Gorgeous, blond, lithe and with a reputation for impeccable, elegant style, the actress—who shares on-screen DNA with Blake Lively—makes no secret of the fact that family is the center of her busy world. Here, Rutherford takes pause in front of her most treasured objets to talk motherhood and collecting for the home.

Tell us how you came to own this precious object.
I went to a Marlene Dietrich auction at Sotheby’s years ago. Everyone wanted the clothes, of course. I stayed and bid on the screen and a triangle-shape side table—a gift from Dietrich’s friend Ernest Hemingway. I’ve had the pieces ever since.

How do you live with your heirloom?
The screen is used behind the B&B Italia sofa, so we look at it everyday. I’ve been too busy to hang it on the wall!

Who in your life has most influenced your personal style and taste?
Actresses like Catherine Deneuve and Grace Kelly. Vogue magazine in all its foreign edition languages. Oh, and my mother!

[Fill in the blank] Whenever I look at _________ I can’t help but smile.
My children, Hermes and Helena.

What’s the best part of your day?
Cuddling with my children wherever we are. Hearing their voices. Hearing the word “Mama.”

What’s the most memorable gift you’ve ever received?
My children’s artwork. In fact, I’m making a whole wall of it.

What was your last purchase that you hope will mean something to you 10 years from now?
My Hermes bags. Not only are they a great investment, but my daughter will love them.

Fashion trends are far from the only topics at the forefront of Leive’s mind. The mother of two is also a champion of women’s issues. In 2008, she received a White House Project EPIC Award for an article about ordinary woman changing the world in extraordinary ways. She also annually honors incredible females at Glamour‘s Women of the Year Awards, which in 2005 shed the spotlight on Mukhtar Mai—the brave Pakistani woman who used her compensation from a terrible tragedy to open a small school. In 2006, Leive won an award for her activism in bringing this heroine to the United States.

Here, Leive shares with us her precious family heirloom and childhood dreams of becoming a glamorous reporter.

Tell us how you came to own this precious object.

“My heirloom is a Knabe piano—from Germany, probably made around the turn of the last century—that belonged to my grandmother Clara Leive. It had been given to her by her husband, my grandfather, when they lived in the Bronx without a lot of room or money; I think it was one of their few luxuries.

I love it for lots of reasons. First, because Granny gave it to my father and mother, and after they divorced, it was one of the few objects from “my father’s side” that stayed in my mom’s house. I liked it because it, like me, had roots in both sides. Then, it was in storage for years while I lived in apartments too tiny to house it, and when I finally landed a place large enough for the piano, I felt like I was actually a grownup. Today it’s the centerpiece of our house, and my kids play it obsessively.”

How do you live with your heirloom?

“I live in a townhouse, and the piano sits in the middle of the parlor floor, which means it is smack in the epicenter of the house. It gets played every day by someone, though usually not by me!”

Who in your life has most influenced your personal style and taste?

“I could never pin it down to just one person. My mother influenced my style even though she didn’t care about fashion in the least; she cultivated a kind of mad-scientist aesthetic (glasses, crazy curly hair) that I think taught me that loving how you look is more important than looking perfect.

As a kid and wannabe reporter I cut out Brenda Starr comic strips and hung them on my wall: I thought her long wavy red hair, crisp shoulder-padded suits and reporter’s notebook were the most glamorous combination in the world.”

[Fill in the blank] Whenever I look at ___“My two kids”___I can’t help but smile. “Duh! Because I love them, but also because they’re funny.”

What’s the best part of your day?

“I like the moment in the morning when I’ve come back from a run, and am having a cup of coffee with a kid on my lap. I don’t love the actual exercising; but I really like it when it’s over! ”

What was the most memorable gift you’ve ever given or received?

“My uncle, father and stepmother recently found an old recording of me goofing around playing piano with my grandmother (the same one) when I was 10 and made it into a CD. In the recording, we are cracking up, completely hysterical, singing a Gilbert & Sullivan song. I listened to it and felt like I was in the room again—amazing.”

What was your last purchase that you believe (or hope) will mean something to you 10 years from now?

“Well, much as I love my iPad, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the latest greatest thing in 10 years! I’m going to go with my house. My husband and I moved our family to Brooklyn three years ago and spent a lot of time thinking about what our dream house would look like. I still feel really happy when I walk through the door at night.”

