Carol Malony understands that it is not just what’s on the outside, but also what’s underneath. Her Haute by Carol Malony and Signature Collection lingerie solidifies femininity with its carefully structured bras, panties, chemises, and gowns. The pleating, fringe, and ruffle details (just to name a few) are impeccable, and exquisite fabrics such as tulle, chiffon, and European lace are used to construct these sensual pieces. Wearing Carol Malony lingerie makes you feel nothing less than fabulous. You can find her collections at Pink Lili, 1129 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 310-576-7100 and CoCo de Mer, 8618 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 310-652-0311 or to shop online or see a complete listing of retailers, visit   www.carolmalony.com

The Future in Eyewear

With the launch of the fall line inspired by vintage guitars and designed with the utmost detail, you will want to get your hands on a pair of KBLs. This unisex eyewear is offered in several different styles and colors including “Game Face” and “Silver City” (pictured). The durability and quality found in each piece includes PC, distortion free/shatter resistant lenses which block virtually 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. Available at A.Kinney Court, Venice, CA 310-392-3400 or visit  www.kbleyewear.com

Style That Keeps On Giving

Looking for a unique gift for that special someone, you? (And, of course, the other special ones in your life.)  Look toward TenOverSix for an incredible selection of clothing, accessories, home design, and art. This trendsetting boutique offers items by popular designers such as Alexander Wang, Loeffler Randall, Vivienne Westwood, Rachel Comey, and Band of Outsiders, as well as their private label created by Kristen Lee and Brady Cunningham. Visit TenOverSix located at 7427 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 323-330-9355 or  www.tenover6.com

The One That Conquers All

Luxury. Power. Cashmere. Night. Day. Mystery. Man. Woman. Just a few words associated with the brilliant perfumes by Maison Francis Kurkdjian. These French made perfumes offered at Neiman Marcus that include Aqua Universalis, The Colognes, Lumiere Noire, and APOM (“A Piece of Me”) can also be found in candles, incense papers, scented bubbles, washing soaps, and even softeners. For more info, visit www.franciskurkdjian.com

Stay Beautiful and Stay Green

Alicia Silverstone is reminding us once again that we can remain beautiful while also preserving the environment. This December she launches her environmentally conscious cosmetic accessories collection ecoTOOLS™ by Alicia Silverstone, which include make-up bags and cosmetic brushes. The cosmetic bag collection is made from natural hemp material, recycled PET, and nontoxic inks and range from a cosmetic bag, train case, and overnight bag. The brush sets start at $12.99 and the bags start at $8.99. You can find ecoTOOLS™ by Alicia Silverstone at Walgreens and Target.

Not Your Average Store

Imagine 2,200 square feet of spectacular vintage finds, then turn that imagination into reality and you have TINI. The owners Alexis Hadjopulos and Tom Whitman are connoisseurs when it comes to vintage artifacts, while keeping the budget conscious consumer in mind. The store front and online store offers distinctive vintage home and office furnishings, scaling from posters to floor lamps to desks to sofas and so on. This shop will definitely steer you in the right direction for gift giving ideas or if you want to add some flavor to your home or office. The store is located at 515 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 323-938-9230. Hours of operation: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. -7 p.m. / Friday-Sunday,
11 a.m. – 8 p.m. or visit www.thisisnotikea.com

Make a Statement

Add a little personality to your wardrobe with a line of fashionably forward-thinking Tees by Stand Up 2 Cancer’s “A Lot To Say” line. Featuring a variety of messages, from “Friend or Amigo” to “Hope and Dream,” proceeds will be contributed to the fight against cancer and the prospect of a cancer-free future. Shirts retail for $38.00.
To purchase, or for more info, check out www.standup2cancer.org

Unique Care For Unique Skin

Dr. Lancer is known for being dermatologist to the stars, including Ali Larter, Beyonce, and Hugh Jackman and now his unique expertise in state-of-the-art skin technology has evolved into a simple 3-step program designed for nearly all skin types to alleviate the most pressing concerns, including fine lines, discoloration, scars, and more. Polish, Cleanse, and Repair with the newest Lancer line.

Available individually at  www.lancerdermatology.com

Jingle Bell Rocks

The holiday season is just around the corner, and you’ve got to choose wisely if you want to make a big impression. Let Tiffany help you decide with one of the world’s most stunning selections of artistic accessories, including Jean Schlumberger’s Gemstone Rings, part of his delicate, yet boldly colorful line — one of many at www.tiffany.com

New Innovation in Chair Technology?

