$5.00 DECEMBER 2020
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE ICE SKATING AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER DECEMBER 1992
questmag.com
Featuring the nonprofit equestrian organization, Work to Ride | Philadelphia
497 Travel Awards 7,000 Acres 5 Decades
1 Perfect Moment
The best. The most. The first.
Since it opened as the first resort in the Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo® has been a favorite luxury destination for discerning travelers the world over. Three Pete Dye golf courses including Teeth of the Dog, the #1 course in the Caribbean, a Golf Learning Center, breathtaking accommodations in spacious guest rooms or private villa homes, world class cuisine, a marina, equestrian center, shooting course, and pristine beaches await. Ask about our private jet service.
®
®
Discover more at casadecampo.com.do • res1@ccampo.com.do • 877-724-9187 ®
®
EST. 1870
ART FINDLAY
O N
V I E W
E X H I B I T I O N S
N E W
A L S O
Y O R K
A V A I L A B L E
O N L I N E
Grazing in Twilight, in Edgartown | oil on linen | 42 x 56 in.
MARY SIPP GREEN F I N D L AY GA L L E R I E S
32 E A S T 57 T H S T R E E T , 2 N D F L O O R , N E W Y O R K , N E W Y O R K 10022 · (212) 421 5390
VIEW OUR GALLERY ONLINE
| WWW. FINDLAYGALLERIES. COM
VIEWING ROOMS | CATALOGS | ARTISTS | EXHIBITIONS Copyright © 2020, Findlay Galleries, All rights reserved.
O N
V I E W
E X H I B I T I O N S
P A L M
A L S O
B E A C H
A V A I L A B L E
O N L I N E
Tu vas tomber | oil on canvas | 45 x 57 1/2 in.
HENRI
(1922 - 1993)
F I N D L AY GA L L E R I E S
165 W O RT H AV E N U E , PA L M B E A C H , F L O R I D A 33480 · (561) 655 2090
VIEW OUR GALLERY ONLINE
| WWW. FINDLAYGALLERIES. COM
VIEWING ROOMS | CATALOGS | ARTISTS | EXHIBITIONS Copyright © 2020, Findlay Galleries, All rights reserved.
LOVE IN VERONA COLLECTION
robertocoin.com
A Historic Community. A Modern Real Estate Firm. Compass is proud to call the Upper East Side Home.
962 Madison | 851 Madison | 646.580.1926 924 Madison | 212.570.2440 compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunity laws.
Renovated 20’ Wide Brownstone TH 69 East 82nd Street. $16,400,000 Alexa Lambert 917.403.8819
Enchanting City and River views
Elegant 5 BR Townhouse with Architectural Details
252 E 57th Street. $9,475,000 Pamela D’Arc 917.509.8315
171 East 80th Street. $9,000,000 Alexa Lambert 917.403.8819
Chelsea 2 Fam Greek Revival Townhouse 346 West 15th Street. $4,995,000 Jane Gardner 646.526.7656
Grand Rooms & Great Location
Prime Cobble Hill 25' Townhouse with 25' Adjacent Lot
535 Park Avenue. $2,250,000 Eland Blumenfeld Team 646.460.6797
193-195 Congress Street. $12,750,000 John Barbato 917.254.7630
compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.
Featured FeaturedPalm PalmBeach BeachListings ListingsPresented Presentedby by
Cristina Cristina Condon Condon
Authentic Bermudian-style house with 232’ of rare south facing Intracoastal frontage and golf course views. Built for entertaining, the house won the 2017 Schuler Award from the Preservation Foundation for outstanding new architecture, as well as an AIA award for excellence in design. $35,500,00 | Tarpon-Cove.com
Elegant Mediterranean with lush privacy landscape around the 5 bedroom, 6 bathroom with 3 half baths meticulously detailed home. Master bedroom includes his and her marble baths and walk-in closets. Other features include a grand foyer, pecky cypress dining room ceiling, elevator, fireplaces, a 3 car garage, outdoor kitchen and gracious loggia. $10,950,00 | ElegantMediterranean.com Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
Featured Palm Beach Listings Presented by
Cristina Condon & Kevin Condon
Elegant Dunster House $5,600,000 | ElegantDunsterHouse.com
In-Town Apartment Intracoastal Views $1,975,000 | 315SouthLake2F.com
Ocean Block Jewel
$2.399,000 | OceanBlockJewel.com
SOLD
401 Worth Avenue
$1,895,000 | 401WorthAvenue.com
Palm Beach Towers
$1,200,000 | PalmBeachTowers506A.com
Kevin Condon Broker Associate
Cristina Condon
Senior Global Real Estate Advisor
kevin.condon@sothebyshomes.com
cristina.condon@sothebyshomes.com
646.457.8919
561.301.2211 | cristinacondon.com
Keith of Palm Beach My Listings in the newly renovated 2774 South Ocean Blvd The renewed & upgraded 2774 South Ocean Blvd is quickly becoming the hip place to be. You will find great aesthetic and structural improvements to the building. It is a perfect oceanfront location with its iconic tree line to the South providing the sought after privacy coveted by all.
UNIT 505 - $1,300,000 2774southoceanblvd505.com
UNIT 808 - $1,050,000 2774southoceanblvd808.com
UNIT 608 - $799,000 2774southoceanblvd608.com
UNIT 410 - $750,000 2774southoceanblvd410.com
UNIT 506 - $500,000 2774southoceanblvd506.com
UNIT 407 - $430,000 2774southoceanblvd407.com
Keith is a highly skilled professional with insightful local knowledge and extensive expertise in Palm Beach Luxury Real Estate. His dedication to high-quality service, combined with his one-of-a-kind resources provides him with powerful advantages to help you navigate the Palm Beach real estate market.
Keith Vanderlaan
Global Real Estate Advisor
keith.vanderlaan@sothebyshomes.com 561.972.0115 | keithofpalmbeach.com
List With Me. Buy With Me Here is A Variety of My Select Sold Properties
SOL D
Listed $5,250,000 SOL D
Listed $3,495,000
SO LD
Listed $4,950,000 (represented buyer) P ENDING
Listed $3,295,000 (represented buyer)
SOL D
SO LD
Listed $1,150,000
Listed $1,060,000
SOL D
SO LD
Listed $840,000
Listed $745,000 (represented buyer)
Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
gi
t. 1 9 5
reim a
7.
s
ned 2
0 1 7. e
And everywhere they looked, they saw something fantastic.
@ t h e r o ya l p o i n c i a n a p l a z a // t h e r o ya l p o i n c i a n a p l a z a . c o m
20 WEST 53RD ST. 29B NEW YORK, NY 10103 $6,120,000 | 2 Beds 2.5 Baths | Condominium
This sun-soaked apartment features striking city views from every room. Generous 10.8-foot ceilings, two spacious en suite corner bedrooms and 1,800 sq. ft. of wonderful living space. NORA COCCARO | Licensed Real Estate Sales Person 917.293.6234 | 646.677.1084 | NoraCoccaro@bhhsnyp.com
15 EAST 69TH ST. 4B NEW YORK, NY 10012 $4,650,000 | 3 Beds 3 Baths | Condominium
Less than one block from Central Park, this Lennox Hill building offers classic, pre-war charm with modern amenities. This unit offers over 1,800 sq ft. of space with new, easternfacing city windows to foster a serene living experience. CRAIG M. DIX | Senior Global Sales Executive, Associate Broker 917.567.0805 | 646.677.1038 | CraigDix@bhhsnyp.com EDWARD PRINDIVLLE | Licensed Real Estate Salesperson 732.546.8953 | 646.677.1019 | EdwardPrindiville@bhhsnyp.com
535 PARK AVE. 10C NEW YORK, NY 10065 $3,250,000 (i$440,000) | 2 Beds 2.5 Baths | Cooperative Renovated in 2020 by Danielle Richter, this dynamic space showcases the balance of glamour and modern convenience. Greet guests in a grand foyer and guide them through your spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Recently reduced, this gem is move-in ready. REBA MILLER | Senior Global Sales Executive, Associate Broker 646.210.3177 | 646.677.1067 | RebaMiller@bhhsnyp.com
@bhhsnewyork
590 Madison Avenue, New York, New York BHHSNYPROPERTIES.COM
12 EAST 63RD STREET $65,000,000 | 7 Beds | 9.5 Baths | Townhouse Steps away from Central Park, this expansive, 7-floor mansion features stunning interior design by Thierry W Despont LLD and architectural mastery by Pierre Yves Rochon. Boasting seven bedrooms, nine and a half bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, and an internal elevator that travels to a private rooftop garden, this townhome is an Upper East Side dream. Relax after a long week in a personal spa featuring a massage room, steam room, 20’ swimming pool, and gymnasium, or host movie night in the private cinema. With every element painstakingly designed, this remarkable family residence presents with perfection, passion, and poise amid some of Fifth Avenues’ finest homes. Close to the neighborhood’s fine restaurants, vibrant cafes, galleries, and theaters, you will be situated to explore the finest New York City has to offer.
CRAIG DIX Senior Global Sales Executive, Associate Real Estate Broker c 917.567.0805 | o 646.677.1038 CraigDix@bhhsnyp.com
© 2020 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Information not verified or guaranteed and subject to change. Equal housing opportunity.
112
106
CONTENTS The holiday i ssue 92
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
From brocade to bracelets and coffee presses
to cufflinks, it’s holiday shopping time—and this year we’ve found the best Christmas gifts for everyone in the family.
106
THE TIME OF THE SEASON
by
alex Travers
Recounting the glamour and rituals of her debutante
days, and musing on the future of this celebrated tradition. by elizabeTh Meigher
112
GROWING UP WITH CHRISTMAS IN HOLLYWOOD A recollection of wonderful Christmas memories in Sun Valley, Idaho, including sleigh rides on
Christmas Eve and hayrides pulled by horses. by Maria Cooper Janis
118
NEW YORK HOLIDAYS, THEN AND NOW
Despite a global pandemic, these
indomitable institutions—Rockefeller Center, “21”, and Doubles—remain, all going the extra mile to give us a give us a sense of holiday cheer. Plus, we take a look at how they plan to forge ahead this season. by alex Travers
118
ASPREY.COM
london
CHAOS COLLECTION
new york beverly hills miami
southampton palm beach
90
74
CONTENTS
92
C olumns 34
SOCIAL DIARY
70
HARRY BENSON
72
TAKI
74
AUDAX
76
HAVEN PELL
80
CHARITY
84
BOOKS
88
CULTURE
90
SOCIAL CALENDAR
132
YOUNG & THE GUEST LIST
136
SNAPSHOT
’Tis the season to be jolly—even in 2020. by DaviD PatriCk Columbia Our photographer remembers the legendary Sean Connery.
Election Day, a very hot topic this year.
by
t aki t heoDoraCoPulos
A new book celebrates the stunning homes of Barnes Coy Architects. Discussing the inevitable “aging out” of the veteran amateur sportsmen.
Audrey Gruss’ honorable work for Hope For Depression Research. by brooke kelly A report on the blue-blooded life of career diplomat Henry Cabot Lodge
by
tony hall
All there is to do in sunny Charleston, South Carolina, this holiday season. Our guide to the greatest exhibitions of this and next year. Another month of the new social circuit. by brooke kelly
What would Christmas be without acts of kindness?
by
Dan Clark
HELIORO BY KIM
Simply, beautifully irresistible. 700 FIFTH AVENUE & 55TH STREET • NEW YORK • 212.397.9000 • wempe.com Hamburg Berlin Duesseldorf Frankfurt Munich London Madrid Paris Vienna
questmag.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA DEPUT Y EDITOR
ELIZABETH MEIGHER MANAGING EDITOR
ALEX TRAVERS ART DIRECTOR/ PRODUCTION MANAGER
TYKISCHA JACOBS SENIOR EDITOR
BROOKE KELLY CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
ROBERT BENDER P H OTO G R A P H E R - AT - L A R G E
JULIE SKARRATT SOCIET Y EDITOR
HILARY GEARY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
HARRY BENSON KATE GUBELMANN ALEX HITZ JAMES MACGUIRE HAVEN PELL CHUCK PFEIFER DAISY PRINCE LIZ SMITH (R.I.P.) TAKI THEODORACOPULOS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
HARRY BENSON CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY BILLY FARRELL MARY HILLIARD CRISTINA MACAYA CUTTY MCGILL PATRICK MCMULLAN NICK MELE ANNIE WATT
questmag.com PUBLISHER AND C.E.O.
S. CHRISTOPHER MEIGHER III A SSI STANT TO THE C.E.O.
KATHLEEN SHERIDAN ACCOUNTING MANAGER
LUWAY LU
Liveable Art. Ai Weiwei Designed Modern. 3 Bedroom Main House. 2 Bedroom Guesthouse. Pool. Major Views. Close to Train. 37± Acres. $4.995.000. Graham Klemm. 860.868.7313.
