Four Seasons ashtrays—which, according to the critic Ada Louise Huxtable, were meant to be stolen. Photo: Paul Makovsky

The Four Seasons restaurant is always a fun place to go to for a special occasion. Last evening was especially so, when the National Trust for Historic Preservation presented Alex von Bidder and Julian Niccolini, managing partners of the restaurant, with the President’s Award for their longstanding stewardship and preservation of the restaurant’s interiors. It’s the first time that the President’s Award has been given in recognition of a modern interior—something the preservationists and developers need to focus on more these days. Read more…