NY Observer > Princeton

Stephen Colbert Gets 'Vanity' Award From Princeton

Joe Pompeo — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:07:38 -0400

Today marks the 261st commencement ceremony at Princeton University. Yesterday marked the day the esteemed Ivy gave an award to Stephen Colbert. read more »

Caro v. Moses: It's an Ivy League Thing

Observer Staff — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 06:15:00 -0400

"It's a Princeton versus Yale thing."

That's Edward Tenner, the author of Why Things Bite Back, summing up the rivalry between Robert Caro and the master builder.

Mr. Caro graduated Princeton in 1957; Moses finished Yale in 1909.

Mr. Tenner told The Real Estate:

There is a certain kind of ultra-industrious Princetonian that does everything in a most thorough way and is totally obsessed with doing it right. Then there is the Yalie who loves to spread his feathers and bask in the limelight and Moses was extremely Yalie in that sort of way. I can just see Caro getting dressed up in his coat and tie to beaver this Yalie down to size.

Other Yalies: William F. Buckley Jr.; Cole Porter; George W. Bush; Jennifer Beals.

Other Princetonians: George Kennan; Woodrow Wilson; Samuel Alito; Brooke Shields.

Mr. Tenner has a whole anatomy of the Ivies which you can find via his website. He, by the way, is Princeton '65.

- Matthew Schuerman

In This Week's Observer...

Observer Staff — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 05:10:00 -0400

Brownstoner Revealed! "Jonathan Butler, a 37-year-old Upper East Side native and Princeton graduate, has been blogging about Brooklyn real estate under the moniker Brownstoner for more than two years. He has, until now, kept his identity a secret, except to a tiny handful, including his wife Kira." Go to story by Tom Acitelli. Mayor Has 1,000 Days and So Much To Do "Mayor Michael Bloomberg's aides these days start their spiel about the long-range plan for the city by talking about the electronic clock in the corner of the City Hall bullpen counting down the days until the Mayor's term ends." Go to story by Matthew Schuerman. The Great Downshift Shtick "Xeniz Viray, 23, lives near Jackson Street and Graham Avenue in Williamsburg. Ms. Viray, smoking a cigarette outside of Phoebe's Cafe on Graham Street, where she waits tables, said that her Williamsburg friends will sometimes tell people they live in Bushwick." Go to story by Gillian Reagan and David Foxley. Commercial Market Spawns Crazy Soho Building Sale "A building at the corner of Broadway and Houston, 600 Broadway, is in contract for more than $1,000 per foot at $71 million, a source said." Michael Shvo teams with Joseph Moinian "The mad marketing genius Michael Shvo is partnering with developer Joseph Moinian to market a planned W Hotel at 123 Washington Street, a source said." Go to Commercial Breaks by John Koblin. Will Stripper-Plex Take It All Off? "The government may have stripped him of his title as CEO of Manhattan's most protuberant topless-bar franchise, but recently demoted Scores boss Richard Goldring isn't giving up his main money-maker so easily." Go to Counter Espionage by Chris Shott. 'It's Inspectors Gone Wild' "Chuck Hunt, the New York State Restaurant Association's man in the city, talks rats and Frank Bruni." Go to The Sit-Down by Chris Shott. Jazz Sanctuary Sells for $4.7 M. "The octogenarian jazz impresario George Wein, who founded the indispensable Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, has sold the five-floor townhouse that served as his offices for over three decades." Buyer Spies K.T. McFarland's 770 Park Duplex "Recent U.S. Senate candidate KT McFarland's 13-room duplex at 770 Park Avenue, a source of droll tabloid scandal during her campaign, has gone to contract. The apartment was listed by Brown Harris Stevens in January for $20 million, and cut to $18,400,000 earlier this month." Go to Manhattan Transfers by Max Abelson. Foreclosure Doomsday? Not in Manhattan "If you've been reading the real-estate pages in the newspapers lately, you could be forgiven for drawing the conclusion that a national wave of foreclosures looms as the bills come due on subprime mortgages inked during the housing boom. But things aren't that grim, especially in Manhattan, where a subprime borrower's about as common as sobriety on St. Patrick's Day." Go to The Lab by Tom Acitelli. Have a Seat, Morticia! "The hard-core collectors of American Gothic are a closed and inbred society. David Scott Parker, an architect, estimated that there are perhaps 10, including him." Go to Interiors by Toni Schlesinger. Deeds and Deals A Week in New York Real Estate

