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 Palm Beach Social Diary
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Hilary Geary Ross's place setting at Marjorie Fisher's "pig out " themed dinner. |
Oh, my, my, my Palm Beach calendar is on overload in February! If you can believe it is even busier than January as the season is in full bloom.
It has been a tad bit chilly so everyone just layers on another pastel colored cashmere sweater or the ladies just pop on their fur” wraps” and head out into the cold -- well cold for PB. Last week, Nancy Paul and Nikky Harris invited a few pals to Mike McCarty’s for a “welcome home” lunch for the beauteous Ambassador Nancy Brinker, who just stepped down from her role as Chief of Protocol for President George W. Bush. All the gals were asked to wear pink and they did. What a flattering color and also the symbol for fighting breast cancer.
Nancy is the founder of the Susan Komen Foundation to fight that disease, which Nancy has championed brillantly. That night we headed to two fabulous Super Bowl bashes -- one at Jerry and Darlene Jordan’s who had a tent filled with dozens of flat screened TV’s, buffets and bars set up on the lake. Then from the Jordans we headed to Maria and Raymond Floyd’s for a smaller gathering. |
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Nancy Brinker at her "welcome home" luncheon |
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Grace Meigher and Kenny Lane at Saks Fifth Ave |
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Next night Pat Patterson had a cozy dinner for the legendary jewelry designer, Kenneth Jay Lane. He really is world class talent, with such great style and chic so when later that week he had a show at Saks, it was packed. One of the ladies had a “real” Chanel/Verdura cuff on and a similar “KJL,” no one could tell the difference, certainly not me!
Tuesday brought the American International Fine Art fair opening which drew huge crowds and everyone was very upbeat despite the dismal economy. Apparently the show did very well with record attendance and many sales from $5000 to $5 million.
Afterwards we headed to Tom Quick’s beautiful house for a cozy dinner of ten, the perfect size. After sipping drinks on his open loggia overlooking his Mario Nievera-landscaped pool, we headed into dinner.
Tom’s woodpaneled dining room had a large polished mahogany round table set with candles, fresh flowers and silver. Of course we had a scrumptious dinner with the very best wines! All Perfection! |
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Pauline Pitt |
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Tom Quick and Diana Ecclestone |
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Mario Buatta and Kate Gubelmann |
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Brett Price and Kate Gubelmann |
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Tom Quick and Kate Khosrovani |
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The following day Mario Buatta’s lecture at the show was so popular the venue had to be moved to a bigger room to handle all his fans!
Wednesday eve was “Dealers and Collectors night" at Mar-A-Lago and it was packed with all the usual pals you know and love. We sat with Henri Barguirdjian, Francois Graff, Stephane Seymour and Peter Brandt, Don and Nancy Carter, Walter and Nancy Raquet. I also spotted in the ballroom Harry and Gigi Benson, Tina Fanjul, Jaye Keith, Michael Goedhuis, Carter and Afsy Pottash and more. |
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Crowds lining up to hear Mario Buatta speak at the PB Antique show |
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Steven Stolman, Jessie Araskog, Ellen Graham, and Mario Buatta |
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Alynne Massey |
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Wilbur Ross and Henri Barguirdjian |
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Jaye Keith and Tina Fanjul |
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Francois Graff, Stephanie Seymour, and Don Carter |
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Stephanie Seymour and Nancy Carter |
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Hilary Geary Ross and Stephanie Seymour |
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Thursday brought the cocktail party for KJL plus Mai Harrison had a dinner, as did Emilia and Pepe Fanjul.
Friday, everybody’s favorite gal, adorable Marjorie Fisher, gave a very “casual” dinner at her magnificent waterfront house. Lovely Marjorie is the widow of the legendary Max Fisher, who was not only a brilliant businessman, but a real charmer, a generous philanthropist, star of the Republican Party and so much more.
”Pig-out “was the theme and I can honestly tell you I took it very seriously and ate everything as did everyone else as it was so very delicious. |
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Marjorie Fisher's seating chart |
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"Pig out " centerpieces |
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Nancy Silverman |
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Karin Luters, Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and Joanne de Guardiola |
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Maria Floyd, Mila Mulroney, and Ambrose Monell |
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Grace Meigher |
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Francesco Clemente portrait of Marjorie Fisher |
Another night Trish Quick gave a dinner for the Breast Cancer Research group who was down in PB for the luncheon being held the next day at the Flagler. The seminar and lunch, founded by the wonderful Evelyn Lauder, was packed with Karin Luters, Pauline Pitt, Donna Acquavella, Ande Phipps, Ginny Melhado, Felicia Taylor, Richard Zieglash, Grace Meigher, Liz Mezzacappa, Tina Fanjul, Jackie Weld and many many more!
