One of my top 10 favorite artists of all time, Kim Wilde, has released her first-ever Christmas collection "Wilde Winter Songbook," featuring a video clip for
emphasis track and original song "One" (see below). The originally written ballad delivers everything I love about the softer side of Kim.

Kimmie's new album joins a bountiful crop of seasonal releases in 2013, including CDs from Kelly Clarkson, Jewel, Erasure, Kimberley Locke, Jim Brickman and even George & Tammy! *

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My preoccupation for pop culture has taken a back seat these past couple weeks for a more urgent calling: packing up my life in NYC for the move to Hampton Roads, Va. The clock is suddenly ticking at warp speed, with the relocation looming a mere six weeks or so away.

I've become a neighborhood box whore... Every time I circle my Brooklyn Heights nabe to walk Abby & Spencer, I'm on the lookout for BOXES, baby. With a long-distance move of some 400+ miles costing upwards of 4,000,ドル I save a couple bucks with every box I pack myself...

Remember, we're talking about the prudent gent who still picks up pennies on the street. Every buckaroo counts, especially when I'm facing some pretty major restoration projects once I reach my new lake-front paradise in Norfolk, Va.

Here's a comparison of my apartment in September, when it was in pristine condition for Open Houses, versus it current state... Googa mooga, almighty, step by step, box by box. *

LIVING ROOM

BEDROOM

OFFICE

No big surprise, but refreshing that 19-year-old British Olympic diver Tom Daley has revealed he is in a relationship with a man.

On his YouTube page, the cutie announces in a 5:25-minute video, "This has been a hard decision to make, but I wanted you to hear this from me. In spring this year, my life changed massively when I met someone, and they make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy."

Daley adds, "I've only talked about things I've felt comfortable about. It's one of those things that in an idea world, I wouldn't be doing this video—because it shouldn't matter... It did take me by surprise a little bit. I couldn’t be happier.”

Good going, Tom. We've come a long way from the days when Greg Louganis was forced to hide his homosexuality amid so much global fear. And now... it's hardly news, just the way it should be. *

Celine Dion's 'Loved Me Back To Life' has been certified gold in the U.K., only three weeks after its November 5 release. The album is still riding high in the Top 10 Official Album Charts, while on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.—ouch—it has fallen to No. 26 after debuting at No. 2.

EXCELLENT CHOICE! Potent powerhouse 'Breakaway' has been announced as the second single in the U.K., a vocal tour de force and absolutely among the best tracks on "LMBTL" which there, is Celine's highest-charting album in a decade, debuting at No. 3 on the Official Albums Chart. "Breakaway" has already earned kudos as BBC Radio 2's "Record Of The Week," following the success of the title track "Loved Me Back To Life," also a BBC "Record Of The Week" and A Listed at Radio 2.

Meanwhile, here in the States, radio airplay of Celine's "Loved Me Back To Life" and second single "Somebody Loves Somebody" have barely registered... It appears that corporate radio still rules the roost here... pitiful.

Celine will perform "Breakaway" on "Strictly Come Dancing" in the U.K., on December 15. In addition, she is hosting and performing on "A Home for the Holidays," co-starring Ne-Yo, Chris Young and others, an hour special spotlighting adoption. It airs on CBS at 8 p.m. December 18.

And coming this spring: Celine makes a cameo in the new Muppets movie, "Muppets Most Wanted," in theatres March 21, 2014. Below, she continues to heavily promote the new disc with more magazine cover interviews. Go, girl! *

Sadness... R.I.P. *

And the Sexiest Man Alive for 2013, according to People mag is... Adam Levine? Say what? Huh? Really? Um... ha ha ha, NO!

Among its other oddball picks: Jimmy Fallon, Idris Elba, "I never ever smile" Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams.Who the hell judged this thing? A posse of hungry housewives who watch TV all day? One things's for sure: It wasn't a gay man in da know.

Meanwhile, the man who should have won—Chris Pine—is at least among the dozen featured online (the No. 3 Smoking Nun runner-up for Sexiest Man Alive in 2010)... alongside Justin Theroux, Luke Bryan, Bruno Mars and David Beckham.

