Quantum of Solace, the James Bond film set for a November 7 New York release, is a story, like most Bond movies, of “treachery, murder, and deceit,” according to the 007 website. The film’s producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, proved that they know a thing or two about betrayal when they declined to deal drug-addled Amy Winehouse an offer to create the theme song. After extensive speculation that the job was hers, it has instead been handed to the far cleaner duo of multi-Emmy winners Jack White and Alicia Keys.

Their collaboration on this 22nd of Bond movies will mark the first time the cinematic franchise uses multiple artists for its theme song.  read more »

Last night, we found red-headed supermodel Karen Elson at an intimate dinner in the West Village celebrating the virtual launch of the House of Lavande, a high-end vintage couture jewelry line that started as founder Tracy Smith's personal collection. Ms. Elson was co-hosting with trapeze artist Sarah Sophie Flicker. (The two also perform together at The Citizens Band, a political cabaret troupe.)  read more »

The original release date for Gnarls Barkley's second album, The Odd Couple, was April 8. But the creative partnership of Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse has always marched to the beat of its own drum machines; they pushed up the date a couple weeks at the last minute. We were certainly curious whether the new record would provide a clear follow-up to the pop smash "Crazy"; it doesn't, even if "Run" (listen below) captures the unbridled fun of Outkast's popular dance track "Bombs Over Baghdad." EW labeled the new album "dense," but "a compulsively listenable, if somber, effort." Sounds good to me.

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Few of Fashion Week’s most anticipated shows are held at Bryant Park’s tents (Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, and Thom Browne, for example, are all off-site), and last night’s Zac Posen show made clear the reasons.

Security guards demanded invitations or credentials at the entrance, despite the fact that the Daily Transom had breezed through all week with neither. “There are a few shows that are huge, and everyone tries to sneak in,” said one sentry apologetically. “And everyone tries to sneak in.”)  read more »