Town & Country articles from July 2003

Town & Country archives from July 2003

Fan male. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... Having been a loyal Town & Country reader for more years than I will admit, I felt it was time to let you know what a great job you do. As a fifty-three-year-old man, I may represent a small percentage of your readership; nonetheless, I find...

Italy, a love story. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... Bravi! Bravi! Bravi! What a glorious April issue about "Italy's Secret Charms." I had just returned from a month in Venice and was going through a huge pile of mail, and there it was. Never before had I read a magazine through twice. It brought...

Fearless at fifty. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... Way to go, Patti Davis! Her April "Health" column on turning "The Big Five-O" offers a refreshing and heartfelt look at life and its true virtues. To "laugh more easily and forgive more quickly," as she writes, deflecting anything in the way...

Friends indeed. (This Month's Mailbox).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... In April's "Social Graces" column, the Reverend Erik Kolbell tells us how to get rid of a friend we have outgrown ["Goodbye, Old Friend"]. I believe, however, that life never brings us quite enough of certain bounties, days and friends among...

Top doges. (Parties).
July 1, 2003... THE FESTA The Young Friends of Save Venice held its tenth annual Venetian Carnival Celebration at the Metropolitan Club in New York. THE FASHIONS Guests were invited to dress in costume or black tie. Many in the stylish crowd...

School dance. (Parties).
July 1, 2003... THE CAUSE The Child Development Center of the Hamptons sponsored its fourth annual Kite Dance at Manhattan's Pierre hotel. THE CATALYST Former Beverly Hills bond trader Dawn Zimmerman Hummel. Seeking an appropriate school for her...

Four Seasons Hotel. (Los Angeles).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The FOUR SEASONS HOTEL has elevated poolside lounging to an aerial art form at its City of Angels outpost. Four floors up and shaded by palm trees, bougainvillea and tropical succulents, the fifty-three-foot stretch of blue is just high enough...

Lassere. (Paris).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... At lunchtime and in good weather, even blase bankers have been caught gazing up in awe as LASSERRE's retractable roof slides open and the sun streaks in to transform the restaurant into a palatial courtyard. At night, romance rules. There's no...

A high-flying evening. (On The Town).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... You're sure to feel like the cream of the crop, top of the heap, as you dine alfresco, way above New York City's Central Park, on a seven-course feast prepared in the kitchen of Jean-Georges Vongerichten fifty-three stories below. A new package...

La Terrazza. (Venice).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Above the throngs of tourists on Riva degli Schiavoni, LA TERRAZZA, the rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Danieli, looks out on a majestic vista of St. Mark's Basin at its most serene. The exuberantly Baroque Church of Santa Maria della Salute...

Roy Lichtenstein On The Roof. (New York).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... "The work of Roy Lichtenstein looks fabulous set against the Manhattan skyline," says the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Nan Rosenthal. The curator of ROY LICHTENSTEIN ON THE ROOF, Rosenthal has added the Pop artist to an impressive list of...

Le Grill. (Monte Carlo).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Those who have never ventured beyond the dazzle of Alain Ducasse's Louis XV, on the ground floor of the landmark Hotel de Paris, are in for a heavenly surprise at LE GRILL, up on the bay--windowed eighth-floor terrace. It's not just the rare...

Rooftop scenes. (On The Town).
July 1, 2003... Whatever the reason a filmmaker leads us up to a roof--a romantic tryst, a heart-stopping chase, a reflective moment--we often come away with a better view of the characters and where their stories will take us. Here are five of our favorite...

A garden of pillows. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... Well-chosen floral accents keep any room in a perpetual state of summer. Pillows, clockwise from bottom: CHELSEA TEXTILES' hand-embroidered cotton vines adorn white linen/cotton (to the trade, 212-319-5804). Customize your own pillow with a...

Greenwich meal time. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... One of Manhattan's most sophisticated Upper East Side restaurateurs, Jean Denoyer, has taken his refined sense of style about thirty miles northeast to Greenwich, Connecticut, where, with Rick Wahlstedt and Michael Capadona, he's opened...

Driving ambition. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... Last year, BMW launched a new version of its premier line, the 7 Series, with the 745 sedan. Critics felt otherwise, but buyers loved the bump-ended, technology-packed $70,000 vehicle and made it one of the best-selling 8-cylinder luxury sedans...

