The notorious “Queen of Mean” of New York real estate, Leona Helmsley, died Monday of heart failure at her summer home in Greenwich, Connecticut, her publicist Howard Rubenstein confirmed. She was 87.

Ranked the 369th richest person by Forbes in 2007 with an approximate net worth of $ 2.5 billion, the hotel magnate personified the “greed is good” culture of the 1980s. Along with her third husband Harry Helmsley, whom she married in April 1972, she ran a sprawling $ 5 billion real estate empire that included the management of the Empire State Building.

Despite being, in the words of her long-time rival Donald Trump, indisputably “one of a kind” in terms of personal and financial success, she will no doubt be remembered by most for her 1989 trial, where both she and her husband were accused of charging millions to their businesses in personal expenses and costly home improvements. Convicted for tax evasion, she was sentenced to four years in prison of which she only served 18 months. She was also fined $ 7.1 million as well as having to serve 750 hours of community service.

After being released in 1994, Mrs. Helmsley soon disappeared from the media spotlight; however, her reputation as a brutal and self-interested employer had already been sealed during the course of a highly publicized trial. This trial had included extensive testimony from employees who attested to Mrs. Helmsley’s tendency to terrorize both executive and menial help, as well as relating several wonderfully scandalous comments, the most infamous one being “We don’t pay taxes. Only little people pay taxes.” Although she later denied having said it, it was perhaps this comment more than anything else that caused the public to view Leona Helmsley as over-privileged, money-grabbing and mean.

As Sorcese’s famous song for the film “New York, New York” says, “I want to be a part of it: New York, New York”. With On Location Tours, you can literally be a part of it, by taking a tour of New York TV and movies sites, Sex and the City Hotspots, Sopranos sites and Central Park movie sites. You know you want to walk the walk of your favorite NYC movie and television characters, so grab a couple of friends and become an annoying tourist for a day( I promise I won’t tell…just don’t act too touristy by standing in the middle of the side walk and gawking at the big pretty buildings).

All you stylishly savvy fems should begin with the Sex and the City tour. This tour will make you fall in love all over again with the fab stiletto clacking foursome. Sit on Carrie’s apartment stoop, shop at the famous Pleasure Chest and purchase the ‘Rabbit’ which became Charlotte’s addick-ion (We all remember that episode… ‘Rabbit’ sells must have skyrocketed) and sip cocktails with your girls at the bar used on the show. There are over 40 sites on this tour to insure every moment will be as titillating as watching the show. On Location also offers bachelorette/girlfriend getaway packages for the Sex and City tours. Check the website for details.

The three other tours are as equally exciting as the Sex and the City tour. Take the New York TV and movie tour and grace the places of our favorite tortured editorial assistant from The Devil Wears Prada. Visit a spot from the movie Hitch and have a look at the diner in Men In Black and Woody Allen’s Manhattan. The home of the Cosbys on The Cosby Show and those beloved Friends are also highlights of this tour. For those that love everything Sopranos the Sopranos tour is a must. Reminisce with a trip inside Bada Bings, see the outside of Richie Aprile’s club and visit the sites from the opening credits. After a taste of the Sopranos, come back to the city to enjoy the extremely popular Central Park. The Central Park tour includes the Boathouse Café featured in When Harry Met Sally, a chance to feed pigeons in the same spot as Macaulay Culkin from Home Alone 2 and stop at Wollman Rink, where scenes from Serendipity and Love Story were filmed.

Tickets sale out quickly, so go to www.screentours.com for tour schedules and pricing.

I was reading Ovid today. I realize this is not a sentence you hear everyday but Knowledge is power, and sharing it – mannerly!

Ovid was a ancient Roman poet/writer who gave us “The Art of Love”, a roman-era cosmo guide for the lovelorn. Love was quite different in those days! You would think it would be quite archaic to follow some of the advice (such as painting your face with lead – that would just get you…dead!). Surprisingly though, much of it still rings quite true. One quote in particular rings true.

“Your first preoccupation, my dears, should be your manners. When a woman’s manners are good, she never fails to attract. Manners indeed are more than half the battle”

Ovid is speaking my language! (well after it’s translated into English that is!) He waxes eloquent on the importance of manners in the world of relationships. Where could it be more important than in our most intimate of relationships?

So What ARE dating manners?

As far as getting the date, the field’s wide open. There is nothing wrong with inviting someone out, male, female or otherwise as long as they are not married or in an obvious relationship. That’s not smart for either party. Of course you can be selective – employment, no criminal record, cleanliness, ability to put sentences together – probably factors you should confirm before taking the leap!

Once you are on the date:

1. Consideration: Consideration spans so many topics. Listening to your date would probably be high on the list. Glancing around the room to see if anyone better entered – not quite so acceptable. Checking your voicemail for the 20th time to see if last nights date called back – not too good. Actually taking the call – hello!

