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Plus red décor and inspired cocktails set the scene for Cherry's new late-night supper club and DJ-fueled cabaret, which takes root every Thursday through Saturday, starting at 11 p.m.

 

 

Plus red décor and inspired cocktails set the scene for Cherry's new late-night supper club and DJ-fueled cabaret, which takes root every Thursday through Saturday, starting at 11 p.m.

 

 

Plus red décor and inspired cocktails set the scene for Cherry's new late-night supper club and DJ-fueled cabaret, which takes root every Thursday through Saturday, starting at 11 p.m.

 

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New restaurant Cherry has launched a late-night supper club and music program inspired by 1920s Parisian cabaret every Thursday through Saturday night. "A new modern cabaret, I call it," says Tommy Saleh, who curates the talent roster in collaboration with the restaurant’s owner, Jonathan Morr (of APT and BONDST).

Also the creative director of downtown club Le Baron, Saleh looks to the golden age of Paris and New York for inspiration. (A time, he feels, when people were surrounded by amazing music.) The lineup has already featured some of downtown's finest DJs, such as Andrew and Andrew, who, says Saleh, are “a great powerhouse in the art community.” The duo's weekly Friday night event is called Diner’s Club. Other names on the revolving DJ cast include JPatt of The Knocks, Lindsey Caldwell, and Paris-born Olivier Stark, who has a penchant for rare 45-inch records (yes, on vinyl) and great tunes from the 1960s and ’70s. The Rapture will also be on the decks sometime soon.

The music starts at 11 p.m., at which point chef Andy Choi (formerly of Bouley and Má Pêche) will begin serving a special late-night izakaya menu, with many small plates great for sharing. There's even a sake sommelier. Dream Downtown, 355 W 16th St., 212-929-5800

Oliver Peoples will help New Yorkers find the perfect pair of sunglasses this afternoon at Bergdorf Goodman

Oliver Peoples Event at Bergdorf Goodman
Thursday, April 18, 3–6 p.m.
Oliver Peoples founder and creative director Larry Leight is at your service tonight at Bergdorf Goodman. The sunglasses aficionado will help you find the perfect pair for your face shape and personal style at the debut of Oliver Peoples’ new summer 2013 collection. Expect plenty of cat-eye and wayfarer options, as well as a special gift with purchase. Appointments are recommended. Main Floor, 754 Fifth Ave., 212-872-2544

An Evening with the Wines of Salcheto at Il Ristorante
April 18, reception at 7:30 p.m., dinner at 8 p.m.
II Ristorante's inaugural winemaker dinner takes place this evening, with the exciting collaboration of Salcheto winery's Michele Manelli. Considered to be one of the finest wine producers of Italy’s Montepulciano region, Salcheto wines are produced using traditional Sangiovese methods, which, by the way, are also sustainable. Chef Cesare Casella of Il Ristorante has created an unforgettable tasting menu, featuring a surprise lamb dish prepared by the winemaker himself. 903 Madison Ave., 212-517-7700

Tribute to Elvis Costello at Joe's Pub
April 18 at 7 p.m., April 19 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., April 20 at 6:30 and 9 p.m
Pop music tribute show The Loser's Lounge brings its irreverent alchemy of songs, antics, special guests, and showmanship to Joe's Pub this weekend for a three-night stand. Since 1993, session keyboardist Joe McGinty (who has worked with the Psychedelic Furs and the Ramones) and his talented motley crew have been packing houses with enthusiastic fans. The bespectacled subject of this performance’s tribute? Elvis Costello. 425 Lafayette St., 212-967-7555

Stylist Sophia Banks-Coloma

Stylist turned costume designer Sophia Banks-Coloma has dressed celebrities like Kristin Chenoweth, Amber Heard, and Shay Mitchell. Her latest coup? Costume designer of upcoming indie film Syrup, starring Heard and Twilight star Kellan Lutz. Based on Max Barry's novel of the same name, the “sexy thriller” explores the concept of image versus morality, and features $2.5 million in wardrobe, with ensembles and accessories from the likes of Dior, Givenchy, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Celine, to name a few. We chatted with the Australian-born fashion expert about the film, spring trends, and sex appeal.

What drew you to this project?
SOPHIA BANKS-COLOMA: We started filming in July and I met with the director in February and pitched what I wanted to do. I loved the script when I read it, because I really only do fashion projects. I'm not necessarily going to do Gladiator or something—it's not my skill set. 

