Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Town & Country

Joseph Dryer got shot on Iwo Jima, earned an MBA from Columbia, and started a business in Cuba, where he met his wife Nancy (Ernest Hemingway was a witness). The couple fled Havana—after guerrillas held him at gunpoint—and moved to Palm Beach, where their home, designed by Marion Sims Wyeth, became a salon for the likes of George Plimpton, King Juan Carlos of Spain, and, once, the entire American Foreign Policy Council. Joseph died in 2015 at 94—leaving a hole in the city’s social scene and many wondering, “How do such interesting people fit it all in?”…

Is it in or is it out? That question has been the talk of the art world (and beyond) in the run-up to the Louvre’s blockbuster fall Leonardo da Vinci exhibition, the headliner among multiple shows organized to mark the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance master’s death. Opening on October 24, the exhibit features international loans of major works to complement the Louvre’s own trove of 22 Leonardo drawings and five paintings (fewer than 20 of his paintings survive). One of the paintings is the Mona Lisa, which is returning to its usual spot after renovations to its gallery. But the work on everyone’s mind is the Salvator Mundi, a rediscovered depiction of Christ painted around 1500 that became the most expensive artwork ever sold when a member of the…

Ruth likes them stuffed with soft mild goat cheese and sprinkled with chopped pistachios as an easy (and very pretty) appetizer. In the winter, when figs and melons are out of season, serve them with prosciutto; their sweet tartness is a perfect foil. They also make a perfect dessert, along with toasted almonds (or marcona almonds), and excellent dark chocolate. As for what to drink with them, they’re good with liqueurs (Cointreau, for instance). If you don’t like sweet drinks, go with champagne.…

After three days of touring the watch manufactures in Switzerland at the Swatch Group’s Time to Move event, I decided that if there is a job exactly opposite to T&C style and interiors writer—frenetically trying to meet deadlines—it would be watchmaker. These men and women sit glued to magnifying glasses in absolute Zen, making the most luxurious watches in the world. Did I achieve their level of calm? Hardly. But I did learn about the inner workings of Swiss watchmaking. Here, a few key lessons. LESSON ONE Tools of the trade. Watchmaking is highly proprietary. And specialized. To produce a watch, a watchmaker also has to make or adapt tools for each model; specific instruments are needed for every step. A high-level model can include hundreds of parts—Blancpain’s famed 1735…

“It’s bad form to leave waxy marks on your gracious host’s wineglass,” says etiquette expert Diane Gotts-man. Yet this season’s deep burgundy, plush pinot noir, and bright claret lip lacquers make a strong case for skipping the recommended pre-drink tissue blot. Not only are multidimensional modern maroons flattering on every skin tone, according to Dior makeup creative director Peter Philips, formula innovations make them more hydrating and longer-lasting than ever. So even if you slick them on and sip with abandon, they’ll still be on your lips, too.…

YOUR OWN PRIVATE VILLA Live Like a Medici in ITALY WAKE UP WITH MASTERPIECES IN AMALFI Arise in the master suite at Villa Astor and you will see, through three double doors, Mount Vesuvius, Sorrento, and the island of Ischia—surely how William Waldorf Astor used to start his day. He bought the clifftop estate from an Italian nobleman in 1905, when he was the American ambassador in Rome, and he filled it with classical and Renaissance objets. When today’s owners, Russian émigrés who are art collectors themselves, acquired the mansion in 2012, they restored every marble wall and Neapolitan fresco to its original splendor. So though it is now a rentable villa, it’s really a six-bedroom private museum, with a chef from Don Alfonso’s, the legendary local restaurant. Check your…

The Character: Princess Mary Played by: Kate Phillips The Situation: The Crawley sisters have always been princesses, but what happens when an actual royal daughter shows up for tea? The Character: Lucy Smith Played by: Tuppence Middleton The Situation: Lady Bagshaw’s maid is at Downton to work but might find herself distracted by a new relationship instead. The Character: Lady Bagshaw Played by: Imelda Staunton The Situation: As a ladyin-waiting to the visiting queen, Lady Bagshaw should be used to taking orders from royalty. But she is in for a surprise when she clashes with Downton’s sovereign: the Dowager Countess. The Character: King George V Played by: Simon Jones The Situation: The king (he was the grandfather of the not-yet-born Queen Elizabeth II) is making a historic visit to Downton…