Source: mrfox.blogspot.com

Although our fair city has had several days of chill and drizzle this past week, we’re in for a weekend that promises to hit the high 80s. One of those end-of-summer weekends that will make you glad you extended your rental all the way through Labor Day. Alas, twilight comes sooner and nights are getting chilly. So, get the girls together, raise your glasses and toast to the last days of summer. Enjoy it while it lasts, mes amies!

Summer Slushie Special

This refreshing rum-iced tea concoction will surely cool you and the gals off. It might take some preparation, but your company will appreciate it.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar or comparable amount of sugar-substitute

9 cups water

4 tea bags

1 can (12 fluid ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate

1 can (12 fluid ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate

2 cups rum

Sprite (or diet Sprite)

Directions:

Boil 7 cups of water in a large saucepan. Add sugar and stir until dissolved, then set aside to cool. Place teabags in 2 cups of boiling water and let steep until desired strength is acquired. In a large bowl, mix together sugar water, tea, lemonade concentrate and orange juice concentrate. Stir in rum. Place in freezer container and freeze overnight. To serve, place several scoops into a tall glass, and fill with Sprite or any other carbonated beverage.

It was until just last year that lingerie was snubbed when it came to the world of award shows. I’m not sure why when Jessica Simpson is dropping self-confessed G’s on LePerla and pole dancing has become the next work-out for stay-at-home moms, this industry is thriving more than ever. And so it goes– the Academy Awards for the movies, the Emmys for TV and now, even the world of Porn has the Vivid girls breathlessly thanking their co-workers for all of their um, hard work. Designers have catwalked their lines down a runway for decades, and now, thanks to Contours International, lingerie has been given its proper accolades and honored what goes underneath those lovely fashions at the second annual CILA awards show Monday, August 7th at the Waldorf Astoria.

The swanky affair began with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner in the Grand Ballroom. The runway show started just as dessert was being served and, needless to say, there’s nothing like a 5 foot 11 model in a g-string to make you push that petit four back just a tad farther.

I was at the Comic Strip Live last night, not laughing (more like in a state of perpetual mental slack-jaw) as this “comic” (quote-fingers = read: unfunny) proudly recounted a rueful tale of his un-Batman, un-valorous subway un-etiquette. Sitting cockily in his cozy train seat, he observes an old woman strap-hanging for dear life. The markedly unsophisticated comedy crowd snickers (as if this is any smidge of a twinge amusing) at his ‘joke(?).’ Eventually, he sneers, a younger woman gives up her seat for the old woman, while he proudly remains firmly rooted in his hard-won throne without bothering to wiggle a pinky toe. (Such willpower, such the guy to go the extra mile!) For some unfathomable reason, this un-gallant tale is met with howls of laughter. Dare we label this schlock-tainment? Not a proud moment all around.

In this day and age where bad news rules the day, men engage in pissing-contests to see how long they can hold-out on calling you (even if he is that into you), misogyny is the predictable butt of all too many fart-level-humor jokes, and a guy will literally chest-butt you out of the way to get a marquee spot on the subway pole – I’m practically forced to wonder: is chivalry utterly obsolete? I don’t know what neighborhood you reside in, but nobody’s thrown a red cape across my muddy monsoon path anytime lately. You?

Thankfully my query’s answer is no, and I have at least one concrete, living example to prove it. Enter JOHN SOLLITTO and his solo motorcycle cavalcade por un. A Brooklyn-based writer and true borough native, John embodies that spirit of old New York which seems to have faded into dust along with any remaining hints of Times Square character. He can tell tall tales with the best of ‘em in that gruff BK accent that is so endearing (to New Yorkers anyhow) and this was a pretty fabulous tale he recounted – large perhaps, but true nonetheless…

Brooke Astor, “a quintessential New Yorker”, passed away August 14th at the age of 105 at her weekend estate at Holly Hill, leaving a gaping hole in the very fabric of the city. Kenneth Warner, the family lawyer, confirmed her death, citing the cause as pneumonia. News of her death dominated the headlines in a city replete with potential front-page stories as newspapers were filled with photographs and articles paying tribute to her greatness. Her funeral, scheduled to take place on Friday, is set to include the crème de la crème with the list of attendees reading like a veritable Who’s Who of the city’s elite.

The undisputed grande dame of New York high society, a beacon of elegance, grace and charm, Brooke Astor will be remembered as a determined socialite most distinctly characterized by her tireless charitable endeavors in the city. Her public persona was that of a humanist aristocrat with a generous heart; it seems almost unbelievable that she was not trueborn blue blood acting upon noblesse oblige.