The issue landed delicately on newsstands November 22, with giant question marks radiating into the heavens. * People mag Top Men finalists for 2013... Below, a pretty awesome piece from the issue on John Stamos, featuring his "Portrait of Dorian Gray." Mighty clever.

And just like that, the whole damn thing was white-washed. The famed city-sanctioned Graffiti Mecca Five Pointz in Queens' Long Island City that was centered across a 200,000 square-foot building, has vanished overnight.

Developers Jerry & David Wolkoff intend to raze the former water plant and replace it with a 1,000-unit apartment complex, comprising two high-rise luxury apartment buildings, 47 and 41 stories tall.

For the last 20 years, Five Pointz has served as an outpost for writers and artists from around the world. More than 1,500 panels of art by 300+ artists from around the world were painted over November 19, as protesters rallied unsuccessfully to save the landmarked locale.

The nabe there is still pretty shady, but like much of New York, boutiques and creative restaurants have been inching in, likely because of the presence of the mammoth Citibank office complex just blocks away from Five Pointz. Sad, yes, but such is the price of gentrification. Take a look at Manhattan's Bowery district if you want to see the ultimate gentrification....

I visited Five Pointz for the first time in April 2013, when Ayhan Sahin's Young Pals Music lensed a dazzling music video for Erica Jacob's launch single "Run" around the colorful motif. It was, indeed, an amazing spectacle.

Just below: Five Pointz now... Below that, more from April. *

As I wind down my 18-year residency (and career) in New York City over the next six weeks—and continue to hustle toward my move to Hampton Roads, Va., I'm racing to use up all of those grocery items I bought in bulk on sale—including so many boxes of elbow macaroni.

Earlier this week, I conjured my first batch ever of Macaroni Salad, mmm, mmm, good! Fortunately, I'm perfectly comfortable as a creature of habit, so eating MS every day as a side with my typical turkey sammich is perfectly satiating.

And tonight, I whipped up a miniature batch of my mama Evelyn's beloved Baked Mac & Cheese... I have a feeling this dish is not going to last through the weekend. Chomp, chomp! Delish! * Man, oh, man... Food just doesn't photograph very well, does it?!

At last... so much great music is out during 4Q 2013... Celine Dion's "Loved Me Back To Life,"Laura Pausini's 20 Greatest Hits, Robbie Williams' "Swings Both Ways, U.K. indie Junior Turner, Kelly Clarkson & Leona Lewis Christmas collections, Toni Braxton & Babyface, Tina Arena's "Reset" and Daughtry's surprisingly satisfying "Baptized."

But today, I had a yearning to turn back the clock, and listen to one of the first acts I was ever in love with, The Partridge Family (thanks, Spotify!). Truly, one of the greatest pop songs of all time: "Summer Days" from the group's third album "Sound Magazine." Good times, cool cats. (And that image above to the right... I had this pic as a giant poster on my wall as a kid, sure did.) * [フレーム]

The talented and wickedly handsome Emin is working it with new sunny-side-up dance single "In Another Life" from upcoming album "Amor." All proceeds from the song's sale will benefit Philippines Disaster Relief.

Check out the music video, which features 12 finalists from the Miss Universe Pageant, along with... uh... a much less attractive Donald Trump. Emin performed live at the contest November 11, 2013.

The Smoking Nun introduced Emin to readers in September 2012, when I had the opportunity to meet with him in New York and write up an interview. Nice, humble man... and so suave. Ooh, la, la, "Amor," indeed! *
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If you've got double-digit millions to burn, why wouldn't you set up shop in the Hamptons, right? I spent last weekend in Long Island and soaked in the glory of gracious living... Above and below are homes in the old-money mansion section of regal Southampton. Ah, soak it in, cool cats!
Below... I had the pleasure of visiting an estate that boasts 15,000 square feet of space, with 8 bedrooms and 13 baths, set gracefully on 4.30 acres, along with a pool (and separate poolhouse), tennis courts, full movie theater, painter's studio and more fireplaces than a crematorium. I would never post interior pics of the private home if it weren't on the market, listed by Sotheby's. See more here.


Below are the pool and the poolhouse—the latter, mind you, is probably 1,200 square feet in itself.
And below is yet another beauty in the "old money" section of Southampton... front view, back view and garage/gym.