Happy Unoffiical Start of Summer! It is now time to [un]officially stop whining about the interminable cold and gloom and start bitching about the unbearable heat and humidity! Hooray!
Or— you can cool off for a minute with this (and umm, a RedBull®, I guess).
[Did we say "See you Tuesday"? We lied; we're still on vacation. See you tomorrow.]
:)
**See also (earlier):
• Homegirl Meets Coolest Dude Ever
• Euro Gap
• SPOTTED: [Volume 15]
Ohhh, you can run, but you can’t hide. Nice try, Mary.
But whatever, Cougar. Who’s the stud on the left?
***See also (earlier):
• Monday, May 24, 2010 10:30PM – Kim Catrall, John Corbett, Padma Lakshmi, Michelle Trachtenberg, Gabourey Sidibe, Narciso Rodriguez, Evan Handler, Mario Cantone, Syam, and Nick Rytting at the Sex and the City 2 Premiere Party at Lincoln Center.
• Thursday, May 20, 2010 9:30 PM – Alex Rodriguez and Cameron Diaz being accosted by fans at La Esquina.
• Sunday, May 23, 2010 5:30PM – Jimmy Fallon strolling down Great Jones near Lafayette St.
• Friday, May 14, 2010 7:30 PM [UPDATED--- My bad?- Ed.] – Fierce Michelle Yeoh Look-Alike in the audience at the performance of O by Cirque du Soleil at theBelaggio hotel, Las Vegas.
Vanilla Ice: … And so, your little quote in New York magazine a couple weeks back inspired me to take you for a stroll through the mall…
abbe diaz: sigh. so sad, isn’t it? we’re all getting old…
VI: Have you seen it yet?
ad: not yet— so i appreciate the photos.
VI: And? So? Whattya think?
ad: well i did walk by on the 20th street side last week prior to the opening on friday, and i noticed what was once the former "employee entrance" is still under construction. that particular little entry foyer led up the stairs the back way to the bathrooms, and on the ground level leading off to the left side of the stairs used to be "chapel." so it would appear they’re still doing construction and aren’t quite utilizing the entire space. and that perhaps would explain why your photos make the space look so much smaller than i remember it.
anyway, it’s not like the renderings or the snazzy PR pics i’ve seen. all those looked so swanky and flashy, but this just looks kinda tacky.
VI: Oh, yeah. Having seen it with my own two eyes, I’d say "tacky" is an apt description… Does it even look familiar to you?
ad: well the overall basic structure is discernible, obviously— but i’m having a little difficulty making out which direction you’re facing. if i’m not mistaken, the arched stained glass would be the stage side of the main level aka "disco" and the big round stained glass would be the opposite end, which would have been directly behind "disco bar."
and evidently, they extended the widths of the mezzanine walkways…
VI: What do you think of the concept overall?
ad: well, from a purely practical and objective standpoint, i suppose it’s something of an astute way to generate income from a building that’s essentially obsolete otherwise. clearly, the city’s current (and likely, future) administrations would never have allowed another Limelight to exist in any way reminiscent of its former incarnation. i can’t exactly say i’m against resurrecting the space in a viably profitable way, but it’s really a shame they made no effort at all with this new venture to embody the former spirit of such a legendary entity.
the city is awash with talented (but struggling) artists, artisans, and craftsmen. to turn over the space to pretentious jellybeans and chocolate is something of a travesty.
VI: Oh, snap! They had Hunter® wellies and flipflops, too— if that’s any consolation?
ad: ha ahaa, hardly. oh but don’t mind me— i’m maybe just having bitter flashbacks or something. i mean—
MarieBelle chocolate? ugh christ. (oh haa christ… Limelight… no uhh pun intended.)
i guess what i’m trying to say is, maybe this is all striking just a little too close to home for me or something. cuz like— MarieBelle is owned/operated by maribel-lieberman, the wife of jacques-lieberman, my former commercial landlord when i once had a flagship boutique for geld-iaz. as you may or may not know, MarieBelle’s (first) store is located at 484 Broome St— all the (five) ground floor commercial spaces of which are owned by jacques-lieberman.
if it weren’t for this convenient little arrangement to which MarieBelle is uniquely privy, i’d imagine you’d be rather hard pressed to find an artisanal chocolatier who could succeed in a space with a current market value in probably the $30K+ per month range. you see my point?
i’m just sayin.
but i think what’s pissing me off even more, is that the new MarieBelle in the Limelight appears to be located in the mezzanine over what would have been "disco bar." it’s that very same mezzanine under which were once installed large spotlights to help illuminate the bar and dance floor. well, one night during work while i was bartending, one of those spotlights came loose from all the bouncing around and stomping up there, and fell down directly over me, bonking me right on the noggin. huey-morgan (currently of Fun Lovin’ Criminals) was my barback at the time, and even he couldn’t believe i didn’t pass out from the accident. i ended up with a mild concussion and aches in my neck and back for a week.
ha ha ahaa so ya know— fuck those chocolates.
