Suit of the Week: Proenza Schouler

65 Comments

1. IDK whether any of you like electro-swing, but Parov Stelar is my lockdown soundtrack. I see lots of concert dates — in Europe and in 2021. I am dreaming of going — central European concert going is what I need mentally right now. Assuming corona isn’t a problem, pls tell me about going to concerts there.

   1. I am an older American non-smoker with tweens (who love this music more than me and would want to come). I am envisioning concerts of chic people and not sure re if people bring tweens to electro-swing concerts (we bring kids to Jimmy Buffet and concerts here, prior to lockdown).
   2. Time of day? I am flashing back to Berlin raves — if an event is ticketed for 9pm, it surely doesn’t start later than 10?
   3. Other helpful things to know? I am the only one with a valid passport right now and the kids’ will require a future in-person 2-parent appointment (theoretically do-able) and re-doing of passport pictures showing ears and with NO SMILING.

   Dream with me — I’ve got nothing better to dream of now.

2. Anyone have a Wolf or Miele dual fuel range? We have to replace our 48″ Jenn-Air and are considering upgrading for resale value of the house. Would welcome your perspective on performance or value…

   1. I have a Wolf 36 DF. I really wanted 48″ b/c I do use two ovens (and did prior on a mere 30″ DF GE stove), but felt too poor (and that was pre-corona). In my city, new builds always have 48″ but what it is varies — it may be Jenn-Air or something fancier. The clicking from a gas oven would have driven me nuts, so DF was mandatory for me. I feel that our RE market is so crazy that my house may still be a tear-down when I sell it, but the comps wouldn’t have made a 48″ W DF stove a crazy spend if I could have gotten over the sticker shock. What would your competition have?

      1. Our real estate market is also so crazy and very solid nice houses are torn down to the foundations on a regular basis. Within reason, I am making changes for myself and not for future value of my house, since the future value is almost entirely in the lot.

   2. Also, I didn’t want a 48″ b/c I’d never use that many burners, but I wanted two ovens. I *should* have gone with the 39″ European ones with two ovens and a normal-sized top, but was wary of getting something like that serviced in my SEUS city. They are very pretty though. I am a sucker for pretty. I bet many buyers are and there is a wow factor with anything 48″. Le sigh. The food is probably just as good no matter what it is cooked on.

   3. I think the value depends on your market, to be honest. I’m not sure that you would recoup the extra cost of a Wolf vs a Jenn-Air.

   4. I have heard that Wolf has gone down in quality lately. If it were me I would go with a Bluestar range – I *love* them intensely! Very high BTUs and super easy to clean, everything comes apart.

      1. Piping in to say we just got a Bluestar (gift from our in-laws, in no universe would I have paid $5k for an oven and range) and I have to admit that I’m impressed. It heats well and evenly, easy to clean and it looks nice too. I wish it had a bottom storage drawer but besides that I’m very happy with it.

         1. I feel that when I had a GE Cafe 30″ DF range, I had the double ovens / functionality I needed (and b/c it didn’t take up a ton of room, actual cabinet space around it). I feel that everything else, despite the hype, is trading up in price and down (or laterally) in functionality. Plus, spendy stoves require electrical updating (and maybe HVAC too) so you can add a hood to get things up to building code. I could have gotten a lot of takeout and would have forgone the upgrade if I had factored in all costs (not just stove costs).

      2. Thank you! How is the broiler? One of the main reasons we were considering dual fuel was to get a better, wider-range broiler. The current one has just one heating element down the middle and doesn’t work well at all.

         1. The broiler is GREAT and very high heat. I had this range at my old house but with a grill rather than a griddle and it was AMAZING: https://www.bluestarcooking.com/cooking/ranges/48-rnb-series-range-with-12-griddle-charbroiler/

         2. In m o d with a l i n k but the broiler is great and v high heat!

      3. Oooh but…def get the DF. Our neighbors have the bluestar gas and the oven legit takes 45 minutes to come to temperature then makes the entire kitchen hot.

3. I am in the running for a job at a non profit in Manhattan (NYC). I have visited the city in the past but never lived there and I know it can be expensive. I am single, 40, and my main costs would be rent+utilities, transport i.e. metro card, living expenses. I am fortunate that I am not paying off any student loans at this point. What is a reasonable salary range for someone to be able to live within reasonable commuting distance to Manhattan? What should one budget for rent for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment? I would prefer something on my own as opposed to having get roommates. Thanks in advance.

