Features

This War

What is a person of basically liberal temperament—who believes that wars are sometimes necessary; who thinks that Vietnam and Iraq were abominations, though not Kosovo; who thinks that the threat of Al Qaeda is real but that wars are costly in human and financial and moral terms—to make of Afghanistan?

Monetizing the Celebrity Meltdown

Tom Barrack, a billionaire investor who made his fortune in real estate, has discovered a market in distressed celebrities. With Neverland Ranch and Miramax under his belt, he’s now on a shopping spree—and bringing along his buddy Rob Lowe.

Intelligencer

Winged Muse

Frederic Lilien’s The Legend of Pale Male and a list of other cultural tributes about the most-watched bird.

Reading ‘The Daily’

The most interesting thing about Murdoch’s iPad newspaper is what won’t be in its opinion section.

The Dirty ABC’s

Do restaurant health grades mean anything at all?

The Neighborhood News

Our roundup of news from around the city.

DADT Repeal Gains Joementum

Lieberman unto the breach.

101 Minutes With Larry King

A machers’ breakfast at the Regency with the longtime interviewer.

Columns

TSA S&M

All this airport groping doesn’t make anyone safer. But that may not be the point.

Strategist

Best Bets

New design tomes, a temporary gentlemen's shop, and more.

The Look Book

"I’m not a musician. I follow the rhythm. I stand up on tables."

Hello, Red

It’s no longer exclusive to Corvettes, anchor women, maraschinos, and Radio Flyers.

Gift Sprint: The Iron-Shopper Showdown

Six professional curator types go head-to-head in three store-packed neighborhoods.

The Restaurant Review

Harold Dieterle brings haute technique and Western touches to the traditional Asian cuisine.

In Season

This hybrid kale comes in a shade of purple so striking even Prince would say it was a bit much.

Restaurant Openings

Week of December 6, 2010: Edi & the Wolf, Goat Town, and Compose.

Chef on the Grill: Sara Jenkins

Jenkins on her new restaurant and why ordering spaghetti with tomato sauce is nothing to be ashamed of.

But You Said … !

Four common seller misrepresentations, and how to avoid getting stuck.

Feature Article

Culture

Beyond Cute

Kirsten Dunst gives a luminous and grown-up performance in All Good Things. See what a flop and rehab can do?

The Art Review

MoMA’s “On Line” celebrates, but doesn’t liberate, its subject.

The Movie Review

Black Swan and The Nutcracker in 3D left visions of darkness dancing in my head.

Sunset Song

Spalding Gray’s son writes a musical coda to his father’s life.

The Book Review

The surprisingly parallel lives of George Washington and Jay-Z.

Legend of a Photo

How an iconic portrait began with a photographer’s T-shirt.

Departments

Comments: Week of December 6, 2010

Readers sound off on Chris Christie, Kanye West, and more.

The Approval Matrix: Week of December 6, 2010

Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies.