The rain has spoiled me

A New York worker bee. 5:30 PM. Photo: JH.

August 4, 2009. It was sunny and hot yesterday in New York. And dry. The rain has spoiled me. I’m always looking for a little to cool off the city. Nevertheless it was beautiful.

I went down to Michael’s to lunch, rushing for fear I would be late for someone I’ve never lunched with before. I got there just a few minutes tardy, and happy to learn that I hadn’t kept anyone waiting. I picked up the day’s Women’s Wear to peruse, took my seat, ordered my “Barbara Bush” (iced tea with orange juice/excellent), and waited. Then Millington came over and said: did you confirm this? I said no. Why? Well, her office is on the phone, and he pointed to Joanna at the reception desk with a phone to her ear.

Michael’s is so efficient that Joanna called the woman’s office to confirm and got a negative. I got on the phone and her assistant patched me into her at home. My lunch guest had just arrived by plane a little more than an hour before. She’d forgotten. She was all apologies. I said: not a problem, not a problem. I mean that. I am never bothered by lateness (since many times people wait for me) and I don’t mind if they don’t show (it’s always a legitimate reason – even forgetting) because it means I’ve got a few minutes to myself. As gregarious as I am by nature, I also love to be alone.

I thought of staying and having my lunch and taking in the room because there’s always action there. And as many people as I know who frequent the place as regularly as I, there are always new faces, many unfamiliar, new stories to conjure up, new people to meet. The place was packed and I didn’t recognize anyone at first. I decided to leave, to go to Zabars and have a sandwich at their counter and buy some staples like the seven-grain health loaf.

These are the dog-days, lest we forget. And they are often hot and sunny. And very quiet. People are away, at the beach, in the mountains, or inside where it is air-conditioned. If there was anything going on that was newsworthy last night, it escaped me.


	Hilary Califano, Derek Limbocker, and Betsy Bartlett

	Jones York, Joy Ingham, and Herb Siegel

I went down to Swifty’s to dine with Kathy Steinberg and Alice Shure. Kathy and Alice have been very close friends since at least the 70s. Although not close, I’ve known both girls, and especially Kathy, since then too. It’s things like that make this place a town.

Across the way from us Hilary Califano was at a big round table with her husband Joe, Herb and Jeanne Siegel: Hilary’s wicked stepsister, Joy Hirshon Ingham and Jonathan Ingham, Waddie Davidson and Joanie Howard, and Betsy Bartlett and Jones York, Nicole and Derek Limbocher. It was a surprise birthday dinner for Hilary who turned 26 yesterday. Now, if only they could get her to act her age.

Swifty’s was bustling. I saw Adolfo across the room with some friends and Robert Couturier entertain a group in another corner. Brad Coilins and his daughter Flora were at another. They’d just come from seeing the new Johnny Depp movie which they liked, especially the star although it’s more than two hours. Wife and Mother Amy was home, getting to bed extra early because she had to get up at 5 a.m. to be on the Today Show this morning. The subject was the annual International Best Dressed List which is about to be published in the next Vanity Fair.

I was on the IBDL panel in the 90s when Eleanor Lambert, who founded it and ran it for almost sixty years – was alive. Eleanor, whose birthday was this month, died a few months after her hundredth birthday. She worked everyday – I mean worked – and went out to lunch – all business – too. When Eleanor called, you responded out of sheer awesomeness.

I kind of dropped out after Eleanor died because I felt I wasn’t a very effective judge and therefore not a valuable contributor. Several members of the panel were very international in their acquaintance/friendship with the boldfaced ones who are making the glossy social scene that is defined by Hello/Ola, etc. I often didn’t know whom these panelists were talking about.

The birthday girl's table gets invaded by DPC who is being iphoned by Joanie Howard. L. to r.: HIlary Califano, Derek Limbocker, Joanie Iphone, Jonathan Ingham, and Jeanne Siegel.

