Before Mid-Century Modern became the only must-have look for people too young to remember most of it wasn’t that great, we were in love with the “it’s been in the family forever” chic of Aristo-Brit, eclectic English decor. The look requires ancestral portraits, a willingness to let things fray and be “aged” by decades of pets, kids and heirs and generously tufted sofas for enjoying tea and sympathy in the library.
Shown above, from Old Hickory Tannery, a North Carolina company, a modern take on the Downey Abbey traditional English sofa. Reg. $5,299-$3,299, Now $3,679- $2,599 at Horchow.com
Betsey Johnson’s cartwheels are always the finale of her runway shows. Betsey being Betsey at 70.
For 35 years she’s been Betsey, with her dancer -inspired tutus, obsession with pink and a glittery, feminine and off-center sensibility that lands her colorful frocks and accessories at both high school proms and very grown-up red carpet events. Encouraged to go “bigger” business-wise, the ageless designer stumbled badly in 2012 and owing millions, was forced to declare bankruptcy and close her retail empire of 63 stores.
But it’s a new year and a new Betsey Johnson. Backed by Steve Madden, the brand has cut prices (from $400+ to a more accessible $99-$250 range) and her girly, quirky as ever, unmistakably Betsey creations will be sold at Macy’s and Nordstrom’s starting February 2013.
And this from Time Magazine:
“Johnson and her 37-year-old daughter Lulu — who is currently cultivating her own fashion empire with her brand,
Lulu Johnson
Lulu Johnson — will also be starring in their own reality show on the Style Network, The Betsey and Lulu Show, starting in March. Lastly, the designer’s latest fragrance, Betseyfied, is set for release this summer — rounding out the trifecta of Betsey sass that will be coming our way in the New Year.” via Time Magazine
Andy Warhol at Paraphernalla Opening Party, 1965
In a previous life, she was the house designer for Paraphernalla, the cooler than cool boutique (the word boutique was new then) on Madison Avenue and 67th Street in NYC. Party planners for the store’s 1965 opening event were Andy Warhol (pre-wig) and muse Edie Sedgwick who wore this
Edie Sedgwick In Silvery Betsey Johnson Mini, 1965
silvery Johnson design to the bash. Love the fractured bullseye logo that might have inspired Target’s current red/white graphic.
Marc Jacobs Wool/Cashmere Scarf, $20.99 at NM & Target Target includes free shipping
Marchesa Beaded Dress For Girls, $29.99 at NM
Robert Rodriquez Lace Dress, $29.99 at NM
Oscar De La Renta Ceramic Pet Bowl With Embossed Medallion, $8.99 at NM
Diane Von Furstenburg Yoga Mat, $14.99 at NM
Skaist & Taylor Fake Fur Vest, $23.99 at NM
Tory Burch Retro Lunch Box And Thermos, $8.99 each at NM
All the hype and hope didn’t add up to the perfect marriage of class (Neiman Marcus) and mass with sass (Target). Here’s some of what’s left, all $30 bucks or less. Best buy IMO, the beaded Marchesa dress for girls at $29.99 on the NM site.
Oscar de la Renta Leather Dog Collar & Leash, Small & Medium, $11.99 at Target, free shipping
It irks me that people are more upset about the demise of Twinkies than
Kodak ( who only invented popular photography and film, not some packaged sweet) but so be it. There are currently nearly 25,000 listings on eBay selling the 82 year old cream-filled sponge cakes. I find that the men I know love their Twinkies way more than women do, so here’s a way to please the boys: A Homemade Twinkies Recipe. Fair Warning, Scratch Twinkies seem to take considerable prep time.
Landlordrocknyc checked out a few car services yesterday and was surprised to learn that rates change hourly and daily depending on traffic. So despite all those annoying limo jingles and smarmy Sex & The City-ish “he takes me home“ commercials, there is no such thing as a cheap (or even moderately affordable) car service ride in New York. Peak rate today for a short ride midtown from the hours of 2 pm-7pm is $30 plus tip. Rates also go up seasonally and during events like Fashion W eek.
Here’s the Pants Velour Production which won Dial 7’s jingle contest implying otherwise:
Pants Velour, Winner of Dial 7 Jingle Contest (VIDEO):
Carmel 666 Jingle (VIDEO):
Smarmy Carmel Commercial (VIDEO):
From the NY Times:
“It started with a single jingle, imploring New Yorkers to call Carmel Car and Limousine Service at “six, six, six/six, six, sixty-six.”
Now, months after that infectious spot first went on the air, New York City’s two leading car-service brands are locked in a Hatfield-and-McCoy-style advertising war, complete with dueling singsong commercials and a fight over which company thought to pen a jingle first.
The whole weird story — complete with a rider-rapper named Big Daddy and a lip-syncing chief executive — started when Carmel released its 30-second ad, filled with finger-snapping and hip-shaking sidewalk revelers who escort a woman to a waiting town car. “For wherever you want to go/Carmel is the number to know!” the refrain says.
Dial 7 was unimpressed. Its ad, plucked from an online jingle contest created by the company, features a rapper named Big Daddy, who delivers a rapid-fire verse about “comfort and style on which you can rely.” A woman in sunglasses croons the hook: “If you need a ride, dial 2-1-2, then 7, seven times.”…NYTimes
Thrills don’t get any cheaper than spying something really valuable discarded as free trash on a city street. A few weeks ago, at a Manhattan location which must remain undisclosed, someone dumped about thirty of Donald Trump’s favorite rich-boy toys
The Donald’s 56th birthday gift from his staff in 2002: The Stanley London Leather And Polished Brass 30″ Telescope On A Tripod, $460. Thirty of these were recently left on a NYC street for trash pickup. A wealthy interior designer picked up twenty!
into a dumpster . The toy? Stanley London’s 30″ inch leather-sheathed brass telescope on a tri-pod stand—favorite of “Rear Windowish” voyeurs, those who live in the new glass houses, and billionaires who collect multi-million dollar city views.
Donald Trump and Apprentices In His Dining Room At Trump Tower
Landlordrocknyc has learned that a Page Six-worthy interior designer and staff nabbed about twenty of the free 19th Century replica telescopes (which retail for $460 new) and have a Street Value (literally) of about $10,000.
Before Mid-Century Modern became the only must-have look for people too young to remember most of it wasn’t that great, 
we were in love with the “it’s been in the family forever” chic of Aristo-Brit, eclectic English decor. The look requires ancestral portraits, a willingness to let things fray and be “aged” by decades
of pets, kids 
and heirs and generously tufted sofas for enjoying tea and sympathy in the library.
landlordrocknyc 