Town & Country articles from February 2008

Town & Country archives from February 2008

Listen here.(EDITOR'S LETTER)(Editorial)
February 1, 2008... WHEN Town & Country came into being as The Home Journal, on November 21, 1846, it was introduced by its two gentleman founders as a magazine for the "upper ten thousand in Amarica"--the social elite, if you will, even back then. The title of...

About j--welcome to Milan: 2, 3, 4, 2008.(Scene & be seen: A calendar of events, trunk shows and benefits taking place at a store or location near you.)(jewelry conference in Italy)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An exclusive setting in one of Milan's most creative and fashionable areas, SuperstudioPiu, will host the best of Italian and International jewellery. Leading names in jewellery committed to excellence coming...

Bertolucci.(Scene & be seen: A calendar of events, trunk shows and benefits taking place at a store or location near you.)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bertolucci's VOGLIA watch is an expression of true luxury, uniting Italian creativity with Swiss craftsmanship. Alluding to the finest Mediterranean evening, VOGLIA in stainless steel is set with 116 full cut...

Town&Country celebrates Cole Haan Store opening in Walnut Creek, CA.(Scene & be seen: A calendar of events, trunk shows and benefits taking place at a store or location near you.)(California)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... On November 16th, Town&Country was pleased to celebrate with Cole Haan the opening of their latest boutique in Walnut Creek, CA. Pamela Busch, Wine Director and Owner of the Cav Wine Bar and Kitchen in San Francisco was on hand to personally...

Down in San Diego.(PARTIES: Las Patronas)(California)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Expectations Exceeded: Amid burst of color and music the nonprofit women's group Las Patronas held its sixty-first annual Jewel Ball at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Based in La Jolla, California, the...

Music in the air.(PARTIES: New York Philharmonic)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] In Harmony: Lorin Maazel inaugurated the New York Philharmonic's 166th season--and his second to last as its music director--with an all-Dvorak program at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. The performance featured...

Shopping for your sweetheart: hunting for a gift that will delight your valentine? Seek no further.(ON THE TOWN)(Algabar Home and Life boutique)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TWO FOR TEA 'The best present from ALGABAR HOME & LIFE, an airy, loftlike boutique in Los Angeles, is a visit to the store itself, where co-owners Gall Baral and Robert Wain take turns greeting clients with...

The hippest shop in Paris.(ON THE TOWN)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With limited editions, unique pieces and exclusivities, COLETTE--the citadel of avant-garde style, design, art, food, music, beauty and news, not to mention being the coolest boutique in town--offers an ever-changing...

Do 2/14 at Forty Five Ten.(ON THE TOWN)(Valentines Day)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... When FORTY FIVE TEN opened in Dallas, in 2000, husbands quickly learned (from their credit-card bills, most likely) that this uberluxurious emporium of clothing, jewelry and home accessories would become their ever-reliable gift-giving...

Moss appeal.(ON THE TOWN)(Charlotte Moss's store)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Interior designer CHARLOTTE MOSS has cast her characteristically stylish gaze upon the world of retail, converting a landmarked 1930s town house off New York's Madison Avenue into four floors of exquisitely chosen...

Animal attraction.(ON THE TOWN)(Tails of the City: Confessions of a Manhattan Pet Vet)(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2008... It's the things we love that say the most about who we are. Those telltale signs might be the trips we take, the music we play or the artwork we hang on our wails. In the case of Tom DeVincentis, who has spent thirty-five years as a successful...

Into the vineyards.(Women in Wine)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Julie Brosterman's most vivid memories have been made around a table. Often, there's a spectacular view-like the one from her Hollywood Hills home--and always fine food and wine. Ever since her stint twenty-five...

Perfect pairings.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Interview)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sommelier Lee Campbell, of New York City's Provence restaurant, is blessed with one of the most knowledgeable palates in the business. She constantly charms her diners with surprising, spot-on pairings. Here is a...

Up for bids.(IN THE COUNTRY)(Interview)
February 1, 2008... Ann Barry Colgin has been on both sides of the auction paddle. She worked for Sotheby's and Christie's before establishing her own Napa Valley--based winery in 1992, Colgin Cellars--where her 100 percent--estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignons can...

A casa in Chile.(IN THE COUNTRY)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, great-granddaughter of the creator of Grand Marnier, launched her dream vineyard in Chile's lush Rapel Valley, eleven years ago, she never imagined that her Clos Apalta wines would...

Dames in Spain.(IN THE COUNTRY)
February 1, 2008... Winemaking is a male-dominated profession. So how to explain the particularly feminine cast of Rias Baixas, the relatively unheralded white-wine-making area in Galicia, a province on Spain's Atlantic coast? Of thirty-two wineries exporting...

Women in wine.(IN THE COUNTRY)
February 1, 2008... 64% OF AMERICANS DRINK ALCOHOL. 34% OF AMERICAN DRINKERS CHOOSE WINE. 54% OF WOMEN WHO DRINK CHOOSE WINE (COMPARED WITH 18% OF MALE DRINKERS). From a 2007 survey conducted by the Gallup Poll.

Bottega Veneta: the Italian design house has been creating extraordinary leather goods since 1966--and never more so than with creative director Tomas Maier's masterful touch.(LEVELS OF LUXURY)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN THE DOOR Leather Cervo Mini Book bag in Oxidized Platinum ($780). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MOVING UP Butterfly Knot lizard clutches in Marble and Aurora ($3,600 each). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Anne Grauso.(FASHION & STYLE)(Brief article)(Photograph)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OCCUPATION: New York City-based philanthropist; wife and mother (her husband, Mario Grauso, is president of Puig's fashion division; their son is eleven). CURRENT CAUSES: American Ballet Theatre (students from ABT's...

Natural luster.(FASHION & STYLE: Trends)
February 1, 2008... How to create a fresh look for spring? Take creamy neutral tones and sprinkle them with pearl and gold accents. The cocktail-party attire that results will make you feel luminous. Above: Narciso Rodriguez sequined silk-chiffon dress ($3,895),...

Shades of gray.(FASHION & STYLE)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... A chic alternative to beige, gray complements not only winter's subdued tones but also the brights of spring. Clockwise from top: BOTTEGA VENETA crocodile bag ($31,190). JIMMY CHOO Atlas heels ($750). LOEFFLER RANDALL Olivia boots ($750)....

Rise and shine.(JEWELRY)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Greet the day in diamond earrings that can be worn just about anywhere. Clockwise from top: NEIL LANE FOR DE BEERS oval hoops ($19,000), 800-929-0889. NADINE KRAKOV COLLECTION cushion-cut drops ($60,000),...

Lady luck.(JEWELRY)
February 1, 2008... Eye-catching baubles that conjure magical messages The Hindu god Ganesha, sculpted on the stone below, is said to remove obstacles on life's pathway. Adria de Haume necklace with pave-diamond eternal-knot and hand-carved-aquamarine pendants...

Pucker up.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Your Kisser)
February 1, 2008... A dramatic kiss can be accomplished only with the softest, most luscious lips. To prep them, banish dryness with PHILOSOPHY Kiss Me Exfoliating Lip Scrub ($15; sephora.com) and condition daily with KIEHL'S Lip Balm #1 ($5.50; kiehls.com). For...

Braces? At my age? There's more to cosmetic dentistry than meets the eye--especially today, when a beautiful smile comes in many shapes and shades.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Your Kisser)
February 1, 2008... Time to do something about the teeth. So I said to myself just over a year ago, for reasons of normal wear and tear. I thought I'd see a cosmetic dentist and get laminates. Little did I know it's more complicated than that. Like Goldilocks...

Your daily maintenance: good oral hygiene is about more than keeping your teeth pretty.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Your Kisser)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... "TWENTY YEARS AGO I could tell my patients, 'If you don't take care of your mouth, you may lose your teeth to periodontal disease, but it won't kill you'--and now I can't say that," reports Sally Cram, a Washington, D.C., periodontist and...

