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Haven’t you always been curious about that house on Cook Street that survived the developer’s wrecking ball? So were we. Meet the owners, Don and Marge Hutton. Photography by Charles S. White.
THE NATURAL AND MANMADE BEAUTY AROUND US CALL OUT FOR A LARGEFORMAT PUBLICATION. BUT THEY ALSO REQUIRE THE TALENT AND TIME IT TAKES TO PRINT THE IMAGES FLAWLESSLY, CONCENTRATING ON THE SMALL DETAILS THAT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. NO WONDER PHOTOGRAPHERS AND GRAPHIC ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FLOCKED TO OUR PAGES AND EMERGED
Max Palevsky’s three homes, in three different architectural styles, made for fascinating contrasts in this story, adapted from work by Aaron Betsky. Photography by Richard Barnes.
SO SATISFIED. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE BEAUTIFUL STORIES WE PUBLISHED IN THE AREAS OF ARCHITECTURE, ART, FOOD, MOTORCARS AND FASHION.
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Daniel Wright and Tim Clark made waves with this inventive interior for a home at Mirada, in the hills above Rancho Mirage. Photography by Charles S. White.
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We got into the Jennifer Siegal fan club early, back in 2003. Therese Bissell introduced our readers to many forwardthinking architects. Siegal creates modular homes that can be at home anywhere, even in the plains of Africa. Foreclosures in this case, impossible. Images by Office of Mobile Design.
Interiors of planes fascinated our readers, apparently the more garish the better. This interior by a German firm, discovered by Louis Postel, was dazzling — we think in a good way.
Famed architect Jim Jennings appeared in our premiere issue with this amazingly private home South of Market in San Francisco. The story was by Jim’s wife, Therese Bissell, one of the country’s best architecture writers.
While everyone was gushing over Walt Disney Hall, our grumpy critic Sam Hall Kaplan had a contrary view. Typical. There was never a bandwagon from which this magazine didn’t disembark, making for interesting reading. Photography by Kenneth Johansson.
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beauty The new clubhouse at Thunderbird Country Club had its fans and detractors. We like it. Story by Robert Windeler. Photography by Kirk Owens.
Architects had a feeling we were up for just about anything and weren’t stodgy or traditional. Which explains why we ended up publishing the work of Michael Jantzen. Original, no doubt.
As pioneering enthusiasts of Palm Springs’ signature style, we ran many stories about Modernism. Overkill? Never. Photography by Tom Brewster.
Architects Doug Hudson and Erich Burkhart enjoyed their stay in the desert so much while designing the new Cal State buildings, they decided to move here. Hudson became one of the forces behind preservation of local historic architecture. Photography by David Glomb.
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A favorite continuing feature compared the way people live in their more casual homes here on the desert with the more formal way of life in their primary residences. Donna Dunn’s interiors for a Wisconsin couple wintering at The Quarry was especially juxtapositional. Photography by Charles S. White.
“Unreal estate” was a regular feature in this magazine. Here photographer Ethan Kaminsky captures the ultraluxuriousness of a home in Palm Springs.
Two of our favorite lifestyle photos: At left: The charming patio at Le Vallauris in Palm Springs. At right: The home of David Peet and the late Earl Greenburg, decorated for a party. Photo at left by Maile Klein. At right, by Mark Cieslikowski.
The theme that month was “Color” and Therese Bissell found some gorgeous examples of monochromatic architecture from around the world. Photography by Tim Griffith.
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beauty Robert Crane discovered this out-sized art and its creator, John Cerney, in his travels. It made for a fun feature and an indication that we weren’t going to over-intellectualize the arts. To say the least. Readers, tired of wading through art-criticism jibberish, heaved a sigh of relief.
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facts We presented artwork created by Jud Capell, a client at the Braille Institute with macular degeneration, taught by Ingrid Olsen. Photography by Susan Werner.
Laurie Anderson once said that writing about art is like dancing about architecture, so we let images speak for themselves with a minimum of commentary. These photos are by Gary Dorothy of Imageville.
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We were happy to showcase Dr. Robert Weisgerber’s extensive knowledge of “golf art” in this story and in another one where we showed evocative portraits of famed golfers.
