Have a Ball, New Years Eve, NYC 2007

It’s a fact: New York City and New Year’s Eve seem to go hand in hand.  At least for people that don’t live here.  Another fact is that a large majority of New Yorkers opt to peace out, choosing to ring in their New Year in a more fabulous location (Miami, St. Barths, Bahamas, Aspen, etc)…God knows Manhattan will be here, with considerably less tourists, on their return.  NY1 reports today that their poll numbers reveal what we already could have assumed.  Of the New Yorker’s actually staying here for New Years, 80% of you will choose to stay home (and out of the 20% that go somewhere only 2% will take part of the festivities in Times’ Square).  This, once again, confirms to us that New Yorkers are the smartest people around.  For everyone else out there, you have a shitload of options to choose from.  Our inbox has been packed since November with invites from everyone from the Strategic Group to the Bloc Group, to some guy named David Shapiro throwing a party on a boat.  Jesus Christ, do people like to promote!   It’s sensory overload and we fear that it is often times wasted on the very people that wouldn’t be caught dead in a NYC club on NYE, let alone ringing it in next to Ryan Seacrest at TenJune, or Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) at some place called Spotlight.  (How much do you think these people are getting paid to make THESE gigs worthwhile ones? …we’re guessing not enough).  Just for fun, we will present you with just a small percentage of the thousands of option that await you and your $130-all-you-can-drink-platinum VIP ticket:

-Join the Euros at Pink Elephant at their usual 27th street location, as well as at the Tom Beach Hotel’s La Plage in St. Barths.

-Join Ryan Seacrest and hundreds of wanna be idols at TenJune.

-There’s always the chance of getting fondled at Cipriani’s.

-Kid Rock will be shitfaced for sure at the Hotel Gansevoort.

-1Oak is already irrelevant, but New Years may be the perfect time to check out their new gold wall, it’s One of A Kind we hear.

-The underaged Richie Rich’s will be will be popping bottles (as well as collars) at good old Bar Mart’s.

-Upstairs, the “secret club where Leo gets in fights” is no longer a secret as the fights will be now started by followers of the blocgroup.

-There will be parties at Tavern on the Green, Amalia, Stereo, and even the “club formally known as Crobar”….The Grand, Azza, every club in Chelsea and 27th street, and of course all over Miami (if we get ONE MORE email about the event at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach we may never be able to hear about Samantha Rosen again without throwing up!).  So in case you are interested in how much money you will be saving tonight, here’s a sampling of the invites:

St. Barth’s, Now THAT’s Really 1OAK (1 Of A Kind)

Ronnie Madra and Richie Akiva know when something is “one of a kind” when they see it, or so they say. They even created a night club and a clever little acronym, 1oak, to remind us of their impeccable taste….which is why its ironic that they couldn’t be further from Manhattan right now.

Instead they have opted to ring in the new year in St. Barth’s, at Pink Elephant’s party being held at La Plage. With all of the snags and mishaps that have plauged the development of their spot, one would think these guys would be at the helm, working day and night and actually BE THERE.

But alas the allure of 1oak must not be that alluring…does this mean they should rename it 2oak, “2 of a kind,” or maybe 3 or 4 or 5?

Microtrends

According to The Washington Post, Mark J. Penn is “The most powerful man in Washington you’ve never heard of“.  Having just finished his most recent work: “Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes“, we can tell why.  This book was awesome.  First it’s a good book to read while traveling because it is divided up nicely into 75 “Microtrending Groups” that are shaping our country.  Remember the legendary swing voters of the late 90’s, the “soccer moms”?  This is the guy that coined that term when he was serving as President Clinton’s campaign advisor (he is currently working for his wife).  He has also worked for over 25 heads of states.

In the book, he talks about the power of the smaller groups.  Our world is no longer shaped by the mega trends we think of, as 1% of our population in this country (3 million people) are capable of making a business successful or creating a social movement.  He identifies the “Teenage Knitters”, the “Impressionable Elites, “Archery Moms”, “Neglected Dads”, “Late-Breaking Gays”, and “Extreme Commuters” among others.  As you read, it’s easy to pick out people you know that fit extremely well into a group…some even yourself.  Mark points out that the power of individual choice has never been greater, yet we are quite the contradiction:

“And indeed, the contradictions today are striking. While people are eating more healthful foods than ever, Big Mac sales have never been higher. While Fox News is number one in the ratings, the antiwar movement dominates most news coverage. While America is growing older, most of what we see in advertising and entertainment has been created with youth in mind. While people are dating as never before, they have never been more interested in deeper, longer-lasting relationships. While more people than ever before are drinking clear, natural water, more people are also drinking “monster” energy drinks loaded with chemicals and caffeine.”

