Up with olives

One of my favorite New York City experiences is to sit at the brushed stainless steel bar at Schiller's Liquor Bar in my neighborhood on the Lower East Side and have a Tanqueray martini or two - on the dry side, up with olives.  When I am with my friend Lindsay, we always share a medium rare cheeseburger (one of the best in the city) and some pommes frites.  The bartenders are chic and friendly, the lighting is just how I like it (low), and the music is pitch perfect.  It can be tough to find a bar stool and on busier nights the crowd can run a little finance frat for my taste, but it is just right to wind down on a Sunday or Tuesday night.

I love the latest Tanqueray ad campaign, "Tonight We Tanqueray," featuring Karen Elson (above), Aloe Blacc and others - sounds like a plan to me!

Woman on the verge

V Spain's latest issue is dedicated to genius filmmaker and Spanish national treasure Pedro Almodovar, with superstar Naomi Campbell on the cover shot by Sebastian Faena in a nod to Almodovar's film "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!"

Karmen by Hedi

Karmen Pedaru is one of my very favorite models, and these shots by Hedi Slimane for Vogue China give you a good idea why.

Bull market

Alexander McQueen

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

Rick Owens

Bottega Veneta

Lanvin

Mulberry

Were money and space no object, as previously mentioned, I wouldn't mind owning the above items for my fall wardrobe.  If anyone has a spare $7-8,000, you can find them all on Mr. Porter - send me a Tweet for my shipping address.  Many thanks!

Perf walk

This young woman had it just right strutting up Broadway after some late summer rainfall.

Investment advice

Ludicrous stock market ups and downs aside, I'm trying not to over-shop this autumn.  I really have more than my various closets and under-bed containers can bear as it is, and I've been thinking about exploring this idea of "investment buying" I keep reading about - one usually espoused by those for whom "investments" are a nice half-dozen multi-thousand dollar items per season.  I am not one of those people, but I can probably spring for the above, both of which will compliment the million t-shirts, 300 coats and 8,000 pairs of jeans I already own quite nicely.  

The first is the lightweight wool Masai print scarf that Thakoon just released to benefit the tragic, outrageous East African famine (100% of net proceeds will go to various charities).  I've been wanting to make a decently sized donation toward the famine relief efforts, and I figure at least $150 of the price must go toward them - in addition to the fact that the Thakoon scarf is probably the cheapest and closest I'll get to a piece of Kim Jones's first (Masai-inspired) collection for Louis Vuitton menswear.  Get yours today!  The second item is the essential pair of perfect Gucci Chelsea boots, for $595 on my new favourite shopping site Mr. Porter, with which I will wear everything.  These two items, paired with some Rick Owens basics and crisp Levi's denim, should get me through NYFW with aplomb.

What do you plan to purchase this season?

Speaking of Givenchy...

I couldn't resist posting these shots from Givenchy's fall 2011 womenswear ad campaign, starring from above, Kristen McMenamy, Mariacarla Boscono, Naomi Campbell & Natalia Vodianova.  Styled by Carine Roitfeld and photographed by Mert & Marcus.