JAY-Z & CO 40/40 CLUB LAS VEGAS

I will say that Vanessa Simmons was just slightly bloated or posed weird-that's it

Dr.J still looks good don't care what anyone says

Joe Jackson-

The Thickes

Anthony Kiedis and Guy Oseary(A rod-s new public image manager

Rev Al needs to keep the feds off his back

I wonder which of these have been faithful to their partners?

LeBron, Savanah, Cynthia A-Rod

I want as much translucent powder-now! Solange Knowles

Verdine, my sweet sweet verdine(He's the fire in Earth Wind&Fire)

The Roc boys

Gary Payton and the Mrs


Performing at PALMS Pearl theatre the night before

COMMUNITY BRAINSTORMING

New York never sleeps. Chicago has those big shoulders.
We* still call ourselves a cow town, and Mayor Michael B. Coleman is tired of it.
Among the things he hopes to accomplish for Columbus during a third term that begins this week: putting a little more spring in the step of a place many don't realize is the nation's 15th-largest city.
"It's time Columbus had some swagger," said Coleman, who strolled through the November election with 70 percent of the vote.

The mayor will be sworn in just after midnight Tuesday, without the pomp that began his first term in 2000. He'll be at First Night Columbus and will take his oath on the stage outside COSI Columbus. He's planning brief remarks, but no major address and no inaugural party.

That's about it for low-key in the next four years, Coleman said.

On Jan. 29, he'll throw open the doors of the Greater Columbus Convention Center for a communitywide brainstorming session, part of his call for a concentrated, four-year effort to improve everything from sidewalks to social services in the years leading up to the city's 2012 bicentennial.

With some of that swagger he wants others to adopt, Coleman calls it the biggest public-input session in Columbus history. Thousands of ideas and comments already have been shared through a webcam-equipped kiosk that made the rounds of summer festivals.
A cleaner Scioto River? A better recycling program? More office towers Downtown?
Some might seem far-fetched, but Coleman said he wants Columbus to think big.
"I want us to think about being the best in this and the best in that," Coleman said. "I don't want our city in any way to view itself as average."
Kevin Wood, president of the Downtown Residents Association and a member of Coleman's 2012 Commission, likes the mayor's ambition.
"Most people feel we do undersell ourselves, not only with what we have today but with what's coming down the pike," he said.

The mayor gave an outline of his plan for a bicentennial makeover in his State of the City speech in February. He spoke of efforts to install more sidewalks and improve recreation centers, which would be funded through a $1 billion bond package put before voters in November 2008.

FULL STORY

*-We?!? yea I think most that have been vocal in the city's image have definately stopped calling columbus cowtown

RANT:

I really do commend the mayor on this initiative but as a cynic I think this is more of a publicity stunt than anything. This is his third term and you are just not trying to listen to the residents. What govt. grant are they trying to lure in? I am all for Columbus acting like the 15th largest city in this country but come on. Anyone knows the heart of the city is dead so why do you need to call a town meeting for that? Don't just talk just, do. If you are offering tax abatements to residents that move into the downtown region, what can you offer the businesses? Enhance your public transportation system. the people that choose to stay in the city rather than move to the 'burbs aren't asking for much just the bare necesities a city SHOULD HAVE!

3 OHIO MACY'S STORE TO CLOSE

The stores being closed in Ohio are located, in Rolling Acres Mall, Akron; Canton Centre, Canton, and Randall Park Mall, North Randall

Macy’s Inc. will close nine underperforming stores within the next several weeks, affecting just under 900 workers...In addition to the closures, there has been speculation that Macy’s may embark on other cost-cutting maneuvers, such as consolidating certainregional operations. One source said that could include Macy’s regional headquarters in Miami and Atlanta.

Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Macy’s Inc(Federated department stores) said “While the decision to close stores is difficult, it is necessary that we do so selectively in locations with declining sales and where we have been unable to identify sufficient growth opportunities."

