Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Profile: Sean Parker














Played by Justin Timberlake in "The Social Network" and considered all-around nerd/player/innovator, Sean Parker was profiled in Forbes magazine in their 400 Richest issue. The one time co-founder of Napster and "agent of disruption" during the rise of Facebook, Parker proves an enigmatic and enlightening subject.

Check it out HERE.

Profile: Jean Paul Gaultier















The New Yorker fashion and style issue. Jean Paul Gaultier. In the news recently for dissing Anna Wintour.

Check out the profile HERE.

Amazing Bullet Proof Clothing












The New Yorker published this really cool article on a Colombian company that manufactures bullet-proof garments and specializes in advancing the technology in ways that make them more comfortable and look more like real clothing.

Check it out HERE. (Password required.)

Crazy YouTube video of the owner (Miguel Caballero) testing it out.

Who Does Daphne Guinness Think She Is?





















Apparently someone very special. Heiress to the Guinness fortune (beer) she has played muse to many a fashion designer over the years - most recently the late Alexander McQueen - and is a style icon herself (she dresses like Lady Gaga). Jacob Bernstein profiled Guinness recently in Newsweek in time for a show of her own at FIT. In addition, the New Yorker, in their recent style & fashion issue also profiled Guinness and online offered a peek into her life in a BTS video.



Check out the Newsweek article HERE.
See the New Yorker article HERE. (Password required.)
More on Guinness HERE.

The Bombastic Franca Sozzani - EIC Italian Vogue














Check out this short article on Italian Vogue editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani from Newsweek a few weeks ago. Written by Jacob Bernstein (new FB friend) who I just discovered is the son of Nora Ephron and Carl Bernstein (of Woodward &). Almost as influential as Anna Wintour of American Vogue, Sozzani embodies the brand but makes it her own.

Link to the article HERE.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Profile: Man United's Sir Alex Furguson and Squad






































Fergie Time!

T the NYTimes fashion and style magazine had a cool feature on Manchester United head coach Sir Alex Furguson. It also featured shots of some members of the team in 2011 fall clothing.

Check it out HERE.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Profile: Timothy Ferriss



















I read this ridiculous article in the New Yorker a few weeks ago profiling Silion Valley self-help guru Tim Ferriss (4-hour Work Week, Escape 9-5, etc.) This guy seems like a tool but has found his niche and is making good money doing it.

Check out HERE.
More on Ferriss HERE.

Profile: Karl Lagerfeld














From troubled childhood to "boy prince of fashion." NYMag profiles Karl Lagerfeld - an article I found online that they first published in 2006.

Check it out HERE.

The World's Most Ingenious Thief?
















Once again Wired (April 2010) has a great heist story, this time detailing an account of Gerald Blanchard's theft of the Koechert Diamond Pearl (aka Sisi Star) from a castle in Vienna.

Check it out HERE.

Sony Banks on 3D















Wired's April 2010 issue had an interesting article on the CEO of Sony, Howard Stringer, and his quest to reclaim greatness for the storied company. He's banking on 3D technology. Good luck because I don't think that's a smart move.

Check it out HERE.

Brazilian Party - Boulud and Muniz

















Who knew Daniel Boulud had a passion for Brazilian food? Check out a great article from Food & Wine's April 2010 issue featuring Boulud's collaboration with São Paolo-raised artist Vik Muniz. "Muniz uses unconventional materials to create temporary artworks, which he then photographs for posterity. His favorite medium? Food."

Check it out HERE.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Kitchen Table of the Future

New York Times R&D lab puts out a video demo of a huge interactive screen - the potential is enormous. Thanks Gizmodo.

Check it out below:


New York Times R&D Lab: The kitchen table of the Future from Nieman Journalism Lab on Vimeo.


Original Gizmodo post HERE.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The New Barney's














NYMag takes us into the world of famed NYC retailer Barney's and profiles the new management team in place to reinvent the store and improve the business.

Check it out HERE.

The New York Times Isn't Dead





































So says NYMag in their account of what went into the decision to raise a paywall on the NYTimes website. The article discusses publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr., current and future managing editors Bill Keller and Jill Abramson as well as the general health of the newspaper industry.

Check it out HERE.

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blanfein - Wisecracker














Check out NYMag's profile of Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein. Brooklyn boy rises to the top of one of the biggest and most controversial investment bank of our time.

Article can be found HERE.

Who is China Machado?




















As featured in NYMag's recent fall fashion issue, China Machado (born Noelie Dasouza Machado) was a model in the 50's and 60's discovered by famed photographer Richard Avedon and among the first non-Caucasians to be featured in high profile fashion magazines at the time. I found the article interesting because of her background (her parents are from Portugal and Hong Kong) and because she's a polyglot:

"Growing up in Shanghai’s wealthy French Concession, Machado spoke French in the streets, Portuguese at home, and Chinese to the servants." Cool.

Check out the profile HERE.
More on Avedon HERE.

