Without going into a great deal of detail, you know when New York is back to usual.
It’s when the rich folks start catering in style for their pooches. And indeed the
party at the Carriage House on West 54th Street on October 1
this year was one of those occasions when both pets and owners were spotted sporting black
ties for the fundraiser which made $20,000 for the Humane Society of New York.
For your information, the dogs and their ‘parents’ modeled the event on an
affair of 100 years ago when Elizabeth Drexel Lehr and Mrs
Stuyvesant Fish and guests dined with their doggies in fancy dress at Newport,
Rhode Island. Pooches looked splendid in their attire as they woofed down a 3
course meal, seated at appropriately ‘fashionable’ low slung tables.
Another very good cause was honored later in the month when the Studio Museum
in Harlem held an awards dinner at the Metropolitan Pavilion.
Attended by over 900 guests, the event raised around $1.5 million. The crowd was out in
full support of this very lovely and glamorous black tie affair at one of New York’s
most stylish venues. To name but a few in attendance: Bobby Short, Richard D,
Parsons, Tawana Tibbs, Ed Bradley, Sherry Bronfman and many more.
And following closely on its heels, the fabulous new exhibit at the Whitney -
which displays the latest permanent gifts to the museum - celebrated in the only way that
the benefactors know how... in the arms of the artists. The exhibition of 87 postwar works
should not be missed and the dinner that followed the viewing of ‘An American
Legacy: A Gift to New York’ included the best of American 20th
century talent, such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.
Mayor Bloomberg continued his high profile social whirl as he attended
not only the Veterans Day Parade but also a number of the more
star-studded parties. Bloomberg was honored at ‘The United
Nations Association of the United States of America and the Business Council for the
United Nations’ Awards Dinner (quite a mouthful!) as Sir Paul
McCartney and the missus alongside Mohammed Ali were all honored
at a fundraiser which raised over a million dollars.
In sharp, and perhaps ironic contrast, three German Shepherds (this
time real working pooches) were honored alongside Oscar de la Renta and Rudi
Giuliani at the annual Top Dog Awards at the Waldorf. Serving
up an eclectic mix, The Animal Medical Center drew a crowd of more than
800 (excluding pooches) and took home $900,000 to the hospital which never sleeps.
As summer turned to fall, one of the last fun, low-key parties saw the launch of the
new river taxi up and down the Hudson. As most of us
will be clinging to the heating rather than the AC as winters draws ever closer - it
really is the only way to go if you like your travel romantic?
And it gets harder to decide at the seasons rapidly go towards freezing which are the
‘must go-to’ events. However, taking top position alongside some of the just
mentioned was the Metropolitan’s preview and reception to celebrate
the opening of its show of Richard Avedon’s photos, including a 1957
portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I’ve no doubt that Diane
Sawyer and Mike Nichols chatted animatedly with the artist about
how today very little has changed behind closed doors at Buckingham Palace!
And the Met’s new season opened with all guns firing with one act
from each of three operas: Otello, Fedora and Samson et Delila.
The great and the good were seriously out en force for the big night as the old-timer, Placido
Domingo - as brilliant as ever - sang all 3 leads in partnerships with the grand
divas of the opera world.
Although the numbers (dollar-wise) were bigger at the night at the Opera, ($2.7
million), the $2 million raised to celebrate Christopher Reeve’s 50th
birthday and charity, The Christopher Reeve Foundation was a
superhuman effort for a super kinda guy. I can never forget the charming Mr Reeve who
I met at a Variety Club event before his accident, when he was just a
mere superman. I count myself among the many who respect and admire this star for his
efforts to overcome adversity. So although all is rosy in the garden of New York, reality
is never far around the corner.....
Ricky - November 12, 2002
