Though Colorado-based Pretty Lights (known informally as Derek Vincent Smith) began his set at the Fillmore at Irving Plaza at 11 p.m. sharp, I per usual, rolled in a little late. But in my defense, I know what the electro whiz kid is capable of, and was certain he'd be dropping beats until the wee hours. And I was right: he and his live partner-in-crime, drum master Cory Eberhard, are human manifestations of the Energizer Bunny and delivered a lengthy set. I'm just kicking myself for missing his opener, the Biggie-sampling "Sunday School," off his recently released third album, Passing By Behind Your Eyes (available for free download here). 

My date and I avoided the crush of rowdy fans below and headed upstairs for a bird's-eye view. Nothing like a Pretty Lights show to make you feel old. While hip kids sweated it out below, arms in the air, crowd surfing, shirts tossed, sunglasses and kicked caps the must-have accessories, we kept our distance in the balcony, staring at Smith, his flailing hands working his soundboard. In addition to the duo, we were also captivated by the the, er, pretty lights swirling and flashing in a large-scale digital backdrop. Projecting imagery ranging from solar system exploration to blazing flames, Tetris-esque 'scapes and Lite-Brite-inspired aesthetics, the visual is as much an essential element to Pretty Lights' shows as the music.

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A ballotine is a piece of meat stuffed with other meats and rolled into a bundle -- a protein inside a protein inside a protein. That the Top Chef: Las Vegas contestants were asked to make this many-layered dish on Wednesday night's show was appropriate, as the episode was a kind of metaphoric ballotine itself -- a competition within a competition within a competition.

The winner of the episode's elimination challenge, in which the chef whose food fares worst with judges is dismissed, was to win a spot to compete in the prestigious Bocuse D'Or USA,  a competition to represent America in the Bocuse D'Or culinary tournament held every two years in Lyon, France. Fittingly, a screening of the episode at New York City's Astor Center Wednesday night was a veritable meta-smorgasbord, where attendees at the benefit for Bocuse D'Or USA, watched the show's host, judges, and one of its remaining contestants, the uber-likeable Kevin Gillespie, watch themselves in a live screening of the episode.

A surprinsgly dry "Quick fire chardonnay" was served and party-goers admired a large round of bread into which the words "Top Chef" had been carved. "It's too fancy to eat," the woman next to me proclaimed. Though guests managed to keep their hands off the bread, no one was turning down the plates of sea bass tartare, a variety of pâtés, and corners of croques messieurs, supplied by Feasts and Fêtes, Daniel Boulud's catering company. Chef Boulud also happened to be a guest judge on Wednesday's episode, and was on hand to provide an additional layer of meta-fun to the benefit. 

Although the pairing of Top Chef and Bocuse D'Or might seem as perfect as a pinot noir with a pungent piece of roquefort -- since the Top Chef alum who would eventually go on to compete in the Bocuse would have a season of high-stakes competition under his or her toque -- most of the chefs on hand agreed that the Bocuse is in another league.  

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The only way I want to drink champagne from now on is out of this crystal black stiletto flute (with a 14 cm heel and signature red sole!) designed by Christian Louboutin for Piper-Heidsieck. Called Le Rituel, the limited edition box set comes with the Loubie bohemian crystal flute (ballerinas used to serve champagne to thirsty gentleman fans in their slippers at the Bolshoi Ballet in the 1880s) and a bottle of Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut. Dress up and pretend to be Cinderella -- wasted on bubbly!

Although I admit I'm not usually one for accessories, I was truly wowed at last night's New York unveiling of designer Delfina Delettrez Fendi's Anatomik collection at the uber chic Chinatown boutique Opening Ceremony. Delfina, a fourth generation Fendi and daughter of French jeweler Bernard Delettrez, presented an array of pieces that showed a wide range of influences, from the human physique to Tim Burton-esque animals and insects, and even the late King of Pop. Guests including Jen Brill, Sally Singer and Mirabelle Marden oohed and aahed over the collection, which first debuted last month at the Louvre. The sheer variety of materials used, from precious metal to Tuscan marble and practically everything in between, is quite remarkable. A number of the pieces feature moving parts, such as a silver spider bangle whose body opens to reveal a cluster of pearls. 

