NY Post: “Bored to Death” creator Jonathan Ames racked up a $1,600 bar tab by throwing a boozy wake for his canceled HBO show Wednesday. “Welcome to the premiere — I mean, the funeral,” Ames told one of many well-wishers who packed Boerum Hill’s Brooklyn Inn after he tweeted followers to come “at 10pm & i’ll buy you a drink!” The turnout surprised Ames. “I was not expecting this. I’m gonna lose a lot of money,” he joked, adding, “Everyone gets one drink. Don’t abuse the privilege.” The writer earlier treated the show’s crew to brews at nearby 61 Local. Borough President Marty Markowitz called during the Brooklyn Inn bash to say he wanted pictures for his newsletter. A flack said Markowitz and his wife were “huge fans” and “very disappointed and angry” the show was scrapped. Ames ambled out at 1:30 a.m. in search of an ATM: Like many Brooklyn hotspots, the Inn is cash-only. Stars John Hodgman and Heather Burns were on the scene. Ted Danson, Jason Schwartzman and Zach Galifianakis were in LA.

NY Post: They had been living in Cobble Hill and needed more space.

“We had looked at about five places, and then we went to get dinner [at a neighborhood Thai restaurant on Court Street owned by a friend]. And our friend’s like, ‘You guys look bushed,’” recalls De Marrais. “He told us, ‘I’m moving out of my apartment; you should go check it out. Here’s the keys. Go check it out now.’”

They did, and it was love at first sight. “We were walking around like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ This place is amazing, and we would dance around this place the first few years we lived here.”

Nothing was decided until today, but as of tonight a decision has been reached. @SimonvanKempen & I are leaving #RHONY, sadly but amicably.

van Kempen adds:

I am sad too but I don’t think this is the last you’ll see of us.

CHB photo by Sarah Portlock

Cobble Hillbilly Alex McCord claims that she and husband Simon van Kempen are not off The Real Housewives of New York City.  Reports earlier today claimed that McCord, Kelly Bensimon and Jill Zarin had been axed for the show’s fifth season.

Late this afternoon McCord tweeted:

Speaking for myself only, there is no decision yet whether I’m in or out of #RHONY -Nothing’s finalized, though I’d like to do another year.

She adds via Facebook:

I can confirm that I have not been ‘fired’ by BRAVO for next season’s Real Housewives of New York City. There are many rumors swirling around. Here’s the truth – Simon & I are still under consideration for season 5 & we’ll know one way or another very soon. I have to laugh at all the purported ‘insiders’ giving ‘off the record’ quotes. Some of the things I’ve read are frankly just absurd. Check back here or on Twitter & I’ll let you know the truth when I know something definitive.

As for Zarin and Bensimon, neither have commented as of late Thursday afternoon.  Reports say that the three women were told of Bravo’s decision this morning.

NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alex McCord, who is best known as one of the stars of “The Real Housewives of New York City” is thrilled to announce the launch of Aluxe™ Home, a joint venture between Alex McCord & Simon van Kempen and Vivian & Joseph Douek along with Nile Textile Industries SAE of Cairo, Egypt.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110816/NY52845LOGO )
Aluxe™ Home has taken a showroom at the New York City’s prestigious textile building at 295 Fifth Avenue, and will be open for wholesale customers in time for the market week starting September 19th, 2011. Aluxe™ Home will launch initially with 18 different lines of bathroom towels as well as 24 different bedding selections, all of which are manufactured in Egypt and are made of 100% Egyptian Cotton.
Says Alex McCord, “Simon, Vivian, Joseph & I are thrilled with the launch of Aluxe™ Home, which is the culmination of many months of meetings between all the partners. This new venture was cemented when we visited and inspected the factory last month to ensure that we were happy with its quality, professionalism and working standards for its employees.”
Vivian Douek is the Chief Executive Officer and Alex McCord is the President. Simon van Kempen will use his 27 years of international luxury hotel experience when Aluxe™ Home launches its Hotel Collection in fall 2012 and Joseph Douek will act as non Executive Chairman.
In addition Aluxe™ Home will act as the exclusive US representative for Nile Textile Industries SAE and continue its expansion into other US based branding & licensing deals, Nile Textiles currently produces the Calvin Klein bath towel line under license.
Aluxe™ Home can be found on Twitter @AluxeHome and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AluxeHome
Company Address
Aluxe™ Home Corp.
295 5th Avenue
Suite 1701
New York, NY 10016
Website: http://www.AluxeHome.com

