I wear multiple nightlife hats. I, of course, write here daily; I design joints; I DJ; and I help in the marketing of that delicious Beau Joie Champagne. There are often conflicts, especially in the writing. I follow the rule of disclosing what I can about the new projects I am designing, but I do comply with the rules publicists and management lay out. I often do not get the first photos of places I'm designing or often even the first substantive story. In the case of the The Elsinore at 17 Stanton Street, my latest creation, publications like Crains and Thrillist got the scoops. I also will not write about a place differently because I am involved. This has upset a few clients, but others like the added dimension of this column.

When Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme audaciously reintroduced the skinny tie in the early 00's, it created such a dichotomy among the fashionable -- some were overjoyed that they had appropriately slimmed-down accessories to match their severely low-fat suits, while others outright eschewed the idea as an ephemeral accoutrement that would fade by the time the next season hit. But then something happened: Other designers caught on.