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Looking
east on 55th between Park and Lexington. 2:30 PM. Photo: JH.
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The full moon rising. Hot hot hot. Everywhere, it seems, in the
Western Hemisphere, if you look at the weather maps.
Last night I went down to Dunhill on Fifth between 56th and 55th
where they were holding a cocktail reception for about 350 members
of the Young Friends of the (New York) Philharmonic. It was so
hot out that it was almost surprising to see so many men in jackets
and ties (the girls wore far lighter and lesser garments). At
nine o’clock everyone moved down the avenue and around
the corner to “21” where there was a dinner for more
than 300 of the Young Friends and their young friends.
I got there a little early and so I went into the club room to
have a drink. Seventy-five years since its founding as a speakeasy
during Prohibition, “21” has never lost it magic.
The place was jammed.
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Ann
and Herb Siegel
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I saw Herb and Ann Siegel finishing
up dinner at a corner table and went over to say hello. Herb Siegal
is
one of the most famous
non-famous business tycoons of the past half century. A very
friendly fellow, he wears his billion dollar successes like a
comfortable old shoe and is mainly more interested in having
an interesting
conversation about a large variety of things including that which
is always interesting to me – show business. I love talking
to him because his knowledge often comes from being present at
the creation (or the talk about the creation).
Herb started out in the business as an agent for Jackie
Gleason and later on owned controlling
stock in three separate movie companies (I don’t think
there’s anyone to
top this record) – Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures
and 20th Century Fox Pictures, the latter of which he
sold to Rupert Murdoch who of course still owns it all and built
his
famous Fox media around it.
Herb and Ann Siegel have been married for eons and have known
all the celebrities that have come down the pike since way back
when. Frank Sinatra sang at their wedding (and
behind a curtain) and later married Ava Gardner with
them standing in for them. Anyway, the subject at the table was Peter
Evans’ Nemesis (reviewed here 9/7/04).
Herb asked me if I’d read it. I had, as many NYSD readers
know. Ann told me she couldn’t put it down. Herb got his
copy from a famous Hollywood producer who said: read this. He
couldn’t put it down. For some reason it’s one of
those books that never got the big play and yet I don’t
think a day goes by when someone in the know (or someone who
thinks they’re in the know) doesn’t ask me if I’ve
read Nemesis. It’s in paperback now, so if
you haven’t read it, believe me, you should.
Finally I left the Siegels and went upstairs where the Young
Friends of the Philharmonic were having their dinner.
Two floors of tables of ten. I sat between a beautiful young
public relations
woman who was responsible for the evening’s cocktail reception
and a beautiful young currency trader who explained to me why
she’s “long” on the dollar. Then I got up and
took some pictures so you could get an idea of the crowd. They
raised $90,000 on this evening which was made possible
by the generous support of the Thomas C.
Quick Charitable Foundation. |
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Ambrose
Carr and Victoria Hansen
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Andrew
Spence and Stephanie Sekara
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Bill
Wolfe and Nicole Robinson
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Alexis
Lipschultz, Oliver Moses, and Kate Pickett
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Isabelle
Lirakis and Clare Bendall
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Georgina
Schaeffer and Marissa Piropato
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Eric
Javits and Monique Yazigi
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Florence
Peyrelongue and Jose Luis Guerra
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Jeff
Caldwell and Ashley Spetz
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Heather
Miles, Ian Gumprecht, and Erin Owens
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Eugenie
Niven and John Colgate
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Leslie
Heaney and Chris Spitzmiller
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Xavier
and Muffie Floret
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Matt
Millman and Fernanda Gilligan
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Mary
Van Pelt and Jared Goss
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L.
to r.: Tom Quick, Phoebe Dunham, and Mark Gilbertson;
Steve Rubenstein and Cornelia Ercklentz.
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Kendall
Griffin and Keith Scott
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Peter
and Marie-Regina Sotos
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Megan
Grant
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Last
Wednesday, Mayor Bloomberg paid tribute to Harlem Week with a special celebration and outdoor concert at Gracie
Mansion. In addition to the live performances, the afternoon outing
included a salute to Black theater with a special presentation
in honor of the late Ossie Davis, the stage and screen star who
was also beloved in his business and in his community. Harry
Belafonte as well as Jihaad Muhammad, grandson of Ossie Davis and Ruby
Dee,
were on to accept the honor.
Other highlights of the even included a special scholarship presentation
honoring college bound students, a salute to Columbia University
Assistant vice president Larry Dias; a salute to Community Works
and Frank Silvera Workshop for their outstanding
contributions to Black theater. Also Phylicia Rashad was inducted
to the National
Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame. |
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| Clockwise
from above: Allan
Houston presented Phylicia Rashad with the ring inducting
her into the National Black
Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame Class of
2005; Harry Belafonte and Jihaad Muhammad (grandson
of Ossie Davis) accepts an award in honor of the
famed actor with Mayor Mike on hand; The Three
Mo’ Tenors, a critically acclaimed ensemble of all
star African American tenors. |
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The
New York City Salute to Harlem Week is just one the many events
composing Harlem Week’s 31st Anniversary. Other activities
during the month-long celebration include the Empire State Building
honorary Harlem Week lighting on July 29th; a health fair and
expo, a gala celebrating this year’s inductees to the National
Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame, a college fair,
an auto show, and a children’s festival.
For further information about the excitement and culture that is Harlem Week,
log on to www.HarlemDiscover.com or
call (212) 862-8477. |
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