Apple Lane Farm. Spacious 4 Bedroom Colonial. 3 Bedroom Guest Barn. 2-car Garage with Apartment. Tennis Court. Coveted Location. 10.2± Acres. $3.650.000. Judy Auchincloss. 860.868.7313.
Lake Lillinonah Direct Waterfront. 3 Bedroom Main House. 1 Bedroom Caretaker/Guest Cottage. Studio/Cabin. Pool. EV Charing Station. Views. Floating Dock. 33.1± Acres. $2.850.000. Ceil Santillo. 860.868.7313.
Fabulous 1740 Historic Antique. 3 Bedrooms. Pool. Guesthouse. Pond. Waterfall. Bordering Shepaug River & Land Trust. Privacy. 6.4± Acres. $2.495.000. Carolyn Klemm. 860.868.7313.
MARKETING SERVICES
ROXANNE UNRATH
ext .
106
PA L M B E AC H & M I A M I
LINDA LANE SOPER 612.308.4159 CHICAGO
TIMOTHY DERR 847.615.1921 HONG KONG
BINA GUPTA 852.2868.1555 MILAN
#1 for Selling & Renting Fine Country Properties!
EMILIO ZERBONI 011.39.031.267.797
KLEMM REAL ESTATE LITCHFIELD COUNTY’S PREMIER BROKERS
BOARD OF ADVISORS
EDWARD LEE CAVE CRISTINA CONDON
Lakeville/Salisbury 860.435.6789 > Litchfield 860.567.5060 > Roxbury 860.354.3263 Sharon 860.364.5993 > Washington Depot 860.868.7313 > Woodbury 203.263.4040 Source: SmartMLS and Klemm Private Sales 1/1/93– 11/12/20
JED H. GARFIELD KIRK HENCKELS KATHY KORTE PAMELA LIEBMAN HOWARD LORBER ANDREW SAUNDERS WILLIAM LIE ZECKENDORF
© QUEST MEDIA, LLC 2020. All rights reserved. Vol. 34, No.12. Quest—New York From The Inside is published monthly, 12 times a year. Yearly subscription rate: $96.00. Quest, 420 Madison Avenue, Penthouse, 16th floor, New York, NY 10017. 646.840.3404 fax 646.840.3408. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Quest—New York From The Inside, 420 Madison Avenue, Penthouse, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017.
For article reprints, contact Wright’s Media: 877.652.5295
OP
ER
YE
1st
Email: info@questmag.com
AR
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES
Call 646.840.3404, ext. 106
Inc
HE ATO R OF T
klemmrealestate.com
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
From left: Wendy Carduner and Santa at Doubles; Haven Pell; Elizabeth Meigher (left) with her mother as a debutante; Luciana Paluzzi with Sean Connery on the set of Thunderball; Taki.
32 QUEST
of Christmas in New York where top editors Alex Travers and Brooke Kelly guide us through such timeless rituals as skating under the Tree at Rockefeller Center, singing and dining at “21”, and celebrating the Season underground with bold-faced gal pals at Wendy Carduner’s ever chic (and delicious!) Doubles Club. At month’s end we will bid adieu to this infamous year of 2020; yet there remains, still, a perilous path ahead. And whether we’re at the end of the beginning, or (with vaccines) at the beginning of the end, the unassailable absolute of every Year End is this imperishable, magical season of kindness and giving. Wordsworth called it the “nameless acts of love,” which we now hold dear and appreciate more than before. Our great Republic has weathered much over the past two and a half centuries, and I suspect we will face down the current crisis with our innate secret sauce of ingenuity, determination and a dogged bit of American pluck As a magazine staff, we are collectively cheered by your generous and ongoing support. And as a grateful publisher, I send my hopes for a healthier New Year with “Peace on Earth to Women and Men of Goodwill.” u
Chris Meigher
ON THE COVER: The Skating Rink and lighted Christmas Tree at the famous Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue in the heart of New York, New York, 1992. Image courtesy of Alamy Stock Photo.
A N N I E WAT T; H A R RY B E N S O N ; PAT R I C K M C M U LL A N
’TIS THE SEASON, dear Quest readers! Much like Dickens, we urge you to join in fully embracing the spirit of Holidays and Christmases, past and future alike, while prudently keeping an ear tuned to the ever-present contagion. Ironically, on this same page a year ago I blithely wished you “best wishes for a healthy New Year,” unwittingly ignoring the early and eerie signs of an insidious and deadly epidemic. My blatant tone deafness aside, the true marvel in this longest year of our lifetimes has to be the gritty and selfless human fortitude displayed by the many brave souls who have prodded and pulled us through these past nine agonizing months. And while faced with the grimness of this immense Covid tragedy, it’s been you, our loyal readers, who have endured, suffered, stumbled, and blossomed ... ultimately emerging with a greater love and appreciation for the heroic plight of a deeply shaken mankind. At Quest, we heard your voice and we strived to enlighten and engage you with the communities and individuals most afflicted. We encouraged you to acknowledge and applaud the basic goodness of the frontline heroes, community leaders, and stolid volunteers who placed themselves—at great personal risk—between all of us and the spreading virus. Your kind comments were well received and inspiring. In this end-of-year Holiday Issue, we pause to celebrate and reflect upon a few of the indomitable traditions and rituals that cannot be erased nor overshadowed by a global pandemic nightmare. We bow to the passing of Sean Connery, the best ever Agent 007, while saluting the keen-eyed genius of his fellow Scotsman and renowned photographer, Sir Harry Benson. Contributing Editor Haven Pell returns to our pages with a thoughtful piece about the “aging out” of veteran amateur sportsmen. Beginning on page 106, Deputy Editor Elizabeth Meigher candidly recalls her own Christmas season as a New York debutante, while our indefatigable and bestread columnist Taki cuts to the quick in sharing thoughts from his own election evening dinner party, where both Red and Blue allegiances remained on good behavior. Quest also welcomes back Tony Hall’s learned political voice, who in this issue examines a new book on the blue-blooded life of career diplomat, Henry Cabot Lodge. Finally, we swing back to the classic traditions
Wishing you a Happy Healthy Holiday NikkiField.com
Silvia Wong, Max Levine, Gillian R. Friedman, Benjamin Pofcher, Jeanne H. Bucknam, Daniel Y. Chang, Ashton Monroe, Ariel Greene, Andrew Sideras, Craig George, E. Helen Marcos, Kevin B. Brown, Nikki Field, Amanda Field Jordan, Mara Flash Blum East Side Manhattan Brokerage 650 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10022 Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photo by Sarah Merians
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A
David Patrick Columbia
NEW YORK SOCIAL DIARY THE MAIN ISSUE FOR the world this past year has been the COVID-19 pandemic. Everybody is aware of, or touched by it either personally, or from its effects on our daily world. The last time the world was enveloped by a virus was almost exactly a century
ago. Known historically as the Spanish Flu caused by an H1N1 virus, it had infected about 500 million or almost one-third of the world’s population at that time. The number of deaths worldwide was estimated between 50 to 80 million. The number of deaths in this country was about
675,000. The world’s population in 1918 was approximately 1.7 billion—compared to today’s world population of approximately 7.65 billion. There were no vaccines and no antibiotics, and unlike today’s pandemic, the Spanish flu hit very hard on those under five years old, plus those
in the 20 to 40 age range, as well as those over 65. They relied on non-pharmaceutical interventions to deal with it such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants and putting a limit on the public gatherings. A New York story. By 1920, however, the flu had begun
M A D D OX G A L L E R Y C E L E B R AT E S I TS N E W E X H I B I T AT A N N A B E L ’ S I N L O N D O N
Olivia Innocenti 34 QUEST
John Russo and Joseph Klibansky
David Grievson and Lara Stone
Astrid Harbord
Maddi Waterhouse
DAVE BENETT/GETTY IMAGES
Bea Fresson
HAPPY HUNTING...
1327 Madison Ave at 93rd Street NYC · 10128 · 212·772·1122 · lindahorn.com
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A H O P E FO R D E P R E S S I O N ' S V I R T UA L L U N C H EO N I N N E W YO R K
Louisa Benton
to pass. And what happened after that? How did people handle the return to ordinary daily life? Well, along with the pandemic fading came Prohibition. Nightlife in New York emerged at the dawn of the 1920s with Prohibition—a constitutional ban of the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. There had never been a “nightlife” known to the masses comparable before that time. But the natural prosperity and the new technologies of the times—electricity, telephone, and the automobile—brought along the changes in social life, social behavior, and a stock market boom. The major result back then was what they called the “speakeasy.” Its name referenced how people got into an 36 QUEST
Audrey Gruss
Taraji Henson
unmarked nightclub/bar that served (illegal) booze. You had to identify yourself to an inquirer at the door. “Harry sent me…” (speak easy; get it?). Booze was the allure but there were shows, chorus girls, comics, singers, and the other stuff; all waiting behind those locked entries with a p ee p ho l e . By the time it reached its zenith, there were more than 3,000 of these “joints” across Manhattan and its boroughs. East 52nd Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues had a “speak” behind every door of every brownstone building. Not a few of them
Robert DeRubeis
Jonathan Javitch
also had that other business on the second floor: girls. Incidentally, the Vanderbilts still lived on both of 52nd Street’s Fifth Avenue corners. So it wasn’t exactly a rundown neighborhood; but marketing in place. That lasted until 1933 when the Prohibition laws were revoked. By that time, the speakeasy had become the nightclub. Many famous American performers got their start in those clubs full of razzmatazz and jazz with had better everything (including the girls upstairs). The Jazz Age, as F. Scott Fitzgerald called
Jane Pauley
it, had begun. The Spanish Flu was long forgotten These clubs were famous across America and even some of their proprietors became nationally famous, including Mary Louise Cecilia Guinan, a little girl from Waco, Texas who had moved to New York when she was old enough, with stars in her eyes. She became famous in a nightclub called The Cotton Club, owned by a man named Owney Madden, a.k.a. as “The Killer” among pals (for obvious reasons. She was known as “Texas Guinan” and she was the hostess who called out to her clientele: “Hello Sucker!” And they loved her for it. Nightlife had changed. The new post-flu nightlife had changed New York in the eyes of the world. After Prohibition was withdrawn, many of the clubs opened
HOPE FOR DEPRESSION RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Chuck Scarborough
Ranked by sales volume by
Real Trends The Thousand, as published by The Wall Street Journal
1 # 4 # 31 #
PA L M B E A C H
FLORIDA
The Koch Team is to real estate what Palm Beach is to northerners... in demand. #PALMBEACHPROVENLEADERS
N AT I O N W I D E
Transform your vacation destination into your own slice of paradise. Owning a home in Palm Beach has never been more valuable. Contact The Koch Team to navigate the market with the Island’s proven real estate leaders.
Follow us on Instagram,
@ KochTeam
Live on the Ocean FEATURED LISTING (above): 2BR | 2.1BA | $3.7M | Web# 13766
Paulette Koch Broker A ssociate m 561.34 6.8639 | paulet te.koch@corcoran.com #14 Nationwide by Wall Street Journal / RealTrends 2019
Dana Koch Sales A ssociate m 561.379.7718 | dana.koch@corcoran.com #31 Nationwide by Wall Street Journal / RealTrends 2020 Equal Housing Opportunity. All information furnished regarding property for sale or rent or regarding financing is from sources deemed reliable, but Corcoran makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy thereof. All property information is presented subject to errors, omissions, price changes, changed property conditions, and withdrawal of the property from the market, without notice. All dimensions provided are approximate. To obtain exact dimensions, Corcoran advises you to hire a qualified architect or engineer.
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A their doors as legit businesses, and the era of Show Business took over. Owney Madden, its main manager, retired after Prohibition and moved to Arkansas where he married and settled in for the rest of his life. Among the friends Owney Madden made in his new life was a local lady from Little Rock whose son later became the President of the United States—and for a few minutes there she even became as famous as Owney Madden. To a later generation and for different reasons. Guess who! I recount these incidents to remind myself (and you dear reader) that “everything changes and life goes on” (even for the better un-
der watchful eyes). With the social activities seriously affecting my calendar, I’ve had time to catch up with my reading. The latest surprise is a book called The Quest for Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy, and edited by Hugo Vickers. James Pope-Hennessy was hired back in the mid1950s to write a biography of Queen Mary, who had died at age 84 in 1953. She had been the wife of King George V of England, as well as mother of George VI and the original heir who was briefly Edward VIII—known thereafter and forever as the Duke of Windsor, as well as the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester; and grandmother to Queen Eliz-
abeth II. When Pope-Hennessy was offered the job—for which he had already been officially approved by Buckingham Palace (i.e. the Queen)—he wasn’t interested. He had a Liberal’s attitude about the Royal Family and Queen Mary’s public image was solitary and sour for him. He told his elder brother, the famous British art historian, John Pope-Hennessy, about the assignment and that he planned to turn it down. Big brother, however, advised him to take it. Because: We are seeing the end of Monarchy as a way of governing in our history, and Queen Mary was an excellent example of what that
life was like for a human being in this historical role at the moment. James followed his brother’s advice and took it on. Because he was palace-approved, anyone he wished to meet and interview was accessible. This covered a lot of territory, including her immediate family (very extensive—the Windsors, previously the Saxe-Coburgs, had children and close relatives all over Europe—and Russia: Alexandra, the Czarina was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria). The biography was widely received when it came out in 1958, and highly approved by everyone who mattered as well as the reading public.
