Promenade - Winter 2011-2012

PROMENADE

PROMENADE

About New York since 1934

NYLUXURY.COM

WINTER 2011-2012

Stop by our Executive office on the 7th floor to get a savings pass to use all day.

WINTER 2011-2012

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winter in new york The Arts Next Door

dining Iconic Italian

dance Classic Nutcracker

galleries Modern Masters

Fifteen Dollars

Join us for the holidays.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect party dress or the perfect gift, you’ll find it.

And, come enjoy our legendary holiday windows at our flagship store on Fifth Avenue at 39th Street.

■ The Giving Season ■ On Stage ■ Living Near Lincoln Center ■ Fine Dining ■

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

luxury properties

shopping Seasonal Sparkle Elegant Furs

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CAVIAR BOUTIQUE - RESTAURANT - RAW BAR

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Experience the stunning new look of our flagship and take home our signature gift when you spend 300.OO or more.* Just bring this ad and your same-day receipts to our Visitors Center on 1 at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue or see any sales associate in Soho, 504 Broadway.

*One per registered visitor, while supplies last.

For out-of-town visitors only.

CAVIAR RUSSE 538 Madison Avenue at 54th street - New York, NY 10022 Monday through Saturday, noon to 10:00 p.m., serving all day.

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Promenade Magazine, Dec 2011/Feb 2012

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top l to r: the wine bar, brick oven pizza, the oce an Grill & oYSter bar, the pl a za hotel, the Grill & brick oven pizza, dumplinGS, SiGnature burGer, and todd enGliSh behind the the oce an Grill & oYSter bar.

The Original New York Food Hall at New York’s best-loved hotel, The Plaza.

There’s only one place in New York City where you can get flatbread pizzas, fresh pasta, sushi and sashimi, dumplings, burgers, sandwiches, salads, rotisserie chicken, seafood dishes, specialty desserts, along with an extensive wine menu.

The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English

* Mention Promenade to receive a complimentary memento. d i n i n G i m a r k e t i ta k e - o u t i

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i cat e r i n G i o n e we S t 59 t h S t r e e t i 212.98 6 .9 26 0 i t h e pl a z af o o d hall .co m

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Dinnerware, Home Home Decor, and Accessories Dinnerware, MacKenzie-Childs MacKenzie-Childs New York 14 West 57th Street, Street, New New York York City City between 5th 5th and and 6th 6th Avenues between Avenues 212-570-6050 212-570-6050 10am-6pm Monday-Wednesday, Friday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm Thursday 10 10am-7pm, 11am-5pm am-7 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm

MacKenzie-Childs Southampton 31 31 Main Main Street, Southampton 631-283-1880 631-283-1880 Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, 12pm-5pm Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday 12 pm-5 pm mackenzie-childs.com

© Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Jewelry

Roy Lichtenstein’s Interior with Mirrored Wall (1991), part of the Pop Objects exhibit at The Guggenheim

Shopping

winter in

PROMENADE

I

Dining

Eric Laignel

Theatre

t’s that glorious time in New York. Chilly, yes, but otherwise it’s all sparkle and bustle with the city’s finest luxuries on display. So as you wander along Fifth, be sure to view Manhattan’s legendary holiday windows and take in the beautifully decorated boutiques on Madison and downtown. Promenade will guide you to these and other chic shops, where you will find unique gifts for the season or any occasion, one-of-a-kind jewelry that dazzles, timepieces that amaze, fabulous furs to keep you warm, and stylish luggage for your next trip.

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is in full swing at Lincoln Center, the Rockettes are kicking at Radio City Music Hall, and—joining the stars already on Broadway—New York’s stages welcome Hugh Jackman, Cynthia Nixon, David Hyde Pierce, and Kevin Spacey, among others.

In keeping with the season, the Morgan Library and Museum is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, while an all-star cast, including Placido Domingo, is performing The Enchanted Island at the Met. And for true culture vultures, take a look at some of the luxury properties available near Lincoln Center.

Meet the team behind Caviar Russe, where dining and shopping is an experience like no other.

Read about “The Other Europeans,” offering some of Gotham’s finest cuisines from Britain, Sweden, Serbia, and Spain. Take a trip with Promenade to England—both town and country—as we visit County Yorkshire and London. Plan for some personal pampering at New York’s best spas. And be sure to use our up-to-date guides for shopping, dining, theatre, museums, galleries, performing arts, and sightseeing.

Visit nyluxury.com, where you’ll find what’s new in the arts each week, exclusive shopping tips, dining specials, and designer sample sales. Have a wonderful winter!

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Andrew Eccles

David L. Miller Publisher­ PROMENADE I

DEDICATED TO THE AFFLUENT NEW YORK CITY VISITOR

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AC CENT YOUR ALPHA

WITH COLOR

PERSONALIZE YOUR BAG

COMPLIMENTS OF TUMI

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AT TUMI STORES BELOW

WHEN YOU MENTION PROMENADE

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About New York since 1934

PROMENADE

nyluxury.com Winter 2011-2012

Shopping New York The Giving Season 20 Special gifts for someone special.

All Aglow 26 Bijoux for the party season: winter whites and rainbow brights.

Fine Fur 30 Be chic, warm, and elegant in trim, vests, boots, and classic coats and jackets.

xxxxx xxxxxx

The Style Interview 32 Talking with Rüdiger Albers, Wempe’s president, about exquisite timepieces and stunning jewelry.

gift guide

Mindful Gifts 49 Bloomingdale’s embraces the seasonal spirit with a holiday collection that benefits a worthy cause.

Winding Down 102 Day’s end with a fine cigar in Davidoff’s luxury lounge.

seasonal sparkle

Editor’s Picks: Dressed to Thrill Tuxedo trends.

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The Virtual Voyager 18 Topflight tips for the discerning traveler.

The Best Places 34 Great suggestions for successful shopping.

Day Spas 40 Gotham’s elite retreats.

on the cover Clockwise from top left: The view from The Corner, 200 West 72nd Street; From Oscar de la Renta’s fall/winter collection; Fine fare at The Leopard at Des Artistes; “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” from George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker; Charm bracelet from Aaron Basha; Chagall’s Le Pont Neuf at Hammer Galleries; From MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check and Parchment collections

fun with fur

perfect presents

Photo credit: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Paul Kolnik

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One heart Three legends

NAVITIMER

CHRONOMAT 44

TRANSOCEAN

With its Manufacture Caliber 01, Breitling has created the most reliable, accurate and top-performance of all selfwinding chronograph movements – entirely produced in its own workshops and chronometer-certified by the COSC. A perfectly logical accomplishment for a brand that has established itself as the absolute benchmark in the field of mechanical chronographs.

W W W. B R E I T L I N G . C O M

About New York since 1934

PROMENADE

nyluxury.com Winter 2011-2012

On the Town Theatre

Godspell: Broadway’s Latest Religion-centric Show 50 A wave of ecclesiastical musicals hitting the Great White Way has audiences talking – and lining up for tickets. And now, Godspell’s part of the holy mix!

Dickens on display

The One, The Only, The Deadpan—David Hyde Pierce 51 After collecting a string of Emmys for Frasier and a Tony for his role in Curtains, the actor takes on Off-Broadway in the fabulously funny Close Up Space.

funny man

The Theatregoer’s Guide: Winter Edition 52 Audra McDonald, Hugh Jackman, Cynthia Nixon, Kevin Spacey, and Dianne Wiest are just some of award-winning actors taking center stage at NYC openings this winter.

Cecil Beaton’s New York 53 Celebrating the photographer’s love of Gotham with a new book and exhibit that pay homage to theatre and the performing arts at the Museum of the City of New York.

Nutcracker magic

Paul Kolnik

Dance

Taking Over Ailey 60 As the company’s third artistic director, Robert Battle moves forward with the acclaimed arts institution.

Nutcracker Nights…and Days 61 George Balanchine’s version is New York City’s magical, must-see holiday treat for visitors and residents—and most of all, children.

OPERA

Some Enchanted Evening at the Met 62 In a pastiche of plot and music, The Enchanted Island is performed by a cast of stars—including the ever-charismatic Plácido Domingo.

Museums

Looking Back at Dickens 68 The Morgan Library and Museum shares its rich collection of the author’s original manuscripts, letters, illustrations, and memorabilia.

the arts next door

REAL ESTATE

Living Near Lincoln Center 82 Dwell in the lap of luxury and take a front-row seat at the world’s finest cultural institution.

Travel

Glorious England: Town and Country 84 Experience the culinary delights, rich history, indulgent spas, and diverse culture in County Yorkshire and London.

Dining

caviar and more

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yorkshire glorious

Promenade Picks 92 Oceana and The Leopard at des Artistes.

The Other Europeans 93 Exceptional cuisine from Britain, Sweden, Serbia, and Spain.

The Restaurant Interview: Ilya J. Panchernikov and Chris Agnew 106 At Caviar Russe, a dining—and shopping—experience like no other.

The Most Up-to-Date Guides:

Theatre...................... 54 Performing Arts........ 64 Museums................... 72 Galleries & Collectibles................ 76 Sights in the City...... 88 Dining....................... 96

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About New York since 1934

PROMENADE Winter 2011-2012

PUBLISHER CO-PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

David L. Miller Eli Marcus Lisa Ben-Isvy

SALES & MARKETING

VP Sales & Marketing VP Community Relations Senior Account Manager Marketing Development Manager Sales and Marketing Associate

Vincent Timpone Janet Z. Barbash Fred Moskowitz Deborah B. Daniels Enrico Yee

EDITORIAL

Editor Associate Editor Style Editor Theatre Editor Assistant Editor

Phyllis Singer Colin Carlson Ruth J. Katz Griffin Miller Christine Tarulli

Contributing Editors Kaitlin Ahern Martin Bernheimer Marian Betancourt Kristopher Carpenter Sylviane Gold Karin Lipson Karli Petrovic Art Director Jiyon Son PUBLISHING OPERATIONS

General Manager Thomas K. Hanlon Director of Distribution Linda Seto Moi Administrative Frank Kirsner Denise Marcovitch Traffic Heather Gambaro Dana Golia Events Manager Rebecca Stolcz FINANCE

Credit Manager Elizabeth Teagarden Shaquon Cates Curtis Chaffin Diedra Smith Bookkeeper Fran Giovinco Assistant Bookkeeper Socehira David PROMENADE | DEDICATED TO THE AFFLUENT NEW YORK CITY VISITOR

Published by Davler Media Group LLC 1440 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, NY 10018 P: 212.315.0800 F: 212.271.2239 www.nyluxury.com www.davlermedia.com

Chief Executive Officer: David L. Miller Quarterly circulation is audited by BPA Worldwide NO PORTION OF THIS MAGAZINE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ARTICLES, LISTINGS, MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISION OF THE PUBLISHERS. Copyright: 2011 by Davler Media Group LLC. 212.315.0800.

Subscriptions are $60 in US and $80 overseas For circulation inquiries, call Thomas K. Hanlon, 646.736.3604

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All rights reserved.

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www.frey-wille.com vienna, austria

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NEW YORK: 727 Madison Avenue | 646 682 9030 | SANTA MONICA: 219 Arizona Avenue | 310 260 2639 BEVERLY HILLS 441 N Rodeo Drive | 310 777 0009 - NEW LOCATION in 2012

18.10.11 09:49

editor’s picks

Perfect for dress-up, Vacheron Constantin‘s classy watch, the “Historiques Ultra-Fine,” was first designed in 1968, and updated recently; shown here in 18-kt. rose gold, with an alligator strap. $34,700 Vacheron Constantin, 729 Madison Avenue (64th Street), 855-729-1755; vacheron-constantin.com

Make a statement with stunning, vintage cufflinks, shirt studs, and lapel studs from Stephen Russell. These are mother of pearl with diamonds set in platinum, with 18-kt. yellow gold findings.

Price upon request.

Stephen Russell, 970 Madison Avenue (76th Street); 212-570-6900; stephenrussell.com

Bally’s ”Crimal” loafer is a riff on the classic patent leather, dress-up loafer. Here, the grosgrain is not a bow, but a band. $450 Bally, 628 Madison Avenue (59th Street); 212-446-3930; bally.com

A classic Brooks Brothers style, but just a little more edgy than the straight-forward, single-breasted model; all wool, with satin-covered buttons. Jacket: $798; Pants: $200 Brooks Brothers, 346 Madison Avenue (44th Street); 212-682-8800; 1180 Madison Avenue (86th Street); 212-289-5027; brooksbrothers.com

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There are various apocryphal stories as to the who-what-when-where-how the sartorial tuxedo was created. Popular wisdom narrows its inventive debut to two possible culprits, whose dress ensembles may have bumped lapels in Tuxedo Park, New York—the fashionable weekend enclave of wealthy swells, a diamond’s toss north of New York City—resulting in the eponymously named tux: In the late 19th century, Pierre Lorillard IV is said to have seen an interesting, short black dinner jacket donned by one James Brown Potter at a gala soirée in Tuxedo Park. Potter himself had recently returned from London, where he was supposedly inspired by the Duke of Wales (later Edward VII) to visit his tailor on tony Saville Row to get himself one of the new-style shorter, informal dinner jackets. Lorillard is said to have seen Potter’s jacket, and so posits the myth, he made a few alterations to it and thus was born the tux. No matter where the truth lies: Whoever dreamed up this male wardrobe staple assuredly did mankind (and womankind) a good turn: Put any man in a tux—all dolled up—and he looks like a million bucks. Herewith a few other accoutrements to help him look like two million. By Ruth J. Katz

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Promenade - Winter 2011 Issue: Aaron Basha advertisement (Right Hand Read)

Aaron Basha Boutique • 685 Madison Avenue • New York • 212.935.1960 • w w w. a a ro n b a s h a . co m Athens

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editor’s picks

Topflight Tips for the Discerning Traveler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

virtual voyager

the

By Griffin Miller

“Leveraged” Collectibles: Pull and Possess

Danish Delight Centuries before Hans Christian Andersen spun his beloved fairy tales, his ancestors were busy erecting Egeskov Castle, Scandinavia’s celebrated Renaissance water castle replete with moat, drawbridge and timeless treasures. Indeed, when it comes to “castling,” this 16th-century palatial masterpiece offers endless enchantments, from its moat and drawbridge to its peacock-populated gardens and four amazing mazes, to its staggering collection of museums, including one dedicated to motorcycles that houses a 1913 Henderson, 1929 Harley Davidson, and 1936 Nimbus (with sidecar).

Still, for the fantasy-inclined, it’s Titania’s Castle—dubbed “the planet’s most magical doll’s house”—that reigns supreme with visitors. Located on the castle’s first floor, the diminutive masterpiece took 15 years to complete and boasts 3,000+ components, including a collection of miniature art treasures from around the world. egeskov.dk/en/praktisk-information.

Love, Italian Style

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The marriage between two of the world’s most exclusive Italian companies—design superstar Missoni and Bric’s, renowned for fashion-forward luggage and accessories—has resulted in this season’s highly coveted travel collection, all in Missioni’s iconic “Zig Zag” pattern.

Introduced last September in Milan, the two lines (PVC and nylon) include soft travel bags, wash bags, a rolling duffle, a PC holder, several “trolleys,” shoulder travel bags, a vanity bag, and a folding shopping bag.

Each style is available in four colors: blue, brown, black, and pink, and is (as one would expect!) fitted with handsome I.D. details such as chic leather logos and engraved metal zippers.

To procure one or more objets d’travel from the MISSONI for BRIC’s collection in Manhattan, stop by Bric’s Madison, NYC’s first freestanding store.

However, should your jetsetting schedule be too, too full, don’t despair and go to brics.it.

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Just as Sex and the City turned the Cosmopolitan into the Millennium crossover cocktail, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is setting new standards in contemporary art appreciation along the Vegas strip. Barely a year old, this upscale resort casino has blazed an unprecedented path with “an art program that every guest can touch, feel, hear, and experience.”

The most novel installations? “Art-o-mats”— a cross between oversized gumball prize dispensers and an art collector’s dream toy. Created from vintage cigarette vending machines, Art-o-mats—which have been displayed at such revered institutions as the Smithsonian and Whitney museums—offer small pieces of artwork (procured from more than 400 artists from 10 countries) for a mere $5 a pop. Notably, The Cosmopolitan (which houses six Art-o-mats) is the only casino resort to offer these ultraunique/eco-friendly/retro treasure troves. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.

Zen and the Art of SushiSKool Clearly Loews Hotels’ Master Sushi Chef Osamu “Fuji” Fujita has been thinking outside the bento box to come up with SushiSKool, a hands-on class in sushimaking that encourages junior Top Chefs to flex budding culinary muscles, indulge in chopstick hocus-pocus, and turn their favorite sandwiches into awesome sushi rolls.

Offered exclusively at Loews Miami Beach Hotel and Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort, the hour-long tuna tutorial has slightly different ground rules at each site, but an equally tasty outcome. In Miami, the class taught in the hotel’s Sushi SoBe restaurant every Saturday afternoon is complimentary and caters to the entire family; in Vegas, the once-a-month event is for ages five through teens and comes with a gift bag featuring an apron, Chef Fuji’s “Guide to Sushi,” chopsticks, a discount card for dinner, and costs $20 per participant. Loewshotels.com/Miami-Beach-Hotel; loewshotels.com/en/Lake-Las-Vegas-Resort.

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

WOMEN

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Burnished gold and black enamel highlights this handsome snake-motif minaudiere from Bulgari. $4,600.

Bulgari, 730 Fifth Avenue (57th Street); 212-315-9000, 800-BULGARI; 783 Madison Avenue (66th/67th Streets); 212-717-2300; bulgari.com

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From Nelson and Nelson’s vintage collection, gold floral earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels “Gold and Diamond Suite,” ca. 1965. Price upon request.

Nelson and Nelson Antiques, The Pierre Hotel, 2 East 61st Street (Madison/Fifth Avenues); 212-980-5825; NelsonAndNelsonAntiques.com

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Once Thanksgiving kicks off the unofficial beginning of the holiday season, the inner St. Nick in everyone takes over: Could you put a smile on Mom’s face with a vintage, Saint-Louis Crystal fragrance flacon? Would Dad like to read about the history and production of whiskey? Would your holiday hosts’ mouths water if you handed them a box of tantalizing chocolates? And, how to avoid a fruitcake (for anybody)? Scoring gifts that will be meaningful means fresh, inventive thinking about someone’s hobbies, passions, needs, and wants. But gift-giving needn’t take place only during the ‘tis-the-season months; stash some of these nifty giftie ideas away in the memory bank of your iPad or in your mental filing cabinet, because there are many other occasions that warrant a special present designed to elicit a “You really shouldn’t have.”— Ruth J. Katz

Tumi’s “Tinsel Fiona” tote, crafted in a soft, rich fabric, with plenty of interior room (a large zippered pocket, a media pocket, pen loops, key ring, and a secure zippered closure), is ideal for carry-on. $395.

Tumi, 520 Madison Ave (54th/55th Streets); 212-813-0545, 800-299-8864; tumi.com

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Scents for the perfect boudoir, from Voluspa, in the newest fragrance group, Maison D’Or Atelier Provence, “Lavande,” left to right: Aqua de Senteur ($19, 3.8 oz.); Alta Ceramica Candle ($27, 115 oz.); Classic Maison Candle ($27, 12 oz); Fragrant Oil Petite Diffuser ($28, 4.75 oz.)

Therapie, 309 Columbus Avenue (74th/75th Streets); 212-877-5394; therapieny.com; voluspa.com

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▼ Tom Ford’s brand-new “Jasmin Rouge” is a voluptuous, saturated, spiced floral, heady and intoxicating. $195.

Tom Ford, 845 Madison Avenue (70th Street); 212-359-0300; tomford.com

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▼ A limited edition, cut, frosted, and applied-crystal perfume flacon by French master glass company, Saint-Louis Crystal, from dealer Sakoki 100% Design at Center44. Price upon request.

Center44, 222 East 44th Street (Second/Third Avenues), Second Floor; 212-450-7988; center44.com

From designers Marcia and Bill Finks of Primitive Twig, these charming, handmade, one-of-a-kind sculpture-dolls are constructed from antique tin toys, old cans, and vintage doll parts. From 30” to 5’ tall. $550 to $1,200.

Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue (57th/58th Streets); 212-753-7300, 800-558-1855; bergdorfgoodman.com; primitivetwig.com

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MEN

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

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The new “Bentley Barnato Racing” watch from Breitling, with an exclusive 30-second chronograph system, features steering-wheellike motifs for the face counters, reminiscent of legendary Bentley models that have won the world-renowned Le Mans 24 Hours race.

In 18-kt. red gold; limited edition of 500. $55,850.

Breitling, 5 East 57th Street (Fifth/Madison Avenues); 855-999-1884; breitling.com

For the lover of fine whiskeys, Graphic Image has created a handsome volume with everything you’d ever want to know about single malts, and then some. $84.

Graphic Image, 800-232-5550; graphicimage.com

Just introduced, from Molton Brown, a woodyfresh scent, “Rogart,” with heady notes of angelica and maple syrup; guaranteed to turn heads and make hearts swoon. $110.

Molton Brown, 128 Spring Street (Greene/Wooster Streets); 212-965-1740); moltonbrown.com

▼ The “Eagle” handcrafted fire enamel fountain pen from Frey Wille, with a 14-kt. bi-color nib, and featuring 24-kt. white gold applications on the cap, and a sterling silver pen body. $2,325.

Frey Wille, 727 Madison Avenue (63rd/64th Streets); 646-682-9030; frey-wille.com

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special gifts for someone special

The “MB.1.GRL” briefcase from Stewart/Stand is constructed from basketwoven, fine stainless steel, with gray leather trim. $700.

Stewart/Stand, 141A Front Street, Brooklyn; 718-875-1204; stewartstand.com ; Gracious Home, 1220 Third Avenue (70th Street); 212-212-517-6300; gracioushome.com

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▼ An 18th-century Chinese water buffalo looks like a mighty bull, perfect for those bull-market Wall Streeters. $7,500.

Imperial Oriental Art, 790 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor (66th/67th Streets); 212-717-5383; imperialorientalart.com Panasonic’s new Lift-Tech Foil feature lifts and guides stubble closer to the incredibly sharp, 30-degree angled blades; has an illuminated LCD screen, a pop-up trimmer, switch/lock button, and has the fastest motor in the industry. $599.99.

The Art of Shaving, Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle; 212-823-9410; theartofshaving.com; panasonic.com

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Available in a limited quantity—when they’re gone, they’re gone: Original, 104-year-old brass doorknobs and plates from the glory days of the Plaza Hotel. A true Gotham keepsake. $550 per set.

The Plaza Boutique, The Shops at the Plaza, 1 West 58th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-546-5454; theplaza.com

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

HOME The gift of decadent, handmade chocolates is never refused, and these delicious truffles are from Manhattan’s newest chocolatier, Xocolatti; this box of 25 features seductive flavors, such as saki, rose cardamom, and champagne brut. $79.

Xocolatti, 172 Prince Street (Thompson Street); 212-256-0332; xocolatti.com

As only MacKenzie-Childs can do it, these candlesticks combine sprightly design with an elegant stature. Hand-blown and hand-painted. $65 to $85.

MacKenzie-Childs, 14 West 57th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-570-6050; mackenzie-childs.com

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special gifts for someone special ▼ [Left] What the well-dressed bottle is wearing–a stylish stopper in crystal and silver-plate, from Puiforcat ($335). [Right] And a fun, lively bottle stopper with jaunty colorful jewels from Home Shopping Network ($14.95).

Puiforcat at Hermès, 691 Madison Avenue (62nd Street); 212-751-3181, 800-441-4488; hermes.com; Home Shopping Network, hsn.com

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Bottega Veneta’s signature intrecciato woven look, here worked in sterling silver (with fine nappa leather finishing) on a series of picture frames.

Left to right: small, $2,200; large, $4,900; medium, $3,480.

Bottega Veneta, 697 Fifth Avenue (54th/55th Streets); 212-371-5511, 877-362-1715; bottegaveneta.com

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Antinori’s rich, complex 2007 Solaia wine is full-bodied and powerful— with hints of mocha and succulent cherries. $275.

Sherry-Lehmann Wine and Spirits, 505 Park Avenue (59th Street); 212-838-7500; sherry-lehmann.com; antinori.it/eng

Oils and vinegars from the O&CO are la crème de la crème. They are exquisitely flavorful, elegant, and indulgent—a perfect hostess gift. The sharp and zesty Galiga e Vetrice Olive Oil comes from trees that are 70 years old, and the Cherry Balsamic Vinegar delivers a sweet, syrupy flavor. Oil, $48; vinegar, $34.

O&CO, 249 Bleecker Street (Leroy Street); 212-463-7710, 212-463-7710; oliviersandco.com

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

Charming, indeed. Aaron Basha’s delightful charm bracelet is crafted in18-kt. white gold, with pavé-set diamonds; charms are sold individually. Bracelet, $16,800; charms, from $2,100 each.

Aaron Basha, 685 Madison Avenue (61st/62nd Streets); 212-935-1960; aaronbasha.com

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rainbow

brights

The dress-up, party season heralds glitz and glam, whether you choose “winter whites”—snowy moonstones, fiery opals, sparkling diamonds—for your jeweled accessories, or you select vibrant hues that glisten and gleam, in rainbow tones of exuberant poppy, electric emerald, creamy turquoise, or royal purple. These two looks will carry you right through dull and dreary wintry weather into glorious spring.

And if you choose a brooch to fasten a pashmina, or a collar-style necklace to set off that little black dress, or a stack of bangles to inch up your forearm, you’ll not go wrong with the bijoux we’ve highlighted. By Ruth J. Katz

Harry Winston’s “Rendez-Vous” bracelet-watch features the hidden timepiece under luscious diamonds—with a total of 88 carats, pavé-set in platinum. Price upon request.

Harry Winston, 718 Fifth Avenue (56th Street); 212-245-2000; harrywinston.com

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Floral-motif diamond earrings, set in platinum, from design house A. Jaffe. $15,000.

Michael C. Fina, 545 Fifth Avenue (45th Street); 212-557-2500; michaelcfina.com

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WINTER WHITES

From Ivanka Trump, the 32”-long “Bubble” necklace in 18-kt. white gold, with mother of pearl and rock crystal. $5,200.

Ivanka Trump, 109 Mercer Street (Spring Street); 888-756-9912; ivankatrumpcollection

From designer Brenda Smith, 18-kt. white gold “Celebration” earrings with 9 mm. South Sea pearls and 4 mm. cultured pearls. $10,700.

Aaron Faber, 666 Fifth Avenue (53rd Street); 212-586-8411; aaronfaber.com; brendasmithjewelry.com

Undulating discs of pavéd diamonds (72.86 carats) in Tamsen Z’s “Diamond Disc” necklace, set in 18-kt. white gold. Price upon request.

Tamsen Z, 783 Madison Avenue (66th/67th); 212-471-8140; tamsenz.com

A dazzling pearl-and-diamond cuff-style bracelet set in 18-kt. white and yellow gold, designed by Ellagem. $88,000.

Ellagem, Inc., by appointment only; 212-398-0101; ellagem.com

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

A one-of-a-kind 18-kt. brushed yellow gold necklace, with an invisible clasp, from designer Ariane Zurcher; it features, pink sapphires, aquamarines, pink topaz, mandarin garnets, African tourmalines, and Paraiba. $38,000.

Ariane Zurcher Designs, 4332 22nd Street, Studio 401-3, Long Island City; 917-608-2817; arianezurcher.com

Razzle-dazzle ‘em with these knock-out earrings from the “Greenwich” collection from Greenwich Jewelers. Set in oxidized silver, with multi-colored tourmaline and diamond accents, they glow with a prismatic effect. $1,125.

Greenwich Jewelers, 64 Trinity Place (Rector/Thames Streets); 212-964-7592; greenwichjewelers.com

Reinstein Ross’s exquisite tanzanite “Parvati” necklace, with a reversible diamond-and-sapphire clasp. Price upon request.

Reinstein Ross, 29 East 73rd Street (Fifth/Madison Avenues); 212-772-1901; 122 Prince Street (Greene/Wooster Streets); 212-226-4513; reinsteinross.com

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“Circle” earrings from Yael Sonia’s “Perpetual Motion” collection, featuring 10 mm. faceted rubelite spheres and 0.74 carats of white diamonds, set in 18-kt. yellow gold. $6,500.

Yael Sonia, 922 Madison Avenue (73rd/74th Streets); 212-472-6488; yaelsonia.com

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RAINBOW BRIGHTS

Photo by Ca rlton Davis, courtesy of Tiffany

Gilan’s “Colors of Emotion” dangly tassel earrings, set in 18-kt. yellow gold, with tourmalines, sapphires, rubies, and round diamonds. $24,125.

Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 877-551-7257; 212-753-4000; saksfifthavenue.com; gilan.com

Pretty as a wrapped Tiffany box, in miniature. Set with a stunning 109.73-carat, emerald-cut aquamarine with an extraordinary level of color saturation, this brooch is accented with a diamond-and-platinum bow, an exclusive Tiffany & Co. design. $100,000.

Tiffany & Co., 727 Fifth Avenue (57th Street); 212-755-8000, 800-526-0649; 37 Wall Street (Nassau/William Streets); 212-514-8015; tiffany.com

Each of the sumptuous “Anarkali” bangles from designer Amrita Singh features uncut diamonds (22.4 carats) and emeralds (20.4 carats), set in 22-kt. yellow gold. Each, $12,600.

Amrita Singh Jewelry & Accessories, by appointment only; 212-869-3434; amritasingh.com

Marco Bicego’s “Jaipur” bracelet is crafted in 18-kt. yellow gold and set with gaily colored semi-precious stones. $10,670.

Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 877-551-7257; 212-753-4000; saksfifthavenue.com; marcobicego.com

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SHOPPINGNEW YORK

Christian Dior

Oscar de la Renta

Michael Kors at Bloomingdale’s Maximilian Fur Salon

chic...warm...elegant This season, fur—faux and real—is in high demand and designers have used it everywhere: in trim, vests, muffs, hats, scarves, and of course, the classic coats and jackets.

By Ruth J. Katz

T

he past several seasons, fur has been all over the fashion magazines—flashy, hot pink fox coats; sedate sheared mink toppers; buttery-soft beaver trims on all-weather coats; and embellishments on handbags, boots, gloves, scarves, and hats. Whether faux or the real deal, designers used fur trims everywhere—on jewelry, hair ornaments, hemlines, necklines, collars, cuffs, and even on the insoles of shoes (not just boots)! According to Daniela Balzano-Hull, the director of the Maximilian Fur Salon at Bloomingdale’s at 59th Street (which recently underwent a major renovation and is a stunning destination boutique-salon for fur-shopping), “This year fur is the buzz word for fall fashion and everyone wants to own one...and almost every designer

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Barbara Tfank

Helen Yarmak Valvo Carmen Marc The Fur Salon at Saks

Naeem Kahn

Fifth Avenue

Bally

knows this and therefore has created vests (long and short), collars, hats, and chubbies in colorful hues and styles—for everyone. Long-haired furs like fox, Tibetan lamb, lynx, chinchilla, and sable are in high demand—and accessories are all the rage.”

Among the innumerable designers who showed fur (again, real or faux)—and we are not just talking coats here, but trims in endless configurations—are Azzedine Alaïa, Akris, Etro, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci, and Donna Karan, among the many. Derek Lam put beaver sleeves on a jacket; Coach offered rabbit-fur muffs; Louis Vuitton did a checkerboard mink scarf; there was alpaca trim on booties from Gucci; and a pony-hair-and-wool fedora from Dolce & Gabbana—and that is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Animal prints reigned big-time. Larry Cowit, a third-generation furrier and vice president of Henry Cowit Furs, a company that specializes in furmatching for other furriers and remodeling fur garments for private clients, notes that animal prints “are bigger than even last year. You’ll find them on shoes, pocketbooks, and anything else a designer can dream up.” In Elle magazine alone, there were many pages of faux tiger-prints, leopard-prints, and even Dalmatian-spotted furs and wools: Sergio Rossi presented tiger-printed, over-the-knee, pony-skin boots; from Casadei, there was a Canadian red-fox bag, printed to look tiger-like; and from Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons came a faux-fur, oversize “tiger” coat.

Even more popular than prints were vests, which Cowit noted “are also even more popular this year than they were last year—long vests, short vests, boleros, tunic-styles. We have converted more old coats to vests than I can count.” And the runways were full of them—Etro, Missoni, Tory Burch, Funktional, and countless others. And while accessories are omnipresent, for those wanting a coat, there is something for everyone. At Helen Yarmak International, general manager Sandy Blye underscores that customers come to her salon for the most unusual: “Our furs are about bold colors in unique styling, for the fashionable, independent woman who wants something different, one-of-a-kind...a royal blue Rex Rabbit sweatshirt, a fuchsia lamb fitted dress, a coral mink-and-fox cropped jacket.” But for the woman looking for her first-time fur—and the age range of that first-time fur-buyer has dropped dramatically over the past decade—there are classics, like those sold by Alexandros Furs, a company that sells both retail to private clients and wholesale to major departments stores. According to Tommy Alexandros, the second-generation owner of the company, “Our focus is on versatile classics, so we do mostly natural-colored, utilitarian garments...silhouettes that women can put on without thinking...but she’ll know that she will be stylish and warm.”

And at the end of the day, isn’t that what a woman wants? Style, warmth...and glamour. ■ 31

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All photos courtesy of Wempe

STYLENEW YORK

talking with Rüdiger Albers Wempe’s president, who in 2012 will mark his 25th year with the company, discusses his business philosophy, the Pretty Woman effect, and why he doesn’t mind making the coffee.

By Kaitlin Ahern

T

here’s an old saying: “At Wempe, the clocks tick differently.” The phrase, which was first penned in the early 1900s, is almost as old as the company itself: Wempe, a maker and purveyor of exquisite timepieces and, more recently, fine jewelry, was founded in Germany more than 130 years ago by Gerhard D. Wempe and has been passed down through family hands ever since. Enter Wempe New York on Fifth Avenue, though, and you’ll meet a man who not only believes the old saying to still be true, but quotes it with pride. “Here, it’s not all about the last dollar you can squeeze out of everything,” says Rüdiger Albers, the company’s president. “It’s more about creating a legacy and something you can attach your name to and feel proud of.”

