GREAT NEWS (If you love Michael Bloomberg)

This is awesome.

I, for one, welcome our new Bloomberg overlord.

Roasts

Obama roasts McCain:

McCain roasts Obama:

Digging These…

Recent looks from The Sartorialist:

Recession Takes Another Victim; A Nosejob Postponed

A nose job in a hospital with a private nurse in attendance had been something of a rite of passage for Joan Asher’s children. But when her fourth and last child was ready for her own rhinoplasty recently, Ms. Asher asked her to postpone it.

“The other noses were more prominent,” the stay-at-home mother from a tony New York City suburb in Westchester County told her 16-year-old daughter. She could get hers done when things settled down.

This is what passes as a compliment if you’re a Westchester mom. (”Darling, your nose job qualifies as a luxury, whereas in the case of your siblings, it was more of a necessity.”) On another note, Joan, maybe if all four of your kids need nose jobs, the world is trying to tell you to stop having ugly children.

As Times Turn Tough, New York’s Wealthy Economize [WSJ]

Via Nicole Hancock.

Greece Doesn’t Like The Tax Man

Living in Greece, I’ve discovered some things that could use improvement.  One pet peeve of mine is that businesses rarely accept anything but cash.  Why?  Is Greece stuck in the stone-age?

The answer is a little bit more complicated.

To make a long story short, Greeks prefer cash to prevent tax authorities from seeing that revenue, effectively lowering their tax bill.

Here’s the long story:

Greece is a country rife with corruption, and tax evasion is a national sport.  It’s estimated that between 28 and 35 percent of Greek GDP goes unreported (amounding to 70 billion euros).  25% of Greeks reportedly live on less than 22 euros a day, yet posh cafés are booked full despite selling the most expensive coffee in Europe (espresso shots often sell for 4 euros/$6.20).

Greek income clocks in at 80% of the Euro-zone average, hardly a good showing.  But if the underground economy of unreported business was counted, Greek income per-capita would fall ahead of the Euro-zone average.

This pervasive tax evasion gives consumers more spending money, but it really hurts the public coffers.  Tax revenues could conceivable double with more accurate reporting, leading to a reduction of public debt, increased spending on education, and more money for research and development.

Idle Hands

Perhaps police officers will always be hated.  They don’t do themselves any favors when they enforce laws in cases where no harm is being done.

A prime example: cops busted into a private art showing/gala in the Hamptons and asked the host to stop serving alcohol.  She refused.  Moments later, up to nine police cars and more than a dozen officers descended on the gallery and arrested [the host]. Then they carted out crates of fancy Champagne, wine and Grey Goose vodka.

Laws need to be removed and/or edited to ensure that they’re enforced only when someone is harmed. Also, police officers need to be non-confrontational and problem-solving, as opposed to their seemingly usual cavalier incitement of violence.

East End gallery owner carted off to jail for serving drinks without a license - NY Daily News

Is Terrorism Funny?

What would you do if, walking by Ground Zero, you saw people pretending to be 9/11 terrorists posing for photos? That’s pretty much that same thing that’s happening in Times Square according to the New York Times, albeit in reference the more recent bombing of an Army recruiting station:

“Jokesters posed for pictures while pulling hoodies over their heads and making handlebar gestures — an allusion to the suspected bomber who surveillance footage indicated wore a hooded sweatshirt or jacket and rode a bicycle.”

Nobody died in the Times Square bombing. Does that give us license to ridicule it?

NY Times - Armed Guard and No Door, but Recruiters Carry On

Norman Mailer Bites The Dust

“He drank, fought, smoked pot, married six times and stabbed his second wife, almost fatally, during a drunken party.”

“He had nine children, made a quixotic bid to become mayor of New York, produced five forgettable films, dabbled in journalism, flew gliders, challenged professional boxers, was banned from a Manhattan YWHA for reciting obscene poetry, feuded publicly with writer Gore Vidal and crusaded against women’s liberation.”

