Our much-vaunted, delightfully lecherous Gawker photog Nikola Tamindzic has launched a new photosite, Home of the Vain. It's no longer just nightlife photography! By way of introduction, he's showcasing never-before-seen half-naked photos of Josh and Emily, back when things were brighter. Josh frankly glistens, and Emily? Well, she always looks like a million bucks. (Meanwhile, Alex Balk lets us know that the best thing about his new job is the "respect I get from my co-workers.")

Former Gawker editor Joshua David Stein's Page Six Magazine story on the unhappy end of his not-quite-secret romantic relationship with former Gawker editor Emily Gould leaves neither of them looking particularly mature. It is, poetically, not available online. The best recap may be this one, from Karen, an "avid quilter" and "middle aged blogger." Former Gawker editor Alex Balk gives Barack Obama "the coveted Balk endorsement," because he hates baby boomers, dynasties, and women (j/k!). He also pens the ultimate Radar post. Former Gawker managing editor Choire Sicha interviewed Paulda Abdul, commented on the Stein/Gould affair via IM transcript, and started a band. Jessica Coen: still Tumblring. Update: The full story, with commentary, may be found here.

Joshua David Stein is back briefly to talk about Bravo's Top Chef whose third episode aired last night. Thrash metal chef Erik was unceremoniously kicked to the curb at the end of Top Chef last night and, for many of us watching at home, it was like watching an old dog with cancer and a gas problem put to sleep. It was sad. We saw it coming. We wondered what took so long. We were relieved that he no longer would have the opportunity to embarrass himself publicly. We cycled through shame and mourning and finally we switched channels and watched Rock of Love 2, a VH1 program in which blond fake-titted ex-Poison frontman Bret Michaels looks for love from a cesspool of blonde fake-titted women. And yeah, maybe this is a spoiler (sorry it's not after the jump) but no one can be surprised. Remember his nachos? He did however go out cursing wildly respected chef Rick Bayless which is awesome.

Last night, the streets of New York were deprived of their corduroy and tortoise-shell glasses as the literary Three 6 mafia gathered at Pravda for Harper's Annual Christmas Party. Gridskipper editor (and former Harper's intern) Joshua David Stein ventured into the thick of it with photog Tina Tyrell to document the wan depravity of it all. Be sure not to miss the special secret song inside: It reveals some fascinating secrets about Lewis Lapham's urinary habits.