The valets revolution

I made it back to DC but feel very tired and a bit nauseous. Delightful LL and I did go out a little yesterday night and drunk Armagnac. It might also very well be the fact that the purple cover of this month Vanity Fair with Martha Stewart is the tackiest thing ever. Obviously a few months in jail will do it for your taste. On NYC, we had diner at Daniel B.’s DB Bistor Moderne which has great frog legs and decor – too bad our waiter was so conceited and welcomed us with a “You guys are here for the burger, right ?” which made LL gasp of horror. Isn’t it strange how in the big cities of the US, all of our valets (waiters, hosts in restaurant or at the gym, bartenders, stewards, sellers in retail stores etc…) are such snobs ?. While asking this question, I particularly picture a ridiculous gay Diesel retailer in Georgetown a few years ago that strangely behaved as if selling jeans was comparable to priesthood (selling jeans at Diesel would be similar to giving communion at the Vatican or something – btw I’ll let you notice that Diesel is repositioning completely its brand to make it a luxurious brand – I am barfing). Robert Frost had seen it coming when he said: “The difference between a man and his valet: they both smoke the same cigars, but only one pays for them” but it did not have to get that bad. Anyway one of my friend observed one day that waitresses and bartenders in NYC make more than traders: first mistake. Is it the culture of service ? I don’t get it. Really. Talking of stewards, it stroked me today in the Delta shuttle that the whole cell phone thing in the plane (i.e. the fact that they ask you to turn it off in order to avoid any crash uncalled for) is actually just a scam. Let me tell you something: if there was anyway that the cute little electronic devices of yours could indeed interfere with the navigation tools they would take them away from you (as they do with nail clippers) and none would show up on a flight. No, it is just this big thing that all airlines agreed upon so people would not spend their flight calling or playing with their cell phones: it is a lie for which all airplanes people have to swear secrecy before being allowed to start on the job. Also I wanted to let you know that the DC cab driver with airport authorization 182 is a rude old bag. May I add - to back up LL cruisade on them, that actually most DC cab drivers are insufferable (besides Jesus K.) ?. I declined Mike G.’s invitation to take advantage of the free drinks that were proposed as I am watered down and refuse to comment on Kevin’s sordid piece of news. However, please note in the NY times of this week-end, that the housing market is collapsing - Housing Goes Frothy to Flat in Denver Area! Bonne nuit les petits.