Gotham - 2014 - Issue 2 - Spring

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F ront Runners Participants in New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1919 carry a banner commemorating Irish rebel leader Owen Roe O’Neill’s victory at Benburb.

Emerald Isle WITH A 253-YEAR HERITAGE, NYC’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE IS THE OLDEST IN THE WORLD.

BY LINDSEY GRACE

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY © BETTMANN/CORBIS

N

ew York can claim bragging rights as home to the world’s oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade. Although the event today is covered worldwide and draws some 200,000 marchers and 2 million spectators, its start 252 years ago was inauspicious. The first march, held on March 17, 1762, involved a ragtag band of homesick Irish expats and nationals, who were serving as soldiers in the British Army stationed in the colonies. Whereas “wearing of the green”—a sign of Irish pride—was banned in their homeland at the time, revelers in New York could festoon their lapels or berets with shamrocks while partying in the streets and singing tunes from the Auld Sod. These ad hoc St. Patty’s gatherings continued until the 1820s, when various Irish fraternal and social societies became involved with the celebration and organized a march, one that ended at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street. There, the Archbishop of New York would address the crowd. The parade remained in lower Manhattan until the larger Cathedral honoring Ireland’s patron saint was built in Midtown. In 1853, the Ancient Order of Hibernians—which has long been the parade’s principal sponsor—marched for the first time. John Ridge, the author of a history of the parade, said the 19th-century marches were first intended “to show the newly arrived immigrants as respectable citizens worthy of esteem in American society.” It eventually became a show of the political strength of the Irish— hundreds of thousands of whom had left their native country during the time of the Great Famine and settled in New York.

Aside from moving uptown and the live TV and radio coverage ( Jack “Mr. St. Patrick’s Day” McCarthy announced his first of 41 parades for WPIX in 1949), not much has changed over the centuries: The parade remains a true marching procession—no floats or automobiles are allowed, meaning the thousands of participants walk the entire route on Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th Street. Typically, a prominent American of Irish descent like Mayor Robert Wagner, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, or author Mary Higgins Clark is chosen to be grand marshal (this year the honor goes to business and labor executive Jack Ahern) and lead this great celebration through the heart of the city. nycstpatricksparade.org G

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655 F I F T H A V E N U E

AMERICANA MANHASSET

THE WESTCHESTER

THE M ALL AT SHORT HILLS

THE SHOPS AT RIVERSIDE

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Spring 2014

14 Front Runners 26 From the Editor-in-Chief 28 From the Publisher 30 …Without Whom This Issue Would Not Have Been Possible 32 Invited

People 42 Spring Forward New Bloomingdale’s CEO Tony Spring talks 21st-century retail.

46 Opera’s It Girl Critics are betting on major stardom for mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard.

48 Home Base Fashion designer Minnie Mortimer finds a new appreciation for the Upper East Side.

52 City People With City Year New York celebrating its annual gala on May 14, business leader and board chair Jeremy Kroll and executive director Erica Hamilton discuss their commitment to turn at-risk students into academic success stories.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGG DELMAN; MAKEUP BY RICKY WILSON FOR DIOR. HAIR BY JONATHAN MASON FOR ABTP.COM. STYLING BY LAUREN FINNEY. SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL

40 The List

46 Opera’s It Girl

See why Isabel Leonard’s star is on the rise.

Blush strapless gown, Memeka by Gustavo Cadile ($3,825). Mark Ingram Atelier, 110 E. 55th St., Eighth Fl., 212-319-6778; memekastudio.com.

Scroll earrings with pyramid top, Roni Blanshay ($550). Jennifer Miller Jewelry, 972 Lexington Ave., 212-7348199; jennifermillerjewelry.com

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Spring 2014 Culture

66 Artful Dining Restaurants with gallery-worthy collections.

54 All-Star Broadway Woody Allen, Michelle Williams, Denzel Washington, and James Franco head to the Great White Way.

56 Swing Time Performing to sellout crowds around the world, Berlin’s Palast Orchester, specializing in tunes from the ’20s and early ’30s, comes to Carnegie Hall.

58 Triple Play The Whitney Biennial, considered the nation’s bellwether for the latest developments in American art, will have three curators.

Taste 60 The Plate as Canvas Wylie Dufresne brings a painterly eye to his molecular wizardry at WD-50.

64 Chelsea Drinks

68 Art à la Carte New York super-gallerist Marianne Boesky does lunch with artist and good friend Rachel Feinstein.

Style 70 Minimalist Expressions Celebrating 10 years as women’s creative director of Calvin Klein Collection, Francisco Costa continues to evolve the iconic label’s modernist aesthetic.

72 Measuring Up John Lobb introduces a shoe for Manhattan power brokers.

74 The Gifts of Dover Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo brings her idiosyncratic retail sensibility to Midtown.

76 Blue-Ribbon Style Designer favorite Mokuba offers the city’s most luxurious trimmings.

80 Enduring Favorites Lifestyle guru Nina Griscom opens her address book.

82 The Big Hunt Celebrities and artists team up for the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt’s New York debut, an April event spearheaded by conservationist Mark Shand and philanthropist Agnes Gund.

84 Les Bons Temps With the Gauguin: Metamorphoses exhibition at MoMA this season, Gallic inspirations are very much in vogue with Gothamites, particularly French watch brands that offer a chic twist on time.

New watering holes open in the Gallery District.

64 A New Recipe for Success

60 The Plates as Canvas Wylie Dufresne’s artful presentation of corned beef cheek, tendon, bananahorseradish, and myoga.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SUNG

Top art dealers flirt with the restaurant world.

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Spring 2014

88 Dream Team

Carolina Herrera looks to the future of her brand alongside her daughter Patricia Lansing.

Features 88 Dream Team As they evolve their powerhouse brand globally, fashion mogul Carolina Herrera and daughter Patricia Lansing find there’s no generation gap in the CH atelier.

By Kari Molvar Photography by Robert Ascroft

92 Reaching for the Sky

98 State of Grace Classic New York meets spring’s soft styles at the revamped St. Regis and Le Bilboquet.

Photography by Dove Shore Styling by Emma Pritchard

108 Family Ties Philanthropists, advisers, and wealth managers tell how to minimize familial differences and make charitable gifting a smooth sail when different generations are involved.

By Suzanne McGee

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT ASCROFT; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY IDA ROSEMAN

How high will prices go for Manhattan luxury properties in 2014? We turn to five of Manhattan’s most active, high-end residential developers and marketers for answers.

Photography by Eric Ryan Anderson

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Spring 2014

116 What’s Old is New Heritage buildings get luxury upgrades.

Home & Design 113 River Watch Controversy bubbles at the River Club, Manhattan’s priciest-ever listing.

116 What’s Old is New Mega penthouses for rock royalty and on-the-go moguls.

118 Returns and Exchanges Are fashion stocks a good investment?

Even New Yorkers with ample closet space can find it difficult to make room for fashion’s most lavish confections.

The Guide 123 Chicster Central Sant Ambroeus Soho quickly becomes a happening spot.

124 Old and New Soho newcomers flourish while established eateries up their game.

125 Más Mezcal A Mexican spirit takes Manhattan.

126 Prepster Weekends Short city breaks that channel your inner WASP.

And Finally…

128 Hair Raising With a stylish cut now reaching four figures, what’s a prudent New Yorker to do?

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ON THE COVER: CAROLINA HERRERA AND PATRICIA LANSING Photography by Robert Ascroft ON HERRERA: Classic cotton blouse ($495) and black and ivory striped silk organza skirt ($1,290), Carolina Herrera. 954 Madison Ave., 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com. Earrings, Herrera’s own. ON LANSING: Green and ivory striped silk organza dress, Carolina Herrera ($3,890). SEE ABOVE. 14k gold double nail ring with pavé white diamond ends ($2,800) and 14k rose gold double nail ring with pavé white diamond ends ($3,000), Jennifer Fisher. 270 Lafayette St., Ste. 904, 212-625-2380; jenniferfisherjewelry.com

ON THE COVER: HERRERA: HAIR AND MAKEUP BY IDA ROSEMAN. LANSING: HAIR BY BRIAN MAGALLONES FOR EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS MANAGEMENT USING AVEDA. MAKEUP BY MARNI BURTON USING CHANEL AT CROSBY CARTER MANAGEMENT

120 After Hours

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CATHERINE SABINO Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor ERIN RILEY Senior Managing Editor KEN RIVADENEIRA Editor-at-Large SAMANTHA YANKS Art Director ANASTASIA TSIOUTAS CASALIGGI Photo Director LISA ROSENTHAL BADER Entertainment and Bookings Editor JULIET IZON Fashion Editor FAYE POWER Copy Editor DALENE ROVENSTINE Research Editor MURAT OZTASKIN

SUZANNE RUFFA DOLEN Publisher Associate Publisher KAREN LEVINE Account Executives THOMAS CHILLEMI, MORGAN CLIFFORD, VICTORIA HENRY, JIM SMITH, GABRIELLA ZURROW Director, Event Marketing JOANNA TUCKER Event Marketing Manager CHRISTIAMILDA CORREA Sales Assistant JAMIE HILDEBRANDT

NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC Senior Vice President and Editorial Director MANDI NORWOOD Creative Director NICOLE A. WOLFSON NADBOY Executive Fashion Director SAMANTHA YANKS

ART AND PHOTO Senior Art Director FRYDA LIDOR Associate Art Directors TIFFANI BARTON, ADRIANA GARCIA, JUAN PARRA, JESSICA SARRO Senior Designer JENNIFER LEDBURY Designers ELISSA ALSTER, GIL FONTIMAYOR Photo Editors JODIE LOVE, SETH OLENICK, JENNIFER PAGAN, REBECCA SAHN Associate Photo Editor KATHERINE HAUSENBAUER-KOSTER Photo Producer KIMBERLY RIORDAN Senior Staff Photographer JEFFREY CRAWFORD Senior Digital Imaging Specialist JEFFREY SPITERY Digital Imaging Specialist JEREMY DEVERATURDA Digital Imaging Assistant HTET SAN

FASHION Senior Fashion Editor LAUREN FINNEY Associate Fashion Editor ALEXANDRIA GEISLER Fashion Assistants CONNOR CHILDERS, LISA FERRANDINO

COPY AND RESEARCH Manager, Copy and Research WENDIE PECHARSKY Copy Editors DAVID FAIRHURST, NICOLE LANCTOT, JULIA STEINER Research Editors LESLIE ALEXANDER, JUDY DEYOUNG, AVA WILLIAMS

EDITORIAL OPERATIONS Director, Editorial Operations DEBORAH L. MARTIN Editorial Relations Manager MATTHEW STEWART Online Managing Editor CAITLIN ROHAN Online Editor APRIL WALLOGA Social Media and E-Newsletter Editor ANNA BEN YEHUDA Digital Media Developer MICHAEL KWAN Digital Media Specialist ANTHONY PEARSON Senior Managing Editors DANINE ALATI, JILL SIERACKI Managing Editors JENNIFER DEMERITT, KAREN ROSE, JOHN VILANOVA Associate Managing Editor/Beauty Coordinator KAITLIN CLARK Shelter and Design Editor SUE HOSTETLER Timepiece Editor ROBERTA NAAS

ADVERTISING SALES Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing NORMAN M. MILLER Account Directors SUSAN ABRAMS, MICHELE ADDISON, TIFFANY CAREY, CLAIRE CARLIN, KATHLEEN FLEMING, MEREDITH MERRILL, ELIZABETH MOORE, GRACE NAPOLITANO, DEBORAH O’BRIEN, SHANNON PASTUSZAK, VALERIE ROBLES Account Executives SUSANA ARAGON, MICHELLE CHALA, AMY DESILVA, JANELLE DRISCOLL, ALICIA DRY, VINCE DUROCHER, DINA FRIEDMAN, SARAH HECKLER, CAROLYN LANDES, MARY RUEGG, LAUREN SHAPIRO, CAROLINE SNECKENBERG, KACIE TURPENEN, TERA WASHBURN, JESSICA ZIVKOVITCH National Sales Coordinator HOWARD COSTA Sales Support and Development EMMA BEHRINGER, ANA BLAGOJEVIC, EMILY BURDETT, CRISTINA CABIELLES, BRITTANY CORBETT, OLIVIA DAVIS, DARA HIRSH, KELSEY MARRUJO, MICHELLE MASS, NICHOLE MAURER, RUE MCBRIDE, STEPHEN OSTROWSKI, MARISA RANDALL, ALEXANDRA WINTER

MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations LANA BERNSTEIN Vice President, Integrated Marketing EMILY MCLINTOCK Integrated Marketing Director ROBIN KEARSE Integrated Marketing Manager JIMMY KONTOMANOLIS Creative Services Director SCOTT ROBSON Promotions Art Designers CHRISTOPHER HARDGROVE, DANIELLE MORRIS Event Marketing Directors AMY FISCHER, HALEE HARCZYNSKI, MELINDA JAGGER Event Marketing Managers ANTHONY ANGELICO, LAURA MULLEN, LAUREN OLSON, CRISTINA PARRA Event Marketing Coordinator ANI GAFKA Event Marketing Assistant SHANA KAUFMAN

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Vice President, Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX Positioning and Planning Director SALLY LYON Assistant Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Managers BARBARA SHALE, BLUE UYEDA Production Artists MARISSA MAHERAS, TARA MCCRILLIS Distribution Manager MATT HEMMERLING Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD Traffic Supervisor ESTEE WRIGHT Traffic Coordinators JEANNE GLEESON, MALLORIE SOMMERS Circulation Research Specialist CHAD HARWOOD

ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, AND OPERATIONS Director, Executive Operations MICHAEL CAPACE Executive Assistant ARLENE GONZALEZ Human Resources Director STEPHANIE MITCHELL Controller DANIELLE BIXLER Senior Director, Finance MICHELE EGAN Advertising Business Manager RICHARD YONG Financial Analyst AUDREY CADY Credit and Collections Manager CHRISTOPHER BEST Senior Credit and Collections Analyst MYRNA ROSADO Senior Accountant LILY WU Junior Accountants CHRISTINA LESCAY, NEIL SHAH Senior Billing Coordinator CHARLES CAGLE Desktop Administrator ZACHARY CUMMO Infrastructure Administrator MOHAMMED HANNAN Facilities Coordinator JOUBERT GUILLAUME

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

J.P. ANDERSON (Michigan Avenue), SPENCER BECK (Los Angeles Confidential), ANDREA BENNETT (Vegas), KRISTIN DETTERLINE (Philadelphia Style), ERIN LENTZ (Aspen Peak), LISA PIERPONT (Boston Common), JARED SHAPIRO (Ocean Drive), ELIZABETH THORP (Capitol File), SAMANTHA YANKS (Hamptons)

PUBLISHERS

JOHN M. COLABELLI (Philadelphia Style), LOUIS DELONE (Capitol File), ALEXANDRA HALPERIN (Aspen Peak), DEBRA HALPERT (Hamptons), GLEN KELLEY (Boston Common), COURTLAND LANTAFF (Ocean Drive), ALISON MILLER (Los Angeles Confidential), DAN USLAN (Michigan Avenue), JOSEF VANN (Vegas)

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer JOHN P. KUSHNIR Chief Technology Officer JESSE TAYLOR President and Chief Operating Officer KATHERINE NICHOLLS Chairman and Director of Photography JEFF GALE Copyright 2014 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 (Founder, Jason Binn), a company of The Greenspun Corporation.

NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS: 100 Church Street, Seventh Floor, New York, NY 10007 T: 646-835-5200 F: 212-780-0003 THE GREENSPUN CORPORATION: 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074 T: 702-259-4023 F: 702-383-1089

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

With Jonathan Tisch, Loews Hotels chairman, and Gotham managing editor Ken Rivadeneira, at the opening of the Regency Bar & Grill.

It was great to meet Tony Spring, the new CEO of Bloomingdale’s, at the store’s party celebrating its CFDA collaboration for the Super Bowl.

ABOVE: At AllianceBernstein with our roundtable discussion panelists.

LEFT: Martine and Prosper Assouline and Ignazio Cipriani (SECOND FROM RIGHT) toast the release of Simply Italian at Cipriani Wall Street.

risks in a city that thrives on speed. A business closed for whatever reason— the devastating effects of a hurricane or even a simple renovation—can find customers quickly moving on; competition here is always plentiful and at the ready. While New York’s movers and shakers (otherwise known as the breakfast regulars at the Loews Regency Hotel) were bereft when their iconic clubhouse shut down for a redo in December 2012, they fast found other morning perches. Deals got done. A new mayor was elected.

Different AM routines were established. But within minutes of the Regency Bar & Grill reopening earlier this year, the boldfacers came back—with gusto: Former Mayor David Dinkins, Joe Lhota, Alan Patricof, Scott Stringer, Bill Bratton, Ray Kelly, Al Sharpton, Jared Kushner, and many others hobnobbed and schmoozed as if Follow me on Twitter the yearlong hiatus never happened. No @csabino and on table was empty, the room’s vibrant buzz gotham-magazine.com. and energy stronger than ever.

It’s great when an iconic spot can move with the times. After all, the Regency is a place that helped save New York when the city faced financial ruin in the 1970s. Back then, the Tisch brothers, Preston Robert and Laurence, began holding breakfasts in their hotel to bring together the best minds of the city in hopes of finding a way out of that fiscal mess. The term power breakfast came about to describe these high-stakes pow-wows.

While watching the Regency spring back to life, I thought of the classic lines from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard: “For things to remain the same, everything must change.” The Tisches have wisely invested in a gorgeous new setting for the daily confabs that help run New York, one that will attract the next generation of power brokers who’ll move this great city forward on the very spot their predecessors helped save it.

CATHERINE SABINO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE SCHILDHORN/BFANYC.COM (SPRING); SLAVEN VLASIC/GETTY IMAGES (TISCH); ERIC RYAN ANDERSON (ROUNDTABLE); CRAIG BARRITT/GETTY IMAGES FOR ASSOULINE (ASSOULINE)

Hitting the pause button has great

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1/31/14 10:28 4:18 PM 1/31/14 AM

FROM THE PUBLISHER

With Style & Substance president Michael O’Connor at St-Germain and Gotham magazine’s An Evening of Bordeaux.

ABOVE: With Roy Teeluck at the 10th anniversary celebration for Roy Teeluck Salon. LEFT: With Cody Hammond of Canali and Matthew Stewart at Canali’s Night of Commerce and Art.

Springtime in NYC is invigorating.

This time of year, both residents and tourists enjoy walking our streets and visiting our parks, shopping our neighborhoods, and attending many of the art, film, home, and design events that are taking place.

To name a few: the ADAA Art Show (March 5–9) and the Armory Show and Volta NY (both March 6–9). Over the course of two weeks, all New York City movie buffs flock to the Tribeca Film Festival (April 16–27), viewing films of emerging and established film directors from around the world.

Charity and philanthropy are also in high gear in spring. Gotham is honored to partner with NYU Langone Medical Center’s Adults in Toyland Casino Night fundraiser (February 27); NYC Mission Society’s Champions for Children gala (March Follow me on Twitter 12); Charmer Sunbelt Group– presented @suzanneruffa and on gotham-magazine.com.

Wine & Wishes fundraiser, benefiting Make-A-Wish Metro New York and Western New York (March 26); Prevent Blindness’s Person of Vision award ceremony (March 27); and City Harvest’s An Evening of Practical Magic (April 24). I hope you will be able to attend these wonderful events supporting many of New York City’s finest charitable causes.

Finally, as a supporter of the city’s interior design industry, Gotham is proud to have a presence at the highly acclaimed Architectural Digest Home Design Show (March 20–23) at Pier 94, where you can shop for the latest furnishings and luxury accessories for your home.

See you around town....

SUZANNE RUFFA DOLEN

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY EUGENE GOLOGURSKY (O’CONNOR); CRAIG BARRITT/GETTY IMAGES (TEELUCK)

With Lauren Bush Lauren, FEED’s CEO and cofounder, at the Links of London and Gotham hosted launch of FEED’s latest collection.

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...WITHOUT WHOM THIS ISSUE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE SPRING 2014

Nina Griscom Lifestyle guru, designer, and society beauty Nina Griscom has been a longtime city style setter. She is featured in this issue’s “Social Network” on page 80.

What’s catching your eye this spring? I adore Derek Lam and always want to buy everything in the store. His clothes are modern and sexy and his trousers fit perfectly! I also love Dolce & Gabbana, especially their tight sexy dresses and pencil skirts. What do you like most about springtime in the city? My favorite thing to do is to have lunch outdoors and watch the parks come back to life. Central Park is spectacular this time of year and always puts me in a better frame of mind.

Emma Pritchard Emma Pritchard was working as an art director in Singapore when she made the move to fashion as a celebrity stylist, and has worked with Jessica Chastain, Eva Longoria, and Justin Timberlake, among others.

Pritchard styled this issue’s fashion feature on page 98.

Was the shoot challenging? It was intense

What impressed you most about Tony Spring? It’s common to jump from

job to job, brand to brand these days, and I really admire that Spring has spent his entire career at Bloomingdale’s—he worked hard, dedicated himself to the company, and was rewarded for it. Very inspiring.

What didn’t you know? Spring has spearheaded the store’s philanthropy efforts over the years as a member of the board of JDRF, formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He also leads the Bloomingdale’s team in the charity’s annual walk.

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Mark Shand Conservationist and travel writer Mark Shand is the founder of London-based charity Elephant Family, the nonprofit behind the highly successful Fabergé Big Egg Hunt held in London in 2012 and coming to New York this spring (“Style of Generosity,” page 82).

What do you like most about New York?

It’s a city that welcomes. Americans, particularly those in New York, really encourage one another’s success. After branching out of England with the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt, which was very successful, New York seemed like an incredible place to do the hunt, a no-brainer.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN CHUNG (SHERMAN); PATRICK MCMULLAN/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (GRISCOM); PAUL BRUINOOGE/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (SHAND)

Lauren Sherman Lauren Sherman is a leading lifestyle reporter and has contributed pieces to The New York Times, Women’s Health, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. Sherman interviewed the newly appointed CEO of Bloomingdale’s, Tony Spring, for this month’s “View from the Top” on page 42.

because of the multiple models and locations, but we had so much fun. Is there a moment that stood out? For the shoot at Le Bilboquet, we used very expensive watches, so we had five security guards on set with us. I had this very surreal walk up Fifth Avenue, arm-in-arm with one of the security guards, swapping fun stories—I suppose you could call it my Whitney Houston moment!

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1/16/14 2:46 PM 1/16/14 2:24 PM

Invit ed THE SEASON’S PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS AND SMARTEST PARTIES

Allison Williams sparkled in Alexander McQueen at the season three premiere of Girls, hosted by HBO and Cinema Society.