Our large format and flawless color separations were quite a draw for photographers, eager to showcase their work in our pages. Here Kirk Owens shows us his images from the western states.
Painting classic Mercedes, giving them personality, was the work of Hiro Yamagata, profiled here by Mark Christensen with photography by Rocki Pederson.
Our art authority Fritz Frauchiger brought Frank Romero to the desert for a show and explained to our readers why in this colorful essay.
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beauty For our issue, “Big,” photographer Robert Reiff and stylist Janet Miller presented these enormous images, even more mouth-watering in their original size.
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Style columnist Susie Coelho paired Champagne and chocolates for a heavenly holiday feature. Delicious photography by Jennifer Cheung.
Our desert’s prominent hostesses introduced our readers to their secret weapons, the in-home chefs. Shown here with Jackie Lee Houston is the creative wizard Arturo Montes. The photographer Roger Robles punctuated Jean Penn’s story with brilliant photos.
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Other glam hostesses featured in that story were Madeline Redstone (with Vivian Vasquez) and Peggy Cravens (with Didier Tsirony). Photography by Roger Robles set the spectacular dining mood.
At a Boys and Girls Club, Coachella Valley fundraiser, society swells cooked and served the meal in this fun story by Janet Newcomb. Photography by Maile Klein.
Even fancy desert dwellers need comfort foods, as shown in this essay by Sue Rappaport with photos by Robert Reiff.
Not every food story was gravy. In this story, Michael Tennesen pondered how the valley will be able to feed America if developers keep putting homes on agricultural land. Photograph was a collage featuring work by Kirk Owens and Robert Mandolene.
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beauty For a Travel issue, we answered a lot of readers’ questions, but we posited an age-old query on our cover. Why, indeed, is that chicken going to travel across that road? Photography by Aaron Horowitz/Corbis USA.
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autos R E Welch Gallery’s artist Z.Z. Wei's automobile landscapes certainly fit our highway theme and we were honored to include these paintings in an issue. Wei and his painterfamily kept alive Chinese traditional painting during the rule of Chairman Mao, who forbade it.
Josh Hancock, who created the car in “Cat in the Hat,” not to mention the Pimpmobile for the Austin Powers movies, explained to our readers what goes into forging cars for the movies. That’s Hancock stuffed into Mini-Me’s Jaguar. Photography by Roger Erickson.
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Classic cars placed in dream environments was the idea behind these striking “portraits” by artists Noriko and Don Carroll.
Hot rods? We called them “haute rods.” Mark Christensen, our automobile expert, interviewed Alex Xydias and Pete Chapouris, the brains behind the SO-CAL Speed Shop, creator of these beauties.
Nick Pugh created his own car from scratch and we featured it at our Opening Party back in 2002. Mark Christensen, who wrote the book on the project, told our readers all about it.
Andrew Yeadon, famed British photographer, captured this image for us back in 2004 (as well as the Pugh images above), serving as a template for the work he would do for other publications.
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beauty Just slap some models against a sand dune and call it a fashion spread? Not our style. Tom Keller’s imaginative “Attack of the 50-Foot Fashion” scored a bull’s eye.
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lab By focusing on the designers, we kept our readers up-to-date on the latest trends. Richard Reinsdorf’s intimate portraits were a stunning surprise.
Robert Reiff took our models out on a luxurious yacht for this swimwear feature. We put out a call for a multimillion dollar yacht and landed one but... alas, it turns out millions of dollars don’t buy much when it comes to yachts. Just part of our education.
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Our fashion editor Diane Marlin-Dirkx critiqued the Palm Springs International Film Festival attendees’ sense of style for many years. Most of the stars were good sports about her not-alwaysfawning commentary.
British fashion expert Louise Farr showed our readers what was coming up next. Gus De Guzman from Otis, did the amazing illustrations based on Louise’s descriptions. Bravo!
Sherri Breyer-Mardones brought us these remarkable photos, featuring the startling fashions by local designer Garyk Lee. A real coup for us and our readers who saw these first.
