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THE NEWS
You heard me, I’m leaving today. Heading back to Manhattan from the Hamptons— with my definitely not vagabond shoes (they’re my high-end, super comfy yet stylish Vanessa Noel Jetset loafers).
Iloved this summer—with the bucolic beaches, perfect shopping on Main Street, and dining with friends and family at 75 Main, Sant Ambroeus, Le Bilboquet, and Old Stove Pub, among others. Check out our yearround guide to the best restaurants and hotels of the Hamptons.
But it’s time. I wanna wake up in that city that doesn’t sleep. Sleep. Something I didn’t have this summer because of all the luncheons, daytime parties, and galas… oh, the galas… Southampton Hospital, SOFO, Watermill Center, Northwell Hospital, and the Waxman Hamptons Happening, just to name a few. Check out all the party pictures— your photo just might have made the cut for our ever-popular and always coveted Hampton Sheet party pages.
So the fall season is here. I’m gonna make a brand new start of it—starting with the September issue of The Sheet, featuring cover girl Kristen Baran. Originally hailing from London, Ontario, Canada, Kristen now divides her time between her homes in Southampton, New York, and Wellington, Florida. Learn all about this former fashion designer, unstudied landscape designer, event planner, equestrian, and always philanthropist.
It's hard to believe that Old Blues Eyes recorded the song “New York, New York” 45 years ago on September 19, 1979. While “New York, New York” was first recorded by Liza Minelli for Martin Scorsese’s 1978 eponymous film, it’s Sinatra’s version that’s known around the world—played at weddings, bar mitzvahs, the Times Square Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve, and after every Yankees game (win or lose). In fact, those of you young enough to remember will recall that the Yankees used to play Frank’s version when the team won and Liza’s version when they lost. They stopped doing that after Minelli complained.
For you entertainment fans, our youngest contributor, Bobby Love, interviewed Cheech Marin (of Cheech & Chong fame) for the first “celebrity edition” of his “Fore the Love of Golf” column about golf and charity. If you’re wondering (as I did) how Cheech, golf, and charity intersect, read on.
As we head into Manhattan’s fall gala season, remember to always check out our event calendar to keep you in-the-know and your social calendar full. For over three decades I’ve had my finger on the pulse between Manhattan, Palm Beach, and the Hamptons. And don’t forget to always be camera ready. You just never know where I’ll pop up to take your photo for The Sheet! n
For those looking for some great stories, “celebrity griller” George Wayne treats us to the backstory of how he founded R.O.M.E. in a day—well, not exactly a day. Learn more about the OG version of the 20th-century magazine coined by The New York Times as GW’s “dishy zine of pre-internet New York” and move forward in time with GW to the present as he plans to launch a new limited version of R.O.M.E. for the digital age in 2025. Cheers!
Joan Jedell Founder, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief @hamptonsheet jjedell@hamptonsheet.com
PARRISH MIDSUMMER DINNER/DANCE GALA
The Parrish Art Museum held its Midsummer Dance and Dinner, raising over $1 million to support its programs and education initiatives. The two-day outdoor event honored philanthropists Susan Pear Meisel and Louis K. Meisel, alongside the artists KAWS, Shirin Neshat, and Sean Scully. Co-chairs included Parrish trustee Laurence Milstein, Kendall Werts, Catherine Carmody, CJ Follini, Andrea Pemberton, and Charlotte Lucas Pilaro.
HAMPTON
Carolina Sarria
Tunde Oyeneyin, Cody Rigsby
Charlotte and Andrew Pilaro
Photos by BFA
Tatiana Platt Tatiana Platt
Jean Shafiroff
Irina Kro Eicke
Allan and Yanina Spivack
Ryan Ward, Adam Widener
Josh Greenberg, Connie Verducci Steven Palomo and Olivia White Palomo
ShiLei McGurr and Futura
Sharon Jacob, Thuyen Nguyen, Polina Kutaeva
SOUTHAMPTON HOSPITAL SUMMER PARTY
The Southampton Hospital Foundation’s Annual Summer Party—the longest running charitable fundraiser in the Hamptons—raised funds to support healthcare from Westhampton to Montauk. Honoring Father Alexander Karloutsos and Dr. Daniel Van Arsdale for their commitment to the East End community, the much-anticipated summer party, chaired by Rachel Zoe included a serenade by “American Idol” Christiaan Padavan. Hollis Forbes, Jean Shafiroff, Melanie Wambold, Cindy Willis, and Joey Wölffer served as Vice Chairs.
Notable guests included Wendy and Howard Cox, Fiona and Stan Druckenmiller, John Paulson, Fern Mallis, Margo and John Catsimatidis, Julie and Billy Macklowe, Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger, Jimmy and Margo Nederlander, Joan Jedell, and Sophie Elgort.
Photos by PatrickMcMullan.com
Margo and John Catsimatidis
Fern Mallis, Rachel Zoe, Jean Shafiroff
Kristen Baran and Mitch Kates
Carolina Harsanyi and Oscar Molina
Jamee and Peter Gregory
Father Alexander Karloutsos and Xanthi Karloutsos
Charlotte Moss Rebecca Seawright
Martin and Audrey Gruss
Josephine de Moura, Dr. Alexandre de Moura
Jim Forbes Bob Roberts Charles and Jennifer Matar
Overnight recovery.
You may have heard that skin’s recovery increases at night.
Clinique’s guiding dermatologists know that skin’s sensitivity does too.
Shana Gulati's pieces seamlessly fuse contemporary aesthetics and classical design. Her jewelry is inspired by the beauty, cultures, and lifestyles of New York City, where Gulati currently resides, and India, her native land. Her jewelry is unique and proudly handcrafted in Jaipur, utilizing centuriesold intricate and exquisite craftsmanship traditions. This one-of-a-kind process uses authentic upcycled diamonds, ensuring that every piece is a true original.
The Monshar Bangle, a part of the Ishq collection, is a testament to the personal touch in Gulati's work. The collection, named after the Hindi word for love, reflects the people who have touched Gulati's life, including this bangle, which is named after an old friend. Combining the first and last names adds a unique and personal element to each piece.
GRADIENT GLAM BY SIMITRI SHOP
Ombre Clutch, $475 simitri.com
If this clutch doesn’t make you dance the shimmy, nothing will! Seriously! Made of multiple rows of metallic fringe tassels crafted by hand to achieve a luxuriously shimmering gradient effect, this
POLISHED AND ATTITUDE-PACKED BY ROSAMUND MUIR
Freda Crème Patent
Leather Boots, $630 rosamundmuir.com
Each pair of Rosamund Muir shoes is lovingly handcrafted from start to finish, using traditional and sustainable practices. Their leathers are naturally sustainable by-products sourced from the best Italian tanneries and processed using conventional techniques to produce the finest Nappa leathers, softest suedes, and calf hair.
HOW CAN YOU RESIST NANIS JEWELS?
Dancing in the Rain Collection
18kt gold and diamonds, $3,620 nanis.us
Nanis Italian Jewels was born in 1990 in Vicenza, inspired by Laura Bicego and Piero Marangon’s desire to create a new jewelry concept. With high craftsmanship and avant-garde design, each creation rreflects their Italian heritage, featuring 18kt gold, diamonds, and natural stones. Light and versatile, these elegant and sophisticated pieces are the perfect medium for personal expression, seamlessly blending tradition with innovation.
YACHTS: THE IMPOSSIBLE COLLECTION by Miriam Cain, $1,050 assouline.com
Yachts:TheImpossibleCollection is an eclectic and carefully curated anthology of ships, including the 1851 ship for which the America's Cup was named, the J Class racing yachts of the early 1900s, the current high-tech mega yachts, the classics with timeless silhouettes, and the head-turners that broke the mold with daring design and redefined their era.
As a contemporary abstract painter and sculptor, American artist Sharon Pierce McCullough’s work can be defined by her bold use of modern minimalism in her horse paintings.Yellow Horse III is part of a series of horse paintings created in a minimalist, abstract style.
HARPER EMERALD BY VANESSA NOEL
$1,250 vanessanoel.com
For nearly four decades, shoe designer Vanessa Noel, known for her exquisite and glamorous footwear, has been considered a favorite among her loyal following of celebrities, royals, socialites, and style makers.
The sole designer for her label, Noel travels the world sourcing the most sumptuous fabrics, exotic skins, gemstones, and other rare and luxurious materials to create limited, highly coveted collections found exclusively in her magical East 64th Street salon, where the walls are covered floor to ceiling in green python.
Katia Graytok is an awardwinning designer who has worked in New York, the Hamptons, and Palm Beach for decades. In 2016 she founded Kaleidoscope Luxury PR & Communications, a boutique agency specializing in representing artists, art galleries, home furnishings companies, and luxury textile and fashion companies.
JUST FOR MEN
HOT PICKS BEA UTY
It’s that time of year again—bidding adieu to early-morning tee times, packing away your summer whites—but just like that last guest who won’t leave the party long after it’s ended, those dark undereye circles and puffiness just won’t go away. Have no fear. Clinique for Men’s Super Energizer™ Anti-Fatigue Depuffing Eye Gel, powered by caffeine and hyaluronic acid, will instantly re-energize and brighten tired-looking eyes.
$39/15ml. clinique.com/mens
PRIME TIME
Tom Ford Beauty’s new Shade and Illuminate Soft Radiance Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 25—infused with hyaluronic acid and a blend of moringa oil, passion fruit oil, and ginger extract—will melt seamlessly into your skin for a hydrated, smooth, and supple feel.
$115/30ml. tomfordbeauty.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Bond No. 9’s New York Forever eau de parfum is the perfect scent for crisp fall days. With exotic notes of Indonesian pachouli oil, dewy moss, fresh cinnamon bark, and vanilla, this fragrance will surely conjure a New York state of mind with every spritz. $550/100ml. bondno9.com
ECOLOGICALLY
ADVANCE YOUR SKIN
Sisley’s Ecological Compound Advanced Formula is sure to become a fixture in your essential skincare routine with its new formula, which adds two new ingredients (burdock and meadowsweet extracts) to the original complex of five plant extracts (Centella asiatica, ginseng, hops, horsetail, and rosemary). The blend adapts to suit the needs of men and women of all ages, leaving skin feeling hydrated, nourished, visibly strengthened, and revitalized.
$300/125ml. sisley-sisley-paris.com
FLAWLESS FOUNDATION
Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Makeup is the United States’ number one foundation. With over 55 shades and 24-hour staying power, this waterproof matte foundation looks flawless and flatters all.
$52/1oz. esteelauder.com
OLD HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR
The Gucci Beauty Vernis à Ongles capsule collection presents an intense high-coverage plant-based nail lacquer housed in a vintage pear-shaped clear glass bottle with a sleek ribbed handle that just screams Old Hollywood glamour. Transform your nails with a pop of eye-catching color and a glossy finish in one (or more) of the collection’s 10 vibrant shades.
$35. gucci.com
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT
Clinique’s Smart Clinical Repair™ Overnight Recovery Face Cream + Mask is an anti-aging overnight cream and mask for face and neck that delivers deep hydration and visibly repairs lines and wrinkles while you sleep.
$80/1.7oz. clinique.com
TOUCH OF A ROSE
The Rosy Lip Glossy enhancer from the Rose Hermès collection doesn’t just nourish and plump your lips, it also elevates them with a translucent touch of Rose Confetti—a playful pink with hints of blue. $75. hermes.com
OBJETS D ’ART
The Hamptons is not just a playground for the chic and famous. It is first and foremost a philosophy of life, an exercise in style—in one word, a distinctive lifestyle—topped with a uniquely American attribute: the ultimate freedom from any dictate.
For our top picks selection, we keep this foremost in our mind: to surprise you with lesser-known luxurious objects that will enlighten your fall season.
