Town & Country articles from December 2006

Town & Country archives from December 2006

The joy of giving back.(EDITOR'S LETTER)(Audrey Hepburn)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... AUDREY HEPBURN was one of the world's most beloved women, admired for her flawless sense of style, her lilting accent, her fine acting talent and her irresistible charm. Our fascination with her never seems to diminish. The most recent example...

Remembering slim.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I read Town & Country's beautiful September issue from cover to cover. I particularly enjoyed the article on Slim Aarons ["The Way It Was," by Laura Cushing] because he was the reason for my entering the world of fashion. I arrived in New York...

Master class.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... After reading "Your Attention, Please!" by Frank McCourt ["Social Graces," September], I have to say that I agree with him wholeheartedly. I, too, am an English teacher and once taught school in Dublin. My last high-school teaching experience...

Role-model behavior.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... How sad it is that the current generation of tots needs to be schooled by teachers on etiquette, as seen in "Pint-Sized Protocol" [by Jennifer Rachel Shapell; "On the Town," September]. I am sure the parents of these youngsters were taught...

Beautiful barrett.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Thank you for a wonderful magazine. It is classy, sophisticated, worldly and fashionable. Jacinda Barrett was such a beautiful cover model for September's fall fashion issue. I also love that T&C puts the dress designer's name on the cover....

The most graceful steps.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... How delightful to read "Caroline and Company" [by John Cantrell], in the August issue, which saluted the dance company Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, inspired by the late Princess Grace. I raise my Baccarat glass of Champagne to Princess Caroline...

More thoughts on autism.(In Your Own Words ...)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I appreciate the attention your magazine has given to this confounding and often frustrating condition ["Autism's Angels," by Diane Guernsey, August]. Since my son's diagnosis, four years ago (at age two), much has been learned about autism...

A glittering gala for UNICEF.(PARTIES: Snowflake Ball)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Building a Legacy: Since its debut, in November 2004, the UNICEF Snowflake Ball has become one of the most prestigious fundraisers in New York City. Emceed by Bryant Gumbel, the black-tie gala has attracted celebrities, philanthropists and...

Boston's finest.(PARTIES: Boston)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Some notable parties took place in the heart of New England last summer to raise money for popular charities in Boston. The Friends of the Public Garden held its annual Green and White Ball at the Ritz-Carlton, where guests danced in a ballroom...

Unwinding in the windy City.(PARTIES: Chicago)
December 1, 2006... Chicago is our kind of town for fun--and fundraising--as evidenced by a series of recent soirees. The Notebaert Nature Museum threw a Latin-infused Butterfly Ball, and the Woman's Board of the Alliance Francaise de Chicago treated amis to a...

American creativity.(PARTIES: Whitney Museum of American Art)
December 1, 2006... Twice Blessed: New York City's Whitney Museum enjoyed a double triumph at its fifteenth annual American Art Award gala, with Le Cirque owner Sirio Maccioni and Coach president Reed Krakoff playing key roles. Maccioni hosted cocktails at his...

Charleston.(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(coconut cake by Robert Carter)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Robert Carter, executive chef at Peninsula Grill, in Charleston, South Carolina, has recast a recipe treasured by his beloved grandmother and created the ULTIMATE COCONUT CAKE--his own version of the traditional Southern confection. Enveloped...

Books about town.(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(City Walks)(In the Spirit of Miami Beach)(Picturing Los Angeles)(The Bridges of Central Park)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... The deck is stacked in your favor when you pick up a set from the CITY WALKS series (Chronicle Books; $14.95 each). Every box focuses on a specific city--like New York, Boston or San Francisco--and includes fifty oversized cards, each showing a...

Washington, D.C.(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Appropriately located in the nation's capital, Ann Hand's jewelry salons feature a number of tastefully patriotic items that have caught the eye of fashionable women both inside and outside the Beltway. Hand's French-silk scarves depict classic...

Miami.(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(guayabera shirts by Hipolito)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... It's generally believed that the GUAYABERA, a four-pocket shirt popular in Latin America, was designed by the wife of a Cuban farmer, At the end of each day, the dutiful husband brought guavas (guayabas) home from the field, and the copious...

Greetings from...(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(AmericanPostcardArt.com)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Postcards of yore, portrayals of stately shopping boulevards and tree-lined streets, grand skyscrapers and iconic ballparks, remind us of simpler times. For a nickel and a stamp, we could call out to folks back home: "Wish You Were Here." Now,...

