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LeBron James Is Singlehandedly Reviving This Unconventional 80s Footwear Trend

The King's status is a given on the court. Off the court, however, LeBron has been proving time and time again he may have what it takes to become a trendsetter too.

Today this involves bringing the 80s back from the grave. How? The basketball legend recently took a selfie. While this might be an...

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The Truth About Qantas’ So-Called ‘Special’ Relationship With The Australian Government

Virgin Australia’s collapse sparked a lot of cruel jokes. “Just Tragic, Says Joyce” wrote one satirical newspaper. Another led with “Virgin Allows Customers To Purchase Airline As Optional Add On.”

Though this was tongue in cheek, reading the comments (and scrolling through Twitter), DMARGE noticed a conspiratorial question crop up time and time again – did Qantas kill Virgin?

QANTAS RULE THE AUSTRALIAN GOVT, SHOW SOME GUTS FRYDENBURG BAIL OUT VIRGIN, OTHERWISE QANTAS WILL CONTROL AUSTRALIA AGAIN, VOTE THIS FRYDENBURG OUT

— Allan Jackson (@richnJa38064647) April 16, 2020

Fringe at best, moronic at worst. Sure. But it raises other, viable questions. For instance: does the government have an interest in treating Qantas, which is always at least 51% Australian (shareholder) owned, like the favoured elder child, over Virgin Australia: the distracted younger sibling who has foreign flings, lives beyond their means and – as the conspiracy cranks love to remind you – is “run by some hippie British billionaire?”

So QANTAS should be the ONLY one getting a bail out?
A reminder…
In 2011, then Opposition leader Tony Abbott knew QANTAS was shutting down before the ALP government did.
Dont tell me about QANTAS and ethics.
Imagine if they had the skies to themselves.
https://t.co/FGJ7U6eai0

— Bogan Demographic (@IcacPersistance) March 31, 2020

The counterpoint to this would be that regional carrier REX, also majority-owned by overseas interests, received more ‘pandemic funding’ than Qantas and Virgin Australia combined.

Also: it’s not as if lobbying is a secret – let alone illegal (something many keyboard warriors appear enraged by).

Comment left by ‘Elaine’ underneath the Australian’s March 31st article, “Qantas ‘fair’ cry would net $4.2bn coronavirus bailout if Virgin scores $1.4bn from government.”

Back to the point at hand: does Qantas have a better relationship with the government than Virgin? Beyond its “fair cry” for an Even Stevens bailout, did Qantas influence the government in coming to its “the best solution is a market solution” stance?

If it did, would that necessarily be foul play? Or is that just business? After all, Qantas hasn’t exactly hidden its position.

As Bloomberg reported on the 1st of April, “Qantas argues that Virgin’s record shouldn’t be rewarded with a bailout, while Virgin has accused Qantas of spreading false rumors about Virgin’s cash position.”

So: is all fair in love and bailouts? Or is there something more at play?

Lots of questions, not many answers.

To get a clearer picture, DMARGE spoke to Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Michael McCormack.

Though he wouldn’t be drawn on Qantas’ relationship with government, the Deputy PM told DMARGE, “We continue to monitor Virgin’s situation and the best solution for the airline is a market solution.”

He also told DMARGE: “The Federal Government is exploring all possible avenues to keep two airlines in the air, throughout this pandemic and on the other side of it.”

“I welcome States and Territories exploring ways to assist their local aviation businesses.”

Mr McCormack also pointed to the government’s initial $165 million package which has helped Qantas and Virgin “operate an essential domestic network servicing the most critical metropolitan and regional routes in Australia” over the past months.

“We will continue to support every Australian through this pandemic with more than $320 billion of investment to support workers, businesses and the economy,” Mr McCormack added.

Crucial, no doubt: but, regarding the Qantas’ relationship with the Australian federal government, not very illuminating.

To shed a bit more light we asked the opinion of a Qantas pilot, who told us Qantas’ success wasn’t so much a result of the airline having a ‘special’ relationship with the government (or having extra smiley employees), but a smart business plan.

“I’m not sure Qantas recent success is a direct result of its relationship with its employees [though that has certainly helped], but more so a product of the significant changes it has gone through in recent years. It is a much leaner beast than 10 years ago, with thousands of jobs being cut or consolidated. It is also a lot more than just an airline.”