I know what you’re thinking. Is this week´s column really about the most annoying celebrity/hipster trend ever to appear in the pages of magazines and on ¨Entertainment Tonight¨ circa 2007? The answer is, kind of. In actuality, this week´s column is about the used-to-be trend we love to hate, but secretly love. And you know you do…

In 2007, the fedora trend was nothing short of a phenomenon. To call it excessive would be a major understatement. Every celebrity was photographed lolling around L.A. in one, and every girl I knew who was somewhat in tune with fashion was sporting one everywhere from bars and restaurants to cloudy days on which a hat is far from necessary.

On the other hand, I despised them. Not because they didn’t look good, but precisely because they did! I loved them and always had. But the fact that so many girls I encountered had made it her “new thing” kept me from giving in. And I swore I never would.

Then something amazing happened. The fedora trend disappeared (for a short while anyway). And when it returned, it was because classic brands like J.Crew were bringing it back as the lasting, tomboy-chic accessory it is. The current mindset behind a fedora evokes the image of the one Humphrey Bogart wore in Casablanca, and the ones worn by movie stars Warren Beatty and Robert De Niro when they portrayed infamous gangsters like Bugsy Siegel and Al Capone, and you rooted for them (even though you knew you shouldn’t). The fedora was original known as the gangster hat, and that’s exactly what it is. No matter how girly, classic, or conservative your style is, it makes every woman feel like she is taking a little bit of a risk.

So, I gave in. And I haven’t regretted it since. It seems others feel similarly. My sister, no lover of fedoras, called me just the other day saying she bought one. Like all fashionable items it has its good years and bad years, but a hat is the ultimate statement piece, and the fedora is just enough to make you feel like a gangster (but not the kind that robs a bank).

GET THE LOOK

SPLURGE Rag & Bone, $115

SAVE J. CREW, $40

STEAL Forever 21, $7.80

[Photography by Seth Elliot]

The restaurateur, two-time cookbook author, and now Huffington Post columnist splits his time between the two restaurants, which both feature fine art decorating the walls and some 800 labels of award-winning wine from around the globe. When McCarty is in town, it’s not unlikely to see the incredibly hospitable French-trained chef walking around and shaking hands with guests, many of which you may recognize, including Paul Newman, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Warren Buffet, Katie Couric and Lance Armstrong.

Here, McCarty lets us into his wonderful world of food, wine, art, and people.

Tell us how you came to own this precious object.

“My 1971 Dobro National steel-bodied fingerpicking guitar is the only heirloom that survived the big 1993 Malibu fire when our house burned down. My wife and I lost everything we owned. Thank god this guitar was at my brother’s house or else it would have been a puddle of zinc.

I’ve had the guitar since the early 1970s when I lived in Paris. I would fly to New York often to buy four or five Martin guitars, take them to Paris and sell them to help finance my education at the Ecole Hotelière, the Cordon Bleu, and the Academy du Vin. When I saw this one in my last batch of guitars that I was taking over, I knew I had to keep it. It’s a stunning guitar.”

How do you live with your heirloom?

“All of my guitars—about a dozen total—are in my son, Chas’, room in our house in Malibu. He is a very good guitar player and loves to jam with me and my older brothers—one plays the base and the other the piano. Right now, the Dobro is here in NY. I think I’m going to keep it here.

Every time I see it sitting on its stand, I remember the good old days in Paris and Amsterdam, where I traveled and played music with my brother. We performed in the metro, on the streets, and in the clubs for three years. We play very infrequently now, mainly family gatherings. I have a couple of friends who are musicians. When we get together, we cook, eat, drink and play.”

Who in your life has most influenced your personal style and taste?

“My mother and my father were consummate entertainers. My most vivid memories were of them and their friends having these great parties. That’s why I got into the restaurant business.

There was always an emphasis on the quality of the food. My mother had this one Portuguese fisherman who brought the best swordfish and striped bass—the kinds of stuff that didn’t exist in supermarkets in the 1950s. It was an early education in quality ingredients, which is now all the rage.”

[Fill in the blank] Whenever I look at ___“my wife”___I can’t help but smile.

“We met in Boulder, CO, where I stopped to see my brother after returning to the U.S. from France. I ended up staying and teaching French cooking and French at a local university.

For the final exam, nine students had to cook 2 courses each. All of my students were allowed to bring one guest. One brought her roommate, Kim. I made the dessert: a raspberry souffle with passionfruit crème anglaise. She loved it and I loved her. She’s still eating with me 35 years later.”

What’s the best part of your day?

“I think the best times for me is when I’m sitting down at the table with great people and enjoying a meal—same thing that my parents did when I was little. In fact, I just started writing about these meals for the Huffington Post.” (Check out McCarty’s column, “Meal Periods,” here).

What was the most memorable gift you’ve ever given or received?