   1. Anything below 6-figures is considered extreme poverty in NYC. Don’t get on the metro during the COVID emergency, obviously. Can you google NYC metro rentals?

      1. That is, pre-COVID those types of rentals in surrounding areas were upwards of $2000 (maybe more) … now real estate just outside the city is supposedly booming, being over-valued and filled rapidly so IDK.

         1. I can second this. We live about 20 miles of NYC, and homes are being snapped up rapidly with multiple offers, going for ~20% over list. It is insane.

      2. I must be starving then! This person does not and has never lived in NYC — no one says metro!

         I live in an outer borough, about an hour from lower manhattan, in a not trendy but super nice and friendly and fun neighborhood. I make around 90k. I’m not rich but I manage fine. 1 bedrooms in my neighborhoods are around $1600-2000. It’s considered pretty cheap here.

         1. I was using the OPs language rather than nitpicking, and your information verifies mine in that less than 100k = can’t afford to live in Manhattan (or “the city” as you say from the outer boroughs).

         2. Rental and employment listings for this area are labelled “NYC metro” everywhere online. It’s an internet search term to aid her in finding information. Obviously.

            1. I think the comment referred to “don’t get on the metro.” Presumably meaning the subway. It’s true that in NYC the subway system is not called the metro.

            2. Sigh. It’s not called the metro but you use a “metro card” to pay your fare, so it’s understandable that the OP would call it that. And that I would then call it that in response to the OP. Because I understand what she means and am providing the information requested. You guys need to get lives.

            3. The OP did not call it that, but anyway I actually thought I was helping to disambiguate from “metro area.” Never mind :)

         3. Yeah, that’s completely inaccurate, and a HUGE number of people in NYC (like, the majority) manage making less than $100k. Also, parts of Hudson County are a great option for close but more affordable than Manhattan. I can be at WTC in 15 minutes from my apartment (downtown Jersey City), and I pay $2,000 for a 650 sq ft one bedroom in a brownstone (and I make $190k, so I’m here by choice, not necessity). The city is super accessible, more so than from a lot of the outer boroughs, and plenty of stuff to do in JC/Hoboken as well. No NYC taxes either. Or further out, Harrison is an option with lots of new construction.

            1. You’re wrong. You pay NYC taxes if your employer is located in NYC.

            2. What? No. You pay income tax based on where you live.

            3. You do not pay NYC income tax if you do not live in NYC, even if you work there.

            4. Hi Anon at 4:57 you’re wrong, you do not pay NYC taxes if you do not live in NYC, even if your employer is located in NYC. There are a lot of different ways people try to get around this. At one point maybe 20-30 years ago New York tried to change this and a bunch of Wall Street firms said ok if you make our employees who live in Connecticut and Westchester pay NYC taxes because we are located in Wall Street, we’re going to set up a stock exchange in Stamford. And that was the end of that.

         4. To all of you who are worried about whether I’m savvy on New York life, what you’re failing to consider is that OUTSIDE OF NYC NO ONE CONSIDERS THE OUTER BOROUGHS TO BE NYC. Hence the OP understood but you do not. I am a New Yorker, but I did move here from somewhere else so I guess I have a different view of semantics.

            1. This is true. For most people not in New York, New York = Manhattan.

            2. I’m a New Yorker, born and raised here, never left. Manhattan is “NYC” for tourists, but someone moving here like the OP should understand that “NYC” is not just Manhattan.

            3. Ok, but “Anything below 6-figures is considered extreme poverty in NYC.” is a completely factually incorrect statement and ridiculous hyperbole, which makes it seem like you have no idea what you’re talking about. Even if you’re just referring to Manhattan, it doesn’t end at 100th street. You are not living in a cardboard box if you only make $80k. Having a roommate and/or living in Washington Heights is not poverty by any stretch of the word. And I grew up in the NYC suburbs and have always considered the outer boroughs part of NYC… except maybe Staten Island, because Staten Island is freaking weird.

      3. Under 6 figures is not extreme poverty in NYC. And it’s the subway, not the metro :)

         OP, you should look in the boroughs or somewhere PATH adjacent. I’m fairly certain you’d be able to get a nice, non-luxury 1 br or studio in those places for under $2K.