That’s right! Designer Joseph Nazari has perfected the art of sitting with the sleek and modern Bel Canto Chair. Once rested in the “seating platform” you can pivot and tilt any way you want and the chair will conform to your center of gravity to keep you there. Perfect for home decor or for public and commercial space, the chair retails from $1,800 in fiberglass to $3,000 in wood and is available at www.belcantochair.com

her Alternative to Energy

her is a healthier and better-tasting alternative to a laundry list of energy drinks that dominate the male demographic. The equivalent of strongly brewed black tea – not the cup of coffee you’re already trying to avoid – her has all the antioxidants and vitamins you need with a refreshing pink lemonade flavor. And 5% of proceeds are donated to combat domestic violence and breast cancer research! A healthier, smarter, and more generous alternative to energy, from her.
For more information, visit www.herenergy.com

Regenerate and Nourish this Holiday Season

There is no denying that skin care is a priority and thankfully ARCONA Los Angeles provides top of the line products that will give you truly healthy skin. The key to ARCONA’s effectiveness is its active ingredients and the way they are combined and processed. Cosmeceutical-grade ingredients, such as enzymes, antioxidants, and amino acids are formulated to work synergistically to deliver powerful results.

This holiday season check out their two kits: Regenerate – Purify reduces the signs of aging, sun damage, and other skin irregularities and Nourish – Repair strengthens your skins immune system. These two 3-step skin care kits are the perfect way to check out ARCONA if you haven’t already. You’ll see the difference in the tone and texture of your skin and enjoy the natural ingredients in your quest for being beautiful from the inside out. For more information please visit, www.arcona.com.

Ultimate Watchmen Experience

Experience the ultimate version of your favorite midnight avengers in the special edition release of Watchmen on Blu-ray and DVD. The ultimate cut version weaves scenes from the original animated version into live-action to complete the critically acclaimed story. Available now for $43.87 and $59.99 Blu-ray. Discounts available at www.wbshop.com

Holiday times mean Champagne and…why not? Who doesn’t love a gorgeous glass of bubbly? Champagnes and sparkling wines seem to make every occasion festive. Have you ever had pizza a la sparkler? Champagne with turkey? With passed appetizers? Bubbly makes all things enticing, refreshing, and evocative. Even opening a bottle is fun. Ever see anyone do the “saber” treatment on a bottle? Way cool – just stand back. Did you know that each bottle contains some 56 million bubbles, or approximately 12 million per glass?

Veuve Clicquot is a perennial favorite; feminine, yet immensely zesty. (Plus Veuve’s unmistakable yellow label puts a smile on everyone’s face.)

French Champagnes are wonderful, starting with the original – Dom Perignon. Dom’s complex, yet rich flavors are always a joy. Veuve Clicquot is a perennial favorite; feminine, yet immensely zesty. (Plus Veuve’s unmistakable yellow label puts a smile on everyone’s face.) Ayala is an old Champagne house that has recently begun exporting to the U.S. again. Crisp and delightful, this bright wine is getting noticed. Cristal, by Louis Roederer, is still a crowd pleaser, though ridiculously expensive. Bollinger is always lovely, one of the original “Grandes Marques” in the world of Champagne. Delamotte – particularly the Blanc de Blancs, is lemony, slightly acidic, and an under-the-radar winner. If you’ve never tried Delamotte you are missing out.
Though I certainly love all of these French bubblies, my personal favorite Champagne remains Grand Cuvee from Krug. Clearly not for everyone since this Champagne is perhaps the antithesis of a tangy, bracing sparkler. Krug’s Grand Cuvee is almost a meal in itself, exhibiting bold, rich, dense, elegant, and toastyflavors with a long, languorous finish–the dazzling, quintessential, king of full bodied Champagnes.

Some of the very best American sparklers include J. Schram from Schramsberg – Napa’s oldest sparkling wine producer. It’s a memorably confident sparkling wine all will enjoy.

But let’s not leave out some solid American producers. Some of the very best include J. Schram from Schramsberg – Napa’s oldest sparkling wine producer. It’s a memorably confident sparkling wine all will enjoy. J Vineyards, based in Healdsburg, produces many excellent wines including the J Late Disgorged Vintage Brut: Pale, ever so sweet on the tongue, and delicate. The Roederer Estate (from Mendocino) Brut is another fine, medium-bodied California sparkler. And not just California can produce winning bubblies — the 2000 Sparkling Pointe, Methode Champenoise, from the North Fork of Long Island was judged best American Sparkling win in the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. New York!?!
Incidentally, in days of yore, a host would pour a bit of his guest’s wine into his own glass and drink it first, to prove it was safe and not poisoned.  If the guest trusted his host, however, he would merely clink the host’s glass as a symbol of trust.  As Napoleon said of Champagne, “In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.”

