Intelligencer

Zucker Calls, Fey Says ‘You Betcha’

Thanks for Shelly Silver, who kept the laughter viable.

Amid Downturn, an Uptick in Doing Good

New York Volunteerin’ City.

Boxing Helena

Don’t worry about the face.

‘Gossip Girl’ Scribe Dishes on Rose

Implausibly icky.

Obama on the Beach

Vote for him, buy art of him.

High Season, Lower Prices

C’est dommage, St. Barts.

It Happened Last Week

New York politics looked relatively subdued and dignified last week.

Small Miracles on 34th Street

Even in the crowd at Macy’s, people are thinking of more than just bargains.

In the Middle

Malcolm Smith negotiates with himself.

Yankees Capitalism

Pro sports are not immune to the economic collapse.

Recession Index

A numeric summary of our troubled times.

Old School

Bob Kerrey doesn’t understand why many of his ­New School faculty want him out.

Columns

The Chicago Rules

Obama’s Illinois past is not gone. It’s not even past.

The Cinderella Kennedy

Suddenly, it seems possible that David Paterson will pass the torch to a new generation of Kennedys.

Strategist

Frozen Assets

Our favorite gear for the season.

Bargain of the Week

Rev. Epsom Bath Salts: $9.95.

Ask a Shop Clerk

David Del Vecchio of Idlewild Books, 12 W. 19th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-414-8888.

The Look Book

"I was in Moscow last June, and one of my agendas was to buy a Russian hat."

The Underground Gourmet

In the West Village, a better breed of bar food.

Restaurant Openings

Week of December 22, 2008: La Barra, Choice Greene, Ortine, and Barbarini Mercato.

In Season

If you’ve never tried tripe, New Year’s Day presents the perfect opportunity.

Your Building’s Been Expelled

What if you bought in your chosen school district—and then the district moves?

Culture

’Tis the Season…

…to be cramming for the Oscars, as the studios release their most potent hopefuls.

Jim Carrey’s Deal of the Century (Or Not)

Can Carrey’s bet pay off?

The Curious Case of Julia Ormond

The actress returns, ten years after her brief fling as film’s Next Big Thing.

Still Your Woman

Sandra Bernhard rings out 2008 with a few choice words.

The Matchmaker

Vik Muniz on guest-curating his MoMA show.

The Book Review

The early journals of Susan Sontag reveal a pretentious, insecure, surprisingly lovable narcissist.

Mr. Shrek: David Lindsay-Abaire

He's done book and lyrics for the latest kiddie movie turned musical, Shrek.

The Classical Music Review

Alisa Weilerstein, at 26, is too big a talent to be pigeonholed.

The Approval Matrix: Week of December 22, 2008

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

Agenda

Fantastic Voyage

Roald Dahl’s Mr. Fox turns operatic.

Olive Gardener

Each fall at I Sodi, the gardener gathers the green olives and has them pressed at the local frantoio.

Departments

Comments: Week of December 22, 2008

Readers sound off on James Chanos, women and alcohol, and more.

Artifact: Just Another Publicity Stunt

Findings from the streets, files, and hard drives of New York.