Balthazar has turned into a Billboard.
Not the news I expected to wake up to this morning.
Good morning everyone. I had therapy at 7:45 this morning on the Upper East Side, a decision I always question on the way up and am grateful for on the way back down Manhattan. I spent the last 30 minutes tapping through two dozen photos taken from different angles at Tory Burch’s fashion show last night. I like this fish necklace.
Fashion Week always makes me wonder if there’s a fifth more efficient way that people are getting around the city (in addition to walking, train, bus, or car), as they seem to teleport between dinners, shows, cocktail parties, and their beds. If you have strongly-held opinions about the whole Fashion Week machine — whether you’re a writer, restaurant hostess, talent manager, or designer — I want to hear from you in this completely anonymous form.
Today’s newsletter includes: The Ankler Team’s new logo, Playboy’s editor told me why the magazine joined Substack, you can now advertise at Balthazar, and a former Glossier employee wants to do a post-layoff AMA.
Have a story idea for me? Reply to this email or text the anonymous Feed Me Tip Line: (646) 494-3916
Yesterday morning when I logged on and checked in on my digital neighbors, I noticed The Ankler Team had a bold new black and white logo, instead of their standard red. I emailed Janice Min, who then introduced me to The Ankler’s design director Kelsey Stefanson, to find out more. Kelsey told me, “My goal with the redesign was to give The Ankler a more distinctive visual brand that stands out in the crowded entertainment news ecosystem and more accurately embodies our unique point of view. Inspired by keywords from a survey of the Ankler team — independent, funny, analytical, insightful, opinionated, sophisticated — I spent the last several months developing our new look. The 2026 design system is more eye-catching, cohesive, and colorful, with flexibility built in to facilitate Ankler Media’s continued growth across newsletters, events, videos, and more.”
Old Ankler logo vs. new (moving!) Ankler logo After a delayed multibillion-dollar renovation of the Midtown Waldorf Astoria, the hotel’s Chinese owners are looking to sell the hotel. As a friend who works in luxury hospitality pointed out to me yesterday, 15 of their 17 suites are still available over the Met Gala weekend. She noted, “no one important cares enough to stay there I guess?”
