Town & Country

Fielden was previously working with David Lipman at Town & Country, who was hired by Fielden’s predecessor Stephen Drucker. While Fielden may continue to work with Lipman on “bigger ideas,” Kotur will be there on a “daily basis.”

It seems like Fielden has big plans for Town & Country; he hopes to make his mark on the magazine with the May issue, and told WWD that it “will have a different feel.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

— DIANE CLEHANE

Not even the seventh snow storm of the season (we’re begging for mercy — enough!) could keep the faithful away from Michael’s today. There were power gals aplenty and media mavens galore who braved the elements to make it to 55th Street. We marvel at your stamina. (Is it me or do all successful women over a certain age in this city eventually wind up with the identical shade of blonde?)

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. Literary agent Esther Newberg, presiding over a table of wonder women  including bestselling crime novelist Linda Fairstein, author and ABC News correspondent Lynn Sherr, CBS’ Lesley Stahl, and the Honorable Kimba Woods.

2. Fashionista Fern Mallis (We miss you on The Fashion Show!), whose consulting business is thriving, and a stylish gent we didn’t get to meet.

3. Hudson News’ James Cohen.

4. 2 Degrees Ventures’ Mitch Kanner.

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Last week FishbowlNY reported that Town & Country editor-in-chief Stephen Drucker is leaving at the end of February and will be replaced by Jay Fielden.  At that time it appeared that Drucker was simply leaving on his own terms, however in today’s Media Ink column Keith Kelly cites a Gawker article that claimed Drucker ran into some problems due to his preference to feature the Barefoot Contessa, Ira Garten, in his magazines.  Garten’s frequent appearances in Town & Country posed a conflict-of-interest as Drucker’s partner, Frank Newbold, works with her on merchandising and sponsorship projects.

Garten has served as a contributor for House Beautiful and appeared on cover of Town & Country alongside writer Nora Ephron this past December.  Gawker’s speculation has been shot down by Hearst as a company spokesperson said that Drucker and Garten’s relationship had no effect on his exit from T&C.

Stephen and Ina have had a professional and personal relationship for many years. She and Nora Ephron had just published new books at the time — plus they are personal friends — so it made sense to put them on the cover together. Stephen felt they made great T&C subjects, and he was right as evidenced by how well that issue sold.

While his ties to Garten may not have put him on the hot seat, Drucker’s issues with publisher Jim Taylor and the title’s advertising and circulation struggles may be the real reasons behind his departure from T&C next month.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

After less than a year as editor-in-chief, Stephen Drucker is leaving Town & Country at the end of February.  According to a minOnline report, Hearst president David Carey announced Drucker will be replaced by former Men’s Vogue editor-in-chief Jay Fielden.  Drucker and Fielden worked together at The New Yorker in the late ’90s.

Drucker took over for 17-year veteran Pamela Fiori as top dog at Town & Country last April.  He had previously served as House Beautiful’s editor-in-chief for nearly five years.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

— DIANE CLEHANE

It was SRO at Michael’s today with moguls Jack Welch and David Geffen holding court at their respective tables while the celebrity du jour, none other than George Hamilton, caused more than his fair share of double takes. We overheard one fan gush, “I loved you on Dancing With the Stars!” (So did we, but we’re too cool to say so.) Meanwhile, the rest of the crowd was so busy air kissing and table hopping between bites it’s a miracle anyone actually got to eat anything. We’re glad we did, because the new fall menu is fabulous!

I was joined today by Debbie Phillips, life coach and founder of Women On Fire, and Sophfronia Scott, author and founder of The Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Debbie is busier than ever with her Women on Fire tea parties that have been helping women from all walks of life ignite their true passions since 2004. She’s hosting one at Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon in Gramercy Park on Friday, and there are others scheduled for Columbus, Ohio, Boston, Santa Fe and Naples this fall. Debbie is on track to reaching her important goal of “connecting 50,000 women to each other” through Women on Fire this year. You go, girl!

Sophfronia, who I first met when we worked at People together another life ago, got to know Debbie after she attended one of her tea parties. She is really on a roll. This mom of an adorable six year-old boy has been regularly cranking out books since she published her first novel All I Need to Get By in 2004. She recently published How The Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times (Two Harbors) in which she compiles words of wisdom from high rollers, including Donald Trump and Jack Canfield. Just how does she juggle it all? “I can write for about four hours at a time; then I have to get up and do something else,” Sophfronia tells me. See, it’s just that simple.

Here’s the rundown on today’s crowd:

1. The “Imber Gang”: Dr. Gerald Imber, Jerry Della Femina, Jeff Greenfield, Andy Bergman and Michael Kramer

2. Peter Brown and Grace Hightower (That’s Mrs. Robert De Niro to you.)

3. ‘Mayor’ Joe Armstrong

4. Alan Grubman, David Geffen and Bob Daley

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New York Post reported earlier today that new EIC Stephen Drucker was cleaning house in the Art + Culture section, letting go editors Sarah Medford, Zoe Settle and Chris Schmicke.

A Town & Country spokesperson told FishbowlNY, “It’s customary for new editors-in-chief to make some shifts in staffing as they build their team. That’s what Stephen is doing, and we expect to announce replacements shortly.”

The spokesperson also said that the recent release of Medford’s book, At Home with Town & Country, “was not a factor” in her being let go.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.