VI: LOL! Huh, I think there may even be "a moral in there someplace." ‘Nuff said. Aaaand, that’s a wrap!
ad: good. i love a short interview.
yah so
by now, yalls have heard all about how poor eric-goode couldn’t get home from europe cuz the big stupid volcano in iceland wouldn’t let him. well, did you even stop to think about all the forlorn europeans and scandinavians and whatnot stranded here for the very same reason? no. no, of course you didn’t.
imagine, say— you were stranded at THOR for days and days on end with absolutely no knowledge of how long it would be before you’re able to return home. and so you went out one night and got drunk and passed out on a new friend’s living room sofa. and then somebody stole your pants, but you didn’t discover it until you awoke the next morning? and thus you had to walk through the strange, crowded, unfamiliar streets of NYC all the way back to THOR without your pants?
wouldn’t you looove if it were all captured on video so you could relive this awesome experience time and time and time again? sure you would— i thought so!
and so, without further ado, PX This presents: The New York Blues with Markus Keller and Marc Swoboda
or ya know— you can also check out professional "snow rider" Marc Swoboda (for Nitro®, Volcom®, Red Bull®, and Nike®) in action—
and/or former Olympian Markus Keller— with his pants.
nyeeah. take that, Page Six.
**See also (earlier):
• Homegirl Meets Coolest Dude Ever
• Euro Gap
• SPOTTED:
***With very special thanks to Kummi "Bunny" Kim
What is this "dialogue" of which you speak?
Sure, he probably didn’t exactly mean to address the F&B industry when he used the phrase "dialogue of the deaf," but Sir Salman Rushdie has a message for you anyway.
(Or, y’know— apply it to the world too, if you must.)
"Writers are very obstinate creatures, and they don’t respond well to being to told to shut up, they tend to speak more loudly when told to shut up… we can rely on [them] to resist that intimidation…" – Sir Salman Rushdie, BBC World News
*See also (earlier): OMG SALMAN RUSHDIE IS MY "FAN"
Oi! So, you think you know what’s what, what? Well, let yer ol’ chum Mark Baker tell you the bloody score, chap. This nightlife business isn’t all jolly good fun ‘n games, innit. This is serious bloody business; you’d be positively knackered and gobsmacked if you’d ever seen some of thing ‘e’s been through. Bloody bollocks, some of it! So, sit yer arse down and ‘ave a lesson. Or bugger off, slag!
Pip pip, cheerio and all that rot.
*See also (earlier):
• Mark Baker’s wedding to Vicky Andren
• PX This presents: The Travel Series
** And, for even more on Mark Baker, read PX This – The Revised Edition (and PX This Too – Coming Soon in the Summer of 2010)
Rumors swirling within the industry have Chef Akthar Nawab slated to take over the kitchen at a very popular downtown Mexican eatery. Which begs the question, "what about Zengo?" True, Zengo’s early populace reviews on the internet and word-of-mouth have been mixed at best, but even the most insightful, jaded veterans of the industry are raising their eyebrows over a move that practically takes transience to a whole new level. And let’s never mind the head scratching over why this particular downtown "classic" Mexican eatery (which remains one of the hottest spots in town despite its persistent lack of a boldface-worthy chef) would court a media darling like Nawab in the first place. Some insiders speculate its plans to expand by opening its first offshoot in Miami (ambitiously but tentatively scheduled for the next Art Basel) may have something to do with its new foodieblog-gratifying outlook, but others insist Nawab’s superficial popularity has little or nothing to do with this latest (alleged) development, noting, "he’s just a downtown dude… ya know… with friends in the restaurant." And still others feel fit to surmise the Miami location’s impending opening is still very much on precarious footing anyway, as potential investors continue to engage in the ol’ Subsidizers’ Shuffle.
[But, on a semi-related note: this famous Mexican restaurant is said to be aggressively advancing on its goal to establish a new Jamaican counterpart.]
Whatever? We’re just sayin’.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Salman Rushdie hearts PX This – The Revised Edition by abbe diaz
It’s Friday, let’s dance! In keeping with New York Magazine’s upcoming article on the legendary Limelight and its impending transition into a shopping mall— PX This urges you to: WORRRK.
(If Madonna calls, I’m at "Boom Boom.")
**SQUEEEEEEEE!**
eat that, bitches!
:)
i just had to screen capture that, in case he actually reads my book and then— aha ha haa ah argh augh uggh sob!— changes his mind.
but for now: yay! yay! yippee! hooray!
FREE E-BOOKS FOR EVERYBODY!
xoxo
p.s. if you would like to join the esteemed ranks of Salman Rushdie (and Fabio Trabocchi! booooya.) and be my "fan"— or even my lamp, or even my chair or whatever
please "fan" "like" me here —> http://www.facebook.com/pages/PX-This-by-abbe-diaz/40291641324
THANK YOU ♥
the shit i go through – #001
"see this retarded shit i have to go through? going places i don’t want and being forced to meet peoples just to prove i am real…" – abbe diaz, PX This, page 216.
