Last week JH and the Digital and I were scheduled to go to Chicago, guest of the town’s social impresario Bunky Cushing to cover his annual Valentine’s Tea in the Greenhouse of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago. We’d been invited several times before but there was always a conflict to prevent the trip. This time Mr. Cushing took care to get the date down in our calendar months ago. And since I’ve never been to Chicago (really!), I was looking forward to a look at that “toddling town,” that “windy city,” or as it is referred to in Daily Variety: “Chi.” Alas, the Sunday before, New York and the northeast was inundated with a blizzard and our flight was canceled.
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Stanley Paul, Megan McKinney, and Mark Heister |
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However, Chicago, also that snowy town, had none of the storm and the show went on. Activities started the night before when Chicago orchestra leader and pianist extraordinaire Stanley Paul held a Valentine’s Eve cocktail party at his art deco penthouse. Mr. Paul is a Chicago legend and goes way back to a long and celebrated gig at the Pump Room of the Ambassador Hotel. Someone very kindly sent me a CD of his latest album. Charlotte Ford who attended one of Bunky Cushing’s events last year came away with one of Stanley Paul’s albums. She told me she plays it all the time. I can see why. If you like brilliant cocktail piano, showtunes and popular American standards, you’ll love this. It’s the greatest! Visit his web site: www.stanleypaul.com and take my word for it, order a couple – one for yourself and one for friend – or even more.
Among those attending the Paul cocktails were Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Chicago couturier Mark Heister, columnists Bill Zwecker and Megan McKinney, socialites Hazel and Warren Barr, Nancy Klimley, Tom Gorman, Lynn and John McMahan, Myra and John Reilly and Maria Zec, general manager of the Peninsula Chicago and her husband Bob Zec. I don’t know if the host played but I’m sure if he did, they stayed all night.
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