The bright stuff.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Your Kisser)
February 1, 2008... What's the best way to whiten your teeth? That depends on what condition they're in and how much time and money you're willing to spend. All procedures involve bleaching with peroxide, which, "when used correctly, is safe and effective," says...

Lips sealed.(BEAUTY & HEALTH: Your Kisser)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kissing is a way of demonstrating affection, but there's nothing loving about sharing a viral or bacterial infection. "Our mouths harbor more germs than any other part of our bodies," says Holly L. Phillips, M.D., a...

Ingenues, sirens, matinee idols and more: sizzling good looks are only part of the attraction that a handful of stage and screen stars hold for us. As Sophia Loren once put it, "Sex appeal is 50 percent what you've got and 50 percent what people think you've got." Here's to the artistry in making believers of us all.(ARTS & CULTURE)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SMOLDERING MOVIE MOMENTS On-screen love stories are uncommon these days, even during the short and sweet month that lies ahead. Steamy sex, on the other hand, is everywhere. And yet the celluloid scenes that turn...

The four graces.(ARTS & CULTURE)
February 1, 2008... These upcoming soloists make music ravishing to hear and to see. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JANINE JANSEN: At once elegant and electrifying, the beautiful Dutch violinist has taken the concert world by storm with her jewellike sound and...

Frisky business.(ARTS & CULTURE)(Dmitri Hvorostovsky)(Interview)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To sing Mozart's Don Giovanni, a performer has to make you believe he has seduced several thousand women--for most, no easy feat. But when Dmitri Hvorostovsky first took the part, in Geneva in 1999, he effortlessly...

Flamenco's flame.(ARTS & CULTURE)(Eva Yerbabuena )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... As daylight faded on a warm evening in Barcelona last summer, crowds gathered on Montjuic hill, awaiting the arrival of Eva Yerbabuena at the Grec Festival. The great flamenco artist walked onstage into a pool of light. The audience quieted,...

Bolle of fire.(ARTS & CULTURE)(Roberto Bolle)
February 1, 2008... A picture may be worth a thousand words in the case of Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle, but a ticket to see him dance may be worth even more. The handsome thirty-two-year-old, who has the proportions of a Greek god and a technique of steel,...

A slice of apple pie.(ARTS & CULTURE)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is the quintessential American symbol Uncle Sam wanting "You," or a sequin-gowned Marilyn Monroe wanting JFK at his forty-fifth-birthday celebration? Is it Rosie the Riveter or Playboy's Playmate of the Month...

Must-sees.(FEBRUARY)(Brief article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... * Washington, D.C., turns Japanese from the 5th through the 17th as "Japan! Culture & Hyperculture" comes to the Kennedy Center, offering classical to cutting-edge performances of music, theater and dance, kennedy-center.org. * The new...

All aboard for Eastern Europe: on the Orient-Express from Venice to Prague.(RIDING THE RAILS)(Italy, Czech Republic)(Travel narrative)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS OUR TRAIN PULLS into Tczew, a small city in northern Poland, thousands throng the station platform. Flashbulbs flare, and people cheer, some handing their cameras through the train windows so that we can...

Back on Track: bound for Siberia, Caroline Seebohm boards the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express.(TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK)(Travel narrative)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WE'RE SITTING ON a cobalt-blue train clanking out of Moscow's Kazanskaya station on the first leg of a ride into unknown territory. The Trans-Siberian Railroad's route stretches almost 5,800 miles from Europe to...

Time to blush.(DESIGN TRENDS)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Crystal, cashmere and the color pink, from pale to power-charged, resurface in the bedroom [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PIERRE FREY'S candles are scented with fig, leather and rose (fifty-hour burn time, $57 each). At Great Jones Home,...

Life among the self-centered: who's the most fascinating person you know? If the answer is you, read on.(SOCIAL GRACES)
February 1, 2008... "I COUNT MY LOVERS," Brooke Astor responded when asked her secret to falling asleep. Now it's become a strategy for not falling asleep, a technique employed with growing frequency at dinner parties where one is caught between two people who...

The Town & Country guide to women and wealth: you can't live happily ever after if you don't take care of your money--it's as simple as that. Here's what you need to know.(SPECIAL SECTION)(Company overview)
February 1, 2008... PUT WOMEN AND MONEY in the same room--or even in the same sentence--and, inevitably, you'll see the sparks fly. This relatively new coupling is throwing off serious heat, fueling transformations small and large from coast to coast. "It's...

Aerin at ease: Aerin Lauder lives up to her grandmother's legacy and her own expectations.(Estee Lauder)(Interview)(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN THE entry hall of Aerin Lauder's Upper East Side apartment, beneath an 18th-century Beauvais tapestry and a French 1930s silver-leaf and rock-crystal chandelier, a wicker basket tucked under a bench is piled high...

Night birds: these seven New York women know how to light up any room.
February 1, 2008... SUSAN FALES-HILL Signature Evening Look: Long gowns ("I am absolutely maniacal about the long gown") and lots of dramatic accessories. Fashion Icons: Her mother, the actress Josephine Premice. "She could take the most simple thing and...

25 beauty finds everything you never knew you needed.
February 1, 2008... JUST WHEN YOU think you have your beauty routine nicely streamlined, we boldly suggest that you reconsider. On these pages, we present a finely tuned list of truly special inventions that deliver shinier, fuller hair; thicker, longer lashes;...

Taking a chance on me: ever wanted to make a difference ... in yourself? Here's how changing my life changed me.(Personal account)
February 1, 2008... I WAS SITTING in the kitchen, talking on the phone, doing a radio show about a book I had just written, Thinking About Tomorrow: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife. The interviewer asked me, "How has changing your life changed you?" ...

Reaching for Renee: when your mother is no longer herself, who does that make you?(Renee Simms)
February 1, 2008... I am fifty-one years old this year, and perhaps it's my age, as well as my career as a psychotherapist, that has made me dwell on thoughts of my mother, whose life swung out of control the year she turned fifty-two. My mother was elegant....

What's your style? These eclectic looks suit nearly every mood and personality.(Spring Fashion Preview)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Bohemian: Long, loose and vibrant, the latest peasant dress harks back to the sixties and goes with the flow. It's positively psychedelic! From left: Etro striped silk gown ($3,500) with metal-studded belt ($1,340);...

Weddings.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wearing a silk-crepe mermaid gown by Ramona Keveza, Sarah Aidan Bryant married Erik Jeremy Cetrulo in an outdoor ceremony at her parents' summer home on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts. The couple, who...

Horoscopes.
February 1, 2008... February [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aquarius January 21-February 19 Resist any pressure to decide or commit this month. Not only is your thinking fogged up, as Mercury, the mind planet, moves backward in your sign, but the New Moon...

Posing for Posen: for this designer, an exquisite wedding gown is a friendly gesture.(WHAT TO WEAR)(Zac Posen )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Best known for his eponymous clothing line, not to mention his silver-screen-star personal style, Zac Posen may soon gain a loyal following for his wedding dresses. "Being a bride is about an individual desire," he...

California chic.(WHAT TO WEAR: REAL BRIDES)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Annabel Torrey, a television and film producer, was recently married to David Raymond in Malibu. TIFFANY & CO. Legacy diamond ring. Price on request; 800-526-0649. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANNA WEATHERLEY...

Bright in Brazil.(WHAT TO WEAR: REAL BRIDES)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fashion publicist Benjamine Parent wed Guilherme Ribeiro do Valle in Rio de Janeiro last autumn. NANCEY CHAPMAN tourmaline earrings. $9,000; nancey chapman.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DIANE VON...

Manhattan style.(WHAT TO WEAR: REAL BRIDES)
February 1, 2008... T&C Weddings editorial assistant Gillian Hearst-Shaw married Christian Simonds in New York. LOUIS GLICK platinum and Asscher-cut diamond ring with pave-diamond band. Price on request; 212-259-0312. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BADGLEY...