Born into a middle class family with nothing remarkable about her initially, Mrs. Astor’s rise to her position as Manhattan’s unofficial philanthropic ambassador is truly remarkable. What is more, she did not have the smooth, pampered life that many people imagine is bestowed upon all wealthy and successful individuals. Her first marriage at seventeen to a wealthy Princeton student was defined by misery and ended eleven years later in divorce. Her second marriage, to the stockbroker Charles Marshall, the love of her life, lasted for twenty years, and so it was with a certain degree of hesitation that she agreed to marry Vincent Astor just a few months after her second husband’s sudden death. It was this final marriage that allowed Brooke Astor access to the bastion of culture and wealth that was and is the elite of New York society.

You know all that stuff cluttering your desk drawer, the bottom of your favorite handbag and the plastic bin that made you think you were so clever and organized the day you brought it home from the Container Store? All the red lipsticks that you coveted when you saw them on some supermodel in a perfectly lit and retouched ad? The stick-on crystals you bought for your eyelashes – until you saw a drag queen walking up Hudson wearing them? The carnation-colored blush you thought would look youthful, but ended up making you look like a Kewpie Doll?

Well…bring it to Washington Square Park on Tuesday August 21st (8:30 am until 2:00 pm) and trade it all in for a case of freakin’ fabulous beauty products that were amongst Glamour Magazine’s top picks in the industry. In short, tried and tested gotta-love-em products. Awwwwwe yeah…trading in your crap for total awesomeness. Does it get any better than this? Mais oui mes amies!

This beauty swap-meet will also serve to raise funds and awareness for Look Good Feel BetterTM, “a national public-service program dedicated to helping women who are living with cancer to manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer and its treatment. A boost to their morale and an improved self-image are often the result, making them better able to face their disease with greater confidence.”

Glamour Magazine will donate ONE DOLLAR FOR EVERY PIECE OF MAKEUP TRADED IN. Hell yeah we love us some Glamour! No matter how used or outdated or umm – ugly – it might be (we cannot take responsibility for stuff you bought before you got wise to BeautyNews’ awesomeness!), bring it on down.

OK, So let me recap. You get to clear out the clutter that is keeping you from your internal Zen (Feng Shui Your Life, babe!!!), you get to trade in old, used – or unused, dried up, didn’t-work-for-you cosmetics and get fabulous, amazing, new, hot products that you know you’re no-self-control ass was gonna splurge on anyhow, and most importantly you are raising money (and awareness) for our sisters, friends, aunts, mothers, nieces and general ‘homegirls’ who are suffering with the big C. For crying out loud…go get a bag and start cramming your junk in it!

A little more 411 on LGFB: we all know that cancer SUCKS. One of the things we can do to help women (as well as men and children) approach dealing with the disease is to help them look and feel better, and by extension improve their self-image and help alleviate some of the stress of dealing with the illness. Nothing kicks cancer’s ass like a dose of confident-zen. The organization began in 1989 and since that time has devoted their efforts to the support of women living with the disease. www.lgfb.org.

Ahhhhh, fall. Is there a more glorious time in the fashion world? Fall means the unveiling of brand-new trends for the coming year, the ability to throw on a tent-like sweater and long pants on those “I feel bloated and I haven’t shaved” days, and, best of all…the mammoth-sized September Vogue that we fashion gals wait for with bated breath to hit newsstands.

To navigate this fall’s trends, here’s a breakdown of the top 10 accessory trends seen on the runways, along with suggestions of accessories that are so on-trend for fall, you’ll look just like you stepped right off the pages of your beloved September Vogue and on to the street.

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9) On the Other Hand. It seems that hands are getting their moment in the spotlight this fall, as seen in the unique hand-held clutches on the Prada, Jil Sander, and Hermès fall runways. They’re being called “muff clutches,” and are either held by placing your hand in a strip of fabric (as seen at Prada) or are literally bags that double as muffs (seen on the Hermès runway). To try a version of this trend that’s a bit more street-friendly, check out Hayden-Harnett’s “Mercer” clutch ($320 at HaydenHarnett.com).

ABSOLUT Delicate Pear

4 parts ABSOLUT® PEARS
2 parts Pear Liqueur
½ part Pear Puree
½ part Apple Puree
Splash of Apple Pucker

Step 1: Combine all ingredients over ice and shake.
Step 2: Pour into a martini glass.
Step 3: Garnish with pear slice.

Ah, ABSOLUT® CITRON®. The source of many a wonderful Lemon Drop. Now, Citron is all grown up and has reinvented itself in this classy cocktail. We know that opposites attract. Thank you, Paula Abdul. Berries and citrus are no exception, and neither is this drink. Take two steps forward and two step back then let you and your drink come together to smooth out the edges of your day, with the razzle dazzle of l raspberries and lemons on your tastebuds.

ABSOLUT Raz-erve

1 part ABSOLUT® CITRON®
¾ part Mathilde Raz Liqueur
½ part Cranberry Juice
Dash of Lemon Juice
4 Raspberries

Step 1: Combine all ingredients over ice.
Step 2: Shake and strain into a tulip wine glass.
Step 3: Sink 3 raspberries for a last-sip treat.
Step 4: Garnish with 1 fresh raspberry.