Memphis.(ON THE TOWN: Holiday Gift Guide)(Rendezvous eatery)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... What better way to get your hands on authentic barbecue in December than to order it online? Rendezvous, a Memphis eatery beloved by locals, celebrities and tourists alike, delivers its mouthwatering ribs right to your door. The meat is already...

Showy and bright.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Decorative items inspired by the colors and textures of the wintry great outdoors are holiday staples. Some of the latest and most elegant, clockwise from top: Boxwood wreath ($88), 800-880-4662; themagnoliacompany. com. Silver bird and...

For the gardener.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Florilegium Imperiale)(Green Grows the City)(In American Gardens, 1890-1930)(In Search of Paradise: Great Gardens of the World)(The New York Botanical Garden)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... The year's best garden gift books offer fascinating insights into history. In American Gardens 1890-1930 (Acanthus Press; $75), scholar Sam Watters uses more than 200 archival black-and-white photographs to present some of the most remarkable...

Honoring yesteryear.(IN THE COUNTRY)
December 1, 2006... Old objects resonate with Mary Randolph Carter, who held posts at major fashion magazines before becoming a top executive at Polo Ralph Lauren and a best-selling writer. Readers of her popular Junk series of books know that to Carter, tarnished...

The cream of Connecticut.(IN THE COUNTRY)
December 1, 2006... Classic Greenwich Style (Rizzoli; $45) offers aesthetic inspiration from Cindy Rinfret, a Connecticut designer who believes Greenwich is more than just the place she calls home. To Rinfret, the urbane suburb represents a complete philosophy, a...

For the sportswoman.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... SKI GEAR For years, so-called women's ski equipment was mostly unisex gear in disguise: manufacturers took a standard mold and dressed it up with a few cosmetic modifications. That's been changing of late, and the new line of EXCLUSIVE...

Crystal McCrary Anthony.(FASHION & STYLE)(Interview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... OCCUPATIONS: Mother of two; lawyer; novelist (cowrote Homecourt Advantage and Gotham Diaries, both best sellers); film and television producer; TV host for BET J; board member of Jumpstart, a children's-literacy nonprofit. BACKGROUND: A...

All decked out.(FASHION & STYLE: News)
December 1, 2006... Ring in the New Year with bold party pieces in eye-popping combinations of red, black and white. Short, snazzy dresses, tuxedo separates and sparkling accessories will help you greet 2007 in high style. Below: Lanvin volume dress in washed silk...

The naturals.(FASHION & STYLE)(neutral shades in trend)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Linen and croc and cork--oh my! Accessories in neutral shades are turning up in all types of materials. Clockwise from top: GUCCI crocodile bag with braided strap($20,500).ELIE TAHARI linen Paloma ballerina flats ($225). MIU MIU linen Coffer...

Turn on your brights.(FASHION & STYLE)(bold colors in demand)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Colorful accessories are back--just in time for the holidays. Clockwise from top: RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION orange alligator tote ($12,000). NANCY GONZALEZ blue crocodile clutch ($1,500). BE&D green patent-leather Greta clutch ($635). MlU MIU...

Tropical trends: resort-right menswear from a coterie of classic brands--and a brand-new one too.(FASHION & STYLE)
December 1, 2006... The very first men's collection from renowned womenswear designer ELIE TAHARI received rave reviews this fall. Here, the label brings its clean, modern look to resort wear. Cotton jacket ($398), wool sweater ($398), cotton shirt ($198) and...

Van Cleef toujours.(JEWELRY)(Van Cleef and Arpels Inc. celebrates its 100th birthday)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... How does a Parisian jewelry house celebrate its 100th birthday? With an unveiling of extraordinary, never-before-seen gems, of course. To mark its recent milestone, Van Cleef & Arpels has launched Tresors Reveles, a collection of eleven pieces...

Sweet somethings.(JEWELRY)
December 1, 2006... The sugarloaf cut--a cabochon stone with squarish dome shape--will satisfy your craving for a festive cocktail ring. Clockwise from top left: CRAG DRAKE emerald and diamond ($130,000), at Leigh Fine Jewelers, Vero Beach, FL, 772-234-8522....

Dark and daring.(WATCHES)
December 1, 2006... Mysterious, elegant, unexpected--a watch accented with black diamonds is for the woman who surprises. Clockwise from top right: FRANCK MULLER GENEVE Chronometro with crocodile strap ($25,700), at Westime, L.A., 310-470-1388. HARRY WINSTON...

Pomegranate's prime.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... This winter fruit, believed to have originated in the Middle East, is in its heyday: heralded as an especially powerful antioxidant, the pomegranate recently found its way into consumers' hearts through the juice called Pom and specialty drinks...

