vip in the city

Kim & Sheu and Amy Sedaris

At lunchtime, the Kim & Sheu Duo: Jennifer Kim (Violin) and Connie Sheu (Guitar). The Juilliard musicians this afternoon seemed somewhat less prepared for public performance than last week’s Kang & Soto: playing quietly at times, seemingly to themselves, with repeated fits and starts. It felt more like we were witnessing an open, staged practice session rather than an actual concert, which probably suited the lunchtime crowd gathered at 180 Maiden well enough. SYB brought my favorite sandwich again. And I noticed for the first time today that there is a gallery located in the lobby of the building, which will only be open through the end of September 2006. I’ll have to remember to peek inside next week.

After the evening vegetable pick-up — more peppers, eggplant and tomatoes! — I did a quick dropoff at the apartment and then zipped back down to the W New York – Times Square for a book launch in honor of comic performer, actress, playwright, author and baker Amy Sedaris, whose upcoming book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, is being released in October by Warner Books. In it, she offers practical entertaining tips, like deal with the inebriated. (“Better to cut them off rather than pretend it’s not happening and then allow them to stay over and wet your bed.”)

In a kooky touch, quite likely cooked up by the guest of honor, everyone at the party was required to wear a name tag, not with his or her name, but with their occupation/industry and a red or green sticker, announcing their relationship status: single or taken. In rotation, I spied (mostly red-stickered) writers, singers, real estate developers… and a rocket scientist!

There was a crowd gathered around the bar — cosmos only — and among the guests, men circulated with trays of Sedaris’ famous cupcakes. Sedaris herself was seated at a table in the center, petite and elegant in her black silk dress and fishnets, chatting up fans (of which there were many in attendance) and signing CDs with audio highlights from her book. On mine, she wrote:

Vanessa,
Pee on me.
– Amy Sedaris

Oh! Um, thank you. I don’t know if that inscription is better or worse than B’s, which simply pronounced: “Fag!“

There are 2 Comments ... Kim & Sheu and Amy Sedaris

Qsoz
September 23, 2006

Maybe she knew about B’s nickname and was using the British version? 🙂

vipnyc
September 24, 2006

Who knew it was an actual person?!

Go for it ...