HOW IT WORKS By signing the pledge, billionaires (or those who would be billionaires if not for their giving) promise to give more than 50 percent of their wealth to philanthropy during their lifetime or at the time of their death. There are no requirements that dollar amounts be named or restrictions on where to give, and there’s no legal obligation to give even if you have pledged to do so. SUPPORTERS The founders, Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, say it inspires long-term giving and encourages the wealthiest to think and act for the collective good. Since 2010 the Giving Pledge has attracted 204 signatories (Richard Branson, Michael Bloomberg, and Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller among them) from 23 countries, who have pledged $500 billion so far…

TWO WEDDINGS IS THE NEW… WEDDING A solution for couples who can’t decide how many people to put on the guest list. The jetset has upgraded the tradition of having a civil ceremony at home (to avoid foreign paperwork) before a destination wedding into a bona fide double celebration. The first ceremony tends to be for close friends and family. The second is a bacchanal on a grand scale, and everyone is invited. Take Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi and French film producer Dimitri Rassam, who held a civil ceremony in Monaco (where Casiraghi is 11th in line to the throne) followed by a lavish reception (the bride wore her grandmother’s Cartier necklace), and then a few weeks later hosted a religious ceremony in Provence. Last October supermodel Karlie Kloss…

How are the Town & Country offices like the set of Downton Abbey? This question was on our minds after we shot this month’s cover, and then again after we attended a secret screening of the Downton movie, which comes out this month. Well, we work in a modern office tower designed by Norman Foster in 2006, and the Crawleys live in a Jacobean Revival castle, but just about everything else about Downton is what we call #VERYTANDC. The qualities that make it so—timelessness, good taste, respect for tradition, as well as some well-timed rebellion and a little raucousness—are displayed in their full splendor in our cover story, which was photographed at the Crane Estate, built in 1928 in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Don’t beat yourself up if you thought we were…

Laura Kosann and Matt Friedman’s love story has always been rooted in New York. They both work in the city—she is the co-founder of the New Potato, a food blog turned online magazine and production company, and he works in investment management as the head of client service. They met at a Young Patrons Gala for Lincoln Center and had their first date at Jacob’s Pickles on the Upper West Side. So, when planning their April wedding (he proposed last year at her parents’ house in New Canaan, Connecticut, with a ring he designed with help from Laura’s mother, jewelry designer Monica Rich Kosann), a New York venue was a must. They chose the Metropolitan Club, a members-only institution founded by J.P. Morgan in 1891. “We’re really old souls,” Laura…

1945 Dutch forger Han van Meegeren was caught copying Vermeers—his elaborate forgery scheme involved aging new paintings in a pizza oven—after he traded one to a Nazi official. 2010 L.A. gallerist Tatiana Khan had a replica of Picasso’s The Woman in the Blue Hat made for $1,000; claiming it had belonged to Malcolm Forbes, she sold it for $2 million. She was sentenced to five years’ probation. 2011 German forger Wolfgang Beltracchi and his crime ring were found guilty of selling paintings attributed to the likes of Max Ernst and Heinrich Campendonk to buyers including Steve Martin. 2016 Scottish artist Peter Doig did not paint a desert landscape attributed to him (and once valued at $10 million), and he had to go to court to prove it when its owner…

The long-shuttered RKO Hamilton Theater at 146th Street and Broadway in Harlem is not a place you’d expect to find Hamish Bowles or Linda Fargo or Lindsey Adelman on a Saturday night. But in May they had UberBlacked their way to upper Manhattan to join a festive throng of bleedingly hip architects, buttoned-up interior designers, and resplendent club kids at what has become a must-attend bacchanal, the annual party thrown by the decadently flush lighting and luxury furniture house Apparatus. This year’s party was bigger than ever: a one-night-only event that manifested inside a graffiti-splattered movie palace built in 1913 that had been found by a TV location scout. At 11:30 the music swelled, and The Late Show’s Gospel Choir appeared at the lip of the balcony. As it steamrolled…

In the early 20th century, Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia was Cartier’s biggest client. As a token of their friendship, legend has it that in 1912 Louis Cartier designed and gave her an elegant oval timepiece that would still resonate years later. But it’s thanks to the shrewd Grand Duchess that her Cartier stash made it out of Russia at all—and went on to inspire countless future designs. As one of the last Romanovs to flee St. Petersburg during the revolution, the Grand Duchess was forced to leave her beloved jewels behind—but after escaping she persuaded a British antiques dealer in Russia, Bertie Stopford, to sneak into her palace and get her treasures out of the safe. He then ferried them out of the country wrapped in newspaper, and her…

