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Benjamin-Emile Le Hay

By Jennifer Wright 5/17/12 4:12pm

Memories

Waldorf Astoria

For One Girl, The Waldorf Lobby Was Heaven On Earth

The happiest I ever was when I was a child was at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Now, I don’t think a hotel is supposed to be the happiest place in anyone’s childhood. Unless you are the heroine in a Kay Thompson story, in which case I wandered into the wrong hotel. I think I should be able to fudge my happiest childhood memory a bit, and say that I was happiest at F.A.O. Schwartz or in Central Park—though I don’t recall spending much time at either of those places.

But I can go back to the first time I walked into the Waldorf. I was 4, accompanying my parents, who were in New York for the Canadian Society Ball. (We lived in Chicago.) As soon as we walked into the lobby my nanny said, “Well, this is heaven.” Because I was 4, I took her literally. I was sitting on a chair by the H. Stern jewelry shop, and there was a necklace in the window that was a rainbow of gemstones. In the lobby was a flower arrangement I still remember as the largest and most perfect I have ever seen. Someone mentioned that there was never a night when there was not a party in the ballroom. Read More

By Una LaMarche 5/17/12 3:35pm

Transitional Objects

sophie FPO

Sophie the Giraffe: The World’s Most Famous Teething Toy Tells All

People often ask me what it’s like being the world’s most famous teething toy. They want to hear about the glamour of it all, about the F.A.O. Schwartz displays and the accolades and the song John Mayer may or may not have written about me. But it’s not always an easy life.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my work. I mean, sure, if I’m being honest with myself, it can get a bit tiring to be gnawed on all day by babies and Shih Tzus, or placed in a cat litter “zoo” with Muno, the phallic centaur from Yo Gabba Gabba. But trust me, the adoration of my fans makes it all worthwhile. (That, and the 10 percent cut I get on Sophie sales, which has made me a millionaire hundreds of times over. My primary residence – on Avenue Foch in Paris – contains three original Picassos that have been shrunk down to 18 centimeters using giant convection ovens so that I may enjoy them without the assistance of an Erector Set crane.)

Still, I’m getting older, and while my rubber may look taut and healthy thanks to my all-natural, phalate-free Hevea tree sap physique (as well as once-a-month juice fasts and a truly punishing Equinox trainer named Fabian), I have to be realistic about how long I can keep up with the other toys in the sandbox. I turned 50 in human years last May, rolling off the assembly line in 1961 on the same day that John F. Kennedy made his “man on the moon” speech to Congress. Incidentally, would you believe that I’m just a few weeks younger than George Clooney? Our agents tried to set us up once but he backed out at the last minute, mumbling something racist about dating outside his species. You’re not kidding anyone, Clooney – I know the real reason is that my shapely neck and legs would make you look like a toadstool at the foot of la Tour Eiffel. Read More

By Jennifer Wright 5/16/12 6:08pm

Full House

10 Photos

The Dolby-Frist gang!

Boys Who Like Boys… And Raise Girls

It is 6:30 in the evening in the Dolby-Frist household, and twins Violet and Julia are getting ready for bed. In their matching blue and green pajamas, toddling next to their matching cribs, the girls seem uncharacteristically poised for 16 months – at least until Drew Frist explains that their crayons had recently been switched for Etch-a-Sketches. (“They wouldn’t stop trying to eat the crayons.”) More positively, Tom Dolby remarks that the girls are at a stage where they seem to really enjoy putting their toys away, which perhaps accounts for the room’s neatness. [See the slideshow of their home, to the left.]

The bedroom’s whimsy and sophistication speak to the creativity of their two dads. The intricately carved wooden animal heads and collection of books are a nod to the family’s literary inclinations and taste for travel. The group only recently returned from visiting Tom’s family in Germany. Tom proudly notes how incredibly well the girls held up – even over the long European dinners.

When not busy caring for their daughters, traveling and decorating their new Gramercy Park apartment, Tom and Drew are immersed in the world of writing and technology. Tom is author of the popular Secret Society series of books, something of a cross between Gossip Girl and A Secret History targeted towards a young adult audience. He also co-edited the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys that inspired the popular Sundance show of the same name. And he’s branching into film – his screenplay is being turned into a film called Last Weekend. Tom will co-direct with Tom Williams; filming is slated to begin this summer in California. Read More

By Chris Mohney 5/15/12 11:20am

Television

catinthehat

Chris Mohney’s Reviews of My Son’s TV Shows: A Toddler’s Dad Adjusts To His New Video Diet

