Strategist

Best Bets

Custom-built aquariums, plus . . .

The Look Book

A “young Vivienne Westwood”

Market Research

The lowdown on furry winter hats

Body

How to experience the joys of holiday food without actually eating

Mating

The “race” to parenthood

Real Estate

Surprisingly luxurious accommodations in Washington Heights

Shop News

Store openings this week

Ask a Shop Clerk

"King" Willie Howard III of Toys 'R' Us

The Best Seller

Hot Chillys Thermal Wear, $24.95

Sales & Bargains:
This week's hottest sales & bargains

Merry Fish Fest

The traditional Italian Christmas Eve meatless meal, a.k.a. the Feast of the Seven Fishes, may just be more popular here than in Italy.

Big Night

Act now to book a seat for one of these New Year’s Eve blowouts.

Intelligencer

Intelligencer Gossip

Bernie Kerik’s brilliant career, O.J., the musical?, and more.

One Glass of Champagne, Lots of Esberitox

Pass the Esberitox: Expert advice on weathering holiday parties

Anchors Are Forever (Well, Almost Forever)

The race to be the new Dan Rather vs. the race to be the new James Bond.

Wal-Mart, NYC

It’s not even here yet, but we’re already its slaves.

“Man Under!”

Subway motormen confront subway suicides

IBM’s First System Failure

The company took itself out of the computer business right after it got into it.

Columnists

The Bottom Line

The falling dollar might be bad news for your vacation plans, but it doesn’t have to be for your portfolio

The Culture Pages

The Life Examined with Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson makes another quirky father-figure flick—but with a big-league budget this time.

Movie Review

Martin Scorsese’s Howard Hughes biopic is daringly disturbing

Action-Flick Ingenue

Parker Posey talks about getting some action

The Top Ten of 2004

Ken Tucker’s top ten movies of the year

Influences

Sean Penn on Jack, Al, and other influences.

Long Story Short

How ‘Lemony Snicket’ grew from a friendly goof to a blockbuster

Theater Review

La Cage aux Folles isn’t great, but it’s good enough on musical-starved Broadway.

Pop Music Review

The career-spanning U2 iTunes collection exposes the band’s latest album’s lack of innovation

Songwriter-Harpist

A conversation with folkie Joanna Newsom.

Classical Music Review

An A-list cast is the highlight of the Met’s excellent Rodelinda.

700 Sundays Reviewed

Oscar viewers will be relieved to know that Billy Crystal’s lucrative new solo show is better than his recent award-hosting stints

Gem of the Ocean Reviewed

August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean is a big, bustling mess.

Modern Orthodox

Jason Biggs’s contract must require him to simulate sex whenever he appears, even in a role calling for a Yankees yarmulke.

The Week

New on DVD

Departments

Letters to the Editor