With 25 stores worldwide, including 19 in its native Germany and one floating around the world on the MS Europa luxury cruise ship, Wempe’s strongest store is its 30-year-old flagship here in New York, which will soon be joined by a Rolex boutique in the Rolex Building on 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue.

And while most watch lovers are familiar with the Rolexes, Cartiers, and Patek Philippes (to name just a few) found on Wempe’s shelves, we sat down with Albers to dig a little deeper into what makes this company tick.

Q. I noticed you’re wearing two watches—why is that?

RA: This one here [pointing to right wrist], we took this back after it didn’t work for a client. I have a feeling it was something he did with it. It’s a very thin watch, and he might have put it on his radio clock at night and it got magnetized. But I thought before we resell it as preowned, I’ll just put it on and wear it for a while before we can sell it with conviction that it’s going to work.

Q. Your store is always busy—even now, at 10 o’clock on a Tuesday morning. What is it that attracts people?

RA: We’ve been here for 31 years, our company is 133 years old, and we’ve been consistent in the message and the service we provide. Every store talks about their customer service, but you have to go above and beyond the expectations of the client. When you’re spending a good amount of money on a fine watch or piece of jewelry we want you to have a memorable experience, because otherwise you might as well buy a Casio and be done with it.

And I think the other big difference is our salespeople. They’re knowledgeable but they have their heart in it too; they care, and customers feel that. They’re here to listen to the client and make sure they walk out with something that was good for them, not just good for us.

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er Albers, president; 18K white quality and elegance ($1,270 - $4,210); Rüdig ing a series of ladies’ watches that marrynew 2011-12 Impressions By Kim collection ($47,725 for necklace; $9,045 boast er, summ this ed debut tion collec nds, part of the ütte timepiece From left: [ Wempe’s Manchette pastel-shade sapphires and brilliant-cut diamo (price upon request); Stainless steel Glash gold necklace and pendant earrings with op pendant earrings in 18K white gold, also part of the Impressions collection 5) ] $5,64 5 ($3,74 teardr tion ald collec emer d Kim By f-a-kin Blu One-o the s from for earrings); d time zone ($3,200 - $3,215); Several piece with large-format date display and secon

Q. How is Wempe different from other stores?

RA: Many other boutiques are somewhat on the stiff side, so it’s intimidating to go in, especially as a young person—you walk in and there are six people looking at you going “Is she wearing the right shoes? Can she even afford to be in here?” Like the Pretty Woman effect. With us, we’re too busy to take note of those things and know better than to judge a book by its cover. You can slip in here and no one will pressure you, and you don’t feel like you’re walking down the runway. There’s a lot of laughter here. I have seasoned professionals who know they have to sell, but we do it in our own way, without pressure, without targets, and it works.

And we always go the extra mile. We just delivered a $120,000 clock in San Francisco. I flew over there, set it up, the whole kit and caboodle. And I have one customer, he bought a watch winder/precision clock for I think it was $150,000 and I promised him he would have it in two weeks, but then I couldn’t find a shipper who would meet that deadline. So we put it on the back of a truck and drove it down to Miami. That’s the way we work.

Q. Would you say you have a “typical” customer?

RA: No, we don’t. I would say that 60 percent of our customers are U.S. customers and 40 percent come from everywhere else. Right now we’re seeing a lot of customers from China, Brazil, and a lot of Europeans. We attract a lot of young people that like the style we have here. We don’t judge people by their ages or outfits. We treat everyone the same. Our salespeople deliver the same level of service to everybody, no matter what they buy.

Q. How do you choose which brands to feature in the store?

RA: We try to carry the same name brands in all our 25 stores. Because we’re in New York, we have the space for it, and our clientele is extremely diverse, we probably are a little deeper in our assortment here. Most customers are only coming through New York for three or four days, so having the best selection on hand at all times is crucial to our success.

Q. Tell me more about Wempe’s jewelry line, By Kim… RA: We have an atelier in the Black Forest in Germany where we create all our jewelry, our own exclusive designs. The jewelry is called By Kim because Kim [Wempe] is the CEO, and she’s very instrumental in the finishing of the product. Our French designer interprets Kim’s ideas and creates the designs, then she and Kim sit down to finalize each piece. Our jewelry is mostly contemporary-classic pieces that are ready to wear every day. Kim herself would be best described as very personable and down to earth, which shows through in the jewelry.

I remember once, very distinctly, when we had a delivery of catalogues.

We don’t have a loading dock and the shipper put three huge palettes right in front of the store, preventing us from doing business. Kim happened to be here, and she’s the one who got everyone in line and started a chain to get them into the basement. Mr. [Hellmut] Wempe, now 79 years old, the owner of the business, makes it a point to talk to every person when he’s here and tell them “I’m glad you’re working for me.” That kind of caring filters down and defines our company’s culture. You’ll often see me making espressos for clients, and I have no problem with that. I wash the windows, too, if necessary.

Wempe New York Q. Besides the new Rolex boutique, 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street is Wempe planning to expand?

212-397-9000; wempe.com RA: We’re family owned, so we don’t Store hours: Monday-Saturday have the ability of opening multiple 10am-6pm, Sunday 12-5pm stores at the same time because we like to finance ourselves from within and keep our independence. With our set-up, it all depends on the people. It’s not easy to duplicate the Wempe experience. We’re not completely commercially driven; we’ve had opportunities that we’ve passed by because we didn’t feel they were right for us.

It’s more about doing what we’re proud of. n 33

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NeW YorK

SHOPPING art anD antiQUeS Center44 – A unique and dramatic shopping experience with 70 extraordinary international antiques dealers featured in a block-long showroom of open-room settings, with aisles of antiquities (from ancient to the 19th century), 20th-century design— including Deco, Modernism, and Futurism—and unique contemporary art and objects. On-site skilled artisans provide furniture/art restoration & traditional upholstery. 222 E. 44th St. (Second-Third Aves.), 212-450-7988; center44.com Imperial Oriental Art – A distinguished name in the field of Chinese ceramics and works of art specializing in fine quality work over a range of various dynasties, including Ming and Qing. Also offered is an extensive selection of Blue and White, Famille Rose, Famille Verte and the finest quality of Qing monochromes in America.

790 Madison Ave. (66th-67th Sts.), Third Floor, 212-717-5383; imperialorientalart.com Lerebours Antiques - An eclectic collection of Continental and American antique, vintage, and mid-century modern fine furnishings, lighting, and art. Mon.-Fri., 10am-6pm; Sat. and Sun. by appointment. 220 E. 60th St., 917-749-5866; lereboursantiques.com Showplace Antique + Design Center – Over 250 galleries located on 4 floors featuring Art Deco, Art Nouveau, mid-century Modern, bronze, silver, jewelry, vintage clothing and accessories, ceramics, art glass, antiquities, period furniture & lighting.

Don’t miss the 3rd-floor designer room settings and over 50 showcases filled with an eclectic range of decoratives and collectibles. Mon.-Fri, 10am-6pm; Sat.-Sun., 8:30am-5:30pm. 40 W. 25th St., 212-633-6063; nyshowplace.com

GlaSS Steuben – “The world’s purest crystal,” renowned for exquisite craftsmanship, unmatched quality standards, and peerless material. Many products are added each year to a collection that includes bowls, vases, and candlesticks, desk & office accessories, their signature animals, and major copper-wheel engraved sculptural works.

667 Madison Ave. (61st St.), 646-497-3753; steuben.com

ShopS The Shops at the Plaza – Throughout the legendary Plaza Hotel, there is now a collection of world’s finest purveyors of art, jewelry, haute couture and specialty foods as well as premiere health and beauty services. Highlights not to be missed are the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa, Celebrity Stylists Warren-Tricomi Salon, MCM, and Anna Hu Haute Joaillerie. One location. Countlesss indulgences. The Plaza Hotel, Fifth Ave. at 59th St., 212-546-5499; theplaza.com With headquarters in the tiny Italian village of Solomeo, Brunello cucinelli has employed most of the town while developing his original line of fine cashmere.

He’s also created complete luxury sportswear lines for men and women, in an elegant, muted palette available at their Madison Avenue store. Pictured here: For him: A wool, 1½-breasted suit, cotton checkered shirt & wool tie. For her: A long buttoned cardigan, silk sleeveless blouse & linen wide-leg trousers.

683 Madison Ave. (61st-62nd Sts.), 212-813-0900; brunellocucinelli.com

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SHOPPING SPOTLIGHT

leather goods p.38

Department and Specialty Stores Barneys New York – Long identified with New York chic and sophistication, Barneys features international men’s and women’s fashion designers ranging from the classically understated to the flamboyantly avant garde. Accessories, formal wear, cosmetics, and shoes are also offered in a variety of styles. Their restaurant, Fred’s at Madison Avenue, is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. 660 Madison Ave. (61st St.), 212-826-8900; barneys.com Bloomingdale’s – One of the world’s most famous landmark department stores. The best international fashions and home furnishings are brought together under a single Art Deco roof, in a store that encompasses a full city block and more than 500 departments. 1000 Third Ave. (59th-60th Sts.), 212-705-2000; 504 Broadway (Spring-Broome Sts.), 212-729-5900; bloomingdales.com Hammacher Schlemmer – The landmark store for America’s longest-running catalog, offering unique products that solve problems, further your lifestyle, or represent the only one of their kind.

147 E. 57th St., 212-421-9002; hammacher.com Lord & Taylor – Generations have shopped year-round at this, their flagship store, established in 1914, attracted by their focus on the American look and American designers, offering a selection of reasonably priced sportswear in all sizes, and particularly fine high-quality shoes and accessories. 424 Fifth Ave. (39th St.), 212-391-3344; lordandtaylor.com MacKenzie-Childs - The flagship store featuring the full collection of whimsical and unique handcrafted home and garden accessories and gifts, including hand-painted ceramics, dinnerware, tableware, glassware and home furniture.

14 W. 57th St. (Fifth-Sixth Aves.), 212-5706050; 31 Main St. Southampton, 631-283-1880; mackenzie-childs.com Macy’s – “The world’s largest store,” and one of NYC’s most visited landmark attractions. The world’s first department store maintains a huge stock of everything from sofas to caviar, clothing, and everything in between. Broadway & 34th St., 212-695-4400; macys.com

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spas p.40

gift guide p.42

Saks Fifth Avenue – This venerated symbol of class and elegance began in 1924 as the brainchild of Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel.

Their flagship “dream store,” a New York City landmark since 1985, features nine floors of grand luxury, stocked with exclusive items for men and women. 611 Fifth Ave. (49th-50th Sts.), 212-753-4000; saksfifthavenue.com

Carolina Herrera – Elegant, ultra-feminine, up-tothe-minute women’s dresses and fragrances. CH Carolina Herrera (802 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-744-2076) has clothing for men, women, and kids, as well as travel accessories. Simple shift dresses, turtlenecks, and overcoats get a splash of drama with ruffles, a little sparkle, or fur this season. 954 Madison Ave. (75th St.), 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com

Fashion AND Accessories

Chanel Boutique – Featuring the classic elements of Coco Chanel’s style, showcasing handbags, accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear by Karl Lagerfeld. This new collection is “not for the faint of heart,” edgy, and in every shade of black and gray. 15 E. 57th St., 212-355-5050; 139 Spring St. (Wooster St.), 212-334-0055; chanel.com

Balenciaga – Fashions that meld the avant-garde with classically wearable designs. This winter’s collection boasts asymmetrical patterns, loose knee-length skirts, and dramatic jackets, focusing on proportion and texture. 542 W. 22nd St., 212-206-0872; balenciaga.com BCBG Max Azria – Modern and chic suits, separates, coats, dresses, handbags and accessories for fashion-forward women. Continuing with polished simplicity, the fall/winter collection brings silk dresses, color-blocked tunics and halters, and knee-high boots into stores.

770 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-717-4225; 120 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-625-2723; bcbg.com Brunello Cucinelli – Renowned for their classic collection of fine cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli also features luxury sportswear for both men and women. 683 Madison Ave. (61st-62nd Sts.), 212-813-0900; 379 Bleecker St. (Perry St.), 212-627-9202; brunellocucinelli.com Burberry – This luxury brand, synonymous with its signature house check–the camel, black, red, and white pattern–offers men’s, women’s, children’s, and babywear lines, fragrances, golf, eyewear, and home collections. Their made-toorder coat service has customized style and color options. 160 Columbus Ave. (67th St.), 212-595-0934; 444 Madison Ave. (49th St.), 212-707-6700; 9 E. 57th St., 212-371-5010; 131 Spring St. (Greene St.), 212-925-9300; burberry.com Calvin Klein Collection – This monument to elegant modernity showcases its selection of women and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories, and the home collection, including china, flatware, glassware, and linens, plus exclusive gift items. 654 Madison Ave. (60th St.), 212-292-9000; calvinklein.com

Diane Von Furstenberg – Wrap dresses to flirty sportswear, accessories, and more from the fashion icon. The high-impact collection for winter was inspired by “American legends”—powerful style makers such as Millicent Rogers, Gloria Vanderbilt, Diana Vreeland, and Nancy Cunard. 874 Washington St. (14th St.), 646-486-4800; dvf.com DKNY – Lifestyle clothing, accessories, and more embracing the fun styles of New York from Donna Karan. Tailored menswear, angora sweaters, Peter Pan-collared dresses, and houndstooth plaid were introduced to the ladies this season, while the guys will have their pick of sharp suits in dark winter colors, city-chic blazers, and short leather jackets. 420 West Broadway (Spring St.), 646-613-1100; 655 Madison Ave. (60th St.), 212-223-3569; dkny.com Dolce & Gabbana – Ultra-modern Italian fashions, including men’s formalwear and more adventurous women’s fashions. Stores will be filled with menswear suits with jacquard prints, lacy sheaths, and corset dresses for women; crisp shirts paired with suspenders, low-slung pants, vests, sequined jackets, and fur coats for the fellas.

825 Madison Ave. (69th St.), 212-249-4100; dolcegabbana.com Donna Karan – This three-story home to the famed designer’s timeless collection is where simplicity meets glamour. The fall/winter collection of boardroom wear with a “strict ’50s flair” in lighter shades of gray is balanced by glamorous eveningwear with “draped décolletés, nipped waists, cleaving hips, and swathes of fur.” 819 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 866-240-4700; donnakaran.com

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Eileen Fisher – Classic women’s fashions promoting simplicity, versatility, and creativity. Known for her fabrics and comfort, Eileen Fisher supplies her stores with light sweaters, cascading cardigans, and maxi skirts in subdued grays, blues, and beigy neutrals this fall. 395 West Broadway, 212-431-4567; 521 Madison Ave. (53rd-54th Sts.), 212-7599888; 341 Columbus Ave. (76th St.), 212-362-3000; 314 E. 9th St., 212-529-5715; 1039 Madison Ave. (79th-80th Sts.), 212-879-7799; 166 Fifth Ave. (21st-22nd Sts.), 212-924-4777; eileenfisher.com Elie Tahari – Women’s ready-to-wear fashions and accessories, including suits, cutting-edge sportswear and dresses. This season features rich furs, embroidered leathers and wools, and delicate laces and chiffons melded together for an ethereal femininity.

417 West Broadway (Spring St.), 212-334-4441; elietahari.com ESCADA – The German-based company offers high-end, modern, and elegant women’s apparel and accessories. ESCADA SPORT represents understated city chic. The company brand also encompasses licenses for eyewear and fragrances. 715 Fifth Ave. (56th St), 212-755-2200; escada.com Giorgio Armani – The Italian designer’s flagship features suits, elegant sportswear, outerwear, and evening wear for men and women. Women will find fragile, satin dresses, flared trousers, and crocheted jackets in shades of powder and blush against black and metallic tones; while men can find a fun twist on serious overcoats and casual track suits.

760 Madison Ave. (65th St.), 212-988-9191; giorgioarmani.com Louis Vuitton – A showcase for the timeless elegance of the famed line of classic men’s and women’s fashions, handbags, watches and jewelry, and shoes. “Fetishes,” with laced- and buttoned-up backs, rubber dominatrix boots, and plasticized lace heats things up this winter.

1 E. 57th St., 212-758-8877; 116 Greene St. (Prince St.), 212-274-9090; louisvuitton.com Marc Jacobs – Casual-chic fashions for men and women including simple dresses, classic tailored suits, and formal wear. Lots of polka dots, latex, and lace define this collection. 163 Mercer St. (HoustonPrince Sts.), 212-343-1490; 385 Bleecker St. (Perry St.), 212-924-6126; marcjacobs.com Marimekko – Established in 1951, this Finnish textile and clothing design company is renowned for its original prints and colors. The new flagship store offers home decor, apparel, bags and accessories, and fabric collections. 200 Fifth Ave. (23rd-24th Sts.), 212-843-9121; us.marimekko.com Michael Kors – Polished, classic-chic sportswear and accessories for men and women. The winter showcases a mix of loose and body-con pieces for women, like easy trousers, tunics, bodysuits, and clingy cocktail dresses. The men’s collection goes ultra chic in gray, camel, and black. 790 Madison Ave. (67th St.), 212-452-4685; 101 Prince St. (Greene St.), 212-965-0401; michaelkors.com Polo/Ralph Lauren, Madison Avenue – The jewel in the crown of the more than 145 stores worldwide, with authentic antique furniture, women’s wear, accessories, leather goods, home furnishings, and antiques. Shanghai- and Beijing-inspired couture has taken over this fall. Ralph Lauren’s first men’s-only store is located across the street at 867 Madison Ave. (72nd St.), 212-606-2100. 888 Madison Ave. (72nd St.), 212-434-8000; ralphlauren.com

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Prada – This specialist in minimalist fashion offers a range of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, and furnishings. This winter, shop coatdresses, low-belted and drop-waisted shifts, and calf-length boots in suede, snakeskin, and glitter. 841 Madison Ave. (70th St.),

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212-327-4200; 45 E. 57th St., 212-308-2332; 724 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 212-664-0010; 575 Broadway (Prince St.), 212-334-8888; prada.com Saks Fifth Ave Personal Shopping – For special personal shopping service on women’s fashions, contact James Palazza at 212-940-2784. saksfifthavenue.com

Jewelry and Watches Aaron Basha – A family-owned and -run staple that has made its name with high-fashion jewelry pieces, most notably their distinctive jeweled baby shoes and assortment of baby charms. They also feature heirloom-quality jewelry, with bracelets, clasps, cuff links, chains and more. 685 Madison Ave. (61st St.), 212-935-1960; aaronbasha.com

F.D – With a luxurious, salon-like space that features a fireplace and a library, jewelry collector/ art enthusiast/philanthropist Fiona Druckenmiller’s F.D offers a unique environment for seeking out jewelry, fine art, glass and sculpture from acclaimed designers and craftsmen, including Cartier, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, René Boivin, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and more. 21 E. 65th St., 212-772-2440; fionasescape.com

Stella McCartney – The trendy boutique featuring au courant, animal-friendly fashions for women in the heart of the fashionable Meatpacking District.

This collection pushes the masculine/feminine envelope, offering sharply tailored pantsuits, shawl-collar winter coats, sporty bombers, and gold laminated texturized knits. 429 W. 14th St., 212-255-1556; stellamccartney.com tibi – The renowned contemporary dress line, plus a shoe line, swimwear, and home accessories. The fall/winter collection has a ’90s edge—with hot pink beanies and arm warmers. Also find mohair coats with zip-off arms, tuxedo jumpsuits, high-neck dresses, and etched, laser-cut appliqués, brocade, and lace. 120 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-226-5852; tibi.com Tommy Hilfiger – Featuring the American fashion icon’s collections for men, women and children, including accessories and shoes. This season “indie rock meets preppy,” with men’s separates like blackgrosgrain-trimmed navy tux jackets paired with burgundy-piped pinstripe pants, color-block chucky sweaters, and skinny wool flannel cargo pants.

681 Fifth Ave. (54th St.), 212-223-1824; 372 West Broadway (Broome St.), 917-237-0983; tommyhilfiger.com TSE – All things cashmere, for men and women— usually. But after experimenting with silk, linen, cotton and yarn, this collection offers shoppers much more. 120 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-925-2520; tsecashmere.com Yeohlee – Described as “one of the most ingenious makers of clothing today.” Chic but practical women’s apparel. The fall/winter collection was inspired by the forms of experimental musical instruments. 25 W. 38th St., 212-631-8099; yeohlee.com

FURS The Fur Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue – Home to the most luxurious, elegant furs from a wide selection of designers. Fur salon services include madeto-measure garments, storage, cleaning, alterations, repairs, and more. 611 Fifth Ave. (49th-50th Sts.), 212-940-4465; thefursalon.com Maximilian at Bloomingdale’s – Offering an extensive collection of premier designer furs of the highest quality and design. 1000 Third Ave. (60th St.), 212-705-3335; maximilian.com

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SHOPPINGNEWYORK

Fred Leighton – Renowned for an extraordinary collection of vintage and estate jewelry from the 19th and 20th centuries, ranging from the Victorian era to Art Deco to retro and modern masterpieces.

The collection features signature creations as well as works and signed pieces by the great makers in jewelry history, including Cartier, Van Cleef, Rene Boivin and Suzanne Belperron. 773 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-288-1872; fredleighton.com Frey Wille USA – Since the 1950s, Frey Wille has produced artistic jewelry of precious enamel, utilizing its unique design concept. An exceptional design philosophy, innovative artistic creations, and brilliant color from the creative team of artists, goldsmiths and experts of fine enameling make for exquisite exclusive jewelry for enthusiasts across the world. 727 Madison Ave. (63rd-64th Sts.), 646-6829030; frey-wille.com Georg Jensen – Trendsetting, luxury jewelry and watches, faithful to the unique Danish design language and committed to high quality and craftsmanship. The collection focuses on gold and sterling silver jewelry. 687 Madison Ave. (62nd St.), 212-759-6457; 125 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-343-9000; georgjensen.com

Kwiat – Founded in 1907, this jewelry brand has a century of experience in the diamond industry and a reputation as one of the world’s leading diamond and diamond jewlery companies, dedicated to exceptional craftsmanship. 725 Madison Ave. (63rd-64th Sts.), 212-725-7777; kwiat.com Reinstein/Ross– Pairing vibrant precious stones and classical goldsmithing techniques, Reinstein/ Ross jewelry is designed and hand-fabricated in NYC, in their Madison Ave. shop. Reinstein/Ross jewelry is distinctly contemporary, but reminiscent of Etruscan, Indian and Egyptian jewelry and art, and has a timeless quality. Often featured in magazines, movies and fashion events, the work of Reinstein/ Ross has influenced an entire generation of jewelry designers. Custom orders welcome. 122 Prince St. (Wooster St.), 212-226-4513; 29 E. 73rd St. (Madison Ave.), 212-772-1901; reinsteinross.com Vacheron Constantin - The luxury Swiss watch maker has opened its first boutique in the U.S. (and 28th in the world). Established in Geneva in 1755, they’re the world’s oldest continuous watch manufacturer and a jewel in Geneva’s crown of couture watchmakers, maintaining a seamless tradition of watch-making excellence for 256 years. Held in high regard by watch connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike, Vacheron Constantin’s strengths lie in its superlative technical mastery, aesthetic know-how and extremely high level of finish. 729 Madison Ave. (64th St.), 855-729-1755; vacheronconstantin.com Wempe - With over 125 years of tradition and experience, Wempe offers an impressive selection of fine timepieces and clocks, exquisite 18-karat gold and diamond jewelry, cufflinks, and watch straps. Among the brands in its European-style salon with an elegant and inviting atmosphere, are Patek Philippe, A. Lange and Söhne, Rolex, TAG Heuer, Cartier and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Wempe has earned its strong reputation for exceptional customer service with its state-of-the-art service center. 700 Fifth Ave. (55th St.), 212-397-9000; wempe.com Yael Sonia - Known for cutting-edge designs and taking a modern approach to jewelry making, Yael Sonia has become synonymous with innovation and sophistication. All pieces are handmade at Sonia’s studio/showroom in Sao Paulo, Brazil and available at the first Yael Sonia art boutique (and the only one in America), located on Madison Avenue.

922 Madison Ave. (73rd-74th Sts.), 212-472-6488; yaelsonia.com

LUGGAGE & LEATHER GOODS

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Bric’s Madison - The company’s first freestanding store in the U.S., carrying a selection of Bric’s merchandise including luggage, handbags and small accessories, which are currently sold at Barney’s New York, specialty luggage stores, and other department stores. 535 Madison Ave. (54th St.), 212-688-4490; brics.it

Tumi - The premium lifestyle, accessories and travel brand. 53 W. 49th St., 212-245-7460; Grand Central Terminal, 212-973-0015; 1100 Madison Ave., 212-288-8802; Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Cir., 212-823-9390; 67 Wall St., 212-742-8020; 102 Prince St., 646-613-9101; 520 Madison Ave., 212-813-0545; tumi.com

Shoes Manolo Blahnik – One of the world’s most influential international footwear designers.

31 W. 54th St., 212-582-3007; manoloblahnik.com

doctors and Dentists The Life House Chiropractic - Manhattan’s only Torque Release-specific chiropractor, delivering gentle adjustments with one of the newest techniques to eliminate pain as well as headaches, insomnia, low energy, injuries, fibromyalgia, MS, and even mental/ emotional issues such as anxiety and depression. Dr. Josh Wagner achieves great results in a short amount of time. He is passionate about finding and correcting the root cause of a person’s health concerns, not merely masking a symptom. Dr. Wagner is available for house calls and emergency hospital visits, as schedule permits. 19 E. 71st St., Ste. 5A., 212-876-3286; lifehousechiropractic.com Jan Linhart, D.D.S., P.C. - Cosmetic dentist Dr. Jan Linhart has been listed as one of America’s top dentists by Castle Connolly Consumer Guide and by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. Dr. Linhart has mastered the various modern, pain-free cosmetic dental techniques and procedures that can transform your smile, giving you a renewed sense of self-confidence and well-being. 230 Park Ave. (46th St.), 212-682-5180; drlinhart.com NY Hotel Urgent Medical Services - New York City’s premier 24-hour urgent care center, full-service travel medicine center and house call service. Medical care is provided in the comfort and safety of your hotel room. Dr. Ronald Primas has over 20 years of experience as one of NY’s finest internists. 952 Fifth Ave. (76th St.), Suite 1D, 212-737-1212; travelmd.com

Electronics/PHOTO The Apple Store - Your home to all things Apple, from the latest iMacs, iPhones, iPods and other hardware to printers, software, and lots more.

And if you need advice, insight, or hands-on technical support, head straight to the accomodating Genius Bar. 767 Fifth Ave. (59th St.), 212-3361440; 103 Prince St. (Greene St.), 212-226-3126; 1981 Broadway (67th St.); 401 W. 14th St.; apple.com DataVision - NYC’s largest computer and video retailer with 3 levels and 30,000 square feet of savings. They feature a full selection of computers,

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11/9/11 1:03 PM

’Tis Always the Season to Shimmer and Shine

day

spas

By Griffin Miller

Spa Editor

The winter chill stalking the streets of Manhattan melts into warm serenity when you succumb to Gotham’s joyful refrain of Spa-la-la-la! Hum it preand post-Christmas, New Year’s reveling and while savoring the romantic alchemy of Valentine’s Day. Spa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...You’ve earned it!

Uncommon Sense With an unrivaled “mise-en-scene”—it shares the same enviable hotel backdrop as the legendary Cafe Carlyle and Bemelmans Bar, after all—the newly renovated SENSE (A Rosewood Spa) at the Carlyle is a study in Art Deco ambiance fused with contemporary designer touches. From the intimate lounge with its plush velvet furnishings to the otherworldly barrelvaulted stairwell, SENSE at the Carlyle radiates the kind of high-end comfort that lets even the most burned-out travelers know they’ve reached a perfect safe haven in which to relax and rejuvenate.

On the treatment end, SENSE’s dedicated aestheticians are beyond gifted (not hyperbole, actual guest commentary).

Individual preferences are given top priority whether using the familiar—Swedish, Deep Tissue and Hot Stone massage—or introducing more exotic fare such as Hammam, a decadently sensual five-step body ritual drawn from ancient Moroccan techniques, and Sento Vital Flow, a multi-layered scrub/massage using therapeutic flower oils, fruit essences and minerals from the earth and sea.

According to SENSE’s spa supervisor, Meredith Keller, when it comes to reviving facial therapies, you cannot go wrong with SENSE’s signature facial. ”In my opinion, the Signature Facial rates right up there with relaxing massages in terms of pampering and well-being,” says Keller, who recommends this “…intense, yet gentle enzyme treatment designed to promote total skin health.” Included are a neck and shoulder massage as well as hand and foot paraffin wraps.

And in the spirit of promoting common SENSE, prior to making your appointment you’ll want to consider the following: • The Spa’s elegant third-floor setting is also home to the Yves Durif Salon, where one can parley pampering into a full day of beauty that includes hairstyling, coloring and makeup; • In-spa dining can be easily arranged from the Carlyle menu; • Select promotions pop up regularly (Valentine’s Day specials; a wintertime invite to “Bring a Friend or Loved One;” etc.); • The product and gift boutique surrounding the front desk. 35 East 76th St. (at Madison Avenue near Museum Mile; hotel entrance on 76th), 212-660-7560, the carlylespa@rosewoodhotels.com

Embrace Your Bliss The joy of all things Bliss is the wonderful sense of whimsy the company instills in its spas, product packaging, website and expanding audience of devotees. This is particularly apparent at New York’s Bliss SoHo, the company’s flagship spa that prides itself on the philosophy: “Happiness is the highest state of wellbeing, and it’s infused into everything we do.”

Bliss SoHo’s dedication to the youthful, fun side of pampering, health and the art of being fabulous makes it a standout in NYC’s spa community, which tends to veer to Zen-style environments and treatments. Here, in addition to savvy spa services, clients are invited to partake of a ”brownie buffet” as they listen to the cool R&B selections. In addition, there’s an expansive retail beauty boutique and one of New York’s favorite nail salons (make that “nail lounge”).

And in case you were wondering which treatments stand out with Biss SoHo regulars, here’s a list of the Spa’s top ten: (1) fabulous facial: an excellent 60-minute “upkeep” facial; (2) blissage™ 75: a tension-taming massage plus warm wax foot-softening wrap; (3) the triple oxygen treatment™: the Spa’s popularity contest winner for complexion perfection; (4) brazilian bikini wax (the full monty): billed as “the most painless on the planet;” (5) fatgirlslim treatment: detoxifying, circulation-stimulating and body-toning; (6) the hot milk and almond pedicure™: 60 minutes of “sole-spoiling;” (7) hot cream manicure; (8) the youth as we know it™ facial: Bliss’s primo anti-aging facial treatment; (9) the deep tissue treatment: intense 75-minute “sports massage; (10) carrot and sesame body buff™: my personal favorite. 568 Broadway (at Prince St.), 2nd Floor, 877-862-5477, blissworld.com/spa/spa-411/locations/bliss-soho/ [Check website for holiday and year-round specials!]

The Bliss That Keeps On Giving

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If your holiday shopping is more Midtown than SoHo, one of the most Bliss-friendly stores in Manhattan is Lord & Taylor, where a vast collection of Bliss products awaits. Or, should the internet be your favorite way to order, Lord & Taylor can fill your virtual shopping list in upscale/one-stop style, from clothing to leather goods to Bliss-ful acquisitions. Which brings me to Bliss’s must-have of the season: The Porefector—a state-of-the-art device using sonic waves to purify pores and massage on products. This awesome multitasker literally power-washes pores to rid your skin of impurities vis-à-vis 27,000 vibrations per second.

Afterward, it reverts to lower-level vibrations to massage treatments and moisturizers onto the skin’s surface. Kit includes ‘pore’-fector gadget tool, daily detoxifying facial toner (6.7 oz), two samples of steep clean 15-minute facial mask, recharge base unit and power adapter. $185. lordandtaylor.com/eng/beautyfra grance-Porefector-lordandtaylor/182737 [Lord & Taylor, Fifth Avenue (38th/39th Streets); lordandtaylor.com]

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software, peripherals, digital cameras, camcorders, MP3 players, DVDs, and more. 445 Fifth Ave. (39th St.), 212-689-1111; datavis.com

SPAS & SALONS Deva Spa - Deva Spa’s complete spa menu— including a variety of massage styles, facials, body treatments, and mani’s/pedi’s—are given by skilled therapists, using only natural and organic ingredients. 425 Broome St. (Crosby St.), 212-274-8686; devachansalon.com

2010, this two-story retail wonderland became Disney’s largest store in North America with exclusive merchandise, as well as N.Y.-themed products, while boasting Disney’s new concept design—bringing the magic of Disney to Times Square, and filled with interactive and immersive experiences. Broadway btw. 45th & 46th Sts.; disneystore.com

FAO Schwarz - The ultimate destination for children and their families, at the corner of Central Park. The toys are amazing and FAO Schwarz has their own ice cream parlor with sundaes that you can design yourself. Guests can also see and play on the giant piano that was featured in the Tom Hanks movie, Big. 767 Fifth Ave. (58th St.), 212-644-9400; fao.com

Frédéric Fekkai - The Fekkai product collection was developed to meet the exacting standards of his A-list clientele, and to address the specific needs of different hair types. 712 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 4th Floor, 212-753-9500; fekkai.com John Barrett Salon - The mastermind behind some of the world’s most fashionable women, offering hair care from his vibrant penthouse space that offers spectacular views of Central Park and Fifth Avenue.

Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave. (58th St.), 9th Floor, 212-872-2700; johnbarrett.com

CIGARS and ACCESSORIES Davidoff of Geneva - One of the most popular cigar and accessories shop in America, with two warm and welcoming top-of-the-line shops in Manhattan, and the most comfortable smokers lounges in the city. The products unite craftsmanship, dedication, and understanding culminating in elegant, innovative, and functional pieces.