Those bubbles are waiting.

Glenn Harrell

The Moliterno  is injected with black truffles and mushrooms after aging for 75 days. “This is a real holiday cheese,” says Harrell, admiring the rich, dark vein of truffles. Once I began experiencing these wonderful cheeses, it was like being in the middle of a good book you don’t want to put down. We sample three different goudas—aged six months, three years, and five years—the second of which bears strong notes of caramel and almonds. (Harrell instructs me that the true pronunciation of gouda is how-da.) Next I am treated to heavenly Brillat-Savarin triple crème brie. Then Harrell asks me point blank: “Do you like stronger cheeses?” Things are about to get serious. He serves up a Berthaut Affine au Chablis; it’s runny and pungent. “It’s a soft cheese from Burgundy, washed with Chablis—it gets very strong with age,” imparts Harrell. My impression: It’s like no other cheese I’ve tasted. I feel like I need to invent a new adjective to describe it properly.
By the pound, the goudas run about $20; all the others range from $30-40. The store, which also has a row of tables on the other side of the semi-open kitchen, is open daily and has expanded its hours for the holidays. Please visit www.saycheeselosangeles.com for details. As I’m leaving, Harrell apologizes for not having his “absolute best” holiday cheeses in yet. Hardly feeling cheated, I leave Say Cheese with a broader understanding of the diverse properties of a staple of the Yuletide season.

2800 Hyperion Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
323-665-0545
www.saycheeselosangeles.com

Monica May and Kristen Trattner

But the only thing I’m thinking of when I pass through the doors is the four words that should never be spoken—let alone eaten—in the same mouthful. Maple. Glazed. Bacon. Donut. My poor taste buds experienced waves of confusion, wonder, remorse, and lust as I succumbed to the gooey spell of this guilt-inducing confection. Monica’s Chicken Pozole—a hearty, comforting stew that captures the flavor of winter in Los Angeles—is “garnished” with a half-avocado rising out of the bowl like a verdant mountain. See Monica’s Chicken Pozole recipe at www.hmonthly.com. The menu also pays homage of sorts to the neighborhood’s checkered past with items that include Smac & Cheese (with roasted tomatoes and bread crumbs) and the 5c bag (brioche cinnamon toast). Tantalizing burgers and sandwiches abound, but several dishes outstrip conventional diner mentality. Standouts are the catfish with corn cakes and pecan sauce and an avocado that is stuffed with pinquito beans, red peppers, squash, corn, and cilantro. Prices are reasonable (most dishes are in the $8 – 10 range), and the restaurant is vegetarian-friendly, with several options available to meatless eaters.

Nickel Diner is open Tuesday – Sunday for breakfast and lunch 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They reopen for dinner from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Mondays. Where else can you get the full flavor of downtown L.A. brought to you by people who
actually live there?

524 South Main Street
Los Angeles, CA
213-623-8301
www.nickeldiner.com

-Jason Dean

CHOCOLATE FONDANT, SAUCE ANGLAISE
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 3/4 oz. sugar
1/2 cup of orange juice or coffee
1 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 tablet of 65% Valrhona Chocolat  (available at Sur La Table Stores)
8 metal rings 2 1/2 in. diameter and 3 in. high (Sur La Table as well)

Sauce :
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
2 oz. sugar
1/2 vanilla bean

Procedure:
Mix eggs and sugar and warm over a bain marie until mixture is 140 degrees. Whip in a mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.
Boil the juice or coffee and add the chocolate, stir until melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Add the two mixtures (egg/sugar and chocolate) and then the cream.
Working quickly, spoon the batter into the rings and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is better).
Unmold on the plate and dust the top with cocoa powder. Serve with sauce anglaise.
Sauce Anglaise:
Boil the cream with vanilla bean. Whisk the yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes “white”.
Pour the hot cream and mix.
Cook slowly until nape (coating the back of a wooden spoon).
Strain and refrigerate.
BON APPETIT AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

544 South Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 213.891.0900
www.watergrill.com

CHEF David LeFevre’s Oyster and Shrimp Cornbread Stuffing

Yield: 8-10 servings

1 loaf cornbread (recipe at www.hmonthly.com)
1/2 lb. sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil (if needed)
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp. salt
1/4 tbsp. black pepper
2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
18 oysters, shucked, drained, and chopped
12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Crumble cornbread and spread on trays and bake in oven, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool bread in trays on racks, and then transfer to a large bowl.
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.
Cook onions, celery, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in fat in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with cornbread, then stir in bacon, parsley, butter, shrimp and oysters. Drizzle with stock, then season with salt and pepper and toss well.
Transfer stuffing to a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

-Jason Dean

As a boy growing up, it was a clear-cut choice. Either you were sweet on wholesome, blonde, reliable, good girl Betty Cooper, or you were entranced by raven-locked, petulant, blueblood Veronica Lodge. Both were gorgeous in their own way, but you were never on the fence about which one you would bring home to meet mom and dad.

