AS EDITORS, WE’RE GIVEN A SUPERLATIVE MEDIUM
through which to explore, interpret, and try to make
sense of the world around us—in this case, the 13-mile stretch
of land that is this island. Having such a wildly diverse
metropolis at our feet (and in our face) allows us to study
what William Blake called “minute particulars”—small
happenings (relatively speaking) that, as microcosms of the
world at large, can actually enlighten us about our place in
it. Social scandals, cultural events, and political pratfalls are
here one minute and gone the next, or so it seems. But in
these pages we can jump in and get covered in their high
gloss and juicy details—all great fodder for thought.
You could say such particulars are in abundance in this
issue. Our cover star, Christina Ricci, shows her many talents
this month in the Wachowski brothers’ much-anticipated
new film, Speed Racer. Celeb and society scribe Peter Davis
(who made it to the finals of the New York Observer’s infamous
“Socialite Slapdown” in the category of “Most Brainy”) visited the
Chanel-loving Ricci at home (“Ricci’s New Heights”), where she waxed enthusiastic
about, among other things, being able to do a cartwheel and pick up a
gun at the same time.
Also inside: We dig into an art-world controversy with Nazi overtones
in “The War of Art”; sit down with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn,
who—at the risk of becoming a media target—helped expose a phantom-organizations
scheme into which her city budget has been pumping millions since
2001 (her bid for the 2010 New York City mayoral run remains undeterred) in
“Power Players: Patience & Fortitude”; and take an eye-opening tour of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, which Vogue editor
Anna Wintour has almost single-handedly turned into the most talked-about
and exclusive glam-slam in the world, in “Hero Worship.” And, rounding out
the issue, überpublicist Peggy Siegal goes public with her laundry list of doctors
and other experts who act as her fountain of youth (all right, the fact that she
never smokes or drinks doesn’t hurt, either), and we present our very own
socialite face-off (can you believe someone beat out Tinsley?) in “Wits’ End.”
Enough fun and controversy for one issue! Enjoy the run-up to summer, and
happy Mother’s Day to my own wonderful mother, Regina.
CRISTINA GREEVEN CUOMO
Editor in Chief |
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