Social Diary 3/3/05 - Young Fellows of The Frick Collection gala “A Dance In the Golden Age"

The Golden Age

Guests in the Garden Court (looking toward the “Living Hall” in The Frick mansion).

More than 650 turned out for the Young Fellows of The Frick Collection gala “A Dance In the Golden Age” last Thursday at the Collection’s magnificent home, the museum at 1 East 70 Street just off Fifth Avenue.

The Young Fellows galas are always dressy and often one of the most imaginative costumed events in New York. They have a special feeling to them, not the least of which is provided by the house itself which is grand and reverential and thick with age like its great works of art. It is impossible when inside this building not to be affected by Mr. Frick’s former presence. In fact, you can almost imagine him being upstairs while the party is going on.

This year’s code was “Black Tie, Fur & 17th Century Chic,” so the event saw a good deal of opulent jeweltone colors and textures (fur, silk, stain, velvet) that you see in the Collection’s pictures like those of Vermeer and Rembrandt who turned out to be, after the fact, about as chic as you could get in the 17th century. The clever guests used this code to adorn their modern style with something of the period – a velvet sleeve, a fur collar, a gloved hand, a satin cape, and of course the luminescent pearls. The Frick’s chief curator Colin B. Bailey topped his dinner jacket with a large, wide brimmed hat (with plume) a la the Three Musketeers.

Nathalie Gershel Kaplan, Marina Rust Connor, Martha Loring, Sybil Yurman, Tinsley Mortimer, David Yurman, and Lauren Davis in the Entrance Hall

Guests were greeted with a tableau vivant suggesting a Dutch interior painting (such as Vermeer, De Hoch, Ter Borch), which was a three-dimensional scheme bounded by a gold picture frame and containing, in rotation, three different people with props re-enacting the look of portraits of the period. They were in fact professional musicians who had copies of period instruments – a thorbo (a kind of lute), a scakbut (a horn) and a baroque violin – which they occasionally played. One guest, in an extraordinary purple velvet costume looked “so 17th century” that he was asked to step into the tableau vivant.

They were also lucky to have, among the evening’s sponsors, J. Mendel and David Yurman. Wearing J. Mendel were: Lisa Airan, Genevieve Wheeler Brown, Alexis Bryan, Lilly Bunn, Lauren Bush, Olivia Chantecaille, Marina Rust Connor, Lauren Davis, Lauren du Pont, Zeina Durra, Lisa Gorrivan, Amy Greenspon, Zani Gugelmann, Amanda Hearst, Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan, Petrina Khashoggi, Kimberly Kravis, Audrey Lindvall, Dabney Mercer, Minnie Mortimer, Tinsley Mortimer, Irene Neuwirth, Jennifer Nilles, and Elisabeth Saint-Amand, Devon Schuster, Catherine Shepard Sitrick, Lara Spencer, Jamie Tisch.

Amy Greenspon, Martha Loring, Tinsley Mortimer, and Tara Hannert against a 17th-century inspired backdrop in the Entrance Hall

David Yurman also provided jewelry for Mrs. Connor, Lauren Davis, Mrs. Gorrivan, Ms. Hearst, Mrs. Kaplan, Robert Lindgren, Martha Loring, and the Mesdames Mortimer, Saint-Amand, Catherine Shepard Sitrick, and Becca Cason Thrash.

Even the giftbags got a touch of the sponsors’ largesse – a brooch by J. Mendel, a necklace and jewelry case by David Yurman (one or the other in each). Robert Couturier and his merry band of creative souls created a scheme for the Entrance Hall, and the Garden Court, and the Music Room, all inspired by the great 17th-century works in The Frick Collection. The ramp leading to the Garden Court was totally candlelit and embellished with tasseled velvet hangings.

In the Garden Court 1000 tulips of many colors and varieties mirrored the flower of that day (remember Tulipmania) and was donated by www.flowerbulbs.com, arranged in conjunction with the Consul General of the Netherlands. These were augmented by the very fragrant purple hyacinths as well as orchids from the nursery of Emily Frick.

In the Music Room, Society’s number one DJ Tom Finn began his spinning about 9:30. Guests sipped Moet & Chandon (who generously provided all of the liquid refreshments for the evening) and helped themselves to the bounty generously passed by Glorious Foods.