Seasonal Splendor EVEN AS TEMPERATURES DROPPED, THE CITY’S BRIGHTEST STARS, DESIGNERS, AND PHILANTHROPISTS HEATED THINGS UP AT GALAS AROUND TOWN. BY ERIN RILEY

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINT SPAULDING/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM

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ew York was enduring one of its coldest winters on record, but that didn’t put a damper on Manhattan’s party circuit.

Stars come out at night, regardless of the temperatures. David Gregory, Anthony Shriver, and Macy Gray turned up for the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala, while Tyra Banks and Martha Stewart brought celebrity wattage to the James Beard Foundation’s annual dinner honoring women in the culinary business.

Restoration Hardware unveiled a sprawling new gallery and private equity firm Savanna a large new commercial space with grand soirées. The first working week of the new year saw a number of elaborate premieres, notably the fête celebrating season three of HBO’s Girls. Lena Dunham, the show’s creator, and costar Allison Williams mixed with celebs like Seth Meyers, Karlie Kloss, and Spike Jonze. And perhaps in a first for a New York bash, there was a life-size subway train as part of the event décor.

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2/11/14 11:07 AM

INVITED Lena Dunham and Anna Wintour

Jemima Kirke, Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, and Zosia Mamet

Arianna Huffington and Nanette Lepore The Girls-themed transformation of The Allen Room in Lincoln Center.

Joel McHale

Alexi Ashe and Seth Meyers

HBO Hosts Girls Season Premiere On January 6, HBO and Cinema Society hosted the season three premiere of Girls at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater. After the well-attended screening, guests made their way through The Allen Room sipping on beers in paper bags, while a life-size G train (the subway line near Hannah Horvath’s apartment on the show), manicure bar, and Girls-themed décor brought out everyone’s playful side. The crowd itself was also an attraction, with Karlie Kloss, Spike Jonze, Cindy Sherman, and Anna Wintour in attendance.

A life-size subway G train provided guests with fun photo ops.

Ashley Fitzgerald and Bernadette Odoms

Tascha Rudder, Katy Lee, Lauren Bush Lauren, Katie Steele, and Lawler Watkins

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLINT SPAULDING/ PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (GIRLS); SLAVEN VLASIC/GETTY IMAGES (FEED)

FEED’s colorful friendship bracelets on display.

Cass Almendral, Maria DiBiaggio, and Vidak Radonjic

FEED For Links of London Launch

Robert Dundon

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On December 5, Links of London and Gotham magazine joined forces to help raise money for FEED, the nonprofit that provides meals to children in need around the world, with the sale of its latest collection of friendship bracelets.

Host and FEED’s CEO and cofounder, Lauren Bush Lauren, Links of London North America president Robert Dundon, and VIP guests mixed and mingled while making their stylish yet socially conscious selections.

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2/11/14 9:38 AM

INVITED Kristina Kovalyuk

Caricature artist Richard Welch

Amir Kazerani and Dahlia Latif

Brooke Lucas and Sally Lynch Cynthia Sestito with her Cynfulfood team.

Christine Squillante and Robert Epstein

Paul Chapman sits for a caricature by artist Jared Phillips.

DJ Clockwork spun tracks throughout the evening.

Suzanne and Jim Wilson

Alexandra Meyer and Georgette Moger

Rohith Reddy and Richard Hoh

34 GOTHAM-MAGAZINE.COM

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Floral décor by B Floral.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE SCHILDHORN/BFANYC.COM (BLOOMINGDALE’S); CLINT

On November 12, St-Germain liqueur and Gotham magazine hosted An Evening of Bordeaux at 632 on Hudson, which served as the perfect setting for the Parisian-themed fête. Guests enjoyed a lavish assortment of French treats by celebrity chef Cynthia Sestito and her beret-clad team and signature cocktails blended with St-Germain. Guests also sat for caricatures by artists Richard Welch and Jared Phillips. DJ Clockwork supplied the tunes.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EUGENE GOLOGURSKY/GETTY IMAGES

An Evening of Bordeaux

INVITED

Kenneth Cole

Donna Karan

Sam Shipley, Jodie Snyder Morel, Cynthia Rowley, Danielle Snyder, and Stephen Dweck

Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch with Suzanne and Woody Johnson

Bloomingdale’s Celebrates with the CFDA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE SCHILDHORN/BFANYC.COM (BLOOMINGDALE’S); CLINT SPAULDING/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (RESTORATION)

A few of the CFDA-designed Super Bowl XLVIII helmets on display at Bloomingdale’s flagship store.

In collaboration with Bloomingdale’s, the CFDA asked top designers to create a special collection of helmets for Super Bowl XLVIII. Bloomingdale’s unveiled the 48 helmets—replete with florals, Mohawks, and Swarovski crystals—at their flagship store on January 15, an event that included a sidewalk tailgate party and special appearances by NFL Players Nick Folk and Prince Amukamara. The debut was followed by an exclusive party hosted by Michael Gould, Tony Spring, and Steven Kolb at the newly renovated Loews Regency Hotel. Diane von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole, Donna Karan, and Cynthia Rowley were in attendance to show support for the NFL Foundation.

Peter Demos, Bella Hunter, Gary Friedman, and Michael Chu Katya Sorokko Artist Toby Christian, the first participant in RH Contemporary Art’s ongoing artist-inresidency program.

Natasha Wheat and Holly Baxter

Restoration Hardware Gallery Debut

Carlos Alberini, Nicholas Baume, and Sara Fitzmaurice

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Restoration Hardware Co-CEO and Chairman Gary Friedman hosted a private opening of the brand’s RH Contemporary Art space on November 7. Guests gathered at the Chelsea locale to preview the sprawling gallery, the site of solo exhibits featuring emerging artists Nathan Baker, Toby Christian, and Peter Demos.

The launch of an interactive online gallery, print journal, series of documentary shorts, and artist-in-residency program were timed to the gallery debut.

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2/11/14 9:39 AM

INVITED

Richard Hodos and Kelly Gadinsky

Greg Taubin and Jonathan Fanuzzi

Nick Bienstock and Chris Schlank

Emily Beare, Jarett Fein, and Elizabeth Beare

Savanna Unveils New Properties

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHANCE YEH (SAVANNA); MARCO VAZQUEZ (CANALI’S)

Elyse Johnson, Alex Amaso, Jasmine Davis, and Dana Robbins Schneider

On November 14, an elite crowd of real estate movers and shakers gathered in the heart of Chelsea for the property debut of 245 and 249 West 17th Street, the latest venture for private equity firm Savanna. Over 500 guests were treated to a first look at the striking 284,000-square-foot space with its chic loft-style interiors. Tasty offerings from Olivier Cheng and mixes by Manhattan DJ and socialite Hannah Bronfman kept the crowd lively all night.

Dr. Lee Gause Miya Andi and Ashley Riggs Jacob Rabago, Cody Hammond, Giorgio Canali, Carmine Noce, and Paul DeMaio

Canali’s Night of Commerce and Art

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On December 12, New York’s style set gathered for Canali’s Night of Commerce and Art in support of Smile Design Gallery, a Manhattanbased group that raises funds to provide dental care for children in Camden, New Jersey, and beyond. Morgan Stanley’s Ryan Khaldar and Smile Design Gallery’s Dr. Lee Gause served as guest speakers, while Sundaram Tagore Gallery and artist Miya Ando provided a backdrop of post-minimalist art at Canali’s Madison Avenue flagship.

Quimari Majette

2/11/14 9:39 AM

INVITED

Chef Sang Yoon wins a Mont Blanc with chestnut cream cronut.

Susan Ungaro, Gail Simmons, and Tyra Banks

Mixologist Audrey Saunders crafted delicious cocktails throughout the evening.

Dominique Ansel and Sherry Yard

James Beard Foundation Gala

Martha Stewart and Alex von Bidder

The James Beard Foundation hosted its annual gala on November 15 to honor the achievements of women in the culinary field. Participating chefs Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn, Kristen Kish of Menton, and famed mixologist Audrey Saunders joined honorary event chairs Tyra Banks, Gail Simmons, and Martha Stewart to toast the nation’s top “women in whites.” Some of the most noted female toques in the US planned everything from the gala evening’s wine pairings to the five-course dinner.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEN GOODMAN (JAMES); MICHAEL SETO PHOTOGRAPHY (100 WOMEN)

David Gregory, Gerard Klingman, Anthony Shriver, Susan Mays, and Amanda Pullinger

Macy Gray gives a dazzling performance.

Mimi Drake

100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala

On November 13, New York’s philanthropic heavy hitters gathered at 100 Women in Hedge Funds’ annual gala to raise funds for the group’s 2013 beneficiary, Best Buddies International, an organization that fosters one-on-one mentoring for people with developmental disabilities. David Gregory, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, emceed for the crowd of 450 industry leaders, as they enjoyed a dinner and a concert by Grammy award winner Macy Gray. The event raised $1.27 million for the nonprofit’s international programs.

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Michael Steinhardt

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INVITED

Ali Hewson and Bono Juliette Lewis and Lenny Kravitz

Chanel Iman and Helena Christensen

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Anne V and Zac Posen

Gina Gershon and John Varvatos

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL BRUINOOGE/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM

Harvey Weinstein joined cohosts U2 and Anna Wintour for a Burberry-sponsored screening of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom on November 25. Heavy hitters from fashion, finance, and diplomacy gathered at Le Bilboquet for an after party, among them Lenny Kravitz, Zac Posen, Helena Christensen, and stars Idris Elba and Naomie Harris to show their support for the film. Weinstein welcomed Mandela’s daughter, South African ambassador Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, to the event, while U2 debuted their song “Ordinary Love,” their first release in three years, which is featured in the film.

Harvey Weinstein and A$AP Rocky

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2/11/14 10:37 AM

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1/28/14 11:47 AM

T he List spring 2014

Meredith Melling Burke

Linda Rodin

Cecilia Alemani

Benjamin Millepied

Lady Gaga

Amanda Brooks

Lisa Cooley

James Fuentes

Hayley Bloomingdale

Edward L. Moskowitz

Bill Bratton

Heaven Tanudiredja

David Grann

Dree Hemingway

Julia Alvarez

Blaize Lehane

Karlie Kloss

Norah Jones

Tanya Bonakdar

Noah Horowitz

Eric Roth

Karen Elson

Danielle Corona

Maribel Lieberman

Tamara Mellon

Alexander Gilkes

Peter Martins

Alexei Ratmansky

Olivia Wilde

Julia Stiles

Annelise Michelson

James Cohan

Billy Collins

Rosie Assoulin

Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn

Katrina Markoff

Nicholas Bienstock

Victoria Traina

Hannah Bronfman

Zach Feuer

Matthew Harding

Jennifer Grey

David Kordansky

Chris Gelinas

Nancy Brinker

Levi Palmer

Nicholas Logsdail

Howard Greenberg

Harvey Weinstein

Anne Keating

Dana Lorenz

Leila Heller

Matt Mullenweg

Raphael Gygax

Marc Payot

Edwynn Houk

Alan Silvestri

Christopher Schlank

Eric Girerd

Christopher Wheeldon

Caroline Issa

Tim Saltarelli

Lionel Maunz

David Maupin

Kevin Connolly

Kim Raver

Allyson Vieira

Ramon Martin

Caroline Trentini

J.P. Versace

Barry Sonnenfeld

Harold Ancart

Matthew Broderick

Olivia Chantecaille

Florian Meisenberg

Joan Coukos

Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea

Pier Paolo Celeste

Ana Khouri

Nellie Partow

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@BuffaloJeans

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RYAN LEWIS & TORI PRAVER in

Tony Spring became CEO of Bloomingdale’s on February 1.

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Superlatives PEOPLE, CULTURE, TASTE, TREASURES

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Spring Forward BLOOMINGDALE’S NEW CEO TONY SPRING TALKS 21ST-CENTURY RETAIL.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARI GOODFRIEND

A

lthough Bloomingdale’s new CEO, Tony Spring, 49, has spent his entire professional life at the store, retail wasn’t part of the initial game plan. He backed into it, thanks to a high school job at a place not known for its dedication to chic—Burger King. His favorite station at the hamburger spot? The drive-through. “I loved that business could be so fast-paced and so enjoyable,” he says.

But after graduating from Cornell with a degree in hospitality management, he applied for work at Bloomingdale’s rather than with a hotel or restaurant group. He says he saw “a wonderful connection between hospitality and retail. The retailer of the future with the most success would be the one who could connect their passion for merchandise with their passion for the customer.”

Spring joined “Bloomie’s” in 1987 as an executive trainee working at the White Plains store. Two years in, he was called up to corporate to join the cutlery department’s buying team. When Michael Gould became CEO at Bloomingdale’s in 1991, replacing legendary merchant Marvin Traub, Spring was promoted to divisional merchandise manager of housewares and food.

“This is where, yeah, I’m sure hard work and passion and commitment played a role, but luck did, too,” he says. “Lester Gribetz, then the GMM of home furnishings, thought I could do well in the job, and Mike was supportive of that. It really began with that moment.”

After 26 years working in nearly every corner of the company—from creative services to operations and back—Spring’s dedication was rewarded with his appointment as CEO last

BY LAUREN SHERMAN

fall. He assumed the position on February 1. Although obvious to outsiders that Spring was being groomed for the role, he admits it was only in the past few years “I had the idea that one day I could potentially lead the organization.” Known for his “it’s not about me, it’s about the team” attitude, he says, “All you can do is keep performing.”

Spring has a weighty task ahead of him, given the long record of steady success at Bloomingdale’s. Even though Macy’s, Inc. doesn’t break out financials for Bloomingdale’s—which it owns through the 1994 merger with Federated Department Stores—the upscale retailer is, in many ways, its crown jewel. Bloomingdale’s is highlighted, albeit vaguely, in annual report after annual report as a top performer, both in terms of sales and growth. And it was the only brand strong enough to maintain its own identity under Macy’s rule—no small feat, considering that even the storied Midwestern department store Marshall Field’s eventually became a Macy’s. “The key for any great brand is not to be just popular in the moment, but of the moment. And that means keeping pace with what people are talking about or interested in,” Spring says.

Spring is starting his new job at a time when the future of the department store, in general, is less than certain. Sure, e-commerce is a factor, but it’s more than that: In-store shopping habits have changed over the past 20 years as well. Not only do customers expect quality product paired with exceptional service, they also expect to be entertained.

Spring understands that for Bloomingdale’s to —TONY SPRING continued on page 44

“The key for any great brand is not to be just popular in the moment, but of the moment.”

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VIEW FROM THE TOP Spring sees technology aiding the in-store experience. At right, the 59th Street flagship.

continued from page 43 succeed, he needs to make it a destination at every location—not just the storied 59th Street flagship. “Bloomingdale’s heritage is that it has been the discoverer of great things,” he says. “What I’ve tried to do is ensure that we are capitalizing on that.”

One initial way to get shoppers thinking about Bloomingdale’s as a brand of the future is to create a seamless online-to-offline experience. “I believe strongly that technology plus humanity gives you consistency,” Spring says. While Spring is politely loathe to call it omnichannel—marketer speak for the ability to create a single shopping experience across all retail channels—he is not afraid to say that the approach is a big part of the company’s future relevance. In-store pickup already exists in eight Bloomingdale’s stores and will be in all stores by the end of the year. “Now you can order it online, then come in, try it on, and we have treated your time with great respect and care,” Spring says. “We want to use technology to prepare for people before they visit and have an even better experience once they get here.”

Building a deeper alliance with the fashion industry is part of that strategy, too. In January, Bloomingdale’s teamed up with the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the NFL for a special promotion, the first of many initiatives. And branching out to new areas, like food— beyond the in-store restaurants—is under consideration, too. A food hall in the vein of the great international department stores, maybe? “Something like that,” he says. “We’re not ready to announce anything, but we are looking to do something new and innovative. The consumer that comes into the store is not one-dimensional.”

Tony Spring, Anne Of course, Spring is also acutely aware that one of Bloomingdale’s Keating, Diane von Furstenberg, and most reliable assets is its connection with Manhattan. “I’m passionate Steven Kolb at about New York, it’s a sponge for creativity,” says this native, who lives Bloomingdale’s party to celebrate its with his wife and two sons outside the city. “You can’t be ‘like no other collaboration with the store in the world’ [the tagline Marvin Traub helped make famous] if you CFDA and the NFL for Super Bowl XLVIII. don’t constantly come up with ways to innovate.” G

TONY’S TIME A native’s take on the city and a legendary boss. *on following in michael gould’s footsteps: “Honored, humbled. An incredible gift has been given to me. This is a brand that’s only had eight CEOs [before me].

To be one of the people to have this opportunity, I feel like I’m the luckiest kid alive.”

*on new york’s energy: “My wife and I stayed over in Times Square one night, and I’m looking out the window at 2 o’clock in the morning, and I couldn’t believe how many people were on the streets. It’s not just a slogan that the city never sleeps, the city literally never sleeps!”

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE SCHILDHORN/BFANYC.COM (SPRING)

*favorite restaurants: Antonucci Cafe: “It’s a warm, wonderful, intimate Italian restaurant in Yorkville. Incredible lasagna.” 170 E. 81st St., 212-5705100; antonuccicafe.com.

Estiatorio Milos “I like the animation of the place, that you walk up and choose the fish that you want. That element is an integral part of the dining experience.” 125 W. 55th St., 212-245-7400; milos.ca. Michael’s: “I go for the French fries, and of course it’s always a fun scene.”

24 W. 55th St., 212-767-0555; michaelsnewyork.com

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2/6/14 11:16 AM

TALENT PATROL Isabel Leonard in a dressing room at the Juilliard School.

Opera’s It Girl CRITICS ARE BETTING ON MAJOR STARDOM FOR MEZZO-SOPRANO ISABEL LEONARD. BY SUZANNE CHARLÉ PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGG DELMAN

T

he 2013–2014 season has been a triumphant one for Isabel Leonard.

Just seven years into her professional career, the 32-year-old receives rave notices wherever her schedule takes her on the global opera circuit. In 2013, she won the prestigious Richard Tucker Award, the “Heisman Trophy” of opera, given annually “to an American singer poised on the edge of a major national and international career.” More recently, she and The Tempest cast won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording.

Leonard dazzles audiences and critics alike in roles ranging from young male “pants” parts like Sesto in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito to heroines, like Dorabella in Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, which she will sing again at the Metropolitan Opera, starting April 23. One critic, Lawrence Johnson, neatly summed up Leonard’s appeal when reviewing her performance in Griselda for The Classical Review.

“Genuine star quality is a rarity on the opera stage—or anywhere—but it’s abundantly clear that Isabel Leonard has it in spades.”

Born and raised in Manhattan, Leonard began performing as a young girl, taking dance classes at the Joffrey Ballet School and appearing twice in The Nutcracker. “I never wanted to be a dancer,” she recalls. But she loved singing. After receiving her masters of music at the Juilliard School (where she won just about every prize in the book), she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2007 in Roméo et Juliette as Stéphano.

Since then Leonard’s been extremely busy. In the 2012–13 season alone, she

Favorite eats: Sushi.

Kouzan (685 Amsterdam Ave., 212-280-8099; kouzanjapanese.com) or Blue Ribbon (119 Sullivan St., 212-3430404; blueribbon restaurants.com Favorite music: “Jazz—Ella Fitzgerald; Frank Sinatra and ’60s rock.”

debuted in three new roles, two at the Met: Miranda in Thomas Adès’s The Tempest and Blanche de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites. “I love being part of a new world every time I’m onstage,” says Leonard. “I can explore different facets of who I am.” It’s an exploration that she wants to help audiences understand, musically and emotionally. “Opera as an art is a hard medium to sell,” Leonard adds. “It’s my job. Mozart isn’t of our time, but Così is called a classic because the story is a classic—a comedy about heartbreak.” On April 26, Così will be aired in HD: “I love it!” she says. “It zooms on the little things—a sly smile, a raised eyebrow, the knowing look between lovers, things that can’t be seen from the balcony in an opera house.”

Leonard is looking forward to pursuing other musical forms, in addition to her classical repertoire. “These past years I have been entrenched in opera— there’s so much to do, so much to learn, so much to understand and master.

Now I can go back to other things I love so much.” She is releasing a record of Spanish songs and in 2015 Leonard will star in Jennifer Higdon’s new opera Cold Mountain, based on Charles Frazier’s best seller. Other plans for the consummate West Sider? Perhaps jazz. “And American musical theater,” she says. “I did West Side Story in high school and loved it.” Isabel Leonard performs in Così Fan Tutte at the Metropolitan Opera starting April 23 at 7:30 PM, Lincoln Center Plaza, 212-362-6000; isabelleonard.com G

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JENNIFER MILLER JEWELRY, 972 LEXINGTON AVE., 212-734-8199; JENNIFERMILLERJEWELRY.COM

INSIGHT

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F E AT U R I N G A M A N DA H E A R S T W E A R I N G T H E A RT I E , P H OTO G R A P H E D AT T H E H E A R S T C A S T L E

w w w. o p t y x . c o m Manhattan 228 Second Ave / 14th St 599 Lexington Ave / 52nd St 1225 Lexington Ave / 83rd St 1076 Third Ave / 64th St

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11/11/13 10:54 AM

NATIVE

Minnie Mortimer says motherhood has given her favorite spots new meaning.

BELOW: The Frick Collection was a favorite childhood destination.

Home Base FASHION DESIGNER MINNIE MORTIMER FINDS A NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE UPPER EAST SIDE. AS TOLD TO ADRIENNE GAFFNEY

W

hen Minnie Mortimer returns to the Upper East Side, all is as it once was.

While the fashion designer and her husband, screenwriter and director Stephen Gaghan now spend the majority of their time on the West Coast, New York is where Mortimer was born and raised, and it’s where she now returns to share pieces of her history with her 5-year-old daughter, Tuesday. Mortimer’s youth was spent on 79th Street and Park Avenue, mere steps from where her father, the financier John Jay Mortimer, was raised in a home that now occupies the Acquavella Galleries. The family’s history in New York stretches back to her ancestor John Jay, who became the state’s second governor in 1795.

Mortimer says she now cherishes the slice of the Upper East Side that was her childhood neighborhood for its unchanging, family-oriented nature.

“The Upper East Side is an area that’s very much in my blood. There are certain New York places that bring back times from your

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childhood you think you’ve forgotten. You relive them with your child and you realize how close to the surface memories can be. They’re right there—ready to be accessed.

Walking around the neighborhood today, I like seeing the kids in their uniforms. I went to Convent of the Sacred Heart for middle school and spent a lot of time wearing their red checkerboard pinafores. You don’t love uniforms when you’re in school, but now when I see Sacred Heart kids, they look adorable.

