Q&A with R&F: Exclusive One on One with JR

Photos courtesy of Steven Chu

Feelings: We are bringing back 'One on One' with our friends of Ramen and Friends! Previously, we interviewed ALev, MGru, RB, JLam, TrishP, BLee, GB, JBH, and most recently, Jim.
Today, we got a close up on JR, the founder of Rath & Co., men's image consulting company.

R&F: Who are you?
JR: I'm JR.
R&F: What do you do? What do you do for fun?
JR: I'm an Image Consultant and Personal Stylist -- mostly for men, but I work with women by referral as well. What I do is beyond fun! It's such a rush for me when I see a client's perspective on himself and his life turn around based on the improvements we've made. Oh, and I also enjoy taking my dog Birdie to Central Park.
R&F: Where can we find you?
JR: I spend a lot of time in other peoples' closets! When I'm not doing that, I'm usually online or running around to different NYC stores to stay on top of where the coolest things are for the best prices.
R&F: Your blog or website?
JR: My website is http://rathandco.com/ and my blog is http://rathandco.com/tastehunter.
R&F: Your favorite food?
JR: Pink lady apples. I also like this Fontina Vallata cheese I get at Zabars.
R&F: Your favorite restaurants?
JR: Landmarc (TriBeCa branch), Frankie Spuntino and Cook's Lobster House on Bailey's Island in Maine.
R&F: Your most horrific food experience?
JR: I have a phobia of birds. So I had a tough time eating a spinach salad outdoors in Siena, Italy, last Fall because there were all of these pigeons flying around. Plus it was windy, so there were feathers swirling in the air too. Thinking about it still makes my stomach turn.
R&F: Your favorite drink?
JR: Hoegaarden Beer.
R&F: Your most memorable food outing?
JR: Also in Italy, a pigeon-less dinner at Ristorante Santa Lucia in a romantic little square called Largo Febo, which is hidden behind Rome's Piazza Navona. The restaurant has a fantastic outdoor seating area in the middle of the square. Halfway through dinner, the skies opened up, and it started pouring rain, so everyone pulled their tables in and huddled together under the umbrellas. It was cozy under there! The wine didn't hurt either.
R&F: What do you find most difficult when you are shopping for men?
JR: Fit can be tricky when a man works out one part of his body more than others. Those guys are often good candidates for custom -- or at least should have a tailor who knows what he's doing.
R&F: What should men wear on hot date?
JR: Depends on the guy, who he's going out with, where and when, but one thing I love for Spring is a plaid sport shirt with a killer leather jacket and jeans. In addition, the clothes have to fit well. If they're too loose, his natural body shape won't be flattered, and if they're too tight, he'll be uncomfortable. Constant tugging at one's clothes is not a good look when trying to impress a date. Most importantly though, he's got to own his look. When a guy is confident in what he's wearing, it shows!
R&F: Tell me what you ate today.
JR: Yogurt and a Vitamuffin top (which tasted strangely like sand -- even though I wasn't at the beach), roasted chickpeas with sage, an enormous apple from the Greenmarket, a handful of almonds and raisins, sushi and a Miller Lite.