Last Thursday night at the Four Seasons restaurant, Pete Peterson, the famous financier (Blackstone) and his wife Joan Ganz Cooney, the famous public television producer (“Sesame Street”), gave a cocktail reception and dinner for Mr. Peterson’s daughter Holly Peterson, who has just published her first novel, “The Manny.”
A manny, if you didn’t already know, is a male nanny. They’re very popular these days although they also charge quite a bit more than the standard “nanny” we see on the streets of the Upper East Side -- often a woman of enthnic minority: Phillippina, Hispanic and/or African American. Mannies are most often white and Anglo and college educated. And command a nice salary (low six figures). Holly Peterson who is a working reporter (for Newsweek), has three children and has employed mannies for them for quite some time. It was originally the idea of Peterson’s husband, Rick Kimball, for their son who is a middle child (with an older and younger sister). Mr. Kimball thought it would be good for the child to have a man around the house. In the olden days that man used to be the father. And/or, that woman used to be the mother. Now the parents are working and often leading very active social lives (at least in New York many do).
 |
 [1] |
Click to order |
So, out of all this, as well as Peterson’s vivid chick-lit imagination, has emerged a book. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, don’t forget. Peterson hasn’t. And all in the context of what goes on around the house of these young Park Avenue (got everything girls) matrons. A man around the house, right? When hubby’s away. And the kiddies are in school. Oy whatta-day-I-had-today….
Mrs. Peterson is also a member of that so-called Park Avenue set, although she regards herself (fairly)(mostly) as an observer rather than a player. Although she is a daughter of a very rich man (Mr. Peterson’s Blackstone Group went public the same day as the party, and his net worth increased a couple of billions), Ms. Peterson was brought up the old-fashioned way: study, work hard, respect your elders, look after your children, work hard and behave yourself. Hence the discipline to have a fulltime job as a journalist and write a novel at the same time. Not to mention the other domestic stuff.
The book has been the talk for quite sometime because Peterson secured a million dollar advance (for two books) and a movie deal.
There must have been a couple of hundred who attended Thursday night’s party. Barbara Walters was there, and George Stephanopoulos and his wife Alexandra Wentworth; the doyenne of the genre, Candace Bushnell, and Liz Smith, and the editors of Newsweek and Time; Juju Chang and Neal Shapiro, Gary Ginsberg (Rupert’s right hand) and Susannah Aaron, Richard Plepler and Lisa Plepler. The real manny, surfer Sunshine Margaritis. And many members of the social set along with sundry pals.
Mr. Kimball spoke first about being married to a woman who spent her spare time (nights) writing her novel. Then Mr. Peterson spoke about his daughter who got a bigger advance on her first book then he ever got on all of his books combined. And then we all repaired to the pool room of the restaurant where a huge buffet with a table on each side of the pool was laid out for us.
By New York and Park Avenue and media standards, it was a very prominent party. Although by the standards of the author and her family, it was really just a large family affair, a lot of friends celebrating another friend’s achievement. At The Four Seasons.
Click here [2] to Watch director Jay Peterson's vid-depic of "The Manny" starring you-know-who (Not Paris). |
