Social Diary 9/12/03 - Upcoming Alzheimer’s Association’s Rita Hayworth Gala over at the Rolex Building


	*New York to Greenwich*

They had a pretty good crowd for the reception Rolex held for the upcoming Alzheimer’s Association’s Rita Hayworth Gala over at the Rolex Building on 665 Fifth. It was a busy night on the New York social calendar and a lot of the Rita Hayworth crew are very active New Yorkers but they were all there – the names above the title – including Princess Yasmin Aga Khan (known affectionately to all her friends as Yazzie), Muffie Potter Aston, the Gala’s chair this year, Walter Fischer, the president and CEO of Rolex USA; Anne Hearst and Andrea Stark, who are the Gift Bag co-chairs, Susan Hess, who with Claudia Cohen is a Live Auction co-chair, as well as this year’s honoree Donna Dixon Aykroyd. I also saw Michele Herbert, Cynthia Maltese, Nina Griscom with the new man in her life; Billy and Debbie Bancroft, Cornelia and Marty Bregman, Milly de Cabrol and Jeff Podolsky, Phyllis George, Deborah Grubman, Kathy and Rick Hilton, Nurit Khane Haase, John and Margo Catsimatidis, Dennis Basso and Michael Cominotto, Grace Hightower, Marlene Hess and Jim Zirin, and Deborah Norville and Karl Wellner. And that’s just for starters.

That’s an impressive turnout for what was basically a small cocktail party. But it’s not surprising because this crew is all workers, work-a-bees. Muffie Aston should be someone’s chief of protocol: the more she has to do, the more she can handle. She announced that Rolex has pledged $150,000 a year for the next five years ($750,000) for the Association. And then she introduced Sheldon Goldberg, the president of the Association.

Muffie Potter Aston, Walter Fischer, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, and Donna Dixon Aykroyd

There are four million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s now. Most of us have seen its devastation on people, even if we haven’t had it in our families. It is a terrible, wasting condition that also consumes health care with its needs. Sheldon Goldberg pointed out that by mid-century there will be 16 million cases in this country and THAT, he said, could literally bankrupt the healthcare system.

However, but, except: the Alzheimer’s Association, with a lot of help from these aforementioned (mainly) women and Yasmin Khan, whose mother’s affliction inspired, and brought public focus on this dread disease, is making great progress in research. Great progress. Thanks to the research, much of which has been funded by the millions raised by Yasmin and her devoted group of friends – many of the aforementioned.

The other point of the reception was to inspire people to sell tickets – there are still tickets available for this great and fun (quasi costume) party at the Waldorf on Tuesday, October 7. Tickets are $1000 a person or $10,000 for a table. Dan Aykroyd and the All-Star Blues Brothers Movie Band are performing and much fun will be had by all. This is a very glamorous New York evening, in the true spirit of Rita Hayworth herself. For information: 212-843-1712.

Phyllis George and Walter Fischer

Cynthia Maltese and DPC

Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and Cornelia Bregman

Grace Hightower and and Couri Hay meet ...

... and greet

Nina Griscom with her new man

Karl Wellner and Deborah Norville

Anne Hearst and Milly de Cabrol

Debbie Bancroft, Chappy Morris, and Jill Brooke

L. to r.: Martin Bregman; Michele Herbert; John and Margo Catsimatidis with Andrea and John Stark.


	*Audubon celebrated the opening of the Kimberlin Nature Education Center*

Kimberlin Nature Education Center

Last Saturday night up in Greenwich, Audubon celebrated the opening of their new 15,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, $12 million beautiful shingled and gabled Kimberlin Nature Education Center, and the revitalization of the sanctuary grounds. It was named after Kevin and Joni Kimberlin in gratitude for their support and interest in the Environment. 750 attended and it was the party to be at well-appointed neck of the woods. Susie Hilfiger, Sonia and Paul Tudor Jones and Eaddo and Peter Kiernan were co-chairs. See what I mean? Phoebe Milliken of Greenwich and Northeast Harbor was honored for her extraordinary community interest and special support of Audubon’s mission in connecting people with nature.

L. to r.: Robert and Mary Kennedy with Peter and Eaddo Kiernan; Inside the dinner and dance tent.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Mary Richardson were present among the stellar environmentalists, as well as Joan Lundin. Mrs. Hilfiger oversaw the decoration in and around the dinner and dance tent and everyone raved. Muted autumn colors in plaid tablecloths setting off the tall, lavish arrangements of wildflowers, grasses and cattails, topped off by handcarved birdhouses with colorful birds on long poles soaring above the tables. The tables were set with brown rattan charger plates, napkins, goblets and low candles; wooden chairs with plaid cushions, surrounded by the natural fragrance of huge bundles of wild greenery all around. It was a knockout and there was a lot of oohing-and-ahhing.

Barney Barnwell and the Plum Hollow Band from Georgia played and the crowd, dressed in Country Chic (think Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren of course), were stomping and twirling. It was Greenwich, downhome, so Audubon with the live birds and other wildlife, so warm and fun. As a friend of mine described it: it was a hoot.