cityfile

Spotted

cityfile · 07/06/09 08:37AM

Keri Russell taking son River to the park ... Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld watching a Mets game at Citi Field with their kids ... Liv Tyler getting in an SUV outside her apartment ... Nicole Kidman shooting scenes for her new movie in Queens ... Anne Hathaway walking downtown with boyfriend Adam Shulman ... Kate Hudson walking under an umbrella in the Village ... Heidi Klum playing with her kids at a playground on Bleecker Street ... Robert Pattinson locking up a bike on the set of his new movie ... and Alex Rodriguez leaving his apartment building with a family friend.

Tell Lloyd Blankfein How You Really Feel

cityfile · 07/06/09 08:31AM

If you're in the financial district today and you have some time to spare, artist Geoffrey Raymond is inviting the public to scribble on his latest masterpiece—a portrait of Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein—in the alley behind 85 Broad Street during lunch. Sharpies will be provided, as usual. [Dealbreaker, previously]

Lydia Hearst: So Much Smarter Than You Imagined

cityfile · 07/06/09 08:14AM

You probably thought Lydia Hearst spent her days and nights flitting from party to party and posing nude for European magazines, didn't you? Well, it turns out the oft-nude publishing heiress is pretty up to speed on economic matters as well. Hearst, who appears on the cover of the new issue of Social Life magazine, gave the mag a surprisingly sophisticated answer when she asked what if there was anything in the news that has "piqued" her interest as of late:

Miracle on 78th St: Marisa Noel Brown Finds a Buyer

cityfile · 07/06/09 07:30AM

That was quick! Marisa Noel Brown, the youngest daughter of disgraced hedge fund manager Walter Noel, and her husband Matt Brown, have found a buyer for their townhouse at 12 East 78th Street. The 20-foot-wide manse, which was officially listed for $12 million in May, went into contract late last week. No word yet on what the buyer agreed to pay for it, although it's probably substantially less than what the couple was hoping to get given how desperate they were to unload the property quickly. (It's almost certain they took a big loss on the sale: The couple purchased the home for $13.5 million in January 2008.) No word yet on who the buyer is either, although whoever it is will probably need to spend quite a bit of cash making the home inhabitable. Demolition work had just been completed on the six-story brownstone when the Noel family became embroiled in the Bernie Madoff scandal and the couple elected to put it up for sale. Update: A source "close to Ms. Noel Brown" tells the Observer that the price was $9.75 million. [Cityfile, Stribling]

Happy Birthday

cityfile · 07/06/09 06:29AM

50 Cent turns 34 today. George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, is turning 63. Nancy Reagan is 88. Sylvester Stallone is turning 63. Actor Geoffrey Rush is 58. Former Mets manager Willie Randolph turns 55. Ex-Barneys CEO Howard Socol is 64. Brazilian model Caroline Trentini is turning 22. Robin Antin, the Pussycat Dolls founder and sister of hairstylist Jonathan Antin, is 48. And the Dalai Lama turns 74 today.

Pattinson's Problem, Another Crisis For Courtney Love

cityfile · 07/06/09 06:06AM

• Robert Pattinson has been in NYC shooting his new movie, Remember Me, but he's been so overwhelmed by the out-of-control teenage fans who track his every move, he'd really like to return home to the U.K. [NYDN]
• Chris Brown's run-in with Rihanna isn't putting a damper on his social life: He was spotted "locking lips" with Amber Rose, Kanye West's ex, at Diddy's annual White Party this past weekend. Rose's career is picking up too: She's been signed by Ford Models. [NYDN, P6]
• Courtney Love supposedly trashed her room at the Inn on Irving Place when she stayed there a couple of weeks ago, leaving behind dirty needles, used feminine hygiene products, and a flooded floor. [P6]
• Today in Michael Jackson-related news: His memorial is scheduled for tomorrow and a gazillion fans are expected to show up; a battle over his will appears to be brewing; and Debbie Rowe flipped out when the paparazzi caught up with her outside a Chinese restaurant yesterday. [CBS, ABC, TMZ, TMZ]
• You may be hearing more from Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's baby daddy. He's shopping a book and is in talks to appear in a "docudrama." [NYM]
Jon Bon Jovi serenaded diners at the Blue Parrot, the Mexican spot in East Hampton that he co-owns. [P6, HuffPo]

Happy Fourth!

cityfile · 07/02/09 04:31PM

We're off tomorrow for the long weekend. Have a very happy Fourth of July. In the meantime, feel free to drop us a line if you have any tips or comments. We'll see you back here next week.

