In May word was spreading that the famed Gotham Book Mart would be shutting its doors as the owner, Andreas Brown, was forced to pay overdue rent. At that time, the entire contents of the shop ("from rare first-edition John Updike novels to the worn-out oriental rug on the third floor") were sold for $400K at a court-mandated auction. The Post called it an "undignified last chapter for the institution - beloved by the likes of Edward Gorey, J.D. Salinger and Jackie Kennedy Onassis." more ›

Dina Matos McGreevey appeared on Oprah today as part of the publicity tour for her book, Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage, about her marriage to former NJ governor James McGreevey. Of course, the estranged couple have exchanged angry accusations (McGreevey said his estranged wife was using their 5-year-old daughter for publicity while she fired back about portraits of naked men in his home) to the point where a judge had to tell both McGreeveys to put aside their bitter differences for the sake of their child. more ›

So, it's been a little while since the last time we visited the Times Weddings and Celebrations by the Numbers but today there was no way we couldn't count 'em up. If you opened up the paper today you might have noticed that the familiar face of our very own Jen Chung and her new husband Jay Wilkins were the on top of the list of sixteen non-Vows weddings this week. more ›

New York based fashion designer Oleg Cassini died at age 92 last night. Best known for his work as Jackie Kennedy's "official wardrobe designer," he also dressed a number of Hollywood stars, including Gene Tierney (his second wife) and Joan Fontaine. He was also a playboy, dating Betty Grable, Lana Turner, Ursula Andress, and Grace Kelly. The AP reports that "fashion historians credit him with the sheath, the A-line, the little white collar and the military look for women," and the Times points out that Cassini took credit for introducing the Nehru jacket. Overall, Cassini was an American fashion institution, becoming the first designer to have licensed products; he was also a frequent clue in NY Times crossword puzzles ("American fashion designer Cassini"). more ›

Help me settle an argument. My friend claims there are no statues of women in Central Park. I swear I've seen a couple. Am I wrong? She could list a bunch of statues of men like Alexander Hamilton and Hans Christian Andersen, but I was having trouble coming up with even one female statue. more ›