Tangier and beyond ...

The King of Morocco, S.A.R. Mohammed VI holding the Crown Prince Moulay Al Hassan and his wife Princess Lalla Salma holding their daughter Princess Lalla Khadija (center), the king's brother Prince Moulay Al Rachid, and the King's three sisters.

Tangier, the white city, the mythical city strategically positioned between the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Straits of Gibraltar, is the place to be in August. Blue skies, sunshine and beaches, Tangier provides all this and much more – the tranquility of the sea and the turmoil of the ocean; the scent of Africa and memories of the Occident. Matt Damon’s starrer “The Bourne Ultimatum” was filmed partly in Tangier.

Tangier is what St. Tropez used to be – unspoiled, non-publicity conscious; young Europeans, English, French, Italian and Spanish; sun-tanned and well-dressed, models, actors, artists, photographers, politicians; rich Europeans and Americans who have fabulous houses there. Tangier is only an hour away by boat from Gibraltar and the Spanish coast and Marbella.

Gran cafe de Paris where Bourne Ultimatum was filmed.

Tangier was the scene of Malcolm Forbes’ 70th birthday party at his palace overlooking the Atlantic and next to York Castle. 800 of the most famous guests from all over the world were flown there by Malcolm in a chartered Concorde and two 747’s. Elizabeth Taylor was his hostess for the party. Guests were seated in different colored tents and when they arrived, there was a line for men and one for women. The seating was in two huge silver bowls – one for men and one for women, and a card with the tent color and a table number – you put your hand in and pulled out your seating.

Back in the news: Ann Marie Stehlin, the longtime friend of the late Baron Guy de Rothschild has taken a house in Assila on the Atlantic, about an hour from Tangier. Barbara and Carlos San Damianare are an hour away from Tangier at their villa in Marbella.

The King S.A.R. Mohammed VI (he is referred to by his close friends as M6) and his wife Princess Lalla Salma and their children, the Crown Prince Moulay Al Hassan, born in 2003, and daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, born on this past February 28th, are at one of their summer palaces in Tetouan.

View of Tangier and its beachfront on the Mediterranean

Anna Maimouni and Sykbil Kirby

Suzanne and Frank Wheeler

Armsie Maimouni

Dar Zero, a magnificent house on top of the Casbah, next to York Castle, is owned by one of the icons of French interior decoration, Charles Sevigney and the late internationally famous Yves Vidal. Charles’ clients and friends included Avon heiress Baroness Hubert (Terry) von Pantz from Paris, New York and Marbella, Marella Agnelli who has a house in Marrkech. Dar Zero is one of the centers of summer social activity in Tangier. Charles and Yves created the famous York Castle many years ago. Charles maintains Dar Zero as a year round residence with his staff, Abdullah, Rashid, Said and Anwar. He spends the summer, Christmas and Easter at the house. Micky Easterling from New Orleans rents Dar Zero for the month of August each year.

In the month of August, parties in Tangier are non-stop – luncheons, cocktails, dinners at midnight and dancing until the Sun comes up.

Micky Easterling, Jim Mitchell and Barbara Franzheim at Dar Zero dinner

Alain Toukquette and Charles Sevigney

Charles Sevigney

The Dar Zero Staff: Rachid, Abdullah, Said, and Anwar

The parties: Micky Easterling entertained at luncheons and dinners at Dar Zero. Vincent Coppee’s dinner was for twelve and 80 arrived. Anna and Armsie Matmouni gave a lunch at their beautiful house on the Rue Shakespeare with the most exotic gardens in all of Tangier. There was a party given by Patrick De Laurier and Jean-Jacques Giraud, a fancy dress ball for several hundred guests with a theme of a Richard Strauss opera. Nadia and Swami La Valle held their annual “Fierra de Augusto” party at their big villa in the Casbah (August 15th is a national holiday in Italy).

“Fete de Forane a Tangier,” a circus party was given by Eric Pillon, the auction house owner from Paris, at his villa for 400 guests. Dinner at midnight, dancing till dawn; ice cream cones, hot dogs, a carousel, fortune tellers, tarot card readers, balloons and everyone in fantastic costumes.

There was a benefit party for children at Le Mirage, a luxurious hotel outside of Tangier, located high above the Atlantic overlooking miles of unspoiled sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. Several princes from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have sprawling estates on the beach.