When I was in school, everyone wandered around the Upper East Side after classes. My friends and I would go to Mimi’s Pizza or Jackson Hole on 91st Street for burgers, and we would hang out.

I started going to The Frick with my father and older brother when I was 5 or 6 years old. They would talk about everything and I would tag along and listen. Then I became interested in the museum myself. The Frick shows how people continued on page 50

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY STUART FOR HEARST DIGITAL MEDIA (MORTIMER); GALEN LEE AT THE FRICK COLLECTION (THE FRICK)

LEFT:

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continued from page 48 lived with their artwork, as opposed to a regular museum where the only purpose is to show the art, in isolation. You see the decorative arts at the Frick, too—the moldings, the details of its interior architecture, and how each art piece works in a room, which pieces can hold a room. I enjoyed having that glimpse back in time, being able to walk through someone’s house. It’s such a rare opportunity, especially in New York. My father loved the bronzes, and there’s a supposedly fake Rembrandt, The Polish Rider. I remember that was always pointed out to me when I was younger.

I like Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, how dark and how moody it is. It feels completely timeless, that you could be in the 1920s or 2014.

You have the sense that people have been doing the same thing here for a long time. And the bartenders’ red jacket uniforms—that hasn’t changed in years. I also love the way the bottles are stocked behind the bar. You sense they have a specific system for making drinks that’s been honed over time.

Via Quadronno became a favorite place when I was older. It’s a neighborhood spot where you see the same regulars, not an attraction. It doesn’t feel like Grand Central Station with different people constantly coming in and out. They serve the best vegetable purée soup in winter. I can’t live without it.

I’m so sad that Gino’s is gone. It was a New York institution. They had an iconic Scalamandré wallpaper with zebras that people liked to copy.

[Editor’s note: The wallpaper was designed

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especially for the shoe-box-size restaurant based on original artwork by Flora Scalamandré.] I went there constantly with my family when I was a kid—not because it had really good Italian food. It was just a local spot. William Poll, which is still around, is that kind of place. If someone’s sick, I always pick up William Poll sandwiches for them.

That’s something my family always does, if you have the flu or are housebound with work. Poll makes these tea sandwiches that are cut into thirds, so they’re great little bites. There’s also Greenberg’s, a bakery where we got all our birthday cakes and cookies. They have a chocolate cake that’s really rich and delicious. I always recommend them.

The Upper East Side is very much a small town within New York City. It’s very sweet and quiet. Some of the most wonderful parts of New York are so bustling and busy. I love that, but to come to this quiet part of New York is a really nice change.” G

WORTH A STOP Minnie Mortimer enjoys these classic Upper East Side addresses.

Bemelmans Bar, 35 E. 76th St., 212-744-1600 The Frick Collection, 1 E. 70th St., 212-288-0700; frick.org Via Quadronno, 25 E. 73rd St., 212-650-9880; viaquadronno.com William Greenberg Desserts, 1100 Madison Ave., 212-861-1340; wmgreenbergdesserts.com William Poll, 1051 Lexington Ave., 212-288-0501; williampoll.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHANCE YEH/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (MORTIMER); COURTESY OF WILLIAM GREENBERG DESSERTS (CAKEPOPS); COURTESY OF THE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL (BEMELMANS BAR)

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Minnie Mortimer with husband Stephen Gaghan; Bemelmans Bar; William Greenberg cakepops.

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SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY

FROM LEFT: City Year New York Chairman Jeremy Kroll joined the board last year; volunteers are close in age to many students they mentor; Erica Hamilton, the group’s executive director.

City People WITH CITY YEAR NEW YORK CELEBRATING ITS ANNUAL GALA ON MAY 14, BUSINESS LEADER AND BOARD CHAIR JEREMY KROLL AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERICA HAMILTON DISCUSS THEIR COMMITMENT TO TURN AT-RISK STUDENTS INTO ACADEMIC SUCCESS STORIES. BY MATT STEWART

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rica Hamilton and Jeremy Kroll’s awareness of City Year and its mission to reduce dropout rates in America’s most challenged public schools dates back decades. Hamilton, who has served as City Year New York’s executive director since 2012, first saw the group’s signature red jackets as an undergraduate at Harvard; and Kroll, who cofounded K2 Intelligence (an investigative and risk analytics consulting firm), learned of the organization as a freshman at Georgetown. He joined the board in 2013 before taking on the role of chairman this spring.

An estimated 1 million students drop out of high school every year in the US. Despite the best efforts of former Mayor Bloomberg’s administration, the New York City public high school rate stands above the national average, at more than 11 percent; 50 percent of those students come from 14 percent of the city’s high schools.

As part of a yearlong push to lower dropout numbers, City Year New York’s volunteers have been tutoring and mentoring students between third and ninth grades in the most at-risk schools.

What’s unique about the initiative is the near-peer

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filter for the young volunteers. Close in age (17 to 24 years old) to students they are tutoring, these volunteers provide hands-on mentoring and serve as accessible role models for academic success. Here, Erica Hamilton and Jeremy Kroll talk about City Year’s programs in New York and throughout the country.

ERICA HAMILTON: I always considered City Year an urban Peace Corps. I used to see the red jackets in various high-need communities like Roxbury, Massachusetts, when I was an undergrad and thought the concept was pretty cool. For a young woman from the Bronx who had a deep passion for service, I thought it was great that that concept was being brought to the inner city.

JEREMY KROLL: At Georgetown I started seeing City Year T-shirts worn by kids from the Boston area, where City Year was a new organization.

About four years ago I was re-exposed to it by a good friend, Brian Berger, who is on the board, and his stepbrother, Ken Grouf, who is a cofounder of City Year New York. I was incredibly impressed with your vision and what you were building.

EH: I am inspired by the perseverance of our corps members. We work in some of the most challenging schools and seek out the students who need our help most. Last year, one of our corps members, Bettina Hahn-Lawson, spoke at our Ripples of Hope dinner about the relationships she has with her students. She spent weeks showing up for her tutoring sessions, only to be ignored by one of her students who was known throughout the school for his behavioral issues.

After weeks of one-way conversations she finally made a breakthrough. They both had similar family situations at home and talking about it helped him open up to her. Eventually, he started participating in tutoring and arriving at school early to get extra help with his homework. He stopped acting out in class and his grades began to improve. He ended the year passing all of his classes and on track for the next grade. Our work is never easy but our corp members keep showing up and it is this persistence that helps them make a difference in students’ lives. Right now we have about 300 young people in our corps who are serving in 22 schools and support about 15,000

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Charity Regist er

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLES E. MANLEY/MIKE CINELLI (PUBLICOLOR); DIANE COHEN/FA (LEGEND). OPPOSITE PAGE: ELLIOT HANEY (CLASSROOM)

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE.

students. Our plan over the next 10 years is to aggressively grow the scale of our programs. We want to expand and concentrate on neighborhoods displaying the highest levels of need. Our goal is to get to somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 corps members who would work across 65 schools and support about 40,000 students.

JK: As a data-driven person, one of the things that attracted me was City Year’s ability to focus its resources on students who needed the most assistance. You and the team in New York have such a firm understanding of the data. Because of that we’ve been able to attract amazing pro-bono support from consulting firms like Bain & Company and Deloitte & Touche. We work very collaboratively with the Department of Education here in New York City and also on the federal level. I am very focused on recruiting corporations, financial institutions, professional service firms, and technology businesses to get involved as partners with City Year. It is an incredible product.

EH: There was a corps member last year named Dio [who] ended up serving at a middle school in the Bronx he attended as a student. Dio was a first generation American and the first to go to college in his family. He embodied our corps members at their best—young, impassioned, idealistic. Dio became this beacon of hope for the students he was counseling and mentoring; he also had a queue of students who were waiting to spend time with him and understand his personal story. They wanted to know how he made it out and why he came back. It was inspiring to the point that when Dio finished the year, he was moved to tears. I think he knew it was going to be a special experience for him, but you really don’t understand the impact you’re having on other human lives until you witness it. It was moving for me to watch him over the year [because] I am Dio and I speak as someone who came from that community and have the same story. It moves me to my core. G

HELPING OUT Attend the Ripples of Hope gala.

When: May 14 Where: Mandarin Oriental, New York. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 212-675-8881 or visit cityyear.org.

WINE & WISHES ANNUAL WINE TASTING AND AUCTION

PUBLICOLOR’S STIR, SPLATTER + ROLL

What: Presented by The Charmer Sunbelt Group, the event benefits Make-A-Wish Metro New York and Western New York. VIP tickets offer guests an exclusive food and wine tasting prepared by some of NYC’s finest chefs with top collectible wines from around the world.

What: Publicolor’s annual benefit Stir, Splatter + Roll hosts a paint-fling with top designers for a fun-filled night in support of the organization’s mission to keep at-risk students in school through design-based programs. Event cochairs Michael Kors and Jeffrey Banks will oversee the action as they paint alongside industry leaders.

When: Wednesday, March 26

When: Tuesday, April 22

Where: Pier 60, Chelsea Piers

Where: Martin Luther King Jr. High School, 122 Amsterdam Avenue

Contact: wineandwishesnyc.kintera.org

Contact: publicolor.org

CELEBRATE SPRING

What: The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation and the Young New Yorkers for the Fight Against Parkinson’s committee will host its annual Celebrate Spring New York event to benefit PDF’s Côté Clinical Genetics Initiative, which supports research into the role of genetic markers in Parkinson’s disease. The evening program will include dinner, a live auction, and music provided by DJ Brenda Black.

CANCERCARE 70TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

When: Wednesday, April 2

When: Wednesday, April 23

Where: Lavo, 39 East 58th Street Contact: pdf.org

Where: Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street

FRESH AIR FUND SPRING FLING

CITY HARVEST

What: This year’s CancerCare Gala marks the organization’s 70th year supporting cancer patients and their loved ones through counseling and financial assistance. The fundraiser will honor Pamela S. Wygod, the WebMD Foundation, and Bayer HealthCare for their contributions.

Contact: cancercare.org

What: The Fresh Air Fund will host its 2014 Spring Fling to raise funds for the nonprofit’s free summer programs that have helped more than 1.8 million New York City children from low-income neighborhoods since its founding in 1877. The gala will surely be a celeb-filled affair, as the charity’s past events have seen appearances by NFL star Victor Cruz and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

What: City Harvest celebrates the 20th annual An Evening of Practical Magic event to benefit its fight against hunger in the city of New York. The event will honor City Harvest board member Benjamin Bram, of Watermill Institutional Trading, as well as Eric Ripert, Maguy Le Coze, and the team at Le Bernardin for their ongoing support.

When: Thursday, April 10 Where: Marquee, 289 10th Avenue

Where: Cipriani 42nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street

Contact: freshair.org

Contact: cityharvest.org

When: Thursday, April 24

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN (ALADDIN); JASON BELL (BULLETS OVER BROADWAY )

Dreamers and schemers turn up in: Casey Nicholaw’s stage adaptation of Aladdin; Sam Mendes’s revival of Cabaret; and Woody Allen’s Bullets over Broadway.

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Culture HOTTEST TICKET

All-Star Broadway WOODY ALLEN, MICHELLE WILLIAMS, DENZEL WASHINGTON, AND JAMES FRANCO HEAD TO THE GREAT WHITE WAY. BY PATRICK PACHECO

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n Act One, perhaps the best-known and certainly most beloved theatrical memoir ever written, playwright-director Moss Hart states, “The only credential the city asked was the boldness to dream. For those who did, it unlocked its gates and its treasures, not caring who they were or where they came from.”

New York, of course, is the city of dreams referred to by Hart in his 1959 best seller, which chronicled his Depression-era rise from poverty to tremendous Broadway success. This spring James Lapine is directing a much-anticipated stage adaptation of Hart’s memoir for Lincoln Center Theater (84 years after the opening of Hart’s breakthrough production, Once in a Lifetime, co-written with George S. Kaufman). The play is just one of many Broadway offerings this spring that features big-city dreamers, including Zach Braff’s starry-eyed young playwright in Bullets over Broadway, Michelle Williams’s Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Bryan Cranston’s conniving President Johnson in All the Way, Neil Patrick Harris’s transplanted East Berliner in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Denzel Washington’s Chicago limousine driver in A Raisin in the Sun. The theme of big dreamers runs through much of Woody Allen’s work, but in Bullets over Broadway hopes often turn to folly—more quickly than you can say, “Don’t speak”—an iconic line from the 1994 comedy hit film. The musical version, set in 1929 and featuring songs of the period, is shaping up to be one of the hottest tickets in recent memory. For good reason—ace director-choreographer Susan Stroman (The Producers) has —ALAN CUMMING teamed with Allen, who is adapting his screenplay for the stage. The play centers on David Shayne, an ambitious young playwright who makes a Faustian bargain with a mobster to get his play on Broadway. The catch? Olive, the mobster’s talentless bimbo of a girlfriend, has to play a role. Marin Mazzie snagged the key role of Helen Sinclair, the self-dramatizing, narcissistic stage diva, played by Dianne Wiest in the movie (she won an Oscar for her role). “I think there’s a little Helen Sinclair in all of us,” says Mazzie with a laugh. “She lives life hard, loud, fast, furiously, and with great gusto—I love her!”

Just as David Shayne, the hapless playwright of Bullets, must confront an ethical dilemma, so does the title character of Disney’s Aladdin. The show’s director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw, who last tested moral limits in The Book of Mormon, says that the lesson remains the same in this musical adaptation of the 1992 animated smash hit. “It’s really about being true to yourself,” says Nicholaw of the adventure tale of a young Arab street kid continued on page 56

“Cabaret is like New York in the way the characters give it their best shot.”

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Led by Max Raabe, (FRONT, CENTER), the Palast Orchester specializes in tunes from the ’20s and ’30s.

continued from page 55 tempted by untold riches and magical powers. “There is a diamond in the rough in everybody and how you choose to polish it, the choices you make, is what will determine your life’s path, for better or worse.”

Denzel Washington’s ability to discover the humor as well as the pathos in his characters makes him an ideal choice to play Walter Lee Younger in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun, according to its director Kenny Leon. “Denzel has a great sense of humor, and when he goes to a deep place, he can be volcanic,” says Leon, who directed the star in his Tony-winning turn in Fences. It was Washington’s choice to return to Broadway in the Lorraine Hansberry 1959 classic about divisions that arise within an African-American family when an insurance check means their respective dreams need no longer be deferred.

The gap between what America promises and what it can deliver is at the heart of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the 1937 novel and play which will be revived under the direction of Anna D. Shapiro (August: Osage County).

James Franco and Chris O’Dowd star as two itinerant ranch hands, whose bleak Depression-era existence and friendship is lightened by a shared dream.

In the play, hope for a better life is filtered through one character’s hardened ambivalence (George, played by Franco) and the slow-witted childlike optimism of the other (Lennie, played by O’Dowd). “George is an aggressive, forward-moving character who also carries within him an intensive vulnerability,” says Shapiro. “He’s a complicated dude and so is James. That’s a great quality to have. He can live in the pain of the want, [with] the inability to articulate it and yet survive in a really male cutthroat world of utility.”

The winds that blow across the landscape of pre-Nazi, ’30s-era Berlin are even more unforgiving than in the Depression-era California depicted in Of Mice and Men. Cabaret, the 1966 John Kander–Fred Ebb musical is back at Studio 54, again codirected by Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall, and with Alan Cumming reprising his Tony-winning role as the emcee.

The late Natasha Richardson won a Tony Award for her role as the starcrossed Sally Bowles when this version first premiered in 1998. Despite scant stage experience, Michelle Williams will make her Broadway debut as Bowles; it’s a gutsy move in sync with the character that she plays. “In the roles she’s undertaken on film Michelle has shown she has the gumption and chutzpah that is just right for this big challenge,” says Cumming of his Brooklynbased costar. “She is absolutely perfect for Sally Bowles.”

While the musical is set in Weimar Berlin on the cusp of the Nazi takeover, Cumming says that the show resonates with our city. “The play is like New York, not the story but in the way the characters give it their best shot.

Sally has come to Berlin to make it against all odds, Cliff has come to find himself and write, and the emcee captures the whole spirit and energy of the club,” says Cumming. “And that’s what New York is all about.” Echoing Hart’s description of the city, Cumming adds, “You gravitate toward New York because there are people Denzel Washington plays the part here who are just like you, people of Walter the Younger in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun. who just go for it.” G

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SWING TIME Performing to sellout crowds around the world, Berlin’s Palast Orchester comes to Carnegie Hall.

BY KEN RIVADENEIRA

“I

don’t like the word nostalgic too much,” says Max Raabe, the suave baritone who leads Berlin’s Palast Orchester, an ensemble that has become an international sensation with sold-out concerts around the world. That’s thanks to its highly stylized performances of German and American cabaret and jazz music from the 1920s and early 1930s—the interwar period when Berlin was a cultural center. “It was a very open-minded and wild atmosphere in Berlin, but we do not do a nostalgic show,” he says. The group stops at Carnegie Hall on March 3 as part of a US tour supporting its new album, Golden Age. The 12-piece band, decked out in black-tie for all performances, approaches original compositions of that era as the pop hits they once were rather than vintage ditties, while Raabe, with his blond hair slicked back, sings at the microphone like the swooner crooners of old. Classics such as Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” and Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” as well as German songs like “Du Bist Meine Greta Garbo” (“You Are My Greta Garbo”) sound fresh, with inventive arrangements that stay true to the genre; between songs, Raabe gives wry commentary—not historical context—on the meaning of the pieces, making the music as current as anything on the radio.

“When you do it without a nostalgic attitude, the quality is timeless,” Raabe says. “The elegance is timeless.”

Raabe, 51, founded the Palast Orchester almost 30 years ago, though his passion for Weimar Republic–era music goes back to adolescence, when he discovered records from that period in flea markets and old bookstores. While studying opera at the Berlin University of the Arts, he met other students with an interest in that era and formed the band. “We did it because we loved the music,” he says. “The composition is brilliant, and we take the music as seriously as a piece by Beethoven or Mozart.”

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester perform on March 3 at 8 PM at Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave., 212-247-7800; carnegiehall.org

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGOR HOHENBERG (RAABE); MARK SELIGER (WASHINGTON)

HOTTEST TICKET

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ART FULL Ristretto by Louise Fishman, 2013.

Triple Play THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL, CONSIDERED A BELLWETHER FOR THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN AMERICAN ART, WILL HAVE THREE CURATORS THIS YEAR.

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he last Biennial in Marcel Breuer’s iconic building on Madison Avenue before the Whitney’s move downtown is one of the boldest— and largest. This year’s Whitney Biennial will have three outside curators edit the show, involving 103 participants in all—more than twice the number of the 2012 exhibit.

Donna De Salvo, chief curator at the Whitney, explains that the three— Anthony Elms, an associate curator at Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art; Stuart Comer, former film curator at Tate Modern in London, and now chief curator of media and performance art at MoMA; and Michelle Grabner, a professor at Chicago’s School of the Art Institute— were chosen for their diverse curatorial approaches, geographic backgrounds, and their “distinct points of view.” The result, she says, is “one of the most diverse takes on art the Whitney has offered in years.”

Throughout the show big name painters, sculptors, and photographers, like David Hammons, Sterling Ruby, and Sherrie Levine will be on view, of course, but “figures of influence,” both living and deceased, including Channa Horwitz, Sarah Charlesworth, and Tony Greene will predominate—as well as the exciting young artists who have been impacted by their works. If you’ve missed painting in recent Biennials, you’re in for a treat:

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Almost a third of the artists this year are known primarily as painters. Other highlights include crossover works, so you’ll find paintings by writers and performances by gallerists. New media is well represented (Triple Canopy) as is old (drafts by the late novelist David Foster Wallace of his last unfinished work, The Pale King).

In tribute to the Whitney’s long history of minimalist art and experimental performances, curator Anthony Elms asked composer Robert Ashley to open the Biennial with a theatrical work. Visual artist and composer Charlemagne Palestine was tapped to create a “sound installation that will reverberate with the space,” according to Elms. Curator Stuart Comer focuses on allegiances between artists with shared sensibilities. “We are so far beyond the term multimedia,” he says. “All art forms are shifting among one another.”

Curator Michelle Grabner, a painter as well as an academic, has chosen to explore three themes: “art that emphasizes critique and self-reflection” (Gary Indiana); women artists who examine what it means to be a “woman artist” (Louise Fishman, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung); and “materiality and craft” (Sheila Hicks, whose fiber sculptures “push back” at the old notion of art versus craft). The 2014 Whitney Biennial will run from March 7 through May 25 at the Whitney, 945 Madison Ave., 212-570-3600; whitney.org G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN BUCKLEY/COURTESY OF CHEIM & READ, NEW YORK

BY SUZANNE CHARLÉ

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PURO (White Quartz) | Concetto Line

ZICANA

ZICANA is t he f irst luxur y brandd in t he stone indust r y to of fer handcraf ted items made of gemstones, such as j e welr y, accented f ur niture and c ut to size gemstone slabs for kitchens, bat hro oms and ot her applicat ions.

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THIS ISSUE: ARTFUL DINING

The Plate as Canvas WYLIE DUFRESNE BRINGS A PAINTERLY EYE TO HIS MOLECULAR WIZARDRY AT WD-50.

BY GARY WALTHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN SUNG

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alfway through the 12-course tasting menu at WD-50, I start to experience metaphor hypertension. It’s not the food—the dishes are hand grenades of flavor, each a detonation of layered sharp notes. It’s the effort to describe the whimsically ingenious precision-plating that has me pulling 4G turns of vocabulary.

The “cuttlefish with fennel and black garlic feuilletine is a picket-fence of serrated cuttlefish winding between tiny Stonehenge slabs of feuilletine anchored in roundels of fennel,” I scribble. The “cured duck breast with ‘curdsn-whey,’ sweet potato, and rice noodles has a Zaha Hadid serpent of fried black rice coursing across the plate,” the “Mediterranean bass with celery, macadamia, and grapefruit is laced with Frank Gehry flexes and convexes of celery root,” and the “apple tart with Concord grape, swiss Chard, and pistachio looks like”—finally, I descend into simile—“a hair ornament from Alexandre de Paris.” No restaurant has ever so driven me toward the purple end of the word spectrum—royal purple, I hope.

My tormentor, chef Wylie Dufresne, is on the mad molecular genius end of Manhattan chefdom. He invented the deep-fried hollandaise cube, surrounded a six-minute egg with a sculpture of faux-cracked egg shells made of kaolin (an edible clay), and says that when the kitchen brigade was trying to work out the cuttlefish plating, he told them “think of the Sydney Opera House.”

He is also a black belt in culinary metaphor, describing the ribbons of sweet potato with the cured duck breast as “a squashed accordion.” continued on page 62

Wylie Dufresne in the kitchen of WD-50. He says the city is the real spur for the restaurant’s imaginative plating.