Silver streak.(FOR THE GROOM)
February 1, 2008... Give your groomsmen something memorable with these sleek gifts [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TIFFANY & CO. Screen ballpoint pen in sterling silver ($350), on top, and Streamerica ballpoint pen in sterling silver ($265). tiffany.com. ...

The bridal countdown: a finely tuned timetable will help you look your most stunning.(BEAUTY)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SIX MONTHS BEFORE * Assemble your team of beauty professionals. Don't wait to select your hairstylist, makeup artist, manicurist, personal trainer, facialist and dermatologist, or you may find that they're...

Into the night: here are tips and tricks from the pros to ensure that your makeup lasts well into the wee hours.(BEAUTY)
February 1, 2008... NO BRIDE WANTS TO SPEND more time than necessary touching up her makeup when she could be mingling with guests. But applying additional layers or long-wearing products in the hopes of saving time may compromise your appearance. For the best...

Give directions: map out your wedding with these whimsical cards.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Couture Maps)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Even if you're not having a true destination wedding, chances are it will be held somewhere unfamiliar to many of your guests, whether it's in Minneapolis or Marrakech. And what better way to enchant everyone with...

Melrose is the place.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California)(Directory)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THOUGH THE FICTIONAL VERSION of Melrose Place on Aaron Spelling's 1990s TV show was overwrought, today the real street in Los Angeles is attracting a bevy of brides-to-be who are looking for anything but drama. The...

Holy haven.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(chapel in Cal-A-Vie resort)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Having a wedding in a 17th-century French limestone chapel in the countryside no longer requires a trip abroad. That's because John and Terri Haven, the Francophile owners of California's CAL-A-VIE spa resort,...

Fold that bill.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Beza's money clamps)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During drinks after a round of golf ten years ago, PGA Tour instructor Chip Thomson and two friends--former University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal and country musician Larry Gatlin--noticed that they were...

Sweet favors.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When it comes to finding mouthwatering chocolate, it's not always easy being green, but couples organizing an eco-friendly celebration can turn to COCOAVINO for peace of mind. French Culinary Institute graduates...

Max marry.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(MaxMara wedding gowns)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The Italian fashion house MaxMara has a solution for busy brides who want the look of a custom gown without spending the time--not to mention the money--required to create a couture dress. In January the brand introduced its first-ever...

Fete accompli.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Fete: The Wedding Experience)(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ever since Jung Lee started her New York-based event-planning company, Fete, six years ago, she has continued to make a name for herself as a matrimonial couturier and an endlessly imaginative party creator with an...

Trousseau to go.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Miguelina Gambaccini's Miguelina Honeymoon clothing collection)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Eight years ago, designer Miguelina Gambaccini was planning to wed in Thailand and spend her honeymoon there, but she found it impossible to pack. "My husband and I were married in the chapel of a hospital for orphans, and we donated our gift...

Destination: Caribbean.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(idobarbados.com)(Website overview)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For those who dream of marrying on a Caribbean beach, navigating tricky logistics is part of the deal. And while many tourism authority--run Web sites provide excellent information about hotels and activities, their...

A bright idea.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)
February 1, 2008... When Beth Gerstein and her fiance were searching for a ring, they struggled to find a diamond from a conflict-free source: one that doesn't exploit miners or use profits to fund wars, which remains a problem in some African nations. After...

Say it with style.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(Town and Country Wedding Speeches and Toasts, Town and Country Wedding Vows and Promises)(Brief article)(Book review)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Plato may have said that "at the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet," but these days it takes more than amorous feelings for couples to manage all the speeches, correspondence and, most important, vows that are...

Wild registry.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(F. M. Allen)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Gift registries shouldn't be about only juicers and salad bowls. Today, safari-bound couples can compile a more intriguing list of ideas with the new honeymoon registry from F. M. ALLEN, an African-safari outfitter and travel specialist based...

In the box.(TRENDS & TRADITIONS)(engagement ring boxes)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Grooms, take note: it's not just how you ask the question--or even the size of the ring--that matters. "The presentation can make a proposal even more special," says New York estate jeweler CAMILLA DIETZ BERGERON,...

