Ratdominium
The New York State appellate court decision yesterday to allow the controversial renovation of Washington Square Park to go forward will likely have an unintended side-effect that will make the recent Kentucky Fried Rat infestation just around the corner look like, well, a day in the park. Ever since 9-11, when rats surged away from […]
The Anti-Donors
My second column for Contribute magazine is about what I call My Way Philanthropy. It is hands-on, do-it-yourself, do it now, and if someone can make a little money doing it, too, all the better. And for the moment, at least, this new beast is unpredictable, hard to control, big and getting bigger, and pretty […]
Vive La France
Don’t try and wipe that spot off Metropolitan Museum of Art director Philippe de Montebello‘s lapel. It’s the Legion of Honor, which France has previously awarded to American cultural icons such as Marvin Traub of Bloomingdales, Oscar de la Renta and Pauline Trigere of Seventh Avenue and Colin Powell of the State Department (and Weapons […]
White Knight
A source working with Italy’s carabinieri says I got it wrong in my post last week about antiquities collector Shelby White‘s negotiations with the governments of Italy and Greece, two countries that claim her collection includes objects looted from their soil. “Shelby initiated the negotiations and that they are progressing,” says this source. “The opening […]