Diary, Tuesday, 9_17_24. Beautiful end of Summer weather here in New York with temps in the mid-70s by day and into the mid-60s by night.
As I mentioned yesterday, I went to a most extraordinary (a double positive) dinner last Thursday night at the Metropolitan Club. It was a birthday celebration for John Loeb, Jr. who turned 94 in May.
I was surprised when I got the invitation because the main dining room of the Metropolitan Club (which was built more than a century ago by J. P. Morgan) is enormous and can accommodate two or three hundred at a sitdown dinner.
But all of this and John Loeb reminded me that about twenty years ago he celebrated his 75th at an enormous dinner at Blenheim Palace, built for John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, a British general who on August 13, 1704 won the Battle of Blenheim against his majesty king of France, Louis Quatorze. While it was the beginning of (a long) end for Louis and the power of his presence, it shattered the myth of Louis’ invincibility, and opened the doors for England’s power.
Blenheim Palace was the gift that Queen Anne gave to the general, besides creating his dukedom and building Blenheim Palace. If you’ve never been, it is astounding and just about everybody’s fabulous daydream of a palace of your own. It is still owned by the Spencer Churchill family with the current Duke present.
Nevertheless, being a guest at a birthday dinner party in the Long Library at Blenheim along with 250 guests — white tie — leaves an impression that stays in memory ever after. It was BIG! And John Loeb’s guests loved the thought of it and the presence remains special.
Last week when I got to John’s birthday party at the Metropolitan Club I was amazed how the party planner (psst – Sharon Loeb) used the central rooms to recreate an environment that would inspire John. It would and did also enthrall his guests.
She turned the main dining room into a grand visual interpretation of a magical living environment on a beautiful country estate, like the one acquired by John’s grandparents more than a century ago. Aside from the serene natural beauty of the property it exemplifies generations of a family.
John has the nature of an aristocrat. That is one of the things that makes him so interesting to know. Highly intelligent, as well as sensitive and kind, he presides at table by his nature. He’s always curious to know, to learn. The conversations are always interesting and a pleasure.
John loves the study of family and he grew up in an unusual environment as the upperclass of New York that was Jewish versus the fashionable non-Jewish society which was mainly if not entirely White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, memorialized today as Wasps.
Once when discussing a holiday time in New York when he was invited to a very social reception/party which was very Waspy and neither Catholic or Jewish (New York Society in its day), he was relieved to learn that he was not the only outsider when Jackie Bouvier and her sister Lee — both Roman Catholics — had also been invited.
John was a child of that era in that environment who not only worked but participated in the community. Sharon’s birthday present was an amazing visual recreation with even the walls to the high ceilings decorated with a variety of portraits of John throughout his life and of visuals resembling Ridgeleigh, his 68-acre estate in Purchase now owned and occupied by a grateful grandson, John.
At 94, the man — who is tall, a big man — is at the effect of the nature of time, was spry and full of energy and there were several affectionate testimonials and a wonderful video about the birthday boy. The room itself bore no resemblance to the club’s actual room, because of the amazing party décor. It bore that natural grandeur that was a testimonial to a life and a time. And the mood of the candlelit room was mesmerizing.