Micky Easterling and Eric Pillon at his circus party

Jerome Gerain

Rabiah and Tony Salmeran

Eric Jansen and Cotton Candy

Claude Danceau, Eric Pillon, and Helene Irono

The host front and center with (l. to r.) Barbara Franzheim, Anna Maimouni, Nabilla Braaka, and Micky Easterling

The British Consul General Regina Butler and Jonathan Dawson

Digital at Work: Carlos Mundy center

Eric Jansen of Pont de Vue with (ahem) the Body Builders

Beatrice and Henry Hermand and Jean-Marc Coiinet gave a big-seated dinner dance for several hundred at the Hermand villa Sidi Hosni in the Casbah, just next door to Dar Zero. The house once belonged to Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. It was a very dressy party, lots of jewels, gowns; lots of candles, flowers. Hutton’s parties on this same spot on the top of the villa, were legendary.

On the August guest lists in Tangier: Jean Pierre Gallouedoc, a national security chief from Marrakech and Paris; Anna and Armsie Maimouni, Carlos Mundy from Madrid, Eric Pillon, Patrick de Laurier Jean-Jacques Giraud, Nadia and Swami La Valle, Eric Jansen from Point de Vue in Paris, Vincent Coppee who also has houses in Washington D.C. and Brussels; Barbara Franzheim from Houston, Jim Mitchell from New York, Jerome Gerain; the British Consul General and Regina Butler, Jonathan Dawson, Nabilla Braaka, Kathleen Flores, Rabiah and Tony Salmeran, Sylvie Boulte, Florence Vivien, Suzanne and Frank Wheeler, Elizabeth de Buhle, Dtephan Dehn, William Weber, Christopher Gibbs from London, Daniel Martin, John Hughes, Alex Pere, Sybil Kirby, John Fitzpatrick and lots and lots more, all enjoying the magic of Tangier in August.

The hosts: Henry and Beatric Hermand and Jean Marc Coiinet

Vincent Coppee with Charles Sevigney at Sidi Hosni

Nadia La Valle

The Party guests

Jean Pierre Galloudedoc and Micky Easterling

Christopher Gibbs

The party before dinner

Chicago, IL: The Women’s Board of Ravinia hosted the festival’s annual Gala Benefit Evening. Plácido Domingo, Grammy winner soprano Ana Maria Martinez and conductor and Ravinia Festival Music Director James Conlon along with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra headlined the Gala performance which featured a mix of music theater, zarzuela selections and opera arias by composers such as Verdi, Wagner, Bernstein and Sorozabal.

This special black-tie event began on the north lawn at 5 p.m. with cocktails including champagne sangria and traditional red wine sangria and hors d’oeuvres passed on Spanish-themed porcelain platters. This was followed by the concert without intermission at 7. Dinner was served immediately following the performance in the Gala Marquee. The cocktail reception sponsor was BMO Capital Markets and the dinner sponsor was Aon Corporation. The concert was sponsored by the Port, Washlow and Errant Families and Howard A. Stotler.

There were approximately 1200 guests in attendance to the only performance fund-raiser benefiting America’s oldest not-for-profit music festival raised approximately $1.7 million.

The 2007 Gala Benefit Women’s Board committee was headed by Gala chairman Jane Casper and Gala co-chairman Caroline Huebner. Claudia Lane and Becky Murray served as the Gala Benefactor co-chairmen and Paul Yovovich and Lucy Minor served as the Trustee Benefactor co-chairmen. Audrey C. Rubinstein is the Women’s Board chairman.

The white Gala Marquee tent featured rich décor created by Kehoe Designs. The dinner was catered by Jewell Events Catering.

Mamie and Greg Case

Mercedes and Stan Logan

Paul and Mary Yavovich

Jane Casper

Welz Kauffman and Zarin Mehta

Caroline Huebner

Eden and Sharon Martin

Lisa and Jeff Leiden

John Edwardson and Fran Maher

Michael Belsky, Michael Lavin, and Welz Kauffman

Placido Domingo with Audrey and Michael Rubinstein

Greg and Brooke Walters

Dirk Lohan

Valerie Jarrett and Desiree Rodgers

Carol DeMaio

Kelly Dibble, Linda Johnson-Rice, and Marguerite Orane

Diane Swonk

Christine Taylor

James Conlon

Ana Maria Martinez

Gala dinner under the tent ...

... The meal

Last Saturday night in East Hampton, United Cerebral Palsy of Suffolk and New York City presented “Creative Spirit,” a Free Art Exhibition exhibition and silent auction of paintings created by people with disabilities.

Petra Anderson, Edward Matthews, Andres Leon, Robert Jenkins, Lisa de Kooning, Dr. Gerald Curatola, Stephen Friedman, Cheryl Clark, Yolan Faulk, Janine Lamia, and Rolf Walter

All proceeds from this auction will benefit the UCP Suffolk and NYC artists and their respective art programs. Local dentist and philanthropist Dr. Gerald Curatola showcased the art in his office for the public to view and place bids.