CARMEN HERRERA'S MURAL UNVEILING IN HARLEM
Pilar Viladas and Anthony Barzilay Freund 38 QUEST
Gale Brewer
Tony Bechara, Melissa Cancel and Luis Genao
Niko Sutherland, Javier Peña, Edgar Andres, Danna Krouham, Natasha Seng, Antonio Papini, Irma Nepomuceno and Tim Butler
Tim Butler and Javier Peña
Ruth Shuman with Edgar Andres and Kahlauney Berete
ANNIE SCHLECHTER
Michael Shuman and Natasha Seng
INTRODUCING
O N
F L A G L E R
E X PA N S I V E V I E WS A R E J U S T T H E B EG I N N I N G Overlooking Palm Beach from an idyllic waterfront setting on South Flagler Drive, these 41 residences enjoy sweeping views of Worth Avenue, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Four- and five-bedroom plans, from 4,200 to 8,400 square feet, feature continuous walls of glass that frame unobstructed city and ocean views. Deep wraparound balconies provide over 1,000 square feet of additional outdoor living space.
A COLLECTION OF 41 RESIDENCES FROM $4.9 MILLION SALES GALLERY IS NOW OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Schedule Your Private Appointment 1217 SOUTH FLAGLER DRIVE | WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 FORTEWPB.COM | 561.810.2268
ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELLER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A SELLER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. This project has been filed in the State of Florida and no other State. This is not an offer to sell, or solicitation of offer to buy, condominium units to residents of any jurisdiction where prohibited by law, and your eligibility for purchase will depend upon your state of residency. Artist’s renderings depict proposed views, which vary by unit and surrounding developments, and no guarantee is provided. Prices, availability, dimensions, specifications, and features are subject to change at any time without notice. The developer of this project is Flagler Residential LLC, a Delaware limited liability company formed for that purpose, and Two Roads Development LLC and Alpha Blue Ventures are affiliates of that developer but neither is the developer. Broker Participation is welcomed and encouraged.
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A BLUE&CREAM LAUNCHES NEW COLLECTION IN NOHO
Christeam Kareem and Chris Villalovos
The book I am reading, The Quest for Queen Mary, is a kind of sequel to a biography—about the notes Pope-Hennessy took in his interviews of many who knew Queen Mary long and well, including her children and their off-spring. This “sequel” also includes bits of her personality that wasn’t public. The human side, shall we say, because all of her public images that I recalled as a kid seeing her in newsreels, was a stern old lady who looked like a scold, but seeing is what we believe. The Quest for Queen Mary provides a real inside look at the person, a person, who lives under those special, as 40 QUEST
Jules, Bryce and Brenn Lorenzo
Nick Rouner
well as extremely isolated circumstances being a member of the British Royal Family, and Queen to the heir. Because Pope-Hennessy had access to literally everyone who knew her, he had access to the personalities of theirs as well. David, the Duke of Windsor’s interviews about his mother and their relationship, also covered the actual details of his Abdication from the Throne in 1937 and his mother’s reaction (she wouldn’t discuss it). Princess Mary Victoria was
Jeff Goldstein and Jason Weinberg
Barbara Bush and Craig Coyne
German by birth, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Teck and related to the British royals through Queen Victoria. Princess Mary was originally chosen to be the bride of the Duke of Clarence who was the eldest son of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, but he died within three months of the announced engagement and Princess Mary of Teck was almost immediately assigned to the next in life—the Duke of York—who became King George V when his father Edward VII died.
Robyn Shreiber
The marriage had nothing to do with love, nor did anyone expect it would. They were arranged. It was entirely, as we’d say today, political. The main image that comes across is a fact of royal lives in those days. Princess Mary knew “assignment” to marry the heir had nothing to do with her feelings about either man. That was beside the point. She understood this being a royal (although not considered “quite” by her husband’s close relatives) herself. It was a world where marriages were arrangements organized for purpose of the State and the Monarchy. Pope-Hennessy’s The Quest for Queen Mary inter-
BFA
Katie Holmes and Jasper Johnson Weinberg
2345 SOUTH OCEAN BLVD. AT THE PAR 3 GOLF COURSE PALM BEACH 561.273.4130 • ALFRESCOPB.COM
Renato’ s PALM
BEACH
87 VIA MIZNER • WORTH AVENUE 5 61- 6 5 5 - 9 7 5 2 • RENATOSPB.COM
14 VIA MIZNER • WORTH AVENUE 561.832.0032 • PIZZAALFRESCO.COM
2 8 7 5 S O CE A N B LV D 5 61. 5 47. 0 0 0 5 • ACQ UAC A F E P B .CO M
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A view notes give you the totally human side of such a stratified personage who is real and unreal at the same time. She had a certain power as Queen but her husband —who had no interest in her in the beginning and who also had a huge temper, which he demonstrated in their private relationship— was her Master. Her role was to do as she was told and as was expected. The result was a multi-sided personality according to whom she was dealing with. Always surrounded by staff as well as other royals, for example, caused her to be very discreet about her thoughts. The only time she could “speak her mind” to another person was when she was riding in a car—in the back seat with the chauffeur sealed off in front. Although she had a proper relationship with her husband, who eventually warmed
to her, her daily personal relationships knew her as a powerful and demanding person who was always treated like a queen and therefore superior. She wore that role comfortably. Although it could make those who served her—such as her Ladies in Waiting, and her Ladies of the Robes, as well as her royal friends and relatives—uncomfortable although always tolerant, making fun of her clothes and her style in retrospect. Her in-laws, including Queen Alexandra—who had her own set of monarchal marriage issues—treated her as if she were insufficiently royal (coming from German royalty). As time passed and George V succeeded to the throne, Queen Mary assumed the part decisively. She disliked her daughter-in-law Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). She also disliked her
granddaughter Princess Margaret. As Margaret got older, Queen Mary really couldn’t stand her. She was always accompanied on her activities by her Lady in Waiting. One of them reported that after a long and tiring day of official activities, she liked to be read to… by her Lady in Waiting. Queen Mary would relax on a sofa, with her knitting as she listened. The books were always histories and biographies. She also read novels, but only on her own. Asked by P-H how long the readings went on: “the longest was seven hours, although that was the exception.” However, the reader, after two or three hours of reading, would develop a hoarseness. Queen Mary on detecting would reprove her and demand she have some water and return to her reading.
More amazing to the Lady in Waiting was the Queen’s habit of knitting her “woolworks” while listening. One of them, Princess Arthur of Connaught (Margaret Wyndham), recalled that the queen sometimes fell asleep during the reading but would continue to knit. This phenomenon amazed the Lady who only realized it when after the queen had left the room without her knitting. She had to untangle the mess the sleeping queen had made. Queen Mary had a fondness for antiques. She was said to be an avid shopper and collector; visiting antiquaires to inspect their goods was a part of her calendar routine. It was also known by all that if she saw something she liked and she knew just where she would put it in one of the palaces, she took it. She didn’t ask. It was just assumed that
A M E R I C A N C A N C E R S O C I E T Y ' S V I R T UA L G A L A I N N E W YO R K
Chef Michael White 42 QUEST
Alysia Reiner
Bobby Cannavale
Sting
Chris Wragge
Giancarlo Esposito
LMG
Chef JJ Johnson
THE AMM TEAM 212.606.4129 | ammteam@sothebyshomes.com ammnewyork.com | amm.sothebysrealty.nyc Merrill Curtis
Megan Duryea Scott
Amanda Cannon Goldworm Brooke Block Kennan
155 West 11th Street, Apartment 8C 2 br, 2.5 ba | Property ID: 4ZTL4Z | $6,400,000
129 East 69th Street, Apartment 7B 3 br, 3 ba | Property ID: 2QHDVX | $3,950,000
1148 Fifth Avenue, Apartment 10C 4 br, 3.5 ba | Property ID: N2WR7M | $4,700,000
308 East 79th Street, Apartment 3CD 3 br, 3 ba | Property ID: MC99PT
150 East 73rd Street, Apartment 7B 2 br, 2.5 ba | Property ID: P6JD97 | $2,795,000
East Side Manhattan Brokerage | 650 Madison Avenue | New York, NY 10022 | 212.606.7660 © Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. All rights reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark. This material is based upon information which we consider reliable but because it has been supplied by third parties, we cannot represent that it is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. This offering is subject to errors, omissions, changes including price or withdrawal without notice. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A TO A ST I N G A B O U T T I M E : FA S H I O N A N D D U R AT I O N AT T H E M E T R O P O L I TA N M U S E U M O F A R T I N N E W YO R K
Daniel Weiss
her interest was personal. This habit/tradition was well known not only among the antiquaries but also those who were social friends of the Queen whom she might visit at home. If, for example, she saw something in your house that she could really find a nice home for, she would exclaim its beauty and perfection and charm, and you, the host would give it to her. No matter… One antiquaire recalled Queen Mary paying a visit to his newly established shop. She looked everything over carefully and curiously. Finally she told the owner that she was looking for a wedding gift for a young couple, and there 44 QUEST
Hamish Bowles and Nancy Chilton
Thom Browne and Andrew Bolton
was a five foot high antique urn that she thought would be perfect for them. Naturally the owner/manager took the information for delivery and it was sent— from the Queen. Gratis. A few months later, a young couple came into the same shop and spent some time looking around. Finally, in conversation with the manager, they told him that they had a wedding gift from the shop, from Queen Mary. Naturally, he knew exactly what the gift was and asked if they liked it. They did like it, the wife replied, although it is “rather large and”… they lived in this tiny flat “where it takes up half of the living
Patrick Heron
Ulla Johnson and guest
Nic Burdekin, Steff Yotka and Nicole Phelps
room.” The shopowner, understanding and thoughtful, told them that he “understood” the problem, and offered to take it back in exchange for something they liked. They took him up on his offer, and the urn was returned. A few months later, Queen Mary, on one of her forays returned to the shop to have a look around. And when she saw the urn, her eyes lit up and she exclaimed to the manager: “A PAIR!!” So thoughtful was the Queen that it was sent to the newlyweds to go with the one she already sent. Back in town. On a Wednesday. A mostly cloudy, otherwise a mild day in New
Max Hollein
York with temps in the high 50s. The upcoming election was on the mind of most if not all of us, with long lines around the block waiting to cast their votes. The traffic was also very heavy with blocks and blocks of double parked trucks and vans squeezing the driving lanes (and keeping the parking lanes packed). I don’t recall another election time on the Upper East Side when the crowds were this heavy (or noticeable) pre-voting day. There is a sense of anticipation in the air. That’s a nice word for it because since the “pandemic” set the pace, there is a lot of solitary aggravation with ordinary dayto-day of this huge and great
BFA
Anna Wintour
MAD IS OPEN! THURSDAY–SUNDAY 10 AM–6 PM
VISIT AND EXPLORE See the vibrant, stained-glass masterworks in Brian Clarke: The Art of Light. Explore the finest treasures from the Museum’s permanent collection in 45 Stories in Jewelry, 1947–Now. Shop the overflowing cases of The Store at MAD Join TODAY for exclusive Members Only Viewing Hours and 10% discount in The Store.
OUT OF TOWN? Become a Virtual Member and get MAD direct-to-you wherever you are in the world through more than 75 live online programs.
Hover your phone’s camera over this code! www.madmuseum.org for tickets and more information email patrons@madmuseum.org with questions
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A
We all dream of a white Christmas. It’s so serene, so pure, and so full of wonder. Christmas decorations have always been a great way to wrap yourself in feelings of warmth, family, and hope. Traditional holiday colors are red and green, but this season let’s think white with gold and blue for a change. Find places for white ornaments, spray your tree with white snow, lay down a white
city. It is a vibe that has been around for months now, and it has somewhat lessened. But there’s still that subconscious sense of anxiety looming. We all take it personally, and not as a group. Meanwhile back at the ranch, one night I had dinner at Sette Mezzo with an old friend. I was seated outside where there were heaters now lighting up. Many still prefer outside rather than in, carrying the concern that it might be “safer” outside. Outside or inside, I prefer the spot where I can watch and take it all in and perhaps even see a couple of friends who’ve been out of sight. While waiting, sitting there on the sidewalk with a view looking north, I see this tall and model-slender woman, blonde but under a hat, all in black looking astrid the runway, slender, hip, and chic. I said to myself that looks a little like Cornelia
Guest whom I hadn’t seen in more than a year or two. But this young woman from what I could see under her wide-brimmed hat, also looked younger than Cornelia and she looked like a fashion model. I’m not exaggerating. As she got closer to my table I saw her eyes were on me…hmmm. Until: it was Cornelia, as she came up and stopped and extended her hand and blew me a kiss from under her black masque (also chic), and hurried to her hosts’ table where she was soon joined by Peter Marino, traditionally adorned in the same black. For a moment I wondered if they had planned it that way. Needless to say, it was a great sight for these New York eyes. And took our mind off of other matters. I spoke to Cornelia after they’d finished and were leaving. She’s been away from New York mainly for the last few years.