BY THIERRY CHAUNU
ATELIER ANDRÉ MARTINEZ, SWITZERLAND
CHÂTEAU DE VAUX-LE-VICOMTE
CHARLES KRYPELL FINE JEWELRY
Triple-row brilliant white diamond cascading necklace, handcrafted from 18kt white gold. Price on request. charleskrypell.com
André Martinez is widely acknowledged as the Rembrandt of painted dials. After working for several decades for the most prestigious Swiss watch brands in their bespoke divisions, Martinez did not retire. Instead, he created his own atelier, specializing in private bespoke orders. Martinez can hand-paint and reproduce on a watch dial the most intricate details of any photo you submit, be it your favorite car or painting or a portrait, just like the 18th-century miniature masters did, all set in steel or 18kt bespoke cases, with manufacture movements of the highest calibers. Starting at $42,000, instagram.com/atelierandremartinez
404 PLACE VENDÔME
This dynamic, 100 percent Parisian jewelry brand makes the most exquisite bespoke rings, co-created by you. The rings are entirely designed and handmade by 404 Place Vendôme in Paris, from the melting of the gold to the hand-setting of the gems. You can visit their workshops at 11 bis rue du Conservatoire in Paris, 9th arrondissement, and you can discuss your choices with owners Alexis and Nicolas on a Zoom call (rest assured, they speak perfect English and are among the most talented jewelry designers in the French capital). Starting at $2,000; shown above: $12,500, instagram.com/404placevendome, 404placevendome.com
A few miles outside of Paris, Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte invites its visitors to rediscover this 17th-century masterpiece in the flickering light of 2,000 candles, which illuminate the castle and the French gardens. A romantic and refined dinner, water games in the basins, and a champagne bar complete this delightful, timeless evening. A monumental projection recalling the highlights of Vaux-le-Vicomte’s history concludes the evening. Visits are every Saturday as well as Fridays. If you want to visit where French luxury was born, this is the place! Reservations are mandatory, vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/news/ the-candlelit-evenings
CHRISTOFLE, THE ETERNAL SILVERSMITH
Christofle is one of those rare luxury brands that produce truly timeless masterpieces. World renowned for their exceptional table art collections, refined jewelry, and home accessories since 1830, Christofle recently launched a very innovative initiative: Pieces that are no longer in today’s catalogue are scouted and bought back by their curator silversmiths, sent to their workshops in France, and given a sparkling new life. The result is spectacular: One can now acquire vintage Christofle creations that are quasi brand new and travel back in time. The art of living and entertaining at home has never been trendier! This
“Biarritz” champagne bucket was presented by Christofle in the 1950s as part of the Gallia collection. Its name conjures up festive and summery images of ice to cool drinks. $850, available only at Christofle Bleecker Street, christofle.com
RESERVOIR WATCHES
Omaha Beach in Normandy is a truly powerful and moving location. Fittingly, in 2024, the Battlefield D-Day watch commemorates the WWII all-terrain vehicle, symbolizing resilience, strength, and creativity. This timepiece has a khaki dial with the U.S. Army white star in a gunmetal steel case. It features three horological complications (self-winding mechanical movement with retrograde minute, jumping hour, and a 37-hour power reserve). I love the presentation in an army green metallic box, which is similar to ammunition boxes! $4,400, reservoir-watch.com
MAISON FÉLIX ALEXANDRE, DESIGNER OF HIGH-FASHION FANS
Félix Alexandre was the supplier of fans for Empress Eugénie and the French Court at the Tuileries Palace during the Second Empire. His classical creations continue to be offered today.
Carbon War 1, from the New Age of Victory collection by Félix Alexandre, is an artwork that reflects the triumph and performance of drivers and racing teams in the world of motorsport. The fan has a chamfered and brushed aluminium frame and leather-wrapped carbon palmettes with a 170-degree opening angle. Carbon War 1 is presented in a special Félix Alexandre frame and can be picked up at any time. Limited edition of eight. $18,000, felixalexandre.com
Thierry Chaunu is the former vice president of marketing at Cartier, former CEO at Chopard, and former president and COO at Leviev Diamonds. His keen eye for extraordinary watches, jewelry, and gems is legendary.
NORTHWELL HEALTH SUMMER EVENING
It was a Northwell Summer Evening (SHE) that raised $1.6 million in support of women’s health. Held at the Water Mill residence of honoree Victoria Moran-Furman, the gala included co-hosts Iris and Saul Katz, Eric Moran, and Larry Scott, with Good Day New York’s Rosanna Scotto as emcee. Notable guests included Beth and Peter Hammack, Iris and Michael Smith, Diane and Adam Blank, Margaret M. Crotty and Rory Riggs, Michelle and Robert Fox, Dr. Eugenia Gianos, Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, Alicia and Frank Grande, Frank and Joan Ginsberg, Shari Levine and David Augarten, Cori and Kenny Orr, Fern Mallis, and Ruth and Michael Slade.
Cameron Silver, Fern Mallis
Caitlin Collins, Erin Christoff
Adrien Arpel
Brian Lally, Lawrence Scott, Rosanna Scotto, Iris Katz, Victoria Moran-Furman, Saul Katz
Dr. Jeannine Villella, Dr. Dan Baker
Photos by PatrickMcMullan .com
Dr. Jeannine Villella, Dr. Stacey Rosen
John and Maureen Ferrari
Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank and sister Ann Frank
Kris Fuchs, Vicki Faustini
Rose and John Franco
Dana Covo, Katherine Kapnick, Kimberly Raba, Julia Wittlin, Ashleigh Coughlin
Dr. Helen Weinberg
How did you get your start?
My first job out of college was as the bandleader/singer at El Morocco, and then I went to law school. I did divorces during the week as a lawyer and weddings on the weekend with the band before playing my first major destination wedding in India in the ’80s for a former divorce client, which was hosted by the Maharajah of Jaipur. I decided to pursue my love for music full time and have never looked back.
How has the music you play for parties changed over the years?
We always come in ready to play what the host has requested but we also “read the crowd” and play everything from contemporary to classic rock to Motown to Sinatra to Bublé to Big Band. That’s why the bandleader is so important. The goal is to make every event musically magical and memorable and keep a good flow on the dance floor. We pay special attention to appropriate sound levels so people will want to dance but also be able to talk at the tables. We’re doing more small parties than ever before, with our top musicians playing multiple instruments and singing so the small band sounds bigger with a very broad repertoire.
Tell me about your musicians and singers. They are the best in New York. Most of them went on the road in their 20s with big names like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson. But when they got into their 30s they wanted to raise a family and have a more stable work-life balance with Alex Donner Entertainment. What’s new?
During COVID I bought a place in West Palm Beach, where I spend the season. I put together my Florida band, which is in demand for parties, weddings, and benefits down there. We also do a lot of house parties there and in the Hamptons with just one or two musicians or a DJ and a band. What are you most proud of in your career?
I am proud that we have helped raise millions of dollars playing for charitable events. I am also proud of having performed as the headline singer at the Café Carlyle for 10 sold-out performances. And I do an all-music radio show based in Palm Beach County at "Legends Radio" 100.3 FM, which also streams.
PEOPLE TO KNOW
VANESSA NOEL
SHOE DESIGNER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Vanessa Noel is an American luxury shoe designer, philanthropist, and founder of the first shoe museum in the United States.
How long have you been designing shoes, and where is your store?
I’ve been designing my own label for nearly four decades, and my shoe salon is at 158 East 64th Street in New York City. It’s an incredibly special place to visit—the first room is covered in emerald green python skins, and the main room is painted with a liquid gold metal finish. We have a private speakeasy, the Stiletto Podcast Bar, in the back where special clients are invited for lunch or for afternoon cocktails. Fashion and retail shopping have become so corporate, so I created a space that is opulent, exclusive, and represents my truly luxurious shoes and everything I design.
What else do you design along with your beautiful shoes?
I began designing handbags and small accessories several years ago, and I’m launching my new, extraordinary jewelry collection this winter using top-quality lab-grown stones. It’s very glamorous and so different! I’m also creating one-of-a-kind gemstone buckles for shoes and handbags. Everything I produce is one of a kind or in limited runs. That is true luxury! What do you feel luxury is?
True luxury accessories are exceptionally well made from the best materials, handmade by artisans, and not mass produced—things that are special and not found everywhere. The big mass-market labels are not luxury. The products they produce are common, overpriced, and corporate and the manufacturers cut corners to increase profit and don’t appreciate quality, artistry, or their clients.
Tell me about your shoe museum.
The Noel Shoe Museum is the first and only shoe museum in the U.S.! This is my legacy project, and I am so thrilled to be opening the most exciting new nonprofit institution in New York City! We’re hosting our third annual fundraising gala this October in New York. We also just produced our second curated exhibition this summer on Nantucket, which was hugely successful, and we’re thrilled to be planning future exhibitions while looking for a permanent home.
Did I hear you are also starting a podcast? Yes! I’m starting the podcast this fall—you will begin to hear all about that soon. I’m also writing the first book on wedding shoes. I love creating—it’s not work for me!
LAURA GELLER FOUNDER & MAKEUP ARTIST
Laura Geller, veteran makeup artist and founder of Laura Geller Beauty, launched her namesake brand in 1997 with a mission of demystifying the daily makeup routine and creating transformational products that bring joy back to beauty for women who are 40-plus.
How did you get started in the beauty industry?
I actually began my journey as a makeup artist on Broadway, which significantly expanded my clientele. From there I opened a makeup studio on the Upper East Side, where clients frequently asked to purchase the products I used on them. This ultimately inspired me to start producing and selling my own line, and 20 years later here we are!
What makes your brand different?
We cater to women 40 and over—from the carefully chosen ingredients in our products to the models and celebrities we feature to the content we share on social media. Everything we do is designed to celebrate and support mature women. Many may know the brand from our bestselling Spackle primer collection, but we also specialize in baked makeup—a unique process where we blend cream pigments and bake them for 24 hours on terra-cotta tiles. This results in a formula that’s significantly creamier and more hydrating than traditional pressed powder, making it perfect for mature skin. Our Baked Balance-n-Brighten Foundation has become a must-have in countless makeup collections.
When did you decide to exclusively market to mature women and why is that important to you?
Choosing my target audience was never a question; my customers are my peers, women age 40 and up. It’s common for mature women to feel unseen as they age, so we wanted to create products that represent and celebrate our ladies over 40. We take pride in creating easy-touse makeup that is well-known for its ability to flatter and enhance mature skin.
Dr. Howard Sobel, Manhattan’s top cosmetic dermatologist, is known for pioneering the latest advances in face and body treatments and is a leading expert on the Alma TED treatment for hair loss.
Why do men and women experience hair loss?
Millions of Americans suffer from hair loss every year due to a host of reasons. It’s normal to shed up to 100 hairs per day, but when it goes beyond that, it starts to affect your quality of life. Genetics, stress, menopause, medical illnesses, and even childbirth or birth control cessation may be the cause. A noteworthy hair-loss treatment known as the Alma TED device, which uses a transdermal delivery system, is a noninvasive hair restoration option that is painless, and results can be seen soon after several treatments. It has taken the place of PRP [platelet-rich plasma] injections because it is pain free. The TED treatments contain growth factors that stimulate hair growth, decrease hair loss, and increase the thickness of the hair.
How does the Alma TED ultrasound restore hair growth?
The Alma TED system is unique in that it relies on ultrasound technology that produces low-frequency ultrasonic sound waves plus air pressure to drive a special topical hair-growth formula containing growth factors deep into the scalp and hair follicles. The treatments also increase blood flow throughout the scalp, which is crucial in helping hair growth. I have added exosomes, which contain thousands of additional growth factors. This treatment can be the answer for those who suffer from thinning hair, excessive shedding, or hair loss caused by hereditary genetic factors or medical conditions for both men and women.
What happens during treatments?
Each treatment is relatively simple and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. When the treatment starts, you feel a warm sensation and a slight vibration, and you’ll hear a slight ringing sound. It is completely painless as there are no needles involved.
How many treatments do you need?
Protocol recommends at least three treatments, each performed a month apart. However, most patients will begin to see improvement in just a month. While three treatments are the average, some will require or desire additional treatments.
For appointments please call 212 288-0060 or visit Dr. Sobel’s website: sobelskin.com.
Baked Balance-n-Brighten Color Correcting Foundation $36
SOUTHAMPTON HOSPITAL KICKOFF PARTY
Jean and Martin Shafiroff celebrated the launch of the fundraising season with a kickoff party for the Southampton Hospital Foundation (SHF). Proceeds from the season support Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, the only hospital on the South Fork.
Guests including Father Alex Karloutsos, Jim and Hollis Forbes, John and Melanie Wambold, artist Oscar Molina, Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, Elena Ford and Mitch Seldin, Elizabeth Bowden, Lisa Crawford, Sylvia Hemingway, Steven Stolman, Joan Jedell, Hon. Rebecca Seawright, and fashion icon Fern Mallis were entertained by the fabulous Alex Donner band. It was a dancing crowd.
