Tag: Instagram

Video of the Week – The Spirit of the Daredevil

Video of teenager climbing New York’s tallest landmarks is a must watch

Justin Casquejo is a teenager who is utterly fearless. The 18-year old from Weehawken, New Jersey was sentenced to 30 days of community service, ordered to attend counselling and forced to write a 1,200 word essay in 2014 after climbing to the top of the 1,776 foot tall One World Trade Center building and now he’s at it again according to the New York Post.

In a series of photos and videos posted to Instagram and YouTube, he has recently broken into a series of buildings including 220 Central Park South and the Time Warner Center.

This video of his antics is not for the faint hearted, but it truly reveals the spirit of the daredevil is still alive and well.

December 1, 2016
Smashing a “Star”

YouTube “star” has his ridiculous gold wrapped BMW smashed with a baseball bat during a photo shoot in New York whilst blocking traffic

Though he has 2.7 million subscribers to his feed on YouTube and 201,000 followers on Instagram, New Yorker Coby Persin is someone most of our readers will unlikely ever heard. He likes showing off his “ripped abs”, pretending he is the reincarnation of Zac Efron and making videos where he shows girls to be “ultimate gold diggers”, but yesterday he shared a video of himself getting a dose of his own medicine (or simply performing a stunt to get more followers for his pretentious self).

In a 41 second clip, Persin was filmed with his hideous gold wrapped BMW in New York doing what he describes as “a quick photo shoot to get some cool pictures” whilst inconsiderately blocking a lane of traffic. Posing like the true prat he plainly is, this “YouTube star” is then interrupted by a man with a baseball bat who proceeds to smash the vehicle and then walk off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9D5fF5_9dc

Though Persin is now offering a reward of £806 ($1,000 or €944 or درهم‎‎3,700) for the arrest of the man concerned, most in the media simply decided to mock him. Of him, for example, Jack Moore of GQ remarked:

“[Coby Persin] stopped traffic so he could take some douchey pictures with his douchey car. And then New York City did its magical thing and made a perfect, brilliant, beautiful moment happen”.

“Now, sure, the ‘law’ might say that he ‘damaged property’ or ‘wielded a baseball bat like a maniac’ but that’s looking at this the wrong way. (Maybe it’s even a stunt?) But I’d argue that this is New York City at its best. I mean that dude HAS A BAT WITH HIM IN HIS CAR AT ALL TIMES. And that decision paid off, because he was there to remind this guy that the city doesn’t care if you have a fancy car. You f**k with people trying to get where they need to go and they will f**k with you right back”.

November 28, 2016
The Times They are a-Changin’ (and All it Takes is a Tweet)

Matthew Steeples highlights the workings and truths behind the changed political landscape of 2016

2016 will be remembered as the year when the world flipped convention on its head. With the brutal monster Fidel Castro finally gone, Donald Trump headed for The White House and Brexit in Britain, comes a new era but it is not one that is actually as clear-cut as many make out.

Unlike in previous eras, social media undoubtedly has had more influence than the traditional media and pollsters have taken a bashing. In spite, for example, of the fact that “Hillary Clinton [is] currently beating Donald Trump by 64.2 million votes to 62.2 million in the popular vote” and thus “winning the election by 3.1%”, according to Kevin Chesters, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy & Mather Group UK, “as usual the historical narrative will swallow the bulls**t myths instead”. He rightly points out “the polls nailed it” as they predicted “all gave Hillary between a 2-5% lead nationally with a +/- 3% margin of error” but the likes of Breitbart, unsurprisingly instead, spread a myth that ‘The Donald’s’ victory was epic. It was just that, in the sense that he achieved a win in spite of being mocked as an extremist joker who’d fail at the beginning, but the true margin of support for him is indicated by the fact that nationwide turnout fell from 61.6% in 2008 to 57.9% in 2016.

In Britain, equally, the Brexit vote was “won” by just 2.2% and thus both results can be described as being far less significant than the right-wing media make out. Nigel Farage is lauded as a “hero”, yet, despite standing seven times, has never won a seat in the House of Commons; Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP failed to get independence for Scotland yet she dominates our screens daily.

Trump and Farage have clearly both been clever in their respective strategies and just as Castro opted to ignore convention and ruled Cuba with a rod of iron, these two ditched the politics we know and played an entirely different game. Hillary Clinton’s decision to stand with self-serving billionaires and loudmouth celebrities truly backfired and instead, in Jared Kushner, his 35-year old businessman son-in-law, and the tech tycoon Peter Thiel, Trump was led to a strategy that trounced traditional political convention.

