Party Pictures 11/10/03 - Landmarks Conservancy's 10th annual Living Landmarks gala

The Landmarks Conservancy's 10th annual Living Landmarks gala

Elaine Kaufman

Liz Smith, Peter Rogers, and Ann Richards

Pete Peterson

The Landmarks Conservancy is an organization that helps preserve Lower Manhattan and the New York City metro area. They help owners of older buildings by providing grants, low-interest loans, hands-on consulting services, workshops and publications. In neighborhoods throughout the city and the state, they preserve homes, businesses, social service centers, cultural institutions, houses of worship and tourist destinations.

To do all that, they always need funds. About ten years ago Peg Breen, president of the Landmarks Conservancy, came up with a fund-raising idea which was: honor prominent individuals as “Living Landmarks,” hold a dinner and sell tickets. Now, in the world of fund-raising, one of the best ways to sell tickets is to find people who can sell tickets. Prominent people can often sell tickets to their long lists of friends and acquaintances.

Landmarks Louise and Henry Grunwald

The idea worked beautifully and it turned out to be something that was fun. Last week the Living Landmarks dinner at the Plaza drew 500 and raised more than $550,000 for the cause. And, as I’ve written here the morning after the black tie party, it was fun.

Liz Smith, a previously anointed Living Landmark, emceed. Peter Duchin another previously anointed LL played, and they honored: Victor Gotbaum, Henry and Louise Grunwald, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Elaine Stritch, Elaine Kaufman and Pete Peterson, all quintessential New Yorkers, some of whom came from elsewhere and made their lives here, all of whom occupy prominent places in the life of the city.

In describing Elaine Kaufman (of Elaine’s Restaurant), Liz pointed out that this was the first dinner Landmarks dinner where two Elaines were honored, adding that Stritch once worked (very briefly) for Kaufman as a waitress. “There has never been a woman in New York to compare to Elaine (Kaufman),” Liz added, “except maybe Texas Guinan. She’s a modern woman with a Damon Runyon background.” Elaine, Liz also noted, “is one of the most popular Landmarks ever – her friends bought four tables.”

Pete Peterson, former Secretary of Commerce (under Nixon) and partner in the Blackstone Group (investment banking) used his acceptance to praise Liz. “Liz defines the essence of what New York is all about. She’s a role model for us all. I hereby nominate Liz Smith as Living Landmark Emeritus.”

Elaine Stritch, after accepting her award took center stage and when everyone was quiet, announced: “I’m a diabetic, an alcoholic, a legendary landmark and a giant pain in the ass.” Then she recounted a tiny moment of living in New York, “this ballsy ballsy town.” One day she and a friend were standing at a street corner, waiting for a light to change, talking about whatever, when suddenly the man next to her very loudly said: “Shhhh!!!” She turned to look at this stranger and he said: “You’re talking too loud, I can’t hear,” pointing to his cellphone.

Liza with Kander and Ebb

Toni Goodale and Victor Gotbaum

Elaine Stritch

Liz introduced Liza Minnelli, “fresh from her bout with you-know-who ... the Slugger herself!” to entertain us with three of the songs that Kander and Ebb wrote for her: “Liza with a Zee,” “The World Goes Round,” and the New York City anthem which everyone can’t helping joining in with, “New York, New York.”

John Kander, in accepting his award pointed out something so obvious and so profound about New York (in today’s world) which is rarely remarked upon: “Everybody lives here – everybody from everywhere – and they don’t kill each other.” Proving something that goes unnoticed by most politicians, statesmen, religious leaders and zealots everywhere. New York IS the United Nations.

Victor Gotbaum was born in Chicago but has lived all his adult life in New York said: “There’s no city like New York, especially if you come from Chicago.”

Henry Grunwald, former Ambassador to Austria as well as Editor-in-chief of Time magazine, accepted the award with his with Louise. Louise Grunwald, Liz pointed out, is not only active in her support of some of the great cultural institutions of the city, but also the heiress to not one but two of the City’s landmark buildings – 530 and 550 Seventh Avenue – where reside many of the greatest fashion design businesses in the world.

Mr. Grunwald concluded their acceptance by saying that the Living Landmarks by saving the buildings are saving the spirit of New York. He remarked about the city’s “incredible openness to newcomers and outsiders,” concluding: “I’d rather be a landmark on any corner of New York than a grand plaza anywhere else.”

And did he get a lot of agreement from the crowd in the Plaza Ballroom that night? What do you think?