Tell us about the film and the characters’ obsession with fashion.
SBC: This movie is sort of about the world of marketing and creating an image. On the surface, [Amber Heard’s character] is a young executive who's making a fair bit of money . . . She lives in a small apartment because she wants to spend all her money on clothes, so I knew it was a woman who cared about her image.  

In many ways, Syrup is a fashion film. Do you think audiences will want to wear what the characters are wearing?
SBC: I hope so! I had the time of my life. I was in heaven every second. It was really hard work, I mean, sometimes we were up till 3 a.m., and then call time at 6 a.m., but I enjoyed every second of it. Working with the cast was amazing.

And the multimillion-dollar wardrobe must have been amazing, too.
SBC: A week before we started shooting, we were waiting and three boxes of Dior arrived, then two boxes of Chloe, and then five boxes of Dolce & Gabbana, and Michael Kors. It just went on and on and on. If you’re into fashion, it was heaven. I didn't have to shop for a few months because I was totally satisfied.

Scenes from Syrup:  

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What’s the fashion take-away, as far as outfit inspiration, in Syrup?
SBC: I learned that women can dress for a work environment and also look fashionable. And it is possible to do that day–to-night look without looking too sexy.  

Can you give us an example of this sort of “appropriately sexy” day-to-night style?
SBC: For work things, keep [clothes] serious and tailored but still fitting your body, because we're women and we're in the workplace and we're allowed to own that. I love accessorizing and throwing color and fun things in with the accessories.

So in your expert stylist opinion, what's a key fashion trend for spring?
SBC: Black and white. It's really easy to pull together from your own wardrobe. Grab a black pair of jeans, a black T-shirt, buy a white blazer from Zara, and a white sandal or a black shoe, and you're done. That's such a great, easy trend. It's really slimming and it's very chic. By itself, the blazer trend is really in. Throwing a colored blazer on is a really great thing to do. And all-white is fun, and it looks really chic: white jeans, a basic white T-shirt, then you can throw on a colored shoe.

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Inspired by the explorer’s spirit, Assouline presents a brand new volume of The Luxury Collection Hotel Stories ($45), a beautiful travel book featuring historical anecdotes and intimate travel stories about the unique hotels in the Luxury Collection's international portfolio—including The Chatwal in New York.

Written by Paris-based travel author Francisca Matteoli, this beautiful, 160-page hardcover volume features contributions by some of our favorite New Yorkers, like Susan Sarandon and daughter Eva Amurri, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, and actor Stanley Tucci, who shares a tale about The Gritti Palace in Venice, Italy. Other illustrious contributors include model Coco Rocha, musician Placido Domingo, and actress Emily Mortimer, to name a few.

Geoffrey Zakarian, chef of The Lambs Club at The Chatwal, shares details of his most memorable travel experience: chartering a boat to visit the Aeolian Islands in Italy. Of The Chatwal, and the landmark building's recent restoration by renowned architect Thierry Despont, Zakarian says, “When I enter The Chatwal, I feel as though I am in a small London hotel. Thierry Despont achieved the perfect balance here between old and new—what a true luxury to have a restaurant and bar designed by this architectural master.” Indeed, the circa 1905 Theater District Art Deco gem of a restaurant, which served as a hangout for the likes Charlie Chaplin, John Barrymore, and Fred Astaire, deserves no less than a master's touch.

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg poses with a pup at the ASPCA Bergh Ball at The Plaza Hotel.

 

Brooke Shields leads a toast to India Hicks' new HSN collection during an elegant lunch at The Lambs Club.

 

“For $60 bucks, you can get a really gorgeous, beautifully designed dress," said Maggie Gyllenhaal at the launch of Kate Young for Target.

 

Jason Bateman and director Henry-Alex Rubin promote their new film, Disconnect.

 

Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky attend Oceana's Inaugural Ball. Pataky told Dispatches that she is “adamant” about curtailing shark fishing in her native Spain.

 

Sienna Miller catches up with Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal at the premiere of 1%ers at new Tribeca restaurant Los Americanos.