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TASTE BELOW: Presentation is also influenced by the austere sensibility of Japanese chefs. RIGHT: The décor is simple, but WD-50 remains one of the city’s most exciting restaurants.

“Plating should reflect the place and in Manhattan that means geometry, grids.” —WYLIE DUFRESNE

continued from page 60 Dufresne is the baroque evolutionary branch of a movement that began with nouvelle cuisine—using the plate as a canvas or a plinth. Chefs not only lightened up the French repertoire, but repackaged it, becoming graphic designers and sculptors in the process. They—chief among them in New York, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, one of Dufresne’s mentors—turned juice-based sauces into plate calligraphy and had their pastry chefs make desserts into World’s Fair architecture. It sometimes seemed that Miró or Jacques Lipchitz was in the kitchen. The dish had to be a feast for the eye as well as the palate.

One Huffington Post writer, in a grope for a trope, called Dufresne “the Kandinsky of the kitchen.” What’s interesting about him, though, is how little impact the visual arts have on his style of plating—Kandinsky, not at all—even though the restaurant is surrounded by the Lower East Side art gallery cosmos. “I have no artistic abilities,” says Dufresne.

When I ask him about influences, he mentions Betty Boop and Felix the Cat, and his parents, about whom he waxes lovingly. His mother is a rarebooks dealer, his father an antiques restorer, and they immersed Dufresne in a visual home environment.

But it’s New York City itself that is the real spur for the presentation at WD-50. Dufresne believes that “plating should reflect the place,” and in Manhattan that means “geometry, cylinders, things coming to a point, grids,” and, oh yes, “a little shine, and occasionally a tree or a park.”

Topography is also a governing metaphor when it comes to designing a dish: “We talk about the landscape of the plate—about creating landscape.”

That being said, the austere jewelry sensibility of Japanese chefs is a major influence, too. During our interview, Dufresne tells me that he’s reading Japanese Street Cooking, and says, “We are often inspired by the Japanese approach to fish cutting,” hence the cuttlefish picket fence. But there’s also a Wylie willfulness in the plating: “I’ve always had a thing for

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polka dots,” he suddenly tells me, hence the three big dots of potato purée with the cured duck breast.

Ultimately Wylie Dufresne is about 3-D, not 2, about layering as opposed to patterning. “The more something can be layered,” he says, “the more the diner can engage it.”

Thus, he uses narrow diameter bowls with wide brims because “it focuses your view,” even though the width presents a challenge to deploying the elements of the dish. He wants you to see the negative space on a plate, and he does culinary backflips to make the ingredients amenable to the design: The dots of fennel in the cuttlefish have rendered lamb fat whipped in to layer the flavor—and to thicken it so those slabs of feuilletine stand up. His next challenge is to take the forbidden rice that makes the duck breast’s serpentine accompaniment and “create a shrub of the rice.”

My advice when dining here is something Dufresne said about his approach to new ideas: “Be ready to receive it.” 50 Clinton St., 212-477-2900; wd-50.com G

LIQUOR LICENSE WD-50 cocktails are driven by a desire to bring the flavors of the kitchen to the bar. Thus squash, the headliner in the “Squash-Roasted Peanut Soup,” turns up in the El Gourdo, juiced and reduced, given a shot of yogurt, then rounded out with Nicaraguan rum and chartreuse to add complexity. “It’s the ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but I like it’ aspect,” says bar director Kevin Denton. The Matte Black (PICTURED) does the same thing with black garlic, which Denton says “seemed pretty repulsive at the beginning.” But he turned it into a cocktail that is “funky, fermented, and concentrated” by infusing the garlic into Barr Hill gin from Vermont, blending in Dolin sweet vermouth, and adding “a whisper of aquavit.” “It’s the mirror image of a Gibson,” Denton says.

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© 2014 CHLOE WINES, LIVERMORE, CA

MEET

C A P TU R E YOU R B E AUTI FU L M O M E NT 2013 PINOT GRIGIO VA L DA D I G E D.O.C . I TA LY

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Gallerist David Zwirner with Il Buco’s Donna Lennard.

TASTE

Chelsea Drinks NEW WATERING HOLES OPEN IN THE GALLERY DISTRICT. BY BAO ONG

A New Recipe for Success

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n impressive number of galleries dotting Chelsea have attracted trendy art and fashion crowds to the West 20s for years. With the exception of The Red Cat (227 10th Ave., 212-242-1122; theredcat.com), the spot Jimmy Bradley opened 15 years ago when he saw an opportunity to serve the emerging neighborhood and its galleries, the area lacked places to hang after an afternoon at Gagosian. But the restoration of the High Line and the arrival of luxury condos and buzzy restaurants brought a number of new watering holes. At The Heath and Gallow Green in the McKittrick Hotel (542 W. 27th St., 212-564-1662; mckittrickhotel.com), the site of Fashion Week parties and a soirée for Jeff Koons, the drink to order is The Heath’s Comet Tonic, a concoction that combines gin and absinthe.

The fashion and art set are also heading to Amanda Freitag’s Empire Diner (210 10th Ave., 212-596-7523; empire-diner.com), which reopened in January.

It has a fun cocktail menu that features libations like the Smokey Black Magic, a spin on the classic Negroni, made with mezcal and inspired by Orson Welles’s Black Magic.

The late-night Chelsea crowd also hits up the stylish Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room (6 W. 24th St., 212-234-2373; bosrestaurant.com), where Jeremy Strawn, a model-turnedmixologist, consulted on beverages. The Jewels Pecules, a bubbly Prosecco cocktail with vodka and St-Germain, is popular on Thursday nights when there’s live music—the same night many galleries hold openings.

The Champagne garden, located in front of The High Line Hotel (180 10th Ave., 212929-3888; thehighlinehotel.com), opens this spring with a menu of popular drinks like the Clement Clarke Moore—a potent mix of whiskey and spiced-apple cider.

LEFT:

Longtime Chelsea favorite The Red Cat. ABOVE: The Jewels Pecules at Bo’s Kitchen & Bar Room.

GALLERIES ON MULTIPLE CONTINENTS and a carefully tended stable of world-class artists were once the qualifications that defined überdealers, from West Chelsea to East Asia. Now some top dealers are jumping into another challenging yet glamorous market: restaurants.

The art world was abuzz for months with the news that Larry Gagosian had partnered with the owners of Sant Ambroeus to add a restaurant next to his Madison Avenue gallery. In one interview, he promised a menu of his favorite dishes, including waffles, “a good chili,” and Armenian fare.

“I just want to be able to entertain my friends,” said Gagosian, who noted that Bill Acquavella, a fellow überdealer, had already reserved a table.

Acquavella and other hungry gallery-goers will be waiting awhile for their appetizers. The project for the Madison eatery got as far as a liquor license, but reports say Gagosian is revisiting the restaurant idea this year.

Another top dealer, David Zwirner, has the inside track on Jeff Koons’s latest sculptures and artisanal salumi as an investor in Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria (53 Great Jones St., 212-837-2622; ilbucovineria.com), the around-the-corner offshoot of the Bond Street Il Buco. “The staff, our artists, my family, and friends have all fallen in love with Il Buco, and over the years we have had many gallery —DAVID ZWIRNER dinners there,” says Zwirner, pointing out the long communal tables that “invite spirited discussions,” further fueled by the excellent wine list. “As Il Buco grew to have Alimentari & Vineria, I knew I wanted to be supportive and be a part of it.” Zwirner came on board to help launch the restaurant, which The New York Times gave a three-star review.

Might the dawning of the dealer/restaurateur go both ways? Michael Chow, no stranger to the art world as the proprietor of Mr. Chow restaurants (the Midtown locale—324 E. 57th St., 212-751-9030; mrchow.com—has long been a favorite of the art-fashion crowd) recently debuted a series of his own paintings at Hong Kong’s Pearl Lam Gallery.

The show is entitled “Recipe for a Painter.” G

“Our artists, my family, have fallen in love with Il Buco.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOE DEWITT (ZWIRNER); JULI FERRENA (BO’S JEWELS PECULES)

TOP DEALERS FLIRT WITH THE RESTAURANT WORLD. BY STEPHANIE MURG

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Modern in the Hamptons

MODERN RETREAT SOUTH OF THE HIGHWAY Wainscott. Walls of glass are the signature of this private modern retreat designed by world-renowned architect, Annabelle Selldorf. The interior of the house features an open, loft-like layout with large entertaining rooms. Tasteful minimalist modern decor sets the tranquil mood of the 5 bedroom suites. The master bedroom overlooks a private garden to the north and east, while the house’s public spaces face a garden with vine covered canopy, heated pool and pool house to the south and west. The exterior is clad in cedar with the exception of the stairwell which is covered in zinc. A concrete plinth strengthens the relationship between the building and the landscape. All just a short distance to a sandy ocean beach.

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TASTE CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: The back room at Wallsé; Kurt Gutenbrunner in front of his portrait painted by Julian Schnabel; Warhol portraits at Casa Lever.

Artful Dining RESTAURANTS WITH GALLERY-WORTHY COLLECTIONS. BY STEPHANIE MURG

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any years ago, Kurt Gutenbrunner received a call from his friend, artist Julian Schnabel. “He said he felt like painting and that the light was right, so I closed the restaurant and went down to his studio. Now I have this masterpiece,” says the chef, gesturing to the giant portrait of himself that dominates one of the whitewashed brick walls of Wallsé, his West Village restaurant (344 W. 11th St., 212-352-2300; kg-ny.com/wallse). The stunning canvas is in good company, including sketches by Martin Kippenberger, paintings by Albert Oehlen, and photos

by Dennis Hopper, all from Schnabel and Gutenbrunner’s personal collections. “People want to be in the company of good art in Manhattan,” says Gutenbrunner, who selected each piece. “It’s just as important as the food.”

Rotating Collections

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Collages and Cuisine On the Upper East Side, Sistina (1555 Second Ave., 212-861-7660) and Caravaggio (23 E. 74th St., 212-288-1004; caravaggioristorante.com) also benefit from owners—the Bruno brothers—who are passionate about art.

Giuseppe Bruno commissioned Donald Baechler to create colorful collage paintings for Sistina and later for Caravaggio, which also has works by Frank Stella, Henri Matisse, and Beatrice Caracciolo.

Personal Pieces

Neighborhood Artistry

Both culinary and artistic delights are also on offer at Chelsea’s The Red Cat (227 10th Ave., 212-242-1122; theredcat.com) and Tribeca’s The Harrison (355 Greenwich St., 212-274-9310; theharrison.com). “I look at the art like I look at the food—it’s funky, whimsical, of-the-moment, and always changing,” says chef and owner Jimmy Bradley, who selects all of the art from his own collection. There are Robert Rauschenbergs at The Harrison, and the walls of The Red Cat are currently home to works by the likes of Donald Sultan, Robert Mangold, and Charlie Hewitt. He once hung a Picasso in The Red Cat’s bathroom and promptly sold it. “Everything I own is for sale, always, no matter what,” Bradley notes.

At Red Rooster (310 Lenox Ave., 212-792-9001; redroosterharlem.com) and its downstairs supper club, Ginny’s (212-421-3821; ginnyssupperclub.com), art offers one more way to celebrate the neighborhood. “Harlem’s history of great artists and institutions pushed us to look within the community,” says chef and owner Marcus Samuelsson, who showcases works by the likes of Lorna Simpson and Gary Simmons inside Red Rooster. The latest additions are six pieces by Derrick Adams in the private dining space downstairs. Chef’s choice? The brightly colored repurposed quilts of Sanford Biggers. Says Samuelsson, “I love the way they warm the room in a nontraditional way.” G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WHITNEY COX (CASA LEVER); COURTESY OF KG-NY RESTAURANT GROUP (WALLSÉ)

Finding restaurants with art that matches the quality and creativity of their menus is no easy task. “To put great art on the wall, you need to have very good relationships or you need to own it,” says real estate mogul and collector Aby Rosen. “It’s a rare thing for a restaurant to have, and the ones that have it shine.” At Casa Lever (390 Park Ave., 212-888-2700; casalever.com), nestled in the first floor of Lever House (owned by Rosen’s RFR Realty), Milanese cuisine is served amid a trove of Andy Warhol celebrity portraits from the collections of Rosen and his friend, art mogul Alberto Mugrabi. “He buys stuff, I buy stuff, and we rotate it to keep it interesting,” adds Rosen.

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2/7/14 5:37 PM

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ON THE TOWN

Art à la Carte NEW YORK SUPER-GALLERIST MARIANNE BOESKY DOES LUNCH WITH ARTIST AND GOOD FRIEND RACHEL FEINSTEIN. BY SUE HOSTETLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG YOUNG

B

ottino has been the art-world hot spot for close to 18 years now. Its at dinner than at lunch. “Kale salad gives way to tomato salad with burrata; aruclubby atmosphere draws power players from the surrounding Chelsea gula salad with pear and gorgonzola might be switched out for a salad of art district—deal-making gallerists, collectors enjoying a respite from art dandelion greens with anchovy vinaigrette. Some of the more robust pasta gazing, and artists for their post-exhibition fêtes. The restaurant was started by dishes, like lasagna bolognese, may be replaced with fettuccine with baby artiDanny Emerman and Alessandro Prosperi, along with a few dealers who, after chokes,” he says. While Bottino’s cooking is Tuscan-inspired, the wine list moving their spaces west, wanted to replicate a now-defunct Tribeca art-world roams all over Italy with selections ranging from Veneto (Amarone Trabucchi) haunt, Barocco. For years, Bottino’s simple Tuscan fare, to Sicily (Nero d’Avola). The Super Tuscans and Brunello charming garden, and minimal, midcentury décor di Montalcino are highlights of the collection. When (think functional Eames chairs) has appealed to those Gotham asked influential dealer Marianne Boesky for an engaged in the hyperkinetic, high-flying art industry.

“On the Town” interview, she immediately suggested This so-called “Cheers” for the gallery crowd attracts for sculptor and friend Rachel Feinstein, and Bottino, around its fine menu as well. The spaghettini with Manila clams is the corner from Boesky’s gallery, as the place for lunch. one of the most popular items; in warm weather the The two women met through the artist’s then boyfriend seared tuna niçoise is a favorite. Emerman says he season(now husband), painter John Currin; a few years later ally adjusts the menu, the changes being more noticeable —MARIANNE BOESKY Boesky began representing Feinstein.

“People ask if the High Line is intrusive. I think it’s the greatest gift to this city.”

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FROM LEFT:

Rachel Feinstein and Marianne Boesky compare notes over lunch at Bottino; Nebbiolo for the antipasto misto; a toast; spaghettini with Manila clams.

INSIGHT Where: Bottino, 246 10th Ave., 212-206-6766; bottinonyc.com On the Menu: Antipasto, spaghettini with Manila clams (Rachel) and lasagna al forno (Marianne); both had a glass of Botonero Nebbiolo.

RACHEL FEINSTEIN: I remember when Bottino was Barocco, when you still lived in Tribeca. We’d go there a lot back in the day!

MARIANNE BOESKY: I moved to Chelsea, everything’s in Chelsea now.

RF: Chelsea is definitely booming. It makes me really sad because I still live in Soho, and Soho is now this horrible shopping center. I wonder what’s going to happen to Chelsea, it seems that wherever the artists and art galleries go, everyone else finds a way to make money off of it through retail. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to the neighborhood. It’s still designated an art district, but you’re seeing a lot of retail popping up.

MB: But the High Line is great. Especially living right next to it as I do.

People always ask if it’s intrusive, but I don’t think so at all, I think it’s the greatest gift to this city.

RF: How did the gallery renovation go [after water damage from Hurricane Sandy]?

MB: Great... part of the inspiration was redoing it to be right above the 100year floodplain, so we won’t have any damaged art next time. You’re working hard on a few new projects?

RF: Right now I’m working on Prince Igor, a Borodin opera, for the Met. I have [a project for] Madison Square Park, which I’m very excited about; it’s been in the works for the past two years.

MB: I love the natural progression in your work. It has always been so performative anyway.

RF: The problem I’ve always had with performance art and video art is not knowing exactly what’s happening. You don’t really know where the beginning, middle, and end is. I’m so story oriented that I’ve never liked any performance or video art, I have to create a narrative.

MB: How is the new house coming along?

RF: We think it’s going to be done by Thanksgiving or Christmastime. It’s in Gramercy. We bought it three years ago, and the whole thing fell apart after we bought it, so we had to do a gut renovation.

MB: Who are you working with?

RF: Studio Peregalli, from Milan; they’re disciples of Renzo Mongiardino.

I wanted to do this old Baroque-style house that nobody does anymore, with old-fashioned faux finishes. I think we’re making things a little more complicated for ourselves. G

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reasures STYLE SETTER

Minimalist Expressions CELEBRATING 10 YEARS AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF CALVIN KLEIN WOMENSWEAR, FRANCISCO COSTA CONTINUES TO EVOLVE THE ICONIC LABEL’S MODERNIST AESTHETIC.

R

ecently Francisco Costa was perusing a Wall Street Journal story that examined the spectacular growth of the label he has helped guide for the past decade. Calvin Klein currently boasts $8 billion in annual sales, but that mammoth figure isn’t what drew Costa’s eye. Instead, it was the accompanying photo of Christy Turlington, the venerable supermodel who, perhaps more than any other model, has served as the face of the megawatt brand.

There she was, looking impossibly chic in a severely cut fringed top and Costa’s updated take on a painter’s pant, a tuxedo-influenced look from his Spring 2014 collection. “Those pieces are kind of special,” he says, “and to see them on her, looking so cool and beautiful and current, that was pretty fantastic.”

The combination of those clothes on Turlington emblematized the aesthetic increasingly present in Costa’s work as women’s creative director BELOW: Flame bag, Calvin Klein Collection ($1,295).

BELOW RIGHT: Calvin Klein’s Madison Avenue store.

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of Calvin Klein Collection—that sense of iconic meets minimalism and modernity, infused with a decidedly artful take on structure and, especially this season, texture. For his most recent work, Costa says he was intrigued by the mix of references: graphics and colors of Basquiat, Picasso, and Cecily Brown, as well as the photographs of Peter Bialobrzeski. “What I’ve tried to convey is a freedom of expression, combined with what’s happening in the world today,” he explains. “This collection was a little bit more freeing than many of the others I’ve done. Everything felt very frayed and deconstructed, and there were painterly elements, and then tribal elements. And those tuxedo pieces at the end felt very cool and festive.”

As he celebrates his first decade at Calvin Klein, Costa says he thrives on the creative freedom, knowing that the signature collection is allowed— encouraged, actually—to reach beyond the more commercial boundaries dictated for categories like jeans and underwear (neither of which should be discounted, providing as they do, a highly safe bedrock for Costa’s imaginative designs). “It’s not just clothes for the sake of clothes,” he says. “We do that with so many other layers of the business. The collection is about freedom of exploration, sending a message and captivating the customer to come into the world of Calvin.” And what might the next 10 years bring? “Whatever happens,” Costa says with a smile, “I hope it goes a little slower.” 654 Madison Ave., 212-292-9000; calvinklein.com G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES LATTANZIO (STORE); HANNELI MUSTAPARTA (COSTA); SOPHIE EGGERMONT (BAG)

BY LAURIE BROOKINS

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Francisco Costa has been guiding the vision at Calvin Klein for the past decade.

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LOCAL TREASURES

Antique Mahogany Madison 800 shoe, John Lobb ($1,685).

Measuring Up JOHN LOBB INTRODUCES A PERFECT SHOE FOR MANHATTAN POWER BROKERS.

J

ohn Lobb has been handcrafting shoes for international elites since the 19th century, having opened its first store in London in 1866. Dubbed the bootmaker to kings and the king of bootmakers, Lobb today outfits city power brokers with finely crafted footwear. Sure to be a must-have among Wall Streeters and hedgies this spring is Lobb’s new Madison 800, named after the store’s address. The shoe, a five-eyelet oxford that will be available in the brand’s ready-to-wear line, was designed by the Lobb team with input from Kelli Duggan, the New York store’s manager, and in-house bespoke shoemaker Paul Wilson.

“Many of our clients are heads of industry, whether in finance, entertainment, architecture, or design,” Duggan says. Regardless of profession, they’re übersuccessfuls who want discreet, flawless style.

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A custom color, Antique Mahogany, was created for the shoe, which retails for $1,685 (bespoke shoes begin at $7,650). It also comes in black. Other features include curved, symmetrical vamps and seamless backs. A medallion design inspired by the bespoke Remy model adorns the toe caps. Lobb regulars will recognize the pattern from the Madison 10, another commemorative style that celebrated the firm’s 10-year presence in New York. As for naming a second shoe after the store’s address, Renaud Paul-Dauphin, John Lobb CEO, says, “Madison has always been our address in New York, and it will stay our address.” Even though C-suite customers are typically a want-it-now crowd, the Madison 800 is available immediately in-store.

(Bespoke requires nine to 12 months.) 800 Madison Ave., 212-888-9797; johnlobb.com G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF CRAWFORD

BY FAYE POWER

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2/10/14 10:19 AM

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STYLE SPOTLIGHT

ROCKS STAR Jennifer Fisher’s Soho atelier showcases her newly expanded line of custom jewelry.

Jennifer Fisher’s brass barcode ring ($265) and 14k gold double nail ring with pavé white diamond ends ($2,800).

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The Louis Vuitton section of Dover Street Market New York has a rotating selection of menswear.

The Gifts of Dover COMME DES GARÇONS’ REI KAWAKUBO BRINGS HER IDIOSYNCRATIC RETAIL SENSIBILITY TO MIDTOWN. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY UNVEILING concept stores in London and Tokyo, Rei Kawakubo, the innovative designer behind Japanese label Comme des Garçons, debuts her latest version, Dover Street Market New York, in a part of the city—Lexington Avenue and 30th Street— not known for edgy destination shopping. The seven-floor luxury emporium houses the entire Comme des Garçons brand family, along with meticulously curated shop-in-shops from Jil Sander, Azzedine Alaïa, Thom Browne, and other top names. Louis Vuitton will be highlighted in a special three-month pop-up with a rotating selection of men’s ready-to-wear and accessories, including exclusive pieces made in collaboration with artist Terence Koh. Prada is offering a specially curated collection bearing the label      . You’ll also find a roster of up-and-coming design names throughout the megaboutique. 160 Lexington Ave., 646-837-7750; newyork.doverstreetmarket.com G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JODIE LOVE (RINGS)

At Jennifer Fisher’s Soho studio you’ll find 4,000 charms, handmade chain-link necklaces, and beautifully crafted 18k gold rings, among other precious baubles. Fisher, known for her A-list clientele, says she likes to design with “a casual edge,” but crafts jewelry that will make women “feel dressed and finished. We really strive to create pieces that are on trend yet never too trendy,” she explains. A former Hollywood wardrobe stylist, Fisher says she became a jewelry mogul by accident. To commemorate the birth of her first child in 2005, she designed a piece with her son’s name that received great attention wherever she went. Jennifer Fisher Jewelry was born later that year. Now a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Fisher has expanded her line to include elaborate fine jewelry and an innovative brass collection. She says she’s inspired by the city that surrounds her. “It’s such an amazing canvas to draw from.

