Behind the Scenes at D Magazine

Posted on November 10th, 2009 4:27pm by Tim Rogers
Filed under Media

Today has been filled with meetings. Apparently 2010 is right around the corner. We’ve been meeting extensively about this fact. Spreadsheets have been involved. And, in one case, lunch at Stephan Pyles (mini review: food was excellent, service was friendly but uneven). So I was thrilled to stumble upon actual work being done in the hallway, as evidenced by this photo. On the table lay an argyle sock. Spider Monkey had her lens trained on it. D Home art director Jamie Laubhan-Oliver was ministering to the sock, fluffing it just so. An actual editorial magazine shoot! Something that would produce an image that would be printed on a real, live magazine page! (As opposed to all this worrying about 2010, which, as far as I can tell, mainly produces receipts from Stephan Pyles and more data on Wick’s ADD-shortened tolerance for meetings.) I congratulated my co-workers on their fine work. Then I unfocused Spider Monkey’s camera, flattened the sock, and stormed off to another meeting.

sock

Update: Spider Monkey tells me the picture of the sock was “scrapped.”

7 comments

  1. I’m just glad to see the dummy board for the issue that I conceived in 1995 is still in use. Do you still get the wall panels from Home Depot’s bathroom section?

    (Caveat: I was never able to tape the lines straight. That’s art director work.)

    @ 7:32 pm on November 10, 2009

  2. I think you meant “ministering” to the sock.

    @ 5:22 am on November 11, 2009

  3. Sock fluffer is a full time gig?

    @ 8:54 am on November 11, 2009

  4. @RAB: [tip o' the hat]

    @ 9:07 am on November 11, 2009

  5. My guess is, you were being generous with your description of the service as being “uneven.” Uneven would be a blessing. Let’s be honest: the service is atrocious — from the unwelcoming hosts and hostesses to the absentee waitstaff.

    I will grant you that the place looks gorgeous and the food is consistently good, but in my books they are more than canceled out by the chronically bad service.

    Contrast this to the welcoming, attentive, and professional service uniformly present at Al Biernat’s. Here’s my theory: Stephen Pyles is a chef. Al started his career — and still is — a maitre de maison. Al cares about the well being and comfort of his guest. Stephen cares about the food and, regrettably, doesn’t understand that that’s not enough for a great restaurant.

    @ 10:05 am on November 11, 2009

  6. Mary!!!!

    @ 11:32 pm on November 11, 2009

  7. @ Marty: You might be on to something. I’m headed back to Pyles tomorrow for a less work-related lunch. I will pay closer attention to the details of your theory.

    @ 1:21 am on November 13, 2009

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