WOMEN OF INFLUENCE
Divine Diva RENÉE FLEMING'S STAR TURN ON BROADWAY NEW POWER BROKERS THE WOMEN CHANGING NEW YORK
HOT TABLES: FABULOUS INSIDER FAVORITES
YOKO ONO SHOCKS THE ART WORLD—AGAIN! PLUS GLORIA STEINEM DONATELLA VERSACE VERA WANG SHIBA RUSSELL
gotham-magazine.com NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC
1973
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FRONT RUNNER Gloria Steinem, as pictured in Life magazine in 1965, borrowing a slogan from the Civil Rights movement to promote the cause of women’s liberation.
PRESSING ON
Ten years ago three famous female activists—Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem—attended an Equality Now conference in Upstate New York in which foreign participants, fed up with state-controlled media, expressed their envy of America’s free press. Disabusing them of such a notion, Steinem and Morgan began raging over the overwhelmingly male-dominated media in the US, despite women comprising more than 50 percent of the country’s population. “Suddenly, Gloria and I had this fantasy of adding a media component to the feminist movement to make women visible and powerful,” recalls Morgan, a former editor of Ms. magazine. Upon listening to the idea, Fonda sat straight up in her chair and cried, “Why don’t we just do it?” She plunked down a sum of money, got someone to match it, and after a round of fundraisers led by all three, the Women’s Media Center was born. “We are devoted to including the female half of the world, in all our diversity, for the good of everyone,” explains Steinem. “The more the media reflects reality, the better our decisions will be.” Headquartered in New York City and Washington, DC, the Center is a research hub that commissions studies to see how women are doing across all media
12 gotham-magazine.com
platforms. A recent report of media sexism in the country found that 63 percent of bylines and on-camera appearances went to white men at the top TV networks, newspapers, online news sites, and wire services. The film industry is even worse. “When industry leaders think ‘director,’ they think male,” says Fonda. “That’s why we need the Center to help the industry increase opportunities for women in front of and behind the camera.” The Center is also the go-to place for finding female experts on just about any topic through its SheSource, an online brain trust that receives weekly booking requests from outlets like CNN and the BBC. And “WMC Live with Robin Morgan,” praised by the Huffington Post as “talk radio with a brain” is nationally syndicated and available in 110 countries. Morgan, an award-winning author of 22 books, tries to make her show a challenging, provocative, funny space where women can recognize how much they’re changing things. “The media is one of the most powerful forces in the economy and in the culture,” says Julie Barton, president of WMC. “We want to make sure women’s voices, stories, and perspectives are seen and heard.” womensmediacenter.com, wmclive.com G
photography by yale Joel/the lIFe pIcture collectIon/getty Images
When Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, and robin morGan founded the Women’s media Center a deCade ago, they added a vital media Component to the feminist movement. By Judy deyoung
MEET A FAMILY OF PERFORMERS
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Keep it cool: Minimal design defines summer fashion. White button-down (worn around model’s arms), DSquared2 ($590). 402 W. Broadway. 212-9663487; dsquared2.com. Woven dress, Salvatore Ferragamo ($2,800). 665 Fifth Ave., 212-759-3822; ferragamo.com. Safety-chain choker ($375) and extra-thin safety-chain choker ($275), Eddie Borgo. Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com. Thin gold collar, Alexis Bittar ($195). 353 Bleecker St., 212-7271093; alexisbittar.com
May/June 2015 12 // front runner 28 // letter from the editor-in-Chief
30 // letter from
the publisher
32 // ... Without Whom this
issue Would not have been possible
34 // the list 65 // invited
style 38 // blonde ambition Donatella Versace draws on New York style to create forward-looking collections that resonate with vibrant attitude.
40 // future perfeCt Summer accessories go beyond modern, with bold patterns and bright metallic hues.
42 // style spotlight Fern Mallis gets bookish, Buccellati honors the Wildenstein art collection, and British watch brand Bremont crosses the pond.
44 // in a neW york minute Tiffany & Co. unveils a new watch collection that salutes the fabled company’s past and the historic clock that has become a city icon.
culture 47 // anything goes Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga bring their acclaimed jazz collaboration to Radio City Music Hall.
Yoko Ono’s new MoMA show looks at the infuential artist’s work during the 1960s, her most prolifc decade.
50 // Culture spotlight The Whitney Museum moves downtown, The Sound and the Fury opens at The Public Theater, and The Governors Ball Music Festival returns to Randall’s Island.
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photography by rené & radka
48 // keeping the peaCe
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contents
May/June 2015
48
Yoko Ono’s most famous installations are on view at MoMA.
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38
Donatella Versace weighs in about the future of the brand and its rich legacy.
people
TasTe
52 // flying HigH
70 // Having a Crystal Ball
In the riskiest project of her directing career, Diane Paulus takes on Harvey Weinstein’s bold new Broadway musical, Finding Neverland.
Charles Masson envisioned a new type of restaurant for the city’s stalwart ladies who lunch and their business counterparts when he opened Chevalier at the Baccarat Hotel.
54 // page turner
72 // new york state of wine
In The Unfortunates, debut novelist Sophie McManus explores the city’s obsession with ambition, wealth, and power.
Why the city is home to more female sommeliers than anywhere else in the world.
56 // preventive MediCine Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo, catalyst for New York State’s frst cancer prevention summit on May 20, wants to focus attention on ways to avert the disease, not just treat it.
58 // a roBin Hood adventure Emma Bloomberg talks about her commitment to the Robin Hood Foundation, which is holding its annual fundraiser in May.
60 // tHe X faCtor
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74// nordiC traCk New York’s only two-Michelin-star female chef, Emma Bengtsson, leverages her recent accolade to attract a new clientele for Aquavit.
76 // fresH takes From Alsatian-infected French to coastal Italian, this spring’s new restaurants have favors for every palate.
78// taste spotligHt East End locavore dining comes to Tribeca, Greek wines make a splash for summer, and SixtyFive offers drinks with a view.
and Beyond
80 // tête-à-tête
Are women buying more real estate? Top brokers discuss this and other hot-button trends in our latest real estate roundtable.
Piper-Heidsieck CEO Cecile Bonnefond sits down with wine expert Jennifer SimonettiBryan to talk vintages, varietals, and female advancement in a business long run by men.
photography by Signe birck (food); peter butler © 2014 MoMa, ny (inStallation); rahi rezvani (verSace)
Chef Emma Bengtsson’s cuisine at Aquavit is inspired by the sights and scents of her native Sweden.
L E T
-
L I F E
B E G R A N D ©2014 Compagnie Champenoise. Piper‑Heidsieck ‑ Ancienne Maison Heidsieck Fondée en 1785, Piper‑Heidsieck® Champagne, Imported by Rémy Cointreau USA, Inc., New York, NY. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
contents
May/June 2015
84
Opera legend Renée Fleming takes a star turn on Broadway. Vest, Theory, ($535). 40 Gansevoort St., 212-5246790; theory.com. Gold liquid-crystal cluster wire earrings ($225) and gold liquid-crystal orbiting cuff ($295), Alexis Bittar. 1100 Madison Ave., 212-249-3581; alexisbittar.com. Asymmetrical collar necklace, Tory Burch, ($395). 797 Madison Ave., 212-510-8371; toryburch.com. Shirt and pants, Fleming’s own
features 84 // Love, ActuALLy Opera legend Renée Fleming talks to her good friend Vera Wang about why she headed to The Great White Way, the challenges of her diva role in Living on Love—and how she aced that Super Bowl gig. Photography by Gail Hadani
90 // MiniMAL StAndArdS Dramatic architectural silhouettes and neutral tones bring summer fashion to new heights. Photography by René & Radka Styling by Martina Nilsson
98 // WoMen of infLuence Meet the women changing the power dynamic in the city. Leveraging their positions and smarts, these movers and shakers are redefning how business gets done in New York. By Diane Clehane Photography by Eric Ryan Anderson
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contents
May/June 2015
110
The living room in Tamara Mellon’s duplex penthouse, now for sale.
Haute ProPerty 108 // Driving Directions The revamped 42 Crosby will feature the city’s frst million-dollar parking spaces.
110 // Power women on the move
Leading ladies from entertainment and fashion make notable real estate deals.
112 // irving Place Carolina Irving, the new creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home, builds on the legacy of the legendary designer.
tHe guide 114 // gotham 101
and finally... 120 // if women ran new York It’s a truth not universally acknowledged that they sort of do.
on the cover:
Renée Fleming Photography by Gail Hadani Styling by Anna Katsanis Coat, Christian Siriano ($1,800). 252 Elizabeth St., 212-775-8494; christiansiriano.com. Dress, Marina Rinaldi ($805).13 E. 69 St., 212-734-4333; marina rinaldi.com. Ella earrings in 24k gold and silver-plated brass, Vita Fede ($540). vitafede.com
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photography by yoo Jean han (duplex). on the cover: hair and makeup by nancy mcnamara; video: vladimir Weinstein. shot on location at trump toWer, 721 FiFth avenue, neW york. toWnresidential.com
A concise guide to the city’s happening restaurants and nightspots.
EVERYTHING SHINES A LITTLE BRIGHTER ON PARK AVENUE Park Avenue & 61st Street at the corner of everything. www.loewsregency.com/newyork • 212.759.4100
JOIN US ONLINE at gotham-magazine.com
We have the inside scoop on New York City’s best parties, dining, and more. imbibe
THE WINES NEW YORK’S TOP WOMEN ARE DRINKING
The city’s most successful women unveil their vino of choice.
SEE THE LATEST FROM LAST NIGHT’S EVENTS Couldn’t attend? Browse the newest photos from New York City’s most exclusive parties.
dine
THE BEST MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCHES These special meals are sure to delight the leading lady in your life.
COME FOLLOW US
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SERENAROSSI (IMBIBE); ROSSA COLE AND EUGENE GOLOGURSKY FOR WIREIMAGE (PHOTOS); OLGA NAYASHKOVA (DINE)
photos
CATHERINE SABINO Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor JENNIFER DEMERITT Editor-at-Large SAMANTHA YANKS Art Director ANASTASIA TSIOUTAS CASALIGGI Photo Director LISA ROSENTHAL BADER Assistant Editor ERIN RILEY Fashion Editor FAYE POWER Copy Editor WENDIE PECHARSKY Research Editor JAMES BUSS
DAWN DUBOIS Publisher Advertising Directors VICTORIA HENRY, JIM SMITH Account Executive MORGAN CLIFFORD Assistant Distribution Relations Manager BRACKETT BILODEAU Senior Director of Brand Development ROBIN KEARSE Director of Brand Development JOANNA TUCKER Brand Development Managers KRISTIN BARNES, JIMMY KONTOMANOLIS
NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC Senior Vice President and Editorial Director MANDI NORWOOD Vice President of Creative and Fashion ANN SONG Creative Director NICOLE A. WOLFSON NADBOY Executive Fashion Director SAMANTHA YANKS ART AND PHOTO
Senior Art Director FRYDA LIDOR Associate Art Directors ALLISON FLEMING, JUAN PARRA, JESSICA SARRO Senior Designer NATALI SUASNAVAS Designers AARON BELANDRES, SARAH LITZ Photo Editors JODIE LOVE, SETH OLENICK, JENNIFER PAGAN, REBECCA SAHN Senior Staff Photographer JEFFREY CRAWFORD Senior Digital Imaging Specialist JEFFREY SPITERY Digital Imaging Specialist JEREMY DEVERATURDA Digital Imaging Assistant HTET SAN FASHION
Fashion Assistants CONNOR CHILDERS, LISA FERRANDINO Entertainment and Bookings Editor JULIET IZON COPY AND RESEARCH
Copy and Research Manager WENDIE PECHARSKY Copy Editors DAVID FAIRHURST, JOHANNA MATTSSON, JULIA STEINER Research Editors LESLIE ALEXANDER, JUDY DEYOUNG, KAREN MCCREE, AVA WILLIAMS EDITORIAL OPERATIONS
Director of Editorial Operations DEBORAH L. MARTIN Director of Editorial Relations MATTHEW STEWART Editorial Assistant CHRISTINA CLEMENTE Online Executive Editor CAITLIN ROHAN Online Editors ANNA BEN YEHUDA, TRICIA CARR Online Editorial Assistant CATHERINE PARK Senior Managing Editors DANINE ALATI, KAREN ROSE, JILL SIERACKI Managing Editors MURAT OZTASKIN, OUSSAMA ZAHR Shelter and Design Editor SUE HOSTETLER Timepiece Editor ROBERTA NAAS ADVERTISING SALES
Account Directors SUSAN ABRAMS, MICHELE ADDISON, CLAIRE CARLIN, MICHELLE CHALA, KATHLEEN FLEMING, KAREN LEVINE, MEREDITH MERRILL, NORMA MONTALVO, DEVON MOORE, JEFFREY NICHOLSON, SHANNON PASTUSZAK, MIA PIERRE-JACQUES, VALERIE ROBLES, JESSICA ZIVKOVITCH Account Executives SUSANA ARAGON, LAUREN BROGNA, JANELLE DRISCOLL, VINCE DUROCHER, IRENA HALL, SAMANTHA HARRIS, SARAH HECKLER, CATHERINE KUCHAR, JULIA MAZUR, FENDY MESY, RILEY O’NEILL, MARY RUEGG, ERIN SALINS, JACKIE VAN METER Advertising Business Manager RICHARD YONG Sales Support and Development EMMA BEHRINGER, ANA BLAGOJEVIC, BRITTANY CORBETT, ERIN GLEASON, KRISTINE GUEVARRA, DARA HIRSH, EMERY HOLTON, KARA KEARNS, MICHELLE MASS, NICHOLE MAURER, RUE MCBRIDE, ELIZABETH MITCHELL, STEPHEN OSTROWSKI, MICHELLE PETRILLO, ALEXANDRA WINTER MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations LANA BERNSTEIN Director of Creative Services SCOTT ROBSON Promotions Art Designers KAITLYN RICHERT, CARLY RUSSELL Event Marketing Directors AMY FISCHER, HALEE HARCZYNSKI, LAURA MULLEN, KIMMY WILSON Event Marketing Managers KELSEY MARRUJO, CRISTINA PARRA, ASHLEY VEHSLAGE Event Marketing Coordinators BROOKE BIDDLE, BLAIR GOTTFRIED Event Marketing Assistant SHANA KAUFMAN ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
Director of Positioning and Planning SALLY LYON Positioning and Planning Manager TARA MCCRILLIS Director of Production PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Production Artists MARISSA MAHERAS, DARA RICCI, ALISHA SMITH Director of Distribution Operations MATT HEMMERLING Distribution Relations Manager JENNIFER PALMER Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD Traffic Supervisor ESTEE WRIGHT Traffic Coordinators JEANNE GLEESON, MALLORIE SOMMERS Manufacturing Coordinator KIMBERLY CHANG Circulation Research Specialist CHAD HARWOOD FINANCE
Controller DANIELLE BIXLER Finance Directors AUDREY CADY, LISA VASSEUR-MODICA Director of Credit and Collections CHRISTOPHER BEST Senior Credit and Collections Analyst MYRNA ROSADO Senior Billing Coordinator CHARLES CAGLE Senior Accountant LILY WU Junior Accountants KATHY SABAROVA, NEIL SHAH, NATASHA WARREN Accounts Payable Coordinator NADINE DEODATT ADMINISTRATION, DIGITAL, AND OPERATIONS
Director of Operations MICHAEL CAPACE Director of Human Resources STEPHANIE MITCHELL Digital Producer ANTHONY PEARSON Facilities Coordinator ASHLEY GUILLAUME Chief Technology Officer JESSE TAYLOR Desktop Administrators ZACHARY CUMMO, EDGAR ROCHE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
J.P. ANDERSON (Michigan Avenue), SPENCER BECK (Los Angeles Confidential), ANDREA BENNETT (Vegas), KATHY BLACKWELL (Austin Way), KRISTIN DETTERLINE (Philadelphia Style), LISA PIERPONT (Boston Common), JARED SHAPIRO (Ocean Drive), ELIZABETH E. THORP (Capitol File), DAMIEN WILLIAMSON (Executive Editor, Aspen Peak), SAMANTHA YANKS (Hamptons) PUBLISHERS
JOHN M. COLABELLI (Philadelphia Style), LOUIS F. DELONE (Austin Way), ALEXANDRA HALPERIN (Aspen Peak), DEBRA HALPERT (Hamptons), SUZY JACOBS (Capitol File), GLEN KELLEY (Boston Common), COURTLAND LANTAFF (Ocean Drive), ALISON MILLER (Los Angeles Confidential), DAN USLAN (Michigan Avenue), JOSEF VANN (Vegas)
Managing Partner JANE GALE Chairman and Director of Photography JEFF GALE Chief Operating Officer MARIA BLONDEAUX Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer JOHN P. KUSHNIR Chief Executive Officer KATHERINE NICHOLLS
Copyright 2015 by Niche Media Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. Gotham magazine is published eight times per year. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material, and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Gotham magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs, and drawings. To order a subscription, please call 866-891-3144. For customer service, please inquire at gotham@pubservice.com. To distribute Gotham at your business, please e-mail magazinerequest@nichemedia.net. Gotham magazine is published by Niche Media Holdings, LLC, a division of Greengale Publishing, LLC. T: 646-835-5200 F: 212-780-0003
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LETTER from the Editor-in-Chief 1
2 LEFT: With Luca Voarino, CEO of
Balenciaga USA, at the Luxury Education Foundation party celebrating its 10th anniversary. LEF focuses on educational programs, in partnership with Columbia Business School and The New School/ Parsons, and provides opportunities for students to engage with luxury brands and their senior executives. RIGHT: Cecile Bonnefond, CEO of Piper-Heidsieck, and I chat at Ladurée Soho.
THE STORY OF HOW PEOPLE SUCCEED ALWAYS MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING, and I think you’ll find the profiles and features in Gotham’s second annual Women
CATHERINE SABINO Follow me on Twitter @csabino and on gotham-magazine.com.
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GOTHAM-MAGAZINE.COM
3
// this issue //
ON MY RADAR 1. Checking out the Whitney Museum at its new home on The High Line. 99 Gansevoort Street, 212-570-3600; whitney.org 2. Frieze New York. A little bit of island hopping for the latest in contemporary art. 20 Randall’s Island, 212-463-7461; friezenewyork.com 3. A Negroni at the new SixtyFive. Swanky sips with fabulous views. Rainbow Room, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-632-5065; rainbowroom.com/sixtyfive
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNA DEMIDOVA (VOARINO); DOUG YOUNG (BONNEFOND); EVAN SUNG (SIXTYFIVE); KARIN JOBST (WHITNEY); MARCO SCOZZARO (RANDALL’S ISLAND)
of Influence issue particularly riveting. But learning why people choose the career paths they do can be just as intriguing as finding out their “secrets” of success. Some know from the get-go what they will be. I recently read The Getaway Car, by the wonderful author Ann Patchett, who describes how she always wanted to be a writer. “It was an accepted fact in my family from the time I was in first grade.” Patchett goes on to say she couldn’t “explain where the knowledge came from, only that I hung on to it, and never let go.” The circuitous path can be a wildly successful one, too. Consider Dr. Eva Andersson-Dubin, interviewed in this issue, who started out a model, then became a doctor and went on to found the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Center at Mount Sinai. Falling somewhere between the straight line and the 180-degree turn, are the careers that evolve organically. Cover star Renée Fleming, an opera legend now starring on Broadway in the play Living on Love, says because her parents were music teachers, “I thought everybody sang. You got in a car, went on a road trip, and sang five-part harmony.” (And in an effort to tie the threads of this paragraph together more tightly, it’s hard to resist pointing out that Fleming recently commissioned a new opera based on her friend Ann Patchett’s best-selling novel, Bel Canto.) They say it’s the journey that counts (maybe I’m in the minority, but I like arrivals as much being on the road), and those of our women influencers were as varied as their professions. Some career paths were shaped by twists, turns, and setbacks; other high achievers moved up the ladder slowly and steadily, never taking a pratfall or missing a step. Whether they traveled a bumpy road or enjoyed a smooth glide on the way to the corner office, the women in this issue, many not native born, acknowledge how the city has helped shape their success. While the playing field is still (sadly) not level in many businesses, New York can offer one compensating benefit, that of generous opportunity. Women have long been leveraging that, remaking the sectors that drive the city, and in the process, remaking the city itself.
THE FEELING YOU’VE ARRIVED Renowned artist Julian Schnabel brings his unique vision & playful palette to the public spaces of Downtown Miami’s most anticipated condominium tower.
1 0 0 1 S O U T H M I A M I AV E N U E , M I A M I , F L O R I D A , 3 3 1 3 0 | C M C R E A L E S T A T E , E X C L U S I V E S A L E S A G E N T | ( 8 8 8 ) 7 3 9 - 0 7 1 0 | B R I C K E L L F L A T I R O N . C O M
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY | ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. THIS OFFERING IS MADE ONLY BY THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS FOR THE CONDOMINIUM AND NO STATEMENT SHOULD BE RELIED UPON IF NOT MADE IN THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS. THIS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL, OR SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO BUY, THE CONDOMINIUM UNITS IN STATES WHERE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION CANNOT BE MADE. PRICES, PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
letter from the Publisher
1
2 Attending a party for the Luxury Education Foundation, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
significant contributions across an array of fields— from fine art and philanthropy to real estate, medicine, politics, and more. Beyond these pages, if we ask ourselves who has influenced our path for good, there are abundant examples of women shaping our outlook. As a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, I was infatuated with Barbra Streisand. I idolized her humor and her nontraditional beauty. In Funny Girl and The Way We Were, Barbra was the wise-cracking smart aleck who got the guy, even though she didn’t follow the rules. Later, in college, I looked overseas to have serious leadership envy of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The daughter of a grocery store owner, Thatcher worked her way to the highest office and held on during turbulent times in the UK. Not many women have the power to declare war, but she did. It’s hard to fathom that in the 25 years since Thatcher resigned, the US has yet to elect a female president. But we’re making progress, as there is now at least one serious contender on the road to the White
House (and there may well be more as this election season progresses). In the pages of this issue, we turn a spotlight on many other female leaders who are making tremendous strides in their own careers and making a positive impact on society. On a personal note, I have to thank my mother and grandmothers for their priceless influence (and, at times, intervention) during my development. My mother loved the challenge of her profession, and her work ethic drove me to find opportunities where I could contribute through my own career. She would practice her sales pitches on me, and all I wanted was to walk in her shoes. One Christmas, I was horrified to receive a sewing machine and begged to have a typewriter instead. In the 1970s, with the authors Woodward and Bernstein as inspiration, the highest calling was to be an editor or a journalist. My path has taken its share of twists and turns since then, but it seems fitting to find myself at Gotham as we launch this special issue. So cheers to the women in our lives, and may we, in turn, bring inspiration to others.
dawn dubois Follow me on Twitter @dawnmdubois and on gotham-magazine.com.
