Town & Country articles from February 2003

Town & Country archives from February 2003

How to dress for a wedding. (Editor's Letter).
February 1, 2003... Many years ago, in an interview that Norman Mailer conducted with himself, he asked, "What do you most regret?" And he answered, "Every occasion I didn't rise to." The double entendre aside, there is more than a little truth to this. Some...

Room with a crew. (This Month's Mailbox).
February 1, 2003... It was a delightful surprise to see the London hotel Number Sixteen featured in October 2002 ["Traveler's Notebook"]. Having just spent a wonderful week there, we can only hasten to add our own enthusiastic praise to Ila Stanger's review....

Naturally appealing. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... Oh, to be in "Parties" or "On the Town," or even to wear one ounce of the jewelry shown on your pages, but there my sisters and I were at Sundance, doing what comes Natural-ly ["The Natural," November 2002]. You've shown a different kind of...

Awakenings. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I just had to comment on the wonderful article "Teach Your Daughters Well," by Sonya Friedman ["Social Graces," November 2002]. I am a thirty-four-year-old woman who is one of the daughters mentioned. I earned a graduate degree, had a very...

Wish I were there. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... Thank you for the wonderful November 2002 issue, especially the article by Pamela Fiori about her trip to beautiful St. Bart's. It certainly brought back fond memories. I spent my honeymoon there twelve years ago, and I remember the gorgeous...

Another way to Broadway. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I recently read about the VIP ticket service Broadway Inner Circle ["On the Town," November 2002] and would like to bring your attention to another service that not only has the best house seats, but also supports cutting-edge research....

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2003... In December 20025 "Connoisseur's World," we misspelled the name of mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux We regret the error

Celebrating Rita. (Parties).(Calendar)
February 1, 2003... THE STORY LINE The 18th Rita Hayworth Gala, benefiting the Alzheimer's Association. LOCATION The Waldorf-Astoria's Grand Ballroom, in New York City, where the theme was "The Lady From Shanghai," a nod to Hayworth's 1948 role. ...

Guilding the lily. (Parties).(Calendar)
February 1, 2003... GARDEN PARTY The Chicago Botanic Garden Guild's 4th annual Harvest Ball. FLORAL ARRANGEMENT Dinner in a tent overlooking the new "Gardens of the Great Basin" display; later, a live auction of five VIP adventures, one of which was...

Sweets for your sweet. (On The Town).(Finale of Cambridge, Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... C'mon... it's one day out of the year. This February 14, unplug your vegetable steamer, skip the macrobiotic meal and tell your personal trainer he's got the day off. It's time to treat yourself (and your sweetheart) to some sugar. For...

Love story, openly sentimental 1970 film in which Ali MacGraw dies while looking ravishingly beautiful, established Cambridge, Massachusetts--and especially Harvard Square--as Romance Central. (Cambridge).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Love story, openly sentimental 1970 film in which Ali MacGraw dies while looking ravishingly beautiful, established Cambridge, Massachusetts--and especially Harvard Square--as Romance Central. These days, thanks in particular to two of the...

Espai Sucre. (Barcelona).(Restaurant Review)
February 1, 2003... Only the most ardent sweetheart should be taken to ESPAI SUCRE, Jordi Butron's dessert restaurant. Imagine walking down a dark and mysterious street on the fringe of Barcelona's historic district and slipping into an edgy-looking room with...

Il Laboratorio Del Gelato. (New York).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Jon Snyder, grandson of a Carvel franchisee, was nineteen when he founded Ciao Bella, the lauded gelato company that he sold in 1989. Fast-forward through an MBA and a few years as a Wall Street trader, and Snyder, now thirty-nine, is back...

24-karat cake. (On The Town).
February 1, 2003... You won't find a single carrot peel in the 24-KARAT CAKE (right): just twenty-four mouthwatering layers of chocolate. $83, plus nationwide shipping, from NYC's Strip House restaurant; 212-328-0000. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Two other dens of iniquity in which to get your chocolate fix. (On The Town).
February 1, 2003... Two other dens of iniquity in which to get your chocolate fix: the elegant cocoa BAR at One Sixtyblue (312-850-0303) in Chicago: and the Rotunda in the RITZ-CARLTON in Philadelphia (215-523-8221), where, on two afternoons a week, a...