Editors' choice: a blue beauty.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... The moment we spied Smythson of Bond Street's peacock-blue Beauty Bureau ($1,810; 866-769-8476), we were smitten. And when we opened it and saw the handsome set of makeup brushes, petite drawers just right for lipsticks and other treasures, and...

When is a flu not a flu?(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... Answer: when it turns into pneumonia. This happened to me and my lungs last December. Pneumonia sneaks up on you, and then it's devastating. Pneumonia and influenza together are the seventh-leading killer, and the No. 1 infectious killer, in...

Restoratives from Rio.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: News From the Doctor's Office)
December 1, 2006... In cosmetic surgery's earlier days, when the wealthy fancied hush-hush nips and tucks, they stole away to Rio de Janeiro's Clinica Ivo Pitanguy to be sculpted by Ivo Pitanguy, M.D., the "Michelangelo of the scalpel." Today those seeking a...

The newest antiagers.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: News From the Doctor's Office)
December 1, 2006... Hailing from Manhattan's plastic-surgery belt is INTERNATIONAL COSMETIC SURGERY (ICS) SKIN THERAPIE ($70-$350), an "anti-cosmetic" antiaging line created by Cap Lesesne, M.D. "Most products don't work," he states plainly in his 2005 book,...

Skin savers.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: News From the Doctor's Office)
December 1, 2006... New York dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, M.D., has a private practice and also keeps a hand in research, conducting clinical trials for new laser and acne treatments. This consummate scholar--she holds three degrees from Harvard--is...

Festive fragrances.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... No need for chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Instead, light these candles to release the warm, toasty aromas of the holidays. Above: ACQUA DI PARMA stack of three ($138; at Neiman Marcus stores, 800-9379146), with light, predominantly orange...

A goody jar.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... The New York-based apothecary C.O. BIGELOW has churned out so many winners that every time it introduces a newbie, we beauty editors pay rapt attention. Here's the latest: Our Hand Picked Tried and True Favorites ($69), an old-school ceramic...

Skin care for the savvy.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... DARPHIN's antiaging line has a cultlike following, and devotees will adore the French company's Stimulskin Plus Deluxe Holiday Coffret ($450), a smart purple-leather case containing Stimulskin Plus Cream, Stimulskin Plus Intensive Face Lifting...

Soap boxed.(BEAUTY & HEALTH)(hostess gift)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A surefire hostess gift? Soap, especially when it's Claus Porto's limited-edition Twelve Months of Soap ($85). Each of the dozen triple-milled bars has a different enticing scent, like grapefruit-fig, and the colorfully wrapped array is so...

Sample scents.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Indulge your nose's every whim with Caron Galuchat Limited-Edition Sampler ($950), a luxe set of ten scents in vibrant leather-wrapped atomizers.

Apply gold.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Gold has raised the bar in skin care: La Prairie Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold ($525) combines micronized 24-karat gold with a host of other high-tech ingredients in a potent antiaging serum.

Shine a light on a good cause.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Proceeds from the sale of Altru candles ($55 each) benefit the In a Perfect World Foundation, which funds children's leadership programs.

Pack a palette.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Chanel's limited-edition Lipstick Palette ($55), a tic-tac-toe arrangement of nine pink and red shades, is so artfully crafted, you'll almost be tempted not to dip in and play with them. But the satin-finished lip colors are irresistible.

Exfoliate your lips.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Toss the toothbrush (makeup artists' one-time tool for ridding lips of flaky skin), and instead use a gentle sugar-based lip scrub like Leaf & Rusher Tx Lips ($20) or Sally Hershberger Face Place Lip Refinisher ($18).

Moisturize with a gel.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... The superlightweight formulas of Biotherm's Moisture Intense Guard ($32) and Estee Lauder's Hydra Complete Gel Creme ($40) provide the heavyweight hydration of a traditional cream.

Prepare for emergencies.(BEAUTY & HEALTH Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Medical ID bracelets may be a necessity, but they're also ugly. Or they used to be. Jewels et Jim has just introduced a new line of medical bracelets depicting the Staff of Asclepius--like the lovely coral, diamond and gold design shown here...

Fine art.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... 1. No artist fascinates like Andy Warhol, and no book delivers more sexy Warholia than Andy Warhol "Giant" Size (Phaidon; $125). With nearly 2,000 images, text by dealers, art critics and others, and a punchy, oversized...

For Frida Kahlo fans.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The New Year ushers in another wave of Fridamania. Someone you know is bound to savor I Will Never Forget You: Frida Kahlo and Nickolas Muroy (Chronicle; $24.95), a collection of the pair's correspondence, edited and introduced by historian...

