Under a bridge in Long Island City. 1:30 PM. Photo: JH.

December 11, 2009. Colder in New York. Last night about 8:30 I was hailing a cab on Madison and 57th. There were minimal flurries streaming through the air, and the wind was beginning to bite. There were more parties, many I missed albeit with good intentions. There was a birthday cocktail for Lucy Sykes Rellie. I don’t know how old she is but she’s still a kid. With a couple of little ones. And that husband Euan. Nobody ever had a better pr guy for a business than Lucy with Euan. Euan Rellie and Lucy Sykes Rellie. ABT also had a party up the block at VBH. More on that later in the Diary. I had been down to Tiffany where they were holding a big Elsa Peretti retrospective celebrating her 35th anniversary with Tiffany. I’m a big Elsa Peretti fan not because of her jewelry design but because I had dinner with her one night about thirteen years ago at the apartment of Tom Scherrer, the interior designer. I think Beth DeWoody had taken me to this party. D.D. Ryan was there and Bill and Nancy North Dugan, and David Croland, and Elsa. She has one of those big, dramatic Italian personalities. They are full of emotion and irony and wit and more emotion, and it’s beautiful to behold. I’m exaggerating but it feels like that in retrospect, so great was the impression she made. I was thinking last night looking through the display cases of her pieces, that her jewelry is the refinement of that personality. I can’t say much more about what she was like because it was a very brief encounter. There was some politics discussed. Dinner table politics. Opinions. It was during the first Clinton Administration and there were already scandals a-brewing. The dinner guests were almost exclusively what you could call “liberals” (stupid term) but there were some loud words about what was what and who was who. Elsa Peretti is Signora Justice. Very warm and very respectful although certain of what is right. And wrong. I never saw her again after that night. She was already living mainly in Italy. She has a fantastic tiny old villa that she purchased and restored. I saw a maquette of it somewhere. It reminded me of when I was a kid, where I would have liked to live. It’s the sensibility of Elsa Peretti that is the main attraction for me. Irresistible.

57th Street and Fifth Avenue looking west towards the Van Cleef and Bergdorf buildings. The red trees are part of the Tiffany holiday decor. 8:25 pm.

The fifth floor executive reception rooms at Tiffany during the Elsa Peretti party last night.

So I went down to Tiffany just to see her again because I knew I would feel good seeing her. And when I did see her, I didn’t recognize her at first. I think she was using a cane and she’d changed quite a bit. This is not so surprising when you get to a certain age and you look around and see youth ebbing all over the place. You are then reminded that you’re in the same flow, joe. Last night she was enjoying the vibes coming her way, surrounded by well-wishers, fans, colleagues, photographers. I re-introduced myself. I couldn’t remember Tom Scherrer’s name for the moment. I told her about the dinner. She didn’t seem to remember. But it didn’t matter; she was that warm and gracious woman. A giant, also. A presence. The artist. A blow-up of Elsa's handwriting on her stationery: My 25th year / with Tiffany / 1974 - 1999 / Elsa. The place was packed. Two big rooms – the same room where I attended the Tiffany holiday luncheon a couple of weeks ago. Along one wall were a couple of tables of Peretti memorabilia and photos. Nancy North who with Bill Dugan worked with Halston back in the heyday, knew Elsa when Elsa was a Halston model. Nancy raved about what a beauty she was. She recalled the first time Elsa came out on the runway in her first fashion show, she was wearing a large brimmed hat and as she entered the runway, she bowed her head and kept it bowed, which struck Nancy as so chic. Later when she commended Elsa on her chic, Elsa said, it wasn’t that. It was that she was “terrified” walking out on the runway and so she looked down at the path, Halston, Nancy recalled, always said Elsa wasn’t like any of the other girls (models). It was a great evening, a most unusual commercial party. Of course it was at Tiffany where everything is done well and properly. And the displays were museum-like. And there was a big crowd, and they were sticking around enjoying the camaraderie. There were also the hors d’oeuvres and the very good champagne. But aside from that, there was a vibe in the air. As if everyone was happy that Elsa was back and that she was in the room. A return of the artist, the taste, the vision. It was reassuring. I stayed longer than I should have because I was expected at a dinner called for 8:30 seating. But it felt good being there and seeing how others were reacting to the moment.

Ron Perri and Elisa Wagner.

Bill Dugan and Nancy North, both of whom worked with Elsa when she was a model for Halston.

Gigi and Harry Benson.

Turlough McConnell and Pauline Turley of the Irish Art Center.

Wendy Goodman and Cynthia Ervin who worked with Elsa at Tiffany for 17 years.

Tom Scherrer, who was our host at the dinner where I met Elsa.

Charlotte Moss and Ralph Rucci.

Rosina Rucci and Justin Stuzman.

Robert Rufino and Charlotte Moss review the Peretti memorabilia.