Eating & Drinking: Thursday Edition

cityfile · 07/02/09 03:58PM

• After four decades on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 12th Street, beloved neighborhood diner Joe Jr.'s will be closing its doors on Sunday. [Eater, GS]
Sam Mason's Tailor, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, now reports it will close its dining room for the months of July and August. [Eater]
• More trouble for embattled restaurateur Ed "Jean-Luc" Kleefield: Madame Tong's in Southampton has been shuttered by the tax cops. [P6]
Martha, Yoko, and Regis are some of the celebs who have written letters of support on behalf of Jennifer Oz LeRoy and Tavern on the Green. [NYDN]
• The Mott, still slated to open next week, sounds like total mess. [GS]
• Places that cater picnics, should you be looking for that sort of thing. [AMNY]

Nic Cage Keeps It Classy

cityfile · 07/02/09 03:45PM

After testing out the waters ever so briefly last November, Nicolas Cage has put his five-bedroom apartment at the Olympic Tower back on the market for $9.75 million, reports the Observer's Max Abelson. Shag carpets and a gleaming black marble bathroom: How could anyone resist, really? [NYO]

Donatella's Most Vulnerable Victims

cityfile · 07/02/09 02:58PM

Donatella Versace graced New York City with her royal presence this week. The reason for her visit? She was here to preside at the opening of Art Unites, a program created in conjunction with the Whitney that is giving out art supplies to 1,400 seriously ill children around the world. The kids use the materials to make art work; their pieces then get turned into special edition Versace tote bags, which are sold to the public with the proceeds going back to non-profit. It's a fine cause, of course. But did event organizers really have to subject these sick kids to physical contact with Donatella? Haven't they been through enough as it is? A collection of unfortunate kids subjected to the Donatella's frightening embrace after the jump.

Ivy Supersonic Wants Justice

cityfile · 07/02/09 02:52PM

Dealbook has an update in the case of Ivy Supersonic, the "fashion designer, entertainer, publicist, promoter, event planner, and animated character designer" who was busted for bringing a "recording device" to Bernie Madoff's sentencing earlier this week. As suspected, she says she was planning to tape the proceedings for Howard Stern's radio show. (In fact, she tells reporter Zachery Kouwe that the "device" was a Blackberry Pearl that belonged to Robin Quivers.) She also reports that she's talking to her lawyers about whether she has a legal right to get the tape back, since it "could be worth $1 million." Best of luck with that, Ivy. [Dealbook, previously]

Trump vs. Trump

cityfile · 07/02/09 01:46PM

Were you aware there are two groups of real estate moguls with the last name Trump running around town and they're not even related? The Real Deal has the story on the "other Trumps"—Eddie Trump and his brother Jules—who not only have "no financial, philosophical or even familial ties to Donald Trump," they actually kind of despise one another, too. "The difference with Eddie and Jules is that they build their own buildings," explains an employee of the lesser-known Trumps who goes on to describe Donald as a "peddler." "They don't take a label and stick it on somebody else's product. Donald Trump isn't that involved in his projects. He comes down, makes three appearances, gets his commission and goes away." Eddie and Donald do seem to both enjoy posing with B-listy celebrities like Hayden Panettiere and CariDee English—and they both appear to be rather fond of lavender clothing—so if you inadvertently figured they were related, well, you're forgiven. [The Real Deal]