Clean fun. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... Say the words "outdoor shower" and I'm transported, not altogether happily, to the seaside vacations of my childhood. The specimens I recall were usually rickety, outhouse-sized contraptions with ill-spaced wooden slats. The water was always...

Ms. fix-it. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... As the founder of a construction company, Barbara K (Kavovit) is acutely aware that women can fix things, too, She knows that, when equipped with confidence, simple instructions and a few good-looking tools, the fairer sex fares just as well as...

Tasting Sonoma. (In The Country).
July 1, 2003... Farmers, bakers, vintners, chefs, a beekeeper and a garlic expert star in SONOMA: A FOOD AND WINE LOVERS' JOURNEY (Ten Speed Press; $40). After all, their skills and passion are what first put this California county on the culinary map. Like...

Tree training. (in the garden).
July 1, 2003... The espalier--a tree, woody vine or shrub trained to grow flat against an improvised support--can trace its roots back to ancient Rome. Pliny the Elder wrote that his espaliered fruit trees planted on trellises added a note of rustic simplicity...

All we want for July is ... (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... All We Want for JULY Is... a wearable treasure from the sea, and this six-strand coral necklace with a shiny abalone-shell pendant by ELIZABETH BRADY ($425) fulfills our wish nicely. Handmade, with a sterling-silver clasp, this charming...

Rena Lange. (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of RENA LANGE, but the company's fall collection is itself cause for celebration: a chic blend of the romantic (like the lace-trimmed dress above, $3,295) and the down-to-earth, with options for day and...

Kate Spade. (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... Get personal with a monogrammed canvas tote by KATE SPADE ($175). Initials come in coral (shown), pink, black, sky blue, green and navy. At Kate Spade, Boston, Chicago and NYC, 212-274-1991; katespade.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Loulou De La Falaise. (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... Longtime Yves Saint Laurent muse LOULOU DE LA FALAISE has opened her own two-floor boutique in the heart of Paris. Some of her sumptuous offerings: oversized turquoise necklaces, made-to-measure suits and festive cashmere knits. At 7 Rue de...

Chanel. (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... What's battery-powered, shaped like a candy bar and small enough to wear on your wrist? CHANEL'S new Chocolat steel digital watch ($1,900), a timepiece both practical and ornamental. Also available in white gold with diamonds, yellow gold and...

Lidi. (Fashion & Style News).
July 1, 2003... We've gone bananas over LIDI'S blue monkey-print cotton pants ($155), one of the many bold novelty patterns featured in the second collection from twenty-five-year-old Lily Dickerson. At Kristine Michael, Miami, 305-665-7717; www.lidillc.com....

The greening of fall. (Fashion & Style).
July 1, 2003... Celebrate autumn's chicest color. Clockwise from top right: HOGAN suede shoulder bag with silver hardware ($745). TOD'S leather Mint bag ($895). MANOLO BLAHNIK Auromod ankle boots with ruffle design ($750). PRADA crocodile bag ($5,470)....

Pump it up. (Fashion & Style).
July 1, 2003... A woman's wardrobe is incomplete without a perfect pair of black high heels. From top: DIOR BY JOHN GALLIANO leather Gourmette pumps ($335). JIMMY CHOO leather Long pumps ($510). BRIAN ATWOOD crocodile Nikita pumps with crochet inserts...

Be cool: five colorful ways for men to dress this summer. (Fashion & Style).
July 1, 2003... WAIST WATCHERS Dressing's a cinch with these ribbon belts. From top: Blue/green and yellow/pink grosgrain D-ring belts by PAUL STUART ($22,50 each). Purple/green belt by BERGDORF GOODMAN ($40). Multicolored belts by STUBBS & WOOTTON ($30...

Ten earring we love. (Jewerly).
July 1, 2003... 1. GRAFF Gypsy with pink, yellow and white diamonds (price on request), 212-355-9292.2. BULGARI Allegra with peridots, blue topaz, citrines, green and pink tourmalines, pearls and diamonds ($5,200), 800-BULGARI. 3. CHRISTIAN TSE Flamenco in...