In 2008, the retailer expects to open five stores, with an additional six to eight new locations planned for 2009.
Two Texas stores are being closed in Valley View Center, Dallas, and Sharpstown Center, Houston.The others being shut down are in Washington Square, Indianapolis, Ind.; Prien Lake Mall, Lake Charles, La.; Crossroads Mall, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Family Center at Riverdale, Riverdale, Utah.
Source[WWD]

HI-S AND LOWS

This being the last Friday of 2007, I'm going to try and remember some of the great things that happened in the great city that is Columbus and also the sh!teous.

In no particular order:

AKIYAHS

1) Launch of Broad&High signage brough some needed life to that area and also hopefully forecast great things to come for downtown and Orange Barrel.

2) Michael Coleman beat Bill Todd but also promised to rejuvenate Columbus, work on those ubiquitous vacant house issues, City center, keep Frankie from the sauce, light rail, reopen the Brownstone-ok so the cpl last one's he didn't say but we do hope he keeps his word of putting Columbus on the map

3) Columbus area locales received national press-NYTimes, NY Post, CNN&CNNMoney, GQ and some other great publications as well.

4) City of Columbus took over City Center and partnerd with NRD to develop it

5) Hearcel Craig and his sweet sweet moustache was elected to City council

6) Skybus

7) Lee Fisher and Ohio Dept. of Development launch film office

8) Gay Street show's signs of life: Edwards communities building, Tip-Top, new hotel, 2way street and many more to come.

9) Columbus Metropolitan Club launches later in the day series to engage the future movers of the city

10) Frank Solove donated his pricey rolls rolls to be auctioned off for the James/Solove cancer center

NISH-NISH

Some blackeye events of 2007

1)City Center is an abyss

2) Ohio ranks as one of the top states for foreclosures

3) Frankie Coleman went to court for some time falsification

4) Skybus

5) Hyde Park on the Cap was robbed and they never charged that coniving bitch of an employee who plotted it with her lazy ass boyfriend

6) Carlyle Condo's held an auction but were still unable to sell off the rest of their units

7) a dear dear friend and probably many others got a DUI

8) Use/abuse of painkillers rises a lot in Ohio

Sad to see it go but good replacement:

We are very very sad that Jon and Co decided to end Taco+Beer but i don't think tell-a-friend caught on as T+B did so please please bring a replacement soon-ish.

Nostalgia closed up shop at 5th and High but Milkbar is currently in that location and I think thats a good replacement.

Elements Grille closed and then 8 took over but then they closed over lease issues but they vow to reopen somewhere else soon.

Lotus lounge was sold and changed to Mike wiley's after 5 meaning Scott Litch had to do his promotions elsewhere, in come Bristol Saturdays and we love love love it especially a night fueled by Meet me in the Bathrooms.

Lois Chappelear worked her entire life but she saved a bundle. After she died she donated a significant amount to the museum.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann's first deputy asst. Brian Laliberte officially resigned after about a year in at the position and will be working full time at Baker+Hostetler. Business First reports that he left for personal reasons but was compensated $105,000 but the Dispatch says he made $125,000. Regardless, we think he jumped ship for the sanity and better pay(he and his wife are expecting a second child, which will increase their expenses, both present and future, and he is returning to his old job because it pays more money).

Also he led the attorney general's student loan practices investigation.

WEDDING TO KICK OF THE SOCIAL CALENDAR

Lauren Davis is getting married early next month into one of the richest Colombian families(sí), ton's of socialites will be there, Vogue people and fashionistas will be there(cierto). She might be wearing an Olivier Theyskens creation(has made her love for nina ricci known) but what we want to know is WHich wedding coverage will get better Vogue coverage(yo no sé sobre eso). She is a contributing editor of the magazine but Georgina Chapman just had her wedding to Harvey Weinstein and we seem to remeber that it was a certain Harvey that got her the Anna Wintour meeting, allegedly

HELLO KITTY FOR MEN

AP reports:

