LESLIE S. MODELL

from Quest Magazine March 2023

by QUEST Magazine

DIRECT ACCESS

Ranked among the Top 5 Teams in 2022, East Side Manhattan Brokerage

The Sherry Netherland | 781 Fifth Avenue, 505 3 br, 3.5 ba | $8,895,000 | 781FifthAve505.com

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Leslie S. Modell

Senior Global Real Estate Advisor, Associate Broker 212.606.7668 | leslies.modell@sothebys.realty | thelesliesmodellteam.com lamb chops dressed in fancy white paper pants, surrounded by carrots, string beans and fluffy white mashed potatoes. As I helped myself to this delicious concoction I took a deep breath.

The wonderful aroma promised a delicious dinner. Suddenly, Joan Crawford rose from the table tapping her crystal wineglass (which had just been filled with the finest red Bordeaux) to toast our host and hostess. As she was about to toast the guest of honor, she (seemingly) lost control of her wineglass tossing its entire contents across the narrow table, and down the bodice of my white satin gown.

I was speechless as I watched the red drops cover my bosom then trickle down past my waist to my skirt. There was a hush in the room. Suddenly, Joan Fontaine jumped to her feet shouting:

You bitch, you did that on purpose!’

Having said that, she rushed to my side, lifted me out of my chair and ushered me upstairs to Elsie’s inner sanctum. Joan remembered having seen me enter with a white satin stole. She called down to the butler’s pantry and asked John to bring my wrap up to Lady Mendl’s bedroom.

While we were waiting, she demanded, ‘Dry your tears so that bitch won’t have the satisfaction of seeing you cry.’ Adding, ‘Besides, a red nose is never becoming.’

The stole appeared and Joan wrapped it across my chest covering the stains and tied it in the back. She then handed me her compact and told me to powder my nose. Needless to say, Joan Fontaine became my friend for life.

As we descended the stairs, we saw Cole Porter at the piano playing You’re the Top . Halfway through the song, he looked at me and motioning to the piano bench, said ‘come sing with me.’

Talk about dreams coming true, although I could never have imagined anything like this back in Minneapolis.

Suddenly, dinner at Elsie’s’ took on a rosy glow, which all but erased the earlier disaster…” ◆