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// this issue//
on my radar Tis the season when everyone wants to be outside. The weather is fnally warm enough for alfresco dining in breezy dresses, but the sticky heat of midsummer hasn’t kicked in yet—and New York City is full of fabulous things to enjoy. 1. It’s the perfect time to sip a Cointreau Berry Rickey in the rooftop lounge of the Hotel Americano or the David Burke Treehouse Bar at The James. 2. I can’t wait to charter a Barton & Gray Mariners Club Hinkley Talaria yacht and cruise the Hudson River with friends.
photography by Scott NobleS (cocktail)
For Gotham’s Women oF InFluence Issue, we celebrate individuals who have made
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// may/June 2015
Vera Wang
eVe Zibart
renÉ & radka
diane Clehane
luCy blatter
designer
writer
photographers
writer
writer
Born and raised in New York City, Vera Wang was a competitive figure skater, fashion editor at Vogue, and design director at Ralph Lauren before launching her bridal business at the Carlyle Hotel in 1990. She has designed wedding gowns for Chelsea Clinton, Ivanka Trump, and other high-profile brides, and expanded her label to include ready-to-wear and eveningwear. She interviews longtime friend and cover star Renée Fleming on page 84. What do you consider your greatest professional achievement? Being a Chinese-American designing for women—first in the US and now globally—has been a privilege and an honor. Can you describe your favorite memory with Renée? Watching her perform at last year’s Super Bowl [in a dress I designed]. Where do you and Renée like to have dinner? We love drinks at Bar Pleiades in The Surrey (20 E. 76th St., 212-2883700; barpleiades.com), munchies at Lincoln Ristorante (142 W. 65th St., 212-359-6500; lincoln ristorante.com), Chinese in my kitchen, and curry at her apartment.
Nashville-born writer Eve Zibart spent 30 years at The Washington Post, part of that time as the paper’s weekend restaurant critic. In this issue, she interviews Aquavit’s executive chef, Emma Bengtsson, for CuiScene (page 74) and rounds up the city’s women wine masters in Cheers! (page 72). What impressed you most about Emma Bengtsson? I was struck by how Emma not only sees colors and flavors, but how she absorbs them and then creates food that refers to all of them. Her dishes have so many subtle layers that they themselves become art. Did you learn anything new about the wine industry? I was aware of the growing number of women in New York’s wine industry, but I was really impressed by how close and supportive a circle it is. These women are as dedicated to educating new drinkers as they are to providing great wine experiences. I’d blind taste any of their recommendations.
Photographers René Hallen and Radka Leitmeritz work between New York, Paris, and Los Angeles. Their fashion photography has appeared in publications like T: The New York Times Style Magazine, W, Vanity Fair, and The Wall Street Journal. This issue, René & Radka photographed the fashion feature “Minimal Standards” on page 90. Tell us about the shoot. We used to work with the model, Laura Blokhina, in Paris and have shot together in LA, so it felt like a great reunion. What and who is on your photography bucket list? We really enjoy working with celebrities and would love to collaborate on a movie poster. If we had to pick a person to shoot, it would have to be David Bowie. Words of advice for an aspiring photographer? Give yourself enough time to create your own style. Despite what many think, you want to be recognized by your work, not by your references. What is your camera of choice? For both our professional and personal projects, we use the Leica S-System. We can’t imagine working with any other!
Diane Clehane is a New York Times best-selling author who has also written for Vanity Fair, Forbes, and People, among many other publications. In her popular “Lunch” column for mediabistro.com, she chronicles Manhattan’s media and celebrity scene at Michael’s (24 W. 55th St., 212-767-0555; michaelsnew york.com). Clehane interviews Gotham’s “Women of Influence” on page 98. How did you relate to the power women you interviewed? Regardless of what they had accomplished in their chosen field, everyone I asked said they were most proud of raising their children. I feel the same way. Did any of the women surprise you? I really appreciated Rikki Klieman’s candor about the challenges of being an older woman in television and her frankness about what it takes to stay competitive. So often you read these sunny profiles of successful women and think, They have it all. It’s refreshing when an accomplished woman tells the truth about what it really takes to succeed.
Lucy Blatter, like her subject, debut novelist Sophie McManus, is a native New Yorker. She was an editor at The New York Sun and amNewYork before contributing articles to The Wall Street Journal and TimeOut New York. She interviews McManus in Talent Patrol on page 54. What part of the interview particularly resonated with you? I loved what she said about getting rid of any sentences that aren’t beautiful or don’t serve a purpose. Journalism isn’t exactly like fiction in that way, but I love the sentiment and think it’s something to strive for, even in my line of work. Any surprises during the interview? Sophie mentioned that she’d originally written her book in the past tense, but when she read J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace—which is written in the present tense and also revolves around a person who’s in the midst of losing it all—she decided to change it. I read that book in college and remember being amazed by it, too. If the tables were turned, who would you want to interview you? Jon Stewart.
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PhotograPhy by Jeremy Weisser (blatter)
...Without Whom this issue would not have been possible
Soho 138 Spring Street, New York, NY • 212.226.8276 Americana Manhasset 2038 Northern Boulevard, Manhasset, NY • 516.627.0216 The Shops at Riverside 390 Hackensack Avenue, Hackensack, NJ • 201.342.4960
the list May/June 2015 Mary Callahan Erdoes
Dottie Herman
Pamela Liebman
Valerie Patritti
Wendi Goldman
Reba Miller
Robin Quivers
Samantha John
Maloni Goss
Olga Vidisheva
Kristen Titus
Sheila Kriemelman
Hillary Clinton
Chloe Coscarelli
Deborah Ann Woll
Kathryn Swintek
Rita Sodi
Marie-Josée Kravis
Charlotte Ronson
Mary Carillo
Chloë Sevigny
Florence A. Davis
Loreen Arbus
Rosario Dawson
Marianne Lake
Lorie Slutsky
Kathryn Minshew
Julia Fehrenbach
Nicola Peltz
Angie Mar
Helen Lakelly Hunt
Michelle Javian
Edith Cooper
Perrey Reeves
Stacy Martin
Masha Pearl
Carly Cushnie
Carolyn Edgar
Mona Sinha
Elana Silber
Virginia Rometty
Alia Jones-Harvey
Robin Roberts
Kate Bicknell
Abigail Breslin
Elizabeth A. Sackler
Debra L. Lee
Janice Stanton
Missy Robbins
Samantha Black
Andrea Mitchell
Ronna Brown
Ursula Burns
Nancy Aber Goshow
Martine Reardon
LaVerne Evans Srinivasan
Samantha Power
Sarah Hyland
Alicia Keys
Anisa Kamadoli Costa
Monique Carswell
Jane B. O’Connell
Jennifer Fisher
Yvonne Moore
Jennifer Hyman
Kerry Washington
Sienna Miller
Cynthia Rivera Weissblum
Heidi Kahn
Martina Hund-Mejean
Vanessa Hurst
Suzanne Mettler
Erika Karp
Jody Williams
Rosie Assoulin
Elizabeth Falkner
Michelle Ochs
Jocelyn Leavitt
Linda Butti
Saoirse Ronan
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style tastemaker
Blonde AmBition Donatella Versace draws on native new York stYle to create forward-looking collections that resonate with vibrant attitude.
Donatella Versace is interested in “taking traditions and pushing them into the future” as part of her creative vision for Versace.
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Since taking the helm of Versace nearly two decades ago, Donatella Versace has built a fashion empire that is as synonymous with Italian glamour and luxury as it is with American pop culture. From the provocative dress Jennifer Lopez wore at the Grammys to the A-list roster of celebrities— most recently, Madonna—who have posed for the label’s ad campaigns, Versace is constantly finding different ways to create newness and excitement. “Versace is more than just a brand to me; it is family, and its DNA and traditions are in my blood,” she says. “What interests me is taking those traditions and pushing them into the future. I am obsessed with the future—to me the past is boring.” And with the recent announcement of white-hot designer Anthony Vaccarello as creative director for sister label Versus Versace, the company’s future seems brighter than ever. “I’ve followed Anthony’s work from his very first collection, and as soon as I met him I realized he was the one,” she says of the choice. “I love his fresh energy and innovation.” Versace explains that the Versus line
photography by rahi rezvani opposite page: rahi rezvani (versace); jason lloyd-evans (backstage, bag)
By Bryn Kenny
clockwise from above:
Donatella Versace designed the Spring 2015 Collection to be “bold, vivid, and precise”; Large Signature Lasercut bag with Eyelets ($3,925); Lasercut duchess silk top and skirt (price on request), silk and Lycra knit underpinning ($695), and underpinning skirt ($850); Y-neck shift dress with contrast back detail in classic silk cady ($2,475); Lasercut duchess shift dress ($1,775), silk and Lycra knit underpinning ($695), and underpinning skirt ($850).
is particularly close to her heart. “It was the label Gianni [her brother and the company’s founder] created for me to capture the rebellious soul of Versace,” she says. “It has always been about youth and energy, and the best way to keep true to its origins is to encourage new talents in global fashion.” This adventurous spirit is also alive and well in the Versace Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection, which features midriff-baring tops worthy of a SoulCycle devotee, floor-length skirts with up-to-there slits, and mod laser-cut minidresses begging for a night out at Paul’s Cocktail Lounge. For those looking for something a bit more demure, the sleek,
black tailored jackets and relaxed trousers in black, white, and poppy red offer the perfect day-to-night wardrobe update. To complement the collection, there are new reinterpretations of the Large Signature and Large Palazzo handbags, the former featuring laser-cut leather lined with transparent vinyl and gold Medusa medallion accents. (The slightly less structured Large Palazzo has a single Medusa accent.) The new bags are available in vibrant shades of Barbie pink and Caribbean blue as well as classic white and black. “I wanted Spring 2015 to feel like hitting the refresh button—everything was bold, vivid, and precise,” says Versace of her inspiration,
adding that the handbags were created with a sense of playfulness. “They are light, refreshing, and fun, because strong and powerful women can love frivolity too, right?” This juxtaposition between power and play, sophistication and softness has long been Versace’s forte. It’s an unabashedly confident approach to design that translates well for her New York customers. “Women here dress with such attitude and freedom,” she says, “mixing together luxury fashion with sportswear and streetwear, looking like it’s so effortless.” This year, Versace will once again attend one of New York’s most glamorous events, the Met Ball, in Atelier Versace. “It is an evening of
“Women in neW York mix together luxurY FAshion With sportsWeAr And streetWeAr, looking like it’s so eFFortless.” —donatella versace pure fantasy,” she says, “a chance to wear the dress of your dreams. If only I could dress like I do for the Met Ball every day of the week!” If anyone could pull off a major ball gown every day of the week, it’s Versace, but the whole “running a fashion empire” thing might get in the way of dressing for the red carpet instead of the office. In addition to her responsibilities as Versace’s artistic director, she is in charge of designing
Palazzo Versace hotels and mapping out strategy for the future of the brand. “I love the variety of my work, from the first conversations about a new season through the design process to the show itself, and then afterwards, the campaigns and the product hitting stores,” says Versace. “I couldn’t imagine a job where I did the same thing every day.” 647 Fifth Ave., 212-3170224; versace.com G
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STYLE Accessories
future perfect
PhotograPhy by Jeff Crawford Styling by faye Power
GOING FOR GOLD Sleek handbags in high-shine metallics hit all the right notes. Caged top ($4,500) and skirt ($3,900), Fendi. 598 Madison Ave., 212-897-2244; fendi.com. Metalized clutch, Chanel ($3,800). 15 E. 57th St., 212-355-5050; chanel.com. Carmen clutch, Jimmy Choo ($1,395). 407 Bleecker St., 212-366-1305; jimmychoo.com
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ProP styling by ElizabEth osbornE for hallEy rEsourcEs; hair and makEuP by JEssi buttErfiEld for ExclusivE artists mgmt using chanEl and altErna hair carE; modEl: alina l for Parts modEls
summer accessories go beyond modern, with bold geometric patterns and bright metallic hues.
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1 GREEN WITH ENVY
POSH POD
Iridescent shades add a modern edge.
Mod shapes and contrasting textures create a new style for minaudières.
3
4
FULL SPECTRUM
OFF THE GRID
A shimmering clutch goes over the rainbow.
Laser cutouts create a summer boot with attitude.
1. Sunrise sandal, Aquazzura ($945). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com 2. Melone handbag, Bulgari ($7,150).730 Fifth Ave., 212-315-9000; bulgari.com 3. Powerstone
minaudière, Diane von Furstenberg ($398). 874 Washington St., 646-486-4800; dvf.com 4. Large square laser-cut bootie, Versace ($2,525). 647 Fifth Ave., 212-317-0224; versace.com
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Style Spotlight modern musts
CARRY ON
Well Timed
British watch manufacturer Bremont opens its first stateside Boutique. Six years after launching its luxury timepieces in the US, British watch brand Bremont, long favored by aviators and military men, has opened its first Stateside boutique on Madison Avenue. Cofounded by brothers Nick and Giles English in 2002, the brand counts celebs like Tom Cruise, Orlando Bloom, and Gordon Ramsay as fans. “The US is a big market for Bremont, with a large proportion of our military business hailing from here,” says Nick, referencing Bremont’s history of creating watches for Air Force pilots like those in the elite Spy Plane Squadron based in California. Such specialty pieces are designed for preselected military personnel before they are issued as limited-edition retail watches—as was the case with the U-22 that debuted at Baselword in March. The new boutique’s design references the company’s history, as well as its watch collaborations with companies like Jaguar and Boeing, with exhibits for each. 501 Madison Ave., 212-321-0012; bremont.com
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goTHAM-MAgAzINe.CoM
To celebrate the opening of the new Buccellati store on Madison Avenue, father and daughter Andrea and Lucrezia Buccellati created fve one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by works of art from the world-famous Wildenstein art collection. (Lucrezia’s husband is David Wildenstein.) Lucrezia is the frst woman to lead Buccellati, a fne jewelry and watch company founded by her forbears in 1919 in Italy. “Working with Lucrezia is very emotional,” says her father. “Having a woman’s eye adds a freshness that will lead Buccellati into the future.” 714 Madison Ave., 212-308-2900; buccellati.com
Urban Drawstring bag ($595).
// by the book //
from left: Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and Donna Karan.
All iN the fAmilY
A STYLISH READ
Since 2010 Fern Mallis, founder of New York Fashion Week and former executive director of CFDA, has hosted Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis at the 92nd Street Y, a series of interviews with top fashion designers and industry fgures that have become must-attend events for New York’s glitterati. Her new book, out April 14, Fashion Lives: Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis (Rizzoli) includes 19 of these conversations, which are wide-ranging in scope, and tackle everything from recent collections to life in the fashion fast lane.
photography by Joyce culver (furstenberg)
Brothers Nick and Giles English cofounded Bremont in 2002 based on a shared passion for mechanical timepieces and aviation. inset: The Bremont Jaguar MKII chronograph ($6,550).
Women who want timely style rather than flashy fashion trends have long turned to Theory, and the brand’s Pre-Fall 2015 accessories collection underscores why: The chic bags and shoes are on trend and offer a sleek, modern-yetclassic aesthetic. The Urban Tote bag ($745, available in black, off-white, and cerulean) and the Urban Drawstring bag (pictured, available in black, fatigue, and cerulean), both available this month, are finely constructed in Italian calfskin and suede. The footwear collection features two distinctive styles: a timeless flat espadrille produced in Spain and a strappy, stacked-heel sandal crafted near Milan. 40 Gansevoort St., 212-524-6790; theory.com
Gold and diamond spider ring (price on request).
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Style time Honored
In a New York Minute
Tiffany & Co. unveils a new watch collection that salutes the fabled company’s past, its famed tradition of artistry and design—and the historic clock that became a city icon.
“We like to think of ourselves as the creator of the New York minute,” says Jon King, executive vice president of Tiffany & Co. “In the 1800s, when we put up one of the first public clocks in New York, people set their watches to match as they hurried around the city. It became a reliable timekeeper for New Yorkers and was the true embodiment of the New York minute.” C.L. Tiffany installed that now-famous Atlas clock above his store, then on lower Broadway, in 1853. The nine-foot-tall bronzed rendering of the mythical hero holding a four-foot-wide clock above his head is one of the oldest building timepieces in New York. It fast became a symbol of the pace of city life and still stands above the doorway to the company’s Fifth Avenue flagship. In honor of the landmark clock’s association with the “New York minute” and of the brand’s history of building innovative quality timepieces, Tiffany & Co. recently unveiled its CT60 watch collection, which draws on the company’s history and heritage. And it’s a heritage that’s rich and deep: In 1847, 10 years after opening its first store on lower Broadway, Tiffany introduced watches to its collection; in 1851 the company partnered with Patek Philippe to build fine timepieces as the city’s elite embraced the brand. The design of the new CT60 line, named in tribute to Charles Tiffany and the 60-second minute, was inspired by the Atlas clock as well as the Tiffany & Co. gold watch given to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his birthday in 1945 by his son-in-law, John Boettiger, with the words “Franklin Delano Roosevelt, with loyalty, respect, and affection” inscribed on the caseback. The watch recently found its way to Christie’s and was acquired for Tiffany & Co.’s archives, just in time to offer inspiration for the new collection. For the new line, Tiffany’s watch designers deftly blend the concepts of
history, heritage, and American design with modern state-of-the-art Swiss watchmaking. The company even established Tiffany & Co. Swiss Watches Sagl in Switzerland so that it could closely supervise and maintain its strict standards for detail and quality through all phases of production. “It was a bold move to set up in Switzerland instead of America, but the truth is that Switzerland has centuries of expertise: Many of our people have multiple generations of watchmaking before them,” says Nicola Andreatta, vice president and general manager of Tiffany & Co. Swiss Watches Sagl. “Tiffany is renowned for its quality, and in watches, if we want to make the best, we need to be in Switzerland.” The entire project began three years ago, and the global unveiling of the new Tiffany CT60 collection for men and women is the first fruit of the effort. The collection consists of 23 styles, each with the Tiffany & Co. New York logo on the dial and all housing mechanical Swiss movements. Tiffany hand-finishes each of these movements, using different artisans to achieve exquisite perlage, Cotes de Genève, and other signature finishes. At the high end of the line is the stunning calendar watch, based on the Roosevelt watch, in a limited, numbered edition of just 60 pieces in 18k rose gold. The timepiece features a shock absorption system, a sapphire caseback, and 42 hours of power reserve. Other watches in the collection include chronographs in stainless steel and 3-hands in stainless steel and in 18k rose gold. The dials are vivid, beautifully finished with a sunray pattern, and available in blue, gray, brown, and white. The women’s models are available with or without diamond bezels. The retail price range of the CT60 collection is $4,250 to $19,000. For more watch features and expanded coverage, go to gotham-magazine.com/watches. G
above: The CT60 limited-edition rose-gold Calendar watch ($19,000), which is based on the timepiece that belonged to FDR and houses a Dubois-Depraz self-winding mechanical movement. opposite page, clockwise from top left: Tiffany’s watch designers blended American design with Swiss watchmaking to realize the CT60 collection; a design sketch; the exterior of Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship; movements
are hand-finished to achieve perlage, Cotes de Genève, and other signature finishes.
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photography courtesy of tiffany & co.
by roberta naas
“If we want to make the best, we need to be In swItzerland.” —nicola andreatta
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culture Hottest ticket Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga prove that it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing, as they tour behind their Grammy-winning album, Cheek to Cheek.
ANYTHING GOES photography by Douglas gorenstein/nbC/nbCu photo bank via getty images
Lady GaGa and Tony BenneTT bring their acclaimed jazz collaboration to radio city music hall. by jennifer demeritt When Lady Gaga rocketed to stardom in the late aughts, her notoriety was fueled as much by her outrageous image as by her music. But behind the dresses made of meat, latex, or what have you, there was always a singer with a serious set of pipes—and serious intent to match. A Google search for Stefani Germanotta (her born-this-way name) turns up clips of a brunette, sans outlandish makeup or costumes, performing at The Bitter End and other clubs near NYU, where she studied art history, singing torch songs with no accompaniment but her own fluent fingers on the piano—no Auto-Tune or backup singers to enhance her voice, which is plenty powerful and emotive all by itself. This makes her current collaboration with octogenarian jazz legend Tony Bennett less surprising than it may seem on the surface. The two met when Lady Gaga performed at the Robin Hood Foundation charity gala in 2011. Bennett was impressed with her rendition of the jazz song “Orange Colored Sky” and asked to talk to her backstage. The Fame Monster admits to being nervous about meeting Bennett, but they hit it off and
soon agreed to record a jazz album together. Cheek to Cheek, released in September 2014, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. The collaboration pays dividends beyond this commercial and critical success: For Lady Gaga, the back-to-basics approach proves that there’s substance behind her extravagant style; and her pop stardom exposes Bennett to a younger generation of music fans who might not otherwise care for (or even know about) the songs of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, et al. (Gaga and Bennett are reportedly devoted friends as well as collaborators.) New Yorkers can see the fruits of this partnership live at Radio City Music Hall, where they will sing duets from the album as well as Lady Gaga’s solo version of “Lush Life” and Bennett’s “Sophisticated Lady,” all backed by a jazz orchestra. Expect a night of classics from the Great American Songbook from two consummate performers, without a smoke machine in sight. June 19–23. Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, 212-247-4777; radiocity.com G
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culture Art Full
Yo
creating a stir
ono’s new show AT MoMA looks AT The influenTiAl ArTisT’s work during The 1960s, her MosT prolific decAde. By Suzanne Charlé
“Yoko Ono’s work is completely disruptive,” says Christophe Cherix, MoMA’s chief curator of drawings and prints. “She was an important artist in the 1960s, but her influence has never been looked at thoroughly,” something Cherix and Klaus Biesenbach, the museum’s chief curator-at-large, intend to amend with “Yoko Ono: One Woman Show,” opening this May. Blurring the distinctions between music, performance, writing, and art, Ono was a pioneer in conceptual and performance art, and led the way to political activism in antiwar pieces she staged with John Lennon. “She was a crucial voice of the ’60s,” notes Cherix. The show focuses on “the decisive decade”— works made by Ono between 1960 and 1971. (Ono married Lennon in 1969.) In all, approximately 125 early works on paper, installations, performances, audio recordings, and films will be shown. Archival materials detail the development of Painting to Be Stepped On (1960–1961), when fellow charter members of New York’s conceptual art scene—John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, Nam June Paik, and George Maciunas of Fluxus fame—followed the prankish artist’s directions and stepped on a piece of canvas she’d placed on the floor of her Chambers Street loft. Fast-forward 55 years, and MoMA visitors will again be invited to interact, walking up and onto a new iteration of Painting to Be Stepped On. Films and photos document her seminal “Cut Piece” (1964). In this early performance at a Kyoto concert hall, Ono sits on the floor, in silence, as people come up, one by one, and cut off pieces of her clothing with a huge pair of scissors. She later performed this meditation on generosity, violence, and vulnerability in New York and Paris. “It gave me goose bumps!”