SUSAN G. KOMEN'S VIRTUAL WALK IN MIAMI
Christmas tree skirt. From
dinnerware
to
everything you need to
deck
inside your
the
and
outside
home,
holiday
decorations your
halls
will
thoughts
fill with
joy. You can even add variations of texture, color, and scent to your holiday décor by bringing the outdoors in, using fresh eucalyptus, magnolia, and evergreen for your mantel and dining table.
Meredith Infeld's team
Evelyn Lawrence
Light white candles and hang white stockings hanging from your fireplace—it will add an air of peacefulness. Christmas is truly a magical time of the year… Enjoy! —Gil Walsh
Luz Rangel and team 40 QUEST
The Chin family
COURTESY OF SUSAN G. KOMEN
(info@gwifl.com.)
PALM BEACH | MARTHA'S VINEYARD | NEW YORK WWW.GILWALSH.COM 561.932.0631 WHERE STYLE LIVES
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A P R E V I E W I N G " F U T U R A 2 0 2 0 " AT E R I C F I R E STO N E G A L L E R Y I N N O H O
Stash and Pete Brockman
After her mother CZ died, she decided to make a new home for herself and her (rescued) animals. Cornelia is kinda' naturally chic like her late great mother. It’s second nature. But the rest of her is nature first. First was an upstate farm, and now Texas. I haven’t had the moment to ask her about it. Having seen her I’m reminded. Moving physically in one’s life, particularly if you are traveling single takes an adventurous spirit. Cornelia has that. I don’t know Texas. I know several of its citizens because of their travels to New York. All very nice, friendly people. Thinking of its social cache, I’m often reminded of Noel Coward’s lyrics of the Cole Porter song, “Let’s Do It" (...let’s fall 48 QUEST
Kaws
Jose and Rey Parla
in love). One of the lines Coward wrote and recorded: “In Texas, some of the men do it; Others drill a hole and then do it; Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love.” Anyway, it was good see Cornelia and that energy forthright, and her beautiful, warm and familiar face. On A Monday. A rainy weekend in New York; off and on, but with temps in the mid- to high50s, falling into the high 30s at night on, the first day of Eastern Time. It was raining steadily as I write this, the BLM protesters marching by with shouts, to the beat of a drum. Only
eight of them, in rain gear and umbrellas. I went to brunch at Antonucci with Tobie Roosevelt. It wasn’t much of a day for outdoor eating although there were four tables occupied, and another four tables (only) inside. There are a lot of people who don’t want to eat inside; afraid. I prefer the warmth. Fame and the famous as well. Talking about the week that had just passed, including the demise of Sean Connery, Tobie recounted a trip she and her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr. made to London back in the mid-1980s.
Miss Wangy and Mike Burch
Walter Robinson and Lisa Rosen
One night they were invited to dine at White’s. White’s, if you didn’t know, is the oldest, most exclusive private gentleman’s club in London. Prince Charles is a member, as is his son, Prince William. On this particular night, shortly after Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt were seated, Sean Connery appeared at the entrance to the dining room. He was in black tie and looking like the movie star that he was. Tobie was very impressed at the sight of him, as she was a fan. Mr. Roosevelt waved to Connery to come over to the table. Tobie assumed he knew Connery. As debonair actor approached offering his hand, he said something like “nice to meet you,” Roosevelt re-
BFA
Futura 2000 and Eric Firestone
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A sponded likewise, and asked, “where were the menus?” Connery smiled and walked away, probably thinking he’d heard it all! After he was out of earshot, Tobie said to her husband, “Do you know who that was?” “I was looking for a menu and called the maître d’,” he explained. “That wasn’t the maître d’, that was Sean Connery!” Back in business. Christie’s completed their auctions of the estate of Jayne Wrightsman who died this past April, only six months from her centennial. Mrs. Wrightsman was a fixture of the Society in New York that no longer exists.
She was born in Michigan in 1919. She moved in her early teenage years with her mother and siblings to Los Angeles. She wasn’t a beauty but she was an attractive young woman. After high school she worked sometimes as a photographer’s model as well as behind the counter of the gloves department of the Broadway department store on Wilshire Boulevard. She was coming of age when the film industry, with its home in Los Angeles, was influencing the world and es-
tablishing the mode of 20th century America. It’s been said that she met her husband Charles Wrightsman—an Eastern educated Oklahoma oil heir, was attracted to the glamour and excitement of the film industry—when she was waiting on him over the counter at the Broadway department store. Being a story born in Hollywood, it may or may not have been true. But she was also friendly with people in the film industry, particularly Marion
Davies, the longtime mistress (and heiress) of Willliam Randolph Hearst. Jayne’s mother and Davies were aficionados of the card table, as well as a frequent cocktail. Jayne often visited the Hearst/Davies mega-mansion on the beach in Santa Monica to take sun by the pool, and was a frequent guest at Davies dinner parties. That may have been where she met Mr. Wrightsman. Charles Wrightsman was 24 years older than Jayne, who was 25 when they married in 1944. He had been married before. He was said to have had a very dominating personality at least with members of his family. He could be very critical and unconcerned
N E W YO R K P U B L I C L I B R A RY ’ S A N N UA L L I O N S G A L A QUEST, DECEMBER 2018
Christine and Stephen Schwarzman
Jessye Norman, Elizabeth Strout, Claudia Rankine, Francis Ford Coppola and Ron Chernow 50 QUEST
Karan Mahajan and Salman Rushdie
Joyce Carol Oates and Charles Gross
Sofia Coppola and Thomas Croquet
Tabitha Simmons, Gigi Mortimer, Tory Burch and Lauren Santo Domingo
B FA
Victoria Wyman and Sharon Bush
108 Tradd Street | South of Broad | Charleston, SC | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Full and 1 Half Bathrooms | 2,799 Sq.Ft Circa 1810 | Gated, Expansive Property with Large Private Garden & Garage | Impeccably Preserved | $3,099,000 Listed By: Deborah C. Fisher | 843.810.4110
Charleston
Give the Gift of
11 Rutledge Avenue
Recently Restored & Spacious $2,295,000 | South of Broad Deborah C. Fisher | 843.810.4110
91 1/2 East Bay Street
Rainbow Row Carriage House $1,950,000 | South of Broad Deborah C. Fisher | 843.810.4110
22 1/2 Lamboll Street
Historic, Restored Kitchen House $1,450,000 | South of Broad Deborah C. Fisher | 843.810.4110
Deborah C. Fisher , Broker in Charge Downtown | 843.727.6460 285 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401 handsomeproperties.com
handsomepropertiesinternational.com
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN'S VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR
You and those
Misha Kahn
Alexander Hankin
"Storage for Light, Emotions, and Transient Thought"
Art by Misha Kahn
you care about can experience more personalized healthcare with your own concierge top doctor. Call (212) 367 1950 or visit CCPHP.net
46 QUEST
about its effect on others, including his wife. He also had a deep hankering for the New York world. After Exeter he went on to Stanford and then Columbia University. By his late 40s, when had met Jayne, his ambitions expanded. He wanted to be something more than an oilman’s son (and President of Standard Oil of Ohio). He must have seen something in Jayne that sparked those ambitions. Perhaps he was her mentor. As a child of the working class in an era of great American prosperity, she was naturally ambitious to make a better life. They married in the mid-1940s, and together they achieved his ambitions to be recognized as an important collector, philanthropist and a citizen of that world. They were a team. Fred and Ginger were the Hollywood version. He was the bank but she was his princess. She’d taught herself that role with the same precision. She was in her mid60s when Charles Wrightsman died at 90, and with another almost 35 years
Happy hour participant (above) and Christina Senia (below)
ahead of her. Those years seemed to be her ultimate reward. The ace of their interests was 18th century French design. After the death of the monarchy in France and the rise of Napoleon, French style of the Bourbons went way out of fashion, and remained absent for the next century. It was two American women, Consuelo Vanderbilt, then the Duchess of Marlborough, and Elsie de Wolfe/ Lady Mendl, influenced by Jacques Seligmann, the antiquarian and art dealer in Paris and here in New York at the end of the 19th century, who revived its popularity in the 20th century. Today the Met has a 12,000 squarefoot gallery of the Wrightsman Collections of 18th century furniture, art, interiors. A tribute to history and to the girl from L.A. and the older guy who originally hailed from Pawnee, Oklahoma. With the Christie’s sales of her collections and belongings, we’re also seeing the closing up, and the dispensing of another historical era in New York life.
COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
Give the Gift of Health
Your Doctor. Your Health. Your Way. Help yourself and your loved ones start the year off right with the give of health — a personalized, prioritized healthcare experience via membership in a concierge medicine program. Castle Connolly Private Health partners help physicians create an enhanced membership experience, with: • Same or next-day appointments
• Extended office visits
• Connectivity to over 50,000 Castle Connolly Top Doctors®
• A range of exclusive amenities for members
• Innovative and personalized SENS Solution® Health Coaching program
• 24/7 communication and advanced telemedicine connections
To experience more personalized healthcare with your own concierge top doctor, call (212) 367-1950 or visit www.CCPHP.net
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A In the meantime, this being the season for the emergence of the charities and philanthropies on the scene (formerly known as the “social scene”), everyone is starting to adjust. Did it kill the social activities? In hotel ballrooms with full orchestra, four-course dinner with wines and maybe Champagne? Where by the end of an interesting evening the philanthropists could tally up their progress in dollars and cents. In the millions and millions in not a few cases. In these past couple of decades where I’ve been watching the philanthropic activity, the totals are astounding in some cases. And all for some
wonderful causes solving problems, healing, curing, educating, care-taking, and generally reminding us of what’s possible if you put your mind (and some of your assets) to a solution, or a cure. We haven’t seen that this year, 2020, and everybody knows why. Except the creative thinkers have already solved at least part of the problem, as well as coming up with some healthy numbers—by and with Zoom. The new citadel of the “virtual” 21st century outing. It’s just beginning in terms of possibilities for attracting interest and raising funds. Unlike the Champagne galas at the Plaza, right now we’re
stuck back in our own backyard “watching” the gala on a screen. It has opened up the broader audience to the possibilities. The city’s social calendar remains unseasonably quiet. Just to remind ourselves of the difference between a first week in November a couple of years ago and today, we pulled a Diary from Wednesday, November 7, 2018. The weather was exactly the same, but the activity? The town was hopping. Mid-month there was a “virtual” 11th annual Fall Luncheon and Symposium for The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). ADDF was created
by Ronald Lauder with his brother, Leonard, to raise money for drug discovery research to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s. I’ve been attending the ADDF annual luncheons and dinners pretty much since the inception. It was founded with a seriously optimistic feeling about the possibilities. The Lauder brothers assumed the financial responsibility of the organization so that all donations went straight to financing research. Every year, they are inching closer and closer to discoveries of solutions to the problem. If I’m sounding unreasonably optimistic, it’s because of
R E A D A L L I A N C E ' S V I R T UA L G A L A I N N E W YO R K
Richard and Angela Ehst
54 QUEST
Patrick Ramsey
Kelley Perkins
Danielle Guindo
Al Sikes
William Chism (right) with a Read Alliance Teen Leader
COURTESY OF READ ALLIANCE; INSTAGRAM
Audrey Puente
Real Trends 2020 | Small Team Rankings
#1 team in Palm Beach #9 in the State of Florida
Liza & Whitney have become one of Palm Beach’s most respected real estate teams. Due to their knowledge and local intel, they specialize in finding properties before they come to market. Building relationships is a priority as they provide a white glove, concierge service to your Palm Beach lifestyle.