A truly revealing analysis of Kushner’s genius appeared in Forbes this week when he was interviewed by for the first time since Trump’s victory. In the feature article, Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google and designer of the Clinton campaign’s technology system, stated:

“Best I can tell, [Kushner] actually ran the campaign and did it with essentially no resources… Jared understood the online world in a way the traditional media folks didn’t. He managed to assemble a presidential campaign on a shoestring using new technology and won. That’s a big deal”.

Kushner himself added:

“I helped facilitate a lot of relationships that wouldn’t have happened otherwise… People were being told in Washington that if they did any work for the Trump campaign, they would never be able to work in Republican politics again. I hired a great tax-policy expert who joined under two conditions: We couldn’t tell anybody he worked for the campaign, and he was going to charge us double”.

“People really saw hope in [Donald Trump’s] message. They wanted the things that wouldn’t have been obvious to a lot of people I would meet in the New York media world, the Upper East Side or at Robin Hood [Foundation] dinners”.

“I called some of my friends from Silicon Valley, some of the best digital marketers in the world, and asked how you scale this stuff. They gave me their subcontractors… Our best people were mostly the ones who volunteered for me pro bono. People from the business world, people from non-traditional backgrounds”.

“We weren’t afraid to make changes. We weren’t afraid to fail. We tried to do things very cheaply, very quickly. And if it wasn’t working, we would kill it quickly… It meant making quick decisions, fixing things that were broken and scaling things that worked”.

As Dan Hodges concluded in an editorial in today’s Mail Online:

“Once, we used to send a gunboat. In the post-Brexit era, all it takes is a tweet”.

November 27, 2016
Powering a Wedding

Publicity seeking duo share details of their wedding – prepare to be amused at the bizarre details of their ridiculously over-the-top nuptials

New York based Norah Lawlor is undoubtedly a talented PR and her ability to create something out of nothing is a quality that we at The Steeple Times admire. The stories that one or two of her clients wish to put out, such as that of a Texan teenager who had a £1.4 million 15^th birthday party, however, undoubtedly rightly attract comments of shock and disgust and yesterday, something similar popped into our inbox of equal ridiculousness.

In the missive, the nuptials of a self-described “Power Couple” named Ashley Taylor Cooper and Ernesto Argüello, whose marriage occurred at New York’s St Patrick’s Cathedral with a reception and wedding dinner at the Plaza Hotel on Saturday 15^th October, are described in detail. As well as sending “every guest a briefcase with a [bizarre Danielle Steele-esque] video message [filmed in Colombia]”, the pair listed their international guest list of 400 names and communicated that they had used “Beyoncé’s sought after florist”, a celebrity cake-maker and a 10 year old “Instagram star” named Vivian Hicks.

The couple, who are described as co-founders of Snap2Live, will honeymoon in Iceland, Finland, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Australia and Fiji. Do keep up!

Photograph: Oscar Castro.

October 25, 2016
Emir Bahadir – What’s on your mantelpiece?

A 20-question interview with 25-year old New York based BHDR real estate brokerage and development firm founder Emir Bahadir

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

My driving force is being able to bridge the gap between international investors and local markets. Being a member of the fifth generation of my family, my guiding force is maintaining the business standards set forth by my ancestors.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

‘More is more, work smart not hard’ and ‘Well done is better than well said’.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?

This is relative depending on the realm of the industry you are in. Two of the things that I find unacceptable are dishonesty and lack of communication.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

I miss my high school days when I had no responsibility and was surrounded by intellectual people. Maybe this has a lot to do with my young age and my active business life, even then. I feel I never got to be reckless after graduating from high school in Switzerland and became very responsible and focused instead.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

I would swap my wealth for helping end hunger and poverty throughout the world. Most people don’t have awareness of what the world’s real needs are.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?

Based on that comment, that statement is truthful. Based on that statement, today the banking system is changing for the better. I believe in the short-term we will see a lot of improvements.

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

I used to think: “The worst thing in life is to end up alone”. It’s not: “The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone”. The reason why I hate this phrase is because it is so true.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

Charity does start at home. Growing up, my parents emphasised the importance of charity and then it became a way of life, a routine. I have volunteered in Zambia to help build schools and teach kids. Whilst there, we also took 500 mattresses to the schools in different tribes. Today, my family’s foundation helps hundreds of children with scholarships to study and become successful members of their communities.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

There is always a risk using any kind of technology regardless if it is security based or not. However, I think there is a strong need for technology, especially with the fast pace of the business world these days.

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

Benjamin Franklin, Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln, Mozart and Picasso.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

I hope that won’t be my reality ever. However, to answer your question, I would like to eat the judge who sentenced me to death.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

Lunchtime usually is the time to start. However, at weekends, noon bellinis are acceptable.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

A martini; a very, very dirty martini.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

I do enjoy my own parties because I pay so much attention to the details prior. It means that, during the event itself, I can put all my energy and efforts into entertaining my guests.