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recalls Bob Gruen, coauthor of the new photo book See Hear Yoko. “Her art doesn’t just make you think, it makes you feel!” Here, too, is the playful installation “Yes” (1966), which first brought Ono and Lennon together. “John came early to the show at [London’s] Indica Gallery,” explains Gruen, the couple’s personal go-to photographer. The famous Beatle followed the installation directions: “He climbed the ladder and with the magnifying glass, looked at the panel Yoko had attached to the ceiling. On it, in tiny print, the word: yes.” Lennon climbed down and introduced himself to the young artist. “He told Yoko he liked it because it was so positive. ‘Worth the effort!’” Soon Lennon was involved in Ono’s art, as evidenced by the photos and films documenting the couple’s “Bed-In for Peace” (1969). Traveling to antiwar sit-ins, the newlyweds held “bed-in” press conferences in their hotel rooms, first in Amsterdam, then in Montreal. Always engaged in her work, Ono decided to update her signature interactive 1964 “Bag Piece,” which explores notions of perception and privacy, for the MoMA exhibition. Once again, people will be invited to climb into huge burlap bags—one, two, or more at a time—and connect, while others watch. But Ono wanted this version to be even more interactive. People inside the coarse burlap bags can see out, she told the curators: “Let’s put a mirror on the wall, so they can watch themselves.” More surprises are in store, but Cherix won’t say what they are. “Yoko Ono: One Woman Show, 1960-1971,” May 17–September 7, MoMA, 11 W. 53rd St., 212-708-9400; moma.org G
photography by minoru niizuma © minoru niizuma. courtesy lenono photo archive, new york (cut piece); george maciunas. the museum of modern art, new york. the gilbert and lila silverman fluxus collection gift, 2008 © 2014 geiorge maciunas (bag piece)
from left: Yoko Ono’s “Cut Piece,” 1964; “Bag Piece,” 1964, a signature interactive work that Ono plans to update for the MoMA show.
“HANDS DOWN, THE BEST GYM IN NYC.” — Franz H.
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CULTURE Spotlight Music, Pink and Blue No. 2 by Georgia O’Keeffe, 1918. INSET: The exterior of the new Whitney Museum.
design
COOL HUNTER
THE WHITNEY MUSEUM MOVES DOWNTOWN. BY JENNIFER DEMERITT
The craze for glamorous digs near the High Line has attracted a distinguished new resident: the Whitney Museum of American Art, which opens its new Renzo Piano–designed home on May 1 (the Whitney’s original Madison Avenue building, designed by Marcel Breuer, closed in October 2014). The new location features 50,000 square feet of exhibition space in a 220,000-square-foot building, as well as theaters, classrooms, and outdoor areas. Admission will still be free on Friday evenings—so take a sunset stroll along the High Line, check out the opening exhibition “America Is Hard to See,” which explores ideas that have inspired American artists, and enjoy a view of the Hudson River, which will be easy to see from one of the museum’s spectacular outdoor terraces. 99 Gansevoort St., 212-570-3600; whitney.org G
// book smart //
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Randall’s Island becomes the epicenter for indie music during the Governors Ball Music Festival, a three-day, multi-stage extravaganza featuring more than 50 acts. The wildly eclectic lineup ranges from hip-hop (Drake) to techno (Deadmau5) to alt-rock (My Morning Jacket), with a healthy dose of up-and-coming bands amid the established ones. June 5–7. Randall’s Island Park; governorsballmusicfestival.com
FROM PAGE TO STAGE
The experimental theater group Elevator Repair Service returns to The Public Theater with The Sound and the Fury (PICTURED), based on the novel by William Faulkner. ERS earned critical raves for 2010’s Gatz, a wordfor-word reenactment of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The Sound and the Fury will present the “Benjy” chapter in a similar vein, bringing Faulkner’s language to life in a daring multi-media production. May 14–June 13. 425 Lafayette St., 212-539-8500; publictheater.org
THE PENN IS MIGHTY
The solitary pursuits of writing and reading move into the public arena at the 11th annual PEN World Voices Festival, a weeklong series of performances, readings, panel discussions, and lectures by more than 100 acclaimed writers. This year the festival spotlights work from Africa, with Nigerian novelist and 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (PICTURED) presenting the Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture and co-curating the Africa program. Other events include Luc Sante and Michael Ondaatje discussing memoir, and Tom Stoppard speculating about humankind in the year 2050. Events throughout the city; May 4–10. worldvoices.pen.org
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY FOREST WOODWARD (CONCERT); COURTESY OF THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, © 2014 GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK (PAINTING); JOAN MARCUS (ELEVATOR REPAIR SERVICE); IVARA ESEGE (ADICHIE); ED LEDERMAN (MUSEUM EXTERIOR)
All American
The new book Ian Schrager Works (Rizzoli New York, $75) celebrates the man who cofounded Studio 54, went on to pioneer the trend for boutique hotels, and has developed a collection of properties that have moved the needle for forward-thinking design, including the Mondrian, Delano, and the Gramercy Park Hotel. Released in conjunction with the opening of his new Edition hotel on Madison Square Park, the book contains lush photographs of his signature properties, essays by Philippe Starck and others, and reflections by Schrager himself on his remarkable 40-year career. Buy it and see your coffee table become a design destination. rizzoliusa.com
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flying high
In the rIskIest project of her dIrectIng career, Diane Paulus takes on harvey WeInsteIn’s bold neW broadWay musIcal, finding neverland. When Diane Paulus was studying for her MFA at Columbia University, Andrei Serban, the legendary director who was her mentor there, told her, “There are two kinds of directors: the kind that bakes chocolate chip cookies and brings them to rehearsal and the kind that doesn’t.” Decades later, Paulus recalls the definition with a laugh, adding, “I’m definitely not a chocolate chip kind of girl! I’m pretty strong-willed. I demand full attention and commitment.” Those requirements apply as much to her role as artistic director of the prestigious American Repertory Theater, a post she has held for seven years, as they do to where Paulus finds herself now: directing Finding Neverland, the hotly anticipated $15 million musical based on the 2004 film about writer J.M. Barrie and the creation of Peter Pan. Indeed, Paulus’s rigorous style appears to be just what the play needs as it heads to Broadway. When Hollywood magnate and lead producer Harvey Weinstein approached Paulus about taking on Neverland—he had by that time jettisoned his entire original creative team—she watched the movie with her two daughters, Katharine, 6, and Natalie, 10. They were taken with the behind-the-scenes drama, laden though it was with the anxiety of Barrie’s loveless marriage and the traumatic death of a mother.
Diane Paulus directed three Tony-winning Broadway musicals— the revivals of Hair, Porgy and Bess, and Pippin—before she started work on Finding Neverland. Dress, Narciso Rodriquez ($1,195). Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Ave., 212-705-2000; bloomingdales.com. Gold chain cuff, Salvatore Ferragamo ($820). 655 Fifth Ave., 212-759-3822; ferragamo.com. Brass Crinkle ring, Jennifer Fisher ($275). 103 Fifth Ave., 2nd Fl., 212-625-2380; jenniferfisherjewelry.com. Jacket (on chair), Giorgio Armani ($3,775). 717 Fifth Ave., 212-339-5950; armani.com. Earrings, Paulus’s own
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PhotograPhy by gregg Delman; StyleD by CaSey truDeau; hair anD makeuP by mahfuD ibrahim for exCluSive artiStS mgmt uSing Chanel anD oribe hair Care; Shot on loCation at triaD theater. oPPoSite Page: anDrew h. walker/getty imageS for tony awarDS ProDuCtionS (PauluS); Carol roSegg (Finding neverland)
by patrick pacheco
“That story felt relevant and emotional to me and my kids,” Paulus says. “I immediately sensed that the emotional impact of the show lay with those children and in particular the transformative journey of the young Peter.” She was further energized when she heard the contemporary pop score by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, which she felt could be successfully grafted onto a Victorian-era plotline. “I’m always looking for that hook, that collision of things that creates a combustion,” says Paulus, who got her first big career break in 1999 with the Off-Broadway hit The Donkey Show, a disco-inspired interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As she sits in the balcony of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where Finding Neverland was about to begin preview performances prior to opening on April 15, Paulus, 48, is a striking figure, with piercing almondshaped eyes and long black hair cascading around her shoulders. Dressed in tight black jeans and a sweater, she calmly surveys the hive of activity below as workers move around the set pieces that will re-create Barrie’s Victorian world, which is upended when he meets the Llewelyn Davies family and the four boys who would inspire his classic tale. Collaborating with artists from other milieus—pop star Sara Bareilles, poet Cornelius Eady, jazz and classical cellist Diedre Murray—dovetails with Paulus’s fiercely populist belief that theater must expand its definition. “I want to push the theater form as far as it can go,” she says. “I always gravitate toward those moments in artistic history when someone had the vision and the courage to push a boundary.” That’s been true of almost all the projects that have made Paulus one of the most sought-after theater artists working today. After years of directing experimental, operatic, and regional productions,
she ventured onto Broadway for the first time five years ago with the revival of Hair, the 1968 counterculture musical, which she followed with Broadway revivals of Porgy and Bess and Pippin. Each of them won the Tony Award for best revival of a musical, with Pippin earning Paulus the Tony for best direction of a musical—only the third woman accorded that honor, after Susan Stroman and Julie Taymor. At first glance, Finding Neverland may not seem quite as revolutionary as her previous shows. But for Paulus, it is her greatest, and perhaps most personal, challenge yet. “It’s about an artist who has something bigger and deeper and more powerful inside of him that hasn’t been unleashed,” she says. “He comes to realize that childlike abandon is what he’s been suppressing [in his art], and these kids, this ‘hurricane force,’ unlock it for him. Unless you shock and risk and change, you won’t innovate.” Paulus’s iconoclastic spirit was forged early on while growing up in Manhattan, the product of what she calls a most “miraculous” relationship. Her father, Laurence Paulus, a producer for CBS, was just a “jovial GI” when he met and married her mother, Teruko Uchida, in American-occupied, post-World War II Japan. After attending the Brearley School, Harvard, and Columbia, Paulus briefly flirted with politics before driving herself on all cylinders into making theater in the then-impoverished precincts of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. At her side was Randy Weiner, her high school sweetheart, muse, and now husband of 20 years. “That was boot camp,” she says of those threadbare years. “I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t been producing shows out of a shopping bag. You learn to develop entrepreneurial skills or you don’t survive.” Paulus’s career has been on an
upward trajectory since then, but she says it took her husband to point out that it really began to take off when she had children. Paulus says Weiner has been an invaluable partner in raising their children—“He’s a brilliant producer, but if he had his way, he’d spend all his time with our daughters”—and she includes them in her work as much as possible. “It’s such a big topic for women,” Paulus says. “Now that you’re a mother and have all these responsibilities, how do you manage a leadership working life? But I’m grateful to be in a field where you can only be as good as you are as a person. Having kids has enriched my life as an artist.” Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W. 46th St., 212-575-9200; broadway.com G
OFF STAGE Diane Paulus talks work, life, and favorite New York moments. ManageMent style: “I’m a great
believer in intense and constant communication.” advancing as a woMan director:
“I have had to demonstrate that you can be creative and also responsible fnancially. My favorite part of the Sunday New York Times is the Business section. Everything you read applies equally to the creative process.” Favorite theater hangouts: “Orso
restaurant and Bar Centrale, near Joe Allen on 46th Street.” Favorite new york MoMents:
“I loved “The Gates” in Central Park [the 2005 art installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude]. And anytime there’s a big snow storm in New York and you see people cross-country skiing down the avenues.” dealing with the Media and controversy:
“It makes you stronger and more focused.”
from left:
Paulus accepting a Tony for Best Director for her revival of Pippin in 2013; Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammer in Finding Neverland.
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PEOPLE Talent Patrol Writer’s Blocks Sophie McManus shares her favorite addresses. For books: “I was recently buying books at Park Slope Community Bookstore, and I sheepishly told them about my book. They got me excited about publishing it instead of being terrifed.” 143 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, 718-783-3075; communitybookstore.net For a secret cocktail: “Angel’s
Share feels like the most lush, hushed, romantic 1920s train dining car there ever was.” 8 Stuyvesant St., 212-777-5415 For a writerly bar experience: “KGB Bar, also in the East Village, is a venerable and
homey classic for writers for good reason: Every great writer you’ve ever idolized, as well as every great writer you’ve never heard of, has read in this Soviet-themed bar. It used to be a Ukrainian Socialist speakeasy and feels that way still.” 85 E. Fourth St., 212505-3360; kgbbar.com For coFFee and books: “I love browsing the
books under the 20-foot ceilings and old wooden staircases of Housing Works Bookstore Café and then having a coffee.” 126 Crosby St., 212-334-3324; housingworks.org/bookstore
Page Turner
In The UnforTUnaTes, debut novelIst Sophie McManuS explores new york’s obsessIon wIth ambItIon, wealth, and power. By Lucy cohen BLatter When Sophie McManus was a high school student on the Upper East Side, she and a friend would occasionally leave school during lunch and sit at the bar at Elaine’s, a longtime literary mecca. “We’d watch the interesting people and writers,” trying to go unnoticed among the celebrities and notables, she says. If Elaine’s were still open today, McManus might feel like less of an outsider: Her first novel, The Unfortunates—published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an august house whose authors have included many Nobel Prize winners—debuts in June. But a career in writing seemed likely; her father, Jason McManus, is the former editor-in-chief of Time, Inc. magazines. “I’ve always felt that I was a writer because of my dad’s work,” she says. “The house I grew up in was one where connecting to stories about other people—understanding places and histories far from one’s own—was of vital importance. That’s the empathic core of journalism and also of fiction writing.” McManus thinks herself too slow for journalism. “My dad has a phrase for writers like me—bleeders.” It took 10 years to finish The Unfortunates, sidetracked as she was by paying jobs and the birth of her daughter, who is now 2. She did a good deal of writing as a fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center artists’
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colony in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she met her husband, Jason Mones, a visual artist. Provincetown also served as inspiration for the fictional seaside suburb of Stockport, where the book’s main characters live. But New York City is prominent, too. “It’s a book about misguided ambition and the scrambling of ambition, and New York has always felt to me like a place where everyone you meet is ambitious.” The novel—about the unraveling of an heiress, her troubled son, and his outsider wife—covers topics like love, death, paranoia, pride, prejudice, and the corrupting power of wealth. “As long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with that invisible wall between those who have and those who don’t, and just how harmful elitism is. Some of that comes from growing up in the wealthy version of New York,” she says. McManus, now 37, lives in Brooklyn, but was raised on the Upper West Side. She attended The NightingaleBamford School, graduated from Vassar College, and earned a master’s degree at Sarah Lawrence College. “Three or four years into writing, it dawned on me that all three characters were cautionary tales—people I didn’t want to become, but could become,” she says, referencing the elder character, Cece, who is portrayed as harsh and controlling with her money, and her son George, who is entitled and lacks direction—traits he shares with his wife. While plans for her next novel are mostly in the form of “messy notes and scribblings,” McManus expects to explore technology as a theme. “There’s this real evaporation of the self that’s happening through technology, and that’s where my brain is these days,” she says. Hopefully the next book will take less time, but it won’t be less deliberate. In her writing, she says, she borrows a rule from the world of interior design. “If an object is neither beautiful nor useful, get it out of the house. Sentences should be one or the other,” she says, “and the best ones are both.” G
photography by eric ryan anderson. hair and makeup by mahfud ibrahim for exclusive artists management using chanel and oribe hair care
“New York has always felt like a place where everyone you meet is ambitious,” says Sophie McManus, shown here in her Brooklyn studio.
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people Thought leader
Preventive Medicine
Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo, eldest daughter of the late Mario Cuomo, former New York governor, and sister to current governor Andrew Cuomo, is a diagnostic radiologist and author of A World Without Cancer. It has long been her mission to keep prevention at the forefront of cancer initiatives. On May 20, the first New York State Cancer Prevention Summit, sponsored by the New York State Department of Health, will be held in New York City to bring attention to strategies for preventing the many forms of this deadly disease. How did the NY State Cancer Prevention Summit come about? National Cancer Prevention Day, held on February 4 in DC, has become a successful bipartisan event—an achievement in itself. I went to the New York State Department of Health and thought, Why can’t we do it here? Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State’s commissioner of health, has been very proactive in approving the Cancer Prevention Summit and in creating a vibrant, meaningful program. What do you hope to achieve with this summit? We hope to motivate people to move forward with action. Fifty percent of cancers can be prevented by applying what we know now, as Graham Colditz [MD, DrPH] has reported. For many years, Dr. Colditz was the principal investigator of the Nurses’ Health Study, one of the largest, longestrunning investigations of lifestyle factors influencing women’s health. Dr. Colditz will be the keynote speaker at the summit. Most of the world’s experts agree that a plant-based diet helps prevent cancer and other diseases. Physical exercise, no smoking, limiting or eliminating alcohol, and protecting skin from the sun are also keys in prevention. HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer in women and penile
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Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo, a diagnostic radiologist and author of A World Without Cancer, wants more funding for cancer prevention studies.
“FiFty percent oF cancers can be prevented.” —margaret cuomo
and anal cancers in men, and hepatitis B vaccine protects against liver cancer. Then there are the less obvious things. They include the toxic chemicals in our foods, personal care products, and cosmetics. Legislation has been proposed in New York. California is the only state in the union that has safer consumer product regulations. We’re hoping that the summit will encourage legislators to move this agenda forward.
What companies would you single out for minimizing harmful ingredients in personal care products? Today many companies in the United States are offering cosmetics and personal care products with fewer or no known harmful chemicals. Several not-for-profit organizations list these companies and keep track of the progress of legislation protecting consumers from harmful products.
Organizations such as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (safecosmetics.org) and the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) provide lists of cosmetic and personal care product companies [whose products contain] safer ingredients. LessCancer (lesscancer.org) is also advocating for consumer protection from products that increase cancer risk. We can advocate as consumers by asking elected officials to pass legislation that will protect us from harmful chemicals, some of which are cancer-causing, in products we use every day. Everything from toothpaste and shampoo to makeup foundation and mascara frequently contain chemicals that may be harmful. In 1971, President Nixon declared war on cancer. Billions have been spent since that time, enormous progress has been made, but the disease has hardly been eradicated. Over the years, more attention and funding have been devoted to cancer treatment rather than prevention, which is the ultimate goal—and more cost-effective. When we talk about personalized medicine, that personalization should be focused on an individual’s specific mutations, what may predispose them to cancer, and how we can switch them off. Right now we’re researching primarily to develop new drugs, but we also need to focus on our genetic composition and how that relates to the prevention of cancer. In fact, cancer prevention should be a national priority for the United States. Scientists should have financial incentives to focus their research on prevention. The New York State Cancer Prevention Summit takes place May 20 from 8:30 am to 4:45 pm at the New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas. The summit is open to the public, but seating is very limited. Admission is free. health.ny.gov/events/ cancer_prevention_summit G
PhotograPhy by rick Wenner; styling and makeuP by daniel rabenou; hair by nancy of ambiance salon in east hills, nassau county, neW york
Dr. Margaret I. CuoMo, catalyst for New york state’s first caNcer preveNtioN summit, waNts to focus atteNtioN oN ways to avert the disease, Not just treat it.
PEOPLE Spirit of Generosity Emma Bloomberg, philanthropist and educator, says that 100 percent of public donations to Robin Hood go to the grantees.
a Robin Hood adventuRe
Since its founding in 1988 by commodities trader Paul Tudor Jones II and Wall Street colleagues Glenn Dubin and Peter Borish, the Robin Hood Foundation has become a philanthropic powerhouse. It is now New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization— in 2014 it gave $133 million to over 200 organizations that serve the city’s neediest residents, and its board continues to attract high-profile financiers, including David Einhorn, Lawrence Fink, and David Tepper, as well as such innovators in education as Marian Wright Edelman and Geoffrey Canada. Last year philanthropist and educator Emma Bloomberg stepped down as chief of staff and then joined the charity’s influential board. As Robin Hood holds its annual gala on May 12, we took the opportunity to ask Bloomberg for an insider’s look at the group Fortune called “one of the most innovative and influential philanthropic organizations of our time.” “‘We’re socially responsible venture capitalists,’ is how David Saltzman, Robin Hood’s executive director, summed up the group for me in 2007.
