PROMENADE
PROMENADE About New York since 1934
NYLUXURY.COM
WINTER 2009
■ Seasonal Shopping ■ Theatre and the Arts ■ Fine Dining ■
* inside the Holiday Gift Guide
theatre
a New York
winter
style
art
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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
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Winter 2009-2010
Joan Marcus
Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York
Jewelry
Theatre
John Sloan, "Chinese Restaurant," 1909 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
winter in
PROMENADE
ven if the weather outside is frightful, New York in winter is always delightful. The shops and boutiques are aglow with the finest in colorful bijoux and fabulous gifts, and the city’s theatres are in full swing with the ever-charming holiday classics and the excitement of stars on stage. Manhattan’s world-class chefs are serving their hearty winter fare to warm the soul, and the museums are offering innovative exhibits to feed the mind. On Promenade’s pages you’ll find all of this. Dazzling jewelry in the reds, greens, blues, and frosty whites of the season. One-of-a-kind presents for the most important people in your life. Creative seasonal dishes at some of the city’s best restaurants. Amazing apartments on “Block Beautiful” in Gramercy Park. And in the arts: Meet Jan Maxwell, starring in the Broadway hit The Royal Family, and learn about a celebrity-packed season that includes Angela Lansbury, Jimmy Smits, Laura Linney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Scarlett Johansson, to name just a few. There are new daring productions at the Met, and at the other Met, striking works by legendary painters that tell “American Stories.” For warming up when it’s really frigid, we take you to four lavish hot spots. And as always in Promenade, our up-to-date guides for shopping, dining, theatre, museums, galleries, performing arts, sightseeing, and spas will send you on your way to a glorious winter season in New York. For more luxury information and things to do, visit our website: nyluxury.com. Enjoy!
E Shopping
Dining
Andrew Eccles
David L. Miller Publisher 4
Performing Arts
PROMENADE I
DEDICATED TO THE AFFLUENT NEW YORK CITY VISITOR
HOTEL WALDORF-ASTORIA 301 PARK AVENUE 212-751-9824 509 MADISON AVENUE AT 53RD STREET 212-888-0505 NEW YORK, NY 10022 TOLL-FREE: 800-CELLINI www.CelliniJewelers.com
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NATURAL PINK AND WHITE DIAMONDS FROM OUR EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION
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About New York since 1934
PROMENADE chocolate delights
nyluxury.com Winter 2009-2010
Shopping New York Celebrate With Color Bathe yourself in glamorous reds, greens, blues, and frosty whites – the jewels of the season. Page 18 Special Delivery Distinctive gifts for him, for her, and for the home. Page 22 Bloomingdale’s New Look Making over the famed first floor of beauty. Page 28 The Style Interview: Raul Melgoza As Luca Luca’s creative director, he has fashioned an uptown look with a downtown spirit. Page 30 Editor’s Picks: Delicious delights from the city’s boutiques du chocolat. Page 12 The Virtual Voyager: Topflight tips for the discerning traveler. Page 14 The Holiday Shopping Markets: Indoors and out. Page 16
Our List of the Best Places Great suggestions for successful shopping. Page 32 The Holiday Gift Guide Don’t-miss picks for seasonal giving –– or a little self-indulgence. Page 40
great for giving
chic and sexy
on the cover Clockwise from left: Metallic tote from Helen Kaminski; Luca Luca, spring 2010 collection; diamond necklace from Kaufmann de Suisse; Broadway stars, from left, Alicia Silverstone, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jimmy Smits, Laura Linney; Ferry Staverman’s paper sculpture at the Museum of Arts and Design; the dining room at David Burke Townhouse.
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Photo credits: Catherine Zeta-Jones, FayesVision/WENN.com; Jimmy Smits, Robert Ascroft; Laura Linney, Andrew Eccles Paper Sculture, Ferry Staverman
bold bijoux
HOTEL WALDORF-ASTORIA 301 PARK AVENUE 212-751-9824 509 MADISON AVENUE AT 53RD STREET 212-888-0505 NEW YORK, NY 10022 TOLL-FREE: 800-CELLINI www.CelliniJewelers.com
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TIMELESS GLAMOUR PAVÉ DIAMOND BROOCHES FROM OUR EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION
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About New York since 1934
[ Alicia Silverstone ]
FayesVision/WENN.com
hts theatre’s bright lig
s] [ Catherine Zeta-Jone
Winter 2009-2010 Andrew Eccles
PROMENADE
nyluxury.com
[ Laura Linney ]
[ Jimmy Smits ]
On the Town
winter warm-ups
THEATRE
Courtesy of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives
Micaela Rossato
the daring new Met
Ailey’s legacy
Talking With: Jan Maxwell Now starring in Broadway’s The Royal Family. Page 44 The Winter Classics A quintet of glorious holiday productions. Page 46 Stars on Stage Catherine Zeta-Jones, Laura Linney, Jimmy Smits...and more! Page 47 OPERA
Peter Gelb’s Met This season is the first to totally reflect the bold aesthetic of this general manager. Page 58 DANCE
20 Years at Ailey’s Helm On Judith Jamison’s watch, the dynamic company is thriving. Page 60 MUSEUMS
American Stories at the Met Scenes from ordinary life captured by extraordinary painters. Page 66 REAL ESTATE
Living In Gramercy Park A neighborhood that is quiet, urbane, and rich in history. Page 78 TRAVEL
Hot Spots for Chilling Out Warm up in luxury in Scottsdale, Barbados, Curaçao, or Palm Beach. Page 80 the chefs recommend
DINING
glamour in Gramercy Park
Chef’s Favorites: Hearty Winter Dishes 8 places for fine seasonal fare. Page 88 The Restaurant Interview Mauro Maccioni: The son rises at the legendary Le Cirque. Page 98 THE MOST UP-TO-DATE GUIDES:
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Theatre....................... Page 48 Performing Arts.......... Page 62 Museums.................... Page 70 Galleries...................... Page 74 Sights in the City ....... Page 84 Dining........................ Page 92
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About New York since 1934
PROMENADE Winter 2009-2010
PUBLISHER David L. Miller CO-PUBLISHER Eli Marcus DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Lisa Ben-Isvy SALES & MARKETING
VP Sales & Marketing Vincent Timpone VP Community Relations Janet Z. Barbash Senior Account Manager Fred Moskowitz EDITORIAL
Editor Listings Editor Style Editor Theatre Editor Assistant Editor
Phyllis Singer Colin Carlson Ruth J. Katz Griffin Miller Christine Tarulli
Contributing Editors Kaitlin Ahern Martin Bernheimer Kristopher Carpenter Sylviane Gold Karin Lipson Marla J. Wasserman Research Assistant Emily M. Stone Art Director Jiyon Son PUBLISHING OPERATIONS
General Manager Thomas K. Hanlon 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: 2009 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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EDITOR’S PICKS
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We just missed London’s Chocolate Week, and New York’s seductive Chocolate Show was last month, so we’re indulging now. Chocolates for the holiday season, then after that, for the winter chill in January, and after that for Valentine’s Day, neatly tucked into February. Frankly, any excuse will do. From among Gotham’s many boutiques, we’ve selected a few mouth-watering goodies. And just because we’re showing traditional bonbons here, don’t think that you can’t score thick, gooey brownies, all manner of interesting chocolate ice creams, and tasty, gourmet cocoas to brew at home. Mmmm, good! By Ruth J. Katz
hot
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Dylan Cross
chocolates!
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Inspired by fragile Japanese cherry blossoms and the opulent designs found on vintage kimonos, the delicately decorated “Kimono Collection” comprises ganaches, caramels, and pralinés in six flavors infused with both savory and sweet Japanese ingredients, including shiso-lime, soy-miso, and organic persimmon-white peach, among the mix. 5 pieces, $14; 12 pieces, $32; and 15 pieces, $35 Chocolat Moderne, 27 West 20th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues), Suite 904; 212-229-4797; chocolatmoderne.com
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Decadent Bacon Caramel Toffee—a sweet butter toffee, blended with cherry-wood-smoked bacon and coated in milk chocolate. $12 Vosges Haut Chocolat, 132 Spring Street (Greene/Wooster Streets); 212-625-2929; 1100 Madison Avenue (82nd/83rd Streets); 212-717-2929, 888-301-9866; vosgeschocolate.com
Although Bond Street has been doing a thriving wholesale business (think Dean & Deluca) for several years, happily, the shop has opened for retail sales. The flavorful chocolates (mostly dark) sport different infusions, but they usually include flavors out of the ordinary—like absinthe, elder flowers, lavender, passion fruit, and flavorsome teas. 6 pieces, $15; 9 pieces, $22; and 16 pieces, $36 Bond Street Chocolates, 63 East Fourth Street (Bowery/Second Avenue); 212-677-5103; bondstchocolate.com
Only 18 “Starry Night” ornaments (each weighs over six pounds!) are handcrafted worldwide. Made with the finest chocolate and filled with a nougatine and caramelized almonds mixture, the ornaments are coated with nuts, violet petals, and crystallized roses, then dusted with gold. $585; individual “Shooting Star” ornaments (left) $28 each La Maison du Chocolat, 1018 Madison Avenue (78th/79th Streets); 212-744-7117, 800-988-5632; lamaisonduchocolat.com
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Advertiser:
bochic
ISSUE:
HOLIDAY 2008
Contact Information:
jill malek 718.207.9587 jill@jillmalek.com
EDITOR’S PICKS
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Topflight Tips for the Discerning Traveler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
the
virtualvoyager
By Griffin Miller
▼ Fairway to Heaven
Once the 2010 Winter Olympics have departed Vancouver, and a certain amount of thawing has ensued, golfers in Whistler will take to the skies. Big Sky Golf and Country Club, Four Seasons Resort Whistler and Blackcomb Helicopters have joined forces to fly serious golf enthusiasts to the top of Mount Currie (8,000 feet above Big Sky) where they can “tee-off on top of the world with the guaranteed longest drive.” And for those who like their airborne sports outings to include an actual golf course, Big Sky and Four Seasons also offer a Heli-Golf Package (19 holes and a golf cart starting from $555 Canadian). Fourseasons.com/whistler
▼ Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Whistler
The Ultimate Roll: It’s In the Bag
For anyone who’s dragged an overloaded duffle around a crowded airport, had a spontaneous suitcase tilt-a-wheel disaster, or nursed a post-trip back strain, salvation has arrived courtesy of Live Luggage, a UK company that introduced the world’s first power-assisted luggage boasting Nano wheel technology (wheels with built-in motors). Plus most models come with sensors built into their extendable “antigravity” handles to detect a gradient or curb. Not yet available in the US, but global shipping arrangements with UPS allow easy online ordering. Two of their most popular items, the Hybrid PA Bag and 2012 Sports Bag, retail for between $800-$950. liveluggage.com ▼ The Now of Tao:Transported
As of last September, Victoria Cruise Line elevated their luxury voyages on China’s Yangtze River (glorious pagodas… journeys through the Three Gorges…) to sublime status with the introduction of The Victoria Jenna, a vessel offering myriad opulent, unique and technosavvy options, from white-glove service to lessons in Tai Chi and Mandarin to CDMA–wireless internet, HBO and CNN – and, most notably, their collection of 37 Executive Deck Suites, which offer even more exclusive perks and pampering. victoriacruises.com ▼
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Czeching In
World travelers with an eye to the edgy know the seductive pleasures associated with Buddha-Bar, the high-end music/watering hole/restaurant that debuted in Paris in 1996, only to expand to set the jet-setting standard for wining and dining from Cairo to Vegas. And now, devotees, like Johnny Depp, J-Lo, Michael Jordan, Madonna and Bill Clinton, can slip into something a little more, shall we say, boutique: the Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague (36 rooms/three suites) – the concept’s first urban resort set in the heart of the historic Czech city. Beyond visionary (it’s spa is called “Buddhattitude”), the Buddha beat goes on…. buddha-bar-hotel.cz/
Advertiser:
bochic
Deadline:
05/8/09 PROMENADE MAGAZINE
Contact Information:
jill malek 718.207.9587 jill@jillmalek.com
EDITOR’S PICKS
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the holiday
[ Swarovski’s limited edition Annual Edition Ornament, at Rockefeller Center ]
shopping markets
Every year in New York, unique shops and outdoor and indoor specialty markets pop up around the city to make the holiday shopping experience even more fun. Here are the highlights of these seasonal delights. By Kaitlin Ahern
The Shops at The Plaza have partnered with Madison Square Garden Entertainment this holiday season. Shoppers who purchase $300+ worth of merchandise will receive two free tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s Wintuk (through Jan. 3) or The Radio CityChristmas Spectacular (through Dec. 30). Also for the holiday season, The Shops at the Plaza Through Dec. 24 Rosenthal has opened a pop-up boutique on The Shops The Plaza Hotel, Central Park South & Fifth Ave., at The Plaza’s grand concourse, featuring a photography 212-957-3005; theplaza.com exhibit by Karl Lagerfeld. The shops offer many unique and made-to-order products, including custom, handmade Italian haute couture and bridal gowns by Francesco Fino; custom shirts, suits and accessories for women and men by Seize Sur Vingt; one-of-akind jewelry creations by Anna Hu; and chic, luxurious scarves, sweaters, and outerwear by Qiviuk.
Lionel Electric Trains Through Jan. 5
[ From The Shops at The Plaza: Hand-painted chocolate elephant from Demel and a flat diamond ring by Anna Hu ]
Rockefeller Center is hosting two seasonal stores catering to 30 Rockefeller Plaza (50th St. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.), holiday shoppers. The first is the Lionel Electric Trains 212-782-3388; lionelnewyork.com Holiday Store, which offers an array of toys, collectibles, and accessories associated with model railSwarovski Holiday Kiosk Through the holiday season roading. The store also features several active layouts, celebrity-signed trains on sale to benefit North Rockefeller Plaza (50th-51st Sts. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.), 800-426-3088. charities, and appearances by Lionel’s mascot Lenny. Open weekdays, 10am-9pm; weekends, 11am-7pm. And the Swarovski Holiday Kiosk is featuring a selection of Swarovski jewelry and ornaments, including the Annual Edition Ornament and a full-scale replica of the famous Swarovski star that tops Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree.
The Holiday Market at Union Square Through Dec. 24 14th St. & Broadway, 212-529-9262; urbanspacenyc.com.
The Holiday Market at Union Square and The Holiday Market at Columbus Circle each boast more than 100 vendors this year, offering gifts in all different categories, including decorative home products; children’s, women’s, and men’s apparel and accessories; fine art; toys; and a variety of handmade and locally-made items such as jewelry and ornaments. Both markets also feature a Market Concierge to answer questions about
the markets and the surrounding neighborhoods. The Holiday Market at Union Square is open Mon.-Fri., 11am–8pm; Sat., 10am– 8pm, Sun., 11am–7pm. The Holiday Market at Columbus Circle is open Mon.-Sat., 10am–8pm; Sun., 10am–7pm. Hours lengthen closer to Christmas Eve.
The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park feature more than 125 artisans, boutiquestyle shops, and specialty food stores from around the world. New vendors include celebrity metalsmith Wendy Culpepper, offering handcrafted designer jewelry; Paradis Found Designs, whose one-of-a-kind children’s hats, jackets, and clothing are made from vintage camp blankets and chenille bedspreads; and Tedde’s modern, designer-made bears “stuffed with personality.” Also part of the fun is free ice skating at The Pond. The shops are open Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, Mon.-Fri., 11am-8pm; Sat., 10am-9pm; Sun., 10am-6pm; Dec. 14-23, open daily 10am-10pm. The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park Through Jan. 3 40th-42nd Sts. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves., 212-768-4242; shop.bryantpark.org.
16 For The Grand Central Market, see page 36
The Holiday Market at Columbus Circle Through Dec. 24 Central Park South at Central Park West, 212-529-9262; urbanspacenyc.com
[ Tribal Home hand-designed ceramic plate, available at Union Square and Columbus Circle ]
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SHOPPINGNEW YORK
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Stefan Hafner’s “Vine” necklace, with a total of 8 carats of diamonds, set in 18-kt. white gold. Price upon request Cellini, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria (East Lobby), 301 Park Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 212-751-9824; 509 Madison Avenue (52nd/53rd Streets); 212-888-0505; cellinijewelers.com
▼ A trio of delicate bangles, all slightly different in style, in 18-kt. white gold, set with diamonds. Prices 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
▼ A pair of “Pyramid” rings, in 18-kt. white gold, set with diamonds. Price range for the series: $4,800 to $7,200 Mimi So, by appointment only; 212-300-8655; mimiso.com
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Nouvelle Bague’s bracelets are all elegantly designed, with swirls, geometrics, and dots of diamonds and metal. These two, from the “San Lorenzo” Collection are hand-enameled over 18-kt. white gold. Each, $4,550 Danielle B., 120 West 57th Street (Sixth/Seventh Avenues), 212-956-6565
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© Tiffany & Co.
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Show-stopping sapphire-and-diamond “Vine” bracelet set in platinum. $195,000 Tiffany & Co., 727 Fifth Avenue (57th Street); 212-755-8000, 800-526-0649; 37 Wall Street (Nassau/William Streets); 212-514-8015; tiffany.com
color
celebrate with
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Holiday decorations scream red and green, and additionally, blue for Hanukah. But we like to think of those colors not as season-centric, but rather as jewel tones suitable for the entire year—we’d bathe ourselves in rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and of course, diamonds, any time, any place. And, come to think of it, we wouldn’t limit red to rubies, green to emeralds, and blue to sapphires. There are lots of other sumptuous precious and semi-precious stones that fit quite comfortably into those color groupings, and not incidentally, would fit quite nicely around our neck, our wrist, and on our fingers. So celebrate with red, green, blue bijoux – and frosty-white diamonds – this season…or any. By Ruth J. Katz
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“Nuit d’Amour” ring, in white gold, with a striking oval sapphire (approximately 4.2 carats), and set with accent sapphires and diamonds. $4,490 Mauboussin, 714 Madison Avenue (63rd/64th Streets); 212-752-4300; mauboussin.com
A self-winding Specialité Tourbillon, the “Octopus,” features a brushed white-gold dial set with 173 sapphires. Price upon request Blancpain Boutique, 781 Madison Avenue (66th/67th Streets); 212-396-1735; blancpain.com
“Boule” earrings, set in 18-kt. white gold, and lavishly appointed with blue sapphires and white diamonds. $19,500 de Grisogono, 824 Madison Avenue (69th Street), 212-439-4220; degrisogono.com
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Dazzling sunstones are front and center in these “Royal” square-shaped earrings, set with .99 ct. diamonds, in 18-kt. gold, from designer Erica Courtney. $37,440 Michael C. Fina, 545 Fifth Avenue (45th Street); 212-557-2500; michaelcfina.com, ericacourtney.com
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Red onyx dangle hoop earrings, in 14-Kt. gold, set with white and yellow single-cut diamonds (total 5.35 carats). $19,500 Bochic, 12 West 57th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); Eighth Floor; 212-873-0707; bochic.com
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SHOPPINGNEW YORK
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Glashütte Original’s “Golden Dragon” manual-winding watch, set with 174 diamonds and one ruby in the eye of the dragon, and accented with guilloche enamel. A watch with real va-va-va-voom. $39,000 Tourbillon Boutique New York, 45 Wall Street (William/Broad Streets); 212 797 2503; glashuette-original.com
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From the “Tzarina” Collection, a narrow cuff, with rhodolite garnets and diamonds, set in 18-kt. white gold. $35,000 Kaufmann de Suisse Jewelers, 785 Madison Avenue (66th/67th Streets); 877-249-5700; kaufmanndesuisse.com
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celebrate with color
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▼ Hublot’s “Big Bang Apple” watch in 18-kt. pink gold, with the case encircled by 48 baguette-shaped tsavorites, and featuring a Kelly green rubber-andalligator strap. $29,900 Cellini, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria (East Lobby), 301 Park Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 212-751-9824; 509 Madison Avenue (52nd/53rd Streets); 212-888-0505; cellinijewelers.com; hublot.com
A dazzling, dramatic necklace set with peridots and white diamonds, in 18-kt. white gold. $62,500 Cellini, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria (East Lobby), 301 Park Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 212-751-9824; 509 Madison Avenue (52nd/53rd Streets); 212-888-0505; cellinijewelers.com
▼ Granulated disk cufflinks and studs, in 18-kt. gold, set with cabochon emeralds. Prices 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
A trio of luscious cocktail rings from designer Suzy Landa (left to right): “Mosaic,” a symphony of tourmalines, in various hues and shapes (total weight, 3.5 carats), in 18-kt. yellow gold. $3,410 One-of-a-kind “Daisy,” featuring a stunning 12-carat round green tourmaline, surrounded by diamonds (.70 carats), and set in 18-kt. yellow gold. $12,100 A dramatic eye-catcher, with a staggeringly large 21.45-carat rectangular green tourmaline, surrounded by .35 carats of diamonds, set in 18-kt. yellow gold. $18,480 EDIT, 1368 Lexington Avenue (90th/91st Street); 212-876-1368; editfashion.com; suzylanda.com
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WOMEN
SHOPPINGNEW YORK
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Perfumers since 1904, Krigler is a fifth-generation house, with Russian and French roots; the company will even custom-blend fragrances for clients, starting at about $3,500. “Château Krigler” is a signature fragrance. 1.7 fl. oz, $95; 3.4 fl. oz., $135 Krigler, The Shops at The Plaza, 1 West 58th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-371-1122, krigler.com
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Helen Yarmak‘s sapphire-blue chinchilla coat, featuring a horizontal hem band, patch pockets, and a snuggly oversize collar. $50,000 Helen Yarmak at The Shops at The Plaza, 1 West 58th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-826-2101; helenyarmak.com
The highly regarded scents from Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle are devastatingly intoxicating and addictive; “Carnal Flower” is a rich tuberose fragrance with a slight edge of eucalyptus that lingers provocatively. 50 ml., $200; 100 ml., $300 Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, 898 Madison Avenue (72nd Street); 212-249-7941; editionsdeparfums.com
Two shawls from Bayaa by weaveTree: Left: “Fanfare,” a lightweight wool with metallic threads and wool embroidery, with French knot details, $295 Right: “Sophia,” a lightweight wool with an all-over dupioni silk appliqué, with metallic thread embellishment, $245 Takashimaya, 693 Fifth Avenue (53rd/54th Streets); 212-350-0100; takashimaya-ny.com, weavetree.com
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specialdelivery Holiday time – or anytime – is the right time to shower someone with a wonderful je ne sais quoi, whether for him, for her, the dog, or someone’s new home. Tickle your shopping spirit with these ideas to stuff into a stocking, stash under a tree, or sneak into a festive shopping bag just because you feel like it. By Ruth J. Katz
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Australian designer Helen Kaminski has been creating woven-leather totes for 25 years, and this season they are in rich metallics, as well as in popular colors. “Meghan,” $765 Takashimaya, 693 Fifth Avenue (53rd/54th Streets); 212-350-0100; takashimaya-ny.com, helenkaminski.com
Phone as fashion accessory (and high-tech instrument), from Vertu. The “Constellation Exotic” in azure ostrich, with laser-etched keypad and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal screen. $8,200 Vertu, The Shops at The Plaza, 1 West 58th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenue); 212-371-8701, vertu.com
Buckle up for glamour’s sake, in two spectacular cuff-style bracelets from Bottega Veneta: 18-kt. yellow gold, or the more dramatic 18-kt. white gold set with a diamond buckle. $29,500 and $55,000 Bottega Veneta, 697 Fifth Avenue (54th/55th Streets); 212-371-5511, 877-362-1715; bottegaveneta.com
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A stunning, midnight-blue, shiny-crocodile briefcase, featuring incomparable details and finishing. $16,500 Bottega Veneta, 697 Fifth Avenue (54th/55th Streets); 212-371-5511, 877-362-1715; bottegaveneta.com
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Prada’s brand-new Infusion d’Homme, is a rich mixture of Tunisian neroli, cedarwood, vetiver, incense, and benzoin, among its many ingredients. 3.4 fl. oz., $74 Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue (49th/50th Streets); 877-551-7257; 212-753-4000; saksfifthavenue.com
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Seize sur Vingt‘s classic woolen socks come in solids and prints; the company will happily custom-fill a box. $26 and $30/pair Seize sur Vingt, 243 Elizabeth Street (Houston/Prince Streets), 212-343-0476; The Shops at The Plaza, 1 West 58th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-832-1620; 16sur20.com
A Georg Jensen classic chronograph, accented with a crocodileembossed calf skin strap, from designer Henning Koppel. $4,950 Georg Jensen, 687 Madison Avenue (61st/62nd Streets); 212-759-6457; 125 Wooster Street (Prince Street); 212-343-9000, 800-546-5253; georgjensenstore.com
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Louis XIII Cognac,created in 1874 by Rémy Martin, is a complex blend of 1,200 eaux-de-vie, and is aged for up to 100 years in special barrels. $1,699.99 Astor Wines & Spirits, De Vinne Press Building, 399 Lafayette Street (East 4th Street); 212-674-7500; astorwines.com
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specialdelivery ▼ A portable USB drive finished in a brushed silver-plate, on a keychain, in Hermès’ inimitable fine-quality leather. $830 Hermès, 691 Madison Avenue (62 Street); 212-751-3181; 15 Broad Street (Exchange Place); 212-785-3030, 800-441-4488; hermes.com
A duo from designer Jan Leslie: Marcasite and onyx stud set, with four studs and two cufflinks, set in sterling silver. $450 Fun cuff links, featuring enamel tennis balls and rackets, in sterling silver. $325 Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Avenue (58th Street); 212-753-7300, 800558-1855; bergdorfgoodman.com, janleslie.com Teroforma’s Whisky Stones (not hot rocks, but “cool” rocks) are crafted from soapstone and when frozen, perfectly chill a glass of spirits without affecting flavor. $20 Takashimaya, 693 Fifth Avenue (54th/55th Streets); 212-350-0111; takashimaya-ny.com, teroforma.com
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Fit for a king, or, er….a very important canine. A mansion for Fido or Fifi, from the ceramic geniuses at MacKenzie-Childs. $3,400 MacKenzie-Childs, 14 West 57th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-570-6050; mackenzie-childs.com
▼ Keep Rover’s grooming brushes and rakes organized in his very own fancy version of a Dopp kit, made of a sturdy felted wool with charming embroidered decorations, from Mungo & Maud. $115 Bergdorf Goodman, 745 Fifth Avenue (57th/58th Streets); 212-753-7300; bergdorfgoodman.com; mungoandmaud.com
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The perfect book ends, “Lookends,” from Umbra to showcase both literature and photos of friends and family. $30 Sam Flax, 900 Third Avenue (54th/55th Streets), 212-813-6666; 3 West 20th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-620-3000; samflax.com
Sterling silver “Albero” menorah by artist Sharon Geller, features a tangled web of candle-holding tentacles in an exquisitely masterful design. $3,500 Celebrations, the Jewish Museum Design Shop, 1109 Fifth Avenue (92nd Street); 212-423-3211; thejewishmuseum.org
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specialdelivery ▼ Exterior home design to showcase on any coffee table: Frank Gehry: The Houses by Mildred Friedman, newly published by Rizzoli New York; hardcover, 320 pages, with 500 illustrations, $85 Rizzoli New York, 31 West 57th Street (Fifth/Sixth Avenues); 212-759-2424; rizzoli.com
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French-based D. Porthault has been outfitting the beds and baths of royalty and the über-rich for decades. Super-high thread counts, compelling designs, and charming ensembles mark the bed linens, from $900 for a queen-size set. Shown here, “Papillons,” at $2,200 (queen set), accented with “Deauville” stripe and a boudoir pillow. D. Porthault, 470 Park Avenue (58th Street), 212-688-1660; dporthault.com
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From the team behind the internationally renowned interior design firm, Yabu Pushelberg—sumptuous homes, boutiques, and restaurants to feast your eyes upon. $70 Urban Center Books (the design bookstore for the Municipal Art Society of New York), 457 Madison Avenue (50th/51st Streets); 212-935-3595; urbancenterbooks.org
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All photos: courtesy of Bloomingdale’s
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[ Sisley, on the first floor’s main boulevard ]
bloomingdale’s:
making over the famed first floor By Ruth J. Katz
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et’s face it, everyone wants beachfront property. And that same desire to own the equivalent of wave-tickled turf in a retail environment is what promotes posh commercial corridors like Madison and Fifth Avenues. But in a store, what is the equivalent of a bigticket location? If the store is Bloomingdale’s, the venerable city landmark, founded in 1872, then the idea of prime location exists down the new byways and broader aisles of the retailer’s handsome reinvention of its first floor. In the store’s new floor plan, it’s as if every cosmetics vendor has struck it rich with an ocean view. Not only has Bloomingdale’s retained its famous blackand-white checkered central boulevard (east/west), but it has widened the two parallel lanes, and has added “cross streets” (north/south), so that navigating that first floor now is like window-shopping in a major retail neighborhood. This is the most adventurous and ambitious undertaking the store has committed to, ever. And while the retailer underwent a massive redesign some 30 years ago, and also experienced a little face-lift about 10 years ago, this is a complete remodel, with new concepts, new vendors (including, among others, Bare Escentuals, Jo Malone, and Sisley), and new services, too, including a Bumble and bumble salon, called the Bb.StylingBar, a “no wash, no appointment” dry styling counter. “The overall goal of the ‘Biggest Makeover in NYC’ was to create a 28
floor that has the largest and most dynamic world of beauty in the city,” observed Michael Gould, chairman and CEO of the store. And while the transformation, which started on the drawing board in 2004, affects the entire store, it’s most obvious on this first level. Other elements contribute to making it great: The 1,300-square-foot Cosmetics Studio, open 362 days a year, which can be reconfigured for various purposes—master classes, special events, and private treatment rooms; the energetic vibe that permeates the first-floor environment, emanating from lots of video, music, and salon-style nooks; and of course, the design, which is slick, with black mirrors and stainless steel elements throughout, while a rich-looking black damask-printed pattern frames many of the vendors’ enclaves. The first floor has gained some 10,000 square feet, with the cosmetics department alone adding more than 4,400 square feet; but more space was not the only goal here. Merchandise is closer, within view; partial walls have been erected to create more individual “shops,” and the floor itself has been divided into seven major areas. Traditional selling counters have been removed, and there are now more intimate work stations, creating a feeling of one-on-one—a better shopping experience for the customer, for sure. A full promotional campaign has accompanied this makeover, including more than 500 special events, which began last month and which will continue through mid-December. For more information on the events and the store itself, go to bloomingdales.com. ■
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Bumble and bumble
Jo Malone
Bare Escentuals
Shu Uemura
Kiehl's
Giorgio Armani
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[ From the Fall 2009 Collection ]
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Raul Melgoza
As Luca Luca’s creative director, he has translated the sophisticated brand’s signature fundamentals into his own modern style. By Marla J. Wasserman
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aul Melgoza isn’t one to brag, but his resume speaks for itself. After all, he didn’t just graduate top of his class from the Parsons School of Design. In 2005, Melgoza also was nominated Designer of the Year prior to receiving his degree. Not surprisingly, Luca Orlandi, who started the glamorous Luca Luca clothing line in 1991, immediately hired the wunderkind and last year named Melgoza as creative director of his namesake brand. In between fashion shows and a non-stop schedule, we managed to get this native Californian to give us a “New York minute” and answer some questions.
Q: For those who haven’t discovered Luca Luca yet, how would you describe the brand? A: Luca Luca is a chic, sexy-yet-sophisticated sportswear brand with an uptown look and a downtown spirit. Q: When Luca Orlandi named you his creative director a few years after graduating from Parsons, were you daunted by this honor? A: Truly, it was one of the most exciting moments in my professional career. Although this was my first job out of Parsons, I had worked as Luca’s assistant for three years so I had a good understanding of the responsibilities the position entailed. Q: When you debuted your first line for spring 2009, did you have butterflies in your stomach? A: Designing my first collection for the label was both thrilling and slightly overwhelming. It was my first attempt at extracting the signature elements of the brand and translating them in a more modern way through my own aesthetic. The weeks leading towards the show were chaotic and stressful but honestly, the day of the show was calming. The show happened so fast that there was little time to analyze and digest everything going on. The following day I looked at the video and images of the collection and read the reviews. Q: What’s the best part of your job other than all the great travel? A: Getting to create a whole new collection each season. Each season you start off with a blank sheet of paper from which you get to build a new story…it’s exciting.