Hello Kitty, the cute cuddly white cat usually seen on girls’ toys and jewelry, will soon don T-shirts, bags, watches and other products targeting young men, Japan's Sanrio Co. announced today.
"We think Hello Kitty is accepted by young men as a design statement in fashion*," company spokesman Kazuo Tohmatsu said.
The feline for-men products will go on sale in Japan next month, and will be sold soon in the U.S. and other Asian nations, according to Sanrio.
The usual bubble-headed shape of Hello Kitty was slightly changed for a more rugged, cool look to appeal to men in their teens and early 20s.
For example, a picture of the cat on a $36 black T-shirt has the words, "hello kitty," instead of the usual dots for the eyes and nose.
Hello Kitty is one of mascot-obsessed Japan's biggest "character" hits, decorating everything from a humble eraser to a $48,000 diamond necklace.
The planned products mark the first time Sanrio is developing Hello Kitty items especially for men, Tohmatsu said.
But Sanrio had tried a "limited edition" collaboration in men's clothing with designers in Tokyo's chic Harajuku section earlier this year, and they proved popular, he said.

* seriously?!? I am not convinced but whatever. I mean there will be guys out there that might wear it but a mass amount of young men? My gay bestie might, emphasis on might, wear it but can one say the same about um say their boyfriend? Maybe keroppi the frog that came before hk. I guess i'll know when i see one.

BLACK BALLOON AND OTHER FASHION NEWS

The Black Balloon trailer


"The Black Balloon" has just been selected for the "Generation 14 Plus" youth competition of the 58th Berlin International Film Festival, which runs Feb. 7 to 17.Gemma Ward costars with an Australian cast that includes Toni Collette and two newcomers, Rhys Wakefield and Luke Ford, in a story about autism — a subject close to director Elissa Down, who has two autistic brothers.
Australian film critic Lynden Barber, who saw a preview and described Ward's performance as "surprisingly impressive" in "one of the strongest Australian films of the last few years."


LOT29 LOOKS TO LUXURY
Jaslene Gonzalez won season eight's "America's Next Top Model," Lot29 executives knew they had their next face.They seem to have chosen correctly. Gonzalez did so well for the brand last season, the company asked her back to endorse the product for spring.
Really, the brand sells like that? honest question, who wears Lot29?


ARNAULT PAID IN CASH!
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton concluded its controversial acquisition of Les Echos, France's leading financial newspaper, on Monday, according to a statement released by the luxury giant. Purchased from Britain's Pearson plc for 240 million euros in cash, or $345 million at current exchange rates, the deal also includes the newspaper's Web site, as well as Groupe Les Echos SA's monthly business magazine Enjeux and other financial information services. Over the weekend, France's Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde highlighted certain conditions of the sale, which include LVMH's relinquishment of the competing French business daily La Tribune and its Web site. A statement released by LVMH on Monday confirmed it had signed an agreement to sell La Tribune to Alain Weill, owner of NextRadioTV. Arnault's proposed purchase of Les Echos stirred intense opposition from its journalists, who charged his ownership of the paper would threaten its editorial independence. LVMH's other media holdings include the Investir financial weekly, the monthly Connaissance des Arts art magazine and the Radio Classique music station


Mmmmm DELICIOUS
Sophisticated New York diners may have learned to love a dish of tripe or calf brains, but soon they'll be able to challenge their palates with more daring Gallic creations. Head-to-Toe Pork, anyone? That dish, made with pig parts from ears to feet, is one of the offerings on the menu at Bar Boulud, which opens in early January. A partnership between Daniel Boulud¹ and high-end Paris charcutier² Gilles Vérot, the wine bar will also feature beef tongue terrines, rabbit rillettes and various andouillettes and sausages, alongside a large selection of Burgundy wines.
*would love to try it just to say one had rabbit rillettes(whatever that is)

¹-Daniel Boulud's recipes are fahmazing
²- The French word for a person who prepares charcuterie(brand of cooking devoted to prepared meat products from pork)

YUNG JOC IN COLUMBUS TONITE

Jasiel "Yung Joc" Robinson currently facing weapons charges¹ will be "performing" at Club Ice² tonite. Will he show up?

Tickets are still avail thru tixmaster

¹ What asinine idiot brings a loaded weapon to the airport in the first place and your defense is you don't know how it got there. Why would one need a loaded weapon when you can hire security. Asinine

²Augh!