Should we really be celebrating this guy? I can understand celebrating his books if you enjoy them, but due to the withering of appreciation of the serious novel and its arguable replacement by epic film, how many of us really care?

Norman Mailer was full of himself. He believed that it was his Esquire piece alone that led to John F. Kennedy’s win over Richard Nixon.

All he seemed to do was align himself with revolutionary ideas, no matter how right or wrong they were. His opinions were different, confusing, complex, and difficult to challenge because of their duality. He called technology: “insidious, debilitating and depressing,” and said that nobody in politics had an answer to “[technology's] impact on our spiritual well-being.” Seriously? To challenge technology, all that is physical manifestation of progress, only because it embodies change? Mailer’s prescription, to have politicians debate the impact of technology before allowing its use would slow innovation and adoption to a halt, and is a challenge to our individualist right to choose. People use what they want to use, it’s a question of value and utility. Mailer is too resistant to change; he blindly attaches himself to the counterculture’s alternative viewpoint without thinking about the ramifications or its correctness. He was a simple cheerleader, addicted to the attention he got when society went one way and he shimmied opposite, a perpetual dance whose aim was only to selfishly heighten Mailer’s visibility as an avant garde enfant terrible.

I will admit, just because Mailer was a wild, unapologetic counterculturist, we shouldn’t neglect to honor his contribution to written fiction and journalism.

Via AP.

When ‘Keeping It Real’ Goes Wrong

Manhattanite Natavia Lowry, 26, was at work, slaving away as the under-appreciated personal assistant for successful-yet demanding-real estate agent to A-List stars Linda Stein. Linda’s clients always seemed to want to buy, and buy big. Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Sting and Steven Spielberg all splurged on Manhattan real estate at her urging.

Linda’s day hadn’t gone too well; her 2:30 showing of a $4 million pied-a-terre ended with the buyer deciding he’d “think it over a little bit,” which is as good as a no in the real estate business. Mrs. Stein decided to settle down for the remainder of the afternoon and fetched from her drawer a meticulously-rolled marijuana cigarette. She lit it and took a few puffs as smoke collected near her window, looking out above Fifth Avenue from her posh perch.

Her assistant Natavia entered, used the smoke by now, and asked a reclining Linda how her appointment was. “Shit. Complete shit-the asshole didn’t know whether he wanted to buy a home or a tennis racket.” Mrs. Stein, now starting her daily stretching routine, still puffing away, clearly wasn’t in a mood to talk. “Would you like me to bring you someth-” “No! Does it f***ing look like I want anything?” she snapped, driven irrational by her cannabis. “You sure you don’t want me to order up some food or somethin’?” Mrs. Stein glared at Natavia angrily and began shouting: “Get out of my office this instant you f***ing n***er!” while blowing marijuana smoke in Ms. Lowry’s face, unapologetically.

Natavia Lowry had a decision to make. She was insulted insensibly by her loud, overbearing boss, and this wasn’t the first time. She could have chosen to just leave, offer her resignation in the mail, and find new employment. But this time, it was different. Natavia’d had enough of being pushed around by some self-important, rude old woman. She decided right then and there that she was going to keep it real.

“F*** this. I’mma keep it real,” Natavia declared aloud.

Grabbing the weighted stretching stick out of Mrs. Stein’s weak hands, she bashed the elderly real estate maven a dozen times, swinging wildly at the face and skull.

“I got you good, b****.”

Linda Stein is now dead.

For deciding to keep it real, Natavia Lowry is now in police custody, awaiting a trial that will keep her behind bars for decades.

Via NY Daily News.

Fake Steve Jobs Interviewed

This interview performed by Wallstrip is hilarious. Dan Lyons should be a comedian, he’s clever, and likes to swear a lot. We need more people on this earth like him.

MacGuyver Spotted In Manhattan

Yes, that’s a stone from a mini zen garden, heated on a gas flame for 10 minutes, and effectively used as a stand-in for a burning coal. MacGuyver at his finest. The whole time we thought Andy Samberg was going to show up, little did we know that instead we’d be graced by an 80’s icon.

