Town & Country articles from August 2003

Town & Country archives from August 2003

We've got males. .(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... Women's feelings about men are all mixed up--a muddle of impressions from real life and fiction that inspire our deepest fears and our greatest hopes. Are they our fathers, our brothers or our sons? Are they action heroes, authority figures or...

Name calling. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... Thank you for the March "Social Graces" column, "Way Too Familiar?" by Joan Caraganis Jakobson. When my children were small, some of their friends' parents assumed that such familiarity was okay with me. However, I'll never forget how jarring...

Ovations for Audrey. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... After reading the special tribute to Audrey Hepburn in your May issue ["Forever Audrey"], I felt completely satisfied. I expected to find another standard tribute that I would gloss over and then pass along for someone else to skim. To my...

Quinn-tessential style. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... My heart skipped a beat when I saw the dream house Sally Quinn created ["Grey Gardens," June] . For Quinn to have seen past its facade of neglect and lost dreams is astonishing. God bless her for saving a house with a soul from a bygone era. I...

High gear. (Parties).(Ford Motor Co. celebrates centennial, raises funds for Henry Ford estate home, Dearborn, Michigan)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... BIG DEAL Ford Motor Company marked its centennial at a benefit for its founder's home, the Henry Ford estate, Fair Lane, in Dearborn, Michigan. BIG WHEELS Edsel B. Ford II (the great-grandson of Clara and Henry Ford) and his...

To sir, with love. (Parties).(London Symphony Orchestra gala, New York)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... THE OCCASION The London Symphony Orchestra's 2003 New York gala, celebrating the seventy-fifth birthday of principal conductor Sir Colin Davis. THE PROGRAM Four guest artists performed at the Metropolitan Club, accompanied by...

Starry night. (Parties).(Black Alumni of Pratt Institute raise funds at scholarship benefit dinner)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... THE SCRIPT The Black Alumni of Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, New York, held their twelfth annual scholarship benefit dinner. THE CAST Actor James Earl Jones emceed the event, which took place at the Waldorf-Astoria. Two hundred...

Shop talk: most men could probably name a dozen things they'd rather do than buy clothes. Unless, that is, they knew exactly where to go. (On The Town).(recommended men's clothing stores, New York, Chicago, Paris, London)
August 1, 2003... NEW YORK [Recommendations from Euan Rellie] * THOM BROWNE (17 Little West 12th Street) has been designing beautiful tailored suits for some time. He joins traditional workmanship and cloth with a slightly modern feel and cut. "The suits...

For Piet's sake. (In the country).(Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Seemingly overnight, PIET OUDOLF has become one of the most talked-about garden designers in America. Although he was virtually unknown just a year ago, a commission to create a master plan for Battery Park, on the southern tip of Manhattan,...

Hawthorne & son. (Fathers & sons).(Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'Twenty Days with Julian and Little Bunny by Papa')(Book Review)
August 1, 2003... The latest gem rescued from obscurity by the New York Review of Books's publishing arm: Nathaniel Hawthorne's TWENTY DAYS WITH JULIAN & LITTLE BUNNY BY PAPA ($16.95), a collection of journal entries written during the summer of 1851 (with an...

Baby oil. (Fathers & sons).(movie director Armando Manni heads up production of a healthful olive oil)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... After his first child, Lorenzo, was born in 1997, Italian filmmaker Armando Manni wanted to feed him an all-natural diet. Dissatisfied with the quality of available olive oils--the lifeblood of Mediterranean meals--Manni bought some olive...

Napa nickels. (Fathers & Sons).(vintner Gil Nickel forms Nickel and Nickel with his son and nephew)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Gil Nickel likes to drive fast and has a barn full of Ferraris to prove it. But when it comes to wines, the Napa Valley vineyard owner knows it pays to go slow. In 1979 he bought one of America's oldest wineries--Far Niente, established in...

A suspenseful summer. (In the country).(Book Review)
August 1, 2003... What books will men be toting to the beach this month? We're sure THE DA VINCI CODE, by Dan Brown (Doubleday; $24.95), will still be enjoying its day in the sun. This fast-paced concoction starts with the murder of the Louvre's chief curator;...

