Vail

• Following Tom Robbins' expose, the state Comptroller will begin an audit into the Empire State Development Corporation. Did Charles Gargano funnel state funds to pay rent for his nephew? That would make him a bad leader--but an excellent uncle. [Real Deal]
• Why is England such a grander country? Whereas our richest streets have boring names like Park and Fifth, theirs are titled The Vail, Mulberry Walk, and Cottesmore Gardens. Even better, their wealthiest areas have had the lowest property-value increases since 2000, which keeps things balanced. [Mouse Price, via Luxist]
• Where do Village starlets get their mail? Sarah Jessica Parker, Patti Smith, Famke Janssen and Lucy "Warrior Princess" Lawless all head to MacDougal and Houston, where a chatty old man has his Something Special store. We always knew Sarah was too good for the post office. [Villager]
• New Yorkers who live in pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods have much lower body mass index levels--but they have shriller complaints about shrinking sidewalks and subway construction. [Medical News Today, via Daily Intelligencer]
- Max Abelson
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So how much impact will the Times endorsement of Democratic challenger Stephen Harrison over Rep. Vito Fossella actually have?

On one hand, the language of the endorsement could hardly have been stronger.

"Mr. Fossella has offered only lame excuses for improperly using his campaign funds for skiing holidays in Vail (including lessons and equipment), as well as vacations in Florida," the Times wrote. Harrison, by contrast, has a "good command of the issues" and "keen intelligence," according to the Times.

On the other hand, it was hardly the sort of surprising development likely to shake up this race, which hasn't been competitive enough to merit much in the way of public polling. As one consultant I talked to noted, "Anybody who listens to the Times wasn't voting for Fossella anyway."

Fossella, for his part, seems to agree: He didn't show up for the editorial board meeting.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

The New York Times now requires freelancers to answer a questionnaire designed to suss out conflicts of interest and improprieties. So while Spencer Morgan was off in Iceland with hockey-playing, hard-drinking hedge funders and bankers, just for kicks The Transom took the Times' little quiz. Everyone else is doing it! The Transom hopes it is being graded pass/fail. And all answers are, of course, utterly true.  read more »

Art Lover: A Biography of Peggy Guggenheim , by Anton Gill.  read more »