— Hilary Geary Ross |
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Evelyn Lauder and Trish Quick |
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Chris Meigher, Nick Simunek, and Brucie Boalt |
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| Lots more from Palm beach ... Jim Clark, Netscape founder/tycoon, hosted a small concert and a dinner for Toby and Itzhak Perlman at his spectacular house in Palm Beach this past Saturday. |
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Toby and Itzhak Perlman, Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze with the musicians |
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Guests at dinner |
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The performance |
| The concert is given by alumni and students from the Perlman Music Program and the house is, as they say, worth a detour. |
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Michael and Eleanora Kennedy |
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Sean Lee, Jim Clark, and Laura Seay |
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Nancy Tsai and Amb. Nancy Brinker |
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Toby and Itzhak Perlman with Jim Clark |
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Bill Acquavella with Toby and Itzhak Perlman |
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Kate Ford and Virginia Melhado |
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Damon and Liz Mezzacappa |
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Tom Quick and Talbott Maxey |
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Donna and Bill Acquavella |
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Virginia Melhado and Ava Roosevelt |
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William Noortman and Allison Crichton-Stuart |
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Aaron Mossberg, Jennifer Liu, Talya Buckbinder, and Max Tan |
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Peter Cummings and Bert O’Malley (standing), Jim Clark, and Itzhak Perlman |
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Hillie Mahoney and Amb. Nancy Brinker |
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Kristy Hinze, Jim Clark, and Talbott Maxey |
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Hilary and Wilbur Ross |
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Maureen Nash and Jody Wolfe |
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"Grace Kelly" and Jim Clark |
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The 33rd Annual Bal des Arts, Impressions of an Age, took place at the Norton Museum of Art last Saturday.
Event Chairmen, Paula and Mark Cook welcomed 240 guests into the Museum for an exciting and elegant evening themed around an exclusive preview of the special exhibition, Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism, organized by the Brooklyn Museum.
The exhibit will be on view at the Norton Museum through May 10, 2009.
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Nicky and Billy Sabino, Carolyn and Ray Moran, Phil and Elaine Cacciatori, Dr. Gillespie and Vicki Gillespie |
The Bal des Arts was a truly extraordinary event which included the preview of Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism, an elegant cocktail hour followed by a French inspired dinner, dancing to the music of Sugar and Spice, the Jimmy Church Band from Nashville, and an exciting Jeux de Casino, featuring high-end prizes which were awarded to the evening’s biggest winners, including a fabulous platinum and diamond three row bracelet from Tiffany & Co., the event’s Grand Jewelry Benefactor; a one-year lease on a Mini Cooper from Braham Motorcars; and a three-day, two-night theater themed trip to New York City.
An absolute highlight of the evening was the Moulin Rouge inspired entertainment consisting of can-can dancers and cabaret performers. |
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The red carpet leading to the Norton Museum of Art |
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Paula and Mark Cook with Christina Orr-Cahall |
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Kemp and Edith Stickney |
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Ford Peatross with Annette and Jack Friedland |
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Heidi and John Niblack |
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Mary and Mark Freitas |
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Felicia Taylor, Gregg Connors, Tricia Quick, and Don Burns |
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Jean Tailer and John Loring |
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Elizabeth and Jeff Bateman |
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Elizabeth Anger |
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Kelly and Darren Hardersen |
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Tim O’Neil and Karen Swanson |
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Tom and Caroline Forrest |
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Sally and Bill Soter with Laetitia Rittmeister |
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Renee and Carlos Morrison |
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Leanne and David Lester |
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Renee Wood and Michael Stanley |
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Colleen and Michael Bracci |
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| Polo Ralph Lauren and French Heritage Society hosted a cocktail reception and book signing at Ralph Lauren in Palm Beach to celebrate the publication of Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles, written by Christian Duvernois with photographs by Francois Lalard. |
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Allie and Lee Hanley |
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Jean Astrop and Christian Duvernois |
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Michael Peacock and Jane Baird |
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Muffy Miller, Mai Harrison, and Peggy Mejia |
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François Halard, Greg Beletsky, Karen Clark, and Christian Duvernois |
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Peggy and Rodney Dillard with Regina and Rainer Greeven |
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Sandy and Buddy Thompson |
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Karen Clark with Dr. Gary Knapp and Emily Knapp |
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Toinette Boalt, Geoffrey Thompson, and Lady Sharon Sondes |
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Suzanne von Liebig hosted an elegant reception in her West Palm Beach home for the newly-established American Friends of the Budapest Festival Orchestra. They were celebrating the acclaimed Ensemble’s U.S. Tour (January 23-31, 2009) and Silver Anniversary Season with Special Events in New York and West Palm Beach.
