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PM Linkage: A 'Real' Husband of NYC Also Runs the Hotel Chandler

Where: 12 E. 31st Street [map], New York, ny, United States, 10016<

Apparently, someone at Bravo decided that the "Real Housewives of Orange County" was such a good show that they should do the same thing for Manhattan.

In theory, this should be a better show. Manhattanites dress better. They go to better parties and they fight for spots at prestigious pre-schools before their spawn is even born.

But yet, we couldn't even bring ourselves to watch this spin-off despite having seen a preview. Really, any show with "Housewives" in it from now on should be banned.

Gawker has a nice summary of the show so you shouldn't have to watch it but since one of the househubbies is Simon Van Kempen, who "runs"/is the general manager at the Hotel Chandler on E.31st, a rather unknown, so-so hotel in Murray Hill, we might be forced to watch it now.

Yet before we do, we wanted to know more about the Simon and the Hotel Chandler and thought you might want to too.

· His Housewife: Alex McCord, a former actress from Kansas who now works as a visual merchandiser.
· Official Website:: Eh.
· Studscore: Daily News only gave the Aussie a 4 out of 10.
· Hotel's Secret Past: Ok it's not so secret. But it was once the Hotel Le Marquis.
· Rude Manager?: The TripAdvisor reviews are pretty solid although one said, "The Manager could not have been any ruder."
· Opera Lover: Simon Van Kempen says belonging to the Metropolitan Opera will help the couple move up in NYC Society. Totally unrelated question: Any one know how much money a GM at this sort of hotel would make?
· A Favorite?: The NY Mag (and a few other places) think Simon is their favorite character. Some reasons why: He's an Aussie but named his children François and Johan and force them to speak French. He says to Alex, "I can see you at the Met in that!" when she tries on a leopard-print Cavalli dress. And he throws lavish compliments at his wife for her beauty.