There's a Cold War-era joke about how, no matter what foreign capital you were in, when you saw the most opulent, luxurious home in the city, you could be sure it belonged to the American ambassador — or to the Time bureau chief.

We were reminded of this last night, when we attended a party in honor of Jay Carney's ascension to Washington bureau chief for the red-bordered mag, held at the Upper West Side home of managing editor Jim Kelly. Kelly's home, it should be said, is, while quite lovely, not at all ambassadorial. (He may be the editor of Time, but he's still just a magazine editor, and this is Manhattan real estate.) What brought the old joke to mind was the guest list.

Sure, there was the expected complement of Timers. (Icluding newly anointed Time Inc. editor-in-chief John Huey, who stayed longer than we might have expected. Perhaps, as reported, he really isn't an asshole.) And, sure, there was also the usual media-party crowd: all the reporters, there for free drinks; Charlie Rose. But here's what got us: Mayor Bloomberg. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. Schools chancellor Joel Klein. Three of the city's top officials, at a party for a guy who covers a different city.

You know how they always say newsmags are dying and blogs are the new big thing? Yeah, well, we'll believe it when the Antonio Villaraigosa administration shows up our next birthday party.

Time [Official site]