4.30.09: Classical Visionaries | New York Social Diary

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Classical Visionaries

The Fund for Park Avenue’s 60,000 Orange Tulips Celebrated at Scully & Scully.

Classical Visionaries: A Jeffersonian Evening was the theme for the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation’s Gala benefit dinner and dance that took place at the Rainbow Room on Tuesday, April 21.

Jaquelin T. Robertson and Rizzoli International Publications were the honorees at the “very Jeffersonian” gala held by the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation. The Foundation, which was established in the city in 1991 but has now grown nationwide, is the American friends group of the eponymous museum in London so loved by the cultural cognoscenti.

The evening’s theme was suggested by the fact that Jaque, who has devoted a long and distinguished career to architecture and urban design, also served for nearly a decade as Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia (UVA). HIs remarks in accepting his honor also suggested a near encyclopedic knowledge of the 18th century statesman, polymath, and architect.

Clockwise from above: Betty Scott; Tim Knox; Robert A.M. Stern.

As well, an essay in the evening’s souvenir booklet by Danielle Willkens, a Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation Traveling Fellow (2007) and University of Virginia graduate, tracked remarkable parallels and connections between the lives and careers of Jefferson and Soane: both men lost their fathers at a young age and quickly became dedicated, introspective students; both shared a mutual admiration of the architecture of ancient Rome, particularly the Pantheon, and embraced new technology, methodology, and sectional qualities in their architecture.

Both also designed their own residences and became wedded to the task after losing their wives. Monticello and Soane’s residence at Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London were designed over the span of more than forty years, as experiments in the manipulation of light and the intricacies of carved space, and as vessels for the abundance of diverse collections. Drawings, models, mirrors, curiosities, and gadgets adorned every open fragment of wall space and spilled from marble tables and cases.

Laura Blanco and Chippy Irvine as Sir John Soane and Thomas Jefferson

Scholarship soon took a back seat, however, as Jefferson himself appeared on stage, in the guise of a be-wigged Board President Chippy Irvine. Sir John Soane joined him, in the form of a be-wigged Laura Blanco, also a board member. Together the two belted out a gender-bending, side-splitting duet to the tune of Irving Berlin’s Anything You Can Do I Can Better: “Anything you can build, I can build better. I can build anything better than you…No you can’t, S: Yes I can; Yes I can!; (Soane) I am full of knowledge, (Jefferson) I have built a college; (Soane) Education's vital, and I've earned a title (J) 'scuse me, I'm a President; (S) And I'm a British resident!”

In accepting the Soane award for Rizzoli, David Morton, Associate Publisher for Architecture, spoke about his passion for classical architecture and its importance to the publishing house, which has produced books in New York since 1974. Through the publisher’s largesse, guests left with copies of Allan Greenberg’s fabulous The Architecture of Democracy tucked into their gift bags.

An array of architects, architecture aficionados, designers, cultural leaders and—more surprisingly perhaps—writers gathered for the evening.

Bestselling novelists Tom Wolfe and John Behrendt, such notable architects as Jacque’s partner Alexander Cooper; Robert A.M. Stern, last year’s Soane honoree; Toshiko Mori and James Carpenter; Joan Krevlin and Harry Kendall of BKSK Architects; Claire Weisz of WXY Architecure + Urban Design; Samuel G. White of Platt Byard Dovell White Architects and his wife Elizabeth White of The Monacelli Press; Richard Sammons and Anne Fairfax of Fairfax and Sammons; and John Ike, Tom Kligerman, and Joel Barkley of Ike Kligerman Barkley Architects.

Prominent designers present included Mica Ertegun, Keith Irvine, Stephanie Stokes, Laura Blanco, Birch Coffey from the New York area, and Paul Wiseman, in from San Francisco for the occasion. Among the New Yorkers present were Deborah Marton of the Design Trust for Public Space, Adele Chatfield Taylor of the American Academy in Rome, Emily Frick of The Frick Collection, and Holly Block of the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Architectural leaders in other cites came in for the evening as well, including Richard H. Driehaus of Chicago, Cynthia and John Gunn of San Francisco, and John and Cynthia Everets of Boston. Tim Knox, director of Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, was present to thank the group of Americans and describe the Museum’s plans for opening up its second floor to the public.