Not only from the street, but from the city’s diverse cultures, too.” 270 Lafayette St., Ste. 904, 212-625-2380; jenniferfisherjewelry.com

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SECRET CITY

Stacks of ribbons fill Mokuba New York’s showroom in the Garment District.

Blue-Ribbon Style DESIGNER FAVORITE MOKUBA OFFERS THE CITY’S MOST LUXURIOUS TRIMMINGS.

BY ADRIENNE GAFFNEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILLIAM GEDDES

T

op fashion designers around the world know when they need that extra special touch for a garment being prototyped in muslin, they can find it at Mokuba New York, the largest showroom of one of the world’s most renowned ribbon companies. Behind a small storefront on a nondescript Garment District block, Mokuba stocks an amazing

number—nearly 50,000—of ribbons and trims. While hardly a household name, Mokuba is an open secret within the fashion and design industries, its products gracing everything from grand ball gowns and shoes to pillows and perfume bottles. continued on page 78

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SECRET CITY RIGHT: The store showcases 50,000 varieties of ribbons and trims. BELOW: Top designers often work from Mokuba sample cards.

“If our products are perfect, then someone will be inspired to create original works from them.”

continued from page 76 The small shop on West 38th Street is a kaleidoscope of color and texture, offering every conceivable variation of ribbon: double-sided stretch grosgrains, ombré organzas, wide leather bands, satins of unimaginable heft, and countless types of lace. The trimmings, all of which are produced in Japan, range in price from 25 cents for an embroidery tape to several hundred dollars a yard for metallic lace ribbons. The store receives new collections seasonally. Taste varies among designers, of course, but recently silver passementerie—one version is woven in pure silver— has been among the best-selling items.

Mokuba’s ethos and aesthetic are molded by the eye of artistic director Keiko Watanabe, a former ballerina who has run the company since 1985. “If our products are perfect in terms of their quality, style, color, and materials, I am sure that someone somewhere in the world will be inspired to create original works with them,” she says. Trimmings are in her blood: Her father, Shoichi Watanabe, founded the business in 1954, inspired by the work of his father, who was a weaver of Tsuzureori obi belts, and by the beauty of a collection of 19th-century French ribbons he had discovered.

The store’s mesmerizing selection has made it a favorite of high-end

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labels and its wares are regularly seen on the runways of Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrera, and Vera Wang, who uses Mokuba ribbons for the sashes on her iconic wedding dresses. Fashion stylists also rely on the store to provide the perfect hair accessory or makeshift belt. Legendary French hairstylist and set designer Julien d’Ys used Mokuba ribbons to create fantastical headpieces that accompanied couture looks in a 2012 Marie Antoinette– inspired Vogue photo shoot.

Whereas many designers are highly knowledgeable of Mokuba’s stock, either through in-store visits, photo catalogs, or sample cards, others seek out the store’s counsel. “Designers normally take one to five yards of sample product from which they make prototypes,” explains Mokuba president Hiroshi Watanabe. “After that, they place spool orders for bulk production.” Thanks to a friendly in-store environment and helpful staff, Mokuba also has many nonindustry customers, proving it takes more than an elite pedigree to build a loyal following, As Mokuba is a sampling store, the shop doesn’t carry large quantities of ribbons on premise. But customers can see and touch countless offerings (sold wholesale and retail) for creative inspiration. You won’t find any exquisite couture or interior products designed with Mokuba ribbons on display. And that’s because the company wants customers to focus on their own creativity and think of the breathtaking new pieces from which magic can be made using their gorgeous trimmings. 137 W. 38th St., 212-869-8900; mokubany.com G

ILLUSTRATION BY KRISTINE LOMBARDI

— KEIKO WATANABE

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SOCIAL NETWORK

Enduring Favorites LIFESTYLE GURU NINA GRISCOM OPENS HER ADDRESS BOOK. BY FAYE POWER

“New York has incredible street style, which frankly inspires me far more than any magazine or blog,” says Nina Griscom, the designer and longtime fixture on Manhattan’s social scene.

With the recent launch of her new line of handmade leather bags, Nina Griscom for GiGi New York (available at ninagriscom.com), she adds another dimension to her growing lifestyle brand. Because Griscom is known for her great taste, we asked her to share some of her favorite city addresses.

As a world traveler, Griscom shops in many countries, but says she always finds unique treasures right at home—particularly at BALSAMO ANTIQUITÉS AND INTERIOR DESIGN (306 E. 61st St., Seventh Fl., 212759-0063; balsamoantiques.com). “I love to see their latest finds,” she says. “There are wonderful gutsy pieces for interiors and the garden. They travel to Europe several times a year to keep their inventory fresh. One of my favorite pieces is my dining table for our house in Millbrook.” For flowers, PLAZA FLOWERS (944 Lexington Ave., 212-472-7565; plazaflowersnyc.com) is Griscom’s go-to. “I have turned to Connie Plaissay at Plaza Flowers for as long as I can remember,” she reveals. “I’ve worked with many other extremely talented florists, but Connie is brilliant and has an aesthetic that I relate to—clean and unfussy. He doesn’t use colors I hate (such as orange), and he employs lovely topiaries in unusual shapes. Simple and elegant. Plus, he always manages to get things wherever they need to be on time—no matter what—and that can’t be said for everyone in this town.” G

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Designer Nina Griscom; embellished Saffiano earrings

by Prada ($595); stylish wares at Balsamo Antiquités; Midinette loafers ($350 each) from Belgian Shoes; peonies from Plaza flowers.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PEDEN (BALSAMO); HAREL RINTZLER/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (GRISCOM); SOPHIE EGGERMONT (SHOES)

Griscom says she’s been shopping at BELGIAN SHOES (110 E. 55th St. 212-755-7372; belgianshoes.com) since she was a teenager. Belgian Shoes are noted for their hand craftsmanship and quality leathers. These softsole loafers have long been an Upper East Side favorite and are crafted—as their name implies—in Belgium. The store also sells scarves. “One of the few places that remains ‘old New York,’ it never changed into that high-design retail look,” she says. “The store is understated, and the shoes are the focus, not the décor.” A lover of all things Prada, Griscom suggests a visit to her special friend, Ramón Alonso, at PRADA (841 Madison Ave., 212-327-4200; prada.com). “Ramón totally gets my style and never wastes time showing me things that don’t work for me,” she says, adding that he always goes the distance: locating a dress that is “sold out” and ferreting out special things. “He is an angel!”

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STYLE OF GENEROSITY

The Big Hunt CELEBRITIES AND ARTISTS TEAM UP FOR THE FABERGÉ EGG HUNT’S NEW YORK DEBUT, SPEARHEADED

BY RENOWNED CONSERVATIONIST MARK SHAND AND ART PHILANTHROPIST AGNES GUND.

BY MARK SHAND, AS TOLD TO CATHERINE SABINO

F

rom April 1–26, New York’s five boroughs will be the setting for a unique egg hunt, organized to benefit conservation and art charities. Its predecessor, The Big Egg Hunt in London, created a media frenzy in 2012 and ultimately raised more than $1.5 million for notable conservation and children’s causes.

Leading global artists, designers, and architects, including Bruce Weber, Carolina Herrera, Olivier Theyskens, Tracey Emin, Ralph Lauren, and Zaha Hadid have agreed to design eggs for the April hunt; several hundred of these specially crafted objects will be hidden all over town.

Proceeds from the event, which is open to the public, and the subsequent auction of the eggs, will benefit the Elephant Family and Studio in a School, founded by Agnes Gund, president emerita of MoMA. Author, conservationist, and Elephant Family chair Mark Shand talks to Gotham about how the hunt made it across the Atlantic and what we can expect with this citywide extravaganza.

A penny for your thoughts?

Artist Jane Morgan’s design for the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt in London. RIGHT: Mark Shand

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“New York is a place I’ve always liked. It makes a great backdrop and is so filled with art that it just seemed like an incredible place to do a Fabergé Egg Hunt.

Coming to New York as a conservation agency, looking out for endangered species (we’ve now gone beyond Asian elephants to deal more with the illegal wildlife trade in Africa and Asia, which has

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been so prominent in the news lately), I’d heard about Agnes. [The artist] Clifford Ross put me in touch with her initially. She’s such a remarkable woman, and had this extraordinary idea for art in schools. We’d been working on this idea of art and conservation for a long time. I think art and conservation works so well together because, to me, the greatest art in the world is nature.

As I’ve traveled a lot, I made many influential friends along the way, so it was mainly through connections that the project started.

People thought it would be a great fit for New York and were supportive of the causes, Elephant Family and Studio in a School, that the hunt benefits. Connections are so important in charity work because they pull people in... especially in New York. Caroline Kennedy [who is on the committee] has been so supportive. She’s in Japan now, as ambassador, but should be back for this. Caroline, to me, is like a sister. I can sit with her and be frank, and she’s always very helpful.

We’ve had 2,000 applications and had to turn people away. More than 250 participants have been selected. There may be more—we can’t say no to a great artist, because in the end, we’re raising money for two very important causes.

“Caroline Kennedy has been so supportive.”

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Zenya

ruby egg pendant by Fabergé, sponsor of the Big Egg Hunt; artist Shantell Martin at work; the 2012 Big Egg Hunt in London.

—MARK SHAND We’ve tried to be as diverse as possible. The majority will be New York–based artists, but from every genre: Photographers, architects, and street artists are always people we involve.

What I found so satisfying is how eggs created by emerging artists for the London hunt fetched fortunes. There are so many people with great talent who have no chance of doing their own exhibition. We give 15 percent of the auction price to the artists themselves, although the big names tend to waive it. As a result of the hunt, certain artists were able to leave their jobs and work on their art full-time. Since these objects are one-off pieces, they make great investments.

Each contributor gets a two-and-a-half foot fiberglass egg to start. They can do with the egg whatever they like.

We’re pretty good at these events now,

although they’re not easy to do. The execution is really challenging. We were up all night before the London hunt, trying to put out 200 eggs, drilling them into their places. By the time we opened in the morning, we could hardly walk.

There was a learning curve, but it was worth it. In New York, the eggs will be delivered to some locations in advance [and secured to their spots].

The New York hunt will be spread throughout the five boroughs, with locations including Queens Plaza and P.S.1 in Queens; Snug Harbor in Staten Island; Dumbo and the Brooklyn Public Library in Brooklyn; Grand Central Station, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center in Manhattan; and the New York

Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

As to where people will look—there will be a fairy tale, more for children really, that will guide them on their search. You’ll be able to buy the book, so that’s quite a nice add-on.

Each week we’ll give a prize to a winner of the hunt, a Fabergé pendant that will be adorned with the jewel of the week.

Where will we do this next? I’ve been approached by a lot of places. Miami would be cool. Hong Kong, too. I would consider doing it again in a city that I know. But I have to split my time with these events. The conservation side is desperate at the moment and I really have to spend time out in the field.” thebigegghunt.org G

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TIME HONORED

Les Bons Temps WITH THE “GAUGUIN: METAMORPHOSES” EXHIBITION AT MOMA THIS SEASON, GALLIC INSPIRATIONS ARE VERY MUCH IN VOGUE WITH GOTHAMITES, PARTICULARLY FRENCH WATCH BRANDS THAT OFFER A CHIC TWIST ON TIME.

BY ROBERTA NAAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF CRAWFORD

B

eginning March 8 at MoMA, extraordinary, rare prints and drawings from famed Parisian artist Paul Gauguin promise to delight the senses. These works date from 1889 until Gauguin’s death in 1903—and reflect his many talents as a modernist.

France has been a mecca for creativity in the arts, music, literature, and fashion for centuries. Because of this, many of the greatest brand names have stemmed from this country in general and from Paris in particular. Iconic names such as Dior, Hermès, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Van Cleef & Arpels all have Parisian roots. It was in this famed city, clustered around Place Vendôme, where many of them got their starts.

While some of these great French houses began in the fashion world, they have all spread their proverbial wings into the world of watchmaking—always keeping their French roots—and therefore turning out unusual works of horology.

Dior began as a couture house, with Monsieur Christian Dior creating handmade gowns and special dresses that were dreams come true for celebrities and socialites. When Dior launched into the world of Swiss-made watches, the brand never lost sight of its rich heritage. In 2011, when Dior released the first of its now much-coveted Dior VIII Grand Bal watch collection, the inspiration came directly from its couture designs. With the patented Inverse caliber developed by Les Ateliers Horlogers Dior in Switzerland, Dior is able to display the mechanical watch rotor on the dial and bedeck it in jewels and lavish designs that recall the sway of a ball gown—all in an effort to emulate the hypnotic spell of Dior’s French couture prowess.

Coco Chanel also made history with her haute couture and branched out to include accessories with the attention to detail and sophistication that became her brand’s hallmark. Such is the case with the brand’s timepieces, which recall the bold black and white statements made by Coco Chanel in the brand’s ceramic watches. Additionally, the premier watch line is continued on page 86 From Dior, this VIII Grand Bal Résille watch ($26,900) is inspirited by accents similar to those found in Dior’s haute couture dresses. The 33mm automatic watch is crafted in white ceramic with pink sapphires on the bezel and the patented Inverse Caliber rotor on the dial.

Limited edition of 88 pieces. 21 E. 57th St., 212-9312950; dior.com. From Van Cleef & Arpels, this 18k white-gold Charms Lotus watch ($73,000) has a case set with diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines, and blue sapphires, and a meticulously hand-painted champlevé enamel flower dial with gemstone setting. 744 Fifth Ave., 212-896-9284; vancleefarpels.com. From Cartier, this 18k pink-gold Tank Anglaise watch ($36,200) recalls the brand’s first Tank watches but with updated styling. It is set with brilliant-cut diamonds, features a silvered, lacquered dial, and houses the quartz caliber Cartier 057. 653 Fifth Ave., 212-753-0111; cartier.com

STYLING BY TERRY LEWIS

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From Hermès, this elegant H Heure watch ($23,900) is inspired by the brand’s famed H logo. It is crafted in 18k rose gold with an alligator strap. 691 Madison Ave., 212-751-3181; hermes.com.

From Louis Vuitton, the Tambour Monogram watch ($2,500) is made in steel with diamonds and features a dial with a graduated sunray pattern and Louis Vuitton logo. 1 E. 57th St., 212-758-8877; vuitton.com. From Chanel, the 38mm automatic Swiss made J12 Moonphase watch ($23,450) is crafted in top-quality ceramic with a diamond-set bezel. The dial features a stunning moonphase indication at 6:00 rimmed with diamond brilliants. 15 E. 57th St., 212-355-5050; chanel.com

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STYLING BY TERRY LEWIS

continued from page 84 inspired by Place Vendôme and by the design of the Chanel No. 5 fragrance’s bottle stopper. The brand also creates haute horological specialty pieces with enamel dials inspired by the Chinese screens from Coco Chanel’s home, which offer gemstones, pearls, and gold chain accents on watches to remain true to its Parisian roots.

Louis Vuitton and Hermès began their success stories in the world of leather goods. Vuitton was a maker of French trunks and luggage, while Hermès was firmly entrenched in saddlery. As the craftsmanship of these brands gained international renown, and as times changed and the world evolved from trunks and saddles to handbags, these French houses flourished. Louis Vuitton remains true to its roots with many of its key timepiece collections featuring the brand’s famous LV logo on the straps and the dials. Similarly, Hermès celebrates its French heritage by utilizing unparalleled saddle stitching and fine leather straps, and by incorporating details from its famed H logo into certain collections.

“The top French brands are known for their quality and heritage, for their designs and their unusual thought processes,” says Robert Peterman, vice president of fine timepieces division for Hermès. “At Hermès, that quality pervades the entire organization, from bags to jewelry to watches. Our French roots require us to keep a close handle on quality and craftsmanship, and the Swiss watchmaking helps us do that.”

Only the houses of Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, both French-born, started with jewelry. Cartier began creating watches at the turn of the 20th century, with the first watch being built by Louis Cartier for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, an aviation pioneer best known for flying dirigibles around Paris.

He had a difficult time operating his airships while taking his pocket watch out with one hand, so Cartier created a wristwatch that later came into serial production as the Santos watch—still in creation today.

Similarly, Van Cleef & Arpels created its first wristwatches more than 90 years ago as diamond-and-gemstone accessories for its high-society clientele. Today, the brand offers diamond, gemstone, enamel, and special haute horology watches that are always inspired by French tradition.

“The genius of Gauguin that is on display at the MoMA brings the creative energy of France to the streets of New York,” says Marion Fourestier, director of communications at Atout France, the France Tourism Development Agency. “The artistry of French design has inspired New Yorkers in decoration, design, and fashion for centuries, and today in the design of beautiful timepieces.” G For more watch features and expanded coverage, visit gotham-magazine.com/watches.

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Carolina Herrera and daughter Patricia Lansing at the designer’s headquarters in Manhattan.

ON HERRERA: Classic cotton blouse ($495) and black and ivory striped silk organza skirt ($1,290), Carolina Herrera. 954 Madison Ave., 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com. Earrings, Herrera’s own. ON LANSING: Green and ivory striped silk organza dress, Carolina Herrera ($3,890). SEE ABOVE. 14k gold double nail ring with pavé white diamond ends ($2,800) and 14k rose gold double nail ring with pavé white diamond ends ($3,000), Jennifer Fisher. 270 Lafayette St., Ste. 904, 212-625-2380; jenniferfisherjewelry.com

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dream team

AS THEY EVOLVE THEIR POWERHOUSE BRAND GLOBALLY, FASHION MOGUL CAROLINA HERRERA AND DAUGHTER PATRICIA LANSING FIND THERE’S NO GENERATION GAP IN THE CH ATELIER.

by KARI MOLVAR photography by ROBERT ASCROFT

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hen fashion designer Carolina remarks Lansing. “And then my mom will come Herrera and her daughter, by later, look at the same dress and go, ‘Hmm, Patricia Lansing, walk into I don’t know about that sleeve’ even though we the room where they will be haven’t spoken.” Of course, the two have their photographed for Gotham, it’s disagreements, but Herrera wouldn’t have it any easy to see how close they are. other way. “It’s fun to work with [my children],” she Their shoulders effortlessly says. “They see things with different eyes, and in lean forward together, forming an elegant silhouette for fashion, you have to have a mix of people around the camera. When a stray hair falls in Lansing’s brown you whom you trust and bring you new ideas.” eyes, Herrera gently brushes it away. They seamlessly Lansing agrees, saying: “We can be 100 percent position themselves on the backdrop without appear- honest, and we don’t have to sugarcoat anything.”

Her mother smiles, “I think it’s ing to pose. The two joke about because they think they can’t not liking to be photographed, get fired!” To which Lansing but evidence suggests otherwise: responds: “Oh, no, we think Portraits and family snapshots we can get fired!” fill the designer’s office on Expectations are high in any Seventh Avenue—her iconic likecreative field, fashion especially. ness captured by Andy Warhol, The brand now operates 120 quiet moments with her husband, boutiques around the world and Reinaldo, and four daughters, of commands the red carpet, with which Patricia is the youngest, Hollywood’s next generation of as well as her grandchildren —CAROLINA HERRERA stars (Allison Williams, Taylor and parents.

The mother-daughter symbiosis in front of the Swift) proving its timeless appeal. When asked about camera extends into their work life as well. Herrera is expanding the house even more, Herrera doesn’t the “head honcho,” overseeing all matters of design hesitate before stating: “We want it to be big! Really for the international luxury empire; but Lansing, big!” Social media is undoubtedly what will propel who serves as creative consultant, is her right hand, it forward next. In this digital age, designers are executing the vision for the namesake label. increasingly posting photos online that can generate (Lansing’s sister, Carolina Herrera de Báez, is thousands of “likes” and build instant buzz for creative fragrance director.) Although they have it-bags or shoes before they’re even released. This different personal styles—Herrera is a standard social currency isn’t lost on Herrera—her label’s bearer for uptown sophistication while Lansing Instagram feed has more than 100,000 followers, revels in downtown chic—they share an uncanny while its Facebook page has well over half a million ability to channel each other and stay on the same fans. “Online is becoming very important for me,” she reveals. “[It’s how] you are in touch with your wavelength in the design room.

“It’s funny, I’ll look at a dress and say, ‘It’s good, clients around the world, and let them participate but I’m just not sure about the sleeve or the color,’” in what you do.”

“You have to let [your followers] inside your world, but not totally.”

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till, don’t expect to see Herrera snapping a selfie anytime soon. “I would never!” she says, drawing back. “You have to let [your followers] inside your world, but not totally. If you [reveal too much], they don’t want to know anything else. The mystery has to be there.” She manages to keep that veil drawn with an edited feed that includes a mix of stylized

Patricia Lansing is Carolina Herrera’s youngest daughter and “right hand,” serving as the brand’s creative consultant.

Spiral pigment organza dress, Carolina Herrera ($6,590). 954 Madison Ave., 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com.

18k yellow gold fluid gold necklace, H.Stern ($17,400). 645 Fifth Ave., 212-655-3910; hstern.net

“I want my kids to have a completely fashion-less childhood, like I did.”

—PATRICIA LANSING

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campaign images and personal yet discreet snapshots: Herrera’s coffee table punctuated with handbags and books (Diana Vreeland Memos: The Vogue Years and a tribute to English stage designer Oliver Messel), for example, or a glimpse of the designer peeking in from the doorway during a model fitting. It’s fashion, filtered through Herrera’s wise eye, and on her terms.

Of course, keeping tabs on such affairs is quintessentially Herrera, who admits: “I am a control freak!” This also explains why the designer is one of the rare few who generates every garment in-house rather than work with fabrics or samples that have been produced

overseas. “It’s very important I have the ability to do all the fittings in house,” she says of her atelier, which is lined with bolts of originally designed fabric and divided into numerous workrooms.

Perfection can be assured since “everything is made here.”

Her latest collections illustrate this point, underscoring Herrera’s talent for impeccable construction. For pre-Fall, she delivered chic variations on classic silhouettes—slim day skirts that flare at the knee, a wool coat with threequarter-length sleeves and elegantly foldedover collar, evening dresses with unexpected ruffled drop shoulders or fabric subtly gathered on the bias at the waist. Her play on proportions continued into her ready-to-wear fall range as well, and emphasized a “new volume that’s focused on top, and then very slim toward the bottom,” she explains. Standouts include jackets and dresses that draw the eye with “soft shoulders” and richly textured fabrics used throughout—everything from wool gazar and felt to cashmere paired with fur. Herrera’s love of prints and patterns shines here as well, this time appearing in the form of geometric motifs, crystal embroidery, and appliqués, set against a bold palette of deep mahogany, cobalt, firestone, and antique brass colors. As for her inspiration this season, Herrera simply muses: “It’s all of the women around the world who will wear these clothes.”

