Features

The Plaza Lives!

A hundred years of stories from New York’s most storied (and just rescued) hotel, from libidinous Vanderbilts to the Black and White Ball, from Beatlemania to the Trump era, as told by the heirs, heiresses, movie stars, rock stars, hangers-on, chefs, and doormen who lived them. Plus: Exclusive pictures of rarely seen corners of the Plaza—and some classic spaces that might never be seen again.

No Peace for Kofi

As his stewardship of the U.N. weathers an all-out assault, Kofi Annan faces an even tougher personal drama—a wayward son whose misdeeds threaten to destroy what’s left of his father’s reputation.

Intelligencer

Intelligencer Gossip

Daniel Libeskind builds his ground-zero vision—in Sacramento, Christa Worthington murder suspect breathes sigh of relief, and more.

Say What?

In a week of memorable words—“Habemus papam,” intoned an old man in red; “One final one, and then I stop,” vowed a six-time Tour de France champion—some of the most momentous were uttered by New Yorkers.

Get Your Freakonomics On

A “rogue economist” explains why everything you know about the city is wrong.

This Is Your Life!

But you’re not going to make much money off it. A cautionary tale of reality-publishing.

Not the Marrying Time

Marital woes: a “widow year” for the Chinese bridal industry.

Spring Travel '05

The New Yorker's Guide to the Universe

A custom vacation plan for every taste.

Tuk Tuk, Indonesia

For the exotic wanderer.

Sicily, Italy

For the foodies.

Montreal, Canada

For the club kids.

Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina

For the deep soul.

The Wind River Range, Wyoming

For the outdoors type.

Doolin, Ireland

For the repeaters.

Galápagos, Ecuador

For the peripatetic family.

Istanbul, Turkey

For the shopper.

Strategist

Best Bets

A modem-and-plug adapter that works in 80 countries, plus a versatile steam cleaner and classic Egyptian-cotton towels.

Mating

The male biological clock.

Look Book

An Italian couple in love with each other’s fashion sense.

Shop News

Store openings this week, including Sales & Bargains

Ask a Shop Clerk

Salvatore Pappalardo of Salvatore Ferragamo.

Restaurant Review

A talented chef wastes his time with gimmicks at BLT Fish.

In Season

The moment has arrived for ramp risotto.

In the Pink

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s cherry-blossom festival unfurls this weekend. If the Japanese food and drinks on-site aren’t for you, try these restaurants in nearby Prospect Heights.

After Midnight

Greeks break their Lenten fast at midnight on April 30, when Easter begins at these restaurants with traditional lamb, dyed eggs, and tsoureki, the braided Easter-egg bread.

Real Estate

Rao’s opens its doors to residents—but they’ll have to do their own cooking.

The Culture Pages

Shape Shifter

The versatile rapper-actor Mos Def feels comfortable even when playing an alien.

Movie Review

Sydney Pollack plays The Interpreter too straight but gets bailed out by another excellent Sean Penn performance.

Theater Review

The Light in the Piazza doesn’t always work, but it thrills just by trying.

TV Review

Farrah Fawcett and the paradox of the celebrity reality show.

Classical Music Review

Innovative violinist/ singer/bucolic-Czech- villager Iva Bittová visits the big city.

Pop Music Review

Bruce Springsteen makes an album that’s as instrumentally spare as it is emotionally complicated.

Art Review

Max Ernst largely avoided Surrealism’s solipsistic.

Artist: Richard Prince

On building a serious career out of jokes.

Columns

The Bottom Line

The latest stock market “crisis” is an overreaction to some not-so-bad news.

Departments

Letters to the Editor