Ok, I'll leap to Ben H's defense on this one. Saying a reservation is a sought after status symbol just implies that getting a table is hard. If getting a table is not hard it's may be an insane luxury, but the mere fact of getting in isn't a status symbol. Compare to studio 54 -- getting in was the point.
otherwise prosaic services have been transformed into status symbols simply because of the price tag
I think it's pretty clear that the NYT writer meant the True and not the False. Actually, I take that back; "sought-after" does imply a sort of striving that is different from the sort of thing that is available if you just open your checkbook. So, meh. Sloppyish writing.
Speaking of sloppyish writing--I don't mean to imply that the dinner would be affordable to everyone if they were willing to open their checkbooks, just that it would be affordable to many people if they were willing to pay the exorbitant price.
Dunno about the "exclusivity" as the clincher--I could cite the dearth of landing ports for Gulfstreams at my local airport (note: I'm fairly sure that this makes no sense whatsoever as a comment about actual Gulfstreams--take it as meant to dramatize the principle of an argument) as evidence that Gulfstreams are exclusive, even if they in principle can be bought by anyone with the bucks. Since the article on the whole is about how status is measured by expense, I think we should be charitable, and "fucking retards" is a bit strong. The expense account thing may be a point though (OTOH, I will never be at such a place on expense account--expense accounts might be a status symbol in themselves).
A half-empty restaurant is not actually an argument against the proposition that getting a reservation is hard. It could well be evidence for that proposition.
'Sought-after' implies it's somewhat hard to get, which is (charitably) probably Ben H.'s point.
But something, like an $800 haircut (does that include color?), can certainly be a status symbol without being hard to get. The problem is in conflating the two.
Nobody has pointed out that Ben H.'s wrathful comment, while perhaps a pleasing anecdote, says nothing about how hard a Masa reservation really is to get. His hosts got a rez on the day of... but was it on a Saturday night at 8:30 (or whatever the hot dinner time is in NY -- how should I know, I live in the Chicago burbs), or was it a Tuesday at 6:30?
Also, when you have only 26 seats (how many tables is that, anyway?) you probably have to be fairly careful about how many reservations you actually take -- you never know when a party like Ben H's will "sit their all night."
Also, price tag isn't a big status symbol when everyone there is on an expense account.
baa -- I'm a big firm associate with an expense account for entertaining clients. It doesn't stretch to Masa -- not even close. Having the kind of ability to spend your employer's money that you'd need to expense a Masa dinner is absolutely a status symbol, and it marks status significantly higher than that of a NY big-firm associate making compforatbly into six figures.
You think Knicks tickets aren't a status symbol because no one's paying for the good seats themselves?
That's a point I intended to make as well. I work for a Fortune 500 company that rakes in the dough hand over fist. I don't personally take customers out, but the tales I've heard indicate that even those customers that could potentially bring in millions in sales don't get past the $150 meal mark, including wine, etc. I think there would be executions at dawn if they did.
jeesus, that dinner costs more than my rent.
Posted by Michael | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:09 AM
Ok, I'll leap to Ben H's defense on this one. Saying a reservation is a sought after status symbol just implies that getting a table is hard. If getting a table is not hard it's may be an insane luxury, but the mere fact of getting in isn't a status symbol. Compare to studio 54 -- getting in was the point.
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:20 AM
Yeah, that's the only possible defense, but it's a pretty thin reed. Anyway, I don't want to belabor the point; just balancing the scales of linking.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:27 AM
And given that the paragraph starts:
otherwise prosaic services have been transformed into status symbols simply because of the price tag
I think it's pretty clear that the NYT writer meant the True and not the False. Actually, I take that back; "sought-after" does imply a sort of striving that is different from the sort of thing that is available if you just open your checkbook. So, meh. Sloppyish writing.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:32 AM
Speaking of sloppyish writing--I don't mean to imply that the dinner would be affordable to everyone if they were willing to open their checkbooks, just that it would be affordable to many people if they were willing to pay the exorbitant price.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:34 AM
"And it is finally about exclusivity: there are only 26 seats. Today, one of the most sought-after status symbols in New York is a Masa reservation."
I'm with Ben H on this. The Times blew it. Also, price tag isn't a big status symbol when everyone there is on an expense account.
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:38 AM
just balancing the scales of linking.
aah, the solomonic wisdom of ogged.
Posted by cw | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:49 AM
Dunno about the "exclusivity" as the clincher--I could cite the dearth of landing ports for Gulfstreams at my local airport (note: I'm fairly sure that this makes no sense whatsoever as a comment about actual Gulfstreams--take it as meant to dramatize the principle of an argument) as evidence that Gulfstreams are exclusive, even if they in principle can be bought by anyone with the bucks. Since the article on the whole is about how status is measured by expense, I think we should be charitable, and "fucking retards" is a bit strong. The expense account thing may be a point though (OTOH, I will never be at such a place on expense account--expense accounts might be a status symbol in themselves).
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 11:58 AM
A half-empty restaurant is not actually an argument against the proposition that getting a reservation is hard. It could well be evidence for that proposition.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 12:06 PM
"fucking retards" is a bit strong
...but ultimately rewarding.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 12:17 PM
'Sought-after' implies it's somewhat hard to get, which is (charitably) probably Ben H.'s point.
But something, like an $800 haircut (does that include color?), can certainly be a status symbol without being hard to get. The problem is in conflating the two.
Michael, I am jealous of your rent.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 12:20 PM
"fucking retards" is a bit strong
Made love. We made love, dammit!
Posted by Chopper | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 12:34 PM
Nobody has pointed out that Ben H.'s wrathful comment, while perhaps a pleasing anecdote, says nothing about how hard a Masa reservation really is to get. His hosts got a rez on the day of... but was it on a Saturday night at 8:30 (or whatever the hot dinner time is in NY -- how should I know, I live in the Chicago burbs), or was it a Tuesday at 6:30?
Also, when you have only 26 seats (how many tables is that, anyway?) you probably have to be fairly careful about how many reservations you actually take -- you never know when a party like Ben H's will "sit their all night."
Posted by Dan Someone | Link to this comment | 06- 2-05 2:24 PM
Well, now we know who owns the night.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 06- 3-05 8:30 AM
Also, price tag isn't a big status symbol when everyone there is on an expense account.
baa -- I'm a big firm associate with an expense account for entertaining clients. It doesn't stretch to Masa -- not even close. Having the kind of ability to spend your employer's money that you'd need to expense a Masa dinner is absolutely a status symbol, and it marks status significantly higher than that of a NY big-firm associate making compforatbly into six figures.
You think Knicks tickets aren't a status symbol because no one's paying for the good seats themselves?
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 06- 3-05 9:17 AM
That's a point I intended to make as well. I work for a Fortune 500 company that rakes in the dough hand over fist. I don't personally take customers out, but the tales I've heard indicate that even those customers that could potentially bring in millions in sales don't get past the $150 meal mark, including wine, etc. I think there would be executions at dawn if they did.
Posted by Chopper | Link to this comment | 06- 3-05 9:22 AM