Jean and Martin Shafiroff with Rosita and Henry Peter Hallock
Dr. Luiza Petre, Dr. Suzanne Amini
Elena Ford, Jean Shafiroff, Sarah Wetenhall Alex Donner
Vanessa Gordon
Oscar Molina and Carolina Harsanyi
Fern Mallis, Vincent De Paul
Hon. Josh Hanshaft, Joan Jedell Hon. Rebecca Seawright
Kenneth and Maria Fishel
Joan Jedell jumps in with Alex Donner and his band
100 YEARS OF EXPERIMENTATION
Van Cleef & Arpels presented the Watermill Center’s Annual Summer Benefit honoring Lucinda Childs and featuring a musical performance by Mykki Blanco + I.U.D. This year’s theme, “A Laboratory: 100 Years of Experimentation,” celebrated the building’s origins as a Western Union research facility a hundred years ago. The building and the 10-acre grounds were acquired by Robert Wilson in 1989 with a vision for a new kind of laboratory: a place of inspiration and a home for future generations of artists. The evening benefited Watermill’s International Summer Program and year-round Artist Residency Program.
Notable guests including Watermill Center founder Robert Wilson, Solange Knowles, Peter Marino, Stefano Tonchi, Maxwell Osborne, Helen King, Jean Shafiroff, and Bob Colacello were treated to performances and installations during this eclectic must-attend evening.
Photos by BFA
Irina Kro Eicke
Peter Marino, Robson Catalunha
Solange Knowles
Bracie Aston, Cole Kosarin
Jean Shafiroff
Robert Wilson, Edwina von Gal, Stefano Tonchi
Sharareh Siadat, Lynn Scotti, Elise Herget, Helen Weinberg
Stacy Engman
Polina Proshkina
Maximilian Eicke, Irina Kro Eicke, Elena Ulansky, Nitin Gambhir
Kimberly Pirtle
OSCAR MOLINA MASON/ARTIST/ENTREPRENEUR… and all-around Renaissance man
Oscar Molina is not your usual artist. Molina came to the U.S. as a migrant from El Salvador at age 16 in the summer of 1989 and today, 35 years later, you could say Molina has arrived and is living the American dream. His work has been shown at the Southampton Arts Center, the LongHouse Reserve, and the Long Island Museum, and he has also had exhibitions abroad (in Mexico and in his native El Salvador), just to mention a few.
You are a migrant from El Salvador. Tell me about that. We are all migrants in our own land. Some from Brooklyn, some from El Salvador.… It’s a point from which we grow into who we are.
When you first came to America, what did you do? My first job was in the landscaping field in the Hamptons, but I was drawn to the amazing architectural world, which led me to go to school for architectural design and graphics at a community college in Riverhead and then eventually to open my own masonry business in 1996. I’m now an associate at MOE Masonry, staying more behind the scenes.
When did you start doing your incredible artwork? I always created, but I never pursued it as much as I do now. I was raising a family and running a business, but I still found a space for creativity at the end of the day. So you are pursuing it full-time now? At the age of 50, I decided to make it my full-time career. I had always wanted to do it, but I didn’t know how. I am still finding the way.
How did you hone in on sculpture? As a painter, I knew I could paint silhouettes of the migrants I had met along the way while I was acclimating to the U.S. I realized that the 25 years I spent in the business of construction with steel and concrete led me to transition to doing these magnificent sculptures. How would you describe your sculptures? And what’s the message behind them? Abstract, organic, simply beautiful. A memory image of people together who I don’t know. To me, it’s a journey of the pursuit of happiness. So this all came about organically. I feel that one thing led to another naturally and here I am, ready to pursue the art world for what I believe I am here for. Who has inspired you? Eric Fischl is one. He also reminded me that inspiration may not be there every day but “you at least have to go to the studio and smell the paint.” He looked at my work and said, “We will lose a good mason, but we will gain a good artist.”
You opened a gallery in Southampton in 2023. Tell me about that. The Oscar Molina Gallery. I started with a small space and now I’m in a larger space called OMG X YMF Contemporary & Fine Art on 50 Jobs Lane. We have a beautiful sculpture garden showcasing multiple artist’s work. How did you move forward when you shifted careers? Passion is the driving force. I think of something creatively and bring it to life. I don’t complicate things. It’s a marriage between talent and discipline, usually resulting in success. What do you see in the future? I believe each of us can find ourselves painting our own path. One day you say, “I can do this” and you follow your vision.
KRISTEN BARAN
TAKING THE REINS: HORSES, DESIGN AND PHILANTHROPY
BY JOAN JEDELL
From equestrian events to charitable fundraisers, Kristen Baran has always managed to breathe and handle everything with grace and style.
Kristen Baran, an equestrian and former Toronto-based fashion designer, is a member of the Trudell Medical International family, one of Canada’s most successful privately owned respiratory product companies. The company was purchased by her father in 1967 from her mother’s family and celebrated its centennial in 2022.
Baran was raised in Canada, surrounded by philanthropy. Her late parents, Mitchell and Katherine Baran, known for their charitable endeavors, often supported health and human service causes through their eponymous family foundation.
Her father, Mitchell, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Order of Canada—one of the country’s highest honors—in recognition of his lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.
As a child, Baran always had a love of horses and began riding at a young age. She soon started competing in equestrian events in Canada and the United States, and winning. This past season in Wellington, Florida, she won a double circuit championship with her two horses, First Watch, trained by Merry Harding, and Replica, trained by WGM Stables, a rare accomplishment in the sport.
It’s only fitting that Baran’s passions for all things equine spilled over into the charitable world. This year Baran was the title sponsor of the Kristen Baran Charity Class, benefiting the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County. The inaugural event took place at the prestigious Wellington International Show and the event drew over 400 guests and raised $285,000 for the cause.
Hampton Sheet recently caught up with Kristen Baran to talk horses, design, and philanthropy.
HamptonSheet: Tell us about your upbringing and your family legacy.
Kristen Baran: My late parents were known for their charitable endeavors; they supported health and human services causes through the Mitchell and Katherine Baran Family Foundation. My siblings and I are actively involved in the [Canadian] foundation. Now that I live in the United States, I’m honored and privileged to support the equestrian community that I love while giving back to those in need with my own charitable endeavors.
I understand you were a fashion designer.
I designed high-end womenswear under my own label, Kristen Baran Designs, until I decided to close my studio and focus on designing the interiors and gardens of my homes, riding, and my charitable endeavors.
I am an unstudied interior and landscape designer and take a hands-on approach—nothing technically is on paper. On my way home from the farm, I often frequent nurseries like Marders where I select plants and trees for the gardens.
I’ve been to your house. Your gardens are stunning. What was your source of inspiration? My mother was an inspiration and a creative force. She had a passion for the arts and she loved to play the piano and was an avid gardener. She would often take me to garden centers when I was a child. I am also inspired by my travels, here and abroad, in particular Italy.
Tell us about the charity that you’re starting.
My friend, horse trainer and equestrian visionary Andrew Lustig, came to me with the novel idea of a Hunt team class for charity. The competition marks the first time a team of three riders, a professional and two amateurs, compete together for significant prize money while simultaneously supporting local charities.
I’m particularly excited for the class as the team aspect builds a sense of camaraderie among amateurs and professionals in a noncompetitive manner, all while raising funds for charity! I am very aware of how fortunate I am to be in a position to help others, and my ability to do this is a complete blessing and a privilege I do not take for granted.
Tell me more about the Kristen Baran charity class and how it’s participating in the Hampton Classic.
The class will benefit the Southampton Hospital and the wonderful work that they do, as well as the Equus Foundation and the Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End [CTREE].
The Equus Foundation is the only national welfare charity protecting America’s horses and strengthening the bond between horse and rider. CTREE provides therapeutic riding lessons and assisted services to children and adults with emotional, cognitive, and physical disabilities. I am on the board, and they hold a very dear place in my heart. I’m delighted to see the impact that they, as well as the other charities, have made. All of these charities make our community better off through their hard work and dedication, and we are thrilled to be contributing.
What is in the future for the class?
We have a fabulous lineup for 2025. The calendar includes shows at the Wellington International, the Hampton Classic, the Aiken Charity Show, the Upperville VA Show, and the Traverse City Horse Show.
HAMPTON SHEET FALL 2024
Kristen in the gardens in front of her favorite hornbeam allée
Photo by Michael Paniccia
With the Hampton Classic approaching, can you share your expertise with readers and give some insight as to what a judge looks for when scoring a horse over the course of jumps?
Many riders travel the world looking for a quality Hunter. Quality would be defined as having certain attributes, such as a horse that has a beautiful conformation or is very attractive. Judges also like to see that the horse is happy doing his job with ears forward, looking for the next jump, as well as a rhythmical canter across the ground that remains steady and even. Jumping style is also paramount. The horse’s knees should be even in front and back and jump the obstacle with ease and appropriate effort to the height of the jump. The judging is all subjective, and all of these qualities are taken into account when scoring the round of horse and rider.
You had your first event at the prestigious Wellington International.
Yes, the inaugural event took place in Wellington and the class and party drew over 400 guests from the local community and Palm Beach. We raised $286,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach.
You were recently married.
Yes, my longtime beau, Mitch Kates, and I tied the knot after 17 years together. I feel incredibly lucky to have married my best friend, who is also the funniest and kindest man that I know. We were married in front of a small gathering of our dear friends at our home in Wellington.
How did you celebrate?
We held a large party the following week featuring the Aqualillies. They are a spectacular synchronized swimming dance company and are pioneers in the renaissance of water ballet. We were very fortunate to have the Aqualillies entertain our guests as the company has performed for celebrities like Justin Bieber and Beyoncé. It was a pretty spectacular evening.
What does your husband do? Is he supportive of your equestrian endeavors?
Mitch was a former management consultant to Fortune 500 companies. He loves to golf, and I taught him how to ride very early on in our relationship. He is very supportive of my riding and has rarely missed a show in our 17 years together! Also, he is quite the romantic and proposed in Venice on a gondola, and then we went to dinner at the exquisite Da Fiore.
What is your day like in the Hamptons before you go galloping off to Wellington? I feel incredibly grateful to live here in the Hamptons with so many wonderful things at our fingertips. I love to start my day with an in-house meditation or a walk to the beach, and then I head to the farm for early-morning rides on my horses. My afternoons are generally spent working on designing and on starting up my new charity. I also love to squeak in a game of tennis at 4 o’clock if I can and then go to one of my favorite restaurants. I adore Le Bilboquet in Sag Harbor and Sunset Beach on Shelter Island. You can’t beat the views and sunsets.
Tell us more about your gardens.
We live on three acres in Watermill and our home is unusual because it’s a Tuscan-style villa that was built in the 1920s. I have made significant changes to the gardens, including the addition of a lily pond on the back terrace as well as a cutting garden off the kitchen. I am most proud of the hornbeam allée on the east side of our home off the sunroom.
On one of my visits to Marders, I fell in love with the hornbeam trees and decided that they would be a perfect addition to the property to create an allée leading up to the sculpture.
Have your beautiful gardens ever been featured in any publication?
I am thrilled that my gardens will be published in Blue Carreon’s Gardens of the Hamptons, scheduled to be released in spring of 2025.
I was also very honored that my gardens were selected for the annual tour of Southampton homes in 2022.
What are you most proud of?
I’m proud of my design work but moreover I am humbled by the opportunity to support the equestrian sport that I love and at the same time give back to various charities and those in need. n
Kristen relaxing in the living room that she designed. Photo by Michael Paniccia
Kristen on her horse, Broadway, competing in the Canadian final at the Royal Winter Fair.
Photo by Cealy Tetley
Kristen and Mitch: family photo with Rocky. Photo by Michael Paniccia
HAMPTONS HAPPENING
The 20th Annual Hamptons Happening, one of the Hamptons’ most-anticipated summer charity social events, raised $450,000 to support groundbreaking research funded by the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a leading international organization dedicated to eradicating cancer. The event honored Arthur F. Backal, Chef François Payard, Cheri Kaufman, Stephen Kliegerman, Fern Mallis, and DJ CherishTheLuv. Other notable attendees included Dr. Samuel Waxman and Marion Waxman, Jean Shafiroff, Father Alex Karloutsos, Joan Jedell, Chris and Sarah Wragge, Kenneth and Maria Fishel, and Alasdair Nichol.
by
Photos
PatrickMcMullan.com
Mark D. Friedman, Marion Waxman, Dr. Samuel Waxman, Jamie Koff
Liana, Arthur, and Amanda Backal
Sarah and Chris Wragge with kids
Bradley, Alexandra, Maria, and Kenneth Fishel
Larry Wohl and Leesa Rowland
Stan Herman, Fern Mallis
Kayla Brantley
Fern Mallis, Arthur Backal, Cheri Kaufman, Stephen Kliegerman
Sylvia Hemingway, Maria Fishel, Ruth Miller
Arthur Backal, Chris Arlotta, Bill Sullivan, Elena Gibbs, Jamie Koff, Randi Schatz, Mark D. Friedman
Father Alex Karloutsos Indira Cesarine
Bill Sclight and Cheri Kaufman
Chef François Payard
COCKTAILS ON THE DOCK
The Ellen Hermanson Foundation held its annual Summer Gala at the Bridgehampton Tennis & Surf Club—a night of cocktails on the dock overlooking the ocean with dinner, dancing, and an after-party bonfire with s’mores on the beach.
