the world according to . . .
Mario Buatta AVENUE’s back-page column asks New York notables our version of the questionnaire made famous by Marcel Proust
When did you first feel like a neW yorker? What happened?
The first time I went to Broadway at night.
What is your favorite Watering hole for lunch? for dinner?
The Four Seasons for lunch and La Grenouille for dinner. What neWspaper column do you read first in the morning?
The obituaries—to see if my name listed.
Who is your favorite neW yorker, past or present?
The New Yorker.
Who is the smartest neW yorker you knoW?
My pet water bug toy, Harold—he’s smart and clever. Who is the funniest?
Joan Rivers.
Who is your favorite dinner partner?
Dame Edna.
What part of the neW york lifestyle can’t you live Without?
Live theater.
What’s your favorite neW york sound?
All of the lively sounds of a buzzing city.
What’s your most embarrassing neW york moment?
Falling asleep in the window of Sleepy’s and almost being left there for the night. What’s your Worst-dressed neW york moment?
I once went to a black tie event wearing one black shoe and one brown shoe. The Prince of Chintz, Mario Buatta
N
ative New Yorker Mario Buatta was dubbed the Prince of Chintz back in the 80s and has been acclaimed as a master of interior design ever since. Recently honored by the New York School of Interior Design, which named its materials library the Mario Buatta Atelier, Buatta has embellished the homes of everyone from Henry Ford II to Mariah Carey, with a stop in Washington D.C. to design the Blair House—the White House’s official guest house. This year, Buatta celebrates his 51st year in the business, all the while remaining the endearing prankster that he is (with a little help from Harold, the toy bug he carries everywhere with him). Here, Buatta shares his thoughts on Manhattan.
96 | AVENUE MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2012
What’s your favorite Way to get around neW york?
A convertible taxi would be . . . if we had them.
What is the hardest part about living in neW york?
Bicycles in traffic and rude people.
What brought you to neW york?
The Staten Island Ferry.
What do you Want to be When you groW up?
A retiree. ✦