Having lived a jet-set life and conquered the best-dressed lists before launching her fashion career in the ’80s, Herrera knows the global marketplace well, but New York is her touchstone.

“I have loved New York ever since I was a baby,” she notes. “It’s my favorite city in the world, and that’s why I live here. Coming here is like plugging yourself into electricity.” To underscore that point, Herrera says she marvels at how New York women sometimes attend six different black-tie events—in a single night—and have a “very active” relationship with fashion. “Even if she can’t buy trousers or shoes, then she buys perfume or cosmetics,” she notes. Regardless of price point, the challenge remains the same. “Fashion has to be very connected to newness, you need to produce something that she doesn’t have, is unique, and she wants—that’s luxury!”

When it comes to immersing themselves in the city, Herrera and Lansing do so with passion and thoughtfulness. Herrera prefers the opera and ballet, along with quiet time to herself, while enjoying breakfast in bed with her two dogs every morning. Lansing, on the other hand, loves “the sound of laughter and running” spilling from her three children’s rooms—Carolina, 10, Magnus, 8,

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“I am a control freak,” says Carolina Herrera, standing in her New York atelier.

The designer generates all her garments in-house.

Black Mikado jacket ($2,790), classic cotton blouse ($495), and black Mikado silk pant ($1,290), Carolina Herrera. 954 Madison Ave., 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com HERRERA:

Hair and makeup

by Ida Roseman LANSING: Hair by Brian Magallones for Exclusive Artists using Aveda.

Makeup by Marni Burton using Chanel at Crosby Carter Management

and Gerrit, 6—and is a neighborhood regular at Rubirosa (“we go every Sunday with the children; it’s the most delicious Italian food”) and Ceci-Cela (“they have the best croissants”) in Nolita. Mother and daughter are both fond of walks through Central Park and share a commitment to philanthropic causes. Herrera is an ambassador to the American Cancer Society, and Lansing serves on the board for the GO Project, supporting the social and academic needs of underserved students in New York City.

Both are long time supporters of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Inspiring the next generation of Herreras is a shared love as well. As the matriarch of the family, Herrera has 12 (yes!) grandchildren as well as two great-grandchildren. Lansing often brings her tribe to the office—not to witness any of the work mind you, but purely for the fun of it.

“My kids love coming here,” she says. “They like to hang out with my mom, eat pasta, and play. It’s a child’s paradise!” If her offspring have an interest in the family business, Lansing wouldn’t know. “I want my kids to have a completely fashion-less childhood, like I did.” Herrera

seconds this viewpoint, saying: “Me, too. I was brought up that way.” And what the youngest set has picked up merely conveys their innocence.

“My son was very confused,” Lansing says, with a smile. “He saw a picture of the collections with

my mother’s name above it and he asked, ‘How does mama [their nickname for grandmother] have time to sew all those clothes?’” The world will come rushing in later, but for now, just let it be “magical,” Herrera says. G

HERRERA-ISMS FOR A STYLISH LIFE

“I always tell women, you have to be yourself with clothes, and you know perfectly well what goes with your personality.”

“Fashion is what I give you, but style is what you do with it. Women should have a full-length mirror, so you can always see what’s missing and what you don’t need.”

“If you follow fashion too strictly, you become a fashion victim. Instead, take little hints from what’s going on. If you don’t have the age or legs to wear a miniskirt, but it’s fashionable, don’t wear it. Wear what suits you. Fashion is for your eye; it’s to please you.”

“Fashion is everything about proportion. If you have a beautiful dress but it’s badly proportioned, it doesn’t mean anything. It has to fit you, and yes, a good tailor is essential!”

“You have to take work off the table at the end of the day. Patricia and I can spend the whole day together at the office and come home and chat, but it has nothing to do with work. It’s important to have another life, and let your imagination fly.”

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HOW HIGH WILL PRICES FOR MANHATTAN LUXURY PROPERTIES GO IN 2014? WE TURN TO FIVE OF MANHATTAN’S MOST ACTIVE, HIGH-END RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS AND MARKETERS FOR ANSWERS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC RYAN ANDERSON

m

anhattan real estate broke numerous records last year, as prices for trophy listings soared into the stratosphere, several beyond that once-unthinkable marker of not so rational exuberance—$100 million. But can this hot market stay hot? Will Manhattan trump London as the haven for the world’s super rich? To get a better read on how the top end of the residential market will play out this year, Gotham and investment management company AllianceBernstein held a roundtable discussion with five luxury property pros: developers Peter Armstrong, Kenneth Horn, Kevin Maloney, and Joseph McMillan, and Douglas Elliman’s Susan de França. Brahm Cramer, co-head and co-chief investment officer of the real estate investment group at AllianceBernstein, moderated the panel.

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FROM LEFT:

Property Markets Group founder Kevin Maloney, DDG’s Joseph McMillan, and AllianceBernstein’s Brahm Cramer.

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RAHM CRAMER: Looking around this table, there are probably 15 luxury projects represented from the last three years and a lot of announced projects coming online.

Is supply finally keeping up with demand? Have we hit a point where anybody has any concerns?

KEVIN MALONEY: In the neighborhoods we’re building in, there’s quite a bit of competition. We’re not seeing any push back in the velocity or the price point of sales.

KENNETH HORN: Nobody is doing a 500-unit project—you’re putting 50 units, 100 units on the market.

PETER ARMSTRONG: I’m building nine units on 12th Street.

JOSEPH MCMILLAN: If you look in particular neighborhoods, there’s still not a lot of supply relative to demand.

SUSAN DE FRANÇA: We see more inventory coming online in 2014, but demand still exceeds the supply. We had a very robust fall selling season; as a result, there’s a shortage of new inventory in the marketplace.

BC: Does anyone see a ceiling on prices?

PA: The market streamed up very quickly the

first half, or maybe the first three quarters, of 2013. I think it has leveled. There are two markets in the super-luxury end: The trophy towers in Midtown, which very much appeal to foreign buyers, as well as some locals. And then you have the downtown market, which I see as 90 to 95 percent local buyers. I think there’s a fair way to run within this market. I don’t see it suddenly hitting a wall for any reason.

BC: As you hit higher prices, how much more demanding are buyers? And how much do developers have to change the product given new price points?

SDF: There is a high demand for real quality—a very experienced developer that drives the price points tremendously. I would say the luxury buyer has been spoiled. In Walker Tower, for sure. I’ve never seen a developer finish a product to that level of design.

KM: Well, Walker Tower didn’t start that way. In 2010, when we bought, there hadn’t been anything built [in Chelsea] for three years. We had projected a $1,700-a-foot, typical Chelsea market. Walker started as a much different product and then morphed into a very high-end

luxury project as we saw where the market was.

KH: We had the same experience, because we bought around the same time. No one in their right mind would underwrite a deal at $2,500 a foot in 2010. You couldn’t get it financed.

BC: Could you comment on Peter’s contention about foreign buyers and the broad base of buyers?

KH: We thought the 77th Street project [Isis, 303 East 77th Street] would be 100 percent New York buyers, but we’ve got Brazil, Turkey, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Las Vegas, Tennessee, California. And of the 33 sold [out of 55] on 15th Street [35XV, 35 West 15th Street], 15 are non–New Yorkers.

BC: How much of that is your marketing or sales programs?

KH: On 77th Street we had no international advertising. No one in my firm thought that east of Lexington would attract foreign buyers, but we have been.

“Whatever it is, modern or historic, if it’s one-of-a-kind, people pay $50, $70, $90 million.”

—KEVIN MALONEY

“If you look in particular neighborhoods, there’s still not a lot of supply relative to demand,” says Joseph McMillan. RIGHT: Douglas Elliman’s Susan de França.

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Kenneth Horn, who is developing the Woolworth building: “We decided to be true to the building’s character.”

JM: We attracted foreign buyers in the Meatpacking District, but found the downtown market, depending on the neighborhood— Chelsea, Tribeca, West Village—would be more inclined to be families. In the case of the Meatpacking District and Soho, you see a mix.

SDF: I would add that in the super-luxury Midtown market, Russians, Chinese, Indians, and Canadians are the categories. But Russians and Chinese are definitely our predominant market share.

BC: Is some of this just flight capital as opposed to having a pied-à-terre?

SDF: Some of it is, but more and more people are buying to enjoy the lifestyle. New York is a cultural destination, too.

PA: One of the reasons London real estate is so expensive is because of flight capital from Russia and the Middle East. London had some very attractive tax advantages for foreigners to buy apartments. Those tax advantages have been eliminated, so I think you are going to see more Russians and Middle Easterners coming to New York. And you’ll see the French as well, because it’s not very easy living in France today with the political climate, and the taxation there is a complete nightmare.

JM: New York by any measure is one of the safest places to invest in. Regardless of where you sit

around the world, New York is viewed very favorably, and I think we’re all benefiting from that.

PA: Whether you sell to locals or foreigners, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. But it’s safer to rely upon locals buying than it is somebody from Russia or China, because if things go wrong [in their home countries], they can’t get the money out.

KH: At the Woolworth Building, I imagine we will attract New Yorkers and people from outside the United States. We have only 35 units.

GOTHAM: Could what’s happening in London— the city becoming unaffordable, even for those considered upper middle class—happen here?

PA: Even if you’re wealthy, you can’t afford to live in parts of London now. The foreign people who have been buying haven’t been buying for returns; it’s to get capital out, to have an asset— and it’s appreciating. There’s more and more coming in, so prices are going up. In parts of London, purchased homes are not lived in—it’s a ghost town. Is that going to happen in New York?

I don’t think so. It’s a different world. There’s a breadth of housing stock here, between rentals, co-ops, as well as condominiums. But say people from China, the Middle East, or Russia buy a two-bedroom condominium at 432 Park. It’s parking money, but it’s also having the convenience of being able to come here and stay. I think the bigger issue is that some of the

PANELISTS: Peter Armstrong, managing partner of Rigby Asset Management, which recently purchased 17 East 12th Street for luxury condo development.

Susan de França, president and chief executive, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing.

Kenneth Horn, president of Alchemy Properties, the firm transforming the Woolworth building into luxury residences, to be designed by Thierry Despont.

Kevin Maloney, founder of Property Markets Group, one of the city’s most active developers. Recent projects include the Walker Tower and the historic Steinway Hall site.

Joseph McMillan, chairman and chief executive of DDG, developers of many downtown properties, including 41 Bond and 345meatpacking.

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high-profile projects in Midtown are 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 square feet. I’m not sure those are going to be bought as pieds-à-terre because they’re rather large.

KH: The concept of a pied-à-terre has changed enormously. It used to be studios and one-bedrooms and now they’re— PA: 2,500 square feet! 6,000 square feet!

GOTHAM: Is $50 million the new luxury threshold?

SDF: I’m not sure it’s the new threshold, but we have achieved those numbers.

KH: We just got approval to do the top of the Woolworth Tower. It’s going to be about 8,000 square feet spread across five stories. I don’t know what we’re going to price it at, but I imagine it will be priced at a very high level. It’s a one-of-a-kind asset, like the Walker Tower penthouse, and you’re 800 feet up in the air.

BC: When you get to those price points, how do you differentiate yourself from the 432s and the One57s? There is a fair amount of product out there for the $5,000-per-square-foot buyer.

“There’s a fair way to run within this market. I don’t see it suddenly hitting a wall for any reason.”

—PETER ARMSTRONG Peter Armstrong of Rigby Asset Management.

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JM: I think it’s the amenities package for the building, the finishes in your flooring or your marble or other stones. Whether it’s radiant heat and you put in a swimming pool, or you put in the outdoor shower. The views are obviously critically important. Potential buyers want something special. If you don’t check the boxes, I don’t think you’re going to get that price point.

SDF: It has to do with design, with the layouts, how much of a particular product is in a building.

There’s a named architect as well as a renowned interior designer for almost every new development today. It’s a pretty powerful combination.

KH: At Woolworth we made a decision that we were not going to try to be what we are not. We are not going to modernize this building because a lot of modern, glass towers are going up. We decided to go with architectural integrity, be true to the building’s character. Obviously [the building] has modern components, but in terms of the finishes, we are trying to keep it in the nature of the original architecture.

PA: But you are creating something that is unique, and that is what people will pay for.

SDF: We did the same things with the Kushners, who we’re working with at the Puck Building.

We embraced the architectural elements, the high-vaulted ceilings. That is what people are looking for in these iconic properties, not for a sleek, modern white box.

KM: I’m sure there will be an amazing price achieved on that Woolworth penthouse unit. But whatever it is, modern or historic, if it’s one-of-akind, people are paying $50, $70, $90 million.

PA: There are certain bragging rights a purchaser wants to have.

KH: Recently, somebody bought an apartment for $60 or $70 million, but he actually had a piece of art in the apartment that was $150 million!

SDF: Which is why Douglas Elliman Development Marketing sponsored Art Basel in Miami Beach this year—we know that’s our audience. Our buyers are avid art collectors, particularly in the penthouses. So we targeted that market, and as a result we’ve made good sales.

KH: There’s also an issue, when you design these buildings, to have enough wall space.

PA: And you need to put blocking behind the walls so they can hang the pictures!

BC: Given what’s happened in pricing, all tides have risen, so the price of admission for every project is higher. What actually gives you pause?

What keeps you up at night when you think about the next project?

KH: I’m sure we all feel this—everything keeps you up at night.

JM: I’m starting to think most of us have “overpaid” for land.

KM: Yeah, you always “overpay,” and then six months later you’re a genius.

JM: Until five other people pay more than you.

PA: I think there’s nothing wrong with overpaying for a piece of property if you sense where you are within the cycle.

BC: So in your view, where are we in the cycle? If it were a nine-inning game— PA: I think we’re probably in the second inning.

KM: I hope that’s true.

PA: In my view, it really all broke out at the beginning of last year. That’s only 12 months or so ago. 150 Charles [editor’s note: considered Manhattan’s most successful building in 2013] was among the first coming out. Two years before, the One Madisons had failed.

KM: The problem is what we are supplying is at the very peak of the price point. When we look at sites, my concern is land prices. Land has gone from 200 in FAR [floor area ratio, which is a building’s total square footage divided by the square footage of the building’s lot] to over 800 in FAR in certain locations. Construction costs, because of everything that’s going on in the city, have gone up—for us, 30 percent since early 2010.

In Miami, they’ve gone up 100 percent.

PA: Thank god these buildings are small-number units, otherwise we’d be in the eighth inning.

GOTHAM: How will the de Blasio administration impact real estate development?

JM: I think the mayor has a very robust agenda for the creation of housing for moderate- and lower-income families who have not been served to the extent he feels appropriate over the past years. We actually view it as a potential opportunity because there is so much real estate that will have to be built in order to accommodate the goals of the administration. It’s going to bring construction jobs, development opportunities, lending opportunities. We think there’s an opening here over the next four years to do something.

KM: Everyone is kind of sitting around waiting to see what his policy is. He’s a former HUD commissioner, so he allegedly has a great housing background. The jury’s out right now. G

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Developers expect an increase in foreign buyers for 2014.

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Suit ($3,425) and shirt ($485), Dolce & Gabbana. 717 Fifth Ave., 212-897-9653; dolcegabbana.com. ON LISA: Dress, Naeem Khan (price on request). Available by special order from Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com.

Jennifer Yamina earrings, Dana Rebecca Designs ($1,980). danarebeccadesigns.com.

Handbag (on piano), Dolce & Gabbana ($6,895). SEE ABOVE. ON THEA: Top ($2,180) and skirt ($1,195), Stella McCartney. 112 Greene St., 212-255-1556; stellamccartney.com. Lindsey Elizabeth ring, Dana Rebecca Designs ($5,720). SEE ABOVE. Pumps, Aquazzura ($675). editorialist.com. ON MAIKO: Suit ($2,995) and shirt ($385), Ermenegildo Zegna. 663 Fifth Ave., 212-421-4488; zegna.com. Tie, Thomas Pink ($135). 520 Madison Ave., 212-838-1928; thomaspink.com. Pocket square, Brunello Cucinelli ($165). 379 Bleecker St., 212-6279202; brunellocucinelli.com

ON SHAUN:

grace

STATE OF Classic New York meets spring’s soft styles at the revamped St. Regis and Le Bilboquet.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOVE SHORE STYLING BY EMMA PRITCHARD

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ON THEA : Dress, Chanel ($17,100). 15 E. 57th St., 212-355-5050; chanel.com. Platinum drop earrings, Tiffany & Co. ($15,000). 727 Fifth Ave., 212-755-8000; tiffany.com. White-gold ring, Coomi ($50,000). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com. ON LISA: Top, J. Mendel ($2,200). 787 Madison Ave., 212-832-5830; jmendel.com. Amazonite earrings, Phillips House ($5,750). Saks Fifth Avenue, SEE ABOVE . OPPOSITE PAGE, ON THEA: Dress, Oscar de la Renta ($4,990). 772 Madison Ave., 212-288-5810; oscardelarenta.com. ON MAIKO: Jacket, Ermenegildo Zegna ($4,395). 663 Fifth Ave., 212-421-4488; zegna.com.

Shirt, Perry Ellis ($70). Macy’s, 151 W. 34th St., 212-695-4400; macys.com

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Jacket, Thomas Pink ($995). 520 Madison Ave., 212-838-1928; thomaspink.com. Shirt, Zilli ($990). Four Seasons Hotel, 57 E. 57th St., 212-207-4028; zilli.fr.

Pants, John Varvatos ($298). 122 Spring St., 212-965-0700; johnvarvatos.com. ON THEA: Dress, Pamella Roland ($2,750). Available by special order from Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com. OPPOSITE PAGE: ON LISA: Dress, Nonoo ($595). Bergdorf Goodman, SEE ABOVE. White gold necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels (price on request). 744 Fifth Ave., 212-896-9284; vancleefarpels.com. Emotion pink ring, FabergĂŠ ($35,000). 694 Madison Ave., 646-559-8848; faberge.com. Pumps, Christian Louboutin ($725). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com. ON MAIKO: Jacket, Ralph Lauren Black Label ($1,595).

867 Madison Ave., 212-606-2100; ralphlauren.com. Shirt, Brunello Cucinelli ($550). 379 Bleecker St., 212-627-9202; brunellocucinelli.com. Pants, Boss ($850).

555 Broadway, 212-334-9001; hugoboss.com. ON THEA: Silk dress, Dior ($8,000). 21 E. 57th St., 212-931-2950; dior.com. Diamond link earrings and bracelet (prices on request), Harry Winston. 718 Fifth Ave., 212-399-1000; harrywinston.com. Pumps, Rupert Sanderson ($575). rupertsanderson.com. ON SHAUN: Suit, Boss ($995). SEE ABOVE. Shirt, Thomas Pink ($195). SEE ABOVE. Tie, Ralph Lauren Black Label ($155). SEE ABOVE. Shoes, Cole Haan ($268). 128 Prince St., 212-219-8240; colehaan.com ON MAIKO:

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Jacket, Etro ($2,230). Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Ave., 212-705-2000; bloomingdales.com. Shirt, Brunello Cucinelli ($505). 379 Bleecker St., 212-6279202; brunellocucinelli.com. Trousers, Ports 1961 ($850). 3 Ninth Ave., 917-475-1022; ports1961.com. Rose-gold watch, IWC ($20,200) Wempe, 700 Fifth Ave., 212-397-9000; wempe.com. ON MAIKO: Blazer, Tommy Hilfiger ($349). 681 Fifth Ave., 212-223-1824; tommy.com. Shirt ($505) and pants ($3,370), Brunello Cucinelli.

SEE ABOVE . 1966 chronograph watch, Girard-Perregaux ($35,400). 701 Madison Ave., 646-495-9915; girard-perregaux.com. OPPOSITE PAGE, ON SHAUN : Blazer, John Varvatos ($1,298). 122 Spring St., 212-965-0700; johnvarvatos.com. Polo, Alfred Dunhill ($500). 545 Madison Ave., 212-753-9292; dunhill.com.

Pants, Thomas Pink ($1,400). 520 Madison Ave., 212-838-1928; thomaspink.com. Shoes, Dior Homme ($790). 17 E. 57th St., 212-931-2951; diorhomme.com.

ON LISA : Shirt ($1,295) and pencil skirt ($3,995), Burberry Prorsum. 9 E. 57th St., 212-407-7100; burberry.com. Clutch, Giorgio Armani ($1,295).

760 Madison Ave., 212-988-9191; armani.com. Sandals, Reed Krakoff ($950). 831 Madison Ave., 212-988-0560; reedkrakoff.com ON SHAUN :

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ON SHAUN: Suit, Alfred Dunhill ($3,780). 545 Madison Ave., 212-753-9292; dunhill.com. Shirt ($185) and tie ($135), Thomas Pink. 520 Madison Ave., 212-838-1928; thomaspink.com. ON LISA: Dress, Blumarine ($3,656). blumarine.com.

Earrings, Phillips House ($3,500). Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., 212-753-4000; saks.com. ON MAIKO: Suit (price on request), cotton shirt ($1,425), and tie ($215), Brioni.

57 E. 57th St., 212-376-5777; brioni.com. ON THEA: Dress, Dolce & Gabbana ($7,995). 717 Fifth Ave., 212-897-9633; dolcegabbana.com. Necklace, Lele Sadoughi ($248). Sucre, 357 Bleecker St., 212-352-1640; sucrenyc.com

Manicure by Gerry Holford for Dior Vernis at Artmix Beauty Hair by Julien Farel for Julien Farel Haircare/ Mark Anthony for Julien Farel Haircare Makeup by Marni Burton using Chanel at Crosby Carter Management Makeup Assistant Phoenix Golden Models: Lisa at Muse NY, Thea at Ford Models, and Shaun and Maiko at Q Management Shot on location at The St. Regis New York (2 E. 55th St., 212-753-4500; stregisnewyork.com) and Le Bilboquet (20 E. 60th St., 212-751-3036; lebilboquetny.com)

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FROM LEFT:

LAUDER LEGACY OF GIVING: A 1979 portrait of the Lauder family, taken at the New York home of Joseph and EsteĂŠ Lauder (CENTER); Ronald and Leonard Lauder founded The Lauder Institute, a joint-degree program in international management at The Wharton School; US businessman Ronald Lauder cuts the ribbon at the opening of a sheltered playground in the Israeli city of Sderot in 2009.