515 Madison Ave. (53rd St.), 212-751-9060; The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Cir. (59th St.), 212-823-6383; davidoffnewyork.com

CAVIAR Caviar Russe - One of America’s largest caviar importers. They offer a focused selection of smoked fish, shellfish, foie gras and charcuterie, caviar accompaniments, and gourmet pantry items. The restaurant component offers a tasting menu, dining a la carte, and a raw bar. 538 Madison Ave. (54th-55th Sts.), 2nd Floor, 212-980-5908; caviarrusse.com

Bookstores Imperial Fine Books – This store welcomes collectors, decorators, architects and browsers to view their selection of fine and decorative leather-bound sets, fine bindings, children’s, illustrated, first editions and rare books. Custom bookbinding and appraisals, and offers a color catalogue. 790 Madison Ave. (66th-67th Sts.), 2nd Floor, 212-861-6620; imperialfinebooks.com

TOYS Disney Store - With its grand opening in Nov.

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the Gift guide Don’t-miss picks for seasonal giving –– or a little self-indulgence.

Exclusive Christopher Radko ornaments— personally designed by celebrities and fashion designers including Al Roker, Donna Karan, Heidi Klum, Kim Kardashian, Michael Kors, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Taylor, and Tory Burch—come in a special gift box that includes a photo of the celebrity designer and his or her signature. 100% of the proceeds from each ornament goes to Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit organization devoted to transforming mental health care for the world’s children to enable them to reach their fullest potential. $40. Available exclusively at Bloomingdale’s (1000 Third Ave. (59th-60th Sts.); 800-232-1854) and bloomingdales.com.

Welcome in any setting, Parchment Check™ from MacKenzie Childs reminds us of the perfect guest—well-mannered yet full of personality—with color-dragged checks blending parchment, taupe, gold, and aqua. Courtly Check is formal and fun, handpainted terra cotta with gold luster. Artisans brush a spectrum of accents onto each piece; the salt-and-pepper sets come beautifully boxed. 14 W. 57th St., 212-570-6050; mackenzie-childs.com

Alluring and quintessentially one of the most sought-after jewelry designers in the world, Aaron Basha is legendary for his fun, coveted, tiny treasures celebrating life’s most special moments. Each stunning design is handcrafted in Italy from 18 karat gold, diamonds, and enamel in an array of vibrant colors. 685 Madison Ave. (61st-62nd Sts.), 212-935-1960; aaronbasha.com

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SPECIAL PrOMOTION

Tumi is known for creating classic and sophisticated looks that take you places. The Westwood Overnighter is an elegant solution for packing away weekend necessities. From the Bedford collection, this all-leather bag offers luxurious detailing, refined aesthetics, and organizational efficiency. $695. Visit tumi.com for locations.

For the holidays, the Breitling Boutique is spotlighting the Chronomat 44 in rose gold. This piece is part of a special series featuring a satin-brushed finish and exclusive Metallica Brown dial. A perfect contrast of elegance and performance, the Chronomat 44 is built to ensure extreme sturdiness, with the case housing the Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01 waterresistant to a depth of 500 meters. $50,500. 5 E. 57th St., 855-999-1884; breitling.com

What’s more luxurious than dining on caviar for the holidays?

Caviar Russe is one of America’s largest caviar importers, where you can sample the caviar you’re buying. They offer a selection of smoked fish, shellfish, foie gras and charcuterie, caviar accompaniments, and gourmet pantry items. The restaurant component offers a tasting menu, dining a la carte, and a raw bar. 538 Madison Ave. (54th-55th Sts.), 2nd Floor, 212-980-5908; caviarrusse.com

Frey Wille’s 18-kt. gold collection represents a unique connection of three precious materials: enamel, gold, and diamonds. The magnificent frame of gold and diamonds gives the sophisticated enamel design even more brilliance, glamour, and exclusivity. Creativity, inspiration and love are harnessed in the details, which make the collection an absolute innovation and visually eye catching in a world of sparkles. 727 Madison Ave. (63rd-64th Sts.), 646-682-9030; frey-wille.com

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11/8/11 9:13 PM

the Gift guide

Davidoff of Geneva is one of the most popular cigar and accessories shop in America, with two in Manhattan, and the most comfortable smokers’ lounges in the city. Their products—which include lighters, cigar cutters, ashtrays, humidors, cigar cases, pipes, and more—unite craftsmanship, dedication, and understanding, culminating in elegant, innovative, and functional pieces. 515 Madison Ave. (53rd St.), 212-751-9060; The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Cir. (59th St.), 212-823-6383; davidoffnewyork.com

The oldest department store in America, Lord & Taylor has a reputation for attentive customer service and high-quality merchandise focused on apparel and accessories. Home to a plethora of luxury perfumes, pictured here is Jimmy Choo’s Eau de Parfume (2 oz.; $95). 424 Fifth Ave. at 39th St., 212-391-3344; lordandtaylor.com

Established in New York City in 1848, Hammacher Schlemmer is America’s longest-running catalog, offering unique products that solve problems, further their customers’ lifestyle, or represent the only one of their kind. The latest is the Best Portable Pocket Digital Television. In testing in urban and suburban locations, its built-in NTSC/ATSC tuner received an average of 34.25 channels, 47% more than the nearest tested model. It provides 480 x 272 resolution for crisp images and sharp motion, plus a generous 60º viewing angle, allowing adjacent viewers to watch programs easily. Its speaker delivers clear sound, and it has a built-in collapsible antenna.

147 E. 57th St., 800-421-9002; hammacher.com

Lerebours Antiques features an eclectic collection of Continental as well as American antique, vintage and mid-century modern fine furnishings, lighting and art.

Matthew Patrick Smyth recently described Lerebours Antiques as “one of the best shops in NYC.” Open Monday through Friday, 10am-6pm; Saturday and Sunday, by appointment.

220 E. 60th St., 917-749-5866; lereboursantiques.com

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special promotion

Maximilian at Bloomingdale’s features an extensive collection of premier designer furs of the highest quality and design, including this graphite dyed mink vest from Michael Kors. 1000 Third Ave. (60th St.), 4th Floor, 212-705-3335; maximilian.com

Over the last 30 years, Manolo Blahnik has become one of the most influential shoe designers in the world, and his winter collection is as stylish and innovative as ever. Pictured here is a leopard skin heel from Joriano (left; $795) available at Neiman Marcus, 800-937-9146, and a pump from BB ($595) available at Barneys NY, 212-826-8900 or visit Manolo Blahnik, 31 W. 54th St. 212-582-3007; manoloblahnik.com

Center44, a 25,000-square-foot showroom located in the heart of Midtown, brings together 70 extraordinary international antiques dealers in a block-long showroom of open-room settings with on-site skilled artisans providing furniture/art restoration and traditional upholstery. Pictured here is a 1960s gilded wood starburst mirror, available at White Warehouse. 222 E. 44th St., 212-450-7988; center44.com

Wempe Jewelers is complementing its successful line of Zeitmeister timepieces with new model variants and special editions, as well as a series of Ladies quartz watches: The Manchette Collection.

The Manchette line of ladies watches features a case with a subtly integrated elegant bracelet, a bezel set with brilliant cut diamonds, and is available with mother-of-pearl dial or calligraphy-style applied Roman numerals. And just like the classic Zeitmeister models, the Wempe Manchette watches are subject to stringent chronometer testing in line with the German DIN standard. Prices range from $1,130 to $4,210 for the gold-plated version. 700 Fifth Ave. (55th St.); 212-397-9000, 800-513-1131; wempe.com

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11/8/11 9:14 PM

the Gift guide

Bric’s Madison represents Bric’s U.S. flagship as well as the company’s first freestanding store in the United States. Life, the long-standing and best-known Bric’s collection, is the symbol of Bric’s production; a historical line that through the years has been a determined participant in constructing the brand success, a line which has made the signature of Bric’s products recognizable world wide. They’re made of PVC treated with cotton, giving them a sueded effect, with the benefit of being waterproof and stainresistant. 535 Madison Ave. @ 54th St., 212-688-4490; brics.it

Pairing vibrant precious stones and classical goldsmithing techniques, Reinstein/Ross jewelry is designed and hand-fabricated in their Madison Avenue Shop in New York City. Their jewelry is distinctly contemporary, but has a timeless quality. Their joyous collection ranges from simple to extravagant, and they specialize in wedding bands, engagement rings and custom jewelry. Pictured here: plume earrings with rubies and diamonds, and Cassandra ring with faceted ruby, both in 20k peach gold. Madison Avenue Store & Workshop: 29 E. 73rd Street, 212-772-1901; SoHo store: 122 Prince St., 212-226-4513. Visit reinsteinross.com and facebook.com/reinsteinross for more information.

The “one-stop dental perfection” approach of Jan Linhart D.D.S., P.C. combines two elements: exceptional, cuttingedge dental treatment in a state-of-the-art facility, and the total patient experience. For the holidays, give the gift of a PearlinBrite® laser tooth whitening, a 2-hour, in-office procedure that’s more effective than any other tooth-whitening system and shows immediate results. 230 Park Ave. (46th St.), 212-682-5180; drlinhart.com

Created in 1993, Imperial Oriental Art is a distinguished name in the field of Chinese ceramics and works of art.

Imperial Oriental Art specializes in fine quality work over a range of various dynasties, especially Ming and Qing.

Pictured here is a rare pair of Famille Verte Food Dogs mounted on French Ormolu (from the Kangxi Period, 1662-1722). 790 Madison Ave. (66th-67th Sts.), Third Floor; 212-717-5383; imperialorientalart.com

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special promotion

Yael Sonia’s cutting edge jewelry creations are as unique as each of its wearers. In addition to the award-winning Perpetual Motion Collection comprised of playful kinetic jewelry inspired by children’s toys, discover the colorful Rock Collection. The Faceted Brilliant Fancy rings in 18K yellow or white gold and Brazilian gemstones can be worn alone or stacked or worn as pendants. 922 Madison Avenue. (73rd-74th Sts.), 212-472-6488; yaelsonia.com

Visit Imperial Fine Books, Inc. for fine leather bound sets, fine bindings, children’s, illustrated, fine and rare editions.

Pictured here is a 20-volume collection of William Shakespeare’s works, extra illustrated in full tan morocco; you will find this and many other beautiful sets and single volumes that will make the perfect gift for the holidays and throughout the year. They also offer gift certificates, custom bookbinding, worldwide shipping, free delivery in New York City, and a color catalog. 790 Madison Ave. (66th-67th Sts.), Second Floor, 212-861-6620; imperialfinebooks.com

Surprise & delight someone on your list with a gift basket from The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English, which offers an array of unique, exclusive gourmet and artisanal products. The gift baskets can be created or designed to suit any occasion and price range. Shipping and delivery available. For more information, email retail.plazafoodhall@gmail.com or call 212-986-9260.

1 W. 59th St., concourse level; theplazafoodhall.com

From Hockley of London, The Fur Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue features this dusty gray brightener-added knitted chinchilla tunic with dyed fox and sequined wool trim. Fur origin: chinchilla, Poland; fox, Finland. Price available upon request. 611 Fifth Ave. (49th St.), 212-940-4465; thefursalon.com

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the Gift guide

Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Steve and Marge Nelson, Nelson and Nelson features fine quality antique sterling silver, antique jewelry and unusual objects personally selected for their clientele. From their vintage collection, comes this diamond, gold, and Basse Taille Enamel Cross, attributed to Boucheron, Paris, ca. 1880. The Pierre Hotel, 2 E. 61st St., 212-980-5825; nelsonandnelsonantiques.com

As sophisticated as it is breathtaking, Kwiat’s American Beauty Collection Necklace features bright, pear-shaped diamonds that float from a brilliant collage of round and marquise diamonds. The necklace is 15.25 inches in length and available in alternate diamond weights. (Pictured: 32.71 carats of diamonds set in platinum.) Price available upon request. 725 Madison Ave. (63rd-64th Sts.), 212-725-7777; kwiat.com

When luxury is effortless and simple, purity of form and color are achieved. The concept of purity flows like a wave in this striking new Brunello Cucinelli Resort Women’s Collection that comes in every shade of white – panama, chalk, stone, sand, rice and shell. This collection seeks the essence of true luxury through the concept that less is more. Simplicity is mainly expressed through pure, softly flowing shapes. $2,225. 683 Madison Ave. (61st-62nd Sts.), 212-813-0900; brunellocucinelli.com

With a silversmith and an espresso bar and café on the premises—not to mention over 200 galleries on four floors—Showplace Antique + Design Center is one of the city’s premier destinations for antiques and decorative and fine art, essential for collectors and designers alike. The possibilities within are endless, with Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and mid-century Modern pieces to complement bronze, silver, jewelry, vintage clothing and accessories, ceramics, art glass, antiquities, period furniture, lighting, and much more. Pictured here is a Japanese glazed vase c.

1910 ($1500). Open 7 days a week. 40 W. 25th St., 212-633-6063; nyshowplace.com

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mindful

gifts

All photos courtesy of Bloomingdale’s unless noted

Roberta Fineberg

Bloomingdale’s embraces the spirit of the season with a holiday collection that benefits a worthy cause.

By Kaitlin Ahern

Clockwise from left: [ Bloomingdale’s Little Brown Bear ($18; $5 will benefit the Child Mind Institute); Celebrity-designed ornament display in Bloomingdale’s sixth-floor holiday shop ($40 each; $5 will benefit the Child Mind Institute); Exclusive holiday ornament designed by Heidi Klum; Theodora & Callum multi-print scarf ($175; 15 percent of sales benefit the ChildMind Institute) ]

The holiday season in the city is marked by grandeur—the lavish decorative displays on streets and stores, the long meals with our nearest and dearest and, of course, the amount spent on gifts for loved ones and friends (and in-laws, and clients, and acquaintances…). But this is also the season of giving back, of recognizing our own blessings and extending a hand to those who are less fortunate.

In that spirit, Bloomingdale’s has, for the second year in a row, introduced a line of holiday products that benefits an organization dedicated to serving the underserved: the Child Mind Institute (CMI). This Manhattan-based nonprofit organization, founded last year, is committed to treating psychiatric and learning disorders in children.

“We’re trying to bring attention on a national level to an organization that we believe is going to make a huge change in children’s mental health,” says Anne Keating, senior vice president of public relations, corporate philanthropy, and special events for Bloomingdale’s.

More than 15 million kids are affected by psychiatric and learning disorders in the U.S. alone, but only about half of them receive the help they need, says CMI co-founder and president Harold Koplewicz, M.D. CMI’s mission is to transform mental health care for the world’s children by finding more effective treatments for psychiatric and learning disorders, building the science of brain development, and empowering families with the information they need to get kids the help they deserve. “Child Mind is very much like St. Jude’s 50 years ago,” Dr. Koplewicz says. “But now we’re saying that mental health is as important as physical health, and we need real science and real hope to help these kids lead better lives.”

During the holiday season, Bloomingdale’s has extended its year-round partnership with CMI by featuring a line of special products for all ages and tastes with proceeds going to the organization, including the Bloomingdale’s Little Brown Bear (redesigned this year by Gund), a Theodora & Callum multi-print scarf, and eight celebrity-designed ornaments.

Dr. Koplewicz says the teddy bear is his personal favorite of the lot. “I remember having stuffed animals as a kid with the Gund tag. This one’s tag also has Gund on it, and on the same tag it has ‘Child Mind Institute’ and tells parents where to go to get more information on our organization. It’s very cuddly and it’s the perfect gift, but it can also make people more knowledgeable about children’s mental health.”

Keating says she favors the ornaments, which were designed by Christopher Radko in partnership with celebrities like Heidi Klum, Donna Karan, Rebecca Minkoff, and Al Roker.

“We had such a positive response from these people and they did a spectacular job,” Keating says. “Each ornament represents its designer very well.”

Also part of the holiday charity package at Bloomingdale’s is a VIP Auction in which 100 percent of net proceeds go to CMI. Held online in partnership with charitybuzz®, the auction features six once-in-a-lifetime experiences, from traveling the globe with The Leading Hotels Of The World; to meeting Diane von Furstenberg and going backstage at her NYC fashion show; to creating a signature cupcake at the renowned Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan. The auction runs through December 12 at bloomingdales.com/auction.

“The auction theme is ‘Bid for a Dream,’ because you’re getting a dream experience but you’re also helping to fulfill the dreams of so many young people,” Keating says.

As for where the money goes, Dr. Koplewicz says the most important thing the proceeds will fund is CMI’s financial aid packages. “We currently have a policy where we don’t turn people away for an inability to pay,” he explains, adding that last year the organization gave nearly $1 million in discounted care. “Health insurance is not very good on mental health [treatment], but here people can still get the very best care whether they have a lot or very little.”

Keating says she hopes Bloomingdale’s support of CMI will encourage people to discuss mental illness more openly. “Bloomingdale’s believes in supporting causes that are important to our customers as well as our employees,” Keating says. “Everyone has a child in their life [that suffers from mental illness or a learning disability]. The goal of this partnership is to take the stigma away from talking about mental illness and get these kids the help they need.”

[ the details ]

To learn more about the Child Mind Institute, including how you can volunteer with or donate to the organization, visit childmind.org.

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Jeremy Daniel

THEATRENEW YORK

From left: [ Hunter Parrish and company; Nick Blaemire (center, with guitar) and company perform “We Beseech Thee” in the Broadway revival of Godspell ]

Broadway gets religion A wave of ecclesiastical musicals hitting the Great White Way have audiences talking – and lining up for tickets. And now, Godspell’s part of the holy mix!

T

he gleefully blasphemous musical about Mormon missionaries in Africa that scooped up nine Tonys last June owes a certain measure of its celebrated infamy to a trailblazing musical that was among the first to take a pin to Christianity’s traditional balloon, and win: Godspell, John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz’s 1970s retelling of The Gospel According to St. Matthew.

Now, thanks to the success of The Book of Mormon—as well as Sister Act, another hit musical comedy wrapped in fractious religious trappings—Godspell is giving the current Broadway lineup of shows a Holy Trinity (at least until March, when Jesus Christ Superstar arrives and turns it into a Holy Quartet).

Much like the brouhaha surrounding the profanity built into Mormon by its notoriously profane creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame, when Godspell arrived Off-Broadway 40 years ago, there was buzz that heinous sacrilege was lurking beneath its surface. And of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Tebelak, who was responsible for the show’s concept, wanted to reignite what was seen at the time as a flagging of faith, particularly among young people.

After an encounter with a dry Anglican Easter service in 1970, Tebelak (described as “an ultra-hippie” in Carol de Giere’s Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked) was moved to revisit the Gospels on his own terms for his master’s degree thesis: “I wanted to make it the simple, joyful message that I felt the first time I read them and re-create the sense of community, which I did not share when I went to that service.”

And so the idea was born to combine the genuine spirituality of Biblical parables with music and experimental theatre: clown characters who, as Tebelak suggested, “would weave God’s spell over the audience.”

Eventually, during a brief Off-Off Broadway trial run in the East Village (under the title The Godspell), a 23-year-old Stephen Schwartz caught the final performance and signed on to transform the score into what de Giere calls “a full-scale musical, complete with song-and-dance numbers.” Which he did without hesitation, despite his Jewish roots.

By Griffin Miller

In Defying Gravity, multi-Oscar/Grammy award-winner and six-time Tony nominee Schwartz noted that his ignorance of the New Testament proved advantageous: “I was reading some of these parables for the first time, and the hymns that I set with new music… are all from the Episcopal Hymnal.

I basically was responding to the material fresh.”

The collaboration and subsequent New York production were, of course, blissfully historic. [In his review, Clive Barnes of the New York Times encapsulated part of the musical’s spirit when he wrote, “People wanting to see the contemporary relevance of the Christian ethic should not be surprised to find it here.”]

Fast forward to 2011. Blessed timing, an idyllic young cast (led by Hunter Parrish in the role of Jesus), and the perfect theatre—Broadway’s Circle in the Square—converge to launch Godspell’s revival.

As for the 1970s script vs. that of today, prepare ye for some serious updating including headliner celeb references to folks like Lindsay Lohan and Donald Trump, a hip-hop dance number, and a major league tweak to the once de rigueur clown attire and makeup: it now reflects a more contemporary vision of the avant-garde. But the message remains intact—“a timeless tale of friendship, loyalty, and love”—as does the revered score.

Moreover, the existence of the Internet (barely an embryonic concept 40 years ago) provides an appealing website (godspell.com) that, in addition to general show info (cast bios are especially fun), serves up a most excellent blog courtesy of producer Ken Davenport, who counted down the show’s 100 Days to Opening Night. Very fun.

And speaking of the cast and how they feel about Broadway’s latest religious excursion, Texas-born Parrish (Weeds on Showtime; Spring Awakening on Broadway) notes in his bio: “I love any story that encourages the strength of love in community. I seek to embody the teachings of Jesus, and that’s what Godspell is all about. It’s a story that reminds us to embrace our family and our friends, and to use love to live virtuously…and, it’s all in song and dance! What’s not to love?” n

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celebrity PROFILE

David Hyde Pierce From his eleven seasons on Frasier to his recent string of Broadway triumphs, the versatile comedic actor returns to his seminal days of yesteryear… Off-Broadway.

By Griffin Miller

L

Joan Marcus

ate last October, just prior to rehearsals for the world-premiere play Close Up Space at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center, David Hyde Pierce was spending time in New Brunswick, New Jersey at George Street Playhouse, checking out his directorial handiwork in It Shoulda Been You, a new musical—written by Brian Hargrove, his companion of 28 years—that starred, among others, Tony winners Tyne Daly and Harriet Harris.

Being a black belt multi-tasker, Pierce would no doubt find it difficult to pass up the challenge of tackling two first-rate theatre projects within weeks of each other. Nevertheless, It Shoulda Been You’s limited run ended in early November and Pierce began dedicating himself to one of the smartest, funniest American plays to hit Manhattan.

Written by Molly Smith Metzler, Close Up Space centers on Paul Barrow, an obsessive New York book editor in the throes of multiple crises triggered mostly by Vanessa, a high-strung best-selling author (Rosie Perez) who has issues with his editing, and his estranged/outspoken daughter (Colby Minifie), who re-enters his life to eviscerate him—frequently in Russian.

After an initial reading last spring, Pierce was sold on pretty much every aspect of the play—and Metzler. “For a young playwright, she’s got great wit and reveals a lot of heart and understanding of human relationships,” notes Pierce, who was immediately drawn to Barrow, whom he refers to as “compelling.”

“I tend to pick characters who are not Niles [Crane, the neurotica aesthete/psychologist he played on Frasier]. For one thing, he’s an editor,” he continues, noting that to prepare for the role he set up a meeting with legendary Random House editor Bob Loomis to explore aspects of his character not shown on stage.

In a similar vein, being an actor who values bringing reality to his roles,

Pierce is currently studying proofreading signs. “I want to have that in my system,” he notes, “since my character works with them in the play.”

As it happens, the production reunites Pierce with Perez, who was once a guest star on Frasier. And if ever there were two contrasting personalities bringing different comedic currents to the stage, it has to be these two, a juxtaposition that pleases Pierce to no end. “I adore her—she’s so amazing on stage, and a great person to work with.”

If all roads seem to bring the Saratoga Springs native back to Frasier, in New York theatre circles that is definitely not the case. “The thing about New York audiences is they’re used to seeing actors play different parts,” says Pierce.

“I suspect that if I continued in TV, I would find myself playing more of the same [Niles-esque] characters. But Spamalot changed all that.” The initial reading for the spectacularly successful musical comedy by former Python Eric Idle took place during the last season of Frasier. “It was nice to go into it immediately and not face the [what-to-do-next] void.”

Now, after a string of Broadway shows spanning the last six years—Curtains (for which he won a Tony), Accent on Youth, and last year’s Molière homage, La Bête—Pierce is delighted to return to his Off-Broadway roots, especially at New York’s prominent Playwrights Horizons company, where he recalls honing his comedic style—including his trademark deadpan delivery—in plays by Christopher Durang and Richard Greenberg. “Their plays tended to verge on the absurd,” he concludes, “much like Close Up Space.” n

A Smattering of Background Trivia  Pierce started out studying classical piano at Yale (he plays both

the piano and organ), but his passion for theatre won out and he graduated in 1981 with a double major in English and Theatre Arts.

Jodie Foster was one of his classmates.

 Arriving in New York as the prototypical struggling actor, he

supplemented his income by selling ties at Bloomingdale’s and temping at a law firm.

 He’s a former kickboxer.  In addition to playing Kelsey Grammer’s brother on Frasier, he

also played brother to Grammer’s Sideshow Bob on two classic episodes of The Simpsons. Notably, actor John Mahoney played the father of both pairs of characters.

[D avid Hyde Pierce with Mary Catherine Garrison in Accent on Youth ]

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2011-2012 Winter Edition

the theatregoer’s

guide

Theatrically speaking, the thermostat is bordering on “too hot to handle” as multi-award winning actors take center stage for the winter round of NYC openings. [ Cynthia Nixon ]

By Griffin Miller

[ Audra McDonald ]

broadway the shows

* Tony Award Winner the stars

The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess

the scoop

*Audra McDonald +David Alan Grier Norm Lewis (Previews 12/17; opens 1/12) *Diane Paulus (director)

A resonant “re-imagining” of the legendary opera/musical by director Diane Paulus (Hair) and Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog) comes to Broadway amidst a sliver of controversy (How dare they toy with the original!) coupled with extravagant awe for McDonald’s luminous Bess.

FYI: McDonald, a three-time Tony winner by the age of 28, was born in Berlin, Germany; Norm Lewis (Porgy), who originated the role of King Triton in Disney’s The Little Mermaid on Broadway, also played Inspector Javert in the 2006 revival of Les Misérables (see Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway); David Alan Grier, last seen on Broadway in David Mamet’s Race, was considered for the role of George Costanza on Seinfeld.

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway

So much show-stopping talent, so tiny a window to score tickets! The Jackman is back – this time in a killer concert that’s already sent critics into rave-a-thon mode during San Francisco and Toronto previews. FYI: Jackman will be starring as Jean Valjean in the film version of the musical Les Misérables, set to open in December, 2012 and costarring Russell Crowe as his pit bull of a nemesis, Inspector Javert. [Speaking of things Jackman-Crowe, the former Boy from Oz replaced the one-time Gladiator in the epic film Australia plus – make that a capital PLUS -- in the “did you know” department, Crowe turned down the role of Logan/Wolverine in X-Men.

*Hugh Jackman

(Thru 1/1)

The Road to Mecca

*Jim Dale (Previews 12/16; opens 1/17; Carla Gugino *Rosemary Harris thru 3/4) *Athol Fugard (playwright)

Trailblazing South African playwright Fugard not only wrote this tale of an elderly woman, the pastor who wants to send her to an old age home, and the young woman determined to let her remain in her “intricate and dazzling” home, he also played the role of the pastor in earlier productions in London and Off-Broadway. FYI: Harris last appeared on Broadway in The Royal Family with Jan Maxwell (Follies) and played Peter Parker’s Aunt May in the Spider-Man films, predecessors to Broadway’s current Spider-Man blockbuster; Carla Gugino starred in the film Judas Kiss alongside Alan Rickman (Seminar) and appeared in the final season of Chicago Hope with Mandy Patinkin (An Evening With Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin); for his Harry Potter audiobook readings, Jim Dale has been cited

by Guinness World Records for creating the most audiobook character voices (200).

Wit

Endlessly intelligent, compelling and heartbreaking, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Margaret Edson follows a brilliant and cerebral English professor dying of ovarian cancer. This new production marks the work’s Broadway debut as it was last performed Off-Broadway in 1997 starring Kathleen Chalfant in the lead role. Notably, when Chalfant left the show in 1999, her replacement was Judith Light, currently costarring in Other Desert Cities. FYI: Nixon, considered one of Broadway’s most intrepid actors, seems custom fit for this complexly articulate role. Still, it’s the HBO series Sex and the City and its spin-off films that brought her and another current Broadway star – Kim Cattrall, starring in Private Lives – international fame.

(Previews 1/5; opens 1/26)

*Cynthia Nixon

off-broadway The Cherry Orchard Classic Stage Company (Previews 12/1; opens 12/9; thru 12/23) Starring John Turturro and Dianne Wiest, noted film actors

with extensive Off-Broadway credits. FYI: Turturro, known for his work in Coen Brothers films, recently made his Broadway directing debut with Relatively Speaking, a trio of one-acts: one by Ethan Coen, one by Elaine May, and one by Woody Allen; Weist earned both of her Oscars for her work in Woody Allen films.

Close Up Space Manhattan Theatre Club (Previews, 12/1; opens 12/4; thru 1/22) Starring Tony winner David Hyde Pierce (Curtains, Frasier, Spamalot) and Rosie Perez (The Ritz, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, White Men Can’t Jump). [See page 51 for our celebrity profile featuring David Hyde Pierce.]

Richard III Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) (Opens 1/10/12; thru 3/4/12) In the title role is Oscar- and Tony-winning actor Kevin Spacey, who 52

has also served as Artistic Director of the Old Vic theatre in London since 2003. FYI: Spacey and Gabriel Byrne costarred in the 1995 film The Usual Suspects. Both actors helmed the last two Broadway revivals of A Moon for the Misbegotten, Byrne in 2000 and Spacey seven years later.

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11/8/11 9:21 PM

Michael Wilson Courtesy of the Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s

By Cecil Beaton. Courtesy Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s Richard Maney, 1957 of New York, gift of

By Cecil Beaton. Museum of the City

of the City of New York, Broad way Production Files, Coco

By Cecil Beaton. Museum

Clockwise from above: [ Beaton’s Costumes for La Traviata, 1966; Costume sketch for the Broadway production of My Fair Lady, 1956; Costume sketch for the Broadway production of Coco, ca. 1969; Beaton with actors costumed for My Fair Lady, 1956 ]

cecil Beaton’s eye on the stage Sketches and photos for My Fair Lady and Coco and costumes for La Traviata and Turandot shine a light on the iconic photographer/designer’s keen theatrical sensibility.

By Griffin Miller

W

hile offering a feast of photographic portraits—displayed in the exhibit Cecil Beaton: The New York Years, at the Museum of the City of New York—of Greta Garbo, Cole Porter, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Mick Jagger, Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, Cole Porter and all manner of fabled glitterati, what unexpectedly stands out is the way Beaton’s myriad creative roads veer towards the theatrical. So while the show is rich with photographs and artifacts culled from Beaton’s Manhattan heyday—the Jazz Age through the 1980s—it also dips liberally into the intriguing range of scenic and costume sketch designs that earmark his portfolio of work for the New York stage.

According to Donald Albrecht, Curator of Architecture and Design at the Museum and the creative force field behind the exhibition, when Beaton was shooting fashion—mostly for Vogue from the 1930s through 1950—“he always injected a layer of theatricality.” Conversely, adds Albrecht, “If Beaton was photographing theatrical costumes, his fashion sensibility never failed to come through.”

Which is why, one assumes, Albrecht positioned Beaton’s actual costumes from the Metropolitan Opera’s productions of La Traviata (1966) and Turandot (1961) in the center of main gallery, to serve as the exhibit’s centerpiece.

Theatre lovers, however, will no doubt gravitate to the area behind these silk-and-velvet wonders—the back wall showcasing Beaton’s ink-and-watercolor drawings and production photos for everything from Swan Lake at the

New York City Ballet to Broadway’s original 1956 My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, to a short video offering a costume parade from the film version starring Audrey Hepburn. And speaking of Hepburns, Katharine, too, is well represented in a series of studio shots and contact sheets from the 1969 Beaton-designed Broadway production of Coco. Even more vintage: a priceless souvenir program coupled with photos from the 1946 American production of Lady Windermere’s Fan. Also included in the the Museum of the city of New York retrospective: quotes from 1220 Fifth Ave. (103rd St.), 212-534-1672; “C.B.” and Albrecht’s erudite mcny.org commentaries providing personal insights into Beaton’s relationships with his subjects, his art, and his own formidable ego. And do take everything in, including the hallway vista leading to the exhibit featuring oversized Beaton-inspired drawings (interpreted by New York-based artist Milree Hughes), several “prelude” photographs, and a stunning “end wall” papered in one of Beaton’s own designs. n

[ the book ] The exhibit is accompanied by Donald Albrecht’s breathtaking companion book, available at the Museum Shop. Also entitled Cecil Beaton: The New York Years, it features 200 images and illuminating insight into the British–born photographer’s life in the Big Apple and his amazing roster of friends, acquaintances and subjects. [Published by Skira Rizzoli; hardcover only; $65].

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ON THE TOWN

THEATRE

Joan Marcus

New York

54

Most people know Hugh Jackman as Wolverine from X-Men, but Broadway audiences know him as the Tony-winning Boy From Oz, and love him as a song-and-dance man. So for the holidays, the Aussie is giving theatergoers a treat by performing some of his favorite musical numbers in Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway, complete with an 18-piece orchestra. The show runs at the Broadhurst Theatre through January 1st. For tickets, call 212-239-6200 or visit hughjackmanonbroadway.com.

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ON THE TOWN SPOTLIGHT

performing arts p.64

Please call the box offices for showtimes.

All listings subject to change BROADWAY The Addams Family - (Musical) A new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams. Starring Brooke Shields and Roger Rees.

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W. 46th St., 212-3074100; theaddamsfamilymusical.com (Through 12/31) Anything Goes - (Musical) All aboard for this new production of Cole Porter’s musical romp across the Atlantic starring Tony Award winners Joel Grey and Sutton Foster. Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St., 212-239-6200; roundabouttheatre.org Billy Elliot: The Musical - (Musical) A celebration of a young boy’s dream to follow his passion for dance, and a study in inspirational and entertaining musical theatre. Sir Elton John wrote the score, and three young talents alternate in the title role.

Imperial Theatre, 249 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; billyelliotbroadway.com (Through 1/8) Bonnie & Clyde - (Musical) A new musical examining America’s most infamous couple, with a score combining rockabilly, blues, and gospel music. Starring Laura Osnes (Anything Goes) and Jeremy Jordan. Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; bonnieadclydebroadway.com (In previews for a 12/1 opening) The Book of Mormon - (Musical) South Park’s Matt Stone and Trey Parker join forces with Avenue Q’s Tony-winning co-creator Robert Lopez to make their musical-writing debut, about a pair of mismatched Mormon boys sent on a mission to a

museums p.72

Sightseeing p.88

place that’s about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get. Eugene O’Neill Theatre, 230 W. 49th St., 212-239-6200; bookofmormononbroadway.com

“Turn Back, O Man,” “Light of the World,” and many more. Circle in the Square, W. 50th St. btw.