Sugar. (Chicago).(Restaurant Review)
February 1, 2003... What's sweeter than sugar? Nothing, if you ask Jerry Suqi, a veteran entrepreneur on the lively Chicago late-night bar scene. Suqi has combined his sweet tooth with his penchant for puns to create a fascinating bar/dessert restaurant called...

Sugarplum Bakery. (Los Angeles).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Romantics drawn to European-inspired delectables should look no further than the SUGARPLUM BAKERY (left), an Art Nouveau patisserie that's awed Angelenos since its opening last fall. The brainchild of Jenna Turner (former general manager of...

Jean-Paul Hevin. (Paris).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... At JEAN-PAUL HEVIN in Paris, scrumptious dark chocolates flavored with tangy lime, fragrant strawberry, intense cinnamon, potent coffee, velvety caramel and spicy ginger zing on the tongue and explode across the palette. Subtle or...

Real Chocolate. (On The Town).(Book Review)
February 1, 2003... Beautiful as it is, REAL CHOCOLATE (Rizzoli: $19.95) makes a cruel gift (Who among us wants simply to look at chocolate?) But if you're so inclined, the recipes in this book, hand-picked by London chocolatier Chantal Coady, will allow you to...

A wing and a chair. (In the country: winter warmth).(wing chairs)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that wing. It's true. A wing chair and a roaring fire go together like a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. The chair's elegant, high-backed form was designed with comfort in mind, while its graceful...

A garden under glass. (In the country: winter warmth).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... For those of us who crave a lush landscape but can't move to the tropics, a terrarium is a heaven-sent solution. There is something magical about a miniature indoor garden of exotic or woodland plants growing under glass. And it allows us to...

Hot and heavenly. (In the country: winter warmth).
February 1, 2003... Up the chocolate ante this Valentine's Day with incredibly intense Scharffen Berger hot chocolate and unbelievably rich Blissful Brownies. The hot chocolate is made with milk, sugar and the Berkeley, California, chocolatier's natural cocoa...

Bundle up. (In the country: winter warmth).(cashmere sweater)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2003... Take time to bask in the comfort that took you both years to grow into--and a touch of cashmere to perfect. For him: Beretta's green cashmere zip-neck sweater ($625; 212-319-3235). For her: Malo's cream cashmere cowlneck sweater ($945;...

It's a wrap. (In the country: winter warmth).(blankets)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2003... The best blankets this season are soft, thick and so attractive that, come spring, you won't want to banish them to the linen closet. From top: Frette's beige reversible silk-and-suede Luxury Tania blanket ($2,370; 800-35-FRETTE)....

Body heat. (In the country: winter warmth).(hot water bottles)
February 1, 2003... The classic hot-water bottle has long been a reliable way to ensure a toasty slumber in drafty English country houses. Even Mick Jagger, the perennial playboy, has admitted to spending many nights sleeping with his hot-water bottle. Sir Mick's,...

Oscar de la Renta Bridal. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... The new Oscar de la Renta Bridal line--from shoes to veils to, of course, dresses--shows a sensitivity to the feminine form. Grooms, take note. Mermaid gown ($6,500), at department stores and bridal boutiques nationwide; call 973-471-7444. ...

Bajra at Sola. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... Woven with cashmere yarn running in one direction and silk in the other, this Bajra at Sola summer-weight stole ($240) looks almost diaphanous. In many colors, at Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC, 212-753-4000. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

All we want for February is ... Louis Vuitton. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... A fresh take on a favorite logo. Louis Vuitton teamed up with Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami to give its classic monogram a lighthearted look (notice the two eyes), The Eye-love bag ($1,100; another print and other shapes are also...

Dior. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... With its dramatically draped jackets and skirts, Dior's first ready-to-wear bridal collection is ideal for the woman who prefers daring over traditional. Sirena skirt ($1,720) and Greta jacket ($3,905), at Dior boutiques, NYC, 212-931-2950, and...

