A New York State of Mind...: March 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

Skype

coming to iphone Tuesday, Blackberry in May

The Perfect MacBook Mini

Leak, Concept, or Fake?

from gizmodo.com
http://i.gizmodo.com/5189531/the-perfect-macbook-mini-leak-concept-or-fake-we-love-it-anyway

hazel

i'm experimenting with some hazel color contacts. they're all the rage in HK. (which is where I scooped up a box) You don't even need a prescription--available at your local drug store..crazy

opening Ceremony

you can now shop online...which is awesome. I'm trying to decide if I should get the Acne or Wang moto jacket. I luv leather jackets and anything with cut-outs!

So 11 of us are going on a trip to Vancouver at the end of the month...it's going to be insane..the ladies of Hellz Bellz, Wendy (nitrolicious) Yoshi (Fatlace), Simone (rocawear), etc..hahaha...it's actually a Twilight trip..WHAT THE FORKS!!

Stand Up Comedy

Cute store on Burnside....not the biggest selection but some good brands...some of my favs--reminds me a lil bit of Opening Ceremony...but you can find some Acne, Staerk, Wood Wood, and Vibskov here..I picked a couple of things this weekend...Yes I a always supporting the economy--no matter where I am.

Nines needs help

The beautiful Nines luxury hotel in Portland, Oregon had the unfortunate timing to open just as the economic crisis began to take hold last fall. The resulting fallout means that this $141 million hotel is struggling to pay its bills (much like a couple of hotels in Scottsdale, Arizona).

The Oregonian reports that the Portland Development Commission agreed this week to accept delayed payments on taxpayer-funded loans to keep the developer from defaulting. The developer, Sage Hospitality Resources of Denver requested the delay with Ken Geist, Sage's executive vice president for development, telling the Portland Development Commission's board that the hotel could not have picked a worse opening date. The sudden and rapid drop in corporate travel spending deeply cut into the hotel's expected revenue. It is expected to generate less than half of what it was originally supposed to deliver in net operating income in its first year.

Smyth Hotel Opens in Tribeca

Just in time for spring in New York City, Thompson Hotels has opened Smyth in TriBeCa. The boutique hotel offers 100 guestrooms in a newly-constructed building on West Broadway and Chambers Street. The name comes from "the anonymity of Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and is meant to provide an urban refuge for the hip. The lobby was designed by Yabu Pushelberg and staff uniforms were created by Helmut Lang.The rooms are decorated in rich wine tones with walnut paneling and chrome-accented furniture and marble bathrooms. Rooms also feature Kiehl's products, robes by Frette and linens by Sferra as well as an in-room pantry stocked with Dean & Deluca snacks and naughties from Kiki de Montparnasse. Art by John Sparagana adorns each guest room and paintings by self taught Argentinean artist, Santiago Rubino, are featured in the lobby's interior.

Restaurateur Frederick Lesort is behind the Lobby Bar and the Smyth has a 24-hour room service menu. The Jour et Nuit Restaurant & Lounge will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, with an espresso bar offering sandwiches and pastries during the day and cured meats with alcoholic beverages at night. The lower level Cellar Cocktail Lounge offers a hideaway to sample unique cocktails. Rates start at $275 for a standard room, $575 for a king suite, and $3,500 for the penthouse.

Gansevoort Turks and Caicos

The Gansevoort Hotel brand is opening its first island resort officially next month: Gansevoort Turks & Caicos. The hotel is located along the western section of Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales. Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is a 91-room property built around the 7,000 square foot infinity-edge swimming pool which has "lounging islands" for daytime sunbathing or romantic nighttime candlelit canoodling.

Voltaire...Candide

Another great book that I picked up this weekend...

Satirical novel published in 1759 that is the best-known work by Voltaire. It is a savage denunciation of metaphysical optimism--as espoused by the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz--that reveals a world of horrors and folly. In this philosophical fantasy, naive Candide sees and suffers such misfortune that he ultimately rejects the philosophy of his tutor Doctor Pangloss, who claims that "all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds." Candide and his companions--Pangloss, his beloved Cunegonde, and his servant Cacambo--display an instinct for survival that provides them hope in an otherwise somber setting. When they all retire together to a simple life on a small farm, they discover that the secret of happiness is "to cultivate one's garden," a practical philosophy that excludes excessive idealism and nebulous metaphysics.

weekend read...Rabbit, Run

Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom was a high school superstar only a handful of years ago. Now he is a young married father, trapped in the suburban 60's, unhappy with a cluttered house, a drunken wife, and a son who will never be the athlete he was. Will this former basketball star find a way to make his life better, or will he run like a rabbit? The title says it all and Harry Angstrom does indeed run whenever things don't go his way.
Great book that I read this weekend..

weekend activities

So this weekend was A LOT different from last weekend--no European city, popping $100G's worth of champagne at the club, or hanging out with millionaires--but it was relaxing. I spent most of it at the bookstore reading, scouring mags, got a epicurean facial, watched Sex in the City (the scene where Big leaves Carrie at the alter is sad) and am resting up for my next adventures.
(germany in 2 weeks and CABO!!!)

oh and check out Keanu on the cover of Vogue International

Monday, March 23, 2009

Home House

Home House is London's most exclusive 'Private Members Club' offering personal service in all areas of the House.