 

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Blame a personal disconnect, but Dispatches neglected to report on a chic lunch earlier this month in the Stanford White Room of The Lambs Club for India Hicks’ new HSN collection. Brooke Shields, who ran over after hosting The View, showed up wearing jewelry from the island-inspired line. The gorgeous BFFs, Shields and Hicks, by the way, originally bonded on vacation in The Bahamas, where Hicks has a house with partner David Flint Woods. Equally as delightful as the afternoon’s company was the delish menu—think pea soup with Castelvetrano olives, slow cooked salmon with heirloom beans, and passion fruit semifreddo with coconut sorbet

Disconnect Premieres, Stars Rally for Ocean Preservation
Meanwhile, last Monday, Dispatches was aptly invited to a film called Disconnect, which is about interconnected stories that capture our disconnect as a society thanks to the Internet. “I think technology is pretty amazing," said Jason Bateman, who, in the film, plays the father of a boy who is cyber bullied. “But like anything great, you have to be responsible about how much you use it.”

Director Henry-Alex Rubin, who directed Murderball, said that he hired designer Marc Jacobs, an old friend, to play the leader of a house for teen cyber porn after another actor dropped out at the last minute. But Rubin doesn't think Jacobs will continue acting. The late-night shoots (ending as late as 5 a.m.) and playing rough was against Jacobs’ nature, according to Rubin.

Later that night, Dispatches connected with the stars at Oceana's Inaugural Ball at Christie's. I arrived during the live auction, where lunch with Bill Clinton and Susan and David Rockefeller went for $120,000. “The oceans are a food source for billions of people,” offered fetching Oceana ambassador Kate Walsh. Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor), by the way, has a seriously tan and buff chest. I know because he had purposefully disconnected several buttons on the front of his shirt. Elsa Pataky, his wife, told Dispatches that she is “adamant” about curtailing shark fishing in her native Spain.

Also Monday, Dispatches spotted recently canned Celebrity Apprentice Dennis Rodman drowning his sorrows at Neely's Barbecue on the Upper East Side. His drinks of choice? Grey Goose and J. Lohr wine. We'd fire him for mixing the two. 

Kate Young for Target Debuts, Emmy Rossum Hits the Dance Floor
And on Tuesday, Dispatches experienced a disconnect with Michelle Williams at the launch of Kate Young for Target—no face time. But I did connect with Maggie Gyllenhaal, who wore an inexpensive dress by Young to the event. “I've just started working with Kate as a stylist,” said Gyllenhaal. “Her style is really down to earth and smart and sexy and that comes through in the clothes she chooses and, I think, in the clothes she designs.” On the Target line, Gyllenhaal remarked, “For $60 bucks, you can get a really gorgeous, beautifully designed dress.”

That same night, I also popped by National Geographic's world premiere for The ’80s: The Decade That Made Us at The Culture Club. Photographer Patrick McMullan, who got his start in the ’80s, introduced me to Debbie Gibson in the VIP section. Then I headed over to the New Yorkers For Children Spring Dinner Dance at the Mandarin Oriental. There, supermodel Lindsay Wixson wore Gabriela Cadena, but most socials had on Valentino, as the fashion company was sponsoring. Tall cherry blossoms decorated the long, thin tables that filled much of the glass-fronted ballroom. I spotted Frederic Fekkai checking out the silent auction, and Emmy Rossum was dancing with a gal pal, giving the event the casual feel of a black-tie college dance.

Sienna Miller and Maggie Gyllenhall Hang Out, Mayor Poses with ASPCA Pups 
On Wednesday, Dispatches attended an intimate dinner at Los Americanos, a new Mexican restaurant in Tribeca owned by Billy Gilroy. The occasion also marked the premiere of Michelle Rodriguez’s violent new short, 1%ers, directed by NYU grad student Francesca de Sola. Several members of a motorcycle gang featured in the film attended and even sang their horrifying song about using glass in fights.

When I arrived, Sienna Miller was sitting alone in a booth. She had on a sweater by her sister, Savannah. “[It’s] very affordable,” she said of her sister's eponymous line. Then Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal walked in. And I spotted Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus hanging out with the biker gang. Cool event. 

At the 16th Annual ASPCA Bergh Ball, on Thursday, society connected with cute pooches at The Plaza Hotel. “I cook for my dogs,” Georgina Bloomberg mentioned to Dispatches, adding that her pigs in New Jersey “get tons of treats and kisses.” Meanwhile, her father, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hugged a puppy for a photo op. 

Edi & the Wolf 

This Earth Day, escape to the Austrian countryside via the East Village, as cozy Austrian tavern Edi & The Wolf hosts a sustainable Earth Day menu with pairings from four biodynamic wine producers from the Austrian homeland: Nikolaihof, Sepp Moser, Wimmer-Czerny, and Weingut-Heger. A portion of the soirée's proceeds will go to the Earth Day Network.