Style editor Louis Postel studied the science of cosmetic packages, so photographer Taylor Sherrill turned them into architecture. Saks Fifth Avenue provided the beautiful scents.
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beauty We wondered, What would happen if we took D.J. Hall’s fabulous paintings and brought them to life with the original subjects and turned it into a fashion editorial piece? This. Photography by Tom Keller. Digital work by Dan Irvine.
Asking our readers about their favorite designers resulted in this feature. Peggy Cravens adores Joanna Mastroianni. Now so do we.
Our very own traveling photographer Mark Edward Harris created these photos, featuring interior designer Kelly Wearstler performing household chores in luxurious fashions. (Wearstler is the genius who designed our local hotel, Viceroy.)
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What more creative place to ask our local doyennes, “What are you wearing?” than at a Palm Springs Art Museum event? The question and answers resulted in this wonderful feature.
We asked legendary photographer Harry Langdon to photograph the talent scheduled to appear in the desert. Michael Feinstein turned out to be a real fashion plate — with a little help from a friend.
James Galanos waxed nostalgic in our pages about the decline of fashion, accompanied by extraordinary illustrations by Gus De Guzman from Otis in Los Angeles.
Joe Millionaire, aka Evan Marriott, made a lot of dough on his reality series. Our local Realtors showed him around the desert while he looked at properties. Tom Keller’s delightful photography made this unusual fashion feature a hoot. That’s the Shams Group at left and Beverly Bell at right.
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WE LIKED TELLING STORIES ABOUT THE VALLEY. “ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE DESERT” IS A GREAT WAY TO START ANY TALE. THAT’S WHY WE
The night before Prohibition began was a wild one in Palm Springs. (Some residents are still drying out.)
PUBLISHED SO MANY STORIES ABOUT OUR COLORFUL PAST. GANGSTERS. ACCUSED CRIMINALS. DRUNKS ON THE EVE OF PROHIBITION. GALS WHO KEPT OUR GIS COMPANY DURING WWIITRAINING IN CHIRIACO SUMMIT. BUT WE ALSO DID A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT THE PRESENT, COVERING FASCINATING PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, SHOWING HOW THEY LIVE, WHAT THEY’RE UP TO AND EVEN COAXING A FEW SECRETS FROM THEM. IT MADE FOR WONDERFUL READING FROM SOME OF THE
We showcased the man who brought gambling to the Indians. Was he wronged? New evidence suggests the jury is still out.
COUNTRY’S TOP WRITERS. FOLKS LIKE THE LATE, GREAT LARRY GELBART WHO GRACED OUR PAGES WITH HIS LAST ESSAYS. AND THE ICONOCLASTIC PAUL KRASSNER. INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST JAN GOLAB. TV GUIDE’S MARK SCHWED. SPORTSWRITER HALL OF FAMER MURRAY OLDERMAN. WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE?’S GERALD GARDNER.
On a trip to the Patton Museum, we discovered a beautiful (and until-then-untold) story of the desert women who kept our WWII soldiers company while the men trained in the isolated dunes.
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The early days of the desert underworld? We didn’t fuggedaboudddit.
Club member Don Cravens shared some of the classic photographs he shot for Life Magazine: Elvis’ Army induction, the trials at Nuremberg and a relaxed Frank Sinatra with friends.
Historian Marty Newman kept us awash in classic desert memorabilia. What an invaluable resource. We introduced readers to the original real estate moguls who rode the inevitable bubbles and busts. Reading this story by Sarah Hagerty should give today’s Realtors some reassurance at best and some perspective at least.
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Drawn to the desert’s history, we told the stories of the first golf club; Bing Crosby’s real estate development; Mr. Blackwell’s early designs (photographed by the great Harry Langdon), and a fun group of rancheros who keep the Wild West traditions alive. Dan Irvine’s colorizations brought new life to the graphics.
Around the time Gray Davis was being recalled, we went back into Southern California history for another example of a voter-recall. This one was violent (and turned out better than the one that replaced Davis).
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Desert Hot Springs is the whipping boy of the desert cities, the dateline for most crime stories in the newspaper. Rick Du Brow explored the area and came up with quite a different take.
