Cindy Gallop, out neighbor across the street at the old McBurney Y building, has a thing for the work of the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who lived here at the hotel with Patti Smith back in the 
70s. (And hey, I bet he paid a few visits to the Y as well.) The other night, Cindy told us a funny story: a friend of hers—I think it was a colleague at work—came up to her and asked her if she knew anything about Mapplethorpe. Oh, yes, Cindy replied enthusiastically, and went on to talk at length about her admiration for the work of the photographer, discussing in detail the merits of some of his more risqué images—such as the nudes and the bondage pictures. When she finished her spiel, Cindy noticed that the man seemed puzzled and a bit flustered. “Oh,” he said, “I just got a card with a nice picture of a flower on it, and I noticed it was by him.”
Having been in Cindy’s huge, richly appointed apartment, we realize that it must be hard to buy her a gift, as she is truly the girl who’s already got it all. So if you are lucky or perhaps unlucky enough to have to buy her a Valentine's day present, here’s a suggestion:
In February, several limited-edition items will land in Chrome Hearts boutiques and in museum stores, including Hermé-quality silk chiffon scarves ($620) with a kaleidoscopic print intertwined with Mapplethorpe’s cross, flag and nude torso imagery, and black leather JJ Dean leather jackets with the scarf lining (women’s $6,160; men’s $6,765).
I suggest the jacket. Sure, it’s expensive, but don’t you want to keep being invited back to Cindy’s loft? We’ll leave it up to you as to whether or not to get a nice flower card to go with it.
(Oh, by the way, in this same article, we read that Barney’s, in conjunction with the Warhol Foundation, is selling “...actual cans of Campbell Soup, at $12 each.” What a racket! If they still have any get me a Pepper Pot.) -- Ed Hamilton
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