The House, with a long and colourful history; offers members the opportunity of being part of something special in the heart of London.

and he sings too..

not only can Rob Pattinson act but he's a pretty good singer too..nice voice. There were lots of boys like him in London. Yummy

Hari Peccinotti

The name of London-born, photographer and graphic designer Harri Peccinotti may be unfamiliar, but his work has been hugely influential. One of the very first to shoot the legendary Pirelli Calendar, he "coined the idiom of gleaming bodies and strong, sleek sexuality", one that is copied by better known photographers and used to sell luxury products to this day. Born in 1938, Peccinotti served as art director of Flair, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Vogue and Nova.

Nova, one of the most influential magazines of the 1960s,introduced epoch-making changes in graphics, formats and photo editing. A brilliant new book dedicated to his work from Damiani (above) presents a broad selection of his photography published in fashion magazines, together with page proofs, book jackets and album covers created by Peccinotti over a period of about 40 years.

Londontown

just got back from a crazy LONDON adventure...I may need a couple of days to recoup!
I don't think I've done so many "walks of fame" in such a long time...had a great host (Shak--you're amazing), had some great meals (Nobu, Babylon) lots of tea, shopped, made some incredible new friends, hung out with roger federer, and it was the first time in my entire life that I've ever seen a group of guys pop 62 (YES 62) bottles of champagne at one of the hottest clubs IN LONDON--Movida (that's baller status)....oh and forget about hotels...it's all about rooms at private clubs in London, soho house, home house, Goucho...we stayed at the home house and it was like nothing else...

Monday, March 16, 2009

making the band casting call

NEW YORK: Saturday, March 28, 2009
S.I.R. REHEARSAL STUDIOS
520 West 25th St. (Between 10th & 11th Ave)
New York, NY 10001

If you’re 18 or older and you think you’ve got what Diddy’s looking for, come out and prove it! (You must bring a valid I.D. to show proof of age)

SONG LIST TO BE PROVIDED SOON - VISIT OFTEN FOR UPDATES
www.myspace.com/mtvmakinghisband or go to http://www.makinghisband.mtv.com/

i have to do this

...inspired by the ladies of Hellz bellz..i have to post the pics from GQ too...don't forget to check out their blog whattheforks.wordpress.com Lanie and Yoshi rep hard!

world's largest pool

A company called Crystal Lagoons has announced an ambitious new project, to build the world's largest swimming pool in the Egyptian desert. The pool will consist of twelve giant lagoons at the Sharm El Sheikh beach. The pool is part of a master building plan that includes homes, hotels, a museum and a shopping center. Crystal Lagoons built the current world's largest pool which is at San Alfonso del Mar in Chile. It will be soon be surpassed by its Egyptian relative, which is expected to be finished around July 2009

Versace

Strappy, structured, and neutral, the Metallic Soft Madonna Boston Bag is one of those great-for-everyday bags. By Versace, it's made up of woven metallic grained leather with a quilted signature Greek key pattern. Bands with gold buckle hardware criss cross in every direction, accented by rolled leather handles, protective feet on the bottom, and zipper closure on the top. The interior is lined in satin and has a zip pocket. Logos are subtle but everywhere (on the front buckle and zipper pulls) so there will be no confusion as to your designer style. $4,395

Dollar Teddy

Vivre calls Johnny Swing's Dollar teddy bear "cuddly consolation for a bear market." The bear is sewn entirely out of genuine U.S. dollar bills. No eyes, no mouth, just old dollar bills (although having the bear's feet made of matching George Washington faces is a nice touch). The bear is 12" tall and sells for a whopping $1,250 (far more than what is sewn on his body).

Ksubi glasses

I want these..nerdy love

Groucho

One of my new favorite places to go out in London is certainly The Groucho Club, a members-only club with three bars, a brasserie and a formal dining room. The best part, really, are the people — everyone invited or involved in the club has a deep history in publishing, arts, media or creative fields. Unlike most clubs in London, everyone was actually very nice; they knew if you were in there, you were probably doing something interesting. The space also has a constantly evolving and fantastic art selection (when I was there, Banksy and Damien Hirst were on the dining room walls). In addition to all the open space for some good partying, the club has 19 bedrooms for members coming in from out of town that need a place to call home. The name was naturally inspired by one of Groucho Marx’s famous quips; “I don’t want to join a club that will accept me as a member,” which I absolutely love. Find someone respected in creative arts or media who knows the London scene and they’re likely a member — this place is worth a visit on a Saturday night.