For Henri Matisse fans.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Matisse aficionado in your life would be thrilled to receive the exhibition catalogue for, and perhaps a pair of tickets to, "Matisse: Painter as Sculptor," opening January 21 at the Dallas Museum of Art (214-922-1200; dallas...

For Louis Kahn fans.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Yale University Art Gallery reopens)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... On December 10, architect Louis Kahn's innovative 1953 Yale University Art Gallery (203-432-0600; artgallery. yale.edu), in New Haven, Connecticut, reopens after a three-year renovation. The occasion might inspire the gift of a pilgrimage to...

Dance.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... 1. Beyond the Steps (Dance Philm; $34.95) documents the creation of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Love Stories, an ecstatic piece choreographed by artistic director Judith Jamison. The film also follows the company's 2005 move into its...

Gorey's a gas.(BEAUTY & HEALTH Must-Dos for December)
December 1, 2006... Amphigorey Again (Harcourt; $35) assembles twenty-eight works by the darkly humorous author-illustrator Edward Gorey. The droll pieces, which owe as much to Goya as to Surrealist filmmaker Luis Bunuel, give a peek at the peculiar landscape of...

Music.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds.)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... 1. Consummate song stylist Nancy Wilson follows her 2005 Grammy award-winning album with Turned to Blue (MCG Jazz; $18.98), another knockout meditation on life, love and the passing years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. The three-disc box...

Film.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... 1. An elegant choice under the tree: Audrey Hepburn is remembered this season in The Audrey Hepburn Treasures (Atria; $49.95), by Ellen Erwin and Jessica Z. Diamond, with an introduction by Hepburn's son Sean Hepburn Ferrer. The book includes...

Wine.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds)
December 1, 2006... 1. Jay McInerney's Hedonist in the Cellar (Knopf; $24), a new collection of short essays, displays the fluid prose we know from Bright Lights, Big City, as well as the author's good taste in wine. Here, McInerney convincingly champions causes...

All that glitters.(Making a List ... A gift guide for connoisseurs of all kinds)
December 1, 2006... Royals--they always have the nicest things. Two new books from Vendome celebrate this truism. In Made for Maharajas: A Design Diary of Princely India ($65), Amin Jaffer explores the subcontinent's extraordinary world of luxury. And Prince...

The upside of downhill: for a woman who loves skiing, there's no greater thrill than a day of schussing--especially in Aspen.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)
December 1, 2006... WHEN I DAYDREAM about skiing, two moments spring to mind, both associated with winter mornings in the mountains: first, the decisive snap of the boots into the ski bindings; next, the thrust that propels you through rushing wind and...

Grand arrival.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(resort of Ritz Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C. at Grand Cayman Islands)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... When Hurricane Ivan struck in September 2004, the much-anticipated opening of the RITZ-CARLTON, GRAND CAYMAN--the fifth Ritz establishment in the Caribbean--was delayed for more than a year, but the end result was worth the wait. The resort...

Entertaining, Palm Beach-style.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(Delicious)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... "Palm Beach has a strong tradition of entertaining at home," says Victoria Amory, who writes a column on food and lifestyles for the Palm Beach Daily News. In DELICIOUS! ($30), her first cookbook, Amory shares the culinary side of that...

Slopeside dining.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(El Paradiso)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... After a morning on the pistes of St. Moritz, skiers with a taste for fine cuisine and unparalleled views schuss to EL PARADISO, one of the glamorous Swiss resort's most stylish on-mountain restaurants. Located on the south-facing side of St....

LV lightens up.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)
December 1, 2006... For the first time since its creation, in 1888, Damier, the checkered canvas made famous by LOUIS VUITTON, is being offered in a color scheme other than the original and now-iconic brown and beige. Damier Azur, Vuitton's new collection of...

Far and away in Fiji.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(resort of Royal Davui)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Getting to ROYAL DAVUI, in tropical Fiji, is somewhat complicated, but that's part of the private island's appeal. Isolation, albeit with every amenity at your fingertips, is the primary draw of this intimate South Pacific resort, which opened...

International style.(DESIGN TRENDS)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2006... Indulge those on your gift list with designs from around the world. Japan: HANA HANA ceramic three-petal stacking dishes ($18, $29 and $42), at the Conran Shop, NYC, 866-755-9079. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thailand: MANOP RACHOTE...

French Women throw great parties: best-selling author Mireille Guiliano, chief executive officer of Clicquot Inc., talks about the joys of a relaxed get-together. By Francine Maroukian Plus: The best manners books of 2006.(SOCIAL GRACES)
December 1, 2006... How is your new book, French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes & Pleasure (Knopf; $24.95), different from your best seller, French Women Don't Get Fat? In the first book, I introduced a basic element of joie de vivre:...

