Good Morning and Hello Friday October 1st!

Today’s Top 10 might be a bit more serious and perhaps even controversial (#8, 9, and 10), than my usual, trendspotting topics.

Be that as it may, I’ve also included a good mix of quirky, cool stuff so (hopefully) it’ll still be an interesting, fast-paced read.

Enjoy!!

1. [watch] VIDEO: what’s new and why it matters

2. REAL ESTATE: always a perfect barometer of how we’ll live, work, play in the future

WHAT’S NEW:

1. In the year’s biggest office deal, Google agreed to buy St. John’s Terminal for $2.1 billion. But they’re not the only tech company on the prowl for real estate in NYC. Roku, Microsoft, Stripe are all in talks for new leases in Manhattan. Disney is also building a New York headquarters in the Hudson Square area making the west side waterfront NYC’s tech/media hub. These transactions also all affirm a major commitment to in-person work.
2. On the hotel front, McWhinney, a real estate investor/developer out of Colorado purchased Austin Proper Hotel & Residences. McWhinney is also continuing construction on its 31-floor, 246-room Hyatt Centric Austin. In NYC likewise, there are dozens of hotels under construction. Near me on the Bowery, the newest Moxy Hotel just topped out this week.

From a trend perspective, real estate is a key barometer of the future. The best real estate developers are masters at taking the pulse of the times and then applying the long view to their plans. And of course, with so much money at stake, failure is rarely an option. Based on what I’m seeing, in-person work is 100% coming back as is travel and hospitality. Even retail is likely to make a comeback especially once e-commerce’s free shipping perk goes bye-bye.

3. Another reason to get back to work: 22% of Americans met their spouses there

THE LATEST:

1. Pittsburgh Magazine just did a wedding story about some local couples who all met at work. My favorites are Nathan Bossory and Nicolle Driscoll (super cute story!!).
2. Most people spend a third of their lifetime at work, so it’s not surprising that people end up dating co-workers. Not only do our co-workers often become our closest friends, according to a study by the University of Chicago, they also increasingly become spouse material.

Even though many of these co-worker marriages ultimately don’t pan out e.g., Bill & Melinda Gates, Sergey Brin & Anne Wojcicki, work is often the most convenient place to meet people and spend quality time together both during and after work. I know it’s challenging for HR but I expect we’ll see more work-dating in the future.

4. 15% increase in vasectomy procedures AFTER Texas’ new abortion law passed

THE LATEST:

1. Dr. Koushik Shaw at the Austin Urology Institute says his practice has seen a 15% increase in scheduled vasectomy procedures this month. Most of the patients either know they don’t want children or know they don’t want any more children. Others say their wives have experienced life-threatening pregnancy complications that the couple doesn’t want to risk happening again.
2. Per Dr. Shaw, it prompted people to say, ‘Hey, it’s time we formalize our birth control planning.’

5. LUXURY BRANDS PARTNER WITH ARTISTS. WHY? BECAUSE art is THE ULTIMATE luxury good

THE LATEST:

1. Hermès expanded into the Detroit market with a 5,000-sq-foot space in Troy. They commissioned a mural entitled Chain of Events by Detroit-based artist, Ellen Rutt.
2. Swiss running label On is booming! Lots of “luxury” types wearing the brand at the US Open and their latest partnership with Art Basel, hosting a twice-daily series of Art Walks and Runs, is absolutely BRILLIANT.

The juxtaposition of art and luxury goods is not new. Marc Jacobs did it with Murakami for Vuitton back in 2002. More recent examples include Tiffany, working with Daniel Arsham, and on a non-luxury level, Uniqlo just announced a new Jeff Koons collaboration which is dropping on October 4th. This is one trend that is not even close to running out of steam.

6. I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN MY ‘HOOD WAS COOL, BUT NICE TO know it’s the “HOTTEST” as well. thanks Bofa!

THE SCOOP:

1. This whole neighborhood (LES, Nolita, Soho) is teeming with hip, young stores, and hip young people! Always worth a trip downtown to check out what’s new, especially for my trend scouting peeps. One of the stores with the longest lines is ISALIS (and it’s a tiny store). They really play up their TikTok pedigree and the clothes are super cute.
2. Per TikTok (sorry BoFA), the coolest store and the “top-liked” post, is Melissa on Broadway which I wrote about a few weeks ago.

I do LOVE my neighborhood, it always maintains its cool cachet, even when it gets totally sketchy as is the case at the moment (see #10 below). That said, next week, I will be writing about the stores that Jenna Lyons is curating for Tishman Speyer in Rockefeller Center (thank you Sheri for putting on my radar). I’m especially intrigued to check out Y’ALL MART, a collective out of Texas with some cool Marfa and Austin-based brands. I’m also checking out SAKSWORKS at the 5th Avenue Flagship. Keep an eye out, I will report back.

