cityfile

Ali Wise Returns to Fashion Week

cityfile · 09/14/09 10:03AM

Ali Wise, the socialite/ex-Dolce & Gabanna publicist accused of hacking into the voicemail of interior designer Nina Freudenberger, hasn't been completely MIA since her arrest back in July. But she has been keeping a lower profile in recent weeks, supposedly because she's been looking to "protect her supportive parents from public humiliation," according to Page Six magazine. She made an exception on Friday, though, when she turned up at the Fashion Week show of her good friend Charlotte Ronson hidden behind dark sunglasses. (Somewhat ironically, she held up a copy of The Daily with the headline "How You Cope!" for a passing photographer.) A couple of photos of Wise's return to Fashion Week below:

Spotted

cityfile · 09/14/09 09:25AM

John Mayer leaving his building ... Sean Penn getting out of an SUV with model Jessica White ... Sarah Jessica Parker leaving the gym ... Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen holding hands in Nolita ... Mena Suvari walking until an umbrella ... Calvin Klein and Ross Bleckner eating at Bar Pitti ... Miranda Kerr getting out of an SUV with her puppy ... ... Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts pushing a stroller in the East Village ... Daniel Craig signing autographs outside his Broadway show ... Mischa Barton leaving Gemma on the Bowery ... Charlize Theron walking with Stuart Townsend ... Justin Timberlake leaving the Jay-Z concert, and signing autographs for fans at the US Open over the weekend ... Nigel Barker walking with his wife and daughter in the West Village ... Alessandra Ambrosio getting out of an SUV ... Matt Dillion at Da Silvano ... photographer Bruce Weber walking on Bleecker Street ... Kelly Rutherford carrying her son near Bryant Park ... Jessica Stam walking in the West Village ... and Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr leaving the Gramercy Park Hotel.

For Sale: The Lehman One-Year Anniversary 'Special'

cityfile · 09/14/09 08:30AM

It's been a year since Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, an event that rocked the financial markets around the world, unleashed a wave of panic, and changed Wall Street forever. Did you think the merchants of Lehman memorabilia on Ebay would miss out on this priceless opportunity to offer up "one-year anniversary specials" of Lehman-branded junk? Of course they wouldn't.

Ashley Dupre Still Has Some Shit to Get Together

cityfile · 09/14/09 07:49AM

In an effort to redeem her reputation and prove to the world that she no longer has any interest in profiting off her natural assets, Ashley Dupre did what most people would do in the same situation: She posed for a Post fashion shoot dressed in a tight bikini, heels, and fur coat. But don't assume Dupre's life doesn't have less glamorous moments from time to time:

Schwarzman Cuts Price, Bundchen Re-Lists Penthouse

cityfile · 09/14/09 07:20AM

• That was quick. Steve Schwarzman, the billionaire Blackstone Group co-founder who listed his former digs in East Hampton last month for $7.2 million, has already dropped the price. The home is now listed for $6.75 million. [Curbed, BHS]
Gisele Bundchen isn't just trying to sell her Barrow Street townhouse. The supermodel and mom-to-be has also re-listed her triplex penthouse at 347 West 11th Street, which has been on and off the market for two years now. The 1,700-square-foot apartment, which hit the market for $10.9 million back in 2007, is now listed with PDE's Raphael De Niro for $4.5 million. [NYT, PDE]

Happy Birthday

cityfile · 09/14/09 06:42AM

The man to blame/credit for turning the city into one big set for the new Sex and the City movie is celebrating his birthday today: SATC director/producer Michael Patrick King is 55. Singer/professional trainwreck Amy Winehouse is 26. The rapper Nas is 36. John Gutfreund, famed '80s financier and Mike Bloomberg's old boss, is 80. Tyler Perry is turning 40. Renowned architect Renzo Piano is 72. Model Carmen Kass is turning 31. Actress Faith Ford is 45. Dan Cortese is turning 42. Actress Melissa Leo turns 49. And Ashley Roberts of the Pussycat Dolls is 28.