HAPPY CHRISMAHANUKWANZA

Here is to wishing each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Holiday. Thank you for visiting and hope you enjoy everything that this time of year stands for. Please donate to a nearby pantry if you can or just give your time.

Check out the Release party tonite at BOMA! Check out Milk Bar for your gift choices and gear to the show tonite.

EVA MENDES FOR PETA

I am very comfortable to say that hot damn she looks good. Her trainer is Harley Pasternak and i swear his 5-factor fitness is a gift. He's got the science down on how to keep the body lean, taut and curvy. Get yourself a copy of 5-factor for that i'm gonna lose the Christmas weight resolution

H&M "FASHION AGAINST AIDS"

H&M and Designers Against AIDS (DAA) are joining forces in the battle againstAIDS and are launching a collection for guys and girls together with Rihanna,Timbaland and other well-known designers, musicians and artists. The aim is tospread awareness about HIV/AIDS, which affects many young people all over theworld. The collection "Fashion Against AIDS" will be available in H&M's Divideddepartments from February 2008.

The artists taking part in "Fashion Against AIDS" are Rihanna, Chicks on Speed,Good Charlotte, Henrik Vibskov, Jade Jagger, Katharine Hamnett, My ChemicalRomance, Rufus Wainwright, Scissor Sisters, The Cardigans, Tiga, Timbaland andZiggy Marley.
"Supporting YouthAIDS through the Fashion Against AIDS campaign was a great wayto encourage my fans to join me in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I love that H&Mis providing a fashionable and easy way for young people all over the world toget involved in this worthy cause, "says Rihanna.

The idea behind the collection is to draw attention to HIV/AIDS and increaseyoung people's awareness of it. Twelve million young people in the 15-24 agegroup are now infected with the virus. The initiative for this collaborativeventure was taken by Designers Against AIDS (DAA), a non-profit organisation that seeks to mould public opinion through collaboration with fashion designers,musicians and other artists.
"Fifty per cent of the people newly infected with HIV are aged between 15 and24. There's an urgent need to do something in this target group. By combiningfashion with music in this way we hope to get these young people to `stop andthink', as Katharine Hamnett puts it on one of the garments in the collection,"says Ninette Murk, the founder of DAA.

The artists participate free of charge and 25 per cent of the proceeds from the collection will go to HIV/AIDS-prevention projects around the world. This will be coordinated by DAA and YouthAIDS, Population Services International's (PSI)HIV/AIDS prevention initiative which reaches more than 600 million young peoplein 60 countries.
"Every fifteen seconds someone in the 15-24 age group contracts HIV/AIDS.Shopping has never been more important. Every garment sold makes a difference",says Kate Roberts, the founder of YouthAIDS.
The collection comprises T-shirts, tank tops and hooded sweaters. All garmentsfeature a print and the neckline label carries the name of the print designer.Some of the prints are low-key and subtle, and whisper that this is important.Others raise their voice. Katharine Hamnett's print in big, black, blocklettering on a white background shouts "USE A CONDOM!", while Tiga's checkall-over print calls for quiet reflection. Some of the squares have a different colour and represent all those who have the virus. The idea behind the campaign is summed up by Henrik Vibskov's print: Be aware - it is still happening.
"It's a collection that's rich in colour, with considerable commitment goinginto every garment. The artists have created personal prints with a strong senseof style," says H&M's head of design Margareta van den Bosch.


Prices vary from £7.99 to £19.99. All garments are made from 100 per centcertified organic cotton and carry a special hang tag that reads: "This might bethe most important piece of clothing you've ever had your hands on."

HEDI SLIMANE TO RETURN?

We hear he's resumed talks with LVMH's Bernard Arnault in launching the Hedi Slimane fashion house which we hope will include a women's line. it's only a whispered rumor for now but hoping it works out.

GOV. STRICKLAND WANTS TO "CONNECT OHIO'

With key leaders from the telecommunications and cable industries standing behind him, Gov. Ted Strickland on Monday launched Connect Ohio, a multi-million dollar public private partnership aimed at bridging what Strickland called Ohio's "digital divide."
The first phase will be working with local communities and service providers to map in detail what parts of the state have broadband Internet access that provides high-speed service and what parts don't, Strickland said.

