Town & Country May 2020

LAST ONE IN IS A… In the three decades since T&C toured America’s superspas (including the Greenhouse in Dallas, shown here), the pursuit of a certain physique hasn’t gone out of style—but a lot has certainly changed. Yes, we still exercise with abandon, refrain from eating entire food groups, and even get plastic surgery. (Well, sometimes. See page 78.) These days it’s also about leading a “balanced” and “serene” life, an endeavor achieved with the help of guided meditation, healing crystals, and sound baths. No matter how much things change, though, there’s always a pool.…

I’m writing this from my “home office,” which is really my dining table piled with papers, empty bottles of water, and an evil eye mug almost out of coffee (my fourth of the day). We started this issue in the T&C office as news of a virus began to appear, but we sent it to the printer working from home as a pandemic was declared. Early on I asked the staff to send me small things they do to stay calm, rituals that for whatever reason make them feel better. My list includes an impromptu theater ticket purchase. It’s something that always makes me grateful to live in New York, and to work just a few blocks from Broadway. Those three hours (or 90 minutes with no intermission) are an…

WHAT’S #VERYTANDC HERE? The history: Hungarian dermatologist Erno Laszlo, who developed his skincare line after clearing up Princess Stephanie of Belgium’s acne in the 1920s, opened a famous members-only Institute on Fifth Avenue in New York in 1938. The Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar (called simply “the black soap” by devotees), a clarifying blend of Dead Sea minerals, glycerin, and detoxifying charcoal, became a staple of every chic toilette. The fans: Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, and Jackie Kennedy. “I owe 50 percent of my beauty to my mother and the other 50 percent to Erno Laszlo,” said Audrey Hepburn. This news: The iconic product debuts an eco-friendly upgrade this month, with recyclable parchment paper wrapping in lieu of plastic packaging. $38, ERNOLASZLO.COM…

When Jeff Bezos, the Amazon kingpin, debuted his new muscular physique at the Sun Valley Conference in 2017, he almost broke the internet. His Vin Diesel–esque guns launched countless memes about how the dweeb’s dweeb had transformed himself into a jacked-up specimen worthy of an action franchise. In interviews Bezos credits his diet (which includes roast iguana and octopus for breakfast), his unwavering commitment to working out, and eight hours of sleep. But not everyone is buying it. “Clean living—that’s the catchphrase, isn’t it?” quips Patricia Wexler, the ne plus ultra of Manhattan dermatologists. “Very few admit to doing any procedures.” “Not a chance it’s just diet and exercise,” says Roberta Del Campo, a dermatologist based in Miami, the country’s plastic surgery capital. “Behind the scenes these people are getting…

“The second we got there we fell in love,” Kate Falchi says of Cartagena, Colombia, the backdrop for her wedding to Jeff Lincoln over Presidents Day weekend this year. The couple were set on a destination wedding, but they wanted to think outside the box. (Kate, the daughter of the late handbag designer Carlos Falchi, founded luxury accessories brand Lovard with her mother; Jeff is VP of growth at athleisure brand Outdoor Voices.) “We thought, If we’re going to go somewhere, let’s go somewhere,” she says. Cartagena proved an excellent choice, with all of its romance, colorful Spanish colonial architecture, lush greenery, and South American flair, which was an important requirement for the bride, who is half Brazilian. The four days of festivities, orchestrated by event planner Vivia Costalas, began…

1 HOTEL DU CAPE-DEN-ROC The grande dame of the French Riviera reopens after an extensive renovation, just in time for the Cannes Film Festival (May 12–23) and a summer season full of one-percenter weddings. Don’t worry: Its legendary pool is better than ever. Open now 2 HAUSER & WIRTH To inaugurate its new NYC space, designed by Annabelle Selldorf, the gallery will present works by high-profile artists including Louise Bourgeois, Lorna Simpson, and Agnes Martin. May 2 3 ABT SPRING GALA To celebrate its 80th anniversary, the American Ballet Theatre is putting on a gala program including both new works (Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage) and classics (Romeo & Juliet). Misty Copeland is Juliet, naturally. May 18 4 DELILAH This Gatsbyesque supper club in L.A., founded by John Terzian…