Q: If we peeked in your closet, what brands would we discover you wear and what might we be surprised to learn? A: My personal style is casual with a mix of Prada, Paul Smith, Varvatos. But, you might be surprised by how many jeans and coats I own! Q: Which leaders in the field have had the greatest influence on your artistic sensibilties? A: Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Chanel. These designers have established a vocabulary that is uniquely their own yet grounded in classics that are as relevant and fresh today as they were then. For me, this is the true test of good design. Q: If you could dress one celebrity, who would top your list? A: Nicole Kidman. Q: What can we look forward to for spring, and where did you get your inspiration? A: The spring 2010 collection was inspired by impressions of blossoming in nature; exuberant colors, detailed construction yet simplicity in shape and form. I was inspired to create versatile, easy clothing that up close had all the intricate detailing, construction and movement found in nature. Q: Clearly, you were destined to be a fashion designer but if that hadn’t panned out, what would you have been? A: If I hadn’t been in fashion, I would have been a psychiatrist. I am a good listener and genuinely like to help others. ■ Marla J. Wasserman has written for many magazines in New York. Her last interview for Promenade was with Amy Smilovic of Tibi.
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Timeless ancient Etruscan, Indian and Egyptian designs are given a distinctively contemporary spin at Reinstein/Ross, the brainchild of designer Susan Reinstein and gem trader Brian Ross. Pictured here are hoopstock rings with brown diamond, sapphires, and rubies with side diamonds ($1850). 122 Prince St. (Wooster St.), 212-226-4513; 29 E. 73rd St., 212-772-1901; reinsteinross.com
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 and art restoration, as well as traditional upholstery. 222 E. 44th St. (Second-Third Aves.), 212-450-7988; center44.com Showplace Antique Center – Over 250 galleries located on 4 spacious floors featuring Art Deco, Art Nouveau, mid-century Modern, bronze, silver, jewelry, vintage clothing & accessories, ceramics, art glass, antiquities, period furniture & lighting. Don’t miss the 3rd floor featuring 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. Silversmith, Espresso Bar & Café on the premises. 40 W. 25th St., 212-633-6063; nyshowplace.com
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Barneys New York – Long identified with NY 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. 660 Madison Ave. (61st St.), 212-826-8900; barneys.com
dramatic spiral staircases. It makes for a wonderful backdrop for the high-end goods, including top women’s labels. 712 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 212-247-1100; henribendel.com
Bergdorf Goodman – Among the nation’s most prestigious shops, featuring women’s fashion designs from Armani, Chanel, Versace and Ferre, to Tyler, Galliano, and Westwood. 754 Fifth Ave. (57th-58th Sts.), 212-753-7300; The men’s store is located at 745 Fifth Ave. (58th St.), 212-339-3310; bergdorfgoodman.com
Lord & Taylor – Generations have shopped yearround at this, their flagship store, established in 1914, attracted by their focus on the American look and American designers, offering a vast 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
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; The SoHo branch is located at 504 Broadway (Spring-Broome Sts.), 212-729-5900; bloomingdales.com Century 21 Department Store – “New York’s Best-Kept Secret” with high-quality European and American designer merchandise at 40-70% off retail prices. 22 Cortlandt St. (Church St.Broadway), 212-227-9092; c21stores.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 Henri Bendel – This ultra-chic, elegant Fifth Avenue retailer features Lalique windows, in-store Lalique history and displays, and multiple
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 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
FASHION AND ACCESSORIES ADAM – Fashion designer Adam Lippes’ outpost, featuring luxurious fashion apparel for men and women, including runway designs and daytime basics. All that glitters makes dressing up easy this season for women! 678 Hudson St. (14th St.), 212-229-2838; shopadam.com
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Balenciaga – A futuristic, luxurious environment, with fashions that meld the avant-garde with classically wearable designs. 542 W. 22nd St., 212-206-0872; balenciaga.com
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Carolina Herrera – Elegant, ultra-feminine, upto-the-minute women’s dresses and fragrances. Rich, metallic dresses and suits are dressing women this winter season. 954 Madison Ave. (75th St.), 212-249-6552; carolinaherrera.com
BCBG Max Azria – Modern and chic suits, separates, jeans, coats, dresses, handbags, and accessories for fashion-forward women. Embellished silk and satin dresses and tops in jewel-tones are perfect for the holiday season. 770 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-717-4225; 120 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-625-2723; bcbg.com
Catherine Malandrino – High-end couture fashions that blend the energy of Manhattan and the romance of Paris, and are a favorite among celebrities. SoHo: 468 Broome St. (Greene St.), 212-925-6765; Meatpacking District: 652 Hudson St. (13th St.), 212-929-8710; catherinemalandrino.com
Brooks Brothers – Classically modern business and casual clothing for fashionable men and women, including dress shirts, ties, pants, sweaters, and polos. 1 Liberty Plaza (Broadway), 212-267-2400; 346 Madison Ave. (44th St.), 212-682-8800; brooksbrothers.com
Chanel Boutique – Featuring the classic elements of Coco Chanel’s renowned style, showcasing handbags, accessories, shoes, cosmetics,, and ready-to-wear by Karl Lagerfeld. 15 E. 57th St., 212-355-5050; 139 Spring St. (Wooster St.), 212-334-0055; chanel.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-to-order coat service has customized style and color options. 9 E. 57th St., 212-371-5010; 131 Spring St. (Greene St.), 212-925-9300; burberry.com
Davide Cenci – The women’s collection features Italian-made cashmere sweaters, shirts, dress suits, and slacks in various styles and colors, an assortment of outerwear and accessories tailored with unmistakable flair. The men’s collection features comfortable Italian-made suits, sport coats, pants, shirts, and accessories. 801 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-628-5910; davidecenci.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 Calypso – Feminine, flowing dresses, ultrasoft sweaters, swimwear, and other brightly colored fashions that mix “urban vintage” with “tropical exoticism.” 815 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-585-0310; 935 Madison Ave. (74th St.), 212-535-4100; 280 Mott St. (Houston St.), 212-965-0990; 654 Hudson St. (Gansevoort St.), 646-638-3000; 191 Lafayette St. (Broome St.), 212-941-6512; calypso-celle.com The Carlisle Collection – Stylish women make appointments for an exclusive and personalized shopping experience with couture-quality clothing that can’t be found in stores, including everything from power suits for the executive office to elegant dresses for the evening. 16 E. 52nd St. (Madison-Fifth Aves.), 16th Floor, 212-751-6490; showroom@carlisleny.com; carlislecollection.com
Derek Lam – Classic American fashion for women: elegant, modern, and ready-to-wear, plus limited-edition pieces, custom-made furniture, and more. Apparel in metallic hues is paired up with fur coats and vests this winter. 12 Crosby St. (Grand St.), 212-929-1338; dereklam.com Diane Von Furstenberg – Signature wrap dresses to flirty sportswear, swimwear, accessories, and more from the fashion icon. This season is showing bold prints and trendy, mismatched layers. 874 Washington St. (14th St.), 646-486-4800; dvf.com DKNY – Lifestyle clothing, accessories, and more embracing the fun and “real” styles of New York from Donna Karan. 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. 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
FASHION p.33
simplicity meets glamour. T-length dresses and skirts belted at the waist define this winter collection. 819 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 866-240-4700; donnakaran.com Dooney & Bourke – Designer handbags and small leathergoods featuring trendy animal prints, soft suede, and their trademark logo. 20 E. 60th St. (Madison-Park Aves.), 212-223-7444; dooney.com Eileen Fisher – Classic women’s fashions promoting simplicity, versatility, beauty, and creativity. 395 West Broadway, 212-431-4567; 521 Madison Ave. (53rd-54th Sts.), 212-759-9888; 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. (21-22 Sts.), 212-924-4777; eileenfisher.com Elie Tahari – Women’s ready-to-wear fashions and accessories, including suits, cutting-edge sportswear and dresses. 417 West Broadway (Spring St.), 212-334-4441; elietahari.com Emilio Pucci – Women’s clothing, hats, and shoes featuring brightly colored, often psychedelic, ultra-mod prints. 24 E. 64th St., 212-752-4777; 701 Fifth Ave. (54th St.), 212-230-1135; emiliopucci.com Eryn brinié – Inspired by “French chic and urban spirit,” this collection of clothing, shoes, and handbags for women merges refined, sophisticated silhouettes with modern sensibility. 501 Broadway (Broome St.,), 212-308-6134; erynbrinie.com Etro – Offbeat, intricate and bold Italian fashions, accessories, and shoes. This winter, women can find funky patchwork, intricate beading and stone embroidery, while men can stop stripes and plaid. 720 Madison Ave. (64th St.), 212-317-9096; etro.com Façonnable – Creating timeless fashions since 1950. Designed in France, Façonnable offers classic men’s and women’s clothing and accessories made with exclusive fabrications and impeccable craftsmanship. 636 Fifth Ave. (51st St.), 212-319-0111; faconnable.com Giorgio Armani – The Italian designer’s fourlevel flagship features understated suits, elegant sportswear, outerwear, and exquisite evening wear for men and women. 760 Madison Ave. (65th St.), 212-988-9191; giorgioarmani.com
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Gucci – A name synonymous with haute couture and classic sophistication, the Italian luxury-goods company’s flagship store features five floors of cowhide sling-back chairs, up-to-theminute handbags, signature jewelry, and men’s and women’s shoes and apparel. 725 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 212-826-2600; 840 Madison Ave. (70th St.), 212-717-2619; gucci.com Hickey Freeman – Tailored clothing for men, including formalwear, men’s dress furnishings, and sportswear, and the hickey line for the younger set. Top-of-the-line fabrics, superior craftsmanship, and total uniqueness. 666 Fifth Ave. (53rd St.), 212-586-6481; 111 Broadway (Pine St.), 212-233-2363; hickeyfreeman.com Hugo Boss – With its brands BOSS and HUGO, Hugo Boss covers all the main fashion areas for women and men. Shoes and accessories, fragrances, glasses, watches and more. Shops at Columbus Circle, 212-485-1900; 401 W. 14th St., 646-336-8170; hugoboss.com Huminska – A charming East Village boutique and home to the Huminska line of classic "flirty little dresses" inspired by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Greta Garbo. 315 E. 9th St., 212-677-3458; huminska.com Intermix – Cutting-edge American and European women’s styles and accessories, from big labels to up-and-coming designers. 125 Fifth Ave. (20th St.), 212-533-9720; 1003 Madison Ave. (77th St.), 212-249-7858; 210 Columbus Ave. (69th St.), 212-769-9116; 365 Bleecker St. (Charles St.), 212-929-7180; 98 Prince St. (Mercer St.), 212-966-5303; intermixonline.com Jack Olive – Italian-made preppy menswear inspired by the sport of cricket. 87 Mercer St. (Spring St.), 212-966-9692; jackolive.com John Varvatos – Home to the Varvatos lifestyle collection, including men’s designer suits, shoes, bags, belts, cologne, and more. Guys can find a wide variety of coats and jackets in sleek black, pinstripes and shades of grey, and scarves to match. 315 Bowery (Bleecker St.), 212-358-0315; 122 Spring St. (Greene St.), 212-965-0700; johnvarvatos.com Krizia – Superbly tailored Italian clothing for men and women, including suits, knitwear, ties, shirts, gowns, handbags, shoes, pants, skirts for day and evening, and fragrances. 769 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-879-1211; krizia.net
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Patty Tobin’s new flagship boutique in Chelsea is home to an affordable new and rare collection of gorgeous semiprecious gemstones and luscious freshwater cultured pearls. Pictured here is the gem whiskey Topaz faceted baroque nugget double strand necklace with large pendant and 18K vermeil and crystal clasp ($895).108 W. 17th St., 212-414-0174; info@pattytobin.com.
Lambertson Truex – The luxury-accessory brand known for its modern vision of classic opulence offers a full retail experience. 692 Madison Ave. (62nd St.), 212-750-4895; lambertsontruex.com Loro Piana – For over a century, this luxuryclothing manufacturer has produced the finest fabrics and sportswear/leisurewear—exquisite vicuna, cashmere, ready-to-wear, and custommade apparel for men, women, and children. 821 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-980-7961; loropiana.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. 1 E. 57th St., 212-758-8877; 116 Greene St. (Prince St.), 212-274-9090; louisvuitton.com Malo – Italian sportswear for men and women, with an emphasis on cashmere. 814 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-396-4721; malo.it Marc Jacobs – Casual-chic must-have fashions for men and women including simple dresses, classic tailored suits, and formal wear. Bubble skirts and dresses for women, long jackets and pants for men — all in funky, bold prints — are the trend this season. 163 Mercer St. (Houston-Prince Sts.), 212-343-1490; 385 Bleecker St. (Perry St.), 212-924-6126; marcjacobs.com Michael Kors – Polished, classic-chic sportswear and accessories for men and women. From “Biker Chic” to “Into the Wild” animal prints, the winter collection has it all! 974 Madison Ave. (76th St.), 212-452-4685; 101 Prince St. (Greene St.), 212-965-0401; michaelkors.com Moschino – This flagship store offers an array of notions, shoes, and accessories from their Moschino, Moschino Cheap and Chic, Love Moschino, and Moschino Uomo lines. 401 W. 14th St. (Ninth Ave.), 212-243-8600; moschino.com Mulberry – British luxury bags, womenswear, menswear, and interior design. 605 Madison Ave. (58th St.); 387 Bleecker St. (Perry St.), 212-835-4700; mulberry.com Nicole Miller – Unique in style, color, print, and fabric, these women’s fashions, including dresses, evening wear, and classic cuts, are often inspired by film imagery and exotic cultures. 780 Madison Ave. (67th St.), 212-288-9779; 77 Greene St. (Broome-Spring Sts.), 212-219-1825; nicolemiller.com Paul Stuart – Men’s and women’s clothing exclusively designed with a distinctly American viewpoint, as well as outerwear, furnishings, shoes, and made-to-measure apparel. Madison Ave. & 45th St., 212-682-0320; paulstuart.com Peter Elliot – High-end tailored men’s clothing from formalwear to cashmere sweaters geared toward power-lunching businessmen. The cuff-link department is a must-stop. 1070 Madison Ave. (81st St.), 212-570-2300 Polo/Ralph Lauren, Madison Avenue – This dramatic showcase for Ralph Lauren styles is the jewel in the crown of the more than 145 stores worldwide, with authentic antique furniture, men’s and women’s wear, accessories, footwear, leather goods, home furnishings, and antiques. Plaid is this season’s hot trend. 888 Madison Ave. (72nd St.), 212-434-8000; 381 West Broadway (Broome St.), 212-625-1660; ralphlauren.com
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Prada – –This specialist in minimalist fashion offers a range of men's and women's ready-towear, shoes, bags, leather goods, and furnishings, as well as other exclusive products. 841 Madison Ave. (70th St.), 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 Roberto Cavalli – A boutique with “funky, sexy stuff ” from the Italian designer that is always fresh, dramatic, and innovative. The more economical Just Cavalli is located at 665 Fifth Ave. (53rd St.). 711 Madison Ave. (63rd St.), 212-755-7722; robertocavalli.com Runway –The “Original SoHo Boutique,” featuring cutting-edge European fashions, outerwear, eveningwear, and custom-tailored women’s blouses, skirts, dresses, pants, and jackets. 450 Broome St. (Mercer St.), 212-925-9817; runwayconnection.com Scoop –The “ultimate closet,” featuring designer shoes, clothing, and accessories from Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Stella McCartney, and others. 473 Broadway (Grand St.), 212-925-3539; 1275 Third Ave. (73rd St.), 212-535-5577; 430 W. 14th St. (Washington St.), 212-929-1244; scoopnyc.com Searle –Best known for shearlings, classic coats and luxurious leathers, Searle offers their own collection and many designer labels appealing to fashion-forward women, from the latest in accessories, handbags, and apparel to swimwear and beauty. 1051 Third Ave (62nd St.), 212-8385990; 1142 Third Ave (67th St.), 212-988-8361; 635 Madison Ave. (60th St.), 212-750-5153; 156 Fifth Ave. (20th-21st Sts.), 212-924-4330; 805 Madison Ave. (68th St.), 212-668-6665; 1296 Third Ave. (74th St.), 212-717-5200; 1124 Madison Ave. (84th St.), 212-988-7318; searlenyc.com Stella McCartney – The trendy boutique featuring au courant, animal-friendly fashions for women in the heart of the fashionable Meatpacking District. Look for dresses with a touch of lace for a vintage look, or go ultrafeminine in satin this season. 429 W. 14th St., 212-255-1556; stellamccartney.com Stuart Weitzman – Elegant, high-fashion shoes and handbags for women. Also a wide selection of bridal and casual footwear. Shops at Columbus Circle, 212-823-9560; 625 Madison Ave. (59th St.), 212-750-2555; stuartweitzman.com Theory – Hip—but classic—work-friendly attire for men and women. This season shows off apparel in black, charcoal and plaids. 40 Gansevoort St. (Greenwich-Hudson Sts.), 212-524-6790; 151 Spring St. (W. B’way-Wooster St.), 212-226-3691; 230 Columbus Ave. (70th-71st Sts.), 212-362-3676; theory.com Thomas Pink – This premium UK shirt company’s core product is a hand-made Jermyn Street shirt for both gentlemen and ladies, made
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of the finest two-fold 100-percent Egyptian cotton. 520 Madison Ave. (53rd St.), 212-838-1928; 1155 Sixth Ave. (44th St.), 212-840-9663; Shops at Columbus Circle, 212-823-9650; thomaspink.com tibi – The SoHo boutique for the renowned contemporary dress line, plus a complete shoe line, swimwear, and home accessories. Flowy, feminine satin dresses in all colors, prints and lengths are part of this season’s collection. 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. The “global flagship” on Fifth Avenue opened in Sept. 2009. 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. Sleek and sophisticated, the collection has an urban flair. 120 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-925-2520; tsecashmere.com Vera Wang – A matrimonial must, featuring some of the finest bridal gowns in the world. 991 Madison Ave. (77th St.), 212-628-3400; 158 Mercer St. (Prince St.), 212-382-2184; verawang.com Victoria’s Secret – Sexy, reasonably priced lingerie and sleepwear. 722 Lexington Ave. (58th St.), 212-230-1647; 901 Sixth Ave. (33rd St.), 646-473-0950; 1240 Third Ave. (71st St.), 212-717-7035; 165 E. 86th St., 646-672-9183; 2333 Broadway (85th St.), 212-595-7861; 34 E. 57th St., 212-758-5592; South Street Seaport, 19 Fulton St., 212-962-8122; 565 Broadway (Prince St.), 212-274-9519; 115 Fifth Ave. (19th St.), 212-477-4118; 1328 Broadway, (34th St.), 212-356-8380; victoriassecret.com Yves St. Laurent – Refined, modern, elegant, and upscale men’s and women’s apparel, from tailored suits to refined knits. This winter boasts apparel in black leather, as well as suits and dresses in shades of grey. 3 E. 57th St., 212-980-2970; ysl.com Zero + Maria Cornejo – The NYC-based Chilean designer features elegant, minimalist designs for women. 33 Bleecker St. (Mott St.), 212-925-3849; 807 Greenwich St. (Jane St.), 212-620-0460; zeromariacornejo.com
FURS Dennis Basso - This high-end boutique specializes in high-end furs and leathers from Chanel, J. Mendel, and many others. 765 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-794-4500; dennisbasso.com
JEWELRY AND WATCHES
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Grand Central Terminal hosts the 11th annual Grand Central Holiday Fair through December 24 this year. The event is located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan – a convenient holiday shopping spot for residents and visitors alike. Held indoors in historic Vanderbilt Hall, the fair offers a respite from the cold weather and a shopping experience in a magnificent space. It features the unique, quality merchandise of 74 select vendors, including one-of-a-kind jewelry; hand-painted table linens; handmade men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing; holiday ornaments; home accessories; imported African crafts; and children’s toys. Notable products include pure silk ties by Josh Bach Limited and vintage, hand-decorated creations by Ophelie Hats. Other featured vendors include JAK Designs, Debbie Brooks, and Hut Studios. Lexington Ave. at 42nd St., 212-340-2345; GrandCentralTerminal.com –– Kaitlin Ahern
Aaron Basha - A family-owned and -run Madison Avenue staple, Aaron Basha has made its name with high-fashion jewelry pieces, most notably their distinctive jeweled baby shoes and assortment of baby charms (including frogs, ladybugs, flowers, teddy bears, you name it). They feature heirloomquality jewelry as well, including bracelets, clasps, cuff links, chains, and much more. 680 Madison Ave. (61st St.), 212-935-1960; aaronbasha.com bochìc - Faraway cultures meet modern luxury with bochìc’s fine jewelry collection, a staple on the streets of downtown NYC and the red carpets of LA. Working with the bochìc woman in mind—someone “confident, adventurous...”—designers Miriam Salat and David Joseph create fine pieces that are sensual, distinctive, and enduring—a perfect match for the women who wear them. 12 W. 57th St., Suite 806, 212-659-7743; bochic.com Cartier - A name synonymous with jewelry since 1847. Peruse the coveted classic gold jewelry, innovative new boutique pieces and the complete range of watches, clocks, leather goods, china, and crystal. 828 Madison Ave. (69th St.), 212-472-6400; 653 Fifth Ave. (52nd St.), 212-753-0111; cartier.com Cellini - Rare, one-of-a-kind jewelry and legendary collection of the world’s finest watches. Its reputation goes far and wide with watch connoisseurs, who
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also know it as a resource for limited edition timepieces. The window displays inside the Waldorf=Astoria flagship have long been one of NYC’s most beautiful fixtures. 301 Park Ave. (49th St.), 212-751-9824; 509 Madison Ave. (53rd St.), 212-888-0505 Chanel Fine Jewelry - The international luxury-goods company’s standalone shop for jewelry, which carries the core line of the collection. Take a peek at a modern interpretation of the screens in Coco Chanel’s Parisian apartment. 733 Madison Ave. (64th St.), 212-535-5828; chanel.com David Yurman Boutique - Classic, contemporary, and beautifully crafted, David Yurman’s designs, with their distinctive trademark cable motif, have made him one of the preeminent American names in the world of fine jewelry. The store also offers belts, accessories, men’s jewelry and customdesigned home décor items. 729 Madison Ave. (64th St.), 212-752-4255; davidyurman.com De Beers - One of the world’s most famous diamond companies, with experts steeped in a diamond tradition unparalleled anywhere in the world. De Beers diamonds are cut for beauty, and crafted by artisans into stunning pieces of diamond jewelry. 703 Fifth Ave. (55th St.), 212-906-0001; debeers.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 Gevril - Gevril pours years of effort and ingenuity into the design and manufacturing of its rare and enduring timepiece collections. Their limitededitions bear the signatory markings of a rich history, technical innovation, and timeless beauty. Call 845-425-9882 or visit gevril.com for retail locations Harry Winston - America’s premier jeweler and one of the world’s largest and most prestigious jewelry empires, famous for their huge diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires of the highest quality in hand-made platinum settings. 718 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 212-245-2000; harrywinston.com Jeri Cohen Fine Jewelry - Jeri Cohen presides over her upscale boutique, greeting her clientele with a warmth and friendliness to match the shop’s charming distinction and relaxed, yet luxurious atmosphere. She imports exquisite, reasonably priced Italian designs, from traditional to trendy. Diamond earrings, necklaces, pendants, and rings that utilize the finest stones and unique settings, as well as Cohen’s own signature collection. 1036 Third Ave. (61st-62nd Sts.), 212-750-3172; jericohenjewelry.com Judith Ripka - The award-winning jeweler makes pieces of uncompromising quality and design. Serving understated elegant women with impeccable taste, Ripka uses the finest diamonds, colored precious gemstones, pearls, and unique one-of-a-kind stones, often set in 18-karat gold. 777 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-517-8200; 673 Madison Ave. (61 St.), 212-355-8300; judithripka.com Kaufmann de Suisse - Inspired by the symmetry of Art Deco and the romantic fluidity of Art Nouveau, Kaufmann de Suisse has become one of the world’s most recognizable jewelers, renowned for its selection of the world’s most fabulous gemstones set in their custom designs, including many rare D/Flawless diamonds, as well as the most exceptional rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. 785 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-249-5700; kaufmanndesuisse.com Kwiat - With 100 years of history, Kwiat is renowned for their stunning selection of engagement rings, wedding rings, and diamond jewelry. Their Tiara Diamonds earn the GIA’s Excellent Cut Grade. 725 Madison Ave. (64th St.), 212-725-7777; kwiat.com Marisa Perry Atelier - Each piece in this collection of fine jewelry is unique and complete—boldly designed, exquisitely detailed, and finely worked. Fashioned in gold, silver, and platinum, and set with precious and semi-
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precious stones, the jewelry for women and men—including rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, engagement rings, cuff links and belt buckles—evokes strength, beauty, and sensuality. 154 Prince St. (West Broadway), 212-566-8977; marisaperry.com Mikimoto - This Japanese company, renowned as the originator of cultured pearls for over a century, maintains high standards of quality, craftsmanship, and design. Along with its signature Japanese Akoya pearls, the store houses an important collection of the larger South Sea pearls. 730 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), 212-457-4600; mikimotoamerica.com Mimi So New York - Mimi So is the go-to name for luxury jewelry that is both modern and feminine. A third-generation jeweler and an alumni of the Parson’s School of Design, Mimi So’s collections are created for wearability from day into evening, and styling for vintage and couture casuals. Mimi So is worn by countless celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, Courtney Cox, and Drew Barrymore. 550 Fifth Ave. (46th St.), Penthouse Salon, 212-300-8655; mimiso.com Reinstein/Ross - Pairing vibrant precious stones and classical goldsmithing techniques, Reinstein/Ross jewelry is designed and handfabricated in New York City, in their Madison Avenue 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 are welcome, including setting your stones in their signature style. Visit them in Soho or on Madison Avenue. 122 Prince St. (Wooster St.), 212-226-4513; 29 E. 73rd St. (Madison Ave.), 212-772-1901; reinsteinross.com Stephen Russell - Offering one of the most important and carefully chosen vintage jewelry collections available today, complemented with a collection of original contemporary designs. Exquisite detail shapes the collection, from selecting striking examples of Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco and Retro jewels to new works in which tradition and innovation merge. 970 Madison Ave. (76th St.), 212-570-6900; stephenrussell.com Tiffany & Co. - The renowned jewelry store offers luxurious merchandise with the tradition of quality, showcasing a wide variety of jewelry including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, and the gold and silver signature collections. Other items include china, crystal, silver, watches and clocks, and fragrances. 727 Fifth Ave. (56th St.), 212-755-8000; tiffany.com
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Tourneau - America’s leading luxury-watch store features over 8,000 styles from more than 100 world-famous brands. You can even trade in your old watch for a new one. The TimeMachine on 57th St. is a state-of-the-art watch emporium.
The Shops at Columbus Circle, 212-823-9425; 12 E. 57th St., 212-758-7300; 200 W. 34th St., 212-563-6880; 500 Madison Ave. (52nd St.), 212-758-6098; tourneau.com Van Cleef & Arpels - Founded in the early 20th century, the esteemed maison is sought out by sophisticated and fashionable women the world over. Renowned for its style and master craftsmanship, the house produces stunning bijoux—both modern and classic— that utilize the finest quality gems and semiprecious stones, set meticulously in precious metals by talented artisans. 744 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), 212-644-9500; vancleef-arpels.com Verdura - This illustrious line has been a favorite of Hollywood royalty, and New York high society, designing such specialty items as Night and Day cuff links for Cole Porter, a Maltese Cross cuffs for Coco Chanel and a bracelet worn by Princess Diana. The collection includes luxury cuff links, ear clips, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and brooches. 745 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), Suite 1205, 212-758-3388; verdura.com Wempe Jewelers - An impressive selection of fine timepieces and clocks, exquisite 18-karat gold and diamond jewelry, cuff links, and watch straps. Among the brands in its European-style salon are Patek Philippe, A. Lange and Söhne, Cartier, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. 700 Fifth Ave. (55th St.), 212-397-9000; wempe.com
SHOES Bally - Leather products featuring old-world artistry blended with modern design, including footwear, handbags, executive cases, luggage, and small leather goods. 628 Madison Ave. (59th St.), 212-751-9082; bally.com Giuseppe Zanotti - A company of international renown offering sleek Italian shoes for men and women, including an extensive bridal selection. 806 Madison Ave. (67th St.), 212-650-0455 Hogan - High-quality footwear and bags, from sporty to glamorous. 134 Spring St. (Wooster St.), 212-343-3039; hoganworld.com Jimmy Choo - Favored by movie stars, celebrities, and elegant women in the know, the Jimmy Choo shoe lines include house, evening, bridal, sandals, and more, as well as matching handbags in equally sumptuous leathers and unique stylings. 716 Madison Ave. (63rd-64th Sts.), 212-759-7078; 645 Fifth Ave. (51st St.), 212-593-0800; jimmychoo.com Manolo Blahnik – One of the world’s most influential international footwear designers. 31 W. 54th St., 212-582-3007; manoloblahnik.com Roger Vivier - Luxury shoes, bags, and accessories from the inventor of the stiletto heel. 750 Madison Ave. (65th St.), 212-861-5371; rogervivier.com
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Salvatore Ferragamo - A fine mix of men’s and women’s shoes crafted from superb leathers, from classic business and formal footwear to casual styles with a European flair. 655 Fifth Ave. (52nd-53rd Sts.), 212-759-3822
CHILDREN LOL Kids - Fun, friendly shop in the fashionable Flatiron district, catering to NYC's hippest girls and boys, size 1 month-size 18. The finest European designer brands such as Sonia Rykiel Enfant, Miss Grant, Magil, Monnalisa, and ZaZieZen. 22 W. 21st St. (Fifth-Sixth Aves.), 212-929-6521; lol-kids.com Monnalisa - Ultra-chic and ultra-feminine, the premier Italian brand brings its sophisticated style to NYC's glamour girls size 3 months - size 18. 1050 Third Ave. (62nd St.), 212-758-2269 Spring Flowers - Since 1983, Spring Flowers has been the premier shopping destination for the finest European brands of clothing and shoes for girls and boys ages newborn to 12 years. 907 Madison Ave. (72nd-73rd Sts.), 212-717-8182; 538 Madison Ave. (54th-55th Sts.), 212-207-4606; Americana Manhasset, 2042 Northern Blvd., 516-365-7200; 320 Worth Ave., Palm Beach, FL, 561-832-0131; springflowerschildren.com
ELECTRONICS/PHOTO The Apple Store - Your home to all things Apple. And if you need advice, insight, or hands-on technical support, head straight to the accomodating Genius Bar. The Fifth Avenue location is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 767 Fifth Ave. (59th St.), 212-336-1440; 103 Prince St. (Greene St.), 212-226-3126; 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, software, peripherals, digital cameras, camcorders, MP3 players, DVDs, and more. 445 Fifth Ave. (39th St.), 212-689-1111; datavis.com
CIGARS & 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. Davidoff products— which include lighters, cigar cutters, ashtrays, humidors, cigar cases, and pipes—unite craftsmanship, dedication, and understanding culminating in elegant, innovative, and functional pieces. 535 Madison Ave. (54th St.), 212-751-9060; The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Cir. (59th St.), 212-823-6383; davidoffnewyork.com
DOCTORS AND DENTISTS Dr. Fajiram, D.D.S. - Make an appointment today and have your dream smile in just two visits -- correct crooked teeth, cover dark stains, and more. Dr. Fajiram has many years of experience in a variety of cosmetic-dental procedures. 400 E. 56th St. (First Ave.), 212-759-1369 or 212-751-5665 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. 952 Fifth Ave. (76th St.), Suite 1D, 212-737-1212; travelmd.com
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The Gift Guide Don’t-miss picks for seasonal giving –– or a little self-indulgence.