Honoring Dr. Fredric Weinbaum and Rebecca Seawright, the event, chaired by philanthropist Jean Shafiroff, also featured entertainment by DJ Michael and a live auction. Proceeds from the event benefited the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
Notable guests included Dr. Julie Ratner, Dr. Edna Kapenhas, Jean and Martin Shafiroff, Elena Gibbs, Dee Rivera, Elizabeth Cowles, Rita Lerner, Hugo Moreno, Cathy Tweedy, Jodi Wasserman, Melissa Cohn, Patti Kenner, Keith Green, Dina Lohan, Jane Friedman, Kenneth and Maria Fishel, Elizabeth Steimberg, Jay and Iris Dankner, Magdalena Delaney, and Minerva Perez.
IMAGE GUIDED ARTHRITIS TREATMENT
Dr. Robert L. Bard is a boardcertified diagnostic imaging specialist and a ranking member of the American Arthritis Foundation. He also specializes in non-invasive treatments of musculoskeletal issues. His NYC practice is recognized for:
• the use of the latest sonographic monitoring of chronic disorders
• an expansive network of orthopedic specialists
For a consultation or to schedule an appointment, call BARD DIAGNOSTICS at: 212.355.7017 or visit: www.barddiagnostics.com
Rebecca Seawright, Jean Shafiroff, Dr. Fredric Weinbaum, Julie Ratner
Shabiah Martin, Sushma Gaddam
Monte Farber, and Amy Zerner
Nancy Stone
David Weiner and Elizabeth Steimberg
Jay and Iris Dankner
Julia Haart
Howie and Sherri Lippman
EAT SLEEP HAMPTONS
BY NORAH LAWLOR
WEST HAMPTON
→DINING
FAUNA
Rooted Hospitality, which is the owner of Rumba and Cowfish in Hampton Bays, took over Chef Starr Boggs’ former high-end restaurant in Westhampton after he passed. Now known as Fauna, the new American menu includes appetizers like roasted red pepper gnudi and entrees like basil-seared halibut with bacon lardons.
EAST QUOGUE
→DINING DOCKERS
Widely considered one of the premier spots on the East End, this marinabased restaurant has an eclectic mix of fresh seafood, steaks, and lobster. Dockers has a vacation feel with its casual, relaxing, and friendly environment where you can enjoy cool breezes and fresh air.
HAMPTON BAYS
→DINING
RESTAURANT AT CANOE PLACE
Ülfet Ralph, a Relais & Châteaux chef who previously ran the kitchen at Magee Homestead in Wyoming, will bring a Mediterranean menu to Canoe Place Inn.
CENTRO TRATTORIA & BAR
Enjoy a Hampton Bays staple, Centro Trattoria & Bar owned by Salvatore Biundo, which boasts a prime outdoor dining location from which to see and be seen. Savor the cuts of steak added to the menu. “Sunday with Sinatra and Friends” with live singer Tony Della is one of the favorites.
→HOTEL
THE INN SPOT
The team that transformed the old East Hampton Point into the chic EHP Resort & Marina and opened up waterfront spot Sí Sí will unveil its latest property. It is located minutes from Ponquogue Beach and features bungalows with views of Shinnecock Bay.
SOUTHAMPTON
→DINING
75 MAIN
This Southampton staple is known as much for its summer season entrees
GOOD TASTE
as it is for enthralling people-watching. Owner Zach Erdem rejuvenated his eatery by combining the classic style of the Hamptons with the enticing elements of New York City nightlife. 75 Main’s menu is expertly crafted by awardwinning Executive Chef Mark Militello.
CLAUDE’S
Claude’s, located at the Southampton Inn, has been recently remodeled and showcases a new menu with servings such as roasted half Long Island duck and North Atlantic salmon. Claude’s will be open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Enjoying lunch outdoors by the pool or at their patio is a great way to catch up with friends and family and make the most of the summer.
DOPO ARGENTO
The restaurant looks to continue their success after a strong opening last year. Dopo Argento serves modern Mediterranean cuisine with strong Italian accents, including traditional dishes like branzino and veal Bolognese, as well as innovative daily specials created by Chef Fabio Gutierrez.
SOUTHAMPTON SOCIAL CLUB
Owned by Ian Duke and David Hilty, Southampton Social Club sets the standard for a season of dining, drinks, and socializing. Enjoy the supper-club vibe with an all-new dinner and drinks menu in the lounge from Executive Chef Scott Kampf.
EL VERANO
El Verano is an upscale Mexican restaurant owned by Chef Julian Medina and partner Meghan Manzi. Inspired by the summer houses in Mexico, which are considered escape destinations for residents of Mexico City, the menu showcases crudos and platos fuertes such as pollo a las brasas and branzino a las brasas.
IL PELLICANO AND BIJOUX
Manhattan’s Il Pellicano and Bijoux takes over the space of Blu Mar in Southampton. Il Pellicano and Bijoux is a restaurant and nightclub. The
GOLDEN PEAR
Founded by restaurateur Keith Davis, the Golden Pear has been a Southampton staple on Main Street for decades. It offers exceptional breakfasts, lunches, and catering, not to mention a great space for meeting up with friends and excellent people-watching. Everyone loves the homemade products from the bakery and fresh roasted coffee.
TUTTO IL GIORNO
A cuisine hot spot with a well-known local reputation, Tutto il Giorno hosts alfresco dining in their beautiful garden patio in Southampton. Open for lunch and dinner, they serve contemporary Italian dishes from Naples and decadent craft cocktails.
front of the venue will feature Il Pellicano, an authentic Italian restaurant with a heavily seafood-focused menu. The back of the venue will introduce a new take on New York City’s Bijoux, a luxurious bar and lounge serving craft cocktails and offering bottle service.
SANT AMBROEUS
This elegant European-style café has a beautiful ambiance both inside and outside. The outdoor space offers a vine-covered patio where guests can choose from an array of authentic specialties such as the signature vitello tonnato, carpaccio di manzo, and branzino alla griglia.
MAIN PROSPECT
Where else can you bring the family any day of the week and find a place where the children can play while parents can have dinner and watch stand-up comedy or listen to live music? The restaurant also offers the exclusive Nolan’s Room upstairs. They also will have a beach concierge service this summer.
T-BAR
Led by Derek Axelrod along with Keith Valenti, the team from T-Bar Steak and Lounge offers guests outstanding cuisine in a casual yet elegant space, and the outdoor terrace and garden make it the quintessential location for evening cocktails on those warm summer nights. The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and wide selection of cognac, bourbon, and single-malt Scotch.
ENCHANTÉ
Situated at the former Red Bar location in Southampton, Enchanté Bistro will be offering classic French brasserie cuisine. Led by Heath Freeman and the team at EHP Hospitality, Enchanté is a new addition to their portfolio where devotees of Pastis in New York City would feel at home.
UNION BURGER BAR
Celebrating its fifth year, this casual dining destination from owner Ian Duke, with award-winning Executive Chef Scott Kampf, is open year-round. Union Burger Bar continues to offer a variety of specialty gourmet burgers, fresh hand-cut fries, milkshakes, and desserts and an elaborate craft beer and small-batch bourbon selection. The outdoor sushi bar offers a selection of the finest Asian dishes.
→HOTELS THE 1708 HOUSE
This historic bed and breakfast’s name comes from the original house, which is known to have existed on this spot since 1708. The refined B&B offers polished country-style rooms with modern touches. Stays include a divine daily breakfast and afternoon tea to be enjoyed in the formal living room or outdoor garden.
SOUTHAMPTON INN
Celebrating its 26th anniversary under the leadership of Dede Gotthelf, the Southampton Inn continues to delight. This classically charming hotel has 90 guest rooms. The grounds consist of several acres of manicured lawns and gardens with amenities that everyone can enjoy, including a 50-foot heated outdoor pool, an all-weather tennis court, croquet, volleyball, a game room for all ages, and one of the East End’s favorite eateries, Claude's Restaurant, which showcases new interior design along with a new menu.
75 Main Restaurant
T Bar
SAG HARBOR
→DINING
SAG HARBOR TAVERN
Water views are outstanding at owner Billy Durney’s place. His famous eight-ounce burger is available, along with hanger steak and seafood options, at this 60-seat joint with outside tables.
WATER MILL
→DINING
KISSAKI
Originally a downtown Manhattan hub, Kissaki’s premium-quality sushi experience quickly grew in popularity, prompting the opening of an additional location in Water Mill. The menu honors Japanese tradition and highlights include their signature premium omakase boxes, specialty rolls, and more by Executive Chef Mark Garcia.
BRIDGEHAMPTON
→DINING
DOPO IL PONTE
Maurizio Marfoglia is the chef and restaurateur behind the chic Dopo La Spiaggia in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, as well as Dopo Argento in Southampton. He has now taken over the space formerly occupied by World Pie on Bridgehampton’s Main Street. Dopo Il Ponte will be more casual and reasonably priced. Thin-crust and New York-style pizzas are made in a wood-burning oven and pastas and other main courses round out the menu.
PIERRE’S
Pierre Weber has always stuck to his vision here and the result has produced a casual-chic French dining experience. Pierre’s serves bistro classics and local seafood seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
→HOTEL
TOPPING ROSE HOUSE
This iconic hotel at the end of Main Street offers dining at the on-property Jean-Georges restaurant. Enjoy amazing meals in pure luxury. The hotel features 22 elegantly appointed guest rooms and a heated outdoor pool. You may want to check out the menu and check in for the night for the ultimate vacation.
SAGAPONACK
→DINING
OLD STOVE PUB
Owner Joseph DeCristofaro’s steakhouse focuses on using only the best and freshest ingredients available, delivered daily. The menu is a tribute to some of the original dishes at the Old Stove Pub and new original cuisine. Highlights include starters of roasted beet salad, steamed mussels, onion soup, and the house Caesar salad.
luxurious 17th-century Englishinspired building with relaxing and comfortable amenities all year round. Also check out the opulent onsite spa and fresh, lavish homemade breakfasts.
THE MAIDSTONE
The hotel features a whimsical take on Hamptons aesthetics. This is reflected in the shared spaces throughout the property including the pink sunroom, the art bar, and the classic lounge. The hotel has 19 individually designed rooms and cottages that each bring joyful days to guests.
LE BILBOQUET
Dine alongside gleaming white yachts at this chic restaurant. It’s a spot that you will never grow tired of for excellent cuisine, atmosphere, and much glam people-watching!
TUTTO IL GIORNO
A cuisine mecca with a well-known local reputation, Tutto il Giorno hosts alfresco dining in Sag Harbor close to the pier. Open for lunch and dinner, they serve contemporary Italian dishes from Naples and offer craft cocktails.
→HOTEL
BARON’S COVE
This is Baron Cove's 65th year. Famously, it was one of the regular haunts on the East End for a number of literary lions; Truman Capote and Kurt Vonnegut, among others, used to frequent the Cove. It was John Steinbeck’s favorite watering hole and if you visit the bar, they can still make his favorite drink, the Jack Rose.
EAST HAMPTON
→DINING
LDV AT THE MAIDSTONE
La Dolce Vita is an Italian concept, similar to John Meadow’s Scarpetta Beach at Gurney’s. Chef Jorge Espinoza and Meadow showcase coastal offerings, including spaghetti alla Nerano with fried zucchini and provolone and squid ink linguine with crabmeat.
SUNSET HARBOR
From its waterfront perch on Three Mile Harbor, witness one of the best sunset views in the area. The menu includes shrimp scampi with fresh crab, and local fish is used in sushi.
