Lawrence

The Transom hasn't caught up with Tatler--arguably the world's greatest magazine--in a while. In the November issue, we find the stunning story of Cindy Bilton, who lives at a "Palladian mansion" called Croome Court, in Worcestershire. (Its walled garden was the first to be designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. Ms. Bilton's husband, Lawrence, would like to build and sell bungalows on the property; the National Trust nearly crapped itself.)

Ms. Bilton reports that the last time she came to New York, it was on the Concorde, with a suite at the Four Seasons. But at the behest of a gang of Buddhists, and some unnamed TV crew, she returned earlier this year to spend four days as a homeless person.

In preparation, she bought a new jacket, as she thought her Prada wouldn't "quite cut it on the streets." Also, on the way to the airport, she purchased some Tom Ford sunglasses. Here are some of the things she learned about our fair city during her four days:

· Long synagogue services on the Lower East Side are improved by water bottles full of vodka. · It feels better to smoke butts from the gutter than it does to ask fresh ones of passers-by. · Bryant Park has great public bathrooms! · People don't seem to notice the homeless. They walk right by them! · The Staten Island Ferry is warm--and free! · Stupid people begin cycling on the Hudson River park paths well before dawn. · The Mercer Hotel doormen, shockingly, don't admit homeless people.

Some Orthodox Jewish bloggers are buzzing over an article in the Five Towns Jewish Times, (no link available), which recounts a meeting between Hillary and a group of constituents at Long Island's Temple Beth Sholom: Lester Henner, a Lawrence resident and former president of Congregation Beth Sholom, asked Clinton why she voted against the appointment of John Roberts to the Supreme Court of the U.S. Clinton responded that while Roberts is a very intelligent man, she was nevertheless uncomfortable with the "privileged life" that he has led, citing the fact that he had been in private schools his entire life, going from private school to Harvard and then on to his professional life. She said that she thought that Roberts lacked a certain sensitivity because he "never had to live with hard knocks."

Jeff Ballabon, one of the bloggers on Judge and Jewry, also reports that the paper's source isn't the only one to have left the meeting with this version of events.  read more »

"Well, at least we know Hillary's going to be a Yes vote on Miers," he concludes.

More grumbling, and debate in the comments section, over at Orthomom.

The Lawrence decision has come and gone, and it is now legal in Texas to commit homosexual sodomy-no  read more »

The Captain was walking on 42nd Street. He was barefoot.  read more »

The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton , by Jane Smiley.  read more »