Humberto Leon, owner of Opening Ceremony, sees the collection as perfect for "the girl who is maybe a little tired of ordinary jewelry. There are all levels of costume jewelry: this is exquisite but really kind of fun. It's for someone who's willing to have fun." His favorites come from the newest series, a glamorous and surreal interpretation of the human body. "I like the mix of the chunkier less fine jewelry mixed with something like a nose encrusted in all diamonds," he says, pointing to a set of pieces including a pair of fantastic bejeweled earrings and a ring that featured a thong-clad golden derriere. 

1. Versace's former South Beach home Casa Casuarina has been closed following the collapse of an alleged Ponzi scheme by one of the mansion's current investors, Scott Rothstein.  Maybe it's time they changed their current tag-line: "An oasis for the privileged few."

Piecebook Reloaded: Rare Graffiti Drawings 1985-2005 by Sacha Jenkins and David Villorente is a true page-turner, compelling the reader to keep looking and looking, diving deeper into the treasure trove before them. A follow-up to Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers, which documented the early years beginning in 1973, it shares a sense of purpose in its drive to showcase the colorful bouquet that is graffiti as practiced by  "writers" who sketched ideas and full-blown pieces in notebooks they carried with them and passed around. As a one-time editor of the much-missed Ego Trip magazine, Jenkins knows this scene as well as anyone. So we asked him five questions:

David Hershkovits: I notice you call them "writers" not "artists." Is there a reason and significance to that?
SJ: "Writers" is the term that started it all; "writers" is what the kids who started this culture way back in the late '60s called themselves. Because that's what they did -- they wrote. All of this colorful, fantastic "art" that we see all over the world all evolved from the writing of very stylized signatures. Many of the founding mothers and fathers of the culture take issue with the term "graffiti'; some consider it a slur on par with the word "nigger." The fact that "writer" is a term fashioned by the creators themselves means a lot to me. Years before I'd ever written for a magazine or a television show, I was calling myself a writer. I think that self-affirmation is mad powerful.  Being a c-list writer as a kid has done a lot for me and scores of other folk.
 
DH: The first Piecebook covered the years 1973-1987. Piecebook Reloaded: Rare Graffiti Drawings 1985-2005 basically covers the years after the heyday of subway-centric graffiti. Do you think moving the work away from the subways has helped or hurt the movement.
SJ: I think both books prove that writing is a living organism, a beast that will continue to manifest its own destiny. This beast has the ability jump from a drawing in a book to a subway car to canvas to clothing to video games...The possibilities are endless. Now, there are purists who will argue that true graffiti died when the subways went clean in May of 1989, and they'll argue and they'll have some great points. These days, you can spend a week to paint a wall, which is all the time in the world when you consider that, back then, you were painting in dark tunnels with the threat of rats, a whole lotta electricity via the Third Rail, rival writers, and rogue cops who weren't afraid to spray your face black. On the flip side though, the penalties that go along writing today can radically alter your life. Folks are getting serious time. Kids today would favor getting sprayed in the face over having to troop a jail bid. And to the older peeps, I will say that there is a very active writing culture on America's freight trains that deserves their respect. So now, the piece you painted in Delaware might end up in California a month after you painted it. Writing culture--the illegal end of it--will always take a beating. But the beast can take the pain and convert it into a golden blues song. Again and again.

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Sometimes the packaging is better then the product, a theory proven time and again with liquor, perfumes and, now, spaghetti? Alex Creamer, a design student at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, created this unusual ode to the Big Apple for a school assignment in which students had to come up with creative ways to package difficult everyday items. The pasta sits on a 3D model of the Chrysler Building modeled out of high-density foam hidden in the bottom of the thin box. Creamer managed to incorporate three of my favorite things: pasta, NYC and a keen eye for design.    

WHAT: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Pink Carpet arrivals, backstage and fashion show.
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009
WHERE: The Lexington Armory
WHO: Heidi Klum, Ana Beatriz Barros, Doutzen Kroes, Marissa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio, Selita Ebanks, Chanel Iman, Ivana Trump, Kings of Leon
OVERHEARD: "Fergie will be walking the pink carpet but she will not speak"; "Someone gave that model one Goldfish, wanna bet she doesn't eat it?"