Not so for the ginger-haired schmo in the middle of the whole kerfuffle. Archie Andrews just couldn’t seem to make up his mind. The Archie-Betty-Veronica love triangle endured almost seven decades (the characters debuted in Pep Comics in 1941), evoking ongoing speculation among comic book readers of all generations as to who Archie would settle down with for the rest of his teenage years. Finally last September, Riverdale was rocked by a bombshell: Archie was going to tie the knot.

Writer Michael Uslan, producer of all seven Batman movies, swooped in and orchestrated the tabloid-worthy nuptials. A juicy, rollercoaster ride plays out in six Archie Comics installments (#600-605) and a 10-page epilogue (to appear in #606). An uproar ensued when it was revealed that Archie had chosen Veronica as his betrothed in issue #600. Passionate Betty supporters were moved to action; The Today Show did its own poll (really) that elicited 30,000 responses in three days, with 80 percent calling out V-Lodge for being generally snooty and self-absorbed.

Uslan says he framed the storyline with the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken” in mind. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by” Uslan recites. “For me it’s been my beacon through my life, certainly my career. Go against the grain, take some calculated risks. Life is about choices and the consequences of our choices, and that’s thematically what I most wanted to explore with Archie getting married.” Then Uslan utters twelve words that are at once titillating and disheartening. “We live in a world where Brad chooses Angelina over Jennifer Aniston.”

Still grieving for poor, jilted Betty? She’ll be fine. In the December issue (#603), Archie proposes to Betty, too! (Uh, Jughead, I don’t think we’re in Utah anymore.) The miniseries concludes with neither wedding having actually taken place. Uslan refers to the 10-page epilogue for explanation. “I try to be very clear. One of these two alternative futures I wrote will come to pass. The point is that Archie readers will have to follow each issue closely for clues,” he says. “It’s going to depend on three individuals [and] the choices they make.”

Uslan appeared to take the road less-traveled when he jumped straight from the Dark Knight to Archie. For a lifetime comic-book devotee, however, it was not a detour at all. “To people who don’t know me, it was a bizarre and shocking twist,” he says with mock exaggeration.  The fact is, Uslan was an Archie fan almost from the time he could open a book. “My mom says I learned to read from Archie, Richie Rich, and Casper before I was four years old.”

Over the years, Uslan amassed a collection of 30,000 comic books. His dedication to the medium inspired him to create a first-of-its-kind, comic-book folklore course that examined comic-book characters from historical and contemporary perspectives, the allegorical connections, and other aspects that went beyond pure fantasy and colorful costumes. Stan Lee heard about Uslan’s class and offered him a job a DC Comics. Finally, the Indiana U. School of Law graduate could pursue a life of comic indulgence.

Uslan is currently working on films featuring The Spirit, Captain Marvel, and Shazam. The glee with which the 58-year-old Cedar Grove, New Jersey, native discusses how he makes a living (“I get to be between 12 and 16 for the rest of my life”), suggests he’s the right man to bring Archie into the 21st century. And things have certainly evolved in good ol’ Riverdale. Moose has enrolled in anger management courses and through yoga and meditation learns to appreciate the goodness in people and becomes very laid back and mellow. “It’s important that a contemporary topspin be placed on all the characters,” maintains Uslan.

The Batman franchise has capitalized on that very thing since the first film was released in 1989. Though he is a fan of all the Batman movies – whether  it’s Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, or Christian Bale lurking behind the mask – Uslan heaps praise on Christopher Nolan (director of Batman Returns and The Dark Knight), calling him “the first great new director of the 21st century who should be studied in film schools.”

Near the end of our conversation, I suggest that the obscenely wealthy Richie Rich and his family could undergo some “extreme character development,” and he runs with it: “Richie Rich goes to jail,” he offers. “He [is] the cause behind the whole monetary collapse.” You mean he’s pulling Bernie Madoff’s strings?  “Absolutely,” he fires back. “Don’t be fooled by the red bowtie and the short pants. He’s a potential menace.”