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Tackling poverty by thinking about grants as investments, setting goals for nonprofits and holding them accountable, and applying a system of metrics to spend poverty-fighting funds in the smartest way possible all resonated deeply with me. After working in government and on my father’s campaign, I had gone to Harvard for a combined MBA and master’s degree in public administration. I was deeply impressed by Robin Hood’s strategic initiatives to alleviate poverty and jumped when David gave me the chance to help make the city I love a better place. “Philanthropy has always been important in my family; you could say the importance of finding ways to give back was ingrained. I’ve been lucky to serve on quite a few boards, including Leadership for Educational Equity, Stand for Children, the KIPP Foundation, and the Bloomberg Family Foundation. My husband, Chris Frissora, is board treasurer of Common Ground, an important nonprofit that fights homelessness by developing housing with on-site support services.
“My time in government—and growing up in my father’s house—underscored the importance of [cooperation between] public and private sectors. Philanthropies alone can never solve society’s problems. In order to be effective, there needs to be a public/private partnership. By partnering with government, results can be scaled up dramatically. Robin Hood did that with the veterans’ jobs initiative, Workforce 1 Career Centers. It helped 17,000 unemployed veterans in New York City translate their military experience into job opportunities by connecting them to training programs and employers, as well as government services and benefits. “In seven years at Robin Hood, I wore many hats. As chief of staff for two years I was engaged in the full range of what Robin Hood funds: education, early childhood development, jobs, and economic security. For five years I helped develop programs. In New York there are almost 2 million people living below the poverty line, and I wanted to do everything I could to help give them opportunities to rise out of it.
photography by ralph Mecke (blooMberg). opposite page: rob bennett (students)
Emma BloomBErg talks about her commitment to the robin hood Foundation, a charity long Favored by Wall street heavyWeights, Which is holding its annual Fundraiser in may. as told to suzanne Charlé
“Education has always been a focus of mine, and Robin Hood’s education initiatives reach over 55,000 students every year. One of the important goals is keeping kids in school. “Robin Hood has built high schools for highperforming charter networks. I loved rolling up my sleeves and spending time at sites in different neighborhoods, like the Crown Heights Charter School, designed by Robert A.M. Stern, with a rooftop soccer field, or at KIPP NYC College Prep High School in the Bronx. Our new grants focus heavily on technology, including Zearn, which will develop digital curricula for K-12 instruction. “One of the unique aspects of Robin Hood is that members of the board of directors pay the administrative costs; 100 percent of all public donations go directly to the grantees, so donors can feel confident that every dollar they entrust to us goes straight to organizations helping New Yorkers in need. Soon after I left my job as chief of staff at Robin Hood, I was invited to join the board. It’s an amazing board, filled with innovative thinkers and leaders from the worlds of finance, business, philanthropy, media, and education. “Robin Hood is well known for its success in raising money to fight poverty. Because we grant every dollar we raise, we start each year from scratch and have to raise every dollar we grant. In addition to our annual benefit, which last year raised $60 million in one night, our board chair, David Einhorn, leveraged his knowledge of the financial world to help organize the Robin Hood Investors Conference in 2013. Last year’s 2014 Investors Conference—which drew some of the biggest names in finance, technology, and retail— raised $6 million to fund our grantees. “But what’s really important about Robin Hood is that we take what is learned and share that
information across the country. Robin Hood not only looks for successful initiatives, but for those that are replicable and scalable. Single Stop, which was cofounded in 2001 by Robin Hood’s chief program officer, Michael Weinstein [who is now chairman emeritus of Single Stop USA], is one example: At sites throughout the city, specialists work with clients to let them know the types of benefits for which they are eligible—housing and legal assistance, job training programs, food stamps, and other vital services. By putting all these resources under one roof, it is easier for individuals to get the support they need to build a better life. Now Single Stop USA operates 113 sites across the country. At the end of 2015, Single Stop will launch an online platform—the Amazon for social services and government benefits. “Going forward, Robin Hood will continue to find the best organizations that help alleviate poverty and provide them with financial support, management training, board members, and other vital resources so they can continue to serve people who are struggling to break the cycle of poverty. It’s hard work, but the rewards make it so worthwhile. “At Robin Hood’s 2013 annual benefit, graduating seniors from the high schools Robin Hood supports marched into the Jacob Javits Center as our host, Brian Williams, announced the colleges they would be attending: Dartmouth, CUNY, Skidmore College, Brown University, and other top-tier schools. One young man from Democracy Prep Charter High School, who was accepted to the US Naval Academy, pounded his chest in pride as his college was announced. Last year, he wrote a letter to Robin Hood about his freshman year at Annapolis. That’s what inspires me.” Robin Hood Gala 2015 takes place on May 12 at the Jacob Javits Center, 655 W. 34th St., 212-227-6601; robinhood.org G
“pHilantHRopy HaS alWayS been iMpoRtant in My faMily. findinG WayS to Give baCk WaS enCouRaGed.” —emma bloomberg
Charity register Opportunities to give.
The SocieTy of MeMorial Sloan KeTTering cancer cenTer Michael kors will host the Society of Memorial Sloan kettering Cancer Center’s annual Spring ball, which will host more than 400 guests for cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Judy Gordon Cox, kamie lightburn, and elizabeth Gosnell Miller are the cochairs. When: Tuesday, May 12 Where: The Pierre Hotel, 2 E. 61st St. Contact: thesocietyofmskcc.org
ParKinSon’S DiSeaSe founDaTion the parkinson’s disease foundation’s annual gala, bal du printemps, will honor the generous donors of the platinum Society, whose lifetime contributions to the foundation exceed $250,000. Willie Geist, coanchor of nbC’s Today show, will emcee this dinner and dancing event. When: Tuesday, May 19 Where: The Metropolitan Club, 1 E. 60 St. Contact: pdf.org
BeST BuDDieS elaine kwon and friends will return to Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall for an evening of memorable performances to beneft integrated programs for best buddies, a charity dedicated to helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. the night will also feature a set by Questlove. When: Wednesday, May 20 Where: Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, Seventh Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets Contact: bestbuddiesnewyork.org
cenTral ParK conServancy kick off the summer season to beneft a good cause and enjoy delicious tastings provided by Maccioni Group and other celebrated eateries at taste of Summer, held at bethesda terrace to beneft the Conservancy. a set by dJ kiss and a silent auction of luxury items are among the evening’s highlights. When: Wednesday, June 10 Where: Bethesda Terrace, Central Park Contact: centralparknyc.org
an evening of WiSheS this annual gala is the largest fundraiser for the metro new york chapter of Make-a-Wish, as well as one of the most successful Make-a-Wish events in the country. the Marianne bennett orchestra will provide music, and celebrity event planner lawrence Scott will be honored.
The 2013 Robin Hood benefit at the Jacob Javits Center, where high school seniors announced the colleges they would be attending.
When: Thursday, June 11 Where: Cipriani Wall St., 55 Wall St. Contact: metrony.wish.org
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people Brokers’ Roundtable
The X Factor and Beyond
Are women buying more reAl estAte? AdvAncing in the brokerAge field? top brokers discuss these And other hotbutton trends in our lAtest reAl estAte roundtAble. PHOTOGRAPHY BY eRic RYAn AndeRsOn
clockwise from top:
Roundtable participants: Richard Steinberg, Mara Flash Blum, Michele Kleier, Cathy Franklin, and Noble Black; Blum and Black before the breakfast discussion; Steinberg and Kleier argue a point.
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For Gotham’s Women of Influence issue, we asked real estate pros whether female advancement has been translating into real estate investment and how their own field, long dominated by women, has changed in the last few decades. We rounded out the discussion, held at Rue 57, with such on-everyone’s-mind topics as the strengthening dollar and how it’s impacting foreign buyers purchasing in New York, as well as the market segments seeing the most traction in 2015. How many of your clients are women buying properties in their own names? Mara Flash Blum: I’m seeing about 30 percent of younger women coming in and saying they want to get on with their lives—they’re going to buy an apartment and that’s it. I’m also seeing women who have worked throughout the years choosing to purchase an apartment with the proceeds of their hard work. And they’re a committee of one! Michele Kleier: A lot of women are buying on their own. And they are very decisive. I had this exclusive on Park Avenue, [and my client, who is] single, very successful in the art world, was the only one who gave us the right bid. I said, ‘Are you sure?’ She said, ‘I don’t have to ask anybody. I earn my money and I spend it the way I want.’ Many times with couples, they’re putting apartments in the wife’s name for tax reasons. Whenever I see a deal and the apartment is only in the husband’s name, I’m always like, Hmmm, why is that happening? Richard Steinberg: But to play devil’s advocate, I don’t think the boards of co-ops have stepped
up to the plate yet. Cathy Franklin: Times have definitely changed, and I have sold many, many single women some of the most important apartments. I find that with women, their financials tend to be very strong, very detailed; they are very conservative in their investments. I have seen a lot of very savvy female purchasers [with] really good knowledge for making an investment. Is it still difficult for a single woman to get into the toughest co-ops? MFB: I’m not finding the same prejudice. RS: What about sellers, though? I’m in the process of doing a deal now with a single woman. She’s in sales, so she doesn’t have a fixed income, and my seller has concerns. She makes several million dollars a year. Noble Black: Do you think that was inspired by her being female? RS: Yes. It definitely was. He said it. MK: I guess it depends on the building, but I think a lot of people would be afraid to turn down a single woman when she is fully qualified. It’s begging for a lawsuit. Women have long fared well as real estate brokers in Manhattan and they now head some of the major brokerage firms. Do you see women continuing to progress even more in the sector? MK: I’ve been in the business 32 years, and when I first started, it was almost [entirely] a woman’s field. I think men have actually come alive in the field. continued on paGe 62
BEAUTY shouldn’t require animal testing. Support the Humane Cosmetics Act.
Jenna Dewan Tatum for
humanesociety.org/HCA
Photo by Don Flood | Hair by Derek Williams for The Wall Group | Makeup by Sarah Sullivan for Margaret Maldonado Agency
people Brokers’ Roundtable
clockwise from top:
Noble Black, Richard Steinberg, and Michele Kleier; a breakfast dish at Rue 57; Mara Flash Blum, who says that the city’s co-op stock will prevent a situation like the one in London, where areas are filled with expensive, uninhabited condos.
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RS: Think of the Alice Mason [Mason was a legendary broker with a high-profile clientele, including Marilyn Monroe]. They broke ground for the business. The big change I’ve seen is that it has become a more professional business, for both men and women. It used to be—with no disrespect intended—women who were very elegant who did this part-time and then they went on to their lunches and charities. There are two men here at the table, but I see it as a profession in [line] with any other profession. It wasn’t that way 22 years ago. Let’s look at some issues impacting both women and men. Is New York going to become a “tale of two cities”? In the luxury part of the market, that is—a divide between the foreign mega-wealthy, who are here a limited number of days each year, buying eight-figure, trophy properties, and rich Manhattanites whose primary residences are on, say, Park and Fifth and who live and work here. RS: As brokers, we have no problem accepting their tax money and [having them] underutilize our facilities and our services, which quite frankly only benefits the true New Yorker. That money allows us to do things in the city that we wouldn’t have normally been able to do had we not had these condos. CF: If a foreign-entity LLC buys a $50 million apartment, it is paying basically $913,000 for taxes to the city and state and another $500,000 in mansion tax, which is all going into our city and state. NB: Not everyone who lives on Park Avenue is primarily there. They have other homes they’re traveling to. MFB: There are too many co-ops in this city for New York City to turn into London [with rich “ghettos” uninhabited for most of the year]. It’s not happening. What are the statistics [on co-ops], Noble? RS: Seventy-five percent? NB: It’s in the 70s. Foreign money gets the headlines, but the share of the condo housing stock is very small. Of the deals that get done, probably half of them are condo and then a fraction of that is foreign. MFB: A lot of these co-op markets will not allow pied-à-terre ownership. So with that 70 percent in the co-op market, what would you say, 40 percent of them, 50 percent of them do not allow them, or even higher? CF: I think only 25 percent allow a pied-à-terre, and I would say 15 percent will allow an LLC
from an entity they know. With trust and estate planning, that’s very difficult. I own a townhouse, so obviously I can plan for trust and estates with that, but with a co-op you cannot. Will the dollar strengthening in Europe have an impact on sales? NB: With the high-end condos, it will. Certainly, if it continues, it will. MFB: I think it will even the playing field, and Americans will get a chance to buy those condos. CF: I also feel that with the dollar strengthening for many of my overseas clients, it’s made them feel even more motivated to want to invest in New York City. Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of the real estate appraisal and consulting firm Miller Samuel, recently told The Real Deal, “I think you’ll see more expansion into the lower-upper [end of the market] than what we’ve seen. The demand is extremely high.” What do you define as the lower-upper end? MFB: Up to $5 million. NB: I would say anything below $2,500 per square foot. I think below $6 million to $8 million is really the cutoff. It depends on the size of the apartment. If you have a one-bedroom that is below $2 million, then it’s not going to fly, but if it’s a three-bedroom below $7 million or $8 million…. CF: There is a tremendously strong market for $3.5 million to $8.5 million apartments. What do you see as the next phase of luxury in the outer boroughs? CF: I love Riverdale. I used to live there. Those homes are so beautiful, so I can easily see that strengthening. And Brooklyn—the sky is the limit. NB: But with the buildings, the level of luxury has not gotten anywhere close to Manhattan [standards] from what I have found. There are some nice buildings, but I don’t think overall you are talking about the same level. There’s a tremendous amount that can still go up. Do you see a trend for smaller, boutique-style condo buildings in the future? CF: I looked at a study of Downtown, and about 10 or 12 of the new developments, outside of Greenwich Lane, the Toy Building, and 150 Charles, were all smaller condominiums. And they all had a doorman. MFB: What is great about New York is you have the divide. You have that client that wants the lobby and that magnificence. Then there is the buyer who just wants the intimacy of a small building. NB: I find more people don’t want a doorman. They don’t want to have somebody there every night when they come in. If it’s got a virtual [doorman], then they’re happy with that. They don’t want to have to make conversation with someone. MFB: Do you still think Manhattan is going to
The decorative window at Rue 57. below: Cathy Franklin and Noble Black discussing trends in outer-borough markets.
continue to grow? Do you think we’re going to level? RS: I don’t see the frenzy anymore. I don’t think there are $30 million condo transactions in the quantity there were. NB: I think it’s going to do slightly more than level. I think it’s going to go up, but at a much slower pace. any other trends you’d like to comment on? CF: The thing about New York is it’s not a location-specific city anymore. View-specific, architecturally specific, high ceilings, large rooms, corner windows, sunlight, all of that specific. But it’s not, “Oh, I have to be in this 10-block radius.” I have found that has changed dramatically. G
ThE paNElISTS: Noble Black: associate broker, the Corcoran Group, 636 Sixth Ave., 212-444-7926; corcoran.com Mara Flash Blum: senior global real estate advisor and associate broker, Sotheby’s International Realty, 149 Fifth Ave., 212-431-2447; sothebyshomes.com Cathy Franklin: real estate salesperson, the Corcoran Group, 660 Madison Ave., 212-323-3236; corcoran.com Michele Kleier: president, Kleier Residential, 415 Madison Ave., 212-371-2525; kleiers.com Richard Steinberg: global marketing consultant, Douglas Elliman, 575 Madison Ave., 212-350-8059; douglaselliman.com
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nature dOesn’t need peOple. peOple need nature.
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I n t e r n A t I o n A L
p r e s e n t s
nature is speaking JULIA
HArrIson
rOBerts fOrd
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natureisspeaking.org
INVITED
Warming Trend
PhotograPhy by Patrick McMullan
HigHer temperatures Heat up tHe city’s party scene.
Ivanka Trump and Lynn Posluns, founder of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative, at the organization’s US launch at Donna Karan’s Urban Zen studio.
Hot happenings all over town: Martha Stewart, Trudie Styler, Marisa Berenson, Mercedes Abramo, and Pamela Baxter were among the distinguished women who showed support for The Women’s Brain Health Initiative’s US Launch, and top luxury brand CEOs attended the Luxury Education Foundation’s 10th anniversary conference, while events like the Guggenheim’s Young Collectors Party and the New Museum’s Triennial Party were filled with New York’s most promising young talents, like Prabal Gurung, Pari Ehsan, and Hailey Baldwin. continued on page 66
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INVITED // spotlight //
INSPIRING WORDS HIGHLIGHTS OF COMMENTS MADE BY LYNN POSLUNS, FOUNDER OF THE WOMEN’S BRAIN HEALTH INITIATIVE, AND DR. LISA AIRAN, WHO SPOKE ABOUT FOCUSING MORE RESEARCH ON BRAIN-AGING DISEASES AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
Kelly Rutherford and Wendi Deng
Martha Stewart
WOMEN’S BRAIN HEALTH INITIATIVE MARTHA STEWART, IVANKA
Ò
Women are at the epicenter of brain-aging diseases. Seventy percent of Alzheimer’s sufferers are women, and women are twice as likely as men to succumb to dementia and depression. But scientists don’t understand why, and this is the type of research that needs to be funded. –LYNN POSLUNS
Ó
Pat Cleveland and Carol Alt
Trump, and Renée Fleming were just a few of the bold-faced names who gathered at Donna Karan’s Urban Zen studio in the West Village for a cocktail party celebrating the US launch of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative, a Toronto-based foundation that aims to spread awareness for brain health in aging women. DJ Alexandra Richards spun tracks for the crowd, which included top fashion models from past and present, including Constance Jablonski, Carol Alt, and Pat Cleveland.
Stefano Tonchi and Joan Juliet Buck
Renée Fleming
Trudie Styler
Ò
Women’s Brain Health Initiative is a foundation that wants to improve people’s understanding of how a woman’s brain ages differently than those of men. –DR. LISA AIRAN
Ó
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Lorenzo Martone and Cory Bond
Lindsay Ellingson
Marisa Berenson
Fern Mallis, Jennifer Creel, and Kim Heirston Evans
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK MCMULLAN. OPPOSITE PAGE: ANNA DEMIDOVA AND SHOKO TAKAYASU/SHOKO PHOTOGRAPHY (LUXURY EDUCATION FOUNDATION); MADISON MCGAW/BFANYC.COM (NEW MUSEUM)
CELEBRITY DERMATOLOGIST,
Kia Lowe, Gilles Mendel, and Neva Alsheik
Thomas Serrano, Robert Chavez, Luca Voarino, Ketty Pucci-Sisti Maisonrouge, Glenn Hubbard, Marla Sabo, Henri Barguirdjian, Jessica Corr, Maz Zouhairi, and Fabio Leoncini
LUXURY EDUCATION FOUNDATION ON MARCH 23, the Luxury Education Foundation celebrated 10 years
of providing innovative educational programs in collaboration with Columbia Business School and Parsons The New School for Design. CEOs from LEF member brands like Uwe Ellinghaus of Cadillac, Mercedes Abramo of Cartier, and Pamela Baxter of Dior were among the many distinguished guests who enjoyed a preview of 10 new projects from students in the program’s master class, a course co-taught by Ketty Maisonrouge, LEF president and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School. Kay Unger and Joel Towers
Barbara Cirkva
Guglielmo Melegari, Simon Collins, and Christophe de Pous
NEW MUSEUM TRIENNIAL PARTY THE NEW MUSEUM fêted the Analisa Teachworth, Slava, Juliana Huxtable, Antwan Duncan, and Luke Knanishu
Malcolm Carfrae and John Wattiker
Helena Glazer, Justin Livingston, and Bryanboy
2015 Triennial artists with an exclusive viewing and party in the museum’s breathtaking Sky Room, presented by Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren. Models Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid, fashion bloggers Helena Glazer and Bryanboy, and artists Juliana Huxtable, Julia Collier, and Christopher Williams enjoyed a performance by Us the Duo and an immersive installation consisting of a sensoractivated LED wall that mirrored the movements of attendees.
A performance by Michael and Carissa Alvarado of the band Us the Duo.
Georgia Fowler
Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid
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INVITED // style spotlight //
BEJEWELED GUESTS SHOWED SUPPORT FOR DAVID YURMAN, THE EVENING’S SPONSOR, BY DONNING PIECES FROM HIS LATEST COLLECTIONS.
Mark Guiducci, Tracy Dubb, Nell Diamond, Kyle Hotchkiss Carone, Molly Howard, and Bee Shaffer
GUGGENHEIM’S YOUNG COLLECTORS THE 2015 GALA, presented by David Yurman, drew a who’s who of Manhattan young society and top names from the worlds of fashion and art—among them, Prabal Gurung, Pari Ehsan, Rashid Johnson, Nell Diamond, and Roberto Cavalli’s recently appointed creative director, Peter Dundas. Guests enjoyed sounds by DJ Afrika Bambaataa, specialty cocktails by DeLeón Tequila, and photo ops against a bright flowerstudded wall that lined the museum’s iconic rotunda.
Sarah Arison wears the Willow open 10-row bracelet (INSET, $8,400).
Peter Dundas, Dree Hemingway, and Evangelo Bousis
Cameron Silver dons the pavé signet ring (INSET) and the Chevron ID bracelet ($4,500 each).
Evan and Ku-Ling Yurman
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Anne Huntington sports the Renaissance bracelet with cognac diamonds (INSET, $13,500), the Albion ring with morganite diamonds ($3,350), and Albion earrings ($3,300). Rashid Johnson
Steve Gold
Dylan Brant and Alexandra Economou
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTEO PRANDONI/BFANYC.COM
Kevin Beasley, Nancy Spector, and Brendan Gerard
Twenty years ago, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. She had very few places to turn, and lost a difficult struggle.
And yet, more than 30% of all lung cancer patients still don’t know about the therapies, specialists, and clinical trials available to them.
Today, we are on the brink of real breakthroughs in lung cancer research and there are significantly improved treatment options.
Lung cancer is a formidable foe, but we are finding new ways to fight it. Please visit SU2C.org/LungCancer for questions to ask your health care professional and to learn about options that may be right for you.
Photo Credit: Kevin Lynch
Tony Goldwyn Stand Up To Cancer Ambassador
SU2C.org/LungCancer
Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
MY MOM DIDN’T HAVE MANY OPTIONS. TODAY’S LUNG CANCER PATIENTS DO.