Gotham Photoroll

Due to the fact that my sister lives and works in Midtown Manhattan, she never does any touristy things. I decided to change that by dragging her to Times Square and to the top of the Empire State Building, where we were able to immortalize the moment with these photos. Luckily, the Observation Deck on the 86 Floor was equipped with a strong fence that acts perfectly as a suicide-prevention device tripod.

Apple Store - 5th Avenue at 59th St.

The Biggest Apple Store in the World (not to mention in the Big Apple) juts out of the plaza in front of Bergdorf Goodman on 5th. I had to go to the Genius Bar to get a power adapter because European voltage destroyed it. Apple gave me the adapter for free with no questions asked, even though Europe destroyed it. Thank god for AppleCare.

In The Spotlight: VPL NYC

New York is abuzz about a new brand, VPL, short for visible panty line. Launched in 2003 by Vogue and Theory alum Victoria Bartlett, VPL began with a novel concept: underwear as outerwear. Since then, the line has blossomed into dresses, tops, accessories, bags, and shoes. Many of the cotton pieces look simple (but not American Apparel simple), and the designer effectively mixes tight and loose-fitting pieces on models, which showcases her unique style.

VPL is definitely breaking the high-waist look, which has been wiggling its way back into fashion.

The strappy, simple ballet-inspired footwear is delicious.

I’m a big fan of this blossoming brand. Keep your eyes out for their next collection.

VPL, via FashionInvestor.com

Tom Ford’s Manhattan Diggs

Tom Ford of Gucci fame has just opened his own store in Manhattan. The iconic designer personally netted over $250 million while masterminding the legendary turnarounds at Gucci and Yves Saint-Laurent (both owned by French luxury powerhouse PPR) and has put some of that cash to work by striking out on his own. Mr. Ford sure has his eccentricities about him: he had an orange tractor at his New Mexico property spray-painted black because he couldn’t stand the color, it takes half an hour to drive from the gate to his house (15,000-square-feet!), and he’s hired a half-dozen young models dressed as French maids and butlers in gray suits and white gloves just to stand against the walls of his Manhattan boutique trying to blend in. For the rest of the craziness that is Tom Form, peep the article:

New York Magazine Article
Tom Ford Website

Via FashionInvestor.com 

In The Spotlight: Tailorbyrd

Launched in 2002 to critical acclaim, upscale shirtmaker Tailorbyrd has prospered with their button-ups, serving a sport-casual niche with bright colors and refined cuts. Tailorbyrd’s sport shirts all share thick, high quality fabrics, double-barreled cuffs, and a quintessentially British spread collar. To add flavor, some pieces sport colorful patterned trim inside the cuffs and collar. We like Tailorbyrd’s direction; it’s been spot-on with trends since its inception and it spices up the dress shirt just as much as necessary without being over-elaborate. Sr. VP Michael Sheinfield gave us the low-down on their plans:

TFI: Is your firm privately-held? Where are you based?
MS: “Yes, we’re privately-held, based out of New York and Seattle.”
TFI: What are Tailorbyrd’s plans for the future?
MS: “Our goal hasn’t changed: use the best materials possible. We won’t waver-that’s the mindset.”
TFI: What are your plans for expanding your current line-up?
MS: “We’ve got boys sport shirts available now, women’s shirts, swimsuits, even t-shirts and golf wear. Our women’s line is expanding into dresses and jackets. That’s not to say that we’re losing our focus; you won’t be seeing any Tailorbyrd bicycles anytime soon. We’ve been all over…we even did specialty vests at one point. We’re selling online now, and a boutique store is something we’d consider-no idea is off the table.”
TFI: How’s the business doing?
MS: “I won’t go into specifics-let’s just say that each and every growth target is met and exceeded.”

Link: TAILORBYRD Website

Via FashionInvestor.com