SILVIA FURMANOVICH The Brazilian designer known for her hand-painted marquetry was one of four designers who collaborated with Canadamark on a limited series of pieces, titled 4x4, using diamonds mined in Canada. VRAM Editors swarmed the L.A. jeweler’s booth at the most recent Couture Las Vegas jewelry show. His lapis and ruby scarab ring was one reason; these gold and Canadamark diamond pieces were another. NIKOS KOULIS How far is Greece from a Canadian diamond mine? The Athens-based Koulis used diamonds from the north in his signature black enamel pieces. MARK DAVIS They call Davis the King of Bakelite, as he is a pioneer in the use of the plastic. He creates cuffs and earrings from recycled material studded with pink sapphires and tourmalines—and, in this case, Canadian diamonds.…

Dr. Macrene Alexiades is sure. She is sure that the white flowering plant Galium aparine, which is currently encircling her lush 14-acre property in Milan, New York, will make a fantastic remedy for burns. She is sure that the plants she is growing there, in a petite medicinal garden planted next to a newly painted charcoal-gray log cabin, will change the way we age. And she is sure that, though she has built her Manhattan dermatology practice on the power of lasers and injectables to slow down the aging process, she won’t have much use for them in a few years’ time. “I believe I’ve made procedures obsolete,” she says, speaking at a confident clip. “I believe I’ve replaced them with active ingredients. I’m proof. Look at me. This is…

It’s a moody, damp day in late spring, with clouds lingering overhead, as my chauffeur (okay, Lyft driver) drops me off on a gravel drive leading to a stone castle. Aside from the whinnying of a horse in the distance, the only sound comes from my feet crunching on the stones. I pause before opening the massive front door, half expecting a butler to do it for me. Inside, a maid clad in a black dress and ruffled white apron stands at the ready, while a pair of footmen flank an arched doorway. This is not Downton Abbey, the fictional home of the also fictional Crawley family, nor is it Highclere Castle, the picture-perfect British estate that for six seasons served as the backdrop to the blockbuster period drama Downton…

THE LOFT MEETING, PART ONE Sam Jacobs is 24. He is tall and skinny, with brown hair, glasses, and a nose ring. Something inside him told him to give away his money, along with the power that money bestows, so he is sitting at the long, gray dining table in a loft on one of the loveliest streets in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Manhattan, opening a Google doc. The Google doc is because he is the secretary of the group, and everyone else in the loft can follow along as he types notes. Hyatt, 32, who has curly hair tucked under a baseball cap, helps himself to a glass of water in the kitchen. Something inside him, too, told him to give away his money, along with the…

The first salvo in Abigail Disney’s crusade against the company that bears her name was fired somewhat impulsively in March, on CNBC’s Squawk Box. Disney was invited onto the program to talk about her support for a “multimillionaire’s tax” on households earning more than $5 million a year—households like hers. She was joined in lobbying against her own interests by 200 other ultra-high-net-worth individuals, including George Soros, Chris Hughes, and Liesel Pritzker Simmons. The group called itself the Patriotic Millionaires. “It’s the most obnoxious name in the world,” Disney says, “but it’s by design. Nobody ever forgets it.” Co-host Joe Kernen was duly provoked and repeatedly attempted to cast his guest as an enemy of human flourishing. “I was primarily trying to fend Joe off,” Disney says, “and then Andrew…

As a little prince with a pageboy haircut, Don Prospero Colonna di Paliano, Prince of Avella, played among the Roman statues and laurel and box hedges in the magnificent terraced gardens of his family’s 14th-century palace. He and his siblings ate pizza and pasta with their grandmother, Princess Isabelle, who was for decades a leading doyenne in Roman society, in a dining room wallpapered in sumptuous red silk. They raced under dripping Murano chandeliers and oriental marble pediments inlaid with the family’s coat of arms. But the Colonna Gallery, a grand hall adorned with 270 paintings, intricate giltwork, painted mirrors, monumental tables, and plenty of other breakable things, was absolutely off-limits. “We were not allowed to come here,” the low-profile prince, now white-haired and 63, tells T&C, clasping his hands…