Fred Leighton. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... Optimize your ogling: Fred Leighton's recently expanded flagship jewelry salon has display cases galore, filled with his spectacular vintage collection, as well as his own creations. 773 Madison Avenue, at 66th Street, NYC, 212-288-1872. ...

Bulgari. (Fashion & style: news).
February 1, 2003... Bulgari's B.zero 1 watch with a mother-of-pearl dial ($1,150) comes in a palette of pastels, which will accent those honeymoon tans. At Bulgari stores, 800-BULGARI. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the bridesmaid. (Fashion & Style).
February 1, 2003... Now it's your turn to show your appreciation with a thoughtful gift. Top shelf, from left: HERMES leather Grand Papa folding picture frame ($250) and Les Capucines silk scarf ($250). BOTTEGA VENETA woven-leather-covered candle ($115). MRS. JOHN...

Honeymooner helpers. (Fashion & Style).
February 1, 2003... A special vacation calls for a special piece of luggage. Select one of these and travel in style. Clockwise from top: TOD'S tan suede travel bag ($1,900). LAMBERTSON TRUEX Tangier Stripe canvas-and-leather Tri bag ($795). JAM BY JANA & MARIA...

The well-dressed groom: striking attire that will keep Mr. Right standing tall--and on time. (Fashion & Style).
February 1, 2003... A gray suit makes a genteel entry when accompanied by a crisp white shirt, a shepherd's-check tie and a simple boutonniere. Davide Cenci wool suit ($1,775), Paul Stuart dress shirt ($176.50), Paul Stuart silk tie ($79.50). For a spring or...

Yummy! Choose any style--these solitaire-diamond rings are simply delicious. (Jewelry).
February 1, 2003... Clockwise from top left: VIVID COLLECTION 7.17 carat radiant-cut fancy-pink diamond ring with pave diamonds (price on request), 877-538-4843. FRED LEIGHTON 4.04-carat marquise-cut diamond ring, circa 1920 ($125,000), 212-288-1872. CARTIER...

Dazzling danglers. (Jewelry).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Pearl drop earrings are an elegant accent on your wedding day. Clockwise from top left: CAMILLA DIETZ BERGERON marquise diamond and South Sea-pearl earrings ($4,250). SCHOEFFEL diamond-cluster and South Sea-pearl earrings ($8,100). JUDITH RIPKA...

Lucerne's latest legacy: dealer extraordinaire Angela Rosengart shares her collection with the city of Lucerne--and with art lovers the world over. (Connoisseur's World).(the Rosengart Foundation and the Picasso Musuem)
February 1, 2003... "It's a new life. I almost said a new life as a star," Angela Rosengart confides with a laugh. Since the discreet, and admittedly shy, Swiss art dealer opened the Rosengart Collection in Lucerne last spring, journalists, television crews and...

First bass. (Connoisseur's World).(Charlie Haden)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Few jazz musicians today convey romance like bassist Charlie Haden. For more than forty years, he has honed a rich, lyrical style. Now he has released his thirtieth album as a bandleader, the sumptuous American Dreams (Verve), which showcases...

Hector Leonardi. (Connoisseur's World).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Hector Leonardi is one of those terrific art stories that's seldom told: at Yale in the 1950S, he was taken under the wing of legendary color theorist Josef Albers. Leonardi then came to New York, where he has quietly pursued his craft for...

Vienna in America. (Connoisseur's World).(Vienna Philharmonic on tour)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Great orchestras, by and large, are the instruments of great music directors. The Vienna Philharmonic is different: the musicians govern themselves; the world's preeminent maestros--Riccardo Muti, Valery Gergiev, Mariss Jansons--conduct them...

Three of a kind. (Connoisseur's World).(architects Delano, Aldrich and Adler)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... In 1903, New York architect William Adams Delano met railroad magnate Henry Walters aboard a Vanderbilt family yacht in Venice and ended up designing the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Soon Delano and his partner, Chester Holmes Aldrich, were...