Stories like this make me feel better for never buying a crib for either of our sons http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=817110&f=19

Where did the “chums”, Francois and Johan sleep as babies?  Simon says:

Initially between us & then in the middle of their own king size bed until they were ready for a twin RT (cont) http://tl.gd/boog6l

What do you think? Is this a good idea? Do babies really need a crib?

Brooklyn Tattoo owner/artist/ Cobble Hillbilly4life Adam Suerte’s custom painted piano for the Sing for Hope charity has made it to Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1.  The Brooklyn Bridge Park folks just posted this on Facebook:

Sing For Hope, a New York City-based non-profit, will place 88 pianos in parks and public spaces throughout the five boroughs, and Brooklyn Bridge Park will receive this one on Saturday (6/18)! Designed by Cobble Hill-based artist Adam Suerte, this beautiful piano will be free to play from June 18 through July 2 on Pier 1.

van Kempen Blog: Also of course make sure you watch me on Watch What Happens Live tonight. Kelly Bensimon & Cindy Barshop are Andy Cohen’s guests and I get to close the show with my first live performance of “I Am Real”

Also earlier today, due to the many requests I’ve had on Twitter, we launched the “I Am Real (Thug In A Club Mix)”. The original version is a better reflection of my voice but I hope you all watch & listen live as I sing for Andy tonight and judge for yourselves.

We’ll be live Tweeting during RHONYC etc tonight. Follow and discuss with us using hashtag #rhonycchb.

Gothamist: I actually wanted to talk to you about that because we have a huge Brooklyn readership. You’re in Cobble Hill? Or Carroll Gardens? We are in, according to the Cobble Hill blog, we’re in Cobble Hill. We’re in that sort of no-man’s land, if you like. We’re on Butler Street between Smith and Court streets. Some people say that Cobble Hill ends at Court. It seems that the border -Carroll Gardens starts at Degraw, but between Degraw and Wyckoff west of Smith Street is classified as Cobble Hill, and then Wyckoff to Atlantic between Court Street and Smith Street…I can’t even keep track. Cobble Hill blog calls it the DMZ, it can be Cobble Hill, it can be Boerum Hill. Or, we live in BoCoCa.

Note to Gothamist – this is the post Simon’s referring to, how’s about a link?

The new season premieres Thursday (4/7) at 10pm on Bravo.

Aside from being the youngest writer ever for Saturday Night Live, Rich has published several books and collaborated with New Yorker cartoonist Farley Katz on New York Superheros playing cards.  He’s currently working with SNL castmember Bill Hader on the script for House of Joel, described as a “slasher-comedy”.

Last season, Alex McCord surfaced as a voice of reason amidst total chaos.  The trailer hints at that the other housewives – including the saucy yet seemingly unstable Kelly Bensimone and that “Countess” lady – are sharpening their knives and going after Alex.  Oh and Ramona may or may not be “with child” and spa owner Cindy Barshop has joined the cast.  We’re also interested to see what drama the ladies’ trip to Morocco will bring.  In the trailer it looks very Sex in the City 2, which can’t be a good thing.

Their hometown newspaper in Michigan tells the story:

Mlive.com: It was early December when an e-mail from Lucid Incorporated came. The Seattle-based advertising agency and production firm discovered the pair after seeing their work online.

Lucid officials wanted to know if the Shaltzes were Blackberry users — they are — and if they would be interested in being in an ad campaign.

“We were like, sure, that’d be fun,” said Carrie Shaltz, 32.

The commercial shows the siblings taking pictures, driving through the streets of Miami, using a Blackberry, walking into a movie theater and being interviewed in their New York City studio.

The 30-second spot debuted in late January and is expected to air on networks across the country for about two months. A second 30-second commercial starring the two is expected to come out soon, too.

Also, a one-minute internet ad is scheduled to debut this year and is expected to run for a year.

