As an aside...

...First we lost the New York Post's inestimable celebrity real estate writer Braden Keil who died in early 2009 after a long battle with skin cancer and who was replaced by his wife Jennifer. Then we lost the mighty fine Max Abelson at the New York Observer who moved on to greener pastures at the pink paper and who was replaced by the lovely Chloe Malle. And now we read that (celebrity) real estate writer Josh Barbanel who penned the Big Deals column and other stories for the New York Times was laid off.

Laid off. Another sign of the economic times and yet another sign of the rather fragile state of newspapers and print media in general. We'll miss Mister Barbanel's insight into the glittery world of New York City real estate and will cross our fingers and toes he lands on his feet, soon and solidly.