PULITZER & McGURK
340 S. Ocean Blvd., #3A & #3B
This 4BR/4BA oceanfront apartment has been beautifully renovated with hurricane impact glass windows throughout and boasts over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space. Offered at $6,200,000
Liza Pulitzer
Sr. Realtor-Associate 561.373.0666 lpulitzer@bhsusa.com
261 El Dorado Lane
This stunning 3BR/3.2BA house was completely renovated and redesigned in 2018. The outdoor consists of multiple terraces including a covered terrace overlooking the pool. Offered at $5,500,000
Whitney McGurk Sr. Realtor-Associate 561.310.7919 wmcgurk@bhsusa.com
353 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, FL 33480 • 561.659.6400 50 Cocoanut Row, Ste 104, Palm Beach, FL 33480 • 561.659.6400 1970 S. Dixie Hwy., Ste C1, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 • 561.805.5050
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A T H E B OYS ’ C L U B O F N E W YO R K ’ S A N N UA L FA L L DA N C E QUEST, DECEMBER 2017
Wendy Fentress and Claudia Overstrom
the progress this organization has already made. This year’s “virtual” was hosted once again by our ninetime Emmy winner, journalist, and ADDF Board member, Paula Zahn, who is personally dedicated to the cause. The virtual celebration honored their friend, philanthropist, and former Chairman of Buckingham Capital Management, Larry Leeds with the Charles Evans Award for leadership in support of the prevention, treatment, and cure of Alzheimers. The Melvin R. Goodes Prize was awarded to Jerri M. Rook Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University’s Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery. 56 QUEST
Caroline Dean and Ritchie Howe
Ann Coley and Ashley Bernhard
The prize is an annual award given to leading researchers making important strides toward the development of effective treatments and a cure for Alzheimer's. The “virtual” luncheon had more than 300 attendees, which must be some kind of record for the event. Event supporters include: Judy and Leonard A. Lauder; Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder; Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation; The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.; Nancy and Melvin R. Goodes; Larry Leeds; Eli Lilly and Company; Laura and Gary Lauder; Leibner Cooper Family Foundation; Julie Medler; JP Morgan
Chase; and Paula Zahn and Paul J. Fribourg. To close this edition of the Diary and to wish everyone a Merry, Happy Holiday and a healthy and exuberant and Happy New York. I came upon the following when I was looking for something in my files. I forgot what I was looking for after reading this man’s thoughts: “I believe that order is better than chaos, creation better than destruction. I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta. On the whole, I think that knowledge is preferable to ignorance, and I am sure that human sympathy is more valuable than ideol-
Ashley McDermott and David Howe
Mark Gilbertson and Maria Villalba
ogy. I believe that in spite of the recent triumphs of science, men haven’t changed much in the last 2,000 years; and in consequence we must try to learn from history. History is ourselves. I believe in courtesy, the ritual by which we avoid hurting other people’s feelings, by satisfying our own egos. And I think we should remember that we are part of a great whole, which for convenience we call nature. All living things are our brothers and sisters.” —Kenneth Clark, the British art historian who became famous with his television series, Civilization. u
STEPHEN SMITH/GUEST OF A GUEST
Marina Rust Conner and Louis Bacon
Featured Palm Beach Offerings Presented by
Andrew Thomka-Gazdik & Kim Raich PEND ING
Direct Ocean and Intracoastal Parcel
An extraordinary opportunity to own an exquisite 2+ acre parcel in Manalapan, featuring over 200 feet of Direct Ocean and Intracoastal frontage. Fantastic elevation to build your dream home. Room for a dock.
Waterfront Home in Harbour Isles
Waterfront home in exclusive Harbour Isles community. 4 bedroom 4.5 bath plus den. New 30,000 lb lift, 90 ft deep water dock, whole house generator. Meticulously renovated and maintained one story with a great floorplan on a private cul de sac. The home is one in off the the point lot with a beautiful view of the intracoastal. $2,800,000
Kim Raich
Senior Global Real Estate Advisor 561.718.1216 kim.raich@sothebyshomes.com
Beautiful Renovation
Stunning corner unit with North, East and West exposures, boasting gorgeous water views of the Intracoastal Waterway, Island of Palm Beach and Atlantic Ocean. The apartment has been completely “gut” renovated and offers two bedrooms, two and half bathrooms with almost 2,500 total sq. ft. $2,095,000 | TrumpPlaza16E.com
Andrew Thomka-Gazdik
Global Real Estate Advisor andrew.thomka-gazdik@sothebyshomes.com 561.714.8955 | andrewthomka-gazdik.com
Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
Q U E S T, N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 1
3
2
4
5
8
MARK GILBERTSON’S FALL PARTY IN NEW YORK 6
7
1. Jamee and Peter Gregory 2. Alison Aston and Mark Gilbertson 3. Barbara and Kevin McLaughlin 4. Tara and Allison Rockefeller 5. Guy Harley, Elisabeth Saint-Amand and Jared Goss 6. Peter and Boo Van Ingen 7. John Paulson 8. Stewart Manger, Judith Guest, and Charlie Ayres 9. Debbie Bancroft and Alison Mazzola 10. Caryn Zucker and Marjorie Gubelmann 11. Gigi Mortimer, Pierre-Yves Roussel, and Tory Burch
10 10
11
C U T T Y M CG I LL
9
58 QUEST
Q U E S T , N O V E M B E R 2 0 13 9 1
1
2
4
5
8 7
6 10
1. Lisa and Brian McCarthy 2. Cece Cord and Richard Johnson 3. Ari and Rachel Hovnanian 4. Katie Ridder and Peter Pennoyer 5. Muffie Potter Aston, Elizabeth Williams, and Meg Braff 6. Polly Onet and Mary Van Pelt 7. Brian Sawyer and Zani Gugelmann 8. Peter and Kara Georgiopoulos 9. Stephanie Krieger and Brian Stewart 10. Mark Fabry 11. Judy Cox and Bettina Zilkha
11 10 9
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A S W I F T Y ' S P O O L O P E N S AT T H E C O L O N Y I N PA L M B E AC H
Lucy Anthony and Scott Moses
Michael Reinert and Meg McCartney
Kate Coe, Gary Pohrer, Stacey Leuliette, Nathan Coe, Kelly Pohrer and Patrick Mitchell
Karin Luter, Ainar Aijala, Yaz Hernandez, Felicia Taylor, Suzie Aijala and Valentin Hernandez 60 QUEST
Swifty's at the Colony Hotel
Pamela Gross, Jimmy Finkelstein and Robert Caravaggi
Amy Hoadley and Karen Klopp
Krystian von Speidel, Danielle Rollins, Tom D'Agostino, Jr., Christine Schott and George Ledes
ANNIE WATT
Tyler Tananbaum and Whitney Schott
For those ready for what’s next
720 Park Avenue, Apt 9/10B
163 East 64th Street
200 East 95th Street, Apt 27B
$19,950,000 | 720PARKAVENUE9-10B.COM
$17,500,000 | 163EAST64STREET.COM
$7,749,000 | THEKENT27B.COM
Caroline E. Y. Guthrie 212.606.7637
E. Sample 212.606.7685, B. Powers
L. Maloney 212.606.7694, C. Taub 212.606.7772
125 East 72nd Street, Apt 7A
778 Park Avenue, 2nd Floor
575 Park Avenue, Penthouse 1607
$7,395,000 | 125E72-7A.COM
$7,200,000 | 778PARKAVE2FL.COM
$5,450,000 | 575PARKAVENUEPH1607.COM
N. Seltzer 212.400.8752, L. Gruber
Serena Boardman 212.606.7611
Louise C. Beit 917.544.5515
468 2nd Street | Park Slope Townhouse 870 Fifth Avenue, Apt 11H
101 Wall Street, Apt 15C
$3,295,000 | SOTHEBYSREALTY.COM/ID/MTW43H
$2,675,000 | SOTHEBYSREALTY.COM/ID/9ZXBY5
$2,075,000 | SOTHEBYSREALTY.COM/ID/N3EG54
Vannessa A. Kaufman 917.865.8065
Harry Nasser 212.400.8724
Leslie Model 212.606.7770
EAST SIDE MANHATTAN BROKERAGE | SOTHEBYSREALTY.COM © Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. All rights reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a registered trademark. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A N E W YO R K L A N D M A R K S C O N S E R VA N C Y H O STS V I R T UA L C E L E B R AT I O N
62 QUEST
Ronnie Heyman
Francesco Rotatori
Elizabeth Stribling
Tanya Duhaney
Barbara and Donald Tober
Joyce Cowin
Sally Minard
Peg Breen
Karla Renee Williams
COURTESY OF NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY
Gordon Davis
BONNY HALL PLANTATION
1282 Acres, circa 1732
Beaufort County, South Carolina
Bonny Hall is a rare, historic, stunningly beautiful plantation located south of Charleston on the Combahee River. The property features a fully-renovated main house, guest cottages, stables, and formal Innocenti gardens – perfect for entertaining small family gatherings or large house parties. Bonny Hall offers world-class bird hunting, including quail, ducks, dove and turkeys on grounds meticulously managed for wildlife habitat. Bonny Hall is a turn-key property where guests can enjoy hunting, boating, fishing, horse-back riding, and entertaining in the natural splendor of the ACE Basin.
The most trusted firm in plantation sales since 1959 plantationservicesinc.com Chip Hall 843.860.3432
Q U E S T , J A N U2A R Y 2 0 2 0
1
5 4
3
ANNE HEARST AND JAY MCINERNEY HOST CHRISTMAS CHEER AT DOUBLES WITH GEORGE FARIAS
7
1. Carol Mack, George Farias, and Lisa Fine 2. Wilbur Ross and Hilary Geary Ross with Santa Claus 3. Gary Hunt and Kathi Koll with
6
Santa Claus 4. Charlie Ayres and Gigi Mortimer 5. Jamee Gregory and Peter Gregory with Santa
8
Claus 6. Valesca Guerrand-Hermes and Diandra Douglass with Santa Claus 7. Tony and Paula Peck with Santa Claus 8. Jennifer Maguire and Christopher Isham 9. Wendy Carduner and Tom Quick 10. Deborah Norville and Santa Claus 11. Morgan Entrekin and Ivana Lowell 12. Sana Sabbagh and Mark Gilbertson
10 12 9
PAT R I C K M C M U LL A N
11
64 QUEST
Q U E S T, J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 1
3
2
4
5 6
7
1. Daniel and Esty Brodsky with Santa Claus 2. Craig Starr and Agnes Gund 3. Jay McInerney and Amanda Urban
8
4. Darren Walker and Charles Fagan 5. Kevin and Barbara McLaughlin
7
6. Keith and Ann Barish 7. Patrick McMullan and Griffin Dunne 8. Lisa McCarthy and Mary Hilliard 9. Jamie Figg and Patricia Hearst Shaw 10. David Monn and Michael Rockefeller 11. Stellene Volandes and William Ivey Long 12. Melissa and Chappy Morris with Santa Claus
9
10
11
12
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A A L A VO N AU E R S P E R G ' S T R U N K S H O W I N PA L M B E AC H
Trish Carroll and Mariana Cocher
Farley Rentschler and Krystian von Speidel 66 QUEST
Danielle Rollins
Natasha and Jason Rawding
Scott Moses and Camilla Webster with Xiomi and Roby Penn
Darviny Dar and Sticks
Julie Hayek
Kate and Jimmy Gublemann
Katie Carpenter and Amy Hoadley
ANNIE WATT
Eleanora Kennedy and Ala Von Auersperg
M A D I S O N W O RT H AR CHITEC T URE
DPC
@matt_wargo_arch_photographer
M A D I S O N W O RT H A R C H I T E C T U R E A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d Re n o vat i o n D e si g n
w w w.M a d i s o n Wo rt h A r c h .c o m
4 8 5 M a d i s o n Av e n u e , s u i t e 2 0 0 - N e w Yo r k , N e w Yo r k 1 0 0 2 2 - ( 2 1 2) 3 5 5 -3 2 6 1 1 2 5 W o r t h Av e n u e , s u i t e 3 0 6 - Pa l m B e a c h, F l o r i d a 3 3 4 8 0 - ( 5 6 1 ) 8 3 3 -3 2 4 2
PA L M BE A C H
-
NEW YORK CIT Y
-
G R EE N W I C H - L O N G I S L A N D
D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A A L Z H E I M E R ' S D R U G D I S C O V E R Y FO U N D AT I O N ' S V I R T UA L L U N C H EO N I N N E W YO R K
Nancy Goodes
Charlotte Teunissen 68 QUEST
Larry Leeds
Susan Catalano
Leonard and Ronald Lauder
Alice Shure
Mark Roithmayr
Paula Zahn
Jerri Rook
COURTESY OF ALZHEIMER'S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
Bonnie Pfeifer Evans
CONNECTING TRULY EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTIES WITH THE MOST INTERESTING BUYERS FOR OVER 70 YEARS.