This week, Gucci announced the details of their annual UNICEF campaign featuring the artistry of yet another distinctive collaborator. Since 2005, supporters such as Madonna and Rihanna have helped the brand raise over $7 million for programs focused on helping orphans and children affected by HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. This holiday season, creative director Frida Giannini commissioned acclaimed author, illustrator and Vanity Fair style director Michael Roberts to create a sequel to his whimsical 2004 children's book Snowman in Paradise. Part two follows the title character through Africa and is filled with Robert's colorful, lovely illustrations. The book is already available in over 200 Gucci stores worldwide and 100% of the retail price will be donated to UNICEF. But because every book needs a great bag, an exclusive line of accessories inspired by Roberts' illustrations also debuts this month. 25% of proceeds from the sales of two new bags from the label's Joy lines, add-on charms and small leather goods will also be donated. In the past, funds raised have been used for the "School's in Africa" campaign that focuses on improving the quality of basic education for children in Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa ,where 2.3 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.

I was puffing away at the gym this morning watching MTV and noticed that the new video for Jay-Z and Alicia Keyes' sserenade to New York "Empire State of Mind," was actually taped at the redesigned TKTS booth in Times Square! Native New Yorkers Jay and Alicia were dancing away on the red stairs where patrons can chill after standing in long lines for discount Broadway tickets. I wonder if they picked up some tickets while they were there? Maybe to Fela!, the new musical about Fela Kuti for which Jay-Z just signed on as a producer? Here's the video. What a great shout out for Broadway!

1. The Glee folder that arrived in the mail.
2. The Glee pencil that came with hit.
3. And the Glee: The Music Vol. 2 CD!!!!!!! (The tracklist includes a cover of Lily Allen's "Smile" and Cindy Lauper's "True Colors"! I cannot wait to listen. )

While world leaders continue their hamstrung efforts to combat climate change in Copenhagen, Nau is taking matters into its own hands in New York with its SoHo pop-up shop.

With roots in sport-based outdoor performance apparel, the two-year-old brand adds fashion, mobility and sustainability to its innovative designs, which are built upon a business chassis aimed at "unfucking" the world. The garments, many made from re-used materials, are fully recyclable. Even better? Nau employs an independent watch group to monitor the labor and environments practices of its overseas factories, purchases carbon offsets for all of its shipping and gives 2% of gross sales to charities.

The temporary location at 69 Mercer St., was built with with up-cycled materials from dumpsters and other refuse found throughout the city. A full schedule of live music, art shows, and guest speakers is planned through its close December 31st. This evening (Thurs., Nov. 19) camp-glam crooner Har Mar Superstar performs. On Saturday, Nau prestents its first Grant for Change of $10,000 to the film and photography team of Benjamin Drummond and Sara Joy Steele.

At the store's recent opening, I sat in a dressing room with general manager Mark Galbraith and design director Peter Kallen to discuss the future of eco-friendly fashion.

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1. Get yer ya-yas out!  The Morrison Hotel Gallery (313 Bowery) and ABKCO Records are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Rolling Stones 1969 US tour tonight, November 19, with an exhibition of photos by Ethan Russell and a performance by NYC "supergroup" The Soul Ramblers.  OK, ours are out.

2. Doctors' neckties eyed as flu risk.

3. It's collab time:  LEGO x Muji, OK Go x Fendi, Carhartt x Vestax

4. Danish trio Mew are looking for a band to open their NYC show on December 4 at Webster Hall.  You decide.

5. Check out this cool new architecture website.

6. Film Forum is celebrating Manhattan with a festival of 39 comedies set in New York City.  The fun(ny) starts on December 11 and the full schedule is here.  (Scene from Taking Off pictured above.)

One can never have too many sunglasses and that's why I have over 300+ pairs -- top that Anna Wintour. My latest must-own is this pair, "The Skeleton" from Ksubi's 2009/2010 eyewear collection, dubbed "book club." The 13 unisex frames are unpolished and as "raw as possible." Sexy!

WHAT: Peter Davis and Topper Mortimer hosted a fabulous high-fashion din-din for their sister Minnie Mortimer.
WHERE: New hotspot on the block, East Side Social Club
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
WHO: Minnie, reality princess Olivia Palermo and Vogue's Valerie Boster were sporting dresses from Minnie's Spring 2010 collection. Other stylish folks in attendance included Paper's Luigi Tadini and Zandile Blay, Johannes Huebl, Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict, Ali Wise, Hayley Bloomingdale, Michael Musto, Gigi Mortimer, Amanda Ross, Georgia Tapert, Bettina Prentice and Rachelle Hruska.
OVERHEARD: "Peter, Tinsley and Topper -- they're like the preppy Ronsons!"

