a constant traveler who often gets caught in the rain, I may favor the rubber sole over one made of leather.  At $168 these are not cheap, nor are they that big of an investment.  The website says IMPORT which in the case of J.Crew probably means China.

J.Crew Preston Bluchers $215

Similar to the Allertons, but with a leather sole, and a little dressier looking.  I think they would be equally as versatile, though not as weather resistant.  At $215 these are still a great price.

A.Testoni Calfskin Derby Dress Shoes on Gilt.com $229

These are the Italian option.  Currently available on Gilt.com, but not for much longer they are the dressiest of the bunch.  The website says IMPORT which one would assume to mean Italy, but we all know what happens when one makes an assumption.  The sole is rubber which makes them ideal for every day wear including torrential downpour.  I hesitate though, not at the $229 price tag, but because I had a pair of A.Testoni shoes once before.  They were nice, but not overly practical.  I ended up selling them on eBay.

Allen Edmonds Malvern Plain-Toe Chukka Boot $335

These are by far the most expensive of the bunch.  However, they are made in the USA.  They are very well made.  They can be refurbished for about $100 when they decide to give up.  Allen Edmonds shoes are extremely comfortable.  These days I am really enjoying the chukka boot style.  They have a rubber sole that looks leather thanks to the welt.

So, there it is.  If I had to put these in order of what I like most to least it would probably go 4-2-1-3.  How about some reader feedback?

Thanks!

Here I am; over four months into my physical transformation.  Another .9 down this week, over 20 pounds lost at an average of around 5 pounds per month, or just over a pound per week.  This I think is not bad.  It’s not great either.  There are many out there who are able to lose a lot more than I have to date, and are keeping it off.  But there’s a difference.  I haven’t stopped enjoying beer and pizza and ice cream and M&M’s.  I don’t eat these things as often as I once did, and certainly not in the portion sizes to which  I was once accustomed, but because I have kept these things in my diet to a certain degree I have managed to lose weight while keeping my body used to this sort of “junk food,” and in turn should be able to keep the weight off once I reach my ultimate goal of 165…it’s just taking me a little bit longer to get there.

So I didn’t drop to 172 before going to the islands.  So what?  I feel comfortable with my current weight.  I am fitting into smaller clothes.  if you can see the pile behind me in the top photo you’ll see it’s made up of items pulled from my closet that are just way too big at this point.  Once I get back from vacation, I will put many of these items up for sale.  Going to try a “shop” through this site before I go the eBay route, just to give it a try.  If you wear a men’s Large from J.Crew, or size 34 pants, there may be something in there for you.  Good prices – trust me.

Since starting Weight Watchers & Operation Trim I have noticed that many friends of mine have also made the commitment to losing the excess pounds, and committing to a healthier lifestyle.  For my Week 21 post (yes, mathletes that’s 2 weeks out) I want to post before/after photos of some of you for inspiration to others.  Even if you are in the midst of a longer program (like me) I still think it is exciting to see these transformations, and who knows, you may even be an inspiration to others.  I’ll start it off (below).  If interested, please send me (2) photos dated, and with your weight in each photo.  If you are still working towards a lower number, send me that number as well.  Like so…

Now, it’s your turn.  Please send photos to crabapplenyc@gmail.com.