It’s too early for the two to fully gauge the effect of thier new exposure. But they’re hoping it leads to an uptick in business.

NYO: The “most celebrated and vilified” novelist of our generation has bought a $2.5 million brownstone in Cobble Hill, a holy grail, of course, for writers and poseurs (and writers who are poseurs). No word yet on how much time he plans to spend on this side of the Atlantic.

The author of Money and London Fields is famous for his sharp prose and withering stare, but he’s previously fled the harsh glare of London’s literati, temporarily relocating to South America following the critical flogging of Yellow Dog. His most recent work, the “blindingly autobiographical” The Pregnant Widow, was well-received, however, so maybe he just likes greenmarkets.

The Cut caught up with Alex McCord of the “Real Housewives of New York,” who revealed that she’ll be walking in five fashion shows this season, including Susan Cianciolo and Malan Breton of “Project Runway” fame. She told The Cut, “There are these girls out there who are 15, but there’s definitely room for women who are not 15…like me,” and that the designers weren’t prepared for how tall and skinny she is: “They saw me and they were gonna ask how I wanted my hair and makeup, and they said, ‘We’re gonna put you in the show look,’ and I was like, ‘Yes, put me in the show look!’ and they said they would because I looked like a model. Their words, not mine.”

NY Times: Jenny Slate, who finished her freshman year at “Saturday Night Live” in the spring, will not have her contract picked up for a second season, the source said. Ms. Slate, a veteran of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, had a bit of a trial by fire at “S.N.L.” when she accidentally used an obscene word during the first episode of the 2009 season. But after settling in at the show, Ms. Slate went on to portray quirky characters like the television pitchwoman Tina-Tina Chaneuse. She also appears in the HBO comedy “Bored to Death,” and recently had a hit viral video with “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” a stop-motion animated short that she wrote with its director, Dean Fleischer-Camp, and for which she provided the voice of the title character.

NY Magazine notes that this might give Slate more time for projects like Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.

poets.org photo

Poet Jonathan Thirkield and Ema Yamashiro are moving to Cobble Hill according to Blockshopper.   Thirkield was chosen for the Academy of America Poet’s Walt Whitman Award in 2008 for his collection The Waker’s Corridor.

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The NY Post profiles Cobble Hillbillies Talk Stoop host Cat Greenleaf and her news producer husband Michael Rey. Mostly, they talk about the schweet deal they got on their townhouse, which we’re not mad at:

NY Post: At a time when even badly run-down brownstones in the area were going for $1.3 million, he asked the couple for only $850,000. For that amazing price, they got three floors and a full basement — a total of 2,300 square feet — and a garden.
Greenleaf and Rey opted to convert the ground floor into a two-bedroom rental, and they and their 15-month-old adopted son, Nick (whom they call Primo), have taken over the top two floors. On one floor is the open living space, which includes the living room, dining area and kitchen, as well as one bathroom. The top floor has three bedrooms, one bathroom and a laundry room. (An added patio and the updated 100-foot-deep garden are shared with their tenant.)

CHB photo by Sarah Portlock

Babble.com: And while it’s praise all around for most of the cast, Alex has none to give Jacqueline Laurita and her daughter Ashley. “WHAT IS GOING ON with Ashley?” she asks and then proceeds to answer and give some harsh advice.

“We only know what was shown, but she clearly isn’t one bit sorry. Ashley doesn’t have to like Danielle and guess what, she doesn’t really even have to be sorry about the hair pulling, BUT she has to answer to it. She has to respect the gravity of the consequences of her actions. There’s a summons out for her and whether she likes it or not, it’s now public record and has to be taken care of. Countersue? What’s she going to countersue over, breaking a nail when she pulled Danielle’s hair? Her Internet access bill for reading Danielle’s Facebook page? Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do if I were Jacqueline.”

Alex McCord explained her inspiration for offering to host the delectable evening:

Simon and I were so happy to support the Brooklyn chapter of ACS – cancer unfortunately touches so many people and between the two of us have friends and family who have fought and survived the disease and have also sadly lost a few as well. We need to continue raising money for both R&D, early diagnosis and also not forget the caregivers who give of themselves to those who are fighting the disease.