Rock bands.(ACCESSORIES)
February 1, 2008... STEAL THE SHOW WITH THESE DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED WEDDING RINGS. 1. CARTIER platinum and diamond band. Price on request; 800-CARTIER. 2. HARRY WINSTON platinum and diamond Loop Collection band. $12.800; 800-988-4110. 3. DE BEERS...

Pretty little things.(ACCESSORIES)
February 1, 2008... Slip into something more comfortable on your wedding night [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MYLA lace and chiffon Colette gown. $335; myla.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VERA WANG LINGERIE charmeuse Jubilation Ballet gown with...

And the bride wore ... green! Throwing an eco-friendly wedding requires some effort, but the rewards--for you and for the environment--are worth it.(ETIQUETTE)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I began planning our wedding, what we most looked forward to was gathering friends and family from far-flung places. We relished the idea of loved ones arriving from London, Berlin and...

Designer dining: from trunk shows to tableware.(GIFTS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The name Monique Lhuillier is nearly as synonymous with weddings as lace itself. Just as the designer has added her touch to the ceremony, she's hoping to beautify married life as well. MONIQUE LHUILLIER FOR ROYAL...

Trips of a lifetime: our travel experts offer three dream itineraries for the most memorable vacation you'll ever take.(TRAVEL)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AFTER MONTHS OF METICULOUS wedding planning, the last thing many couples want to think about is orchestrating the honeymoon. Although the idea of winging it has a certain je ne sais quoi, it's a whole lot nicer when...

Sounds like a plan: four top wedding planners reveal their secrets about pulling off the biggest parties, the things brides really want and who pays for what.(EXPERT ADVICE)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MARCY BLUM is a New York-based wedding planner whose clients have included Tom Clancy, two Rockefeller brides and Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon. 212-929-9814; marcyblum.com. What is the biggest trend in weddings...

Festive and feminine.(wedding gowns)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These sixteen dresses are this season's best. A MODERN MATCH Not unlike a wedding itself, the London NYC, the hotel where this story was photographed, celebrates the marriage of two incomparable cities: New York...

Perfect pearls.
February 1, 2008... THE LAST DETAIL--AND AN ALLURING FLOURISH. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MIKIMOTO platinum, Akoya cultured pearl and diamond ring ($3,600), 888-701-2323. FRED LEIGHTON platinum, natural pearl and diamond ring ($125,000), 212-288-1872. CHANEL...

70 gifts from the heart.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For nature lovers, jet-setters, entertainers and home enthusiasts, these great gifts can elevate any day to one of wedded bliss. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KOSTA BODA frosted-glass Sorbet pitchers. $100 each; at...

A natural fit: Anika Proskurowski weds Kenneth Natori 6.16.2007.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] "Why don't you marry someone like Ken?" was a taunt Anika Proskurowski often heard from her parents. They had met the man in question, Kenneth Natori, when he and their son, Giora, were students at Amherst College...

A fine romance: Kathryn Reed Retzer weds William Thomas Freeman 4.28.2007.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kathryn Reed Retzer and William Thomas Freeman had known of each other for years, and they regularly attended the same parties and events, where they'd always exchange polite greetings. "I knew his face and I knew of...

Tried and true: Ludovica Nistri Ranelletti weds Matteo Cordero di Montezemolo 9.15.07.
February 1, 2008... WHEN LUDOVICA NISTRI RANELLETTI and Matteo Cordero di Montezemolo met twelve years ago in Rome, it was hardly an auspicious beginning. "We were applying for our driver's licenses," Matteo says. "Ludovica was very nervous because she was about...

A fair lady.(LOOKING BACK)(Audrey Hepburn and Melchior Gasto Ferrer's wedding)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Until the 1950s, most couples had their weddings close to home. But when Audrey Hepburn married actor Mel Ferrer, in 1954, the twenty-five-year-old film star opted for a celebration more in keeping with a modern...