JOEL STEIN Researching his latest book, In Defense of Elitism, gave Stein—a frequent contributor to numerous publications—a unique perspective on the question raised in his article, “ARE THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE ALREADY DEAD?” (page 154). His answer? “As an elitist, I’m sure I’d believe that whatever people came before me were the most interesting.” ALYSSA MASTROMONACO As anyone who has worked in the White House can tell you, having a place to escape to is vital. Which is what Mastromonaco found at the New York home of her friend Kathryn Ruemmler (both served in the Obama administration). The space, designed by Ashe Leandro and featured in “ESCAPE FROM WASHINGTON” (page 132) offers “the ability to get away from the city while you’re still in it.” ANNE CHRISTENSEN As a longtime…

1 “VISION & VIRTUOSITY” Tiffany & Co.’s first-of-itskind brand exhibit, in Shanghai, features fan favorites (like Lady Gaga’s yellow diamond) and such never-before-exhibited pieces as this 1999 diamond and emerald necklace. September 23 2 “LOUIS VUITTON X” This immersive exhibit in Beverly Hills marks the debut of the Artycapucines collection, for which six artists, including Alex Israel and Urs Fischer, reinterpreted the Capucines bag. Through September 15 3 LEE RADZIWILL Although her Upper East Side apartment has been sold—for almost $5 million—you can still nab a piece of Radziwill’s legacy at the Christie’s New York auction of her iconic collection. October 17 4 PAIN AND GLORY Pedro Almodóvar reunited with his muse, Penélope Cruz, for his latest film, which also stars Antonio Banderas. The actor won a Palme d’Or earlier…

This room is most like the kind of thing I do for myself in the Caribbean. The Jamaican-style bed, along with many other items for the main house, was made for me in India.” Thonet furniture works as the perfect counterpoint in places, particularly the tropics, where upholstery would look out of place—too bulky and impractical.” I believe humble and chic go hand in hand. This antique rustic cottage, a vestige of old island ‘real life,’ needed little—though I added caned doors to the open wardrobes.” On a shoot years ago, I asked the legendary Hearst editor Senga Mortimer who she thought was important in American design. It was at an in-between moment, the end of Parish-Hadley and before whatever was next. Her answer came without hesitation: “Tom Scheerer.” She…

Building a watch collection isn’t too different from building a well-curated wardrobe. It starts with laying a foundation of the classic shapes and signature styles. After that you look to discover those unique designs that reflect your personality, your sense of whimsy or fantasy. Lucky for you, we have reviewed the newest watch collections and uncovered this year’s most arresting shapes and designs, from a fan-shaped Art Deco–style model to an octagonal sautoir. But most of these timepieces aren’t just for show, they also appeal to serious collectors with an appreciation for the best Swiss mechanical movements—which happen to come wrapped inside some of the most beautiful designs. J.N.…

How do you want to smell? Expensive? Seductive? Mysterious? If it’s all three, you’ve probably already fallen for one of the Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle. The lush tuberose of Carnal Flower has been wafting from stylish necks since 2005; the elegant Portrait of a Lady has adorned bejeweled wrists since 2010. Now there’s something new for privileged pulse points: Rose & Cuir, Malle’s collaboration with Jean-Claude Ellena, the celebrated nose who masterminded fragrances at Hermès for more than a decade. Like every Malle must-have, it telegraphs taste and timelessness, but with an inventive twist. Rose & Cuir’s origin story begins in a verdant garden planted more than 70 years ago by Edmond Roudnitska, the perfumer behind such midcentury masterpieces as Diorella and Diorissimo, outside his Côte d’Azur studio. It…

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 24–OCTOBER 23 Emotionally charged issues will come into focus as October begins, and with gutsy Mars entering your sign on the 4th, you’ll feel empowered to take on new challenges. Libras can be assertive when they stop being people pleasers, and with Jupiter in your communication angle, you’re carving a new path. Try to act before the 31st, though. A. LANGE & SOHNE LANG 1 MOON PHASE IN WHITE GOLD ($42,500), 646-828-3150 ARIES MARCH 21–APRIL 20 The Sun traveling through your relationship angle is drawing attention to your most intimate ties. And with Pluto turning direct, power struggles may erupt, with Mars joining the fray near the 4th. Still, aspects that follow promise unexpected breakthroughs. Be receptive, and October will end on a note of harmony. HARRY WINSTON…