Inspired by the symmetry of Art Deco and the romantic fluidity of Art Nouveau, Kaufmann de Suisse has become one of the world’s most recognizable jewelers, renowned for its selection of the world’s most fabulous gemstones set in their custom designs, including many rare D/Flawless diamonds, as well as the most exceptional rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. Pictured here is a yellow and white diamond floral necklace with 30 cts. of diamonds set in platinum and 18k yellow gold with round and marquise cut diamonds and yellow oval diamonds (price upon request). 785 Madison Ave. (66th St.), 212-249-5700; kaufmanndesuisse.com
Defined by a unique, understated boldness, Bochic jewelry is inspired by chief designers Miriam Salat and David Joseph’s real-life experiences in the world’s most exotic locales. With inspirations from India, Turkey, Morocco, Moorish Spain, China, and so many other traditions, Bochic creations show enduring respect for the variety and richness of our global cultural heritage. Pictured here are lavender jade carved earrings with white bakelite and 4.15 ct. diamonds set in 14k gold. 12 W. 57th St., Suite 806, 212-659-7743; bochic.com
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For trend-setting, and often surprising, luxury jewelry and watches, faithful to the unique Danish design language and committed to a long history of high quality and craftsmanship, look no further than Georg Jensen. Their collection includes diamond and precious stone jewelry; platinum, gold, and silver jewelry; watches; stainless steel and silver cutlery; hollowware; gift articles for the home and office; and seasonal decorations. 685 Madison Ave. (62nd St.), 212-759-6457; 125 Wooster St. (Prince St.), 212-343-9000; georgjensen.com
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SPECIAL PROMOTION
Timeless ancient Etruscan, Indian and Egyptian designs are given a distinctively contemporary spin at Reinstein/Ross, the brainchild of designer Susan Reinstein and gem trader Brian Ross. Pictured here are 20K peach bangles (hoopstock with 16 diamonds, $2400; round with 32 diamonds, $6550; round with many diamonds, $9700); and a 22K yellow gold woven chain bracelet with braid clasp ($8200). 122 Prince St. (Wooster St.), 212-226-4513; 29 E. 73rd St., 212-772-1901; reinsteinross.com
A new tradition begins this December: the One of a Kind Show and Sale. Over 200 unique artists, artisans, and designers from across North America are descending on Pier 94 (Twelfth Ave. & 55th St.) to offer fashions and accessories, glassworks, furniture, ceramics, jewelry, gourmet foods, fine art, and more. Running Dec. 11th-13th, this is an opportunity to get your hands on unique gifts you won’t find anywhere else. For tickets and more information, visit oneofakindshowny.com.
Family-owned and -operated since it opened over 30 years ago, Cellini is renowned for its rare, one-of-a-kind jewelry—such as the chandelier earrings pictured here ($35,000)—and its legendary collection of fine, limited-edition watches. The Waldorf=Astoria, 301 Park Ave. (50th St.), 212-751-9824; 509 Madison Ave. (53rd St.), 212-888-0505; cellinijewelers.com
Center44, the unique shopping experience in the heart of Midtown, brings together 70 extraordinary international antiques dealers in a block-long showroom of open-room settings. Pictured here is one of 28 Japanese woodblock prints of toys from Unai no tomo (The Child’s Friends) by Shimizu Seifu (1851-1913) and Nishizawa Takiho (1889-1965), measuring 13 3/4"x10 3/4" in black ebonized frames ($475 each). Available from Dongan Collection at Center44, 222 E. 44th St., 212-450-7988; center44.com
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Since its inception in 1968 in Italy, Monnalisa has become the world leader in the high-fashion children’s wear market, distinguishing itself with cutting-edge design. The collections feature a wealth of elegant hand-finished details and the autumn-winter palette is done in bold hues, with bright bursts of color against neutral backdrops, rich in embroidered adornment. The collection has a sophisticated mood, featuring heaps of Scottish tartan taffeta, elegant ruffles with cameos and pearls, tulle dresses with crystals and bows, and flocked velvet macramé lace prints. Down-filled jackets and tailored coats are trimmed with beautiful details. Matching shoes and accessories—and even fine furs—complete the collection. 1050 Third Ave. (62nd St.), 212-758-2669.
Available at Hammacher Schlemmer, the Wristwatch Camcorder is the analog watch with an undetectable camcorder, so you’ll always have a camera ready to capture a chance celebrity sighting or a pet’s impromptu antics. The watch’s 1.3MP camera records video at 640 x 480 resolution, storing up to 12 hours of AVI-formatted video onto its built-in 4GB flash memory. 147 E. 57th St., 212-421-9000; hammacher.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
For 63 years, William Greenberg Jr. Desserts has been home to the award-winning “Greenberg’s Original Black & White Cookie,” and on Sept. 10th, they celebrated the grand re-opening of their newly remodeled Madison Avenue store. Along with the re-opening comes a new spin on the famous Black & White Cookie: the “Collegiate Color Collection,” custom-designed to match college, high school, or other color schemes. They’ve already become a very popular holiday item, along with the bakery’s usual Hanukkah and Christmas offerings. Their array of brownies, scones, cupcakes, and more are also available online at wmgreen bergdesserts.com. 1100 Madison Ave. (82nd-83rd Sts.), 212-861-1340
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SPECIAL PROMOTION
Huminska’s classic dress collection is inspired by “grand dames, found fabrics and whimsical dream states…an ode to several muses,” including Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo. Stop in during December, when they’ll be offering a free and fabulously flirty orange-trimmed umbrella with any $99+ purchase (while supplies last). Plus, they’re offering 10% off all purchases. 315 E. 9th St. (First-Second Aves.), 212-677-3458; huminska.com
In the Flatiron District is a little gem of a shop for chic fashionistas: L.O.L. Kids. The bright atmosphere of the boutique is refreshing, while the selection of high-fashion children’s wear is impressive, featuring European designers such as Sonia Rykiel Enfant, Monnalisa, and Miss Grant, to name a few. Owner Joseph Schoenfelder has been at the forefront of the children’s apparel market for over 30 years. “Today’s children are just as fashion-savvy and fashion-forward as their parents,” he says, “seeking quality items that are unique and fresh, helping to customize their own personal style.” The boutique is the go-to shopping spot for the little ones. When you visit, you might even “Laugh Out Loud” and say there’s “Lots of Love.” 22 W. 21st St. (Fifth-Sixth Aves.), 212-929-6521; lol-kids.com
The Carlisle/Per Se showroom offers an exclusive, one-on-one shopping experience for professional women within an intimate, elegant environment. For 28 years, their personal stylists have offered couture-quality ensembles made from the finest fabrics. Make an appointment to discover how some of the bestdressed women in the world look wonderful every season. 16 E. 52nd St., 16th Floor, 212- 751-6490; carlislecollection.com
2009 saw the premiere of Davidoff of Geneva’s first flavored cigarillos: the Davidoff Aromatic Mini Cigarillos, which deliver a memorable new experience with their unique tobacco blend consisting of 100% natural tobaccos with an exclusive aroma-enhancement process. The blend, rolled in a Java binder leaf, is naturally enhanced and finished with a premium Sumatra wrapper leaf. The unique composition gives them a silky-smooth, slightly sweet flavor. 535 Madison Ave. (54th St.), 212-751-9060; The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Cir. (59th St.), 212-823-6383; davidoffnewyork.com
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Broadway’s
Utterly Divine Un-Diva
She stays below the celebrity radar, but Jan Maxwell enjoys a much-acclaimed stage career. Brad Barket / Getty Images
By Griffin Miller
[ Jan Maxwell at 61st Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall ]
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f you happen to be strolling in the Broadway district around 11 pm on a theatre night, you might catch a glimpse of a slender blonde woman wearing a bike helmet, stage makeup and a determined look, purposefully peddling towards her home-base area west of Times Square in the low ‘40s known to locals as Hell’s Kitchen. I suggest you look quickly, though, since the rider in question – two-time Tony Award nominee, fulltime wife and mom, Jan Maxwell – is pretty adept at keeping a low profile. At least off-stage. Under the proscenium arch she veers to the luminous. In her most recent role – Julie Cavendish, the flamboyant toast of 1920s Broadway in The Royal Family, George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber’s parody on the Barrymore clan – Maxwell proves once more that she is the real deal: an uncompromising mix of intelligence, talent, empathy and passion. Under the deft direction of Doug Hughes (Oleanna, A Man For All Seasons) Maxwell soars. “Doug and I worked together on several workshops, and we get along very well. I feel lucky to have him in my corner,” she notes, adding that when The Royal Family debuted in 1927, Ethel Barrymore, on whom the character of Julie was based, was not amused – to the tune of a lawsuit, no less. The unfortunate upshot was that many high-profile actresses of the day were reticent to take on the part at the risk of offending Ms. Barrymore. What strikes Maxwell most about the play today, however, is the amount of early feminism within the script. Her favorite scene in this vein comes during Act II as Fanny, Julie’s mother/family matriarch (Rosemary Harris) and she spell out the parallel universe in which actors exist. On the receiving end is Julie’s daughter, Gwen, who’s on the brink of giving up the stage after marriage.
I
FANNY: Your mother and I both got married. But we didn’t drop more important things to do it. GWEN: There isn’t anything more important. FANNY: Fiddlesticks! Marriage isn’t a career. It’s an incident! Aubrey Cavendish and I were mar-
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ried in the Church of St. Mary Redcliffe, in Bristol, England, just before the matinee and the night performance – we played “She Stoops to Conquer” in the afternoon, and “A Scrap of Paper” was the night bill. GWEN: I know, Grandma. But that’s got nothing to do with me. You married an actor, and so did you. You lived the same sort of lives. JULIE: …There were lots of times when I thought that being a wife and mother was all that mattered in the world. And then each time I’d learn all over again that that wasn’t enough for me…. And for Maxwell, who is happily married (to an actor!) with a 13-year-old son, you can be certain the vintage maxim “the show must go on” is firmly stamped on her DNA. Like legions of theatre wannabes, Maxwell gravitated to New York from elsewhere –West Fargo, North Dakota – where, as a student at West Fargo High School, she became smitten with acting at the age of 16 by way of a field trip to see Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire at the famed Guthrie Theatre. “Watching it, every pore of my body opened up,” she recalls. “I had no idea there were plays like this.” Her love affair with theatre was officially a done deal. Fortunately, her parents supported her passion. “Although I don’t think they had any idea of how hard it would be,” she says. “My dad had done community theatre in Fargo and he wrote plays, and my mom did the leg work to find a summer theatre program for me. And, because I didn’t have a license yet, she drove me the 15 miles each way.” Maxwell eventually attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, making her migration to Manhattan in the 1980s with a $2,000 start-up fund from her parents. Her Broadway breakthrough came when she was cast as an understudy in the hit 1989 Cy Coleman-David Zippel musical, City of Angels. “I remember being overwhelmed at getting the job, because it was such a huge dream of mine. But then, I started thinking back on what it was like performing in college and it was then I realized that audiences are really the same,” she says. “Your [the actor’s] responsibility is to believe in your character, draw the audience in, and most of all, stick to telling the story at hand.” Since then, Maxwell has enjoyed a fabulously eclectic and much-lauded stage career that has taken
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[ Jan Maxwell and Tony Roberts in The Royal Family ]
her from the darker Dancing At Lughnasa and Coram Boy to the hilarious Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the latter netting her a Drama Desk Award and a Tony nomination, and the following notice from John Simon: “As Baron and Baroness, the roguishly resourceful Marc Kudisch and the amazing Jan Maxwell [is there any role she can’t dazzle with?] entertain more than baronially—royally.” Maxwell, like most New York actors, helps out the bank account by performing in other media – voiceovers, audio books, TV ("Law & Order,” "Gossip Girl”), etc. But she is clearly wedded to the stage. “It’s a bit disheartening to have to do other things when all you really want to do is theatre,” she says. “And comparisons – like theatre to television – are so difficult to deal with since they are so vastly different.” In the end, though, she recognizes that as long as there’s variety in the mix as she attempts to “put peanut butter on the table,” it’s a pretty good thing. “I know that I feel very lucky to be making a living acting in New York,” she concludes. “And when it comes to roles, I’ve been lucky as well. I only have one rule: I don’t care what the part is as long as it’s different from the ones I’ve done before.”
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[ Bill Camp and Jan Maxwell in Coram Boy ]
BROADWAY ROLES & HONORS The Royal Family (Play) | 2009 (closes 12/13) Role: Julie Cavendish To Be Or Not To Be (Play) | 2008 Role: Maria Coram Boy (Play with Music) | 2007 Role: Mrs. Lynch Drama Desk Nomination | Tony Nomination Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Musical) | 2005 Role: Baroness Bomburst Drama Desk Award | Tony Nomination
Sixteen Wounded (Play) | 2004 Role: Sonya Drama Desk Nomination The Dinner Party (Play) | 2000 Role: Mariette Levieux The Sound of Music (Musical) | 1998 Role: Elsa Schrader Dancing at Lughnasa (Play) | 1991 Role: Agnes City of Angels (Musical) | 1989 Roles: Alaura Kingley; Carla Haywood
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Sensations
Like Santa, New York’s collection of legendary holiday shows appears only once a year -- and fleetingly at that. Still, what would December in Manhattan be without this quintet of glorious, extravagantly mounted productions teeming with music, nostalgia and theatrical cheer? Happy, happy, joy, joy… and here’s to a month of holiday magic! Paul Kolnik
By Griffin Miller
[ The Nutcracker ]
[ The Klezmer Nutcracker ]
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ Sure it’s a classic – if not the classic holiday fantasy of fantasies – where ballerina snowflakes fly across the stage, toys burst into exuberant life, and the young heroine, little Marie, is saved from the villainous Mouse King and his hench-mice by the brave Nutcracker… and it all takes place to Tchaikovsky’s glorious musical masterpiece. And, of course, George Balanchine’s unforgettable, dreamworld choreography. To be sure, this is Lincoln Center’s most time-honored holiday tradition and for all the right reasons. Nycballet.com. Through 1/3.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
After a vibrant Broadway debut last year, this stage adaptation of the classic film musical has entered the realm of not-to-be-missed Big Apple holiday entertainment. The storyline – two showbiz guys and two beautiful sisters who manage to reinvigorate a struggling Vermont inn through song, dance and humor – is brought to life by the score: an awesome banquet of Irving Berlin hits, from “I Love a Piano,” “Sisters” and “Blue Skies” to seasonal favorites like “Snow,” “Happy Holidays” and the season’s most iconic and beloved anthem, “White Christmas.” Worth noting: in the 2009 edition, the role of General Henry Waverly is played by David Ogden Stiers – several rungs up from his Major Winchester status on M*A*S*H! Whitechristmasbroadway.com. Through 1/3.
The Klezmer Nutcracker
Based on Ellen Kushner’s award-winning book, “The Golden Dreydl,” this totally irresistible family musical has returned to the Big Apple for this year’s holiday season courtesy of Manhattan’s celebrated Vital Theatre Company. Tchaikovsky’s lush score – arranged by Michael McLaughlin and David Harris and performed by the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra – provides the musical landscape for this wonderfully imaginative spin on the traditional Nutcracker tale. Weaving together threads of Jewish folklore with fantasy and humor, Kushner’s version follows young Sara, miserable at the family Chanukah party until mysterious Tante Miriam arrives with the gift of a Golden Dreydl – which just happens to be an enchanted princess in disguise who whirls Sara away on an exciting adventure through a magical world. Vitaltheatre.org. Through 1/3.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular 2009
A huge, overstuffed Christmas stocking of a show bursting with all things merry and bright – including the Radio City Rockettes®! From its legendary "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" to a thrill ride with Santa to his workshop at the North Pole where rag dolls dance away the winter chill, the Christmas Spectacular emerges as the star atop NYC’s annual holiday festivities. And of course, as always, there’s the stunning reenactment of the first Christmas in the "Living Nativity” replete with live animals and breathtaking visuals. Radiocitychristmas.com. Through 12/30.
Wintuk
Cirque du Soleil’s phantasmagorical fairytale about a young boy’s quest for snow and the cavalcade of irresistible characters with mind-blowing physical abilities he meets along the way is back – by popular holiday demand! – at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theatre. Layer upon layer of fairytale intrigue along with a spellbinding array of signature (and surprise) Cirque attractions give Wintuk a multi-generational-not-to-be-missed cachet. Wamusatmsg.com; Cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/wintuk. Through 1/3.
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Andrew Eccles
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Michael O'Neill
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Robert Ascroft
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the theatregoer’s guide: A starry winter season begins. [ Jimmy Smits ]
broadway
[ Angela Lansbury ]
[ Laura Linney ]
[ Alicia Silverstone ]
the shows
the stars
the scoop
God of Carnage
Christine Lahti Annie Potts Jimmy Smits Ken Stott
Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning bloodbath of a comedy recently infused with fresh celebrity hemoglobin. [FYI: Up until November 17th, James Gandolfini played the role Stott originated in London with costars Ralph Fiennes, in Smits’ role, and Janet McTeer, who hit it big on Broadway last season as the title character in Mary Stuart.]
Catherine Zeta-Jones Angela Lansbury
Zeta-Jones may have earned her Oscar as prison siren Velma Kelly in Chicago on the big screen, but on Broadway she’s taking a somewhat higher road – through Sweden. Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Night, this Sondheim-Wheeler romance seems like a custom-fit for Zeta-Jones – plus she gets to sing “Send in the Clowns.” [FYI: MultipleTony winner Lansbury lost out to Julie White – currently Off-Broadway in The Understudy – for a 2007 Best Actress Tony, only to bounce back and scoop up Best Featured Actress for her hilariously loopy medium in Blithe Spirit last June.]
(Previews 2/12; opens 3/3)
Abigail Breslin Alison Pill
The first Broadway revival of William Gibson’s Tony-winning play about Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie Sullivan. [FYI: While making her Broadway debut, Breslin will no doubt want to spend some time with her No Reservations “aunt,” Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music). Alison Pill appeared in Me and My Shadows with Victor Garber (Present Laughter), Dear Wendy in 2005 with Bill Pullman (Oleanna), and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, with Eric Bogosian (Time Stands Still). Fun Fact: 13 year-old Abigail Breslin and the real Annie Sullivan were both born on April 14th –130 years apart.
Present Laughter
Victor Garber
Noel Coward’s divine comedy is back in Roundabout’s much-anticipated revival with Garber playing an egocentric actor whose mid-life crisis has become infused with farcical complications. [FYI: Garber’s prolific stage and screen career makes him a major nexus for the 20092010 season, including fall and spring. He romanced Laura Benanti, currently starring in In the Next Room or the vibrator play; he was also in the Roundabout concert reading/fundraiser of A Little Night Music; and, in 1979, he appeared in the original Sweeney Todd with Night Music’s Angela Lansbury. He also stole the show in Damn Yankees (1994) with Bebe Neuwirth, who’ll be starting previews in March for the new musical The Addams Family.
Eric Bogosian Laura Linney Brian d’Arcy James Alicia Silverstone
High-profile names are all over this one, and not just the cast. It also marks the fourth time Pulitzer Prize-winner Donald Margulies and Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan have collaborated on a show. [FYI: Linney co-starred with two of the original God of Carnage Broadway cast members: Marcia Gay Harden (Mystic River) and Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale) and with A View From the Bridge’s Scarlett Johansson (The Nanny Diaries).]
Scarlett Johansson Liev Schreiber
The pairing of Johansson and Schreiber in Arthur Miller’s psychosexual tinderbox of a play suggests this could be the breakout hit of the season. [FYI: Schreiber’s last Broadway outing was in actor/playwright Eric Bogosian’s (Time Stands Still) best known work, Talk Radio. Both actors, by the way, did very, very well by the piece.]
(New Cast!)
A Little Night Music (Previews 11/24; opens 12/13)
The Miracle Worker
(Previews 1/2; opens 1/21)
Time Stands Still (Previews 1/5; opens 1/27)
A View From the Bridge (Previews 12/28; opens 1/24)
last chance: broadway’s winter exodus After Miss Julie (12/6) • Burn the Floor (1/10) • Hamlet (12/6) • Irving Berlin's White Christmas (1/3) • The Royal Family (12/13) A Steady Rain (12/6) • Shrek The Musical (1/3) • The 39 Steps (1/10) • Wishful Drinking (1/17)
off-broadway Ages of the Moon
Sean McGinley Stephen Rea
A new play by Sam Shepard? Enough said. atlantictheater.org
(1/9-3/1)
A Streetcar Named Desire
Cate Blanchett
Tennesee Williams gold directed by Liv Ullman, no less! bam.org
Julie White
A tour-de-magnum-force for Tony-winner White (The Little Dog Laughed). roundabouttheatre.org
(Through 12/20)
The Understudy (Through 1/3)
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ON THE TOWN
THEATRE
NEW YORK
An all-star cast—including Gina Gershon and John Stamos— marks the exuberant Broadway return of Bye Bye Birdie, back on the Great White Way for the first time since its original run in 1960-61. The “happy teenage musical with a difference,” based on the enormous popularity of Elvis Presley and his draft into the Army in 1957, is running at the newly renovated Henry Miller’s Theatre (124 W. 43rd St.), Broadway’s first “green” theater. For tickets, call 212-719-1300 or visit byebyebirdieonbroadway.com.
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Joan Marcus
PUT ON A HAPPY FACE
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ON THE TOWN SPOTLIGHT
Please call the box offices for showtimes. All listings subject to change BROADWAY After Miss Julie - (Play) Sienna Miller stars in Patrick Marber’s play, which transposes August Strindberg’s 1888 work about sex and class to an English country house on the eve of Labour’s historic landslide in 1945. American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St., 212-719-1300; roundabouttheatre.org (Through 12/6) Billy Elliot: The Musical - (Musical) Set against the backdrop of a struggling English coal-mining town, the show—a celebration of a young boy’s dream to follow his passion for dance despite all odds—is a study in inspirational and entertaining musical theatre. Peter Darling choreographs, 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 Burn the Floor - (Dance) A breathtaking blend of Latin and Ballroom dance first conceived as a special performance at Sir Elton John’s 50th birthday celebration in 1997. From Harlem’s hot nights at The Savoy where the Lindy, Foxtrot and Charleston were born, to the Latin Quarter where the Cha-Cha, Rumba and Salsa steamed up the stage, Burn the Floor takes audiences on a journey through the passionate drama of dance. Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200; burnthefloor.com (Through 1/3)
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SIGHTSEEING p.84
Bye Bye Birdie - (Musical) In the exuberant rock n’ roll musical comedy, it’s 1960 and hip-swingin’ teen idol superstar Conrad Birdie has been drafted into the army. Birdie’s manager, Albert (John Stamos), and his secretary, Rosie (Gina Gershon), have cooked up a plan to send him off with a new song and one last kiss from a lucky teenage fan...on The Ed Sullivan Show. Henry Miller’s Theatre, 124 W. 43rd St., 212-719-1300; byebyebirdieonbroadway.com (Through 4/25)
southern Senator with a serious lesson to learn. The score is a classic, featuring songs like “That Old Devil Moon,” and “If This Isn’t Love.” St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; finiansonbroadway.com
Chicago - (Musical Revival) Kander and Ebb’s long-running “musical vaudeville” follows murderous vixen Roxie Hart, who gains notoriety from prison and 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 Fela! - (Musical) The critically acclaimed and award-winning musical based on the life of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti arrives on Broadway. Sahr Ngaujah returns in the title role for which he received universal acclaim, while the world renowned Antibalas and other members of the NYC Afrobeat community perform Kuti’s rousing music live onstage. Eugene O’Neill Theatre, 230 W. 49th St., 212-239-6200; felaonbroadway.com Finian’s Rainbow - (Musical Revival) Set in the mythical southern state of Missitucky, the characters in this beloved vintage musical fantasy include a charming Irish dreamer, his headstrong daughter, a leprechaun named Og, and a
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PERFORMING ARTS p.62
God of Carnage - (Play) Christine Lahti, Annie Potts, Jimmy Smits, and Ken Stott star in this “comedy without manners” by Tony-winning playwright Yasmina Reza centering on the parental aftermath of a playground altercation. Bernard Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; godofcarnage.com Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical - (Musical Revival) This revival of 1967’s groundbreaking musical follows a group of free-spirited young pacifists (the “tribe”) during the Vietnam War. Looks like it’s the “Dawning of the Age of Aquarius” again. Peace, man! Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; hairbroadway.com Hamlet - (Play) In Shakespeare’s definitive tragedy, the King of Denmark is dead. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet, played by Jude Law, determines to avenge his father’s death with devastating consequences for his family and the kingdom. Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; hamletbroadway.com (Through 12/6) In the Heights - (Musical) 2007’s Tony-winning Best Musical about two days in the life of Manhattan’s vibrant and tight-knit neighborhood of Washington Heights. The story follows the hopes and dreams of three generations as they
A NEW TWIST ON THE JETS & THE SHARKS Fifty-two years after opening on Broadway, West Side Story is still about gang warfare in 1950’s Manhattan and the Romeo-and-Juliet romance of Tony and Maria. Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics are still magnificent, as is Jerome Robbins’s balletic choreography, lovingly reproduced by Joey McKneely. But the revival is different. Two signature songs, "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That," are sung in Spanish (its lyrics translated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed In the Heights), and the Puerto Rican Sharks speak in their native language, giving their characters a cultural dimension that adds a realistic vibrancy to the show. For tickets, call 212-307-4100 or visit broadwaywestsidestory.com.