The outdoorsy Viennese upbringing of chefs and owners Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban (aka "Edi" and "the Wolf") inspired the restaurant’s Earth Day festivities. “Growing up in a quiet market town near my grandfather's vineyard in Austria, I spent much of my childhood outdoors in nature. It was here that I learned about seasonality and making the most of the season's ingredients, an ethos which Edi and I carry through both of our restaurants and our recently opened cocktail bar. The same connection to the land holds true for wine producers in Austria, which is why we're inviting in some of our favorite biodynamic producers to celebrate the season and Mother Earth with the community,” says Ban, who, along with Fraudner, also owns the Michelin-starred Seasonal Restaurant & Weinbar and hot new cocktail bar The Third Man.

In fact, the wine producers will be in the house to personally pour wine pairings, which should add a nice personal touch to the experience. Available on the evening of Monday, April 22, the Earth Day prix fixe menu comprises four courses ($45; $75 with pairing), which reflect the tavern's rustic Austrian fare. The meal begins with spring garlic soup with pumpernickel croutons, followed by white asparagus with speck hollandaise sauce. Guests have the option of tile fish with fiddle head ferns and ramps two ways or braised short rib with hedgehog mushrooms and rapini for the third course, and dessert is a Meyer lemon parfait with salted pistachios. 102 Avenue C, 212-598-1040

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Family photograph album depicting president Theodore Roosevelt and his children, likely compiled by the First Lady, circa 1890-1910. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.

 

Theodore Roosevelt, In Memory of My Darling Wife Alice Hathaway Roosevelt and of My Beloved Mother Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, New York, 1884. Estimate $25,000 to $35,000.

 

Family photograph album of candid shots of the president's grandson Theodore Roosevelt III, 1914-23. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.

 

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“Dear little Miss Betty: That's a dear little note of yours.  I am very sorry about your gallant cousin Dick, and I hope all your other kinsfolk who are at the front, fighting bravely, will come home to you safely. Your friend, Theodore Roosevelt.”

This special 1918 autograph letter signed by Theodore Roosevelt is one of 105 lots up for auction tomorrow, April 16 at 1:30 p.m., at Swann Auction Galleries’ Printed & Manuscript Americana Sale, of which 26th President Theodore Roosevelt is the star. Also featuring manuscripts, artifacts, and books (like a 1916 first edition of Washburn’s Theodore Roosevelt: The Logic of His Career, inscribed by Roosevelt to his cousin) the auction includes some very special personal items, like a family photo album of Roosevelt and his children between 1890 and 1910.

All the Roosevelt material up for auction comes from the collection of Peter Scanlan, an Albany-based collector who, explains Swann's Americana specialist, Rick Stattler, passed away last year at the age of 70. “He dedicated his entire life to collecting Teddy Roosevelt,” Stattler says. “It's basically the entire contents of Mr. Scanlan's three-room apartment. For people who collect Roosevelt, this is a big event.”

One particularly interesting item that's expected to fetch between $25,000 and $35,000 is a booklet entitled, In Memory of My Darling Wife Alice Hathaway Roosevelt and of My Beloved Mother Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, New York, 1884. “It's a book that Roosevelt wrote when his first wife died during childbirth, and his mother died on the same day,” says Stattler. “He was heartbroken by this, of course, and wrote this pamphlet in memory of his wife and mother, and he basically saw that as closing the chapter on his first wife and never really mentioned her much again. Even in his autobiography, he didn't mention that he'd been married before.”

This rare fusion of shared American history with intimate, personal narrative is sure to delight history buffs, Roosevelt fans, and collectors of Americana. And while part of his appeal is obvious, Roosevelt's allure goes beyond the traditional. “There are a lot of different points of access to Teddy Roosevelt,” Stattler points out. “There was a narrative about him being a sickly boy who willed himself into this physically imposing ‘gym rat’ kind of guy over the course of his life—when he decided he just wasn't going to be frail anymore and hit the gym and became this pretty intimidating figure. There's the angle of him being from this aristocratic family and then going west to operate a ranch in the Dakotas, which is pretty neat. His extended family was interesting in that his [fifth] cousin became president later and they were not really political allies either. And just his persona, he was this extremely decisive and active masculine guy, and I think a lot of people respond to that." 104 E. 25th St., 212-254-4710 

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Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

 

Cosmic Collection by Charlotte Olympia. 