"Excuse Me, But I Was Next ...".(The Best Manners Books of 2006)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Readers of "Excuse Me, But I Was Next..." (Collins; $19.95) will be rewarded with solutions to a hundred social dilemmas. From what to do if one of your guests double-dips (have a discreet word with the culprit and dump the dip) to whether to...

The Art of Friendship.(The Best Manners Books of 2006)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... In The Art of Friendship (St. Martin's Press; $14.95), the father-daughter writing team Roger and Sally Horchow offer "seventy simple rules for making meaningful connections." The book contains a blend of commonsense reminders ("listen before...

My Bad.(The Best Manners Books of 2006)
December 1, 2006... My Bad (Bloomsbury; $15.95) backpedals down "I'm sorry" lane as authors Paul Slansky and Arleen Sorkin present "twenty-five years of public apologies and the appalling behavior that inspired them." Among the penitent offenders included here are...

Whoopi's Big Book of Manners.(The Best Manners Books of 2006)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... If comedian Whoopi Goldberg is not the first person who comes to mind when you think of decorous behavior, Whoopi's Big Book of Manners (Hyperion; $15.99), for ages four and up, may surprise you. Goldberg tackles areas such as sportsmanship...

From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Man.(The Best Manners Books of 2006)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Should the man in your life need a refresher course on the finer points of good behavior, give him a copy of From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Man (Sterling Publishing; $9.95). With such chapters as "Personal Appearance,"...

Brown's Guide to the Good Life Without Tears, Fears or Boredom.(The Best Manners Books of 2006)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... At the age of ninety, Hollywood and Broadway producer, consummate gentleman and frequent "Social Graces" contributor David Brown has written the charming Brown's Guide to the Good Life Without Tears, Fears or Boredom (Barricade Books; $19.95)....

Carolyn in the city: Gold is the palette and festive is the mood at Carolyne Roehm's place on new year's eve.
December 1, 2006... "LAST SUMMER, I bought a fluffy pink Christmas tree from a California company I found on the Web. It makes trees that look like evergreens but in an unbelievable range of colors," says Carolyne Roehm, standing atop a handyman's ladder in her...

Peak holidays: at Lake Louise, in Canada's Banff National Park, the season lives up to the scenery.
December 1, 2006... FORGET ABOUT dashing through the snow. The real fun of going to Canada for Christmas was crashing through the snow. That's one thing I discovered during a two-hour snowshoeing session with Mike Vincent, the head of guided nature tours at...

Priscilla's world: a descendant of a legendary European family pursues a career as a photographer and makes a life for herself in America.(Priscilla Rattazzi)(Biography)
December 1, 2006... THE AGNELLIS are one of the most fabled families in Italy--as well-known in their own country as the Windsors are in Britain, the Grimaldis in Monaco and the Rockefellers and Kennedys in America. Their illustrious family tree began in 1866 with...

Christmas in the Cotswolds: designer William Yeoward loosens up a goose and-plum-pudding holiday with his decidedly fanciful style of entertaining.
December 1, 2006... For many of us, the CHRISTMAS SEASON ushers in tidings of comfort and joy followed almost immediately by a creeping sense of failure. All that talk, during the preceding ten months, of being a "good enough" spouse, parent, cook or host...

40 must-gives: from high style to high tech, great presents for your special someones.
December 1, 2006... 1. Dream time: Eileen Fisher's silky-smooth Pebble bed quilts in bone and parchment, made in collaboration with Garnet Hill (queen size, $298 each). garnethill.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. For the vintage-minded, silver from the...

Beach time: embrace the sand and sea--and the latest resort wear--on serene Sea Island, Georgia.
December 1, 2006... A graceful, airy silk dress by Chanel with a camellia detail above the waist ($6,065) is just right for a leisurely stroll down the Avenue of the Oaks, outside the Lodge at Sea Island. Robert Lee Morris Orbit earrings ($525). Opposite: An Oscar...

Weddings.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Mr. and Mrs. William Coulson McMahon III (Elaine Kathryn Faulkner) Spring Island, South Carolina [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mr. and Mrs. Henry Todd Stella (Rachel Elizabeth Brill) La Canada Flintridge, California [ILLUSTRATION...

December.(HOROSCOPES)
December 1, 2006... Sagittarius November 23-December 21 December promises to be an extraordinary month. As mighty Pluto wings its way through the last degrees of your birth sign, you've never been more clear-eyed or intent on your own purposes. Near the 8th,...