Critical Shopping

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Writer Mike Albo exposes his insecurities a bit in a journey to Chelsea swimsuit boutique Parke & Ronen for the Times this week. "Only when it came time to try on the swimsuits did I realize the only mirror was outside the dressing rooms. The waif boy sat by it, busily texting on his cellphone, maybe attending to me, maybe making sure I wasn’t shoplifting. I was trapped. Trying on skimpy swimsuits is a very private act. No man — gay, straight or demigod — looks sexy while checking himself in the mirror to see if his backside looks fat." [NY Times]