“I would say my collection of contemporary art, featuring established artists like Jasper Johns, David Hockney, and Frank Stella as well as young, up and coming talents. A lot of them were gifts from artists or gifts Kim, a professional painter, and I had given each other. Every piece has a story, person or place attached to it. They were all in my restaurants—I had five at the time—when our house burned down.”

What was your last purchase that you believe (or hope) will mean something to you 10 years from now?

“Since the fire, we have so very few permanent things anymore. Most everything I buy now is edible. As my wife would say, ‘I could have bought two pairs of shoes for that meal.’ The shoes wear out, but the memories last forever.”

Trips to eight food aid operations around the world as an Honorary Spokesperson for the UN World Food Program inspired Bush—niece of George W. and granddaughter of George H.W.—to co-found FEED Projects in 2006. The nonprofit is devoted to stopping child hunger through the sale of these stylish yet reusable burlap and cotton totes. Each one sold provides one child in school food for an entire year. So far, more than 550,000 bags and counting have been sold and 56 million meals delivered.

Here, Bush tells us about her own appreciation for a good meal, hybrid hounds, and, of course, her prized heirloom.

Tell us how you came to own this precious object.

“When I was a teenager, my mom created this painting—a sweet scene of a bunny talking to a little snail—and gave it to me. It hung in my room growing up and still does to this day. Looking at it has always made me happy and reminded me of my mom’s secret artistic talents, which I hope I’ve inherited in some capacity.”

How do you live with your heirloom?

“The painting hangs in my bedroom next to my mirror.  I see it twice a day—when I go to  bed and when I wake up.”

Who in your life has most influenced your personal style and taste?

“My personal style has been most influenced by my surroundings and experiences rather than one particular person. I always get so much inspiration from traveling, whether it is to Europe or somewhere exotic, and the artisanal work women are doing in developing countries around the world. Currently, I am working with female artisans in Guatemala, who are making FEED bags that will be sold at Lord & Taylor to help kids in Guatemala through UNICEF.”

[Fill in the blank] Whenever I look at ___”pugs”___I can’t help but smile. “I find pugs incredibly cute and funny-looking! From the way they breathe to the way they strut down the street, I can’t help but smile when one passes by.”

What’s the best part of your day?

“Its hard to pinpoint one exact moment each day, but if I had to choose, I’d have to say dinnertime. First of all, I love a good meal. After a nice full day, there’s nothing more fun than having dinner with my boyfriend, friends, and/or family. Recently, I have been trying my hand at cooking more often, which makes the eating part all the more satisfying.”

What was the most memorable gift you’ve ever given or received?

“When I was 5-years-old, my parents got me a puppy for Christmas. He was white and fluffy with a big red bow around his neck. I named him Junior. He was one of my favorite childhood playmates!”

What was your last purchase that you believe (or hope) will mean something to you 10 years from now?

“About nine months ago, I bought a gold ring with an engraving on the inside that reads: ‘This too will pass.’ It is a simple reminder that no matter what happens, good or bad, it will not last. That means that we must soak in the good while we can, and be patient with the bad, as it naturally will pass. This helps me never lose perspective.”

Those who founded the 28th annual highly-anticipated summer event can only hope that people see this as more than an opportunity to play dress up. It’s a tribute to Coney Island, a the former host of Mardi Gras between 1903 to 1954. This often overlooked historical fact made us wonder, what else don’t we know about America’s nostalgic treasure?

For starters, at the beginning of the 19th century, the 2.7-mile-long boardwalk on the island-turned-peninsula at the base of Brooklyn was a popular pleasure spot for all New Yorkers (its modern-day equivalent would be the Hamptons). When new railroads in the early 20th century made getting there only a five-cent-ride, as many as a million people would cover every inch of sand on any given hot summer’s day. Eager to match the public’s excitement over the beach neighborhood, developers of amusement parks, at the time, brought us these great playgrounds: The Steeplechase (1894), Luna Park (1903), and Dreamland (1904), and later Astroland (1962). Of the four, Luna is the only one still open.

In 1920, the thriving Coney Island got its centerpiece: The world-famous Wonder Wheel. The 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel that seats 144 riders includes 16 swinging passenger cars and eight stationary cars—all of them offer sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Jersey Shore and the Big Apple’s skyline. The now 90-year-old carnival attraction, which has a perfect safety record, continues to draw some 200,000 riders a year as part of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, a family-run operation that took over this ride, and others, several decades ago.