Photos by PatrickMcMullan.com

If ever there were a place where the term "bad economy" isn't part of the lexicon, it is A Voce Columbus, bustling on a rainy Thursday night. Wine was flowing and dishes like roasted mushrooms ($14) and mezzaluna ($21) -- taleggio cheese filled pasta with butternut squash, brown butter and sage  -- flew out of the kitchen in some sort of food frenzy. Chef Missy Robbins's multidimensional and refined Italian cuisine has been given the presidential stamp of approval: the Obamas were regulars at her last post in Chicago, Spiaggia. And now here she is at the second incarnation of A Voce in the Time Warner Center (the first is near Madison Square Park), where no details have been overlooked. From the second you enter the sleek, modern dining room and on to the very end of your meal, when the dolci di Carnevale cookies are presented, you will experience restaurant service at its finest. Robbins' menu holds many appealing items -- charcuterie, cheese, pork belly with figs ($12), pappardelle with rabbit ($25) and an exceptional pork chop ($29), more than an inch thick. To go with it all, we chose a humble Qupe Syrah ($40) from a wine list that boasts over 850 selections. For dessert, the pumpkin bread pudding ($10) with orange gelato and pumpkin seeds, is a sublime melding of taste and texture. A Voce is a democratic delight -- you will enjoy yourself here whether you're having antipasti with a glass of wine or going all out with multiple courses and maybe even the biggest wine splurge in the city: a $14,000 Rothschild from 1945.    

A Voce Columbus 
10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Floor 
(212) 823-2523
Avocerestaurant.com

WHAT: Late Night With David Letterman
WHERE: The Ed Sullivan Theater
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
WHO: Robert Pattinson
OVERHEARD: "Bite me." "No, no, no, no, bite ME!!"

On Saturday the heir to the British throne, Charles, Prince of Wales turned 61. He celebrated the day with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Charles is in pretty good shape physically but is looking a bit on the geriatric side! Here's a picture of music legend Dolly Parton who turns 64 in January. Maybe she can share some of her secrets for staying young with the Prince!!!

Obama is in Korea and so am I! But we are not staying at the same hotel. :( He's at the Hyatt downtown and I'm at the W Walkerhill. It's 5:55 a.m. Can you say jet lag?! Annyong!

One of his poems, To an Innocent Prisoner, was blown up to poster-size scale and showcased next to work by contemporary fine artists. "People were looking at the poem so differently, they were looking at it as a piece of art," he said, "And that was a very unique experience."

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1. Three former members of Velvet Underground -- Lou Reed, Maureen "Mo" Tucker and Doug Yule -- are getting together for a little chit-chat with writer David Fricke on December 8 at the New York Public Library (Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street).  $25 tickets are available here.

2. "Graffiti is becoming a true art, fine and delicate.  And breakdance is something peculiar," according to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after jumping onstage at a hip-hop concert last week. Fresh! (via France 24)

3. Hot British duo The Big Pink will be in New York on December 3 (Bowery Ballroom) and December 4 (Music Hall of Williamsburg).  The track to love on their debut album, A Brief History of Love, is "Dominos."

4. An exhibition of photos by Renato D'Agostin and Alessandro Zuek Simonetti opens tonight, November 18, 6 to 8 p.m. at Leica Gallery (670 Broadway at Bond).  Last summer, Simonetti's photos appeared on a line of skateboard decks for Zoo York.

5. Jimmy Kimmel used Yoostar to perform a scene from Friday the 13th last week.  Funny, but we thought Mr. Mickey was better.

6. Philly artist Amanda Blank is opening for Ebony Bones at the free Basel/Miami opening night beach party on December 2 (10 p.m., Collins Park between 21st Street and 22nd Street.)  The Misshapes are DJing at LIV (4441 Collins Avenue) later that night.

7. JELLY NYC's pool parties are in danger of losing their access to East River State Park. According to a press release, "news came from the New York State Parks Department and the Open Space Alliance that the East River State Park may not be available to JELLY for the 2010 season. This will ultimately put an end to the flourishing free summer series." JELLY organizers are asking folks to call Senator Charles Schumer at (212) 486-4430, or contact him via email phil@schumer.senate.gov to tell him how much they love free, sweaty, hipster-fests! 

