El Museo del Barrio is New York’s leading Latino museum and cultural institution. Its yearly gala is a who’s who of Spanish-speaking society figures, thanks to gala chairs like Valentin Hernández, Fe Fendi, Marie Unanue and Valentino D. Carlotti. This year’s black-tie 20th-anniversary bash honors Raúl Esparza, the Cuban-American stage actor, singer and Broadway star, Read More
Yours truly is one of a “kaleidoscope of New York personalities” who will be walking the runway to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Canadian clothing company Joe Fresh. Dani Stahl, Steven Rojas, Mickey Boardman, Cory Kennedy, May Kwok, Fiona Byrne, Ari Seth Cohen, Va$htie Kola, gossip guru Michael Musto and Jordan Bradfield are among Read More
It’s a well-known adage that if you are old enough to remember Studio 54, you’ve probably aged out of any knockoffs of the infamous Midtown debauch-party. But all rules were suspended on Sunday night, when Michael Musto—The Village Voice’s answer to “What would Oscar Wilde have said if asked to comment on the ’80s for VH1?”—held his ’70s Disco Extravaganza at 54 Below.
The venue 54 Below is located, as the name might lead one to expect, directly below the former Studio 54. Walking into the gilded underground hall, the Transom found it hard to discern what sort of patrons were attending the evening. Not drag queens, exactly—there was one man wearing a giant fur stole and some kind of 12-gallon hat—though it was certainly a flamboyant crowd. And why not? Accompanying the host of the evening was the ’70s cover band Elektrik Company, along with two individuals named Snooky & Tish, billed as Mr. Musto’s “glittering sidekicks.” (No, it wasn’t that Snooki.) And this was all before the evening’s special guests! Read More
“Did you know that only seven percent of auctioneers are women?” Liza DiNapoli asked us as she slid open a case and brought out a giant Fred Leighton ruby ring. Surrounding the inlay jewel was a blinding number of diamonds, with enough carats to feed a whole stable of luxury rabbits.
The auction director of Fortuna Auction House was explaining the difference between the type of presentation that she would be giving on November 29th, when her firm would be holding their annual Fall ‘Fine Jewels’ bidding war, and the type given by “farm auctioneers.”
“They’re the ones who talk very fast, the men who are literally ‘selling the farm,’” she said, before launching into an impression. “Fivehundredthousanddoseeeighthundredthousand… Eighthundredthousandbidderdoihaveabidder? No? SOLD!” We were impressed.
“Sometimes I wish they would let me do my British accent during the sales,” She sighed, before morphing into an uncanny Eliza Doolittle.
“Aye, governor! Buy ‘me jewelry, ‘ai?” Read More
“I wish there were more neocon blondes involved … Otherwise I’m not registered to vote—because if Andy Warhol didn’t, why do I have to?” Cat Marnell cozied up to The Observer Wednesday night at Paper magazine’s eighth annual nightlife awards, offering us her views on the 2012 presidential race.
Removing a tragic fur coat, Ms. Marnell, a Best Nightlife Social Media Star nominee, revealed the now slightly smudged words “Chinese Democracy” written across her forearms in what we can only assume was black eyeliner.
“My political stance is Chinese Democracy.”
Uncertain, we asked her what this meant.
“I don’t know exactly. I was going to go with ‘manifest destiny’—I don’t know what that means either,” she said, flipping her head of blond hair to the side as she spoke. “I support Guns N’ Roses and I hope they get back together.” (Chinese Democracy is the title of a less-than-successful Guns N’ Roses album, which came out in 2008.)
What did she plan to do with award, should she be so fortunate?
“I’d really like to speak out about [getting the band back together], and I really don’t think young children shouldn’t be prescribed Adderall—so that’s my platform.” Read More
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation’s Champions Summer Party on Tuesday evening was a welcome reprieve for those suffering Hamptons fatigue — unlike what feels like every other summer event this year, it was held right here in the city, at the trusty Boom Boom Room. Alexandra Reeve Givens (co-chair of the Champions Committee, and Read More
What a horrid, torrid week!
It started off with the arrival, on Sunday, July 31, of The New York Times. Lurking in the Book Review was a less than complimentary appraisal of Nasty, my latest book (Simon & Schuster). Let me rephrase that: Lurking in the Book Review was a less than complimentary appraisal of Read More