Who is the most positive person you know?

My grandmother is one of the most positive people I know and my COO, Tanya, always calms me down when I get a little wound up.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

Eating chocolate late at night.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

Even though I have a tattoo of the OHM sign, it does not really sum me up. I wish it did. My other one, Dum Spiro Spero (When I Breath I Hope), would be the one to describe me. I tend to hope and dream and work hard to make my dreams come true.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

A Bentley – Fast and furious, yet classy and comfortable.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

That I am humble and relatable to is a surprise to most people. Considering my background and my current motivation to succeed on another level, people don’t expect it.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

I have a small sculpture by Jeff Koons.

Emir Bahadir is a 25-year old entrepreneur based in New York. He was educated at the American School in Switzerland and New York University. Bahadir is the founder and CEO of the BHDR real estate brokerage and development firm, invests in tech startup firms and is also an art collector.

Follow him on Instagram at @emirbahadir and use his own hashtag, #bahadiring

October 18, 2016
Nolan Browne – What’s on your mantelpiece?

A 20-question interview with Nolan Browne, manager of London’s Taschen store and Gallery Nolan Browne

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

Ambition.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

Rubbish in, rubbish out.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?

Homelessness and Donald Trump.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

A couple of people.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

I wouldn’t.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?

Is there still a crisis?

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

‘Take care’.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

I detest chuggers and I’m running the Royal Park Half Marathon in October for Shelter, who help the homeless.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

Don’t text while driving or cycling. Remarkable that people do it.

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

Woody Allen and Magritte and a billionaire, just to find out exactly how you get that rich.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

I doubt you could wander too far, so maybe a nice Harrods hamper in the prison yard.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

Anytime depending on the occasion.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

A martini.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

Arty ones – always full of characters and great chat.

Who is the most positive person you know?

Both of my sisters are very positive.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

Thomas Pink shirts.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

No answer.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

Any kind of Ferrari.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

I was born in Bangkok.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

A wedding invitation and some art related postcards.

Nolan Browne is the manager of London’s TASCHEN Store and Gallery Nolan Browne. Travel and art are in his blood and he is the son of a diplomat and an art collector. Browne was born in Bangkok, grew up in New York, Somalia, Ukraine and Rwanda and went to school in the UK. While at university, he founded Unscene Art, a pop-up platform for emerging artists. It was dubbed “The student Turner Prize” by i-D magazine. Pitstops at White Cube and Phillips Auction House led him to TASCHEN – where he is fast turning the London store into one of the capital’s art destinations.

Follow him on Instagram at @nolanbrowne.

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September 16, 2016
The pleasures of Petworth
New contributor Jacina Coyne on how to spend a day in Petworth, West Sussex

Petworth is well known for its synonymous stately home and its grounds by ‘England’s greatest gardener’, Capability Brown. This is a charming gem of a town in the English countryside and is easily accessible from London. I reached it in an hour with no traffic.

Overflowing with character, Petworth boasts over forty antiques shops and they are well known for the treasures within them. While this town is easy going, it also boasts sophisticated tastes.

I would suggest this to be the ideal place to take a visiting friend who wishes to see a bit of the English countryside; you will be hard pressed, in fact, to find anywhere better for a better day trip.

My five must visits are:
1. The Leconfield
A two rosette stared restaurant with a glorious outdoor dining area. The food is exquisite and the menu thoughtful; the atmosphere is relaxed but the service is five star.
1. Petworth House and Park
700 acres of sheer beauty managed by the National Trust.
1. Augustus Brandt
A wonderful Georgian house brimming with everything from objets d’art to personalised monogrammed bags by the stylish yet practical Italian brand My Style Bags. Here, also, you’ll find the only concession of Linley outside London.
1. The Hungry Guest Café
Fresh breads, a cheese larder and butcher – bursting with wonderful edibles such as walnut pesto and brownies.
1. The Hungry Guest
The best ready meals on the market according to The Telegraph’s Xanthe Clay. For me, though, it was their pecan pie that topped the bill. Be sure to take home a feast from this foodie’s paradise.

Follow Jacina Coyne on Instagram @jacina077.

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September 7, 2016
Nicola Radano – What’s on your mantelpiece?

A 20-question interview with Nicola Radano, an Italian fashion blogger and founder of tie producers Spacca Neapolis

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

Determination and loyalty.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

“One can get rich at any moment, but if one has no class, one is always a beggar” – paraphrased from philosopher and connoisseur of Neapolitan culture Luciano De Crescenzo.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?