NYSD readers will recall that Jill Krementz published a photojournal on our site last week (click to view [1]), which included several photo sessions she had with Elsa Peretti in 1974. Ms. Krementz was a guest at Tiffany's last night and the following is her photojournal of the evening ...

Poster on 5th floor greeting visitors as they stepped off elevators. That's a cluster of red roses on the lower right.

Elsa Peretti greets an old friend.

Andrea Danese from Harry Abrams with Hiro, one of the greatest photographers alive. He is 79 and still working. All of the displays on the 5th floor are based on Hiro's photographs of Peretti's designs. Hiro has always been, and continues to be, one of the greats.

Glenda Bailey, Editor of Harper's Bazaar, with Hiro.

Photographer Mary Hilliard.

Ruth Ansel, former art director of Harper's Bazaar with Wendy Goodman, Design Editor for New York Magazine.

John Loring, Design Director "Emeritus" for Tiffanys, with Natasha Chabanenko, a model, and Benjamin Havrilak, who works for Armani in advertising, doing all their ad campaigns. Mr. Havrilak is the adopted son of Mr. Loring.

DPC makes an entrance.

Hinda Moray, a great photographer from Germany who photographed Peretti extensively, with Diana Lyne. Ms. Lyne worked at Tiffany's (and mostly with Elsa Peretti) for almost 25 years.

Tiffany's Linda Buckley wearing a Peretti belt with New York Magazine's Wendy Goodman.

Xavier Corbero, long time friend and muse of Elsa Peretti. Mr. Corbero is a sculptor.

Harry Benson with Millie Bratten. Mr. Benson just celebrated his 80th birthday. Ms. Bratten is the Editor of Brides Magazine.

Enid Nemy and Ray Crespin. Crespin designed the necklace she is wearing.

Catherine Joseph, Catherine Jacob-David, and Cindy Karan who are all members of Tiffany's 25-year-club, meaning that they have all worked for Tiffany & Co. for 25 years. Now retired, Ms. Joseph worked in silver buying, Ms. Jacob-David worked in supply management, and Ms. Karan worked in the polishing department.

Susan Lyne.

Gigi and Harry Benson.

Mariko, a student at FIT. Mariko, who is from Japan and studying international trade, marketing and jewelry design, made her hair ornament of feathers which she found on West 34th Street.

Alva Chinn, actress and yoga instructor. Ms. Chinn used to be a model and one of the "Halstonettes." One of her specialties is teaching private yoga instruction to the elderly. She will come to your home and her rates are very reasonable.

Peretti's famous sterling cuffs.

Display after beautiful display of Elsa's creations ...

Peretti's sterling silver nutcracker.

Table displays of Peretti memorabilia including family, friends, and co-workers.

Elsa Peretti wearing black halter dress to the top left of the gutter.

At VBH last night, the American Ballet Theater celebrated the publication of "Bravura! Lucia Chase and The American Ballet Theatre" written by Alex C. Ewing who is not only a dance expert in his own right (Ewing was a director of the Joffrey Ballet and is chancellor emeritus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts), but who is also the son of the dancer and founding patron of ABT, Lucia Chase. "At first I thought I would write a memoir about my mother," Ewing told me. “And then I thought, no, I'll write about the Ballet Theatre; no one has written about that. And then I realized that the two are inseparable. Ballet Theatre was her life, and she was indispensable to Ballet Theatre." Ewing made perfectly clear that his mother's work with the Ballet did not detract from her family life -- stating that her professional and personal lives were equally valued but distinct.

Bravura!

"Her story resonates with everyone" said Mitchell Waters, Ewing's literary agent. "One tale which crystallizes her role is this: she was about to go onstage in this long, flowing outfit with a train [here he gestures to the beautiful but complicated outfits in the vault] and the financial manager came up behind her in the wings right before her cue and frantically whispers 'If we don't get 10,000 dollars by tomorrow morning, we're done!' and she turned to him, nodded, and then swept onstage! She was everything to the ballet theatre." Waters also noted how the story resonated with the particular crowd. "She was like many among today's well-off social set: she had a lot of money and nothing was expected of her -- just join a club, follow the latest fashion, care about the latest hat, you know? She could have done nothing, but she wasn't content with that. And what is even MORE amazing is that she didn't want to be the prima ballerina, she just wanted to be part of the company!"

The Vault door

Costumes donned by Chase.