Broadway & Eighth Ave., 212-239-6200; godspell.com

Chicago - (Musical Revival) Kander and Ebb’s long-running “musical vaudeville” follows murderous vixen Roxie Hart, who locks horns with prison diva Velma Kelly when they both vie for the attentions of the hottest lawyer in town: Billy Flynn. Ambassador Theatre, 219 W. 49th St., 212-239-6200; chicagothemusical.com

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - (Musical) Following the advice of a book, a young window-cleaner begins a meteoric rise from the mail-room to Vice President of Advertising.

Beau Bridges replaces John Laroquette on 1/1; Nick Jonas steps into the lead role on 1/24. Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., 212-239-6200; howtosucceedbroadway.com

Chinglish - (Play) David Henry Hwang’s play about an American businessman who arrives in a bustling Chinese province looking to score a lucrative contact for his family’s sign-making firm.

Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200 An Evening With Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin - (Concert) A funny, passionate, intimate, and unique musical love story told entirely through a masterful selection of some of the greatest songs ever written for the stage. Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200 (Through 1/13) Follies - (Musical) The Kennedy Center’s critically acclaimed production of James Goldman & Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical, which echoes the songs, exuberance, and romance of the vaudeville days between the two World Wars. Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway, 877-250-2929; folliesbroadway.com (Through 1/22) The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess - (Musical) Norm Lewis and Tony winner Audra McDonald star in a revival of the famed musical. Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., 877-250-2929 (Previews begin 12/17 for a 1/12 opening) Godspell - (Musical) A revival of John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz’s classic features instantly recognizable hits including “Day by Day,”

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway - (Musical) Accompanied by an 18-piece orchestra, Tony winner Jackman performs a concert selection of his favorite musical numbers reflecting his remarkable life and career. Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St.; 212-239-6200, hughjackmanonbroadway.com (Through 1/1) Jersey Boys - (Musical) Based on the life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Filled with just about every major Four Seasons hit, from “Sherry” and “Rag Doll” to “You’re Just Too Good to Be True.” August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St., 212-239-6200; jerseyboysbroadway.com The Lion King - (Musical) The Tony- and Olivier Award-winning stage version of Disney’s celebrated animated feature follows the lion cub Simba as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role of king of the jungle. Featuring Grammy-winning numbers by Elton John and Tim Rice. The Minskoff Theatre, 200 W. 45th St., 866-870-2717; disneyonbroadway.com Lysistrata Jones - (Musical) In this new musical comedy, the Athens University basketball team hasn’t won a game in 30 years. But when a transfer student dares their fed-up girlfriends to stop “giving it up” until they win a game, their legendary losing

The “most wonderful time of the year” is doubly wonderful in the Big Apple because—in addition to all the seasonal trimmings and treats—only in New York City can you fill up on delicious holiday shows while stocking up on the best gifts ever. Here are some of the don’t-miss Yuletide shows.

Through Jan. 2., the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (radiocitychristmas.com) features the Rockettes’ signature kicks and precision choreography in multiple show-stopping numbers, including the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and “New York at Christmas.”

Tony Award nominee and two-time Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby takes to the skies once again when Peter Pan (thegarden.com) soars into the Theater at Madison Square Garden with an all-new production from Dec. 14-31. And the runaway success of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at the New York City Ballet (Nov. 25-Dec. 31) has inspired many other Nutcracker productions. Francis Patrelle’s Yorkville Nutcracker (dancespatrelle.org), presented by Dances Patrelle at the Kaye Playhouse Dec. 8-11, features scenes in Gracie Mansion, Central Park, and the Bronx Botanical Garden. From Dec. 14-31, American Ballet Theatre (bam.org) returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the hit Alexei Ratmansky production that opened last year. Lastly, New York Theatre Ballet’s chamber Nutcracker (nytb.org) is at Florence Gould Hall Dec. 10-11 & 17-18. There’s even a free preview on Nov. 29 at the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center.

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streak could be coming to an end. Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200; lysistratajones.com (In previews for a 12/14 opening) Mamma Mia! - (Musical) This hit musical incorporates 22 ABBA songs into a story about a single mother and her daughter on the eve of the daughter’s wedding—and three men who could be her father. Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway (50th St.), 212-563-5544; mamma-mia.com Mary Poppins - (Musical) Based on the P.L. Travers stories and the Oscar-winning film, this fast-paced, heartwarming musical about the world’s most famous nanny boasts numbers from both the original film as well as new songs. New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 W. 42nd St., 866-870-2717; disneyonbroadway.com Memphis - (Musical) From the dance halls of Tennessee comes this Tony-winning musical set in the turbulent south of the 1950s. It tells the story of a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; memphisthemusical.com The Mountaintop - (Play) A reimagining of the events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader and icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, with music by Branford Marsalis. Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; themountaintopplay.com (Through 1/22) On a Clear Day You Can See Forever - (Musical) The classic 1965 musical is enhanced with songs from the film version as well as Lerner and Lane songs from the film Royal Wedding. Starring Harry Connick, Jr. St. James Theater, 246 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; onacleardaybroadway.com (In previews for a 12/11 opening) Other Desert Cities - (Play) A once-promising novelist (Rachel Griffiths) returns home after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her parents, former members of the Reagan inner circle (Stockard Channing and Stacy Keach). Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org The Phantom of the Opera - (Musical) Featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom has achieved the kind of reputation and following most shows only dream of. Exquisitely produced and performed, this is truly theatre at its finest. Majestic Theatre, 247 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; phantombroadway.com Priscilla Queen of the Desert - (Musical) A trio of friends hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. Palace Theatre, 1554 Broadway (47th St.), 877-250-2929; priscillaonbroadway.com

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Private Lives - (Play) A revival of Noël Coward’s 1930 play—generally considered one of the greatest

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comedies ever written—starring Kim Cattrall and Paul Gross. Music Box Theater, 239 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; privatelivesbroadway.com Relatively Speaking - (One-Act Plays) Three one-act comedies springing from a different branch of the family tree. Written by Ethan Coen (True Grit, Fargo), Elaine May (Heaven Can Wait, The Birdcage), Woody Allen; directed by John Turturro. Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org The Road to Mecca - (Musical) Tony Award, Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Rosemary Harris stars alongside Carla Gugino and Tony winner Jim Dale in this celebrated work from preeminent South African playwright, Tony winner Athol Fugard. American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St., 212-719-1300; roundabouttheatre.org (Previews begin 12/16 for a 1/17 opening) Rock of Ages - (Musical) A true crowd-pleaser with a high-energy retro score made up of 1980s hits by Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia and Whitesnake. Set at a Hollywood rock club, the show tracks an aspiring young rocker and a smalltown girl chasing her dreams. Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; rockofagesmusical.com Seminar - (Play) Four aspiring young novelists sign up for private writing classes with an international literary figure (Alan Rickman), and the wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience in this biting new comedy. John Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; seminaronbroadway.com Sister Act - (Musical) Based on the feature film, Sister Act features an original Alan Menken/Glenn Slater score with a vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems and Barry White-inspired musical comedy.

Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway (53rd St.), 212-239-6200; sisteractbroadway.com Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark - (Musical) A new take on the mythic tale of Peter Parker, who’s bitten by a radioactive spider and wakes up with supernatural powers. With music and lyrics by Bono and the Edge of U2. Foxwoods Theatre, 213 W. 42nd St., 800-745-3000; spidermanonbroadway.com Stick Fly - (Play) Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys with Reuben Cannon & Nelle Nugent produce the Broadway premiere of the critically acclaimed play by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Kenny Leon. Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200; stickflybroadway.com (In previews for a 12/8 opening) Venus in Fur - (Play) Tony Award nominee Nina Arianda offers her phenomenal breakout performance as a preternaturally talented young actress determined to land the lead in a new play based on the classic erotic novel. Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200; manhattantheatreclub.com (Through 12/18)

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War Horse - (Play) At the outbreak of World War One, young Albert’s beloved horse is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey before he finds himself alone. Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 150 W. 65th St., 212-239-6200; warhorseonbroadway.com Wicked - (Musical) Set in Oz before the arrival of Dorothy, this knock-out production follows the friendship between two girls who grow up to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Gershwin Theatre, 222 W. 51st St., 212-307-4100; wickedthemusical.com Wit - (Play) Margaret Edson’s play follows a brilliant poetry professor (Cynthia Nixon) as she undergoes experimental treatment for cancer. A scholar devoted to academia, she must now face the irony and injustice of becoming the subject of research. Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200; manhattantheatreclub.com (Previews begin 1/5 for a 1/26 opening)

OFF-BROADWAY The Accidental Pervert - (Comedy) Andrew Goffman takes his audience on a hilarious and selfdeprecating journey into a world of video vixens, X-rated fantasies, and really dirty movies with no redeeming value whatsoever. 13th Street Repertory, 50 W. 13th St., 212-352-3101; 13thstreetrep.org Avenue Q - (Musical) Singing puppets and their human neighbors make up the residents of Avenue Q, a fictional New York City street where a collection of twenty-somethings struggle to find their way in the world. New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., 212-239-6200; avenueq.com Blood and Gifts - (Play) The story of the secret spy war behind the official Soviet-Afghan war of the 1980s. Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, 150 W. 65th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org Blue Man Group - (Spectacle) The trio of postmodern clowns combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a unique form of entertainment. Astor Place Theatre, 434 Lafayette St. (so. of Astor Pl.), 212-254-4370; blueman.com The Cherry Orchard - (Play) Classic Stage Company veterans John Turturro and Dianne Wiest complete CSC’s celebrated Chekhov Cycle with the Russian master’s final, tragicomic masterpiece. Classic Stage Company, 136 E. 13th St., 212-352-3101; classicstage.org (Through 12/23) The Fantasticks - (Musical) A romantic classic centered on the simple love story of a boy, a girl, two fathers, and a wall. Snapple Theater Center, 1627 Broadway, 212-307-4100; thefantasticks.com

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Fuerza Bruta: Look Up - (Spectacle) Breaking free from the confines of spoken language and theatrical convention, this new show from the creators of De

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La Guarda immerses performers and audience in an environment that floods the senses and makes the imagination soar. Daryl Roth Theatre, 20 Union Square E. (15th St.), 212-239-6200; fuerzabruta.net Happy Hour - (Play) Neil Pepe directs the world premiere of Ethan Coen’s three one-act comedies.

Signature Theatre Company, 555 W. 42nd St., 212-279-4200; atlantictheater.org (Through 1/8) Line - (Play) Israel Horovitz’s classic comedy is the longest-running play in Off-Off Broadway history. 13th Street Repertory, 50 W. 13th St., 212-352-3101; 13thstreetrep.org Million Dollar Quartet - (Musical) A musical inspired by the famed impromptu 1956 recording session that brought together four of the most legendary figures in rock n’ roll—Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley.

New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., 212-239-6200; milliondollarquartetlive.com My Sinatra - (Musical) Cary Hoffman stars in the long-running musical about one man’s obsession with Frank Sinatra. The Midtown Theater at the HA Comedy Club, 163 W. 46th St., 866-811-4111; mysinatra.com Perfect Crime - (Mystery) The long-running hit cat-and-mouse thriller about a wealthy female psychiatrist who has returned to America and a bizarre murder. Snapple Theater Center, 210 W. 50th St., 212-307-4100; perfect-crime.com Rent - (Musical) Rent returns in a new production directed by Michael Greif, who directed the show’s original off-Broadway and Broadway productions.

Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about being young and learning to survive in NYC. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize. New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., 212-947-8844; siteforrent.com Stomp - (Musical) Springing from Brit clubs and an urban aesthetic, this eight-member theatre of percussion has caused sensation after sensation at each of its international appearances—and what can only be called a big bang in the Big Apple.

Orpheum Theatre, 126 Second Ave. (7th St.St. Marks Pl.), 212-307-4100; stomponline.com Traces - (Performance Art) In this acclaimed show by the Montreal-based troupe 7 Fingers, the human body is pushed to its limits as a group of friends leave their mark in a run-down warehouse through acrobatics, music, and dance. Union Square Theatre, 100 E. 17th St., 800-982-2787; traceusa.com Voca People - (Musical) An out-of-this-world musical event that combines vocal sounds, a cappella singing, comedy, and the art of beat box. Performed by eight snow-white, ruby-lipped aliens with perfect harmony, there are no musical instruments, only vocals. Westside Theatre, 407 W. 43rd St., 212-239-6200; vocapeoplenyc.com

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Andrew Eccles

DANCENEW YORK [ Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Kirven James Boyd and Glenn Allen Sims in Robert Battle’s The Hunt ]

taking over Ailey As the company’s third artistic director, Robert Battle moves forward with the acclaimed arts institution. “Even when I was dancing,” he says, “[I was] thinking what can I do next?”

By Sylviane Gold

T

he ardent fans who fill City Center every year to cheer the powerhouse performers of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater already know Robert Battle as the mastermind behind The Hunt, an explosion of male virtuosity set to the pounding drumbeats of Les Tambours du Bronx. But this season, which opens November 30 and ends January 1, they will meet a new Robert Battle – the one who was handpicked by Judith Jamison to take the reins of the company and who this summer became its third artistic director.

“I still feel like the same person,” he says. “Even when I was dancing, my imagination was always looking forward, thinking what can I do next?

What do I want to choreograph? This feels like the same kind of forward motion.”

Still, he admits that running Ailey is “a huge shift.” Heading a dance company may not be a completely new experience for him – after his years as an acclaimed dancer and choreographer for the Parsons Dance Company, he founded and ran his own troupe, Battleworks, for nearly 10

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Sylviane Gold has written about the arts for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Dance Magazine. Her last piece for Promenade was on Paul McCartney’s new ballet, “Ocean’s Kingdom.”

Paul Kolnik

years. But Ailey is more than a dance company.

Over its 53-year history it’s become a national treasure, a major arts institution with a school, a feeder troupe, outreach programs, and sparkling new quarters. “There’s so much to get your arms around,” he says.

That sprawling entity, however, comes with an extensive support system, much of it put in place

by Jamison. “She did her job so well,” Battle says admiringly. At Battleworks, he recalls, “I was trying to hold everything together with airplane glue.”

At Ailey, “There’s a huge staff and many people gathered around what we do. So I find I can really focus on what I love, which is the dance.”

Dance was not his first love. Growing up in the Liberty City area of Miami, he first embraced music. “I started out with piano lessons once a week for six dollars. Then I sang in the church choir.” It was tough being both shy and a boy soprano, he notes, so he branched into martial arts; then he found it all came together in dance. “You need musicality. You use your body like a song. I could use everything that I knew.”

He’s also going to be using everything he knows in his new position. He’ll choreograph when the mood strikes, but he seems most excited at the prospect of “being a curator.” Those impulses will be on view during the company’s City Center season, with a world premiere, Home, by hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris, and revivals of Ailey’s first pure dance work, Streams (1970), and Joyce Trisler’s Journey (1958). Battle is also bringing Ohad Naharin’s fierce and funny Minus 19 (1999) and the Paul Taylor classic Arden Court (1981) into the Ailey reper- Alvin Ailey toire, along with City Center, alvinailey.org one of his own early works, Takademe, to the percussive singing of Sheila Chandra.

The season, he says, “honors the past and moves into the future.” And when people tell him that he has “huge shoes to fill,” he doesn’t worry. “I wear size 13,” he says with a laugh. n

[ New York City Ballet Company performing “Waltz of the Snowflakes” ]

Nutcracker nights...and days

George Balanchine’s version is New York City’s must-see holiday treat for visitors, residents and, most of all, the children.

T

he Nutcracker is the dance world version of Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas fruitcake, and New Year’s champagne: you can always count on them to be there. In most of the world, there’s only a single version of this ubiquitous holiday treat on offer. In New York, Nutcrackers come in all flavors, with varying degrees of sweetness and fizz. But the original, the one that began it all, is the one that opens November 25 at Lincoln Center’s Koch Theater and runs through New Year’s Eve. Now billed as George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, this benchmark version of the beloved Tchaikovsky score is, of course, the one George Balanchine choreographed for his New York City Ballet in 1954. Balanchine had danced it as a youth in Russia, but the full ballet was pretty much unknown in his adopted city, and he wanted to change that. So he did.

Remarkably enough, The Nutcracker was not intended as a holiday offering – it had its premiere in February. But Balanchine brought it back that December, and the story of the little girl who receives a magical nutcracker for Christmas – not to mention the battling mice, spinning snowflakes, and leaping candy canes – have been a holiday-season staple ever since. The New York City Ballet has performed its version over 1,500 times, and countless other companies – from suburban ballet schools to major international ballet troupes – dust off their own productions every year in tribute to its timeless appeal.

A large part of the success of the City Ballet’s Nutcracker can be attributed to its generous use of theatrical magic. Sure, most adults may not be entirely fooled by the drifts of fake snow or the flying sleigh. But even the most hardboiled grownup starts to melt when Rouben Ter-Arutunian’s 12-foot Christmas tree starts to grow – and grow, and grow, and grow, not stopping until it reaches a height of 40 feet. Happy holidays. – SG

[ the details ] New York City Ballet Lincoln Center, nycballet.org. The December 13th performance will be transmitted live in high definition to more than 500 movie theaters. For this event, fathomevents.com.

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Nick Heavican/Metropolitan Opera

OPERANEW YORK

some enchanted

evening at the Met

In a pastiche of plot and music, The Enchanted Island is performed by a cast of stars – including, in a bigger-than-life role, the ever-charismatic Plåcido Domingo.

By Martin Bernheimer 62

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Sheila Rock

Opposite page: [ David Daniels and Joyce DiDonato in The Enchanted Island ] Right: [ Plácido Domingo ]

T

he mighty Met is presenting a very-new-yet-very old opera this season.

It is called The Enchanted Island, and, appropriately enough, it simultaneously rings in the new and rings out the old with a lavishly fanciful production on New Year’s Eve (top ticket $650). After the gala premiere it pops in and out of the repertory through January 30 (top ticket $430).

Technically, it isn’t an opera at all. It is a pastiche – or, to be musicologically proper (and possibly pedantic), a pasticcio. That label defines the vehicle as a first-hand conglomeration predicated on second-hand material. An irreverent wag might suggest that The Enchanted Island resembles the goods big-time car dealers hustle as “pre-owned.” That merely skims the Baroque surface.

The plot and text on display at the Met, though loosely predicated on convoluted mythology, have been crafted fresh. The convoluted score, however, is based on arias and ensembles recycled from unrelated Baroque sources. The central composers are George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Jean-Marie Leclair. The sprawling expressive entity may seem progressive. Yet the underlying music, overseen by the trusty Baroque specialist William Christie – who also conducts – remains emphatically conservative.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines pastiche as “a medley of various ingredients; a hotchpotch, farrago, jumble.” There is nothing unusual about that, except perhaps the anglicized spelling of hodgepodge. In the 18th century, motley mishmashes represented exceedingly popular entertainments. They were often pieced together by revered masters – Handel, for one, not to mention Christoph Willibald Gluck and Johann Christian Bach. The borrowed elements were casually adapted and rearranged as needed for the genre at hand. New texts were unabashedly superimposed on the original lines.

Jeremy Sams, the theatrical mastermind behind The Enchanted Island, has concocted a neo-Shakespearean plot that, amid numerous digressions, finds the lovers from Midsummer Night’s Dream shipwrecked on the otherworldly terrain of The Tempest. The conceit is both adventurous and beguiling.

The libretto, we learn, has been inspired by the poetic language of John Dryden and Alexander Pope. The Met translation system, which projects the text as it is sung on small screens on the back of every seat in the house, offers possibly redundant English captions as well as German and Spanish equivalents. (For reasons unknown, no French version is offered. C’est dommage.)

The imaginative staging and wild period designs are the work of Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, the duo that so memorably illustrated the minimalist musings of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha for New York in 2008.

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Graciela Daniele, whose flights of fantasy have enlivened numerous Broadway spectacles, serves as choreographer. Intriguingly, the official credits also list animation and projections, courtesy of an outfit known as 59 Productions.

This Enchanted Island would probably exert considerable appeal in any circumstance. Curios are scarce at the Met, and curiosity runs high. But the management has made the project doubly attractive – possibly foolproof – by assembling a big-name cast.

The physical and vocal flourishes of the mysterious Prospero, exiled Duke of Milan, would no doubt have enlisted a virtuosic castrato in Handel’s time.

The Met emulates the historic tradition by assigning the lofty challenge to the most celebrated, most stylish, and most assertive countertenor of our day, David Daniels. Joyce DiDonato, a lovely, remarkably versatile mezzosoprano unfazed even by the most dizzying coloratura flights, impersonates his formidable foe, the sorceress Sycorax.

Metropolitan Opera Danielle de Niese, a young lyric soprano Lincoln Center, metopera.org who sounds almost as pretty as she looks, manipulates the magical spells of Ariel. Luca Pisaroni, otherwise esteemed as a Mozartean hero, appears as the crafty Caliban. Lisette Oropesa, a fast-rising coloratura divette, portrays sweet Miranda.

Finally, there is the not-so-small matter of Neptune, the aquatic god who dominates the narrative even though his actual appearances are relatively sporadic. Bigger than life, he must convey instant, charismatic authority. A bit of charm and sense of whimsy are useful, too. For this, the Met has signed Plácido Domingo. Call it a casting coup.

At last count, the celebrated (understatement) overachiever, now in his 70s, has undertaken 136 roles in an unprecedented, seemingly endless, supremely multifaceted career. When the tenorissimo isn’t singing, he functions, sometimes controversially, as conductor and impresario. He now has given up his highest roles, exploring a more comfortable baritone-oriented repertory instead. He often plays the father where he used to play the son.

The music culled for Neptune will no doubt suit the range he now finds most congenial.

At the climax of the opera, a chastened Neptune, a.k.a. Domingo, sings in florid praise of mercy and reconciliation. Joining him, the motley assemblage forgets and forgives past transgressions. Mythical and mystical knots are neatly unraveled. Ultimately, everyone celebrates peace and understanding, joy and, of course, love. After all is sung and done, The Enchanted Island remains a comedy of errors, and eros. n Pulitzer Prize-winning Martin Bernheimer covers music in New York for the Financial Times and Opera magazine. His last piece in Promenade was on Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic.

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ŠAislinn Weidele / Ennead Architects

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Following a $75-million renovation, a fresh-faced New York City Center reopened its doors in October, with the restored auditorium offering plush new seating with expanded legroom and improved sightlines, as well as a dramatic, newly painted interior awash in vibrant color. Events this winter include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (11/30-1/1), Kings of the Dance: Opus 3 (2/24-26), and Flamenco Festival 2012 (3/1-4). The Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert kicks off in February with Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along.

For tickets, call 212-581-1212 or visit nycitycenter.org.

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&

New York

PERFORMING ARTS CULTURAL CENTERS Please call the box offices for showtimes.

All listings subject to change.

Beacon Theatre – Don Omar (12/1); Tori Amos (12/2-3); Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays (12/4); Holiday Cheer for WFUV: A Benefit Concert (12/5); Hot Tuna (12/9-10); The National (12/12-17); Gov’t Mule (12/30-31); David Garrett (2/4); Cedric The Entertainer (2/14); Peter Frampton (2/18).

2124 Broadway (74th-75th Sts.), 212-465-6225; beacontheatrenyc.com Brooklyn Academy of Music – Next Wave Festival (through 12/15): Dance: Merce Cunningham: The Legacy Tour (12/7-10); The Nutcracker (12/14-31). Music: Tudo Isto É Fado (12/2-3) Dance Theater: Supernatural Wife (11/29-12/3). Opera: La traviata (2/12-18).

30 Lafayette Ave., 718-636-4100; bam.org Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts – Brooklyn College Big Band (12/1); conTEMPO (12/5); Conservatory Jazz Ensemblette (12/6); Conservatory Jazz Ensemblette (12/7); Brooklyn College Chorale and Conservatory Chamber Choir (12/8); The Colonial Nutcracker (12/11); Computer Music Ensemble (12/11); Composers Concert I & II (12/12-13); Conservatory Wind Ensemble (12/14); Clifford the Big Red Dog (1/8); Hot Peas ‘N Butter (1/29); Larry King: Standing Up (2/4). Brooklyn College, Campus Road & Hillel Pl., Brooklyn, 718-951-4500; brooklyncenter.com Carnegie Hall – Ian Bostridge, Thomas Adès (11/28); Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio (11/29); Avanti! Chamber Orchestra (11/3012/1); Ensemble ACJW (12/1); Borromeo String Quartet (12/2); Justin Townes Earle (12/2); Ambrose Akinmusire Big Band (12/3); London Philharmonic Orchestra (12/7-8); Karita Mattila and Martin Katz (12/10); Celso Duarte (12/11); Christian Zacharias (12/13); Iestyn Davies and Kevin Murphy (12/13); Orchestra of St. Luke’s (12/15); Ensemble ACJW (12/16); The New York Pops - John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey Wish You a Swingin’ Christmas (12/16-17); New York String Orchestra (12/24 & 28); Ensemble ACJW (1/13); The MET Orchestra (1/15); Marilyn

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Horne, Renée Fleming, and Graham Johnson: The Song Continues…Exploring the Art of Song (1/15-19); Ensemble ACJW (1/22); Making Music: David Lang (1/27); Aimee Mann (1/28); American Composers Orchestra - Philip Glass 75th Birthday Concert (1/31); Susan Graham and Malcolm Martineau (2/1); Europa Galante (2/2); Ben Allison (2/3); The Carmina Burana Choral Project (2/5); Fretwork (2/8); A Tribute to Motown (2/9); Ensemble ACJW (2/10); The Philadelphia Orchestra (2/14); Leif Ove Andsnes (2/15); Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2/16); Brentano String Quartet (2/16); Asha Bhosle: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (2/17); Carnegie Hall Choral Institute presents Transient Glory (2/18); András Schiff Master Class (2/19); Eric Owens and Robert Spano (2/21); András Schiff Young Artists Concert (2/21); Muzsikás (2/22); Berliner Philharmoniker (2/23-25); Simon Trpceski (2/27); Kronos Quartet (2/28); Standard Time with Michael Feinstein (2/29). 57th St. & Seventh Ave., 212-247-7800; carnegiehall.org The Joyce Theater – Martha Clarke - Angel Reapers (11/29-12/11); MOMIX - Botanica (12/13-31); FOCUS Dance (1/3-8); Parsons Dance (1/10-22); David Dorfman Dance Prophets of Funk (1/24-29); Camille A. Brown & Dancers (1/27-29); Jin Xing Dance Theatre Shanghai - Shanghai Tango (1/31-2/5). 175 Eighth Ave. (19th St.), 212-242-0800; joyce.org

SPRINGING AHEAD Planning your cultural arts calendar in advance? Here are some upcoming events coming that you won’t want to miss: Romeo & Juliet at the NYC Ballet (Feb. 14-21; nycballet. com); The Modern Beethoven - A Philharmonic Festival (Mar. 1-20; nyphil.org); International ArtExpo New York (Mar. 22-25; artexponewyork.com); Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil (Apr. 3-5; thegarden.com); 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (Apr. 18-29; tribecafilm.com).

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – Great Performers: What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow (12/12); Britten Sinfonia - Thomas Adès, conductor and piano (2/22); Ma’alot Quintett - Sunday Morning Coffee Concerts (2/26); Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (2/26); What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow (2/27); Gerald Finley, bass-baritone & Julius Drake, piano (2/27). American Songbook (1/11-2/11): Lin-Manuel Miranda (1/11); Chris Thile & Michael Daves (1/12); J.D. Souther (1/13); William Finn: Songs of Innocence and Experience (1/14); The Works: Jonatha Brooke Celebrates Woody Guthrie at 100 (1/18); LaChanze (1/19); Ozomatli (1/20); Michael Cerveris (1/21); Keren Ann (2/1); Thurston Moore (2/2); Hello, Gorgeous! Leslie Kritzer Sings Jule Styne (2/3); Gavin Creel & Stephen Oremus (2/4); Bill Callahan (2/8); tUnE-yArDs (2/9); Elaine Paige (2/10); Laura Benanti (2/11). Tully Scope Festival (2/223/18): Opening Bells (2/22); International Contemporary Ensemble (2/22); Axiom (2/24); Emanuel Ax (2/26); Les Percussions de Strasborg (3/4-5); Tyondai Braxton (3/7); Kayhan Kalhor and Brooklyn Rider (3/9); Louis Lortie Plays Liszt (3/10); Les Arts Florisants (3/11-12); Simon Keenlyside and Emanuel Ax (3/13); Jordi Savall: The Route of the New World (3/14); Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (3/16); Heiner Goebbels: Songs of Wars I Have Seen (3/18). David Rubenstein Atrium Target® Free Thursdays (Broadway bet. 62nd & 63rd Sts.; lincolncenter.org/atrium): George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ Children’s Workshop (12/3); Sarah E Geller/SEGUE presented in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (12/8); Kool and Together (12/15); Ljova: Lost in Kino, featuring Romashka and guests (12/22); Chris Velan (12/29); Theo Bleckmann: Hello Earth! The Music of Kate Bush (1/5); Jayme Stone (1/12); Lucia Pulido Birthday Concert with special guests (1/19); Face the Music (1/26); Ezequiel Viñao:Sonetos de Amor (2/2). Columbus Ave. btw. 62nd & 65th Sts., 212-875-5000; lincolncenter.org Madison Square Garden – Bob Seger (12/1); My Morning Jacket (12/14); Swedish House Mafia (12/16); Phish (12/28-31). 4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave. & 32nd St.), 212-465-5800; thegarden.com

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performing artsNEWYORK

James Vessey

Metropolitan Museum of Art – Chanticleer: Christmas (11/29-12/1); Patti Smith (12/2); Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble (12/3); Cappella Pratensis - Sounds of Salvation: Music for a 15th-Century Bruges Merchant (12/4); Paul Winter (12/6); Lands of the Mughals - In the Footsteps of Babur (12/9); The Waverly Consort - The Christmas Story (12/10-11); Pacifica Quartet - Beethoven String Quartets (12/10); Vienna Boys Choir (12/11); Anonymous 4 (12/15); CONTACT! - The New York Philharmonic’s New Music Series (12/16); MMA Artists in Concert (12/17); Lionheart (12/18); Voices of Ascension (12/18); Burning River Brass (12/20); Judy Collins (12/23); Pacifica Quartet (1/7); Thomas Hampson, baritone - Song of America (1/22); Kayhan Kalhor - kamancheh (1/28); TENET - Portraits in Song: Renaissance Italy - From Ciconia to Petrucci (2/3); amarcord - From the Music Cabinet of Saint Thomas Church, Leipzig (2/19); Pacifica Quartet Beethoven String Quartets (2/25). Fifth Ave. & 82nd St., 212-570-3949; metmuseum.org

Two American singing legends take the stage in New York City this winter when Judy Collins and Barry Manilow perform at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Radio City Music Hall, respectively. Folk icon Collins will celebrate the holidays by performing seasonal favorites and classic hits at the Met’s Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium on Dec. 23 while Manilow will be gracing the stage at Radio City for four nights (Feb. 10-12, 14), culminating in a special Valentine’s Day concert. Manilow’s latest album, 15 Minutes, features 16 original tracks written by Manilow and lyricist Enoch Anderson. See listings for more information.

Metropolitan Opera Company – La Bohème (11/25, 28, 12/2, 8); Rodelinda (11/26, 30, 12/3, 7, 10); Faust (11/29, 12/3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 23, 28, 1/5, 9, 13, 16, 19); Madama Butterfly (12/5, 9, 14, 17, 22, 27, 30, 2/17, 22, 25, 3/2, 3/8); La Fille du Régiment (12/12, 15, 19, 24, 29, 1/2, 6); Hansel and Gretel (12/16, 21, 24, 26, 29, 30, 1/3, 7); The Enchanted Island (12/31, 1/4, 7, 12, 14, 17, 21, 25, 28, 30); Tosca (1/10, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28); Götterdämmerung (1/27, 31, 2/3, 7, 11); Anna Bolena (2/1, 4); Ernani (2/2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 25); Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2/4, 8, 11, 15, 18); Aida (2/9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 28, 3/3); Don Giovanni (2/21, 24, 29). 212-362-6000; metoperafamily.org Miller Theater at Columbia University – John Zorn (12/9); Bach and the Romantics (2/2); Anat Cohen Quartet (2/11); Don Byron New Gospel Quintet (2/25). 2960 Broadway (116th St.), 212-854-1633; millertheatre.com

Detlef Schneider

The Morgan Library’s Gilder Lehrman Hall – Caroling at the Morgan (12/9, 16); Early Handel Cantatas (1/27); The George London Foundation Awards Competition Finals (2/17); Circling Bach (2/29, 3/2). 225 Madison Ave. (36th St.), 212-685-0008; themorgan.org

New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert conducts renowned pianist Lang Lang (above) and the orchestra as they perform works by Magnus Lindberg, Bartók, and Prokofiev on Jan. 18-21 at Avery Fisher Hall. Lang Lang also celebrates the Chinese New Year with the Philharmonic on Jan. 24, performing traditional Chinese overtures and song suites. For tickets, call 212-875-5656 or visit nyphil.org.

