Yeah, guess what – it’s still Fashion Week.
The Ford Models party at Rose Bar
**With thanks to Ricardo Garcia
"eew, that’s gabriel-snyder" [UPDATE]
Right now, most of you are likely asking, "Who the hell is Gabriel Snyder?" Well, let me remind you!
Gabriel Snyder is the former managing editor of a website called Gawker. As you may or may not realize, PX This has a long, long, sordid history with Gawker. Well, to make a lengthy story short: Our founder, Abbe Diaz, was once a fan of Gawker. She was an early advertiser with them, a longtime avid, insightful "commenter" and even the subject of several of Gawker’s blog posts. Then one day, Gabriel Snyder effectively censored Abbe Diaz’s opinion by "banning" her without just cause or valid explanation, in a manner contrary and hypocritical to Gawker’s ostensible comment/discussion system.
This just in: Gabriel Snyder has been replaced as managing editor of Gawker.
I know what you’re thinking – "That’s so amazing, Dick Johnson! You’re so awesome!" [Thank you!]
But, you’re also thinking, "Really, though, who gives a shit about that dweeb? We actually don’t really care."
Yes, I know, I see your point. But, there is another point I wanted to make:
See the "[UPDATE]" in the title of this post up top?
Well, that’s how you do an update, you fucking scumbags.
For more on this story, please read PX Me – Coming soon in the Spring of 2012
Yup, it’s Fashion Week all week.
GQ and the CFDA at the "Best New Menswear Designers" for 2010 Celebration – by Natalie Kates for stylecurator.com
Yup, it’s Fashion Week.
The Paradise Garage collection by Patricia Field with the Keith Haring Foundation – hosted by Susanne Bartsch and Kenny Kenny
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You Read more »
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
oh was there always access from the bar to the dining room? i didn’t notice that before.
Please rate the Bar:
spacious, clean. a little cold though— both figuratively and literally. the bartenders are nice enough, but they do have a pretty awkward and cumbersome set-up here. that shit would drive me crazy.
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
overall? i’d say… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the Dining Room:
same as the bar. and… well… it is a hotel. hotels tend to do things differently. i’m sure they have their reasons.
Please rate the BOH:
it’s very good. but umm… hmm… personally i predict they’re going to have some difficulties somewhere in the forseeable future… ?
How was the staff?
the front desk needs better training. the bartenders are good, but seem to still need more time with the POS system. the runners are adept. and they have at least one manager who’s pretty on the ball.
don’t know about the waitstaff— to me, the dining room is uninviting enough that i chose to dine at the bar on both my visits.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
the ciabatta with fonduta and poached egg, the pork belly, the rock shrimp, balsamic spare ribs, black truffle risotto, fried chicken, and truffle cabbage, and it was all very impressive (particularly on my first visit), especially because i really hated Scarpetta. fascinating, yes?
i’m curious to see how it plays out. i would venture so far as to say Faustina is my new favorite restaurant since Grayz. the only other restaurant i liked as much as Grayz was Maze (at GordonRamsay’s@theLondon). but as we alls know now, the NY Times hated chef de cuisine neil-ferguson at GordonRamsay but loooved him at Allen&Delancey (where poor neil-ferguson also didn’t last very long). conversely, i loved Maze, but despised Allen&Delancey. the NY Times also hated Grayz, which i loved— but loooved Scarpetta, which i detested.
so haa now with Faustina, i’m dying to see whether the NY Times food/restaurant critic bullshit is all just politics as i suspect, or really is just plain ole regular stupidity after all.
What did you like?
the menu, the food. the location.
What did you dislike?
uh… well… truth be told, scott-conant has always just kinda rubbed me the wrong way. his persona, i mean; i’ve never actually met him. so maybe i disliked the fact he disproved my hypothesis that he sucks? just kidding.
What was your last impression?
i’m glad i live close by.
Would you come back?
already have. and yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
thanks, you will.
PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW
Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of lucks[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !
What was your first impression?
Swanky.
Please rate the Bar:
Interesting set-up. Clean, spacious, elegant. An army of a staff (for now, anyway).
Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Not generally one for cocktails, but couldn’t resist the enthusiastic sales pitch. Thoughtful cocktail list, brief but expertly crafted. Drinks are well-made, with fresh ingredients and a proficient hand.
Spent so long discussing the cocktail list, completely forgot to look at the wine list.
Please rate the Dining Room:
Grand and commodious, but somewhat austere. Very Las Vegas.
Please rate the BOH:
The BOH is in the FOH. I think. For such a showy, opulent kitchen, are they even cooking on that line? It’s oddly pristine. And awfully quiet.
How was the staff?
Oh, they try so hard. So hard. I don’t think I’ve ever hoped for a restaurant to succeed more; that’s how hard they try.
They’ll learn to relax over time, I assume.
What did you eat?/ How was the food?
I had the Seasonal Mushrooms, Romaine Lettuce salad, the Braised Veal Cheek and the Prime New York Steak, and they were all rather disappointing. Trite presentation, prosaic execution, overcooked, undercooked, you name it; there it was. There’s a lot of great potential here, though. I hope they fix it— quickly. As I said, I really want them to do better.
What did you like?
The staff (except for possibly the first hostess in the main foyer with the clipboard). They’re eager and enthusiastic but a little displaced.
What did you dislike?
Sadly, the food.
What was your last impression?
I’m crossing my fingers for them.
Would you come back?
Yes. I’ll give them some time to settle in, but— yes.
Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you and best of luck.
Do you like pictures? Well, then you might appreciate the upcoming, soon-to-be-released, PX This – the Revised Edition
(followed closely by the release of its sequel, PX This Too).
With pictures!
But, not this one of "Tickle Me" Elmo perched atop abbe diaz’s Kawasaki Ninja 600R at the former Geld Iaz flagship boutique— it didn’t make the cut. Boo!
But, now you can see it here! Yay!
:)
See also (earlier):
• Remembering the Limelight [an excerpt from PX This – the Revised Edition]
• In Memoriam: Keith A. Glascoe [ an excerpt from PX This – the Revised Edition]
= "personne extraordinaire"