New York Is Magazine Town
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

New York, New York is a magazine town. And more so than ever this weekend. That’s because two magazines are hosting big public events to which New Yorkers are invited.
Real Simple, today’s hottest new magazine for women, will hold what they’ve billed as “the largest tag sale ever” in Central Park. This Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m to 6 p.m., rain or shine, shoppers can cruise booths filled with items from $1 up at Rumsey Playfield at East 73 Street. (Entrance at 67th and Fifth.) The thousands of pieces of clothing, house wares, and knicknacks were donated by both individuals and companies.
Need a pair of pants to add to your fall wardrobe? Organizers claim there are more than 6,000 pairs of khakis for men, women, and children available. Also, on sale, in case you always wanted one, 4,500 Tootsie Roll coin banks. You can guess who donated them.
There are also $100,000 worth of toys, including 750 stuffed animals, 6,000 pairs of new flip flops, 50,000 makeup items, and 100,000 new and used books, and lots – and we do mean lots – more.
There will also be a “special deluxe” items section, which might have the greatest appeal, featuring Fendi bags, Manolo Blahnik stilettos, Vera Wang gowns, and other designer items. Some were contributed by celebrities including the ubiquitous Sarah Jessica Parker and Carolyn Kennedy Schlossberg, who are the co-chairs of the event, which will benefit New York public schools.
Real Simple’s usual goal is to tell readers how to simplify their lives and get organized. Yes, I know, the sale can only encourage you to add to your clutter. But, hey, it’s for a good cause. And even if you miss out on a pair of Blahniks Carrie might have trod in, who doesn’t need a Tootsie Roll bank for their extra change.
Meanwhile an avenue over, Fairchild’s bridal group, which includes Bride’s and Modern Bride, is hosting the second annual Wedding March on Madison. Considerably pricier than Real Simple’s come one, come all tag sale, tickets are $135 for this deluxe bridal expo, which includes a fashion show, private shop ping, makeovers, and seminars.
All potential Bridezillas will certainly want to attend “Secret Tips on Avoiding Wedding Meltdown,” conducted by Michelle and Henry Roth at the Whitney Museum Conference Room. Other wedding stars taking part include Sylvia Weinstock, the wedding cake queen, and Lord Wedgwood, who will, naturally, give advice about table settings. Who even knew there was really still a Lord Wedgwood?
Wedding March planners say 500 brides and mothers-of-the-bride from 27 states and three foreign countries have already signed up to attend. There is still room for some New York brides-to-be. For tickets call 1-877-WED-2004.
And it’s not only brides who are getting makeovers these days. New York magazine, this week, as part of a month-long renovation and redesign, unveiled a new 22-page section called Strategist filled with off-beat advice and how-to tips that, at least, some New Yorkers might want to know. For example, the Strategist includes a recipe for Concord Grape Ketchup, just in case you want to whip up a batch, reassures you that A.P.C. jeans are not uncomfortable, and advises you where to sell that Childe Hassam you just might have hanging around. Starting later this month, the section will be edited by Janet Ozzard, formerly ofStyle.com and Women’s Wear Daily. As longtime W gossip queen Suzy says, “Who else would tell you these things?” Besides, it dubs the mid-West Side where Barney’s Co-op has just landed “cool.” Now that’s where I live. Question for the Strategist: Will this increase real estate values?
And it’s not only the magazine; the staff of New York is changing. Elizabeth Spiers, a contributing writer, who was formerly the much-lauded founding editor-in-chief of the media gossip Web site Gawker.com has been hired as editor-in-chief ofMediabisto.com. She will take over on November 1. Ms Spiers said about her new job, “I’m very excited about the opportunity to build the site into something that’s truly useful, entertaining, and, ultimately, indispensable.” She will also write a media and pop culture column on the site, starting next year.
Hottest Magazine News of the Week: Family Circle announced the winner of their First Lady Cook-off. It’s first lady Laura Bush, whose Chocolate Chunks overtook Teresa Heinz Kerry’s Pumpkin Spice cookie with 67% of the vote. When the “polls” closed almost 17,000 Family Circle readers had voted. The magazine says the ballot count was supervised and audited by the accounting firm BDO Seidman. This is serious stuff.
That’s because the results of the First Lady Cook-off has predicted the last three presidents. In the past, Senator Clinton’s oatmeal-chocolate chips outpolled Barbara Bush’s more ordinary chips, and Ms. Clinton won again with chips in 1996, crushing, one might say, Elizabeth Dole’s pecan roll cookies. Laura Bush’s cowboy cookies also bested Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps
This year the cook-off was almost as contentious as the campaign. That’s because Ms. Heinz Kerry, dare we say it, flip-flopped on her recipe, claiming that it wasn’t really hers. She told NPR’s Susan Stamberg, “I never make pumpkin cookies. I don’t like pumpkin spice cookies.”
Family Circle editor Susan Ungaro said, “The recipe was given to us by one of Mrs. Kerry’s staffers.” But in this tight, tight race, how significant is Mrs. Bush’s clear victory?
“Our results may turn out to be the most reliable indicator of how the country will vote,” said Ms. Ungaro, “On the other hand they may only prove that regardless of party affiliation, spice might be nice but chocolate chips are always better.”