COME SEE OUR EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF PROPERTIES IN NORTHERN WESTCHESTER
VISIT: GINNEL.COM/WINTER 914-234-9234
H A R RY B E N S O N
IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY HE WAS the first to play Bond. James Bond. And most agree he was the ultimate 007. The photograph here was taken in 1965, well before Bond Girls were seen as politically incorrect. There were quite a few Fleet Street photographers around when I photographed Sean Connery in bed with Bond Girl Luciana Paluzzi. Their scenes together added a bit of fun on the set of Thunderball. About 9 or 10 months ago my friend Sir David Murray called me from his home in Scotland and, after a brief hello, he handed the telephone to his longtime friend Sir Sean Connery. We talked for quite some time as we have several friends in common. Connery gave the impression that he wanted to do more with his life. I was surprised that he knew quite a bit about me, and we planned to meet up when we were next in the same place at the same time‌unfortunately with COVID-19 and his health, it never happened. Connery was from Edinburgh. I was from Glasgow‌ There is an intense rivalry between the cities that is hard to describe, but strangely enough when the two of us spoke I sensed that perhaps he would have preferred to be from Glasgow. u 70 QUEST
Sean Connery in bed with Bond Girl Luciana Paluzzi, 1965.
DECEMBER 2020 71
TA K I
ELECTILE DYSFUNCTION President Donald Trump (left) and president-elect Joe Biden (right) deliver speeches on election
ELECTION-NIGHT PARTIES are usually dreadful affairs, with the idiot box blaring and hysterical listeners screaming out the latest info. American TV pundits are smug trained seals with too much makeup and blow-dry, and they all sound the same with their rehearsed stentorian voices. Brian Williams, or the hero of Iraq as I call him after he got caught lying about a missile attack on the chopper he was riding—he was safely on the ground and trembling— sounded somber announcing that South Dakota had been called for The Donald. 72 QUEST
These so-called anchors no longer even pretend to be objective, and they had long faces when the predicted Biden landslide was gone with the dawn. I too had predicted a Biden landslide, and was also wrong about a more important subject than the election—my dinner party. I had written that I would be the only pro-Trump diner, but it turned out we were six for the president and barely two for the man who lives in a basement and forgets his name at times. My guest of honor, Prince Pavlos, is required to be apolitical, although I
can guess where his sympathies lie. Arki Busson is also apolitical, so I spent dinner asking him about Hollywood beauties he has known; but Arki is a sphinx when it comes to conquests, like the gent that he is. Bartle and Claudia Bull are a beautiful couple straight out of F. Scott Fitzgerald, and they didn’t mince their words. Bartle is a writer, filmmaker, and adventurer, and is often teased by us that he’s a top CIA operative. (He goes to places like Fallujah in Iraq for holidays, hence the suspicion.) My buddy Michael Mailer, needless to say, is to the left of
D O U G M I LL S / T H E N E W Y O R K T I M E S ; G E T T Y I M A G E S ; PAT R I C K M C M U LL A N
night in November.
TA K I Felix Dzerzhinsky, so no guessing was required as to whom he was rooting for. Two beautiful young women, Enga and Emilie, were too polite to express their choice, which suited me just fine. Exit polls showed that Trump won 18 percent of black men, 36 percent of Latino men, and 58 percent of white men. The last Republican to get as many black votes was when the man who lives in a basement could actually remember his name, back in the early ’50s. The media hysteria against Trump reached its apotheosis as the vote neared. I actually believe that no foreign adversary of Uncle Sam’s has
star writer was caught in flagrante masturbating on Zoom a couple of weeks ago, how Trump must feel like “a terrified little boy” because he will soon be “running from the law.” She then calculates that The Donald will abscond to a foreign country that has no extradition with the U.S. Hers is a long-winded article of hate and speculation about preventing a president from pardoning himself and how a corrupt president is a danger to the country. I am used to the lies of the left, the quelling of free speech by Big Tech that runs counter to their PC culture; surprises me however is the people who
elite has a new enemy, the 70+ million who did. These “deplorables” are working-class men and women who go to church, work hard, obey the law, and respect tradition and their past. I can picture Big Tech and media big shots asking each other where in hell did these blacks and Hispanics who voted for the monster come from? Who the hell are these yokels who never went to college to resist us so flagrantly? University grads mainly voted for Joe. High school grads went for The Donald. The elite are up in arms. So there you have it: Trump did not help his case by whining after losing. Decorum and dignity in defeat
From left: Taki Theodoracopulos and Michael Mailer; Bartle Bull.
ever received such abuse as The Donald has. After it was obvious that Biden had won, an MSNBC anchor by the name of Joy Reid complained of a “great amount of racism, anti-blackness ,and anti-wokeness.” What the hell? A blowhard by the name of Charles Blow of the Bagel Times went a step further: “It confirmed the power of White Patriarchy.” Just imagine if the wokes had lost, what the rhetoric would sound like. One Jane Mayer, who hates rather a lot and would have envied but despised my dinner guests, writes in the magazine whose
own these media outlets—people whose grandparents and ancestors started out dirt-poor in the ghettos of Eastern Europe, came to America, worked hard, and prospered beyond their wildest dreams because of free enterprise—who allow their editors to wage unremitting war against the country and the system that gave them their opportunity. Never mind. The Donald was raged against from day one. Globalists, academia, the media, and the entertainment industry viewed him as a 21st-century Hitler. Now that over 70 million Americans voted for him, the cultural
were never his strong points. My little dinner party was an oxymoron. We lost but took defeat elegantly. Michael Mailer did not gloat. Mind you, we were all so drunk by the time it was over, some of us were cheering that Eisenhower had beaten Stevenson. But those were the good old days. When JFK won the 1960 election by stealing West Virginia and Illinois, Richard Nixon refused to challenge for the sake of the country. Back then it was called patriotism, now only suckers play that game. u For more Taki, visit takimag.com. DECEMBER 2020 73
AUDAX
ASSEMBLED IN LIGHT
Clockwise from top left: Owen House in Palm Springs, California; foyer staircase of Susser House; Rob Barnes with Percy Steinhart and Pope John Paul II; the exterior of Meadow House. Opposite page: Christopher Coy, of Barnes Coy Architects.
THIS BOOK by Alastair Gordon just out from Rizzoli on the houses of the Hamptons-based Barnes Coy Architects is a gorgeously photographed panorama of modernism encompassing houses not only in the Hamptons, but on the Georgia coast, in Florida, St. Barts, the California desert, Vail, Colorado, and as far away as Costa Rica. In his preface Christopher Coy writes movingly of his lifelong friendship and twenty-five year partnership with the late Robert Barnes, who died in 2018: “We both believed that residential architecture is the true front line of modernism, and that a house can be so much more than the sum of its parts. People live in
these houses. They relax, work and raise families in these houses…As Moshe Safdie said, ‘Seek Beauty and you will find only vanity. Seek Truth, and you will find Beauty.’” Educated by English Benedictine monks at Portsmouth Abbey (RI) where the modern campus designed by MIT Dean of Architecture Pietro Belluschi is frequently cited as a mid-20th century masterpiece, both Barnes and Coy have been industrious designers as well as spiritual seekers, listening to their clients’ needs and working to fulfill their clients’ dreams in a way that is both True and Beautiful. This book is a poignant testament to their triumphant success. u DECEMBER 2020 75
H AV E N P E L L
HAVE YOU ALWAYS thought about sports in the same way or have your views evolved? True, this is not necessarily a topic that comes immediately to mind, but it was a welcome relief from election wrangling. I was driving into Tuxedo Park on the day after Halloween. I have been going there off and on for about 70 years. Really more off then on, but the visits were memorable. By the way, there is a reason the Autumn Ball was a fixture of the social season back when social was a season. Tuxedo Park is a destination when the leaves are turning, but you had better have a name and address to visit or you won’t get past the gate. 76 QUEST
A N T H O NY E D G E WO RT H
SPORTS: THE SECOND “S” IN WASP
Clockwise, from top left: A spittoon; court tennis; Alastair Martin (left) and John Hay. Opposite page, from above: built in December 1899, The Tuxedo Club became one of only a handful of clubs in the United States who have court tennis; an early illustration of court tennis at the Tuxedo Club.
The road winds up a wooded hill until a crest where you turn briefly downward and to the right revealing a lake surrounded by the tops of the Ramapo Mountains. Houses that look like castles are scattered on the hillsides across the lake and there is a stone clubhouse to your right. It could be a flooded volcano if there was a fault line beneath the New York-New Jersey border. That description would not have occurred to me during my earliest visits as a child. Gold Racquet weekend was always on Presidents’ Day. It fell near my birthday, and a trip to Tuxedo Park was described as a special treat. The ancillary benefit of not having to hire a babysitter was never mentioned. “Silly me,” thought I when it occurred to me years later. At age five or maybe even eight, sports consisted mostly of
a few awkward shots in the gaps between grown-up matches and the selection of early athletic idols. Alastair Martin was the choice in court tennis as he heroically finished a match with blood oozing out of his PF Keds—the athletic shoe du jour at the time—thanks to some nasty blisters that he brushed off without complaint. Geoffrey Atkins could not be chosen as a racquets hero because he invariably beat my father in the final, thus denying him a single trophy in an event won 15 times by his father. One’s thinking about sports has to evolve over many years to realize the impact on him that must of have had. The next visits to Tuxedo Park were in college, when teams from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Penn would gather for the intercollegiate championships in both court tennis and the DECEMBER 2020 77
Clockwise, from above: Stringing a tennis bat; Clarence C. Pell, Jr.; Alastair Martin. Opposite page: Tennis Challenge
78 QUEST
A N T H O NY E D G E WO RT H
H AV E N P E L L
rampant consumption of adult beverages. We took the results seriously, but not seriously enough to miss out on the free drinks offered to the college boys as an inducement to take up the game and perhaps become its leaders in the future. Gold Racquet weekend also included doubles events aimed at lesser players. In racquets, they played for the Spittoon while in court tennis they entered the Cuspidor. There are handsome trophies depicting these items and winners receive amusing replicas, but the tournament names alone say as much as is needed about targeted skill level and seriousness. On one occasion, while paired with my father, he served a fault at a virtually unlosable match point for both sides (that can happen in court tennis) to lose a Cuspidor final. Had I done so, there would have been no author for this story. At age 25, I knew there were no useful words following that defeat but, when I got to 60 (his age at the time) I recounted the tale as an after-dinner story before an audience of many who knew him. I drew out the description of the ball arcing upward to its apogee before it’s inevitable descent toward a target that is easily hit by the newest beginner. He missed it by at least 12 feet. Even recreational events can stiffen the muscles at key moments. Decades went by while job geography kept me away, but I found an excuse in my 60s to take my recent college graduate daughter and some of her friends to the traditional black-tie
dinner dance for a “scouting mission,” that had no long-term consequences. The nearer-term results of the foray, if any, were not divulged. “Black-tie,” though generally the preferred term, is perhaps not appropriate in the very room in which the term “tuxedo” came into being. The decline in seriousness and increase in fun continued with a ’70s-themed event in 2009. One opponent appeared for a 7 a.m. match still in his tuxedo and he played in his socks. Like my father many years before, he hit many faults, but they were less memorable. Most recently on the Halloween trip where we began, I was back in Tuxedo Park, this time to speak at a fundraiser to build a new court tennis court in Washington. The cycle continues. E. Digby Baltzell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania whose work was assigned reading, is credited with coining the term WASP. He recognized that team sports are among the top 10 contributions made by England to civilization. At college, Professor Erik Erikson taught us about differing attitudes and motivations at various stages of life. Gail Sheehy turned his work into “Passages.” As far as I know, neither Erikson nor Sheehy wrote about sports. They could have and perhaps they might have touched on that subtle life stage where one’s fervent pursuit of sports excellence morphs into one’s enjoyment of the moment...the surroundings, and even the competition. ◆ DECEMBER 2020 79
GIFT OF HOPE B Y B R O O K E K E L LY
CO U RTE S Y O F H O P E F O R D E P R E S S I O N R E S E A R C H F O U N DAT I O N
CHARITY
The Hope Fragrance Collection is sold at Bergdorf Goodman and 100% of profits benefit depression research. Opposite page: Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s founder, Audrey Gruss, spraying the Hope Night Eau de Parfum at the launch party in Southampton this past summer.
A STAGGERING one-third of Americans suffer from depression and anxiety. Despite such a large number, doctors have long struggled to diagnose depression because it manifests itself differently from person to person. The disease has also been associated with an unwarranted stigma that discourages help-seeking and early detection. Audrey Gruss watched her
mother, Hope, endure years of misdiagnosis by doctors, ultimately losing her in the fight. In 2006, she founded Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) to fund research on depression and to combat the negative perception that stifles prevention efforts. In 2010, HDRF established its Depression Task Force, DECEMBER 2020 81
CHARITY
Counter clockwise from above: The Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s annual Race for Hope in Southampton, 2019; Hope Night Eau de Parfum; Audrey Gruss and Dominick Dunne, who several times shared his struggle with depression at HDRF events. Opposite page, clockwise from left: Audrey Gruss with Brooke Shields, who has been honored by the HDRF for her efforts to erase the negative stigma that surrounds depression; Firmenich’s Honorine Blanc (above) and perfumer Pierre Negrin (below).
