FLOR Covers New Retail Outlet In NYC

Residential carpet tile company FLOR opened its third retail location tonight in New York's SoHo nabe. As a subscriber to a half-dozen design mags and a years-long subscriber to the company's catalog, I garnered an invite to the posh reception at 142 Wooster St., its largest store to date.

FLOR also has stores in Chicago (its base) and Santa Monica, Calif., with openings planned in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, D.C., Boston & San Fran.

Founded in 2003 by architectural flooring company Interface, FLOR started as a catalog and webbie, targeting consumers looking for high-quality interchangeable carpet tiles that supersede the pedestrian concept of years past.

I've been planning to use FLOR in my weary living room for a good while; now that I can see and touch the tiles, it's going to be reality within the month.Hot bartenders Stephen and Ernest...Cutie server Josh...Server um... let's call him Sean, with Leonard.
Meese with Leonard and Brooklyn resident/architect Howard.

Memories: Partridge Family: 'Summer Days'

Oh, to be 10 again... Okay, actually it sounds pretty horrid, because that means junior high and high school are still ahead. Let's not. Back in the day, I watched "The Partridge Family" religiously with my childhood friend Angie Fontana, who lived two houses up the street in Lynchburg, Va.

One of our favorite songs from the show was "Summer Days" from 1971's season two, where Keith walked up to each of the family members and serenaded then one by one: Chris, Laurie, Danny, Shirley and Tracy—where he sang the line, "baby baby baby, hold my hand and we'll be free," and took young snaggle-toothed Tracy's hand in his.

Angie and I "performed" this song ad nauseum in my basement playroom, with me playing Keith and poor Angie acting out every other family member, as I pranced around with a mic and approached the family, even bending to hold Tracy, uh Angie's hand, during the pivotal lyric.

There must have been something to the song. It was included on the Partridge's third album "Sound Magazine," which reached No. 9 on the album chart. And even though it was never released as a single—among the act's seven top 40 hits—David Cassidy released his own remake on third solo album "Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes" in 1973. Unfortunately, it's fairly dreadful. They definitely got it right the first time. Oh, sigh.
(Thanks for the vid, Marky Mark!)

Diet Coke's Sexist 'Heart Health' Campaign

On Feb. 1, Diet Coke launched a massive ad campaign supporting The Heart Truth, a national initiative to embrace better heart health for women. The soda company is splashing ads on cans, bottles, print and webbie advertising to "raise awareness and funding."

A Coke spokeswoman comments, "We are dedicated to encouraging new generations of people to be active and become advocates for heart health."

Wait, Coke: Is that people or only women?

Statistics claim that more women than men die of heart attacks each year, but even the Women's Heart Foundation admits, "Heart disease doesn't discriminate. It is the leading killer of men and women."

And yet, when rival Pepsi dedicated its latest ad campaign around the female-centric Fashion Week, it was called out as a heinous insult to the female sex.

Believe it or not, women's rights advocates and the National Eating Disorder Assn. claimed PepsiCo.'s new cans insinuate that skinny women are more beautiful and confident!

The latter organization whined that the company is thoughtless and irresponsible." Oh, brother.

PepsiCo clarified that its Skinny Can is meant to communicate the idea of “getting the skinny” or inside scoop on fashion, style and design. It has absolutely nothing to do with the shape and size of a woman's figure.

So here's how it stacks up. Coke advocating for women-only is heralded. Pepsi playfully advocating for women is chauvinist. And any ad campaign that addresses men's concerns... oh, wait, that's right. A non-factor.

April 13: Karine Hannah Returns To NYC's Metropolitan Room With 'Guilty Pleasures'

Wonderful, wildly talented chanteuse Karine Hannah returns to New York's Metropolitan Room, Wednesday, April 13 at 7 p.m. for an encore of her "Guilty Pleasures" show of great AM soft rock and pop classic originally made famous by male vocalists.

In past shows, the repertoire has included such retro nuggets as "Sometimes When We Touch," "When I Need You," "How Much I Feel," "Reminiscing," "The Air That I Breathe," "Baker Street" and a stunning re-rub of "Could This Be Magic." Be there or we'll all make fun of your mama!

More information and RSVPs available on Facebook.

