CITY Issue 58

Behind the Dial BOOK: PHONESEX Photographer (and long time CITY contributor) Phillip Toledano captures that which is right in front of us. “Some photographers are interested in the obscure. I’m interested in the obvious,” he says. In his latest book, Phonesex, Toledano goes behind the receiver, as it were, to reveal the disembodied voices of a taboo fantasy world. He captures both male and female phone sex operators in their natural habitats (often in the exact location where they conduct business) and accompanies each portrait with a personal essay written by the subject. From an “inanimate Barbie” to a 60-year-old Columbia University graduate, the juxtaposition of haunting images with matter-of-fact stories makes for an intimate look into a life most of us know nothing about. Toledano illuminates the operator as an artist — a storyteller deft at weaving intricate fantasies — and the conclusions are far from the obvious. From the grossly comic story told by a woman pictured with her toddler to a handsome gentleman giving a lesson on the art of sound effects (hint: lollipops), an occupation thought to be born from necessity gives way to one akin to a speed-dial counselor or architect of illusion. “Phone sex involves a mutual self-delusion on the part of the operator and the caller,” Toledano explains. “It’s going to disappear; it’s going to be superceded by Web cams. I think in 10 or 15 years time it’s not going to exist anymore, not in the format that we know it now.” Better get your phone sex while you still can. — ANDI TERAN Shop without Walls HOTEL: SLS BEVERLY HILLS Forget the towels and robes. At the SLS Beverly Hills hotel, you can take home the vases, furniture and other stylish decor (for a price, of course). New York City-based inventor Murray Moss and Parisian designer Philippe Starck have collaborated to give guests the opportunity to peruse their rare, exclusive collections, which are sprinkled throughout the hotel — and buy everything they see. Located at the former L.A. Le Meridien, the new SLS boasts 297 guest rooms and a restaurant led by acclaimed Spanish chef José Andrés. SLS is also currently renovating Miami’s Ritz Plaza and Las Vegas’ Sahara Hotel & Casino, but if you’re heading to Beverly Hills, you may want to bring extra suitcases to store the loot. — AS Pickpocket Alert ACCESSORIES: TIMO! WALLETS Designer Timo Weiland’s idea for his line of slim, colorful wallets was born out of necessity: He needed something that would ﬁt in the pockets of his stylish, skinny jeans. While small in size, Weiland’s TIMO! wallets are big in personality. The vivid hues, artist-designed collaborations, and customized pieces for clothing lines such as Unruly Heir, make classic black and brown a thing of the past. — RL //////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////HAVE YOU HEARD // That home design storeowner John Derian will release a capsule collection for Target this fall? CITY TY 31

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CITY Issue 58

CITY Issue 58 Contents Have You Heard Our Friends Action Wanted City Moment The Amused Bouche Fast Food Temporary Contemporary In Rogue Diary Nicola Vassell Everard Findlay Milan Vukmirovic Lucas Ossendrijver When Fashion Met Architecture People: Person Behind Every Man... Eyeing the Room Mates Vagrant Saints Amplify Where to Buy It Icon

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