 

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Next time someone asks, "What's your sign?" just flash them your lovely new suede Cosmic Collection Birthday Shoes ($695) by Charlotte Olympia. Made in Italy, each suede flat features a hand-painted enamel Zodiac symbol with Swarovski crystal accents. The collection's color palette is also astrologically inspired, taking cues from the four natural elements that make up the Western horoscope: fire, air, water, and earth. Of course, the shoes are also fashion-forward. These trendy suede flats look like slippers and are easy and comfortable to wear.

The Cosmic Collection also features a series of clutch boxes, the Zodiac Pandora ($1,025). Each clutch is bejeweled with a similar hand-painted Zodiac symbol, also adorned with crystals. Finally, each piece in the Cosmic Collection is accompanied by a Charlotte Olympia horoscope book, as well as a Polaroid picture you can stick to the outside of the shoebox to make sure you can always find your Birthday Shoes. 22 E. 65th St., 212-744-1842

Bette Midler is back on Broadway in I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers 

Bette is back! As Bette Midler returns to Broadway in her new one-woman show about Hollywood agent Sue Mengers, aptly titled I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers, New York Times writer Patrick Healy interviews the one and only entertainer.  [The New York Times]

TV is all about Mad Men these days, and what better way to decipher our favorite characters than through the insight of a psychiatrist? Vulture’s Gwynne Watkins talks to Dr. Paul Puri, who analyzes Don Draper and his latest life developments. [Vulture]

In The New Yorker's The Sporting Scene blog, Nilkanth Patel discusses how the New York Knicks and their recent winning streak represent hope. [The New Yorker]

The Aesthete's Rebecca Carroll presents a rare interview with Salman Rushdie, whose famed book Midnight's Children is now a movie, directed by his friend Deepa Mehta. [The Aesthete]

New astroid in the neighborhood? Well, maybe. National Geographic's Marc Kaufman explains NASA's plan to identify and reel in an astroid that's been "flying around" deep space. Interesting. [National Geographic] 

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Bagatelle's new offerings elevate its brunch fare, but patrons can still expect its famous brunch party.

 

The pristine white atmosphere may seem like your typical bistro at first...

 

...but on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, Bagatelle hosts a full-on fête.

 

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If you like your brunch with a side of beats from a renowned DJ, then you probably already know Bagatelle. But with the Meatpacking staple’s recently revamped French-inspired brunch offerings, you’ve got another excuse to take part in one of New York’s most exciting brunch parties. Start your meal off with the popular Bagatelle pastry basket, or something lighter like the new tartare de Bagatelle—ahi tuna tartare, avocado salad, lime soy vinaigrette, and taro chips. Share plates of charcuterie, cheese, and crudités are also good first-course options.

New brunch dishes comprise creative French twists on lunch and breakfast favorites. If you’re craving a morning-centric meal, try the Nutella French toast served on homemade brioche with fresh raspberries, or the lobster omelet. Lunch-leaning dishes include a beef shortrib, tomato, and smoked mozzarella grilled sandwich, while those after a more substantial main will want to order the homemade gnocchi with black truffle pesto filling and pesto sauce. Appropriately upscale drink options, like bottles of Dom Perignon, a predominantly French wine list, or a signature twist on a mojito, wash it all down.

Despite its revised menu, Bagatelle’s touchstone—its Parisian bistro atmosphere—stays the same as when owners Aymeric Clemente and Remi Laba launched in early 2008. Expect an expansive marble bar, crisp white tablecloths, multiple hanging chandeliers, sumptuous upholstered banquettes, and clean white walls flecked with colorful contemporary art. Although it sounds like the last place for a full-scale soiree, that’s part of the charm here.

A DJ spins all throughout Saturday and Sunday brunch service (which runs from 11:30 am-4:30 pm with dinner service immediately following), but around 3:30 pm the curtains are drawn, the lights are dimmed, and the music turns up a notch. Add smoke, whistles, flashing lights, and a fully packed house at both the tables and the bar, and this is when the well-dressed partygoers sipping from bottles via neon straws really get into full swing. The early afternoon fête is the perfect prelude to a Saturday night out or a full-on Sunday funday—just be prepared for the shock of stepping outside and discovering it’s still daytime. 1 Little W. 12th St., Meatpacking District, 212-488-2110