Cynthia Gunn, Richard Snyder, and Carol Haber

Frank de Biasi, Dara Rosenfeld, and Jamie Dworkin

Danielle Willkens and Tim Knox

David Morton, Mica Ertegun, Jaque Robertson, and Betty Scott

Nick Stern, Bob Stern, Mica Ertegun, Tom Wolfe, and Courtney Stern

Michele and Cameron Mactavish

Jaque Robertson welcomed to the stage by Bob Stern

John Kirk, Suzanne Stephens, and Ed Siegel

Joel Barkley and Peter Lang

John Everets

Keith Irvine and Karen Gage

Linda Karshan, Barbara Simon, and Janine Rensch

Molly Borthwick, Najla Al-Naqeeb, and Randolph Fishburn

Peter Tufo, Anya Robertson, and Liz Stiffel

Lisa and Jamie Dworkin

Randolph Fishburn, Najla Al-Naqeeb, and Paul Tabor

Honoree Jaque Robertson, David Morton, Anne Fairfax, and Richard Sammons

Robert A.M. Stern, James Carpenter, and Toshiko Mori

Kathleen E. Springhorn and Richard H. Driehaus

Tom Wolfe and Courtney Stern

Tim Knox, Stephanie Stokes, and William A Haseltine

Nicholas and Courtney Stern

Paul Wiseman and Thomas Jayne

Mica Ertegun and Jaque Robertson

Mitizi Perdue

Molly and David Borthwick

Richard Sammons, Honoree David Morton, and Anne Fairfax

Tom Wolfe greeted by Jaque Robertson

Publicolor hosted its annual Stir, Splatter + Roll benefit two weeks ago, with Painting, Cocktails, Dinner and Program at the Martin Luther King High School (122 Amsterdam Ave between 65th and 66th Streets)

Stir, Splatter & Roll (SS+R) is Publicolor’s annual fundraiser. Guests paint collaborative artworks under the direction of Team Leaders who are some of New York’s most distinguished designers, architects and artists.


	Mary Boone and Ruth Lande Shuman

This year’s honorary team leaders included Mark di Suvero, Philip Glass, Peter Halley, Meredith Monk, Stanley Tucci and Lelli + Massimo Vignelli. After painting, guests enjoyed a seated dinner in honor of Mary Boone, the celebrated gallery owner credited with discovering several artists including Jean Michel Basquiat, Julian Schnabel, David Salle, Barbara Kruger, and more.

To date, Publicolor has transformed over 105 New York City public schools and 115 community sites, including clinics, shelters, and police precincts. Their programs impact the daily lives of over 200,000 students and mobilize the efforts of more than 2,000 volunteers annually. Transformed schools have reported increased teacher attendance, lower rates of violence and graffiti, and a greater sense of pride and ownership among students.

Among those attending were Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michael Kors, Mary Boone, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Deputy Mayor Patti Harris, Administrator and Commissioner of the HRA Robert Doar, Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development Dennis Walcott, Erana Stennett, Will Cotton, Ray Learsy, Melva Bucksbaum, Klaus Kertess, Ross Bleckner, Jamie Dinan, Lance LePere, Billy Daley, Linda Wells, Paul Cavaco, Marina Rust Connor, Rene Rockefeller, Michael Shuman, David Shuman, Marc Ecko, Sally Minard, Pippa Cohen, Desiree Gruber, Council Member Gale Brewer, Vanessa Carlton, Jessica Farkas, Nicole Miller, Kimberly Schulhof, Shoshanna Gruss, Sara Min, Matt Pincus, Jeffrey Banks, Bob Siegel of Gwathmey Siegel, Simon Holloway of Narcisco Rodriguez, Jenna Lyons of J. Crew, Vicente Wolf, Anne Waterman (head of PR for Michael Kors), Mark di Suvero, Jamie Gregory, Jennifer Creel, Robert Jackson, Commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development Jeanne Mullgrav and Beth de Woody (as co-chair).

Deven Parekh, Ruth Lande Shuman, Mayor Bloomberg, and Mary Boone

Vanessa Carlton

Jeffrey Banks and Anne Waterman

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

Lance LePere

Robert Jackson

Beth de Woody

Marc Ecko

Mark Lebow and Deputy Mayor Patti Harris

Ruth Lande Shuman and Publicolor students

Mayor Bloomberg, Ruth Lande Shuman, and Judine Somerville

Michael Kors, Ruth Lande Shuman, and Mary Boone

Nicole Miller

/W. Franc Perry III

/Verone Kennedy

/Will Cotton

Marc Ecko

Nicole Miller

CASA (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University) held its 17th Anniversary Awards dinner at the Pierre. Julie Chen and Michael Douglas were emcees. Joe Califano, who created CASA, hosted the evening. The honorees were Muhtar Kent, President and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, who was presented with the CASA Distinguished Service Award, and Anne and Kirk Douglas who were presented with the CASA Inspiration Award (for their courage and generous spirit to help families battle substance abuse and addiction). The evening raised $1.5 million.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President, CASA, Kirk and Anne Douglas (recipients of CASA’s inaugural Inspiration Award), Michael Douglas

Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Muhtar Kent, President and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company (recipient of CASA's Distinguished Service Award)

Ursula Burns, President, Xerox Corporation (CASA Board Member) and Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Selin Kent, Cem Kent, Muhtar Kent, Anne Douglas, and Kirk Douglas

Bill O'Reilly, Muhtar Kent, Hilary P. Califano, and Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Ralph Lopez, MD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Attending Physician, Weill Cornell Medical Center, and Paula Lopez

