By Zev Chafets 3/26 4:59pm

As-salam alaykum

muslim

Muslim Bikini Model Maryam Basir Enjoys Her Moment

Moving through Midtown Manhattan on a summer afternoon with Maryam Basir was an opportunity to walk a few blocks in someone else’s shoes—in this case, peep-toe oxford platforms with five-and-a-half-inch heels. As she passed down 38th Street on the way to a casting call, she carried a rolled-up yoga mat and pulled a small suitcase containing three changes of clothing. Men swiveled their heads for a second look. Women gave her outfit—sheer white long-sleeve blouse, spangled black bow tie, coral shorts—appraising glances. She didn’t seem to notice.

“Among young models, Maryam stands out,” said Scott Wojcik, a casting director who hired her for DSW’s national advertising campaign. “There are two kinds of models, ‘relatable’ and ‘aspirational.’ Maryam is both. That’s extremely rare.” Read More

By Dana Rubinstein 6/17/10 5:30pm

Commercial Breaks

House of Hoops Temple Coming to Herald Square

A House of Hoops—Nike and Footlocker’s concept store/temple to all things basketball—will open a second New York City location at 11 West 34th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, according to someone involved in the transaction.

The first House of Hoops opened in Harlem, at 268 West 125th Street, in the fall of 2007, with a Read More

By Andrew Sarris 4/02/07 12:00am

H Is for Hoax: Tale of Irving’s Hughes Scandal, With Smarmy, Smooth Gere, Disillusioned Davis

Lasse Hallström’s The Hoax, from a screenplay by William Wheeler, is based in part on Clifford Irving’s own confessional account (also entitled The Hoax) of his real-life 70’s scam at the expense of his credulous publisher, McGraw-Hill. Mr. Wheeler has added some fictional embroidery to Irving’s fraudulent maneuvers, which were intended to convince the world Read More

By Staff 6/22/06 10:14am

More of My Rationalizations for Ghana, During the Game

Ghana are in orange, the U.S. is in discreet blue and white. Soccer uniforms are not supposed to be sober;

There are six people in Times Square watching seven Jumbotrons. The entire country of Ghana has a half day off;

Bruce Arena is obese;

Victory would be historic for them, not us;

One of their Read More

By Ralph Gardner Jr. 4/10/06 12:00am

Don’t Change the Channel! When Alone at a Bar, That Is

There are some risks attached to changing the TV channel at your local bar—not all of them involving some drunk cracking a bottle over your head because he objects to your choice of programming—as one 27-year-old First Avenue resident discovered on Feb. 17.

The victim says that she got up from her seat at Citibar, Read More

By Ralph Gardner Jr. 6/30/03 12:00am

Crime Blotter

Sneaky Thief Seems to Be

She-Man About Town

It’s nice to be useful. After reading in a recent Crime Blotter that Tatiana, a designer-clothing resale store at 767 Lexington Avenue, was visited on May 27 by a queen-sized (or perhaps king-sized) perp of disputable gender who absconded with a couple thousand dollars’ worth of Read More