Among the guests were Iris Apfel, as well as Vic Damone and his wife Rena Rowan Damone, co-founder of Jones New York. Also: Beverly and Weldon Yeager, Joseph and Mary Ierardi, Joel de Silva, Ginger Baldwin, Susan and Tim Malloy, Casey and Jo Pickett, Dr. John and Daisy Merey, Rodman and Jackie Weld Drake, Frank and Jackie Oppedisano, Christopher Daniels, May Montgomery, Muriel Shapiro, Marilyn and Mark Boodinler, Katie and Hamie Presley, Carolyn and Gerald O’Connor, Aniko Gaal Schott, Robert Bennet, Alfredo Molina, Jay Harington, Cheryl and Alan Lefkovits, Ninotchka Manus, Mark McFadden, The Honorable Mary Mochary, Sara Lankler, Michelle Kessler. |
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Suzanne von Liebig introduces Maestro Ivan Fischer |
Mrs. von Liebig is a member of the Board of the American Friends of the BFO and has long been a devoted friend and generous supporter of the orchestra. She is also the patron of the Budapest Mahlerfest, a very successful annual festival in Budapest, Hungary, which members of the American Board plan to visit next September.
The sensational success story of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, which was founded by Iván Fischer in 1983, has drawn a lot of attention around the world, and increasingly in the United States, where the orchestra has toured repeatedly to enthusiastic acclaim. An international survey of music critics, assembled by the U.K.-based Gramophone – the world’s leading classical music magazine – recently named this young orchestra one of the best ten in the world. |
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Ginger Baldwin |
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Joseph and Mary Lerardi |
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Jay Hartington |
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Dr. John and Daisy Merey |
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Frank and Jackie Oppedisano |
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Rod Drake and Jackie Weld Drake |
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Michelle Kessler and Rena Rowan Damone |
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Ninotchka Manus, Aniko Gaal Schott, and Maestro Ivan Fischer |
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Susan and Tim Malloy |
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Robert Bennet and Aniko Gaal Schott |
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Marilyn and Mark Boodinler |
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Weldon and Beverly Yeager |
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Venoshka and Alfredo Molina |
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Casey and Jo Pickett |
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Maestro Ivan Fischer with Frank and Jackie Oppedisano |
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Joel de Silva |
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Suzanne von Liebig and Maestro Ivan Fischer |
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Mike Ennis with Vic and Rena Damone |
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Dianne Scaravilli, Aniko Gaal Schott, and Gilan Corn |
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Christopher Daniels, Mary Montgomery, and Muriel Shapiro |
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Cheryl and Alan Lefkovits |
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David Crowham |
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Michelle Kessler, Maestro Ivan Fischer, and Mark McFadden |
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Jamie and Katie Presley with Gerald and Carolyn O'Connor |
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Beatrice Tang, Christopher von Mitschke-Colland, Kim Kirsten, and Benigna Kirsten |
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More than 200 friends of Marianne and John K. Castle and the Kennedy’s were at the Castle’s home on Friday evening, January 23rd for the launch of the new book, The Kennedy Family Album: Personal Photos of America's First Family, a photographic history of the Kennedy family. Palm Beach’s Linda Corley and Palm Beach photographer Bob Davidoff collaborated on the book. Bob Davidoff was considered the official Kennedy family photographer. The forward in the book is by Senator Edward Kennedy.
Leo Racine was also honored at the party. He was the manager of the Kennedy Estate for 50 years and now manages the estate for Marianne and John Castle. |
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Marilyn Denton, Peggy Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Patricia Haig, General Alexander Haig, and John Bennison |
Marianne and John Castle bought the Kennedy mansion in 1995 and restored it to its original elegance. Joseph Kennedy bought the house in 1933 and it was simply referred to as “the beach house” and was later known as JFK’s Winter White House. The house was originally built in 1923 and designed by Addison Mizner for the Wanamakers of Philadelphia. Marianne Castle based the restoration from the original Mizner drawings.
Each guest received a copy of the book. Among those who attended were the Mayor of Palm Beach, Jack McDonald; Hilary and Wilbur Ross; Alicia Blodgett; Bill Diamond; Rena and Vic Domone; Bob Leidy; General and Mrs. Alexander Haig; Jerry Goldsmith who is currently running for Palm Beach Mayor; Mrs. Henry Ford II; Rodney Dillard; and many Palm Beachers who had spent time with the Kennedys at the house. |
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John K. Castle and Marianne Castle |
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Monique Merrill and Harvey Oyer |
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Marianne Castle and Bob Leidy |
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Ann Hurley, John Hurley, and Mary Ann Hurley |
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Richard and Susan Turk |
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Peggy and Rodney Dillard |
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Moira Fiore, Jon Fiore, and Linda Corley |
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| Photographs by Lucien Capehart & Ann Watt |
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