Spotify Rocks the Music World














Interesting BusinessWeek article on Daniel Ek, creator of Spotify. Huge in Europe (started in Sweden), it finally launched in the U.S. a few months ago.

Check it out HERE.

Profile: Valentino & Giammetti






















A few years ago, Vanity Fair contributing editor Matt Tyrnauer directed a film about the designer Valentino Garavani and his partner (in all senses) Giancarlo Giammetti. An inside look at the operations of the esteemed maison "Valentino: the Last Emperor" was a critical success. The writer's interest in this subject was solidified even earlier - case in point a 2004 profile in VF.

Check it out HERE.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Who Doesn't Love a Little Corporate Intrigue?















Check out Fortune's account of the coup within Pfizer. The article addresses whether "CEO Jeff Kindler was pushed out because he was shaking up the dysfunctional pharma giant or becuase he was an ineffective leader." The head of HR had access to the company chopper! Nuts.

Article can be found HERE.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Setting the Bar High in Las Vegas - City Center















Check out this short article from WSJ. Magazine on the newish City Center complex in Las Vegas operated by the MGM Mirage company. The feature mentions CEO Jim Murren and talks of the major architectural stars (Daniel Libeskind, Norman Foster, Cesar Pelli, etc.) involved in the design of the various buildings and how the entire project was built with the environment in mind.

Will it be successful or crater due to poor timing and the awful economy? Who knows; only time will tell. For now, you can marvel at these statement buildings from afar.

Check it out HERE.

If I Ever Had a Hacienda...















...I'd want it to look like this.

WSJ. Magazine takes us on a tour of an amazing hacienda (Spanish-style estate) that belongs to Mitchell Denburg - esteemed American photographer and rug designer who built the property from scratch. He found himself drawn to the unpromising patch of land beneath a dormant volcano in Antigua, Guatemala and envisioned the amazing property.

Check out the article with great photos HERE.

The Story of J.Crew - Profiles of Mickey Drexler and Jenna Lyons


















WSJ. Magazine's June 2010 cover story featured Mickey Drexler, CEO of J.Crew. The article profiled the rise of one of the most successful clothing companies in America and detailed his own personal ascension to the top of the company. With previous stints at Gap and Apple, Drexler is credited with turning around J.Crew's fortunes and together with creative director Jenna Lyons making the company into one of the most desired brands.

Coincidentally, NYMag for their September Fashion issue just recently published a profile of Lyons featuring her quirky and no-nonsense style.

Check out the Drexler profile at WSJ. Magazine HERE.
The NYMag profile of Jenna Lyons can be found HERE.

More on Drexler HERE with a link to a 2002 article about him from NYMag HERE.

Gelato in Crazy Flavors















It's been a trend lately in the world of gourmet ice cream to introduce some out-there flavors. Gelato companies all over the city and country are looking to build buzz and attract customers with some crazy ingredients like avocado, olive oil, bacon, beer, etc. WSJ. Magazine profiles Il Laboratorio del Gelato specializing in just that.

Check out the feature HERE.

Thom Browne Interview




















WSJ. Magazine interviews designer Thom Brown, known for his short-cropped pants.

Check it out HERE.
More on Browne HERE.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

WSJ. Magazine - Mad Men Costume Czarina















I officially decided that WSJ. Magazine is awesome. As mentioned in an earlier post WSJ. is an upscale luxury magazine published by the Wall Street Journal. Edited by Deborah Needleman (currently married to Jacob Weisberg of the Slate group, whom I just had the pleasure of meeting in person a few weeks ago), the magazine publishes quarterly and focuses on much of what I like to write about here: travel, food, design, etc.

In their June 2010 issue, a few articles caught my eye and I'll be mentioning them in subsequent posts. The first is a feature on Janie Bryant, the current costume designer on the critically-acclaimed AMC show "Mad Men" (also a personal favorite.) As anyone who watches the show (or wasn't born under a rock) knows, Matthew Weiner, the series creator, has been credited with recreating the 1960's down to every last detail - particularly with the set design and costuming.

Janie Bryant is the woman behind the man who makes it all happen. The story discusses her inspiration, personal history and how she rose to the position she now fills so well. Interestingly, it has Bryant talking about Weiner as well as Weiner's take on Bryant.

Check it out HERE.
More info on WSJ. Magazine HERE.

Danny Meyer - Restaurant Emperor













No one embodies enthusiasm and passion for restauranting (I made that up) more than Danny Meyer. Head of the Union Square Hospitality Group and owns/operates some of the best and most high-profile dining experiences in New York City and abroad. Among the growing list is: Eleven Madison Park, Gramery Tavern, Shake Shack, Maialino, Untitled, Blue Smoke, etc.

He is famous for being approachable while maintaining the highest standards and truly believes that gracious hospitality is at the core of what makes him successful. He prides himself of franchising the "HQ" (hospitality quotient) that runs consistently through his dining establishments and has pefected it over the years.

Recently, the NYTimes Magazine did a great profile discussing his family history (his father was a hotelier) and his future (expansions to Dubai, etc.). Check it out HERE.

More info on Danny HERE.