The art of giving. (Connoisseur's World).(recent donations to major art galleries)
February 1, 2003... Walter Annenberg, the publishing billionaire and former ambassador to Great Britain, remains a model of American arts philanthropy. On his death last October at age ninety-four, Annenberg fulfilled a huge promise first announced in 1991: his...

A spa for brides-to-be: at the Greenhouse spa's special wedding week, a bride does more than get in shape for her big day--she gets in the proper mood. (Traveler's Notebook).
February 1, 2003... "Welcome to Plan Your Wedding Week," bellowed fitness director Marsha Taplett as I joined eleven other women to commence our skyward stretches. Positioned on fitness mats around the indoor pool at Dallas's Greenhouse spa, we reached up toward...

Luxury in the Seychelles. (Traveler's Notebook).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Unspoiled tropical islands have long drawn honeymooners looking for a castaway experience, and in recent years, the Seychelles, off Africa's east coast in the Indian Ocean, have become one of the most popular choices. Now that a Banyan Tree...

A Sultry Sarong. (Traveler's Notebook).(sagesarong@supanet.com.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Six years ago, Samantha Sage could not find a chic and flattering sarong to bring on her South Pacific honeymoon. So, after she returned home, the British executive secretary launched her own line of colorful sarongs made of Swiss cotton, silk...

Honeymoon advice. (Traveler's Notebook).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Comedienne/actress Alexandra Wentworth married George Stephanopoulos in November 2001. "I had the perfect honeymoon. If, God forbid, I get married eight more times, I am sure I couldn't top this one. Because you are exhausted after the wedding,...

Suite news. (Traveler's Notebook).(Venice, Italy and San Diego)
February 1, 2003... The Hotel Cipriani in Venice has long been a favorite with honeymooners who want to combine the sights of one of the world's most beautiful cities with the peace and amenities of a true luxury resort. Now that the hotel has unveiled its...

The Four Seasons lends a hand. (Traveler's Notebook).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO Some people enlist friends or relatives to help set up a special proposal, but Gardner Robinson turned to the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. Randy Persion, the special-services manager, worked with Robinson to orchestrate a...

Uncommon scents: the l'eau down on creating your own couture fragrance. (Beauty Mark).
February 1, 2003... One passing whiff of Drakkar Noir instantly transports me back to high school and a four-year-long unrequited crush on a certain brown-haired, Levi's-clad guy. Scents have a way of doing that--reminding us of someone special. When your...

Kiss and makeup. (Beauty Mark).(advice for brides)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Brides-to-be have a knack for planning every last detail of their wedding, but makeup is often an afterthought (as in, after I decide on my dress, veil, shoes, jewelry, lingerie, hairstyle, caterer, flowers... ). Yet one inky teardrop...

The dream cream: the story of a bride, dry skin, and the cream that saved the day.(Creme de la Mer)
February 1, 2003... The cake has been ordered. The dress has been altered to fit just right. The caterer was booked months ago. Everything within your control has been coordinated and scheduled and planned to make your wedding day perfect. Except for two things...

Designers go home. (Beauty Mark).(Tocca and Catherine Malandrino's new products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designers Go Home Two New York fashion houses, TOCCA and CATHERINE MALANDRINO, have launched home and beauty lines. Tocca brings its delicate, feminine touch to its bath gel (Bagno Profumato, $19) and body cream (Crema Da Corpo, $28). Both come...

Haute [H.sub.2]O. (Beauty Mark).(Fiji Water )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Haute [H.sub.2]O Treat your loved ones to a clean taste of the tropics: FIJI WATER, shipped from the Pacific to their doorstep ($270 to $1,008 for one year, depending on the size and frequency of deliveries). Filtered for centuries through...

Cinnamon scents. (Beauty Mark).(candles and room sprays)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Cinnamon Scents It's no secret that red hots are a Valentine's Day favorite: the zesty treats make your mouth tingle. But you don't need the heart-shaped confections to spice up February 14. The fragrances, candles and soaps pictured below...

Brighten up. (Beauty Mark).(Francois Nars' Multiple color stick)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... BRIGHTEN UP When makeup artist Francois Nars couldn't find a versatile product to brighten runway models' complexions, he created his own: the Multiple ($33), a color stick that comes in twelve shades. For a rosy glow, sweep Maui or Portofino...

