Babes and toyland

Despite a penchant for broadcasting her life, private elevators shield Sarah Preston Gorenstein from the outside world. “It sounds a lot more mysterious than it is,” she says when giving me directions to her home. The elevator she sends down to pick me up opens inside her West Loop condo to the excitement of Barkley, an English goldendoodle.

The 35-year-old managing editor of Playboy.com was the first blogger for Chicago magazine in 2006, where she chronicled her dating life as the “Last Girl Standing.” But a whirlwind romance with her now-husband, Jay Gorenstein, changed all that. The two dated for eight months, were engaged for six months and conceived their son three months after they were married—on the same night they moved into their new condo.

After giving birth to Preston, who is now five-and-a-half months old, the new mom had a strong desire to break back into the blogosphere. This prompted a new public broadcast last month—blogging as the “Cosmo Mom” on Parenting.com, the online home of Parenting and Baby Talk magazines, where she writes about her life as a full-time-working mother.

“I enjoy writing about myself and my life,” says the Rogers Park native. But many readers, it seems, don’t think babies and Playboy boobies should mix. Her introductory post received 40 comments on Parenting.com and 30 on its Facebook page.

From the dining table, she reads some of the Facebook comments. Husband Jay sits nearby watching basketball while holding a video baby monitor that displays their sleeping son.

“This does not align with my family values. Apparently Parenting.com doesn’t have a problem with it though, since they are featuring this woman’s blog. I have removed myself as a fan,” reads a comment from Deidra Tate Floyd.

Preston Gorenstein knew her job would offend some Parenting.com readers. “I can understand why, just at a glance, certain people might be turned off. You know, very conservative types,” she says. “And Playboy’s not for them, and neither would Cosmo be or Glamour, or any of those kinds of magazines that handle sex topics.”

Tate Floyd, via e-mail, says she respects that women are free to pursue any career. However, she’s upset with Parenting.com for promoting Preston Gorenstein’s career choice. She “works for a company that demeans women and contributes to the deterioration of marriage, family values and even morality in general,” Tate Floyd contends.

Another comment, this one from Amanda Johnson, simply reads, “You have GOT to be kidding me.”

Regardless, her posts have generated big hits for the site. “We’ve been thrilled with the response,” says Catherine McManus, Parenting.com’s communications director. “Sarah has people talking by tackling issues we haven’t really discussed before—post-baby plastic surgery, how to balance a full-time job, the party-girl-turned-mom.” The overall reaction has been very positive, she says.

Preston Gorenstein, a self-proclaimed liberal, admits working at Playboy for almost eight years has desensitized her to sex and pornography. She plans to teach her son to respect women by example. “He will see it first at home between my husband and me,” she says. “If he has specific questions about my job, I will answer them directly.”

She’s also quick to point out that she doesn’t think Playboy fits in the pornography category. “When I think of something pornographic I think of sex and penetration,” she says. “Playboy is a little suggestive, but really the meat of Playboy is the articles. I know that it’s cliché to say that, but it’s really smart editorial.”

Preston Gorenstein’s editorial work for Playboy.com includes the Dirty Dozen series where writers ask sex-related questions to celebrities. “Who do you think has the best ass in Hollywood?” and “Do you prefer giving or receiving oral sex?” were among the questions she posed to reality TV star Kim Kardashian. She’s also the brains behind the Stylus series featuring models in men’s clothing—think lingerie-clad women wearing brightly colored hipster sneakers and nude models wearing striped ties. “It’s our twist on an otherwise typical fashion spread,” she says.

Preston Gorenstein believes Playboy celebrates the beauty of women and though she’s not involved with the Cyber Club, the paid-subscription portion of the website, the content does not offend her. “To me there is nothing demeaning about it. We respect women and we love women,” she says.

Contrary to what some Parenting.com readers might imagine, a visit to the Playboy office in Streeterville reveals a less-than-scandalous work environment. The doors on the 15th floor open to a couple of bean-shaped sofas, a spread of Playboy issues and a receptionist. The only naked ladies in sight are those on a series of historic Playboy covers displayed in the hallway, along with the works of art, commissioned by Playboy, which inspired them. The halls are quiet as it’s nearing the end of the day, though she says the website’s editorial crew is a lively, 40-and-under bunch that likes to party.

We land in her modest, windowless office decorated with an Israeli flag, pictures of Preston and a few Phish and Smashing Pumpkins stickers. Her team sits in cubicles outside the door, quietly pecking at keyboards.

She’s leaving for a weeklong family vacation the next day and has been busy prepping for her departure. She examines the production schedule, takes calls and spends the bulk of the day interviewing candidates for an open position at the website. Like the secret condo elevator, her life at Playboy sounds a lot more mysterious than it is.

To balance career and family, the new mom is typically up at 7am and asleep around midnight. “I come home and all I want to do is be with my baby,” she says of Preston, whom she sees from 6–9pm. Once he’s asleep, she’s back to writing on her personal blog or for Parenting.com.

As for handling upset Parenting.com readers: “I’m hoping not to spend more time on it than I already have,” she says. “[The blog is] about me being a full-time-working mom. I think if I stop talking about it they’ll stop talking about it, and it’ll be done.”

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