In 1927, the iconic roller coaster called the Cyclone became the Wonder Wheel’s worthy neighbor. Though it was based in Astroland, which closed in 2008, the Cyclone is the nation’s oldest wooden roller still in operation—unlike the nearby 262-foot-tall steel Parachute Jump (initially erected to help train troops, it’s now considered “Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower”).

When the Great Depression hit, Coney Island took a big blow (people wrote it off as an extravagance). Suffering from neglect, the once celebrated coastal strip developed seedy overtones that tinged its reputation. However, this year the city is finally attempting to revive it and all it’s former glory. City officials have plans for a grand makeover, promising to turn it into a world class, year-round destination spot. With phase one successfully opening Memorial Day weekend, 2011 holds the hope that Coney Island may one day become even greater than it once was, and capture the imagination of a new generation.

WANT A PIECE OF THE ORIGINAL CONEY ISLAND? It’s yours in the form of stylish decor for just a few grand: Brooklyn-based furniture company, Uhuru, offers unique hand-crafted tables and chairs, like the “Cyclone Lounger” ($7,200) and the “Wonder Coffee Table” ($5,200), made out of the repurposed demolished sections of Coney Island’s famous waterfront walkway.

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]

With Fox’s smash-hit TV show’s season finale around the corner (June 8th), it’s time to recap our favorite classic songs (in no particular order) as re-interpreted by a new generation of talented young singers. Listen to a snippet of the original, then watch the Golden Globe-winning “Glee” cast’s versions. Tell us which track you think is best!

1. THE LADY IS A TRAMP

Listen to the Original By Lena Horne, recorded in 1948

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By Mark Salling’s “Noah Puckerman” and Amber Riley’s “Mercedes Jones”

2. DON’T RAIN ON MY PARADE

Listen to the Original By Funny Girl, first recorded in 1964

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By Lea Michele’s “Rachel Barry”

3. RESPECT

Listen to the Original By Aretha Franklin, first recorded in 1967

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By Amber Riley’s “Mercedes Jones”

4. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By Dianna Agron’s “Quinn Fabray”, Naya Rivera’s “Santana Lopez”, and Heather Morris’ “Brittany”

5. FIRE

Listen to the Original By Pointer Sisters, first recorded in 1978

Watch the “ Glee” Version Performed By Matthew Morrison’s “Will Schuester” and Kristin Chenoweth’s “April Rhodes”

6. MAYBE THIS TIME

Listen to the Original By Liza Minnelli, “Cabaret”, first recorded in 1972

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By Kristin Chenoweth’s “April Rhodes” and Lea Michele’s “Rachel Berry”

7. SOMEBODY TO LOVE

Listen to the Original By Queen, first recorded in 1976

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By New Directions (the “Glee” club)

8. DONT STOP BELIEVIN’

Listen to the Original By Journey, first recorded in 1981

Watch the ” Glee” Version Performed By New Directions (the “Glee” club)

9. PHYSICAL

Listen to the Original By Olivia Newton-John, first recorded in 1981

Watch the “Glee” Version Performed By Jane Lynch’s “Sue Sylvester”

10. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

Listen to the Original By Bonnie Tyler, first recorded in 1983

Watch the “Glee” Version Performed By Lea Michele’s “Rachel Berry,” Cory Monteith’s “Finn Hudson”, Mark Salling’s “Noah Puckerman”, Jonathan Groff’s “Jesse St. James”, and New Directions (the “Glee” club)

[Photography (top) courtesy of Glee's Facebook page.]

Ironically, the train track had been built in the 1930s to appeal to people’s love of coastal transportation (as well as to alleviate ground traffic below); however, it took repurposing the elevated area to truly make it popular with the public. The idea to save the space came to two strangers, Robert Hammond and Josh David, when they met at their local neighborhood meeting in 1999. The new pals soon decided to partner up to create “Friends of The High Line,” a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving a piece of history from demolition.

Over the course of three years, Hammond and David gained the city’s support in converting the track, which saw it’s last train in the 1980s, into a public place. In 2003, they held an open design competition to find the best, most innovative and suitable look for the future parkland. The winners: Manhattan’s very own James Corner Field Operations, the superb landscape and urban design firm, in collaboration with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Since opening in June 2009, the park has not only attracted millions of people, but also garnered lots of media attention: Wallpaper magazine called it “The Life Enhancer of the Year” and the New York Times labeled it one of “the most culturally significant projects.” Though it turns only a year old this June, the High Line has become a testament of what the passion of a few individuals, who chose not to forget the past and fought to preserve it for generations to come, can accomplish.

To learn more about the High Line and it’s future expansion to West 34th Street, visit thehighline.org.

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]