Chairs were: Lauren Bush, Lauren Davis, Tinsley Mortimer, Emilia Fanjul Pfeifler and Elisabeth Saint-Amand. Honorary Chairs were Marina Rust Connor, Lauren du Pont, Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan, Martha Loring and Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer. Vice chairs were Lisa Gorrivan, Robert Lindgren and Catherine Sitrick Shepard.

And for those who needed more, there was an after party at Fizz. A little less 17th century, but chic nevertheless.

Proceeds from the event are used to support the Education Program of The Frick Collection.

Partial guest list for The Frick Collection gala

• Lisa Anastos
• Alexander Acquavella
• Lisa Arian
• Colin B. Bailey
• Debbie Bancroft
• Melissa Berkelhammer
• Claire and Jean-Marc Bonnefous
• Geoffrey N. Bradfield
• Clifford Brokaw
• Genevieve Wheeler Brown
• Alexis Bryan
• Lilly Bunn
• Lauren Bush
• Helen Clay Chace (Frick’s great granddaughter)
• Marina Rust Connor
• R. Hunter Cushing
• Craig S. Danforth
• Lauren Davis
• Charles de Viel Castel
• Olivia Chantecaille
• Eva and Brendan Dillon
• Lauren du Pont
• Suzzarra Durocher (Frick’s great great granddaughter)
• Zeina Durra
• John D’Urso
• Susan Fales-Hill
• Thom Filicia
• Amy M. Flynn
• Amber Frumkes
• Mark F. Gilbertson
• Philip C. and Lisa Gorrivan
• William Grace
• Ann M. and John Grasso
• Amy Greenspon
• Zani Gugelmann
• Douglas Hannant
• Tripp and Paige Hardy
• John and Stephanie Harris
• Amanda Hearst
• Gillian Hearst-Shaw
• Kim Hicks
• Julian Iragorri
• Paul and Daysee Olarte de Kanavos
• Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan
• Petrina Khashogg
• Kimberly Kravis
• David Lauren
• Harrison LeFrak
• Robert and Victoria Lindgren
• Audrey Lindvall
• Martha Loring (Frick’s great great granddaughter)
• Rudolf Knaise Melikoff
• Dabney Mercer
• Gilles Mendel
• Minnie Mortimer
• Tinsley Mortimer
• Irene Neuwirth
• Jennifer Nilles
• Colm O’Keefe
• Sheila Parham
• Philip Radziwill
• Renee Rockefeller
• Victoria Rotenstreich
• Anna Rothschild
• Robert Rufino
• Marianna and Juan Sabater
• Mortimer and Jacqueline Sackler
• Marielle and Edmond Safra
• Elisabeth Saint-Amand
• Andres Santo-Domingo
• Danielle and Anne Marie Sapse
• Behnaz Sarafpour
• Nancy and Joseph Sambuco
• Helen and Timothy Schifter
• Jonathan Schulhof
• Devon Schuster
• Bea Shaffer
• Stewart Shining
• Andrew and Lauren Silverman
• Catherine Shepard Sitrick
• Lara Spencer
• Becca Cason Thrash
• Jamie TischIvanka Trump
• Ron Wendt
• Sybil and David Yurman

Tableau vivant behind the main Glorious Food buffet in the Garden Court – organized by Bob Maloney, this aspect of the décor featured a rotating cast of characters with copies of period instruments and other props to evoke a sense of 17th-century portraiture.

Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan, Marina Rust Connor, Martha Loring, Tinsley Mortimer, and Lauren Davis

Holly Dunlop and Leslie Pernes

Audrey Supple and Martin Duus

John deNeufville and Audrey Lindvall

Juan and Marianna Sabater

Lauren Bush, Gilles Mendel, and Petrina Khashoggi

Dr. Lisa Airan and Alexis Bryan

Bea Shaffer

Elisabeth Saint-Amand

Rose Tanzi and Sheila Parham

Inez Rivero and Allison Sarofim

L. to r.: Christina Trillijo, Jessica Nagel, and Jessica Carridi; The dancefloor in the Music Room.

Muffie Potter Aston, Sybil and David Yurman, and Becca Casson Thrash

Renee Rockefeller, Mara Shore, Lauren du Pont, and Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan

Dr. Lisa Airan, Jessica Nagel, Lauren Davis, and Amy Greenspon

Minnie Mortimer, Lilly Bunn, and Deven Shuster

Robert Goldsmith, Emily T. Frick, W. Mark Brady, and Colin B. Bailey

Jamie Tisch and David Rubin

L. to r.: Jamie Tisch; Lara Spencer; Robert Lindgren, Robert Ruffino, and Lisa Gorrivan.

Zani Gugelmann and Amy Greenspon with a friend

Tracy Stern, Lisa Herbert, and Chie Imai

L. to r.: Sarah Milestone; Geoffrey Bradfield and Helena Lehane; Eva Dillon and Philip Gorrivan.

Xavier Salomon, Geetha Natarajan, and Caitlin Larrabee

Lauren Davis, Tinsley Mortimer, Lauren Bush, and Martha Loring

Helen Schifter and Muffie Potter Aston

Amy Greenspon

Two guests enjoying the 17th-century inspired theme of the Frick’s 2005 Winter Ball

Clockwise from top left: Elisabeth Gutowski and Laura Lachman enjoying a view of the Fifth Avenue garden from the Fragonard Room; The Living Hall; Helen Clay Chace (second from right) and Chief Curator Colin B. Bailey.

Mark Gilbertson and Lauren du Pont

Susan Fales-Hill and Peter Lyden

Sybil and David Yurman

Elisabeth Saint-Amand in the Music Room

Heidi Rosenau

Lauren Davis, Jennifer Nilles, and Tinsley Mortimer

Ron Wendt, Mara Shore, and Nathalie Gerschel Kaplan

Leslie Perves and Holly Dunlop in the West Gallery

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Bunky Cushing is one of Chicago’s major ambassadors-at-large (and no doubt one of its top salesmen), and an occasional Windy City correspondent for NYSD. In fact we met him first through NYSD and finally last June in person when we went to Paris and Versailles.

DPC and JH with Bunky on the grounds of the Elysee Palace in Paris, June 2004

Every year Bunky gives a “Valentine’s Tea” in the Greenhouse of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago for more than 100 women who are invited to dress for the occasion – i.e., in red. The party was described by Harper’s Bazaar as “one of the most sought after invitations of the year," although it’s hard to believe that the diplomatic Mr. Cushing would leave anybody off the list. However, he says that these particular women are “all those who are most important in my life.”

“Valentine’s Day comes at a time of year when we all need an escape from the dreary winter weather, and the Greenhouse at the Ritz-Carlton is a warm setting in which to express my special affection for them through my Valentine’s Tea. Does Mr. Cushing work for the Ritz? I don’t think so, but he should, don’t you think?

Bunky (aka Mr. Cushing) gave his first tea eleven years ago and he invited forty guests. However, working for Ralph Lauren in Chicago, he’s always meeting interesting people and so the list just grew. If this keeps up, in a few more years, they’re going to have to give him the ballroom. The Ritz certainly is game.

“We were honored to be the setting for such a significant celebration,” said Ritz-Carlton Chicago General Manager Bill Taylor. “Bunky is a true Chicago ambassador, giving his time and talents to many important causes. To play a small role in his goodwill is a delight for us."

Bunky Cushing and Yvette Cusack

Goodwill; the by-word. Always a blessing, wherever it’s found.

The Ritz-Carlton Chicago’s Executive Chef Kevin Hickey created an aphrodisiac-inspired (read: chocolate) tea menu to complete the day, and we’ve got a picture of it. If all this sounds like a plug for the Ritz and for Chicago and for Bunky Cushing, well, why not? The Ladies in Red loved it.

All of this, if you’ll pardon the digression, reminds me of a song that Ethel Merman sang long before most of you (even me) were born, called "The Lady In Red," written by a once-upon-a-time famous Cuban bandleader, Xavier Cugat, which I can’t resist sharing:

The verse:

Say! Have you ever met the girl
Who’s the toast of the town?
A work of art without a question,
You’d better write her number down.

Laurie Marchese, Shauna Montgomery, and Candace Jordan

The refrain:

Oh! the lady in red, the fellows are crazy
For the lady in red.
She’s a bit gaudy, but laudy,
What a personality.
Oh! the lady in red, is fresh as a daisy
When the town is in bed.
Dancing and dining and shining
With originality.

She’s very proper.
She’s nothing more than a pal,
But oh me! and oh my! You’d never stop ‘er,
She’d be a dangerous gal,
If she should ever meet the right guy.
Oh! the lady in red, the fellows are crazy
For the lady in red.
Is she a study, oh! buddy
What a personality,
She’s got vitality.

You had to be there.