Frank Bogert’s book of Palm Springs history went into a second printing with some amendments and alterations. Every citizen should own a copy of this book.
Robert Windeler explored the area’s country clubs for us in a great series. This one, about Eldorado Country Club, proved to be especially popular.
Local architects got a lot of space in our magazine. This story about William F. Cody by Andy Sotta introduced Cody to a whole new audience.
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truth Sports Editor Murray Olderman introduced our readers to many of the sports legends who make the desert their home. Here, we met Al Rosen. (Murray also illustrated his stories.)
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KNOCK ON ANY DOOR AROUND HERE, WE ALWAYS SAY, AND YOU’LL FIND THE FELLOW WHO INVENTED VELCRO OR A LADY WHO WAS AIRLIFTED FROM SAIGON AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR OR THE YOUNG MOGUL WHO THOUGHT UP THE LATEST WEB SENSATION. FAMOUS PEOPLE SEEM TO LAND HERE AND STICK AROUND.
We often featured the writers and photographers from other media who cover the social scene. Top row: MegaScene’s late Bob Hoven, star Joey English, The Desert Sun’s Betty Francis and Allene Arthur. Seated: V.J. Hume, The Bottom Line’s Barbara Wisbey, and Erik Sandoval. Photo by Jon Edwards.
THE DESERT IS THAT KIND OF PLACE. LUCKY US, WE HAD A GROUP OF WRITERS WHO COULD BRING PERSONALITIES TO LIFE FOR OUR EAGER READERS. AND LUCKY FOR THOSE OF US WHO JUST LIKE TO LOOK AT GRAPHICS, WE FOUND TREASURE TROVES OF MATERIAL IN Allison Block profiled the country’s poet laureate Billy Collins for us, just in time to have him hedge his ambivalence toward the Iraq War, which at the time was quite popular. Legendary photographer of writers, Jill Krementz, took these photos for us.
THESE FOLKS’ HOMES — THAT REALLY MADE THE MAJOR POINTS OF THEIR LIVES COME ALIVE. HEREWITH, SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE PROFILES OF SOME PEOPLE YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN OR WHOM YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW UNTIL WE CAME ALONG.
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Leonard Green is one of the desert’s great treasures. Former owner of Basin Street East in New York City, he and his wife Debbie now work producing shows for various venues here in the valley. We saw the art on the wall of his den and had to reproduce it here. These are some of the stars he has presented over the years.
Jim Mahoney worked as Sinatra’s publicist for years. In this profile, he revealed some juicy details about Frank Jr.’s kidnapping and other tidbits. That sketch of him was by LeRoy Neiman.
Paul Krassner created “The Realist,” the best of the underground press during the 1960s. That he lives in Desert Hot Springs was a surprise to us and this feature led to a long relationship with our magazine, with our publishing many of his columns over the years. He provoked. Our audience reacted. Perfect.
One of the co-owners of Cinemas Palme d’Or in Palm Desert, Tony Shalhoub was the perfect candidate for a profile, this one by TV Guide’s Mark Schwed. Is Shalhoub a little like his USA Network character “Monk?” A little.
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truth Old Hollywood gag writers, producers and actors meet regularly in the desert to swap stories and get out of the house. Gerald Gardner profiled the group and provided some of their funniest anecdotes. Photos by Ethan Kaminsky.
When we saw the HGTV show about a family picking out a home in Rancho Mirage, we bit and covered the experience. What we found out about this particular “reality” show was a revelation. Photos by Jack Hartin.
Profiles of celebrities are the lifeblood of any magazine but why do they have to be so boring? To cover Bing Crosby’s life, we asked Rodica Prato to put the highlights into a “life-bio drawing.” And when we discovered, on the eve of the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, that not many people knew who the heck he was, we assigned this story to Andrew LeGros. Hence this look at the great interior designer’s life and creations.
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peeps James Galanos has made the desert his home and, to celebrate the genius designer, we sent Diane Marlin-Dirkx to profile his life and work. This great photograph is by another desert genius, Michael Childers.