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE
DISNEY JUNIOR, VARIOUS TIMES
Kid Appeal: Walt’s deal with Lucifer apparently intact, as Disney characters still rock solid eyeball magnets.
Fourth Wall: Routinely violated for counting, color choices, shape identification, pointing out things the characters somehow can’t perceive despite immediate proximity.
Magic: All problems are solved using one of four random “Mouseketools” provided by floating Mickey trademark symbol known as “Toodles,” which occasionally exhibits a personality but is usually a faceless but omnipotent automaton.
Adult Appeal: Historical interest in obscure Disney character cameos; main nemesis is Pete the Bear, whose lightweight current incarnation belies his Prohibition-era origin as a malicious bootlegger. Read More

By John Donohue 5/14/12 7:30pm

Home Cooking

Roasted meatballs and vegetable salad

Family Togetherness With A Chance Of Meatballs

My wife once described cooking with kids—we have two girls, now five and seven—as harder than trying to shower with monkeys. I found that particularly funny – because in our house, I do most of the cooking.

We eat well: I’m prone to dishes like rabbit stew, linguine alle vongole, red-lentil dhal, rib eye with wasabi, mushroom risotto, and wild salmon. The one downside? Choosing between being in the kitchen or being with my girls. Make rosemary roast potatoes, or draw pictures with them? Bolognese, or a board game? Soup or a stroll in Prospect Park?

And, if I’m at the stove, there’s someone else to consider. When I’m not minding the children, my wife is. I spend far more hours typing at a midtown desk than with my rapidly growing daughters. She’s a new media entrepreneur, and thanks to her schedule, she already spends more time taking care of them than I do. Read More

By Peter Feld 5/14/12 7:18pm

Kids' Fitness

The Gaga Center - Three Pits

A Very Gaga Workout For Kids On The Upper East Side

“A lot of times, kids get into a sport where parents have expectations. Here, it’s just a game,” said Alissa Schmelkin, co-founder of the newly opened Gaga Center on the Upper East Side. “You don’t have to live up to standards.”

Gaga may be “just a game.” But played in octagonal pens – though rules can vary, the basic aim is to avoid getting hit below the knee – it offers a high-energy workout that kids seem to love, building endurance and flexibility, according to general manager Avi Gordon.

The Gaga Center – the only such venue in Manhattan – offers coed groups for kids under 7 and for 7- to 10-year-olds. The game – the ball is soft – is well suited toward the littler kids, though their games often devolve into simple passing of the ball. Read More

By Benjamin-Emile Le Hay 9:52pm

Gallery Girl

Artist Brad Fisher and Sophie

An 8-Year-Old’s Tour of New York’s Contemporary Art Scene


At age 3, Sophie Neale wrote “Baby’s First Blog” (“blob,” she called it then) for much-missed Cookie magazine. Her efforts caught the eye of Time’s James Poniewozik, who proposed she be signed to a book deal to write about growing up in public. While not yet ready to pen her memoirs, Sophie (now 8 years old) takes us on a tour of lower Manhattan art galleries as only a child can. Read More

By Benjamin-Emile Le Hay 9:20pm

Social Scene

PRINCESS12

Astor Ballroom Turns into Fairytale Kingdom of Princesses

A sea of sparkling and doe-eyed children, many dressed as princesses, flocked to the New York Junior League’s Astor Ballroom on Monday for Moey’s Princess Ball. The event marked the release of Princess Revolution! the third album from kids band Moey’s Music Party. At the daytime affair, lead singer Melissa Levis delighted revelers with song and dance from the group’s new album. In addition to musical merriment, Balloniac brought balloons and Face Art by Melissa drew paint designs on the for the young ones’ faces. A throng of other crafters and party people added more creative amusement for the many princesses. Read More

By Benjamin-Emile Le Hay 4/19/12 6:56pm

Kids at Play

4 Photos

Kelly Florio Kasouf reads to the kids!

Balloons, Face Paint and ‘The Super Adventures of Sophie and the City!’

What’s not to love when a kid gets to enjoy an afternoon filled with balloons, face painting and colorful books? Elizabeth Street, the go-to site for trendy moms in the city, recently hosted a book launch for children’s author Kelly Florio Kasouf’s debut title. “The Super Adventures of Sophie and the City: All in a Day’s Work” follows Sophie as she discovers her dad’s work in fashion publishing. Ms. Florio Kasouf based the story on her own experiences with her late father, Steven Florio, who was CEO and president of Condé Nast for over a decade. Diane Von Furstenberg and Isaac Mizrahi make star appearances, as Sophie realizes some terrific life lessons. The book is available at Amazon.com, Barney’s, Bergdorf Goodman and Fred Segal. Read More