One of the things I learned about Laura Kirar - that did not come out in our Dialogue on Design interview a couple weeks ago - is that she loves a dirty martini. As do I. I would love to make them at home, but those long-stemmed beautiful martini glasses are too tall for my standard NYC apartment kitchen cabinet. That problem has now been solved. Witness Alissa MT’s absolutely genius solution. All the style, no stem. The double-walled design means the precious dirty martini stays cold, even if your hand is warm. I find it is much more modern than the stemmed glass and I find the price much friendlier - a set of 2 is just $55. Cheers, all. Link

Last week I got a tour of the newly renovated Royalton Hotel. The Royalton, you may remember, was Philippe Starck’s first hotel for Ian Schrager and some were freaking out about the renovation. I was on the fence. Until I walked into the new lobby, as re-envisioned by Roman and Williams. I’m not going to comment more on that because I’d be scooping myself (check out my item in the “Currents” column in The New York Times on Thursday.) But I will say that it is spectacular and you must all go and have a drink there immediately. You’ll want to move in. What I can show you now is a scouting shot I took of the bathroom in one of the newly re-done rooms. They kept the round tub (love it!) and added mirrored tiles and a rainshower. It’s very, very sexy. And, although Laura Kirar commented that you “can’t take a glass of wine in the shower,” I believe you could do so in this one, propping it on that tub ledge. I might just try that…..

I’ve just finished reading a book that I think everyone in the design business - especially those NOT in the fashion business - should read. It’s called Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, written by Dana Thomas and it really demystifies the business of fashion luxury goods. Some of these revelations were not news to me - like the fact that many articles of clothing and shoes labeled “Made in Italy” are made nowhere near that country - but others were truly eye opening. I couldn’t put it down and I recently (reluctantly) loaned it to a friend.

Run, don’t walk. It’s a great read. It’s $18.45 on Amazon. Here’s the link: Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster