CRISIS? WHAT FISCAL CRISIS?

All the pop economists we’ve been reading these days argue that Americans have started saving at precisely the wrong time: Spend, spend, spend, my fellow Americans! The young publishing scion JD MacRae must be hoping we do, because he’ll be launching a new magazine this January, Homefront LA. According to its website, it will offer “design for real life, in all its richness and variety.” Aaah, real life—just what we like to curl up with when the Dow drops another 500 points. The estimable Michael Cannell will head up the team—from New York!—and commuting to LA every three weeks, where he’ll hole up at the Beverly Hilton. Cannell used to run the Times’ House & Home section, which is a notable forum for the gritty world of real-life decor. He was also once a colleague of ours, so here are some story ideas, Mike, for old times’ sake! How about Cash under the Mattress: Six Quick Design Fixes! or, From Squat to Showhouse: Three Angelenos bring minimalist splendor to foreclosed shells.

HEY LADY—THAT’S NO VOID, THAT’S CENTRAL PARK!

The Chanel folks picked a chilly night to open Zaha Hadid’s spaceship/art installation/ handbag ad in Central Park, but that didn’t stop throngs of very, very good-looking people from lining up to walk through it, and then jamming into the nifty silver building next door to warm up with some champagne. As we shimmied away to the band Hercules and Love Affair, we caught sight of the man of the hour, Karl Lagerfeld, but looked in vain for the divine designer herself, Ms. Hadid. For that, we had to wait until the next morning to watch a video clip posted on the site of the New York Times. Their zippy reporter Melena Ryzik cornered many of the great and good, including Zaha, who said, “The park is fantastic! It’s a big void, so it’s nice to have an object there, to imitate—you know—natural life.” We sure do! Our natural selves let out an unnatural hoot of laughter when we read it! 

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