One of our favorite stories featured local renowned food stars — Stuart Anderson, Geno Biggi, Howard Lester and Don Callendar — asking them to name foods they really crave. Restaurateur Callendar, who, sad to say, passed away this year, showed us his real love in this delightful photo by Taylor Sherrill.
Who are the generous folks who volunteer at Martha’s Village? We sent Brane Jevric out to interview them, resulting in this inspiring story. Susan Werner took the great photos.
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Publisher Milton Estrow recovered, from Austria, major art works looted by the Nazis. Brane Jevric profiled this brave crusader who used the pages of his magazine, ARTNews, to change the world.
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PHOTOS OF SOCIALITES AND THE FUN PERSONALITY PROFILES AND WACKY HISTORY, WE FELT WE ALSO OWED IT TO OUR READERS TO EXPLORE SOME SERIOUS TOPICS. DID READERS CARE ABOUT ART STOLEN BY THE NAZIS AND TUCKED AWAY IN AUSTRIA AND THE GRIT IT TOOK TO RECOVER IT? WERE WILD HORSES, NOW ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION, ANY OF OUR BUSINESS? HOW ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE
Speaking of brave, Kat Hayden is responsible for saving many of our California’s wild horses from extinction. Deanne Stillman’s story not only profiled this savior but also delved into the horse’s history in taming the west. Stories like this have helped reverse the trend.
SALTON SEA, WHICH MOST RESIDENTS KNOW ONLY FROM ITS PUNGENT AROMA? OR THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SURGE OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES THAT THREATENS THE STATE’S APPEAL AND PROPERTY VALUES? NOT THE KIND OF TALES THAT CASUAL VISITORS, PICKING UP A COPY OF A MAGAZINE AT A SUPERMARKET, MIGHT COVET. BUT OUR MAGAZINE REACHED THE COMMUNITY-MINDED RESIDENT, THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESERT’S WELL-BEING, THOSE WHO HAD THE MEANS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. YOUR RESPONSE WAS GRATIFYING.
Saving the Salton Sea isn’t some tree-hugging exercise. Should the Sea, with its heavy salt and toxin content, dry up, you can kiss Coachella Valley agriculture goodbye. And if you don’t care about that, think of your favorite golf course. Jan Golab wrote this with considerable urgency. Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack has been a major force in this salvation. Hurray!
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As the desert population gets younger, Boomers are questioning the ecology of country club living. We saluted The Reserve and other enlightened clubs that show respect for the environment, attracting these young couples to our paradise.
California wildfires are no accident. We’ve been warned.
Irony of ironies. Just as agricultural production is decreasing, we’re getting a handle on health care for migrant workers. Rick Du Brow explained the situation in this story, punctuated by Andrew Yeadon’s moving photography.
Brane Jevric traveled to Thailand for us after the 2004 tsunami, interviewing the Queen who lost her son in the deluge. That photo, at right won the Pulitzer Prize that year. (Too bad we didn’t take it.)
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“Years later on a flight to Vegas, Frank said to me, ‘Q, wouldn’t it be kooky if we added Johnny Mandel’s “Shadow of Your Smile” to the show?’ ‘No problem. Can you learn the lyrics by tomorrow?’ He gave me a look and began writing the words on a pad “Elmer Bernstein, over and over again. Eighteen pages. [famed movie composer for films like I dozed off. When I woke up he was The Magnificent Seven and Ghost Busters] still writing, force-feeding and I met at a Berkshire summer camp where the subconscious.” he was the golden young genius and I was a Quincy Jones, in a struggling waitress from Philadelphia. In the days memoir about that followed, we became an item… There was a Ol’ Blue Eyes, fresh spring in my step as I carried eight bowls of February 2005 onion soup through the swinging doors of the kitchen. And when the guests at my table were finished eating, Elmer cleared the plates — the most overqualified busboy in the mountains.” Pearl Bernstein Gardner, February 2009
“My perfect home? Nothing too Modern. I have an enormous appreciation for MidCentury Modernism. However, it can be so dramatic. If I were going to the desert, it would be to relax and be comfortable, not necessarily be the epitome of chic. During the mid to late 1990s, retail spaces for stores like Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein took on museumlike qualities. They were shrines in terms of beautiful Minimalist architecture. I find the spare Modernism compelling; however, it’s not easy to live with.” Margaret Russell, Elle Décor’‘s editor-in-chief, in an interview with Jean Penn, February 2005
“Though my Republican roots go back to having served as Barry Goldwater’s press aide during the 1964 election, I happen to be one of those latté-loving elitists who cast his ballot for Change this time around. Would Barry have disapproved? I doubt it. In one of our last exchanges over lunch at the Jockey Club in 1995, the old curmudgeon was grousing about his party’s having been taken over by holy-rolling hypocrites like Pat Robertson and bloviating bullsh*t artists like Newt Gingrich. I exaggerate not. If anything, this exchange is an expurgated version…” Vic Gold, January 2009
As we were Our great writers floated some inspired ideas during our short, golden run.