Last night we had a chance to give back in so many ways – raising money to fight cancer, celebrating Brooklyn and all the great small business owners who provided the food and drink!

Cobble Hillbilly Norah Jones stars in the upcoming film Wah Do Dem, opening here on June 18:

Wah Do Dem website: Max (Sean Bones) lives in Brooklyn. He enjoys playing soccer, skateboarding, and drinking with his friends at local bars. Last summer he and his girlfriend, Willow (Norah Jones), won a free cruise to Jamaica but two days before the trip she dumps him cold. When his friends flake, Max winds up alone on the high seas, navigating the crowds of gray-haired cruisers. Over the course of several days he flirts with the staff photographer, drinks cocktails with the boat’s celebrity juggler and has several strange encounters with the only other loner (Kevin Bewersdorf).

When the cruise liner docks in Jamaica, Max escapes the tourist zone as fast as he can. At a local jerk stand he meets a charming Rasta who offers to show him a secret beach. Feeling irie as he lounges on the tropical sand with his new friends, Max loses track of time and his personal belongings. In his pathetic attempt to do something about it, he finds that the cultural divides he thought he could transcend are not so simple. Naked and broke in a foreign country where he stands out like a sore thumb, Max begins to make his way toward the American Embassy in Kingston. Along the road Jamaica is waiting to meet him.

E!: “I wish I could say I can see them being friends again, but I don’t think it’s going to happen,” fellow Housewife Alex McCord tells us. McCord explains that the falling-out is worse than what we’ve been seeing on the show this season. How so? Read on for all the Big Apple dramarama details… “Sometimes you find things out about people that you didn’t believe and glossed over,” says McCord, who attended Frankel’s wedding last month. “You get to a point where you just can’t do it anymore and it blows up in your face. There’s so much going on between Jill and Bethenny. You don’t see 80 percent of it on camera.”

Earlier this week McCord — who is looking like the sanest member of the RHONYC cast this season —  was the subject of a snarky piece  in the NY Daily News:

NY Daily News: “Throughout my pregnancy, I gave into every craving I felt,” admits the Housewife in one chapter of the tome [Little Kids Big City], which will hit bookstands April 6th. “When I wanted to have a drink, I did.”

And this includes the night she went into labor with Francois: in fact, McCord says she was sipping on champagne when Simon escorted her to the hospital.

And we have a feeling the judgment won’t stop there: the duo also discusses bringing newborn Johan (when he was just 48 hours old) to the uber-fancy Mercer Kitchen while mom and dad had drinks.

But despite that bizarre outing, the couple insists they know they can’t bring their brood everywhere.

“We’re very lucky that we’re able to pay our nanny extra for two evenings a week to go out,” shares Alex.

Au contraire, say sources close to the fam. An insider with “Housewife” connections dishes that Alex may be a bit confused on the amount of time the duo spend outside their Brooklyn townhouse in the evenings. “They definitely go out A LOT during the week,” says the source. “They’ll go to practically any event to be seen.”

“The other Housewives have all made their own backhanded comments on the show about Alex and Simon’s parenting, and this book is only going to make things worse,” the insider continues. “If anything, it just highlights what everyone has been thinking all along.”

Have a neighbor/musician/rock star we should feature? Comment below!

Freep.com: ”You, too, could look fantastic on the cover of a fashion magazine if you had the arsenal we are giving to these celebrities to make them look their best.”

They have stylists and hairdressers and make-up artists. Their photos are airbrushed, though Stephenson says “retouched” is the proper word to use these days.

“Most actresses and models are like you and I,” Stephenson says. “They have things that they hate about their body, things they love about their body. They have bad hair days. They get bad skin. They have stuff they don’t like about themselves. But they take time in the most important moments of their lives to look their best. They get manicures. They loofah their skin. There are certain things that stars do that really are not that hard.”

For example, Stephenson says that Jennifer Lopez is “pale in real life” but takes the time to apply self tanner.

Boerum Hill resident/author Peter Hedges recently went back home to Iowa to promote his new novel The Heights.   The book, which is soon to be a major motion picture directed by the writer, takes place in a fictionalized-ish version of Brooklyn Heights.

Hedges sat down for an interview with Radio Iowa.  Listen now: