Now 36, she moved to Manhattan in 1995.Glenda BaileyThe inspiration for the cor blimey editor in ‘AbFab’, 41-year-old Bailey has edited US ‘Marie Claire’ since 1997 but last month shocked fashionistas by defecting to ‘Harper’s Bazaar’.Mark BakerRuns New York’s hippest club, Lotus, which has an oasis theme with reflecting pools, limestone walls and amber-coloured lighting. Youthful glitterati attend.Tina BrownNow 47, Brown arrived in New York in 1984 and quickly became known as the ‘queen of buzz’, editing ‘Vanity Fair’ and then ‘The New Yorker’. Currently runs the ailing magazine ‘Talk’.John CassidyStaff writer on ‘The New Yorker’ who has just secured a $300,000 advance for ‘Dot-Con’, a sceptical history of the dotcom bubble. Formerly business editor of the ‘Sunday Times’.Sophie DahlTwenty-four-year-old supermodel. She is now branching out into cinema and will appear in Al Pacino’s new film, ‘People I Know’, as well as a new Woody Allen movie.Michael DaviesThe 35-year-old television whizz kid who transformed the fortunes of the ABC television network by importing ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ Has been in America for a decade.Michael ElliottHas worked in New York for around 15 years.
A high-flying journalist who became editor of ‘Newsweek International’, and is now editor-at-large at ‘Time’.Harold EvansTina Brown’s 72-year-old husband. Former editor of the ‘Sunday Times’ who in New York edited ‘Cond?ast Traveler’ and ran Random House. Author of ‘The American Century’.Anthony Haden-GuestSixty-two-year-old writer who has been part of the New York scene since his arrival in 1971. Barfly and rou?who is said to be the inspiration for Peter Fallow in Tom Wolfe’s ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’. Carl JohnsonJohnson, 42, was a rising star at TBWA, the ad agency that handled Labour’s election campaign Moved to New York in 1999 to run the company’s show there. Salman RushdieNovelist, 53, who abandoned London in 1999, blaming its “backbiting and incestuous” literary scene. It’s said, however, that he now finds New York beginning to pall.Howard StringerThe boss of Sony in America, formerly ran CBS.
Has been in New York for ever and is now a naturalised American A huge but unshowy figure on the New York scene. Fought in Vietnam.Plum SykesFashion writer for American ‘Vogue’, and said to be chomping at the heels of Anna Wintour. Party girl with a beach house in the Hamptons.Anna WintourAged 50, has edited American ‘Vogue’ for the past 12 years Steely, bony, driven creature, known as ‘Nuclear Wintour’. Ultimate size-zero style queen.Amanda Foreman: ‘They think Europeans are sneering at them. So they sneer back’ Interview by Jonathan ThompsonAmanda Foreman, best-selling author of ‘Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire’, moved 18 months ago from Britain to New York, where she is working on her new book, ‘Our American Cousins’When I turned up here, I found the people quite cold and uncaring.
Some were aggressive, as if they were trying to test my mettle.When people have done well in their own country, they are still made to jump through hoops here You have to prove yourself all over again. It’s partly to do with the spirit of equality in New York which is a good thing but it is also a defence mechanism. They think that Europeans are sneering at them, so they sneer back, automatically. It is such a transient city that people who have lived here for a long time have something of a siege mentality.Some Brits are portrayed as cold and unfriendly, which could be part of the problem. The one thing Americans hate is being made to feel unaccepted or unwanted.I have on occasions masked my English accent, but only for translation purposes. The Americans have a far more nakedly judgemental attitude towards strangers, based on money and career success. There is less politeness and consideration towards others, and greater intolerance and ambition.
It often takes my breath away.Americans are weirdly laid-back about certain social niceties. It is quite normal for people whom you’ve invited round for dinner to just not turn up, or to cancel at the last minute. It’s bizarre.If I were to offer advice to any Britons moving to New York, I would suggest they avoid appearing too haughty. Also, they shouldn’t go in for the competitive financial thing.