“Qantas loyalty is one of, if not the most profitable section of the business, and It has successfully leveraged the brand to diversify its business.”

Our take? Even though Qantas hasn’t been government-owned for over 25 years, its effort to stay relevant to (and pitch itself as being an integral part of) the ever-evolving Australian culture has rewarded it with a loyal customer base.

Not to mention: the crucial role Qantas plays, financially, culturally, and ‘infrastructure-ally’, to Australia, means the government would be crazy to do anything that disadvantages it, even if it doesn’t actually enjoy special privileges.

Portugieser Chronograph IW371604 Facts

MODEL: IW371604
MATERIAL: Steel
MOVEMENT: Automatic self winding
SIZE: 41mm
PRICE: A$11,500

You’ll immediately notice that this latest evolution of the Chronograph is very easy on the eye – and for fans of the outgoing Ref. 3714, you will surely notice it is virtually identical. IWC presents it in a range of colours (green and burgundy dials are recent additions) but on review here is the Ref. 371604 with a steel case and rose gold markers.

The polished surface of the steel case coupled with rose gold markers and the black alligator leather strap immediately edges this watch towards being suited for more formal occasions. But it’s a chronograph first and foremost, which obviously lends itself to the sportier side of horology. We feel that due to the lack of bezel, this Portugieser Chronograph could comfortably be used in either scenario, making it versatile and great value for money: two watches for the price of one.

You may not be able to make the same case for the steel case with blue markers variant, as the colouring gives off a more playful vibe, but if you go for gold you’ll reap the rewards.

So, a closer look at the dial and case. Place it next to the preceding Ref. 3714 and you’ll engage yourself in one of the hardest games of spot the difference to ever exist. But that’s because IWC has made practically no changes. You get the same Feuille (leaf) hands, in the case of our model the seconds and minute chronograph hands are blue and the two sub-dials can be found at 12 and 6 o’clock.

We wouldn’t have been too bothered had IWC decided to omit the 12 and 6-hour Arabic numeral markers entirely, instead of just covering them up with the sub-dials. We’re also fans of a date window, but we also understand IWC’s reasoning for not including it here and having one would have messed up the symmetrical nature of the dial. There’s no lume applied to the hands or markers either, so legibility can suffer a little when the sun goes down.

The only minor differences include the font used for the IWC Schaffhausen logo being made ever so slightly smaller and modernised a tad, and the case itself has grown 0.1mm to round out at 41mm. The caseback is also now 0.3mm thicker. If you’ve worn the 3714 you’ll barely notice a difference when you strap on the 3716.

IW371604 — Photo: Jade Jeffries / DMARGE

The buckle on the strap has undergone a minor change of its own, with IWC now opting for a triple folding version. The good news is that it’s thinner than the outgoing model and it allows for the buckle to always be centred no matter how tight you need to make the strap. Those with smaller wrists will benefit most from this change.

In our brief time with the watch, we found it to wear incredibly well. It’s remarkably lightweight which when married to the comfortable strap (once on at least, we did have a bit of difficulty getting the open mechanism over our hand) resulted in us sometimes forgetting we were even wearing it. Consequently, however, its lightweight build can make it feel a little less substantial than its AU$11,500 asking price would infer.

The 41mm case is the sweet spot of sizes for this model too, especially as most of the real estate is devoted to the dial (thanks to that minimal bezel). We’d catch glimpses of it in the mirror and smile in response. But again, rose gold and alligator leather did make us think we wouldn’t make it a daily wearer. A change of strap could resolve that issue, though.

You’ll hear no complaints from us with regards to the lack of changes though, as IWC has clearly stuck to an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude. And it works. The older model looked great and is partly the reason the Portugieser family of watches has become so popular among collectors. We expect the same to continue here, especially with upgraded internals.

That leads us on nicely to the movement. IWC previously used the Valjoux 7750 (it was later renamed ETA 7750) in the Portugieser and a modified version at that. By that, we mean IWC changed it to display a 30-minute counter instead of 12-hour and removed the date mechanism completely. It was a solid movement and didn’t by any means make the Ref. 3714 a bad watch.

But now IWC is able to say it looks after all aspects of the manufacturing process, the full package becomes more appealing. The same sub-dials remain, along with the lack of date window – in fact, the 69355 shares much of its architecture with the 7750 – so the change to in-house manufacture wasn’t to give the Portugieser Chronograph new abilities or complications (although it now has 46-hours of reserve power compared to 44) – but more to cement the IWC name as a reputable Swiss brand. And you can now view that reputability in all its glory through the sapphire caseback.