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“The First Street north frontage, for example, consisting of a forbidding wall edging the sidewalk for its entirety, is more appropriate to a minimum security prison than “Frank Bogert a public building, mooning the Music Center across had been a leading Ranchero for the street. It cries for places to sit, landscaping, more than 60 years. He’d announced art, billboards, posters, even graffiti, hundreds of their rodeos, ropings, anything to engage that rare person who parades, shows and races, cheerfully insulting might walk from the nearby apartment to the Presidents, peasants, Texans, riders of Arabian Hall. Urban design is not Frank Gehry’s horses and wearers of billed caps. Still crystalforte, certainly, and raising this subject clear of mind with a flypaper memory, he was with him which I recently did, raises his born January 1. That’s the birthdate given to ire. (When confronted with anything all thoroughbreds born in that calendar year. less than adoration, he can Fitting.” become quite hostile.)” Ray Corliss, in a profile Sam Hall Kaplan, on the of Los Rancheros Visitadores, new Walt Disney Hall, January 2008 Holiday 2003
“One soldier wants nothing to do with us. His name is Luke Murphy, a sergeant from Palm City, Florida, who leads one of the two squads in the Third Platoon. Murphy is bright, funny and cynical. The other soldiers consider him a great guy to be around, a leader by nature. He would make a strong character in the film, we realize, but whenever we try to roll tape while he is clowning with his soldiers, he walks away. The others tell us that Murphy has been ‘stop-lossed’ and is angry about it. ‘Stop-loss’ is the Army’s method of keeping a soldier like Murphy in the ranks even though his term of enlistment is over. The purpose is to maintain better continuity in unit leadership than was the case in Vietnam, where sergeants came and went at irregular times as their enlistments expired, sometimes disrupting a unit’s effectiveness. Murphy has already served six years in the Army, one of them in Iraq and doesn’t want to go again.” John Laurence, in “War News,” his report from the Iraqi war, Holiday 2007
“I enjoy getting a magazine-type fairy tale every so often and am happy that you share a home in that clearly unrealistically fantasy place.”
ng his ved? over old ty’s g
“Strapped for cash, [Don] Williams began supplying cars to the Robert Lantz, Holiday 2004 movies and his big break was Chinatown. He made a deal with director Roman Polanski to provide 16 ‘feature’ cars plus about 30 NDs (nondescripts) at $400 a week, apiece. Sixteen weeks of shooting turned into 32 weeks. Bingo, egg money [for his showcase of classic cars].” Mark Christensen, in a profile of the Blackhawk Museum, February 2004
saying… Illustration by Images.com
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“In my notebook [about the trial of Dan White], I scribbled ‘The Twinkie Defense,’ and wrote about it in my next report. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that, ‘During the trial, no one but well-known satirist Paul Krassner, who may have coined the phrase “Twinkie Defense” played up that angle.’ In the wake of the Twinkie Defense, a representative of the Continental Baking Company asserted that the notion that overdosing on a cream-filled goodie could lead to murderous behavior as ‘poppycock’ and ‘crap,’ apparently two artificial ingredients in Twinkies, along with sodium pyrophosphate and yellow dye.”
