The Ultimate Louis Vuitton Pajamas
Luxe PJs for the holidays inspired by Sofia Coppola.
November 22, 2011
A new trend emerged on the runways this fall—pajama tops and bottoms meant to be worn in public, not just to bed. Inspired by a suggestion from the über-chic Sofia Coppola, Louis Vuitton offers these leopard-print silk pajamas ($2,160). Whether you’re the hostess of a laid-back holiday party or brave enough to venture out, these pajamas are luxuriously cool. 1 E. 57th St., 212-758-8877
A Sol LeWitt Art Installation at the Mondrian Soho
LeWitt’s 1979 photographs of the Lower East Side are on display in an outdoor installation.
November 22, 2011
Artist Sol LeWitt is remembered for his minimalist drawings, but he was also an accomplished photographer. In 1980 he published On the Walls of the Lower East Side, a collection of the graffiti-covered landscape where he lived and worked. Now, in collaboration with Paula Cooper Gallery, The Morgans Hotel Group will exhibit 120 of those photographs on the side of the Mondrian Soho. The permanent installation will be outdoors with photos arranged in a grid occupying a 60-foot-by-20-foot space. Now on your way to the Mondrian for a cocktail, of if you're simply strolling by the neighborhood, you can take in art by one of America's most famous conceptual artists. 9 Crosby St., 212-389-1000
Gift of the Day: A Pinhole Camera
A colorful Shipley & Halmos camera is the perfect present for retro-minded teens.
November 22, 2011
What this hand-painted pinhole camera ($100) from Shipley & Halmos lacks in megapixels it makes up for in charm. Made of thick paperboard and painted with retro shapes and colors, the camera includes plastic spools to advance and rewind the film and comes with two rolls of 35mm film. Also known as the "camera obscura," this quirky and fun gift is a great way to get kids thinking about how images are captured on film.
See all of Gotham's 2011 Gifts of the Day here.
Gossip Girl Hits 100
Stars of Gossip Girl turned out to celebrate the show's 100th episode.
November 21, 2011
Blake Lively
Dispatches must have missed a few episodes (read: four years’ worth) of Gossip Girl. When I showed up at Cipriani Wall Street for the “100 Episodes” fete on Saturday, it turned out that the cast and crew had just shot a royal wedding. What?
Yes, apparently Blair is marrying HSH The Prince Louis of Monaco. But—throw in the Gossip Girl drama quotient—she’s pregnant and we’re not quite sure who sired the bump. (Hint: Not Ryan Reynolds.) “It’s big,” said Mark Piznarski, who directed the 100th episode. “It’s like the royal wedding. We didn’t ape the wedding in Monaco. But we knew it had to be huge. We’ve been following Blair’s life for five years. She always wanted to be a princess.”
On her way into Cipriani, a regal location for the gala, Michelle Trachtenberg had her hair up in a bun and tons of makeup around her eyes that she said she had applied herself—a bit like Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. How did she gussy up for the Gossip Girl royal wedding? “A fascinator, a gigantic feather piece by Philip Treacy,” she said. “And every time I bent down to look at something, it hit some aide in the nose.”
Kelly Rutherford, her hair also pulled back and with the same big eyes, said that she wore Dolce & Gabbana to the regal wedding. “It was fairy-tale,” she said. “But I was definitely ready to get out of the dress by the time we were done filming.”
Apparently there is an over-the-top dance sequence, and Blair wears a seriously grand Vera Wang wedding dress and looks sensational. But Blake Lively’s Marchesa getup at Cipriani was mainly fancy blue appliqués on a nude body stocking draped with loads of long white tassels. It had a Vegas-Gossip Girl appeal. The big drop earrings were by Lorraine Schwartz. Lively’s hair was pulled back in a messy bun. Again, big fake lashes.
A terribly thankful Penn Badgley, Blake’s real-life ex, mentioned that before he got the gig on Gossip Girl five years earlier, “I was out of work in LA about to get a job as a waiter or a liquor delivery boy.”
Joanna Garcia showed up with her Yankee boyfriend, Nick Swisher, who got the most autograph requests of anyone at the party. She had a funny story about getting home from her spray tan that afternoon. “I had to walk home in a coat and no pants,” she claimed.
So who knocked up Blair? “I love working with Ed [Westwick], Penn [Badgley], and Hugo [Becker, Prince Louis],” offered Leighton Meester, the last to arrive. With dark bangs on view, she apparently didn’t get the memo about pulling her hair back and doing big eyes. “I think the best thing is that you don’t know,” she said. “She’s dating and engaged to a prince. What could be better than that? And then you realize the fairy tale isn’t 100-percent perfect. She and Chuck have had up and downs. As much as everyone loves them together, I think their having been apart has actually helped Blair grow.” Or at least the bump.