TasTe This Issue: Power Plates “I like to cook with one foot in the present and the other in the future,” says Executive Chef Shea Galante about the cuisine at Chevalier. Shown here, the roasted beets salad with fromage.
having a CRYSTaL BaLL
Charles Masson envisioned a new type of restaurant for the City’s stalwart ladies who lunCh and their business Counterparts when he opened Chevalier at the baCCarat hotel.
By Gary Walther photoGraphy By evan sunG
Manhattan’s ladies who lunch (and their corporate counterparts) may soon have a new clubhouse, the just-opened Chevalier on the ground floor of the Baccarat Hotel, opposite MoMA. The lure won’t be the triple-height dining room designed by Stephen Sills, or the modern French menu created by Executive Chef Shea Galante, who garnered rave reviews at Ciano and Cru, although they are sure to win notice. Manhattan’s grande dames will show up because the man running the room is Charles Masson, the debonair, blue-suited, on-cat’s-feet equerry, who until March 2014 presided over their current clubhouse, La Grenouille. (Masson resigned abruptly last year, over a weekend in
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fact, the explosive culmination of a long-simmering dispute with his mother and brother about the restaurant’s management.) Masson has his eye on his former clientele not out of spite, but out of conviction. “Anyone who pretends that these women are an insignificant part of the business doesn’t understand the business,” he says. But he’s also quite clear that neither they nor his former clientele will find Chevalier a remake of La Grenouille—they probably won’t even find their favorite waiter, because upon leaving La Grenouille, Masson appealed to the staff to stay put. “This is a beautiful house that we built together,” he told them. “You must stay here.”
AlliAnce frAnçAise Drinks from both sides of the Atlantic.
inset: Charles Masson and Executive Chef Shea Galante. left: Corpse Reviver cocktail served in Baccarat crystal. above: Braised duck tortellini.
“It WOuLD BE SILLy tO AttEMpt tO CLONE LA GRENOuILLE.” — charles masson “It would be silly to attempt to clone La Grenouille,” he says, “La Grenouille is one-of-a-kind.” At Chevalier, Masson has a lot to work with. The double-height entrances to the right and left of the bar are hung with thick curtains, half-drawn, which make you feel as if you’re stepping onstage. The room itself is imposing and yet tranquil, a Sills hallmark. There’s no gilt, but there’s crystal on the table (and plenty of it in Chevalier’s bar), appropriate since the restaurant is named for Baccarat’s longtime creative director, Georges Chevalier. The only swoosh of color in the subtle palette of white, ivory, taupe, and cocoa is a wide column of ruby-red resin that forms the front wall of the room. The other walls are partially clothed in columns of rectangular, glazed
antique-glass mirrors. Of course, there are gorgeous sprays of flowers, another Masson hallmark, and they are more restrained than the floral fecundity at La Grenouille. Chevalier is grand, with a small, sexy vibe, like a muted trumpet, and yet the scale gives the room gravity. That sense of the past whipped into a contemporary style is reflected in Galante’s menu. “I like to cook with one foot in the present and the other in the future,” is how he characterizes his approach. That means the menu is grounded in classic French cuisine, but not bound by it—and in some respects, it is not geared at all to women who “lunch.” For example, there’s the baguette with a delectable spread of whipped pork fat garnished with rosemary, served right after you sit down. Chevalier accommodates
the big spender—with caviar service and a high tier of shellfish—as well as the gourmet artisanal: The charcuterie is made in-house, as is the dough for the tortellini. But that dish is far from traditional, since it lacks the traditional tortellini ring shape—it should be called cappelletti—and it has a filling fit for a billionaire: braised duck, truffles, and leeks. But the rapporto, as the Italians say, is perfetto: The pasta and filling melt away in a slow duet, with a note of balsamic vinegar. There are French classics deluxed, such as the French onion soup topped with caramelized Gruyère croutons garnished with a truffle soubise, and crème caramel with passion fruit yogurt mousse and almond nougatine. There are also dishes nicely reined in, such as the beautifully roasted beets with baby carrots, goat cheese, and
radishes, all splashed with a pistachio vinaigrette. Two other such standouts are the single, muscular, succulent diver scallop in a deeply mushroomy sauce, and the turbot à l’orange. The name is a formality, as the citrus tang is delivered by a pavé of kumquat or other seasonal fruit. For Masson, the challenge is to adapt to doing a restaurant in a corporate context. As director of Chevalier, he has put his definitive stamp on the dining room. Those ivorywhite settees beneath the floral sprays? “It’s funny you should ask about them,” he says, explaining that the restaurant ran out of the nubby (like a Chanel suit) chair upholstery fabric, at which point he insisted that the pieces go in as they were. They are the room’s exclamation points. He also persuaded the powers-that-be to jettison the
Chevalier’s cocktail list is a step back in time with a distinct French accent— Sazerac, Boulevardier, and French 75 (named for a World War I French artillery piece)—but tips its hat to this side of the Atlantic with the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Vieux Carré, a play on the Manhattan that was invented in New Orleans and should come with a warning label. Even better is the Corpse Reviver (gin, cointreau, Lillet Blonde, and absinthe), another 1920s drink whose name comes from the fact that it was created to revive you in the morning.
banquettes as, he says, “They were too rigid. I simplified the dining room.” In effect, Masson is offering his clientele his honed French restaurateur ace of spades: Make guests feel that they are at home, not design victims. 20 W. 53rd St., (212) 790-8800; baccarathotels.com/baccaratnew-york/dining/chevalier G
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taste Cheers!
Certified soMMelier arnold
laura williamson
New York State of Wine
female sommeliers give a shout-out to local vintages and tell why the city has been so good to their careers. by eve zibart
pascaline lepeltier
marika vida-arnold
jessica certo
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New York’s share of female sommeliers and wine directors is unequaled. Marika VidaArnold, wine director at The Ritz-Carlton Central Park, estimates that the number of women working as sommeliers in New York has at least doubled since 2008 and may constitute 40 percent of the field. While there are only 30 female master sommeliers in the world, three of them are in New York City, each of whose interviews follows. With those sterling numbers in mind, we asked the city’s top women somms to muse on why New York has been so good for their careers, and then—keeping in mind the city and state where they have flourished— to give a shout-out to their favorite local vintages.
Master soMMelier laura WilliaMson
current position: Wine and beverage director, The Ritz-Carlton (50 Central Park South, 212-308-9100); owner of the consultancy Vida et Fils. backstory: Worked as a market director at Alden Cellars for Sotheby’s wine auctions, as cellar manager at Morrell & Company, and as sommelier for BLT Market. “I cut my teeth on Bordeaux and Burgundy, and they’re still my passion.” on women and wine: VidaArnold says women who are established in other fields, such as finance or law, turning their passion for wine into a profession. Women are also entering the business 15 years earlier than they used to, she says. “Young women don’t want to be servers; they want to be sommeliers.” local favorites: “Hermann J. Wiemer is the king of Rieslings. Bedell is one of the very few [producers] who knows how to handle Cabernet Franc so it doesn’t taste green.”
current position:
Corporate beverage director, JeanGeorges Restaurants. backstory: Studied under two master sommeliers in Boulder, Colorado: Wayne Belding and Sally Mohr. Her specialty is German wines. on women and wine: “Many [guests] will tell you that women sommeliers have an easier disposition” and can recommend wine regions “where eclectic styles create a more unique experience.” local favorites: “Quality has never been higher for New York wines, specifically the North Fork of Long Island. The 2014 Paumanok Chenin Blanc is succulent, juicy, and lacking heaviness. The 2007 Shinn Estate Grace is a formidable
Master soMMelier PasCaline lePeltier
current position: Beverage director, Rouge Tomate (126-128 W. 18th St., 646-237-8977). backstory: Earned a master’s degree in philosophy before becoming an assistant sommelier at L’Auberge Bretonne in Brittany. An advocate for sustainable and biodynamic winemaking, her specialty is the Loire Valley. on women and wine: “There is an open-mindedness in this city that is quite unique, probably linked to the fact that it is so international and financially very dynamic. Maybe other criteria matter more here, like performance or
ambition, network or talent. And strong women in other fields paved the way.” local favorites: Bloomer Creek, Eminence Road, Element Winery, Bellwether, the sustainability pioneer Hermann J. Wiemer, and Ravines. From Long Island: Macari, Channing Daughters, Shinn, and Bedell. “And of course the ever-pushing-thelimit Red Hook Winery!” Master soMMelier laura ManieC
current position: Owner, Corkbuzz (13 E. 13th St., 646-873-6071). backstory: A sommelier at Blue Fin at age 21; at 25 she was wine and spirits director for the entire 20-brand BR Guest restaurant group. In 2009, Maniec became the youngest master sommelier in the world. on women and wine: “We all want to take care of each other and help the next generation.” local favorites: Lieb Cellars, Paumanok, Hermann J. Wiemer, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Channing Daughters Winery.
Certified soMMelier JessiCa Certo
current position: Head sommelier (of a four-woman team) at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House (1221 Sixth Ave., 212-575-5129). backstory: Started as a server and worked her way up. A “huge Riesling fan,” she specializes in California Cabernets and “under-the-radar” boutique wines. on women and wine: “Women are making amazing strides—winemakers, vineyard owners, CEOs, importers, beverage directors, educators, and sommeliers alike. The challenge continues to be shedding light on those achievements.” local favorites: Red Hook’s “Black and Blue” 50/50 Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and Macari Vineyards Chardonnay. G
photography by ElEna ElissEEva (winE); tom spitz (williamson); Doug young (viDa-arnolD); stEphaniE DE rougE (CErto)
blend of their best Cabernet Franc and Merlot, [and] with a few years in the bottle, is now showing how exotically North Fork wines can blossom.”
Well chosen: “Quality for New York wines has never been higher,” says Master Sommelier Laura Williamson.
TasTe Cuiscene Emma Bengtsson (inset has made Aquavit a restaurant with modern takes on traditional Nordic fare, like gravlax with sea urchin and blackberries (shown here).
below)
Nordic Track
Emma Bengtsson is the calm at the center of a culinary whirlwind. Barely six months after being promoted from pastry chef to executive chef at Aquavit, she became the second woman in America (and the only one in New York) to run a two-star Michelin-rated restaurant. She has gone from overseeing three cooks to as many as 20, and the ratings upgrade produced an immediate spike in business (and publicity, which she’s still getting used to). And yet, despite the clamor, and the effort required to turn out intricate multicourse meals, she is noticeably quiet, and so is her kitchen. “I don’t like yelling or bad words,” she says, describing the real-life Hell’s Kitchen experiences she’s had over the course of her career. The news of the second Michelin star was doubly surprising, because until last spring, Bengtsson had worked solely as a pastry chef, spending five years at Sweden’s only two-star restaurant and another five at a one-star kitchen. Raised in a small rural town on the Swedish coast, “I knew from about 6 or 7 that there wasn’t anything else I wanted to do,” she explains. Bengtsson enrolled in culinary school in Stockholm when she was 15, wanting to cook rather than bake, but was steered toward pastry, which she found “a little more detailed; it gives you more time to think about how things are made.” Coming from a country where salt and vinegar are more prominent than sugar, she developed a savory slant on desserts. Her talents were soon recognized well beyond Scandinavia: In 2010 she was hired to overhaul Aquavit’s pastry and bread programs. Struck by her
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attitude, dedication, and “meticulous execution,” owner Hakan Swahn urged her last year to take over the whole kitchen. She initially declined. “I’m happier in the background,” she says. While Bengtsson often uses traditional Nordic cooking methods—braising, smoking, and pickling—and classic recipes as a springboard, she recasts wellknown dishes by applying modern techniques and textural pairings to their preparation, including some molecular flourishes such as freeze-dried powdered lardo and dehydrated beets. What is modestly listed as “sweetbreads with birch syrup” includes apples, sauerkraut compote, candied walnuts, and blue cheese foam. She serves her squab with the feet on. A slice of gravlax dotted with sea urchin and blackberries arrives atop a coffee tuile. Acquavit’s menu is now entirely her creation. Most intriguingly, she has an almost synesthetic creative process. She says a dish of venison with juniper and tea-smoked vanilla was inspired by the forests of her childhood. A black currant and passion fruit dessert with cassis meringue and violets came about because she saw a “vibrant” purple dress. Her presentations are visually arresting—but they’re more in the spirit of the restaurant’s Frida Kahlo painting than its minimalist décor. For now, Bengtsson is focused on turning what might be a bookings bump into a regular clientele. She still isn’t interested in “being head chef of a really big restaurant,” but someday, she’d like to have her own place. A small one in the country. With a quiet kitchen. 65 E. 55th St., 212-307-7311; aquavit.org G
photography by Signe birck (gravlax); paul briSSman (bengtSSon)
New York’s oNlY two-MicheliN-star feMale chef, Emma BEngtsson, leverages her receNt accolade to attract a New clieNtele for aquavit aNd to showcase her ModerN take oN scaNdiNaviaN cookiNg. By EvE ZiBart
THE FIGHTING IN HELMAND PROVINCE KILLED BRANDON LADNER HERE.
It may not look like a war zone, but more veterans will die at home today than in our combat missions abroad. Brandon made it home. Then ended his life in his living room. 22 vets are lost to suicide each day. Be the backup they need. Enlist at Mission22.com.
taste Dining News Santina’s broccoli and pecorino rice. right: Dirt Candy’s new 60-seat space on the Lower East Side.
From AlsAtiAn-inFlected French to coAstAl itAliAn, debut restAurAnts hAve new FlAvors For every pAlAte this spring. by juliet izon BeauBouRg why go:
Located inside the brand-new French market Le District, Beaubourg is the Euro spot that downtown dwellers have been hankering for. signature dish: The classic frog-legs fricassée, served with spring vegetables, Alsatian spaetzle, and persillade sauce. what to drink: La Belle Noiseuse, named after a Jacques Rivette film, is made with Calvados, Noilly Prat amber vermouth, orange bitters, and a dash of Rivesaltes. 225 Liberty St., 212-9818589; ledistrict.com
favorite from its original 18-seat space in the East Village to a sunny 60-seat space on the LES. It’s also one of only four restaurants in NYC to eliminate tipping completely; the staff are paid “living wages” instead. signature dish: Brussels sprout tacos served with such toppings as smoked avocado, tortilla strips, and jalapeños. what to drink: Small-batch wines, like the smoky Vadiaperti Coda di Volpe 2012. 86 Allen St., 212-228-7732; dirtcandynyc.com gaBRiel ReutheR
DiRt CanDy why the buzz:
Chef Amanda Cohen moved this vegetarian
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who’s cooking:
James Beard Award–winning chef Gabriel Kreuther, who
manned the kitchen at The Modern until early last year. the cuisine: The menu is French-influenced, mixing Kreuther’s Alsatian upbringing with his innovative cooking style. the space: The restaurant was designed by the venerated architectural firm Glen & Company and features vintage wooden beams that recall traditional Alsatian houses. 41 W. 42nd St., no phone yet; gknyc.com guenteR seegeR ny
who’s cooking: Chef Guenter Seeger, who made his reputation in Atlanta with the Relais & Châteaux spot Seeger. the cuisine: Seeger is known for his farm-to-table fare, meaning the menu
santina
why go: It’s the latest project from Major Food Group (of Carbone and Dirty French fame), so why wouldn’t you stop by? the cuisine: Chef de cuisine Dan Haar is whipping up coastal Italian fare, like the already-legendary Chitarra Santina, a pasta made with the unusual combination of merguez sausage and mussels. what to drink: Tropical cocktails are perfect for warming temperatures; try the Bello, made with rum, pomelo, and pepper jam. 820 Washington St., 212-2543000; santinanyc.com
RistoRante sessanta
who owns it: This Soho spot
is a joint venture of the Mercer Street Hospitality
team (Lure Fishbar, B&B Winepub) and Jason Pomeranc, a cofounder of Sixty Hotels. who’s cooking: Chef Jordan Frosolone, previously at Hearth and the former culinary director at Momofuku, will be cooking coastal Italian dishes, like grilled swordfish with artichokes, currants, and smoked pork shoulder. what to drink: Sicilian wines are in abundance here, as are Italian apéritifs. 60 Thompson St., 212-4310400; sixtyhotels.com/soho whitney museum
who’s cooking: Celebrated chef Michael Anthony oversees this spot in the new Whitney Museum while he continues to cook at Gramercy Tavern. the cuisine: Seasonally driven American fare that’s also beautifully presented, with Anthony’s modernist plating inspired by the simple but bold shape of the Renzo Piano–designed Whitney building. the crowd: Galleristas plus serious foodies: Anthony has quite the fan base. 99 Gansevoort St., no phone yet; untitledatthewhitney.com G
photography by Daniel Krieger (santina); evan sung (Dirt CanDy)
Fresh Takes
here will change daily depending on the availability of seasonal produce and local fish and meat. the clientele: Expect the downtown power crowd to frequent this Meatpacking spot and angle for a seat at the reserved table, called “Chef’s Friends.” 641 Hudson St., no phone yet; guenterseegerny.com
HILARIOUS!”–TIME OUT NEW YORK Y ABSURD!”–VARIETY
®
ODAY WEEKLY WEEKLY TIMES –AP EVERY TURN!”–NPR –NY1 HHHHH –THE EXAMINER HILARIOUS!”–TIME OUT NEW YORK ARIETY GINATIVE! –USA TODAY SEE!”–ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
HILARIOUS!
ILLUSTRATION BY LOU BEACH.
“ AGentlemansGuideBroadway.com |
212-239-6200
”
Walter Kerr Theatre • 219 West 48th Street
TasTe spotlight
East End LocavorE comEs to tribEca.
Fresh oysters and sustainably sourced seafood are among the offerings at Almond.
Almond, the buzzy new restaurant on Franklin Street (with outposts in Bridgehampton as well as on 22nd Street) brings Hampton flavors to its summer menu, so you can enjoy East End locavore dishes even if you can’t flee the city during the week. Executive Chef Jason Weiner buys his striped bass (served roasted with marinated heirloom tomatoes, basil oil, and grilled bread crumbs) from Dock to Dish, a sustainable seafood purveyor in Montauk, and sources corn from Pike Farms in Sagaponack, then serves it on the cob, grilled and dressed up with shaved truffles. Amagansett’s Amber Wave Farm supplies the Easter egg radishes and Hakurei Japanese turnips for the grilled duck breast (which comes from Aquebogue’s Crescent Duck Farm). 186 Franklin St., 212-4310606; almondnyc.com G
night watch
dRinKs wiTh a viEw SixtyFive, a cocktail lounge located adjacent to the Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center, opened in October 2014, offering a menu of swanky iconic cocktails, like the Negroni and Manhattan, along with such new mixes as a “Rhythm &…,” a saketini mixed with Junmai sake, house-made blueberry syrup, and lavender bitters. There’s a new light bites menu, too, and, of course, those incomparable views. Open Monday to Friday; 5 pm to midnight. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-632-5065; rainbowroom.com/sixtyfive.com
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summer sips
GREEK TYPE Sommelier Arnaud Tronche, who is also co-owner of Racines NY, the popular and well-reviewed neo-bistro on Chambers Street (where city wine directors have been spotted checking out the innovative wine list) wants Manhattan oenophiles to move beyond favorite summer sips like rosé when the weather turns warm. Tronche sees Greek wines trending up and is adding such labels as Hatzidakis, Assyrtiko, and Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment to the list at the restaurant this summer. 94 Chambers St., 212-227-3400; racinesny.com
CHIC
EATS
// power dining //
ITALIAN TWISTS A Voce Columbus has one of the most enviable locations in Manhattan. Not only does the nouveau Italian restaurant overlook Central Park and Columbus Circle, but it sits snugly between the city’s ultimate power condos, 15 Central Park West and One57. To cater to all the high-profle wining and dining that comes when you’re a glittery stone’s throw from billionaire’s row, this hot spot in the Time Warner Center (it shares a foor with Landmarc) has brought in a new executive chef, Riccardo Bilotta, whose mission is to engage some of the most sophisticated Italophiles in town. He’s reimagined the menu with such delectables as “Burratina,” an antipasto with beluga lentils and truffes; risotto with Maine lobster and brandy; and “Persico,” striped bass with poached celery, Brussels sprouts, fregola, and citrus cremosa. The platings are Instagram-worthy. Beverage Director Olivier Flosse oversees an exceptional wine list, strong on Italian labels with vintages ranging from the Veneto to Sicily. Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Fl., 212-8232523; avocerestaurant.com from top:
“Ippoglosso,” halibut with seafood casserole, borlotti beans, and cauliflower; Executive Chef Ricardo Bilotta.
photography by Shaiith (oySterS); evan JoSeph imageS (Sixtyfive); Sergio paSqual (wine); evan Sung (a voce food, bilottat)
Hampton Flavors
AND
GALA 2015
PRESENT
taste On the town Cecile Bonnefond and Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan sip PiperHeidsieck Rare Millésimé 2002. right, from top: Scallops with chestnut and truffle espuma; a bottle of Rare chills by the table.
pied piper what:
A decadent lunch of French food and Champagne tastings where:
Ladurée, 398 West Broadway, 646-3927868; laduree.com
Tête-à-Tête
CeCile Bonnefond, one of the most prominent women in the Champagne industry, sits down with wine expert Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan to talk vintages, varietals, and female advanCement in a field long run by men. by jennifer demeritt photography by doug young “A day without Champagne is a lost day,” says Cecile Bonnefond, CEO of Piper- Heidsieck Champagne, one of the few Champagne houses currently run by a woman. Bonnefond has long been a pioneer in the field—prior to joining Piper-Heidsieck, she was president of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin for nine years, although she likes to point out that women have always had important roles in the Champagne world. She proved her point over lunch with Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, one of just four women in the US to be recognized with the elite certification Master of Wine. At the French restaurant and bakery Ladurée in Soho, they chatted about drinking customs in France and the US, the art of blending cuvées, and the women behind some of the most famous Champagne houses in history.