Trail blazers. (In the country).(jackets and shells from Arc'teryx)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... I call it the Prada of athletic-gear companies: ARC'TERYX makes ingeniously designed and beautifully crafted outdoor wear for the serious and sophisticated sportsman. In 1998 the Vancouver-based company began creating superbly detailed jackets...

Clear winners. (In the country).(vodka)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
August 1, 2003... Vodka is technically neutral, prized for its clarity and smoothness. So why do superpremium vodkas, the fastest-growing category among spirits, command fierce brand loyalties? Guys who once ordered a vodka tonic now request a CIROC, straight up...

All we want for August is ... (Fashion & Style News).
August 1, 2003... a crisp, sporty look that embraces the outdoors and takes its cues from men's fashion (in homage to the guys we love). Our favorite pick: BARBOUR'S sturdy, weatherproof Beaufort jacket ($348), made of dark-green waxed cotton and lined with a...

Not just for men. (Fashion & Style).
August 1, 2003... This autumn, checks, herringbones and other tweeds are meant for women, too. Clockwise from top left: BARBARA RIHL Herringbone tote ($250). BURBERRY wool hat ($325). DONNA KARAN NEW YORK Mary Janes ($450). PRADA Briefcase handbag with leather...

Role reversal. (Fashion & Style).
August 1, 2003... Wing tips for women? Accessories with masculine detailing make a strong statement. Clockwise from top right: PRADA leather Briefcase bag ($1,345). BALLY leather loafers with brass hardware ($260). SHANEEN HUXHAM leather gloves ($180). HERMES...

Keeper of the cloth. (Fashion & style).(men's clothing from Luigi Borrelli)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... For more than a hundred years, LUIGI BORRELLI has been one of the world's great luxury shirtmakers, and legions of well-dressed men will wear no other brand. But the Naples-based company, now headed by Fabio Borrelli, offers lots more to swear...

Turn back time. (Jewelry).(archival design watches with modern mechanics)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Classic archival designs for men's watches have been updated with modern mechanics. From left: BLANCPAIN white-gold Villeret, design circa 1735 ($10,700), at Tourneau stores, 800-348-3332, or call 877-520-1735. VACHERON CONSTANTIN yellow-gold...

Men's watch news.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... 1 CHOPARD's steel and suede Tool Box Set ($16,600) comes stocked with timekeeping "tools": namely, five Mille Miglia chronograph watches, with different face colors and interchangeable rubber and leather straps. 2 Tantalum is an...

The Maestro: architecture's man of the moment, Rafael Vinoly, wins fans--and commission upon commission--thanks to his remarkable ability to solve problems with panache. (Connoisseur's World).
August 1, 2003... Rafael Vinoly, by any measure one of the hottest architects at work today, is full of surprises. He has twin grand pianos in his Manhattan office, for example, just in case he and a friend want to play a classical duet there. He also has the...

How the west was wonderful. (Connoisseur's World).(Adrienne Ruger reflects on the life of her grandfather, art collector and adventurer William Batterman Ruger)(Brief Article)(Interview)
August 1, 2003... Move over, Teddy Roosevelt. WILLIAM BATTERMAN RUGER (1916-2002), founder and longtime CEO of the country's largest gun maker, Sturm, Ruger & Co., hunted big game in Africa, entertained at New York's "21" Club, designed cars and yachts and...

Man of steel. (Connoisseur's World).(sculptor Richard Serra)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Against all odds, RICHARD SERRA, the sixty-three-year-old New York-based Minimalist, has become one of America's most esteemed sculptors. As late as 1989, when his hulking Tilted Arc was removed from a Manhattan plaza (after being maligned by...

A new crooner. (Connoisseur's World).(jazz singer and composer Peter Cincotti)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... A lanky Italian kid with a smooth-as-smoke baritone, who captures the crowd by pouring his heart into a ballad while gazing over the piano with not-quite bedroom eyes? Sound familiar? No, not Frank Sinatra--PETER CINCOTTI. (But close your eyes...

Painting the town. (Connoisseur's World).(watercolorist Adam Van Doren)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Monet had Giverny; Van Gogh, Aries; and Gauguin, Polynesia. But Adam Van Doren has New York City, and his watercolors prove that an artist couldn't ask for better inspiration. In his impressionistic paintings of the city's architecture, Van...