Stay tuned...
photograph by gettyimages.com
Fine-Dining Thanksgiving Feasts
These five Manhattan restaurants offer elegant prix-fixe menus for Thanksgiving.
November 21, 2011
Má Pêche
Má Pêche (translation: Mother Peach), David Chang’s midtown Momofuku, offers a Thanksgiving prix-fixe dinner ($95) this year featuring two choices for each of its three courses and dessert. If you are after a nontraditional Thanksgiving meal, you’ve come to the right place. Chang’s Asian-influenced American food is a delicious adventure. The apple salad for an appetizer contains seaweed. For a second course, choose oyster stew, a beautiful fillet of halibut, or (yes) turkey. The main dish is served with Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. Vegetarian options are available, as is a kids’ menu. 1 PM–7 PM Thanksgiving Day. Call 212-247-1045 for reservations.
Le Cirque
New York favorite Le Cirque gives the traditional Thanksgiving meal an Italian twist ($110), featuring lobster risotto, chestnut pappardelle, and a choice of filet mignon or scallops (if turkey doesn’t strike your fancy). For dessert try staples like pumpkin or pecan pie plus crème brulee and a chocolate soufflé. Deliciously impressive. Call 212-644-0202 for reservations.
Prune
Chef Gabrielle Hamilton prepares French cuisine with a rustic American touch at Prune. (Read her memoir Blood, Bones and Butter for some scrumptious holiday reading.) The eatery does serve a Thanksgiving prix fixe ($78), but the place is tiny so make a reservation immediately. The menu (read it in full on the website) entices with items such as a cheddar cheese board, an oyster pan roast, Brussels sprouts with baby turnips and cauliflower, stewed chestnuts with ricotta and sea salt, and pear and dried cranberry crisp. 3 PM–8 PM Thanksgiving Day. Call 212-677-6221 for reservations.
Cookshop
Cookshop, located just underneath the High Line in Chelsea, is a nice option for a kid-friendly Thanksgiving dinner out. For its prix fixe ($65; $32.50 for children under 12), you can order family style with stuffing, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and cranberry-orange sauce for the table. The meal itself gives you a choice of two-dishes and is vegetarian-friendly. 2 PM–8 PM Thanksgiving Day. Call 212-924-4440 for reservations.
Dressler
Dressler, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just under the Williamsburg Bridge, will serve a three-course Thanksgiving prix fixe ($85) this year. Find a lovely romantic atmosphere here, perfect for a quiet Thanksgiving dinner if it’s just the two of you. The food is wonderful (Dressler is Williamsburg’s only restaurant with a Michelin star) and you can’t go wrong with choices like a braised lamb shank with creamy white polenta, roasted broccoli rabe and tomato jam for an entrée this holiday. Call 718-384-6343 for reservations.
photograph by Elizabeth Leitzell (Má Pêche)
Gift of the Day: La Boîte à Biscuits
An artful assortment of sweet and savory biscuits hits all the right notes.
November 21, 2011
The La Boîte à Biscuit Fall/Winter tin
For art-lovers with a sweet tooth, this tin of sweet and savory biscuits by La Boîte à Biscuits proprietor Lior Lev Sercarz and artist Jody Morlock is the ideal gift. Each season Sercarz collaborates with an artist to create a tin of unique and scrumptious biscuits. The Fall/Winter tin ($65.95) is stocked with 50 to 60 biscuits in five to six flavors, such as the hazelnut, dark chocolate, and Szechuan pepper Fourmis Rouge biscuit and the salted butter, anise, and Marcona almond Anisette biscuit. A 4x7 keepsake print by Morlock, whose work centers on the the bonds between humans and animals, is enclosed with each tin. gilttaste.com
See all of Gotham's 2011 Gifts of the Day here.
Tech Find: en&is Megaphone for iPhone
Amplify your tunes elegantly via the Megaphone for iPhone by en&is.
November 21, 2011
The video explains it best, but this beautiful handcrafted piece from Italian company en&is works as a megaphone for your iPhone and as an intriguing piece of sculpture. Though available in black and white (about $541), the gold enamel model is particularly dazzling (about $811).
Stunning Vintage Engagement Rings
Gorgeously unique engagement rings that will make popping the question that much more special.