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New York City Ballet – The Nutcracker (11/2512/31); Romeo + Juliet (2/14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 222). 1260 Sixth Ave. (50th St.), 212-307-7171; radiocity.com New York City Center – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (11/30-1/1); Kings of the Dance: Opus 3 (2/24-26). 130 W. 56th St., 212-581-1212; nycitycenter.org New York Philharmonic – Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 (12/1-3); Joshua Bell Plays Tchaikovsky (12/7-10); Holiday Brass (12/11); Handel’s Messiah (12/13-17); Haydn, Schubert, and Ravel (12/28-30); New Year’s Eve (12/31); Mahler’s

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ONTHETOWN

Ninth Symphony (1/5, 7, 10); Mehta conducts Bruckner (1/12-14); Alan Gilbert and Lang Lang (1/18-21); All-Brahms Recital with Frank Peter Zimmermann (1/22); Chinese New Year: Lang Lang (1/24); Beethoven, Stravinsky, and Ravel (1/26-28); Pictures at an Exhibition (2/23, 25, 28). Avery Fisher Hall, Broadway & W. 65th St., 212-875-5656; nyphil.org New York Theatre Ballet – Once Upon A Ballet (ballets geared toward children ages 3-12): The Nutcracker (12/10-11, 17-18); The Alicein-Wonderland Follies (2/11-12). Signatures 12 (2/10-11). Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., 212-679-0401; nytb.org Radio City Music Hall – Radio City Christmas Spectacular (through 1/2); Barry Manilow (2/1014). 1260 Sixth Ave. (50th St.), 212-307-7171; radiocity.com St. Bartholomew’s Church – Adoration of the Magi (12/9); A Joyous Christmas Concert (12/13); New Year’s Eve Organ Concert (12/31); La Serenissima: Music of Venice and her Others (1/29); Tabla Sacred Music Ensemble - Sacred

Music from the Muslim World (2/12). Park Ave. & 51st St., 212-378-0248; stbarts.org Symphony Space – The Soul of Shostakovich: A Musical Salon (12/1); The Great American Songbook (12/2); Cellist Harry Wimmer in The Return of Soup to Nuts (12/3); The Nutcracker (12/3); Basically Brandenburg (12/4); Nicole Atkins (12/8); Jazz Band Classic: Basie and Beyond (12/9-10); Voices of Gotham Winter Show (12/11); The 2011 MMAC Kids Fall Showcase (12/11); Elizabeth Mitchell (12/17); Contact!, The New Music Series (12/17); The Pirates of Penzance (12/28-1/1); Tim and the Space Cadets (12/31); Stam-Pede (1/8); Dance Works Chicago (1/9); Tanka (1/13); Sounds American: The Music of John Duffy (1/14); Pardon Our Analysis: Gathering for Gil ScottHeron (1/14); A Quattro (1/18); Chairlift (1/19); The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (1/20-21); Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem (1/21); The Jazz Gallery Uptown: Becca Stevens and Alan Hampton (1/26); Shine and the Moonbeams (2/4); Music of Now Marathon (2/4); Masters of Indian Music: Kartik Seshadri (2/4); Dolce Suono Ensemble (2/6); Packer Collegiate Institute Bands In

Concert (2/9); The Gustafer Yellowgold Show (2/11-12); Naked Fiddle: Kevin Burke (2/15); Grand Derangement (2/16); The Okee Dokee Brothers (2/18); Guitar Plus: Music of David Leisner (2/23); US & Italy 2012: Two Lands, One Voice (2/24); Recess Monkey (2/25); Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring (2/26). 2537 Broadway (95th St.), 212-864-5400; symphonyspace.org The Theater at Madison Square Garden – Peter Pan (12/14-30); Sesame Street Live: 1-2-3...

Imagine! with Elmo & Friends (2/16-26).

4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave. & 32nd St.), 212-465-5800; thegarden.com The Town Hall – A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor (12/3, 10, 17); Enrico Macias (12/4); Jane Birkin (12/11); Pink Martini with Storm Large (12/13-14); Rufus & Martha Wainwright - “A Not So Silent Night” (12/15); Stephen Merchant: Hello Ladies Tour (12/20-21); Orion String Quartet and Windscape (1/8); Peter Orth, piano (1/29); The Broadway Musicals of 1946 (2/13); Foreigner - “Acoustique - The Classics Unplugged” (2/14). 123 W. 43rd St. (BroadwaySixth Ave.), 212-997-1003; the-townhall-nyc.org

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All photographs in courtesy of The Morgan Library & Museum. Photography: Graham S. Haber

ARTNEW YORK

looking back at Dickens On the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth, the Morgan Library and Museum shares its rich collection of original manuscripts, letters, illustrations, and memorabilia.

By Karin Lipson

H

ere’s a quick quiz for the literary-minded: Name the 19th- century author whose fiction has been adapted for film and TV (at least in English) more often than any other classic writer’s.

No, it’s not Jane Austen, according to the Morgan Library and Museum. The Morgan, which is celebrating the bicentennial of Charles Dickens, says it’s Dickens—the creator of such vivid characters as Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver Twist, the bumbling Mr. Micawber (of David Copperfield) and the unctuous Uriah Heep (another Copperfield figure)—who trumps all others in the number of screen adaptations.

“He almost wrote in a filmic manner,” said Declan Kiely, the Morgan’s curator of literary and historical manuscripts and the organizer of Charles Dickens at 200, which runs through Feb. 12. (The novelist was born Feb. 7, 1812.) With Dickens’s larger-than-life characters, cliffhanger chapter endings (prompted by the serialized form in which most of his books first appeared), and often dramatic subject matter, “you can easily translate what he writes into filmmaking,” Kiely said.

While films aren’t the subject of Charles Dickens at 200, the exhibition’s original manuscripts, letters, books, illustrations, caricatures, and memorabilia suggest the movie-like sweep of the writer’s life and work, from his difficult boyhood through his often tumultuous career; it ends with a detailed look at Dickens’s writing process, with manuscript pages and plot outlines for his last completed book, 1865’s Our Mutual Friend.

The show is drawn almost entirely from the Morgan Library’s own rich collection of Dickens material, second only to that of Britain’s Victoria and Albert Museum. (The library, on Madison Avenue at 36th Street, has more than 1,500 of the author’s letters alone). Still, the exhibition is more a series of vignettes of various aspects of Dickens’s life and work than a comprehensive retrospective. Even given its selective

view, Dickens’s complexity, and his status as a celebrity of his day come through.

His beginnings couldn’t have been less auspicious. At age 12, he was pulled from school and put to work at Warrens Blacking Factory, a rat-infested building where the boy spent 10 hours a day, six days a week putting labels on pots of boot blacking. His father was sent for a time to debtor’s prison.

The experience marked Dickens for life (he called it “the secret agony of my soul”), but also gave him grist for fictional characters and themes, and led him to become a benefactor of the poor and downtrodden. With the heiress and philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts, he founded Urania Cottage, a shelter for fallen women—prostitutes and petty criminals who sought to improve their lives by learning useful skills.

Inevitably, there were lapses by some residents: In an 1850 letter to Burdett-Coutts, on view in the show, Dickens reports that one “very bad and false subject, Jemima Hiscock, forced open the door of the little beer cellar with knives, and drank until she was dead drunk.”

With his rushed handwriting, Dickens’s letters are difficult to read; but the museum has printed booklets with transcriptions. The manuscripts, with faded ink and revisions obscuring some lines, are another story. Yet it is still a thrill to make out the first sentence of his 1843 A Christmas Carol—“Marley was dead: to begin with”—and then, the famed reiteration of Marley’s status—“dead as a doornail”—in Dickens’s scrawl.

Pressed by financial hardships, he dashed off A Christmas Carol in six weeks. By Christmas Eve, all 6,000 printed copies were sold. A first edition is on display, opened to the hand-colored, engraved frontispiece of Mr. Fezziwig’s ball, illustrated by John Leech.

[ Caricature of Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray (undated), Alfred Bryan ]

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ARTNEW YORK

From top left: [ Oliver Asking for More. Original watercolor drawing for Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist (1866), George Cruikshank; Charles Dickens (1863), Robert Hindry Mason; Charles Dickens’s brass seal with ivory base; Charles Dickens’s ink pot ]

Despite the book’s astounding success, Dickens made little money off it. “He took on all the costs of the illustration, and it was the first time he’d ever published a book in one binding,” Kiely said. “It was an incredible disappointment to him.”

In the United States, which he visited in 1842 and again in 186768, pirated versions of his books, depriving him of income, plagued the author. But the crowds were adulatory. “The audiences are immense,” he wrote to his fellow novelist, Wilkie Collins, from his 1860’s reading tour.

The tour was a great money-maker. “In contemporary terms, if you are a band whose music is constantly, illegally downloaded, the only way to can make money is to go on the road,” Kiely said. “And that’s exactly what Dickens did, and it was extremely lucrative.”

Like his characters, Dickens had his peculiarities. One was his fascination with mesmerism: A section of the exhibition is devoted to his

enthusiasm for hypnotizing family and friends. “He fervently believed in its healing potential,” Kiely said.

Dickens must have needed psychic healing himself after a horrific 1865 train accident in which he and his mistress were involved. After helping to evacuate other The Morgan Library and Museum passengers, he crawled back 225 Madison Avenue; 212-685-0008; into the wreckage of his themorgan.org train car, suspended over a precipice, to retrieve the manuscript of an installment of Our Mutual Friend—the very manuscript we see, 146 years later, in this show. ■ Karin Lipson, a former arts writer and editor for Newsday, is a frequent contributor to The New York Times. Her last article in Promenade was on the Willem de Kooning exhibit at MoMA.

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[ Hungerford Stairs: The Blacking Warehouse in London in Which Charles Dickens Was Employed (19th century), Anonymous, British School; Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. Autograph manuscript signed, December 1843 ]

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© Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

The Guggenheim shines a light on its permanent collection this winter as Pop Objects and Icons from the Guggenheim Collection and Surface, Support, Process: The 1960s Monochrome in the Guggenheim Collection—both on view through Feb. 8—take over the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed space. Pop Objects and Icons features a focused group of works by nine artists, from forerunners of the Pop Art movement such as Robert Rauschenberg to early practitioners like Roy Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist. Surface, Support, Process includes works by Mary Corse, Ellsworth Kelly, Tadaaki Kuwayama, Robert Mangold, Agnes Martin, and John McCracken. Pictured above: Roy Lichtenstein’s Interior with Mirrored Wall (1991), part of the Pop Objects exhibit. See listings for more information.

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New York

museums All exhibits are subject to change American Folk Art Museum – Super Stars: Quilts from the American Folk Art Museum (through 12/31); 9/11 National Tribute Quilt (ongoing). Closed Mon. Free. 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Ave. btw. 65th & 66th Sts., 212-595-9533; folkartmuseum.org American Museum of Natural History – Origami Holiday Tree (11/21-1/2); The World’s Largest Dinosaurs (through 1/2); Frogs: A Chorus of Colors (through 1/8); The Butterfly Conservatory (through 5/28); Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies (through 6/24); Beyond Earth: The Future of Space Exploration (through 8/12). Open daily. $16; seniors/ students, $12; children 2-12, $9. Central Park West at 79th St., 212-769-5100; amnh.org

China Institute – Blooming in the Shadows: Unofficial Chinese Art, 1974-1985 (through 12/11); Theater, Life and the Afterlife: Tomb Décor from Ancient Shanxi, Tenth through Thirteenth Centuries (2/9-6/17). Open daily. $7; students/seniors, $4; under 12, free. Free admission Tues. & Thurs., 6-8pm. 125 E. 65th St., 212-744-8181; chinainstitute.org The Drawing Center – ReDraw - The Capital Plan for 35 Wooster Street (through 4/1). Closed Mon. & Tues. 35 Wooster St. (Grand-Broome Sts.), 212-219-2166; drawingcenter.org El Museo del Barrio – El Museo’s Bienal - The (S) Files 2011 (through 1/8). Closed Mon. $9; seniors/students, $5; under 12, free. Free admission the third Saturday of every month & every Wed., 6-9pm. 1230 Fifth Ave. (104th St.), 212-831-7272; elmuseo.org

Asia Society and Museum – Rabindranath Tagore: The Last Harvest (through 12/31); U-Ram Choe: In Focus (through 12/31). Closed Mon. $10; seniors, $7; students, $5; under 16, free.

725 Park Ave. (70th St.), 212-288-6400; asiasociety.org

Fraunces Tavern Museum – Revolution and the City: New York’s Place in America’s Fight for Independence (through TBD). Closed Sun. $10; seniors/children, $5; under 5, free.

54 Pearl St. (Broad St.), 212-425-1778; frauncestavernmuseum.org

Brooklyn Museum – Timothy Greenfield-Sanders: The Latino List (through 12/11); Split Second: Indian Paintings (through 12/31); Matthew Buckingham: The Spirit and the Letter (through 1/8); Eva Hesse Spectres 1960 (through 1/8); Sanford Biggers: Sweet Funk - An Introspective (through 1/8); reOrder: An Architectural Environment by Situ Studio (through 1/15); Raw/Cooked: Lan Tuazon (through 1/15); Lee Mingwei: “The Moving Garden” (through 1/22); Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties (through 1/29); HIDE/SEEK: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture (through 2/12); 19th-Century Modern (through 4/11); Question Bridge: Black Males (1/13-6/3). Closed Mon. & Tues. $10; seniors/students, $6; under 12, free.

200 Eastern Parkway (Washington Ave.), 718-638-5000; brooklynmuseum.org

The Frick Collection – Picasso’s Drawings, 1890-1921: Reinventing Tradition (through 1/8); White Gold: Highlights from the Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain (12/13-4/29); Renoir, Impressionism, and Full-Length Painting (2/7-5/13); A Passion for Drawings: Charles Ryskamp’s Bequest to The Frick Collection (2/144/8). Closed Mon. $18; seniors, $15; students, $10; pay-what-you-wish Sun., 11am-1pm.

1 E. 70th St., 212-288-0700; frick.org

Center for Architecture – Buildings = Energy (through 1/21); Building Connections 2011 (through 2/11). Closed Sun. Free. 536 LaGuardia Pl. (Bleecker-W. 3rd Sts.), 212-683-0023; aiany.org Chelsea Art Museum – Closed Sun. & Mon. $8; students/seniors, $4; under 16, free. 556 W. 22nd St., 212-255-0719; chelseaartmuseum.org

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Grey Art Gallery at NYU – Fluxus and the Essential Questions of Life (through 12/3); Soto: Paris and Beyond, 1950-1970 (1/10-3/31). Closed Sun. & Mon. $3. 100 Washington Square East, 212-998-6780; nyu.edu/greyart The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – Kandinsky’s Painting With White Border (through 1/15); Maurizio Cattelan: All (through 1/22); Pop Objects and Icons from the Guggenheim Collection (through 2/12); . Closed Thurs. $18; seniors/ students, $15; under 12, free. 1071 Fifth Ave. (89th St.), 212-423-3500; guggenheim.org International Center of Photography – Remembering 9/11 (through 1/8); Harper’s Bazaar:

A Decade of Style (through 1/8); Signs of Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer (through 1/8). Closed Mon. $12; students/seniors, $8; under 12, free.

1133 Sixth Ave. (43rd St.), 212-857-0000; icp.org Japan Society – Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers (through 12/18). Closed Mon. $15; students/seniors, $10; under 16, free; free Fri., 6-9pm. 333 E. 47th St., 212-832-1155; japansociety.org The Jewish Museum – Hanukkah Project (12/2-1/29); The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats (through 1/29); New York Jewish Film Festival 2012 (1/11-1/26); The Radical Camera: New York’s Photo League, 1936-1951 (through 3/25); Jem Cohen: NYC Weights and Measures (through 3/25). Closed Wed. $12; seniors, $10; students, $7.50; under 12, free; free Sat., 11am-5:45pm. 1109 Fifth Ave. (92nd St.), 212-423-3200; thejewishmuseum.org The Metropolitan Museum of Art – After the Gold Rush: Contemporary Photographs from the Collection (through 1/2); The Art of Dissent in 17th-Century China: Masterpieces of Ming Loyalist Art from the Chih Lo Lou Collection (through 1/2); Stieglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O’Keeffe (through 1/2); “Wonder of the Age”: Master Painters of India, 1100-1900 (through 1/8); Lisbon’s Hebrew Bible: Medieval Jewish Art in Context (through 1/16); 9/11 Peace Story Quilt (through 1/22); Heroic Africans: Legendary Leaders, Iconic Sculptures (through 1/29); Infinite Jest: Caricature and Satire from Leonardo to Levine (through 3/4); The Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini (12/21-3/18); The Game of Kings: Medieval Ivory Chessmen from the Isle of Lewis (through 4/22); Duncan Phyfe - Master Cabinetmaker in New York (12/20-5/6). Closed Mon. $20; seniors, $15; students, $10; under 12, free. Fifth Ave. & 82nd St., 212-535-7710; metmuseum.org The Morgan Library & Museum – David, Delacroix, and Revolutionary France: Drawings from the Louvre (through 12/31); Charles Dickens at 200 (through 2/12); Treasures of Islamic Manuscript Painting from the Morgan (through 1/29); Robert Burns and “Auld Lang Syne” (12/92/5); Rembrandt’s World: Dutch Drawings from the Clement C. Moore Collection (1/20-4/29); Dan Flavin: Drawing (2/17-7/1). Closed Mon. $15; seniors/students/children under 16, $10; 12 & under, free; free Fri., 7-9pm. 225 Madison Ave. (36th St.), 212-685-0008; themorgan.org

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Sherry Griffin

MuseumsNEWYORK

Art world giants such as Max Ernst, Louise Nevelson, Yoko Ono, and Anish Kapoor aren’t exactly known for their jewelry-making skills, but Picasso to Koons: Artist as Jeweler, An Exhibition of Wearable Sculpture—on view through Jan. 8 at the Museum of Arts and Design—aims to change that. Boasting works by 135 artists, the exhibition is drawn from the holdings of a host of noted collectors, artists, and artist estates, and is guest curated by Diane Venet. The wearable sculptures are presented in three groupings—the Early Masters, Representational, and Abstraction—with sections devoted to the human figure, nature, Pop subjects, words, geometry, and new technologies and materials. Pictured above, from left to right, are pieces by Ernst, Jeff Koons, and Pablo Picasso. See listings for more information.

Museum of American Finance – Alexander Hamilton: Lineage and Legacy (through 12/30). Closed Sun. & Mon. $8; students/seniors, $5; under 6, free. 48 Wall St. (William St.), 212-908-4110; moaf.org

Murals for The Museum of Modern Art (through 5/14); Print/Out (2/195/14); Cindy Sherman (2/26-6/11). Closed Tues. $20; seniors, $16; students, $12; 16 & under, free. 11 W. 53rd St., 212-708-9400; moma.org

Museum of Arts & Design – Picasso to Koons: Artist as Jeweler (through 1/8); Crafting Modernism: Midcentury American Art and Design (through 1/15); Korean Eye - Energy and Matter (through 2/29); Beauty in All Things Japanese Art and Design (through 2/19); Far Out - Jewelry for the Senses (1/315/27). Closed Mon. $15; students/seniors, $12; high school students and under 12, free; Thurs. & Fri., 6-9pm, pay-what-you-wish. 2 Columbus Cir. (near Eighth Ave. & W. 58th St.), 212-299-7777; madmuseum.org

Museum of the Moving Image – Jim Henson’s Fantastic World (through 1/16); Surviving Life: Collages by Jan Svankmajer (through 2/26). Closed Mon. $10. 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, Queens, 718-777-6888; movingimage.us

The Museum of Biblical Art – The Book of Life: Family Bibles in America (through 1/15); Jerusalem and the Holy Land - The Paintings of Ludwig Blum (1891-1974) (through 1/15); Finding Comfort in Difficult Times - A Selection of Soldiers’ Bibles (2/3-5/13); Walls Speak - The Narrative Art of Hildreth Meière (2/3-5/20). Closed Mon. $7; seniors/students, $4; under 12, free.

1865 Broadway (61st St.), 212-408-1500; mobia.org Museum of the City of New York – Kevin Roche: Architecture as Environment (through 1/22); Cecil Beaton: The New York Years (through 2/20); The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011 (12/64/15). Closed Mon. $10; seniors/students, $6; under 12, free. Fifth Ave. & 103rd St., 212-534-1672; mcny.org Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art – Closed Mon. $5; 12 & under, free.

594 Broadway (Prince-Houston Sts.), Ste. 401, 212-254-3511; moccany.org Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust – Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race (through 1/16); Emma Lazarus: Poet of Exiles (through summer); Let My People Go! The Soviet Jewry Movement, 1967-1989. Closed Sat. $12; seniors, $10; students, $7; 12 & under, free; free Wed., 4-8pm. 36 Battery Pl., 646-437-4200; mjhnyc.org

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Museum of Modern Art – Cy Twombly: Sculpture (through 1/2); de Kooning: A Retrospective (through 1/9); New Photography 2011 (through 1/16); Thing/Thought: Fluxus Editions, 1962-1978 (through 1/16); Standard Deviations: Prototypes, Archetypes, and Families in Contemporary Design (through 1/30); Sanja Ivekovic: Sweet Violence (12/18-3/26); Diego Rivera:

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Museum of Sex – Comics Stripped! (ongoing); Sex Lives of Robots (ongoing); Action: Sex and the Moving Image (ongoing); Obscene Diary - The Secret Archive of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Pornographer (ongoing); Lovers from the Hereafter by Jean-Marc Laroche (ongoing). Open daily. $17.50; students/seniors, $15.25. 233 Fifth Ave. (27th St.), 212-689-6337; museumofsex.com National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution – Carl Beam (through 4/15); Time Exposures: Picturing a History of Isleta Pueblo in the 19th Century (through 6/10); Small Spirits: Dolls from the National Museum of the American Indian (through 7/19). Open daily. Free. U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green (Broadway), 212-514-3700; americanindian.si.edu Neue Galerie – Neue Galerie 10th Anniversary - The Ronald S. Lauder Collection: Selections from the 3rd Century BC to the 20th Century/Germany, Austria, and France (through 4/2). Closed Tues. & Wed. $15; students/ seniors, $10. 1048 Fifth Ave. (86th St.), 212-628-6200; neuegalerie.org New Museum of Contemporary Art – Spartacus Chetwynd: Home Made Tasers (through 1/1); Carsten Höller: Experience (through 1/15); Museum as Hub: Beirut Art Center (through 2/5); The Generational (2/15-4/22).

Closed Mon. & Tues. $12; seniors, $10; students, $8; 18 & under, free.

235 Bowery (Prince St.), 212-219-1222; newmuseum.org New-York Historical Society – Remembering 9/11 (through 4/1); Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn (through 4/15); Freedom Now: Photographs by Platon (through 4/15); Making American Taste: Narrative Art for a New Democracy (through 8/19); Beauties of the Gilded Age: Peter Marié’s Miniatures of Society Women (through 11/11). Closed Mon. $15; seniors, $12; students, $10; 7-13, $5; under 7, free. 170 Central Park West (77th St.), 212-873-3400; nyhistory.org

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ONTHETOWN

New York Public Library (Humanities and Social Sciences Library) – Call 212-869-8089 for a recording of all current exhibitions. Open daily.

42nd St. & Fifth Ave., 212-340-0830; nypl.org

Masterworks (through 12/31/12). Closed Tues. $10 (free Fri., 6-10pm); seniors/students/artists with ID, $7; under 12, free. 150 W. 17th St., 212-620-5000; rmanyc.org

New York Transit Museum – Closed Mon. $6; seniors/children 3-17, $4.

The New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex in Grand Central Terminal presents changing exhibitions. Boerum Pl. & Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn, 718-694-1600; mta.info/museum

Scandinavia House – Luminous Modernism: Scandinavian Art Comes to America 1912 (through 2/11). Closed Sun. & Mon. Free. 58 Park Ave. (37th-38th Sts.), 212-779-3587; scandinaviahouse.org

The Noguchi Museum – Civic Action: A Vision for Long Island City (through 4/4). Closed Mon. & Tues. $10 (pay-what-you-wish first Fri. of the month); students/seniors, $5; under 12, free. 9-01 33rd Rd. (Vernon Blvd.), Long Island City, Queens, 718-204-7088; noguchi.org The Paley Center for Media – A center for the cultural, creative, and social significance of television and radio. Closed Mon. & Tues. $10; seniors/ students, $8; under 14, $5. 25 W. 52nd St., 212-621-6600; paleycenter.org The Rubin Museum of Art – Gateway to Himalayan Art (through 1/1); Once Upon Many Times (through 1/30); Mirror of the Buddha (through 3/5); Modernist Art from India (through 4/9); Hero, Villain, Yeti (12/9-6/11);

The Studio Museum in Harlem – The Bearden Project (through 3/11); Project Space - Kira Lynn Harris (through 3/11); Collected. Ritual (through 3/11); Who, What Wear: Selections from the Permanent Collection (through 3/11). Closed Mon.-Wed. $7 (free on Sun.); seniors/students, $3; under 12, free. 144 W. 125th St. (Lenox Ave.-Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.), 212-864-4500; studiomuseum.org Whitney Museum of American Art – Sherrie Levine - Mayhem (through 1/29); Real/Surreal (through 2/12); Three Landscapes: A Film Installation by Roy Lichtenstein (through 2/12); Aleksandra Mir: The Seduction of Galileo Galilei (through 2/19). Closed Mon. & Tues. $18 (pay-what-you-wish Fri., 6-9pm); seniors/students, $12; 18 & under, free. 945 Madison Ave. (75th St.), 212-570-3600; whitney.org

Editor-in-Chief Glenda Bailey’s tenure at Harper’s Bazaar—which began in May of 2001 and continues to this day—has been marked by risky, breathtaking photography. On view through Jan. 8 at the International Center of Photography, Harper’s Bazaar: A Decade of Style highlights many of the magazine’s top images from the last decade with nearly 30 portraits of cultural icons taken by some of the biggest and most important photographers of our time. Pictured here: Peter Lindbergh’s Julianne Moore (Harper’s Bazaar, May 2008); Tim Walker’s Untitled (Harper’s Bazaar, October 2009). See listings for more information.

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Daniel Katz Limited. Lear, Edward (Holloway, London, 1812-1888, San Remo, Italy). Sunset on the Nile above Aswan.

For the 58th year, one of the country’s most prominent antiques shows returns to NYC’s Park Avenue Armory for ten days (Jan. 20-29) of decorative arts from antiquity through the 1960s. The Winter Antiques Show features exceptional pieces showcased by 75 exhibitors, drawing crowds of curators, collectors, dealers, and design professionals to view and purchase some of the finest Americana, English, European, and Asian pieces.

Admission is $20. Open daily, noon-8pm; Sun. & Thurs., noon-6pm. For tickets to the opening night party or Young Collectors Night, call 718-2927392. 67th St. and Park Ave.; winterantiquesshow.com

&

New York

ART GALLERIES COLLECTIBLES All exhibits subject to change Amsterdam Whitney Gallery - A “vanguard gallery” featuring cutting-edge contemporary artists. Winter SOUL-stice (12/2-1/3); Subliminal Jubilations (12/2-1/3); Catalyst of the Incandescent (12/2-1/3). Tues.-Sat., 11am-5pm.

511 W. 25th St., 212-255-9050; amsterdamwhitneygallery.com Bonni Benrubi - 20th-century and contemporary photography. Massimo Vitali - Arcadian Remains (12/8-2/4). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 41 E. 57th St., 13th Floor, 212-888-6007; bonnibenrubi.com

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Peter Blum Gallery - Contemporary American and European art. Wooster St.: Kindred Spirits: Native American Influences on 20th Century Art (through

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1/14). 29th St.: Esther Kläs - Nobody Home (through 1/7). 99 Wooster St., 212-343-0441; 526 W. 29th St., 212-244-6055; peterblumgallery.com Cheim & Read - International contemporary artists. Joan Mitchell: The Last Painting (through 1/4). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 547 W. 25th St., 212-242-7727; cheimread.com Clic Bookstore & Gallery - Emerging photographers. Centre St.: K-NARF (through 1/12). Tues.-Sun., noon-7pm. 424 Broome St., 212-219-9308; 255 Centre St., 212-966-2766; clicgallery.com James Cohan Gallery - Contemporary art. Byron Kim - New Work (through 12/17); Object Fictions (1/6/-2/11); Yinka Shonibare, MBE (2/16-3/24).

Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 533 W. 26th St., 212-714-9500; jamescohan.com

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ONTHETOWN

CUE Art Foundation - Exhibitions featuring under-recognized artists. Sarah Canright: Curated

by Nic Nicosia (through 1/14); Mitchell Squire: Curated by Theaster Gates (through 1/14); Greg Wilken: Curated by Sharon Lockhart (1/26-3/10); Michael Minelli: Curated by Sowon Kwon (1/263/10). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 511 W. 25th St., 212-206-3583; cueartfoundation.org D’Amelio Terras - Contemporary art featuring international emerging and mid-career artists.

Leslie Hewitt: Blue Skies, Warm Sunlight (through 12/23); Heather Rowe (through 12/23).

Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 525 W. 22nd St., 212-352-9460; damelioterras.com David Findlay Jr. Inc. - American 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculpture. Ivan Chermayeff: Collages (12/3-24). Mon.-Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 41 E. 57th St., 212-486-7660; davidfindlayjr.com Foley Gallery - Contemporary photography, painting, sculpture. 7th Anniversary Exhibition (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm.

548 W. 28th St., 2nd Floor, 212-244-9081; foleygallery.com Zach Feuer Gallery - Contemporary art in all media by emerging and mid-career artists. Kiamja Strobert (12/1-1/14); Marianne Vitale (1/192/18). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 548 W. 22nd St., 212-989-7700; zachfeuer.com Gagosian Gallery - Modern and contemporary art, including works by de Kooning, Hirst, Picasso, Twombly, and Warhol. Madison Ave.: The Private Collection of Robert Rauschenberg (through 12/23); Howard Hodgkin (through 12/23). 21st St.: Andreas Gursky (through 12/17).

Tues.- Sat., 10am-6pm. 980 Madison Ave. (76th77th Sts.), 212-744-2313; 555 W. 24th St., 212-741-1111; 522 W. 21st St., 212-741-1717; gagosian.com Galerie Lelong - Contemporary art from the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Yoko Ono - Uncursed (through 12/10); Winter Group Exhibition (Dec.-Jan.). 528 W. 26th St., 212-315-0470; galerielelong.com Galerie St. Etienne - The oldest gallery in the U.S. specializing in Expressionism and self-taught art. The Lady and the Tramp: Images of Women in Austrian and German Art (through 12/30).

Tues.-Fri., 11am-5pm. 24 W. 57th St., 212-765-8493; gseart.com Gallery Henoch - Contemporary American, European, and Asian painting and sculpture.

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The Modern Masters in Paris….

Hammer Galleries Tells Their Story In Woody Allen’s charming recent film, Midnight in Paris, a nostalgic and conflicted Hollywood screenwriter is magically transported back in time to the “années folles” (the crazy years) of 1920’s Paris.

With Ernest Hemingway as his guide, he soon finds himself in the salon of Gertrude Stein, where he meets Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. He attends glamorous parties with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Cole Porter and has a “surreal” cafe conversation with Salvador Dali and Man Ray. Many artists, collectors and art dealers have probably had similar fantasies.

Although time travel may be impossible, a close substitute can be found by visiting Hammer Galleries’ new exhibition, Modern Masters: Paris and Beyond.

The exhibition features over 20 exceptional paintings by Marc Chagall, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Kees van Dongen, as well as significant sculptures by Jean Dubuffet, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse and Alexander Calder. A beautiful 86-page catalog with an introductory essay by noted art critic and art historian, Edward Lucie-Smith accompanies the exhibition. A virtual tour of the exhibition is also available at hammergalleries.com.

For the first half of the 20th century, Paris was the undisputed center of the art world, the place where any serious artist had to be. Artists and writers from all over the world flocked there. Van Dongen came from Holland shortly before the turn of the century, and others followed – Picasso and Miró from Spain, Chagall from Russia and Matisse, Léger and Dubuffet from the French provinces. As Edward Lucie-Smith states in his essay for the catalog, “the result was a mixture between a stewpot and a laboratory. A stewpot, because all kinds of cultural traditions were blended together. A laboratory because this is where all kinds of artistic ideas were continually tested to their limits…The city was a buzzing hive of new ideas.” It was in Paris where many of these artists made their crucial breakthroughs, where they became “Modern Masters”.

Gradually, however, the Parisian artistic community began to disperse. In the decades following the inter-war years, many of these Masters became established artists Hammer Galleries and started to seek inspiration outside of Paris.

475 Park Avenue; 212-644-4400; External factors such as the onset of World Hammergalleries.com War II certainly accelerated the flight from the Modern Masters: Paris and Beyond city as well. Léger and Chagall sought refuge Oct. 29, 2011 - Jan. 21, 2012 in America, and Miró returned to Spain.

It was during this time that many of these artists explored media outside of painting, so Hammer Galleries’ exhibition includes sculptures by Matisse and Dubuffet, ceramics by Miró, and an exquisite “mobile” by Calder.

Individually, the artists featured in Paris and Beyond each made vital contributions to the avant-garde; overall as a movement they revolutionized modern art. The significance and appeal of these Modern Masters endures today.

Designed by Rexrode Chirigos Architects, Hammer Galleries provides an intimate setting in which to view these works of art and is located in close proximity to many of Manhattan’s five-star hotels.

Henri Matisse, Grande tête, Chevelure, 1947

CRG Gallery - Well-established and emerging contemporary American/European artists.

Tom LaDuke (through 12/17); Robert Buck (1/12-2/18); Alexandre da Cunha (12/233/31). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 548 W. 22nd St., 212-229-2766; crggallery.com

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Janet Rickus - New Paintings (through 12/10); Gallery Group Show (12/15-1/7). Tues.-Sat., 10:30am-6pm. 555 W. 25th St., 917-305-0003; galleryhenoch.com Gladstone Gallery - Contemporary art. 24th St.: Jim Hodges (through 12/23). 21st St.: Jim Hodges (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm.

515 W. 24th St., 212-206-9300; 530 W. 21st St.; gladstonegallery.com Valerie Goodman Gallery - Specializing in 20th century European decorative arts, furniture and lighting, and French contemporary artist Limited Editions. 315 E. 91st St., 917-208-0302; valeriegoodmangallery.com James Graham & Sons - 19th- & 20th-century American paintings, American & European sculpture. Mary McDonnell - For the Listener (through 12/31). 32 E. 67th St., 212-535-5767; jamesgrahamandsons.com Howard Greenberg Gallery - Fine art photography. Edward Burtynsky (through 12/10). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. The Fuller Building, 41 E. 57th St., 212-334-0010; howardgreenberg.com Greenberg Van Doren - Contemporary fine art. Highlights from the Ernestine and Bradley Wayne Collection (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 730 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), 212-445-0444; gvdgallery.com Greene Naftali - Paul Sharits (through 12/17). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm.