CO U RTE S Y O F H O P E F O R D E P R E S S I O N R E S E A R C H F O U N DAT I O N
a group of leading neurologists—each an expert in their own field—who worked together with the understanding that they would be funded if they shared information on their findings. This collaborative structure was crucial in understanding depression’s impact on the brain. “We had a setup so that each doctor knew what every other doctor was working on, which was unprecedented in this field. We feel that this was instrumental to make progress happen faster,” explained Gruss. Gruss then expanded this transparency beyond the doctors to the public at large. While the doctors conducted their research, Gruss believed that she had an obligation to make their findings public to raise awareness and encourage more discussion. And she realized she had an opportunity to further this goal with one of her mother’s great loves—perfume. Even on her mother’s darkest days, Gruss recalled that she would always wear her perfume and could often be found in their garden, where she would collect plants like Lily-of-theValley. “She’d spray them, mix them, put them in bottles, and wear them individually. They brought her joy,” said Gruss, who worked in the beauty industry herself early in her career.
Gruss aspired to design a fragrance that her mother would love to raise funds for HDRF and to spread visibility about the disease more broadly. To make this a reality, Gruss worked with Firmenich’s master perfumers, Honorine Blanc and Pierre Negrin, as well as Marc Rosen, who designed the beautiful bottles and crystal perfume packaging. The Hope Fragrance Collection now consists of three scents with the most recent launch being Hope Night Parfum, a romantic scent made of Plum, Amber, Vanilla, Patchouli, Vetiver, Gardenia and Lily-of-the-Valley. The uplifting fragrances are sold at Bergdorf Goodman, with 100% of profits going to HDRF. Mental health is especially important to pay attention to during the holiday seasons, when people tend to become most emotional. Gruss views the collection as a beautiful community story: “People can buy Hope for themselves, especially during the pandemic when self-care is crucial, or they can buy this gift for friends or family for the holidays. Either way, they’ll be doing good for others with 100% going back to charity. It’s truly something that everyone can appreciate and wear to celebrate the hope in all of us.” u DECEMBER 2020 83
THE LAST BRAHMIN: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. and the Making of the Cold War. The very title of this new biography affirms the many and clear connections between Lodge’s pedigree and his public career as a politician and diplomat. A U.S. Senator, ambassador to the U.N., Richard Nixon’s running mate in 1960, Kennedy’s ambassador to Vietnam, Lodge outgrew the isolationist tendencies of his grandfather— the first Senator Henry Cabot Lodge—to become one of the founders of American foreign policy’s greatest achievement: the liberal international order. He, too, was “Present at the Creation,” as Dean Acheson 84 QUEST
famously titled his memoir of the Truman administration. But Lodge has never found his rightful place among the Wise Men of the post-war world and he is rarely mentioned in the histories and biographies of the era. Indeed, according to biographer, Luke A. Nichter, he is all but forgotten. This book seeks to remedy that defect. Born in 1902 to the “Wasp Ascendancy” (a coinage of his friend Joe Alsop), Lodge was steeped in the tradition of public service that Henry Adams—the grandson and great grandson of U.S. presidents—called “Ciceronian.” That tradition, according to Adams, a great friend of
B E N T LE Y H I S TO R I C A L L I B R A RY L I B R A RY H E R E
BY TONY HALL
Y O I C H I O K A M ATO / CO U RT E S Y O F LY N D O N J O H N S O N P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A RY;
A LIFE OF SERVICE: HENRY CABOT LODGE, JR.
BOOKS
Lodge served two Democratic administrations as U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, working with Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. They’re shown here with President Johnson. Opposite page: Mike Wallace and other reporters with Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. and Richard Nixon.
Lodge’s parents and grandparents, evolved from “the idea of government by the best,” one that produced a long line of New England statesmen. The good citizens of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut “wanted to be well represented, and they chose the best they had.” Among its products was the elder Henry Cabot Lodge highly cultivated though barren, like his native soil, his enemies said. In fact, as Nichter notes, the younger Lodge, or Cabot, as he was known, was preceded by six Lodges in the U.S. Senate, in both the 18th and 19th centuries. On his mother’s side, he could cast his gaze backward toward more senators and several cabinet officers, including a Secretary of State. The family homes on Massachusetts’ North Shore were laced with portraits of generations of American worthies, all members of one branch or another of the tribe, all affirming a legacy of service to the nation. With those examples in mind (and with few others available; his father, a would-be poet, died when he was seven), Lodge chose to devote himself to public service. Actually, he had
little choice in the matter. It was expected of him. In Latin, you will recall, public offices are indistinguishable from duties. “We teased him about his 19th-century concept of service, but it was his whole life,” one of his sons once said. Of course, those of whom much is expected, much is granted, and Lodge did not lack for advantages: his grandparents’ summer home at Nahant, the scene of his “earliest and most prized memories;” multilingual governesses, St. Alban’s, Middlesex, Harvard, the Signet Society. Lodge could not have remained sheltered among his class and kind for long, though, even were he so inclined. Politics, especially Boston politics, which he entered at age 29 after a brief foray into journalism, was not for the retiring. Lodge’s horizons, social and intellectual, were also enlarged by his experience during World War II. The first U.S. Senator to resign his seat to serve in the military since the Civil War, Lodge helped manage the Americans’ wartime alliances and came to see that “we can’t repeat the mistakes we made after the last war. We must assume our responsibility in maintaining the peace of the world.” DECEMBER 2020 85
86 QUEST
Doctrine, adoption of the Marshall Plan and the passage of the Vandenberg Resolutions, which led to the ratification of the NATO Treaty in 1949 and ultimately, the economic and political recovery of Europe. “The aid which we extend now and in the next three or four years will, in the long future, result in our having strong friends abroad,” Lodge wrote in 1947. The 80th Congress was the first in thirty years to be dominated by Republicans. The party, however, was far from unified, with debates over foreign policy dividing the party into two wings: an internationalist and Main Street wing, led by Henry Cabot Lodge and Robert A. Taft, respectively. Taft opposed most of the post-war measures that Lodge helped to craft, and which would set the direction for American foreign policy for the next forty years. Were Taft to become the Republican nominee and be elected president in 1952, as appeared likely, the post-war order would be put at risk. With that in mind, Lodge launched a Draft Eisenhower movement, derailing the Taft campaign and
T I A L L I B R A RY; R I C H A R D N I XO N P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A RY
As late as Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland, Lodge believed the U.S. could remain neutral in any European war. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, however, he realized that “fortress America,” the preferred policy of former U.S. President Herbert Hoover and others, was untenable. The US would be drawn into any high stakes conflict sooner or later, and its self-interest dictated that it seek to prevent those conflicts from ever erupting in the first place. Moreover, Lodge’s belief in America’s moral purpose convinced him that it had no choice but to play a leading role in world affairs. From the same belief, his grandfather arrived at the opposite conclusion, that America should remain aloof from the European nations’ calculated balancing of powers. Arguably, both positions were residual legacies of the mens’ New England forebears and their ancestors’ belief that America was meant to be “a shining city on the hill.” Lodge returned to the U.S. Senate in time to help lead the 80th Congress, which convened in January, 1947. Among its achievements: acceptance of the Truman
CO U RTE S Y O F T H E D W I G H T E I S E N H O W E R P R E S I D E N T I A L L I B R A RY; J O H N F. K E N N E DY P R E S I D E N -
BOOKS
From above: Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.— shown here with General Omar Bradley at Brolo, Scicily, ca. 1943—was the first sitting U.S. Senator since the Civil War to resign his seat to serve in the U.S. armed forces; Lodge served eight years as Eisenhower’s U.N. ambassador. Opposite page: Lodge with John F. Kennedy.
earning Lodge the lasting enmity of his supporters. Nichter attributes Lodge’s 1952 loss of his Senate seat to John F. Kennedy at least in part to the active opposition of Massachusetts’ Taft Republicans, although by that time, the biographer concedes, “the Irish and the Catholics wanted a Brahmin of their own.” Lodge, of course, would continue to serve his country. Those who seek to be useful, however, are always in danger of being used, and by those made of baser metals. Lodge was no exception. He ensured, however, that the bipartisan consensus that created the post-war order would survive the passage of presidential administrations, and that is no mean legacy. What impresses the contemporary reader most, however, is Lodge’s commitment to public service above self-interest, examples of which are depressingly few today. u DECEMBER 2020 87
CELEBRATING CHARLESTON CHARLESTON HAS BEEN a “City of Refuge” since its beginning in the late 17th century. Jewish and French Huguenot immigrants found Charleston to be a magical escape from their persecuted and frightful existences in Europe. Charleston benefited greatly from the addition of these highly skilled and educated new colonists, bringing with them their expertise in professional business skills, education, and craftsmanship. Charleston, our amazing architectural gem, was the physical creation of these artisans. The second Jewish synagogue in the colonies was founded in Charleston by a largely Sephardic Jewish congregation fleeing from London and the Netherlands. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim is still a practicing synagogue, also known as the first reform synagogue in America, located just east of King Street. The current heirs of the original French Huguenot colonists have great pride in the fact that the only remaining French Huguenot 88 QUEST
Church in North America still majestically anchors the center of the French Quarter on the Peninsula. New Yorkers and other citizens of densely populated cities have entered into a new phase of their lives with many making transitions to many smaller cities in America. There are many wonderful choices in this country, but Charleston may be the right choice for those who savor and appreciate a deeply rooted culture that transcends from our European ancestors long ago. This blended rich culture offers a delicious culinary scene, an active visual and performing arts community, as well as the gentleman or gentlewoman’s playground of activities. Yachting, water sports, golf, cycling, beach activities, and other glorious perks make Charleston such a highly desirable coastal community to call home. Our museums, synagogues, churches and even the land itself tells a story from centuries ago. We have learned that we can make changes during this past
C U LT U R E From above: The Gibbes Museum of Art, designed in the Beaux Art–style by architect Frank P. Milburn in 1905; Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, founded in 1749 with its sanctuary built in 1840 by Cyrus L. Warner. Opposite page: The French Huguenot Church, built in
CO U RTE S Y O F K K B E
1844 by architect Edward Brickell White.
year to get us through these hard times, but these changes can also influence our quality of life for the future. Many have embraced flexibility with their work environments, their children’s school choice, and we have realized that there is more to life than just the daily toll of rushing through it. Charleston has a vibrant and growing business community, many school choices both private and public, and living communities of all types. These would include suburbs of new home construction, condominium living, historic estates and pieds-à-terre, and country living. The best thing about Charleston is the people living within its borders. Our world is kind and gracious in welcoming newcomers to enjoy our small paradise. Consider Charleston a serious choice for transitioning your lifestyle and know that for centuries, Charleston has welcomed its citizens from around the world with open arms. u DECEMBER 2020 89
CALENDAR
DECEMBER
Situated in the heart of Manhattan located at 59th Street and 6th Avenue, the iconic Wollman Rink is one of the most beautiful skating and event venues in the world. Guests can skate daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit wollmanskatingrink.com for more information.
1
CHOO CHOO
The New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show® will take place through January 31, 2021. Marvel at model trains zipping through an enchanting display of famous New York landmarks—imagine the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, and other favorites—each delightfully recreated from natural materials such as birch bark, acorns, and cinnamon sticks. With tickets and capacity very limited due to enhanced safety protocols that include social distancing, the only way to see this captivating display is as a Member, Patron, Corporate Member, or Bronx Community Partner. For more information, visit nybg.org.
the comfort of your home or office. What’s more, each event is limited to just 25-40 exhibitors, meaning you’ll be able to explore that specific region of the world efficiently. For more information, visit travelshows.com.
3
BRIGHT HOLIDAY SPIRITS
Get in the holiday spirit with Studio BFPL: Holiday Edition every Thursday–Sunday from December 3–20. This season, experience inti-
mate, one-of-a-kind, live musical performances that are socially distant, within the indoor spaces of Brookfield Place. Up to six people who have traveled together can expect to be entertained for 15-minutes by family-friendly celebratory holiday performances. For more information, visit bfplny.com.
Tournament from 8 to 10 p.m. Non-cash prizes will be awarded to the final table with 100% of proceeds will go to innovative breast cancer research. For more information, and to sign up visit breastcanceralliance.org.
10
A NEW LOOK AT THE MET
GOING ALL IN
Breast Cancer Alliance will hold its Virtual Livestream Poker
2
VIRTUAL TRAVEL
America’s Favorite Travel Shows Are Virtual This Fall! Seven virtual events will each take place over the course of 7 weeks, all on a weekday evening, focusing on a different region of the world or travel vertical. This format is designed to give you the ability to explore different regions of the world in just one night from 90 QUEST
The New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show® will take place through January 31, 2021, where visitors can marvel at model trains zipping through an enchanting display of famous New York landmarks.