7. Streetstyle: So many Cool Dudes. Keep an eye on WRANGLER Jeans, they’re the coolest!

8. The Ozy Scam. I knew this was fishy, way back in 2017

THE SCOOP:

1. WHOA!! For those of you not up on this, Ozy pulled off some next-level sh*t last week when Samir Rao, Ozy’s co-founder and COO tried to impersonate a YouTube exec touting how successful Ozy videos are while on a fund-raising conference call with Goldman Sachs. Rao initially told Goldman that his Zoom wasn’t working and could they switch to a conference call. The scheme started to unravel when Rao’s voice sounded strange, as if it were digitally altered. Goldman pulled out of the deal then and there. Samir Rao, of course, blames it on a mental health crisis.
2. I’m not especially surprised by this turn of events. The small amount of research I did on Ozy back in 2017 indicated things were not on the up-and-up.

Let me just say I LOVE tech but its the shadiest, most flim-flammery category out there. The financial shenanigans are legendary. Whether it’s Theranos, Uber (which I believe is still not profitable after 12 years in business), or Influencers shilling their services for $millions$ based on millions of fake followers. I’m also suspicious of cryptocurrencies (but that may just say more about my age). Anyone who’s ever started a business knows they have to do a bit of “fake it til you make it” but when it gets completely out of hand like this, it’s time for a reset. I also believe the blame can’t be cast solely on the startup founders. VC money that turns a blind eye to this kind of malfeasance is equally (if not more) to blame.

9. Violent crime is increasing in cities big and small. Is anyone really surprised?

THE LATEST:

• Pittsburgh has seen a 46% rise in shootings and one-third of the homicide victims are teens.
• In California, the murder rate went up more than the national average. LA saw a 60% increase in homicides. For violent crimes, the numbers started moving up in 2014 after Proposition 47 passed changing low-level crimes from potential felonies to misdemeanors, e.g., shoplifting, where if the value of property stolen does not exceed $950, you’re home free. We’ve all seen where that’s led. Prop. 47 laid the groundwork to not hold anyone accountable.
• In NYC, carjackings are up 81%. “It’s opportunists taking advantage of a low-risk high-reward crime with little or no consequences,” said Joseph Giacalone, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “The perpetrators know that the police can rarely chase and this emboldens them even more. If they are even caught, no bail. It’s a win-win for the bad guys.” NYC actress/wannabee governor Cynthia Nixon who recently came out on the side of shoplifters because “people need stuff,” probably wouldn’t mind being carjacked because clearly someone just needed her car.
• In Phoenix, homicides rose by nearly 44%, while aggravated assaults rose by more than 24%.
• Chicago homicides are up 56% and in Atlanta, homicides jumped 62%.

The FBI’S new crime data shows homicides nationwide up 30%, the highest jump from year to year since the FBI began keeping data 60 years ago. Some people are shocked. I’m shocked that anyone is shocked. In NYC, all manner of crime is up (shootings, slashings, robberies, carjackings, assaults). However, when the suspects are caught, often with a lengthy rap sheet, consequences are nil. There’s no jail, no bail, suspects are let loose to continue their crime sprees. I can’t think of a better time to be a criminal than right now. How lucky for them to be “working their trade” at a time when mayors, governors, DAs, and elected officials are backing them at the expense of their victims.

10. Miami-DADE’s Homeless Population Now At The Lowest Level Ever Recorded, Down 58%. Here’s what it takes.

The mayor and Miami commissioners have instituted 3 major changes that work:

1. Encampments on public property and in entryways are now ILLEGAL.
2. Police have been EMPOWERED TO ARREST those who refuse to move to a homeless shelter where they have been offered a bed.
3. Charity groups are RESTRICTED from feeding people on the streets.

NOTE: The total homeless population in Miami-Dade, including both sheltered and unsheltered, stood at 3,355 as of August 2021 with the City of Miami, seeing the highest homeless population with 510 living unsheltered on the streets. Commissioners voted last week to approve a $7 million budget to reduce that homeless population.

I have quite a bit of experience living side-by-side with the homeless. For over 25 years, I’ve lived with up to 5 homeless shelters as neighbors. I spend every morning cleaning up my side of the block after the homeless have passed through. My morning routine includes collecting discarded food, empty bottles of booze, broken bottles, drug paraphernalia, and human excrement.
I’ve seen 3 people getting knocked out by unhinged homeless people over the summer. I’ve also witnessed numerous OD’s. It’s no way to live, for the homeless OR for me and my neighbors. Why the city spends billions of dollars to keep the homeless UNHOUSED is beyond me (somebody is clearly making bank by keeping things as they are). From what I can see and have experienced, Miami’s approach would be a welcome change.

And on that note, it’s a wrap.

I’m going to leave you with this fabulous young jazz ensemble that I stumbled upon last weekend in Central Park. I believe they may be students at Julliard 🥰 – but that’s only a guess.

Next week I intend to be my normal, chipper self, reporting only on inspiring and uplifting topics. Have a great weekend everyone!