Why poetry still matters: a finely crafted poem can provide the receptive reader with a quick jolt of joy and a lasting sense of wonder. (Connoisseur's World).
July 1, 2003... If A Working Girl Can't Win, as Deborah Garrison suggests in the title of her 1998 best-selling poetry book, then why am I delighted to find myself so perfectly described in its pages? I'm a working girl (a thirty-four-year-old harried New...

A really big show. (Connoisseur's World).
July 1, 2003... Some of the photographs featured in the much-lauded midcareer survey of THOMAS STRUTH'S work, now on view at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art (through September 28), seem to fill entire walls. Supersized or not, all the landscapes,...

Valley highs. (Connoisseur's World).
July 1, 2003... New York's Hudson River Valley, known for its historic-house museums, beautifully set sculpture parks and picturesque performing-arts venues, has two new cultural gems to brag about: the RICHARD B. FISHER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS and...

Deco deluxe. (Connoisseur's World).
July 1, 2003... Art Deco, the sleek, geometric style that yielded exquisite Cartier gems, streamlined furniture and architectural landmarks like New York's Chrysler Building, was not confined to Europe and the United States. It was a phenomenon that reached...

Presidential plans. (Connoisseur's World).
July 1, 2003... THOMAS JEFFERSON, ARCHITECT (Rizzoli; $40) examines the Founding Father's skill and influence as a designer. From its detailed descriptions of his own houses, such as the famous Monticello of 1809 (the first domed private residence in...

Checking into history: spring cottage, on the grounds of England's elegant Cliveden, was once the scene of scandal. Now it's among the hotel's best places to stay. (Traveler's Notebook).
July 1, 2003... Trumpets ought to sound somewhere, I've always thought, as one swings round a fountain of sportive nymphs and cupids and comes face-to-face with the main house at Cliveden for the first time. Set high on a man-made escarpment overlooking the...

For sporty chicks. (Traveler's Notebook).
July 1, 2003... Four years ago, two fashion-loving female surfers decided to perk up the paltry pickings of stylish athletic ctothing for women by founding CHICKABIDDY, a sportswear line. Margaret Van Sicklen, who learned to surf in her native San Diego, and...

Out of Canada. (Traveler's Notebook).
July 1, 2003... The words "tent camp" don't typically conjure images of luxury, but Vancouver Island's new CLAYOQUOT WILDERNESS OUTPOST is unexpectedly sumptuous. Nestled into the shoreline of remote Bedwell River, it blends 19th-century safari style with...

Provence's newest star. (Traveler's Notebook).
July 1, 2003... When a hot new restaurant opens in Provence, word spreads like wildfire. Chef Michel Mehdi has lured all of the area's insiders to LA PETITE MAISON, in the Luberon village of Cucuron, with such inspired regional dishes as duck foie gras...

The slopes down under. (Traveler's Notebook).
July 1, 2003... When most Americans think of Australia, they imagine Sydney Harbour, the Outback or the Great Barrier Reef. Yet one of Australia's true national gems is the Snowy Mountains, situated in the Australian Alps, midway between Sydney and Melbourne...

The science of beauty: Helena Rubinstein solves skin-care problems with technological finesse. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... It can be depressing listening to doctors lay out nature's plan for aging: "At around twenty to twenty-five, lines appear between the brows, which can make the face look severe; then come crow's-feet," said plastic surgeon Bertrand Matteoli at...

Catch the wave. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... Toss your curling iron and rollers overboard. From FREDERIC FEKKAI comes Wave Spray ($18.50), which makes curling straight or wavy hair easy. Simply spray it on almost-dry hair and then scrunch or twist your locks. For a fuller look, use a...

The next best thing. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... Not quite ready for Botox? If the thought of injecting botulinum toxin to paralyze facial muscles makes you queasy, try minimizing lines and wrinkles with ESTEE LAUDER'S Perfectionist Correcting Serum ($52/1 oz) instead. The serum reactivates...

Nail Rx. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... JESSICA NAILS Critical Care ($16), a clear treatment polish, helps thin, fragile nails grow with a dose of calcium for strengthening and soy proteins for increasing pliability. Creator Jessica Vartoughian, founder of Jessica Nail Clinic in Los...