Anne Douglas

Anne Douglas and Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation

Kirk Douglas

Dick Button and Margaret Robson

Kirk Douglas, Donald R. Keough, Clarke Keough, and Patrick Keough

Leslie Moonves, Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Michael Douglas, and Julie Chen

Michael P. Schulhof, Chairman, GTI Group, LLC (CASA Board Member), Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

Julie Chen and Kirk Douglas

Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Dr. Joseph Cahalan, Vice President, The Xerox Foundation, Ursula Burns, Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine (CASA Board Member)

Hilary P. Califano, Anne Douglas, and Eve Williams-Jones

Donald R. Keough, Chairman of the Board, Allen & Company Incorporated (CASA Board Member), Alice Richmond, Esq. (wife of David Rosenbloom), David L. Rosenbloom, Ph.D., President and CEO of CASA as of May 1, 2009

Jeb and Columba Bush (CASA Board Member), former Governor and First Lady of Florida

Margot and Robert Bazell

Tina Sloan and Steve McPherson

Adalberto Agueda (father of Johanna Morales), Johanna Morales, and Muhtar Kent

Columba Bush and David L. Rosenbloom, Ph.D.

Sixty thousand tulips are blooming on the Park Avenue Malls from 54th Street to 86th Streets thanks to The Fund for Park Avenue, a non-profit, which has planted and maintained them for almost three decades. (The malls from 86th to 96th are managed by the Carnegie Hill Neighbors.)

It is an expensive undertaking. The tulips cost more than $50,000. They are paid for by donations to The Fund by those who love New York. This year, they are orange in honor of our city’s Dutch heritage and the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival in New York harbor.

Helena Martinez’s table

Muffie Potter Aston’s table

Polly Sheehan’s table

Last week, at Scully & Scully, on Park Avenue between 59th and 60th, there was a reception celebrating the tulips, the Dutch Quadricentennial and The Fund. Michael E. Scully, President of Scully & Scully, and Barbara McLaughlin, President of The Fund for Park Avenue, greeted over 200 guests including New York City Parks Department Commissioner William Castro, Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, City Council Members Jessica Lappin and Dan Garodnick, Netherlands Consul General Gajus Scheltema and Barbara C. Fratianni of Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission.

Mary Davidson’s table

Gay Hackett’s Table

On the main floor, S&S designers created five stunning table settings inspired by women on the committee. Muffie Potter Aston imagined “A Birthday Party in New York for the Twins and Friends,” hosted by her daughters Ashleigh and Bracie. Helena Martinez lent personal photos for “Dining in Palm Beach with Family and Friends.” Mary Davidson’s was “The Beauty of Spring in Provence.” Gay Hackett did “Celebrity Lunch in Beijing,” complete with place cards “in Chinese” for “George Bush, Santa Claus, Robert Redford and Carla Sarkozy.” And Polly Sheehan did “Entertaining The Society of Daughters of Holland Dames." Hers caught the attention of the Dutch contingent, which included Lisa Beth MacKinlay, Scott Banerjee, Barbara Bataille, Penny Fulweiler, Pamela Meyjes, and Michele Muttia.

Scully & Scully donated 10% of the proceeds from sales in the store that evening and for the two following days to The Fund for Park Avenue.

Barbara Fratianni, Barbara Bataille, and Michele Muttia

Stephen and Pat Attoe with Blaine Caravaggi

Daisy Soros and Noreen Buckfire

Gay Hackett

Martin and Audrey Gruss

Mary Davidson, Leslie Jones, and Judith T. Steckler

Allison Mazzola, Barbara McLaughlin, and Amy Mazzola Flynn

Lacy Baldwin, Blair Clarke, and Leslie Brille

Sylvester and Gillian Miniter

Robert Semple and Nicole Limbocker

Jo-Ann Polise, City Councilman Dan Garodnick, and Mark Schinerman

Derek Limbocker, David Frey, and Helena Martinez

Eliza Nordeman

Tom Guinzburg and Victoria Anstead

Harpist José Luis Rodriguez

Ashley Reid with Bates and Evie Brown

John Glass, Marvin Davidson, Mark Gilbertson, and Martha Glass

Scott Banerjee, Lisa Beth MacKinlay, Penny Fulweiler, Pamela Meyjes, Netherlands Consul General Gajus Scheltema, and Polly Sheehan

Alex and Kate Donner

Burwell Schorr

Michael Scully and Mario Buatta

Muffie Potter Aston

Chris Meigher, Georgina Schaefer, and Roger Webster

Ingrid and Tom Edelman with Councilwoman Jessica Lappin

On Tuesday, a week ago, guests including Sigourney Weaver, John Stossel, Harry Smith, Wendy Williams, Ira Glass, Jacob Weisberg, Bonnie Fuller, Valerie Steele, Judith Reagan, Liz Paley, Lisa Holliday and others gathered at the home of Atlantic President Justin Smith for dinner and a conversation on the future of media with Michael Hirschorn and Andrew Sullivan, moderated by Atlantic editor-in-chief James Bennet.