   2. That is such a variable question. “Reasonable commuting distance” can be 1+ hour door-to-door, each way, and can involve car to train lot to getting on subway at train station and then a walk (or any number of permutations of trains, buses, cabs, and even boats). At a certain point, safety matters (if you are walking solo at off-hours with few other walkers). For me, I’m from NJ and would commute from there, but time and $$$ are particular to the person. FWIW, I could live in my current city well on 50K but would feel like I needed >100K in NYC and would still fall behind in lifestyle.

   3. I was able to find a rent-stabilized one-bedroom with a 25-minute commute to Manhattan when I was making around $65k, and my finances were super tight but it was manageable. A few years later I’m making $100k and things feel (fingers crossed) pretty good. My friends and I have discussed and agree that we all started to feel that we had some breathing room when our salaries hit around $90k. We are mostly public-sector, non-profit people, so probably your crowd. A lot of us pay between $1600 and $2200 for sweet but basic apartments in Brooklyn and Queens. If you want newer apartments, or more amenities (even in-unit laundry) you would probably be looking at $2800+/month for an apartment. Depending on where your job is there are probably also areas of Manhattan that could work for you – maybe Inwood or Washington Heights. Check out those neighborhoods on StreetEasy to get a sense of costs.

   4. This very much depends on whether or not you live in Manhattan, your tolerance to commute times, and what level you are in a non-profit. For example, if executive director-level for a large non-profit, you can ask in the six-figures easily (I’d say upper 100s to low 200s). If specialized senior worker or in fundraising/development, mid-100s (for a decent sized nonprofit). If mid-management somewhere in the 70s to 90s and if so, would recommend living in Brooklyn or NJ so you can get a decent sized space and still be able to live a reasonable life.

      If it’s a small nonprofit, I wouldn’t even bother, they don’t pay well enough to live alone in NY.

   5. In commuting distance of NYC could mean a 1 bedroom in Rahway NJ near the train to NYC for $1500/month. That’s a 45 minute train ride to NY Penn Station. I think a studio apartment in Manhattan would be at least $3-4k/month.

   6. OP here: For me reasonable commuting distance would be maximum one hour by public transport. I currently do not own a car and so would not be driving. I Googled NY metro rentals and the median rent for a one bedroom in the city is $1,976, the range goes to $3,000. So thanks for this tip Anon 2:46PM. I asked this question because the position is in a non profit, for this position it would not be in the 6 figures.

      1. Median of $1916 for the metro area? That figure probably means about a one hour commute. Unfortunately, you probably can’t find a livable studio in Manhattan for that money.

      2. I think the location of your office would help pinpoint where you might look at renting, which might give you a better idea of what you would spend. I wouldn’t take the numbers you found as gospel because it’s so variable. The other poster is right in that the Anon at 2:46 doesn’t seem to be a New Yorker, so I’d take her comment with a grain of salt.

         1. The comment itself told the OP to do her research … so what is there to take with a grain of salt?

            1. “Anything below 6-figures is considered extreme poverty in NYC.”

      3. People do live and work here on lower salaries, but the quality of life just isn’t as good as it would be in other locations with lower costs of living. I know that goes without saying, and if you want to come for the adventure or as a step in your career (or if your personal budget allows), it might make sense. It is true what they say though about NYC being for the very rich or very young … And many people are trying to escape to less crowded areas right now with many of NYC’s attractions/features closed and cramped living/outdoor spaces being uncomfortable/unsafe. Of course, others are preceding as normally as possible and even gathering in the streets to socialize. But it might not be an ideal time to make a move.

      4. You can get a one-bedroom apartment in a walk up on the UWS near the subway for $2200 (including near Lincoln Center). Probably even more common now in COVID times that no one wants to live in Manhattan.

   7. If you’re thinking of doing this job now-ish, I wouldn’t settle for anything salary-wise less than what it would take for you to get a 1 bedroom apartment walking distance from the office. You don’t want to be taking public transit any time soon.

      1. +1. Please nobody get on public transportation if you can avoid it.