Ewing likened the Ballet company to a band of brothers and sisters in his mother's eyes. Many of Lucia's costumes and photographs were on display in "the vault" (formerly a bank vault which Bruce Hoeksema (owner and designer of VBH) converted into a display room -- it was a very impressive spectacle of VBH jewelry and Chase's costumes). Julie Kent, of ABT, spoke with the author for a while, while Blaine Trump, Somers Farkas, and Muffie Potter Aston animatedly greeted one another in the entryway. Hamish Bowles posed with the costumes in the vault (costumes which, one must remember, need be both decorative and functional -- a miracle considering the bejeweled intricacy of several of the designs) as did Daniel Benedict, Karen Duffy. Victor Barbee, Kevin McKenzie, Susan Fales-Hill, Tiffany Dubin, and Bettina Zilkha were among the many attending. -- TS for NYSD

Lucia Chase

ABT dancers

Alex Ewing posing with his book

Hamish Bowles

Julie Kent

Bettina Zilkha

Valerie Bitici and Alannah Arguelles

Blaine Trump, Peter Lyden, and Muffie Potter Aston

Amanda Ross, Michel Tcherekovff, and Karen Duffy

Muffie Potter Aston and Somers Farkas

Wednesday night down at the Stephan Weiss Studio in the West Village, ACRIA (AIDS Community Research Initiative of America) celebrated its 14th annual Holiday Dinner. The evening’s hosts were Ross Bleckner, Bob Colacello, Francisco Costa, Ariel Foxman, Reinaldo and Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, and Martha Nelson. They saluted the late Claudia Cohen, honoring her posthumously for her service and commitment to the fight against AIDS.

Andrew Saffir, Bonnie Young, and Daniel Benedict.

Sonja Nuttall (Creative Director for Urban Zen at the Stephen Weiss Gallery).

Dr. Marlena Vega.

Massimiliano DiBattista, Ariel Foxman, and Marcy Engelman.

Bob Colacello's "Bianca Jagger with Mick Jagger Look-Alike at Red Ball," ca. 1980.

Clockwise form top left: "Monkey Train, Blue" by Jeff Koons; Ross Bleckner "Hope for News"; Kathy Ruttenburg "What Do You Have to Offer?"; Dale Chihuly "Silvered Piccolo Venetian with Burnt Umber Vines and Flowers."

Table Decor.

The Herrera-Colacello table.

Also Wednesday, Autism Speaks co-founders, Bob and Suzanne Wright, along with Cardinal Edward Egan and McCarton School founder and Executive Director Cecelia McCarton MD, cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the opening of the school’s new comprehensive education center for children with autism.

McCarton School Founder and Executive Director Cecelia McCarton and Autism Speaks Co-Founders Suzanne Wright.

Cutting the ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the opening of the school’s new, comprehensive education center for children with autism.

Autism Speaks has grown into the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We are proud of what we've been able to accomplish and look forward to continued successes in the years ahead.

Jane O'Connell, Cardinal Edward Egan, and Bob Wright

Ellie Libby and Andrea Masason

Cardinal Edward Egan and Jim Libby

Melanie Asovsky, Jeff Ganz, and Kerri Barber

Brad Shaheen, Jill Johnson, and Jim Libby

Alex and Kate Donner

Kim Levering and Alexander Chaplin

Seton Bitterley, Heidi James, and Geraldine Brower

Melanie Asofsky and Kristen McLaughlin

Stefano Natella, Kristen McLaughlin, and Cece McCarton

Adam Usdan, Cece McCarton, and Elyse Kroll

Claire Fitzgerald and John Richter

Claire Mercuri and Cece McCarton

Cardinal Edward Egan and Sister Patricia McCarthy

Sandra Ripert, Cece McCarton, and Gopa Dobson

Frank Chaney and Ronda Wist

Also, at the Plaza they held the Leadership in Tourism Award dinner. Attendees included George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company, Randy Levine, President of the New York Yankees, Jonathan Tisch, Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, Emily Rafferty, President of the Metropolitan Museum, and Jennnifer Steinbrenner Swindal, General Partner and Vice Chair of the New York Yankees. Also among those attending: Yankees  legends David Cone and Lee Mazzilli and Mets legends Ron Darling, John Franco, Ed Kranepool, Ed Charles and Mookie Wilson. Also, Tim and Nina Zagat, Bill Rudin, Danny Meyer, and Tracy Nieporent, Partner of Myriad Restaurant Group. The Benefit salutes New York City’s vital tourism industry --- last year the sector generated $32.1 billion in total visitor spending and supported approximately 314,000 jobs.

Cocktail hour.

Mary Wittenberg and Dale Shumanski.

Lianne Raymond and Emily Bixler.

Donna Nondo and Mike Onysko.

Beatrice Kernan and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal.

Bill Rudin, his daughter Samantha, and Rey Allen.

NYC Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba.

Lavonnie Brinkley and Former Met Ed Charles.

Naomi and George Fertita, the head of NYC & Company.

Some of the good stuff, with hat tip to Penny B ... A baby moose was in distress in a creek in Minnesota. A man got him out of the creek; tried to find the mother and send him on his way, but eventually the moose stumbled back into the creek and was rescued again.  The baby moose followed the man home. The man has only a small cabin so he took the moose to another neighbor, who took these photos. They took the moose the next day to a woman who looks after wild animals and she put it in a pen with a rescued fawn.

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Photographs by ANN WATT (McCarton).

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