A whale of a time: for three months a year, you can not only get very close to friendly gray whales but can also witness one of conservationists' great success stories. (Traveler's Notebook).(whale watching, Baja California, Mexico)
August 1, 2003... If you had told me, when I signed up for a five-day whale-watching trip in Baja California, that I'd end up massaging the lips of a one-ton baby whale, I would never have believed it. Yet petting an enormous and surprisingly sociable gray whale...

Carolina on my mind. (Traveler's Notebook).(the Willcox inn, Aiken, South Carolina)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Horse lovers know that Aiken, South Carolina, is equestrian heaven, offering every discipline from dressage to thoroughbred racing, many of which are overseen by the world's very best trainers and competitors. Now there are two new reasons to...

Best binocs. (Traveler's Notebook).(binoculars from Swarovski Optik)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... If you're going on a polar icebreaker cruise or an African safari, bring a pair of EL-CLASS BINOCULARS to ensure the best view of wildlife. The feather-weight EL was designed by Tirolean precision-optics manufacturer Swarovski Optik, a division...

Bush strategies. (Traveler's Notebook).(Conservation Corporation Africa offers a different kind of safari at Bush Skills Academy, South Africa)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Khaki fever is a condition that commonly afflicts women traveling in Africa, who become smitten with their strapping young safari rangers. You can't beat these tan hunks in beige shorts who can track a rhino on foot. But you can join 'em....

First man of fishing. (Traveler's Notebook).(author Zane Grey)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Before there was Hemingway, there was Zane Grey. In the early 20th century, the devoted outdoorsman gained wealth and fame with his prolific output of novels and nonfiction books extolling the natural beauty of the American frontier and life in...

The new and the classic. (Beauty Mark For Men Mostly).(men's fragrances)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... We're attached to certain classic colognes, but we're always game for trying new fragrances on the men in our lives. This season we've found two (Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Essenza di Zegna) that are sure to join the ranks of the well...

Dermatology department.(some of the reasons men visit the dermatologist)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Time was, you'd be hard-pressed to find a male member of the species in a dermatologist's office; like the gynecologist's, it was considered women's territory. But, according to Manhattan dermatologist Debra Jaliman, men are flocking to skin...

All male.(men's toiletries)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Men may use fewer cosmetics than women do, but most still appreciate products with oomph--real effectiveness plus a little extra something that transforms a chore into a pleasure. These fit the bill. Clockwise from top left: ELEMIS'S foamy...

No jacket required: he'll enjoy visiting a spa for all the reasons you do--plus a few of his own. (Beauty Mark).(Column)
August 1, 2003... What's not to love about destination spas? They're retreats that require little of you--no sight-seeing, no rigid schedules, no theater reservations. Simplicity prevails. I've gone to spas alone and with a girlfriend, and each experience...

Ouch! Who's tougher when it comes to tolerating pain, men or women? Take a guess. (Health).
August 1, 2003... Of the many pains men endure in the course of their lives, perhaps none is more aggravating than the one caused by the common perception that women endure pain better than they do. Hearing scientists say that women are their superiors,...

Raising the bar. (Design).(glassware for the home bar)
August 1, 2003... Many men consider the home bar their personal territory, right down to the glassware they stock. Weighty and elegant score higher than delicate and precious. With that in mind, we've chosen a dozen essentials for the well-equipped bar that both...

Real men like real stuff: cars, cycles, cell phones and gadgets for guys. (Wealth).(Column)
August 1, 2003... Men shop for themselves for the same reasons that women do: because we can and because it makes us feel good. The difference, of course, is that the things women buy also make them look and smell better, whereas what we tend to buy just makes...

Back to bare hands: attention, modern males! Put down that quiche and grab a power tool; it's time to reclaim your dignity. (Social Graces).(Excerpt)
August 1, 2003... To the delight of women who prefer their significant others to more John Wayne than David Schwimmer, help is at hand. A new book, How to Mow the Lawn: The Lost Art of Being a Man, offers wide-ranging advice--from grilling to sports and...

The quiet hero: Gregory Peck (1916-2003).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Gregory Peck was an old-fashioned Hollywood hero: the strong, silent, deep-voiced type who spoke only when he had something to say and who took violent action only as a last resort. The roles he played were, for the most part, in keeping with...