      2. I am taking Metro North from CT suburbs, and am quite comfortable with it. The cars are super clean, everyone wears masks, and it’s not over crowded so you can physical distance. Service still isn’t back to 100% (they are also taking this opportunity to do some track work) but trains are being added as more people commute again. I thought I’d be nervous, but it’s fine, and I travel at peak hours.

         1. How can you know it’s fine until you’ve done it for a while and remained healthy?

            1. I’ve been doing it for months, and I’m healthy.

            2. Because the cars are clean, everyone wears masks, and it’s not crowded so the commuters can physical distance.

   8. Good lord people. The vast majority of NYC residents make well under $100K. I’m 43 and just now make that much (working in the arts), or I did before taking a COVID pay cut. When I moved here around 30 I made $35K; I was able to live alone on 50K. Granted that was 10 years ago now, but things haven’t changed THAT much. I live a ways out in Brooklyn and my subway commute to Times Sq. takes an hour. Obviously it all depends on what you want but it is so offensive to say less than six figures is extreme poverty. Median household income is $57K. Also, Inwood and other northern Manhattan neighborhoods are more affordable than a lot of Brooklyn.

      1. I know it seems high, but if you ask someone who lives in Manhattan what salary they would consider viable — they will 100% tell you nothing less than 6-figures. Definitely those who are adults living alone on one income as the OP does. (possible exceptions being students, starving artists, those with a dozen roommates, etc)

         1. She didn’t say she needed to live in Manhattan, though, just somewhere with a reasonable commute of up to an hour. Nothing wrong with living in Jersey.

   9. I highly recommend living in Brooklyn, Hoboken or jersey city. You get more bang for you buck. You can easily manage in a salary of $80k. I refuse to not have laundry in my unit and other amenities so I’m not in Manhattan. Also, I’d ask about working from home due to the obvious covid concerns.

   10. If you were 26, I’d say yeah it’s fine to live in NYC below six figures. But the honest answer is that for a single person in their 40s it’s going to suck. Especially during covid when you have to be spending more time in your apartment. If you have two people making not high salaries, it’s ok because you get a way nicer one bedroom. When my husband and I moved in together our quality of life got way better. But to be 40, have a walk up apartment, probably without laundry, and an hour train commute is not worth it. We left after many years. I miss it, but honestly we live in DC now and it’s just way better at this stage of our lives.

       1. +1. If you’ve grown accustomed to a certain standard of living then <6-figures in NYC would certainly be a step down. Of course you may deem the job worth it, in which case don’t let us stop you!

   11. Hi, born, raised and currently live in NJ. Live in Jersey. NYers have this weird prejudice against Jersey, but I’ve had friends live in Jersey City, Hoboken and Morristown (if you’re looking for burbs), rent 1 or 2 bedrooms on less than 6 figure salaries and working in the city (Manhattan) with less than an hour commute. Morristown is probably about as far out as you want to go- that’s be just over an hour on the train itself, so add in some walking time. NJ Transit monthly passes are a couple of hundred, so consider whether that money would be better spent on a more expensive apartment closer, like Hoboken and having a 20 minute PATH ride.

4. I posted last month asking for reviews of Last Brand silk shirts. I ended up buying one of the t shirts (despite the lack of reviews) and wanted to report back. Overall I like it, and am going to keep it. Relative to the version from Cuyana I do think the silk is noticeably thinner / less luxe feeling. But the cut is great (more flattering than Cuyana I would say). And I do think the silk is still nice for the price. I haven’t tried washing it yet, but I like that (in theory) it’s washable.

   1. ooh thanks for sharing! been eyeing these, although not sure I’ll be inclined to wear silk for the foreseeable future :(

5. Man, I do not like this woman one bit. But whoever is choosing what she wears for her trial gets an A+. I haven’t seen any outfit credits (dress, shoes, well-tied bandana-type scarf), but she has nailed court-dressing when you are probably the nightmare likely co-abuser in the relationship (and it undercuts the poops-in-the-bed allegation). Eew. Good clothes though.

   1. How does Johnny Depp look?

      1. Doesn’t look that great in the photo of him passed out on the floor, alas.

   2. What on earth are you talking about?

      1. https://lmgtfy.com/?q=amber+heard+and+johnny+depp+trial&s=a

         We have this thing called Google now, you should use it instead of being snarky.

      2. Amber Heard, obviously — it says so at the top of the post.

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