“In fact, the whole idea that there are a few huge trends that determine how America and the world work is breaking down. There are no longer a couple of megaforces sweeping us all along. Instead, America and the world are being pulled apart by an intricate maze of choices, accumulating in “microtrends”—small, under-the-radar forces that can involve as little as 1 percent of the population, but which are powerfully shaping our society. “

Great read.  This guy is perhaps the best thing that Hillary has up her sleeve.  His success in winning her presidency has yet to be determined.

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

[At the Runza drive-through]

God it’s good to go home for the holidays…..Fresh air. Room to move around in department stores where you get to feel really “rich” for a day as you can afford the most expensive things they offer. Family. SuperTarget. Valentinos. Putting no effort into your outfit in the morning. Screaming out country music while driving. Available seats at the Barnes and Noble. Dillards. $6 movies. Fireplaces….the list of things that I once took for granted and now am obsessed with on my return could go on and on for days. However, the one thing that I almost forgot about until this recent trip back, was my LOVE for the best meal ever created: Chili and Cinnamon Rolls. Growing up, as many others in the midwest can attest to, this genius combination was so popular that it was served routinely as a school lunch choice. “Chili day” was always one of the favorite days of the month (along with “fiestata day”), as that bowl of chunky chili would always grant you a big sugary cinnamon roll with extra frosting. I never knew that this was something unheard of in the world at large until I moved to New York and found out that I was crazy. Crazy or not, this is the most delicious winter meal ever. I am used to getting weird looks when I talk about some of my midwest traditions, in fact (being the ever-overexaggerter that I am), most people think I make this stuff up. Which is why, when I found the combo as an actual menu item at the ever-fabulous Runza (another amazing midwest institution), I couldn’t resist taking a pic. Now you can all see for yourselves. You really can’t make this shit up. I suggest you try this immediately, serve it to guests…you will become a H-E-R-O.

p.s. Check out those prices on the menu above. WOW.

Princess Buttercup Searching For “Happily Ever After”

It is quite rare, as many of you know, that we post on celebrity ramblings.  Today, however, we think one warrants our attention.  Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn are getting divorced.  This is really sad. besides the obvious problem with ending an 11 year marriage complete with 3 rugrats, we are devastated that Princess Buttercup is not finding life happily ever after.  While we love Sean (especially in Mystic River and I Am Sam), we have to say that we are on Team Robin.  Princess Bride is hands down one of the greatest movies of all time, one that no Jimmy Markum will ever be able to come close to comparison.  No one knows what happened to their marriage, but maybe it will be a catalyst for Robin’s career.  We never did understand why she hasn’t gotten better lead roles…until that happens, here’s hoping that Jenny finds her Forrest #2.

St. Barth’s is Heating Up

[La Plage at Eden Roc Hotel]

We received some jealously-inspiring pics from the beach at Eden Roc in St. Barth’s. The island is starting to fill up with poeple and the annoying buzz of scooters as New Year’s eve approaches.  Our friends from 27th Street, Pink Elephant, will be throwing a party at La Plage on the 31st into the wee hours of the morning.

Paul Allen, a staple during the winter season in St. Barth’s, has arrived on his megayacht Octopus, as well as Tom Perkins and his Maltese Falcon.  The Falcon is the largest sailyacht in the world (with 3 masts), and took 6 years to build at a whopping cost of $250 million!

[Maltese Falcon]

Mad Money’s Jim Cramer has also found his way onto the rocky island (Booyah!).

The 2007 Parties of the Year.

[Photo from style.com]

Anna Wintour, the Olsen’s, Marc Jacobs, Cate Blanchett, Versace, Michael Kors, and Sienna Miller weren’t the only ones out and about (shown above are the 4 peacocks that greeted the guests at the Costume Institute’s annual gala).  2007 was a year of non stop partying and  Style.com was there for the most celebrated affairs.  They recently just posted on which parties garnered the most page views off their site.  The Annual Costume Institute Gala at the MET once again was the winner drawing in 9,076,739 page views as of December 11th.  Here is the list in full:

1. The Costume Institute’s Party of the Year: Red Carpet. Page Views= 9,076,739

2. The 2007 CFDA Awards. Page views= 5,924,023

3. 79th Annual Oscars. Page views= 3,965,877

4. 64th Anuual Golden Globe Awards. Page views= 2,915,770

5. The CFDA and Vogue’s 7th on Sale Gala. Page views=2,451,741

6. Academy Awards After Parties. Page views=1,838,828

7. 59th Annual Emmy Awards. Page views=1,747,861

8. Valentino’s 45th Anniversary in Rome. Page views= 1,554,747

9. 2007 SAG Awards. Page views= 1,545,377

10. The Whitney’s Summer Party. Page views= 1,421,553

We personally loved Arden Wohl’s headbands, Wintour’s tennis muse, and Marc’s silliness during the year of his crisis…and we just can’t wait to see what 2008 has in store. 

Boxing Day: The New American Tradition?

“You know not to talk to mummy when she is sales shopping.”  Heard by the Post at Sak’s Fifth Avenue store the day after Christmas, and undoubtedly all across the world, as after-christmas sales are set to be at record high numbers this year to make up for one of the worst retail seasons seen since 2002.  “Black Friday” aka the day after Thanksgiving has routinely been know for the time of year when millions of Americans crowd stores all across the country to snag up post-Thanksgiving day deals.  This year, it will be the post-Christmas sale-shopping frenzy that will be remembered, at least that’s what many retail analyst and store owners are hoping for.  Maybe we are just FINALLY catching on to the tradition that much of the world has for years celebrated: Boxing Day.  Especially celebrated by our British, Australian, and Canadian neighbors, Boxing day is a public holiday and is the biggest sales period of their retail cycle.  Here, it is common to see mark downs up to 75% on Christmas supplies, as stores are eager to get rid of the now-irrelevant “junk”, but now you can expect to see those kinds of MAJOR markdowns on the relevant stuff too, like 19-year-old Jessica Goodman did when she went to Saks and scored a $1,380 pair of crocodile-leather Giuseppe Zanotti high heels for $150 (not so junky).  So, while you are going in to stock up on your Christmas wrapping paper supply for next year, plan on browsing for deals on whatever Santa forgot to leave you under the tree.

The Year of the Smartcar

[Photo from Gothamist]

Everytime we go to a big European city such as Rome, we wonder when American metropolitan areas will start being “smart” and catch on to the smaller forms of transportation.  Sure there are a handful of Vespas that may be spotted here and there from time to time in the village, but it certaintly isn’t mainstream yet.  Perhaps it’s the weather, or the fast paced street traffic that halts people’s purchases of that powder blue two wheeler… this year, a compromise will arise in the form of the Smartcar.  Created by the saavy Mercedes-Benz, the Smartcar is a member of the Penske autogroup and has already taken Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London by storm.  Upon placing your order for the car that runs around $15,000 you have the ability to choose your own color and style.  The cars are only 8.8′ long but can run up to a hefty speed of 90mph.  Already 30,000 people have paid the $99 reservation fee in New York City alone to assure they will score a Smartcar this January. With dealerships sprouting up all over the country, expect 2008 to be the year of the Smartcar.  We will be anxious to see if this is just another “fad” like the Beetle, or if this car is smart enough to stick around.

2008, The Hangdog Campaign

[Source: Associated Press]

Ever had a camera follow you around all day and take thousands of pictures? Probably not. But if you did, there would most certainly be hundreds of unflattering pictures taken of you looking wide-eyed, lost, concerned, etc. Just take the picture of Hillary Clinton above where she has a hangdog face.

In the new age of digital cameras, and heavily photographed/covered candidates, expect these images to be used like never before.

Given how many ups and downs there have been in the race so far, most candidates have been subject, at one point or another, to seeing themselves look like losers. The popular Drudge Report Web site recently ran a particularly notorious picture of Hillary Clinton, showing her face riven with deep furrows and wrinkles. She looked so awful that even some conservative commentators noted the unfairness of using such a manifestly unflattering image. [Washington Post]

So be prepared to see some pretty silly images, and take them with grain of salt…i.e. don’t vote based on them!

“A Bun in the Oven”, Most Annoying Euphemism Ever

For whatever reason we are starting to get super annoyed with the euphemism “A bun in the oven”.  It seems like this is the new saying du jour for the gossip rags and entertainment shows as they rattle off headlines of celebrity bedroom/birth control mishaps.  A simple google news search pulls up the following recent headlines:

Lily Allen Got a Bun in The Oven! [Waleg.com]

Jessica (Hot Bod) Alba has a bun in the oven [Los Angeles Times]

A Bun In Jamie Lynn Spears’s Oven: A Round-Up [Defamer.com]

So where did this saying originate?  Well one website has the following to say:

“The allusion may just be to the loose connection between ‘baby’ and ‘bunny’. It’s more likely that this, and other terms for pregnant, like ‘up the duff‘ and ‘in the pudding club‘, all share the same euphemistic source.”

“The phrase is 20th century. The first citation I can find is in Nicholas Monsarrat’s Cruel Sea, 1951:

‘”I bet you left a bun in the oven, both of you,’ said Bennett thickly… Lockhart explained … the reference to pregnancy.’” [Phrases.org.uk]

So while originally simply a phrase for “being pregnant”, judging by the context its mainly being used in right now (namely pregnancies out of wedlock) it seems to have taken on euphemistic qualities.

In any event, how about mixing it up a bit with “preggers, “sperminated”, “inseminated”, or “knocked up”?  At least these guys could have some diversity or originality.  Come on Mary Hart, flex your brain muscles a little for us.

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