Eye-lift. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... When it comes to disguising those pesky under-eye circles, finding a concealer that does the trick can be, well, tricky. Thick or dry formulas can sink in and cake, calling attention to fine lines. So when L'OREAL'S new Ideal Balance ($8.95)...

Gemlike. (Beauty Mark).
July 1, 2003... TIFFANY & CO. has created a precious new jewel: Pure Tiffany (eau de parfum, $80/1.7 oz), its latest fragrance. No worries: we're confident the sparkling scent won't upstage your baubles. Its bouquet of subtle, fresh florals--magnolia,...

Book report: we've culled the best of recent guides to help you take charge of your wellness. (Health).
July 1, 2003... Whether you need tips on raising healthy children, lowering your cholesterol or getting out of a rut, build a well-rounded health library and you'll find solutions on your own bookshelves. THE BASICS The home edition of the physician's...

Just desserts. (Design).
July 1, 2003... To choose a palette for presenting palate-pleasing indulgences this summer, look up at the cloudless cerulean sky or down at the fresh green grass for inspiration. Dessert plates, clockwise from top: WILLIAM YEOWARD CRYSTAL's apple-green...

Design trends.
July 1, 2003... I. Marie-Paule Orluc's albums and blank books for MARIE PAPIER, now available across the U.S., come in deliciously ripe colors and sensuously textured surfaces. Medium notebook, $27; mini photo album, $45; small laced photo album, $65....

Breaking news: seven financial mistakes to avoid in your marriage--especially at the end. (Wealth).
July 1, 2003... Divorce is back. Not that it ever disappeared, mind you. But the national divorce rate had been falling for years, dropping 29 percent from its 1981 peak through the late '90s. Now, while national data lag, localized studies show that more...

The proliferation of pretension: Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "The mark of the man of the world is absence of pretension." Oh, if Emerson could only see us now. (Social Graces).
July 1, 2003... Many years ago I fled New York City for its tony northern suburbs. Some friends actually believed that I relocated to Westchester County because I wanted to put down roots, but the truth is I left New York to get away from pretentious people....

Green with envy: that's what your friends will be when they see you sporting the most vibrant color of the fall season. (Cover Story).
July 1, 2003... When the party's over, you can lie back, relax and revel in the memory of ardent compliments: this body-hugging chartreuse silk gown from Dior by John Galliano ($3,295) will definitely be the evening's main attraction, as Kiera Chaplin could...

A small masterpiece: a modest Hamptons house that architect Charles Gwathmey designed for his parents almost forty years ago set the course of an illustrious career. Now it's become his own.
July 1, 2003... It's not easy, at the start of summer 2003, to think back to a time when building a house in the Hamptons was a relatively simple proposition: before land became scarce; before a stockade of privet was the only guarantee of privacy; before the...

Bright young Royals: they're coming of age: new generations of Europe's reigning clans. T&C takes a look at some who were born to wear the crown in the family--and some who weren't.
July 1, 2003... Like Sleeping Beauty's castle after its mistress's century-long slumber party, many of Europe's monarchies seem overdue for refurbishment. Though established sovereigns such as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II still command great respect, they are...

This old house: Chicagoans Catharine and David Hamilton bring a time worn chateau and garden in Normandy back to life.
July 1, 2003... The chateau is on a human scale, not scary or too big," notes Catharine Hamilton of her 17th-century castle, whose well-tended moat and statuary add to its fairy-tale allure. "You have to be passionate about an old house," counsels...

Town & Country's guide to sensible eating and weight control.
July 1, 2003... True, half of Americans are seriously overweight, but many of us are in the gray area, or we imagine we're fat. Whether they show on the scale or not, the extra pounds take their toll, physically and emotionally. Herewith, a full menu of...

Weddings.
July 1, 2003... Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Alexis Slotkin (Lori Jean Leckiter) Rhinebeck, New York Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Brett Levy (Triffany Jane Thalman) Salt Lake City, Utah Mr. and Mrs. James L. Alexander, Jr. (Robyn Lynn Dent) Dana Point, California ...

Horoscopes.
July 1, 2003... July Cancer June 22-July 22 Your birth month is important because it kicks off a fresh yearly cycle. The Sun's presence in your sign tends to bolster your confidence, and this year the additional presence of Venus, Mercury and Saturn...