The state will put in $2.9 million in this budget period, which ends June 30, 2009 and expects to put in another $3.9 million in the next two-year budget period, he said.
The $2.9 million represents an estimated 80 percent of the initial costs and plans calls for the remaining 20 percent — about $750,000 — to come from cable and telecommunications companies and other private businesses, said Terra Goodnight, Strickland's executive assistant for transportation, taxation, lottery and broadband.
Strickland said he believes federal dollars also will be available.
The digital divide takes several forms, resulting in lack of access to computers, high-speed Internet access and high skill jobs, Strickland said.
"What we hope to do is bridge the digital divide in ways that will be good for all Ohio communities and all Ohioans," Strickland said.
The goals is to create support for local communities to meet their technological needs while expanding broadband service to all residents and businesses, he said.
READ

AT&T U-VERSE

A new world of communications and entertainment is now available to residents in the Columbus area. AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T - News) has announced the launch of AT&T U-verse(SM) in parts of 51 local communities. AT&T is now taking orders for the service and will begin installing services for new customers on Dec. 24. AT&T will continue to increase U-verse availability throughout the area on an ongoing basis.

AT&T U-verse services are currently available in the following local areas: Bexley, Blendon Township, Bloom Township, Brice, Brown Township, Canal Winchester, Clinton Township, Columbus, Concord Township, Dublin, Etna Township, Franklin Township, Gahanna, Genoa Township, Grandview Heights, Grove City, Groveport, Hamilton Township, Harlem Township, Harrison Township, Hilliard, Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Liberty Township, Lithopolis, Madison Township, Marble Cliff, Mifflin Township, Minerva Park, New Albany, Norwich Township, Orange Township, Pataskala, Perry Township, Pickerington, Plain Township, Pleasant Township, Powell, Prairie Township, Reynoldsburg, Riverlea, Scioto Township, Sharon Township, Shawnee Hills, Truro Township, Upper Arlington, Violet Township, Washington Township, Westerville, Whitehall and Worthington.

AT&T U-verse uses AT&T''s new fiber-rich network to offer cutting-edge television and high speed Internet services. AT&T is the only national provider to offer a 100 percent Internet Protocol (IP)-based television service, making U-verse TV "cooler than cable" and one of the most robust and feature-rich services available today.

AT&T U-verse offers customers a combination of next-generation digital television -- including access to more than 40 High Definition (HD) channels in most markets -- and high speed Internet access. The award-winning AT&T U- verse TV includes cutting-edge features that are unmatched in the market, and the new U-verse enabled AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet builds on AT&T''s position as the nation''s largest broadband provider.
"We''ve seen a great response to AT&T U-verse in Cleveland and Akron, and we''re excited for Columbus residents to see what makes U-verse TV cooler than cable," said Steve Mitchell, AT&T vice president and general manager for Ohio. "Now, more consumers have access to a video choice that delivers the content they want -- such as Big Ten Network -- with unmatched features and great value."
Where available, AT&T U-verse TV will offer Columbus customers: -- A compelling variety of TV packages with up to 320 channels to choose from, including digital music, local, movie and sports programming, as well as premium Spanish-language and international packages. Most programming packages include up to three HD-capable receivers - one with a digital video recorder (DVR), which allows customers to pause, rewind, replay and record live TV - at no extra charge. (Customers may add more receivers, up to a total of six, for $5 each a month.) -- More HD programming than the local cable providers. HD technology produces images more than twice as detailed as standard analog TV and offers rich, realistic video and 5.1 channel audio. AT&T U-verse TV offers customers access to a lineup of more than 40 HD channels in most markets, available in both 720p and 1080i formats, along with HD DVR capability. Access to HD service is $10 a month with any U-verse TV package. -- AT&T Yahoo! Web and Mobile Remote Access to DVR, which allows U-verse TV and Internet customers to schedule recordings from any Web-connected PC or compatible AT&T mobile phone (wireless service charges apply) by using their AT&T Yahoo! account. These features are unique to AT&T among local video providers. -- The ability to record up to four programs at once using a DVR (up to four standard definition programs or one HD and three standard definition programs). This capability is another exclusive feature unmatched in the marketplace. -- Built-in Picture-in-Picture functionality that allows subscribers to channel-surf on any television without leaving the program they''re watching.