Shayne is a bundle of energy; her blonde, wavy hair has an electricity that shares a vibrancy with her spirit. Her story is unique: Her mom, Adrienne Golday, is a psychic and messenger and so is big sister, Paris. I’m thinking this must drive her dad nuts. Shayne laughs, “I definitely touch on that in my new book, ‘3 Real Psychics And A Great Dad.’” It seems her dad, Stuart, a criminal defense attorney, has tapped into his family’s skill set both to help solve cases at work, and win big at the horse races, her mom’s specialty; she has a knack for picking champion horses, and it’s a favorite family pastime. While Shayne actively does readings and workshops with her mom, Paris is more private and secretly uses her psychic abilities to help get unemployed people into jobs (and give advice to her friends, mainly relationship advice). When Paris and Shayne were little, they used to play a game called Name the Stranger in supermarkets–9 out of 10 times they were right, leaving behind them a wake of confused strangers scratching their heads.

Growing up with a top-rated psychic for a mom who was out in the world finding missing children and making election and sports predictions on Regis made Shayne more aware of her gifts. Does she think clairvoyance can be a genetic gift like great skin? “No,” says Shayne, referring to the openness in which she was brought up, having seen her mom at work giving readings and helping people find loved ones, diagnosing sick animals, and receiving messages from beyond.  “My sister and I watched Adrienne conduct miracles daily so we were open-minded to all of life’s possibilities.”

For the last year, Shayne has been working on the book “3 Real Psychics And A Great Dad”  to tell her unique story and explain the psychic phenomenon. She’s also been giving readings, sharing messages with her clients and friends, volunteering at suicide hotlines, and working on a couple of TV series that are garnering interest from major studios. She has a masters in education, has taught at a local middle school, and in what might seem an unlikely job for a girl with her skill set was also a top banker in California and used her psychic abilities to help manage clients’ money. But growing up in the suburbs of L.A., she says “I felt like a loner and didn’t fit in because I was so outside the box, and definitely wasn’t the most social person.” Quite recently, though, she had an epiphany to just believe in herself, pursue her own dreams, and use her gift to help others along the way. I wonder how the breakthrough came about. “I have always had a fear of dying,” she reveals. “I have suffered from anxiety wondering where do we go and will we reunite with our loved ones? Now that I have talked to hundreds of spirits for clients and have passed confidential, profound healing messages, my own fear of dying has turned into faith as I now truly know we are connected in a timeless universe forever. I have a real passion to help heal people and help them stay connected to their loved ones through communicating real messages from beyond. Finally living this realization out, and writing the book, too, and getting so much support from the publishing field helped me shrug off the feeling of being so different.”

I ask her what her greatest accomplishments are in her field:  “It’s helping teens and adults to believe in their abilities, when I pass messages when they’ve been depressed or suffering; I’ve reconnected them to something. I think my masters in education has also given me a unique expertise. I use it to help suicidal teenagers or if there’s a missing hotline; I see if I can bring somebody home.”

I have to know the top reasons people go to her for a reading. She responds, “love, health, work, or to communicate messages with a person that has died.” I imagine there are a lot of skeptics out there, and Shayne concurs: “I can read almost anybody, but if somebody is totally shut down to the experience, then I suggest they come back at another time. I have found a true skeptic is always going to be a skeptic.” And of course, I have to know, how does she impart bad news or danger lurking around the corner? How does she decide what to share? “Deciding to tell someone or to not tell someone is the absolute hardest part of being a psychic. It comes with a heavy price that people do not always understand. As much as we can guide people, it is still a person’s decision which path they will take or create. However, Adrienne always raised us girls to truly focus on the positive for all people. And she has trained me how to not scare people or abuse our gifts and to give warnings in a cautious manner.  Again, we focus on the positive. But if we do need to give a cautious warning without scaring people, we will. For instance, if a person has clogged arteries, we might suggest that he see a doctor to be put on a positive health regimen and exercise program to avoid possible problems. I recently did a reading with a woman who mentioned she felt her son might be in danger, so she was picking up on something; I saw him walking through a park and being abducted, so I told her she should walk him home from school for the next few weeks, and sure enough, we learned a child molester was picked up in the park soon afterwards.”

When did you first receive a message? “I can’t remember the first time a spirit voice came as they have been there since childhood but it became stronger as I started doing my work full time. I was always excited to have the opportunity to be a bridge/communicator for people, like my mom. I was never scared, and saw it as an opportunity.”

As we wind down lunch and our huge plates of food and jumbo Diet Cokes are cleared, I wonder how it comes about — this feeling that a message is coming through. I feel the energy in the room changing as she speaks. “I will hear a specific voice in my head, and I feel a presence over my right shoulder. I can tell if it is a man or woman, if there is an accent, and they usually begin talking with me in a faint voice that emerges. I have talked to hundreds of spirits, and the factual part of being a messenger, in my opinion, creates a validity to real messenger/psychic work that is miraculous and real and cannot be questioned.”

