Social Lives Giveaway Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered our book contest. This morning we randomly selected two winners, and they are Rita M. and Jason P. We’ll be contacting them directly so we can ship Wendy Walker’s totally fun book out.

The Great Recession? That’s Entertainment

Are we all taking this recession just a little too seriously? In a series of short plays debuting at the Flea Theater in New York as “The Great Recession,” times are so tough that one may contemplate killing babies for money; you may end up living in squalor with others who’ve had their Tribeca lofts foreclosed on (subsisting on nothing but “tofu pops” and no cell phone or Internet); or, egads, have to come up with a Plan B when your dad is no longer able to fund your six-month vacation to wherever. Wow—get me off this train.

To hit their point home, one play features characters who’d probably be broke and a mess anyway blaming the recession. The fetish is understood.

Except for a rocky start by an Adam Rapp vignette featuring face-painted absurdist soldiers of the new order, delighting in the opportunity to exploit the downfallen, “The Great Recession” delivers pretty good entertainment and commentary on the recession…

Recessionwire Book Giveaway: Social Lives

If you’re expecting “recession lit,” a book about triumphing in difficult times, look elsewhere.

If you’re looking for a light, fun read about how rich people’s lives aren’t perfect, Wendy Walker’s new book, Social Lives, hits it….

Why I’m the Recession Grinch

Christmas at my house last year featured a fragrant spruce, an occasional snowy view out the back window, and a killer holiday party decked out in subtle but elaborate ribbons, bows, candy canes and such. Santa showed up. So did about 50 people — all of whom I served wine and extensive hors d’oeuvres. And who were greeted warmly by a paid coat check guy who proffered parting gifts on their way out. It probably cost me, all told, about $300 or $400, or more (there are always accoutrements, darling, that also must be purchased).

Of course, I can’t remember exactly how much it cost, because it didn’t matter so much. It wasn’t precisely reckless spending; it was intentional spending, with the intention being to host a swell party where everyone had a fabulous time. And they did! I’m sure if there had been a competition, I would have won Hostess of the Year. I am happy to provide testimonials…

Recessionwire Discount: Wine and Charcuterie Friday Night

Already hungry for Friday night? (We are.) This will really set your mouth watering: St. Francis Winery is having a wine-and-charcuterie pairing event in New York tomorrow night. It features the Sonoma winery’s Wild Oak wines and cured meats from Salumeria Biellese, which stocks top chefs, including meat-loving Mario Batali.

Plus, it’s educational, with a discussion of wine-making and meat-curing, in case you needed inspiration for that new career.

Recessionwire readers get $5 off the $35 ticket…

Kill the Recession with Your Brain

Tom Cruise tries to scootch ashtrays with his mind. Why not put yours towards something more…um, less freaky?

Over at her site, Escape from Cubicle Nation, Pamela Shim lays out ten ways you can stimulate the economy in your corner of the world. It’s straightforwad, non-Scientology stuff…

Nine 70s Flicks to Make You Feel Better About the Recession

I tend to romanticize the 70s as an era. I am charmed by the idea of people “finding themselves” while making dramatic, life-changing decisions in pursuit of authenticity. And in our troubled times, there’s something especially cathartic about watching others caught in the vortex of events they can neither understand nor control, but nonetheless work heroically to resolve. As my wise Buddhist friend once said: “falling off the path is the path” — it’s when we’re faced with challenges that we have the opportunity to grow and to discover the boundlessness of our own mettle.

One great thing about the modern age, though — Netflix and YouTube make watching these old flicks easy and affordable.

Shaft (1971)
This prime example of “Blaxploitation” film tells the tale of John Shaft, a badass African-American private detective (the smokin’ hot Richard Roundtree) on assignment to retrieve the kidnapped daughter of a mobster…

Get 80 Wines for $50 on Friday

Bottlenotes, our favorite online wine company, is offering Recessionwire readers a special deal for tomorrow night — $10 off its Around the World in 80 Sips event in New York.

There will be wine from five continents, plus artisinal cheese, charcuterie, pickles, chocolate, and cigars. All that and no tip required!…

Preparing for the Next Downturn

If there’s one thing we learned from this recession, it’s that economies tend to be cyclical. Stock markets crash and rebound, unemployment rates go up and down, and real estate prices can decrease just as quickly as they increased during the boom years. Unfortunately, there’s very little we can do about it, and an economic downturn is likely to happen again.

With an ounce of prevention, though, there are some things we can all do to put ourselves in a better position the next time around. After all, sudden job losses might not have been so crushing had we all had enough money in savings to carry us through the downturn. And spiking credit card rates might not be quite as big of a deal right now if we hadn’t been carrying such a large debt load prior to the recession’s beginning last fall. If only.

No matter what mistakes we made this time around, it’s never too early to start planning for the next economic crunch. Consider this your emergency survival guide to a solid financial future, no matter what’s happening on Wall Street…

Video: The Recession Took My Escalade and Stripper Money

Not sure how we missed this Daily Show segment on how the downturn has taken the bling off rappers. As Slim Thug says: We used to roll, 20 dudes, tour bus, all around the whole country. These days you get…a van.

Feel his pain.