It’s hard to believe its been a year since Elettra Wiedemann graced the cover of the first issue of SCENE! The magazine has changed and grown since its launch last March, with our latest issue introducing a new look. We’re so grateful for all the great feedback from our readers Read More
![The Palm Beach Golf Club [Courtesy of the Burt Morgan Archive]](http://nyovelvetroper.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/screen-shot-2013-01-14-at-5-23-09-pm.png?w=150)
Known for its combination of old world preppiness and new world money, Palm Beach has captivated Americans since the early 1900s. From Worth Avenue to the Billionaires’ Row, from Gloria Guinness to Donald Trump, Palm Beach is an island with an undeniable history, and a complicated one at that. Stunning images in Spirit exemplify the Read More
David LaChapelle built his career around photographing celebrities, but this month, he is swapping live subjects for their broken, wax counterparts.
When the National Wax Museum in Dublin was broken into in 2009, the perpetrators vandalized the celebrity figures, leaving behind piles of shattered Hollywood faces and bodies. “I saw the heads in the first wax museum in Dublin and knew instantly I wanted to photograph them as a series,” says LaChapelle, who went on to state his preference for all things fake. “I’ve always been drawn to facsimiles, for instance I like the replica of the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas more than the actual one, or celebrity look-alikes, fakeness versus authenticity.” Read More
![[Photo by Ralph Crane/Getty Images]](http://nyovelvetroper.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/screen-shot-2012-12-07-at-5-25-06-pm.png?w=141)
The often-shady world of nightlife has traditionally been run by men, from ex-bootlegger Sherman Billingsley who owned and ran The Stork Club to the little man with a big attitude, Studio 54′s Steve Rubell (who eventually ended up doing jail time for tax evasion and other big no-nos). But four women with charm and style for days (and nights) changed the face of after-hours society by creating celebrity clubhouses that were so exclusive that wannabes often couldn’t even find their locations. Sybil Burton, Régine Zylberberg, Helena Kallianiotes and Nell Campbell (yes, from The Rocky Horror Picture Show) ran their hot spots like private clubs and their A-List guests included everyone from Brooke Shields to Marlon Brando. We re-visit the glamorous days when these disco divas lit up the night. Read More
A few years ago, artist Melinda Hackett fought her neighbors in court for the right to keep the tree-house she had built in the backyard of her West Village townhouse.
Having moved from Connecticut not long ago, Hackett had envisioned the tree-house as a sort of refuge for her daughters, who were still adjusting to city life. But neighbors who had deemed the structure unsightly and “suspicious” called in the police, hoping to have it taken down. A court battle ensued and Hackett walked away victorious—not only was she given permission to keep her tree-house, but the structure was also granted landmark status. Read More
After almost three decades, Indochine is still the fashion and art world’s A-List clubhouse. The French-Vietnamese eatery’s main man, Jean-Marc Houmard, gives us insider secrets. Read More
Chanel’s Little Black Jacket is having a moment—though it’s not like this classic hasn’t been having a moment ever since Coco drew up the pattern for the look that established her as the greatest couturiere of her time.
But this June, Chanel is celebrating its iconic mascot with a travelling photo exhibit featuring images from the forthcoming book, The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited. Due out this fall, the book was born out of a collaboration between none other than Karl Lagerfeld and Vogue Paris’ former editor in chief, Carine Roitfeld who styled various celebrities and personalities wearing the little black jacket while Lagerfeld stood behind the camera capturing the reinvention of this wardrobe staple with black and white film.
It comes to no surprise that, with their powers combined, Lagerfeld and Roitfeld recruited some of the biggest names in fashion, music, film and society to model for The Little Black Jacket. Read More
Rory Dobner has been drawing since he developed the proper motor skills to pick up a pen. Since then, his quill has etched every notebook, blackboard or vintage car he’s gotten his hands on. A self-taught artist, Dobner’s black and white ink drawings are striking in their vivid intricacy.
While traveling, Dobner learned the art of mobile drawing; give this man a few drinking straws in an airport and he will whip up a small sculpture in time to board his plane. “I love the challenge of making something out of nothing—just a pile of things sitting there dead that you make alive, kind of like a magician,” says Dobner.
Today, Dobner has settled into a studio in London’s Hampstead with his wife and children, where he needs nothing more than his favorite quill to fulfill his artistic needs. “Hampstead is a bit like a forgotten land to me. It’s somewhat isolated and its cottages and old lanterns make it feel like the countryside.” The town also seems to boast an abundance of animals which have inspired Dobner’s drawings of quirky animals over the years. “There are even parrots in Hampstead Heath. People say they are descendants of Jimi Hendrix’s parrots who flew the coop after he died.” Read More
No, we’re not referring to the wildly entertaining and successful movie The Hunger Games (can you tell we are fans?), but rather the more realistic, PG-rated version of the summer: the Olympic Games! The games are taking place in London this year and the city has been gearing up for the festivities to make sure the thousands of visitors will not be disappointed. In fact, The Telegraph describes it as “the most ambitious cultural programme to take place in our lifetime.”
London has much to celebrate: not only is the London Festival launching to coincide with the Olympics, but the country is also toasting to Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee this year—marking 60 years of her reign over corgis and fascinators.
Though the Olympics aren’t set to start until July 27th, there is plenty going on in the month of June to keep visitors busy with a bevy of events organized by the London 2012 Festival. Concerts, carnivals, art shows, performances—it would take anyone hours to read through the list of happenings. Lucky for you, we’ve sorted through the events to give you a selection of events that are not to be missed this summer. Read More
Known for his audacious and complex portraits, Lucian Freud marked his generation with works of gutsy realism. This month, Acquavella Galleries pays homage to the artist with an exhibit devoted to his lesser known drawing and etchings, many of which have never been shown before.
Freud’s works continued to evolve up until his death in Read More
Affordable Housing or Lack Thereof