Actor Zero Mostel was one of Broadway's giants.  Not only because of  his generous girth, but for his immense talent onstage.  He's well remembered for his comedy turns in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and in Mel Brooks's movie, The Producers; but he was also a fine musical and dramatic performer, as exhibited in Fiddler on the Roof or Ionesco's surreal Rhinoceros.  Actor/playwright Jim Brochu knew Mostel, and he has written and toured this one-person show around the country for the past few years.  His director is the great Hollywood star, Piper Laurie, a three-time Academy Award nominee for The Hustler, Carrie and Children of a Lesser God.  I spoke with Brochu.
 
How did you meet Zero?
I met him for the first time in May, 1962, when I was 16.  I had a mentor, David Byrnes, who was a character actor in Forum.  I went to see him and I sat in the Alwyn Theater, and this man, Mostel, came on stage.  I remember pushing back in my seat and thinking, "This man is a force of nature."  I went backstage after the show to see David and I turned a corner and I ran into Zero, soaking wet, still in costume.  I was going to La Salle Military Academy at the time and I was wearing my West Point uniform.  He looked at me and said, "You must be General Nuisance; what are you doing here?"  I told him I'd come to see David, and he said, "Well, you never come to see me."  "I will," I said.
 
I know the show is set in July, 1977, shortly before his death, and Zero is being interviewed. Tell me what we're going to see.
I play Zero, and I actually become him.  There is an interviewer, but we never see him.  The audience becomes the interviewer.  Zero hi-jacks the interview and begins asking his own questions.
 
I understand the piece is set in Zero's painting studio on West 28th Street.  I didn't know he was a painter.
Yes, he always said, "I'm a painter.  I only do comedy to buy more paints."  Through the questions he begins to tell the story of his life, growing up, the conflicts he had with his Jewish father, who said, "You can't create a graven image."  But he wanted to be a painter.  His mother understood and she took him to the Met museum and he would sit there for hours and copy the masters.  Later he married a Catholic Rockette and then both of his parents disowned him.

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WHAT: The American Eagle Outfitters Flagship Opening
WHERE: Smack dab in the middle of Times Square
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
WHO: Leighton Meester, Jessica Szohr, Michelle Trachtenberg, Adrienne Bailon, Christian Siriano, Andrew WK, Pete Wentz
A LITTLE CHIT-CHAT WITH CHRISTIAN SIRANO...
PAPERMAG: If you were to run your own magazine, what -- other than PAPER --  would it be?"
Christian Siriano: I love love love PAPER, but OK, it would be Vogue Italia.
PAPERMAG: What would you change about it?
Christian: Not one thing -- it's perfect!

African girl that I am, it's a no brainer that I'd be going mental over this editorial. It features my fellow African sisters, models Mey Bun, Rila Fukushim and Ai-li Wang in the most visually lush and kinetic take on "tribal" themes I've seen. Ever. The spread is featured in the latest issue of Buenos Aires-based magazine D Mode. Kudos to the creative team behind this including stylist, Laurean Ossorio, makeup artist Bryan Zaragoza and photogs Herring & Herring.

WHAT: A Tribute to Tim Burton
WHERE: The Museum of Modern Art
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
WHO: Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Danny DeVito, Patti Smith, Brooke Shields, Ashley Greene
OVERHEARD: "The only work of art in this museum I understand or give a damn about is Johnny Depp!" 

In 2008, Michael Stipe debuted his first sculpture show, Rogan Versus Stipe, at New York City's Rogan store. The show introduced the R.E.M. frontman's fascination with the speed in which technology outdates itself and featured bronze casts of Poloroid and Diane cameras and a radio alarm clock. A year later, Stipe continues to explore this concept through his recent collaboration with Belgian label Maison Martin Margiela. An undeniably cool pairing, the result is a series of microcassettes perfectly cast in 925 sterling silver. While the microcassettes are intricate and wearable, they are neither jewelry, nor art, but whatever you want them to be. Is it a necklace? Sure. A very fancy paperweight? That too. With only 199 made, the microcassettes are perfect for collectors and fans and come packaged in a perfect-bound, signed and handmade notebook with a black ribbon attached to resemble the tape. It also comes with a leather string you can use to wear the piece. De-vine! Find them at Margiela stores worldwide and selected concept stores. The price is yet to be announced. 

 

Disillusioned by the few opportunities young photographers have to show their work in gallery settings, Andrew Kenney, 23, and Kevin Kunstadt, 27, decided to forge ahead and build their own gallery. In their apartment. Opening Friday, K&K Gallery in South Williamsburg, the space will showcase photography by 11 emerging New York artists. And they'd love for you to curate a show.

Why did you decide to open a gallery? How long has K&K been in the works?

AK:  In August, we had the chance to grab this live/work storefront and the gallery idea began there. We have sliding and pivoting walls which let us change the space from a home to a gallery and back again in about 30 seconds. It's really cool!

KK: The idea to open a gallery was really a result of seeing the potential of the space and what it could be. We weren't actively seeking to start our own gallery at all, it just seemed to make sense to do it and everything else has fallen into place. It also came about [more indirectly] as a result of being dissatisfied with the whole art-world-scene, and the lack of opportunities that exist for younger photographers to show their work in a gallery setting.

Were you concerned about opening a gallery with the economy down?

KK: That's kind of a tough one for us since we are totally fresh, and I can't really say that I have any pre-recession experience in the art world at all. I will say that because we both live in the gallery, we have very little overhead aside from start up costs. That takes the pressure off of us us to sell work and gives us the luxury of simply concentrating on what turns us on personally.

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Last night was one of my favorite shows of the season: "Fashion Forward," hosted by Tim Gunn and organized by Gay Men's Health Crisis. While the rest of the crowd was looking for their seats, I, naturally, was backstage looking at the boys. And what sights there were to see. The boys, from agencies like Red Models to Q Models looked just as good in their street clothes as they did in the Saks Fifth Avenue looks they modeled. I could have picked just three cuties, but decided to be generous and show you more. Consider this post a pre-holiday gift from me to you.

A good tote bag is like a good man: cute and clever. That's exactly why we adore this bright red number from Decorative Things. "Keep Calm and Carry On" is a wartime slogan which the British government plastered on everything during World War II to keep citizens, well, calm!  Since the soothing reminder can easily apply to every day life, the slogan is enjoying a new found popularity -- the New York Times Magazine even wrote about its ubiquity! Get yours right now on the DT site for $25.

Nothing excites me more then walking into an up-and-coming designer's apartment to preview a collection before it hits stores. Recently, I had the chance to check out newborn Company of We, a progressive menswear brand that is bound to take the industry by storm. As a reaction to the escalating retail prices and a life-long commitment to maxing out credit cards at local specialty stores, designers Christopher Crawford and Jayzel Samonte decided to take matters into their skilled hands. How do they keep prices under $350? No smoke and mirrors nor inflated PR fees, plus a keen eye and industry relationships which helped them leverage the best pricing for luxury fabrics and prime materials -- think Loro Piana. The label juxtaposes Crawford's vintage style with Samonte's modern-centric aesthetic resulting in a well crafted detail-oriented capsule collection that brings a fresh and youthful reading on a handful of our most beloved closet staples. The charming and wearable line-up consists of a variety of outwear pieces, lightweight cardigans, knits, herringbone jackets, jersey pull-overs and an array of cuffed pleated trousers. The most desirable items for their debut this fall are a cashmere wool herringbone jacket complete with detachable rabbit fur collar and their signature ribbed knit cuffs and a cropped slim fitting natural horn toggle coat. Fall items are selling out quickly on their online shop and spring items will hit major stores including Saks and Fred Segal in the spring of 2010.

DJ/Rupture's cooption of the Museum of Natural History on Friday the 13th's installment of One Step Beyond -- rocking a crowd of eager, clean-soled hipsters beneath the hanging sphere of the Rose Planetarium -- was right on: it's not just that he knows something about breaking up the norm, but his music is downright spacey. And not just spacey, but, along with his worldly co-conspirators Matt Shadetek and Jahdan Blakkamoore, Maluca and Sonido Martines, universal. It was a moving moment, and if we weren't so into Rupture's mix, we might have been more unsettled by the sight of beer bottles and bananas littered about those kid-friendly displays on the chemistry of the universe.

During the evening's last star show, we stumbled in to the planetarium in time to watch the Moon being formed from the Earth's geologic detritus, and enjoy the roar of the drunken audience's cheers as Earth narrowly survived an astroid collision. Watching the universe unfold anew with a crowd of excited 20 and 30 somethings was just as magical as our first 3rd grade field trips, plus there was beer. Too bad we all had to leave at 1 a.m. on the dot. What was this, a museum or something?

Bubbling crock pots, trays of deviled eggs and chocolate babkas brought a full house of empty-stomached photography fans to the Aperture Foundation Friday for the Slideluck Potshow -- a recurring exhibition, in which attendees bring their appetites and artists bring five minutes worth of work to display in a slideshow. The Greenhorns, a Hudson-valley based nonprofit supporting young farmers, bought tomatillo salsa and set up shop along the buffet line to sell guides for beginning farmers and mullen, a smokable herb: "Most people only have relationships with plants they can smoke," explained Greenhorns chief logistician Severine von Tscharner Fleming. Nearby, the folks from Rooftop Farms, who have a 6,000 square foot garden atop a warehouse on Greenpoint's Eagle Street, were serving pesto they made from nasturtium leaves. The slideshow, which started after everyone had had something to eat and the sobering line for Brooklyn Brewery IPA's had thinned, featured work from artists like Chuck Close, Vincent Laforet, and Andrew Moore, as well as emerging artists including Jon Feinstein, who showed close-ups of fast food set to Weird Al's "Eat It, " Jeff Harris, whose "Celebrity Portraits" featured a series of shots taken of the photographer by Dave Eggers, Javier Bardem, and Billy Bob Thornton, and Yvone Venegas, who showed beautiful color portraits of scandal-plagued Tijuana mayor Jorge Hank Rhon's family. The Irving Penn photo booth, however, was by far the most popular offering of the evening. Party goers waited in line all night to pose for photographer Doron Gild, who was snapping complimentary 4 x 6 black and white portraits in front of an angled backdrop like the one Penn used. Preening and posing was discouraged by Gild, who instead asked subjects to jump in the air, spill their drinks, face the wall, and pull their turtlenecks over their heads.  "I want to do my Molly Shannon Superstar pose," one braver soul told Gild. "I'm with you," he said, snapping her photo mid-jump.


Photos: Elizabeth Leitzell

"Thank you for the greatest show you've ever seen!" screamed electronica goddess Merrill Nisker, aka Peaches, before stepping off the stage Saturday night at Terminal 5. Never one for modesty, the 43-year-old former elementary school teacher known for her provocative performances, explicit lyrics, and all around bad-ass allure, put on a great show with Brooklyn's Jessica 6 and Philly's self-proclaimed "hottest-muthafucka-on-the-whole-damn-block" Amanda Blank. Backed by her Berlin-based band Sweet Machine, Peaches' set and double encore were a sexually-charged gender-bending spectacular that featured all of her classics. The crowd went wild for numbers like "Operate," "Boys Wanna Be Her," and, of course, feel-good, sing-along hit "Fuck the Pain Away."  She also rocked an array of colorful costumes that would put Lady Gaga to shame, and for her final song, "Set it Off," she wore a revealing nude bodysuit and a ghetto fab chain.  "New York is the most open-minded city," she teased, before encouraging the audience with a chant of "shirts come off, shirts, shirts come off!" Lo and behold, shirts came off. 

Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video had some 10 million plus viewings in a weeks time which has to be a good sign for the reigning popstress. But did you notice the blatant product placement in the video. We spotted Parrot Starck-iPod speaker, Lex Nemiroff vodka and Carrera sunglasses. Tell us if we missed any. Not including the Alexander McQueen outfit or the Burberry coat that's ripped off her bodice. She's already raking in the money, one wonders why she has to whore out her video as well.

Yes, there was another musical along these same lines (Willy Nilly) in the recent Fringe Festival, but, well, it is the 40th anniversary of the Manson Family massacres, and there are some stories that will never die. Manson: The Musical! arrives in New York via Chicago, where it was developed by the Annoyance Theater (how can you not like a group with a name like that?), and ran for months as a cult hit in the 1990s.  Queens-native Russell Dobular directs, with Serena Miller handling the musical direction and Tiffany Herriott choreographing.  By now, we all know the basic plot outline: aspiring musician, hallucinogenic drugs, group sex, random violence, tabloid trial.  I spoke with the director.
 