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Paul Krassner on the anniversary of Harvey Milk’s murder, February 2009
“One of Don Gregory’s clients was impressionist Frank Gorshin. Once, Don was in Gorshin’s dressing room at a TV show called Copy Cats. With them was a Lothario friend who realized with a shock that he had lost his little black book. Gregory, Gorshin and the Don Juan fell to their knees and started hunting for the precious book, when Orson Welles entered the room. ‘What are you boys doing on your knees?’ Don explained about the missing little black book. Orson promptly fell to his ample knees and found the book. ‘I have an idea,’ he said. He leafed through the book, chose a name at random and dialed the number. A woman answered. ‘This is Orson Welles,’ said the actor in his famous voice. ‘Get lost creep!’ said the girl and hung up.”
“One day as Betty Barker and her younger son Scott, visiting from school, were dining in a New York restaurant, a woman approached and asked if she was a model or wanted to be. No, on both counts, Betty said: ‘I already have a career.’ The woman told her, ‘Clairol is introducing a product for gray hair. We need a young face with gray hair and you’re it.’ As Betty resisted, her astute son said, ‘I’m my mother’s agent. Give me your card.’ I did the campaign for 18 years… finally my face caught up with my hair and I stopped.” Rick Du Brow, February 2005, in a profile of Betty Barker
“To perish in this city perched on the water’s edge, the effect of which is to turn the country into a cul-de-sac, is the answer to any social climber’s prayer. Where else can one find oneself, however tardily, in the company of such glittering personalities, each one a silent star now? Almost any name you can drop has dropped here.”
Gerald Gardner in a profile of Broadway impresario Don Gregory, February 2006.
“I had always had a cordial relationship with Johnny Unitas and at the Pro Bowl in 1963, I sat down with him for a story for Sport Magazine… I don’t think Unitas ever read the story but he was furious with me after it appeared, under a headline that blared, ‘What About the Johnny Unitas Rumors?’ Which, of course, I hadn’t written. He looked at me frostily whenever I showed up around the Colts. I never really talked to him again.” Murray Olderman, on the “Best Super Bowl Game Ever Played,” January 2009
Larry Gelbart, in one of the last things he wrote, January 2009
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“Richard Avedon had given a camera to Suzy Parker who, during a time in the early 60s Paris, thought she’d switch from supermodel to fashion photographer. She changed her mind and I got the camera, which I still use today. Paloma Picasso and our Venetian friends had to make up projects to amuse ourselves that summer and one day we decided to shoot some jewelry from a Cuban friend. We decided to experiment using Paloma as my fashion model… There we spent a lovely afternoon probably pretending to be as brilliant as Avedon and Parker, which the photos now tell me, for all their youthful charm, we were not.” “During the sitting I told the Queen Mother that the memoirs of my husband’s great aunt Lady Jean Hamilton, were coming out and I said they were very exciting and full of gossip. She asked, ‘How very interesting. Are they indiscreet, my dear?’ I said, ‘No, they’re not.’ And she said, ‘What a pity.’“ Brane Jevric, in a profile of portraitist Barbara Kaczmaowska Hamilton, February 2006
“Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who still spends quality time with James Galanos, remains a firm friend. ‘I have spent some of the more important events in my life dressed in Jimmy’s designs and I always feel wonderful in them. His clothes are timeless and beautifully made. I used to say they could be worn inside out!’” Diane Marlin-Dirkx in a profile of James Galanos, February 2006
‘‘Close to You belongs among the most artistic and most cherished recordings of the 20th Century. ‘My mother and father were about as proud of Close to You as they were of any of the albums they made of Beethoven and Brahms,’ remembers [Felix Slatin’s son] Leonard Slatkin. ‘Because here was the pre-eminent popular musician of the time, having faith and confidence in doing something different. It wasn’t a big seller for Sinatra but it was one of the most respected by everyone. I think my parents always felt that they had to do a good job and always were proud of it because Sinatra went out on a limb for them.” Charles L. Granata, in his essay about Close To You, February 2006
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John Loring, design director Tiffany & Co., February 2006