Mischa Barton Restrained, Kanye West Unleashed

cityfile · 09/14/09 06:04AM

• Poor Mischa Barton hasn't been having much fun since she arrived in NYC a few weeks ago. She says she's been "ordered to stay away from booze, boys and bad behavior following her brief hospitalization this summer." She's been allowed one vice, though: "All I can do is smoke cigarettes," she says. [P6]
• Chace Crawford and Bar Refaeli were spotted getting cozy on Friday night at 1Oak. [NYDN]
• Ashley Dupre has a new single out. She also tells the Post in an "exclusive interview and fashion shoot" that she wants to get married, have "at least two children," and be happy forever after. [NYP]
• As you've undoubtedly seen/heard by now, Kanye West stormed the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards to interrupt Taylor Swift as she was accepting her award for Best Female Video. [NYDN, People, NYP]

Tips

cityfile · 09/11/09 06:47PM

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Eating & Drinking: Friday Edition

cityfile · 09/11/09 03:30PM

Jonathan Benno, Per Se's acclaimed chef de cuisine, has confirmed his plans to move on: He'll be part-owner and executive chef at a new (and as-yet unnamed) restaurant under construction in the plaza of Lincoln Center. [NYT]
• Has Minetta Tavern stopped accepting reservations from people who don't happen to be close, personal friends of owner Keith McNally? [GS, Eater]
• If you don't have a credit or debit card, don't go to Commerce. As noted previously, it's one of the only NYC eateries where cash isn't welcome. [WSJ]
• The '21' Club auctions off 640 rare bottles of wine at Christie's tomorrow. [BN]
• Yet another cupcake bakery chain is planning to open its doors in NYC. [VV]

Fashion Week Takes a Turn For the Creepy

cityfile · 09/11/09 03:03PM

Lizzie Grubman appears to have landed a hot new PR client: Vince Shlomi, the man better known as Vince the ShamWow guy (and someone who, like Lizzie, has faced his share of high-profile legal trouble in the past: As you may recall, Vince was arrested earlier this year for beating up a hooker in a Miami hotel room.) Over the summer, Shlomi said he was planning to branch out with a swimwear line, which probably explains why he attended Fashion Week shows both yesterday and today accompanied by Grubman (and managed to leer at the models on the runway both times). But if anyone can redeem the dishrag/blender huckster and ex-Scientologist and turn him into a hot ticket on fashion scene, it's probably Grubman! A couple of additional photos of Lizzie and her new BFF (and a special bonus!) below.

The 9/11 Anniversary, President Obama & Twitter

cityfile · 09/11/09 01:49PM

• Today's awkward cable moments: CNN reported this morning that the Coast Guard opened fire on a boat on the Potomoc. (Not true.) And the geniuses at MSNBC thought it would be a really neat idea to once again commemorate 9/11 by re-airing its coverage from the fateful morning. Thanks, guys.
• Fran Drescher is in discussions to host a Fox News show. No joke. [USN]
• President Obama sits down with Steve Kroft on Sunday's 60 Minutes. [CBS]
• A long list of media figures turned out for Dominick Dunne's memorial service yesterday at Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer on the UES. [NYT, WWD]
Anna Wintour is "bigger than ever," at least according to Tina Brown. [TDB]
• Obits: Larry Gelbart, the man who developed the TV series MASH and co-wrote Tootsie, is dead at 81. And Frank Batten Sr., the man responsible for bringing the Weather Channel into the world, is dead at 82.
• As if Twitter wasn't inundated with enough self-promotion as it is, the company now says it plans to start accepting advertising. [Reuters]

Kelly Bensimon: Real Housewife, Skin Care Expert

cityfile · 09/11/09 12:57PM

Just when you thought another person couldn't get in on all the Gossip Girl action, designer Anna Sui unveiled a line for Target inspired by none other than Gossip Girl. On Wednesday evening, Target previewed the collection at a Soho townhouse-turned-pop-up shop for a group of Anna's friends, GG cast members like Blake Lively, Taylor Momsen, Michelle Trachtenberg, Penn Badgley and Jessica Szohr, members of the press, and assorted boldfaced names. Cityfile correspondent Douglas Marshall caught up with Real Housewives of New York City star Kelly Killoren Bensimon to chat about Gossip Girl and other important stuff like preparing for Fashion Week and achieving the perfect tan.