U-verse demo

$$GRANTS TO CREATE AND RETAIN IN OHIO

Via Press Release:
Projects to Help Spur Local Economies, Generate Jobs for Ohioans

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that more than $1 million in economic development and roadwork development grants have been awarded to aid in the growth of businesses and the creation and retention of jobs in Ohio. The grants, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, were approved today by the State Controlling Board and are expected to create 435 positions and retain 246 jobs for Ohioans. "These business expansions and infrastructure improvements will have a long-term, positive impact in four communities across the State," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "These potential expansions and infrastructure improvements will provide new growth opportunities and jobs for Ohio workers."

The City of Trotwood (Montgomery County) will receive a $200,000 Roadwork Development Grant to complete public roadwork improvements in support of The James Group - Ohio LLC's (JGO) new facility in Trotwood.

Lighting Products, Inc. (Lighting Products), located in Geneva (Ashtabula County) will receive a $20,000 Rapid Outreach Grant for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company's expansion.

Metal Forming & Coining Corporation (MFC), located in Maumee (Lucas County), will receive a $100,000 Rapid Outreach Grant for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment to support the company's expansion.

General Motors Corporation (GM), to be located in West Chester Township (Butler County), will receive a $500,000 Rapid Outreach Grant for costs associated with the acquisition of equipment to support the company's new warehouse and distribution facility in West Chester Township.

The Rapid Outreach Grant (412) is a grant program to assist companies and communitiesthat are creating or retaining jobs in Ohio. The Roadwork Development Account(629) provides grant assistance to communities for highwayand road projects related to job creation and retention. The 629 Program is funded with gas tax dollars and is restricted to public road projects only.

DEUTSCH 50 IS NEW 30

DONNY Deutsch - who had a big career(enough to garner the monicker douche) in advertising before he became a CNBC talk show host - quoted Lou Gehrig at his 50th birthday party Saturday at the Time Warner Center. "I'm the luckiest man on Earth," Deutsch told such guests as Michael J. Fox, Jeff Zucker, Star Jones, Aby Rosen, Richard Kirshenbaum, Mitchell Modell and Drew Nieporent. The birthday boy certainly looked lucky in the multilevel Jazz at Lincoln Center space... the Pussy Cat Dolls performed.

ABC news money correspondent(her names escapes me rigth now)

photographer Kevin Mazur

WHY ASHFORD AND SIMPSON, WHY?

They were performing at a UNCF benefit concert but what i just can't understand is why is she not wearing a bra and why is he wearing that thing? *shivers*

AND NOW THEY ARE MARRIED

They finally got married but the guest list is like an amalgam of the top echelon fashionable who's who from the industries:

Film:
Cameron Diaz, Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Eva Mendes, Kerry Washington, Anne Hathaway, Kyle MacLachlan, Quentin Tarantino

Politics: former NY Gov. George Pataki and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo

Fashion: Vogue's Anna Wintour, Harper's Bazaar's Glenda Bailey and models Helena Christensen, Karolina Kurkova, Jacquetta Wheeler and Natalia Vodianova

Media NY Daily News Chairman and Publisher Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Schwarzman, Les Moonves, Jeff Zucker, Lorne Michaels, Graydon Carter, Brian Roberts, Jim Dolan, Brad Grey, Kevin Huvane, Rick Yorn and David Boies, Bert Fields and Allen Grubman. Cipriani and Nobu catered(nice)

ROGAN FOR TARGET!
Rogan Gregory has lined up the designer as the latest addition to its seasonal collaborations. Photographer Sarah Silver reportedly shot the Rogan campaign for Target Friday in Manhattan. Her free-moving imagery seems in synch with the retailer's action-packed ads — she studied classical and modern dance at Vassar and believes in what Henri Cartier-Bresson called "the decisive moment."

