Heath Ledger was paying $22k for his loft in SoHo at the time of his death in January. Now, the apartment is back on the market, with a four thousand dollar boost in price. What's weird about this story of the post-postmortem rent increase is…..didn't the one of the Olsen twins own that apartment? (Yes, the listing price in that post is one grand less than the one that is quoted now.)
So did Mary-Kate jack the price of her Broome St. pad? If she's capable of such morbid decisions, you can't put it past her to purposely wait until the Dark Knight hit the theaters before putting the apartment back on the market to increase buzz.
That, or Little Olsen had nothing to do with the re-listing of the property, because she is too rich, too famous, and too thin to concern herself with such matters. That's what brokers are for. Brokers with incredibly bad taste or incredibly good timing.
Bushwick is the new Williamsburg (sort of gentrified and over-priced but all your friends live there), so even if you don't live in the McKibbin Lofts you should go to the second annual Bushwick Film Festival, kicking off tonight at Goodbye Blue Monday. Founders Kweighbaye Kotee and Laree Ross will be on hand to "bring independent filmmakers and audiences together to form a collective consciousness inspired by edgy and original works." The three-day event will be showcased at GBM, The Market Hotel, and Lumenhouse, with the full schedule here. Go, because it's a chance to see filmmakers who have grown up in the community, instead of the usual showcase for the collegiate set who couldn't afford LES digs.
Target, the chic alternative to Wal-Mart, is having a little trouble pleasing investors in this economy: Profits slipped 7.6 percent, which to us actually seems pretty respectable, given Americans' decreasing amount of disposable income to spend on Clybourn Loft Chairs. But they're doing anything they can to attract your last penny, which means they're launching the "new Go International private label collection next month, followed by new designer partnerships in October with Jonathan Saunders for apparel, Anya Hindmarch for handbags and Sigerson Morrison for shoes." And how will they get the word out about their new brands? By launching four pop-up stores, or "bullseye bodegas", in Midtown, Union Square, Soho, and the East Village. They will open on Sept. 11, just in time to put a literal target on NYC.
Cougars:NYC, a new reality show that would make Hunter Parrish blush, is looking for two final 40+ women to join its cast, so they're throwing a party to find them. Men are welcome too, but only those under 35. [Cougar and the Club]
Graydon Carter, who has arguably done more to destroy the creativity of New York City and turn it into a playground for the rich than any other magazine editor, is now embarking on "Campaign New York," Vanity Fair's excuse to charge American Express a huge sponsorship fee while it "celebrates" culture, art, and style. According to the website's copy, Campaign New York is "a dazzling two-week-long series of events that leverage the very best of what Vanity Fair has to offer against the dramatic backdrop of one of the world’s most exciting venues: New York City." What this actually means, however, is that from Sept. 15-26, you'll have a chance to shop with VF's advertisers. And since AmEx is picking up the tab, of course there must be exclusive offers for cardmembers, right? Yes! Like this one: "Exclusively for Cardmembers, a concierge will be at the V.F. Café @ Nespresso—the official destination for all things Campaign New York. Just show your American Express card to get the latest information on the 12-day event, as well as access to exciting additional extras, such as Vanity Fair gift bags and special offerings from V.F.'s sponsors." That's right: Just pay a $450 annual fee and your American Express card entitles you to a pamphlet and free gift with purchase.
Are you a homosexual person living in New York City who would like to associate with other homosexual persons who probably have fancier business cards than you? Then join, ahem, "Patrick McMullan, Peter Davis, Michael Musto, Sam Bolton, Scott and Naem, Chuck Attix, Timo Weiland, Mark Warfel, Sparrow, Juliano De Rossi, Eric Spear, Will Wikle, and Alan Rish" for their event "Angels & ____," an event that could only be made more aggravating than including a period or other unnecessary punctuation. "This is the most omfg glam gay party of each and every month," says co-co-co-co-co-host Kristian Laliberte. "So if you don't come I can only surmise you are watching a repeat of Kim Kardashian's less than stellar performance co-hosting the red carpet at the teen choice awards last night."
NewYork.com, the domain name Adam Moss wishes he owned, is now a fledgling little Internet company that, so far, mostly attracts lazy Internet users typing in the web address and hoping for the best. [MIN]
This balloon, floating above Central Park, serves two purposes: To offer vertical rides in the helium balloon for $25 a pop, and to provide another facade to slap advertising on, in case you get too far north of Times Square and start wondering what city you're in. [AdAge]
Page Six Magazine might have crowned Pinkberry "the leader" in the fro-yo marketing, but Tasti D-Lite isn't exactly sitting on its hands. The New York City addiction has grand plans to expand — and far beyond the boroughs. It wants to bring its reduced calorie goodness to the four points of the globe (South Korea, Israel, Mexico), and Tennessee (16 stores) and Texas (40). It's got the franchise king behind Mail Boxes Etc. behind it, and the hope that, without any increased advertising effort, the whole multi-million dollar plan will go off without a hitch. CONTINUED »
There are treasure troves of art and there are castles full of priceless antiques…and then there’s The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
We’re not telling you anything new, of course. Taking up more than one city block, holding court on 79th street, above Central Park, and featured in countless media, almost everyone in the Western world has caught wind of the Met. We were a little surprised, then, that the venerable institution held an after-hours party exclusively for the gays, complete with top shelf booze, Britney Spears remixes and loads of attractive young gents. And, as the pink icing, they managed to wrangle out City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, around whom a flurry of security and lackeys swooned. So, what gives?
Based on population numbers from 2006, New York City's six Starbucks closures will affect 1,369,071 per shuttered store. In Los Angeles, it's 1,924,689. Careful with your math there: The higher the number, the less it'll impact you.
Poor Orange Grove, Florida, then; three Starbucks are closing in a town of 9,106, or one for every 3,035 people.
So, are you really going to miss your neighborhood latte fix? Slate wants you to write a freakin' testimonial for it. Indeed, Starbucks obituaries.
Oh no! We got some very distressing news from photographer and friend of Queerty Brad Walsh.
The Brooklyn-based homo went on an adventure in SoHo last week when an irate trucker decided to lay the anti-gay smack down. Walsh, who dates Project Runway’s Christian Siriano, summarizes:
So, um, we might've accidentally lied to you (but 'twas not our fault!) and given you reason to feel safe and secure in this town when, in fact, you should be FREAKING OUT! A previous report said that of the 600 stores Starbucks is closing, the only one in NYC would be on Staten Island. Wrong.
In fact, the very Starbucks you hit up every morning for your triple shot latte might be gone by the middle of next year. CONTINUED »
Attracting exactly the type of press it wants, Remy Stern's CityFile.com is quickly becoming known as "that website trying to snap photos of famous New Yorkers leaving their houses." But it turns out that planting a photographer outside the apartment buildings of the elite can be a work hazard: "While [Cityfile's] lenser was outside 740 Park 'trying to get candid shots of Steve Schwarzman, David Koch and Kent Swig, an intimidating chauffeur told him to stop taking pictures 'if you know what's good for you.' The photographer promptly left." [P6]
Of the 600 stores Starbucks announced it would close, only three are in New York State. Two are out on Long Island (one in Central Islip, one in Southold). The third is on Staten Island. Breathe that sigh of relief, NYC. [Newsday]
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