The Boasters Are Back

cityfile · 09/11/09 12:12PM

One more sign that the city's real estate market is slowly recovering: Apparently, it's once again okay to brag about the ridiculously expensive apartment you just purchased. Just as long as you scored a sweet discount. "For a while it looked like trophy properties might turn into white elephants," says Upper East Side real estate power power player Kirk Henckels. "It was all socially unacceptable at some point. You couldn't go to a cocktail party and say you just bought a $25 million apartment. Now you can—as long as you got 30 percent off." Duly noted! [WSJ via Curbed]

Daffy's Would Like You To Laugh at NYC's Most Unfortunate

cityfile · 09/11/09 10:53AM

Remember the Daffy's apartment contest? A few weeks ago, the discount clothing chain announced that it planned to give one lucky New Yorker a $7,000-a-month apartment rental for $700 a month. Contestants had to record a 30-second video explaining why they deserved the pad; Daffy's would pick the best entries and ask the public to select a winner.

A Changing of the Guard at Morgan Stanley

cityfile · 09/11/09 10:29AM

John Mack announced plans to step down as Morgan Stanley's CEO at the end of the year. He'll won't be departing the bank entirely: Mack will become Morgan's chairman on January 1, and the chief executive role will be handed over to James Gorman, the former McKinsey consultant and Merrill Lynch exec who joined Morgan Stanley four years ago and now heads up the firm's brokerage business. Mack has been making plans to retire long before the financial crisis battered the bank. But the events of the past year certainly played a role in the change in power, and what sort of legacy Mack will leave behind remains an open question.

Spotted

cityfile · 09/11/09 09:32AM

Gwen Stefani getting out of an SUV in the meatpacking district ... John Mayer walking in SoHo ... Adam Levine and girlfriend Angela Bellotte going through security at JFK ... Steven Spielberg walking with wife Kate Capshaw in SoHo ... Lindsay Lohan leaving the Bowery Hotel, and later changing her shirt on the street in SoHo ... Ed Burns hanging out in SoHo ... Ashton Kutcher arriving at his hotel ... Venus Williams walking with her mom in front of Bloomingdale's ... Colin Powell leaving his hotel ... Smokey Robinson walking by himself ... Rachel Zoe getting out of a car in front of her hotel ... Shia LaBeouf standing with Frank Langella and Oliver Stone on the set of Wall Street 2 in Central Park ... and Rihanna sitting in an SUV in front of Soho House.

Tory Burch Is Getting Company

cityfile · 09/11/09 08:43AM

Remember a couple weeks back when Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi said he planned to pitch a tent in New Jersey during his upcoming trip to New York for the opening session of the UN General Assembly? But then a series of protests (and an intervention by Gov. Corzine) forced him to change his plans? It now looks like he's made other arrangements.

Gisele Wants Out on Barrow Street

cityfile · 09/11/09 08:00AM

Gisele Bundchen red-brick townhouse in the West Village is up for sale. The supermodel paid $5.8 million for 42 Barrow Street in 2005. (She bought the home under the name Casa Vida LLC; "Vida" also happens to be the name of her dog.) Now it's been listed with Prudential Douglas Elliman's Raphael De Niro for $13.95 million. [NYO]
• Eve Weinstein, the ex-wife of producer Harvey Weinstein, has gone into contract to sell her sixth-floor apartment at 1133 Fifth. The four-bedroom spread, which first hit the market in December 2008 for $13.5 million, had been listed most recently for $11.9 million. [Cityfile, Sotheby's]