508 W. 26th St., 8th Floor, 212-463-7770; greenenaftaligallery.com Stephen Haller Gallery - Contemporary paintings. Undercurrents (group exhibition) (12/1-23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 542 W. 26th St., 212-741-7777; stephenhallergallery.com Hammer Galleries - Featuring works by 19th- and 20th-century European and American Masters. Modern Masters: Paris & Beyond (through 1/21). Mon.-Fri., 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat., 10am-6pm.

475 Park Ave. (58th St.), 212-644-4400; hammergalleries.com Hasted Kraeutler - Contemporary photography from emerging and established artists. Marc Dennis - Honey Bunny (through 12/3); Pierre Gonnord Relatos (12/8-2/4). Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. 537 W. 24th St., 212-627-0006; hastedkraeutler.com Hauser & Wirth - Emerging and established contemporary artists.

Paul McCarthy - The Dwarves, The Forests (through 12/17). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 32 E. 69th St., 212-794-4970; hauserwirth.com Hirschl & Adler Galleries - 18th-, 19th- & 20th-century American and Euro­pean paintings, drawings, watercolors, and sculpture. Marc Trujillo (through 12/3). Mon.-Fri., 9:30am-5:15pm. 730 Fifth Ave., 212-535-8810; hirschlandadler.com Hosfelt Gallery - International, emerging and mid-career artists.

Liliana Porter (through 1/21). Wed.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 531 W. 36th St., 212-563-5454; hosfeltgallery.com Steven Kasher Gallery - Contemporary photography and social/historical/artistic photography of the 20th century. Gilles Larrain: Idols (through 12/23); Vivian Maier (12/15-2/25). Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm.

521 W. 23rd St., 212-966-3978; stevenkasher.com Paul Kasmin Gallery - Contemporary and modern art. Walton Ford - I Don’t Like to Look at Him, Jack. It Makes Me Think of That Awful Day on the Island. (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 293 Tenth Ave. (27th St.); 511 27th St., 212-563-4474; paulkasmingallery.com

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Knoedler & Company - Contemporary and sculpture works. Charles Simonds - Mental Earth, Growths and Smears (through 1/14). Tues.-Fri.,

11/9/11 2:26 PM

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GALLERIESNEWYORK

9:30am-5:30pm., Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 19 E. 70th St., 212-794-0550; knoedlergallery.com Kouros Gallery - Modern and contemporary sculpture, painting, photography, and works on paper.

Bill Barrett -- Paintings & Sculpture (12/1-1/14); Bruno Romeda - A Survey of Sculptures & Drawings (12/15-1/14); Rachel Friedberg - Stories (1/19-2/25); Joe Mooney - New Sculpture (1/19-2/25). Mon.-Fri., 11am-6pm. 23 E. 73rd St., 212-288-5888; kourosgallery.com Lehmann Maupin Gallery - International contemporary painting, sculpture and photography.

Chrystie St.: Billy Childish - I Am the Billy Childish (through 1/21). 26th Street: Klara Kristalova - Sounds of Dogs and Youth (through 1/28); Mary Corse (Feb.Mar.). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 540 W. 26th St., 212-255-2923; 201 Chrystie St., 212-254-0054; lehmannmaupin.com Lerebours Antiques - An eclectic collection of American antique, vintage, and mid-century modern fine furnishings, lighting, and art. 220 E. 60th St., 917-749-5866; lereboursantiques.com

Luhring Augustine - Late-19th century to contemporary American and European paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and video works. Richard Pousette-Dart - East River Studio (through 12/17); Joel Sternfeld - First Pictures (1/7-2/4); Tom Friedman (2/10-3/17). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 531 W. 24th St., 212-206-9100; luhringaugustine.com Luxembourg & Dayan - Modern and contemporary works of art. Grisaille Part II (through 1/14).

Mon.-Fri., 11am-4pm. 64 E. 77th St., 212-452-4646; luxembourgdayan.com Marlborough Gallery - Important contemporary masters. 57th St.: Fernando Botero, Via Crucis: The Passion of the Christ (through 12/3).

25th St.: Rashaad Newsome - Herald (through 12/3). Mon.-Fri., 10am-5:30pm. 40 W. 57th St., 212-541-4900; 545 W. 25th St., 212-463-8634; marlboroughgallery.com Barbara Mathes Gallery - 20th-century, and contemporary American and Euro­pean masters.

Fausto Melotti: Sculpture and Ceramics (through 1/14).

Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-6pm.; Sat. 10am-5pm. 22 E. 80th St., 212-570-4190; barbaramathesgallery.com Robert Miller Gallery - Contemporary art. Patti Smith - Camera Solo (through 2/19).Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 524 W. 26th St., 212-366-4774; robertmillergallery.com Yossi Milo Gallery- Contemporary photography.

Simen Johan - Until the Kingdom Comes (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 525 W. 25th St., 212-414-0370; www.yossimilo.com Mitchell-Innes & Nash - Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art by American and European artists. Sarah Braman - Yours (through 12/3); December - Organized by Howie Chen (Dec.-Jan.); Chris Martin (Jan.-Feb.). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm.

534 W. 26th St., 212-744-7400; miandn.com The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology - Daphne Guinness (through 1/7); The Great Designers: Part One (11/29-5/8). Tues.-Fri., noon-8pm; Sat., 10am-5pm. Seventh Ave. at 27th St., 212-217-4558; fitnyc.edu

Master Drawings/New York…A Week of Fine Works on Paper Collectors, connoisseurs, curators, and art aficionados who appreciate works on paper look forward annually to Master Drawings/New York in January. This event, an acclaimed part of the international art calendar (and anticipated just as eagerly as its European counterpart, Master Drawings/London), is a visual feast of highly sought-after art work—from water colors, oil sketches, pen-and-ink drawings, pencil renderings, old botanicals, and so on—all on paper. (The two dozen dealers who are part of this extravaganza do not show prints or photography.)

Offerings include everything from incomparable 16th-century drawings to more modern, 21st-century pieces, with prices ranging from the low thousands to over the million-dollar mark.

Among the specialty dealers participating in MDNY is Monroe Warshaw of Kunstkabinett (showing at Kraushaar Galleries, 74 East 79th Street; 212-288-2558), who has focused on Old Master drawings for the last decade. While his specialty area is the highly sought-after and scarce Northern Drawings (early Netherlandish and German), Warshaw also deals in Italian and French works. Pictured here is a rare, early drawing by François Boucher (1703-1770), that shows Watteau’s influence on the artist, evident in the willow tree and farm buildings.

All the dealers are on the Upper East Side, so strolling from venue to venue presents an opportunity for a pleasant promenade up Madison Avenue. The week of viewing begins with previews (by invitation) Friday evening, January 20th, and continues daily, open to the public, until Saturday, January 28th. For further information, 212-755-8500; masterdrawingsinnewyork.com. —RJK

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ONTHETOWN

Onassis Cultural Center - Ancient, Byzantine & modern art. Transition to Christianity: Art of Late Antiquity, 3rd-7th Century A.D. (12/7-5/14).

645 Fifth Ave., Suite 304, 212-486-4448; onassisusa.org Yancy Richardson Gallery - 20th century and contemporary photographs. Sharon Core 1606-1907 (through 12/23); Bertien van Manen (1/5-2/11). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 535 W. 22nd St., 646-230-9610; yanceyrichardson.com

Viridian Artists - Works in the abstract mode, including oils, pastels on paper, prints, and sculptures. Holiday Group Show (12/6-31); Gallery Artists Group Show (1/3-28). Tues.-Sat., 10:30am6pm. 548 W. 28th St., 6th Floor, 212-414-4040; viridianartists.com

David Zwirner - Contemporary art. Doug Wheeler (Jan.); On Kawara - Date Painting(s) in New York & 136 Other Cities (1/6-2/11); Adel Abdessemed (2/163/17). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 519 W. 19th St., 525 W. 19th St., 533 W. 19th St., 212-517-8677; davidzwirner.com

The Pace Gallery - 20th-century art, including works by Calder, LeWitt, Nevelson, Noguchi, Picasso, Rauschenberg, Rothko, and many others.

22nd St.: Bosco Sodi: Ubi sunt (12/9-1/21). 534 W. 25th St.: Matta: A Centennial Celebration (through 1/28). 510 W. 25th St.: Hiroshi Sugimoto: Surface of the Third Order (through 12/23). 57th St.: Calder 1941 (through 12/23). 32 E. 57th St., 212-4213292; 534 W. 25th St., 212-929-7000; 545 W. 22nd St., 212-989-4258; 510 W. 25th St. 212-255-4044; thepacegallery.com Ro Gallery - Select original paintings, graphics, photographs, and sculptures from over 5000 artists.

Visit their website for live and timed art auctions.

Gallery by appointment. 47-15 36th St., Long Island City, 800-888-1063; rogallery.com Michael Rosenfeld Gallery - 20th century American art. Otherworldliness (through 12/23); Hughie Lee-Smith: The 1950s, Major Paintings (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 24 W. 57th St., 7th Floor, 212-247-0082; michaelrosenfeldart.com Luis Ross Gallery - Self-taught artists from North America and Europe. Thomas Lyon Mills - The Catacombs (through 12/23). 511 W. 25th St. #307, 212-343-2161; luiserossgallery.com Sonnabend Gallery - Contemporary painting, sculpture and photography by American & European artists. Anh Duong (through 12/22).

Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 536 W. 22nd St., 212-627-1018; sonnabendgallery.com Spanierman Modern - Modern and contemporary paintings, watercolors, works on paper, drawings, and sculpture. Perle Fine: The Cool Series (1961– 1963) (through 12/10); Frank Wimberley (12/151/14); Stanley Boxer (1/19-2/18); James Daugherty (2/23-3/24). Mon.-Sat., 9:30am-5:30pm. 53 E. 58th St., 212-832-1400; spaniermanmodern.com 303 Gallery - Contemporary photography, film, paintings, and sculpture. Eva Rothschild - The Heart of the Thousand Petalled Lotus (through 12/22); Nick Mauss (1/13-2/18). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm.

547 W. 21st St., 212-255-1121; 303gallery.com Tibor de Nagy Gallery - Contemporary paintings. Elizabeth Bishop - Objects & Apparitions (12/8-1/21); Jess - Paintings (12/8-1/21). Mon.-Fri., 10am-5:30pm. 724 Fifth Ave. (56th-57th Sts.), 212-261-5050; tibordenagy.com

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REAL ESTATENEW YORK [L ounge in a spacious living room at The Corner, 200 West 72nd Street, just a short walk from Lincoln Center ]

living near...Lincoln Center

Dwell in the lap of luxury and take a front-row seat at the world’s finest cultural institution.

By Karli Petrovic

A

long with visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and shopping at the city’s iconic department stores, catching an event at Lincoln Center tops the charts as a Manhattan must-do, for temporary tourists and born-and-raised residents alike. Highlighted by the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and Lincoln Center Theater, eleven organizations provide countless entertainment opportunities across the 29 venues that comprise the Lincoln Center campus.

Arts lovers looking to make the Lincoln Center area their home, are also in luck. As an up-and-coming part of the city, it promises a “neighborhood feel” and spectacular views to full-time New Yorkers or those seeking a piedà-terre in the middle of the arts action. Sellers agree that, since 2008, the area has blossomed into its own niche, now referred to separately as the Lincoln Center area instead of simply the Upper West Side. Read on for some of the best living spaces this cultural district has to offer.

Seeing the City Sights If taking in the gorgeous Manhattan skyline gives you gooseflesh, consider planting roots inside the Park Millennium at 111 West 67th Street. At the top of the building, apartment 40DE has exactly what you’ve been searching for. “This property is all about views,” says Corcoran SVP Lawrence Schier.

“You can see Manhattan from all sides.”

The 3,200-square-foot apartment comes with three bedrooms (easily converted into 4-5), a kitchen facing Central Park, top-notch security and door-

men, and on-site access and a discount to one of the city’s premier fitness centers, the Reebok Sports Club NY. Residents have more than views to brag about.

Another plus for couples who fight over sink space, the master bedroom includes two separate bathrooms, a his-and-hers amenity that Schier describes as rare. For the just-shy-of-$9 million price tag, interested parties also become part of a great neighborhood. “The Lincoln Center area has really come into its own,” he adds.

Long Way Down Buyers yearning for terrace space need to check out the Grand Millennium Condominium at 1965 Broadway and ride the elevator all the way up to the Trophy Penthouse. The building’s top apartment features 4,300 square feet of space in addition to a 12,000-square-foot balcony terrace overlooking Lincoln Center. For just under $15 million, spectacular views are in all directions.

The penthouse includes four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, a library (which can be effortlessly converted into an additional bedroom if desired), formal dining room, and eat-in kitchen. With great schools, supermarkets, and the park right nearby, everything residents need is mere steps away. The biggest perk? “The owners are literally able to see people walking in and out of Lincoln Center,” says Corcoran realtor Michael E. Feldman. “The current owners say their friends wave to them all the time on the way to the theatre or the ballet.”

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[T his stunning penthouse at The Grand Millenium Condominium, 1965 Broadway, offers views of Lincoln Center from the 12,000-square-foot terrace; A California-style kitchen at 30 West 63rd Street is great for entertaining before or after the show ]

Tier-iffic Rentals At 1930 Broadway and 64th Street lies a gem of a building that provides renters craving condo-style luxuries with everything they need. Step into the lobby, which is decked out with vaulted ceilings, marble floors, and rare artworks, and you might think of settling in before even viewing the apartments. Each potential home includes oversized bay or half-bay windows, hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen, and a variety of layouts to accommodate everyone from a family of four to a singleton.

Residents who want something special in terms of fitness should see the pool, exercise center with on-site trainer, and sauna. After a good workout, feel free to lounge on the landscaped roof deck while taking in a breathtaking winter sunset. If you are still considering other options, Nancy Albertson of Glenwood, the company managing the Grand Tier, touches on the building’s best quality. “You’re one block from Central Park, have easy access to the waterfront, and are just steps away from some of the best dining, high-end shopping, gourmet food, and more—not to mention the culture and entertainment offered at Lincoln Center,” says Albertson. “You have a front-row seat to this institution known internationally for the ballet, opera, the recent addition of Fashion Week, and regular events in the plaza such as the tree lighting, dance performances, and intimate concerts.”

California Dreaming New Yorkers know that their city is the greatest in the world, but if the crisp weather has you longing for a little West Coast sunshine, why not try buying into the best of both worlds? At 30 West 63rd Street, 22CD sits a three bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom, California-style oasis.

For $5.28 million, this 2,161-square-foot home includes “Napa Valley touches” such as a “custom-built in-wall wine cooler, exposed concrete, and spacious open-kitchen with tons of usable counter space and the use of natural stone throughout,” according to the listing. “The home features one of the most amazing amenities packages that I have seen in a long time,” says Frances Katzen, the Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate agent in charge of the sale.

The package Katzen refers to consists of a billiards room, mini golf, screening room, “gourmet gym” located on the top of the building, and a lounge.

Speaking of the seller—a biologist-turned-architect based out of Califor-

nia—he channeled even more of a West Coast feel into this property, which combines three apartments into one spacious condominium. Large windows that offer stunning views of Central Park west and south (with exposures to the north and east), and let in tons of natural light, only help to make this apartment feel more like a vacation home than an everyday living space. And, in this zen home, catching a New York Philharmonic performance next door at Lincoln Center completes the getaway illusion.

Up on the Roof The Corner, located at 200 West 72nd Street, brings a whole new meaning to the words “rooftop party.” Atop this midrise luxury rental building, the spacious terrace features ample comfortable seating and a table for conversing with friends, various lounge chairs for sunbathing in the summer, and a fireplace for chilly fall evenings. The building also provides rooftop entertainment on a seasonal basis, such as wine and cheese tasting parties, fashion shows, and spa days. During a recent open house for one of the building’s apartments, residents enjoyed high-end boutique shopping for clothing, pocketbooks, and jewelry. And there’s more: The luxury building’s free-for-residents amenities also include a children’s playroom complete with Macs, a 42-inch LCD HD television, Blu-ray player, blackboard, and toys, a state-of-the-art fitness center with yoga classes, and morning breakfast served Monday through Friday in The Corner Club’s Lounge.

The kitchens in all of the spacious apartments feature custom Wenge cabinets, Liebherr French-door model refrigerators, Franke sinks with Gessi faucets, and some units include U-Line wine coolers. Environmentally conscious renters should take note of the building’s silver LEED green building certification. Rental prices range from $3,500 for studios with high ceilings and washers and dryers to $18,000 for three-bedroom apartments, which may include a 4-piece master bath, terrace access, a powder room, a built-in safe, and a walk-in closet. Although there is little reason to leave the comforts of home, making the midnight showing at the Lincoln Plaza Cinema, enjoying a cocktail at Shalel Lounge, and listening to the the orchestra at Alice Tully Hall means a five-minute journey home at any hour. Adds Jim Hayden, The Corner’s property manager, “One of the main features of any building is the staff,” says Hayden, “and our staff cannot do enough for these residents.” n 83

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TRAVELengland

glorious England: town and country

“This Sceptered Isle...,” as Shakespeare dubbed it, is rich in history, culinary delights, indulgent spas, and diverse culture in County Yorkshire and London.

“H

ooray for Holly wood!” That melodic refrain entered my frontal lobe uninvited, disturbing my pleasant reverie, in a comfy British Rail coach, as I glided through County Yorkshire towards Leeds. Just out-

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By Ruth J. Katz side the sleepy village of Dewsbury, I espied a BIG, white “Hollywood” sign, embedded into the landscape—a bizarre blot on the bucolic scenery. Here’s the scoop: Some years ago, a publican (local tavern-keeper) thought it would

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In Yorkshire County O pposite page: [ T he York Minster lit up at night ]

This page, clockwise from top: [ The Yorkshire Sculpture Garden; Betty’s famous Tea Room; the Hepworth Wakefield Gallery ]

be a clever means to drum up business with curiosity-seekers, dropping by for a pint. The pub may be gone, but its stab at innovative marketing remains.

However, I needn’t have been lured by “Hollywood” to come to Yorkshire, England’s largest county, and home to York, the second-most-visited city in England (7 million visitors a year, according to my trusty, engaging guide, Alan Rowley, from Complete Yorkshire); moreover, he whispers conspiratorially, it’s also England’s most haunted city, affirmed by an article in The Guardian in 2002, when the Ghost Research Foundation International bestowed that appellation on the town. There are many more lofty reasons to venture here, though.

The walled city of York abounds with history, most evident and striking at the majestic Gothic York Minster, the seat of the Archbishop of York, and arguably one of the grandest cathedrals of the world. The cathedral has withstood three fires (and been rebuilt), and today houses a magnificent rose window that Rowley says must be removed and cleaned every 150 years; it also is home to the remarkable, 50-foot-tall, grisaille “Five Sisters” windows. In sharp contrast to these expected appointments are the statues of 12 “Semaphore Saints,” a 2004 addition; they are headless statues, the arms of each directing “flags” of haloes in the classic semaphore alphabet, spelling out “Christ is here.”

Rowley confided that when they were cleaned once, a prankster put them back so that they read “Chris is there.” (They have been orthographically righted.)

A delightful, kind of wacky counterpoint to the weightiness of the Minster is the hokey Richard III Museum, snuggled in a guardhouse in the city

walls. It’s definitely worth the climb up two flights of dank, stone staircases, in order to hear the audio fantasy-trial of the last Plantagenet; you can decide for yourself whether Richard knocked off his two nephews, or whether he’s been terribly maligned by history.

You cannot leave York without some good eatin’: Betty’s is the premier tea shoppe throughout the region, and has been for generations. The apocryphal mistress serves up mind-boggling configurations of calories in fanciful arrangements of chocolate, fruity flavors, and whatever other ingredients she can coax her Mixmaster to fashion into delicacies, like her Fat Rascals, all of which are well worth the usual 45-minute queue. Also in town is the elegant yet cozy Cedar Court Hotel, with a wonderful dining room boasting top-flight cuisine; soon the hotel will also have spa bragging rights when it unveils its new sybaritic facility.

It’s worth noting, while talking about eating, that Yorkshire has five restaurants with Michelin stars. And Trip Advisor just named York number five in its Top 10 Food and Wine Destinations List for Europe. One reason is assuredly the Shibden Mill Inn, a 17th-century pub that has consistently garnered raves and trophies (Yorkshire’s Favourite Pub), and where I savored unforgettable, hearty fare. And in nearby Whitby is the Magpie, the destination for fish ’n chips (expect to line up here, too).

Elsewhere in delightful Yorkshire is the home of the Brontë “girls”—their father’s vicarage in Haworth, a town so charming, you’ll want to stop for a pint here. Stand in front of the picturesque residence—the atmospheric church 85

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TRAVELengland In London [ T he breathtaking view from The Trafalgar Hotel’s rooftop Sky Bar, overlooking Trafalgar Square ]

graveyard behind you—and think about Heathcliff, Edward Rochester, and the rest of the sisters’ dramatis personae.

In Whitby is the eminent abbey, its ruins high atop a rocky promontory overlooking the sheltered, postcard-worthy harbor. This Benedictine abbey was an inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and is now maintained by the English Heritage. There is culture galore in Yorkshire, and none as pleasant as the Yorkshire Sculpture Garden (dogs permitted), where you can amble through 500 luxuriant acres dotted with follies (think: shell grotto), a camellia house, and extraordinarily important sculpture. For indoor art, there is the newly opened Hepworth Wakefield Gallery, an impressive, rectilinear (but built with no right angles), steely structure in an ancient setting; galleries, awash with plenty of natural light, house a most impressive collection, including, of course, Barbara Hepworth’s ouevres.

For your other senses, there are spas galore in Yorkshire. I test-drove three: The Titanic Spa in Huddersfield is located in an old textile mill. When you enter, the first thing you see is the special pedi area, where you can secure one of those “little-fish-eat-your-calluses-off” treatments. The ladies who were experiencing it told me that it felt as if Champagne were tickling their tootsies. At the fabulous Eastthorpe Hall Spa (located in an ever-expanding manor home), owner Stephanie Barraclough will charm the calluses off your feet without little fish...she is just that charismatic and dedicated to giving you a sensory, relaxing, memorable experience. (She employs a chef, Granville Graham, who whips up healthy fare you will not forget.) Lastly is the Verbena Spa at the wonderfully comfy, elegant, and award-winning Feversham Arms Hotel in the quaint village of Helmsley. This hotel is a jewel, with a restaurant to match— great food, incredible staff, and an exquisite setting.

I used the Mint Hotel in Leeds (a very “happening” city) as my home base, and enjoyed the economical and convenient BritRail to get around.

My stay at the Mint was topped off each night with revelry at the rooftop bar, where genius mixologist Dean Railton (who won the recent Made in Yorkshire Cocktail Competition) seduced me with his sage-and-onion

Gibson, his Smokey Railton, and his Nail in the Coffin.

I can only say, if your stay in Yorkshire is anything like mine, you’ll indeed know “this other Eden” (to borrow from Shakespeare again) takes secondplace to none in the UK. Well, O.K., London cannot be included in that “none.” And if ever there were a year to visit London, 2012 is it, what with Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee and the Olympics. Regardless of your reason for going, there is so much new on the dining scene, and so many old chestnuts to be explored, I decided to eat my way through a week in London and supply Olympic devotees with ideas for vittles other than fairgrounds fare.

I suspect that no hotel re-opening was as anticipated as that of the fabled Savoy. Closed for more than three years, it’s back with a majestic flourish. The former playground of Enrico Caruso, Babe Ruth, Laurence Olivier, Josephine Baker, George Bernard Shaw, and scores of other bold-face names, it has been renovated skillfully and painstakingly. You’ll want to come here to enjoy a glass of hard-to-find Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Brut Rosé in the stunning Beaufort Bar, sheathed in jet black and patinaed gold. Dinner in the Riverfront Restaurant facing the Thames is an indulgence worth every pound (both kinds of pounds).

I would have to say that the best meal I had my entire week in London was at the brand-spanking-new Thirty-Six by Nigel Mendham, a Michelin-starred chef, now at the helm of Dukes Hotel’s intimate 36-seat restaurant. Named not for seating capacity but rather for the number symbolizing good luck in Chinese, the restaurant is a first-class winner. The chef offered up an amusebouche with an exhilarating explosion of flavor; it was a frothy confection of fancy walnuts, foie gras, Yukon gold potatoes, and chocolate—or at least I think it was. It was eclipsed by an astoundingly delicious salt marsh lamb of sticky ribs and braised shank with caramelized shallots. Chef Mendham is young and you will hear from him for years to come. For the Y-chromosome coterie, Dukes has a very clubby cigar bar, presided over by the hotel’s illustrious bartender, Alessandro Palazzi, whose “89” martini with a sugared rose and

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for people-watching; the he lobby bar at One Aldywch, a great spot Left to right: [ T the Langham Hotel ]

cozy, yet elegant, Artesian Bar at

a tad of a tonka bean is a must-have. (Be sure to have this in London, ’cause the tonka is outlawed in the States; The Atlantic said of the bean: “an ingredient so good it has to be illegal.”)

For a taste of home, though, you might consider heading to the MandarinOriental, where the legendary Daniel Boulud, no stranger to Gotham, has opened an outpost of Bar Boulud. First off, he’s brought some staff from this side of the pond to open his boite, and they know his exacting style; and to that group he’s added the most amazing people, so that overall, the staff could not be more helpful. I actually felt like maître d’ Paulo de Tarso and assistant general manager Juan Ramirez had adopted me and made me family, after my meal there. The joint is always hopping with a hot vibe and, of course, fabulous food; even the lowly saucisson et jambon is elevated to haute cuisine here.

And if it is other pop fare you crave, like a hamburger, then sashay on over to the Langham Hotel, which underwent a renovation a few years ago and is just gorgeous. The glamorous Artesian Bar (“World’s Best Cocktail Menu 2011” at the 5th Annual Spirited Awards) is the place to relish a burger and crispy chips, among other cunning offerings. For a “serious meal,” head to the

Langham’s Roux at The Landau, where celebrated father and son, Albert and Michel Roux, Jr., hold court. End your meal with a spiced plum soufflé with red wine ice cream and sablé crumb. Prepare to be rolled home.

For a very special bird’s-eye view of London—day or night—hit The Trafalgar’s rooftop Sky Bar, one of the few outdoor bars in London with a panoramic vista—and, parenthetically, with wickedly good drinks. The lobby bar at One Aldwych is a great spot for people-watching, especially during Fashion Week, since it is right across the street from Somerset House, the event’s main venue. And after a day of Knightsbridge shopping, an earned sit-down at the InterContinental’s new Arch bar is a welcome treat. n

[ the details ] yorkshire.com; completeyorkshire.com; visitbritain.com; visitlondon.com; london212.com; minthotel.com; fevershamarmshotel.com For train travel on BritRail, many passes are sold in the States (and not in the UK), so it’s best to buy ahead of time. BritRail offers 19,000 daily train departures to 2,500 destinations in England, Scotland, and Wales. acprail.com; 866-938-7245

The Corinthia: A grand new hotel, with a modern touch “Dazzling” comes to mind when you enter the imposing, just-opened Corinthia Hotel off Trafalgar Square. Grandeur with a touch of modernity. The lobby lounge features a “Full Moon” Baccarat chandelier with 1,001 crystals. The award-winning international company ESPA partnered with the hotel to create a spa that will truly take your breath away-- 35,000-plus square feet spread out over four floors, each more splendid and divinely designed than the next: A suspended fireplace, aubergine-velvet sleeping nooks, lavish marble, sparkling crystal, and sportsminded hydrotherapy.

The jewels here are the well-appointed, gracious guest rooms—your every caprice is anticipated. Even the night tables next to the bed have built-in master light switches, discreetly labeled. The chocolates on the pillow at night are from William & Suzue Curley Ltd, London’s hot, new chocolatier; in the lobby is a little outpost (the only one in London) of Harrod’s.

Eating here is an adventure in culinary magic. Afternoon tea—a lavish, three-actevent—is punctuated by petites delices so precious, you’ll want to take a picture [T he lobby at the Corinthia ] of them before you dive in. And dinner at Massimo is a meal you’ll relive mentally.

Renowned chef Massimo Riccioli has crafted a spectacular restaurant/oyster bar where seafood reigns: Native lobster with Muscat wine, olives, spinach, and vegetable spelt. End with, as I did, the hot zabaglione, that was so memorable, I am still hallucinating about it. But even more remarkable are the seven suites, the most dee-vine of which is the Royal, with its nearly 700-squarefoot terrace overlooking le tout London. If only... – RJK For more information, visit corinthia.com 87

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New York

Sightseeing

New York City is teeming with celebrities, but there’s only place you can guarantee yourself some star-spotting: Madame Tussauds in Times Square. Spirit of New York is an interactive exhibit celebrating many of the city’s greatest icons and defining cultural moments. You can immerse yourself in everything that is “New York” with a vibrant walk through the city’s history along with iconic wax figures of yesterday and today; stand alongside Marilyn Monroe in a classic movie scene; ring the bell at the Stock Exchange; and reflect at the 9/11 Memorial. See our Madame Tussauds listing for more information.

Apollo Theater – Harlem’s world-famous showplace offers tours seven days a week, as well as the Apollo Amateur Night every Wednesday at 7:30pm. 253 W. 125th St. btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves., 212-531-5337; apollotheater.org Bike and Roll NYC – Bike the Hudson River Greenway—it’s car-free, fun, and easy. A huge variety of bikes and accessories are available, as are guided tours including the Central Park Bike Tour, Brooklyn Bridge & the Hudson River, and many others. Multiple locations, including Pier 84, Hudson River Park, W. 44th St. & the Hudson River, and two locations in Central Park: Columbus Circle & Tavern on the Green, 212-260-0400; bikenewyorkcity.com

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BODIES...The Exhibition – This striking exhibit showcases real human bodies, giving visitors the opportunity to see themselves in a fascinating way like never before. Both captivating and edifying, it unveils the many complex systems of organs and tissues that drive every aspect of our daily lives and

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unite us all as humans. Exhibition Centre at the South Street Seaport, 11 Fulton St., 888-9BODIES; bodiestheexhibition.com Central Park (centralparknyc.org) – Belvedere Castle (79th St. south of the Great Lawn, 212-7720210) - This famed, whimsical landmark is within sight of the Delacorte Theatre (summer home of the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival.) The Henry Luce Nature Observatory at Belvedere Castle is a permanent interactive exhibit focusing on how to observe, record, and identify the plants and wildlife that exist in Central Park’s rich and diverse natural habitats. Bethesda Terrace (mid-Park at 72nd St.) - Reconstruction has restored the Victorian stonework and steps to the acre-sized esplanade. Carousel (mid-Park at 64th St., 212-879-0244) - Nostalgic turn-ofthe-century merry-go-round open daily, weather permitting. Central Park Zoo (64th St. & Fifth Ave., 212-439-6500; centralparkzoo.com) - From a steamy rain forest to an icy Antarctic penguin habitat, the zoo features natural tropical, temperate,

and polar environments with dozens of fascinating animals, from leafcutter ants to polar bears, plus monkeys, sea lions, and cute penguins. Open daily; call for hours. The Conservatory Garden (Fifth Ave. near 105th St.) - A lush and dazzling six-acre garden. The Dairy (mid-Park at 65th St., 212-7946564) - The main visitor information center, set in a vintage Victorian Chalet. Horse-and-Carriage Rides (212-736-0680) wait on the Central Park So./59th St. side of the Park. Sheep Meadow (66th to 69th Sts. on the west side of the park) is a lush, 15-acre quiet zone open for passive play and skyline admiring. Strawberry Fields (71st to 74th St. near Central Park West) - A 2.5-acre Interna­ tional Garden of Peace dedicated to the memory of John Lennon. Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (enter at Central Park West & 81st St., 212-988-9093) - Shows for the general public.

Call for current schedule. Tisch Children’s Zoo (Fifth Ave. btw. 64th & 65th Sts., 212-439-6500) This wildlife center echoes and reinforces the pastoral landscape of Central Park by creating a rustic Enchanted Forest with soft paths and native

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ONTHETOWN

Circle Line Downtown – Enjoy a narrated harbor tour including views of the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and more on board the luxurious ZEPHYR, departing daily at 10am, 11:15am, 12:30pm, 2pm & 3:30pm.

New Year’s Eve Cruise (12/31). 866-973-6998; circlelinedowntown.com Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises – Take in the grandeur of New York and see spectacular views of Manhattan as knowledgeable guides point out the famous landmarks. There are many cruises to choose from, for every type of traveler: the classic 3-hour Full-Island Cruise; the 2-hour Semi-Circle Cruise; the 75-minute Liberty Cruise (May-Oct.); the romantic 2-hour Harbor Lights Cruise.

Santa Cruise (12/17); New Year’s Eve Fireworks Cruise (12/31). Pier 83, W. 42nd St. & 12th Ave., 212-563-3200; circleline42.com CitySights NY – See New York from top-seatingonly double-decker buses with unobstructed views of NYC attractions, neighborhoods, and places of interest. Buses are furnished with state-of-the-art sound systems and entertaining urban-storytellers who offer interesting facts and tales about all of the city’s famous faces and places. They also feature combination tickets, day trips, and more. They offer tours in four languages (Italian, French, German, and Spanish). 212-812-2700; citysightsny.com CitySightseeing Cruises – Tours around Manhattan that showcase the architecture, history, and culture of the Big Apple. CitySightseeing Visitor Center, Pier 78, 455 12th Ave. @ 38th St., 212-445-7599; citysightseeingcruises.com Dialog in the Dark – Not an ordinary exhibition; an experience that will awaken senses, challenge prejudices, and deepen self-awareness. Dialog in the Dark’s visually impaired guides lead visitors on a one-hour journey through a series of darkened galleries created to replicate everyday experiences.