A lot of people.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

I miss being able to sail.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

Living in a world populated by principled people.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?

The banking crisis was born to the low value given to the Euro. I have no words to say on that.

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

“I can’t do it”.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

For me, it’s absolutely right to support both domestic and international charities. Helping someone who has little is the most gallant gesture that anyone can do.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

Smartphones are now improperly used by young children. This is harmful because many of them prefer using them to reading a good book.

Nicola Radano

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

Only elegant men.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

A plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce by the sea.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

In the afternoon.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

A cup of Neapolitan coffee please.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

I like afternoon appetizers in the summer time. I find them most relaxing.

Who is the most positive person you know?

My mum.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

Sleeping in late without being interrupted.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

A rudder.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

A Porsche.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

That I’ve been able to create unexpected things from nothing.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

Family photos, antique ashtrays and a clock.

Nicola Radano declares his passion to be classical fashion and Neapolitan tailoring. He established a blog about the subject titled ‘Me, Myself & I’ in 2013 and launched his own firm of hand sewn tie producers, Spacca Neapolis, in 2016.

Follow him on Instagram at @nicolaradano and on Facebook by clicking here.

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August 30, 2016
Eric Meier– What’s on your mantelpiece?

A 20-question interview with jetsetter Eric Meier

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

My intuition.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

‘Forgive but don’t forget’.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?

Donald Trump and Crocs.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

My sanity.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

World peace or never ageing.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?

Invest. Banks are a joke.

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

‘I need’ – Even though I use it every day and a lot.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

Anything to do with children. Their innocence and honesty inspires me.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

My answer here is biased since I’m addicted to my phone. I think it’s actually glued to me.

Eric Meier

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

Oprah, Mariah Carey and Karl Lagerfeld.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

The cheesecake at Hôtel Costes in Paris or an In and Out burger.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

In Europe, everything goes; in America, happy hour is at 4pm.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

A martini. Filthy.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

Those given by Riccardo Tisci – Beautiful people and beautiful clothes.

Who is the most positive person you know?

Myself – I’m never a pessimist.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

My boyfriend.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

I have one of a broken heart as I’m a hopeless romantic.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

A Rolls-Royce Ghost extended version.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

I’m human.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

Candles. Great lighting is key.

Eric Meier is based in Beverly Hills, California and describes himself as a well-travelled jetsetter. He adds: “Biographies are for dead people”.

Join his 28,000 followers on Instagram at @meiereric.

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August 23, 2016
Nuno Goncalves – What’s on your mantelpiece?

A 20-question interview with executive chef Nuno Goncalves of 12 Hay Hill in London’s Mayfair

The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

I am as stubborn as you can get. If I set my mind to something, I won’t stop until I achieve it. It’s what keeps me going.

“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today; life is too short for time wasting.

Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?

Boris Johnson leading the Leave campaign: It was clearly part of his political game to get to 10 Downing Street.

Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

A social life: It’s what you sign up for when you become a chef.

What might you swap all your wealth for?

A tranquil and peaceful life, surrounded by family, good friends, good food and, of course, good wine.

Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?

Over-optimistic greedy bankers lending to over-optimistic under-achievers.

What phrase or word do you most loathe?

Ignorance.

In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

In my opinion it is everyone’s social and moral responsibility to help the less fortunate when possible. I support the British Heart Foundation; they are a fantastic organization helping people with heart disease all over the UK.

The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

They are a necessity in modern life, but at the same time reduce their user’s awareness of what surrounds them. Mankind is becoming a prisoner of its own evolution.

Nuno Goncalves

If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

My wife, son, close friends and family, my team, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Clarkson, Barrack Obama and Donald Trump.

If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

Probably my wife’s spaghetti Bolognese at home.

What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

Whatever time it’s necessary to get you through the day.

A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

Coffee.

Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

As long as there is a party, I’m not really bothered.

Who is the most positive person you know?

Probably me.

What’s your most guilty pleasure?

Chocolate and wine: In that order.

If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

Probably an atomic bomb mushroom cloud, but you do not want me to go off.

If you were a car, what marque would you be?

A Mercedes-Benz.

Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

Hard on the outside but soft on the inside.

What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

A portrait of my wife and I; it reminds me of how we used to be. Time flies.

Nuno Goncalves was born in Portugal and grew up in Toronto. He has worked at the Corinthia Hotel and Galvin at Windows and is now executive head chef of Shaun Rankin’s London restaurants and oversees the dining room at business members’ club 12 Hay Hill in Mayfair, London.

Follow him on Instagram at @nunogoncalves84.

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July 20, 2016