Do you have any current message you’d like to impart to somebody? “Yes! My mom and I would both love to talk with Oprah. I am a huge animal lover and have two Akitas, Smokey and Kona. I felt her pain when her dog died. I believe I can provide insight that would help heal her deep sadness.”

What’s it like to date I ask. Are men afraid of her abilities? “Depends on the man (laughs), but it’s always interesting!” Have her abilities helped her overcome other personal challenges? “When my college budget was spent, I had to get creative. So I went to the b-ball court in Phoenix and showed up playing my dumb little blonde role throwing up air balls. I psychically knew who I could beat, so I would bet two college boys 20 bucks each to play horse. They would laugh and ask if I was serious. I demolished them one by one. I would grin and take their money. Sorry gentlemen, business is business!” And do people constantly ask you for lotto numbers? “Yes, and I have hit five out of six numbers but I played the ticket for Friday night and the numbers hit literally a few days later! It’s not always an exact science. I would have loved that $33,000.”

Next stop: Shayne’s house to meet her mom and Smokey and Kona. Arriving at her house, there’s some confusion with keys, and her mom belts out: “We can find missing children, but we can’t find our keys!” A kindred spirit indeed; I’ve spent my whole life tracking down keys. Mother and daughter look so much alike and have such a similar spirit, I feel like I’m meeting Shayne 20 years down the road and Adrienne 20 years earlier; it’s uncanny. And just as Shayne hit me up with the Nancy Drew vision, Adrienne says to me, “Don’t worry, you will get back to Europe, and I see you on an amazing cruise ship.” WOW. I like this vision.

Adrienne started out when the psychic field had few leaders, and a lot more resistance and skepticism. She went on to predict elections, sports events, find missing children, and even predicted the devastating earthquake in San Francisco in 1989. “I got letters from a lot of people thanking me because they left town, she says in a soft voice.” ‘Speaking of earthquakes Adrienne, I have to ask – see any happening here in Los Angeles in the near future??’ She grows a bit quiet. “Let’s just say I haven’t felt safe here lately.” Hmm, I make a mental note to put together an earthquake kit when I get home. For the rest of the afternoon, we look at some old family photos and hear more about Stuart, the man Adrienne has been married to for 40 years. They both light up when they speak of him and their horse racing outings. I guess the only thing that gets to him about having three psychics in the family is when they all talk over him. Classic!

I do wonder what it was like for Adrienne when Shayne decided to take on psychic and messenger work full time. “In certain ways, it was easier when she was a schoolteacher,” says mom. “I was at first concerned when she decided to be a psychic because in her schoolteacher days it was more normal and easy, and then when she realized these gifts weren’t leaving her alone, I was a little concerned it would be more difficult because some people are very skeptical. When I realized I had these gifts, my husband, as an attorney, was looking for proof so we went out and tested and tested, and then I realized it helped people, so I stopped testing it and just helped people and it made all the difference in the world as it does with Shayne. And I’m so impressed with what she’s doing, I feel a high from it. It’s a gift and now we get to share it and work together, which is really fun.”

I ask Adrienne about her gift for finding missing children, because I personally can’t imagine going through the experience. “I’ve been on hundreds of missing children cases with the police and private ones too. If they come, I will never say no to missing person cases, but it is heartbreaking sitting in a child’s room. You might get one out of a thousand, but to that one family, it’s everything. In one case, I gave the police the name of the three men [who] abducted a young girl; I just heard the names on that particular case from an angel voice, and the mom was able to identify one of the names, and the girl was brought home.”
On that “safely home” note, we wind down the day playing with the dogs and discussing Shayne’s love life. I still wonder how it is for a psychic to date, and Adrienne sums it up:  “My husband and I are just on the same page and I’ve been lucky to have a happy marriage, but when Shayne dates, she knows when something is wrong. You have to learn to follow your feelings, especially when you have these gifts.”

>Speaking of gifts, I’ve gotten many today and look forward to Shayne’s book and continued message sharing. I ask Shayne on the way out what her favorite part is about what she does. A smile comes across her face, and she says, “speaking to spirits.” She also loves predicting sports outcomes, and playing basketball herself. I forget to ask her if she can turn off her psychic abilities, but I have the feeling she knows I forgot to ask that question, and will get back to me on that one.

