Here's one way to deal with the recession: former UBS banker Jorge Mora has traded in advising the likes of Steve Schwarzman's Blackstone Group to run Italian Wine Merchants on East 16th Street. He's also starting the "Bottled Asset Fund, "which will invest in blue chip wines in inefficient markets." [WSJ/Deal Journal]
It's the kind of story with all the ingredients for a great movie: a 30-year-old woman from Montana has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft, which she undertook in order to attend Columbia University and, says her attorney, "escape a painful past." How intriguing. Since 2001 Esther Elizabeth Reed had juggled 6 different identities, and variously claimed to be a chess champion and in the witness protection program. She got into Columbia with a genuine SAT score of 1400 and by using the identity of a missing woman from North Carolina, whose disappearance investigators "don't think" Reed was connected to. Well, in the film she will be! And she won't face 47 years in jail either, but elude capture by always staying one step ahead of the feds.
Don't mess with the Mud Truck. The coffee outfit that started out of an old Con Ed utility truck in 2001 and has since earned iconic status downtown (and branched out with a café, line of coffee, and location at Kiehl's) has filed suit against Muud, which sells a line of canned coffee beverages. According to the lawsuit filed in federal court last week, Mud first became aware of Muud last December and instructed Muud's parent company, Underground Beverage Brands, and its founder, Matthew Marini, to stop using the confusingly similar brand name. Muud initially agreed to change its name, then asked permission to license the Mud name, and finally tried to give Mud the ol' run-around and trademark the name "Muud." Now the husband and wife team who founded Mud, Greg Northrop and Nina Kay Berott, have fired back. They're suing Muud for trademark infringement and unfair competition (among other things), and have asked the court to force Muud to turn over any profits from their line as well as hand over damages. (This isn't the first time they've had to deal with brand confusion; late last year, a "Love Truck" made brief appearances around town.) After the jump, the entirety of Mud's case against Muud.
Look who's started blogging over at the Huffington Post: It's Kate Schelter, ubiquitous fashion/social person whose greatest claim to fame is once having been accused of responsibility for the late, great Socialite Rank. Schelter details the Top 6 shoe trends for fall. But, naturally, she finds space to include a pic of herself, too. [HuffPo]
Damon Dash and Rachel Roy may be darlings on the hip hop and fashion scenes, but keeping up appearances doesn't come cheap. And it looks like the couple overextended themselves a wee bit in 2006 when they took out a $7.3 million mortgage to cover two Tribeca properties—a two-floor loft in the Atalanta building at 25 North Moore Street and a spread in the Sugar Warehouse at 79 Laight Street. They reportedly stopped paying their $78,504-a-month mortgage payments in January. Now Eastern Savings Bank has filed suit against the couple to recoup the money (along with $10,000 in late fees), which means they could be facing a possible foreclosure if they can't come up with the cash. After the jump, you can look over the mortgage that got Dash and Roy into this mess.
Venture capitalist Fred Wilson turns 47 today, but he beat us to it and already announced the news on his blog. Other people celebrating today: Today's Al Roker is turning 54. Connie Chung is 62. CBS 2 morning anchor Maurice DuBois is 43. Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst is 38. Former presidential candidate (and Texas congressman) Ron Paul is turning 73. And the Tony-winning actress Joan Allen is 52.
Those fancy condos at 100 Eleventh Avenue, the building that was designed by Jean Nouvel and attracted such high-profile buyers as Blackstone's new CFO Laurence Tosi and fashion photographer Mario Testino? Bad news. The development firm behind the building is now "under the gun to refinance its construction loan in the midst of pouring concrete, or it risks the possibility of having to halt work next month." [WSJ]
Mayor Bloomberg has revealed that he plans to explore putting wind turbines on top of bridges and skyscrapers in order to develop sources of renewable energy in the city. Bloomberg outlined the plan during a speech in Las Vegas on Tuesday night: "He later evoked the image of the Statue of Liberty's torch, saying he imagined it one day "powered by an ocean wind farm." If the city needs an entire wind farm just to power the bulb in Lady Liberty's outstretched arm, that doesn't bode too well, if you ask us. In any event, since Bloomberg said that both private and public businesses will be asked to participate, we look forward to seeing a windmill planted atop the Bloomberg building in Midtown. Although we should probably also take note of the Times' cautionary closing: "Mr. Bloomberg is known for introducing ambitious proposals that later collapse, as did his congestion-pricing plan for Manhattan." Especially as he only has 500 days to get it done.
Thompson LES, the latest addition to Jason Pomeranc’s hotel franchise, recently opened its shiny doors. (Well, prematurely half-opened: Before you book a room or head over for a drink, bear in mind that the pool, outdoor bar, and restaurant are still under construction.) The luxe lodge's rooms are equipped with mini-bars stocked by Dean and Deluca, Sferra linens, and Frette robes. But most importantly, guests won't be offended by badly-dressed staff, thanks to their Rogan Gregory-designed uniforms. But Gregory, who collaborated with Bono on the eco-friendly clothing line Edun, is far from the first designer to cash in by dressing the help. Employees at other swanky hotels, waitstaff at restaurants, athletes, and even the Boy Scouts can boast of high-end names on their uniforms' labels. For example:
In case guzzling down cups of coffee and cans of Diet Coke or Red Bull just doesn't deliver enough caffeine to your bloodstream, manufacturers are now considerately adding caffeine to food: As well as the supercharged versions of gum, candy and even instant oatmeal that are available, a company has introduced Engobi, the world's first "caffeine infused munchie." As Slate reporter Mason Currey discovers, Engobi is a sugary puff whose packaging promises to help you "to get wired. I mean really wired."
In a move that flies in the face of everything that movies have taught us about university administrators, a coalition of college presidents is campaigning to have the drinking age reduced from 21 to 18. Notably absent from the list of signatories: the presidents of 19 of the Princeton Review's top 20 party schools. Class of 2013, expect a funnel and a ping-pong ball in your admission package! [NYDN]
