La Grenouille (NYSD Dining, 6.18.08 [1]) occupies a special place as the ne plus ultra in the minds of many New York restaurant-goers. Now a long tradition of the Masson family and run by one of the sons of the founders, Charles Masson, it has an elegance that is its own -- both understated and glamorous. It’s been a favorite of the chic and fashionable for decades and yet it’s never lost its freshness, its beautiful ambience, not to mention its delicious cuisine.
Across from us: Jamee and Peter Gregory were celebrating Jamee’s birthday “Yes, the same day as Lincoln’s assassination and the sinking of the Titanic,” Jamee reminded, amused by the irony. Her birthday greeting from us at NYSD was an email from a reader in Oklahoma telling us how she’d read Jamee’s Shopping Diary about shopping with her mother in her home town of Chicago. Afterwards our esteemed reader made the trip to the Windy City and hit all the shops on Jamee’s list and wrote to thank.
Meanwhile, it was Wednesday at Michael’s lest we forget, and they had their clamoring crowd too which included: Barbara Walters, Diana Taylor, Barry Diller, Jonathan Tisch, Herb Siegel, Brooke Hayward, Sherrie Westin, Dave Zincenko, John Hammond, Tom Goodman, John Hart, Cynthia McFadden, Dana Perino, Dr. Gerry Imber, Jerry Della Femina, Andy Bergman, Michael Kramer, Peggy Siegal, Hoda Kolb, Matt Blank, Christy Ferer, Bobby Zarem, Harry Benson, Chris Meigher, Beverly Camhe, Bobby Friedman, Jon Fine, Henry Schlieff, David Friend, Joe Montebello, Ron Leal, Katherine Oliver, Mika Brzesinski, Cathie Black, and Michael Gross who is minutes away from publishing his “Rogues Gallery,” a history of the Metropolitan Museum, destined to be a must-read amongst the cognescenti, not to mention the art world. Christy Ferer was with Cecilia Ciganer-Albeniz, now a newlywed but previously known to Americans (and the rest of the world) as Mme. Sarkozy. Pre-Carla.
Last night in New York. The opening of the 12th Annual Sculpture Objects and Functional Art Fair (known as SOFA) at the 67th Street Amory on Park Avenue. This opened to packed crowds. Packed. Go and see why; you’ll be glad you did. (NYSD coverage farther down the Diary.)
Then down at Cipriani 42nd Street, the very prestigious American Academy in Rome held their Gala, “Celebrating the Arts” honoring architect Thom Mayne, artist Bruce Nauman and the great Jessye Norman. This is a very special evening for the simple reason that the American Academy is a very special institution that has a heritage of support from a group of influential and affluent Americans. Visit their site: www.aarome.org [2].
Adele Chatfield-Taylor is President. William B. Hart is Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Honorary Chairmen of the evening were: Mr. and Mrs. Sid R. Bass, His Excellency Ambassador and Mrs. Giovanni Castellaneta, Mrs. Henry J. Heinz, Mr. Richard Grubman and Ms. Caroline Mortimer, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Price, H.E. Ambassador and Mrs. Ronald P. Spogli. Dinner Chairs were: Robert Beaser, Wendy Evans Joseph and Laurie Simmons.
Over at the Mandarin Oriental The Friends of New Yorkers For Children hosted their 6th Annual Spring Dinner Dance – New Year’s in April: A Fool’s Fete. The evening is a benefit for youth in foster care in New York City.
This is a very popular event among the younger sets (20-, 30-somethings, and then some) in New York. It is also a fashion event of the first order.
The highlight of the evening is the honoring of ten young people who have been in foster care and are now in our about to enter college. The ten honorees as very young adults appear to be as contemporary and enthusiastic as anyone else in the room. It is only when you consider what they’ve had to endure as children that you realize they’ve been girded by an inner courage that many of us have no awareness of at that early age. Last night’s honorees, incidentally, were styled by Dior Beauty and Frederic Fekkai who no doubt took care of many of the other guests.
New Yorkers for Children is a non-profit organization that partners with the Administration for Children’s Services to improve the lives of children in foster care in New York City. Founded by Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta who himself was once a child in foster care, NYFC recognizes that young people in foster care face myriad challenges, as they go out into the world as independent people. Much is needed that cannot be provided with government funding. NYFC funding reaches youth in many ways including college scholarships, tutoring programs, mentoring and networking opportunities.
The Mandarin’s ballroom with its vistas of Central Park South and Columbus Circle is glam city under the circumstances. The young women were beautifully, often dramatically dressed for the occasion which is mainly a dinner dance with lots of socializing and lots of dancing, and now lots of celebrated personalities including movie stars. Everyone has a really good time. |