Does That Mean 'Everithyng' Is On Sale?

Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights. Nice. Really nice.

Now At Your Supermarket: Spotted Dick!

What the... Roaming the aisles of the Union Square Food Emporium in NYC, I came across quite a curious item in the World Foods aisle. Spotted, uh, Dick. As much as the name makes me giggle like a 9-year-old, the actual descriptor of the contents of the can is enough to make one gag. Ready?

Spotted Dick is a pudding made of steamed suet (that's raw beef or mutton fat, particularly the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys) containing dried currants, commonly served with custard.

Spotted refers to the dried fruit, which is spotted (eww), while Dick either has something to do with a take on the word "pudding" or "dough" or from the German word "dicht," which means thick... This is becoming more disgusting by the syllable.

The food product was first served in 1850. The fact that anyone might eat this shit in 2011 is unthinkable... Sort of reminds me of the Cock Soup I found at a 99-cent store in Brooklyn last November. I can't imagine why.

April Fool's: Here We Snow Again

So much for those cute crocuses and sweet daffodils I saw on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade this morning. By this weekend, they'll be iced. According to the National Weather Service, a snowstorm is headed to New York Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

"This is going to come in two waves," meteorologist Tim Morrin says. First, "blurry cold rain will hit after midnight," followed by a "substantial storm." While no real accumulation is expected, it will be miserable enough to wonder why the Northeast even bothers calling March 21 Spring, with the rest of the country.

Mind you, the "normal" high for this time of year is about 55 degrees... which always makes me chuckle, since I have yet to recall a single March over the past 15 years that has reached so-called "normal."

ADDENDUM: Fortunately, as usual, the weather bureau was wrong!

Strumming Along At 2C Studios

Longtime pal and recording artist/guitarist Emre was at 2C Studios in Brooklyn Heights Tuesday for a recording session with Ayhan. Looking good!

You Can Take The Boy Out Of The South...

Mm, mm good! That's some grand southern fixins... oven-roasted "fried" chicken drumsticks, homemade stuffing with fresh celery, and an indulgent salad with fresh tomatoes and garlic croutons... Thousand Island dressing optional.

Morning Glory

The critters and I were up and out nice & early this morning and to my astonishment, it was neither snowing or sleeting. In fact, it was downright pleasant. Who'd have expected that before the middle of June in New York?

Ever-Grimacing NYC Gayor Michael Bloomberg Gets Gross In Broadway Drag

Well at least he didn't don a dress—in public, that is. Closeted NYC Gayor For Life Michael Bloomberg, whose three terms have been a persistent tirade on civil rights, appeared Saturday night at the Inner Circle, an annual event hosted by City Hall reporters, who put on skits roasting politicians they cover.Bloomie spoofed the belabored, wildly expensive "Spider-man" Broadway musical, wearing grotesque tights—apropos, given the fact that the gayor bought his third term for $110 million and is now in the depths of public approval ratings, which have sunk as low as 39% in some NYC boroughs.

He also dressed up in bell bottoms and a wig to spoof "Mamma Mia!" Again, a winning reference to the closeted, ever-grimacing Dancing Queen.

Celine Dion's Mind-Blowing Vegas Stage

New pictures have just been released showing the lighting designs for Celine Dion's new Las Vegas show by Moment Factory. Please click on images to see them in 100% splendor.Meanwhile, Celine has garnered more magazine covers following her heralded March 15 launch in Casear's Palace, including some exclusive backstage images. These picolas are from La Samaine, 7 Jours and Hello Canada.

Archie's Gay Pal Kevin Keller Earns Series

Archie Comics' first openly gay character, Kevin Keller, has proven so popular that the iconic title's publisher is issuing his own four-issue series in June.

Keller was introduced in September 2010, in Veronica 202, and the issue sold out instantly, prompting Archie Comics to issue a reprint for the first time in its history. His debut and creator, writer/artist Dan Parent, were also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award at the beginning of the year.

Keller encored earlier this month in Veronica 205 before his series this summer, which focuses on the wanna-be writer's life before he arrived in Riverdale, including his struggles in junior high school. It will also establish that he is an Army brat and introduce friends Wendy & William, whom Keller has been seen texting.