Joshua David Stein is giving up life as a freelancer for the senior travel editor position at American Express Publishing’s Departures magazine.  Stein steps in for Andrew Sessa who exited in December to become managing editor of West Elm.  Stein penned the cover story for the November/December issue of Departures and soon after editor-in-chief Richard David Story offered him a role at the mag.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

When DeLuca joined Departures, the company was reeling, down 15 percent for the year. With a tip of his own cap, though, DeLuca tells FishbowlNY that the magazine is poised to finish the year with 2 percent gains in revenue.

“It’s really been across the board in all of our major categories,” DeLuca says. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

— DIANE CLEHANE

The mood may have been a little low-key today at Michael’s, but we spotted plenty of power players dining and dishing about their next big moves. I was intrigued to see former MTV colleagues John Sykes (now Playlist’s CEO) and Tom Freston chatting over lunch. Turns out the guys are both on (Product) Red’s board and are very enthusiastic about HBO’s upcoming documentary The Lazarus Effect which chronicles the effort being undertaken by the Global Fund to bring lifesaving drugs to Africans with AIDS.

“The title comes from the Bible and it’s truly amazing to see the results they have been getting,” John told me. The idea that marketing T-shirts and sunglasses can have a life-changing effect on dying patients with little hope of survival is truly news worth passing on. John also tells me that HBO is going to work with other companies like Playlist to make sure as many people as possible see the film.

I was joined today by Lisa Linden, CEO of Linden Alschuler & Kaplan Public Relations. Besides repping some of the biggest names in New York, Linda is a vice chair of The New York League of Conservation Voters and is working like mad on their upcoming spring gala. The big event is scheduled for May 17 and plenty of Gotham’s power players will be making an appearance. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will give the keynote, and this year’s honorees are: Julie Menin, chairman of Manhattan Community Board 1; Frank Sciame of F.J. Sciame Construction; eco-organizer Billy Parish, who co-founded Warner Music Group’s Green Owl Records, a green music label; and New York University. Comedian Mo Rocca is sure to keep things lively as the evening’s emcee. We’re calling for tickets now.

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. Charlie Rose (in pinstripes and white Jack Purcells) and an elegantly attired lady no one seemed to know.

2. Luke Janklow and another casually clad gent. Second seating: HBO’s Richard Plepler and pals

3. Men’s Health honcho David Zinczenko (long time, no see!) with attorney Larry Shire and Eric Saks

4. Tom Brokaw (who slipped in before anyone noticed) and Morris Offit

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

— DIANE CLEHANE

It’s nice to see there are still plenty of writers who can afford to eat at swanky restaurants these days. Today, the dining room at Michael’s was brimming with scribes of every stripe and their fabulous friends. I was heartened to hear from a handful of fellow scribes that they’ve got lots of new projects in the works. Good news indeed!

As usual, there were also plenty of famous faces to liven things up. Kathie Lee Gifford was first to arrive with her pal Sunny Lucani. Despite the frigid temps outside, the Today show host was rocking open-toed Gucci heels (without hosiery, of course) and a jade sleeveless sheath. “I’m always hot!” she joked. I just had to compliment the seemingly ageless morning show vet on her longer, blonder locks. “The same woman (Jacquie Poldoro) has been coming to my house for years to do my nails and hair,” she told me. That’s quite a house call. As she does every Wednesday, Kathie Lee was having an early lunch before heading off to see a Broadway show with friends. (Her co-host and fellow Michael’s regular, Hoda Kotb, dished about their girls’ nights and meeting Kathie Lee’s mom in an interview with us last year.) This week, the gals were going to check out David Mamet ‘s Race. Kathie Lee tells me the hands down favorite of the season so far has been A Little Night Music with Angela Lansbury (“She’s incandescent!”) and Catherine Zeta Jones. “It was just fabulous!” We’re getting our tickets this week.

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. ‘Mayor’ Joe Armstrong, enjoying a friendly lunch with pals, including author Chris Buckley, Jean Halberstam, Michael Clurman, and Sharon Hoge.

2. Patrick Murphy, Joan Jakobson, and Betsy Gottbaum

3. Kathie Lee Gifford with Today show co-host Hoda Kotb and pal Sunny Lucani

4. Barry Diller and a bespectacled gent we didn’t recognize

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.