Without familiar sight clues, visitors learn to “see” in a completely new way with their non-visual senses. 11 Fulton St., South Street Seaport (across from Pier 17), 888-926-3437; dialognyc.com Discovery Times Square – NYC’s first large-scale exhibition center presenting visitors with limitedrun, educational and immersive exhibit experiences while exploring the world’s defining cultures, art, history and events. Now on view: CSI: The Experience (through 1/1) and Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Biblical Times. 226 W. 44th St., 866-987-9692; discoverytsx.com Empire State Building – From the Observatory on the 86th floor, reached by express elevator in less than a minute, Manhattan is an unforgettable

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THE KINGSBRAE ARMS: FIT FOR A KING, INDEED Once upon a time (well, in 1897) in the sleepy little village of St. Andrews bythe-Sea, a prominent Nova Scotia businessman built a stunning vacation retreat for his family. Although he lived (and was highly successful) in Shanghai—in the shipping business—he and his family ultimately spent much time in the elegant summer “cottage” in Nova Scotia, not so far from Campobello where the Roosevelts decamped to in the summer to their “modest cottages.” The home became a Mecca for artists and statesmen alike—and in fact, the property has hosted all the premiers of Canada.

Today, this exquisite home can host you, since it is currently the splendid Kingsbrae Arms, a Relais & Chateaux property (since 1998), and well deserved of its inclusion in that sorority of exceptional hotels and historic homes; moreover, the hotel has garnered countless outstanding awards. The ten rooms on the intimate property are all individually decorated, and in each you’ll feel like you are living at home, only in the home of your dreams (if you won the lottery).

Not to be missed here is a meal, if not two, in the lovely dining room. Chef Guillaume Delaune has worked and studied in Michelin-starred restaurants, including the world-renowned Le Moulin de Mougins. Daily, you’ll spot the chef in the gardens out back, hand-selecting what will be transformed into your meal a scant few hours. Notes Delaune, “Our food is about showcasing fresh Bay of Fundy bounty. It is a special moment of every day.” And so it is, just as your stay there will be beyond special. kingsbrae.com — Ruth J. Katz

This past September marked the 10-year anniversary of the life-changing tragedy Americans will never forget. After a decade of grieving, healing, and resilience, the National 9/11 Memorial is now open, marking a monumental change to the city—one that invokes a transformation at the revered site itself, and transforms the spaces left in the New York City skyline. Expanded over about 8 acres of the 16-acre site, the memorial includes two acre-size square reflecting pools, featuring North America’s largest manmade waterfalls cascading down the eight sides of the pools. In the spaces the towers previously occupied, there’s a cleared space for gatherings and special ceremonies called the “Memorial Grove,” and over 400 swamp white oaks including the “Survivor Tree,” a callery pear nursed back to health following the attacks. Advance visitor passes are required. To reserve a pass, visit 911memorial.org or call 212-266-5200 for groups of 10 or more. Visitors must enter at the Welcome Site at 1 Albany St. at Greenwich St. Hours are Mon.-Fri., 10am-8pm; weekends and holidays, 9am-8pm until January 8. From January 9-March 10, the memorial will be open Mon.-Sun., 10am-6pm. The last entries are ushered in an hour before closing.

Rendering Squared Design Lab

plantings. Youngsters will love the bewitching area, which suddenly unfolds into a magical place filled with birds flying freely overhead, contained in a virtually invisible net suspended in the trees, and a petting zoo.

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SIGHTSEEINGNEWYORK

spectacle day or night. You’ll enjoy the panoramic view, which, on a clear day, reaches 80 miles in each direction. Visitors may also enjoy the free changing exhibits in the lobby. Tickets to the 102nd floor observatory sold only upon arrival. Daily, 8am-2am; last elevator at 1:15. $22; $20 (seniors, 62+); $16 (6-12); free (under 5). 350 Fifth Ave. (34th St.), 212-736-3100; esbnyc.com

Grand Central Terminal – This landmark masterpiece boasts a vast, and dramatic sunken central room, lit by huge windows and ornamented by a ceiling depicting the constellations of the zodiac and anin­formation kiosk topped by an old clock set in the center of the main floor. Grand Central Holiday Fair (through 12/24); NY Transit Museum’s 7th annual Holiday Train Show

(11/24-1/9). 42nd St & Park Ave., 212-532-4900; grandcentralterminal.com Gray Line Sightseeing Tours – Daily tours by open-top deluxe double-decker buses and luxury coaches including the ALL LOOPS TOUR, a 2-day ticket hop-on and off w/ 50+ stops from Times Square and Broadway to Harlem to Brooklyn. 777 Eighth Ave. btw. 47th & 48th Sts.; PABT, 42nd St. & Eighth Ave.; Times Square, Broadway btw. 46th & 47th Sts., 800-669-0051; newyorksightseeing.com Helicopter Flight Services Tours – See NYC from above the turmoil of its streets. They offer 2 long helicopter tours that include the Statue of Liberty, N.Y. Harbor, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, Columbia University, the George Washington Bridge, Yankee Stadium and the Financial Center.

They also offer customized tours and hourly rates.

Downtown Heliport (Pier 6 & the East River), 212-355-0801; heliny.com Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – The renovated museum complex includes the 900-footlong aircraft carrier with seven full decks and four theme halls; the guided missile submarine Growler; and an extensive aircraft collection including the A-12 Blackbird and the British Airways Concorde.

Pier 86, W. 46th St. & 12th Ave., 212-245-0072; intrepidmuseum.org Liberty Helicopter Tours – Six different tours in modern jet helicopters. Reservations required for 6 or more passengers. Downtown Heliport (Pier 6 & the East River), 212-967-6464; libertyhelicopters.com Madame Tussauds New York – A chance for an up-close-and-personal look at nearly 200 famous faces, from the Dalai Lama to Madonna, Albert Einstein to Joe DiMaggio. The famed Madame Tussauds wax museum in London has a spectacular NYC version in Times Square that’s become one of the city’s must-see sights. New York and world notables from film, television, music, politics, history and sports are represented in themed displays. Open 365 days a year. $36; $33 (seniors); $29 (4-12). 234 W. 42nd St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.), 866-841-3505; nycwax.com National 9/11 Memorial – Expanded over about 8 acres of the 16-acre site, the memorial includes two acre-size square reflecting pools, featuring North America’s largest manmade waterfalls cascading down the eight sides of the pools. In the spaces the towers previously occupied, there’s a cleared space for gatherings and special ceremonies called the “Memorial Grove,” and over 400 swamp white oaks including the “Survivor Tree,” a callery pear nursed back to health following the attacks. Advance visitor passes are required. To reserve a pass, visit 911memorial.org or call 212-266-5200 for groups of 10 or more. 1 Albany St. at Greenwich St.

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NBC Universal Store / Studio Tour – Stroll through the halls of NBC, the NBC History Theatre, and the studios of some of NBC’s most

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ONTHETOWN

popular shows, including “SNL,” “The Today Show,” and others. Tours run every 15 to 30 minutes, seven days a week. Reservations recommended. The NBC Universal Store is open Mon.-Sat., 8am-7pm; Sun., 9am-6pm.

30 Rockefeller Plaza, 49th St. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves., 212-664-3700; nbcuniversalstore.com The New York Botanical Garden – Offering a variety of gardens and collections and events, courses and exhibitions, year-round. Events include: Holiday Train Show (11/19-1/16); Caribbean Garden (1/21-2/26). Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W at Fordham Rd.), The Bronx, or by Metro-North Railroad to Botanical Garden Station, 718-817-8700; nybg.org

innovative features, with three decks featuring outdoor terraces and indoor space. Open daily, 8am-midnight. Reserved-time tickets available.

30 Rockefeller Center (W. 50th St. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.), 877-692-7625; topoftherocknyc.com Tribute WTC 9/11 Visitor Center – Recovered objects, photographs, oral stories, films and personal

effects -- including a fireman’s jacket and dinner receipt -- in five different galleries offer visitors the chance to pay respects to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, NYC terrorist attacks. Open Mon., Wed.-Sat., 10am-6pm, Tues., noon-6pm, Sun., noon-5pm.

General admission: $15 adults, $10 seniors/ students, under 12 free. 120 Liberty St. (GreenwichChurch Sts.), 866-737-1184; tributewtc.org

New York Pass – Admission to more than 40 top attractions and museums with a comprehensive, 140-page guidebook, maps and discounts for 25+ top restaurants and retailers. Pass includes Empire State Building, Circle Line Sightseeing, Madame Tussauds, NBC Studio Tour and more. 1-, 2-, 3- & 7-day passes, from $80. Available at newyorkpass.com, by calling 877-714-1999 New York Water Taxi – Tours include the 1-hour Statue of Liberty Express and the Statue

By Night Tour nightly at 7:45pm. 866-973-6998; nywatertaxi.com NYC Freedom Tour – A unique land-and-water tour experience, and an economical way to see downtown Manhattan. Focusing on the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center Memorial, the tour begins on a bus in Times Square and includes a boat cruise downtown to see the WTC Memorial, a bus tour of lower Manhattan with a drive across to Brooklyn’s Fulton Ferry Landing, and finishing with another boat cruise to see the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty. Tours depart at 9am, 10:30am & noon. 212-852-4821; nycfreedomtour.com OnBoard Tours – NYC’s most comprehensive 5-1/2-hour tour combines driving and short walks with a ferry cruise past the Statue of Liberty. Stops include the World Trade Center site, Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building.

212-277-8019; onboardnewyorktours.com Radio City Music Hall – Get an exclusive look at the legendary hall. Daily, 11am-3pm. $19.25; seniors, $15; under 12, $12.50. Tickets sold at Radio City on the day of the tour. 1260 Sixth Ave. (50th St.), 212-307-7171; radiocity.com Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square – Ripley’s showcases the oddities in life and delivers the ultimate in shockingly strange, true stories. Open daily, 9am-1am. 234 W. 42nd St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.), 212-398-3133; ripleysnewyork.com Top of the Rock – The brainchild of John D. Rockefeller, the original deck was designed to evoke the upper decks of a 1930s grand ocean liner. They’ve preserved the historic integrity of Rockefeller’s creation while incorporating

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The Leopard at des Artistes Location is everything—well, perhaps not if you’re a restaurant (where food and flavors are and will always be the determining factors for greatness), but nevertheless, the recently opened Italian restaurant The Leopard can’t get much better when it comes to all of the above.

Stationed in one of the most iconic spaces in New York City— the landmarked Hotel des Artistes, designed by George Mort Pollard and developed by Walter Russell as an artist’s cooperative apartment building at the turn of the 20th century, and the former home of the renowned Café des Artistes—The Leopard has ambiance to spare, with Howard Chandler Christy’s nine “Fantasy Scenes with Naked Beauties” oil-on-canvas murals situated throughout the newly renovated space.

But the food is even more remarkable than the atmosphere.

Owned by husband-and-wife team Gianfranco and Paula Bolla Sorrentino (whose famed Il Gattopardo is located at 33 W. 54th St.), The Leopard’s menu is rooted in the area once known as “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies” (mid 1800s) and in the culinary traditions of the Italian regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia, and Sicily. The result is everyday food done with respect to Southern Italian cultural traditions, absolute quality of ingredients, modern research, and outstanding service.

In September of 2009, the Livanos family, owners of this legendary sea-foodery, made a big splash by packing up their crew—including lauded Executive Chef Ben Pollinger—and moving from East 54th Street to a glittering and expansive Rockefeller Center location on West 49th. Now two years old and a staple of NYC’s seafood-dining scene, the locale offers a 165-seat dining room, private rooms providing an additional 106 seats, and additional outdoor seating for 60. A huge, custom lobster tank announces the open kitchen and the striking raw bar greets Oceana’s entrants with one of the largest displays of fresh fish in the city. Raw bar diners lucky enough to snag a seat at this luxuriously appointed beacon of seafood are privy to a daily selection of oysters and clams on the half shell, crudos, ceviches, caviar plates and chilled seafood — among which marinated razor clams, and the spicy smoked tuna roll are stand-outs.

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Oceana

Private dining room and event coordination—with flowers, invitations, decorations, and more—is available. Reservations are strongly recommended. Dinner daily, 5-11:30pm (Sun. until 10pm); lunch Mon.-Fri., noon-3pm; brunch Sat. & Sun., 11:30am-3pm.

Location 1 West 67th Street • 212-787-8767 • theleopardnyc.com

A pure and natural ethos characterizes Pollinger’s cooking style.

Through his innovative compositions, traditional preparations of whole fish and other offerings are transformed into superb global cuisine, such as the bold flavors of his Halibut saltimbocca with spinach, prosciutto, confit tomato and sheep’s milk ricotta. House smoked fish, specialty condiments and artisan breads baked on premises further showcase his careful attention to detail.

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Although any restaurateur or chef will tell you that the greatest reward is getting a positive response from patrons, Oceana has sustained quite a few more tangible ones as well. Oceana just earned its fifth Michelin star for 2012, and was nominated for a 2010 Time Out New York “Eat Out Award” for “Best New Seafood Restaurant.” In his three-star review, former Times critic Frank Bruni wrote, “The fish was excellent, and superbly cooked. More than that, it was a vessel for an exhilarating voyage around the world, through culinary traditions as disparate as Italian and Indian.”

Location 120 West 49th Street • 212-759-5941 • oceanarestaurant.com

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DINING the other europeans

New York

By Marian Betancourt

NORDIC CUISINE: Aquavit

Nordic cuisine is the rising star of the international culinary scene and Aquavit is leading the way in this country. Their new young Executive Chef, Marcus Jernmark of Sweden, brings this cuisine to exceptional levels of excellence, and the restaurant has brightened up the ambiance with a redesign. The chef’s tasting menu is a lineup of adventurous new flavors, beginning with an oyster amuse served in a shallow bowl of stones in water to remind you of the sea.

Glassblower herring with bleak roe from white fish spawned in the Arctic Ocean is served on an elegant length of slate with vasterbotten a hard cow’s cheese, and brown butter sabayon. Gravlax may be the best you will ever taste. After the salmon is cured, it is slow poached to a temperature of 37 degrees centigrade to achieve a melting yet firm texture. It is served with trout caviar, sour cream, Meyer lemon, and birch syrup, from the trees so plentiful in the north.

Chanterelle veloute is a warm velvety root vegetable broth with skyr, a tangy Icelandic yogurt. Small pickled chanterelle mushrooms, duck rillettes, shaved truffles, and crunchy roasted barley make this the ultimate comfort food. A vinegar glazed pork shoulder braised with Savoy cabbage, pearl onion, and truffled celeriac is another winner.

The bread is baked on premise by Pastry Chef Emma Bengtsson and includes knackebrod, small crisps that you won’t find elsewhere.

Chef Christopher Rendell lends a culinary sophistication to traditional dishes of the British Isles. For starters, try the beer-battered oysters, prepared with a different beer each day, whether a pilsner or a more acidic IPA. Highlands smoked salmon is smooth and tasty with piccalilli and caper berries. Fish and chips come with a side of mushy peas, another regional favorite – the chef marinates fresh snap peas then smashes them with a bit of mint. The seared scallops, dressed simply with lemon and olive oil, are sprinkled with crispy and tangy bits of dried black pudding. The traditional Banoffee pudding is a tasty dessert with coffee caramel and Graham cracker.

Location 65 East 55th Street • 212-307-7311 • aquavit.org

Jason Wyche

Mary Queen of Scots was a beautiful, strong-willed woman who led a storied life during the political intrigue of the 16th century. Although Mary came to an unfortunate end, this elegant British restaurant memorializes her from the moment you step onto her royal seal in the tiled entry, through the Alexander McQueen tartan-covered banquettes, to the bar and lounge that serves 100 different scotches.

Small dishes are served on floral china, as if you are attending a tea party for the Queen, but there is nothing “tea party-ish” about this happening spot that attracts expats from the UK, and entertainment celebs such as actor Alexander Skarsgard.

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FROM THE BRITISH ISLES: Mary Queen of Scots

Aquavit, the restaurant’s namesake, is available in many ways such as the popular Midtown Martini—cucumber aquavit and dry vermouth.

Enjoy it in the lounge area, where small plates are also available. The international wine list is superb. Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday.

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A good way to taste all those scotches is with a whiskey “flight” during happy hour. Then there’s what The New York Times called “a thrilling Rob Roy,” a drink named for Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor. Now there’s another story—or perhaps another restaurant! Dinner daily from 6 pm.

Location 115 Allen Street • 212-460-0915 • maryqueenofscotsnyc.com

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VIENNESE WALTZ: Café Sabarsky Entering Café Sabarsky, inside the Neue Galerie, with its early 20th-century furnishings, is like stepping into Old Vienna, and on certain dates you can enjoy some cabaret with your weiner schnitzel. A truly perfect schnitzel is much like a soufflé, says Chef/Owner Kurt Guttenbrunner. Without giving away any secrets, it has something to do with the way the veal is coated, the amount of oil in the very hot pan, the right time to add a lump of cold butter, and then there’s a way to keep the pan in motion, all of which causes the soufflé effect and results in a crispy yet fluffy crust on the meat. It is served simply with potato cucumber salad and lingonberries.

Weisswurst (white sausage) mit brazen (warm pretzel) and Handelmaier’s mustard is a standout dish, as is bratwurst with Reisling sauerkraut and roasted potatoes. Palatschinken, chilled smoked trout crepes and horseradish crème fraiche, is sublime.

Did I mention a top-flight Austrian and German wine list?

Once you’ve tried Viennese coffees, such as Einspanner, or double espresso with whipped cream in a glass, Starbucks will never be the same to you. If you prefer a latte, here it is called milchkaffee. Sachertorte, the classic Viennese dark chocolate cake with housemade apricot confiture, is a must. But there are many temptations, such as linzertorte and apfelstrudel.

FROM SPAIN: Gastroarte “I like to play with color,” says Gastroarte Chef/owner Jesus Nunez, who was a graffiti artist before his father insisted he grow up and get a real job. He did this very nicely, establishing his culinary reputation in Barcelona and Madrid before heading to New York and this elegant space on the lower level of an Upper West Side brownstone.

(The restaurant name recently changed from Graffit.) The tapas lounge, which gets crowded early, leads to a formal dining room, and in season, an outdoor garden space.

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Guttenbrunner, who also operates Wallse, Blaue Gans, and Café Kristall, has just published a new cookbook, Neue Cuisine: Elegant Tastes of Vienna. Breakfast and lunch daily except Tuesday when the gallery is closed; dinner Thursday through Sunday. Prix-fixe menu on cabaret nights.

Location 1048 5th Avenue • 212-288-0665 • cafesabarsky.com

There’s an excellent Spanish wine list and the tapas menu is a cornucopia of wonderfully colorful and inventive dishes. Vegetables play a big role even in cocktails, such as The Beet Goes On, a potent concoction of gin, ginger liqueur, beets, lime, and celery apple foam.

Beet cubes and coins of goat cheese are arranged like a garden, with greens in a delicious mosaic salad.

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“The eyes are telling the brain what is there; it’s a discovery,” says Nunez, as he presents a winter garden of asparagus and carrots growing in the edible earth of falafel. Free-form metal sculpture becomes the vehicle to bring croquetas de jamon to the table; you simply pluck one from the sculpture as a leaf from a tree. There’s an entree of duck breast and apple in five flavors and textures, and a rabbit and carrot dish, too. But wait, here comes the Jackson Pollock dessert, a white chocolate “canvas” of red, green, and brown “drips” atop a pedestal of hazelnut pudding. At meal’s end, a dumpling skin wrapped around hot dark chocolate is warm ambrosia as it melts in your mouth. Dinner daily; brunch weekends.

Location 141 West 69th Street • 646-692-8762 • gastroartenyc.com

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ANOTHER SPANIARD: La Fonda del Sol This is the place to go if you want to discover the elegance of Spanish wines, such as the dry white Albarinos of Rias Baixas, chardonnays of Cataluna, and the rich aged tempranillos.

You can enjoy them in three areas: the outdoor café with red umbrellas, the interior bar and casual tapas area, and then higher up, a glass-enclosed formal dining room from which you can watch the action in the other areas, like a TV on mute. Soft Spanish music completes the ambiance.

A favorite tapas is “albondiguillas,” pork meatballs served on skewers with a sauce of tomato and pimento. Complement this with a dish of blistered baby green peppers, simply tossed with olive oil, roasted, and sprinkled with salt. Addictive! The meatballs are paired perfectly with a Valdirez temperanillo.

Another delicious tapas is chistorra, Basque chorizo cooked in cider, and there is always a ceviche of the day. Octopus is either grilled, a la plancha, with chorizo picante, potatoes and piquillo peppers, or marinated and served on coins of potato with pickled vegetables. Several dishes include Serrano ham and there is a wide selection of Spanish cheese. Entrées include the traditional paella as well as meat and fish choices. Try the cochinillo, extremely tender suckling pig served with sun chokes, pickled onions, and a yummy bacon marmalade.

Vladimir Ocokoljic is an architect who spent years designing bars and restaurants until one day while walking his dog, Mishko, he came upon an available restaurant space and decided to establish Kafana, a charming and rustic homage to his Serbian homeland.

Chairs and banquettes are covered with red and black folk tapestry and brick walls are covered with photographs of his ancestors at weddings, graduations, soccer games, and a striking 19th-century father and son in traditional garb.

Meat is the mainstay of Serbian cuisine, and cevapi, the national dish, is grilled minced meat shaped into sticks and served with chopped onion on the side. The flavor secret is the combination of pork, beef, and lamb mixed with finely minced onion and garlic. The Serbian burger (pljeskavica), made with the same mix, has become the most popular item on Kafana’s menu, attracting the likes of world tennis champ Novak Djokovic. Another tasty dish is prebranac, baked lima or great northern beans with onion and paprika. A basket of fresh bread comes to the table with ajvar, a sweet and smoky spread of roasted red pepper and eggplant. Sopska is a traditional salad of tomato, cucumber, and onion with feta cheese, similar to Greek salad.

[ Wine director Nicholas Nahigian ]

Eric Laignel

Location 200 Park Avenue • 212-867-6767 • patinagroup.com

Patina Restaurant Group

“Have you been Serbed?” was a headline on one of scores of enthusiastic reviews of Kafana, a Serbian restaurant on the Lower East Side, an area fast becoming the trendiest part of the city for foodies.

Beamers, Jags, and stretch limos cruise among the motorcycles.

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BEING SERBED: Kafana

The bunuelos (cinnamon fritters), a favorite traditional dessert, arrive with three dipping sauces: salty caramel, maracuya peppercorn, and orange chocolate. It’s hard not to ask for seconds, but by now you are well sated. Perhaps a small sherry por favor. Lunch and dinner Monday to Friday; closed weekends.

Location 116 Avenue C • 212-353-8000 • kafananyc.com

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Eric Laignel

NYC

Kafana’s excellent selection of Serbian and Eastern European wines includes Simcic Pinot Noir and Movia Cabernet, highly lauded by the wine press. Dinner daily; brunch on weekends.

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American ABC Kitchen - Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s contemporary American restaurant inside ABC Carpet & Home features a locally sourced, globally artistic changing menu “passionately commited to offering the freshest organic and local ingredients possible.” Open for dinner 7 days at 5:30. ABC Carpet & Home, 35 E. 18th St., 212-475-5829; abckitchennyc.com Arabelle - A stunning backdrop for modern American cuisine. This elegant gold-domed room with Murano glass and brass chandeliers combines touches of Europe and Asia, as the chiffon-colored walls with murals of pagodas and faux conservatory windows create a serene and soothing mood. Sunday brunch is an event not to be missed: enjoy a buffet of steamed lobster, chilled shrimp, salads and sliced meats; then, order off of the entrée menu before attending the dessert buffet. Hotel Plaza Athénée, New York, 37 E. 64th St., 212-606-4647; arabellerestaurant.com Beacon - Feasting on cuisine cooked over a wood fire is an incomparably delicious experience, and at Beacon, it’s all about the flame. Waldy Malouf, chef and co-owner, wields flame as a culinary tool to enhance the bold flavors of his ingredients, employing a wood-burning oven, a rotisserie, and a grill to perfect his earthy, flavorful and inventive American fare. 25 W. 56th St., 212-332-0500; beaconnyc.com Blue Smoke - This bustling restaurant puts the “soul” back into soul food.

They’ve got spareribs cooked Kansas City-style (saucy) and St. Louis-style (marbled), as well as pulled-pork and Texas beef-brisket sandwiches. Make a

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night of it—lick the sauce off your fingers and head downstairs for live music at the Jazz Standard. 116 E. 27th St., 212-447-7733; bluesmoke.com The Breslin Bar and Dining Room - The latest gastropub venture from the team behind the Spotted Pig and chef de cuisine Peter Cho, featuring full English breakfasts, decadent three-cheese-and-ham sandwiches, and some of the best fries in the city. For dinner, expect exquisite cuts of meat, sausages, and a variety of terrines. Ace Hotel, 20 W. 29th St., 212-679-2222; thebreslin.com Bryant Park Grill - Overlooking the magnificent Bryant Park and set behind the landmarked New York Public Library, this American-style grill, with seasonal outdoor patio and roof-top dining, features an elegant and sophisticated dining room ideal for a romantic dinner or a festive party. Whether you’re in the mood for light fare or a full-course meal, the restaurant’s high-end, traditional menu is sure to delight. 25 W. 40th St., 212-840-6500; arkrestaurants.com B. Smith’s - Fine American cuisine with Southern influences, located on Restaurant Row in the Theater District/Times Square area, courtesy of the popular television host. The Albert Rivera Organ Trio performs every Friday and Saturday night, 8:30-11:30pm and during a live jazz brunch on Sundays from 11:30am to 3pm, featuring weekly jazz duos and many of New York City’s finest musicians. 320 W. 46th St., 212-315-1100; bsmith.com City Hall Restaurant - City Hall Restaurant has been a crowd pleaser since opening in 1998. Just a few blocks from “the other City Hall,” this sophisticated Tribeca mainstay blends 21st-century elegance with rustic New York charm.

Chef/owner Henry Meer brings almost 30 years of experience to the table in the

James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur David Burke serves his signature whimsical, modern American cuisine at David Burke Townhouse, the Upper East Side eatery that made him famous. The stunning decor includes a striking, backlit salt wall, a playful dungeon door resembling a classic castle door complete with skeleton keys, as well as new fabrics, carpet and wall coverings, and a stunning mahogany wine display that holds over 300 bottles.

The menu includes signature dishes from Burke’s career such as Sea Scallops Benedict and the “Lobster Steak” while continuing to offer the inventive dishes that have made Townhouse a neighborhood fixture since 2003. A meat-carving station provides drama as whole chicken, rack of lamb and porterhouse steak are carved and presented tableside. Burke and his executive chef worked closely to create dishes including Pretzel Crusted Crabcake with Tomato Orange Chutney and Poppy Seed Honey, Chicken Fried Skate with Country Gravy and Braised Greens, and, of course, his Famous Cheesecake Lollipop Tree.

Saturdays and Sundays they feature one of Zagat’s top 25 brunches in New York City, offering signature Burke dishes such as the Titanic French Toast, Organic Lobster Scramble, Classic Eggs Benedict and Cheesecake Lollipops. On Sunday evenings, a $35 prix-fixe dinner menu is also available.

David Burke’s tasty NYC empire: David Burke Townhouse (133 E. 61st St., 212-8132121; davidburketownhouse.com); David Burke @ Bloomingdale’s (150 E. 59th St., 212-705-3800; burkeinthebox.com); David Burke Kitchen (23 Grand St., (Thompson St.) 212-201-9119; davidburkekitchen.com); and Fishtail (135 E. 62nd St., 212-754-1300; fishtaildb.com).

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form of surf, turf, and his claim to “the best burger in town.” 131 Duane St. (West Broadway-Church St.), 212-227-7777; cityhallnewyork.com

recommend that you make your reservation at least 5 to 7 days in advance. 99 E. 52nd St., 212-754-9494; fourseasonsrestaurant.com

New American menu offers transcendent twists on the classics. 455 Madison Ave. (50th St.), 212-891-8100; giltnewyork.com

CrossBar - Four-time James Beard Award-winning chef Todd English’s latest culinary concept, CrossBar, is his modern interpretation of “Head to Tail” pork cooking featuring retro snacks, composed entrées, plates to share and even whole roasted suckling pig dinners. An extensive list of premium bourbon, Scotch, and whiskeys (as well as craft beers and international and domestic wines) pairs well with the meat-centric menu. 47 W. 20th St. at Sixth Ave., 212-359-3550; crossbarny.com

Gilt - The New York Palace’s elegant and refined yet striking and futuristic restaurant, where contemporary, honey-colored leather accented with white man-made materials provide harmonious contrast to the 19th-century details. The

Gramercy Tavern - This classic American tavern offers extraordinary cuisine and hospitality in a historic landmark, featuring contemporary American fare with French and Italian overtones.

42 E. 20th St., 212-477-0777; gramercytavern.com

David Burke at Bloomingdale’s - Part of the famed restaurateur’s New York City empire, located in SoHo. Focusing on wholesome, unique and modern American food presented in the creative and whimsical style that is Burke’s trademark, the Thomas Schlesser-designed restaurant blends the cool, industrial simplicity of an airy loft with the rustic warmth of a country barn. 150 E. 59th St., 212-705-3800; burkeinthebox.com David Burke Kitchen - Relive the glamorous era of Cole Porter and New York’s café society in the sleek, high-ceilinged elegance of what was once the cavernous Art Deco assembly hall of the old Met Life Building. The restaurant has that wonderful jazzy, streamlined look of the Roaring ’20s and the menu features American fare with an emphasis on sophisticated French classics. The James New York, 23 Grand St. (Thompson St.), 212-201-9119; davidburkekitchen.com David Burke Townhouse - The flagship of the Burke-ian fleet, this provocative and elegant Upper East Side resident has been turning heads and delighting patrons since 2003. As dishes— like the culinary marvel, the crisp & angry lobster “cocktail”—make their way through the dining room you’ll see that Burke’s flair for presentation is matched only by the food’s outstanding taste. 133 E. 61st St., 212-813-2121; davidburketownhouse.com Doral Arrowwood - Westchester County’s Doral Arrowwood hotel features three dining options.

Dine al fresco at Mulligan’s Outdoor Cafe, which overlooks the ninth green and features salads, light dishes, and grilled specialties. The PUB has a wrap-around bar and fireplace as well as 14 high-definition flat-screen TVs, pool tables, dartboards, and a dance floor. The light, airy Atrium serves buffet-style lunches and à la carte dinners. 975 Anderson Hill Road, Rye Brook, NY, 914-939-5500; doralarrowwood.com The Four Seasons - A spectacularly beautiful restaurant serving excellent American seasonal specialties. As seasons change, so do the menu and decor. The restaurant has two dining rooms: the Pool Room and with its trees and marble pool, and the wood-paneled Grill Room. One of America’s most complete wine lists. We strongly

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The Harrison - This Tribeca favorite exudes the aura of a long-time neighborhood haunt, serving comfort food with a downtown twist.

355 Greenwich St. (Harrison St.), 212-274-9310; theharrison.com Istana - Inventive, creatively presented bistro-style cuisine, including an array of á la carte appetizers, entrées, and desserts complemented by seasonal specialties, in a relaxed atmosphere. New York Palace Hotel, 455 Madison Ave. (51st St.), 212-303-6032; newyorkpalace.com The Libertine - Celebrity chef Todd English’s clubby restaurant and bar with a small dining room and a rustic pub fare menu. A popular stop for the neighborhood’s Financial District workers, with imaginative house cocktails. 15 Gold St. (Platt St.), 212-785-5950; thelibertinerestaurant.com The Lion - Founding chef and partner of the Waverly Inn, John DeLuci’s restaurant offers his unique, Italian-American take on classic cuisine, which has attracted both celebrities and serious food fans.

62 W. 9th St., 212-353-8400; thelionnyc.com Chef/partner Jim Botsacos, along with chef David Arias, has worked diligently to create an authentic menu that includes the spectrum of Italian cuisine at Abboccato. Abboccato, meaning “pleasing to the mouth” in Italian, features all the classic and recognizable meals and appetizers native to Italy, including Casunzie, a half-moon ravioli filled with beets, gorgonzola and tossed with Italian butter and poppy seeds. They also offer a traditional Chicchetti menu, comprised of small, sharable plates, and includes dishes such as wild mushroom flatbread, served with truffle cheese and Robiola ricotta. 136 W. 55th St., 212-265-4000; livanosrestaurantgroup.com

Marc Forgione - Chef Marc Forgione presents laid-back, high-style New American cuisine in an energetic atmosphere. The menu showcases fresh ingredients and new twists on seasonal favorites. 134 Reade St. (Greenwich-Hudson Sts.), 212-941-9401; forgenyc.com Métrazur - Charlie Palmer’s gorgeous seasonal American restaurant overlooking Grand Central Terminal’s Main Concourse features an open kitchen where Chef de Cuisine Stefan Bahr adds a Mediterranean touch to Palmer’s signature style. Grand Central Terminal, East Balcony, 42nd St. & Park Ave., 212-687-4600; charliepalmer.com/Properties/Metrazur/ The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English - A European-inspired specialty food hall offering the finest fresh, prepared and gourmet foods set in a stylish atmosphere. Fresh flowers, international specialty foods, cookware, and home goods are available for purchase. The Plaza, 1 W. 59th St., 212-986-9260; theplazafoodhall.com The Red Cat - This popular neighborhood bistro—the creation of chef/owner Jimmy Bradley—features executive chef/partner Bill McDaniel’s straightforward presentations and intense flavors such as roasted cod with savory, shiitake, sugar snaps, and Champagne tomato butter. The spot lives up to its sassy name with sporty red banquettes to match the innovative American plates. 227 Tenth Ave. (23rd St.), 212-242-1122; theredcat.com The River Cafe - One of the world’s most famous views combined with one of the most glamorous and romantic restaurants creates a premier dining destination for discriminating New Yorkers as well as heads of state and celebrities. The cuisine, desserts, and outstanding wine list more than live up to the spectacular waterfront ambiance. 1 Water St. at the East River, Brooklyn, 718-522-5200; rivercafe.com

Newly opened in the heart of the Theatre District, Mr. Robata’s sushi pairs premium ingredients with inventive twists, like chopped o-toro with mango, or salmon with zucchini tempura. Their signature robata dishes bring the centuries-old open-hearth grilling of rural Japan into the contemporary New York culinary scene through flourishes of French cuisine—like their duck breast and foie gras, served with a warm strawberry sauce—and hints of classic American comfort food, like in their wagyu sliders. Their dining room’s trendy décor and comfortable ambience sets the perfect mood for this culinary voyage. Open daily, noon-3am.

