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 Autumn Movement
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| Fairview golf course in Greenwich, CT. 4:45 PM. Photo: JH. |
Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Warm and sunny autumn day, yesterday in New York.
At noontime JH and I went over to the Mandarin Oriental where the Board of Directors of the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy hosted its annual Fall Luncheon. Marcia Mishaan was Chairman and Suzanne Johnson and Cynthia Lufkin were Co-Chairs. Guest Speaker was Bette Midler.
I’m a Bette Midler fan. I’ve always been a Bette Midler fan since her first album came out way back when. I think it was called The Divine Miss M with beautiful cover portrait by the late great illustrator and graphic designer Richard Amsel that is now a classic. |
| The cocktail reception for yesterday's Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy's Fall Luncheon, called for 11:30 AM. |
| The luncheon guests in the main ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental. Lunch was over at 1:30 PM. The Women's Committee is uber-efficient. |
She came on the scene in the late 1960s, first famous in an “underground” (or below the first floor) way giving performances at a gay club in the Ansonia Hotel on Broadway and 73rd Street where she was nothing short of a sensation. Her accompanist was even more unknown, a guy named Barry Manilow. Stardom soon followed and then a movie career and the rest is history.
Bette Midler yesterday at the podium of the Mandarin Oriental, is now not only a star of movies, TV and Las Vegas, but a major philanthropic force in New York City with her New York Restoration Project. The NYRP’s major fund-raiser is just ten days away (October 18th, and will be held at the Waldorf), and it is a big wild, wonderful, fun party just like you might imagine the Divine Miss M might host. She does not disappoint (visit its site here for details and tickets). |
| Bette Midler and Karen LeFrak sharing hands and the same earrings! Patty Smyth behind. |
| A closeup of the earrings. |
| Bette Midler, Patty Smyth, Karen LeFrak, and Cynthia Lufkin. |
| Bette Midler with Cynthia Lufkin. |
The Divine Miss M with Mai Harrison. |
I’ve seen the lady around town occasionally at restaurants and events although I don’t know her. So it was interesting to see her in action on the philanthropy circuit. Smartly turned out in a forest green form fitting wool dress wearing what looked like jade earrings to match, and slender high brown suede boots that seem to be all the rage these days, all these years later she looks like a very chic New Yorker, not unlike a lot of the ladies at the luncheon.
Usually the format at this particular lunch is an interview (I did it as guest speaker a few years ago – last year it was Candice Bergen), Ms. Midler elected to speak at the podium. |
| Taking in the awe-inspiring view of Central Park. |
She told us about her childhood growing up in Hawaii which she described as a most beautiful place where a lot of the Japanese inhabitants had the most beautifully maintained gardens and houses. A paradise. Since it was all she knew growing up, for a long time, she thought the entire planet was like that. When she came to New York to start her career, she saw otherwise.
That childhood experience of environment stayed with the lady. In the 80s when she lived in Los Angeles and would drive her daughter to school, she was amazed at the lack of maintenance and carelessness about the city. She was moved to get involved with a group of people out there who called themselves the Los Angeles Restoration Project, volunteering to clean up areas, planting trees and gardens. It was very satisfying. |
| Inset: Current Women's Committee President Ann Harrison. Former Women's Committee President Gillian Miniter and Anne Harrison, both fans of designer Lela Rose. |
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When she returned to New York to live full time in 1994, she was amazed to see that it was even worse here. So she started the New York Restoration Project firstly in Washington Heights, organizing people to go into abandoned rundown areas of land and simply clean them out. Her inspiration, she told yesterday’s luncheon guests, was Central Park as restored by the Conservancy.
This project took wing and with her and her volunteers hard work, it spread all over the city, planting gardens, restoring parks and pockets of parks. Midler delivers all of her words with those charming side comments that are her trademark, although yesterday in describing the progress the NYRP has made, there was a moment when she hesitated, lost for words and unable to speak. Choking up a bit, she explained that the beauty that the NYRP volunteers had created out of the mess they first encountered sometimes just overwhelms her even now just to think of it. |
| The luncheon main course: Arctic Char and black rice and mushrooms. |
| The centerpiece and dessert. |
The child’s memory of “the whole world was like” Hawaii was realized right here in New York. It was a moving moment for everyone. Although she had a time of residence in Los Angeles, in adult life, Bette Midler started here and with the New York Restoration Project she has made it her home, and like her childhood neighbors, created beauty all around us. In her campaign to plant one million new trees in New York by 2017, she announced yesterday that this week they will have planted their 500,000th tree!