80 gotham-magazine.com
[The waiter pours Piper-Heidsieck Brut] Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan: Why did you choose Ladurée for lunch? Cecile Bonnefond: Everything here in Ladurée is very Marie Antoinette. Piper-Heidsieck is one of the few Champagne houses that date from before the French Revolution, and it was brought to Marie Antoinette at Versailles. Ladurée is today one of the most successful French pastry companies, and we are associated with them everywhere in the world. [The next pour is Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage] JSB: I love the Rosé Sauvage because of the concentration, the depth you get from it. It’s also a very gorgeous color pink. When it goes through a room, people kind of go, “Oh, wow!” CB: It’s not a rosé that is benign. It is a rosé that is ooh. [The waiter then pours Rare Millésimé 2002]
JSB: Remind me again about the 2002 vintage. It’s a bit richer than the 2004? CB: Yes. It’s very generous, very exuberant. JSB: But it still has that nice round acidity. I like the fact we have the Rare in wine glasses. It’s more akin to tasting like a white Burgundy than a Champagne. [They raise their glasses in a toast] JSB: Do you remember the first time we spoke? CB: A long time ago. JSB: I received a card from you after I passed the Master of Wine exam. You were the first person in the industry to recognize me as a Master of Wine. It spoke to me about women in the industry. There aren’t that many women executives. CB: No, and frankly in the wine industry, a lot of ladies in those companies were the daughters of, the wives of. In Champagne, the well-known
women were all widows. JSB: They did it because they had to. CB: And because they chose to, but after drama. Madame Clicquot—widow when she was 27. Madame Bollinger—widow. Madame Perrier from Laurent-Perrier—widow. That’s a pretty sad way of becoming the boss. In France, until the start of the 20th century, a woman could not have access to a bank account. You could not pay suppliers or employees because having anything to do with money as a woman was really, the kind of woman you didn’t want to be, except if you were in charge of your children. JSB: So you were either a prostitute or you were a widow; no in between. CB: Exactly. When you put widow on the label—“veuve” means widow—that meant, “I’m in charge of my children, so I can deal with money.” I always wondered why, when you’re in the happiness business, would you say widow? [Appetizers are served: mimosa egg with tourteau crab for Cecile, and smoked salmon with Carolina lemon cream for Jennifer] JSB: I like the Rare better than the Brut with the cream. Without the cream, I actually prefer the Brut. It’s the freshness and fruitiness—the Brut is richer, it’s weightier. CB: The Pinot gives it the structure that you like with salmon. The crab is really interesting here with the eggs and with the way it’s—not Benedict, but with hollandaise. It is really complementing the fizzy side of the Champagne. JSB: I think in this country, it’s not a true celebra-
tion unless you’re celebrating with Champagne. CB: That’s where we get the motto for our company: Let life be grand. France today still accounts for half the consumption of Champagne in the world. The average consumption of Champagne per person in France, including kids and old people, is three bottles a year. JSB: In this country, it’s only half a liter—less than one bottle per year. That means we’re generally only drinking it on New Year’s. CB: In France we have Champagne every time we can. JSB: Every day is a celebration. [Main courses are served: pan-fried scallops with Jerusalem artichokes, chestnuts, and truffle espuma for Cecile; organic chicken breast “vol-au-vent” with wild mushrooms and cream sauce for Jennifer] CB: Vol-au-vent means to fly in the wind. Vol-au-vent, that pastry there, the fact that it’s puffy means there is air in it, and therefore, it’s like [being able to] vol-au-vent. JSB: This is so beautiful. Wow. You’re going to have to taste this. A bit of the pastry with the mushroom actually brings out the raspberry in the Rosé Sauvage. clockwise from right:
An appetizer of mimosa egg with tourteau crab; Cecile Bonnefond and Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan take home treats from Ladurée; a display of the bakery’s famous desserts.
“the art of champagne is about the art of blending. that’s what having different cuvées allows us to do.” — cecile bonnefond
CB: And the scallops with mine. JSB: And I like the minerality that you get from it. CB: Because most of our red wines come from the Aube, near the Burgundy region, they have that structure. La Chasse is the largest cru, or village, that we have in Champagne. We have almost 30 hectacres there. That really gives us a presence. JSB: What do you think is the benefit of owning or not owning some of your own vineyards? CB: The benefit is that you understand the life of the vineyard better. The benefit of not owning 100 percent of your vineyards is that you can pick and choose what grapes you want for each Champagne. The fact that we can pick in 100 different villages gives us the ability to really blend parts of the Champagne’s DNA. JSB: So you get the best of both worlds? CB: Absolutely. JSB: Because there’s this thing about grower Champagnes. CB: Grower Champagnes are great in great years; but the art of Champagne is about the art of blending. That’s what having a lot of different cuvées allows you to do. JSB: People get confused between the Heidsiecks—Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck. I always loved the story that Piper, as part of Piper-Heidsieck, was kind of a schmoozer, the guy who married into the family. CB: Christian Heidsieck owned the company in the 1820s, and he hired Piper as what we would call today the sales guy, who became his partner. Then Christian Heidsieck died. A long time after, Piper married Heidsieck’s widow, and that’s how the hyphen came about. It’s funny to know that, behind the hyphen, there is a woman’s story. G
gotham-magazine.com
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“Eight shows a week— that’s going to be such a new experience,” says Renée Fleming of her role in Living on Love.
love,
actually
Opera legend Renée Fleming talks to her good friend Vera Wang about why she headed to the Great White Way, the challenges of her new diva role in Living on Love—and how she aced that Super Bowl gig. PhotograPhy by gail hadani Styling by anna KatSaniS
After countless standing ovations at opera houses around the world, singing for a hundred million people at the Super Bowl, crooning for President Obama at his inauguration and for Queen Elizabeth at her Diamond Jubilee, what’s left for an opera legend to do? Tackle Broadway! In a forthright chat with friend Vera Wang, Renée Fleming discusses the challenges of her divine diva role in Living on Love and why she chose to debut on Broadway in a nonmusical play, how she has juggled a high-profile career and family life in New York, and her neverending quest for artistic reinvention. Vera Wang: I feel so lucky to know you. You have been a heroine and an icon because you pretty much do it all. As somebody who has worked my whole life, probably since I was 19—it is a very hard thing to balance. I don’t just mean when you have children and family; it’s even hard to balance as a kid growing up—the discipline and the sacrifice [that comes with wanting to excel in a competitive field; Wang was a competitive ice skater]. I want to hear what it was like for you growing up. renée Fleming: Because my parents were music teachers and singers, I thought everybody sang. You get in the car or you go on a road trip, and you sing five-part harmony. VW: But they don’t sing like you. rF: I sounded like a buzzing insect until I was in my mid- to late 20s…. VW: I doubt it. rF: I had a wonderful childhood. There was also a tremendous amount of emphasis on developing a work ethic. We had horses, so for a girl, that was a huge thing, to care for and feed them. VW: You are the mother of two incredibly
successful young women. How do the enormous star power and quality of your life influence them? You are a superwoman in essence. rF: I think being a role model is really important. My mother worked hard, too; I learned from her and I was proud of her. She must have been one of the only mothers in my neighborhood who worked. I think my girls, by osmosis, have seen how dedicated and passionate I have been. And you have done this with your children, too. They learn by watching us. I haven’t been terribly demanding of them, but they see it anyway and absorb it. VW: It’s not easy to juggle everything you do—your schedule, travel, training, and rehearsals. It’s got to be hard to raise kids that way. I know for me it has been. rF: It’s very hard. We also have public lives, which is hard on our children. VW: I think that’s very important for other women to hear. For so many women—whether they are stay-at-home moms or career women, they always have that tug and pull with kids, to either pull ahead or pull away, as daughters and mothers do. With the kind of rigorous schedule you have had your whole career, and what you’ve had to do to perform at the level you perform at, to have such fabulous girls—it’s an amazing thing. rF: Well, the two of us have shared that. It’s very important, don’t you think, to have friends who can relate, who understand that pressure? Leontyne Price was a mentor, and she said point blank when I first met her, “No one can understand what you are going through except someone who has been there. That’s why I want to give you time and talk to you and tell you how to get through this phase in your career.” My jaw was on the floor. VW: She’s another amazing lady and artist. And
speaking of artists, I’m sure that every performance is different. The ability to summon that up is something I so admire. There are times I just don’t know if I’ll be able to do another collection, because I don’t know if I have it in me. But I’m not performing in front of… rF: You work under so much pressure, too…. VW: You have to sing up there for three and a half hours. I was wondering, between the athlete that you have to be, the control you need, and the artist that has to let go and perform and appeal to people, how do you balance that discipline with that freedom? rF: That’s a very hard question. You know, I do sometimes feel overwhelmed and have to say, Where are my reserves? Where is this energy going to come from? We are probably multitasking all day long, and then you go on stage and have to suddenly find this emotional reserve. A lot of it is about being a good soldier and saying to yourself, Now I have to do it, and just doing it. VW: Let’s bring up Living on Love. Has Broadway always interested you? rF: It hasn’t, but I’m a huge theater buff—straight theater rather than musicals. Being on Broadway, I would have assumed, meant being in a musical, and I knew I couldn’t sing eight shows a week. We are trained to sing unamplified in a huge hall; we are power singers, so we can really only sing every other day, every three days. People are always surprised when I say that. VW: Let me ask you about the storyline of the play. It’s a very interesting one about a real diva whose career is going downhill. It really isn’t your life, but how did you embrace this role? rF: It’s fun. She is totally narcissistic—the inner diva really comes out—but because she’s so funny and completely self-absorbed, you love her anyway. She is
opposite page :
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“Accolades never get old. Those of us who are hugely self-critical are always thinking things are not good enough and that you have to be better.” —Renée Fleming
Coat, Theory ($1,245). 40 Gansevoort St., 212-524-6790; theory.com. Gold liquid-crystal cluster wire earrings, Alexis Bittar ($225). 1100 Madison Ave., 212-249-3581; alexis bittar.com. Lia choker in 24k rose-gold-plated brass with lapis, mother-of-pearl, and onyx, Vita Fede ($1,090). Bergdorf Goodman, 212-7537300; vitafede.com. Two-finger color ring, Eddie Borgo ($125). Bergdorf Goodman, see above. Shirt and skirt, Fleming’s own beauté: Makeup Forever HD Foundation in #140 ($43), Aqua Lip Water Proof Lip Liner Pencil in 3C ($19). Sephora, 555 Broadway, 212-625-1309; sephora.com. Nars Blush in Orgasm ($30). Sephora, see above. Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Montaigne ($62). Sephora, see above. MAC Lipstick in Hug Me and Twig ($16 each). 148 Columbus Ave., 212-769-0725; maccosmetics.com. Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil in Medium Brown ($23). Sephora, see above. Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray ($32), Volumista Mist for Volume ($39), Rough Luxury Soft Molding Paste ($36). Mizu, 505 Park Ave., 212-688-6498; oribe.com. L’Oréal Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented Hairspray ($15). lorealparisusa.com
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worried whether her husband has been faithful, and the fact that she is seeing empty seats in the audience and there are younger artists, like Maria Callas, breathing down her neck. This takes place in the ’50s. VW: Are you similar to her in any way? Can you identify with her life on any level? RF: Oh sure, the vulnerability, the fragility, the fact that both of us have this bluster and bravado and ego, and yet, underneath it all, there is this child who is afraid that she is going to lose her audience and that people aren’t going to love her anymore. I think that’s universal. VW: In terms of your own career, how do you view this step? Is it something that may lead to acting? Because it’s interesting that you are not singing in this role. RF: It will be interesting to see. First of all, it’s eight shows a week for a month. That is going to be such a new experience. VW: Let’s talk about a few things—one you have done with me. The kind of audience you have performed in front of all your life reads like the top of the world. That would include singing the national anthem last year at the Super Bowl. RF: It was an absolute thrill. That was the one and only time an opera singer has sung the national anthem for the Super Bowl. I called you knowing full well that this was right before Fashion Week, and you came up with this unbelievable dress that’s now in the Smithsonian. VW: It really made me proud. We were combating weather in what you wore, designing something theatrical for you on that global stage, and worrying that there would be a blizzard. Your singing the national anthem made people realize the power and the level of training, voice, and dignity that opera is. RF: You know what’s interesting for me—I don’t know if you feel this way—but I have this need to keep things fresh. My inspiration, in a way, is Joni Mitchell, because she would do these albums that were different; she went to jazz, to rock, and she would completely reinvent herself. I loved it. I know she would complain that she lost audience who only wanted the same thing, but I’m an artistic person, and I recognized her search. You have to do that every time you do a show. When I see your shows, I always wonder how you keep coming up with new ideas. VW: Well, it’s very difficult; I can’t say it isn’t. Some seasons are better than others, but it’s an excruciating process! Bringing up some insane audiences that you have sung for—you have performed at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and also for President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. I just wonder: Do you feel extra pressure at these events? RF: I really love doing these events because it is so exciting to be a part of history. In a way, it’s much more satisfying than having to sing in front of a core opera audience that is super critical—I find that much harder. In our field, we are criticized in the
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paper every time we perform, but there is also the blogger world now…. VW: Same thing in fashion today. Anyone can write anything they want about you, whether they are qualified or not. RF: I think there is a tremendous misogyny towards women, especially with those of us who have public lives. One year, I saw two weeks of tabloid articles about Madonna’s hands. I just thought, What is this world we are living in? VW: Do you run into a lot of good and bad things about being high-profile in New York? RF: New York is no problem for me, unless I’m around Lincoln Center; people are so respectful and wonderful about what I do. You probably have a lot, though.
“The important thing in the arts is to be an individual, to fgure out how you are different from everyone else and to play on those strengths.” —Renée Fleming
VW: I had dinner with you once at Sant Ambroeus, and I remember a very big patron of The Met came over and bowed in front of you at the table [Laughs]. I believe it was Bruce Wasserstein, and he wasn’t a man to bow in front of anyone. So I was very impressed that night. RF: That’s not an every-evening event, I have to say. Maybe I should pay someone to follow me into restaurants and bow. That’s something Raquel, my character [in the play], would do. VW: With all the accolades you have received, does it ever get old? RF: Accolades never get old [Laughs]. It’s never enough, because those of us who are hugely self-critical, and I know you are as well, are always thinking things are not good enough and that you have to be better. It’s part of our nature to always be searching for something better, and no accolade from outside can change that. VW: Well, I’m going to ask you this last question—if you were to give advice to your 25-year-old self, what would it be? RF: I have to say that there are a few things I would have done differently: I would have gotten on top of my image quicker, I would have worked less, and I would have enjoyed my children more. I’m a devoted mother, but I still felt this drive.
VW: You are a devoted mother, I happen to know that, and a Harvard mom, too, like me. RF: Yes, but you look back and think, I didn’t have to take that engagement a month after my daughter was born. But at the time you think, Oh my gosh, it will all end if I don’t do that. But mostly, I would say right now that the important thing in the arts is to be an individual, to really figure out how you are different from everyone else and to play on those strengths. VW: I think that’s very true, to find your own individuality. Establishing that is probably the most challenging thing in any business for a younger generation and for their future. RF: I started out by copying people I loved, and that was a good thing. VW: We all do. I think Picasso did. RF: There is one other thing I would say that is important—I would have owned my own power at a younger age. I kept waiting for someone to guide me, to tell me what to do. I knew what to do, and I should have just said, “I’m in charge.” VW: But we are all that way. Don’t you think that’s a very female thing, sadly? R F: It certainly is for our generation, but perhaps it is period. VW: It takes a lot of courage to push the boundaries and to free ourselves more and more. When I think of superwomen, I think of women who have God-given talent and know how to respect that and fight the fight. Even if it takes a lot of loneliness and compromise, when I think of someone who has maintained their beauty, their dignity, their class, and their talent—and you are a mom and a wife— you are not just my friend, but someone I so admire. Gotham: Renée, tell us about the charities you are involved with and why you chose them. RF: Sing for Hope (singforhope.org) is a city-based charity [whose mission is to provide access to the arts to New Yorkers], which was founded in 2006 by Camille Zamora and Monica Yunus. This summer they will produce artistically painted pianos as part of The Sing for Hope Pianos initiative. And Polyphony Foundation (polyphonyfoundation.org), an Israel-based organization cofounded by an ArabIsraeli young man, Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar, who is [the artistic director and] a visionary. It’s a model that brings together Arab and Jewish children in Israel through music and the arts. It’s working and growing. We can take this and put it anywhere—in Europe, where Muslims and Christians are having issues. It’s such a brilliant model, because you are bringing children together through music. VW: It’s a wonderful idea; I think music cures all our souls. RF: When I’m in need, I play my favorite music; that’s what soothes me. Living on Love runs April 1 to August 2 at the Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200; livingonlovebroadway.com. G
Coat, Christian Siriano ($1,800). 252 Elizabeth St., 212-775-8494; christian siriano.com. Dress, Marina Rinaldi ($805). 13 E. 69 St., 212-734-4333; marinarinaldi.com. Ella earrings in 24k gold and silver-plated brass, Vita Fede ($540). Bergdorf Goodman, 212-212-7537300; vitafede.com Hair and makeup by Nancy McNamara Video by Vladimir Weinstein Shot on location at Trump Tower, 721 Fifth Avenue. The photography took place in a 2,200-square-foot apartment on the 39th floor with three bedrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. The home is fully furnished with a mix of contemporary and antique pieces. For information, contact Jason Karadus (646-998-7435) or Sofia Falleroni (646-300-6041), Town Residential, 25 W. 39th St.; townrealestate.com.
minimal standards
dramatic architectural silhouettes and neutral tones bring summer fashion to new heights. photography by renĂŠ & radka styling by martina nilsson
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Versace ($3,625). 647 Fifth Ave., 212-317-0224; versace.com. Charli pants, Diane von Furstenberg ($328). 874 Washington St., 646-486-4800; dvf.com. Ella earrings, Vita Fede ($540). Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com. Flats, Alexandre Birman ($545). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com beautĂŠ: Tom Ford Illuminating Primer ($74), Traceless Perfecting Foundation SPF15 ($80), Correcting Pen ($44), Eye Defining Pencil in Metallic Mink ($36), Eye Color Quad in Cocoa Mirage ($79), Shade & Illuminate ($77), Bronzing Powder ($95), Lip Color in Sable Smoke ($50). 845 Madison Ave., 212-359-0300; tomford.com. Bumble and Bumble Bb. Gel ($26). 146 East 56th St., 212-521-6500; bumbleandbumble.com
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WOMEN of I N FLU EN C E Meet the women changing the power dynamic in the city. shakers are redefining how business gets done in New York. By DIANE CLEHANE Photography by ERIC RYAN ANDERSON Styling by FAYE POWER
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Hair by Steven Lai at JoHn barrett SaLon. Makeup by Mauricio raMoS at JoHn barrett SaLon
Leveraging their positions and smarts, these movers and
Making an Impact DINA HABIB POWELL Dina Habib Powell serves as president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and is head of the firm’s impact investing business. In this role, her focus is on programs that bring together education, capital, and mentoring to create jobs, grow revenues, and improve communities. POWER VERSUS INFLUENCE:
Dress and earrings, Powell’s own
“Influence—because it suggests genuine buy-in and that people believe in the mission. In New York City [since 2001] we’ve committed close to $2 billion in 100 projects across all five boroughs in affordable housing, healthcare, community spaces, and job creation. One of the greatest ways to impact communities is through the private sector. These kinds of impact investing programs really make a difference.” WORLDLY WISE: “I was born in Cairo, Egypt, and my family immigrated to this country when I was young. I’ve been given a real gift to come to the United States. That is both an enormous gift and a responsibility.” BEST ADVICE: “Never be intimidated to have people better than you working for you. I’m truly fortunate to have an outstanding team. A leader can only do a couple of things—work hard to set a vision and a strategy—but having the best people is the smartest thing you can do.” GREATEST PERSONAL SUCCESS: “Having two daughters makes me very proud, and it’s very humbling as well.” POWER IN PARTNERSHIPS: “This may arguably be the greatest time for engagement. All of the work we do, we implement with partners. We believe that when people feel their partners are with them, they feel a sense of ownership, whether it’s academic institutions in China or Brazil or the local community nonprofits here in New York City like LaGuardia Community College, where we launched our 10,000 Small Businesses program, our global 10,000 Women initiative, or our advisory council.”
The Art of the Deal LYDIA FENET During her 15-year career at Christie’s, Lydia Fenet has gone from college intern to visionary within the company. She ushered in a new era at the venerable auction house when she created the Strategic Partnerships program, whose mission is to foster global partnerships with symbiotic luxury brands. As Christie’s highly visible benefit auctioneer, she is the face of the company to the outside world as well. Fenet has helped raised millions for some of the country’s top nonprofits, including the Clinton Foundation, amfAR, and the Joyful Heart Foundation. ON SUCCESS: “The reason I’ve been successful is because I take every opportunity and push it to be something else. When I put forth the idea for strategic partnerships, people thought: We trust her and she has the best interest of the company at heart and no one knows the Christie’s brand as well as the head of events.”
ON WHAT MA ES HER JOB UNIQUE:
“To have an entrepreneurial job within a traditional company that’s been around for almost 250 years is very exciting.” NEW YOR AND THE NEW CORPORATE ETHOS: “New York is the perfect canvas for the art world. People have a love of art and business, and we’re the perfect intersection of those two. For what I do, every company has some presence here and is either looking to enhance or collaborate with an auction house or some vehicle in the art world to make itself seem well-rounded.” ON OUTREACH: “In the world we live in I don’t think it’s okay to be in one silo anymore. Today, in the art world there has to be a corporate social responsibility element—that’s what we’re all charged with in business these days.” FEAR FACTOR: “My toughest challenge was launching strategic partnerships. It was a leap of faith. It was a point in my career when I very much knew what I was doing. I had a couple of thousand events under my belt. I was definitely scared when I first started. It kept me up at night in a good way. If you’re not scared, you not really trying, right?”