Honeymoon Rx: when it comes to medicine, it pays to pack smart. (Health).
February 1, 2003... With your wedding day on the horizon, there's one last thing for you to attend to: your honeymoon. Of course, you're looking forward to a trip that will go off without a hitch, but what if your dental crown comes loose in the middle of the...

For your signature. (Design).(choosing stationery)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Formal or informal? Monogram or icon? First names or last--or both? When it comes to choosing at-home stationery, joining forces (and names) leads to lots of debate--and lots of options. (Prices are for 100 notes and return-addressed...

Design trends.(home accessories)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... 1. Man cannot live on bread alone--he needs a breadboard. Leave it to Bulthaup, a pioneer in minimalist kitchen design, to deliver the goods. An ingenious slatted-wood panel and its crumb-catching tray ($256) will work with any loaf, in any...

What's a wedding cost? The question you were afraid to ask. Here's what the experts say. (Wealth).
February 1, 2003... Home may be where the heart is, but more often than not, couples are opting to say "I do" someplace else. For an idea of what it costs to host a wedding outside the home, we talked to experts at five highly sought-after venues in the U.S. The...

To love and to cherish? Think twice before you roll your eyes at your spouse; such disrespectful gestures speak volumes about your marriage. (Social Graces).
February 1, 2003... Years ago, a wise if disillusioned friend of mine mused, "If only we'd treat the people we love like we treat the people we don't love." He was referring to the tendency to hold doors for strangers and be polite to the grocery cashier, but then...

True love: bridal dresses you'll adore, now and forevermore.
February 1, 2003... Shining glory: Reem Acra's embroidered-satin Sparkle gown ($6,900) shimmers like sunlight. Cutout illusion sleeves add to its dazzle, along with Stephen Russell's diamond-cluster earrings, circa 1880, and Fenaroli for Regalia's tulle veil...

French flair: Daphne Catroux weds count Charles-Antoine Morand June 15, 2002.
February 1, 2003... Looking back on her wedding day, Daphne Morand characterizes her 500-person guest list as a marriage of opposites: the titled old guard of Paris on his side; cafe society and the fashion pack on hers. In short, a distinctly 21st-century A-list...

South American Style: Carolina Cisneros Phelps weds Alberto Rodriguez Diez June 14, 2002.
February 1, 2003... "I know it sounds like a cliche" admits Carolina Cisneros, "but I loved Alberto at first sight." Carolina first set eyes on her future husband (a Caracas-based real-estate developer) in a photograph at a friend's house shortly after she had...

British charm: Lucy Sykes weds Euan Rellie May 4, 2002.
February 1, 2003... As Euan Rellie and his new bride, Lucy Sykes Rellie, stepped onto the dance floor of a London gentleman's club for their first turn as man and wife, the disc jockey looked at the groom and asked, "Are you sure this is what you want?" In fact,...

Wedding must--haves: here are all the essentials no T&C bride should be without--aside from the groom, of course.
February 1, 2003... A BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET For your floral accompaniment, Bill Tansey, a top New York City event designer, always suggests "nice, tight nosegays, with the stems bound in beautiful ribbon," such as the bundle of roses and cymbidium orchids ($325)...

Austrian splendor: Nadja Swarovski weds Rupert Adams May 25, 2002.
February 1, 2003... Before she ever met the man she would marry, Nadja Swarovski had been hearing about him. "Mutual friends of ours from Hong Kong had been telling us about each other for years," recalls the thirty-two-year-old vice president of international...

California spirit: Kelly Gray weds Kurt Conrad, March 2, 2002.
February 1, 2003... In the last year alone, as the signature model for the storied fashion company of which she is also creative director and co-CEO, Kelly Gray has been photographed "wearing St. John Evening in Cap d'Antibes," "St. John Couture in Marrakech" and...

Horoscopes.
February 1, 2003... FEBRUARY Aquarius January 21-February 19 Your moment's come, Aquarius--so get out there and make moves. As February begins, brilliant aspects indicate that you're in the perfect position to dictate your own terms and seal bargains....