Role of a lifetime: quietly confident, ruggedly handsome and strong in mind and deed, he's Brosnan. Pierce Brosnan. .(Interview)(Biography)
August 1, 2003... As I zip through the hills of Malibu on my way to the beachfront home of Pierce Brosnan, I envision being in a sleek British roadster, tearing up the cliffs of Monte Carlo. Of course, the other drivers on the road are oblivious to my fantasy...

A man of substance: Leonard Lauder works hard, plays fair and gives everything he does his all. His mother can be proud.(Interview)(Biography)
August 1, 2003... Evelyn Lauder likes to tell this story about her husband: "Leonard came to pick me up on the first date we ever had--a blind date. My father met him; it was when we were living at 114 West Eighty-sixth Street. We sat down and chatted for a bit....

Solid gold: Arista Records' "L.A." Reid runs his business the way he lives his life--with sincerity, certainty and style.(Interview)
August 1, 2003... "I know what I want," says Antonio "L.A." Reid. "That's my number-one skill." It's a talent that has served him well. When Reid moved to Manhattan from Atlanta three years ago to succeed the legendary Clive Davis as CEO of Arista Records, the...

Boys will be boys: but that doesn't mean they can't look great during a weekend in the country.
August 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: OUTWARD BOUND. From left: Paul Smith shirt ($1,035), pants ($375) and belt ($150); Bottega Veneta wool-jersey crewneck ($170): Banana Republic suede boots ($128). Paul Stuart wool-twill shirt ($197.50), TSE...

Growing up is hard to do; Charles Gaines learned the hard way that most men don't--until they have to.
August 1, 2003... For boys growing up in the South in the 1950s, there was very little doubt about what it meant to be a man. That ideal was as fixed and unquestionable as the North Star, and to achieve it as quickly and thoroughly as possible, some of my...

His white shirt: a daughter of President Ronald Reagan clings to something he wore in his finest years.
August 1, 2003... MY FATHER'S SHIRT IS WHITE--clean white--like snow that has just landed on the ground, like sea foam used to be years ago, when I would follow him out into the ocean, long before pollution changed the color of the surf. The fabric is smooth and...

The marrying kind: here's to the man who doesn't get away--the one who stays and the one you stay in love with.
August 1, 2003... On the unseasonably warm March evening of 1972 that I walked down the makeshift aisle on my father's back patio in Santa Monica, California, to exchange wedding vows with a handsome, passionate Southern journalist twice my age, I was not at all...

My three sons: what's it like raising three little boys? Hair-raising at times, but also heavenly.
August 1, 2003... "Pikachu--use your electric attack!" It is 6:00 A.M. on a typical morning in my home, which means Russell, who is nearly six, has already begun "training to be the strongest, bravest Pokemon master in the whole universe." Though the rest of the...

Her heart belongs to daddy: a daughter reminisces.(Danny Kaye)(Biography)
August 1, 2003... Imagine Robin Williams, Tommy Tune and Tony Bennett all on the same stage, at the same time, and you'll have an idea of what it was like to see Danny Kaye perform solo. Kaye, who died in 1987, had his heyday in the forties and fifties--on...

Super cars: Stephan Wilkinson gets behind the wheels of some of the most audaciously alluring, astronomically priced automobiles you won't find in the local dealership's back lot.('supercars')
August 1, 2003... Size and performance matter to men, so wouldn't you know it, we love supercars--those precious few extreme automobiles that are bigger, badder, better, fancier, faster or more powerful than anything else on the road. (And, at their best, embody...

Fantasy island.
August 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: ST. BART'S, IN THE FRENCH WEST INDIES, HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS NATURAL BEAUTY, ITS INARGUABLE CHIC AND ITS FINE CUISINE. BUT IT ALSO ATTRACTS SOME OF THE HANDSOMEST, SEXIEST MEN TO THE CARIBBEAN, WHICH...

Weddings.
August 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wallace Smith (Allison Parrish Brown) Shelbourne, Vermont [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Mr. and Mrs. William Wolfe Ettelson (Adelina Ann-Therese Wong) Toronto Canada ...

Horoscopes.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... August Leo July 23-August 23 August will be a time of discoveries and breakthroughs that set you on a new course. Others may be annoyingly vague, elusive and tuned out, but you appear ready to take your own life in hand and make vital...