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struggle to forge an identity in a neighborhood on the brink of transition. Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., 212-307-4100; intheheightsthemusical.com In the Next Room, or the vibrator play - (Play) Noted playwright Sarah Ruhl’s provocative comedy about marriage, intimacy and electricity centering on a young doctor and his wife. Notably, the play marks the Broadway debut for Ruhl, whose numerous honors include a MacArthur “Genius” grant. Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - (Seasonal Musical) New York’s newest holiday tradition tells the fun and uplifting story of two showbiz buddies who put on a show in a picturesque Vermont inn—and find their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, this musical classic guarantees a merry and bright theatrical experience for the entire family. Featuring David Ogden Stiers as General Henry Waverly. Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway (45th St.), 212-307-4100; whitechristmasbroadway.com (Through 1/3) Jersey Boys - (Musical) Based on the life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, this musical chronicles the rise to superstardom of a group of blue-collar kids from the wrong side of the tracks during the 1960s. 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. Filled with colorful characters and Grammy-winning numbers by Elton John and Tim Rice. Directed by Julie Taymor. The Minskoff Theatre, 200 W. 45th St., 212-307-4100; disneyonbroadway.com A Little Night Music - (Musical Revival) Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury star in the first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony-winning masterpiece serving up a web of romantic intrigue in 19thcentury Swedish country home. Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200 Mamma Mia! - (Musical) Set on a Greek isle, this clever hit musical romance incorporates 22 ABBA songs (“Dancing Queen,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You”) into a story about a single mother and her daughter on the eve of the daughter’s wedding—and three men who could be the bride’s father. Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway (50th St.), 212-563-5544; mamma-mia.com
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Mary Poppins - (Musical) Based on the P.L. Travers stories and the Oscar-winning film, this fast-paced, heartwarming musical about the
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world’s most famous nanny boasts numbers from both the original film (“Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “The Perfect Nanny”) as well as new songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 W. 42nd St., 212-307-4747; disneyonbroadway.com Memphis: A New Musical - (Musical) From the dance halls of Memphis, Tennessee comes this “hot and bothered” new musical set in the turbulent south in the 1950s. It tells the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Shubert Theatre, 222 W. 28th St., 212-239-6200; memphisthemusical.com The Miracle Worker - (Play) Set in the South in the 1880s, The Miracle Worker tells the story of real-life Medal of Freedom winner Helen Keller (Abigail Breslin), born blind and deaf, and the extraordinary teacher who taught her to communicate with the world, Annie Sullivan (Alison Pill). Circle in the Square Theatre, 235 W. 50th St., 800-432-7780; miracleworkeronbroadway.com (Previews begin 2/12 for a 3/3 opening) Next Fall - (Play) A witty and provocative look at faith, commitment and unconditional love focusing on the five-year relationship between Adam and Luke. This compelling work that goes beyond a typical love story debuted OffBroadway last summer, was written by Naked Angels artistic director Geoffrey Nauffts. Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St.; nextfallbroadway.com. (Previews begin mid-February for a 3/11 opening) Next to Normal - (Musical) This Tony Awardwinning, intimate six-person musical featuring a contemporary rock score, explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact. Longacre Theatre, 222 W. 28th St., 212-239-6200; nexttonormal.com Oleanna - (Play) Starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles and directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes, Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet’s provocative new play is a gripping account of a power struggle between a male university professor and one of his female students. Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; oleannaonbroadway.com The Phantom of the Opera - (Musical) Gaston Leroux’s famous period thriller now reigns as Broadway’s most legendary grand dame, having broken countless records as it continues to thrill new generations of theatregoers. Featuring the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom has achieved the kind of reputation and following most shows only dream of. Majestic Theatre, 247 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; thephantomoftheopera.com Present Laughter - (Play) As a matinee idol (Victor Garber) struggles to plan his upcoming trip to Africa, his elegant London flat is invaded
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by a love-struck ingenue, an adulterous producer and a married seductress—not to mention his estranged wife and a crazed young playwright. American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St., 212-719-1300; roundabouttheatre.org (Previews begin 1/2 for a 1/21 opening)
the sky-scraping spire of the Chrysler Building. With music and lyrics by U2’s Bono and the Edge, and directed by Julie Taymor, who cowrote the book with Glen Berger. Hilton Theater, 213 W. 42nd St., 212-307-4100; spidermanonbroadway.com (Previews begin 2/25)
Race - (Play) David Mamet directs the world premiere of his new Broadway play, starring James Spader, Richard Thomas, David Alan Grier, and Kerry Washington. Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 243 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200; raceonbroadway.com
A Steady Rain - (Play) Starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, this critically acclaimed new American play by Keith Huff tells the story of two Chicago cops who are lifelong friends and their differing accounts of a few harrowing days that changed their lives forever. Schoenfeld Theater, 236 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; asteadyrain.com (Through 12/6)
Ragtime - (Musical) Based on E.L. Doctorow’s acclaimed epic novel, Ragtime turns back the clock to the dawn of the 20th century—a time when anything was possible and ragtime music filled the air. The storyline follows the personal stories of three diverse families and they narrative is enhanced by the presence of several historical figures of the day. Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd St., 212-307-4100; ragtimebroadway.com Rock of Ages - (Musical) Following a successful Off-Broadway run, this retro musical arrives on Broadway with a score made up of 1980s hits by Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, 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. Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 W. 47th St., 212-307-4100; rockofagesmusical.com The Royal Family - (Play) The classic comedy of theatrical manners, written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, follows the fictional Cavendishes, a family of celebrated stage stars based on the Barrymores, as they go about the drama of the day: choosing scripts, dashing off to a performance, and stealing kisses with handsome beaus. Samuel J. Friedman Theater, 261 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200; mtc-nyc.org (Through 12/13) Shrek the Musical - (Musical) The animated ogre with a heart of, well, green, has stepped off the big screen and onto the Broadway stage. A fairy-tale combination plate of both sophisticated and sophomoric humor with appeal for all ages. Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway (53rd St.), 212-239-6200; shrekthemusical.com (Through 1/3) South Pacific - (Musical) Bartlett Sher directs this critically acclaimed revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, starring three-time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara. One of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most celebrated musicals (based on James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific), South Pacific centers on two love stories that unfold against the backdrop of WWII and the military serving in the Pacific. Vivian Beaumont Theater, 150 W. 65th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org
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Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark - (Musical) Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood star in a new take on the mythic tale of a young man propelled from a modest rowhouse in Queens to
Superior Donuts - (Play) The Broadway premiere of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy Letts’ (August Osage County) latest. In it, Arthur Przybyszewski owns a decrepit Chicago donut shop while Franco Wicks, a black teenager and his only employee, wants to change the shop for the better. Music Box Theater, 239 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; steppenwolf.org (Through 3/28) The 39 Steps - (Play) Patrick Barlow’s comic adaptation of John Buchan’s classic spy thriller has been adapted into a hilarious spoof of the book and the Hitchcock film. The “unstageable” thriller set in the 1930s is staged with four cast members playing a minimum of 150 roles. Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St., 212-239-6200; love39steps.com (Through 1/10) Time Stands Still - (Play) Starring Laura Linney, Brian D'Arcy James and Alicia Silverstone, this new play marks the fourth collaboration for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies and Tony-winning director Daniel Sullivan. In it, a journalist and photographer documenting the realities of war are forced to return home and deal with a more conventional life. Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St., 212-239-6200; mtc-nyc.org (Previews begin 1/5 for a 1/28 opening) A View from the Bridge - (Play Revival) In Arthur Miller’s most passionate drama, Liev Schreiber plays a Brooklyn longshoreman obsessed with his 17-year-old niece (Scarlett Johansson). When she falls in love with a newly arrived immigrant, his jealousy erupts in a rage that consumes him, his family, and his world. Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St., 212-239-6200 (Previews begin 12/28 for a 1/24 opening) West Side Story - (Musical Revival) The landmark musical by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents transports Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the turbulent streets of the Upper West Side in 1950s New York City. The star-crossed lovers find themselves caught between the rival street gangs: watch for new bilingual elements. Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway (47th St.), 212-307-4100; broadwaywestsidestory.com Wicked - (Musical) Set in Oz before the arrival of Dorothy, this knock-out production follows the
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friendship between two girls—one smart, misunderstood, with green skin; the other beautiful, popular, and ambitious—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 Wishful Drinking - (One-Woman Show) Carrie Fisher recounts the true and intoxicating tale of her life as a Hollywood legend, told with the same wry wit she poured into bestsellers like Postcards from the Edge. Studio 54, 254 W. 54th St., 212-719-1300; roundabouttheatre.org (Through 1/17)
OFF-BROADWAY ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY - Ages of the Moon (1/9-3/1), a new play by Sam Shepard starring Sean McGinley and Stephen Rea. 336 W. 20th St., 212- 691-5919; atlantictheater.org Avenue Q - (Musical) Following a stellar run on Broadway, the Tony winner returns to its OffBroadway roots. In it, singing puppets & their human neighbors are the residents of Avenue Q, a fictional NYC street where a collection of 20somethings struggle to find their way in the world. New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., 212-239-6200; avenueq.com The Awesome 80s Prom - This interactive comedy invites theatregoers to rediscover their favorite characters from the 1980s as everyone from the Captain of the Football team to the Asian Exchange Student compete for the titles of Prom King and Queen. ’80s fashions strongly encouraged. Village Nightclub, Webster Hall, 125 E. 11th St., 877-RAD-PROM; awesome80sprom.com; websterhall.com Big Apple Circus: Bello Is Back! - Bello, Big Apple Circus’s daredevil clown is back, joined by such world-class circus stars as Spanish juggling artiste Picaso Jr., Russia’s “airborne” Aniskin Troupe and, of course, the always fabulously funny Grandma the clown! Lincoln Center/Damrosch Park, 62nd St. btw. Columbus & Amsterdam Aves., 800-922-3772; bigapplecircus.org (Through 1/18) Blue Man Group - Best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows, the trio of post-modern clowns known as Blue Man Group combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment. Astor Place Theatre, 434 Lafayette St. (so. of Astor Pl.), 212-254-4370; blueman.com BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC - A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennesee Williams and directed by Liv Ullman, starring Cate Blanchett (through 12/20); the Bridge Project’s As You Like It, directed by Sam Mendes (1/12-3/13); the Bridge Project’s The Tempest, also directed by Sam Mendes (2/14-3/13). BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St., 718-636-4100; bam.org Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words - Created by Eugene Pack, this brilliant and hilarious concept show features a line-up of revolving
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performers who will interpret the actual words and stories written by the famous and the infamous, in both solo and ensemble pieces. Some of the “authors” recently featured include Ivana Trump, Vanna White, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson. Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., 212-868-4444; celebrityautobiography.com Chestnuts Roasting on The Flaming Idiots The internationally adored neo-vaudeville troupe The Flaming Idiots reunite to “reignite” the New Vic stage with their juggling, comedy and general buffoonery. New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St., 646-223-3010; newvictory.org Circumcise Me - Comedian Yisrael Campbell takes the audience on a hysterically funny and intensely personal journey through his struggles with drugs and alcohol and his eventual salvation in the Jewish faith. Though he was born Catholic, Yisrael (who changed his name from Christopher) charts an extraordinary spiritual, creative, and hilarious journey that includes three circumcisions along the way. Bleecker Street Theatre, 45 Bleecker St., 212-239-6200; yisraelcampbell.com/live CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY - The Age of Iron (through 12/13); Venus in Fur by David Ives and directed by Walter Bobbie (1/13-2/21). 136 E. 13th St., 212-352-3101; classicstage.org The Complete Performer - A solo comedy show featuring Letterman show Emmy-winning writer Ted Greenberg and his crowd-rousing mascot. A combination of stand-up, mind-reading, magic, a half-time show, full-frontal nudity and a cab ride home. SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam St., 212-691-1555; thecompleteperformer.com Danny and Sylvia: The Danny Kaye Musical This musical love story follows the duo from the time the young comic Danny Kaminsky meets aspiring songwriter Sylvia Fine at an audition in the 1930s. It explores their collaboration and the romance and conflict that made them such a volatile and successful couple. Featuring many of Danny’s hit songs. St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St., 212-239-6200; dannyandsylvia.com Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert: Fanny - Music & lyrics by Harold Rome, book by S.N. Behrman and Joshua Logan (2/4-7). New York City Center, W. 55th St., 212-581-1212; nycitycenter.org Equivocation - Set in the early 1600s, this worldpremiere of Bill Cain’s bold new look at the Bard focuses on what happens when a member of King James’ court attempts to commission a play from Shakespeare about the Gunpowder Plot, in which plans were laid to blow up Parliament. New York City Center - Stage I, 131 W. 55th St., 212-581-1212; manhattantheatreclub.com (From 2/9)
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The Fantasticks - A romantic musical classic centered on the simple love story of a boy, a girl,
two fathers, and a wall. The score includes “Try to Remember” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.” With book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt. Snapple Theater Center, 1627 Broadway, 212-307-4100; thefantasticks.com 59E59 THEATRES - Wolves at the Window, written by Saki, directed by Thomas Hescott (through 12/6); Alan Ayckbourn’s My Wonderful Day (through 12/13); Merrick, The Elephant Man (through 12/13); A British Subject, a truelife tale of international politics and the media colliding with justice, civil liberties and ultimately, faith (12/9-1/3); Simon Green: Traveling Light, Simon Green’s holiday show with ianist/composer David Shrubsole (12/15-1/3); Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous, featuring the British satirical musical-comedy trio (12/16-1/3). 59 E. 59th St., 212-279-4200; 59e59.org FLEA THEATER - The Great Recession, by Thomas Bradshaw, Sheila Callaghan, Erin Courtney, Will Eno, Itamar Moses and Adam Rapp and featuring the Bats (through 12/30). 41 White St. (Broadway-Church St.), 212-226-2407; theflea.org Fuerza Bruta: Look Up - Breaking free from the confines of spoken language and theatrical convention, this new show from the creators of De 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 Groovaloo - Based on the troupe’s true-to-life experiences as told by the dancers who lived them, GROOVALOO is driven by intoxicating displays of physicality, a vibrant musical score and powerful spoken word poetry. The show’s intertwined stories chronicle the struggles, hopes and triumphs of the 18-member cast, celebrating the passion and purpose of life while revealing the heart, soul and artistry of freestyle and hip-hop dance. Union Square Theatre, 100 E. 17th St., 212-307-4100; groovaloo.com LINCOLN CENTER THEATRE - When the Rain Stops Falling, an epic drama, set in England and Australia, that traces a family’s history spanning 80 years (2/11-4/18). 150 W. 65th St., 212-239-6200; lct.org Line - Israel Horovitz’s classic comedy about five people standing in line has been playing Off-Off Broadway for many years—in fact, it’s inching up on the 35-year mark and has become the longestrunning play in Off-Off Broadway history. 13th Street Repertory, 50 W. 13th St., 212-352-0255; 13thstreetrep.org Loaded - Tapping into the climate of 21st-century gay culture as it seeks to make sense of the chasm that separates middle-aged and younger gay men, this new play by Elliot Ramon Potts centers on two men exploring whether or not their casual sexual relationship has the potential to be something more. Lion Theatre, 410 W. 42nd St., 212-279-4200; loadedtheplay.com (Through 1/23)
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Love, Loss and What I Wore - Written by Nora and Delia Ephron, this collection of vignettes and monologues is based on the best-selling book by Ilene Beckerman, as well as on the recollections of the Ephrons’ friends. A rotating celebrity cast of five—already Tyne Daly, Rosie O’Donnell and Rhea Pearlman have been among the actors—lend their talents to this female-centric show. The cast for December 16th through January 3rd will be Lucy DeVito, Katie Finneran, Capathia Jenkins, Natasha Lyonne and Mary Louise Wilson; and January 6th through the 31st, Michele Lee, Debra Monk, Tracee Ellis Ross and SNL’s Casey Wilson will be among the performers. Westside Theatre, 407 W. 43rd St., 212-239-6200; lovelossonstage.com The Marvelous Wonderettes - An engaging new jukebox musical revue featuring such retro classics as “Stupid Cupid,” “Dream Lover,” and “It’s My Party.” The story follows singing sensation wannabes The Wonderettes as they take the stage at the 1958 Springfield High School prom. Westside Theatre, 407 W. 43rd St., 212-239-6200; marvelouswonderettes.com MCC THEATRE COMPANY - The Pride, by Alexi Kaye Campbell and directed by Joe Mantello, with Hugh Dancy, Andrea Riseborough, and Ben Whishaw (1/27-3/14). 121 Christopher St., 212-279-4200; mcctheater.org Misalliance - Bernard Shaw’s giddy comedy of the dangerous joys of sex, love, marriage and children that quips and quibbles its way through what was supposed to be a lazy Saturday afternoon in the country. The Pearl Theatre Company, New York City Center - Stage II, 131 W. 55th St., 212 581-1212; pearltheatre.org Murdered by the Mob - Interactive Theater. Join a private audience with the Don, mingle with mobsters and molls, and meet the new “Boss of Bosses.” It’s the party of the year celebrating the induction of the newest crime boss and everyone’s invited. Amo Dinner Theatre, 141 W. 38th St., 800-MURDER-INC; murdermysteryinc.com THE NEW GROUP - A Lie of the Mind, written by Sam Shepard and directed by Ethan Hawke, this new work follows Jake who, believing he may have murdered his wife, takes refuge in the home of his unstable mother. (Opening TBA) 410 W. 42nd St., 212-279-4200, thenewgroup.org NEW WORLD STAGES - Just west of Broadway, this cutting-edge theatre complex is home to several of Off-Broadway’s most popular productions: Altar Boyz – A musical comedy about a struggling Christian boy band riding the wave of America’s fascination with religion (altarboyz.com); Avenue Q – A musical comedy in which singing puppets & their human neighbors struggle to find their way in the world (avenueq.com); The Gazillion Bubble Show – Fan Yang’s irresistible and totally fabulous bubble show (gazillionbubbleshow.com); My First Time – True stories of first sexual encounters (myfirsttimetheplay.com); Naked Boys Singing – Hunky guys performing 90 minutes of musical numbers in the altogether (nakedboyssinging.com); The Toxic Avenger
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(through 1/3), a new musical based on the 1985 cult film classic (Urinetown); Love Child (through 1/3), a new comedy about the night a classic play spoke so loudly its audience felt compelled to talk back; and The Tempera-mentals about communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and designer Rudi Gernreich, as they fall in love while building the first gay rights organization in the U.S., pre-Stonewall (from 2/18). 340 W. 50th St., 212-239-6200; newworldstages.com Nightingale - Celebrated actress Lynn Redgrave wrote and stars in this new play inspired by her need to discover memories of her grandmother—a woman she barely knew. In short, the work is about a promising woman stymied by society and all but erased by history. It’s a touching personal tribute and a resounding song for all those people whose voices we’ve lost, or never known. New York City Center, Stage I, 131 W. 55th St., 212-581-1212; mtc-nyc.org (Through 12/13) Our Town - Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prizewinning play following the lives of the residents of the New England town of Grover’s Corners. In this new staging, the action takes place in, among and around the audience. Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow St., 212-868-4444; ourtownoffbroadway.com (Through 1/31)
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Joan Marcus
A NEW KIND OF MUSICAL SOARS ON BROADWAY Javier Muñoz wants to get up close and personal with his audience, and at every performance of In the Heights, he gets his wish. As Usnavi, the bodega owner and narrator of the Broadway show, he forges a special connection with onlookers. “It’s wonderful to play this character because I deliver everything right to the audience,” Muñoz says. “It’s not like being a character who only looks at others onstage. I make eye contact and I’m totally taking in everyone out there, so the energy exchange is really unique. To see a grandmother sitting next to her grandchild and watch both of them laughing and enjoying the show, that brings me more joy than anything.” The story of the hopes and dreams of a closeknit group of characters living in northern Manhattan’s Washington Heights, the four-time Tony Awardwinning musical runs at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W. 46th St.). For tickets, call 212-307-4100 or visit intheheightsthemusical.com. — Linda Tagliaferro
Percussion People - An interactive family concert where noise is not only encouraged, it is part of the show. Here, the group takes you on a journey through the family of percussion instruments. The show even includes an instrumentbuilding workshop prior to the concert. The musicians include 11-year-old percussionist Emily Sgouros. For ages 3 & up. Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St., 212-352-3101; theplayerstheatre.com Perfect Crime - This long-running hit psychological cat-and-mouse thriller is about a wealthy female psychiatrist who has returned to America where a bizarre murder has occurred. Enter the inspector who becomes obsessed with her, her patients and her home. Snapple Theater Center, 210 W. 50th St., 212-307-4100 PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZONS - This, written by Melissa James Gibson, directed by Daniel Aukin (through 12/13); Clybourne Park, written by Bruce Norris and directed by Pam MacKinnon (1/24-3/7). 416 W. 42nd St., 212-279-4200; playwrightshorizons.org PUBLIC THEATER - The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 & Part 2 by Tarell Alvin McCraney (through 12/13); Idiot Savant, written and directed by Richard Foreman and starring Willem Dafoe (through 12/20). Public LAB: Juan and John (12/1-12/20); Neighbors (2/16-3/7). 425 Lafayette St., 212-260-2400; publictheater.org Radio City Christmas Spectacular 2009 - A glittering present full of fun and surprises for the whole family. Enjoy the flawless precision of the Radio City Rockettes in numbers like the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and thrill as Santa takes you on a magical ride to his
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workshop at the North Pole. And, as always, there’s the stunning reenactment of the first Christmas in the “Living Nativity.” Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, 212-307-1000; radiocitychristmas.com (Through 12/30) ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY - The Understudy, written by Theresa Rebeck and starring Julie White (through 1/3). Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for the Theatre, 111 W. 46th St., 212-719-1300; roundabouttheatre.org SECOND STAGE THEATRE - Let Me Down Easy, conceived, written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith (through 12/6); Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, a world-premiere comedy about gossip columnists written by Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed), starring Jennifer Ehle and John Lithgow (1/26-3/21). 307 W. 43rd St., 212-246-4422; 2st.com Sessions - This musical centers around Dr. Peter Peterson, an affluent New York therapist who discovers his own life is as much in need of examination as those of his patients. Among those causing Dr. Peterson angst are the bickering Murphys, the loner George, the aptly named Sunshine, the troubled Mary, the millionaire Baxter, and Dylan who believes he is Bob Dylan. On top of it all is Leila, the femme fatale with eyes for Dr. Peterson. The Kaufman Theater at The Algonquin Theatre Company, 123 E. 24th St., 212-868-4444; sessionsthemusical.com SIGNATURE THEATRE COMPANY - The Orphans’ Home Cycle Part I (“The Story of a Childhood”), written by Horton Foote (through 3/28). 555 W. 42nd St., 212-244-7529; signaturetheatre.org Stomp - 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 Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding - Interactive Theatre. Tony has been marrying Tina since 1988 and will do so as long as there are family and friends ready to celebrate the occasion with live music, champagne, Italian food and cake. Vinnie Black’s Colliseum at the Edison Hotel, 221 W. 46th St., 212-352-3101; tonyandtinanewyork.com Wintuk - An exciting winter adventure about a boy’s quest for snow, this show weaves thrilling acrobatics, breathtaking theatrical effects and memorable songs into a journey to an imaginary land called Wintuk. In this musical bursting with the energy of a city and the magic of a wonderland, the boy and his companions deliver excitement, exhilaration and intrigue. This story features a cast of 50 Cirque du Soleil performers skilled in the art of delighting the whole family. WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, 4 Penn Plaza, 212-307-1000; cirquedusoleil.com (Through 1/3)
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OPERANEW YORK
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Peter Gelb’s Met This season at the Metropolitan Opera is the first to totally reflect the bold aesthetic of this general manager. By Martin Bernheimer
Dario Acosta/Metropolitan Opera
f
[ Peter Gelb at the Metropolitan Opera ]
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or better or worse, Peter Gelb is remaking the image of the Metropolitan Opera. His Metropolitan Opera. The ambitious and resourceful general manager took over the company from Joseph Volpe back in 2006. But the current season is the first to really reflect his aesthetic intentions, the first in which he was able to plan every detail himself. Like all arts institutions, the Met faces grave financial problems these days. Gelb is trying to evade the inherent slings and arrows by marketing opera beyond its normal constituency. He wants to keep his essential core audience, which is graying inexorably. At the same time he wants to court a younger, possibly less sophisticated public. The balancing act is tricky. In any case, Gelb is gradually abandoning the ornate yet static ultraconventional productions of the past in favor of tough and sparse stagings that engage progressive theatrical forces. He is basking in the success of an unprecedented outreach-project that beams high-definition telecasts to movie theaters here and abroad. And, in a continuing move to popularize opera in general, the Met in particular, he is transmitting opening-night performances to huge screens outside on the Lincoln Center Plaza and in Times Square. Sight in these unconventional locales must, of course, be better than sound. No matter. It’s the nature of the commercial beast. Triumph cannot be automatic. There are too many variables in this irrational art, and the Met’s conservative patrons have not appreciated all of Gelb’s innovations. The new version of Puccini’s Tosca that opened the season in September took liberties with the libretto that discomforted traditionalists, and the production team was greeted with a lusty chorus of boos during curtain calls. In various interviews, Gelb remained cool. He insisted that he found the controversy healthy. Culture cannot survive, he declared, without change. His survival theory may be tested further with a pair of new productions opening in December. Both involve beloved staples of the French repertory. Both replace popular, opulent stagings inherited from Volpe. And both have undergone drastic casting shake-ups. The best laid plans of mice, men and opera impresarios…. Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, a.k.a. The Tales of Hoffmann, unveiled on December 3, continues in the repertory with eight additional performances scattered through January 2. Gelb has assigned this “psychological fantasy” (his description) to Bartlett Sher, a theatrical pro whose credits include The Light in the Piazza and South Pacific for Lincoln Center Theater and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Met. Working in conjunction with the set designer Michael Yeargan and the costume designer Catherine Zuber, Sher calls this
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^
the calendar through May 1. A bleak new production by the British director Richard Eyre replaces the cast-ofthousands oh-so-literal extravaganza directed by Franco Zeffirelli in 1996. Eyre, whose imposing credits include socalled legitimate theater and film as well as opera, says Carmen “is about sex, violence and racism – and its corollary: freedom.” At the first performances, the temperamental Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu was supposed to play the magnetic title character, a gypsy fatalist who lives and dies by her own standards of morality. Gheorghiu has deferred her appearance, however, until the end of the run “for personal reasons.” Opera’s ever-active rumor mill suggests that she chose not to share the stage with her possibly estranged husband, the tenor Roberto Alagna, who sings Don José early in the run. Instead of Gheorghiu, Alagna will now stab the steamy Latvian mezzo-soprano, Elina Garanca. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a dashing young Canadian conductor enjoying a rapidly ascending career, makes his debut in the pit. This won’t be – can’t be – just another opening, another show. ■ ^
opera “a magical journey in which Hoffmann works out different manifestations of his psyche.” If all had gone as hoped, Rolando Villazón would have portrayed the agonized protagonist. Unfortunately, vocal-cord surgery has forced the Mexican matinee-idol to withdraw. In his place Gelb has engaged the promising Maltese tenor, Joseph Calleja, who is undertaking the complexities of Hoffmann for the first time. The hero’s drastically dissimilar loves – a mechanical doll, a Venetian courtesan and a sacrificial diva – are often performed by the same singer, and the original plan was to feature the much vaunted Anna Netrebko in this multiple assignment. She eventually decided, however, to venture only Antonia, the tragic heroine in the Munich episode, ceding the other parts and other acts to Ekaterina Gubanova and Kathleen Kim. Hoffmann’s amorous desires are thwarted by four different, equally nasty villains. It was announced long ago that the charismatic German bass René Pape would undertake the various incarnations of evil. He succumbed to unexplained second thoughts, however, and the fine American baritone Alan Held has come to the casting rescue. James Levine – the Met’s splendid, perennially over-achieving music-director – is scheduled to conduct the new production. After suffering a herniated disc in September, he took time off for surgery and cancelled most of his autumn commitments. He intends, however, to return in time for Hoffmann. Optimistic fingers are crossed on both sides of the footlights. Bizet’s Carmen, possibly the most popular challenge in the standard repertory, comes back to the Met on Dec. 31, with 13 additional performances on
Gunars Janaitis
- Garanca in the title role of the [ Elina Met’s production of Carmen ]
The Metropolitan Opera Lincoln Center, West 62nd Street; 212-799-3100; metopera.org Pulitzer-prize winning critic Martin Bernheimer covers music in New York for the Financial Times and Opera magazine. His last pieces for Promenade were on the Met’s new productions of Tosca and From the House of the Dead and the NY Philharmonic’s new music director, Alan Gilbert.
Micaela Rossato
[ Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann in Les Contes d’Hoffmann ]
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DANCENEW YORK
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20
Years at Ailey’s Helm
On Judith Jamison’s watch, the thriving company has built a glass-and-steel home on West 55th Street, revived works from the Ailey canon, and has brought nearly 100 new dances into the repertoire. By Sylviane Gold hen Judith Jamison was growing up in Philadelphia, her dream was to be a pilot. Ultimately, she found another way to fly, becoming a star with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. AAADT was then just beginning to blossom into the spectacularly successful enterprise - “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” as the brochure says - that we know today. From 1965 until 1980, Jamison's marquee power had a good deal to do with this success. Imposingly tall, with a balletic line and a fluid torso, she was a riveting presence onstage; offstage, she was a muse for Ailey, who created some of his most memorable works specifically for her. Now, 44 years after she joined the company, she is still a marquee attraction - these days, as the boss. And when AAADT arrives at City Center on December 2 to open its annual five-week engagement, it will be celebrating not just the electrifying dance legacy of Ailey, not just the awesomely gifted performers who carry on the tradition, but Jamison's 20 years as the handpicked successor to the company's founder. Alvin Ailey was an American original. Devastatingly good-looking and just as charismatic, he combined the talents of a powerful dancer, an instinctive choreographer and a down-home country preacher. These helped him realize his vision of a dance company rooted in the black experience but not limited to it - a vision that has shaped several generations of stellar dancers and has thrilled audiences the world over. Before Ailey died, in 1989, he entrusted that vision to Jamison, who had by then left to guest with other companies, to star on Broadway, to form her own troupe. She put aside her personal dreams to ensure that his would survive. “Alvin's legacy,” she says. “It sounds so heavy. But it's actually a resonance of his life, and how he acted, and the way he carried himself.” She ticks off her list describing his special aura: generosity, openness, humanity. “That resonance has to be maintained,” she says. “It's not an accomplishment; it's an ongoing paradigm.” She was able to make the transition into her new role because, she says, Ailey had always engaged his dancers in a stealth leadership school. “He would let us all run rehearsal,” she says. “When he would leave the room, somebody would take over. When he had a sore throat, or if he couldn't make it to an embassy party, or whatever, then we would talk.” At one point, she recalls, when she was between apartments, she stayed with Ailey and slept on the sofa in his living room. “Alvin had a desk with papers all over it. I watched him do the business of running the company.”
Andrew Eccles
W
[ Judith Jamison ]
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[ Right: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims in Revelations.
Sylviane Gold is has written about the arts for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsday and Dance Magazine. Her last piece for Promenade was on on Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company.
[ Ailey veteran Matthew Rushing ]
Andrew Eccles
On her watch, the company didn't just survive. It thrived. When she joined, Ailey had ten dancers; today there are 30. The Ailey school, now a major player in dance education, offers degree programs in partnership with Fordham University. A fund-raising powerhouse, AAADT built itself a sparkling, state-ofthe-art glass-and-steel home on West 55th Street in 2004. Choreographing herself, reviving works from the Ailey canon, and commissioning new ones from artists in and out of the company, Jamison has brought nearly 100 new dances into the repertoire. And most important, by her lights, she has managed to keep Ailey alive not just on the stage but in the day-to-day workings of the company. In honor of her 20 years at the helm, the AAADT season, which runs through Jan. 3, includes a slew of special events. “A humdinger,” she calls it: The world premiere of Ronald K. Brown's “Dancing Spirit,” which borrows the title of Jamison's Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Dec. 2-Jan. 3. autobiography to pay her tribute; the world New York City Center, 55th Street; 212-581-1212; alvinailey.org or nycitycenter.org. premiere of Jamison's newest choreography, based on some of her own drawings; “Best of 20 Years,” a highlights evening made up of excerpts from works presented by AAADT under her leadership; a revival of “Hymn,” her 1993 tribute to Ailey with a text compiled by Anna Deavere Smith; even a reduced-price performance sponsored by Target. In addition, of course, are the company's usual offerings - although no Ailey regular would call anything the company does “usual.” There will be 28 performances of “Revelations,” the ageless Ailey masterpiece set to a selection of spirituals. Company veteran Matthew Rushing has created a new work evoking the Harlem Renaissance to a score that includes tunes by Fats Waller, Eubie Blake and Nat King Cole. And “In/Side,” a solo choreographed by Robert Battle to a Nina Simone recording, will have its company premiere. Jamison says she doesn't think about how things might have gone if she hadn't returned to run AAADT. “I didn't plan this,” she says. “But when you're in the forest, you don't go outside and say, 'Oh, yeah, it's a forest.' I'm in the forest. So the way my life has gone is exactly the way it's supposed to, and there ain't no one gonna change that.” And yes, she is a kind of pilot, after all. ■
Courtesy of the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation Archives
Andrew Eccles
Far right: Judith Jamison in the original production of Revelations. ]
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NEW YORK
PERFORMING ARTS CULTURAL CENTERS
Tap, hip-hop, dance, and slapstick humor all come together in the giant mish-mash of Banana Shpeel, the latest indefinable extravaganza from the brilliant minds (and bodies) of Cirque du Soleil, running February 4th through April 30th at the Beacon Theatre. In it, an innocent actor finds himself beholden to the whims of a cruel and irritable producer who lures him with fame and fortune into a world of preposterous characters, including the beautiful Katie and the mysterious “Banana Man.” For tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com or beacontheatre.com.