So, what comes from our time with the Portugieser Chronograph? If you’re already a cult follower of this family of IWC timepieces then you’re going to love this latest generation even more. It’s a fantastic-looking watch, is supremely comfortable when on the wrist and it functions just as you’d expect a chronograph should.

If however you look at it and think “that doesn’t look like an $11,000 watch” then you may turn your attention to something like the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 16, itself based on the ETA 7750, and a watch that has a similar aesthetic. Although adds the 12-hour counter back into the mix, along with a day/date window.

Discover the IWC Portuguieser Chronograph A$11,500

Origin Of The Manhattan

Perhaps unsurprisingly given its name, the Manhattan is said to have been conceived in the Manhattan Club in New York City as far back as the mid-1870s. Its inventor? Dr Iain Marshall, who concocted the drink for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome, also known as Lady Randolph Churchill, who would go on to give birth to former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.

Marshall’s cocktail was such a success that it became known as “the Manhattan cocktail”, which is how people would order it when they visited other bars in the city. The only issue with this story is that Lady Randolph was also said to have been in France at the time, and pregnant, two solid motives for not being at the Club.

Other stories (potentially fact or fiction) claim the drink began circulating around the Manhattan area a little earlier in the 1860s, after it was invented by a bartender called Black, at a bar on Broadway.

Proximo’s gung-ho drinks specialist Hayley Dixon tells DMARGE, “no one REALLY knows who created it and exactly when.”

And despite the general consensus being that it is a whiskey-based drink, Hayley adds, “The Manhattan, however, can also become a topic of debate when it comes to what actually goes in one. Most of the oldest recipes we have access too state just ‘whiskey’ and not actually what type of whiskey.”

“Some argue that Manhattan was a Rye drinking city and therefore it is made with Rye, while others prefer it made with Bourbon. Then there was the addition of gum syrup, absinthe, cherry liqueur and orange bitters in some older recipes, so it is hard to really know.”

“On top of that you have 3 different types of Manhattan. The Sweet Manhattan, Dry Manhattan and the Perfect Manhattan, all requiring different vermouths.”

Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients

As Hayley says, the main ingredient in any Manhattan is whiskey, which purists claiming it should be made with American rye. But if you were to make one with bourbon or Canadian whisky, you wouldn’t be wrong. The Manhattan is a versatile cocktail of sorts, in that it can have its ingredients list shaken up (or stirred, as the case may be) a fair amount.

A “pretty standard recipe” according to Hayley, reads as follows:

Rye whiskey (Knob Creek, Rittenhouse, WhistlePig)
Sweet red vermouth (Carpano Antico, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino)
Angostura bitters
Luxardo cherry garnish (The original recipe calls for Luxardo cherries, as opposed to any other maraschino cherry). You can also add an orange peel if you wish.
Cocktail glass
Cocktail shaker or cocktail mixing glass

Classic Manhattan Cocktail Measurements

You don’t need much of your ingredients to make their unashamedly boozy cocktail, so remembering them from memory will make you the gung-ho bartender you’re destined to be.

60ml Rye whiskey
30ml Sweet red vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura bitters

How To Make The Manhattan Cocktail

As with most other spirit-only cocktails, the Manhattan is traditionally stirred. However, this hasn’t stopped bartenders from experimenting with shaking it instead, and some swear by the shaking method as being far superior. Shaking introduces a froth on top of the cocktail that may be more to the liking of some, and it will also dilute the drink more than stirring, for those who can’t quite handle the strong taste of the whiskey.

Whichever method you use – more so if stirring – it’s important that the glass you use is chilled.

Chill cocktail glass either by placing in a freezer some time before making the Manhattan or by placing a scoop of ice inside
Place all ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass (or cocktail shaker)
Add ice and being stirring (or shaking) until cold
Strain into chilled glass
Garnish with a Luxardo cherry on a cocktail stick.

