Hot Chefs Invade Fictional Realm, TooEarlier today, we pointed out that hot chefs are all over the men’s mags, but you know it’s really gotten out of control when they’re subbing for Fabio in women’s romance novels. This from book-deal newsletter Publishers Marketplace:
Sophie Renwick’s HOT IN HERE, in which the kitchen heats up as a playboy celebrity chef who is about to lose everything tries to repair his image by dating his “safe” best friend in this fun, hot romance, to Tracy Bernstein at NAL, in a nice deal, for publication in 2009, by Mary Louise Schwartz at the Belfrey Literary Agency (World).
“Playboy celebrity chef who is about to lose everything”? Who could that be?
Related: Chefs Put on Something a Little More Comfortable
run through
Expert Analysis on Dolce & Gabbana’s Legal WoesYesterday the news broke Dolce & Gabbana owe the Italian government an assload of cash and are facing a criminal investigation because they haven’t paid all of their taxes.
company town
Will ‘Kristen’ Get a High Rate From the Media, Too?MEDIA
• How did the New York Times get the Spitzer scoop anyway? [NYO]
• “CNN Admits: We Shouldn’t Have Used Alleged Stripper Biter As Spitzer Commentator.” [AP via HuffPo]
• Bids for an interviews with “Kristen,” the prostitute who slept with “Client 9,” are reportedly up to $100,000. [Guest of a Guest]
NewsFeed
De Niro’s Ago to Open Soon?News about Robert De Niro’s New York outpost of Ago came to us from an unlikely source: Robin Leach. The former voice of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous is now a blogger (of course) and posted last week about the opening of Ago at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. And while we were distracted by the sight of Mike Tyson in a blue bowler, we were happy to learn that De Niro plans to open his new Ago “later this month”!
Robert De Niro Opens His New Ago Restaurant at the Hard Rock Hotel [Robin Leach’s Vegas Luxe Life]
video look book
Dress Like an Art CollectorThe Look Book cameras came upon Nicola Vassel recently and learned that she “collects clothes like people collect art.” Her outfit splashed with color in anticipation of a museum visit come from a variety of sources: Topshop, agnès b., and American Apparel, among others.
model tracker
Ali Stephens, Cover Virgin No MoreAfter she opened Calvin Klein and closed Balenciaga, it was anyone’s guess what Ali Stephens’s first cover would be. After walking 46 shows this past season, she must have made an impression on the front-row biggies.
The Surprising Facets of Last Night’s Unsurprising Obama Victory
As you probably already know, but perhaps haven’t been much thinking about, Barack Obama won the Mississippi primary last night. It was a big win, something like 60 percent to 37 percent. Clinton didn’t make much of an effort in the state, so she probably didn’t take the loss too hard — for a woman who claims to want to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations so that every Democratic voter can feel like he’s been listened to, she’s certainly been ignoring a large amount of them. But the exit-poll numbers indicate a few surprises. For one thing, Hillary Clinton received the lion’s share of crossover votes (Republican voters who vote in the Democratic primary), which is a first — every other time crossover voting has been included, Obama has trumped her with this group. But this time, Hillary took them 3 to 1. Obama took 90 percent of the black vote, and Hillary did better than usual with the white vote, which Politico’s Ben Smith chalks up to the attitudes of southern white voters. And finally, Obama won either five or seven delegates more than Hillary did last night, depending on who is counting. This effectively erases any ground she may have gained after her big wins last Tuesday.
We will now return to our round-the-clock Eliot Spitzer hookapalooza coverage.
Mississippi Crossovers [Talking Points Memo]
Mississippi Delegates [Politico]
The Magnolia State Stats [Stumper/Newsweek]
Obama Wins In Mississippi [NYT]
NewsFeed
New Chef Richard Lee Introduces Hamachi Jalapeño to GeishaAs the Strong Buzz has reported, Michael Vernon has left Geisha. His protégé, Richard Lee, who was also trained by consulting chef Eric Ripert in 2003, is now at the helm, and we’ve got our hands on his new menu. We’re already wondering if “hamachi jalapeño” will be the next big thing — kind of irresistible to order, isn’t it? As for sushi chef Don Pham’s oxymoronic new creation — sushi sandwiches — we’re not so sure. Check out the dinner menu here.
Geisha Menu
Changes in the Kitchen at Geisha [Strong Buzz]