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Please call the box offices for showtimes. All listings subject to change. BB King Blues Club & Grill – A Celtic Tenors Christmas (12/6); Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes (12/12, 1/30); Darlene Love Christmas Show (12/13); Ronnie Spector’s Xmas Party (12/19-20); A John Waters Christmas (12/22); Regina Belle (12/26); Zebra w/ Randy Jackson + Felix Hanemann + Guy Gelso (12/27); The Dan Band (12/31); Billy Joel Birthday Tribute (1/1); Robert Gordon 6th Annual Elvis Birthday Show (1/6); James Cotton (1/8); Jars of Clay (1/15); The Smithereens (1/16); Bobby Caldwell (1/23); The Ventures (1/28); The Marshall Tucker Band (1/29); Bobby “Blue” Bland (2/3); Buckwheat Zydeco (2/6); Dave Davies (2/10); Oleta Adams (2/20). 237 W. 42nd St., 212-997-4144; bbkingblues.com Beacon Theatre – Mannheim Steamroller (12/3); Hot Tuna (12/5); Il Divo (12/15-17); Gov’t Mule (12/30-31); Banana Shpeel from Cirque du Soleil (2/4-4/30). 2124 Broadway (74th-75th Sts.), 212-465-6225; beacontheatrenyc.com Brooklyn Academy of Music – Dance: Mortal Engine (12/9-12); The Good Dance dakar/brooklyn (12/16-19); Mark Morris Dance Group (2/23, 25-27). Music: Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica (12/2-5); Sounds Like Brooklyn Music Festival (Feb.). 30 Lafayette Ave., 718-636-4100; bam.org Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts – Conservatory Jazz Ensemble (12/1); Computer Music Ensemble (12/2); Afternoon Chamber Music Ensemble (12/3); Brooklyn College Big Band (12/3); Prep Center Faculty Recital (12/5); Rossini’s ll Viaggio a Reims (12/5-6); Composers Concert (12/7); Music for Strings (12/9); The Conservatory Wind Ensemble (12/9); Conservatory Annual Holiday Concert (12/10); Douglas Carter Beane’s As Bees In Honey Drown (12/10-14); Opera Favorites (12/11); Prep Center Perform-a-Thon (12/12); The Colonial Nutcracker (12/13); Prep Center Suzuki Solo Recitals (12/19); The Clark Sisters (1/23); Hairspray (1/24); The Israel Ballet - Don Quixote (2/21); Folk Feet 2010 (2/28). Brooklyn College, Campus Road & Hillel Pl., Brooklyn, 718-951-4500; brooklyncenter.com Carnegie Hall – Hilliard Ensemble, Arditti Quartet (12/2); Mendelssohn String Quartet (12/3); Christian Svarfvar, Anders Kilström (12/4); Vladimir Feltsman (12/4); Dorothea Röschmann, Graham Johnson (12/5); The Met Chamber Ensemble (12/6); Peter Serkin (12/10); Les Violons du Roy (12/11); Les Violons du Roy (12/12); Shelby Lynne (12/12); Orchestra of St. Luke’s (12/13); Jean-Yves Thibaudet (12/15); The New York Pops (12/18-19); Carnegie Hall Family Concert: The New York Pops (12/19); The Met Orchestra (12/20); New York String
Orchestra (12/24, 28); The Met Chamber Ensemble (1/10); Andreas Staier (1/12); Philippe Jaroussky, Jérôme Ducros (1/14); Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1/15-17); The Song Continues...Duo Recital (1/19-20); The Song Continues...James Levine Master Class (1/19); Ensemble ACJW and Friends (1/19); The Song Continues...Warren Jones Master Class (1/20); Christine Schäfer, Eric Schneider (1/20); The Song Continues...Marilyn Horne Master Class (1/21); Europa Galante (1/21); The Song Continues...Marilyn Horne Foundation Annual Recital (1/22); The Met Orchestra (1/24); Houston Symphony (1/28); American Composers Orchestra (1/29); Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax (1/29); Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1/30-31); Fabio Biondi, Paola Poncet (2/1); Boston Symphony Orchestra (2/1); Radu Lupu (2/2); Leipzig String Quartet (2/5); Ensemble ACJW (2/5, 9); Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (2/9); Standard Time with Michael Feinstein (2/10); Emanuel Ax (2/10); ATOS Trio (2/12); Dave Douglas Young Artists Concert (2/12); New York Philharmonic (2/13); Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (2/15); Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (2/16-17); Eliane Elias (2/17); Richie Havens (2/19); Takács Quartet (2/20); Orchestra of St. Luke’s (2/21); Mariinsky Orchestra (2/23); Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk (2/24); Olga Borodina, Dmitri Yefimov (2/25); Christian Tetzlaff, Tanja Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt (2/27); Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (2/2728); Christian Tetzlaff, Tanja Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt (2/28). 57th St. & Seventh Ave., 212-247-7800; carnegiehall.org Dance Theater Workshop – The Barnard Project (12/3-5); Doug Elkins & Friends Holiday Extravaganza (12/10-12, 17-19); Studio Series Nia Love (1/14-15); Urban Bush Women (1/2023); Studio Series - Gwen Welliver (1/28-29); Kimberly Bartosik/daela - The Materiality of Impermanence (2/3-6); Fresh Tracks Performance and Residency Program (2/11-13); Studio Series - Kathy Westwater (2/18-19); Bruno Beltrão/Grupo de Rua (2/20-23); Studio Series - Natalie Green (2/25-26). 219 W. 19th St., 212-924-0077; dancetheaterworkshop.org Dicapo Opera Theatre – Il Caso Mortara (2/25, 27, 3/5, 7). 184 E. 76th St., 212-288-9438; dicapo.com The Joyce Theater – Ballet Hispanico (12/1-13); Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet (12/15-1/3); Pacific Northwest Ballet (1/5-10); Richard Alston Dance Company (1/12-17); Rioult (1/19-24); Gyor National Ballet from Hungary (1/26-31); Parsons Dance (2/2-14). 175 Eighth Ave. (19th St.), 212-242-0800; joyce.org Joyce SoHo – The Dash Ensemble - First Act (12/4-6); Slippage: Performance | Culture | Technology (12/11-13); Nicholas Andre Dance (12/17-20); Wally Cardona & Rahel Vonmoos Encore Presentation (1/7-12); Kalanidhi Dance Inbound Festival (1/22-23); LEVYdance Inbound Festival (1/29-31); casebolt and smith Inbound
Festival (2/5-7); Tanzprojekt Elfi SchäferSchafroth Inbound Festival (2/12-14); Jaamil Olawale Kosoko/Kosoko Performance Group Inbound Festival (2/18-20); RAWdance Inbound Festival (2/25-27). 155 Mercer St. (Prince-Houston Sts.), 212-334-7479; joyce.org Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – Great Performers: The Donmar Warehouse production of Four Quartets - Beethoven and Eliot (12/2-3); Sunday Morning Coffee Concerts - Mikhail Simonyan, violin (New York recital debut); Alexei Podkorytov, piano (12/6); One Evening (U.S. Premiere) - Schubert and Beckett (12/9-11); Stifters Dinge (U.S. Premiere) - Heiner Goebbels, conception, music, and direction (12/16-20); Pieter Wispelwey, cello; Paolo Giacometti, piano (1/24); Bernarda Fink, mezzosoprano; Anthony Spiri, piano (1/24); American Symphony Orchestra (1/29); Garrick Ohlsson, piano - The Chopin Project (2/3); Great Pianists Play Chopin on Film - Program 1: Arthur Rubinstein and Silent Films (2/6); Great Pianists Play Chopin on Film - Program 2: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (2/6); Great Pianists Play Chopin on Film - Program 3: Martha Argerich, Krystian Zimerman, and Maurizio Pollini (2/10); Great Pianists Play Chopin on Film - Program 4: A Song to Remember (2/10); Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (2/17, 19); American Symphony Orchestra (2/24); Simon Keenlyside, baritone; Pedja Muzijevic, piano (2/28). American Songbook: Marianne Faithfull (1/13); Rebecca Luker (1/14); David Hidalgo & Louie Perez of Los Lobos: An Evening of Storytelling and Songs (1/15); Hal Willner’s I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues? Music and Readings from A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, featuring Rufus Wainwright, Bill Frisell, Van Dyke Parks, and more (1/27); Suzanne Vega (1/28); St. Vincent (1/29); Michael Friedman: Adventures in Reality featuring Norm Lewis, Michael Esper, and de’Adre Aziza (1/30); Dee Dee Bridgewater: To Billie with Love—A Celebration of Lady Day (2/17); Nellie McKay: Normal as Blueberry Pie—A Tribute to Doris Day (2/18); Dirty Projectors (2/19); Leslie Uggams (2/20). Columbus Ave. btw. 62nd & 65th Sts., 212-875-5000; lincolncenter.org Madison Square Garden – Phish (12/2-4); Eddie Izzard (1/16); Aventura (1/20-21, 2/1). 4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave. & 32nd St.), 212-465-5800; thegarden.com Merkin Concert Hall – Washington Square Contemporary Music Society (12/3); The Stonewall Chorale (12/5); Joy in Singing: Paul Appleby, tenor (12/6); Soloist Ensemble Urania (12/6); Broadway Close Up: Gerard Alessandrini (12/7); Tuesday Matinees: Lidia Kaminska, accordion/bandoneon (12/8); Alberto Reyes, piano (12/8); Nadejda Vlaeva, piano (12/10); David Ippolito “Year End Concert” (12/12); Poppy Seed Players: Latkes & Applesauce (12/13); New York Philharmonic Ensembles (12/13); Ran Dank, pianist (12/14); Zamir Chorale in Concert (12/24); WSNY presents Heidi Melton, soprano
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(12/27); Striking 12 (12/31): Broadway Playhouse: Jule Styne (1/10); New York Philharmonic Ensembles (1/10); Ensemble du Monde: Classical Innovators (1/10); Hlíf Sigurjónsdóttir, solo violin (1/11); Ray Chen, violinist (1/12); New York Guitar Festival: David Bromberg & Marc Ribot (1/14); Tuesday Matinees: Dodd String Quartet (1/19); New York Guitar Festival: Justin Vernon of Bon Iver & Steve Kimock (1/21); New York Guitar Festival: Alex de Grassi & James Blackshaw (1/28); New York Guitar Festival: Chicha Libre & Gyan Riley (2/4); Broadway Playhouse: Alan Menken (2/7); Concertante (2/8); Tuesday Matinees: Gleb Ivanov, piano (2/9); Carolina Ullrich, soprano (2/9); New York Festival of Song: The Voluptuous Muse (2/16, 18); Music From Japan (2/20-21); Poppy Seed Players: A Poppy Seed Purim (2/21); New York Philharmonic Ensembles (2/21); New Sounds® Live: Bang on a Can All-Stars 2010 People’s Commissioning Fund Concert (2/24); Transit Circle (2/27); New York Philharmonic Very Young People’s Concerts: Vivaldi & Friends (2/28). 129 W. 67th St., 212-501-3303; kaufman-center.org The Metropolitan Museum of Art – A Chanticleer Christmas (12/1, 3); Lionheart (12/6); Abyssinian: Christmas (12/10); The Waverly Consort (12/12-13); Blue Hill Troupe (12/12); Quartetto Gelato: Christmas (12/15); Burning River Brass: Christmas (12/17); The Baltimore Consort (12/19-20); Lionheart: Christmas (12/22); Schubert and Schumann (1/9); Pressler and Friends (1/15); Pacifica Quartet (1/16); Yefim Bronfman, piano (1/17); Seeking Mendelssohn (1/23); Capuçon-Angelich Trio (1/29); Pressler & NY Chamber Soloists (1/30); Musicians from Marlboro (2/5); Steve Ross (2/6); Till Fellner, piano (2/12); Itzhak Perlman, violin (2/13); Peter Orth, piano (2/20); Rafal Blechacz, piano (2/26); “Babar” - NY Chamber Soloists (2/27); Pacifica Quartet (2/27). Fifth Ave. & 82nd St., 212-570-3949; metmuseum.org Metropolitan Opera Company – Il Trittico (12/1, 5, 9, 12); From the House of the Dead (12/2, 5); Les Contes d’Hoffmann (12/3, 7, 11, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, 1/2); Le Nozze di Figaro (12/4, 8, 12); Elektra (12/10, 15, 18, 22, 26, 29); Hansel and Gretel (12/14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 28, 30, 1/2); Carmen (12/31, 1/5, 8, 12, 16, 21, 27, 30, 2/1, 5, 9, 13); Der Rosenkavalier (1/1, 6, 9, 15); Turandot (1/4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 28); Stiffelio (1/11, 14, 19, 23, 26, 30); Simon Boccanegra (1/18, 22, 25, 29, 2/2, 6); Ariadne auf Naxos (2/4, 8, 11, 15, 20); La Bohème (2/20, 24, 27); Attila (2/23, 27); Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2/26). 212-362-6000; metoperafamily.org Miller Theater at Columbia University – Chamber Music of Germany: J.S. Bach and Friends (12/4); A Christmas Journey with Eric Reed (12/11); Josquin’s Mass for the Virgin Mary (12/12); Cavalieri Lamentations (1/23); Bach and the Concerto (1/30); Lou Reed: Metal Machine Music (2/5); The Art of the Canon (2/6); The Carla Cook Quintet (2/12); Circa 1600 (2/20); Benet Casablancas (2/25); Damien Sneed Gospel Extravaganza (2/26); The Birth of the Renaissance: Guillaume Dufay (2/27). 2960 Broadway (116th St.), 212-854-1633; millertheatre.com
The Morgan Library’s Gilder Lehrman Hall – Caroling at the Morgan (12/11, 18); The George London Foundation Recital (12/13); Benjamin Moser (1/20); JACK Quartet (2/5); Carol Wincenc Ruby Anniversary Series: Les Amies (2/22). 225 Madison Ave. (36th St.), 212-685-0008; themorgan.org NY City Center – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (12/2-1/3); NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players (1/8-17); New York Flamenco Festival (2/11-14); Kings of the Dance (2/19-21); Paul Taylor Dance Company (2/24-3/14). 130 W. 56th St., 877-581-1212; nycitycenter.org New York City Ballet – George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (through 1/3); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1/6-10, 12); Romeo + Juliet (1/13, 15-17, 21, 23); Short Stories: Fancy Free, Prodigal Son, Firebird (1/16, 19, 24); All Russian: Agon, Cortège Hongrois, New Miroshnichenko Ballet (1/20, 23, 2/9); The Sleeping Beauty (1/27-31, 2/2-7); Swan Lake (2/10-14); All Balanchine: Liebeslieder Walzer, Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (2/16, 17, 19-20); All Robbins: Dances at a Gathering, West Side Story Suite (2/18, 20-21, 2324); Jewels (2/25-28). David H. Koch Theater, Columbus Ave. & 63rd St., 212-870-5570; nycballet.com New York Philharmonic – A Concert To End Polio (12/2); Salonen, Ravel & Debussy’s La Mer (12/3-5, 8); Dohnányi, Dicterow, Phelps & Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante (12/10-12); Young People’s Concert: Debussy (12/12); Holiday Brass (12/13); Handel’s Messiah (12/15-19); Contact, the New Music Series (12/17, 19); Andsnes Performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 (12/29-30, 1/2); New Year’s Eve: Hampson, Gershwin, Copland & Broadway (12/31); Rush Hour Concert: Gilbert & Rachmaninoff ’s Symphony No. 2 (1/6); Bronfman, Prokofiev & Rachmaninoff ’s Symphony No. 2 (1/7-8. 12); Hampson & Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony (1/14-16); Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony & Sinfonia concertante for Winds (2/10-12, 16); Robertson & Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (2/18-20); Gil Shaham Plays Barber’s Violin Concerto (2/25-27); Saturday Matinee: Gil Shaham Plays Barber’s Violin Concerto (2/27); Very Young People’s Concerts: The Four Seasons: Winter (2/28-3/1). 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 (12/12-13, 19-20). Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., 212-679-0401; nytb.org 92nd Street Y – Music: Manuel Barrueco, guitar (12/5); Marc-André Hamelin, piano (12/12); Maurice Bourgue & Friends (12/15-16); David Broza, vocals & guitar (12/24); A Champagne New Year’s Eve—Los Romero, guitar quartet (12/31); Lyrics & Lyricists—Babalu: The American Songbook Goes Latin (1/9-11); Tokyo String Quartet & Markus Groh, piano (1/23); Zukerman ChamberPlayers & Angela Cheng, piano (1/24); Panocha Quartet (2/4); Brazilian Guitar Quartet (2/6); Richard Goode, piano & Jonathan Biss, piano (2/10); Lyrics & Lyricists—Misty: Johnny Burke After Hours
Dana Nye
A PRAIRIE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
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Powdermilk Biscuits. The Chatterbox Cafe. Guy Noir. The Coffee Club Orchestra. Bebop-a-Reebop Rhubarb Pie. If any of these phrases are familiar to you, then you need no further introduction to the world of Garrison Keillor and Lake Wobegon, “where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all of the children are above average.” If not, then you need to acquaint yourself with a visit to the Town Hall on December 4th-5th, 11th-12th & 18th-19th for a live performance of A Prairie Home Companion, featuring comedy sketches, music, and Keillor’s signature monologue, “The News from Lake Wobegon.” For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100 or visit the-townhall-nyc.org.
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(2/20-22); Miklós Perényi, cello & Benjamin Hochman, piano (2/23); András Schiff, piano (2/25); Haydn’s Keyboard Trios with András Schiff (2/27-28). Dance: 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival Anniversary Season: Past-Future-Now (2/26-3/28); Fridays at Noon: Claire Porter Presents (12/18); Maura Nguyen Donohue Presents (in partnership with DTW) (1/8); Legacy Performance (1/22); Fridays Retro (2/5); Legacy Performance: Sophie Maslow & May O’Donnell & Jane Dudley (2/19). Sundays at Three: Women in Dance at the 92nd Street Y: History in the Making (12/11-13); Erick Hawkins Centennial Celebration (1/9-10); Sokolow Birthday Tribute (2/14). Lexington Ave. & 92nd St., 212-415-5500; 92y.org Radio City Music Hall – Radio City Christmas Spectacular (through 12/30); The Swell Season (1/19); Russell Peters (1/29-30); Shen Yun (All-New 2010 Program) (2/13-21). 1260 Sixth Ave. (50th St.), 212-307-7171; radiocity.com St. Bartholomew’s Church – Joyous Christmas Concert (12/15); A Concert to Usher in the New Year (12/31); New York Choral Society (2/28). Park Ave. & 51st St., 212-378-0248; stbarts.org
The Town Hall – Robin Williams (12/1-3); Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion (12/4-5, 11-12, 18-19); World-Famous Male Jewish Choir from Moscow and Cantor Joseph Malovany in a Chanukah Concert (12/9); A Canadian Brass Christmas Concert (12/13); New York City Gay Men’s Chorus: Together at Town Hall (12/20); Capitol Steps (2/19); The Takacs (2/21); Broadway Musicals of 1927 (2/22); Champions of the Dance (2/26); The Artemis Ensemble (2/28). 123 W. 43rd St. (Broadway-Sixth Ave.), 212-997-1003; the-townhall-nyc.org WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden – Wintuk from Cirque du Soleil (through 1/3); Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up (2/4-15); Kathy Griffin (2/18). 4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave. & 32nd St.), 212-465-5800; thegarden.com Webster Hall – Matisyahu (12/10-14); Fanfarlo (12/18); Kids of Survival, Someone Say Something, Van Atta High (12/20); Gogol Bordello (12/2729); City and Colour (1/8); globalFEST 2010 (1/10); La Roux (2/11); Kathy Griffin (2/18). 125 E. 11th St., 800-745-3000; websterhall.com
FILL YOUR HEART WITH THE ROCKETTES AND CHRISTMAS For 77 years, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, has been a holiday tradition for millions, making Radio City the ultimate Christmas destination for families everywhere. Running through Dec. 30th. Along with reimagined Rockette favorites, including the “12 Days of Christmas” scene, this year’s show features an unforgettable signature production number set in Times Square, lighting up the New York skyline with a glittering fireworks display onstage. For tickets, call the Ticketmaster Christmas Hotline at 212-307-1000 or visit radiocitychristmas.com.
Lee Snider
Symphony Space – Piano Concertos with Manhattan Chamber Orchestra (12/1); Childsplay in Concert, with singer Aoife O’Donovan (12/3); East Winds Ensemble: Shakuhachi & Koto music (12/3); The 29th Annual John Lennon Tribute (12/4); NY Lyric Opera Theatre’s “AIR Concert” (12/5); NY Lyric Opera Theatre’s “Home for the Holidays” (12/5); La Scala’s Opening Night: Carmen (12/7); Gavin Creel and Robbie Roth (12/7); The Theory of Everything (12/9); Jazz Band Classic: Bebop Big Band (12/11-12); The Christmas Revels (12/11-13); InterSchool Orchestras of New York Winter Concert (12/14); Contact, The New Music Series (12/17); Drozdy at the Symphony (12/18); The Mannes Orchestra (12/18); Make a Change (12/19); Basically Brandenburg with the Symphony Space All-Stars (12/20); Comfort Ye... (12/21); L’Orfeo (12/27); The Day Boy And The Night Girl (12/29-30); NYGASP Champagne Gala Gilbert & Sullivan Favorites (12/31); Gene Koshinski, Solo Percussion (1/4); Queen of Calypso: Calypso Rose (1/15); The Jimmies (1/16); Celebrating Chick Corea (1/16); Seeing Jazz With George Wein: Anat Cohen with Howard Alden & Gene Bertoncini (1/21); La Cenerentola (Cinderella) by Rossini (1/22, 29); NY Lyric Opera Theatre’s “AIR Concert” (1/23, 30); Balkan Gypsy Music: Yuri Yunakov Band (1/23); NY Lyric Opera Theatre presents The Magic Flute (1/23, 30); The Pit Stop Players (2/1); Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (2/6); Samulnori Drums & Dances: Noreum Machi (2/6); Colson, Workman, Cyrille, Colson CD Release (2/6); Classics Declassified: Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (2/7); New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra (2/12); Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke (2/13); Orfeo in Idaho (2/13); Ralph’s World (2/20); Traveling Music with the Cassatt Quartet (2/25); Eisa Davis (2/26); The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra goes Carioca (2/26-27); Astrograss (2/27); NY Lyric Opera Theatre presents Rigoletto (2/27). 2537 Broadway (95th St.), 212-864-5400; symphonyspace.org
PIRATES, PINAFORES & MORE The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players return to the New York stage January 8th through the 17th to celebrate their 35th anniversary with fully staged productions of H.M.S. Pinafore (1/10, 12), The Mikado (1/8-9, 16), The Pirates of Penzance (1/9, 15), and an all-new production of Ruddigore (1/14, 16-17). The January 12th performance of H.M.S. is part of Free Kids Night, so if you have any young ones you’d like to introduce to the glorious spectacle of a Gilbert & Sullivan opera, this is a perfect opportunity for it! For tickets, call 212-581-1212 or visit nycitycenter.org.
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Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York
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[ William Sidney Mount, "The Power of Music," 1847 ]
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Americanstories: Scenes from ordinary life captured by extraordinary painters. By Karin Lipson
Genre painting was the seed of this show, “but we thought it might be interesting to push the envelope a little bit—to start with the pre-19th Century as sort of a preamble and then to explore what happens in the period after the Civil War,” said Met curator Carrie Rebora Barratt, whose scholarly focus is on early American painting. Barratt, now the museum’s associate director for collections and administration, assembled the largely chronological exhibition with fellow Met curator H. Barbara Weinberg, a scholar of post-Civil War paintings. (Outside experts Bruce Robertson, professor of art history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Margaret C. Conrads, of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, also contributed to the show. ) While the curators expanded the time frame, “we decided we would still keep our focus on scenes of ordinary American life,” Barratt said. So, expect no grand historical or mythological scenes. This show is chock full of less elevated subjects: People peddling wares, manning forges, guiding boats downriver, voting or gossiping about politics, selling newspapers in the East,
[ Winslow Homer, "Pitching Quoits," 1865 ]
Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York
I
nside a barn, two white men are listening to a youth, also white, play his fiddle. Just outside, a black man, unseen by the others, leans against the open barn door, also listening, entranced, to the melody. What happens next, we want to ask, about this 1847 painting of Long Island life by William Sidney Mount? Called “The Power of Music,” it’s one of more than 100 works in “American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765-1915,” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Jan. 24. Some raise similar questions, others don’t —at least at first glance. Given its title, “The Power of Music” was clearly intended in part to show that certain pleasures unite us all, regardless of race. But still….Would the black man be welcome inside the barn? Why does he keep to the sidelines? We don’t necessarily know the answers, but the narrative pull of Mount’s work puts it squarely within the tradition of American mid-19th Century genre painting, with its often genial depictions of lower and middle-class folk at work and at play.
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encountering Indians and bears further West. More leisurely moments are captured in scenes of music-making, dancing, courting, shopping, picnicking, even eating in a Chinese restaurant. If the surface narrative of certain images seems obvious, “all of them have texts and subtexts,” said Weinberg. In John Singleton Copley’s 1768 portrait of Paul Revere, for example, the silversmith holds a silver teapot, a seemingly apt symbol of his craft. But at the time of the painting, “the British were levying taxes on tea –Americans pretty much stopped drinking tea, in protest,” Barratt said. In fact, “Revere only made one teapot” that year – “so it becomes a political story.” Portraiture gives way to scenes by such artists as Mount, George Caleb Bingham—whose 1846 “The Jolly Flatboatmen” makes you want to hop on board to enjoy the revelry—and Winslow Homer, with no less than nine paintings in the show––“almost a mini-retrospective” Weinberg calls it. The focus later often shifts to the upper classes in works by the likes of John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt and William Merritt Chase. If Ashcan artists John Sloan and George Bellows capture something of the roughand-tumble of life, the seamier side of the American story, for the most part, doesn’t surface in these “American stories.” In fact, many of the artists seemed to share a “cheerful, optimistic outlook,” Weinberg noted. While the paintings’ marketability was undoubtedly a factor (cheerful often trumping dour in art sales), they may also reflect an inherently “upbeat” attitude in American society, she said. For all that, Weinberg noted, “these paintings tell many stories, depending on who’s viewing them,” so, a diverse group of outside commentators chimes in on the show’s audio guide. The African-American artist Kara Walker, for instance, gives her take on Mount’s “Power of Music” (“almost too sweet,” given the racial ferment of the period); historian James McPherson comments on two Civil War-era scenes by Homer; restaurateur Danny Meyer and food writer Mark Bittman talk about Sloan’s raffish 1909 “Chinese Restaurant.” “This is where I want to be,” says Bittman of Sloan’s eatery, with its noodle-slurping man, flamboyantly-dressed woman, and well-fed cat. “I mean, it’s funky.” Now, how often are paintings at the Met called funky? ■
Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Ave., 212-535-7710; metmuseum.org 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 Jane Austen at the Morgan and Kandinsky at the Guggenheim.
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Clockwise from top: [ Charles Willson Peale, "The Artist in His Museum," 1822 John Sloan, "Chinese Restaurant," 1909 George Bellows, "Cliff Dwellers," 1913 John Singleton Copley, ""Paul Revere," 1768 ]
Frederic Remington, “Fight for the Water Hole,” 1903 Richard Caton Woodville, "War News from Mexico," 1848 ]
All phtos: Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York
Opposite page from top: [ George Caleb Bingham, "The Jolly Flatboatmen," 1846
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Staverman Collection of the artist; courtesy of Bram van Gelderen, Bauke Broersma, and Teun Renes. Photo: Ferry Staverman
MUSEUMS
SLASH AND BURN—AND CUT AND SHRED... Paper has made a comeback in the art world over the past few years, and the Museum of Arts and Design’s Slash: Paper Under the Knife (on view through April 4th) features many fine—and unusual—examples of the revitalized art form. Included are books-turned-into-sculptures, works that are burned, torn, cut by lasers, and shredded, and meticulously detailed pieces such as Ferry Staverman’s Exhibition a Space Odesey in 2007, Weekendgallery, pictured here.
All exhibits are subject to change American Folk Art Museum – Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Marine and Landscape Painter (through 3/7); Approaching Abstraction (through 9/6);Up Close: Henry Darger and the Coloring Book (through 9/13). Closed Mon. $9; students/seniors, $7; 12 & under, free. 45 W. 53rd St., 212-265-1040; folkartmuseum.org
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American Museum of Natural History – Extreme Mammals: The Biggest, Smallest, and
Most Amazing Mammals of All Time (through 1/3); Frogs: A Chorus of Colors (through 1/3); The Butterfly Conservatory: Tropical Butterflies Alive in Winter (through 5/31); Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World (through 8/15). Open daily. $16; seniors/students, $12; children 2-12, $9. Central Park West at 79th St., 212-769-5100; amnh.org Asia Society and Museum – Hanging Fire: Contemporary Art from Pakistan (through 1/3); Devotion in South India: Chola Bronzes (through 2/7); Yoshihiro Suda: In Focus
(through 2/7); Arts of Ancient Viet Nam: From River Plain to Open Sea (2/2-5/2). Closed Mon. $10; seniors, $7; students, $5. 725 Park Ave. (70th St.), 212-288-6400; asiasociety.org Bronx Museum of the Arts – Intersections: The Grand Concourse Commissions (through 1/3); Urban Archives: That Was Then This Is Now (through 3/1). Closed Mon.-Wed. $5; students/seniors, $3; 12 & under, free; free on Fri. 1040 Grand Concourse (165th St.), 718-681-6000; bronxmuseum.org
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Brooklyn Museum – Reflections on the Electric Mirror: New Feminist Video (through 1/10); James Tissot: “The Life of Christ” (through 1/17); Patricia Cronin: “Harriet Hosmer, Lost and Found” (through 1/24); Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present (through 1/31); From the Village to Vogue: The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith (through 3/14); Body Parts: Ancient Egyptian Fragments and Amulets (through 10/2/11). Closed Mon. & Tues. $10; seniors/students, $6; under 12, free. 200 Eastern Parkway (Washington Ave.), 718-638-5000; brooklynmuseum.org Center for Architecture – Arch Schools: Visions of the Future (through 12/12); Building Connections 2009 (through 1/9); Context/Contrast: New Architecture in Historic Districts, 1967-2009 (through 1/23). Closed Sun. 536 LaGuardia Pl. (Bleecker-W. 3rd Sts.), 212-683-0023; aiany.org Chelsea Art Museum – Jean Miotte: What a Beautiful World (through 1/2); Mimmo Rotella: Recycling and Ready Made (through 1/2); So-Bin Park (through 1/2); Robert Chen: A Retrospective (through 1/2). Closed Sun. & Mon. $8; students/seniors, $4; under 16, free. 556 W. 22nd St., 212-255-0719; chelseaartmuseum.org China Institute – Humanism in China: A Contemporary Record of Photography (through 12/13); Confucius: His Life and Legacy in Art (2/11-6/13). Open daily. $7; students/seniors, $4; under 12, free. 125 E. 65th St., 212-744-8181; chinainstitute.org Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum – Design for a Living World (through 1/4); Design USA: Contemporary Innovation (through 4/4); Quicktake: Rodarte (1/29-3/14). Open daily. $15; seniors/students, $10; under 12, free. 2 E. 91st St., 212-849-8400; cooperhewitt.org The Drawing Center – Ree Morton: At the Still Point of the Turning World (through 12/18); Iannis Xenakis: Composer, Architect, Visionary (1/15-4/8). Closed Mon. & Tues. 35 Wooster St. (Grand-Broome Sts.), 212-219-2166; drawingcenter.org El Museo del Barrio – NEXUS NEW YORK: Latin/American Artists in the Modern Metropolis (through 2/28). Closed Sun. & Mon. $6; seniors/students, $4; under 12, free. 1230 Fifth Ave. (104th St.), 212-831-7272; elmuseo.org Fraunces Tavern Museum – The 1215 Magna Carta (through 12/15). Closed Sun. $4; seniors/ children, $3; under 6, free. 54 Pearl St. (Broad St.), 212-425-1778; frauncestavernmuseum.org The Frick Collection – Watteau to Degas: French Drawings from the Frits Lugt Collection (through 1/10); Exuberant Grotesques: Renaissance Maiolica
from the Fontana Workshop (through 1/17). Closed Mon. $18; seniors, $12; students, $5; pay-what-you-wish Sun., 11am-1pm. 1 E. 70th St., 212-288-0700; frick.org Grey Art Gallery at NYU – The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles/Recent Art (through 12/6); Downtown Pix: Mining the Fales Archives, 1961-1991 (1/12-4/3). Closed Sun. & Mon. $3. 100 Washington Square East, 212-998-6780; nyu.edu/greyart The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – Paired, Gold: Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Roni Horn (through 1/6); Intervals: Kitty Kraus (through 1/6); Kandinsky (through 1/13); Gabriele Münter and Vasily Kandinsky, 1902–14: A Life in Photographs (through 1/13); Tino Sehgal (1/293/10); Anish Kapoor: Memory (through 3/28); Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum Rotunda (2/12-4/28). Closed Thurs. $18; seniors/students, $15; under 12, free. 1071 Fifth Ave. (89th St.), 212-423-3500; guggenheim.org Hispanic Society of America – Arts and cultures of Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. Closed Mon. Free. Audubon Terrace (Broadway btw. 155th & 156th Sts.), 212-926-2234; hispanicsociety.org International Center of Photography – Dress Codes: The Third ICP Triennial of Photography and Video (through 1/17). Closed Mon. $12; students/seniors, $8; under 12, free. 1133 Sixth Ave. (43rd St.), 212-857-0000; icp.org Japan Society – Serizawa: Master of Japanese Textile Design (through 1/17). Closed Mon. $10; students/seniors, $8; under 16, free. 333 E. 47th St., 212-832-1155; japansociety.org The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Looking In: Robert Frank’s The Americans (through 12/27); Annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crëche (through 1/6); Eccentric Visions: The Worlds of Luo Ping (1733-1799) (through 1/10); Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868 (through 1/10); American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, 1765-1915 (through 1/24); North Italian Drawings, 1410-1550: Selections from the Robert Lehman Collection and the Department of Drawings and Prints (through 1/31); Silk and Bamboo: Music and Art of China (through 2/7); Cinnabar: The Chinese Art of Carved Lacquer (through 2/21); Pablo Bronstein at the Met (through 2/21); Peaceful Conquerors: Jain Manuscript Painting (through 3/21); Imperial Privilege: Vienna Porcelain of Du Paquier, 171844 (through 3/21); The Drawings of Bronzino (1/20-4/18); Raphael to Renoir: Drawings from the Collection of Jean Bonna (through 4/26); Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage (2/2-5/9); Mastering the Art of Chinese Painting: Xie Zhuliu (1910-1997) (2/6-7/25); Celebration: The Birthday in Chinese Art (2/27-8/15);
Sounding the Pacific: Musical Instruments of Oceania (through 9/6). Closed Mon. $20; seniors, $15; students, $10; under 12, free. Fifth Ave. & 82nd St., 212-535-7710; metmuseum.org The Morgan Library & Museum – William Blake’s World: “A New Heaven Is Begun” (through 1/3); Rococo and Revolution: Eighteenth-Century French Drawings (through 1/3); Celebrating Puccini (through 1/10); Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (through 1/10); A Woman’s Wit: Jane Austen’s Life and Legacy (through 3/14); Demons and Devotion: The Hours of Catherine of Cleves (1/22-5/2); Rome After Raphael (1/22-5/9). Closed Mon. $12; seniors/students/children 13-15, $8; 12 and under, free. 225 Madison Ave. (36th St.), 212-685-0008; themorgan.org Museum of American Finance – Women of Wall Street (through 1/16). Closed Sun. & Mon. 48 Wall St. (William St.), 212-908-4110; moaf.org Museum of Arts & Design – Ghost Stories: New Design from Nendo (through 1/10); Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection (through 1/31); Slash: Paper Under the Knife (through 4/4); Bigger, Better, More: The Art of Viola Frey (1/26-5/2). Closed Mon. $15; students/seniors, $12; under 12, free; Thurs., 6–9pm, pay-what-you-wish. 2 Columbus Cir. (near Eighth Ave. & W. 58th St.), 212-956-3535; madmuseum.org The Museum of Biblical Art – Tobi Kahn Sacred Spaces for the 21st Century (through 1/24); Uneasy Communion: Jews, Christians, and the Altarpieces of Medieval Spain (2/19-5/30). 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 – Only in New York: Photographs from Look Magazine (through 1/18); Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future (through 1/31); Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York (through 3/7). Closed Mon. $10; seniors/students, $6; under 12, free. Fifth Ave. & 103rd St., 212-534-1672; mcny.org Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art – The Art of Archie (through 2/28). 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 – Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges (through 1/4). Closed Sat. $12 (free Wed. 4-8pm); seniors, $10; students, $7; 12 & under, free. 36 Battery Pl., 646-437-4200; mjhnyc.org Museum of Modern Art – The Erotic Object: Surrealist Sculpture from the Collection (through 1/4); Projects 91: Artur Zmijewski (through 1/4); New Photography 2009 (through 1/11);
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In Situ: Architecture and Landscape (through 1/18); Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity (through 1/25); MoMA Starts: An 80th Anniversary Exhibition (through 1/25); Paul Sietsema (through 2/15); Gabriel Orozco (through 3/1); Monet’s Water Lilies (through 4/12); Tim Burton (through 4/26); The New Typography (12/23-7/12). Closed Tues. $20; seniors, $16; students, $12; 16 & under, free. 11 W. 53rd St., 212-708-9400; moma.org Museum of the Moving Image – Pays homage to the art, history, and technology of film and television, educating the public on its influence in our culture and society. Tues.-Sat., 10am-3pm. $7. 35th Ave. & 36th St., Astoria, Queens, 718-784-0077; movingimage.us
experience 5 3. Isabel Toledo. Hermaphrodite dress, fall 1998. Tafetta. Photo: William Palmer
Museum of Sex – Sex Life of Robots (ongoing); Action: Sex and the Moving Image (ongoing); Naked Ambition (through 1/17); Rubbers: The Life, History & Struggle of the Condom (opening 2/4). Open daily. $14.50; students/seniors, $13.50. 233 Fifth Ave. (27th St.), 212-689-6337; museumofsex.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNS Ten years of National Design Award winners are on display at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as part of the Design USA: Contemporary Innovation exhibition, running through April 4th. Included are contemporary achievements in American architecture, landscape design, interior design, product design, communication design, corporate design, interaction design, and fashion, including this taffeta Hermaphrodite dress, designed by Isabel Toledo—who also designed Michelle Obama’s ensemble for President Obama’s inauguration.