I don’t know whether to tell you about the first time I met Kathryn Ruemmler or the first time I walked into her house, but you need to understand who Kathy is to appreciate why her home is so special. In the Obama White House, Kathy and I were members of a small club that many people wanted to be a part of—until they found out the club met at 7:30 every morning in the chief of staff’s office. I was deputy chief of staff to the president, and Kathy was chief counsel, one of the most high-profile, high-pressure, and influential jobs in any administration. In the political turmoil of the present, we may forget the high stakes of Obama’s first term with regard to passing sweeping progressive legislation, and…

Resource Generation encourages its members to redistribute their inherited wealth to support social justice. But is there a right way to offload an inheritance? “Donating money effectively requires some actual work,” says Suzanne Shier, Wealth Planning Practice Executive at Northern Trust. Before writing a big check, she recommends that donors consider the following: 1. “Ask yourself what you care about most in terms of your own personal well-being, your dependents’, and your community’s.” Then “calculate how much money you’ll need to sustain each of those goals over your lifetime.” 2. “Are you sure you’re giving to organizations in ways that will really have the impact you envision? It’s one of the hardest things to determine.” 3. How involved do you want to be? Hand over money, or participate in how…

We are using identical napkins, I and Rick Fink, the last great butler. White cotton rectangles. He is trying to show me how to fold them into different shapes: a bishop’s hat, a rose. Fink’s hands extend from the cufflinked sleeves of his pink dress shirt, his adroit fingers folding each side into increasingly smaller triangles. He flips it over, puffs it up, and… voilà! A pyramid. It looks easy, the way he does it—quickly, with a pleased little smile. It’s not. Fink stands next to me as I try, walking me through every fold. I do exactly what he says, yet mine repeatedly, without fail, come out…not like his. This is the Butler Valet School at Ditchley Park, in Oxfordshire, England. In this room future butlers learn an art…

EDITOR’S LETTER PAGE 36 AMEDEO, AMEDEO.SHOP. CHOPARD, CHOPARD.COM. DAVID YURMAN, DAVIDYURMAN.COM. DOLCE & GABBANA, DOLCEGABBANA.COM. GIANVITO ROSSI, GIANVITOROSSI.COM. NIKOS KOULIS, BERGDORFGOODMAN.COM. RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION, RALPHLAUREN.COM. SIMONE ROCHA, SIMONE ROCHA, 646-810-4785. SCANDAL BREWING PAGE 95 WILLIAM YEOWARD CRYSTAL LALLY GOBLET ($160), PENELOPE BORDEAUX GLASS ($310), AND CAMILLA GOBLET ($240), WILLIAMYEOWARDCRYSTAL.COM. GEORG JENSEN MANHATTAN CORKSCREW ($65), GEORGJENSEN.COM. LEAVE THE GUESTS BEHIND PAGE W1–W16 CAROLINA HERRERA, CAROLINA HERRERA, 212-249-6552. CZ BY KENNETH JAY LANE, CZBYKENNETHJAYLANE.COM. DOLCE & GABBANA, 877-70-DGUSA. INES DI SANTO, CARINESBRIDAL.COM. JARDIN, BHLDN.COM. JUSTIN ALEXANDER SIGNATURE, JASIGNATURE.COM. LELA ROSE BRIDAL, LELAROSE.COM. MONVIEVE, MONVIEVE.COM. OSCAR DE LA RENTA, 888-782-6357. REBECCA DE RAVENEL, REBECCADERAVENEL.COM. CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN? PAGE 122–131 AKRIS, AKRIS.COM. ARIAT, ARIAT.COM. ASPESI, ASPESI.COM. BARBOUR, NORDSTROM.COM. BARRIE KNITWEAR, THE WEBSTER 212-226-1260. BRUNELLO CUCINELLI, 212-334-1010. CARTIER, CARTIER.COM. CHANEL, 800-550-0005. CHLOE, CHLOE.COM.…

The urge to seek out a hero’s hideaway is undoubtedly stronger if the home sits amid an olive grove above the Mediterranean. Fervent pilgrims are booking Patrick and Joan Leigh Fermor’s villa in Kardamyli, Greece, newly restored by the Benaki Museum and available June through August. Fermor designed the rambling home himself, inspired by his travels (he once traversed Europe, falling in love with a Romanian princess). It was to be a peaceful retreat following WWII—during which he had kidnapped a German officer. His books, such as Mani and Roumeli, captured his escapades, spurring biographies and movies of the man once described as a mix of “Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Graham Greene.” Visit to glimpse a ghost of inspiration, or at least to sit in the sun and live…