The Blade, Book Deals, CNBC's Blogger Battle

cityfile · 07/02/09 12:44PM

• The New York Blade, one of the two big gay and lesbian newspapers in New York City, has suspended publication and laid off most of its staff. [NYT]
• How many books can you possibly read about Bernie Madoff? Who knows, but there at least four books about him scheduled to hit stores this fall. [Crains]
• David Rohde, the New York Times reporter who was kidnapped in Afghanistan with his translator in November and released a couple of weeks ago, returned to the Times newsroom to a standing ovation yesterday. [NYT]
James Frey's young adult novel has been sold to HarperCollins. [NYT]
• Wonkette editor Ken Layne has sold a book to HarperCollins, too. [NYO]
• The battle between CNBC's Dennis Kneale and bloggers goes on. [Dealbreaker]

Bloomberg Sheds a Tear

cityfile · 07/02/09 12:08PM

We've seen Michael Bloomberg display his temper on numerous occasions over the past few months. Today he showed off his softer side when he turned "misty-eyed" at a naturalization ceremony: "After citing immigrants' contributions to American society and their appreciation of American freedom, the mayor concluded by saying, 'Whether you were born, seriously, in Palermo or Pakistan, Korea or Killarney, today you are Americans.' The last words of the sentence seemed to catch in Mr. Bloomberg's throat. His eyes moist, he quickly wrapped up his remarks, saying: 'Nothing anybody else can say. God bless.'"

David Patrick Columbia: Now Tweeting From the 10021

cityfile · 07/02/09 10:38AM

Big news from David Patrick Columbia today: The society chronicler and proprietor of New York Social Diary reports that he's now using Facebook and Twitter! "Twitter. I couldn't think of what to write. I'm a person who is rarely without a thought or consideration in his head, no matter where I am, no matter where I go. Yet with that little dumb distraction of a cell phone screen before me, I couldn't think of a damned thing to Twitter. Or Tweet." So what did he come up with? "Having Skippy's creamy peanut butter on an English muffin." This is going to be big. So please follow him here and please do it now. [NYSD]

Ruth Madoff Gets the Boot!

cityfile · 07/02/09 09:56AM

That was quick! Federal agents turned up at 133 East 64th Street just after noon today with a court order to seize the penthouse apartment belonging to Ruth and Bernie Madoff. "We've taken custody," a spokesman for the US Marshalls tells the Post. Taken custody? Does that mean a battering ram and tear gas were used? Not quite. Unfortunately, Ruth was not ushered out into the street in her bathrobe and forced to shuffle off into the distance in her slippers. She left sometime between last Friday—when she agreed to give up the apartment as part of a deal with the U.S. Atttorney's office—and today, and her lawyer points out that she "left voluntarily and in an orderly manner." And where is she now? An "undisclosed location." If you happen to spot her in your neighborhood, let us know. Your info might just earn you some serious cash. [NYP]

It's Good to Be at Goldman

cityfile · 07/02/09 09:47AM

There is good economic news to report, after all! But only if you work at Goldman Sachs (and maybe Morgan Stanley): "Based on analysts' earnings forecasts for 2009, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is on track to pay out as much as $20 billion this year, or about $700,000 per employee. That would be nearly double the firm's $363,000 average last year, and slightly higher than the $661,000 for the average Goldman employee in fiscal 2007." Now we just have to hope every Goldman employee blows his or her bonus buying a new apartment and the real estate market will be booming again in no time. [WSJ]

Graydon Carter Will (Not) Seat You Now

cityfile · 07/02/09 09:27AM

Most magazine editors spend their days discussing story ideas with writers and editors, reviewing copy, and deciding what pieces will appear in upcoming issues. Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter? He does that, too, but the part-time restaurateur also carves out a chunk of time every day to tend to the "daily process of populating the dining room" at Monkey Bar, a "choreography" he performs in conjunction with an associate editor at the magazine. (So, yes, while Condé Nast is currently laying off staffers, it's also pays one to manage the seating chart for Carter's little side project.) So how does Carter go about performing this pleasureless ("I'm like the guy with the sandbags") and clearly unhealthy task, one that's especially challenging since so many people want a reservation, the restaurant has been reduced to only accepting table requests by email?