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Collection ($995). 654 Madison Ave., 212-292-9000; calvinklein.com. Siesta pants, Max Mara ($575). 813 Madison Ave., 212-879-6100; maxmara.com. 18k gold Albion diamond earrings, David Yurman ($1,100). 114 Prince St., 212-343-7918; davidyurman.com. Cape Cod Tonneau watch, Hermès ($4,050). 691 Madison Ave., 212-751-3181; hermes.com. Step sandals, Tamara Mellon ($795). Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com OPPOSITE PAGE: 18k yellow-gold
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Master Builder JANE GOL Jane Gol, president of Continental Ventures, is a rara avis in the real estate world—a female developer who has been shaping the city’s landscape for over 25 years. She is currently developing several hotly anticipated spaces, including luxury residences at 52 Wooster Street and Barn & Vine in Bridgehampton. A former commissioner on the New York City Planning Commission under Mayor Bloomberg, she helmed the transformational rezoning efforts that led to The High Line, Hudson Yards, and Downtown Brooklyn revitalization. POWER VERSUS INFLUENCE: “Power and influence are intertwined. Influence is needed in every aspect of real estate development. It involves convincing sellers, communities, lenders-—everyone who has impact on the project—to buy into one’s vision. It demands emotional flexibility, knowing when to be tough and when to be soft, what I would call a very high emotional IQ.” SELLING NEW YOR : “It is a great time to be in real estate in New York City. The field is burgeoning, and companies are looking for experienced and talented people.” BREA ING THROUGH BARRIERS: “New York real estate was known as a boys’ club and was predominantly based on generations of fathers to sons. Many developers started out in construction and related fields—industries that have historically attracted few women. Today we see fathers to daughters—many women have taken the helm of their family businesses.” THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGEMENT: “We live in an interconnected world where the possibility of success is closely tied to our ability to work with others, friends and adversaries alike. To take a strategic position and lead people to follow your vision, and to be a good listener, so that others can contribute, are very important in today’s professional landscape.” EMBRACING CHANGE: “New York City is constantly reinventing itself, and hence so does the development industry.”
Of Counsel RI I LIEMAN
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Max Mara ($895). 813 Madison Ave., 212-8796100; maxmara.com. Brass Hourglass cuff, Jennifer Fisher ($1,085). 103 Fifth Ave., 2nd Fl., 212-625-2380; jennifer fisherjewelry.com. Squared cuff, Miansai ($205). 33 Crosby St., 212-858-9710; miansai.com. Watch, Klieman’s own OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress, Yigal
Azrouël ($890). 1011 Madison Ave., 212-929-7525; yigal-azrouel.com. 18k gold Albion diamond earrings, David Yurman ($1,100). 114 Prince St., 212-343-7918; davidyurman.com. Large Viti tube cuff, Pluma ($402). Atrium, 644 Broadway, 212-473-9200; atrium nyc.com. Phoenix pumps, Paul Andrew ($895). Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com
A former prosecutor and criminal defense lawyer who has had a long career in television deciphering the law for mass audiences, Rikki Klieman, legal analyst for CBS News, is half of one of the city’s most visible power couples. She is equally passionate about her work as a legal analyst for CBS News as she is about her marriage to Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. ON HER CURRENT POSITION: “It is one of the best jobs—if not the best job—I’ve ever had because of the high level of discourse and getting to work with Norah O’Donnell, Gayle King, and Charlie Rose. My job isn’t to tell people what to think, but to tell them what to think about.” WEDDED BLISS: “I always have a longing for more Billy and Rikki time. He has a job that’s 24/7. I have never admired him more than I do in this position, walking the tightrope that he walks. He has a mission to bring police and community together. It’s not a job he had to take; he wanted this job. It’s made our marriage better and stronger.” STRENGTH IN NUMBERS: “It is critical to collaborate. You need stakeholders in any project aligned in a common purpose. My role as the first lady of the NYPD is also to work to help form strategic partnerships where the police and community can work together, which is precisely why I called the Police Athletic League and said I wanted to be on the board.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “How do we keep the [broadcast] medium relevant? We have no idea how much change there will be because of technology. We don’t want to be obsolete in the next five to 10 years.” STAYING COMPETITIVE: “As a middle-aged woman, I really have to take care of myself. If you’re in my industry, you must look good, and to deny that is foolish. I work out five days a week. I have a dermatologist and a plastic surgeon. I hope I’m still doing television in five years. That’s my goal.”
Facing the News SHIBA RUSSELL Emmy Award–winning journalist Shiba Russell coanchors NBC 4 New York’s noon and 5:30 PM weekday newscasts. She brings a broad range of reporting experience to her audience, having covered many of the region’s defining stories, from 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy to the Newtown tragedy. THE POWER OF INFLUENCE: “In journalism, there is power in information, power in the role of a free press in the way that journalism can effect change. I believe that with influence you have the potential to leave a legacy. There are so many little things you can do in a day that can affect someone’s character, development, or behavior in a positive way and perhaps be remembered for a long time because of it. TOUGHEST ASSIGNMENT: “Covering 9/11 and the funerals that followed. Covering the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School and trying to keep it together on the air. It was tough for this mother of a 10-yearold daughter to do. My tears finally took over on the 11 PM broadcast that night.” GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: “Winning an Emmy for a story that shined a spotlight on the problem of childhood hunger in the city through a feeding program that my daughter’s school supported, and anchoring and reporting in the number-one market—my home market.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE FUTURE:
“Keeping viewers engaged; getting the younger generation interested in the news. New York helps because this market is always on the forefront of new ideas and new ways of bringing viewers in. This is a proactive, not a reactive, market.” GIVING BAC : “I influence budding journalists as a mentor and by getting out in the community and working with several organizations such as the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the Harlem Educational Activities Fund.” ON WOR
-LIFE BALANCE IN THE CITY:
“I think it’s tough for women to achieve a work-life balance no matter where they live. You need to be vocal about the importance of family.”
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The Giver JEAN SHAFIROFF
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($2,690). 693 Fifth Ave., 212-355-5811; valentino.com. 18k gold Albion diamond earrings, David Yurman ($1,100). 114 Prince St., 212-343-7918; david yurman.com. Cape Cod watch, Hermès ($3,300). 691 Madison Ave., 212751-3181; hermes.com OPPOSITE PAGE: Harden dress,
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Philanthropist Jean Shafiroff is an active board member of several of the city’s top nonprofits, including The New York Women’s Foundation and Lighthouse International. Dedicated to giving back, Shafiroff, a highly visible fixture on the Manhattan charity circuit, has chaired many fundraising events, including this year’s gala for New York City Mission Society. GETTING INVOLVED: “I’m on eight different charity boards. The reason I’m on so many is because I think I can be useful to them. I’m not afraid to go on [the boards of] some of the smaller charities that need help. I like to be where my ideas will matter and I can have a bigger impact. That’s harder on very large boards.” CAUSES TO CELEBRATE: “I love The New York Women’s Foundation. It’s a crosscultural board seeking to empower women out of poverty that gives grants to women groups. I’m also very involved with New York City Mission Society. We are raising money for the city’s most underserved children.” FINANCIAL FINESSE: “I worked on Wall Street for three years, which has been invaluable for what I do. There is a social component, but this is very serious business. The experience and knowledge I’ve gained over the years has been very helpful and made the work a little easier, but raising money and organizing people is still a challenge. When the economy changes, we have to follow the lead. For example, if banking is hard hit but real estate is still doing well, I will focus on that area. You just have to be more creative.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “Rejection. When people say no. I’ve learned that a no today could be a yes tomorrow. It can be discouraging, but then something positive will happen.” GIFT OF GRATITUDE: “It’s never been easy for the middle class to live in New York. My father was a schoolteacher, and we had to move out of the city. I was raised in Hicksville on Long Island. I feel so blessed to be able to do this work—to have the time and resources to help. It offers so much to my life.”
The Beauty Factor CARMEN TAL In just six short years, Chilean-born Carmen Tal, cofounder of Moroccanoil, went from Montreal salon owner to helming her own multimillion-dollar beauty empire, a journey that started with a single product inspired by her experience in a Tel Aviv salon. Today, Moroccanoil Treatment is sold in more than 60 countries and is coveted by celebrities (including Reese Witherspoon and Naomi Watts) and stylistas everywhere. Moroccanoil’s recently released “Inspired by Women” ad campaign, whose short film, Inspired, was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, highlighted five women influencers empowering the underserved and needy around the world. JUST DO IT: “I went to school to learn English to become a translator and work in tourism. Because my [language] skills weren’t that good, I had to make a new career. I went into the fashion industry and learned management by being in the field. Sometimes when you see an opportunity, you just have to go for it and then make it happen.” RUNNING A BUSINESS FROM NEW
YOR : “You have everything you need here to succeed. You can find inspiration by simply walking down the street.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “When we founded the company, introducing Moroccanoil was tough. It was an oil treatment at a time when oil treatments were not recommended, but once the stylists tried it they were amazed.” THIN ING GLOBALLY: “Our [social media campaign] “Inspired by Women” features passionate and courageous women who work outside the beauty industry. It gave me an opportunity to see what drives them. Today you cannot just be about creating an amazing product; business is about making a contribution to the community and the world.” FACING THE FUTURE: “The possibilities are infinite in the next 10 years. There are new technologies, materials, and brands being introduced every day, which makes it an exciting time to work in the beauty industry.”
A Passion for Healing DR. EVA ANDERSSON-DUBIN Dr. Eva Andersson-Dubin learned firsthand how important integrated medicine and coordinated care are to patients dealing with breast cancer. After her own diagnosis in 2003, she and her husband, Glenn Dubin, cofounder of Highbridge Capital Management and principal of Dubin and Company, established the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai, a facility for women at risk of developing breast cancer and those undergoing treatment. POWER VERSUS INFLUENCE: “At the Dubin Breast Center we are trying to influence healthcare where the whole person is being cared for—psychological, dietary, genetic, cosmetic, and integrated medicine.” BIGGEST ADVANTAGE TO CITY:
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HAIR BY PATRICK FERRARA FOR JULIEN FAREL SALON & SPA (DUBIN)
WOR ING IN NEW YOR
“Exposure to brilliant people and their research. Most of the cuttingedge research today is focused on identifying actionable genetic targets specific to individual tumors, so that they can be treated with specificity and precision.” GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: “The Dubin Breast Center. It was a vision and a passion of mine. I had a hard time coordinating everything when I was diagnosed, and I’m a physician. I wanted to have everything a patient needs under one roof. Today the Center is thriving, with more than 80,000 patient visits since we opened four years ago.” MODELING TO MEDICINE: (AnderssonDubin’s first career was as a model; she was also a Miss Universe finalist.) “It was not an easy transition, as you can imagine. I had to reengage my brain in a very different way. But after six months at medical school, I felt back in my comfort zone.” PROGNOSIS FOR THE FUTURE: “The search for the cure is bigger than the Center. It’s not around the corner, but big things are happening. At the Center, we’re looking for more targeted therapy like seed localizing treatment for surgical patients and groundbreaking research in triple-negative breast cancer using avatars.”
Tech Maven RACHEL STERNE HAOT Having served as New York City’s chief digital officer under Mayor Bloomberg, Rachel Sterne Haot now heads up the state’s digital strategies by developing products and policy that are modernizing government and supporting New York’s fast-growing tech sector. ON WOR ING FOR THE STATE VERSUS
THE CITY: “We are spanning a much bigger geographic area and serving an even wider, more diverse public. [Working for Mayor Bloomberg] I learned a lot about effective management and the importance of data and measurement in decision making. The mayor would always reference the quote, ‘In God we trust, everyone else bring data.’ That’s been a helpful maxim to me.” THE TECH ECONOMY: “There is not only a thriving tech sector in and of itself in New York, but so many industries—from real estate to finance, fashion, and media—are all transforming, and we’re seeing tremendous growth as a result.” GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: “The birth of my son last year. Professionally it’s been the overhaul of the state’s website, which had not been updated for 15 years. We were able to do this in less than 10 months— a very streamlined timeline in a government context. Our mobile traffic has tripled and our overall traffic has more than doubled.” BIGGEST CHALLENGE: “We need to make sure our services are as accessible as possible because that’s the expectation now. You see it in the private sector. You certainly should see it in government.” BEST ADVICE: “Your career is not linear. It’s entirely possible the job you’ll have in the future hasn’t been invented yet.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Dress,
necklace, bracelets, and ring, Andersson-Dubin’s own THIS PAGE: Top, Bally ($695). 628 Madison Ave., 212-7519082; bally.com. Skirt, Donna Karan New York ($895). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com. Veronica five-row pointed cuff, Paige Novick ($370). Jennifer Miller Jewelry, 972 Lexington Ave., 212-734-8199; jennifermillerjewelry.com. BB pumps, Manolo Blahnik ($595). Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com
Hair by Jason Quinn at Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa Makeup by Elisa Flowers for Dior Beauty Shot on location at 322 East 57th Street. Thank you to Richard Steinberg of Warburg Realty.
Haute property New york real estate trends and News
Driving Directions
AnnAbelle Selldorf, the cool Modernist known for auto-friendly condo designs, revaMps 42 crosby, which will feature the city’s first Million-dollar parking spaces. by C. J. HugHes In the tiny club of women who work in the male-dominated profession of architecture, Annabelle Selldorf looms large. Since founding her firm in 1988, Selldorf has created a string of spare, clean-lined museums, galleries, and apartment buildings across Manhattan that may be small-scale and understated by current starchitect standards (she’s been nicknamed the “Queen of Stealth”), but are eye-catching all the same. Commenting on Selldorf’s signature New York building, 200 11th Avenue, a 19-story high-rise in West Chelsea, George Ranalli, the dean of City College’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, says,
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rendering by vuw studio, courtesy of selldorf architects. opposite page: david sundberg/esto, courtesy of selldorf architects (200 eleventh avenue); dean Kaufman, courtesy of selldorf architects (selldorf); familiar control llc, courtesy of selldorf architects (10 bond street)
The condos at 42 Crosby will range in price from $8.7 million to $10.5 million, or an average of $3,200 per square foot.
clockwise from inset below:
Annabelle Selldorf, who is also known for her museum and gallery designs; an open living room at 200 11th Avenue, one of Selldorf’s best-known buildings; the just completed 10 Bond Street.
“There’s a sense of balance and order To everyThing. she’s an exTraordinary TalenT.” —leonard steinberg “It’s very elegant, expressive, and a good addition to the skyline. It fits into the city.” Those are words that could well apply to many of Selldorf’s neatly composed Modernist structures. “She’s doing very well from my standpoint,” Ranalli adds. But despite all her design achievements, Selldorf in recent years has become well known for creating residences that minimize a chronic and frustrating city headache: where to park a car. Condos don’t get much auto-friendlier than 200 11th Avenue, as most owners have a garage on the same floor as their homes, just a few steps from their living rooms. (Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman like the tower; it’s considered photographer-proof as residents can drive right into the building.) And Selldorf’s newest project, 42 Crosby Street, a nineunit condo in Soho, may draw similar attention, not only for its sleek design, but also for squeezing 10 private spaces beneath the ground on a compact site in a restrictive landmark district. The prices of those spaces will likely turn heads: $1 million a pop. But don’t let those whiz-bang extras obscure the beauty of Selldorf’s work, say her fans. “There is nothing gimmicky about anything she does,” Leonard Steinberg, the president of real estate brokerage Urban Compass, and a longtime resident of 200 11th Avenue, explains. “There’s a
sense of balance and order to everything. She’s an extraordinary talent.” Developed by Atlas Capital Group, a nineyear-old real estate investment firm, 42 Crosby (at Broome) will occupy a corner site that once contained a gas station. On that property, Selldorf has fashioned a seven-story, glass-walled creation that will be a shimmering counterpoint to its castiron and redbrick block. Indeed, neighbors of the building, which sits in a historic district, initially rejected plans for it, leading to a drawn-out, two-year public approval process. In the end, the building will be a few stories shorter than initially proposed; the city also had to grant special permission for so many parking spaces. Sales will launch this fall. Project spokespeople have said that homes will cost between $8.7 million and $10.5 million, or as much as $3,200 a square foot, which would be in line with the area. In April, the 16 new condos listed in Soho averaged $3,600 per square foot, according to the website streeteasy.com. Price comparisons can be trickier for parking spaces—there aren’t that many for sale— though developers are increasingly adding this deluxe amenity to condos, particularly since many public garages and parking lots have been bulldozed in the last few years to make way for
apartments. Recently, Manhattan parking spaces in private garages have been selling for less than $200,000, analysts say, with few for more than $500,000, so 42 Crosby’s, which technically will be controlled on a 99-year lease and must be relinquished if someone moves, seem truly dear. For Selldorf, whose 65-employee office overlooks Union Square Park, in a building that housed one of Andy Warhol’s salonlike “Factory” spaces in the 1970s, the 42 Crosby commission comes during a relative flurry of activity. The designer, who hails from the same region in Germany as starchitect Mies van der Rohe, has just completed the soon-to-open 10 Bond Street, an 11-unit condo with a terra-cotta and steel façade in the Noho neighborhood. The coolly minimalistic Marta, a restaurant with dark floors and simple white columns that opened last fall in NoMad’s Martha Washington Hotel, is another of her projects. And Selldorf, an architect popular with the art crowd, whose previous credits include the interiors of the Neue Galerie New York museum as well as several West Chelsea art galleries, recently unveiled a second outpost of the David Zwirner Gallery on West 20th Street, a five-story, concrete-clad, eco-friendly project. “When you do too much, that’s relatively easy. It’s a little bit like eating cake,” Selldorf said during a lecture last fall at Harvard’s architecture school, about her less-is-often-more aesthetic. On the other hand, “if you do too little, then nothing happens,” she added. “It’s a vacuum, and it means nobody got excited about anything.” Her recent successes aside, Selldorf, might also want to celebrate her role breaking down gender boundaries, in architecture and beyond. “Women need to succeed in all fields because they can and because it is their right,” she said in an interview with the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. “They need to be championed until there is a more balanced society.” But in the end, she added, “While gender is a critical definer, it is just one of the many things that come together to make one an individual.” G
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haute property tall Stories
Power Women on the Move
Jessica chastain and Kathryn Bigelow scoop up Manhattan hoMes, while fashion stars taMara Mellon and delphine KraKoff sell their haute aBodes. by sally goldstein
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floors. The listing broker, Monica Novo of the Corcoran Group, declined to comment. Fashion powerhouse Tamara Mellon has put her Carnegie Hill duplex penthouse in the regal Carhart Mansion on the market. The asking price is $29.5 million, down from $34 million. The sprawling 7,140-squarefoot unit at 3 East 95th Street, which she bought for $21 million in 2008, comes with 5,290 square feet of terraces. The five-bedroom home also has four wood-burning fireplaces, a solarium, and a giant closet/dressing room with custom shoe racks for those obsessive enough to color-code their wardrobe and footwear. Interior designer Delphine Krakoff and her designer husband, Reed Krakoff, have just sold their $51 million townhouse. The buyer is Jeff Blau, the CEO of the Related Companies, and his wife, Lisa. The 30-foot-wide townhouse, at 113-115 East 70th Street, measures a whopping 18,000 square feet. Delphine spent millions on the interior design, we hear, sparing no expense on 18th-century European floorboards, French mantels, and hand-plastered walls. Other details include a dramatic curved staircase. The Blaus’ former residence, a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath unit at 1040 Fifth Avenue, is currently on the market for $34.5 million, which could be considered a bargain, seeing how its original price was $43 million. The apartment, in a Rosario Candela building where Jacqueline Onassis once lived, offers views from Fifth Avenue to the Midtown skyline. It comes with a private elevator landing, a library/media room, a
from top:
The dining room in Tamara Mellon’s duplex penthouse at 3 East 95th Street; Jeff and Lisa Blaus’ apartment for sale at 1040 Fifth Avenue.
formal dining room, and a planting terrace. There’s also a chef’s kitchen, “staff quarters,” and a mud room, according to the listing. And while New York and the country are still mourning the loss of the great comedic talent Joan Rivers at 81, we hear that her stunning, Versailles-like penthouse triplex is close to finding a buyer. The immaculate space, at 1 East 62nd Street, is on the market for $28 million. The home’s stunning features include two lavish terraces, five fireplaces, and a grand room
with a 23-foot-high, sky-blue ceiling painted with clouds and doves. Movie buffs will also be interested to hear that the late Lauren Bacall’s apartment at the famed Dakota, on the Upper West Side, where Yoko Ono still lives, is also on the market. The three-bedroom, three-and-a-halfbath beauty, with Central Park views, is listed for $26 million. (Bacall bought it for less than $50,000 in 1961.) Just imagine if those walls could talk. The listing broker is Rebecca Edwardson of Warburg Realty (212-300-1826). G
photography by yoo Jean han (3 east 95th street)
Today’s power women are doing more than carving out territory for themselves across the cultural and financial landscapes of the city. They are also, literally, buying a piece of it. Gorgeous and talented actress Jessica Chastain recently bought a $5.1 million apartment at the iconic, landmarked Osborne on West 57th Street, across from Carnegie Hall. Of course, this being a Hollywood star, the apartment she chose comes with a showbiz pedigree: It was formerly the home of legendary composer/ conductor Leonard Bernstein (and supposedly where he cowrote the songs for West Side Story). Chastain bought the unit with her Italian boyfriend, Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, a fashion executive with Moncler. The 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom apartment has dramatic 14-foot ceilings, five fireplaces, and an original Lalique glass pane on the library door. The listing broker, Richard Orenstein of Halstead, declined to comment. Another female trendsetter, Kathryn Bigelow—the first woman to win an Oscar for best director, for The Hurt Locker—has also decided to buy a New York City residence, in a charming building that formerly served as a production studio. The spacious $3 million loft in Tribeca at 449 Washington Street is a full-floor dwelling with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There are three exposures, an open chef’s kitchen, an ethanol fireplace, and (we hear) lots of space to carve out a screening room. Measuring 1,665 square feet, the apartment has a clean, modern look, with elegant blasts of white Carrara marble and white oak
“B OADWAY’S BIGGEST BLOCKBUSTE ” –The New York Ti es
Wickedthe usical.co 77-250-2929 GE SHWIN THEAT E, 222 West 51st St. (btw roadway a d 8th Ave.)
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U N M I S T E A K A B LY N E W YO R K “The meat was many wonderful things at once… or in rapid succession… crunchy, tender, smoky earthy… It induced a kind of euphoria.”
DECEMBER 11, 1989. 9,496 days have passed, yet it feels like only yesterday.