→HOTELS
THE BAKER HOUSE 1650
This celebrated East Hampton property is owned and operated by entrepreneur Antonella Bertello. Find here a
the North Fork at Orient Point. The restaurant offers a raw bar with seating alongside the theater of the team at work preparing the oysters, clams, and seafood in front of diners. Outside the deck has those hard-to-score tables by the waterfront where you can take in the sun, the sea, and those magnums of rosé wine.
SHELTER ISLAND
→DINING
SUNSET BEACH
AMAGANSETT
→DINING
IL BUCO AL MARE
In this casual setting in the heart of the village you’ll find a simple, relaxed menu presenting the best local seafood and produce. Inspired by their sister restaurant Bottega il Buco in Ibiza, Spain, the restaurant offers cuisine in a warm and beautiful space. Chef Justin Smillie’s menu features ancient grain focaccias, imported tinned fish from the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, and seasonal local fare from a wood-burning oven.
→HOTEL
THE ROUNDTREE
Conveniently situated on Main Street in the charming town of Amagansett, the Roundtree is walking distance to boutiques, galleries, restaurants, farm stands, and historic landmarks. Set on two acres of beautifully landscaped property surrounded by historic Amagansett farmlands, the tranquil locale of this hotel makes it a peaceful getaway this summer.
MONTAUK
→DINING
OCEAN CLUB MONTAUK
The old Montauk Yacht Club is now open under Proper Hospitality. This 200-seat restaurant has three rooms and will open at the end of June. Chef Jarad McCarroll runs the place with two chef counters as well as a chef’s table. Menu offerings include fluke tartare and wood-fired beef.
LA FIN KITCHEN & LOUNGE
Perhaps nothing is more picturesque in the Hamptons than a meal with a stunning view. La Fin offers the ultimate farm-to-table experience in a setting inspired by the seaside that captures Montauk’s unspoiled oceanfront beauty. Guests here enjoy chef and co-owner James Tchinnis's creations. Sit on the dock and indulge in a menu that highlights mussels and fries, salad Nicoise, and lobster lettuce wraps.
DURYEA’S LOBSTER DECK
Duryea’s provides a dose of the South of France both in Montauk and on
Sunset Beach is a seaside hideaway nestled on the sands of Shelter Island Sound that is both a hotel and one of the region’s most breathtaking settings for a meal. The restaurant offers the perfect intimate escape with a menu that celebrates the healthy and delicious summertime food of the Italian Riviera and southern France. Signature dishes include whole grilled branzino, steamed mussels, and oysters from favorite local farms.
THE TAVERN
Noah Schwartz, a North Fork dining pioneer, will oversee the food and beverage program at the newly renovated Chequit on Shelter Island. In this room with a large center bar, wraparound porch, and antique billiard table, Schwartz’s celebrated filet mignon sliders and pulled duck barbecue will share a menu with homemade pastas, raw bar items such as sea scallop crudo, and seasonal specials.
→HOTEL
THE PRIDWIN
First opened in the late 1920s, the Pridwin Hotel on Shelter Island offers a more relaxed, one-step-removed vacation with the hustle and social bustle of the Hamptons summer close at hand. The eight-acre property has just emerged from a two-year renovation with a new spa and dining at the Terrace restaurant.
RAM’S HEAD INN
Located on Shelter Island is an inviting seaside getaway with a relaxing atmosphere, gracious country accommodations with 13 charming and comfortable suites, quality dining, and warm hospitality. Joe Smith’s American menu features fresh local produce, game, and seafood, as well as harvests from the inn’s garden. Guests can enjoy the beachfront while watching the sunset.
THE CHEQUIT
Stacey Soloviev, whose family owns Peconic Bay Vineyards on the North Fork, led the renovation of this Shelter Island landmark, which is set to reopen in late June. The porch, which overlooks the water, has been expanded to include terraces with fire pits, hanging chairs, and sofas; rooms have also been updated with Frette linens and other high-end amenities. n
Southampton Inn
1708 House
EAT SLEEP HAMPTONS
PARTY SNAPS
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) celebrated their Annual Summer Gala Benefit—Preserving Our Planet for Future Generations—to raise funds for its educational and environmental programs and initiatives. The event was hosted by SOFO Founder Andy Sabin with Emmy-nominated and Tony award winner Liev Schreiber as the gala ambassador. Chaired by Kim and Greg Lippmann and Erica Noble and Ray Iwanowski, the gala honored Anke and Jürgen Friedrich, Susan and David Rockefeller, and National Geographic Society President Michael Ulica.
GET WILD
The 16th Annual Get Wild! Gala, held at the Southampton Arts Center, raised funds for the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center’s programs to rehabilitate and successfully release animals back into the wild across Eastern Long Island. Honoring Michael Hayes, the event was chaired by Ingrid Edelman, Jane Gill, Missy Hargraves, Jonathan McCann, and Lisa Baron Schenker; emceed by Jill Rappaport; and included a performance by Taylor Barton and former SNL band leader G.E. Smith. Notable attendees included Michael Hayes, Beth Stern, Chuck Scarborough, and Jean Shafiroff.
Andy Sabin, Alana Rabinowitz, Salisa Rabinowitz, Michael Ulica
Susan Rockefeller, Annabel Schulz
Julia, Karina, Greg, and Dahlia Lippman
Diana Aceti, Andy Sabin
Frank Quevedo, Danielle Gingerich
Jane Grill, Meep the great horned owl
Beth Stern
Jean Shafiroff
G.E. Smith, Taylor Barton
Jill Rappaport
Chuck Scarborough, Brett and Grace Campbell
Atmosphere
Beth Stern
Carol Crist
Asia Lee, Kimberly Goff
Photos by Rob Rich/SocietyAlure.com
R.O.M.E. if you want to—roam around the whirl.… That’s always been GW’s mantra, but where did it all begin?
If you must ask where, darlinka, it was Athens. But not Greece—the one in the Peach state. GW, then a foreign student from Jamaica, was in his sophomore year at the University of Georgia, attending the famous Henry W. Grady School of Journalism. When GW left his home in Jamaica for college in 1979, he had no idea that Athens, Georgia, had the hippest, coolest college campus in America—truly the beating heart of the Youthquake counterculture all through the golden, fecund years from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s.
The B-52s—not the bombers, the new wave band (look them up, darlinka)—were formed in Athens. When GW arrived, they’d already migrated north to New York City, where they eventually saw their quirky hits like “Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster” blow up the charts.
Other maverick creative free spirits were still living in Athens and just beginning the real formative years of their quests for fame and fortune. Michael Stipe—of R.E.M. fame—was the smelly bum who, with his band of smellier bums, had us all transfixed. Getting into an R.E.M. gig at the famous 40 Watt Club in downtown Athens was a prized and unforgettable moment for GW. And GW will never forget seeing R.E.M. perform “Radio Free Europe” at Legion Field circa 1982.
Other fixtures of the Athens alternative rock scene included Pylon and Love Tractor. RuPaul and Lady Bunny
GEORGE WAYNE UNFILTERED
ODE TO THE ROOTS OF R.O.M.E.
George Wayne, arbiter, best-selling author, and former Vanity Fair celebrity griller dishes on the backstory of how he founded his late-’80s/early-’90s xeroxed cult-favorite magazine R.O.M.E. in a day—well, not exactly a day. Learn more about the OG version of the 20th-century analogue publication coined by The New York Times as GW’s “dishy zine of pre-internet New York” and move forward in time with GW to the present as he plans to launch a limited edition of R.O.M.E. 2.0 in 2025 for the digital age.
BY GEORGE WAYNE
(founder of the original Wigstock event) were Athens regulars too. And of course there was that crazy University of Georgia art professor Jim Herbert—the pied piper who inspired all the freaks to be fearless at the otherwise conservative college campus.
GW was electrified by those fearless freaks on the Athens scene who were honing their art forms and following their dreams. It inspired the once nervous Nellie from the West Indies to dream and want to follow them all to the bright lights of big New York City.
GW remembers that exact moment during sophomore year as if it were yesterday—sitting in the Bolton Hall dining room with GW’s college bestie, a boy from Savannah who went by the name Mark Thomas.
The sounds of the B-52s’ seminal classic “Roam if You Want To” were wafting through the cafeteria-foodinfused air. At that moment, GW announced to Mark—and anyone else listening nearby—“When I move to New York and start my magazine, I will call it R.O.M.E.” As soon as GW spoke those words to the universe, everything made sense. GW just loved the B-52s’ song and everything that the words “Rome” and “roam” connote. R.O.M.E. wasn’t built in a day—it still isn’t!
And so in February 1984, freshly bestowed with his prized journalism degree with a minor in advertising/ copywriting, GW bought a one-way ticket on Eastern Airlines to LaGuardia. He landed a real-life Mad Menstyle job at the advertising behemoth N.W. Ayer & Son working as a junior copywriter on the Burger King and the
Bahamas Tourist Board accounts. Even with its big fancy offices on the Avenue of the Americas—Sixth Avenue to us non-tourists—GW hated that corporate lifestyle. But it was thanks to GW’s late nights in N.W. Ayer & Son’s copy room of the advertising agency that the first issue of R.O.M.E. was created.
GW took the first issues of his new xeroxed artisanal zine, R.O.M.E., a one-man mixed-media art production on paper—where GW served as writer, editor, artistic designer, and publisher—to this artsy knickknack shop on the corner of First Avenue and Second Street known as Civilisation. Not surprisingly, R.O.M.E. sold out almost immediately.
About a year later, GW got a huge job offer from a small minority-held advertising agency—called Omnisomething—near Herald Square to be a senior copywriter. GW did not last long there. After eight months, they fired GW. And that was the end of GW’s dabble in the corporate 9-to-5 world. Nein! No more!
GW had always dreamed of meeting Andy Warhol in The City—not
just meeting him but working with him at Interview. So with six months of unemployment checks coming in, GW decided to make it happen. GW went out every night to the VIP room of the Palladium—the Michael Todd Room—hoping to bump into Andy Warhol. And GW continued to publish R.O.M.E.
One day the owner of Civilisation— who always called GW to ask for more copies of R.O.M.E.—told him that this guy named David Hershkovits bought a copy and wanted to speak with him. David is the founder of the iconic downtown magazine Paper Hershkovits met with GW and gave him his first column and byline: “In the Raw.” With his new title—downtown gossip columnist for Paper access to the Michael Todd Room and Warhol sightings became more frequent. Baird Jones, whose father created People magazine in the ’70s, was the eccentric trust fund dilettante who finally introduced GW to Andy Warhol at the Gracie Mansion Gallery in the ghetto of the East Village alphabet district in 1985—and took
George Wayne at the iconic studio of R.O.M.E. Gurumayi Peter Arnell
Photo courtesy of Valeriia Archnakova
GW featured in Michael Kors’ 1989 ad campaign with Christy Turlington
Courtesy of Michael Kors
the only photo of GW x Warhol. Soon Andy remembered GW’s name, often speaking those three words that would put GW in heaven, apoplectic with joy: “Gee, hello George.”
The last time GW saw Andy was in December 1986 during the fabulous festive party season. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager were staging the most incredible celebrity-laden bacchanals every night in the Michael Todd Room—adorned with its huge Basquiat mural behind the bar—with the world’s first celebrity DJ, Anita Sarko, ruling the roost. The legendary VIP room was epic every…night…of…the…week.
Andy, who was with Keith Haring and this gorgeous male model, Joe Dietrich, spotted GW from across the room. When Andy asked GW about R.O.M.E., GW’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Warhol knows about R.O.M.E. and reads it? It was the American pop-culture equivalent of being anointed as a knight of the Round Table. Warhol’s last words to GW that night were, “George, do something you love doing and whatever it is, you will be able to sell it.”
In February 1987, Andy went to the hospital for minor gallbladder surgery. He died of complications. His death shocked and saddened everyone. And for those still alive and considering themselves acolytes of Warhol, we can never get over his loss.
After Andy’s death, GW got his dream job at Andy Warhol’s Interview at Warhol’s final Factory with editors Ingrid Sischy, Glenn O’Brien, and Fabien Baron—all legends of the magazine world. It was like going to work at a morgue every day of the week. Everyone was so sad and depressed by Andy’s untimely death. It was spooky and unreal until Interview finally moved to the Prada building in Soho.
Of course, during this time, GW was still putting out issues of his own publication, R.O.M.E.—doing something he loved.
