With temperatures rising in Palm Beach, it seems everyone has been traveling this summer — if not to their homes in Southampton or Newport, then to the South of France or Greece!
One special cover girl, however, chose to stay home to celebrate her birthday this year and was fêted by friends from Bedford to L.A. Martha Stewart celebrated her upcoming big day with Bedford neighbors Dr. Evan Goldstein and designer Andy Yu, along with friends including Natasha Bedingfield, Chazz Palminteri, Strauss Zelnick, Jane Heller, Katherine Boulud, Wyc Grousbeck, George Ledes, Nicole Steinthal, David Hochberg, JB Wilson, Meredith Schott and chef David Burke. And a special piano performance by 12-year-old phenom Yidi Ding.
Richard Gere & Alejandra Silva and Clive Davis were traveling but called in and asked to be put on speaker to sing Martha and Evan the birthday song!
Meanwhile out in Southampton, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County hosted a cocktail party to celebrate their upcoming exhibition, “Endless Summer: Palm Beach Resort Wear” and to showcase the St. John Pre-Fall 2023 collection. The exhibition, curated by Cameron Silver of Decades, will open on November 8th in the Palm Beaches.
Guests included Bettina Anderson, Ivey Leidy, Sarah Wetenhall, Cori Lee Seaberg, Stacey Leuliette, Jean Shafiroff, Rick Rose, Chris Coffee, Taylor Materio and Marina Keiler.
During the week of July 16th, St. John will contribute to The Society by donating 10% of proceeds from special initiatives including a private trunk show held on July 18th.
Whereas Harry Benson and his wife Gigi, Southampton Arts Center Founding Co-Chair Simone Levinson, and PALMER’s Stefano Tonchi held court at a party hosted by TOD’S to launch PALMER On The Road and to celebrate the iconic photographer’s blockbuster exhibit, A Moment in Time: Iconic Images of Harry Benson, which recently closed after a successful 10-week run.
Despite cloudy skies, more than 250 guests were expected including Jamee and Peter Gregory, Katharina Otto and Nathan Bernstein, Hillary and Wilbur Ross, David Levinson, Kim Heirston, Bill McKnight, Diane and Tom Tuft, Pia Getty, Anne Hearst and Jay McInerney, Alexander Vreeland and Lisa Imordino, Gigi and Avie Mortimer, Tatiana and Campion Platt, Danielle and David Ganek, David Maupin, Heather Mnuchin, Joey Wolffer, Romilly Newman, Peggy Siegal, Katherine Bryan, Bettina Zilka, Audrey and Martin Gruss, Leslie Stevens, Anthony Haden-Guest, and Southampton Mayor Bill Manger.
While over in the Greek Isles we had guests begging us not to write about a romantic get-away called the Four Seasons Hydra. No, not that Four Seasons, but wonderful nonetheless; and the setting for the beautiful sunset wedding of Taylor Stebbins and Tyler Mattos.
The bride is the daughter of interior decorator Cindy Rinfret and former husband Ned Stebbins and the wedding was attended by friends and family of both. In true “modern family” form, the ceremony included the mother-of-the-bride’s long time beau, Greek shipping heir Basil Mavroleon, as officiant. The bride’s dashing brother, Spencer Stebbins, served as an usher and escort for he and the bride’s elegant grandmother, Felicia Blum of New York, NY.
The bride’s dress was a lovely, simple slip dress by Danielle Frankel, but the veil was divine! A love letter written by the groom was hand embroidered onto it — in his own handwriting!
Guests included Darrah and Bill Ford, Pam Taylor and Eames Yates, Anna Polk, Tom Shaffer, Kimberly and Francois de Visscher, Cynthia Stebbins, Antonia Paterno Castello and Bill McKeever, Barbara Daly, Jeannette Guglemann, and Suzanne and Antoine Blech.
Back in the States, a benefit gala concert dinner to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Young Concert Artists of Washington, D.C. was hosted at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence.
For more than 60 years, YCA has invested in the next generation of extraordinarily talented young musicians internationally and launched their careers on the world stage.
The YCA of Washington D.C. was formed over 40 years ago. The Benefit Gala Concert Dinners raise funds to assist the artists in developing their careers and provide a cultural bridge to the Washington community.