It was a great day at the Mandarin. More than 400 people attended and $150,000 was raised for the Conservancy. Van Cleef and Arpels sponsored the luncheon.
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| Rachel Hovnanian, Marcia Mishaan, and Fe Fendi. |
| Doug Blonsky and Liz Atwood. |
Adrien Benepe. |
| Carol Mack and Sarah Ayres. |
Liz Peek and Eleanora Kennedy. |
| Rory Hermelee, Suzanne Johnson, and GIllian Miniter. |
| Carol Bell and Elyse Newhouse. |
| Gayle Atkins and Susan Fales-Hill. |
| DPC and Allison Rockefeller. |
| Suzanne Johnson and Alexia Ryan. |
| Grace Hightower gives a passing glance. |
| Kamie Lightburn and friend. |
Anka Palitz and Cece Black. |
| Debbie Bancroft with her birthday (table centerpiece) bouquet. Jean Shafiroff on the right. |
After lunch, JH and I took a quick walk around Columbus Circle.
“Christopher Columbus”
By Andy Razaf and Leon Berry
(the Fats Waller rendition)
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| Columbus Circle from the 35th floor ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental. |
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Mr. Christopher Columbus
Sailed the sea without a compass
When his men began a rumpus
Up spoke Christopher Columbus
There’s land somewhere
Until we get there,
We will not go wrong
If we sail with a song
Since the world is roundo
We’ll be safe and soundo,
Till our goal is foundo,
We’ll just keep rhythm boundo
Christy’s crew was makin’ merry
Merry got up and went home.
Then came a yell for Isabelle and they
Brought on the rum and Isabelle.
No more mutiny; no!
What a time at sea,
With diplomacy,
Christy made history. |
| Columbus Circle from the north. The Museum of Arts and Design is on the right. |
| Best Buddies Friendship Bear by Romero Britto. Plaque inscription: Created in honor of Best Buddies International, whose mission is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for the one to one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." www.bestbuddies.org. |
| Columbus Circle from the west, looking east. |
| And from the south looking north (Trump Tower center, 15 Central Park West to the immediate left). |
| Another view with the entrance to Central Park in the background. |
| Peter Woytuk on Broadway, courtesy of The Broadway Mall Asscociation. |
There was lots of activity on the social calendar last night in New York. Over at the Lighthouse at the Chelsea Piers, the Aperture Foundation held its 2011 Benefit, Auction and Snap! Party, honoring Bruce Davidson, Gerhard Steidl and Robert Anthoine. Co-chairs for the evening were Sondra Gilman, Susan Gutfreund and Karl Lagerfeld. Denise Bethel of Sotheby’s conducted the fund-raising auction.
Down at the Cipriani 42nd Street, the Americans for the Arts held its National Arts Awards honoring Frank Stella, Jenny Holzer, Beverley Taylor Sorenson, Gabourey Sidibe, Sol LeWitt, Wells Fargo & Company and the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Maria Bell chaired the evening with Edythe and Eli Broad and Isabella and Theodor Dalenson as co-chairs.
While over at the Frick Collection the Board of Trustees held their annual Autumn Dinner (black tie) where they honored Anne Poulet, Director Emerita who retired as Director of the Frick Collection last month after eight years as Director. During the dinner, the Frick chairman Margot Bogert spoke and introduced the new director Ian Wardropper who presented Ms. Poulet with a gift commemorating her tenure and achievements for the Frick. |
| Ian Wardropper, the new Director of the Frick Collection, with his wife Sarah McNear. |
Anne L. Poulet and her husband Francois Poulet. |
| Dinner was served in three of the Collection’s magnificent dramatically lit galleries where guests were surrounded by the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Veronese, Turner, Van Dyck, Renoir, Goya, El Greco, Manet. The benefit chairs were Elizabeth and Jean-Marie Eveillard, Barbara and James Reibel MD, and Aso O. Tavitian. Benefactors of the evening were Mr. and Mrs. Franklin. W. Hobbs. Patrons were John and Constance Birkelund, BNY Mellon, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Eberstadt, Mrs. Henry Clay Frick II, the Samuel Kress Foundation and Wildenstein & Company. |
| The Garden Court of the Frick looking north. |
| A closer view of the gallery entrance. |
| The mansion's West Gallery set for dinner as guests take their places. |
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