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National Academy of Design Museum and School of Fine Arts – 185th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art (2/176/8). Closed Mon. & Tues. $10; seniors/students, $5. 1083 Fifth Ave. (89th St.), 212-369-4880; nationalacademy.org National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution – Andrea Carlson (through 1/10); Annie Pootoogook (through 1/10); Identity by Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native Women’s Dresses (through 2/15); Beauty Surrounds Us (through 3/31); A Song for the Horse Nation (through 7/7/11). Open daily. Free. U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green (Broadway), 212-514-3700; americanindian.si.edu Neue Galerie – From Klimt to Klee: Masterworks from the Serge Sabarsky Collection (through 2/15). Closed Tues. & Wed. $15; students/seniors, $10. 1048 Fifth Ave. (86th St.), 212-628-6200; neuegalerie.org New Museum of Contemporary Art – Jeffrey Inaba (through 12/31); Urs Fischer: Marguerite de Ponty (through 1/24); Nikhil Chopra (through 2/14); Museum as Hub: In and Out of Context (through 6/30); Ugo Rondinone: Hell Yes! (through 7/19). Closed Mon. & Tues. $12; seniors, $10; students, $8; 18 & under, free. 235 Bowery (Prince St.), 212-219-1222; newmuseum.org
Closed Sun. $7; seniors/students, $5; under 6, free. 100 Old Slip (Water-South Sts.), 212-480-3100; nycpolicemuseum.org The New-York Historical Society – FDR’s Brain Trust and the Beginning of the New Deal (through 3/1); John Brown: The Abolitionist and His Legacy (through 3/25); New York Painting Begins: Eighteenth-Century Portraits (through 3/25); Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School at the New-York Historical Society (2009) (through 3/25); Lincoln and New York (through 3/25). Closed Mon. $10 (free Fri. 68pm); seniors, $7; students, $6; under 12, free. 170 Central Park West (77th St.), 212-873-3400; nyhistory.org New York Public Library (Humanities and Social Sciences Library) – Call 212-869-8089 for a recorded announcement of all current exhibitions. Open daily. 42nd St. & Fifth Ave., 212-340-0830; nypl.org New York Public Library for the Performing Arts – Lincoln Center: Celebrating 50 Years (through 1/6); Revolutionary Voices: Performing Arts in Central & Eastern Europe in the 1980s (through 3/20). 40 Lincoln Center Plaza (Columbus Ave. btw. 63rd & 64th Sts.), 212-870-1630; nypl.org/research/lpa/lpa.html New York Transit Museum – Last Day of the Myrtle Avenue El: Photographs by Theresa King (through 2/28); The Triborough Bridge: Robert Moses and the Automobile Age (through 2010). Closed Mon. $5; seniors/children 3-17, $3. 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 The Noguchi Museum – On Becoming An Artist: Noguchi and his Contemporaries, 1923-1960 (through 4/30/11). Closed Mon. & Tues. $10 (pay-what-you-wish first Fri. of the month); students/seniors, $5; under 12, free. A shuttle operates Sat.-Sun. from the Asia Society (70th St. & Park Ave.). 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, radio, and emerging platforms. Closed Mon. & Tues. $10; seniors/students, $8; under 14, $5. 25 W. 52nd St., 212-621-6600; paleycenter.org
New York City Fire Museum – One of the nation’s most important collections of fire-related art and artifacts from the late 18th century to the present. Closed Mon. $5; seniors/students, $2; under 12, $1. 278 Spring St. (Varick-Hudson Sts.), 212-691-1303; nycfiremuseum.org
The Queens Museum of Art – Duke Riley: Those About to Die Salute You (through 3/13); Daniel Bozhkov: Republik of Perpetual Reconstitution and Rebuild (through 3/13); O Zhang: Cutting the Blaze to New Frontiers (through 3/13). Closed Mon. & Tues. $5; seniors/children, $2.50; under five, free. NYC Bldg. in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, 718-592-9700; queensmuseum.org
New York City Police Museum – The Life & Legacy of Lieutenant Petrosino (through 3/31).
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex - NYC – Galleries featuring personal mementos, New York
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Rocks, special exhibitions. Currently on view: John Lennon: The New York Years. Closed Mon. $24.50; seniors/military, $22.50; students, $19.50; 4-12, $16.50. 76 Mercer St. (SpringBroome Sts.), 866-976-2569; rockannex.com The Rubin Museum of Art – Mandala: The Perfect Circle (through 1/11); The Red Book of C.G. Jung (through 1/25); Victorious Ones (through 2/15); Visions of the Cosmos (12/115/10); Bardo: Tibetan Art of the Afterlife (2/127/12). Closed Tues. $10; seniors/students/artists with ID, $7; under 12, free. 150 W. 17th St., 212-620-5000; rmanyc.org Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America – Headquarters of The AmericanScandinavian Foundation. Carl Fredrik Hill: Swedish Visionary and Modernist; Drawings from the Malmö Art Museum (through 1/9). Closed Sun. & Mon. Free. 58 Park Ave. (37th-38th Sts.), 212-879-9779; scandinaviahouse.org The Skyscraper Museum – China Prophecy: Shanghai (through 3/31). Closed Mon. & Tues. $5; seniors/students, $2.50. 39 Battery Pl., 212-968-1961; skyscraper.org The Studio Museum in Harlem – 30 Seconds Off an Inch (through 3/14); Wardell Milan: Drawings of Harlem (through 3/14). Closed Mon. & Tues. $7; seniors/students, $3; under 12, free. 144 W. 125th St. (Lenox Ave.Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.), 212-864-4500; studiomuseum.org The Ukrainian Museum – This museum focuses on the remarkable scope and diversity of the Ukrainian culture. It touches on the cultural legacy of a people whose thousand year journey through history abounds with grand, dramatic, turbulent and exciting events, as well as extraordinary accomplishments and achievements. Closed Mon. & Tues. $8; seniors/students, $6; under 12, free. 222 E. 6th St., 212-228-0110; ukrainianmuseum.org
Yeshiva University Museum at the Center for Jewish History – Creation and the Ten Commandments: A Visual Journey by Rudi Wolff (through 12/27); Hyman Bloom: A Spiritual Embrace (through 1/24); In the Beginning: Artists Respond to Genesis (through 2/28); Letters of Conscience: Raphael Lemkin and the Quest to End Genocide (through 5/9). Closed Sat. $8; seniors/students, $6; under 5, free. 15 W. 16th St., 212-294-8330; yumuseum.org
R. Mickens
Whitney Museum of American Art – A Few Frames: Photography and the Contact Sheet (through 1/3); Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction (through 1/17); Roni Horn aka Roni Horn (through 1/24); Alice Guy Blaché: Cinema Pioneer (through 1/24). Closed Mon. & Tues. $15 (pay-what-you-wish Fri., 6-9pm); seniors/students, $10. 945 Madison Ave. (75th St.), 800-WHITNEY; whitney.org LIGHTS AT THE MUSEUM For over 30 years, the American Museum of Natural History has marked the holiday season the way only they can: with 19-foot, merrily lit barosaurs standing sentinel at the museum entrance and the beautifully decorated Origami Holiday Tree. The theme of this year’s 13-foot tree is Origami: A to Z, with 500 folded-paper creations representing a colorful alphabet soup that includes butterflies, mastodons, sabertooth tigers, and more. Volunteers are also on hand to teach visitors the art of origami folding. On view through January 3rd.
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ART GALLERIES All exhibits subject to change Aicon Gallery New York - Indian and international art. In Search of the Vernacular (through 12/12). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 35 Great Jones St. (Lafayette St.-The Bowery), 212-725-6092; aicongallery.com Allen Projects New York - Emerging and mid-career artists. 526 W. 26th St., Ste. 403, 917-202-3206; allengalleryonline.com Amsterdam Whitney Gallery - A “vanguard gallery” featuring cutting-edge contemporary artists. Tues.-Sat., 11am-5:30pm. 511 W. 25th St., 212-255-9050; amsterdamwhitneygallery.com Artists Space - One of the first alternative spaces in New York, founded in 1972 to support contemporary artists working in the visual arts. Tues.-Sat., noon-6pm. 38 Greene St., 3rd Floor, 212-226-3970; artistsspace.org
Courtesy of National History Museum of Romania, Bucharest. Photo: Marius Amarie
Bonni Benrubi - 20th-century and contemporary photography. Massimo Vitali, Landscape With Figures 2 (12/3-2/27). Tues.-Fri., 10am-6pm; Sat., 11am-6pm. 41 E. 57th St., 13th Floor, 212-888-6007; bonnibenrubi.com
TREASURES FROM THE OLD WORLD More than 250 objects recovered by archaeologists from the graves, towns, and villages of Old Europe are on view at NYU’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World as part of The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley, 5000-3500 BC, through Apr. 25th. Pictured here is The Thinker, from Cernavoda, 5000-4600 BC, on view for the first time in the U.S. Open Tues.Sun., 11am-6pm (Fri. until 8pm). 15 E. 84th St., 212-992-7800; nyu.edu/isaw.
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Blackston - Solo exhibitions from emerging artists. Wed.-Sun., 11am-6pm. 29C Ludlow St. (Hester-Canal Sts.), 212-695-8201; bespokegallery.net Peter Blum Gallery - Contemporary American and European artists. SoHo: Helmut Federle Scratching Away at the Surface (through 1/2). Chelsea: Su-Mei Tse - Words and Memories (through 1/9). 99 Wooster St., 212-343-0441; 526 W. 29th St., 212-244-6055; peterblumgallery.com Mary Boone Gallery - Prominent contemporary artists. Fifth Ave.: Marc Quinn: Iris (through 12/19). 24th St.: Eric Fischl (through 12/19). 745 Fifth Ave. (58th St.); 541 W. 24th St., 212-752-2929; maryboonegallery.com Buck House - International antique furniture and art. 1318 Madison Ave. (93rd St.), 212-828-3123; buckhouse.biz Campton Gallery - Contemporary international and American art. Thomas Pradzynsku: Last Paintings (Dec.). 451 West Broadway, 212-387-0208; camptongallery.com
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Leo Castelli Gallery - Pop art, conceptual art, and more in the gallery started by the man who first sold Warhol’s soup-can paintings. Other gallery artists have included Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Serra, and many others. Sol Lewit, Keith Sonnier, Lawrence Weiner (through 12/19). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 18 E. 77th St., 212-249-4470; castelligallery.com
David Findlay Jr. Inc. - American 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculpture. Chuang Che, Richard Hunt, Duncan Johnson (12/1-26). Mon.-Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 41 E. 57th St., 212-486-7660; davidfindlayjr.com
CFM Gallery - Figurative fine art paintings, sculptures and original graphics. Mon.-Sat., 11am-6pm; Sun., noon-6pm. 112 Greene St. (Spring-Prince Sts.), 212-966-3864; cfmgallery.com
Foley Gallery - Contemporary photography, painting, sculpture, and works on paper. Andrea Mastrovito: Love is a four-letter word (through 12/5); Margaret De Lange - Daughters (12/10-1/30); Lydia Panas (2/4-28). Tues.- Sat., 11am-6pm. 547 W. 27th St., 5th Floor, 212-244-9081; foleygallery.com
Cheim & Read - International contemporary artists. Lynda Benglis: New Work (through 12/19); Diane Arbus: In the Absence of Others (1/7-2/13); William Eggleston: 21st Century (1/7-2/13). Tues.Sat., 10am-6pm. 547 W. 25th St., 212-242-7727; cheimread.com
Forum Gallery - Modern and contemporary figurative art. Holly Lane & Cybèle Young (through 12/23); Peter Krausz: (No) Man’s Land (12/31/16); Bernardo Siciliano (1/21-3/13). Tues.- Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 745 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), 5th Floor, 212-355-4545; forumgallery.com
James Cohan Gallery - Contemporary art. Bill Viola - Bodies of Light (through 12/19). Mon.-Fri., 10am-6pm. 533 W. 26th St., 212-714-9500; jamescohan.com
Gagosian Gallery - Modern and contemporary art, including works by de Kooning, Hirst, Picasso, Ruscha, Serra, Twombly, and Warhol. Madison Ave.: Cy Twombly - Eight Sculptures (through 12/23); Roger Ballen - Boarding House (through 12/23). W. 21st St.: Richard Serra (through 12/23). Tues.- Sat., 10am-6pm. 980 Madison Ave. (76th-77th Sts.), 212-744-2313; 555 W. 24th St., 212-741-1111; 522 W. 21st St., 212-741-1717; gagosian.com
Heidi Cho Gallery - Contemporary fine art from mid-career and emerging artists. Tues.-Fri., 11am6pm; Sat., 11am-5pm. 522 W. 23rd St., 212-255-6783; heidichogallery.com CRG Gallery - Well-established and emerging contemporary American and European artists. Tomory Dodge - Works on Paper (through 12/19); Lyle Ashton Harris (Jan.-Feb.). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 535 W. 22nd St., 212-229-2766; crggallery.com
Gladstone Gallery - Contemporary art. 21st St.: Alighiero e Boetti - Mappa (through 1/23). Tues.Sat., 10am-6pm. 515 W. 24th St., 212-206-9300; 530 W. 21st St.; gladstonegallery.com
Anne Strasberg (France), Cheese (2008), oil on canvas
Aaron Faber Gallery - Jewel and watch design of the 20th & 21st centuries. Mon.-Fri., 10am6pm; Sat., 11am-6pm. 666 Fifth Ave. (53rd St.), 212-586-8411; aaronfaber.com
Castro (Portugal), Collecting the Pumpkins (2005), acrylic on canvas
Deitch Projects - Kristin Baker: Splitting Twilight (through 12/19); Os Gemeos - Houston Street and Bowery Mural (through 3/31). Tues.-Sat., noon-6pm. 76 Grand St., 212-343-7300; 18 Wooster St.; deitch.com
GINA (Gallery of International Naïve Art) Gallery - Exclusive US location dedicated to the exhibition and sale of international Naïve Art. The 2,000-square-foot gallery is the authority and definitive resource of Naïve art and aims to introduce the public to this approachable and accessible genre. The gallery represents more than 275 artists in 25-plus countries from Portugal to Russia. Wed.-Sun., noon-9pm. 454 Columbus Ave. (82nd St.), 212-877-0097; ginagallerynyc.com
James Graham & Sons - 19th- and 20thcentury American paintings, American and European sculpture, contemporary art, and British ceramics. John Zinsser - Art Dealer Archipelagoes (through 1/5). 32 E. 67th St., 212-535-5767; jamesgrahamandsons.com Hasted Hunt Kraeutler - Contemporary photography from emerging and established artists. Paolo Ventura: Winter Stories (12/10-1/23). Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. 537 W. 24th St., 212-627-0006; hastedhunt.com Howard Greenberg Gallery - Fine art photography. Bruce Davidson: East 100th Street (through 1/2)Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. The Fuller Building, 41 E. 57th St., 212-334-0010; howardgreenberg.com Greenberg Van Doren - Contemporary fine art. James Brooks: Geometry and Gesture (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 730 Fifth Ave. (57th St.), 212-445-0444; gvdgallery.com Stephen Haller Gallery - Contemporary paintings. Group Exhibition (12/3-1/9); Lloyd Martin (1/14-2/20). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 542 W. 26th St., 212-741-7777; stephenhallergallery.com Hammer Galleries - 19th- and 20th-century European and American paintings. Mon.-Fri., 9:30am-5:30pm; Sat., 10am-5pm. 33 W. 57th St., 212-644-4400; hammergalleries.com Hauser & Wirth - Emerging and established contemporary artists. Paul McCarthy - White Snow (through 12/24); Ida Applebroog (1/19-3/6). 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. Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-5:15pm.; Sat., 9:30am4:45pm. 21 E. 70th St., 212-535-8810; hirschlandadler.com
The GINA (Gallery of International Naïve Art) Gallery is the exclusive exhibitor and seller of the highest-quality naïve art in the U.S. Their permanent collection features many naïve artists in several countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain. Artists include Maria Laura Bratoz, Manuel Castro (Collecting the Pumpkins, 2005, pictured far left), Ottoniel Chavajay, Malu Delibo, Evaristo Navarrette, Abraham Navichoc Batzin, Ernani Pavaneli, Marie-Jo Radenac, Anne Strasberg (Cheese, 2008, pictured left), Eduardo Ungar, and Cristina Verda, and many others. GINA is open Wed.-Sat., 10am-8pm and Sun., noon-6pm. 454 Columbus Ave. (82nd St.), 212-877-0097; ginagallerynyc.com
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Susan Inglett Gallery - Emerging artists and historical exhibitions. Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 522 W. 24th St., 212-647-9111; inglettgallery.com Jacobson Howard Gallery - Post-war American and British painting and sculpture. Norman Bluhm:A Retrospective of Works on Paper, 1948-1998 (through 12/23). Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 33 E. 68th St., 212-570-2362; jacobsonhoward.com Paul Kasmin Gallery - Contemporary and modern art. Walton Ford - New Work (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 293 Tenth Ave. (27th St.); 511 27th St., 212-563-4474; paulkasmingallery.com Jim Kempner Fine Art - Contemporary and modern master works on paper. Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 501 W. 23rd St., 212-206-6872; jimkempnerfineart.com The Kitchen - Besides, With, Against, and Yet: Abstraction and the Ready-Made Gesture (through 1/16). Tues.-Fri.,10am-6pm; Sat., 1-6pm. 512 W. 19th St., 212-255-5793; thekitchenart.org Alan Klotz Gallery- Fine-art vintage, modern, and contemporary photography. By appointment. 511 W. 25th St., 212-741-4764; klotzgallery.com
Courtesy of Monroe Warshaw
Knoedler & Company - Accomplished contemporary and sculpture works. Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-5:30pm., Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 19 E. 70th St., 212-794-0550; knoedlergallery.com
MASTER DRAWINGS/NEW YORK Collectors, connoisseurs, curators, and the just-plain-curious are counting the days until Master Drawings/New York opens. 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 works—from watercolors, oil sketches, penand-ink drawings, pencil renderings, old botanicals, and so on—all on paper. (The nearly 20 dealers do not show prints or photography.) Offerings include everything from 16th-century drawings to more modern pieces from this century, with prices ranging from the low thousands to over the million-dollar mark. New to the show this year is dealer Monroe Warshaw of Kunstkabinett, who has been focusing on Old Master drawings for the last decade. With a specialty in scarce Northern Drawings (that is to say, early Netherlandish and German drawings), Warshaw deals in an area that is, therefore, all the more exceptional and he counts among his clients international museums and discerning collectors; hence, Master Drawings/New York will present a rare opportunity for devotees to view his unusual selections first-hand. (Pictured above, from Warshaw, is Saint Andrew by Bernardo Castello, an early 17thcentury drawing.) 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 begins with previews (by invitation) Friday evening, Jan. 22nd, and continues daily, open to the public, until Jan. 30th. 212-755-8500; masterdrawingsinnewyork.com. — RJK
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Kouros Gallery - Modern and contemporary sculpture, painting, photography, and works on paper. Fred Otnes - Collage Paintings (through 1/2); Pilar Ovalle Natura Vincit - The Strokes of Origin (through 1/2). Mon.-Fri., 11am-6pm. 23 E. 73rd St., 212-288-5888; kourosgallery.com Hans P. Kraus, Jr. Fine Photographs - Silver Anniversary - 25 Photographs, 1835-1914 (through 12/18). Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-5:30pm., Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 962 Park Ave. (82nd St.), 212-794-2064; sunpictures.com L & M Arts - Paintings, drawings, and sculptures by first-generation Abstract Expressionists. Sam Francis: 1953-1959 (through 12/12). Tues.-Sat., 10am-5:30pm. 45 E. 78th St., 212-861-0020; lmgallery.com Lehmann Maupin Gallery - International contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, video, and new media. 26th St.: Teresita Fernandez (through 12/19). Chrystie St.: Tracey Emin - Only God Knows I’m Good (through 12/19). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 540 W. 26th St., 212-255-2923; 201 Chrystie St., 212-254-0054; lehmannmaupin.com Littlejohn Contemporary - Contemporary modern art and emerging artists. Wed.-Sat., 11am-6pm. 249 E. 32nd St., 212-988-4890; littlejohncontemporary.com Marlborough Gallery - Important contemporary masters. Mon.-Fri., 10am5:30pm. 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. Dubuffet and Miró (through 12/19). Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-6pm.; Sat. 10am-5pm. 22 E. 80th St., 212-570-4190; barbaramathesgallery.com McKenzie Fine Art - Contemporary art. Laura Watt (through 12/19). Tues.-Fri., 10am-6pm.; Sat. 11am-6pm. 511 W. 25th St., 212-989-5467; mckenziefineart.com Robert Miller Gallery - Contemporary art. Avec Le Temps - In Time (through 12/23); Patti Smith and Steven Sebring - Objects of Life (1/6-2/6).Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 524 W. 26th St., 212-366-4774; robertmillergallery.com Yossi Milo Gallery- Contemporary photography. Robert Bergman, A Kind of Rapture (through 1/9). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 525 W. 25th St., 212-414-0370; yossimilo.com Onassis Cultural Center - Ancient, Byzantine and modern art. Origins of El Greco: Icon Painting in Venetian Crete (through 2/27). 645 Fifth Ave., Suite 304, 212-486-4448; onassisusa.org
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Pace/MacGill Gallery - 19th-, 20th-century, and contemporary photography. Robert Frank (through 12/5); William Christenberry (12/10-2/6). Tues.-Fri., 9:30am-5:30pm; Sat., 10am-6pm. 32 E. 57th St., 9th Floor, 212-759-7999; pacemacgill.com PaceWildenstein - 20th-century art, including works by Calder, Close, LeWitt, Nevelson, Noguchi, Picasso, Rauschenberg, Rothko, Tuttle, and many others. 22nd St.: Tim Eitel - Invisible Forces (through 12/5). 25th St.: David Hockney: Recent Paintings (through 12/24). 57th St.: David Hockney: Recent Paintings (through 12/24). 32 E. 57th St., 212-421-3292; 534 W. 25th St., 212-929-7000; 545 W. 22nd St., 212-989-4258; pacewildenstein.com Palitz Gallery - Winslow Homer’s Empire State: Houghton Farm and Beyond (through 12/6). Mon.-Thurs., 9am-9pm; Fri., 9am-5pm. 11 E. 61st St., 212-826-0320; lubinhouse.syr.edu Yancy Richardson Gallery - 20th century and contemporary photographs. Andrew Morr - Detroit (through 1/9). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 535 W. 22nd St., 646-230-9610; yanceyrichardson.com Ross Art Group - Over 3000 original vintage posters. Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 532 Madison Ave. (54th St.), 4th Floor, 212-223-1525; rossvintageposters.com Perry Rubenstein Gallery - Solo exhibitions by international artists. Group Exhibition (1/8-2/6); Annie Kevans (2/12-3/16). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 527 W. 23rd St., 212-627-8000; perryrubenstein.com Guy Regal Ltd./Newel - Fine 17th-, 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century continental furniture, decorative accessories, and fine art. Mon.-Fri., 10am-6pm; Sat., by appointment. 223 E. 60th St., 212-888-2134; guyregalltd.com Tony Shafrazi Gallery - Contemporary art. Robert Williams - Conceptual Realism, In the Service of the Hypothetical (through 1/23). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 544 W. 26th St., 212-274-9300; tonyshafrazigallery.com Spanierman Modern - Modern and contemporary paintings, watercolors, works on paper, drawings, and sculpture. Jasmina Danowski: Quite a Little Bit (through 12/19); Gallery Selections (12/22-1/2); Jimmy Ernst (1/5-2/6); Betty Parsons (2/9-3/13). Mon.-Sat., 9:30am-5:30pm. 53 E. 58th St., 212-832-1400; spaniermanmodern.com Alan Stone Gallery - Contemporary, mid-career, and emerging artists, plus an expertise in the New York School of Abstract Expressionism (Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Arshile Gorky, John Graham). Bay Area to New York (through 12/22). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 113 E. 90th St., 212-987-4997; allanstonegallery.com Copyright James Rosenquist, Acquavella Galleries
Frederieke Taylor Gallery - Highly contemporary, conceptual art. Olive Ayhens - Nature/Architecture (through 12/23). Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. 535 W. 22nd St., 646-230-0992; frederieketaylorgallery.com 303 Gallery - Contemporary photography, video projections, film, paintings, and sculpture. 21st St.: Tim Gardner (12/12-1/16); Inka Essenhigh (1/23-2/20); Mike Nelson (2/27-3/27). Tues.-Sat., 10am-6pm. 547 W. 21st St.; 525 W. 22nd St., 212-255-1121; 303gallery.com Tibor de Nagy Gallery - Contemporary painting, sculpture and photography. Mon.-Fri., 10am-5:30pm. 724 Fifth Ave. (56th-57th Sts.), 212-261-5050; tibordenagy.com UBS Art Gallery - Contemporary art. New York City’s Waterfront (through 1/29). Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm. 1285 Sixth Ave. (52nd St.), 212-713-2885; ubs.com Viridian Artists - Works in the abstract mode, including oils, pastels on paper, prints, and sculptures. Marjorie Zelman (12/1-26); Viridian Artists (12/29-1/16); Namiyo Kubo (1/19-2/13); Christopher Bathgate (2/16-3/13). Tues.-Sat., 10:30am-6pm. 530 W. 25th St., 4th Floor, 212-414-4040; viridianartists.com
SOMETHING ABOUT MARY Inspired by the new production of Puccini’s Tosca, 14 artists have created works about Mary Magdalene for Gallery Met, including James Rosenquist’s Tosca 2009, pictured here. Through 1/31. Open Mon.-Fri., 6pm-last intermission; Sat.: noon-last intermission. Southside lobby of the Opera House, 64th St. & Amsterdam Ave.; metopera.org/gallerymet.
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REAL ESTATENEW YORK
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Gramercy Park...
quiet, urbane and rich in history By Kaitlin Ahern
[ The kitchen at 65 Irving Place; below, the terrace ]
s the oldest residential neighborhood in New York City, the Gramercy Park area is rich in history and charm. Tucked away here, in what has long been regarded as one of the quietest and safest areas of the city, are prime properties in a location sought after for its convenience, peaceful atmosphere, and urbane qualities. Bordering Midtown East and the East Village, the Gramercy neighborhood is bound between 17th Street and 22nd Street to the north and south and between Second Avenue and Park Avenue South to the east and west. The neighborhood was originally developed by Samuel B. Ruggles, who bought the then-farmland from the Duane family in 1831. Ruggles drained the marshy site and laid the first building lots around the square that would become the neighborhood’s namesake, Gramercy Park. Today, Gramercy Park is the only remaining private park in the City, with the next closest of its kind being Sunnyside Gardens Park in Queens, which is privately owned by the residents of that area. Gramercy Park is accessible ex-
A
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clusively to the residents of about 40 select buildings surrounding the square. There are about 400 outstanding keys distributed among the residents of those properties, says Patricia Dugan, associate broker and director of exclusive sales services for Corcoran Group Real Estate, though not every eligible person elects to receive a key. This may be a result of the accompanying responsibility: Each key costs an initial fee of $350, and a lost key incurs a $1000 replacement fee. For many years in the mid-to late-19th century, the keys were made of solid gold, according to Glories of the Gramercy Park Area: A Walking Tour by Carole Klein. In addition to the park, a major asset of the area is the section of East 19th Street between Irving Place and Third Avenue – called “Block Beautiful.” Brick and brownstone row houses built circa 1850 mainly comprise this quaint, tree-lined block, many of which were revamped by London-born architect Frederick J. Sterner in the beginning of the 20th century, at a time when prominent artists and writers were turning Gramercy Park into a creative and intellectual center. The makeover defined Sterner’s signature style – a Mediterranean-inspired mix of tinted stucco, brightly glazed tiles, and decorative ironwork – and earned this area its title “Block Beautiful” in 1914. Originally penned by Harriet S. Gillespie in American Homes and Gardens, the title is still in use today. “‘Bucolic’ is the word most used to describe it,” says Roberta Golubock, senior vice president for Sotheby’s International Realty, of the block. “It’s the quintessential downtown space.” In the middle of Block Beautiful, at 141 East 19th Street, stands a fivestory, 5,000 square-foot townhouse – former home of the late designer Abbijane Schifrin. The 10-room residence – part of which has been painted in pastels and decorated in what could be called sophisticated eccentricity – was originally built in 1855 and is currently listed at $8.75 million by Sotheby’s International Realty. The interior’s English Tudor décor has retained many of Sterner’s colorful accents, including oak-paneled walls, decorative plaster ceilings, massive fireplaces, copper finishes, and intricate light fixtures. In fact, this property is one of the best preservations of Sterner’s work, according to The Row House Reborn: Architecture and Neighborhoods in New York City, 19081929 by Andrew S. Dolkart. Around the corner from Block Beautiful is a luxury building at 65 Irving Place – the five-story, $12 million former home and showroom of Londoner Keith Skeel, owner of Keith Skeel Antiques and Eccentricities. The townhouse’s top three floors include two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and two private terraces – not an uncommon amenity in the area. The first two floors and basement are commercially zoned, but the building could be made entirely residential, Dugan says. It does not directly border the park, but is located on a coveted corner of Gramercy. “It’s a beautiful little oasis of calm,” he says. Aside from the 19th Street area, the neighborhood is more heavily populated by apartment dwellings. In fact, East 17th Street, just two blocks away, boasts the oldest apartment building in the City, built by architect Napoleon LeBrun around the year 1880 and still occupied today. Similarly, the brownstone building at 34 Gramercy Park East was the first co-op built in the city. The area is mostly dominated by pre-war and Victorian structures, but is also spotted with newer properties erected in the 1950s and 60s. An overall trend of the area, though, shows a steady increase in property values with closer proximity to the park.