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2010. yah so here is today’s shit. beefin with kevin-smith’s fanatics ha ha haa ahaa i am not even kidding. looong story, don’t even get me started. but if you did read (or intend to read) PX This, it goes a little something like umm piglets —> ben-affleck —> kevin-smith —> beefin with fanatics. don’t worry, it’s covered more fully in PX This Too (coming soon in the summer of 2010!) and believe it or not, if you have no idea what i’m talking about right now, it’s not nearly all as mumbly jumbly in the end as it sounds. i think.
anyways if you’re bored and you need a giggle, here is an example of some of the shit i go through:
(click here) —> http://viewaskew.com/theboard/viewtopic.php?p=4310778#4310778
i’m just sayin. bitches
:)
PX This – The Revised Edition – FREE E-BOOK HERE
If you’re as fabulous as you think you are, then this little cutie pie needs no introduction.
Her father, however, may need a baseball bat in just a few more years.
:)
***Featuring Belinda Becker and Willow Becker – with special thanks to LaRon Batchelor for shustir.com
SHALL WE PLAY A GAME ?
In honor of the just-released e-book (and the soon-to-be-released print version) of PX This – The Revised Edition and PX This Too – The Sequel to PX This, let’s see if you’re knowledgeable enough to play Where Are They Now?
Winners will receive a FREE e-version of PX This – The Revised Edition and an affectionate pat on the ass. Answers will be displayed at the bottom of this page (hey, no peeking!). If your answers are ‘close enough,’ click here to collect your e-book prize immediately! Yay! Just kidding about the pat on the ass, sorry.
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to correctly identify the current whereabouts of some of the ‘characters’ in PX This. As always, should any member of the F&B force be caught or killed, pee ex this dot com will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This web page will not self-destruct, but shall remain in the cosmos internets from now until the end of the world. Good luck.
Where Are They Now?
• eric-goode and sean-macpherson
• brian-mcnally
• "emil the maiterdee"
• "kamil the maiterdee"
• ben-affleck aka the *mackdaddy*
• Ferret
• "philippe the GM"
• "johnny the floor manager"
• marc-bagutta
• maxwell
• "laurent the GM"
• "alina the Balthazar maiterdee"
• gwyneth-paltrow aka gwyneth-paltroll
• Loser
[Scroll down for the answers.]
• eric-goode and sean-macpherson:
Well like, duh, who doesn’t know where they are? Only in like the hottttest restaurant in the wooorld! Eric Goode is also loving on the turtles (go, Eric!) and Sean MacPherson is… around. No really, he’s everywhere. Check over your left shoulder; he might be there right now.
• brian-mcnally:
Uggh. Let’s not start this again, shall we?
• "emil the maiterdee":
Evidently, looking at The Fedora with Graydon Carter.
• "kamil the maiterdee":
Evidently, getting media attention just for falling down. Go, boy.
• ben-affleck aka the *mackdaddy*:
The future Senator Affleck is out saving babies and the world, thank you very much. What the hell are you doing with your life, creep?
• Ferret:
Oh, "Ferret." "Ferret" finally gets a ‘real’ name in the upcoming PX This Too. You’ll be happy to hear that abbe and "Ferret" have… umm… kissed and made up. Hooray!
Actually, we really have no idea what "Ferret" is up to these days, since his awesome, adorable boss just got promoted to Superstar Banker of Deutsche Bank / Tyra Banks Yummy Man Candy. When you bump into "Ferret" out and about (and you will), just ask him yourself.
• "philippe the GM":
We love you, Philippe! That is all.
• "johnny the floor manager":
Well like, duh, who doesn’t know where he is? Only in like the hottttest restaurant in the wooorld! We haven’t seen him lately though, because we can’t get past the doorman. Seriously.
• marc-bagutta:
Here. No further comment… until PX This Too of course.
:)
• maxwell:
Come on now.
• "laurent the GM":
After a brief stint as the GM on restaurant-based reality television show
Rocco’s, and then opening a restaurant of his own, Laurent can be found these days in a lovely place like this.
• "alina the Balthazar maiterdee":
Oh, just here.
• gwyneth-paltrow aka gwyneth-paltroll:
Rilly? Does anybody actually give a shit? We find that very hard to believe.
• Loser:
Ha ha ha ha wooo child. No further comment— what fun would that be? But, thanks for the new fans, homeslice! Godd bless the googles.
So, did you win, did you win?! Good for you, you smart little cookie, you. Get it, girl.
Former “Maitre d’ to the Stars” to Release Second Book
Here’s a "blind item" for you:
Which restaurateurs are none too pleased with the impending release of PX This Too – The Sequel to PX This? Worse yet, the timely upcoming launch of PX This – The Revised Edition just happens to coincide with the recent openings of two high-profile Manhattan restaurants. Anonymous e-mails sent to this website seem to indicate some ‘characters’ are indeed up to their old shenanigans. Some things never change!
But some things do change! For the better, even. Like for example: PX This – The Revised Edition! Now with enhanced content, photos, and a preview excerpt from PX This Too!
And to celebrate the forthcoming launch of PX This Too [The Sequel to PX This]— coming in the Summer of 2010, the e-book version of PX This – The Revised Edition is FREE! [Print version coming soon!]
This is a limited time offer— so get your FREE e-version of PX This – The Revised Edition for your iPad / Kindle2+ / netbook etc NOW! Hooray!
:)
= "personne extraordinaire"