FAMILY TIES Giving money away isn’t as easy as it sounds, particularly when different generations are involved.

Here, philanthropists, advisers, and wealth managers tell how to minimize familial differences and make charitable gifting a smooth sail.

BY SUZANNE MCGEE

FROM LEFT: KENNEDY CONSCIOUSNESS: The late Robert F. Kennedy with his wife, Ethel, and seven of their then eight children at an outing at the Bronx Zoo in 1964; the Grand Foyer at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; Anthony K. Shriver founded the nonprofit Best Buddies International to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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H

oward Graham Buffett has no idea how old he was when he first became aware that something called “philanthropy” existed. While his father, financier Warren Buffett, “was busy making money” and building his reputation as the sage of Omaha, his mother, Susan Thompson Buffett, spent “a huge amount of her time engaged in something that helped or supported other people.” As they grew, Howard, as well as his elder sister, Susie, and younger brother, Peter, were caught up in these projects. “It started with giving away time,” Howard Buffett, 59 years old, recalls. “A big part of my education was seeing my mom act on (her) beliefs, not just talk about them.” The lessons he learned included an awareness of what distinguishes effective philanthropy from simply sitting down at the end of every year to write a few checks or buying a table for a friend’s charitable gala. By the time he was an adult, Buffett says he realized philanthropy—at its best—“is about listening to people, and trying to understand their core needs and find a way to address them.”

involved. “In some cases, an aging benefactor has decided he wants to see his philanthropic gifts fully dispersed while he’s still living; sometimes it’s a personal experience or event, such as a trip by two members of one family to Ghana, which then became a focus of their philanthropy,” says Susan Ditkoff, a partner at Bridgespan, a nonprofit advisory group, and co-head of the firm’s philanthropy practice.

One element of “next gen” philanthropy that may startle some older parents or grandparents is their heirs’ preference for and sometimes insistence upon high-impact or transformative giving. Today’s younger donors have relatively little interest in seeing their names immortalized on hospital wings, theater auditoriums, or college lecture halls. They define “community” in a very different way, as something that isn’t confined to a narrow geographic area or a particular religious or ethnic grouping.

They’re also more likely to tackle ambitious programs. Bill and Melinda Gates, who have publicly declared their resolve to eradicate endemic diseases such as polio and malaria within their lifetimes, are the poster children for this approach. What distinguishes the Gateses, of course, is

FROM LEFT: TISCH FAMILY PHILANTHROPY: Preston (LEFT, CROUCHING) and Laurence Tisch

OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARNOLD NEWMAN/GETTY IMAGES (LAUDERS); DAVID BUIMOVITCH/GETTY IMAGES (RIBBON CUTTING); MYLOUPE/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES (WHARTON); DANIEL C. BRITT/THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES (KENNEDY CENTER); MARVI LACAR/GETTY IMAGES FOR BWR (SHRIVER); AP PHOTO (KENNEDY). THIS PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL HAWTHORNE/GETTY IMAGES (TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS); BEN BAKER/REDUX (TISCHES); BETTMANN/CORBIS (TIME CAPSULE)

place a time capsule in the foundation of the future Tisch Hall at NYU in 1969; NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts building in New York; a 2004 portrait of Jimmy, Bob, Jonathan, and Andrew Tisch.

“The aim is to create a legacy and, for many, if not most,

the magnitude of their ability to give; the Creating that kind of philanthropic eagerness to take on formidable challenges savvy in children and grandchildren is does not. In the past, donors were willing to increasingly a focus of today’s affluent spend the 5 percent of a foundation assets families. “It’s a way for any family to test that the law requires them to distribute each and articulate their shared values, to HAVING THAT LEGACY year to make lives better. Now, says Sharna define what their family stands for, and to INCLUDE IMPACT.” Goldseker, managing director of 21/64, put those values into action,” says Peter which specializes in helping families involve Karoff, founder of The Philanthropic —Peter Karoff “next generation” members in their philanInitiative, a consulting firm that advises thropic planning, “the attitude is, ‘That’s donors on making the leap from supporting a handful of favored organizations—an alma mater, a local hos- great, but wouldn’t it be even better if, by spending 50 percent, we could pital, a regional arts group—to developing a coherent giving approach. eradicate the problem entirely?’”

What is increasingly common, however, is the focus of parents or grandpar“The aim is to create a legacy and, for many, if not most, having that legacy ents at the head of the family—typically those who still control the wealth—to include impact,” says Karoff.

What triggers philanthropic engagement can be as varied as the families make philanthropy a family affair. Crafting a personal approach to giving

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philanthropy is a panacea that can bridge all gaps is a fallacy,” says Karoff. “A baby won’t fix a bad marriage; philanthropy won’t make a dysfunctional family functional once more.”

Gillian Howell, the national Philanthropic Solutions group executive at US Trust, says it’s best to start preparing both sides to make compromises as early as possible. “One of the most memorable events I witnessed involved a wealthy family, who began an annual series of New England vacation weekends focused on philanthropy by asking the youngest members of the family the question of how they would like to change the world,” she recalls. The patriarch and matriarch were so moved by what they heard that they were very open to the idea of changing the governance and even ultimately diluting or reshaping the mission of the foundation they had created in order to incorporate their young heirs’ insights and vision.

While parents and grandparents may fear that large gaps exist between the generaut introducing chiltions—and underestimate the dren to the concept extent to which they need to and reality of famcompromise to fully engage ily philanthropy at their heirs—when push comes a very young age to shove, there’s far more doesn’t mean they’ll follow alignment than family elders where their elders lead as they may assume. A 2013 Merrill get older. “It’s important to be Lynch survey showed that open with heirs about what is 73 percent of the “millencoming down the pike,” says nial” generation—those aged Brian Wodar, a senior vice roughly between 18 and 35— president and director of had values similar to their wealth management research parents, even though they at AllianceBernstein. “If parents might express those values aren’t willing to go beyond a cerdifferently. “That reflects the tain area when it comes to reality that values are shaped making grants, then they should “I KNOW THAT IT’S IMPORTANT FOR by what people are exposed make that clear to their chilto; that’s what children model dren and grandchildren. If THE NEXT GENERATION and internalize and express they don’t want to be flexible later in life,” says Michael in terms of how that wealth is —Howard Buffett Liersch, Merrill Lynch’s head spent, and they still want to of behavioral finance. have the next generations A growing number of younger donors plan on “giving while living”—an involved, they have to find some kind of compromise.”

Bridgespan’s Ditkoff explains that since the first generation tends to be the attitude that often separates wealth creators from their heirs. That’s the one who made the wealth, “they feel that they earned it, and it’s theirs to give case for Howard Buffett and his foundation, which was seeded with gifts away in whatever way they choose.” Sometimes, there are gulfs that can’t be from his parents and in recent years has been supplemented by signifibridged. Perhaps one family member is an evangelical Christian and can’t sup- cantly larger donations of Berkshire Hathaway stock. Buffett’s port the giving priorities of his parents and siblings; perhaps one part of a philanthropic focus is worldwide food and water security and conflict mititraditionally Republican family drifts leftward and can’t condone giving money gation, and by mid-March, he says, he’ll have visited all 54 African nations to causes that run counter to their new opinions. “To say that family most recently to understand food security issues and search for innovative

and simply handing heirs a family foundation to administer isn’t enough these days. Goldseker explains, “It isn’t possible just to bring those individuals into the status quo. [Heirs] bring their own ideas and visions to the table.”

Long before they are old enough to understand just how wealthy their family is or what philanthropy involves, children or grandchildren can develop an understanding of their privileged situation by becoming engaged in volunteer work, through a school, a religious organization, or some kind of entity alongside their parents. “A grandparent or parent can say they’ll donate money that’s equivalent to the amount of time they put in, too,” says Melissa Berman, president and CEO of New York–based Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, who notes that family vacations or One of The Howard G. extended family reunions can Buffett Foundation’s initiatives is to assist also include a volunteer initiaAfghan farmers and tive that all family members improve agrobusiness in the impoverished can share: a park cleanup, percountry. Here, Howard haps, or, as children get older, W. and Howard G. Buffett in Afghanistan. a Habitat for Humanity building project.

to challenge me, ask me tough questions.”

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agricultural projects to ­support. “I want to transfer the knowledge and sense of commitment to my children,” which includes his wife’s four daughters, whom Buffett has helped raise, along with his son, Howard Warren Buffett.

At the same time, he adds, “I don’t want that to stop me from doing the biggest things that I can today. I’m going to put all my time and resources into addressing these issues.”

Buffett said his son had visited 58 countries by the time he went to ­college— and “our destinations weren’t places like Paris and Cancún.” Three of the children now sit on the board of Buffett’s foundation, and trustees are designated $20,000 apiece every year to direct to projects of their own choice that fit within the broader mission of the foundation.

T

aking a flexible strategy with the legal and financial components of philanthropic giving is as essential as when dealing with generational differences. For decades the family foundation has been the default-giving vehicle. While foundations allow a family unlimited, multigenerational control over grant making, the tax deductions for contributions are less generous than for other vehicles, such as donor-advised funds. (For instance, if donating company stock, family members can deduct its cost; if they are donating to a donoradvised fund, they can deduct the often significantly higher fair market value of those securities.) By some estimates, 70 percent of all foundations have assets of less than $1 million, a level that most experts consider to be inefficient. Michael Cole, president of Ascent Private Capital Management, says that while a foundation—which requires its members to keep tabs of investments, governance, and taxes as well as evaluating and monitoring grants—can be “a great financial parenting and educational tool,” unless a family has or plans to donate more than $10 million to the foundation, the administrative costs are too high to justify this option.

The other most popular vehicle is the donor-advised fund, established

under the umbrella of sponsoring organizations, such as community foundations. In recent years a range of nonprofits and special divisions of banks and investment companies like Fidelity have offered opportunities for families to establish their own DAFs. However, there are more constraints: Donors can only suggest or advise, rather than dictate, where they want grants to go; and children who serve as advisors cannot earn a salary for doing so. But for a growing number of families, the lower overhead costs, higher tax deductions, and the increasing ability to bring in children or grandchildren as “co-advisors” are outweighing some of the disadvantages.

While families might want to ponder the tax considerations associated with various philanthropic vehicles, the decision about whether or not to be philanthropic is almost never made for financial reasons. “The tax breaks you get for charitable giving are no greater than those you get for losing money in the stock market, and nobody invests in stocks with the intent of losing money,” points out Ramsay Slugg, wealth strategies advisor at US Trust.

For Howard Buffett, the biggest challenge for philanthropists isn’t whether to set up a foundation or DAF. “The worst thing you can do is to live in your comfort zone,” he says. In the late 1980s, Buffett and his siblings were each allowed to determine the target(s) of $100,000 per year for their parents’ new foundation. In 1999, each of the children received $26.5 million from them to start their individual foundations. “Hey, many of my ideas were stupid,” he admits, recalling the notion of funding a camel dairy for Western Sahara refugees. “You learn fast to think hard about what to support, but at least the mistakes were small, while the lessons were big.” Nonetheless he encourages his children to venture into new areas. “I can be a bit of a dictator, but I know that it’s important for the next generation to challenge me, to have someone with a view that’s a little less myopic ask me tough questions. These are the formative experiences that they’ll be putting in their memory banks and drawing on in the decades to come.” G

Getting Results

Robin Hood’s ROI model becomes a prototype for charities nationwide.

For the hedge-fund heavyweights who support New York City’s Robin Hood Foundation, it’s all about results. The group’s approach to philanthropic giving is very “next gen”: driven by the same kind of quantitative and analytical models that the managers use to drive their ­trading and investments. The Robin Hood model, with an emphasis on ROI, has emerged as a prototype for philanthropists nationwide who want to measure the impact of their gifts. Each dollar donated, the foundation’s

executives have suggested, generates an average social return (a way of pinning a value to a “good” that isn’t measured by conventional accounting means) of $15, an impressive multiple.

“Fight poverty like a New Yorker” is one of Robin Hood’s mantras. As interpreted by hedge fund manager and founder Paul Tudor Jones, with the aid of board members such as investor David Einhorn and Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, that translates to energetic and

efficient efforts to give the city’s poorest inhabitants some kind of upward boost, whether by helping them find a job, an affordable place to live, or a better education. In 2012, total spending by Robin Hood was $132 million. And every ­dollar raised goes directly to programs: The ultrawealthy on the foundation’s board foot the bill for operating expenses. Robin Hood hosts its annual benefit on Monday, May 12. For additional ­information, visit robinhood.org.

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A new library design for the Residence at River House.

Haute Property NEWS, STARS, AND TRENDS IN REAL ESTATE

River Watch CONTROVERSY BUBBLES AT THE RIVER CLUB, MANHATTAN’S PRICIEST-EVER LISTING.

BY C.J. HUGHES

A

t a time when super-size, big-ticket, over-the-top apartments can almost seem run of the mill, the Residence at River House, in the time it was on the market over the last few months, was a doozy.

Sweeping across five levels, the Art Deco gem is currently home to the exclusive River Club, which means the structure came with an indoor pool, a restaurant, and clay tennis courts, on a quiet Midtown cul-de-sac.

If converted, the 62,000-square-foot property could have become Manhattan’s largest-ever single-family dwelling; it was priced at $130 million, also a record. And one might add to its list of superlatives that the house sits at the base of the River House, a legendary, luxurious co-op. “It has such amazing patina and architectural integrity,” said John Burger, a broker with Brown Harris Stevens (445 Park Ave., 212-906-9274; bhsusa.com), who was marketing it. “You walk into old New York.”

But alas, no one will ever know how the commodious club would have fared as a mega-mansion. In early February, the club agreed to buy its home from the River House, keeping it out of a family’s grip for now. Although the deal won’t be a sure thing until a deed is signed this summer, the sale price was reported to be $45 million.

In a sense, the purchase was not a surprise. Like a track suit at a black-tie soirée, the idea of selling the Club had some people wrinkling their noses. Many of these opponents were residents of the River House, who for years have enjoyed the convenience of passing through a narrow door off the lobby and into the five-level complex where they can swim, play mixed doubles, and eat. Even if selling the club could have brought in millions to build a similar amenity space elsewhere in the 26-story brick-and-limestone high-rise, and perhaps help with other maintenance issues, they were firmly against the idea. Indeed, after the club hit the market last fall, nearly 40 residents, including Henry Kissinger, the former secretary of state, signed a letter written to the co-op board voicing their disapproval, according to news reports. continued on page 114

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HAUTE PROPERTY

“It has amazing architectural integrity. You walk into old New York.”

continued from page 113 Overall, about half of the building’s residents belong to the 700-member club, which reportedly charges yearly dues of $10,000 or more and leases its space for $2 million.

For months, the club—a separate corporation whose entrance is under a green awning at 447 East 52nd Street, just down from River House’s stone courtyard—talked with the board about buying its five-level berth, according to those familiar with the discussions, though it passed up on earlier opportunities.

“It’s a very hairy situation all around,” said A. Laurance Kaiser IV, a longtime real estate broker and former summer club member, before the deal had been announced. Kaiser had taken clients, including one foreign government, to look at the space, he said, though there were no takers; Kaiser partly attributes that to the fact that the somewhat dowdy interiors—most areas haven’t been

renovated since the club’s 1931 opening—would have likely required a two-year renovation.

Besides, “who else but a government would want something that large?” he says. “And it would probably have to be a government friendly to the US to be approved by the co-op board.”

How much of a revamping would have been needed is hard to know. The club, which was designed by Bottomley, Wagner & White and built in 1931, did not respond to a request for information; also Brown Harris Stevens said it wasn’t giving tours to reporters and instead directed attention to a series of sleek renderings from designer Tony Ingrao that show what the club’s warren of rooms could someday look like.

For instance, a tennis court on the first level, which sits three flights below the 52nd Street entrance, was reimagined with a new 82-footlong pool, which would have been lined by nine reopened windows facing the garden and lawn overlooking the East River.

Today, the garden and lawn are separated from the roar of traffic on the FDR Drive by a vinecovered brick wall, but during Herbert Hoover’s presidency, it extended to docks on the river, where yachts would tie up after arriving from Long Island’s Gold Coast. No word yet if the club will incorporate any of the imagined changes itself.

For decades, publishing barons and oil magnates flocked to the club, and by extension,

the upstairs apartments, where Hollywood stars were shunned. Suggesting how attitudes are quickly changing on the property, the River House’s co-op board recently approved a sale to actress Uma Thurman.

As it was originally marketed, the property’s price boiled down to just under $2,100 per square foot; some of the city’s more glamorous new condos sell for twice that, so it was already a (relative) bargain.

At $45 million, though, or $725 a foot, it could be seen as a steal, at least compared to other residential real estate in its Beekman Place/Turtle Bay neighborhood. Indeed, in mid-January, the average price for about 100 properties for sale between 42nd and 52nd Street, east of Second Avenue, was about $1,800 per square foot, according to streeteasy.com. Similarly, a seller wanted about $1,400 a square foot for a four-bedroom, 1910 townhouse on East 50th Street. Then again, a townhouse on Beekman Place sold last summer for $34.4 million, or $4,754 a foot, a record for a townhouse 20 feet wide.

“After Central Park, being on the waterfront is the second-most desirable place,” said Burger in January. The club apparently agreed. G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMUEL H. GOTTSCHO (ARCHIVAL)

—JOHN BURGER, BROWN HARRIS STEVENS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

The double-height entry hall of the proposed 62,000-squarefoot residence; an archival image of River House taken from the East River; the living space with river views.

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TALL STORIES

What’s Old is New MEGA PENTHOUSES FOR ROCK ROYALTY AND MOGULS ON THE GO.

N

ew York’s luxury real estate became a magnet for megarich transnationals during the credit crisis, and that trend continues even though a billionaire no longer occupies City Hall. Several historic buildings, transformed into best-of-both-world structures with heritage architecture and modern amenities, along with new ground-up projects, are generating interest both here and abroad.

In the former category, the Puck Building penthouses are the buzziest. The first residences coming online include six loftlike apartments, ranging in price from $21 to $60 million. Located at 295 Lafayette Street in Nolita, the Puck, now owned by the Kushner family, dates to 1885. Already, celebrities like actor and serial real estate/girlfriend hunter Leonardo DiCaprio and rock royal Jon Bon Jovi have checked out the space. Five of the new residences replace disused offices on the eighth and ninth floors of the building, while the sixth penthouse will be on the Puck’s roof. Two will be duplexes and three will have their own outdoor terraces. The penthouses are marketed by Douglas Elliman’s Raphael RIGHT: 560 West 24th Street. BELOW: 12 East De Niro (774 Broadway, 212-460-0655; 69th Street. deniroteam.elliman.com) and Dennis Mangone (575 Madison Ave., 212418-2060; elliman.com).

The Flatiron District has a hot new luxury condo project at 21 West 20th Street, designed by David Mann, who was recently named to the AD100, Architectural Digest’s annual listing of the world’s top architects and interior designers. What’s unique about this building, developed

by Gale International, is the fact the developer is giving the buyer of the $35 million penthouse input in customizing the space.

The unit is being marketed as a made-to-order rooftop triplex,

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BY SALLY GOLDSTEIN

with a 6,910-square-foot interior and 2,648 square feet of outdoor space. Like the Puck penthouses, these floor-through homes are perched atop a restored, landmarks-protected building.

Three of the 100-foot-wide penthouses are priced from $13.25 million to $35 million. The least expensive apartment has 4,841 square feet, four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, and two outdoor terraces totaling 542 square feet.

The exclusive listing broker is Halstead’s Robin Schneiderman (831 Broadway, 212-521-5790; halstead.com).

In Chelsea, developer Adam Gordon, once known as the Baron of Bond Street for successful projects like 54 Bond Street—a luxury condo project in the landmarked, white cast-iron former Bouwerie Lane Theatre—and 92 Jane Street, has launched a ground-up luxury condo at 560 West 24th Street.

The 11-story project is being marketed to collectors who want to be in Chelsea’s fashionable ABOVE: The Puck Building. art district and in a building designed LEFT: Penthouse terrace at 21 West 20th Street. (with specially reinforced walls) to display their pricey, often overscale purchases. The architect is the formidable Steven Harris, who has worked on many successful collaborations with Gordon in the past. Currently available is an $18 million penthouse duplex that’s a 4,600-square-foot fourbedroom, four-and-a-half-bath dream space with four separate outdoor terraces totaling an extra 1,000 square feet. Additional amenities for collectors include ceilings lined with small white lights to illuminate art, gallerystyle tilted walls for art display, and extra storage space for “spillage”—art an owner has no space to hang or pieces temporarily rotated out of a collection.

The exclusive listing brokers are Douglas Elliman’s Leonard Steinberg and Hervé Senequier (26 W. 17th St., 212-727-6164; theleonardsteinbergluxuryloft team.elliman.com). G

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MONEY TALKS

Michael Kors (CENTER) rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange the day his company went public, December 15, 2011.

“Luxury brands have a special edge when fending off e-commerce.”

Returns and Exchanges ARE FASHION STOCKS A GOOD INVESTMENT?

BY SUZANNE MCGEE

W

hen you’re shopping for the latest accessory from Prada or Hermès, you know part of the price reflects the value of the brand name. That’s due in part to an implicit promise on behalf of the luxury goods manufacturer that whatever it is selling not only boasts superior quality and craftsmanship but will also stand out in a crowd, signaling its owner has style and taste.

What happens when you’re no longer shopping for luxury brands for your closet but want to buy their stocks for your investment portfolio?

Here, too, luxury brands exist in a category entirely their own. Because they appeal to high-earners and high-net-worthers who historically have been less impacted by swings in the economy, sales at many of these companies remained strong in the early years following the financial crisis. Consider that the S&P 500 index has climbed 116 percent in the past five years. Over the same period, ending in early 2013, upscale retailer Nordstrom has seen its stock soar more than 350 percent; shares of the iconic jewelers Tiffany were up more than 275 percent; and

Coach—in spite of a big drop over the past two years—had still done nearly twice as well as the S&P index as a whole. Although some luxury retailers have been impacted by China’s recent sluggish economic growth, many analysts agree that other markets, like Europe and the US, will remain robust.

“Luxury goods companies have a special edge when it comes to fending off the competitive threat from e-commerce,” says David Schick, head of consumer and retail research analysis at Stifel, an investment banking and brokerage firm.

“They are the brand, and they own the shops as well. They control their sales channels better than most brands are able to do.”

Combined with the relative resilience of luxury shoppers, you’ve got a recipe for success. And the more established and upscale the brand, the more resilient it may prove to be. Consider that in late November Hermès International boosted its

outlook for sales growth for its justfinished fiscal year to 11 percent.