In 1992, supermodel Claudia Schiffer sued R.O.M.E. for $30 million dollars for printing pics of her topless backstage at a Chanel show in the Meatpacking District. When GW was served, he was in shock and numb. Being sued for $30 million—no matter how absurd and frivolous the lawsuit was—is no joke, hunny bunny. It was the analogue era—the glory days of the 1990s before the ubiquitousness of the internet. Because of this absurd lawsuit, R.O.M.E. hit The New York Times in May 1992. Soon it was on the front pages of newspapers across the globe—from The Times of London to O Globo in Rio de Janeiro, where GW was being called “the Truman Capote of the ’90s,” LOL. This, darlinka, is how you went viral back in the day.
At the time, GW was actually living it up in Los Angeles—“in residence”— as they say—at the Chateau Marmont. GW and his best friend to this day,
Kelly Cutrone, lived at the iconic hotel for two months courtesy of Kelly’s parents’ fancy American Express card—up until the L.A. riots broke out!
Entertainment Tonight called and wanted to interview GW about being sued by one of the world’s most famous supermodels. So we staged the interview on the patio at the iconic West Hollywood hotel off Sunset Boulevard that had become GW’s home away from home. Once the cameras were all set up, GW waltzed his way from Suite 58 at the storied celeb haunt to make his grand entrance poolside, wearing the Chateau’s signature terrycloth bathrobe and Belgian slippers from that fancy shop off Madison Avenue.
And that, darlinka, is how you milk moments for all they’re worth…
That absurd lawsuit was soon settled, and GW promised never to write about Claudia Schiffer in R.O.M.E. But notorious George Wayne was the talk of New York City. R.O.M.E.—GW’s little xeroxed magazine—was just flying off the shelves around the city. Helmut and Margit—the eccentric owners of the little magazine kiosk in the lobby of the original Condé Nast headquarters on Madison Avenue—would call GW with their German accents to say: “S.I. Newhouse just bought five copies of R.O.M.E.! Anna Wintour just bought two! Bring more!”
The timing was right, so GW decided to write a letter to the Condé Nast magnate S.I. Newhouse asking him to buy R.O.M.E. He wrote me back the next week!
“Emperor” S.I. said he loved R.O.M.E.—he called it “genius”—but said he could not buy it. Newhouse directed GW to meet with his brandnew hire, Linda Wells, who created Condé Nast’s glossy beauty publication—Allure—in 1991.
So GW met with Wells—a woman who was about to become one of the world’s most powerful beauty magazine editors. She asked him point blank: “What do you want?”
GW looked at her and confidently proclaimed, “A contract and to be one of your first contributing editors. And to travel.”
Linda Wells looked across the table that morning from her new offices at 360 Madison Avenue and simply told GW: “Okay.” And that was it!
GW and the late, great, iconic makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin were among the first contributing editors to Allure. My first assignment was to go to St Barth’s for three weeks! Back in the golden age of glossy magazines and Condé Nast, money was no object. It was for a splashy feature on the chicest, coolest island in the French West Indies way back before it became overrun with wannabes.
GW spent four glorious years at Allure working with legends like Polly Allen Mellen and Freddie Leiba, doing the Prêt-à-Porter trade show in Paris and the shows in Milan. Around that time, GW heard rumblings that Graydon Carter—the then-editor of
the New York Observer—was going to be anointed as editor-in-chief at Vanity Fair, along with his new junior editor Matt Tyrnauer (name sound familiar? Tyrnauer directed the 2008 Oscar-nominated documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor). It wasn’t long before Graydon called GW up to ask him if he wanted a role at GC’s Vanity Fair—and if “yes,” what that role would be.
GW told Carter that he wanted to “reinvent the celebrity question and answer and make it GW meets Warhol meets Oriana Fallaci.” Graydon said, “Okay,” and for the next 22 years GW worked at Vanity Fair and went on to become a Galactico celebrity interviewer, with more than 200 of the most confounding and wittiest and incredible interviews with celebrities— all of which are available in GW’s 2018 HarperCollins tome Anyone Who’s Anyone: The Astonishing Celebrity Interviews 1987-2017.
And now here we are, four decades after GW proclaimed that he would
start R.O.M.E. while he was sitting with his friend in the University of Georgia dining hall. And 38 years after Warhol gave GW the sage advice at the Michael Todd Room to “do something” GW loved.
Well, those wise words never left GW’s mind. And yes, Andy—that’s what GW’s doing again with the return of R.O.M.E. 2.0, which is wholeheartedly inspired by, and dedicated to, Andy Warhol’s everlasting memory. The 2025 R.O.M.E. renaissance of GW’s first love and labor will be released next year. It will remain true to its roots as the one-of-a-kind original magalog zine—a visually intriguing post-millennial art form on photocopied paper using the Xerox machine as the toile to GW’s original and particular art form, R.O.M.E. With editorial content that more than ever opines on the culture past and present with wit and ingenious precision, the first issue will include GW’s entire episode living in L.A. in the early ’90s, dubbed “What a Riot,” with never-before-told revelations from GW’s epic eight weeks living at the famed and notorious Chateau Marmont hotel. This is sure to be one of the most talked-about features from the coming new edition.
As always, R.O.M.E. defines the true art of detournement. It is a oneof-a-kind bespoke visual language. R.O.M.E. is indeed sui generis. When R.O.M.E. 2.0 is complete, it will be sold at Black Cat Books on Shelter Island, Left Bank Books in Manhattan, and exclusively at the Chateau Marmont—owned by the pope of R.O.M.E., André Balazs—in Los Angeles. Copies will be sold at $1,500 per edition because only 150 will be produced. And for the ignoramus scoffing at a zine for $1,500? GW says, “Keep scoffing, Mary! No one delivers better than GW—especially when it comes to bespoke R.O.M.E.-n-art!”
And of course, GW always saves the best for last. What does the acronym R.O.M.E. stand for? That’s a question that many a friend, fan, and foe has asked GW since 1985. Listen carefully, darlinka. Not just a tribute to the B-52s’ iconic song and the city in Italy (not the Peach state—and yes, there is a Rome, Georgia), the acronym R.O.M.E. also stands for something— thanks to the genius arbiter of the culture and major Warhol acolyte Bob Colacello. In 1999, as he lunched with GW at one of the prime sidewalk tables at Da Silvano, Colacello instructed GW to tell anyone who asks: “Revelers Of My Ego!” Thank you, Bob Colacello. Support the arts! Support George Wayne’s R.O.M.E. Support the seminal cultural curation and embrace the legacy of R.O.M.E.
Direct inquiries to georgewayneqa@gmail.com
GW will be staging his 28th Annual Downtown 100 2024 Edition in Southampton on August 29, 2024. n
GW x Bob Colacello at Graydon Carter’s iconic annual VanityFair Oscar party at Morton’s, 2004
As a homemaker, my grandmother's thirst for knowledge was never satiated. In her spare time, she studied Chaldean numerology and palmistry. It was soon discovered that she had a real talent—a real intuition—that was almost eerie. In fact, after each and every one of her famously well-attended supper parties, guests retreated to the parlor after the always-exquisite meal and stood in line for a palmistry and numerology reading.
I’m not a palmistry or numerology expert. This is a primer of sorts regarding the basics that I learned all those years ago—we’ll start slowly—and again, I’m not an expert. Consider this for entertainment purposes only.
First, figure out your birth number. This part’s easy. If you were born on the first of the month, your birth number is 1; the second of the month, your birth number is 2. It gets more complicated for those of us born on a double-digit day. The number assigned to those born on the 10th of the month is 1. Basically, you add the individual digits comprising the double-digit number until you get a single-digit sum. So in the case of those born on the 10th, it’s 1+0=1. If you were born on the 29th, the sum of the two digits of 29 is: 2+9=11—but that’s not a single- digit sum. So then you have to take that sum and break it down again. So 1+1=2. Someone born on the 29th has a birth number of 2. Simple enough? For those of you who aren’t comfortable with basic math, you can figure out your birth number on the chart below.
Now that autumn’s here—and your summer fling is likely long gone—maybe you can use this handy guide to figure out if the person flirting with you is a good match Chaldean numerology-wise (or at least what I remember from all those years ago). You can also use it to figure out which months you should be extra vigilant with your health based on your birth number. Now remember, like everything in life, nothing is guaranteed. Always be vigilant with your health—all 12 months of the year. Go see a doctor— don’t use this chart. And before you make any big coupling decisions, remember my grandma’s priceless three-word advice: prenup, prenup, prenup. And if you want a professional numerology reading, don’t look to this column. Like I said, I’m not an expert.
It's All in the Birth Numbers
My maternal grandmother died 25 years ago. A whip-smart mathematician, she could have been an engineer, but when she graduated from college over 80 years ago, the workforce wasn’t exactly the most welcoming for women. Instead, she used her talents to teach math at a private school—until she married my grandfather and stopped working to raise her four children.
BY LAURA TAYLOR
NYC Mayor Eric Adams (September 1)
Justin Bieber (March 1)
John Daly (April 28)
Christie Brinkley (February 2)
Colin Jost (June 29)
Kelly Ripa (October 2)
Aaron Rodgers (December 2)
Rosanna Scotto (April 29)
Tom Brady/Martha Stewart (August 3)
Eli Manning (January 3)
Anna Wintour (November 3)
Scarlett Johansson (November 22)
Justin Timberlake (January 31)
Cheech Marin (July 13)
Clive Davis (April 4)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (February 14)
James L. Nederlander (January 23)
Travis Kelce (October 5)
Tommy Chong (May 24)
Lionel Messi (June 24)
Jean Shafiroff (January 24)
WABC Radio owner John Catsimatidis (September 7)
Michael Chow (March 7)
John McEnroe (February 16)
Nikki Haskell (May 17)
Michael Jordan (February 17)
Lorne Michaels (November 17)
Zac “75 Main” Erdem (July 17)
Billy Joel (May 9)
Paul McCartney (June 18)
Vera Wang (June 27)
(4s are unusually attracted to you)
Most 5s generally get along with everyone
October, December, January
January, February, July
December, February, June, September
January, February, July, August, September
June, September, December
May, October, November
January, February, July, August
December, January, February, July
April, May, October, November
PARTY SNAPS
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
The Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation celebrated their honorees Cathy Bissell and Dave Portnoy (and his rescue pup Miss Peaches) at the 15th Annual Unconditional Love Gala. Funds raised from the gala directly support the shelter’s efforts to provide medical care, food, shelter, and love to animals in need. Notable attendees included Joan Jedell, Jordan Lippner, Brooke Shields, Grier Henchy, Jill Rappaport, Alan Brown, Ramona Singer, Bo Dietl, Bradford Rand, Jean Shafiroff, Ann Liguori, and Scott Vallary.
Dave Portnoy with Miss Peaches
Brooke Shields with daughter Grier Henchy
Jordan Lippner, Cathy Bissell
Jaclyn Dietl with dad Bo Bietl
Bradford Rand
Alan Brown and Luisa Diaz
Jill Rappaport
Jean Shafiroff
I’d never heard of Cheech Marin until July 6, 2023. After Jeopardy, I watched ABC’s Generation Gap hosted by Kelly Ripa. The game show had a mystery guest segment. As soon as the mystery guest—who turned out to be Cheech—said that he loved golf, I knew I had to learn everything about him.
A third-generation Mexican American, Richard Anthony Marin was born 78 years ago in South Central Los Angeles. Growing up, he was a straight-A student who wrote for the school paper and always loved music—he recorded his first album of songs at age 5, cofounded his private school’s choir, and played in high school rock bands. When he started college, Cheech dreamed of becoming a lawyer and even joined a fraternity. But then, in his last semester of college, he signed up for a pottery class that changed his life forever.
A few weeks after Cheech graduated from college in 1968, Frank Zappa asked him to audition as a singer for his record label. He tried out but never found out if he got the job. Just one day later—with $50 in his pocket—Cheech hopped on a Greyhound bus to Calgary for an apprenticeship with a famous Canadian potter.
At 22, he was living in a rural Canadian area that was nothing like L.A. When the pottery studio laid him off for the winter, Cheech played music gigs and worked at a ski resort in Banff until he had a serious skiing accident. When he recovered, he moved to British Columbia.
In Vancouver—then called the San Francisco of Canada—Cheech bumped into his school paper friend from L.A., Hank Zevallos. Hank said he was an editor at Poppin—a Canadian rock magazine that featured interviews with artists like John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Led Zeppelin and The Doors. He told Cheech—then going by the name Rich Marin—to come work at Poppin. So he did.
