Recipe for a King-Size Eclairs from Flo Braker. SUPER sized ECLAIRS!

In perhaps the most thoroughly reported building climb ever, two men separately scaled the New York Times Building in Times Square on Thursday and no less than 15 reporters were listed as contributing to the resulting N.Y. Times article written by James Barron. Ample photos and a video are also included. Clearly this is the building to climb if you want coverage for your cause.

Aimee Mann “Freeway” Video Contest. Aimee’s trying the YouTube marketing route for her new album.

Back in February I posted an item about Super Bowl rings and how the NFL pays up to $5000 per ring, often designed by Jostens or Balfour, known for providing class rings. Well, for their third Super Bowl ring, the New York Giants went straight to the top of the jeweler hierarchy. Tiffany’s created the white gold and diamond rings for about $5500, and has valued them at $25,000. The Giants received the rings last Thursday at a ceremony in the Fifth Avenue flagship store. Tiffany’s is no stranger to the NFL as the company also makes the Super Bowl trophy, three of which are depicted on the top of the ring.

Alton Kelley in his own words, recounting the Summer of Love. Kelley, a graphic artist, created hundreds of classic psychedelic rock posters with Stanley Mouse. He died on Sunday.

Another brand name will be lost to future generations: Kinko’s is being dropped from the Fedex Kinko’s name in favor of FedEx Office.

The Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut built a museum next door in 2003 using money it did not have, with an eye towards an influx of visitors following a Ken Burns film. The hordes of tourists did not arrive, the loan was restructured, staff was reduced to 17 from 50, and the state had to help out with $3.5 million in bond money to pay down the remaining $11 million. And still, the museum is in debt and the cost of utilities are rising. The best path forward may be to forge an alliance with the neighboring Harriet Beecher Stowe House which has an endowment. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s grandniece, Katherine Seymour Day, was a member of the group that purchased the Mark Twain residence to save it from demolition in the 1920s.

To properly crown a high school prom queen and king, you need headgear. Jewelry company Bailey Banks & Biddle saw a marketing opportunity and is now the exclusive provider of tiaras for Southlake Carroll Senior High School in Texas. The company paid $14,540 to the school for advertising and prom tiara exclusivity. The sterling silver tiara that this year’s prom queen received was worth $695.

San Francisco’s Ocean Beach was once the setting for an amusement park of some significance. Built up since the arrival of a roller coaster in 1884, by 1934 Playland had 14 rides, 25 concessions and 4 restaurants. After the wars, the park went into decline and was finally torn down in 1972. Certain attractions went to various locations near and far. The carousel went to Long Beach, CA but eventually came back to Yerba Buena Gardens. The notorious Laughing Sal and other fun house mechanicals have recently gone on display at a nonprofit museum, Playland-Not-at-the-Beach. Located in El Cerrito, CA, the museum is open by appointment (to allow for availability of volunteer staff). The 18 rooms are filled with the former Playland relic stashes of Richard Tuck and other collectors.

The last Faberge egg was made in 1917, with production halting after the Russian revolution. The jewel-encrusted eggs sell nowadays at auction for several millions of dollars. The Faberge brand itself was sold in 1989 for $1.6 billion to Unilever. Pallinghurst Resources, a private-equity fund, acquired the name last year for an undisclosed price. And they are reviving the Faberge egg with a new commission. Descendants Tatiana and Sarah Faberge were brought in to lend credence to the rebirth of an old icon of Russian wealth. (via Luxist)