I see Europe and a cruise ship in my future!

psychicshayne@yahoo.com

adriennegolday.com

-Elizabeth Johnson

Never has a metaphor been more convenient. The roller coaster saga of the world’s oldest amusement park took another twist in November when the Bloomberg administration paid $95.6 million for about seven acres of land in the heart of Coney Island. A key chess piece was put in place in the summer when the city rezoned a 19-block section of land, paving the way for thousands of apartments and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail to move in. In other words, does this mean goodbye Astroland, hello Disney Store? Not necessarily.
When Astroland closed in September 2008, many wondered if the Cyclone or Wonder Wheel were next—or if they hadn’t in fact already met their untimely demise. All the attractions are independently owned; some are passed on through generations. The Albert family, which owned and operated Astroland for almost 50 years, was motivated to sell out to Thor Equities, which played the role of predatory speculator when it started buying Coney Island real estate in 2005. Ironically, CEO Joseph J. Sitt used to frequent the park as a youth when he was cutting class in high school—evidently that’s where he was the day they covered ethics. Sitt made grandiose promises of fashioning a Las Vegas – style resort with hotels and condos situated amongst a new indoor water park and the rides and attractions. “A wolf dressed as a sheep,” was how NYC Deputy Mayor Robert C. Lieber characterized the plan in 2007. As of this writing, nary a shovel has been soiled in the name of the development. Sitt will retain ownership of 5.5 acres of adjacent land, which he still has designs on filling with hotels and shops.

Coney Island Wonder Wheel © 2009 Charles Denson

Libby Langsdorf, assistant vice president for public affairs at New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC), which orchestrated the transaction, said RFPs for a 10-year lease have been sent out and are due back in mid-December; new construction could commence as early as March. The amusements will be up and running during construction, ideally by Memorial Day weekend. Langsdorf maintained that rezoning created nine acres of designated, mapped parkland, “a protection that’s very hard to undo.”

As with any controversy in which nostalgia and progress clash, there are differing opinions. Although he was initially quite concerned over the City’s plans—especially in light of the summer rezoning—Charles Denson said he is hopeful. Denson, executive director of the Coney Island History Project, said his main opposition to the project is that there is not a sufficient height limitation on buildings in the vicinity of The Parachute Jump, a 30-story landmark that was constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair. When I initially spoke to Denson, he was rather animated in his disdain for the project and those involved. However, when I spoke to him a week later, after the deal had been made, he was more conciliatory. In Las Vegas, where he was attending the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Convention, Denson said recent developments in the Coney Island situation was creating a lot of buzz at the convention. “[The City] actually came around to a lot of what we were asking,” he acknowledged. Denson has been documenting Coney Island for 40 years and formed the Coney Island History Project in 2004. The office and exhibit center is located on Surf Ave. at the base of the Cyclone. “Anybody can go to Six Flags or Disney,” continued Denson, pressing his point on Coney Island’s historical relevance.  “Visitors from all over the world, they wanna see the old buildings—it’s not just where there were rides, it’s where [the amusement park] was invented.”

Langsdorf counters that critics who claim that Coney Island’s historic identity is being jeopardized by the City’s plan miss the point that that Coney Island’s glory days have been AWOL for years. “The City is the only one with the ability to put in the necessary infrastructure to create a viable 21st-century, year-round amusement destination,” she claimed. Of the family-owned attractions, she said, “People were selling out. They couldn’t continue to manage their operations only three months out of the year with all these other vacant properties surrounding the amusements that were left. What you need is the neighborhood services that will keep people here year-round and also draw visitors year-round,” Langdorf continued. “The amusements are important, but we don’t want to leave out the importance of building up the neighborhood.” She tossed out a grim reality: “Coney Island has the highest unemployment rate in Brooklyn. One sixth of its residents live in Section 8 housing.”  The key to rebuilding the area—attracting people, jobs, and dollars—lies in modernizing the area somewhat while still ‘respecting the integrity’ of landmarks such as the Parachute Jump.” She also added that rezoning included specific requirements for preserving views, “footprints” of new structures, and structure spacing.

Coney Island – a modest four-mile strip of land – has been the subject of custody battles since the mid-19th century, when calls were first made to turn the site into a natural park to stymie proposed commercial development. One hundred-sixty years later, the drama continues to unfold. What can visitors expect this summer? “We’re very optimistic,” said Langsdorf. “Expect to see the beginnings of what’s to come. The RFP does require a plan for summer 2010. You will see a significant investment in the amusements area starting in 2010.”

In the world of interactive architecture, no idea is too far-fetched to imagine. Lewis Carroll, Rod Serling, and Willy Wonka be damned—the futuristic oddities being brought to fruition in this burgeoning field give reality the upper hand over fantasy. Here you will find sturdy structures with transparent, flexible skin that “breathes” in response to air quality. You can send a text message to a building—yes, a building—and get a text response back. And that patch of colored lights you see hovering over the Hudson River? The colors are actually transmitting information collected from a submerged installation that evaluates water quality.