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HAUTE PROPERTY Abode & Beyond
IRVING PLACE
CAROLINA IRVING, THE NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF OSCAR DE LA RENTA HOME, BUILDS ON THE GENEROUS AND COLORFUL ESPRIT OF THE LEGENDARY DESIGNER’S CITY, COUNTRY, AND CARIBBEAN LIVING STYLES. BY ANDREW C. STONE
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“HOW OSCAR LIVED WAS AS IMPORTANT TO HIM AS HIS FASHION. IT WAS ABOUT GLAMOUR WITHOUT BEING PRETENTIOUS.” —CAROLINA IRVING throughout the shelter biz and made her a natural collaborator for de la Renta. “I remember coming to his office and showing him the boards for my first collection,” she says. “He got excited and said, ‘Oh my God, I love everything!’ That was a dream come true.” What Irving recalls most about de la Renta’s residences is a sense of intimacy amid the grandeur. “There were always corners of the living room where you could have a conversation—banquettes or slipper chairs creating a sense of comfort,” she says. That emphasis on connection—to other people and to the purpose of a gathering—inspires her to keep tabletop flower arrangements low and unscented, her place settings mixed and matched, and lamps placed thoughtfully and in abundance. Lamp shades’ glow, wicker and sumptuous weaves, elegant tiling, and convivial roomscapes… It would seem that de la Renta devotees have much to look forward to with Irving—a stylish steward of his legacy with a sophistication all her own. 772 Madison Ave., 212-288-5810; oscardelarenta.com G
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Carolina Irving, a stylish steward of the Oscar de la Renta legacy; Irving’s textile designs from the Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa line; artichoke pitcher ($150) and caned octagon pinecone tray ($395), from the Spring 2015 collection.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF OSCAR DE LA RENTA (PORTRAIT, TRAY, PITCHER); LEE JOFA (INTERIOR)
Oscar de la Renta knew what he did—and did not— like. When it came to dinner parties at home, a tablecloth had to hit the floor. The napkin had to be a certain size. At his offices people were treated to a refined spectrum of fabrics and color combinations on inspiration boards—lush fodder for each new season’s fashion and home offerings. “Once you knew the definite ideas that Oscar wanted, you had your marching orders,” recalls Carolina Irving, the recently appointed creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home. “It was inspiring to be there, and he was very charming about it all.” Although the world bid adieu to de la Renta in October 2014, “Oscar’s world” lives on through his indelible fashion legacy, the clothing of new Creative Director Peter Copping, and three home collections, now designed by Irving. “My biggest responsibility is to convey and honor Oscar’s lifestyle,” says Irving, who assumed the role that was long held by the prolific designer Miles Redd. “How Oscar lived was as important to him as his fashion. It was about glamour without being pretentious—even in his New York residence, which was very formal.” For her Gift and Entertaining collection, Irving creates textiles and dinner services in three lines: “Island,” which draws upon de la Renta’s Dominican roots; “Country,” based upon his life in Kent, Connecticut; and “City,” a nod to his glamorous New York days. “We shared a great passion for pattern and textiles,” she notes. “Like him, I’m Latin American—my parents are Venezuelan—and his amazing sense of color always spoke to me.” Her first collections are full of objects both effortless and elevated, with nods to de la Renta’s favorite elements—wicker, Indian embroideries, raffia, Portuguese tile, and lots of blue and white. Like de la Renta and her other style icon, Pauline de Rothschild, Irving has a great passion for gardens and is constantly looking to the beauty of nature for inspiration. She’s also in the process of expanding the brand’s furniture offerings and bringing ever more outdoor-inspired “Oscar” to its fabrications. Irving was born in Miami, raised in Paris, and spent years covering interiors for House & Garden and Vogue Living. In 2006 she founded her eponymous textiles company—an endeavor that earned her acclaim
exvotovintage.com
MAY 16 – NOVEMBER 1
NYBG.ORG Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940. Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin. © 2014 Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Give her the gift of modern heirloom jewelry. Hand engraving available. Made in the USA. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Any views, fndings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
the guide the Best of New York City
Gotham 101
A concise guide to the city’s hAppening restAurAnts And nightspots. Financial District/tribeca Brushstroke Seasonal kaiseki tasting menus helmed by David Bouley and chefs from Japan’s top culinary school, The Tsuji Culinary Institute. 30 Hudson St., 212-791-3771; davidbouley.com Jungsik The first stateside Korean restaurant to receive two Michelin stars, this Seoul-based restaurant offers three- and five-course prix-fixe menus. 2 Harrison St., 212-219-0900; jungsik.kr Locanda Verde Celebrated chef Andrew Carmellini of Daniel and A Voce fame works classical French technique into family-style Italian dishes. 377 Greenwich St., 212-9253797; locandaverdenyc.com
les/east Village Balvanera “Balvanera is a way for me to share Argentina’s cuisine with New York City,” says chef-owner Fernando Navas about his eatery, named after a historic neighborhood in Buenos Aires. “Sure, we can make awesome steaks—but it’s exciting to go beyond beef. We like our vegetables and grains just as much.” 152 Stanton St., 212-533-3348; balvaneranyc.com Bar Primi This hip neighborhood spot specializes in simple Italian dishes, like linguini with garlic and oil, done to perfection. 325 Bowery, 212-220-9100; barprimi.com Empellón Cocina This Alex Stupak space focuses on sophisticated Mexican dishes and features an extensive menu of tequila and mezcal. 105 First Ave., 212-780-0999; empellon.com Dirty French One of last year’s hottest restaurant openings, Dirty French does southwestern Gallic cooking with a Gotham twist. The Ludlow, 180 Ludlow St., 212-2543000; dirtyfrench.com
soho/nolita Charlie Bird “We just want to be your
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favorite neighborhood joint,” reads a sign at Charlie Bird, a happening and innovative pasta spot that offers comfort foods with clever flavor twists. 5 King St., 212-235-7133; charliebirdnyc.com Cherche Midi A Keith McNally bistro with a menu of brasserie favorites like frog legs with greengarlic velouté, steak tartare, and pot de fromage. 282 Bowery, 212-2263055; cherchemidiny.com Lafayette This landmark space takes the brass out of the brasserie with “French by way of the Côte d’Azur” cooking. 380 Lafayette St., 212-533-3000; lafayetteny.com
A variety of fine cheeses are among the offerings at the new French food market Le District.
West Village/ greenWich Village Annisa For her modern American cuisine chef Anita Lo crosses culinary borders, adding Asian and French flavors with inventive élan. 13 Barrow St., 212-741-6699; annisarestaurant.com Babbo Mario Batali’s inventive interpretations of Italian home-style cooking have made this spot a West Village mainstay. 110 Waverly Pl., 212-777-0303; babbonyc.com Blue Hill Dan Barber’s seasonal tasting menus win raves from city foodies. Ingredients are sourced from Stone Barns, a biodynamic farm and restaurant that Barber and his brother run in Upstate New York. 75 Washington Pl., 212-539-1776; whitehillfarm.com Margaux Hip hotelier Sean MacPherson’s fashionista magnet has a Paris bistro vibe and a stylish Mediterranean menu. Marlton Hotel, 5 W. Eighth St., 212-321-0111; margauxnyc.com The Spotted Pig Star chef April Bloomfield mixes up classic Italian, French, and English cooking at one of the best-known gastropubs in the city. 314 W. 11th St., 212-620-0393; thespottedpig.com
Meatpacking District/chelsea Del Posto Star chef Mark Ladner has won raves for his gluten-free pastas and four stars from The New York Times. 85 10th Ave., 212-497-8090; delposto.com The NoMad The casual offshoot of Daniel Humm’s famed Eleven Madison Park, located adjacent to the lobby of the NoMad hotel, does seasonal American with a modern twist. 1170 Broadway, 347-472-5660; thenomadhotel.com
graMercy/Flatiron ABC Kitchen This Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant is a magnet for boldface names (even the Obamas have stopped by) and beloved by Downtown creatives who come for an American menu focused on locally sourced ingredients. 35 E. 18th St., 212-475-5829; abchome.com A Voce Andrew Carmellini put this restaurant on the map, creating a menu that was a classic-modern Italian hybrid, beloved by the Downtown fashion and ad agency
neW DoWntoWn French Good news for all the fashionistas and media types focking to the “New Downtown”: Le District, a 30,000-square-foot culinary mecca, recently opened in the new Brookfeld Place retail hub. Le District is really several “districts” focusing on all things French and delicious, like chocolates and pastries, charcuterie and cheeses, and wine and coffee. Think Eataly à la française. There’s also a full-service restaurant, Beaubourg, a brasserie with indoor and outdoor seating, perfect for watching the crowds go by and indulging in existential musings. 225 Liberty St., 212-981-8589; ledistrict.com
crowds. Executive Chef Ben Lee now helms the kitchen. 41 Madison Ave., 212-545-8555; avocerestaurant.com Cosmé Mexican star chef Enrique Olvera, of the award-winning Pujol in Mexico City, opened his first US restaurant late last year in the heart of the Flatiron District. Cosmé’s innovative menu includes dishes with creative pairings like crispy octopus with hazelnut mole, pickled potatoes, and watercress. 35 E. 21st St., 212-913-9659; cosmenyc.com Élan “French cooking, but with an American overlay,” is how Élan’s David Waltuck describes his menu. A few sumptuous examples: oysters with horseradish crème fraîche and seared tea-smoked salmon. 43 E. 20th St., 646-682-7105; elannyc.com Gramercy Tavern One of the city’s most beautiful restaurants, Gramercy Tavern offers modern seasonal American cuisine at its best. 42 E. 20th St., 212-477-0777; gramercytavern.com
Midtown East Aquavit This haute-Nordic spot earned two stars from Michelin this year, making new chef Emma Bengtsson the second woman in America to receive the accolade. 65 E. 55th St., 212-307-7311; aquavit.org Casa Lever Combine a landmark space (Lever House), art from übercollector Aby Rosen, and chef Mario Danieli’s exquisite Milanese fare, and you get a restaurant that continues to rank as one of Midtown’s most popular. 390 Park Ave., 212-888-2700; casalever.com The Four Seasons The ultimate in city power dining, The Four Seasons is where New York’s biggest names come to network, do business, and bask in the glow of their fellow diners’ celebrity wattage. 99 E. 52 St., 212-754-9494; fourseasonsrestaurant.com La Grenouille Despite family squabbles, this ultraclassic French restaurant, known for its exquisite flower arrangements, still draws New York’s old-money crowd. 3 E. 52nd St., 212-752-1495; la-grenouille.com Marta From the team behind Maialino, this buzzy hotel dining
room focuses on Roman-style, super-thin pizzas and rustic Italian entrées. Martha Washington Hotel, 29 E. 29th St., 212-651-3800; marta manhattan.com
Midtown wEst Beautique A Midtown “must” with a Downtown vibe, the restaurant draws a young beautiful crowd, which stops by for the scene, the inventive cocktails, and modern American cuisine served with artistic panache. 8 W. 58th St., 212-753-1200; beautiquedining.com The Lambs Club Culinary star Geoffrey Zakarian does modern American at its best. Bill Clinton, Sting, and Tom Hanks have all dropped by. 132 W. 44th St., 212-997-5262; thelambsclub.com Marea A power broker’s haven on Central Park South where Michael White celebrates seafood, Italian style, that draws chefs and foodies from all over the world. 240 Central Park South, 212-582-5100; marea-nyc.com Rainbow Room This landmark spot in Rockefeller Center has reopened with Sunday brunch, Monday dinner service, and SixtyFive, a new cocktail lounge. Over the years, luminaries like Elizabeth Taylor and Cole Porter have wined, dined, and danced at the 65th-floor restaurant, which offers a classic American menu (think oysters Rockefeller and herb-roasted lamb) plus those incomparable views of the city’s skyline. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 212-632-5000; rainbowroom.com
Sushi of Gari Manhattanites swoon for chef Masatoshi Sugio’s adventurous tasting menus. 130 W. Broadway, 212-285-0130; sushiofgari.com
UppEr wEst sidE Jean-Georges Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s flagship serves haute modern French fare in a jewel-box setting. The New York Times gave it a four-star rating again last year. 1 Central Park West, 212-299-3900; jean-georgesrestaurant.com Masa Acclaimed sushi master Masa Takayama specializes in very pricey omakase dinners, but the demand is always high for a reservation at this 26-seat restaurant. 10 Columbus Circle, 212-823-9800; masanyc.com Per Se Culinary superstar Thomas Keller takes the tasting menu to luxurious new heights at his four-star temple of haute dining. 10 Columbus Circle, 212-823-9335; perseny.com
HarlEM The Cecil Founded by media executive Richard Parsons, this restaurant celebrates the
Afro-Asian origins of American cuisine. 206 W. 118th St., 212-8661262; thececilharlem.com Red Rooster Chef Marcus Samuelsson works with cooking styles that chart Harlem’s history and his own: Southern, Ethiopian, Swedish, Caribbean, Mexican. 310 Lenox Ave., 212-792-9001; redroosterharlem.com Vinatería Chef Gustavo Lopez’s Mediterranean dishes favor the cooking styles of Italy and Spain, the two countries that dominate the wine list. 2211 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 212-662-8462; vinaterianyc.com G
rEfinEry rooftop For summer cocktails—try the Gin Jam or Mojito Negroni—with unbeatable views, head to this spacious, 3,500-square-foot space atop the Refnery Hotel. New this month: brunch, which Executive Chef Jeff Haskell masterminds with a carving bar and Bloody Mary station. 63 W. 38th St., 646-664-0310; refneryhotelnewyork.com
Refinery Rooftop opens just in time for warmweather cocktails.
UppEr East sidE Café Boulud Daniel Bolud created both a neighborhood favorite and destination restaurant, with a menu that offers classic French, market and seasonal fare, and dishes created with a heady mélange of flavors from foreign shores. 20 E. 76th St., 212-772-2600; cafeboulud.com Sfoglia There are only 10 tables, but the scrumptious and original pastas are worth the trip all the way uptown. 1402 Lexington Ave., 212-831-1402; sfogliarestaurant.com
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INVITED // spotlight //
HIGHEST BIDDER MASKS DESIGNED BY HENRIK LUNDQVIST, IN COLLABORATION WITH MICHAEL J. FOX, DON BLANTON, AND MARIO BATALI WERE AUCTIONED TO RAISE Carl Hagelin, Don Blanton, and Erica Uebel
MONEY FOR THE RANGER
Michael J. Fox
Henrik and Therese Lundqvist
HENRIK LUNDQVIST FOUNDATION ON MARCH 6, New York Rangers goalie
Don Blanton
Henrik Lundqvist and his wife, Therese, hosted HLF UnMasked, a charitable event celebrating The Mask with Henrik Lundqvist, an original series on MSG Network featuring one-on-one interviews with the Rangers star and celebrity friends. Lundqvist collaborated with Mario Batali, Michael J. Fox, Tiësto, Jeff Gordon, John McEnroe, Don Blanton, and the FDNY to design original masks that were auctioned off to raise money for the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, which provides education and health services to underprivileged communities around the world.
Camille Garreaud, Javier Ramos, and Mallory Montalvo
Richard Miranda and Robert Morris Mario Batali
Viet N’Guyen and Tracey Stoecklin
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Dominic Moore and Mary Hirst
Dila Karinta Riani, Melissa Charles, and Michaela Foti
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMINIC CAPPELLETTI. OPPOSITE PAGE: MAX LAKNER/BFANYC.COM (CULUNARY INNOVATIONS); NEIL RASMUS AND ARIA ISADORA/BFANYC.COM (RANDALL’S ISLAND)
STAR’S NAMESAKE CHARITY.
Guests mingle between courses.
Leslie Stephens, Tatiana Kaletsch, and Jane Foxen
Wylie Dufresne and Questlove
Ben Greenman
CULINARY INNOVATIONS AT THE CORE CLUB
AS PART OF A SPEAKER SERIES
hosted by Audi and curated by drummer, DJ, and producer Questlove, Culinary Innovations at The Core Club invited Michelin-starred chef Wylie Dufresne for a discussion moderated by New York Times
best-selling author Ben Greenman on March 24. Following the conversation, guests like celebrity mixologist Philip Pepperdine, chef Jodi Moreno, and architects Aaron Schiller and Diane Procter enjoyed a special dinner crafted by Dufresne. Austin Hoffman and Ali Israel
Timothy Barefield and Justin Hamill
Jenny Slayton Green, Victor Cruz, and Christine Mack
Nick Loeb
Suzanne Scott Pepperdine and Philip Pepperdine
Stacy Bash-Polley, Beth Lipman, and Amy Meltzer
RANDALL’S ISLAND PARK ALLIANCE THE RANDALL’S ISLAND Park Alliance hosted its annual Fielding Dreams Gala at the American Museum of Natural History on March 10. More than 600 guests came together to honor community members Victor Cruz, the New York Giants’ wide receiver, and Lucy Fato, executive vice president and general counsel of McGraw Hill Financial, while enjoying a dinner, a live auction, and program led by master of ceremonies Willie Geist, cohost of NBC’s Today. Matthew Detmers and Lucy Fato
Gillian and Sylvester Miniter
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INVITED
Cesar Gutierrez, Richard Grausman, Susan Robbins, Kelvin Fernandez, and Thiago Silva
Rita Jammet, Melonie Young, Marcus Samuelsson, and David Ransom
Michael Lomonaco and Wayne Harley Brachman
C-CAP 25 TH ANNIVERSARY
Sarabeth Levine
MORE THAN 800 foodies and culinary all-stars came together for the Careers through Culinary Arts Program’s 25th anniversary benefit, which honored Richard Parsons, former chairman and CEO of Time Warner, and Harlem restaurateur Alexander Smalls. Forty-three chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Rich Torrisi, Michael Tong, Maria Loi, and Markus Glocker, contributed dishes and helped raise more than $1 million for the nonprofit’s scholarship, education, and career funds. Susan Grausman and Maurice Dubois
Alexander Smalls and Anahi Angelone
WINE & WISHES The Charmer Sunbelt Group hosted Wine & Wishes 2015, sponsored by Diageo and Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc., to benefit Make-A-Wish Metro New York. Since its inception 12 years ago, the wine tasting and auction has raised more than $7 million to grant the wishes of area children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions.
Robert Valentine
Bret Leas, Sari Chang, Julia Masucci, and Megan Whittaker Marie Arrigo and Michael Senter
David Perry and Pam Mastrota
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Michelle Churba, Chris Wragge, Charles Merinoff, and Gail Monaco
Emily Snyder, Valerie Wilson, and Bob Watson
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNIE WATT (C-CAP 25TH ANNIVERSARY); ADAM FISHBEIN (WINE & WISHES)
ON MARCH 25,
I
nfluential
Be the world, but always be yourself. The truest infuencers are unfailingly recognizable for their impact, their power, their brand personality. B Floral tips their hat to all the Women of Infuence. Bravura!
Š 2015 I bforal.com
I n p r I n t. o n l I n e . I n l I f e .
Art BAsel MiAMi BeAch | Aspen peAk | Austin WAy | Boston coMMon cApitol File | GothAM | hAMptons | los AnGeles conFidentiAl the MAll At short hills | MichiGAn Avenue | oceAn drive philAdelphiA style | veGAs | Wynn
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AND FINALLY...
It’s a truth not unIversally acknowledged that they sort of do. one man muses on thIs new realIty and what the cIty mIght be lIke wIth an even greater X factor. By Mark Ellwood What would change if we took the man out of Manhattan, or put the Grace in Gracie Mansion? Alarmists might picture a radically different New York City completely in women’s hands. Would groups of disenfranchised men protest new citywide mandates— those requiring every public venue finally to offer twice as many women’s bathrooms as men’s, perhaps, or offering tax breaks for taxis that installed touch-up mirrors in the rear for riders? Would Lehman Sisters still be thriving as the cautious, sensible leadership failed to succumb to testosteronefueled bankruptcy? Would an all-female City Hall encourage coffee shops and blow-dry bars to merge, multitasking the morning commute with a combination of flawless hair and fresh espresso? Picture the inspectors sent out to police the Stool Rule, requiring every restaurant to keep pricey purses off the floor for fear of hefty fines, or the stroller parking lots (wo)manned by zealous, Norlandtrained valets. Were every Big Apple bigwig a woman, there’d be no risk of rerunning Weinergate (Weiner, as in Anthony) either—whether on impulse or anatomically. Of course, most true New Yorkers laugh at such silly what-if clichés. We’ve no need to imagine “The City That Never Sleeps” in women’s hands because we know how much of it already is. Take real estate, where the power brokers who become household names are always women, from Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran to the de facto doyenne of luxury living, Dolly Lenz. Like every successful satire, the
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cartoonish fashion and media world whipped up in The Devil Wears Prada was rooted in reality. Most of the major magazines are helmed by women; until recently, so was the paper of record, a fitting editor for the Gray Lady. Page Six is masterminded by a woman; any juicy nuggets it overlooks will be snaffled up by Cindy Adams—only in New York, kids, would women run the gossip game. In her 70th year, Diane Sawyer is still chasing the story, and scandal-free—far more than can be said for most of her male colleagues. Seventh Avenue is a $10 billion business, run for women, by women: See how DVF reenergized the CFDA with a combination of charm, chutzpah, and hard work. (Sounds like a New Yorker.) Though rarely acknowledged, the rag trade is a bigger boon to New York’s economy than Wall Street, but even downtown there are more women than ever among the wolves (think Alexandra Lebenthal and Edith Cooper at Goldman Sachs). The storied names above Chelsea’s galleries are the original badass girl bosses: the likes of Marian Goodman, Barbara Gladstone, and Marianne Boesky brush aside their male art world rivals with their combined clout and experience. And the priapic Empire State Building notwithstanding, there’s no emblem of New York more beloved, or apt, than a 305-foottall woman. Who could hold a torch to Lady Liberty? Perhaps instead of asking what would happen were women to run New York, we should ponder the new world order were men really to hold sway—again. G
illustration by daniel o’leary
If Women Ran neW YoRk
There’s no emblem of new York more beloved, or apT, Than a 305-fooTTall woman. who could hold a Torch To ladY liberTY?
Š2015 Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL
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