David Patrick Columbia
Stung by Bruni Slam, Regulars Defend Midtown Media Hangout Michael's
Last week, Times food critic Frank Bruni panned perennial Midtown media hangout Michael’s: “California cuisine?” he sneered. “More like gloppy, affected pub grub.” Though Mr. Bruni did acknowledge that “food is no longer the point of Michael’s," it shouldn't be resting on its laurels as a go-to power lunch and breakfast spot: “Michael’s presents itself as a serious restaurant and charges like a serious restaurant…It should perform at the level of a serious restaurant. These days, it usually doesn’t.”
All this displeasure is fine for Mr. Bruni, whose myriad dining options will soon flush the taste of “arid ricotta cannelloni” and “repellently chalky hamachi” from his palatte, but what about the legion boldfaced name regulars of the cultish restaurant? How did it play with those who, for professional or personal reasons (the lines blur with this crowd), simply can’t stay away?
Morning Memo: Arden Wohl's American Graffiti; Ashley Dupre's Waverly Debut; Ed Westwick Gets a Fashion Line
Police in the Hamptons tell Page Six that headband-wearing socialite Arden Wohl was arrested on Saturday night in East Hampton for writing "Ralphy Lip-Shits" (and here we are filling in a few letters the Post rendered tastefully in dashes!) in red lipstick on the facade of Ralph Lauren's store there. But she showed American spirit for taking several miniature American flags that were part of the store's holiday decoration scheme. For which the police added a charge of petit larceny. [P6]
Ashley Dupré—when will we be done with her?—has made a very awkward social move, presenting herself at the Waverly Inn. It seemed to work! [P6]
Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick is reportedly in talks to design a clothing line! Expect to see many many shorts...[Fashionista]
Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook may soon reach a settlement, which means the crazy and mostly uninteresting details of their sordid marriage will presumably stop leaking to the press. [NY Daily News] read more »
David Patrick Columbia Is in Awe of Dr. Oz
New York Social Diary's David Patrick Columbia and the average suburban housewife have something in common: their fondness for Dr. Mehmet Oz. The doc has become a favorite among Oprah watchers who enjoy watching Dr. Oz explain to them their dietary needs, bowel movements, and helpful tips like how to get rid of foot odor (soak 'em in tea-bags!) read more »
Gossip Roundup: Vincent Gallo and Terry Richardson Wish You an Annoying Thanksgiving; Nicole Richie's Turkey-Day Good Deed!
Yawn. What? Right. Here's the gossip round-up for Nov. 23, 2008, Thanksgiving Friday and possibly the slowest news day ever.
An eight-months-pregnant Nicole Richie and her friend, the society disc jockeyess Samantha Ronson, volunteered at a Hollywood soup kitchen yesterday. read more »
Kenneth Jay Lane: 'Men Always Like to Please Women'
Costume jewelry designer Kenneth Jay Lane thinks today’s ubiquitous sleek decorating sense—heavy on the long, clean lines—is “a little bit boring.” He was quoted saying this during a recent interview with NYSD House, David Patrick Columbia’s interior design-Q&A column, which some may find a little light on the questions and heavy on the photos. And that’s probably a good thing, too—Mr. Lane comes across as a man of few words and his Murray Hill apartment is fun to look at. (At one point, Mr. Columbia tells his subject that he finds watching QVC soothing; the shopping network has sold Mr. Lane’s baubles-in-drag for some 15 years. “I’m glad you’re soothed,” he responds.)
In any case, Mr. Lane—who said that he’s always lived alone, but “was married for a moment”—does offer an interesting explanation for the “impulse for adornment” and its historical longevity (both of which he seems to have: expensive-looking antique chotchkes abound in chez Lane.) “Well men always like to please women. Women like to please men too—some women. Some are very good at it. A caveman took a shell and maybe it had a hole in it or maybe he put a hole in it and he put it on a piece of a tail of a donkey or a dinosaur or something and gave it to the cavewoman. She put it around her neck—the first jewel,” he explained.
It's All Just Self-Promotion: Social Climbing Is Dead
Today, beneath a pretty picture of a New York sunset, David Patrick Columbia reports that he doesn’t much mind that his online gossip column is often referred to as a “gossip column.” Then, in reference to the Times Fashion & Style piece about Jessica Seinfeld in yesterday’s paper, Mr. Columbia explains that reporter Allen Salkin contacted him to find out if, in his view, Ms. Seinfeld was indeed a social climber. It seems Mr. Columbia doesn’t think it’s possible for someone to be a social climber anymore, because, as he writes, “things are moving too quickly. What people can be is self-promoting.” (In the columnist’s view, self-promoting is what makes New York City “go.”) Mr. Columbia wraps up his rant by drawing an interesting connection between the Seinfeld marriage debacle and a 1975 movie starring Charles Grodin. Seriously.
Mr. Columbia writes:
"The Seinfeld marriage story was actually first a movie, written by Elaine May, the great comedienne and one-time partner of Mike Nichols. It was called “The Heartbreak Kid,” starring Charles Grodin and released in 1975. In it the character played by Grodin meets someone else on his honeymoon and ditches his wife for her. The ditched “wife” is also a whining princess and the new girl is hot hot hot, and so it’s easy to see the motivation. Either or, which would you choose? Well then, who can honestly criticize Jessica Sklar Seinfeld? It’s years later. She’s got three kids. She writes cookbooks (at least sorta), she gets baby clothes for mothers who need them. She does TV, like Oprah and The Today Show. So she likes a little attention. Buy the cookbook; make yourself something scrumptious to eat. For that you can thank Jessica. And your friend Seinfeld for marrying her and getting her into the New York Times. The Paper of Record."