FORE THE LOVE OF GOLF WITH CHEECH MARIN—NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A POLYMATH
BY BOBBY LOVE
In 1992, Cheech Marin—one half of the legendary Cheech & Chong comedy duo—won the first-ever Celebrity Jeopardy. In 2010, Cheech Marin entered another Celebrity Jeopardy tournament, this time playing against actress Aisha Tyler and 60 Minutes correspondent and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. Cheech didn’t just win the match— he destroyed his competition. At the time, Cooper—a self-described “huge” Jeopardy fan—was shocked, saying, “I mean, come on, Cheech Marin...the synapses can’t be really sharp.” Of course, if Anderson Cooper bothered to research his competition, he would have known that Cheech is a Jeopardy champion, a former honors student, a musician, a comedian, an actor, a writer, a director, an author, a golfer, a father, a grandpa, a husband, a major philanthropist, and so much more. The L.A. Times called Cheech a Renaissance man. I’m 13. I think the better 21st-century word for Cheech is a polymath—and you should never, ever underestimate a polymath.
Marin’s first interview at Poppin was with Little Richard. His second assignment was equally impressive—an interview with a young comedian named Richard Pryor.
The night before his interview with Pryor, the publisher of Poppin, Ihor Todoruk, told Cheech that he wanted to introduce him to a friend—a former Motown artist from the band Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers—who was looking for a writer for his improv comedy troupe. That friend was Tommy Chong. Cheech didn’t just write for Tommy’s improv comedy troupe—he performed with them. And when the troupe broke up, Marin and Chong continued
performing together—officially becoming Cheech & Chong. Audiences loved them—so they moved to L.A. in search of their big break.
In July 1971, Cheech & Chong were discovered by legendary record producer Lou Adler during an open mic night at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. At the time, Adler had never produced a comedy album, but he decided to take a chance on the duo and produce their debut album, called Cheech and Chong. In September 1971, with the release of their iconic sketch “Dave’s Not Here,” Cheech & Chong became household names overnight. They went on to record nine comedy albums and film nine movies.
After Cheech & Chong split up in 1985, Cheech started collecting works by Mexican American artists—called Chicano
art. In 1987, he wrote and starred in his directorial debut, Born in East L.A.—a critical and commercial success. He expected the gates of Hollywood to “go flying open,” but they didn’t. Instead, Cheech got a cameo in the movie Ghostbusters II and was cast by Disney as a voice-over artist for the animated movie Oliver & Company—the first of many voice-over projects he worked on, including as Banzai in Disney’s The Lion King and as Ramone in Pixar’s Cars. In 1992, Cheech blew everyone away with his intelligence when he won the first-ever Celebrity Jeopardy tournament. Soon Hollywood started casting him in more dramatic roles—including the 1996 movie Tin Cup—a movie he credits with making him fall in love with the sport of golf.
Golf is an indirect reason why Cheech is a major philanthropist. While filming Tin Cup, his co-star and friend Don Johnson asked him to join a new series he was filming—Nash Bridges. During Cheech’s five years working on the show in San Francisco, he acquired the bulk of his collection of Chicano art— becoming one of the world’s largest collectors.
In 2017, Cheech decided he didn’t just want the pieces in his collection to sit in storage; he wanted to share them with the world. Since then, Cheech donated almost all of his collection of over 700 works— he kept a few of his favorite pieces for himself—to the Riverside Art Museum and the City of Riverside, creating The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture. Known as The Cheech, this museum— which opened in June 2022—is the only one in the world dedicated to Chicano art and culture.
This year, Cheech starred in another golf movie, TheLongGame, based on a true story about five Mexican American high school students who won the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship without fancy equipment or a regular golf course to practice. The movie won the SXSW Narrative Spotlight Audience Award and was the #1 movie
Cheech
Marin as Pollo in The Long Game , wearing a cage to protect himself from stray golf balls. Courtesy of Mucho Mas Media
Poppin, March 1969 featuring Marin's interview with Richard Pryor
Cheech
Marin, Lou Adler, Tommy Chong 1971. Courtesy of Lou Adler
Cheech Marin
Bobby Love
on Netflix this summer—and in July 2024, Marin was nominated for an Imagen Award for his moving performance as Pollo the groundskeeper. I had the honor of catching up with Cheech Marin to talk about life and my two favorite subjects: golf and charity.
Bobby Love: Most people in life get chances, but not everyone does something with their chances. You’ve been great at taking, finding, and making chances turn into something extremely successful.
Cheech Marin: Everybody thinks that chances just happen. Or that you’re lucky. You get lucky by seeking opportunities, by standing in the middle of an intersection waving your hands wearing a yellow fluorescent suit and jumping up and down. You have to bring attention to yourself in show business. Nothing ever happens by chance. It seems like it does, but in order for those chances to come true, you have to work very hard at it.
Words spoken by adults make a big difference when you’re a kid. I read that when you were 7, you didn’t get encouraging words about your artwork.
In first grade we went on a field trip to the Grand Central market in L.A. The teacher asked us to draw a picture of what impressed us the most. So I took out my good Crayolas and paper and drew these big banana squashes with little me standing next to them. When the teacher looked at my art, she said, “You’ll never be an artist.” I didn’t know what to say. I was 7 years old. They were discouraging words. So I said okay and kind of crawled to the corner to let my artistic soul die.
Two things surprised me about your college years—but not the fact that you originally wanted to be a lawyer. I know you’re really smart. I’m surprised that you joined a fraternity and were the rush chairman. And I’m shocked that you studied pottery because you were always a musician. I’d get music. But pottery?
I was always into music from a very young age, so I wasn’t expecting pottery to take over my life. But when I discovered pottery, it struck me like a thunderbolt. I said to myself, I better pay attention to this—I’m getting a true message about what I should be doing. I did [pottery] for almost two years. Then I decided to go back to music—looking for gigs playing with different groups in Canada. Eventually I made my way to Vancouver and worked for Poppin magazine. One day my publisher—Ihor Todoruk— said, “There’s this guy I want you to meet. His name’s Tommy Chong and he’s doing his weird improv comedy thing at a nightclub [called The Shanghai Junk] down on Main Street.” So, he introduced me to Tommy and the rest is history.
Your name’s not really Cheech—why Cheech? My real name’s Richard. When I was born, my uncle said I looked like a little chicharrón—that’s a curly deep-fried pig skin. So that became my nickname. And it got shortened to Cheech. But I was always Richard in school.
When the improv comedy group split up, Tommy and I stayed together. For our first show, we did this Battle of the Bands in Vancouver. We won it without playing a single note. We had a band—we were going to play—but we started doing comedy bits and everybody liked it. At the end of the show, we won the battle. Tommy and I were talking when we were driving home—trying to figure out what name to call ourselves. Richard and Tommy? That’s not so funny. How about Marin and Chong? Chong and Marin? Nah. So Tommy said, “Do you have a nickname?” I told him that everyone in my family called me Cheech. And he said, “Cheech, Cheech...Cheech & Chong!” We heard the rhythm of it because we’re both musicians. It sounded great. It was never Chong & Cheech be-
cause Cheech & Chong sounded better in that order. So that’s how we became Cheech & Chong. Were Cheech & Chong really discovered at an open mic night?
The Troubadour’s a very famous nightclub in L.A. On Mondays you had to line up in front of the box office at six in the morning if you wanted to perform at the Monday Hoot Night. Tommy and I used to get there first thing and sit on the sidewalk in front of the box office all day—all day. The first person who lines up gets to go on that night at the Troubadour— last. We were always the first ones who lined up, so we got to go on after everybody had already come in [the club]—the audience was ready to listen. And then comes Cheech & Chong. One night in July 1971, Lou Adler was in the audience. He was a very famous—actually the most famous—record producer in the world at the time. He produced all of these
I don’t know. They never asked us to host Saturday Night Live. I think it was an East CoastWest Coast professional comedian rivalry thing. But I always found it strange that they never asked us to host.
incredible acts—Sam Cooke, Johnny Rivers, and he was about to release Tapestry by Carole King [on his label Ode Records], which became the biggest-selling record in the history of selling records.
Lou Adler—who’d never produced comedy albums—said, “I’ll take a chance on you guys. How do we do this?” We didn’t know either because we were a stage act. So now we had to figure out a way to sound funny rather than look funny. We didn’t know what was going to happen, but we knew we were going forward.
You had incredible success with Cheech & Chong— best-selling albums and popular movies that are still listened to, and watched today. But many people assumed that you are like the characters you portray in the movies. I played that role—but everyone assumed that I was that character. It always shocked me.
There was a big critic who worked for the L.A. Times. I asked him to come see a rough cut of Born in East L.A. After the screening, he asked me a question, and I gave this long and involved answer. And he just stood there and stared at me. So I said, “Is everything okay? Did I spill something on myself?” He said, “No…but you don’t speak with an accent.” I said, “Nooooo.” And I realized, this is a guy who sees a zillion movies a week—he'd seen every one—and he thinks that I’m that guy. So I thought, “I must be doing something good if I fooled him.” It’s called acting!
After you won CelebrityJeopardy, you also surprised everyone with your intelligence.
Well, that’s my secret weapon. I just kind of play dumb and listen. That’s the best key. You have to listen to what everybody is doing.
In 1996, you starred in TinCup as Romeo—a wise caddy who told Kevin Costner’s character Roy to stop thinking so much when he golfs. The mental game’s so important in golf. It is.
How do you control your nerves in golf? You know, nerves are the enemy of all performance. So I meditate as much as I can. I’ve been doing transcendental meditation since I was 19. I do it every day, twice a day. That really helps me control my nerves so I’m not flustered by any new situation. I
know how to take time, breathe, and meditate. There’s a scene in TinCup where you and Costner broke a whole set of golf clubs—except for the 7-iron. Was it heartbreaking to break the clubs, and how many takes were there?
Maybe one or two takes. It was so surprising for everybody to have that dramatic moment. I didn’t tell anybody how I was going to play it. They yelled “Cut!” after the first take. Everybody was silent. I thought, “Did I mess up?” I didn’t. They were very impressed with another side of the character—[being dramatic] and not speaking with an accent. The movie inspired Tin Cup tournaments where you can only play with a 7-iron. Have you ever tried that?
[laughs] No, because I’m really smart like you pointed out. I don’t think it’s smart to play a round of golf with a 7-iron. But you could. Kevin did it in the movie.
Today, people yell “tin cup” when they hit the ball in the water several times. Have you ever had one of those water-hazard moments?
The movie taught me that I should not try to do that—anytime. Usually when it goes in the water, it’s in the water—I’ve got to take the stroke and distance penalty.
In your high school yearbook, you listed golf as one of your interests. Did you play on the school team?
No, we didn’t have a school team. I went out with a couple of buddies from high school a few times, but I didn’t show an interest in actually learning golf until I filmed Tin Cup. Then I was around professional golfers all the time, and they gave me lessons. So I learned that way.
You star in TheLongGame—a true story about a group of Mexican American high school students who overcame racism to win the Texas state golf championship. Is the film eligible for the Oscars this year?
I don’t know if it’s this year. We all should have won an Oscar, right?
After watching your “play it as it lies” scene, I think you should win an Academy Award for your performance in TheLongGame. My best friend Wayne McKinney was a finalist for the South Florida PGA (SFPGA) Hall of Fame. SFPGA Executive Director Geoff Lofstead told me that I was “instrumental in working with the nominating committee to get him nominated” because I made an iMovie about Mr. McKinney's life and golf. I don’t know how to nominate you for an Oscar, but I think you’d easily get one.
You think [I can easily win an Oscar for The Long Game]? I love you! Easily is the operative word there. We’ll see what happens.
Adam Sandler grew up listening to Cheech & Chong. You’re a golfer and he just announced he’s making Happy Gilmore 2. Maybe he’ll read this column and cast you. Okay, well, we can try that and see if that works. Many Saturday Night Live stars—not just Adam Sandler—were fans of Cheech & Chong, like Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi. Why haven’t you hosted SNL? I don’t know. They never asked us to host Saturday Night Live. I think it was an East Coast-West Coast professional comedian rivalry thing. But I always found it strange that they never asked us to host. I think Lorne Michaels golfs in the Hamptons. Maybe you two can go golfing and talk about hosting for SNL’s 50th season.
Well, send [Lorne Michaels] a copy of Hampton Sheet and invite him out to go play golf. See if that does the trick.
Your life story’s so incredible—even better than a Broadway show. Would you ever consider producing one? I’d really like to do a Broadway show. I’m actually working on a concept that could be both a movie and a Broadway show. So tell [Hampton Sheet] readers that I want to be in a Broadway show.