In 1966, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the neighborhood the Gramercy Park Historic District. Appropriately, it is home to two neighboring National Historic Landmarks: the National Arts Club, founded in 1898 and located at 15 Gramercy Park South in the Tilden Mansion; and The Players club, founded in 1888 and located at 16 Gramercy Park South, in a Greek Revival townhouse. The Players was founded by the likes of Mark Twain, John Drew, and Edwin Booth, whose likeness stands at the center of the park. Adding further character to the neighborhood is Pete’s Tavern on East 18th Street, famed as the place author O. Henry did much of his writing. In fact, it’s said that he wrote Gift of the Magi there in 1904, while sitting at his favorite booth near the door. Pete’s opened in 1864 and has remained open since, making it the longest continuously operating bar and restaurant in the City. It stayed open even during Prohibition in the 1920s, under the guise of a flower shop. Newer to the neighborhood are three fine dining restaurants headed by some of the top names in food: Namely, Gramercy Tavern, at 42 East 20th Street, owned by restaurateur Danny Meyer; Craft, at 43 East 19th Street, under the proprietorship of Tom Colicchio, head judge on the reality TV series “Top Chef”; and Casa Mono, at 52 Irving Place, owned by celebrity chef Mario Batali. “The fact that three of the top restaurateurs in the country have chosen that area, I think that really says something about its appeal,” Dugan says. ■
[ Two bedrooms on “Block Beautiful” at 141 East 19 Street ]
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TRAVELWINTER GETAWAYS
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Courtesy of Scottsda le Convention & Visit ors Bureau
[ Left: The InterContinental Montelucia at the foot of Camelback Mountain Below: Dale Chihuly lavender “flora” compliment live cacti at the Desert Botanical Garden ]
Scottsdale: Eye-candy scenery, culinary delights, and a luxury spa in America’s Southwest
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hite truffle French fries tossed in Reggiano. Banana French fries with Malaysian sauce. Moroccan French fries with cilantro and babaganoush dip. These are but three of the dozen tantalizing, exotic styles of French fries served at the poolside Kasbah restaurant in the freshly minted InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in picture-postcard-perfect Paradise Valley near Scottsdale. Indulge yourself (remember, it’s a vacation), with any of the other mouth-watering delectables at another of the hotel’s eateries, the Crave Café. It’s aptly named: Most of the tempting menu items seductively hypnotize diners with food groups that are—let’s just say—at the polar extreme from cruciferous vegetables on a nutrition chart. But, hey, you can always work the carbs off at the resort’s 31,000 square-foot gym/spa/wellness center. (And, yes, the Montelucia does have restaurants that specialize in nutritious, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine!) Spread out across 34 acres, at the foot of scenic Camelback Mountain, the 293-room, $300-million-dollar resort seduces with endless four-star amenities: Five pools, six restaurants, and striking architecture that resonates with the tones and textures of Southern Spain, with a mix of Roman, Greek, and Moorish influences. It’s Andalusia in the American Southwest, replete with spa treatments that are more Moroccan than Main Street. 80
And if the spa and the on-premises activities (the children’s facilities are excellent here) don’t keep you tethered to a poolside chaise longue, there is plenty to do in nearby Scottsdale, including top-flight golf everywhere. The Desert Botanical Garden is a must-see, with its extraordinary Dale Chihuly glass cacti at the entrance to its 50 acres of mesmerizing outdoor exhibits of desert plants (including 139 rare or endangered species). For nearly the entire month of December, Las Noches de las Luminarias will be staged, in which thousands of luminarias illuminate the Garden. While you might have missed the largest hot rod and custom car show in the world (November 20-22), you can check out “transportation” of another sort later in the season—when the 50-year-old Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show comes to town, in mid-February. Also that month is the weeks-long Parada del Sol, a celebration of Western influences, kicking off with a wondrous event, the Hashknife Pony Express, featuring two dozen riders delivering 20,000 first-class letters the old-fashioned way! ■ For more information: icmontelucia.com; scottsdalecvb.com; dbg.org; scottsdaleshow.com; paradadelsol.org
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hot spots for chilling out By Ruth J. Katz
ou’ll realize that Barbados is very British (it is, after all, an independent country within the British Commonwealth with its manners, decorum, politesse) because of two sports-related facts: On this 166-square-mile, pork-chop-shaped island, there are four, yes four, polo fields and cricket is played just about everywhere. Back in the day, celeb-spotters could spy the likes of Jackie O, Maria Callas, Greta Garbo, and T. S. Eliot; today, it’s the Blairs, the Beckhams, Sting, and Tiger Woods, who was married at the über-luxe Sandy Lane Hotel. This most easterly of the Caribbean islands is steeped in fascinating history and has a rich cultural legacy, vestiges of which are everywhere: Not to attempt to weasel a little American narrative into Barbadian heritage, though, for Yankees, it’s noteworthy that George Washington, on his only trip outside the States, slept here and that his restored Georgian home has been reopened to the public. There is the remarkable St. Nicholas Abbey (no religious bloodline), one of only three houses of Jacobean architecture (Drax Hall is another and it is also on the island) still standing in the entire Western Hemisphere; there is also the stunning Sunbury Plantation House & Museum, a 350-year-old restored structure, featuring rare Caribbean collectibles. But visits here are not just about history. There is the Mount Gay Rum Tour (there are over 1,600 rum shops in the 11 parishes); Harrison’s Cave, drenched with stalactites and stalagmites, streams, and waterfalls (visited by electric cart); and there is the rebuilt Bridgetown Synagogue, with its restored 17th-century cemetery. Performing arts are significant, too: January 11-17 the Jazz Festival takes center stage, while in March, the exceptional Holders Season, featuring a month’s worth of cultural presentations (opera to reggae) reigns. The Holders Plantation House grounds are converted to accommodate a stage, chandeliers are hung from the trees, while guests sip Champagne—all very grand and terribly civilized. For more information: For hotels, the genteel visitbarbados.org; mountgay.com; Coral Reef Club is a study in georgewashingtonbarbados.org; classic island style and offers a barbadosgreathouse.com; brand-new sybaritic spa. And coralreefbarbados.com for dining, it’s a journey into an epicurean groaning board, flavored by countless cultures. Do not miss dinner at The Cliff, arguably, along with Daphne’s, the best the island offers. It overlooks the crashing waves of the sea and is lit by majestic lanterns. For lunchtime treats, The Fisher Pond Great House and the Lonestar (on the beach) cannot be beat. ■
Courtesy of Coral Reef Club
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Barbados: Old-world British propriety and service, inviting beaches, and compelling history
[ Top: The Luxury Plantation Suite at the Coral Reef Club Left: The dining room at the Fisher Pond Great House ]
Mike Toy
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Curaçao: Discovered by a Spaniard, ruled by the Dutch and the English, the vibrant island is a cherished destination
[ Top: The view from a suite at the Lodge Kurá Hulanda and Beach Club Center: The waterfront in Willemstad with its famous pastel buildings Bottom: Fruits and vegetables at the floating market ]
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ations have fought over Curaçao, but it is its Dutch heritage and dominance that have triumphed, despite the influences of Indian, African, Asian, and Arabic settlers. It’s a colorful island—literally—and this is apparent from the moment one sets eyes on Willemstad, the capital of the 170-square-mile isle (and not coincidentally, a Unesco World Heritage site.) Lining the harbor of St. Anna Bay is a still life come to life, captured in countless pictures—a neat row of charming, sorbet-colored homes along the harbor front. Spanning that bay is the picturesque, renowned Queen Emma Bridge, a man-driven, hinged pontoon crossing that connects the Punda and Otrobanda sections of town. In the latter neighborhood is where you will find a little jewel, Hotel Kurá Hulanda Spa & Casino, an 80-room resort comprising restored 18th- and 19th-century Dutch Colonial Caribbean buildings, spread along cobblestone alleys, and nestled among inviting courtyards, rock-lined pools, award-winning restaurants, and a brand new spa. Kurá Hulanda is the work of Jakob For more information: Gelt Dekker, a Dutchman of extraordikurahulanda.com; nary vision and business acumen (a curacao.com; practicing dentist with two MBA decuracao-atv.com; grees.) Dekker has circumnavigated the ostrichfarm.net; angelicasdelights.com globe some 50 times, an endeavor that has broadened his sense of philanthropy, and so, when he first visited the island a dozen years ago, he was inspired to create a museum. To that end, he purchased 16 Dutch Colonial homes and transformed them into an outstanding anthropological museum that chronicles, among other things, the African slave trade; it is at the heart of the resort. If you are fortunate enough to visit when he is in residence on the island (he has several homes around the world, but when in Curaçao, he lives in a magnificent tree house, yes, really), try to get his ear over a beer; you will not be disappointed. Realizing tourists might want a beach at their fingertips and not be content with his in-town hotel, Dekker purchased another 150 acres at the northwestern tip of the island and created the Lodge Kurá Hulanda and Beach Club and visitors can split their vacation between the two nirvanas. Aside from superb shopping (and loafing), there is much to do on the island: The adventurous should hop on an ATV from Eric’s ATV Adventures, whose staff will take you on a fabulous guided route in the hills and the byways (including to a bat cave). There is also a fascinating ostrich farm to visit (with an extraordinarily large menu of “interesting” cuisine for the audacious), and a fragrant aloe vera plantation. For history, visit the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest congregation in the Western Hemisphere. For dining, you may not want to leave Kurá Hulanda, with its diverse cuisines, but if you do, then head for Angelica’s Delight for coffee, Champagnes, sweets, and the famous Sunday brunch. ■
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hot spots for chilling out
[ The Palm Court at the Boca Raton Resort & Club ]
Palm Beach County: A narrow strip of Florida is a little slice of heaven f you visit Old School Square (site of a former school and now a cultural arts center and National Historic Site), at the pulsating heart of revitalized Delray Beach, you’ll find turn-of-the-century report cards on exhibit, embellished with ornate Palmer-style penmanship. What will strike you, though, is that the students of yesteryear were graded in such amusing categories as: Selection of Proper Food; Proper Eating Habits; Chews Food Well; and Eats Sweets Only After Meals. It is all the more ironic because today, 100-plus years later, the restaurants in Delray, like Boston’s on the Beach, 32 East, and Vic & Angelo’s serve portions that even Paul Bunyan would have trouble finishing. And don’t get me started on some of the cascading-over-the-plate-but-oh-so-delicious desserts! (But, then, again, as I noted, it is a vacation, right?) Outstanding among the fine-dining choices is Cielo, by Angela Hartnett, the co-star with the infamous Gordon Ramsay on Hell’s Kitchen, and the proud possessor of a Michelin star for her gastronomic efforts at the Connaught in London. Cielo is the high-in-the-sky gourmet restaurant at the Boca Raton Resort & Club (part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection), where it isn’t only the view that achieves breathtaking heights. Have drinks in the adjoining chic bar at sunset then adjourn to dinner, as the lights start to twinkle all around and dusk metamorphoses the never-ending panorama into, well, cielo. The Boca Raton Resort & Club has added a new beachfront hotel property (the Boca Beach Club), and guests are free to shuttle back and forth be-
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tween them and to enjoy all the pleasures of both, including (again) cricket, and the magnificent new 50,000-square-foot spa, with 44 treatment rooms, two Jacuzzi waterfalls, and indulgent pampering that will make you feel like you died and went to, well, one more time, cielo. For anyone not wanting to veg out pool- or ocean-side, but who still wants water, there are pleasant cruises up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, where the “backs” of homes are really the “fronts.” There is also the first-rate Boca Raton Museum of Art (in Mizner Park, an absolute mecca for shopping), where mid-January two exciting exhibits, The Magical World of M.C. Escher and Mary Cassatt: Works on Paper both open. Another cultural must is the astonishing Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, with exhibitions, tea ceremonies, and traditional Japanese festivals. In summertime, the Bon Festival is a huge draw—when thousands of lit lanterns are floated on the lake, honoring ancestors. But if it’s glittery lights and glamour you are seeking now, and not next summer, head to Delray, where for the month of December, the legendary 100-foot-tall Christmas tree in Old School Square will be lit. All month long there will be activities, including ice skating, a carousel, and yes indeedy, all accompanied by food galore. ■ For more information: palmbeachfl.com; oldschool.org; bocaresort.com; bocamuseum.org; morikami.org; downtowndelraybeach.com 83
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SIGHTSEEING 9/11 Memorial Preview Site – Learn about the plans for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum currently under construction at the World Trade Center site. Share your 9/11 story with the Museum and help make history. 20 Vesey St. (Church St.), 212-312-8800; national911memorial.org 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 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 unite us all as humans. Exhibition Centre at the South Street Seaport, 11 Fulton St., 888-9BODIES; bodiestheexhibition.com Brooklyn Botanic Garden – 52 carefully tended, intensively planted acres of flora and exotica, including a carefully reproduced Japanese garden and one of the largest public rose collections in America. Tues.-Fri., 8am-4:30pm; Sat.-Sun., 10am-4:30pm. $8 (free all day Tues. & Sat. 10am-noon, weekdays 11/20-2/27); $4 (seniors/ students); free (under 12). 1000 Washington Ave., Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, 718-623-7200; bbg.org Brooklyn Bridge – At 125+ years old, it remains one of the world’s most spectacular monuments to progress and human industry. Its broad pedestrian walkways afford an unsurpassed view of lower Manhattan. But no sight is more impressive than
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Through Dec. 31st, Grand Central Terminal is home to the Holiday Laser Light Show, on view for the first time since 2005. The hightech winter wonderland features snowflakes, stars, landmarks, Grand Central’s 4-sided clock, and more projected onto the Astrological Ceiling in the Main Concourse. Accompanied by toy pianos, music boxes, train whistles, and bells arranged in highspirited renditions of holiday favorites, including “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "The Nutcracker," the four-to-six minute show runs every 30 minutes from 11am until 9pm daily.
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the bridge itself—nearly 6000 feet long, 272 feet high, and reinforced by four steel cables, each composed of 5700 wires. East side of City Hall Park Carnegie Hall – Learn about the story of Andrew and Louise Carnegie, hear how the Hall was saved from demolition in 1960, and experience a century-long performance tradition that has showcased the world’s finest artists from Tchaikovsky to Mahler, from Horowitz to Callas to Bernstein—even Judy Garland and the Beatles. Tours are offered seven days a week, as schedule permits; call ahead for details. 881 Seventh Ave. at 57th St., 212-903-9765; carnegiehall.org The Cathedral of St. John the Divine – Set on a 13-acre site along with five surrounding buildings, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and seat of the Episcopal Diocese of New York––begun in 1892 by architects Heins and LaFarge, and still considered a work-in-progress––is an awesome structure. Some 12 stories high and, at 603 feet, longer than two football fields, it can seat 6,000, plus another 2,000 standing, and attracts some 500,000 yearly visitors. A magnificent blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, the Cathedral’s structure is made entirely out of Maine granite and Indiana limestone, carved and set on site. Be sure to enjoy the park and garden areas. Tours can be arranged by calling 212-932-7347. 1047 Amsterdam Ave. (112th St.), 212-316-7540; stjohndivine.org Central Park (centralparknyc.org) – Belvedere Castle (79th St. south of the Great Lawn, 212772-0210) - 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-of-the-century merry-go-round open daily, weather permitting. Central Park Walks and Talks (212-794-6564) - Subjects ranging from geology to bird-watching to astronomy, ecology, and park history make for lively free weekend walking tours of the Park. Central Park Conservancy staff and volunteers, as well as Urban Park Rangers of the City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation lead the tours. Central Park Zoo (Fifth Ave. btw. 63rd & 66th Sts., 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 Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in Central Park (110th St. & Lenox Ave., 212-860-1370) provides year-round environmental education and visitors’ programs. Free workshops, performances, and events highlight the beauty of Central Park and the vitality of its surrounding
neighborhoods. Birdwatching, fishing, ecology, and horticulture explorations are just a few of the family and youth activities available. The Conservatory Garden (Fifth Ave. near 105th St.) - A lush and dazzling six-acre garden. The Dairy (mid-Park at 65th St., 212-794-6564) - The main visitor information center, set in a vintage Victorian Chalet. Pick up a map or a calendar, and enjoy the gift shop. 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 International 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 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. Wollman Rink (mid-Park at 62nd St., 212-4396900) - This beautiful, old-fashioned ice-skating rink offers a panoramic view of the Park and the city and delights both the novice and experienced skater. Chrysler Building – Architect William Van Alen’s magnificent Art Deco skyscraper (1930), lavished with stainless steel frills, ornate stonework, and figures and thematic motifs, topped by the distinctive illumination of 480 lights that can be seen from all over the city and are an integral part of the city’s famous skyline. While not open to the public, the Chrysler Building remains one of the world’s finest examples of 1930s Art Deco architecture and the second-tallest building in the city. 405 Lexington Ave. at 42nd St. 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 SemiCircle Cruise; the 75-minute Liberty Cruise (May-Oct.); the romantic 2-hour Harbor Lights Cruise; plus special holiday cruises. The New Year’s Eve Cruise features a full open bar, hors d’oeuvres, a DJ, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight (board at 9pm; sail from 10pm-1am). 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 stateof-the-art sound systems and entertaining urbanstorytellers 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) by way of an audio headset that plugs into a player at each seat. 212-812-2700; citysightsny.com Empire State Building – From the Observatory on the 86th floor, reached by express elevator in less than a minute, Manhattan is an unforgettable 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. $20; $18 (seniors, 12-17); $14 (6-11). 350 Fifth Ave. (34th St.), 212-736-3100; esbnyc.com Gracie Mansion – Built in 1799 on the site of a war fort captured by the British during the Revolutionary War and the home of NYC’s mayor since 1942. General tours are offered most Weds. at 10, 11am, 1 & 2pm, with Tues. afternoon Tea Tours for groups of 25-50. Both must be reserved in advance. Carl Schurz Park, East End Ave. at 88th St., 212-570-4773 Grand Central Terminal – This international landmark masterpiece boasts a huge, dramatic sunken central room, lit by huge windows and ornamented by a whimsically designed ceiling depicting the constellations of the zodiac and a nostalgic information kiosk topped by an old clock set in the center of the main floor. Join the onehour walking tours, Wed. at 12:30pm, sponsored by the Municipal Art Society; call 212-935-3960. Upcoming events: Grand Central Holiday Fair (through 12/24); 2009 Holiday Light Show (through 12/31). 42nd St & Park Ave., 212-532-4900; grandcentralterminal.com Gray Line Sightseeing Tours – Daily tours by open-top deluxe double-decker buses & luxury coaches. Classic New York Tour includes a roundtrip ferry ticket to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, a ticket to the South Street Seaport Museum, a ticket to the Empire State Building Observatory & the ALL LOOPS TOUR, a 2-day ticket hop-on & off w/ 50+ stops from Times Square & Broadway to Harlem to Brooklyn, & Night Tours. $25-$112. 777 Eighth Ave. btw. 47th & 48th Sts.; PABT, 42nd St. & Eighth Ave.; Times Square, Broadway btw. 46th & 47th Sts., 800-669-0051; newyorksightseeing.com Harlem Spirituals/New York Visions – Explore Harlem with Gospel tours on Sun. and Wed. & the evening soul food & jazz tours Mon., Thurs., and Sat.; New York Visions uncovers the hidden treasures of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. 690 Eighth Ave. (43rd-44th Sts.), 212-391-0900; harlemspirituals.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, NY Harbor, the Chrysler Building, Central Park, Columbia University, the George Washington Bridge, Yankee Stadium & the Financial Center. They also offer customized
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tours of the city & hourly rates. Weekdays: Downtown Heliport (Pier 6 & the East River); Sundays: VIP Heliport (W. 30th St. & Twelfth Ave.)., 212-355-0801; heliny.com Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum – The renovated museum complex includes the 900-foot-long 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. Experience newly opened areas of the ship, new multimedia presentations and exhibit collections, interactive educational stations, recently restored historic aircraft collection and a brand new state-of-the-art public pier. 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 Manhattan Heliport (Mon.-Sat.), Pier 6 & the East River; VIP Heliport (open daily), W. 30th St. & Twelfth Ave., 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 of London has a spectacular NYC version in Times Square that’s become one of the city’s mustsee sights. New York and world notables from film, television, music, politics, history and sports are represented in themed displays. Open 365 days a year from 10am. $35; $32 (seniors); $28 (4-12). 234 W. 42nd St. (Seventh-Eighth Aves.), 800-246-8872; nycwax.com Madison Square Garden All-Access Tour – The one-hour guided tour features backstage and onstage at the Garden, locker rooms, dressing rooms, & more. Group discounts are available. Tours operate daily, approx. every halfhour: Mon.-Sat., 10am-3pm; Sun., 11am-3pm. $17; under 12, $12. Group and student rates available. 4 Pennsylvania Plaza (Seventh Ave. & 32nd St.), info: 212-465-5800; groups: 212-465-6080; thegarden.com/about/all-access-tour.html My Kind of Town New York – Private and personalized tours of New York City in Mercedes Benz SUVs (1 to 6 guests). Larger groups accommodated. 866-NY1-TOUR; 212-754-4500; mykindoftown.com
NBC Universal Store / Studio Tour – Stroll through the halls of NBC, the NBC History Theatre, and the studios of some of NBC’s most popular shows, including “SNL,” “The Today Show,” and others. Tours run every 15-30 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. Current events include: Holiday Train Show (through 1/10); Ex Libris: Treasures from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library (through 1/10); Gingerbread Adventures (through 1/10). Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W at Fordham Rd.), The Bronx, or by Metro-North Railroad to Botanical Garden Station, 718-817-8700; nybg.org New York Pass – The all-in-one pass that lets you see NYC for less. 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 much more. 1-,2-,3- & 7-day passes, from $75. Available online at newyorkpass.com, by calling 877-714-1999, or at Planet Hollywood (Broadway at 45th St.) and other attractions. 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. Special tours for the holidays include the NY See the Holiday Lights! Tour (through 1/10). 212-277-8019; onboardnewyorktours.com NY SKYRIDE – A combination of movie-motion and sights rolled up into NY’s only aerial virtual tour simulator. Guide Kevin Bacon takes you on an adventure above, through, and underneath New York. An IMAX®-style digital presentation combining HD technology, custom-designed seats, and a 6meter/18-foot screen. Open daily at 8am. Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Ave. (33rd St.), 2nd floor, 212-279-9777; skyride.com Radio City Music Hall – Get an exclusive look at the legendary hall. And as a bonus, you’ll meet one of the world-famous Rockettes. Daily, 11am-3pm. $17;
Manhattan House, the iconic luxury residential condominium on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, has been impeccably reengineered to combine its modernist heritage with the quintessential elements of contemporary living. Located at 200 East 66th Street, Manhattan House was originally designed in 1950 by Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate architect Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the visionary behind Lever House and 9 West 57th Street. Designated a historic landmark in 2007 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, Manhattan House is a post-war condominium built to pre-war specifications and offers spacious, light-infused, oneto-five bedroom residences available for immediate occupancy. Set within one of Manhattan’s largest private residential gardens, Manhattan House offers full-time doormen, five-star concierge services and porte-cochere entrances on the tree-lined two-way 66th Street, as well as on-site garage and valet service. Residents enjoy the stunning 10,000-square-foot rooftop level featuring the Randall A. Ridless-designed Manhattan Club. The Club features an outdoor terrace and indoor library for residents’ enjoyment and relaxation, as well as morning coffee, pastries and newspapers. The exhale® mind body spa, yoga studio and treatment room can also be found on the rooftop level and complement the exhale fitness center – both are the highly acclaimed national mind-body spa brand’s first residential locations in Manhattan and are exclusive to residents. For the youngest residents, there is the Roto Studio-designed children’s playroom, recently featured in the New York Times. Two significant sculptures, Trinity and Red Gateway, designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, enhance the Sasaki Associates designed gardens. For more information, visit the on-site sales office, call 212-566-0660, e-mail info@manhattanhouse.com or visit manhattanhouse.com.
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seniors, $14; under 12, $10. Tickets sold at the Radio City Avenue Store on the day of the tour. Advance tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and the Box Office only. Group rates also available. 1260 Sixth Ave. (50 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 Rockefeller Center - Considered one of the outstanding architectural achievements in the world, the internationally famous landmark is renowned for its exquisitely maintained Art Deco ornamentation. The 70–story masterpiece is the GE Building (“30 Rock”), decorated inside and out with murals and reliefs celebrating Wisdom and the advances in electronic communication. NBC Studio Tours are offered from here, and Top of the Rock, the observation deck on the 70th floor, boasts unparalleled views of New York. The Lower Plaza offers summer dining in a garden setting, below street level in the shadow of one of New York’s great landmarks. Overlooking it all is Paul Manship’s famous 18-foot, eight-ton gilded bronze statue of Prometheus, who brought the secret of fire to the world. Fifth to Sixth Ave. btw. 48th & 51th Sts., 212-632-3975; rockefellercenter.com Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex - A 25,000-square-foot space aimed toward everyone from the casual music fan to the seasoned rock enthusiast. This experiential, technologically advanced exhibition space focuses on the greatest moments in rock history with exciting permanent and rotating exhibits. 76 Mercer St. (Spring-Broome Sts.), 866-9-ROCKNY; rockannex.com South Street Seaport – Located in lower Manhattan, along the East River and adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge, the refurbished, 200-plus-year-old designated historic landmark is a thriving waterfront community encompassing 12 cobblestone blocks of restored 19th-century buildings, shops, and restaurants. Pier 17 (Water-Fulton Sts.), 212-SEA-PORT; southstreetseaport.com
Staten Island Ferry - Free for pedestrians, leaving from South Ferry at the Battery, any day, any time. siferry.com Statue Cruises – The only provider of ferry transportation to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Battery Park, as well as from Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Tickets: $12 adults/$10 seniors/$5 kids (with Audio Tour: $18/$16/$11). 877-523-9849; statuecruises.com Statue of Liberty – Experience a special insider’s view of the engineering marvel that is the Statue of Liberty. Visitors have a choice of two tours: the Observatory Tour and the Promenade Tour. Both include a guided tour through the Statue of Liberty Museum, which features the original torch. Liberty Island, 212-363-3200; nps.gov/stli Titanic - The Artifact Exhibition – Relive Titanic’s fateful 1912 maiden voyage and take on the identity of a Titanic passenger as you explore magnificent reconstructions of the ship’s interior. Discover how the “unsinkable” ship met its fate and connect with the passengers and crew as you view haunting personal artifacts recovered from the wreck. Open 7 days, 10am-10pm. 226 W. 44th St., 866-9-TSXNYC; discoverytsx.com Top of the Rock – 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s dazzling, 360-degree indoor and outdoor views are not exactly new –– in fact, it was open from 1933 to 1986. 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 innovative features, and three decks featuring outdoor terraces and indoor space. Open daily, 8ammidnight. $18; $13 (under 12). Reserved-time tickets available. 30 Rockefeller Center (W. 50th St. btw. Fifth & Sixth Aves.), 877-692-7625; topoftherocknyc.com United Nations – Multilingual guided tours normally leave every half hour Mon.-Fri., 9:30am-4:45pm. Call 212-963-7539 for a schedule of tours in other languages. $16; seniors & students, $11; children 5-14, $9. Children under five not admitted. First Ave. & 46th St., 212-963-8687; un.org/tours
Ideally located in New York City’s historic Greenwich Village, Devonshire House, an architecturally distinctive pre-war building at 28 East 10th Street, has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind condominium development. Designed by famed architect Emery Roth in1928, the building draws inspiration from the London home of William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire. The unique use of brick and terra cotta, as well as English period details, including the Devonshire family crest, has positioned the building as an architectural gem. “Devonshire House offers buyers the best of both worlds,” said Developer Jenifer Steig, Vice President of Devonshire Associates, LLC. “The building’s solid pre-war construction and charming Emery Roth design have been enhanced through the renovation, which has fully modernized the building and created luxury condominium residences that boast spacious layouts and elegant interiors.” The interiors have been thoughtfully redesigned by interior designer Victoria Hagan – who has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Designers by Architectural Digest – to reflect an unmatched attention to detail, livability and understated design. The residences feature sawn oak wood flooring, custom moldings, and ER Butler & Co. hardware. Devonshire House offers an array of amenities, including a landscaped rooftop terrace and a traditional English courtyard garden, redesigned by landscape architect Edmund Hollander. The building features a fitness center and a children’s playroom, as well as bicycle storage, individual storage units and cold storage. According to Stribling Marketing Associates, exclusive sales firm for the building, there are currently 29 residences available for purchase, and being readied for spring 2010 occupancy. Prospective buyers can choose from 806square-foot one bedrooms to 2,720-square-foot four-bedroom homes, in addition to duplex penthouses with private terraces, starting at 1,321 square feet. Residences at Devonshire House start at $1,050,000. For more information, call 212-475-2810 or visit DevonshireHouseNYC.com.
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By Kristopher Carpenter
Picholine
Recommended: Tasting Menu Price: $135 (Add $85 for wine pairings) Cuisine: French-Mediterranean
Number of Courses: 7 Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Terrance’s favorite winter ingredient: White Truffle
Daniel Recommended: The Six-Course Chef’s Tasting Menu Price: $185 (Add $105 for wine pairings) Style: Contemporary French
Number of Courses: 6 Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Daniel’s favorite winter ingredient: Black Truffle This renowned chef’s eponymous restaurant has been in operation since 1993, and has since been garnering a collection of awards including three Michelin stars, top honors for food from Zagat Survey, four-star ratings from The New York Times and far too many others to list. While Boulud’s organization made the list of New York Magazine’s “20 Biggest Chef Empires” (at number 14 with 10 restaurants and 6 cookbooks), on most occasions he can still be found in the kitchen at Daniel or traversing the front of the house to cordially welcome his guests. The opulent but stylish dining room received a facelift by Adam Tihany in September of 2008. Boulud’s newest endeavor, Bar Pleiades, adjacent to Café Boulud in the Surrey Hotel, looks to combine the old-school comfort of a hotel bar with signature cocktails and Boulud-ian flair via mixologist Cameron Bogue.
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The myriad fixed-price dining room menus at Daniel are designed to allow a bevy of options to please the discerning diner’s hunger level. Besides the six-course chef’s tasting menu, which for most diners will be plenty of haute fare to satiate their holiday season appetite, Daniel also offers the epic eight-course tasting menu for $205 (add $130 for wine pairings) as well as a vegetarian option. There is a three-course prix fixe for $105, with an option to add that grape beverage that we all know and love to each course for $60. There is also an a la carte menu offered in the bar and lounge. Daniel is not open for lunch – but, the dining room is available for private events where they will create quite the memorable midday meal.
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LOCATION 60 East 65th Street • 212-288-0033 • danielnyc.com
The $135, seven-course tasting menu is a romp through supremely seasonal ingredients, presented in 12 either/or course pairings such as foie gras torchon with variations of apple, or foie gras “shabu shabu” with pickled shallot and sweet and sour game bouillon. There is a three-cheese course, served as number six, so make an attempt to save a little bit of room to accommodate it, as well as dessert. Picholine also offers a menu d’economie featuring an expanded tasting flight of appetizers (3 for $20) or tasting plates ($15 each) in the Cheese and Wine Bar, as well as a $58, three-course prix fixe, or the traditional dinner menu at $92 for three courses ($12 for each additional course). NYC
T. Schauer
Named for the petite, delicate olives grown in the Mediterranean, Picholine is the crown jewel of Terrance Brennan’s fleet of “Artisanal” restaurants (and the only one without that word in its name). There are five in all, three of which – Picholine, Artisanal, and Bar Artisanal – are housed within the island confines of Manhattan, while the other two are on the West Coast in Bellevue, Washington. The recently modernized décor of the restaurant features warm lavender walls that elegantly reflect the romantic light of the crystal chandeliers in the dining room. Walking through the boysenberry-purple curtains grants passage into the mystical realm of the “Cheese Cave,” where 2,500 bottles of wine from all over the world line the beautifully designed alcove. The cave can house eight guests as they enjoy the tasting flights or selections from the 60 varieties of cheeses on the cart overseen by maitre fromager Max McCalman.
LOCATION 35 West 64th Street # 1 • 212-724-8585 • picholinenyc.com
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Hearty Winter Fare Aquavit Recommended: Chef’s Tasting Price: $105 (Add $65 for wine pairings) Cuisine: Scandinavian
Number of Courses: 8 Neighborhood: Midtown East Side
[ Charlie Palmer, left, Christopher Lee ]
Aureole Recommended: The Parallel Tasting Menu Price: $115 (Add $65 for wine pairings) Cuisine: New American
Number of Courses: 4 Neighborhood: Midtown West
Charlie’s favorite winter ingredient: Winter Squash Aureole, which comes from the Middle English word for halo, was Charlie Palmer’s first restaurant as a chef/owner when it opened in 1988 at 34 East 61st Street and has since become Charlie Palmer’s flagship fine-dining eatery. The restaurant that Palmer has referred to as his soul, recently moved on down to some sleek and contemporary new digs in June of 2009. Aureole’s new home, taking up street level space in the Bank of America Tower on 42nd Street, has been the benefactor of interior design by Adam Tihany, who has brought the space to life with an unexpected and almost whimsical ease.