I also have a problem with the term: Best Dressed. There was a time when the standards were palpable. There was a definition for it. There isn’t anymore. There are no rules and so there are no standards. Anything goes, and does. It’s arbitrary. People look more relaxed in a body covered with tattoos than they do in evening clothes. To some people that’s Best. That’s just the way it is. Which means, in the case of tattoos, there’d have to be another phrase for it: Best Body Art.

Furthermore there are very few men or women who dress consistently, no matter who they are. Many of us look like slobs even on the street oftentime. It’s the sensibility; I’m not knocking it. Although Amy Fine Collins is the exception. She defines it. She always looks best dressed. Impeccable, and in fashion. She exemplifies the notion that the great Eleanor had in mind. I’m sure Amy finds candidates wherever she goes.


Christie Brinkley		Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos

Which, speaking of ... dressed best, last Saturday night in Southampton, the Southampton Hospital held its 51st annual Summer Party to benefit its Department of Emergency Services. This benefit has seen several incarnations as it’s been chaired by three generations of women and many of its committee members are the same experienced and effective committee members on the New York philanthropic circuit.

Southampton Hospital is uniquely situated. It is the only full hospital in the East End many of whose residents are some of the most prominent and wealthiest people in New York. Many of these people sit on the boards of the great New York Hospitals and contribute tens of millions to them. Southampton Hospital is the closest thing to a country hospital resembling a city hospital because of the support of the summer people.

So when the annual Summer Party comes along, everybody, but everybody, New Yorkers and year-round Hamptonites, turns out to support it.

Known as “the mother ship of all tent parties,” according to a friend of mine,they were celebrating the hospital’s 100th Anniversary, “A Centennial Celebration” was a romantic, old fashioned kinda party -- sweet, gentle – were the words of my friend (I wasn’t there), in spite of its size – more than 800 filled two massive party tents on Wickapogue Road.

Patricia Patterson, Alessia Antonelli, Marzia Precoda, Betty Sherrill, and Lucia Hwong Gordon

The evening’s inspiration came from a painting by Joaquin Sorolla, “A Walk on the Beach, 1909”- an evocative image of 2 women in long white dresses, straw hats and parasols strolling on the sand. Guests were asked to evoke the spirit of the painting in their dress, and almost all did either by wearing white or lace. Many appeared in period costume, including men in boaters and ice cream colored suits. A sizeable group of ladies were invited to pair with their favorite fashion designers to create special gowns inspired by the painting. The result was a veritable fashion parade- further adding to the evening’s buoyancy.

Sheila O’Malley Fuchs lead the event as Benefit Chairman with Christie Brinkley as Honorary Chairman. Vice-Chairmen were Mildred Brinn, Kay Gilman, Christine Gray, Margo Nederlander, Robin Pickett, Jean Shafiroff, Barbara Smith and Melanie Wambold. Audrey and Martin Gruss and Diane and Charles Holmes served as Honorary Dinner Chairmen and the much-loved Jean Remmel FitzSimmons and Ann Grimm teamed up as Circle Sponsor Chairmen.

Jennifer Sohonyay, Andy Sabin, Mare Prince, Joe Petri, Bill Finneran, and Carol Rohrig

Southampton Hospital Summer Party volunteers

Fashion designer Steven Stolman set the mood with towering arrangements of hydrangea over blue and white striped tablecloths and lacey projections on the tent ceiling and dance floor- filled to capacity courtesy of the Alex Donner Orchestra. In the crowd: Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Tory Burch, Laura and James Freeman, Somers Farkas, Debbie Bancroft, Denise Johnston, Jarleth Mellett, Bill Smith, Michael Morelli, Peter Hallock, Betty Sherrill, Kirk de Gooyer, Nancy Corzine, Maribeth and Ellen Welsh, Judy and Jack Hadlock, Brooke Corton, Hunt Slonem, Nancy and Peter Larsen, Andrea Greeven Douzet, Patty and George Kraus, Greg D’Elia, Barbara and Alan Glatt, Christina Greeven Coumo, Audrey and Enriquillo del Rosario, Whitney and James Fairchild, Liz and Peter Haveles, Lisa and Rome Arnold, Herb Schmertz, Melissa Parker, Charlene and James Nederlander and Larry Horton. A big big success! Congratulations!