Undercover at Princeton’s Eating Clubs

Spencer Morgan — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:00:00 -0500

On Saturday, Feb. read more »

Adamantly Against Patriotism- A Plea for Individual Audacity

Glenn C. Altschuler — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:00:00 -0500

More than 150 years ago, Alexis de Tocqueville detected in democracy a tendency toward despotism. read more »

Coming 2009: Wildwood Condos! Plus Waterpark! And 9/11 Exploitation!

Observer Staff — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 06:45:00 -0400

Let's go to the hop, oh baby

Yesterday our inbox was graced with an invitation to a '50s-themed party (this Saturday night!) for New Jersey's future Wildwood hotel / resort / condo.

But why is this invitation different from all other invitations? A kindly PR rep offered us ways to cover this fascinating Condotel.

Possible Stories: 9/11 Survivor Bets on Wildwood as a Four Seasons Destination; No Passport Needed to Visit New Caribbean-Style Condotel in Wildwood; Princeton Entrepreneur Forms Alliance with Meyer Jabara Hotels; Changing Real Estate Market Can Support High End Units, Says Wildwood Developer; Making of a Real Estate Launch, produced by John Bruce, Star "While You Were Out"

The last four are funny in their own funny-sad ways (i.e. While You Were Out), but that first "story" is simply extraordinary. Weirdly, the email says nothing else about any WTC survivors. That's probably a good thing. read more »

The whole shebang, after the jump. Update: A press release sent out later in the week says: "Princeton entrepreneur and 9/11 survivor Christian Nickerson today announced the development of the $225 million Wildwood Beach Hotel and Resort." - Max Abelson

Hotel A and Hotel B

Observer Staff — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:05:01 -0400

COLLEEN: I picked my wedding venue the instant I saw it. I picked my florist the minute I met her. I picked my band before I even heard them. But for the last two weeks I've been wrestling with this minor wedding decision. Where will my guests stay? Hotel A

Quaint, historic inn in the center of Princeton Close to great shopping, restaurants and the University No pool No parking lot Easily accessible from the train station

Hotel B Large chain hotel on Rt. 1 two miles outside town Close to strip malls, tarmac and busy highways Pool Free parking lot Shuttle that takes people into town

The hotels are the same rate, though Hotel B has a much better policy about unclaimed reserved rooms. So what to do?

Matchmaker, matchmaker

Observer Staff — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 12:18:29 -0400

Eliot Spitzer's next campaign mailing:

caption

Eliot Spitzer: Princeton graduate, attorney general, future governor... yenta. (Photo taken at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty's 30th Annual Breafkast.)

Toni Schlesinger: Back In Print

Observer Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 11:59:57 -0400

Just as we were really missing Toni Schlesinger's "Shelter" column that was published in the Village Voice since 1997, this 300-plus page anthology of her writings crosses our desk.

It should be noted that the original cover, from the spring Princeton Architectural Press catalog, is comparatively more tame. Just a doorbell smack in the middle of a blue cover. This new and improved version, which hits stores next month, should appeal more to the Sex and the City box set contingent.

But you can't judge a book by the cover, and inside there numerous columns aggregated by chapter titles like "utopia," "haunted," and "fantastic." Fantastic!

- Michael Calderone Full release from the publisher is after the jump. read more »

Not the Watergate Break-In, But a Plumber All the Same

Ralph Gardner Jr. — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 19:00:00 -0500

It’s bad enough when workmen enter your apartment, don’t fix your problem and leave behind a mes read more »