1674 Broadway (52nd-53rd Sts.), 212-757-1030; mrrobata.com

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“21” Club - One of the most iconic and elegant dining destinations in NYC. Executive Chef John Greeley balances classic ‘21’ dishes such as Dover Sole and New York’s best crab cakes with his own cutting-edge creations such as Vermont farm-raised lamb with creamed nettles, roasted eggplant and fingerling potatoes; and roasted halibut with shrimp, bay scallops, razor clams, bok choy, chanterelle and corn kernels. Dine in either the famous Bar Room or romantic Upstairs at ‘21’; or host an event in one of their ten private banquet rooms. Jacket required. 21 W. 52nd St., 212-582-7200; 21club.com Union Square Cafe - By day, this is one of the most red-hot businesslunch spots in town; by night, it’s a popular bistro. Owner Danny Meyer, chef Michael Romano, and executive chef Carmen Quagliata oversee this hit, serving American cuisine with Italian soul. 21 E. 16th St. (Union Sq. West-Fifth Ave.), 212-243-4020; unionsquarecafe.com

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The View - Spectacular, panoramic views of the city from the 47th floor and inviting décor of leather, velvet and lacquered woods are a splendid backdrop for the contemporary American, New York-centric menu and wine list. Times Square Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway (45th-46th Sts.), 212-704-8900; nymarriottmarquis.com

Sugiyama - Even New York’s most knowledgeable Japanese-cuisine aficionados are astonished by the authenticity of chef-owner Nao Sugiyama’s creations, which are his own interpretation of the traditional Kaiseki meals—multi-course, prix-fixe dinners that range from the mini-Kaiseki to a majestic 14-course extravaganza—all personally prepared behind an open counter. 251 W. 55th St.,

212-956-0670; sugiyama-nyc.com Tse Yang Restaurant - The serenely elegant Tse Yang lives up to its name, an exclusive epicurean “Center of the Sun” boasting authentic, Northern Chinese seasonal dishes created from fresh local and imported ingredients and served Europeanstyle. 34 E. 51st St., 212-688-5447; tseyangnyc.com

ARGENTINEAN Buenos Aires - Known for their uncompromising choice of the finest cuts of beef and the freshest vegetables—quality food at reasonable prices in a charming, warm, cozy atmosphere. 513 E. 6th St. (Ave. A-Ave. B), 212-228-2775; buenosairesnyc.com

Asian Bann - Young Choi, owner of Woo Lae Oak, got even more creative with Bann, the city’s highestrated Korean restaurant according to Zagat.

The elegant, cool ambiance is characterized by the hand-crafted copper bar and marble tables, with the flickering flames of smokeless barbecue grills in the center of each table—the fare is very eclectic. 350 W. 50th St., 212-582-4446; bannrestaurant.com Chin Chin - One of the city’s premier destinations for haute Chinese cuisine, using ingredients from around the world, prepared with Asian techniques and spices. Specialties include the Grand Marnier prawns and minced squab in lettuce wraps. 216 E. 49th St., 212-888-4555; chinchinny.com Jungsik - Chef Jungsik Yim presents a modern interpretation of contemporary, fine dining Korean cuisine. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday. 2 Harrison St. (Hudson St.), 212-219-0900; jungsik.kr Kin Shop - Chef Harold Dieterle and Alicia Nosenzo offer both contemporary reinterpretations of traditional Thai dishes and new items inspired

by Thai ingredients (meant to be shared), as well as Thai-influenced specialty cocktails. 469 Sixth Ave. (11th St.), 212-675-4295; kinshopnyc.com Lychee House - “Modern Chinese” inspired by contemporary culinary practices and ranging from comfort food like sesame chicken, to more exotic culinary experiences. Dim Sum available on evenings and weekends. 141 E. 55th St. (Lexington-Third Aves.), 212-753-3900; lycheehouse.com Spice Market - Stepping into this Meatpacking District retreat will transport you into a world of Eastern exotica, far from New York’s urban hustle and bustle. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten draws inspiration from the best of the region’s street food and gives it a New York spin. 403 W. 13th St., 212-675-2223; spicemarketnewyork.com

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DININGNEWYORK

Continental Delmonico’s - Founded in 1837, Delmonico’s was the country’s first fine-dining establishment, introducing haute cuisine, wine lists, and menus written in French to the United States. It has been returned to its former glory in its stately landmark premises in the Financial District, with dark mahogany and period murals that evoke the restaurant’s legendary days as the favorite haunt of the city’s power brokers. Private dining rooms available. 56 Beaver St. (William St.), 212-509-1144; delmonicosny.com One If By Land, Two If By Sea - Consistently rated one of the most romantic restaurants in New York. Located in a converted carriage house, with two fireplaces and a pianist playing in the background, it’s like dining in an aristocrat’s extravagant living room. 17 Barrow St. (Seventh Ave.-W. 4th St.), 212-228-0822; oneifbyland.com

Ouzo flows freely and the baklava is piled high at Molyvos, an authentic Greek spot located in midtown Manhattan. A tavern-like atmosphere (including the boisterous crowds) doesn’t prepare you for the food to come: The menu is built upon the home-style cooking of Greece, with dishes elevated through the talents of executive chef James Botsacos.

He prepares each of the authentic recipes using classical cooking techniques, and the ingredients available in New York, such as prime meats, greenmarket vegetables, and day boat fish. 871 Seventh Ave. (55th-56th Sts.), 212-582-7500; molyvos.com

Opia - This popular Midtown oasis offers a total New York experience with creative food and wines from around the world. The menu includes American, French and international specialties such as a full sushi bar serving the freshest sashimi, maki rolls, and cones.

130 E. 57th St., 212-688-3939; opiarestaurant.com

French/French Bistro Bistro Bagatelle - A southern French bistro in the Meatpacking District. “Sophisticated comfort foods” include bouillabaisse, boeuf Bourguignon, and classics like steak au poivre with pomme frites.

409 W. 13th St., 212-675-2400; bistrotbagatelle.com Brasserie 8 1/2 - A delicate fusion of creativity and comfort, featuring a world-class art collection, haute French cuisine, and a plush atmosphere, complemented by Latin- and Asian-influenced dishes and raw bar. 9 W. 57th St., 212-829-0812; rapatina.com/ brasserie8/ Corton - Legendary chef Drew Nieporent has reinvented and re-imagined his long-adored Tribeca mainstay with new decor, a new name, and a new chef, Paul Liebrandt, who brings his revolutionary molecular-gastronomy skills to reinvent French classics. 239 West Broadway (White St.), 212-219-2777; cortonnyc.com Daniel - One of the rare restaurants with a four-star rating by The New York Times, Daniel marries neighborhood hominess with a contemporary French menu inspired by the seasons and the market, in a Renaissance-inspired dining room. 60 E. 65th St., 212-288-0033; danielnyc.com

One of the original men of meat, Ben Benson has been in the restaurant game since the late 1960s and running his eponymous Steak House since 1982. At Ben Benson’s, the steaks are expertly prepared, using only the freshest market ingredients, but what really sets the restaurant apart is the menu: “We’ve got five different veal dishes, four different chicken dishes, and six seafood dishes,” says Benson. It’s a sentiment that Esquire echoed: “Ben Benson’s menu has range,” like wild game, pork chops with homemade applesauce, and triple lamb chops that round out the meat spectrum, and a bevy of salads, sides and seafood— a menu that’s perfect for first-timers and regulars alike. 123 W. 52nd St., 212-581-8888; benbensons.com

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Felix - Some of the SoHo’s finest French food, lovingly prepared and served in a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, where prewar photos from France adorn the walls. 340 West Broadway (Grand St.), 212-431-0021; felixnyc.com Gascogne - Re­flecting the hospitality, joie de vivre, and hearty regional fare of Gascony is this Gallic jewel. The décor is a blend of rustic French and candlelit romance. 158 Eighth Ave. (17th-18th Sts.), 212-675-6564; gascognenyc.com Jean Georges - Contemporary French works of art created by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. There is both a formal dining room and the more casual Nougatine Room. Reservations are generally taken one month in advance. Jacket and tie required. Trump International Hotel, 1 Central Park West (60th-61st Sts.), 212-299-3900; jean-georges.com

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La Grenouille - One of the last hold-outs in the rarified world of fine French dining in New York, La Grenouille continues to attract patrons in search of its flawless, Gallic cuisine. The menu offers classic cuisine, featuring frogs legs, Burgundy-braised oxtail, and chicken in champagne sauce. Jacket required.

3 E. 52nd St., 212-752-1495; la-grenouille. com La Silhouette - La Silhouette’s very creative bill of fare is not nouveau, nouvelle, or traditional, but modern French of a sort encountered every day in Paris. With a 26 Zagat rating, whether you select from the world-class 5-course tasting menu or dine a la carte, you won’t be disappointed. 362 W. 53rd St. (8th-9th Aves.), 212-581-2400; la-silhouettenyc.com Minetta Tavern - This Greenwich Village landmark—opened in 1937 and frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Eugene O’Neill, e. e. cummings, and Dylan Thomas—was renovated in 2008 as a Parisian steakhouse meets New York City tavern. 113 MacDougal St. (Bleecker St.), 212-475-3850; minettatavernny.com Nice Matin - With warm colors, chic light fixtures, and plush chairs, this gorgeous space is lively, yet still conducive to easy conversation. The wine list and the

cocktails are imaginative. 201 W. 79th St., 212-873-6423; nicematinnyc.com Orsay - This Upper East Side brasserie features a classic Art Nouveau interior, using rich woods, traditional moldings, and mirrors. The menu marries modern French and classic fare with an award-winning wine list dominated by French and American varietals. 1057 Lexington Ave. (75th St.), 212-517-6400; orsayrestaurant.com Raoul’s - The innovative SoHo bistro is still going strong after 30+ years, with terrific steak and fish dishes among other French classics. 180 Prince St. (Sullivan St.), 212-966-3518; raouls.com Triomphe - Offering a warm and comfortable atmosphere, both stylish and subtle, and a diverse menu of French American cuisine with an international flair. Iroquois Hotel, 49 W. 44th St., 212-453-4233; triomphe-newyork.com

GREEK Estiatorio Milos - This New York cousin to Montreal’s famed Milos eatery specializes in Greek

seafood and seasonal vegetables in a minimalist setting. From a display of fresh fish on ice flown in daily from all over the world, and top-quality vegetables and fruits, diners pick out a meal, which is weighed and then charcoal-grilled and brought to the table. 125 W. 55th St., 212-245-7400; milos.ca Molyvos - Ouzo flows freely and the baklava is piled high at this authentic Greek spot. A tavernlike atmosphere (including the boisterous crowds) doesn’t prepare you for the food to come: don’t leave without trying the grilled baby octopus or cabbage doulmades, and moussaka. There’s a meze menu for those who just want small bites and a comprehensive Greek wine list. 871 Seventh Ave. (55-56 Sts.), 212-582-7500; molyvos.com

Indian Darbar - Reviewers and patrons consistently give high marks to this cozy, bi-level restaurant and lounge located on the East Side. Zagat rated, Darbar is a superb choice for Indian food with great ambience and service. A lavish $12.95 lunch buffet

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with new and delicious dishes is served every day, 11:30am-4pm 152 E. 46th St. (3-Lexington Aves.), 212-681-4500; darbarny.com Dévi - Dévi brings together the talents of chefs Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur, sharing the authentic flavors and spirit of Indian home cooking. Swathed in rich textiles, brightly colored lanterns, and wooden temple accents, Dévi is an experience that stimulates and delights.

8 E. 18th St., 212-691-1300; devinyc.com

Photos by Jonathan Hökklo

From above: [ The entry to Davidoff Madison where the walk-in-humidor boasts hundreds of the world’s finest brands; The author enjoys a “Special R” in the Cigar Lounge ]

day’s end at

Davidoff on Madison

By Kristopher Carpenter

Gotham winds down as the sun lowers and glances off of mirrored windows, through the valleys of these storied streets. Midtown East bustles even as the day draws to a close: there are dinner dates to be had; commuter trains to be caught. Millions of lives have made their mark upon the ground we’re on as we shuffle along along Madison Avenue. No dinner for us, not yet – we have a different type of engagement tonight, and a stalwart comrade by our side to enjoy the ritual pleasures of a bygone age, when personal connections often happened under a canopy of decadent smoke.

“Davidoff,” says the window as we reach the corner of 53rd Street. “Good Life,” it adds below. We slide past the vendor roasting chestnuts and through the front door. The bright atmosphere gleams with glass cases that line the walls. Accented with light wood and with the same lacquered finish on the floor, the cases display Dupont lighters, designer pens, cufflinks, and cigar cutters for all to see. We’re quickly greeted and led toward the walk-in humidor in the back to make our selections for the evening. “There’s no appointment necessary for the lounge— and you’d like to smoke these here, wouldn’t you?” asks the besuited gentleman employee. He follows up by asking what we usually smoke and then offers us each a Davidoff brand “Special R,” noting its medium body and high popularity as a distinguished go-to product. We take them, inhaling deeply and as the locals look into the cigar lounge at us—well-dressed men with crossed legs sitting in soft leather chairs. We’re waived onward to where the lighting is dimmer and the ambiance different but still the same, with Sinatra and cigar smoke floating through the air.

Outside, beyond windows lined with humidors, decanters, and cigar boxes stuffed with luxuries, people hurry by in a twilight rush. But we sit quiet, calm, and relaxed. We savor and roll our selections in flame; we laugh while a large man to our left in plaid socks and suspenders comments less than favorably on last Sunday’s Giants game.

A warm feeling pervades, comforting and layering over us like the best type of cashmere blanket. The television on the wall flickers sports statistics and it’s getting darker outside, the streetlights casting an arch of orange glow; it’s almost time for dinner. The lingering smoke and a little less than a quarter of a cigar marks the time that’s slipped dreamily by. This is Davidoff, the most revered name in tobacco; this is the legacy of kings, and merchants, and people like us, we say to each other as we pluck our selected wares from the counter. Then, with our coats on and collars turned up against the wind, we walk north, up Madison Avenue.

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Davidoff of Geneva • 515 Madison Ave at 53rd Street • 212-751-9060 • davidoffmadison.com

Tamarind - Authentic Indian cuisine, with a menu that include excellent vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, incredible spices, assorted handmade Indian breads, tandoori delights from their clay oven, and lamb, goat, beef, shrimp, and chicken entrées. 41 E. 22nd St., 212-674-7400; tamarindnyc.com

INTERNATIONAL and ECLECTIC Alcala - The bold tastes of the Basque area of Spain are typified by dishes like a stew of tuna fish and potatoes and desalted codfish in a sauce of dry red pepper and onion. The cozy dining room, made rustic by its beamed ceiling and brick walls, expands to include a beautiful open-air patio for warm-weather visits. 342 E. 46th St., 212-370-1866; alcalarestaurant.com Blaue Gans - Renowned for its Austro-German fare, including traditional Wiener Schnitzel, Kavelierspitz, and a selection of different sausages. Bavarian beers on tap, and dessert specialties such as Apple Strudel, Salzburger Nockerl, and assorted cheeses. 139 Duane St. (West Broadway), 212-571-8880; kg-ny.com Markt - This Brussels brasserie showcases the country’s cuisine and beer, in a cozy Flemishinspired dining room, relying on simplicity, freshness, and subtle combinations rather than three-alarm seasonings. 676 Sixth Ave. (21 St.), 212- 727-3314; www.marktrestaurant.com Romera - Internationally renowned chef and physician Dr. Miguel Sanchez Romera’s eponymous restaurant—his first in the U.S.—offers a chance to experience neurogastronomy, “a natural cuisine driven by the importance of the neurosensory perceptions, the taste-memory and the emotions of food.” 355 W. 16th St., 212- 929-5800; romeranewyork.com Wallsé - Austrian cuisine and wild game are the order of the day here, at chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s elegant restaurant that has quickly become a favorite among NYC foodies and West Villagers. Menu favorites include the veal goulash, and other Austrian favorites such as tafelspitz and Wiener schnitzel. 344 W. 11th St., 212-352-2300; wallserestaurant.com

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ITALIAN Abboccato - “True Italian cuisine in the heart of Manhattan,” with time-honored Italian recipes elevated through the talent and techniques of their chefs. Featuring plentiful first- and second/pastacourse options, and a secondi platti list that includes fresh Arctic char, lamb chops, whole branzino, and veal sweetbreads. 136 W. 55th St., 212-265-4000; abboccato.com Bice Ristorante - A sumptuous combination of traditional and new trends in Italian cuisine—with dishes such as tagliolini con aragosta, ossobucco, and costoletta di vitello, and tiramisu della Bice—with an extensive wine selection and an elegant-casual atmosphere, it makes for a memorable dining experience. 7 E. 54th St., 212-688-1999; bicenewyork.com La Masseria - “A farmhouse in the middle of Manhattan,” offering classic dishes from the Puglia region of Italy, utilizing the freshest natural ingredients for simple, authentic pastas, risottos, and meat and fish dishes. The warm, inviting decor blends rural Italian style, nostalgia and charm, complementing the cuisine and extensive wine list. 235 W. 48th St., 212-582-2111; lamasserianyc.com The Leopard at des Artistes - Located in one of the most iconic spaces in New York City—the landmarked Hotel des Artistes, built at the turn of the 20th century, and the former home of the renowned Café des Artistes—and serving everyday food done with respect to Southern Italian cultural traditions, absolute quality of ingredients, modern research, and outstanding service. 1 W. 67th St., 212-787-8767; theleopardnyc.com

ancient Nadaman restaurant, and one of the very few in the U.S. serving Kaiseki,which has its roots in Zen Buddhism and the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Both the dishes and food change with the seasons.

The elegant, comfortable Tatami rooms feature perfect presentation and flawless service. Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave. (38th St.), 212-885-7111; kitano.com/hakubai.html Inakaya - The first New York City outpost of the renowned 39-year-old eatery in Roppongi, Tokyo.

A traditional robatayaki restaurant, Inakaya features Japanese barbecue cooked right in front of you by chefs that shuttle the dishes at you via long wooden paddles. Everything is larger than life, from the shouts that greet you when you enter to the enormous dining bar to the elaborate costumes worn by waiters.

231 W. 40th St., 212-354-2195; inakayany.com Mr. Robata - Mr. Robata’s sushi pairs premium ingredients with inventive twists, like chopped o-toro with mango, or salmon with zucchini tempura. Their signature robata dishes bring the centuries-old openhearth grilling of rural Japan into the contemporary New York culinary scene through flourishes of French cuisine and hints of classic American comfort food.

1674 Broadway (52nd-53rd Sts.), 212-757-1030; mrrobata.com

Next Door Nobu - Superstar chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s famous fusion menu of Asian and South American delicacies is now available at this spin-off restaurant. Featuring a simpler menu than its famed neighbor Nobu and David Rockwell designed décor, Nobu Next Door is also a joint venture of Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, and Tribeca Grill restaurateur Drew Nieporent.

105 Hudson St. (Franklin St.), 212-219-0500; myriadrestaurantgroup.com Ninja New York - A one-of-a-kind, entertaining dining experience featuring a recreated 18th-century Japanese ninja village and high-end contemporary Japanese cuisine. 25 Hudson St. (Reade-Duane Sts.), 212-274-8500; ninjanewyork.com Nobu - Celebrated chef Nobu Matsuhisa dazzles with his daring cuisine that fuses influences from Tokyo to Peru in partnership with restaurateur Drew Nieporent and actor Robert De Niro. David Rockwell’s lovely Japanese countryside setting showcases yellowtail tuna tartare, monkfish liver pate, both served with caviar, squid “pasta” with asparagus, butter and garlic or New Style Sashimi, seared in garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and scallions.

105 Hudson St. (Franklin St.), 212-334-4445; myriadrestaurantgroup.com

Patsy’s - Considered one of the greatest attractions in the Theatre District, renowned for its celebrity clientele (it was Frank Sinatra’s favorite), this landmark has been family-run since 1944. The Neapolitan cuisine is heavenly, including succulent veal chops Siciliano, spicy lobster fra diavolo, savory calamari stuffed with seafood, and much more. A “must go” New York favorite. 236 W. 56th St., 212-247-3491; patsys.com Remi - Remi, created by renowned designer Adam D. Tihany, combines the rich traditions of Venetian cuisine with the romance and elegance of Venetian design and architecture in an updated and innovative style. Often rated among the top Italian restaurants in NYC, if not the entire U.S. 145 W. 53rd St., 212-581-4242; remi-ny.com

Japanese and Sushi Cho Cho San - The opera-inspired Cho Cho San (the misspelling of Cio Cio San, Puccini’s heroine of Madama Butterfly, was purposeful) is a cozy neighborhood restaurant with a modern twist on traditional Japanese fare. 15 W. 8th St., 212-473-3333; chochosanrestaurant.com Hakubai - The only branch of Japan’s renowned

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Mexican/Tex-Mex El Parador Café - NYC’s oldest—and one of the most authentic—Mexican restaurant . Recommended dishes include the mole poblano, Mexico’s national dish with a half-chickn stewed in a complex, multi-layered sauce with over 24 ingredients. Lauded for having the best margaritas by NY Press, the best ceviche

by The Times, and named the city’s number one Mexican restaurant in NYC by Open Table diners. 325 E. 34th St., 212-679-6812; elparadorcafe.com Rosa Mexicano - Upscale Mexican cuisine in a stylish and festive atmosphere.

The David Rockwell-designed Lincoln Center space features a 30-foot cascading waterwall that spans both levels, complete with 200 miniature cliff divers. Three locations: 61 Columbus Ave. (62nd St.), 212-977-7700; 1063 First Ave. (58th St.), 212-753-7407; 9 E. 18th St., 212-533-3350; rosamexicano.com

SCANDINAVIAN Aquavit - This modern Scandinavian establishment reflects the best of minimalist mid-century Scandinavian design with its pale wood tones, soft indirect lighting, and unique tableware. A large selection of aquavits—potato vodka infused with fruits or spices—is available, along with cocktails inspired by the region.

65 E. 55th St., 212-307-7311; aquavit.org Vandaag - Inspired by the culture and cuisine of Northern Europe—especially Denmark and Holland—this farm-to-table restaurant utilizes ingredients from the Hudson River Valley for their inventive dishes, courtesy of Executive Chef, Phillip Kirschen-Clark. 103 Second Ave. (6th St.), 212-253-0470; vandaagnyc.com

Seafood Caviar Russe - This jewel box boite is one of America’s largest caviar importers, and they let you taste the caviar you are buying. In addition to the retail component, their restaurant offers a tasting menu, dinner a la carte, raw bar, and more.

538 Madison Ave. (54th-55th Sts.), 2nd Floor, 212-980-5908; caviarrusse.com Fishtail - David Burke’s Fishtail opened in December 2008 and has diners lining up for his signature spin on upscale seafood. Shortly after its opening, Burke was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America. 135 E. 62nd St., 212-754-1300; fishtaildb.com Le Bernardin - Exquisite, ultra-fresh seafood served with impeccable service in an elegant venue has earned Le Bernardin a four-star rating since it opened in 1986. Veteran chef Eric Ripert surprises diners with Asian accents throughout his menus, featuring fish that is “almost raw” or “lightly cooked.” The Equitable Building, 155 W. 51st St., 212-554-1515; le-bernardin.com Oceana - Complete with floor-to-ceiling windows, chef’s table, and outdoor dining, Oceana features a raw bar and the innovative seafood cuisine of executive chef Ben Pollinger, with fresh, whole fish, prime meats, naturally raised fowl, and artful desserts. 120 W. 49th St., 212-759-5941; oceanarestaurant.com

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Westchester County’s Doral Arrowwood hotel not only features 114 acres of rolling hills, open meadows, ponds, and a nine-hole, Robert von Hagge-designed golf course, but also three excellent dining options. You can dine al fresco at Mulligan’s Outdoor Cafe, which overlooks the ninth green and features salads, light dishes, and grilled specialties. The quintessential pub experience is offered at The PUB with a wrap-around bar and fireplace as well as 14 high-definition flat-screen TVs, pool tables, dartboards, and a dance floor.

The light, airy Atrium serves buffet-style lunches and à la carte dinners amid spectacular views through floor-to-ceiling windows, an award-winning brunch, and the Saturday Night Buffet Dinner Dance. 975 Anderson Hill Road, Rye Brook, NY, 914-939-5500; doralarrowwood.com

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Southwestern Mesa Grill - Chef Bobby Flay serves South­western cuisine in a whimsical setting accented in shades of Sutter’s gold, adobe terra cotta, and sage green, and boasting a kitchen view. Dining room people-watch­ing is fun too, and the mood is relaxed and friendly. 102 Fifth Ave. (15th-16th Sts.), 212-807-7400; mesagrill.com

Steakhouses Ben Benson’s Steak House - This classic American steakhouse is a true, one-ofa-kind New York City cultural descendant of its authentic 19th-century ances-

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tors, independently owned by the hands-on Ben Benson. It serves only USDA prime dry-aged meats, beef, veal and lamb, seasonal game and premium-grade seafood and poultry, prepared perfectly and offered in substantial servings.

Res­ervations recommended. Rockefeller Center, 123 W. 52nd St., 212-581-8888; benbensons.com Ben & Jack’s Steak House - Ben & Jack’s serves generous portions of steakhouse favorites. Enjoy the restaurant’s signature Porterhouse for one, two, three or four, fresh seafood, side dishes and exquisite desserts. 255 Fifth Ave. (28th-29th Sts.), 212-532-7600; 219 E. 44th St., 212-682-5678; benandjackssteakhouse.com Benjamin Steakhouse - Peter Luger alumni Benjamin Prelvukaj and chef Arturo McLeod join forces to create an opulent steakhouse in the century-old Chemist Club building. Six cuts of dry-aged beef are available, from 36-ounce porterhouses to top sirloins to rib eyes to succulent filet mignon. 52 E. 41st St., 212-297-9177; benjaminsteakhouse.com Bobby Van’s - Established in 1969, Bobby Van’s boasts 8 locations throughout the Northeast including five in Manhattan, 2 in Washington, DC and the original in Bridgehampton, Long Island. Serving only the finest USDA dry-aged prime beef, selected seafood and lobsters starting at three lbs. Private dining for corporate or special events. 135 W. 50th St.; 230 Park Ave. (46th St.); 13 E. 54th St.; 120 W. 45th St.; 25 Broad St.; visit bobbyvans.com for more info Bull and Bear - A swank Regency-style club, the Bull and Bear serves hearty fare in the form of succulent steaks (the only certified Angus Beef Prime in the city), and seafood. The elaborate and celebrated mahogany bar is one of the city’s most popular watering holes. The Waldorf=Astoria, 570 Lexington Ave. (50th St.), 212-355-3000; bullandbearsteakhouse.com Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House - This expansive steak house’s soaring, two-story-high windows offer a spectacular view of Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center and Broadway’s theatres are just a block or two away. The menu features fresh USDA aged prime beef shipped from the Midwest twice a week. Lobster, fish, lamb, osso buco, and veal chops receive equal billing. 49th St. & Sixth Ave., 212-575-5129; delfriscos.com Rothmann’s Steakhouse & Grill - Near the Theatre District, Rothmann’s Steakhouse & Grill has been serving New Yorkers, celebrities, and visitors the finest quality prime dry aged beef, delicious chicken, and mouthwatering seafood for over 100 years. The beautiful space and attentive staff make it ideal, whether it’s for a business lunch, a romantic dinner for two, or celebrating a special occasion. 3 E. 54th St., 212-319-5500; rothmannssteakhouse.com Smith & Wollensky - This celebrated steakhouse is recognized for its healthy portions, seasoned service staff and elegant interior with turn-of-the-century design elements. Steaks take center stage, including juicy double sirloin, chateau­ briand for two, filet mignon, filet au poivre, and sliced steak Wollensky, all of which have been dry-aged in-house for 28 days. 797 Third Ave. (49th St.), 212-753-1530; smithandwollensky.com Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse - Pleasing the most discerning of steak lovers, the USDA prime steaks here—all aged for at least 21 days—include New York strip, filet mignon and a special Kobe beef, hand-massaged with sake. For the seafood lover, there are crab cakes, Australian lobster tails, a seafood platter, and more.

440 Ninth Ave. (34th-35th Sts.), 212-244-0005; 44 W. 56th St., 212-245-1550; 39-40 Bell Blvd., Bayside, Queens, 718-229-1100; unclejacks.com

VEGETARIAN Pure Food and Wine - New York City ’s premier raw-foods restaurant, utilizing organic and seasonal fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds to create a unique, awardwinning culinary experience. Nothing is heated above approximately 118 degrees in order to preserve vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Lunch, noon-4pm; dinner, 5:30-11pm. 54 Irving Pl. (17th St.), 212-477-1010; purefoodandwine.com

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THEINTERVIEW

Caviar Russe

&

Ilya J. Panchernikov Chris Agnew

538 Madison Avenue at 54th Street • 212-980-5908 • CaviarRusse.com

[ The dining room; Ilya J. Panchernikov and Executive Chef Chris Agnew ]

At Caviar Russe, a dining—and shopping—experience like no other

P

By Kristopher Carpenter

erhaps second only to neighboring Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue has fast become the destination for luxury shopping in New York City. Some of the world’s finest brands line the Avenue with elegant boutiques designed like mini museums.

With all of this shopping to be done, the luxe enthusiast is bound to get hungry; and yet there seem to be so very few restaurants catering to the crowd on this particular thoroughfare. But, famished friends, there is a caviar-type-of-place away from the shopping frenzy of Fifth Avenue—a second-floor trader of “the finer things” known as Caviar Russe. Originally a private space reserved for their best clients, Caviar Russe Managing Director and born caviar legacy Ilya Panchernikov and family decided that the public should be able to enjoy it as well. Caviar Russe has retained its position as a retail purveyor of the finest caviar, but the addition of Executive Chef Chris Agnew, procured from Ardour: Alain Ducasse earlier this year, also has them showcasing several distinct menus—some caviar-centric and some that are not—for a lunch and dinner service that is unquestionably without a Mad Ave parallel. Promenade sat down with Panchernikov and Agnew to talk about their unique venture.

Q. H ow exactly does one get into the caviar restaurant business?

IJP: Caviar Russe is my family’s business so I’ve been around this industry all my life. We’re one of the biggest import/export suppliers of caviar in the world, so besides our interactions with private clients in this space, we also deal with restaurants and a lot of other entities who need caviar on a regular basis.

CA: I just got here in April of this year. I was at Adour in the St. Regis, and before that a sous chef, and we were one of those restaurant customers, which is how I got here. I was also with Alain Ducasse before that, at his Essex House restaurant, and in Monte Carlo. So I’ve been around caviar pretty [regularly], working in his restaurants.

For my training, I went to the Culinary Institute of America, and I was always drawn to traditional French technique. Before Ducasse, I worked at Le Cirque, a restaurant called Lacroix in Philadelphia, and a few others.

106

Q. H ow how often does the menu change?

CA: We have several menu options: a caviar menu, an a la carte menu, and a tasting menu. Obviously there is a lot of caviar but it’s certainly not in every dish. The menu changes pretty frequently, and almost always in response to the products that we get in. When we get a caviar shipment that has a really impressive product, I start thinking of the type of dish that I want to create around it. The same goes for the non-caviar products. That’s been a little bit of a change for me coming from a more seasonal approach, but I like it. Of course that might be partially because it requires me to eat a lot of caviar.

Also, because of our size, it allows me to change the menu quickly without worrying about quantities as much as you have to in a bigger place. Another advantage we have in that regard is that in a place this size, there’s no reason not to have nearly perfect service—and if mistakes are made, it’s very easy for me to find out who made them.

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nd for pairings? Champagne, vodka—what’s your preference?

Q. A CA: I really like Krug; I think it’s the best champagne out there to pair with caviar. Champagne bubbles and caviar pearls, they just complement each other in a beautiful way. The luxury of fine champagne and market-leading caviar, together, is an experience unlike anything else.

IJP: Krug is great but I also really like the Dom Perignons, and we have a fantastic selection of vintage champagnes and rosés as well.

One of the main qualifiers for the champagnes on our list is how well they pair with our caviar; it’s a good bet that you’ll get a champagne that goes nicely with your meal. The same holds true for our vodkas.

My favorite is Jewel Of Russia-Ultra and it’s my favorite because it’s the smoothest and the most refreshing, like it’s barely even there. It really allows the caviar, and the food, to shine through.

Q. Speaking of champagne wishes and caviar dreams, what’s the most decadent caviar experience that you’ve ever had?

CA: When I was in Monte Carlo, there were a few occasions where we were serving a really high-end caviar product out of a 1-kilo serving bowl, spooning-out portions from it. That type of product can go for upwards of $300 per ounce – there are 28 grams in an ounce, and a kilo is 1000 grams. So you can imagine how impressive that is to see.

Not just because of the price either; to see that much of that type of product is just beautiful in itself.

IJP: Absolutely. Every experience with caviar is decadent and I can’t think of one particular time that I’ve been more impressed than another, but I agree with Chris. [L]arge quantities of a high-caliber caviar [are] gorgeous. Seeing the pearls sitting together like that...is beautiful in a way that I guess you have to experience to understand. In that regard, I have often been impressed by our customers here—seeing the type of product that they purchase, regularly and in high volumes; it’s incredible to have customers like we do.

11/8/11 10:07 PM

CAVIAR BOUTIQUE - RESTAURANT - RAW BAR

8 0 + N E W S H O P S . 1 0 + N E W D E S I G N E R S . S E E FA S H I O N L I K E N E V E R B E F O R E A N D G E T G R E AT G I F T S F O R E V E RY O N E O N Y O U R L I S T !

Experience the stunning new look of our flagship and take home our signature gift when you spend 300.OO or more.* Just bring this ad and your same-day receipts to our Visitors Center on 1 at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue or see any sales associate in Soho, 504 Broadway.

*One per registered visitor, while supplies last.

For out-of-town visitors only.

CAVIAR RUSSE 538 Madison Avenue at 54th street - New York, NY 10022 Monday through Saturday, noon to 10:00 p.m., serving all day.

BLOOMINGDALES.COM

LIKE NO OTHER STORE IN THE WORLD

212 980 5908 - 1 800 NYCAVIAR - www.CaviarRusse.com PR

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