CITY Issue 51

OUR FRIENDS SCOTT MITCHEM’s friends don’t doubt Rio de Janeiro is a beautiful place, but, he says, “no one believes me when I tell them Rio’s security situation isn’t as bad as the headlines make it seem.” This issue, the New York resident heads to the “Marvelous City” to get a taste of the Philipe Starck– designed Fasano Hotel and rub shoulders with the crème of the Carioca jet-set (page 68). The design, architecture, and travel writer also contributes to Wallpaper* and Condé Nast Traveler UK. Mitchem is currently saving up for another Brazilian holiday—his wedding in Florianopolis. New York-born and -bred freelance writer BRIAN DeLEEUW hit the slopes to bring you this month’s “Fresh Tracks,” a 12-page guide to this year’s ski season. DeLeeuw, who just earned his MFA in fiction from The New School, frequently contributes to CITY, and recently added Tin House and New York Press to his roster while he works on his first novel. He’s currently saving up for a skiing trip to Las Lenas, Argentina. “I had to bail in ‘06 because of a freak accident the week before I was scheduled to go, and again in ‘07 because of work, but in ‘08 I am making this happen.” Asked about his inspiration for “Dune Raiders” (page 108), regular CITY contributor KENJI TOMA said that he’d been looking to take the story to a “happy place.” Whether or not creepy crawlies are your idea of fun, Toma again proves himself as one of the premier photographers in town. The Tokyo native and New York resident was a finalist in the Best Photo Portfolio category at the 2007 National Magazine Awards for his story, “Penitentiary,” which appeared in issue 39 of CITY. Toma also shoots for InStyle, Esquire, Elle, and Surface. Freelance writer ANNA McDONALD takes Paris’s communal biking program, Vélib, for a spin in this issue’s City Life column. The New Yorker thought Colette—where she found a strange Michel Gondry sculpture of a collapsed bike in the gallery—would be the perfect spot to start her suggested itinerary. One lesson the Georgia native learned the hard way on her travel adventure was “reporters’ notebooks, if way too small, can fly out of metal bike baskets.” McDonald contributes to the New York Post, Food & Wine, Atlanta, and Readymade. Writer DAVID KAUFMAN finally found his way to Moscow in July after weeks of begging, pleading, and nearly bribing his way through the visa process. For Kaufman—who regularly writes about travel, pop culture, business, and design for The New York Times, Wallpaper*, Details, Monocle, and Condé Nast Traveler—the ordeal was worth it. “Moscow was full or surprises from the moment I touched down,” he says. “Just looking at all of the new Russian low-cost airlines made me quickly realize this is a nation clearly in a hurry.” Between the full-sized parachute, dozens of weather balloons, and a rambunctious puppy on set, photographic duo ROMANLEO had their hands full working on “Just Go” (page 116), their first contribution to CITY. “It was thrilling coming into this shoot and working with a completely new team,” they said. Dividing their time between New York and Los Angeles, the pair has kept busy with previous work in Flaunt and upcoming work in POP and Vogue Brazil. 14 CITY

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CITY Issue 51

Contents Letter from CITY Our Friends Action Wanted City Moment The City Life Fast Food Fit Field Trip The Suite Life Paint the Town Red Fresh Tracks After the Sunset One City, Many Destinations The Winning Photographer The Entries By the Numbers The Finalists Expert Opinion Amateur Hour Meet the Finalists Nowhere Man Dune Raiders Just Go Where To Buy It Socials Icon

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