November 21, 2011
FROM LEFT: A vintage engagement ring from Erstwhile Jewelry Company and Erie Basin
There are beautiful engagement rings to be had of all shapes and sizes from many retailers in the city, but two boutiques that cater specifically to vintage rings from the early 20th century have recently caught our eye. (After all, for a piece of jewelry this important why not go the one-of-a-kind route?) Erstwhile Jewelry Company in Midtown sells exquisite estate jewelry, and the engagement rings there are particularly stunning. Make an appointment to take a look at their new arrivals. And Erie Basin, located in Red Hook, Brooklyn, might be a bit of a challenge to get to but it is well worth the trip. Owner Russell Whitmore travels the globe to collect gorgeous pieces of jewelry and art, and his vintage engagement rings are usually swooped up the second he posts them on his blog.
Watches: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Audemars Piguet celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2012.
November 18, 2011
The year was 1972. No, this is not about flower power or other '70s-era memories. This is about the legendary Gerald Genta designing the daring and bold Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch—a luxury sport timepiece that wowed the world with its magnificent steel case and gold price. The Royal Oak was an overnight success, and today, as Audemars Piguet celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak in 2012, the collection remains one of the most coveted luxury lines in the world.
For the 40th birthday of the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet has deftly blended old with new, heritage and tradition with visionary foresight. The newest Royal Oak Limited Edition 40th Anniversary watch features a 39mm case just like the original. This one, however, is an Openworked Extra Thin beauty crafted in platinum in a limited edition of 40 pieces (naturally). The stunning work houses the ultra-thin self-winding Calibre 5122 that is just 3.05mm thick and beautifully skeletonized. The movement features an anthracite color achieved by galvanic treatment, and the exquisite finishings (circular graining, satin brushing, and more) are all done by hand. The monobloc oscillating weight is entirely made in 22kt gold and bears the raised inscription “AP Royal Oak 1972–2012.” The beautiful timepiece is a wonderful tribute to the Royal Oak’s heritage. Here we bring you a sneak peek at the watch, as its official unveiling isn’t until January 2012 at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva.
Read more about watches from our timepiece editor Roberta Naas at atimelyperspective.com.
Entering the Twilight
The New York premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 1 had bite.
November 18, 2011
Nikki Reed and Ashley Greene
Twi as I might, Dispatches has yet to drink the type-O-negative Kool-Aid for the Twilight Saga series like all the crimson-eyed Twihards have. The Cinema Society and DKNY presented the New York screening of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 1 on Wednesday. Like Star Wars and Gone with the Wind, The Twilight Saga is a global media phenomenon. A must-see, but the interest factor skews seriously girly.
After twi-normous London and Los Angeles premieres, the New York debut felt like a comfortably subdued event spearheaded by Ashley Greene and Nikki Reed.
Reed, perhaps twi-ing too hard, wore a long lemony number from Michael Kors with a pronounced slit and two cutouts on the side. Her lips were red. As she approached, her shoe got caught in her hem. “I just fell on my own dress,” she said. “Hold on—it’s still stuck. It goes under my heel.” Was she happy with the gown? “Yeah, I was a little scared,” she said. “But then [her handler] said, ‘Just own it. Live in it. Move in it.’”
Of course at that moment she couldn’t because her heel was still stuck, so said handler reached down to twi and help.
In the film, Kristen Stewart goes on a bit about not being able to negotiate heels at the wedding. Reed said that even at her own wedding she wanted to borrow the line from Breaking Dawn about just taking off the heels and walking barefoot down the aisle.
Greene wore a long dress by Donna Karan with a white panel that began at the left side of her waist and draped to the floor on the right, leaving a twi-gantic slit. She, too, could barely negotiate the stairs at the theater and had to hold the dress up. (Trend alert.) “Never say never,” she said when asked if she’d consider going vampire yet again.
“I like anything with vampires, superheroes, or werewolves,” insisted Howard Stern on his way into the screening. Stern then labeled himself Team Edward. “He’s my type!”
Spoiler alert: What must one know about Breaking Dawn–Part 1? The wedding dress is gorgeous. Brazil looks sensational. But unless you’re a tween, the snail’s pace of the film might twi your patience. Barely a moment goes by without the tortured mulling over of angst-ridden self-denial and guilt. The tween message: abstinence. But the Twihard population may not be ready for the rough sex and gore.
The mood felt lighter during the afterparty at Sons of Essex, a cute restaurant/lounge on the Lower East Side with a low-beam ceiling and lots of prints in gold frames. Reed, still in Kors, perched at a long table with pals. Meanwhile, Team Greene (she had changed into a leopard-print blouse) took a corner table in the back. She was twi-mendously sweet to Bettina Zilkha’s gorgeous niece Laetitia Krisel.
photograph by gettyimages.com
