The Wit and the Wizard Called Oz

"Taxi Ray" cruising the West Village. 81-year-old Ray Kottner uses his 1986 checker to give free rides to people around the city. 7:00 PM. The late lamented Checker was a staple among Noo Yawk sights for more than three decades when they were removed from use. They were big and clunky but could hold five passengers in the backseat (two jump seats) and with LOTS of leg room. They made a lot of sense for transporting people A lot more sense than a lot of other cars that are used as taxis today. So much for progresss, huh? Photo: JH.

Mehmet Oz. Doctor. I’d heard the name before, but knew nothing about him. In fact, I’d wondered if it were the name of a movie character.

I had not been paying attention. Nor do I watch Oprah. Nor do I read articles on Health or books on health and nuitrition. Dr. Oz. So when I heard him speak last Thursday, for the first time, I was amazed, amused, inspired, provoked and charmed. How many doctors can charm you with alarming information? Dr. Mehmet Oz can.

But more on that in a minute. On a Thursday noontime, on a warm and beautiful Spring day in New York I went down to the Metropolitan Club for a fundraising luncheon for City Harvest, one of the city’s most important organizations that are dealing with food shortage among our ranks. There are a lot of people in New York (to name only one place), who don’t have enough to eat daily, or enough nutritious food to gird their health. The ones who suffer the most are the children and the elderly.


	Guest Speaker Dr. Mehmet C. Oz

City Harvest is one of my favorite charities in New York because it addresses a pressing, basic problem that affects all of us on one level or another by using our common sense. Remember common sense? I do see the irony, however, of these fund-raisers – held in gilded halls on tables spread out with abundance of foodstuff, drink, to the point where people accept it critically and often don’t eat it because: they are not hungry, don’t like it, are on a diet, etc.

Nevertheless these people are all participating in helping some of those children who go to bed at night crying because their stomachs are suffering the pangs of hunger.

They honored Michael Young who is now a Vice Chairman of the City Harvest board but who has been involved with the charity for the past 18 years.

After telling us about how he got involved with City Harvest he shared the history of his relationship with food: “As a child, I was fortunate to spend my summers with my grandparents on the island of Korcula in Croatia. My grandmother would bless the food everyday and nothing was thrown away. Food was precious and leftover

food went to the neighbors chickens, goats or other animals that produced food. She believed this was the cycle of life.”

After our lunch, Jilly Stephens, the head of City Harvest explained how a $500 contribution can feed a small child for the summer when school’s out and the child does not have access to a school lunch.

City Harvest Executive Director Jilly Stephens

Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, City Harvest Board Member Heather Mnuchin, and Honoree Michael Young

After lunch came Dr. Oz. To these Amurrican eyes, he looks very Amurrican (upper-educated-privileged-energetic). Although with a name like that, not exactly the old version of Main Street. But maybe, definitely the new. He’s a child of Turkish parents, born in Cleveland, went to boarding school in Delaware, then to Harvard and then took double degrees in Medicine and Business at University of Pennsylvania and its Wharton School.

He’s collaborated on several books, serves in many capacities as a doctor, scientist, businessman, author so that you can only be in awe of the man’s mind and energy.

He speaks at a fast clip, although clearly and distinctly so that he can be both heard and understood. Although your attention is required to get his golden gist.

Cochairs Carol Atkinson and Joy Ingham, City Harvest Driver Chris Kirby, Honoree Michael Young, Co-Chairs Emilia Saint-Amand, and Topsy Taylor

He’s also very funny. He can produce audience guffaws and belly-laughs while talking about the most sensitive of subjects (What You Eat and What It’s Going to Do to you – Like Maybe KILL You). That’s quite a talent. He has the ability to make light of that side of ourselves where we feel we look ridiculous -- especially the physical side. His accompanying video on the function of the body’s organs was graphic and almost gruesome but somehow palatable. If you’re squeamish about the physical/health/anatomy part of the self -- that part that would rather not consult a doctor about anything for fear it might mean death -- then Dr. Oz is the one for you (me, him, her).

He spoke about the things we needed to eat and the things we should avoid. Diet drinks, for example, DO NOT help you lose weight. If that were true, he pointed out, the billions spent on advertising them would push that one point to the max. It’s not true, so they can’t. In fact they work to stimulate hunger.

His lecture was quick but full of information (and common sense). Vitamins? Yes. Vegetables? Yes. Exercise? Thirty minutes a day. All of these things are laid out in his various books (check out Amazon [1]).

At the end of his lecture, and his references to the healthy heart and cardiovascular system, before he opened the floor to questions, he left us with one more trenchant thought:

“Your heart has to have a reason to be beating, to keep beating.”

Joy Ingham, Hilary Califano, Betsy Bartlett, Jones Yorke, and Mildred Brinn

Alexis Clark and Coco Kopelman

Regina Greeven and Kitty McKnight

Alexandra Lind Rose

Bambi Putnam, Lorna Graev, and Jamee Gregory

The Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse at Old Westbury Gardens opened with a gala preview party on May 2nd, and runs for 6 weeks through Sunday, June 15. Proceeds benefit Old Westbury Gardens.

The Showhouse is a showcase for America’s premiere design talent with 20 top interior designers and decorative artists who transformed Orchard Hill into a decorating masterpiece in the gracious traditional manner of the house itself.

The Orchard Hill Designer Showhouse designers

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Westbury Gardens is the former country estate of John S. (Jay) Phipps. Westbury House, a magnificent, Charles II-style mansion, is surrounded by 200 acres of tree-lined walks, lakes, statuary, grand allées, and indescribably beautiful gardens. Mr. Phipps’ daughter, Peggie Phipps Boegner, who grew up in Westbury House and was the founder of Old Westbury Gardens, lived in the Orchard Hill home from 1930 until her passing in 2006.

Mrs. Thomas M. Bancroft, Jr. was Showhouse Chairman. Mario Buatta was the Honorary Showhouse Chairman and Mrs. Howard Phipps, the Honorary Preview Party Chairman. The Showhouse was sponsored by No. 9 Thompson, Electrolux and Daniel Gale. The Showhouse is produced by Hampton Designer Showhouse Foundation, Inc.