When hearing the restaurant name - Aquavit – many Manhattan culinary enthusiasts automatically think of two words: “Marcus Samuelsson.” But Chef Samuelsson wasn’t always a co-owner in the storied NYC eatery, open since 1987. It wasn’t until 1995 that he received that title, bestowed upon him by proprietor Håkan Swahn. Samuelsson started at Aquavit, his first restaurant in America, in 1991 as an apprentice – and during four years, he worked his way up to sous chef, executive chef, and finally chef-owner. As executive chef, Samuelsson received a three-star New York Times review, and at 24, he was the youngest chef to ever receive one. In 2005, Aquavit moved to their current home, where their four separate rooms blend opulence with the inspired minimalism of Scandinavian designers. In 2006, Marcus and Håkan welcomed a new executive chef, Johan Svensson, who is proudly walking in the footsteps of Samuelsson’s beautiful French preparations of Scandinavian cuisine. The four distinct rooms include the private party room, which can accommodate up to 100 people, the formal dining room, the bar/lounge, and the café. The dining room is home to the eight-course chef’s tasting menu which brings together two appetizer courses, followed by three mains, and two desserts – certainly worth the slightly over $100 price tag. A three-course prix fixe is also available in the dining room for $78 per person. The bar/lounge and the café provide a more traditional Scandinavian menu – Swedish meatballs and gravlax – ordered a la carte and complemented with a large list of beers, ales, wine and specialty cocktails. On Sunday it’s time for a smorgasbord, offering herring, charcuteries, and knäckebröd among several other Scandinavian specialties, at just $48. NYC
Steve Legato
Pete Thompson
Eric Laignel
Johan’s favorite winter ingredient: Salsify
LOCATION 65 East 55th Street • 212-307-7311 • aquavit.org
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The Parallel Tasting Menu is the innovative brainchild of executive chef Christopher Lee and of course Palmer himself. The simple logic behind it was to create a powerful chef’s tasting menu with all of the flavors and nuances of an eight-course eat-a-thon, but that can be served and enjoyed in half the time. Course pairings can share the same ingredient: for instance, a Diver Sea Scallop “sandwich” with foie gras, and a Diver Sea Scallop sashimi with jalapeño emulsion. Or, the courses may share a slightly more obscure linkage, such as Blue Fin Tuna Belly with piquillo pepper, and Slow-Cooked Veal Belly with pickled pearl onions. Aureole offers an array of other, less expensive (and experimental) fixed-price menus as well – including a $34 threecourse lunch, and an $84 three-course dinner. Aureole also offers the semblance of an early-bird special from 5-6pm consisting of a threecourse dinner at $55 per person, and dubbed “Pre-Theatre Dining.” LOCATION 135 West 42nd Street • 212-319-1660 • charliepalmer.com
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David Burke Townhouse Recommended: Prix Fixe Price: $55 Cuisine: New American
Number of Courses: 4 Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Recommended: Prix Fixe Price: $89 Style: Italian (Seafood)
Number of Courses: 4 Neighborhood: Columbus Circle
Michael’s favorite winter ingredient: Chestnuts The newest in the family of Italian restaurants owned by Chris Cannon and Chef Michael White, Marea’s upscale seafood-centric cuisine and Central Park South location have procured its place as the golden child among its brothers: Alto (Northern Italian) and Convivo (Southern Italian). The pre-economic meltdown standards of fine dining present in both the pricing and selections of bounty from the sea, earned it three stars from The New York Times and three more from New York Magazine’s Adam Platt, who called it a “glittering seafood establishment.” There is however a wonderfully affordable way to meander through the vastness of White’s cuisine offerings, and it is even recommended at the bottom of the first menu page – get ready for an $89 seafood excursion.
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The menu at Marea is hewn from a plethora of options. But putting together your four-course experience will begin with a hard choice as the first course can come from either the crudo, ostriche, or antipasti sections – which consists of almost 30 different dishes. The crudo (raw fish) at Marea has been the source of many a digression among critics and diners, and is also the subject of a 20-seat bar equipped with back-lit honey-colored onyx and shiny wire chairs. The ostriche (oysters) section comes with six raw oysters from a selection of multiple locales, and the real beauty, the antipasti section, is home to such creations as crispy monkfish cheeks in gooey poached egg, mushroom, and garlic. From here, it’s on to the much less staggering choice of handmade pasta, an entrée of fish or meat (go with the fish – the branzino, black bass, or turbot if they’ve got them) and of course the meal is ended by the choice of desserts crafted by the same celebrated sweet maker at Alto and Convivo, Heather Bertinetti.
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LOCATION 240 Central Park South • 212-582-5100 • marea-nyc.com
The menu at Townhouse has also undergone some modifications, with additions such as roasted stuffed organic hen with bacon and lobster, as well as rack of lamb and roasted octopus making it onto the a la carte menu alongside Burke classics like his crisp & angry lobster and sea scallops “Benedict.” The $55 four-course menu is a new feature with one of two appetizer options, followed by a palatecleansing Thai lobster consommé, one of two main course options, and any one of their myriad desserts. The focus is on seasonal ingredients and putting together dishes that allow cxecutive chef Sylvan Delpique to employ his creativity – so the menu changes nightly. Townhouse also offers $29 and $35 three-course brunch Saturdays and Sundays, noted as one of Zagat Survey’s top 25 – and a permanently “restaurant week”-priced $24.07 three-course lunch daily. Every Sunday night Townhouse offers a three-course dinner for $30. Although the options are toned down a bit from the usual assortment of luxe selections on the $55 menu, and it can be hard to get a reservation, this Sunday night meal may be the best value in the city. LOCATION 163 East 61st Street • 212-813-2121 • davidburketownhouse.com
William Shear
Marea
With fixed-price menus and specials offered during certain times of the day or certain days of the week, chef, restaurateur, and innovator David Burke has turned himself into something like New York City’s king of upscale value dining. As Burke said in an interview on Fox Business News, “A value-driven deal, as long as it’s also a qualitydriven deal, absolutely works for us.” His first restaurant, and still his flagship, David Burke Townhouse (formerly davidburke & donatella), was rechristened as such in January, 2009 after Burke took over ownership from his former partner. He briefly closed the eatery for renovations in August, which included a bar-wall backsplash made of pink-Himalayan rock salt, and reopened in September, 2009.
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Daniel Krieger
Daniel Krieger
David’s favorite winter ingredient: Turnips
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Hearty Winter Fare Capsouto Frères Recommended: Dinner Prix Fixe Price: $39 Cuisine: French (Beaujolais Bistro)
Number of Courses: 3 Neighborhood: Tribeca
Jacques’ favorite winter ingredient: Pumpkin Tucked into the quaint folds of the Tribeca landscape, within the walls of the 1891 Fleming Smith building (which began its life as a spice warehouse), lies the hidden gem known as Capsouto Frères. Since opening in 1980, its cozy red brick walls have welcomed guests with casual elegance in a modern but traditional bistro setting. Capsouto Frères has been praised for its selection and pairings, dubbed “an ambassador of Israeli wines” by The New York Sun, and won the prestigious Best of the Best Beaujolais Bistro award from Sopexa USA in June of 2009. At the helm of the kitchen is Chef Jerome Charpentier, a native of the Champagne region of France, and a champion of mixing traditional and contemporary French cuisine – blending innovation with the simplicity of perfectly cooked and timehonored dishes. The Capsouto brothers (frères means brothers) own the place: Albert, Samuel, and the managing brother Jacques, who can quite often be found in or about the front of the house and makes occasional stops amidst his guests to chat about wine, menu selections, or suggest a post-meal soufflé flavor.
Recommended: Tasting Menu Price: $55 (Add $101 for wine pairings) Number of Courses: 4 Neighborhood: Upper West Side Cuisine: New American
Bill’s favorite winter ingredient: Cabbage The peaceful Upper West Side is home to Bill Telepan’s four-year-old, self-named restaurant – a conjoined and beautiful maze of rooms crafted from two adjacent townhouses – where clean flavors of seasonal ingredients grown by local farmers meet the hand of one of New York City’s most skilled chefs. With a résumé that includes such restaurants as Le Cirque, Le Bernardin, and Gotham Bar & Grill, Telepan has crafted a warm and inviting space that quickly became a neighborhood staple after being lovingly two-starred by Frank Bruni of The New York Times in February of 2006, and voted “best newcomer” by the 2007 Zagat Survey. The light green walls throughout can make it feel as if one is feasting in a big field, heightening awareness to the carefully selected seasonal produce. An extensive wine list recognized and rewarded by Wine Spectator provides complements to Telepan’s flavor repertoire. Telepan is a perfect place for a relaxing evening with friends or for a less twinkle-filled pre-theater gastronomic extravaganza.
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Echoing the hodgepodge that is America, the menu features dishes of Italy, France, and even Telepan’s roots in Hungary. However eclectic, the dinner menu at Telepan may be one of the easiest to navigate in all of New York City. It is set up perfectly for the recommended four-course, $55 option, which includes a selection of appetizer, mid-course, entrée, and dessert. The other dinner options are the $65 five-course tasting menu, which includes the aforementioned options but adds a cheese course, or the $39 three-course tasting menu which is available daily before 6:30pm and is sans dessert. Diners can choose to order a la carte from the same menu options. Telepan also offers two- and threecourse lunches for $22 and $28 respectively; as well as a $28 prix-fixe brunch that includes two courses as well as “bread and sweet things for the table.” LOCATION 72 West 69th Street • 212-580-4300 • telepan-ny.com
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Telepan
Capsouto’s fixed-price menus are simple, and quite reasonable. Tame your winter hunger with a hearty combination of the terrine Provençale, boeuf bourguignon, and an apple and rhubarb crisp – all for $39. Or take a lighter route with an arugula salad (with goat cheese), grilled mahi-mahi (with shrimp-muscat sauce), and a blueberry crepe – also $39. Capsouto also offers a $24 three-course prix-fixe lunch where the experience is similar; choose your own adventure from the offered menu items. The soufflés, while not on the prix-fixe menus, are nearly a must – whether as an appetizer, with the cured bacon and cheese soufflé, or as a second dessert with the decadent chocolate soufflé. Capsouto Frères is well known for its soufflés and for good reason. LOCATION 451 Washington Street • 212-966-4900 • capsoutofreres.com
[ The brothers, from left: Jacques, Samuel and Albert ]
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AMERICAN 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 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
The romance and elegance of Venetian design meets the rich tradition of Northern Italian cuisine at Remi. Dining here is a bit like embarking on a luxury cruise through Venice, with a stunning mural of a grand canal, flying buttress archways, Brazilian cherry-striped floors, and glass chandeliers. The endless menu features a wide variety of antipasti and salads, homemade pastas, and classic signature dishes like the Spaghetti Remi, prepared al dente with oven-dried tomatoes, garlic and hot pepper and Venetian-style calf liver sauteed with onions and served on polenta. 145 W. 53rd St., 212-581-4242 (212-757-7610 for private parties); remi-ny.com
David Burke at Bloomingdale’s - The ultimate in culinary cafes, David Burke brings his signature creations to this upscale but casual setting. Nothing satisfies the shop-till-you-drop appetite like the highly touted asiago truffle fries, and for the dinner guest, every night of the week you’ll find a $24.07 three-course prixfixe dinner. 150 E. 59th St., 212-705-3800; burkeinthebox.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 David’s flair for presentation is matched only by the food’s outstanding taste. 133 E. 61st St., 212-813-2121; davidburketownhouse.com Eleven Madison Park - 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. 11 Madison Ave. (24th St.), 212-889-0905; elevenmadisonpark.com Gotham Bar and Grill - The highly acclaimed haute cuisine of this dynamic, trendy downtown restaurant reflects the Post-Modernist, converted warehouse setting. Chef Alfred Portale creates dazzling visual and provocative culinary effects with his superb, contemporary meals, piled whimsically skyscraper-like onto plates, including one of the city’s best seafood salads. 12 E. 12th St., 212-620-4020; gothambarandgrill.com Gramercy Tavern - This classic American tavern offers extraordinary cuisine and hospitality in a historic landmark, featuring contemporary American fare with French and Italian overtones in a dining room that recalls a country estate. 42 E. 20th St., 212-477-0777; gramercytavern.com
This luxurious, health-conscious eatery celebrated its first anniversary on October 28th 2009 – and it has been quite the year for Rouge Tomate. Taking up residence in the bi-level space that was formerly home to the infamous Copacabana night club, Rouge Tomate has been abuzz with celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr., Brad Pitt, and Martha Stewart all spotted grazing on the flavorful cuisine of Executive Chef Jeremy Bearman. Within its first year Rouge Tomate instituted of a sexy specialty cocktail lounge named stirRED in the basement level, with celebrated mixologist Rainlove Lampariello at the helm, and took home a coveted star from the Michelin Guide awards ceremony in October. It has also been the locale of choice for hot fashion week parties, movie premiere gatherings, and a plethora of other social galas – all within its first 365 days. 10 E. 60th St. (Fifth & Madison Aves.), 646-237-8977; rougetomatenyc.com
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Inside Park at St. Bart’s - A new space has been built across the famous Terrace at St. Bartholomew’s Church, with intricate, Byzantine-like decorative stenciling, true to the immense room’s original colors, motifs, and craftsmanship, painstakingly replicated on the 30-foot ceiling, as well as on the walls and balcony. Executive Chef Matthew Weingarten oversees the contemporary American menu. 109 E. 50th St., 212-593-3333; insideparknyc.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 Métrazur - A progressive American brasserie with Mediterranean flavors, located in Grand Central Terminal, with views of the sky ceiling. The menu features the famous Caesar salad, a bounty of fresh seafood, and a popular oyster tasting. Grand Central Terminal, 42nd St. & Lexington Ave., 212-687-4600; charliepalmer.com/metrazur The Oak Room - This legendary landmark, which reopened in November 2008 after major renovations, now features the work of chef Eric Hara, who brings his special touch to the classic American menu. 10 Central Park So. (Fifth Ave.), 212-758-7777; oakroomny.com
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Rouge Tomate - This striking space of rich natural wood, plush booths and a cranberry pool complete with a sexy bar and lounge offers a refuge for the urban set. Chef Bearman’s Modern American cuisine touts impeccably created dishes that utilize local purveyors and sustainable ingredients. 10 E. 60th St., 646-237-8977; rougetomate.com The Waverly Inn - Graydon Carter’s tough-to-getinto, low-lit celebrity favorite featuring traditonal American fare, such as salmon tartare, Dover sole, and the popular “Waverly Burger,” generally considered to be one of the best in the city. 16 Bank St. (Waverly Pl.), 212-243-7900
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DELIS Carnegie Deli - For the truly robust appetite in search of the quintessential New York eating experience, the Carnegie has been offering delicious gigantic sandwiches in the hotel and Theater District since 1937. One of the world’s most famous and busiest delis, and a required culinary stop on any visit, they specialize in oversized portions of the whole range of scrumptious deli food—from Jewish-style meats to smoked white fish and cheese blintzes. 854 Seventh Ave. (55th St.), 212-757-2245; carnegiedeli.com
Katz’s Delicatessen - Sometimes it’s best to leave a classic alone, as in the case of the famous Katz’s Deli. This near-mythic legendary restaurant has been serving half-pound sandwiches of hot pastrami and corned beef, plump grilled franks, knishes, matzoh ball soup, and other favorite deli fare since 1888. Open 24 hours. 205 E. Houston St. (Ludlow St.), 212-254-2246; katzdeli.com 2nd Ave Deli - After more than 50 years in the East Village, the famed deli has relocated to the east side of Midtown, and returned with all its famous certified-kosher delights intact. Traditional
ASIAN Le Colonial - Authentic French-Vietnamese cuisine in an atmosphere that is reminiscent of Southeast Asia in the early 20th century. The menu emphasizes vegetables, fresh seafood, meats, and an artful use of herbs and spices, and the dishes are inventively light, low in fat, visually arresting and vividly (yet mostly mildly) flavored. 149 E. 57th St., 212-752-0808; lecolonialnyc.com Mr. K’s - Scrumptious Chinese fare in a spectacular Art Deco food palace. Fresh from Washington D.C., where he wowed the culinary tastes of the Capitol set for 15 years, proprietor Johnny Kao has transformed an old bank into a splendid serene oasis with a bar that dazzles with green Avonite tops and etched glass panels, complementing the rich, mauve interior, two-tone wood décor and quietly elegant ambiance. 570 Lexington Ave. (51st St.), 212-583-1668; mrksny.com Ritz Asia - Taiwan bubble teas, Chinese dim sum, Japanese ishiyaki hot stone grill, fusion Chilean sea bass and Thai curry noodle are all under one roof at this 60-seat Village eatery. Having lured two Nobu alums, they serve sushi-centric fare with a Nobu influence such as thin-sliced hamachi topped with jalapeno and yuzu soy—at very reasonable, un-Nobu prices. 189 Bleecker St. (MacDougal St.), 212-228-3366;ritzasia.com Spice Market - Stepping into this Meatpacking District retreat in the will transport you into a world of Eastern exotica, far from New York’s urban hustle and bustle. The airy, two-level room features teak floors from a 200-year-old Bombay palace, and custom-made, colonial-style furniture. 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; jean-georges.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
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favorites include corned beef, pastrami, and the world-famous chicken matzoh ball soup. Open 24 hours. 162 E. 33rd St., 212-689-9000; 2ndavedeli.com
ENGLISH Le Caprice - The New York outpost of the famous London restaurant captures the simple elegance of the original, serving long-standing modern European favourites within a specially designed New York menu. Pierre Hotel, 795 Fifth Ave. (61st St.), 212-940-8195; lecapriceny.com
FRENCH/FRENCH BISTRO Adour Alain Ducasse - The famed French chef combines traditional French cooking with local flavors, resulting in elegant dishes with rich textures and new aromas. Both new and experienced oenophiles will be delighted by the cuttingedge interactive wine bar, where they can discover a wine’s “essentials,” including origin, producer, variety—and of course, its best matching dish. St. Regis Hotel, 2 E. 55th St., 212-710-2277; adour-stregis.com Bouley - Legendary French chef David Bouley's landmark in fine dining. Sample such delicacies as venison with poached pear, Swiss chard and chocolate sauce, or Long Island duckling with vanilla-glazed turnips, chestnuts and Armagnac sauce. 163 Duane St. (Hudson St.), 212-964-2525; bouley.net 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 Jean Georges - Contemporary French works of art created by chef JeanGeorges 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 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 the classic cuisine that guests have appreciated since the restaurant opened in 1962, featuring frogs’ legs, Burgundy-braised oxtail, and chicken in champagne sauce. Jacket required. 3 E. 52nd St., 212-752-1495; la-grenouille. com
seared sea scallops, accompanied by braised greens and Tandoori cauliflower. For a downscale version of Tabla, head downstairs to its less expensive sister restaurant, Bread Bar at Tabla. 11 Madison Ave. (25th St.), 212-889-0667; tablany.com Taj - A contemporary American restaurant/lounge that combines intimate dining, cocktails, lounging, and a modern decor with various accents of India. Both vibrant and low key, it’s a favorite haunt of celebrities. A colorful and unique cocktail menu includes the Budina with Ketel One Vodka, cucumber, lime, and mint. 48 W. 21st St., 212-620-3033; tajlounge.com Utsav Festive Indian Cuisine - With an elegant décor and excellent prices, this upscale Indian restaurant in the heart of Times Square provides relaxed dining in a spacious and serene setting. Their extensive lunch buffet and pre and post theatre prix fixe dinner will please carnivores and vegetarians alike. 1185 Sixth Ave. (enter at 46th St. btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.), 212-575-2525; utsavny.com
IRISH The Fitz - New Yorkers and visitors alike enjoy the lively bar and cozy European-style setting featuring both European and American favorites, as well as traditional Irish specialties. Known for its traditional Irish breakfast, served morning, noon, and night, Fitzers is also very popular for private family gatherings for brunch or dinner of 10-60 people. Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel, 687 Lexington Ave. (56th-57th Sts.), 212-355-0100; fitzpatrickhotels.com Stella Maris - Chef/co-owner Darren Pettigrew has put a creative spin on European cuisine, drawing on his Irish heritage to re-vamp classics such as pea soup (cod fish instead of ham), and other signature dishes include smoked fish chowder, rabbit confit frisée with lentils and shallots, and Dublin-style cockles and mussels. 213 Front St. (Beekman-Peck Slip), 212-233-2417; stellamarisnyc.com
ITALIAN
INDIAN
Bice Ristorante - Combining traditional and new trends in Northern Italian cuisine in an elegant-casual atmosphere, Bice Ristorante caters to a knowledgeable clientele seeking out superior versions of beloved Italian fare utilizing topof-the-line ingredients, refined dishes, light-touch cooking, seamless service, and, most of all, consistency. Top dishes include tagliolini lobster, ravioli massala, osso buco, and papardelle al telefono, just to name a few. And don’t miss out on dessert—the tiramisu della Bice is one of the best in the city. 7 E. 54th St. (Madison-Fifth Aves.), 212-688-1999; bicenewyork.com
Tabla - Walk up the impressive staircase to Tabla, which combines classic American dishes with pungent Indian spices. Sample the grass-fed lamb (served with chickpea spaetzle, Tuscan kale, and Indian apricots), or opt instead for
Downtown Cipriani - This SoHo restaurant is part of New York’s extended Cipriani family, which includes Harry’s on Fifth, Rainbow by Cipriani at Rockefeller Plaza, and Cipriani 42nd Street. With its downtown spin, this
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” said Benson of his own menu. 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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eatery has a more casual menu and relaxed ambiance than its uptown cousins, offering sandwiches and ciabette, alongside main courses like the signature filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce. Don’t miss the world-famous Bellini, a cocktail of peach and prosecco. 376 West Broadway (Spring-Broome Sts.), 212-343-0999; cipriani.com
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 and theatrical, from the shouts that greet you when you enter to the enormous dining bar to the elaborate costumes worn by the waiters. 231 W. 40th St., 212-354-2195; inakayany.com
Montenapo - This 5,200-square-feet, glassenclosed space offers a modern take on classic Italian fare, using organic vegetables, organic rice, and whole grains, as well as grass fed beef, free range poultry and wild caught fish. The New York Times Building, 250 W. 41st St., 212-764-7663; montenaporestaurant.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.), 212-334-4445; myriadrestaurantgroup.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
Otto Enoteca and Pizzeria - Otto offers a world of pizza, cooked on a griddle instead of in an oven, that ranges from traditional margheritas to more creative interpretations, like pizza topped with cured salt pork and fresh rosemary. Sample one of the bruschettas, antipasti, cheeses or delectable appetizers that include eggplant caponata or chickpea fritters. Selecting a wine shouldn’t be a problem with Otto’s list of nearly 500 Italian labels. 1 Fifth Ave. (8th St.), 212-995-9559; ottopizzeria.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 restaurant, created by 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 Salute! - This Murray Hill staple has been attracting a steady stream of clientele with its mix of sleek sophistication and Italian/Mediterranean cuisine for over a decade, merging old-world tradition with contemporary flair. The menu features authentic homemade pastas, savory seafood, brick-oven pizzas, and healthy gourmet delights. 270 Madison Ave. (39th St.), 212-213-3440; salutenyc.com
JAPANESE & SUSHI Blue Ribbon Sushi - Featuring some of the freshest fish this side of Tokyo, served in a lovely wood-and-mural setting. For those who don’t relish the sushi and sashimi or raw bar, a wide variety of cooked entrées are also available. No reservations. 97 Sullivan St. (Spring-Prince Sts.), 212-343-0404; blueribbonrestaurants.com Inakaya - The first New York City outpost of the renowned 39-year-old eatery in Roppongi, Tokyo. A traditional robatayaki restaurant, Inakaya
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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
Travis Rathbone
Tanuki Tavern - Inspired by the concept of the traditional izakaya and named after the mischievous and jolly creature of Japanese folklore, Jeffrey Chodorow’s latest boasts a wide array of cocktails, sake and craft beers to pair with its extensive menu of snacks, small plates, inventive sushi, noodles and hibachi “Fire Bowl” selections. Hotel Gansevoort, 18 Ninth Ave. (13th St.), 212-660-6766; chinagrillmgt.com
The beautiful, old-world décor of The Oak Room at the Plaza Hotel sets an opulent backdrop for the playful New American gourmet cuisine of Executive Chef Eric Hara. The Oak Bar offers a warm and inviting space on Central Park South with plate glass windows looking out on the bustling city streets; while the formal dining room is grand and expansive, setting the tone for a romantic evening or an upscale Sunday brunch. Hara has incorporated a fixed-price dining option, which he calls the American “Dim Sum” menu, at the extremely reasonable price of $55. It includes trolley selections, one ordered “dim sum” specialty, and an entrée. Sunday brunch also comes with a $55 price tag and includes unlimited trips to a raw bar, bread and sweets, selections from a brunch cart, and an entrée – for a fulfilling midday experience. 10 Central Park South (Fifth Ave), 212-758-7777; oakroomny.com
MEXICAN/TEX-MEX Maya - Mexico City-born chef/owner Richard Sandoval serves up his family’s Acapulco restaurant heritage with style, where Mexican food and ambiance are elevated to a high level in a festive yet sophisticated atmosphere. Try the grilled pork tenderloin served with roasted corn puree and pumpkinseed sauce, or the excellent grilled filet mignon with a mole poblano cheese enchilada. 1191 First Ave. (64th-65th Sts.), 212-585-1818; modernmexican.com/mayany 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
PAN LATIN Agua Dulce - Sexy and sophisticated, featuring lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and an exceptional late-night meal at 3am. Highlights include organic salmon citrus ceviche, skirt steak, grilled chicken with saffron scented Valencia rice and chorizo, smoked tea braised short rib, yellowfin tuna with minted lychee salsita, and house-made guacamole. 802 Ninth Ave. (53rd-54th Sts.), 212-262-1299; aguadulceny.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 and an extensive wine list. Entrées include hot smoke arctic char, soy- and spice-marinated duck breast, and crispy salmon with artichokes, buckwheat, and sweet onion ragoût. 65 E. 55th St., 212-307-7311; www.aquavit.org
SEAFOOD Blue Fin - This 400-seat, two-level seafood emporium, established by restaurateur Stephen Hanson is not your run-of-the-mill theater eatery. Blue Fin offers the finest and freshest raw bar, colorful and innovative sashimi and sushi rolls, contemporary seafood and other entrées in a setting—marked by giant faux tortoiseshell walls—as dramatic and exciting as its home on the Great White Way. W Times Square Hotel, 1567 Broadway (47th St.), 212-918-1400; brguestrestaurants.com Fishtail - David Burke’s newest NYC addition, 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
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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
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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 - Recently opened in their new location—complete with floor-toceiling 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 courtesy of pastry chef Jansen Chan. 1221 Ave. of the Americas (49th St.), 212-759-5941; livanosrestaurantgroup.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 ancestors, 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 simply and 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 to a very satisfied clientele. Enjoy the restaurant’s signature Porterhouse for one, two, three or four, fresh seafood, mouthwatering side dishes and exquisite desserts. Two locations: 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 near Grand Central Terminal 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 Craftsteak - The steakhouse redefined, with a menu focused beef from the world’s top ranchers and artisanal producers and their very own dry-aging room. The 11-seat raw bar features fresh oysters, crudo, and marinated and chilled seafood. 85 Tenth Ave., 212-400-6699; craftrestaurant.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 with steaks that are boldly seasoned with salt and pepper and sport a perfectly charred, crusty surface. 49th St. & Sixth Ave., 212-575-5129; delfriscos.com Rothmann’s Steakhouse & Grill - Located near New York City’s famous 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 more than 100 years. The beautiful space and attentive, unpretentious staff make it ideal, whether you’re there for a business lunch, a romantic dinner for two, or celebrating a special occasion. 3 E. 54th St., 212-319-5500; rothmannssteakhouse.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’s premier raw-foods restaurant, utilizing organic and seasonal fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds to create a unique, award-winning culinary experience. Open daily at 5:30pm. 54 Irving Pl. (17th St.), 212-477-1010; purefoodandwine.com
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Le Cirque 151 East 58th Street • 212-644-0202 • lecirque.com
Mauro Maccioni: the son rises at Le Cirque
By Kristopher Carpenter
here are few living legends inhabiting the strata of Manhattan’s luxury restaurant world. And no one can agree on the average lifespan of a city restaurant, but according to the NY State Restaurant Association, over 70 percent fail in their first five years. Enter Le Cirque – in 1974, a 32-year-old Sirio Maccioni, founded what would become a New York institution, drawing a confluence of the elite, both in the dining room and in the kitchen. Le Cirque has been so successful over the last three and a half decades that the Maccionis have become something akin to restaurant royalty. One couldn’t name every famous person who has had a meal there; it would be easier to name those who haven’t. The roster of former kitchen staff is no less impressive, including Daniel Boulud, Michael Lomonaco, David Bouley, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Jacques Torres. Le Cirque has most recently been the subject of the HBO documentary A Table in Heaven, where Sirio, wife Egidiana and all three sons were featured in the film detailing the restaurant’s 2006 move from the Palace Hotel to its current home in the Bloomberg building on East 58th Street. But for Mauro Maccioni, the youngest of the brood and heir apparent to the Le Cirque legacy, this was all just part of everyday life growing up. Mauro learned the ropes from some of the best chefs and restaurateurs in the world and it is readily apparent when watching the dapper 37- year-old at work, doing everything from welcoming guests to clearing tables – that this isn’t just the family business: it’s his passion.
T
Q. What was it like growing up in Le Cirque? As a child, really I took it for granted. I’m sure that Daniel Boulud remembers me as the teenager asking him to make me a burger for lunch. There’s a lot of nostalgia in those memories. I feel like I appreciate those times even more now. Being involved with all of the intricacies and nuances, I can see how much work goes into the everyday operations. When I was a kid, I would work on Saturdays for lunch and offer Champagne, so obviously my typical day is a little different now.
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Q. What’s your favorite part of the job? I really enjoy the food aspect, the business side… a little less. But, we all have to grow up and I can’t just be playing with our food all day. I do enjoy the whole experience, meeting people and welcoming them, but my passion is definitely on the food side. At an early age, I expressed a desire to my father to go abroad and work in kitchens in Europe. So in my early 20s I started at Les Crayères, which is a three-star Michelin restaurant in Reims, France. I worked in the dining room there, but also in the kitchen for our good friends Gerard and Elyane Boyer. Seeing the discipline in their kitchen was incredible. I also worked in Arzak under Juan Mari Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain. He was really the grandfather of avant garde Spanish
cooking. I also worked in several places in Italy, including Enoteca Pinchiorri, also a three-star Michelin Restaurant near Florence, where our family is from. Of course being an Italian-American I have a lot of reverence for Italy. Q. Over the years you’ve had quite a host of characters come through the kitchen… We absolutely have, and it has added so much value to what Le Cirque is today, to have all of that amazing talent come through here; and to celebrate that tradition with all of them at our 35th anniversary just a few months ago. It’s special for my father. He built Le Cirque to be a place where those types of chefs would want to work. I’m so happy to see that so many of them own their own restaurants. When I eat somewhere like Daniel, I can still see and taste the same things that I remember about [Boulud] at Le Cirque – his attention to detail and dedication to fresh seasonal ingredients arranged in innovative ways. I also love working with our current chef Craig Hopson, talking about how we can make the food unique and new while staying close to tradition. For a lot of people, Le Cirque is and will always be Champagne and Dover sole and chocolate soufflé; and there’s nothing wrong with that. We’re blessed to have a fantastic, loyal customer base and we always want to keep them happy.
Q. So, tell me a little about the family. We’re obviously a very tight bunch since we’re all involved. My father and I are going to a dinner in France for Tradition et Qualité, which is an association of French restaurants around the world. The dinner is going to be hosted by Paul Bocuse, who is widely regarded as one of the best chefs of the 20th century, so I’m really excited for the event and to be there with my father. He’s obviously still involved in running Le Cirque. At Osteria Del Circo, which my mother manages (she’s an excellent chef), I’m involved a lot more with the decisions in the kitchen, and I’ve worked very closely with Chef Giuntoli on the menu there. My brother Marco does most of our wine selections for both restaurants; he had an extensive wine training that was very similar to my culinary training. And Mario manages our stores in Las Vegas – Le Cirque and Osteria Del Circo in the Bellagio Hotel. Q. What’s next? I’m trying to get involved with a project where I’m more on the kitchen side. I’m involved now, but most of my time is spent in the dining room. So, in the next few years, I’d love to open up a small place and be very involved with the menu. I know all chefs say that they want to open a small place to cook the way they want to cook, but that’s exactly what I want to do.
687 MADISON AVENUE 212 759 6457 125 WOOSTER STREET 212 343 9000 WWW.GEORGJENSENSTORE.COM 800 546 5253
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