Classic Variations Of The Manhattan Cocktail

The Manhattan lends itself to being subject of much experimentation and because of this, it has spawned several variations that may be more to your particular tastes. Examples of Manhattan variations include:

Brandy Manhattan – Whiskey is substituted for brandy
Perfect Manhattan – A Manhattan made with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth
Cuban Manhattan – A Perfect Manhattan that uses dark rum instead of whiskey
Rob Roy – Made with Scotch whisky instead of American whiskey

Expert Twist On The Manhattan Cocktail

Because an ‘official’ recipe is pretty hard to come by, and there are a number of variations, Hayley has taken them all on board to create her Manhattan twist, and being a tequila specialist, it features the Mexican staple.

“The twist I have created is almost a blend of all the myths about what goes into a Manhattan because there is no denying that all of them do taste pretty damn good when used in one.”

“Instead of using whiskey, however, I have taken 1800 Anejo which is an aged tequila that gives you all of the oak and spice flavours you would find in Rye but also a little bit of the sweetness you would generally get from a bourbon. I have gone with a lemon twist and introduced the cherry notes in the form of Peychauds bitters.”

‘Perfect Storm’

Ingredients

40ml 1800 Anejo Tequila
15ml Sweet Vermouth
15ml Dry Vermouth
7.5ml Honey Syrup
2 Dashes Absinthe
2 Dashes Peychauds Bitters
Garnish Lemon Twist

Method

Make sure you have plenty of ice prepared to stir down your cocktail. The bigger the ice cubes, the better.
Put your mixing glass, or other large glass that you will be stirring down your cocktail in, in the freezer as well as your Nick & Nora or Coupe glass that you will be serving it in, this drink is best served as cold as possible
Make your honey syrup. Honey is a little too thick on its own to add to cocktails. It won’t blend well enough with your other ingredients so we just need to thin it out a little. Simply mix 3 parts honey, to 1 part hot water and stir until completely combined
Prepare your lemon twist. A twist is made using only the zest of the lemon, you want to remove as much of the pith as possible.
Once your mixing glass is nice and cold, grab it out of the freezer and add all of your ingredients to the glass
Fill your mixing glass to the top with large ice cubes
Stir down your cocktail using a barspoon, long spoon, chopstick or something similar
The drinks needs to be ice cold, and, because it is quite a boozy cocktail you need to introduce a lot of dilution at this point. Depending on the size of your ice cubes you will need to stir it down for around 60 – 90 seconds
When your cocktail is ready, grab your ice-cold glass out of the freezer and strain your cocktail straight in
Garnish by expressing the lemon oil over the top of the cocktail and then placing the twist in the drink
Enjoy!
Tip, if you love this cocktail and you want to speed the process up you can pre batch a few into a bottle with 15 – 20ml water for dilution per cocktail. Keep it in the freezer until ready to serve. If it starts to freeze take it out and give it a quick shake right before serving

How To Drink The Manhattan Cocktail

Before you think about ordering a Manhattan at a bar, be sure you know how you like it served. Have the whiskey you want (or at least the type: rye, bourbon etc) in mind, and then know if you want it served straight-up (without ice) or on the rocks. Yes, the Manhattan can be served on the rocks if you simply must have a drink ice-cold and one that can be constantly diluted.

The only place you can really order one, however, is the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City, because of its insistence on providing clientele with a grand, upmarket bar. You wouldn’t order one in a boutique hotel bar now, would you? No, you’re more likely order an espresso martini or even a porn star if you find yourself sitting at one of those.

You could also take a leaf out of Bart Simpson’s book and create the Manhattan he makes Fat Tony in Season 3 episode Bart The Murderer. In that episode, Bart mixes 1.5oz/45ml of whiskey (believed to be Bourbon, but you can use whatever you want), with 1oz/30ml Italian sweet vermouth, a dash of Angostura bitters and a dash of Maraschino cherry juice to provide a sweeter resulting flavour. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry. Su-perb!

Manhattan FAQ

Is a Manhattan a strong drink?

Yes. Manhattan is a strong drink since it is made entirely of alcoholic ingredients. If you are primarily a wine or beer drinker, it may be a bit too strong for your taste.

What is a Black Manhattan?

This version of Manhattan uses Averna Amaro, an Italian liqueur, instead of sweet vermouth. The Black Manhattan is more bitter, more earthy and has a distinct chocolate note.

What is the difference between a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned?

The key difference between this two cocktails is the sweetener. Manhattan uses sweet vermouth, while Old Fashioned uses plain sugar. Both are spirit-only drinks made of whiskey and bitters.