MAX AZRIA A TRES
Hervé Léger by Max Azria will stage its first show in February during New York Fashion Week. The show, which will take place at Bryant Park on Feb. 3 at 11 a.m., will mark the first time since the mid-Nineties that the collection, originally shown in Paris, has been presented on a runway. The event also will mark the first time that an American designer (Max Azria is of French-Tunisian descent, but founded and runs his company, BCBG Max Azria Group, in Los Angeles) will produce three fashion shows for three different collections during one fashion week. In addition to Hervé Léger by Max Azria, Azria will show his contemporary collection, BCBG Max Azria, on Feb. 1 and his designer line, MaxAzria, on Feb. 4. All three shows will be in Bryant Park. "I've spent the last year focusing on redesigning and reinventing the brand, while staying true to the house's heritage," said Azria of the Léger fashion house, which he acquired in 1998

PROMOTE ALL DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES

Ok so there is a thread going on over at columbusunderground. What began as an informative(call to action) piece seems to have turned into a black/white issue. The Brownstone on Main a fine dining soul food kitchen abruptly closed with no word on if they will reopen or not. The folks at Flypaper turned it's closing into a piece about black owned businesses not being supported especially in the downtown area. What we know regarding the B-stone situation is this: when it was developing there were wayyy too many cooks in the kitchen as the saying goes. some partners had to be bought out some opted out. They decided to build a patio this month in an alley which after consideration the city pulled their permit. It is one of the main spot Frankie Coleman loved to get sauced at. There are tons of other black owned businesses in the downtown area that had to close but I don't think it whole-heartedly had to do with lack of support from the city. Heck wasn't Columbus named a top ten black city by a black magazine(Black Enterprise). It's one thing to realize that there was management disarray but another to just base it as a race issue. Brownstone was a very good restaurant that also helped showcase some Columbus talents and was a hotbed for some of Columbus' noted politicians. I really do hope the restaurant rises but don't make it an issue about race. Most of the leaders in this community are black and have a strong voice in what goes on. Maybe you should give Jeff Gilliam a call and get his account of what actually happened.

question for Flypaper- so why are we only to support downtown black owned businesses?

PLEASE END WRITERS STRIKE,PLEASE

Ok so this writer's strike really needs to stop, f-ing now, for obvious selfish reasons. One will have to endure numerous re-runs in the weeks to come not that there's anything spectacular(Arrested Development) on the tube. 24 has been pushed back indefinately and now there is this sh!teous show on the peacock called clash of the choirs. At first I thought they were kidding and then they kept showing silly commercials for it. I mean not to knock on Nick lachey or anything but really, he is that great of a singer to lead a choir?

While on the network rant, I can't believe the letter station cancelled BigShots, i mean that show was good granted it wasn't doing well in the ratings dept., but at least give it a chance suits. What other shows are you anxious to see return/sad to see go.

US BANK ON BROAD & HIGH

A US Bank just opened on Broad and High right next to Starbucks. This means they will have a more visible High location especially with the Broad&High building opening soon (but def not this year). Although they(US BAnk) has a bigger branch and building on 3rd are they positioning themselves to compete with Huntington for that heavily traffickd area?

STUNTING LIKE MY DADDY

16 YEAR OLD Quincy Brown was taped for MTV's my sh!tsixteen. anyways what is so peculiar about it is that the theme of the party was "Stunting like my daddy" but his actual dad is Al-B Sure(Who?!?) anyways Diddy "adopted" him when he linked with Kim but Al-V sure was mad cause his son relates more to the rich guy than disc jockey dad. I really am not sure what RealityMTV is doing with sh!t 16 stuff but they need to quit cause majority of the people that watch that sh*t can barely afford a decent car to buy the kid let alone an over the top bash. Why can't they show kids raising money to help other impoverished kids?

beads around waist-hot. tatoo around waist-SKANKY ew

This is Nicole Garner and her PR firm handled this party but she is the business in ATL we hear