I’d really like to do a Broadway show. I’m actually working on a concept that could be both a movie and a Broadway show. So tell [Hampton Sheet] readers that I want to be in a Broadway show.
Back to art—71 years after your teacher criticized your artwork, do those discouraging words still bother you?
No. I overcame that. I knew that I liked art. Instead of discouraging me—maybe I wasn’t going to be an artist—but I still loved art and that’s the thing that carried me the rest of my life.
Your love for art made you a major philanthropist. I had this big collection of Chicano art that I collected over 40 years and I toured it around the country. The Riverside Art Museum came up to me a few years ago and offered me this building to house the
collection—if I would donate the collection to the museum. They said the art would be the only thing that would be in this new museum. That was an opportunity that I couldn’t resist—to create [and be the founding donor of] the first Chicano museum comprised solely of my collection. So, I gave them the collection and now everybody gets to see the works at the Cheech. And the works of art aren’t just going to be there for a month—at the Cheech they can see the collection of Chicano art any time they want. This is my signature golf question—it’s for my game. If you had the choice between hitting the longest and straightest drive every time or making every single putt, what would you choose?
The putt. Absolutely, because you drive for show and you putt for dough. You know if you make a putt, that means that hole’s over. No more strokes. So you go on to the next hole and have the next opportunity to drive the ball into the woods. [laughs] Fifty-five years after your Poppin interview with Richard Pryor—with all the great things you’ve done since then— may I ask a similar question to the one you asked him in 1969? Who is Cheech Marin? And more importantly, what does Cheech Marin see?
That’s a good question. Cheech Marin is kind of a fictional character that’s part me, part my experiences, and part what I’m seeing in front of me at that moment. And what do I see? I see more than I’m telling.
To learn more about The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture (The Cheech) of the Riverside Art Museum, go to: riversideartmuseum.org. The Long Game, available for streaming on Netflix, is eligible for the 97th Academy Awards. Bobby Love is 13 years old. He wants everyone to love golf as much as he does. n
GOSSIP IQ
FORE THE LOVE OF GOLF-RELATED BOOKS
BY BOBBY LOVE
The season might be ending in the Hamptons, but that doesn’t mean that golf has to go away until next summer. Enjoy these golf-related books and if that’s not enough—come down to Florida!
Kind of a Big Deal South African golf legend Gary Player is no stranger to Hampton Sheet—he was profiled in “Fore the Love of Golf” in 2023. In his new book, Golf’s Majors, Player shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories from the four most prestigious tournaments in professional golf: the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. Of course, 88-year-old Player is an expert on the topic: He’s won nine majors and is the only non-American golfer to win a grand slam. With his six decades of experience, this book is enjoyable for golfers of all ages and even armchair athletes who just watch golf on TV. (Dey Street Books)
Fix It Yourself Unless you’re a professional golfer with a world-class caddy like Joe LaCava, 99 percent of the time you’re on the course by yourself without any help. Don’t worry. One of the world’s top golf coaches, David Leadbetter, released Fix It Yourself—a guide that will tell you everything you need to improve your game on your own. (St. Martin's Press)
The Murder on the Links You might be used to killing golf balls with your drives, but in Agatha Christie’s The Murder on the Links, detective Hercule Poirot takes readers on a much more sinister (cart) path. Even 100 years after publication, this book is a great mystery for golfers and non-golfers. (The Bodley Head)
The Long Game In Mustang Miracle, Humberto G. Garcia tells the true story of a group of self-taught Mexican American students who managed to win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship with no proper golf course to practice on and outdated equipment. The book was recently adapted into the critically acclaimed film The Long Game, released by Mucho Mas Media and starring Dennis Quaid, Jay Hernandez, and Cheech Marin. (AuthorHouse)
Life on the Green Golfers are known for their generosity and willingness to share golf tips with those who want to learn. In Life on the Green, award-winning sports journalist and broadcaster Ann Liguori treats us to the wise words offered by golf legends including Annika Sörenstam, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Padraig Harrington, Jack Nicklaus, and more. (Hatherleigh Press)
Mental Game As much joy as golf brings, it’s also a sport that can make you cry. There’s nothing funny about missing a putt or overshooting a chip. Staying mentally strong when you have a bad shot is just as important as practicing your drives, chips, and putts. Jon Sherman’s The Four Foundations of Golf not only offers course strategies and practice methods, it also has some of the best mental game advice for golfers of all ages and abilities. (Practical Golf)
Ms. 59 Annika Sörenstam—nicknamed Ms. 59 because she’s the only professional female golfer to break 60 in a professional tournament—is one of the greatest golfers of all time. The founder of the incredible Annika Foundation, which develops, empowers, and advances young women around the world through golf, philanthropist Sörenstam is also generous with her golf tips in Golf Annika's Way: How I Elevated My Game to Be the Best—and How You Can Too. (Gotham)
Cheech Marin at The Cheech. Courtesy of Carlos Puma, Riverside Art Museum
the sheet's hot dates 2024
BY NORAH LAWLOR
THE HAMPTON CLASSIC HORSE SHOW
August 25 to September 1
240 Snake Hollow Road, Bridgehampton Now well into its fifth successful decade, the Hampton Classic Horse Show will take place in Bridgehampton. The event is one of the largest outdoor horse shows in the United States, a premier destination for horse people, and a much-anticipated stop on the summer tour for competitors. Top equestrians from around the world compete for more than one million dollars in prize money. National champion hunter competitors, Olympic medalists, and scores of children and adult amateurs make up the field, riding approximately 1,400 horses entered each year in 200-plus separate competitions. hamptonclassic.com
SEPTEMBER
THE MUSEUM AT FIT ANNUAL LUNCHEON
Wednesday, September 4
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, NYC
The Museum at FIT will host the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion at David H. Koch Theater. Dr. Joyce F. Brown, FIT president, Dr. Valerie Steele, director of the Museum at FIT, Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz and Sarah Wetenhall, Couture Council Luncheon co-chairs, and presenting sponsor Nordstrom are leading the way for the award presentation honoring Simon Porte Jacquemus of Jacquemus. fitnyc.edu/museum/couture-council
ELYSIAN’S CATWALK FURBABY
Thursday, September 5
Sony Hall, NYC
Elysian’s Catwalk Furbaby makes a return to New York Fashion Week. This unique event, now in its second year, combines the glamour of the runway with the heartwarming cause of animal welfare. Elysian’s Inspiring Women participants will once again take center stage, each partnering with a cutting-edge fashion designer, a top runway model, a rescue philanthropist, and a beloved four-legged furbaby. readelysian.com/catwalk
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
September 6 to September 11
Various locations, NYC
New York Fashion Week is the coveted semiannual series of events that spans over a week and highlights international fashion collections that are shown to buyers and members of the media. This year guests will experience the pinnacle of fashion with runway shows featuring the latest trends that define the year. nyfw.com
MET OPERA OPENING NIGHT
Monday, September 23
hot dates
Lincoln Center, NYC
The 2024–2025 Met Opera season opens with the anticipated company premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s powerful new opera Grounded, which was commissioned by the Met. The occasion will showcase cocktails before curtain and a post-performance gala dinner with the cast and creative team including Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo. metopera.org
OPERA ITALIANA IS IN THE AIR
Tuesday, September 24
Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, NYC
Opera Italiana Is in the Air's core mission is to make the beauty of Italian opera accessible to everyone and enjoyable for all and to inspire and connect new and diverse audiences and artists. The high-quality openair performances are fun, informal, and free of charge. Music Director Alvise Casellati will oversee the evening. operaitalianaisintheair.com
OCTOBER
LIFELINE NEW YORK BENEFIT
Tuesday, October 1
Chelsea Piers, Pier 61, NYC
The Lifeline New York benefit dinner aboard Bateaux New York will start at Pier 61, where the ship will sail after cocktails on the deck. The benefit will take place in the presence of Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia. The night will aid the children’s hospitals in Serbia. lifelineny.org
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
FALL FASHION GALA
Wednesday, October 9
Lincoln Center, NYC
The New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala continues to pair couture with contemporary choreography. The gala includes a world premiere from Caili Quan, which marks her debut work for NYCB, a company premiere by Gianna Reisen originally made for the School of American Ballet in 2022, and Tiler Peck’s acclaimed winter 2024 creation Concerto for Two Pianos. nycballet.com
MvVO ART
Thursday, October 17
Times Square, NYC
MvVO Art offers a transformative platform for emerging artists around the world to showcase their work. With a selection committee of top gallerists, curators, and collectors, MvVO provides artists with a unique opportunity to exhibit in New York, across the USA, and on MvVO’s Artsy e-gallery, a leading art marketplace. Winners will have a chance to showcase their art and potentially win a specialty Clio Award. mvvoart.com
WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
October 17 to October 20
Various locations, NYC
The annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival returns for a four-day event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs, culinary personalities, and America’s most beloved television chefs while supporting God’s Love We Deliver, New York City’s only provider of life-sustaining meals and nutrition counseling. nycwff.org
THE IMAGINE BENEFIT
Wednesday, October 23
The Plaza, NYC
The Imagine Benefit is built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala, which funds critical Alzheimer’s Association care, support, and research programs. The evening is filled with music and dancing as guests come together to hear stories of hope. This year will celebrate 40 years of this historic event. alz.org/events/new-york-benefit
LEESA ROWLAND ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY
October 25
NYC
Actress, philanthropist, and author Leesa Rowland, along with Larry Wohl, will host their annual Halloween party in New York City. Last year’s thrilling bash was themed “Old Hollywood Glamour” and held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Times Square. leesarowland.net
ANGEL BALL
Monday, October 28
Cipriani Wall Street, NYC
The work of Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research continues in honor of the memory of Gabrielle Rich Aouad. This year the gala will honor philanthropist and entrepreneur Grace Cayre. Honorary chairs are Amy and Brian France, Marc J. Leder, and Monique Rodriguez. gabriellesangels.org/events-dates/angel-ball/
NOVEMBER
THE NEW YORK WOMEN’S FOUNDATION
DINNER
Wednesday, November 13
Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx
Guests will gather for a special 30-year anniversary celebration of the Neighborhood Dinner this fall. Since 1987, the New York Women’s Foundation has advanced a dynamic philanthropic strategy based on the fundamental reality that when women thrive, their families and communities also thrive. The foundation is amongst the largest women-led grant-making organizations in the world. nywf.org
THE FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY DINNER DANCE
Friday, November 15
NYC
The French Heritage Society Gala dinner will take place in the late fall. FHS is an American
nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect the French architectural and cultural legacy in France and the United States. Patrons help to ensure that these treasures survive to inspire future generations by supporting the three key areas of their mission: preservation, education, and cultivation of French-American friendship. frenchheritagesociety.org
COLLABORATING FOR A CURE GALA
Thursday, November 21
Cipriani Wall Street, NYC
For the past 26 years attendees have joined the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation at its annual Collaborating for a Cure Gala. Millions of dollars that have funded some of the brightest minds in cancer research have been raised, and this year’s event will be held at Cipriani Wall Street and Derek Trucks is set to perform. The annual fundraiser supports more than 60 scientists around the world who are funded by the Waxman Foundation. waxmancancer.org
PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION
NEW YORK GALA
Monday, November 29
Plaza Hotel, NYC
The Prostate Cancer Foundation raises funds each year to support PCF’s groundbreaking cancer research programs and celebrates the organization’s continuing accomplishments. Participants include leaders from the fields of medicine, research, and business, and a top list of renowned philanthropists. Since 1993, PCF, founded by Michael Milken, has raised close to one billion dollars to support research projects at hundreds of leading cancer centers around the world. This year PCF will host a private invite-only dinner and concert performance. pcf.org
DECEMBER
CLAIRE FLORENCE PALM BEACH EXHIBITION
Early December
Palm Beach
Artist Claire Florence will be displaying her cutting-edge work in Palm Beach. Florence creates AI-based art expressed physically using precious metals and inspired by the true inner spirit animals of the human soul, and she depicts the energy of balancing ying and yang amidst chaos in unique and breathtaking pieces. claireflorence.com
ART BASEL
December 6 to 8
Various locations, Miami
Art Basel in Miami will round out an incredible 2024. It is the American show, leading galleries from five continents to exhibit significant works by masters of both modern and contemporary art, as well as a new generation of emerging stars. The event is said to be North America’s most comprehensive international contemporary art fair. artbasel.com