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“Q: What did you think of the remake of Ocean’s Eleven? A: Ca-ca. Soderberg is a putz. Clooney could never swing like us. Damon and Pitt look like two broads in suits. We screened our version up here recently. It slayed. Q: What do you think of Las Vegas now? A: It’s friggin’ Disneyland. Even Disney says that. It doesn’t swing. There are no lounges, no broads. Roller coasters and Wolfgang Puck? Gimme a break. Pretty soon you won’t even be able to smoke there. I got out at the right time.” Fake after-life interview with Frank Sinatra, by Robert Crane, Jr. February 2003
“Been feeling guilty lately about having a bigger private jet than your neighbors? Did the other girls at the lunch suggest that your new Cellini Cellissima diamondstudded Rolex might be a soupcon too much? Or did you just figure out that the best Chateau Margaux in your wine cellar is more expensive to drink than liquefied gold – on an ounce-to-ounce basis, of course. Relax. Guilt about snobbery and wealth is out. The New Snobbery is in.” Digby Diehl on Snobbery By the Book, written and published at a time when wine actually could be worth more than gold. Premiere Issue 2002
“Back in the United States, Milt Esterow, [publisher of ARTNews] immediately assigned Andrew Decker to look into the matter [art stolen by the Nazis]. In December 1984, after an eight-month investigation, ARTNews published the first installment under the title, ‘A Legacy of Shame: Nazi Loot in Austria.’ It was followed by a decade-long series of articles that clearly proved the true neglect, ineptitude and questionable legal maneuvering by the Austrian government officials in regard to Jewishowned artworks that had been hidden since the end of World War II.” Brane Jevric, in a profile of Milt Esterow March 2007
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“An argument, however, for the separation of church and sports might be made from the case of Charlie Ward, a point guard on the New York Knicks. Ward was profiled a couple of years ago in the New York Times Magazine. The author Eric Konigsberg wrote about attending Bible study with Ward, the religious leader of the Knicks. And Ward asked him, ‘Why did the Jews persecute Jesus unless he knew something they didn’t want to accept? They had his blood on his “There’s going to be a huge hands.’ Ward added, ‘There are Christians new class of people in America being persecuted by Jews every day.’ The whom I call ‘the former middle class’ — resulting brouhaha forced Ward to deliver really ticked off and bewildered about an apology to the Anti Defamation why they were deprived of their entitlement League. In Sightings, a publication at to the American Dream... The places that will the University of Chicago Divinity be successful will be the smaller towns near School, R. Jonathan Moore, the viable agricultural land.” managing editor, commented, ‘It’s hard not to wish that both Ward and James Howard Kunstler Konigsberg had stuck to in an interview with discussing only basketball.” Amanda Griscom Little about the Murray Olderman, end of the cheap-oil era. in an essay on the mixing of sports and religion, Holiday 2004
“Q: I’ve grown tired of all the galas and luncheons and tournaments. They simply aren’t as much fun as they used to be. But I’m a fixture on the circuit and if I stop going, people will talk. What should I do? A: At the next affair, ask to be seated to some Democrats, or better yet some Libertarians and start the evening’s table talk by stating what you think of Arianna Huffington. Don’t be polite, dear; it will never get back to her. I guarantee one of two things will happen: Either you will enjoy one of the liveliest evenings of thoughtful and hilarious discourse or your future event invitations will slow to a trickle. In either case, problem solved!” Meg Whitcomb in her column, Advice for the Loveworn, February 2006
“After Balenciaga, the world saw a decline in elegance and the coming of some remarkable changes in the fashion firmament. The sudden ‘youthquake’ shook the universe of couture and the establishment. The domination by haute couture collapsed: It did not relate to what was going on in the world. For most, elegance was out and the blue jean seemed to rule the world.”
“Scientists believe that the climate may be like a flip switch as opposed to a rheostat’s dimmer. Says Penn State professor Richard Alley: ‘If you put pressure on a switch gradually, it hesitates and then flips all of a sudden into another state. Once it changes over, it could stay that way for centuries. It’s happened before.’”
James Galanos, “Goodbye To All That,” Holiday 2004
Michael Tennesen in an report on climate change, January 2004
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