The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. LLC

CARRIE: I have 309 days left until I slide into my white gown and float down the aisle in front of 200+ guests at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia. But I don't yet have a white gown.

I am anxious and jumpy. "I was leaning towards this Reem Acra dress," I say to anyone who will listen, "but you know what? I'm not sure I'm an embellishment kind of bride. Maybe I should focus on lace? What about ivory vs. white? Saks only had this one dress in a soft white. What exactly is soft white?"  read more »

I have always been a "grass is greener" person. I have buyer's remorse. Recently I've been waking up in the early morning and sneaking off to the computer for just one more peek at a fabulous Ines Di Santo gown that I had loved the day before. Nah, I think, that's not the one.

Why spend that Wall Street bonus on real estate? How about a party instead?

A downtown Manhattan hotel is offering a swanky party package dubbed "Friends With Money" that costs $137,580, the average Wall Street bonus this winter, according to the state Comptroller.

The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park, will provide overnight accomodations for 32 guests in the presidential suite and 15 executive suites, a 10-minute fireworks display, helicopter tours, and limousine transportation for every guest, the Wall Street Journal reports.

- Tom Acitelli

Hillary and Bill Clinton met behind closed doors this past weekend with Minister Avigdor Lieberman, among other Israeli officials, at the behest of Brookings' Saban Center —so JTA reports. Lieberman is a racist. He has supported the expulsion of Arabs from Israel and the execution of Arab members of the Knesset. He ought to be PNG, as the Brits say: persona non grata. He should not be welcome in our borders, he should be denounced, as various European fascists, and ideologues of Islamic terrorism, have been, amid waves of outrage. Was there a peep outside the left? I haven't heard it.

No: this is an important definition of the Establishment today: religious extremists can find respectable company so long as they are on "our" side. So much for Muslim hearts and minds.

P.S. Michael Brown of Interfaith Peace Builders reports that he called Lieberman out this weekend:

I ran into Avigdor Lieberman on the steps of the Ritz-Carlton and called him a racist several times to his face. I then said his views are not welcome here. Nobody said a word in attempted contradiction at the entrance to the Saban event. Friday several State Department/Saban guests agreed with me when I asked them to speak from their convictions and challenge Lieberman. Among those who heard me outside the building was Ami Ayalon. I think they were on the same panel Sunday morning. What I don't know is whether anybody other than me did, in fact, challenge Lieberman.

• It will take $310 million to build a 152-unit condo south of Battery Park City. On the plus side, the building may get a "platinum rating" from the Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. One block away, the Ritz-Carlton is shaking in its un-green (but expensive) boots. [Multi-Housing News]
• The only thing better than Thanksgiving in New York with your mammoth family is eating by yourself in an expensive restaurant. If you're solo on the 23rd, try Cafe Gray (it'll cost $500), or Daniel ($125) or Zoe on Prince Street (only $59!). [Resident]
• E.B. White and Jenny Holzer helped Philip Nobel come to terms with Ground Zero. But he still sees the future plans as "not what anyone would call brilliant." [Metropolis]
• Brooklyn has finally proved its artsy chops, winning over Interior Design Magazine and even Gaggenau as sponsors for its borough-wide design fest. Bring your leopard-skin stools, and your tight black pants. [I.D.]
- Max Abelson  read more »
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Tonight, George and Libby Pataki will host a reception for Jeanine Pirro at the Marriott Eastside Hotel.

Tomorrow, Shelly Silver speaks at the Association for a Better New York Breakfast at the Ritz Carlton New York-Battery Park.

The U.S. Court of Appeals will hear an argument from lawyers representing a Muslim man who is suing federal officials for alleged abuse and mistreatment suffered while in federal detention. Christine Quinn and Eric Gioia discuss a new City Council report on prescription drug price disparities on the steps of City Hall.

Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist speaks to students at Columbia University. Meanwhile, immigrant rights supporters will protest his speech outside.

Andrea Stewart-Cousins and David Paterson announce their Albany reform plan at Yonkers City Hall.

John Faso will attend the American Wind Energy Association Wind Power Finance and Investment Workshop at the New York Marriott Financial Center. Later, he will host a Town Hall Meeting in Bay Ridge.

Liz Kruger hosts a fundraiser.

—Nicole Brydson

• Last year, one in ten "affluent Americans" expected a drop in their real estate's value. This year, it is one in three. (In other news, lots of rich people leave their money to pets). (New York Post)
• Three BLTs are never enough. Chef Laurent Tourondel and moneyman Jimmy Haber will set up a brand new BLT restaurant at the ritzy Ritz-Carlton Central Park. Goodbye, Atelier - hello, sidewalk cafe. (Crain's)
• Frank Bruni ventures to Williamsburg in search of sophistication without cleverness, beauty without flamboyancy. He finds a restaurant unstained by youthful hipster musk, and he rejoices. "Williamsburg," Mr. Bruni concludes, "has grown up." (The New York Times)
• Maybe that $1,000-per-month-for-anyone story wasn't quite realistic: Manhattan's apartment vacancy rate dipped to 0.43% in May. (First prize goes to Murray Hill, leading the way at 0.21%). The bad news is that the average three bedroom apartment costs $4,150 per month - the good news is that there are hardly any available. (New York Daily News)
- Max Abelson
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ERICA: I just returned from the Modern Bride Top 25 Trendsetter Awards Dinner at the Ritz Carlton. By some insane miracle of divine intervention, Modern Bride chose me and Paper Bride along with 24 super talented/interesting/cool wedding industry professionals for their 2006 trendsetter awards. The evening has apparently been called the "Oscars of the Wedding Industry" and there were enough heavy hitting bridal superstars around to make any bride-to-be drool. I drank carefully engineered cocktails, mixed and mingled and stepped on Kate Spade's foot. I shared an elevator with event planning rockstar Preston Bailey (who told my Aunt Kim that she "was really workin' it" with her dress), met Molly Shannon's videographer, which was a bit of serendipity since we hired Molly Shannon's photographer Teness Herman.

Best of all I got this gorgeous, heavy crystal award for being an "innovative trendsetter" on the one year anniversary, to the day, of the launch of my business. Color me flattered to the nth degree. There were no tear filled speeches or dancing showgirls, but here are some other highlights and observations of the evening:  read more »

New Yorkers woke up to some dire real estate news today (scroll a couple posts down for a recap). But that isn’t stopping one condo-owner from trying to pull off a $15 million flip!

In August 2004, Upper Deck chief Richard P. McWilliam reportedly paid $20.8 million for this 9,455-square-foot apartment. (At the time, it was lingering on the market with a $28 million price tag). Mr. McWilliam's spread takes up the entire 23rd floor of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Despite market reports and bleak headlines, the lavish apartment has just landed on the market for $35 million, listed with Heide Mamouris of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

Your move, housing bubble.  read more »

-Michael Calderone

Each time I called the Modern to make a reservation, without fail I was put on hold.  read more »

Once upon a time, the hotel life in Manhattan was for eccentrics-pampered people with gads of money  read more »