Best and Worst dressed of the week 3/23/2009

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 9:30pm EST

I went on a business trip recently, and I traveled recession style: on the bus. But not just any bus - the Bolt Bus. For 20 cool ones, I sat in a sleek, clean, bright orange bus en route to Washington, D.C. The Bolt Bus is the Mustang of buses. It is serious. It is jacked up. My bus had WiFi, and there was a power outlet for my laptop on the back of the seat in front of me. Bolt gets a 10 for the week. If you want to save money and you are used to Amtrak's clean, quiet atmosphere, try Bolt Bus. Savvy patrons and spotless bathrooms in a comfortable environment.

In a not-so safe environment, Serge Foucher, head of Sony's French arm, was taken hostage recently for something like 10 hours. Seriously, the French are comedians. I am still cracking up about it. (If you don't know French humor and all of its ridiculousness and farce, go see Le Diner Du Cons, which is a perfect example.) Anyway, back to Mr. Foucher. According to Reuters, workers locked him up in the plant at Pontonx-sur-l'Adour late one night and blocked the road with tree trunks. Relations within the factory, according to both sides, were "good humored" and "perfectly friendly." Liberté , Fraternité , Egalité ? At first, I couldnÕt decide whether I wanted to label the "French Unionists" as the best or the worst dressed brand. In the end, I think they're the best.

Close to France is the Belgium brand Pain Quotidien, they're definitely the worst. Since October I've been doing research, and this week was the final blow. In France, Thé avec du menthe is black tea with fresh mint leaves (Mentha spicata or in Morocco, 'Nana). But when you order tea with mint at Pain Quotidien in New York, they don't serve you tea with mint leaves. They serve you hot water with mint. And if you ask for the actual tea, they'll charge you extra.

Tea with mint is not a standard request. But it's not an exotic request. The tradition of Thé avec du menthe is as old as Greek, and it's lost at Pain Quotidien. My Sephardic grandmother would be shocked. Please help.

Though I'm willing to fight to preserve the traditions of tea, I wish the persistent logos on the bottom of TV screens would disappear. Now, I'm a branding consultant, and I realize it may be surprising that I'm enraged by the persistence of logos. But in my view, they are obnoxious and non-contextual, and they make idiots of all of us. Soon they'll be covering the screen. Someone please start a petition.

Let's get back to goodness. In New York, on Prince Street at Mercer, a couple of DJs have set up shop to sell their CDs. One disc is called House for Sale, and it's displayed alongside a little picket fence with a sign and everything. Here are a couple of DJs with an awesome sense of humor, and who've found a way to be relevant that's not completely depressing. The music is damn good, too. Thank you, DJ Nyck!

I end this week on Loud n' Clear, the "As Seen on TV" ear amplifier. This is really the worst. One of its purported benefits: eavesdropping at a party. You're a dude, and you want to find out what the ladies across the room think of you? Now you can hear them, no problem. (Oh, and don't worry-no one will notice this big thing sticking out of your ear. You can tell them it's your extra large Blue Tooth, surgically attached for better reception and comfort!) NOT a good way to sell a product.