Hi Russell.  How did you get involved with this show?
I've wanted to do it since the mid-'90s, because I saw the show in Chicago.  The Annoyance Theater developed it through improv, which is how they do all their shows.  For me, as a director, that was a big part of the challenge.  They had a set script, but when they were on stage there was room for improv, a certain leeway.
 
What makes it different from any other Manson-based musical?
I think this is Annoyance Theater taking a very brave approach here.  They don't shy away from satirizing everyone in the story: the Manson family, the victims, the Tates, the Lo Biancas, Vincent Bugliosi (the prosecutor), the society that produced the Manson family.
 
So everybody takes a hit.
It's not pro-Manson Family.  They're portrayed as being crazy and deranged in a satanic way.  That's part of my reason for doing this show.

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Like Martin and Malcolm or Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi, the meeting of certain minds can only do the world good. So imagine -- if your creativity can soar to such heights -- the joy generated from "Video Phone." The single from Beyonce's I Am...Sasha Fierce album combines Beyaki (as I fondly call her) with fellow pop goddess Lady Gaga in a flirty song of swagger and seduction. In it Ga-Yonce alternately sing, purr, and shriek about talking to a boo on a video phone (side note: am I the only one wondering exactly what that is? Is it like a mobile phone with video capabilities?). The video for this, which was shot back in Atlanta this past October, is set to debut tomorrow on MTV. Needless to say, it will be epic in the truest sense of the word. Video stills leaked to press show there will be copious amounts of the following: sky high stilettos, muscle bound men and waist length weaves. Joy to the world! Image via MTV

1. Lonely Planet just announced their top 10 cities to party the night away.  (BTW: Be sure to nominate your favorite local party for PAPER's Fifth Annual Nightlife Awards by emailing your nominee to vip@papermag.com. Go on. DO IT!)

2. The Grand Palais was built for the Paris Expo in 1900.  After a major restoration completed in 2004, the building on the Champs-Elysees has been used for art exhibits (Richard Serra), fashion shows (Chanel) and rock concerts (Prince).  On November 20 and 21, "The Tony Hawk Show," sponsored by Quiksilver will use the space for vert skate demos, music by Dead by Sunrise and live art by Andre.  Tickets are 40 euro (excluding airfare) and are available here.

3. Solar powered disco ball.

4. Terence Koh is giving a "lecture" entitled "Art History: 1642 - 2009" at the National Arts Club (19 Grammercy Park South) on November 19 at 8 p.m. (Performa 09)

5. Wired magazine's fifth annual holiday pop-up store is open from November 21 to December 27 at 415 W. 13th St., between Ninth Ave. and Washington.  The hours are 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.

6. Go here to bid on DJ AM's sneakers. Over 800 pairs are currently being auctioned on eBay with all proceeds going to charity.

7. Want to enter the World Series of Beer Pong?  Just compete in (and win) the NYC semi-finals at Gallery Bar (120 Orchard Street) 6 p.m., Saturday, November 21.  You must sign-up here. 

Over the weekend Mr. Mickey had a lot of flop time and watched some bad TV. The result is a small loss of brain cells and two new crushes! Okay, Joe Jonas is barely legal, but he is soooooo cute. It might be a little creepy for MM to watch Jonas on the Disney Channel but he is 20 years old so it's not illegal! My other crush is Rob Kardashian, the only brother on the show Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Rob is such a hunky dreamboat in the special Khloe's Wedding episode. Mr. Mickey cried during Bruce Jenner's wedding toast. The show feels totally staged but it's kind of addictive.

Boyishly cute (even in his mugshot!) Nick Prugo, part of the "Burglar Bunch" or "Bling Ring" (i.e. the teen gang that robbed jewelry and designer duds from the houses of stars like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom and others) was thrown out of West Hollywood hot-spot Voyeur this past Saturday night. My inside source tells me that Paris' younger brother Barron Hilton spotted Prugo and had a security guard toss out the 18-year-old robber (who will be arraigned in an L.A. court on December 2nd) in front of stars like Ryan Phillippe, Harry Morton and Benji Madden. "Barron asked the security guard to ask him his name and the guard came back to Barron and said 'His name is Nick. Is everything OK?'" my spy said. "Barron said, 'No. Get him the f*ck out of here.'"