There are myriad ways to play the “luxury” theme with equities. As well as the obvious brands—Hermès, LVMH (home of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, and more), Richemont (parent of Cartier and Piaget, among others), and Brunello Cucinelli—there are retailers like Nordstrom and such companies as Coach and Michael Kors that appeal to mass affluents, as well as big spenders. The group also includes Sotheby’s, the art, jewelry, and real estate brokerage that has benefited from a surge in spending by collectors and whose share price has soared nearly 500 percent in the past five years.

But simply investing in luxury brand stocks isn’t a fail-safe strategy.

Schick reminds investors that the industry is about a lot more than seeing how fast items disappear from store displays and how much prices are discounted. “It’s about cash flow and what price is appropriate to pay for a stream of cash; about profit margins and a company’s business acumen,” he explains. Watching how rapidly consumers snap up merchandise isn’t always a reliable gauge, especially in luxury brands, where limiting quantities of a given product makes it more sought-after.

“Every luxury brand has to pick the point at which it’s accessible, but not too accessible,” Schick notes. G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER FOLEY/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES

—DAVID SCHICK

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ABODE & BEYOND California Closets recommends hanging rods 75 inches off the floor for evening gowns.

After Hours EVEN NEW YORKERS WITH AMPLE CLOSET SPACE CAN FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE ROOM FOR FASHION’S MOST LAVISH CONFECTIONS. BY BETSY F. PERRY

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closets as beautifully organized but utilitarian storage spaces to something resembling a Madison Avenue store boutique. High on the list of recent Manhattan must-haves include open, leather-lined shelving and finely finished acrylic dividers to keep items tidy but visible; boot drawers that slide in and out; glass-front vitrines with recessed lighting for displaying handbags; velvet-lined jewelry inserts in drawers; and even leather-wrapped hanging bars. At equally luxe transFORM, (200 Lexington Ave., 212-584-9580; transformhome. com) senior design manager Rozalia Kiss is creating closets with “valet” rods—hidden bars similar to those found in designer stores that extend out and allow you to coordinate outfits on them and basically “shop your closet.” Kiss, adds, “the trend is to create closet space that keeps clothes visible, not tucked and stored.”

California Closets’ Gjonaj says that they work closely with decorators and personal shoppers to measure the height of garments and the space

needed to store gowns,” (One basic rule is to hang the dress pole for evening pieces 75 inches off the floor.) Gjonaj says she is also seeing more requests for center islands filled with drawers, built-in space for flat-screen TVs, and even blue lighting—think Smurf—and comfy seating areas so putting on tights is not a balancing act.

It is also not uncommon for a coffee bar and fridge to be included in the design. As Gjonaj explains, “Women love clothes and are proud to display them to friends, so closets have become the female version of a man cave.”

Not surprisingly, to go along with all the bells and whistles, closets have grown in size— and number. Imagine the California Closets designer who spent three years working with a client in Brooklyn Heights creating 15 closets totaling 1,300 square feet, which provided room for 3,200 pairs of shoes and 245 feet of hanging space. The grand total: $130,000.

Instead of coming out of the closet these days, it looks like we’re going back in! G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA MCALPIN

F

IT Couture Council board member Jean Shafiroff, one of the most glam girls on the New York party circuit, admits her party dresses are space hogs, which is why she turned a small room in her apartment into a closet with the addition of several rolling racks. “I have my gowns in garment bags and hang them using the little straps on the sides of each dress,” she says.

“You have to make sure they don’t end up puddling at the bottom.” Conceding that space is always an issue; Shafiroff has a steamer at the ready, but admits, “I enjoy my dresses, and nothing is so precious that it can’t be sent to Madame Paulette for a quick repair.” As for professional advice on keeping a ball gown in tip-top shape, Bergdorf Goodman personal shopper Tina Sussman says, “Place a cardboard bust form inside the dress to keep the shape, attach it to a Huggable Hanger covered in tissue, and store inside a garment bag with a photo of the dress on the outside for quick reference.”

Because her customers include the dress-up set, gifted decorator Elissa Cullman of Cullman & Kravis, author of the glossy coffee table book The Detailed Interior, reveals, “I segment long dresses from other clothes, giving each dress room to breathe because, as the late fashion icon Nan Kempner dictated, dresses always need to be separated by three inches.”

Unlike one well-married socialite who, in search of a grand Park Avenue apartment, queried a real estate broker first about closet space for her ball gowns, most New Yorkers ask California Closets (1625 York Ave., 212517-7877; californiaclosets.com) to figure it out.

Laressa Gjonaj, California Closet’s marketing manager, says she’s seen a shift in thinking about

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T he

Guide

NEW YORK’S FINEST

THIS MONTH THE VERY BEST OF devour: soho eateries imbibe: mezcal relax: preppy hotels

Chicster Central PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA MCALPIN

SANT AMBROEUS SOHO QUICKLY BECOMES A HAPPENING SPOT.

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he Sant Ambroeus restaurants on the Upper East Side, West Village, and Southampton have long been casual havens for city fashionistas: Sarah Jessica Parker, Marc Jacobs, and Michael Kors are among the regulars. So it’s no surprise that restaurateurs Dimitri Pauli and Gherardo Guarducci chose Soho for the next iteration of their dining hot spots. The new outpost on Lafayette Street, which opened right after the New Year, quickly drew a heady mix of actors ( Jake Gyllenhaal came for lunch the afternoon I was there), models, and fashionistas—the usual crowd that populates Sant Ambroeus’s other locales. As to why notoriously picky (and non-eating) chicsters flock to their restaurants, chef Marco Barbisotti, a native of Milan who helms the Soho kitchen (he previously worked at the West Village location)

BY KEN RIVADENEIRA

says: “Our customers travel a lot, and Sant Ambroeus feels like a home.” For the new spot, Barbisotti says he’s retained “some Sant Ambroeus classics, but we also created dishes exclusive to Soho.” Among these are the Spaghetti Neri alla Carbonara, a squid-ink version of the classic cream and pancetta pasta, which in this case comes with braised leeks and a poached egg. Barbisotti’s personal favorite? The Trofie al Ragù di Agnello, a twisted-shape pasta served with lamb ragù, pistachio, mint, and harissa. “It’s not exactly Italian—it’s a mix of flavors, but something different for the customer.” Classic cocktails such as the Hugo (St-Germain, Prosecco, club soda, mint, and lime) join signature drinks and a list of sustainable, organic, and biodynamic wines to round out the offerings. 265 Lafayette St., 212-966-2770; santambroeus.com G

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GUIDE devour

A famous Spanish food market influences the menu at Boqueria.

Soho Bites NEWCOMERS FLOURISH WHILE ESTABLISHED EATERIES UP THEIR GAME. BY DALENE ROVENSTINE

Boqueria La Boqueria, Barcelona’s famed market, provides inspiration for this restaurant of the same name.

Here chefs serve up dishes and snacks, just like those you’d find in the stalls in Spain. Edibles come in tapas form, so you can sample away without indulging too much. Each week new “market fresh” items are served next to favorites like Salteado de Setas (sautéed wild mushrooms, Manchego cheese, and thyme) and Bombas de la Barceloneta (beef and potato croquettes with salsa brava and garlic aioli).

171 Spring St., 212-343-4255; boquerianyc.com

Chicane Soho has a number of French restaurants, but restaurateur Jerome Solamito is the first to bring Riviera-style French to the area. He enlisted chef Andres

Grundy to help him devise a cuisine de soleil (food of the sun); you’ll see South of France classics like the pissaladière (a caramelized onion tart, similar to a pizza, topped with niçoise olives and anchovies) and barbajuans (the Monégasque appetizer made with Swiss chard and soft ricotta). On the drinks menu, look for cocktails with well-known names like the Grace Kelly and the Monte Carlo.

430 Broome St., 212-226-5999; chicanenyc.com

Costata Michael White’s hot spots are known for their exquisite seafood and inventive pastas, but with Costata (which means rib eye in Italian) the renowned chef adds a new specialty to his repertoire.

“It is a true downtown steakhouse, with an electric vibrant vibe,” says White. For first-timers White suggests a mix of surf and

turf—scallop crudo with black truffle vinaigrette, followed by a prime dry-aged steak. Other crowd favorites: the filet mignon and veal chop with black pepper sauce.

Woody Allen was spotted here.

206 Spring St., 212-334-3320; costatanyc.com

The Dutch The Dutch has served its fair share of celebrities—Derek Jeter, Minka Kelly, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jude Law—and for good reason: The combo of a casual chic environment and great comfort food.

Chef Andrew Carmellini says about this Soho favorite, “We wanted The Dutch to feel like one of those places you could always go back to, a real corner classic where everyone has a good time.”

When to visit? Monday nights for an under-the-radar fried chicken dinner (otherwise only available at brunch). If you dine on any

other night, the rabbit pot pie is a surefire pick.

131 Sullivan St., 212-677-6200; thedutchnyc.com

L’Ecole Although L’Ecole is a teaching restaurant of sorts, that doesn’t diminish its popularity in the neighborhood. NYC’s International Culinary Center students have been serving contemporary cuisine here since 1984. The rotating seasonal menu is very un-student-like, currently offering such sophisticated dishes as braised pork belly terrine with pickled pineapple and crispy crackling; sunchoke chowder with bay scallop and smoked buttermilk foam; and pan-seared duck breast with pomegranate, mustard seed shallot sauce, and winter vegetables.

462 Broadway, 212-219-3300; lecolenyc.com

TAKING FLIGHT Charlie Bird does artful locavore.

“When we set out to open Charlie Bird, we wanted to create a neighborhood spot,” says chef Ryan Hardy of his nine-month old Soho restaurant. But diners from all over Locally sourced small plates are the town flock here for the small plates made specialty here. from local ingredients and presented with an artful spin. The menu leans Italian (think small plates of duck egg spaghetti, grilled octopus saltimbocca, and tripe toast), but there’s also a raw section, which features razor clams and Long Island fluke.

5 King St., 212-235-7133; charliebirdnyc.com

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At the corner of Prince and Mercer streets sits the ever-popular Lure Fishbar. Although closing rumors circulated last May, a deal was negotiated to ensure the seafood spot would have a home for the next 10 years.

So neighborhood regulars needn’t worry; the happy hour (a citywide favorite with oysters and clams served alongside drink specials) is here to stay. Stop by for dinner, and order the lobster ravioli or the grilled whole dorade.

142 Mercer St., 212-431-7676; lurefishbar.com G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOAH FECKS (CHARLIE BIRD)

Lure Fishbar

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GUIDE imbibe

Más Mezcal A MEXICAN SPIRIT TAKES MANHATTAN.

Casa Mezcal The bar at this LES spot stocks nearly 40 kinds of the namesake agave spirit, including Los Amantes, Mezcales de Leyenda Oaxaca, and Yuu Baal (a heavyweight at 51 percent alcohol).

Try them by the glass, or indulge in a house cocktail—most of which have mezcal as a base. One spicy drink, the Llano en Llamas, blends the smokiness of mezcal with pineapple, basil, and serrano pepper. Top off your evening downstairs at mixologist Miguel Aranda’s Botanic Lab bar, which has an inventive cocktail menu based on botanicals.

86 Orchard St., 212-777-2600; casamezcalny.com

Empellón Whether visiting the taqueria in the West Village or the cocina in the East Village, Empellón does not disappoint. Both locations use mezcal to spice up cocktail classics like the Old Fashioned and the Lagerita. The Sangria Blanco (made with Fidencio Clásico mezcal, St-Germain and Combier liqueurs, and dry white wine) pairs perfectly with the lobster tacos.

230 W. Fourth St., 212-367-0999; 105 First Ave., 212-780-0999; empellon.com

La Biblioteca Sink into a cozy sofa in this candlelit, Prohibition-style hideaway with

BY DALENE ROVENSTINE

mezcal glass in hand and a bowl of spicy crab guacamole nearby. The underground bar and lounge from restaurateur Richard Sandoval has more than 40 types of mezcals— among them such premium brands as Pierde Almas, Scorpion, Don Amado, Ilegal, and Los Nahuales—available by the snifter or bottle. “La Biblioteca allows me to share the food I am passionate about cooking along with my hand-picked collection of premium mezcal pours,” Sandoval says. Frequent guests can even obtain a locker for six-month storage of purchased bottles.

622 Third Ave., 212-808-8110; richardsandoval.com/labiblioteca

La Cenita The EMM Group’s latest restaurant project focuses on Mexican-inspired small plates.

And what better way to complement them than with a Mexican spirit? Mezcal newbies should try the sweetened Pancho Villa cocktail, which uses Alacrán mezcal, maple syrup, lemon, and Cointreau. “Being a big fan of mezcal and knowing how acquired a taste it is, I created the Pancho Villa to be an accessible introduction to the spirit,” says lead bartender Billy Potvin.

“Right now, mezcal is attracting a younger crowd, and also [introducing] the palates of an older, Scotch-drinking generation to a

new cocktail experience.”

409 W. 14th St., 646-289-3930; emmgrp.com/restaurants/la-cenita

Los Americanos This Latin fusion eatery in Tribeca recognizes the growing influence of mezcal. “The spirit is now being made by great companies—like Ilegal—in smaller batches, so it has more of an artisanal [quality],” says head bartender Juan Arboleda. “And who doesn’t love hand-crafted?”

Cocktail aficionados can try Arboleda’s namesake drink, the Juanarita—made with mezcal, anise, egg white, and jalapeño syrup—or the house favorite, Under the Volcano, with mezcal, jalapeño, rosemary, bitters, lime, and worm salt (yes, it’s salt made with ground agave worms).

305 Church St., 212-680-0101; losamericanos.com

Mayahuel This East Village restaurant was the first bar in Manhattan to develop a drinks program solely around agave spirits. The menu typically has between 40–50 cocktails, half of which are made with mezcal. “The majority of our cocktails are structured in the vein of preProhibition drinks,” says owner and beverage director Philip Ward, referring to their complex flavors and technique. At a place that goes through two to four cases of mezcal a weekend, guests are sure to encounter the spirit in some form or another—whether it’s in a savory or spicy drink, a custom cocktail mixed with whiskey or brandy, or simply paired with a red snapper and scallop ceviche.

304 E. Sixth St., 212-253-5888; mayahuelny.com G Casa Mezcal’s Spicy Mezcal Margarita.

Drinks at Pouring Ribbons incorporate exotic ingredients.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER Pouring Ribbons gives mezcal a tropical makeover.

The East Village’s Pouring Ribbons is known for its exclusivity and custom concoctions by renowned mixologists. The menu is dotted with flavorful creations, and the takes on mezcal are anything but ordinary. The Midnight Marauder, for example, is a twist on the Negroni made with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, while the tiki-style Border Patrol features Sombra mezcal and too many ingredients to list, topped by a pineapple frond and dried chile. Additionally, the bar includes the complete Alipus mezcal lineup, many Fidencio types, and rare Del Maguey bottlings.

225 Avenue B, Second Fl., 917-656-6788; pouringribbons.com

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GUIDE relax

Addison Mizner designed the Boca Raton Resort & Club’s pink palazzostyle façade.

Preppy Weekends THESE SHORT-HOP GETAWAYS WILL HELP YOU CHANNEL YOUR INNER WASP.

Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton, FL

Nearest Airport: Palm Beach (5 miles away). Air travel time from New York: 3 hours.

Henry Flagler’s Italianate extravaganza (a Villa Medici–style façade, coffered ceilings painted

by Florentine artists) was the go-to resort for plutocrats during the turn of the century—with a guest book filled with names like Rockefeller (Flagler was business partner of John D. Rockefeller at the Standard Oil Company), Astor, and Morgan.

Since the hotel opened in 1896, it has hosted at least six US presidents and enough East Coast swells to fill the Social Register. Chairman James Kenan, a descendant of Flagler, and his family operate the hotel today, which completed an $80 million renovation in 2011.

With nine restaurants, five oceanfront pools, and 10 tennis courts, there’s no need to leave this lush oasis during your stay, and you probably won’t want to—ever.

1 S. County Road, Palm Beach, FL, 561-655-6611; thebreakers.com

Nearest Airports: Fort Lauderdale (25 miles away, preferred by repeat guests), Palm Beach (28 miles); Miami (50 miles). Air travel time from New York: 3 hours.

When this property opened in 1926 as the Cloister Inn, it was the most expensive 100-room hotel in America. Florida’s iconic architect, Addison Mizner, designed what is now the heritage part of the property, a pink stucco palace, in his famous Spanish-Moorish –meets– Gothic-Revival style.

With 30 tennis courts, two 18-hole golf courses, and a marina on site, this is prepster heaven. Not surprisingly, George Bush has stayed here—so have Tony Blair, the Clintons, and Colin Powell.

Guests can choose to stay in the original Cloisters or opt for more modern rooms at the Boca Beach and Yacht Clubs.

501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, FL, 561-447-3000; bocaresort.com

Gasparilla Inn & Club, Boca Grande, FL Nearest Airports: Fort Myers (75 miles); private Creek Airport and The Boca Grande Jet Center.

Air travel time from New York:

2.5 hours.

William Farish, ambassador to Britain under President George W. Bush, owns this old-world property, one of the few independent Florida A guest room at the Hay-Adams in Washington, DC.

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resorts dating from the early 20th century. Built in 1913, the hotel attracted Social Register regulars like the Cabot, Drexel, and Biddle families, along with such moguls as JP Morgan and Henry Ford. Located on Gasparilla Island, in the heart of Boca Grande, the inn was recently named a National Historic Landmark. Not surprisingly that über-prepster presidential family the Bushes frequently vacation here—usually between Christmas and New Year’s. Many guests are third- and fourth-generation regulars.

The Gasparilla Golf Club, open only to those staying at the inn, features an 18-hole Pete Dye–designed course.

Contact the hotel for Easter and spring packages.

500 Palm Ave., Boca Grande, FL, 941-964-4500; the-gasparilla-inn.com

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV Nearest Airports: Greenbrier

Valley Airport (13 miles).

Air travel time from New York:

1.5 hours.

This resort and US National Historic Landmark in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia has hosted 26 presidents and many prominent American families for more than two centuries. President Wilson vacationed here, as did, honeymooners Rose and Joseph Kennedy. With three championship courses, the hotel regularly hosts pros and tournaments.

Wellness continues to be a focus of the Greenbrier, with a five-star,

40,000-square-foot facility offering all manner of facials, body treatments, and hydrotherapy.

300 W. Main St., White Sulphur Springs, WV, 855-453-4858; greenbrier.com

The Hay-Adams, Washington, DC Nearest Airports: Reagan

National (5 miles); Dulles (25 miles). Air travel time from New York: 1 hour. Train travel time from New York: 3 hours.

Taking its name from former Secretary of State John Hay and historian Henry Adams (a descendant of the Presidents Adams)—both of whom had homes on the site—the Hay-Adams has been a Washington fixture since its opening in 1928, thanks in part to its enviable location. Just steps from the White House, Lafayette Square, and St. John’s Church, the Italian Renaissance–style property instantly became a magnet for political and cultural elites, with notable guests including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Sinclair Lewis, and Ethel Barrymore. That tradition continues today: President Obama stayed here with his family shortly after his first presidential victory, and the hotel is a favorite of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, as well as foreign dignitaries. To honor the legacy of the hotel’s namesakes, who were accomplished men of letters, the Hay-Adams hosts an author series that draws scribes like Isabel Allende, Christopher Buckley, and Joyce Carol Oates.

800 16th St. NW, Washington, DC, 202-638-6600; hayadams.com G

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS HART SHELBY (BOCA RATON RESORT)

The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL

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and Finally ...

Hair Raising P

romise me I’ll look like Kate Middleton, and the $1,000 price tag for the chance to be snipped by her one-time stylist, now in New York, would be worth giving up Frappuccinos for a year. Unfortunately, not even Houdini could pull off that magic trick.

However, there are plenty of New York hopeful-istas who’ve read the tabloids and are shelling out that gulp-worthy fee for the chance to sit on the styling throne of Rossano Ferretti—whose website lists 17 other salons in cities like London, Mumbai, and Beverly Hills, which makes me question his jet lag when holding scissors to the royal locks. Yet, in an industry where diva clippers already charge hair-raising prices promising shear transformations with the swipe of plastic, the outcome of your investment may be as questionable as assuring all your dreams come true with a new do. And that’s the mane issue: Does price mean you’ll get a better haircut, or is this just a lot of hype and hooey served up with a lukewarm glass of Prosecco?

Name-brand stylists with models and actresses among their clientele are like catnip, but the lore that lured us does not mean you end up

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with the vision you envisaged. I remember slinking home with faux finger waves after a sought-after stylist, who simultaneously worked on five clients, obviously confused me with someone else. And a scant 10 minutes before the end of her pricey haircut, my young fashion assistant pal Francesca felt helpless to stop her stylist because, “At a certain price point, these artists have their own vision and you can’t tell them what to do,” she laments. “You go on this roller coaster of hope, and then it plummets.”

Keen fashion writer, Blair Sabol, who admits to commuting from Arizona to New York every few months in search of the perfect cut, says, “These status haircuts are for the insecure who want to assume the life of celebrities,” but she concludes, “The problem is, after all the cash you’ve blown on that one moment of hope, unlike those Louboutin gladiators you mistakenly bought, you can’t return a haircut.” As for current prices, Sabol thought spending $100 in 1965 for a cut with Vidal Sassoon was high, but adds, “Now even the shampoo girl gets a $100 tip. And Lee Sable Freund, owner of Southampton’s iconic luxury shop Zoom—blessed with a blonde mane that would make Secretariat whinny with envy—admits, “I would feel silly spending $1,000 on myself but would happily pay that to give my horse a massage.”

Beautiful blonde Elizabeth Manice, a senior VP for business development at an international fashion brand and mother of two, gave up the pricey designer cuts when her husband said, “You spend what?” adding, “It became a decision between a haircut or childcare.” And there’s no break for kids even sitting on mommy’s lap—prices at Garren’s salon start at $105 and top out at $305. As she heads to her local Cozy’s Cuts, Manice says, “That’s hardly the way to teach values when you start at that level.”

In truth, I’ve been seduced too many times by the alluring siren song of hairstylists because of some illusion that seems to go along with an exorbitant price tag. But after years of disenchantment—and styles that made me question what pharmaceuticals I’d taken—I found the magical Gil Ferrer. Though his clients include those with financial resources that fund our global economy, the handsome and affable Ferrer is still affordable, candidly admitting, “My colleagues charge $1,000 because they can and because women think it buys a better haircut, but let’s face it: Ultimately a good haircut is a good haircut.” And though I’ll never look like Kate Middleton—who was I kidding?—I’ve found my look, and I’m sticking with it. G

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL O’LEARY

WITH A STYLISH CUT NOW REACHING FOUR FIGURES, WHAT’S A PRUDENT NEW YORKER TO DO? BY BETSY F. PERRY

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