I’m pacing myself. That pesky pneumonia has dictated this. No 3:00 a.m. nightcaps, sloppy soirees, pole dancing… Oh, right, I don’t do that anyway.
Instead, September launched gently with a few parties, populated with authentic friends … of the hosts, at least. Laurie Bodor welcomed us to the roof of her lovely building on Park Avenue. I actually lived there 30 years ago, but the roof was just a roof then. Now it has climbing roses, cozy seating and room for 100 (I had an over-celebrated birthday there).
Fortunately, this crowd was a fraction of that and so I got to taste the Daniel hors d’oeuvres and catch up with Averill Fiske, William Ivey Long, Monique Merrill, Anki Leeds and a few more, before I dashed to my bi-weekly dinner with daughter at Le Bilboquet. Perhaps a slightly odd choice for a comely, young girl, but she can’t get enough of that Cajun Chicken.
When in Rome … I battled the reservation process, including Resy which demands an immediate on-line confirmation the second a hard fought table becomes available. The battle for Pastis was worth it. I’ve been told that the true measure for a restaurant is a perfect salad. This was. Five magnificent Boston lettuce leaves (which came to $3 a leaf, but who’s counting), and a dressing so sublime, I got a little teary. And the most heavenly omelette ever made. Simple perfection, though don’t take a first date there, or your grandmother. The din is deafening with ecstatic diners.
I couldn’t miss my friends, Marcia Dunn Sobel and Kamie Lightburn’s Pop Bag show At Unix Gallery. These savvy ladies are steeped in capabilities. Marcia is an Ophthalmologist and on The Whitney’s Photography committee and The Parrish Art Museum’s board and Kamie is board chairman of The Couture Counsel at FIT.
Marcia and Kamie and their all-female team of entrepreneurs came up with an idea to create artist designed, sustainable, trendy bags that hit all the fashion buttons. The bags, this on featuring Jonny Detiger’s art work, have myriad design options; swap out the handles and panels and you have endless options of new looks, without losing the momma bag. And a percentage of sales went to Bottomless Closet and ArtStart.
Back to the country, in the most glorious season of the year, for the most popular girl we know Debbie Loeffler, a birthday. If you’re not lucky enough to know her personally, she may be familiar for her stand up comedy, her modeling, or her current real estate career. Yes, she is multi-talented. On this day, we arrived down the long road to Loefflers’ fab spread, adjacent to the vineyard of their late pal, Christian Wolffer.
Not surprisingly, 50 were expected, 100 showed up. My view of Fall was shared by the centuplicate gathered. Appropriately, Wolffer rosè flowed, charcuterie, then curried shrimp was devoured, and if that didn’t sate, the most glorious cookie on the planet from famed baker Levain was waiting in a bejeweled goody bag. I wonder if anyone’s cookie made it till morn. Mine didn’t.
And the most natural amalgam of East End denizens and weekenders melded — Eric Fischl and April Gornik, for whom the legendary Eastern light keeps them here, in adjoining studios; Carole and Phillipe DeLouvier, the Sherrills, Berrys, Sevins, Brillembourgs, and the more of the mix that makes a great party…and great material should Deb return to the comedy circuit.
And while east, we completed our Zen week at dinner at Shou Sugi Ban House, the acclaimed new wellness center, smack next to The Parrish Art Museum, and reflecting some of that neighbors artistic sensibility. Co-owner Amy Cherry-Abitbol and her husband Pierre served local scallops woven onto herb branches, with rice, mixed with a precisely cooked soft egg. It was utterly delicious, healthy and I didn’t even mind that it was accompanied by herbal tea instead of wine … much.
