When our poker party convenes every Thursday evening, the discussion inevitably involves the seductiveness of gambling and games of chance.
The talk also often contains some insights on fashion and style.
Our last meeting was at the Golden Gate Yacht Club, which hosted the America’s Cup in 2013. Readers will recall that legendary mogul Larry Ellison of team Oracle chose this venue to make the GGYC “great again,” while snubbing the posh St. Francis Yacht Club down the road.
During the memorable event, St. Francis wanted too much money, and they also made other unreasonable demands. Ellison threw the dice, figuring that the U.S. team would just as easily win the race by staging it at a smaller, cozier venue. He was right — but just barely. The race was the closest in Auld Mug history, and our team prevailed only by dominating the final seven days of competition.
Zachary, Jacob, and Nicholas are young men in the hospitality industry. They pay close attention to their grooming and personal appearance. One runs an upscale dive bar; one owns a trendy menswear boutique; the other is a classic tobacconist.
They are smoking, drinking, and betting furiously when I arrive.
Zach: You are bluffing.
Jacob: Yeah, you’ve got a Zelensky hand.
Nicholas: Our president would say I’ve got all the cards on the table.
Zach: I dig The Donald.
Jake: We all dig The Donald.
Nick: Well, here’s my hand, gentlemen. Read them and weep.
A full house was displayed on the table when I sat down to gather my chips.
“Zelensky got quite a dressing down at the White House in February,” I observed.
Jake: He had no hand to play.
Nick: And you can’t dress down a slob like that con man. He never served in the military.
Zach: Guerrilla chic. He wears fatigues like Castro, but Fidel walked the talk.
Jake: Che was cool too. A killer. He was authentic.
Nick: Ho Chi Minh was also a warrior. But no Beau Brummell either.
“And he kicked our ass in the Vietnam adventure,” I noted.
Nick: The Donald missed that party. As did former presidents Joe Biden and Bill Clinton. All crafty draft dodgers.
Jake: So as world leaders go, who’s the smartest dresser?
All: Putin!
Jake: Hands down.
Zach: That dude is chill.
Nick: Vlad so bad.
“A poker face to respect,” I added. “But we have yet to measure the stakes.”
Meanwhile, we pause from wagering to share our impressions of Larry Ellison, a visionary of the Information Age and a contemporary fashion plate.
Zach: All Brioni, like Putin.
Nick: Perfectly put-together.
Jake: The Donald should take a page out of his book. They seem to like one another.
Nick: The Donald has his own style marketing agenda. MAGA hats, cologne, sneakers. . . .
“Kind of vulgar, though,” I opined.
The boys all sigh, roll their eyes, and nod in agreement.
The GGYC was recently thrumming with excitement when the Oracle Sail Grand Prix 2025 was staged on the Bay in March.
Record crowds turned out for the event, but unlike The Ultimate Fighting Championship, we did not see many MAGA acolytes.
Indeed, showing the least affinity for our current Commander in Chief in San Francisco would invite derision — or maybe even incite an old-fashioned waterfront brawl.
A paradox, no?