Revolutionary architects David Benjamin and Soo-in Yang are gaining recognition around the globe with their projects that blend visual appeal with cutting-edge, practical applications. In 2007, the two completed River Glow, the installation referenced above, which makes visible those environmental conditions that are normally invisible and, according to Benjamin, suggests that urban bodies of water can be public space claimed and occupied by the city’s residents.

Benjamin and Yang are currently in Seoul, South Korea, putting the finishing touches on their project, Living Light. The domed structure, measuring 8 m across and 3.7 m tall, is designed in the shape of the city, and individual neighborhoods glow and blink in response both to data about air quality and public interest in the environment in those areas. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of June.

In September, Benjamin and Yang will unveil Amphibious Architecture, a project they’ve been working on as part of the “Situated Technologies: Toward the Sentient City” exhibition, organized by the Architectural League of New York. I recently got in touch with Benjamin and he shared his thoughts on the current state of interactive architecture and the menu of ambitious projects in which he and his partner are involved.

h: How did you and Soo-in meet? Do you have similar training and backgrounds?

DB: We met as students at Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, where we both received our MAs in architecture in 2005. Before Columbia, I graduated from Harvard with a BA in social studies and played in the rock band Push Kings. Soo-in graduated from Yonsei University with a BE in architectural engineering and managed the construction of apartment complexes in Seoul. While we have different backgrounds, we share a lot of the same interests. We both work on almost all aspects of our projects—even if one of us has more experience or expertise.

h: What’s your general philosophy that governs how you approach your work?

DB: Our work involves an experimental, collaborative, open-source, and open-ended approach. We are interested in thinking big and imagining new possibilities for the future. But at the same time, our work is immediate.

h: How much has a specific interest in green building factored into the types of projects you’ve developed?

DB: We don’t really make a conscious effort to be green in our work. We just take it for granted that interesting, meaningful experiments in architecture and the city will address urgent issues like environmental quality and climate change. Before developing River Glow, we had created Living Glass [the “breathing” building that responds to air quality, mentioned earlier]. For River Glow, we were interested in systems that were energy self-sufficient and off the grid. And we realized that public waterways were important urban spaces, but there were no existing public interfaces to them. Carbon dioxide levels in the air, and pH and dissolved oxygen levels in the water, are invisible, but they are crucial to our health and the health of our ecosystems.

h: Describe how River Glow works.

DB: The project complements—but does not act as a substitute for—comprehensive lab testing of water. Unlike existing water monitoring, River Glow is inexpensive, modular, and easy to install. It’s a real-time public interface to water quality. A network of modular pods float in public waterways, collect solar energy, measure water quality through low-cost pH sensors, and use low-energy lighting to create a signal visible from the water or on shore. The effect of the project is a cloud of light that changes color according to the condition of the water below. [Red indicates poor quality; green indicates good quality.]

h: Does the Living Light structure have similar aspects to it? How did that project come about?

DB: Living Light is an interface to data about air quality. It’s a permanent outdoor pavilion in the heart of Seoul. Citizens can enter the pavilion or view it from nearby streets and buildings, and they can text message the building and it will text them back. We designed Living Light as an entry in a public art competition run by City Gallery, an agency that is part of the municipal government of Seoul. We have received a lot of interest in the project, and we hope to bring something similar to other cities.

h: Tell me a little bit about Amphibious Architecture.

DB: Amphibious Architecture is a collaboration between the Living Architecture Lab at Columbia [Benjamin and Yang are co-directors of the Lab] and xDesign Environmental Health Clinic at NYU, run by the artist Natalie Jeremijenko. Two networks of floating, interactive tubes will house a range of sensors below water that will monitor the presence of fish, water quality, and hydrodynamic forces. This data will then be displayed above water using an array of LED lights, along with wireless sensor communication and a text-messaging interface so that citizens can communicate with it from the shoreline. It will launch officially on September 10, 2009.

h: The idea of inanimate objects actively engaging people is quite provocative. Do you see this as an area of limitless growth in the field?

DB: Our work with interactive architecture is part of the trend of ubiquitous computing. As sensors and computers become smaller, cheaper, and more networked, literally disappearing into the woodwork of our buildings, they will allow for new kinds of interfaces and communication. We are interested in contributing to the discussion. It’s important for us to make use of these technologies to address social and cultural issues, and not just create flashy things.

And so, interactive architecture calls on a building to do more than just stand there and look pretty. Function and form, to put it politely, are more than just two ships that pass in the night; they’re building a meaningful relationship.

You can learn more about Benjamin and Yang’s work at

www.thelivingnewyork.com