13
A New Look at Old Masters will explore a variety of themes in The Met’s collection of European painting, creating new dialogues among the works and including a large presentation of sculpture. While one gallery will highlight the creation of still life and genre painting in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, two others will provide an overview of oil sketches from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, leading up to the Museum’s unsurpassed collection of works by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. A large gallery will display portraiture in the Grand Siècle, juxtaposing outstanding paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck with Charles Le Brun’s monumental family portrait of the banker Everhard Jabach. The eighteenth-century French galleries will take up such themes as the study of expression,
CALENDAR
become representations of culture—coveted as objects of desire, designed with artistic consideration, and expressing complicated meanings of femininity, power, and aspiration for women and men alike. Featuring 100 pairs of shoes from iconic designer Stuart Weitzman’s extensive private collection assembled over three decades with his wife Jane Gershon Weitzman, the exhibition covers larger trends in American economic history, from industrialization to the rise of consumer culture, with a focus on women’s contributions as producers, consumers, designers, and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit flaglermuseum.us.
2
THE (FOUR) ARTS
Lotte New York Palace will host its unique and exciting 2020 holiday programming to spread holiday cheer in a year that we all need it most. Visit lottenypalace.com for more information. François Boucher and the decorative arts, and the role of female artists, who finally found a place in the academy. For more information, visit metmusuem.org.
18
ONLINE TALKS
The Whitney will host a special discussion lead by Salman Toor, titled “How Will I Know” from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Please contact accessfeedback@whitney.org or call (646) 666-5574 to learn more or register. MAD FOR THE ARTS
Ongoing through February, MAD Museum will continue to show “Brian Clarke: The Art of Light,” an immersive exhibition of more than 100 works of stained glass, compositions in lead, and related drawings. British artist Brian Clarke is one of the most important artists working in stained glass, at once a leader in new technology and a brilliant aesthetic innovator. Since the early 1970s, Clarke has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent architects to create stained-glass designs. For more information, visit madmuseum.org. XMAS TIME IN THE CITY
Lotte New York Palace will host its 2020 holiday programming
to spread holiday cheer in a year that we all need it most. Offerings will include its sip-andsee Christmas tree with cocktails to-go, signature Letters to Santa program inviting young guests to mail a letter to “Santa’s workshop,” cyber weekend offers, as well as suite gift ideas from the luxury hotel. Visit lottenypalace. com for more information..
19
JANUARY 1 WALK THIS WAY
“Walk This Way: Historic Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection,” on view through January 9 at the Flagler Museum, explores how shoes have transcended their utilitarian purpose to
Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence will remain on view at The Four Arts in Palm Beach through January 17, 2021. The six artists featured in the exhibition call their paintings in beads ndwangos, which translates as “cloth” or “rag.” The black fabric on which the Ubuhle women work is reminiscent of the Xhosa headscarves and skirts which many of them grew up wearing. For more information, please visit fourarts.org.
DRIVE-IN MOVIE
From 5 to 6 p.m. at Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves will be on hand to greet movie goers at a special screen of the move Elf. For more information, visit shoplegacyplace. com.
24
SANTALAND
This year Macy’s has reimagined Santaland, creating a fun and festive online holiday experience for everyone to enjoy. Get ready to set off on a personalized, interactive journey through the North Pole to visit the one and only Santa and take a selfie with the Big Guy. More than 200,000 guests have visited Santaland inside Macy’s Herald Square each year since 1977. Take a look through the years to learn more about this wonderful Macy’s tradition that started out in our flagship store in New York City.
Sak’s Fifth Avenue and other Fifth Avenue retailers, such as Bergdorf Goodman, will forge ahead with their 2020 holiday window displays. This year, however, they’ll be keeping social distancing in mind. DECEMBER 2020 91
1
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE BY ALEX TRAVERS
2 MAKE A LIST, check it twice. Then check it against these finds for the season—with something for everyone, from shimmering diamonds for her and stylish skiwear for him. From stocking stuffers to statement gifts, we’ve got it all!
3
92 QUEST
1 2
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 1. She’ll get misty-eyed when she unwraps Rolex’s Pearlmaster 39. Price upon request at select boutiques. 2. Vhernier’s Tourbillon ring in 18-kt. white gold and Eyeliner pave diamonds. $33,700 at Vhernier: 22 E 65th St. 3. Deep and powerful, the eaux-de-vie of this Hennessy X.O. cognac are aged in young barrels and marked out by their power and energy. 4. The Museum of Arts and Design offers a special selection of jewelry and accessories, like this hand-tooled leather filigree tote. $496 at thestore.madmuseum.org. Opposite page: 1. Necklines will rejoice at the sight of Monica
3
Vinader’s Doina Wide Chain and Nura Pearl Necklace Set. $720 at Monica Vinader: 989 Madison Ave. 2. Arriving just in time for the holiday season is Oscar de La Renta’s Resort 2021 collection, a chic take on tartans. 3. Celebrate the New Year in Stubbs & Wootton’s Champers slipper. $550 at stubbsandwootton.com.
4
DECEMBER 2020 93
1
6
5 4
1. Authentic Provence knows how to bring a little magic to your home and garden, so call now: 561.805.9995. 2. Step out in style this winter with Moncler’s Inaya Scarpa Rubber Boots. $495. 3. Made to your specifications, Asprey’s Signet Ring sparkles all season. From $2,000 at asprey.com.
2
4. Who says teddy bears are just snuggly? Ralph Lauren’s Martini Bear Throw Pillow shows us that teddy can also be debonaire. $350. 5. Ring in the holidays with J.McLaughlin’s Thoreau Embroidered Corduroy Pants. $198. 6. Purdey’s The Keeper Sunglasses.
3
4
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 00 QUEST
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
1 6
5 2
1. Hit the slopes in style with these Factory Blemished skis by Citadel. $799. 2. Spruce up your home decor with a classic St. Mortiz poster. Visit christies.com for more styles. 3. Titleist’s 680 MB irons and Pro V1x balls are the gold standard for low-handicap golfers. 4. Surprise your spouse or significant other with this Gerrit Cole–autographed baseball from Steiner Sports. Visit steinersports.com for pricing. 5. Larusmiani’s Clark Gable Smoking Jacket. $3,545. 6. Nikon’s CoolPix makes a great gift the watersport enthusiast. $389.99.
4
3
DECEMBER 2020 95
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
1
2
3
1. Give the gift of interior design this holiday season with Gil Walsh. Visit gwifl.com for details. 2. Packaged in a white luxe gift box embellished with Bond’s gold token logo, this gift contains a curated collection of Bond No. 9 best-sellers: Chinatown, The Scent of Peace, and New Bond Street. $430 at bondno9.com. 3. Crafted for a lifetime of fine dining, Lismore Diamond brandy glasses balance an intricate cut pattern and luminous stem in sumptuous Waterford crystal. $160. 4. Portage Foods is your trusted source for a thoughtfully curated selection of sustainably produced, superior-quality foods from the nation’s top purveyors. Shop caviar and chocolate sets at portagefoods.com.
96 QUEST
4
1. Roberto Coin’s Diamond Classic Triangular Earrings in 18-kt. white gold. $7,100 at Roberto Coin: 212.486.4545. 2. Discover the Hope Fragrance Collection, with three new scents that celebrate you from day to night. 3. Get dressed up in Ala von Auersperg’s Alma Silk Kaftan in Desert Fantasia. Visit alavonauersperg.com for details. 4. Linda Horn offers a treasure
1
trove of goods, such as this solid silver wave bracelet. $750 at Linda Horn: 1327 Madison Ave., 212.772.1122. 5. Jennifer Garrigues’ pink tunic offers a consummate Palm Beach look.
2
3
5
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
4 DECEMBER 2020 97
1
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
6
2 7 1. The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere. $14.99. 2. Ferrari (Taschen), edited by journalist Pino Allievi and enclosed in an aluminum display case designed by Marc Newson. $6,000: taschen.com. 3. Look Again: The Autobiography (Macmillan), by David Bailey. $50.75: amazon.com. 4. The Company I Keep, My Life In Beauty (Harper Collins), by Leonard A. Lauder. $26: harpercollins.com. 5. Subscribe yourself or a friend to receive a hardback book every other month for one year from Heywood Hill booksellers. Visit heywoodhill.com for details. 6. A Princess For Christmas (HarperCollins), by Jenny Holiday. $15.99: barnesandnobel.com. 7. Assouline’s Versailles (Assouline). $895: assouline.com.
5 4
3 00 9 8 QUEST
$5
$5.
00
JU
NE
20
.00
OC
TO
BE
R 20
20
TS AR & RE U LT U C SSUE I
18
$5.00
$5.00
FEB
GR
AT
es
tm
ag
.c
ON PL RS DE ANA A AN INCI H AC TTIN PO BE YAL LM BE E ROIN PA
AZ
A
TH
om
qu
es
tm
ag
.co
400
m
32 , 19 ZA NDON LUEN IN LO G INF C MI DURINEPIDE
EPH
que
2019 $5.00 JULY
RL
DC
HA
MP
SH
IPS
ag.
com
NE
WP
OR
ag.
com
PUT YOUR NAME ON THE COVER
019
7/14/19
g.com
m ha ing nn Cu
THE SUMMER ISSUE
OF
S 12 METRE THE MARK ROUNDING RT, RI OFF NEWPO
$5.00 JULY 2016
l Bil
T2
stm
ing er mb me Re
ION
stm
IV,
que
questma
UEST
EQ
TH
T WE HE DD IS S ING UE
WO
2020
M
qu
CAM ILLA ALE XAN BRAD IN BIG DER LEY AN SKY BARDEN D , MO NTA HEIER NA
ST
NA
E RUAR AN GO Y 20 D ES HE HE 16 RE RE H CL AY D AL AU D EN LIE IA AR KE M IL NO N LE T, GRE NY, R, LEXI EN AND GAB HEN W M BY KE IC AC G L, H, K CT AB RE IG BO , T
EE THE IS NW SU IC E H
JOS
AUGU
MINNIE CUSHIN G AT BAILEY’ S BEACH, NEWPORT, BY SLIM AARONSRI, , 1965
questma
4:11 PM
g.com
ndd 1
ver_White.i
QT0719_Co
$5.00 $5.00
SEPTEMB
2018 JANUARY
ER 2018
THE H BEAC PALM ISSUE
FAL FASH L IO IS SUE N
ELISE IN RALP TAYLOR AND MAN H LAUREN OLO BLAH NIK
ques
tmag
50%off subscriptions:
.com
$5
.00
Y 20 AR JANU
$48 for one year, $75 for two years.
17
WITH KEMBLE IA CELERIE AL, AND ZINN WICK, RASC BEACH IN PALM
quest
mag.c
E H TH EAC B LM UE PA ISS
$5
$5.00
$5.00
PIPE
qu
es
tm
ag
om
.co
OF GR RA D SANA AN INN SIEN ACH R QU WITH LM BE PA IN
F
FEBRUA
T WED HE D IS SU ING E
que
stm
ag.
JULIA com
HOY T & CHA DEPART RLE SOU ST. AND S MINOT THAMP REW AMORY ’S TON , NEW CHURCH IV YOR K
.00
DE
CE
MBE
R
20
17
HO THE L ISS IDA UE Y
RY 201 8
400 THE
m
AUG
2016 UST
T
QUES
AE
RIN IN LA AS UD PE E R N
qu
LER, HAS E, ERT ROB A MONRO E, THI DUK , CYN BIDDLE OCK RGE HITCHC AT GEO RYAN 0. BILLY HNE AND TOM AND DAP PARTY, 196 UTANTE DEB
que
stm
ag.
que
stm
ag.
es
tm
ag
.c
om
com
com
To subscribe: quest-media.myshopify.com or email: info@questmag.com For more information, contact QUEST at: 420 Madison Avenue New York, NY 646-840-3404 ext. 106
2 1
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
1. Stay chic and safe with these Charlotte Kellogg masks. $25 for a set of two at charlottekellogg.com. 2. It’s easy to fall in love with Veronica Beard’s latest resort looks. Browse the full collection at veronicabeard.com. 3. Show off more than just a book’s cover with this sleek
5
Allure Stand by Assouline. $3,200 at assouline.com. 4. All Palm Beachers know that Renato’s is the best spot in town.
4
Renato’s: 87 Via Mizner, 561.655.9752. 5. Show off some holiday color with Mansur Gavriel’s mini-pleated bucket bag. $695 at bergdorfgoodman.com.
3
100 QUEST
1
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
2
4
5
1. Baccart’s Box of Assorted Wine Glasses is the ultimate in luxury glassware. $890 at baccart. com. 2. If it’s good enough for James Bond, it’s good enough for us: Bollinger’s Special Cuvée, at select retailers. 3. Stuart Weitzman’s embellished Carine Crystal ankle boots are meant for the spotlight. $795 at stuartweitzman.com. 4. Findlay Galleries is pleased to present “Nuit,” a painting by French primitive painter, Henri Maik. Visit findlaygalleries.com to learn more. 5. Bubbly: A Collection of Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails will give you plenty of fun recipes to impress your guests this holiday season. $85 at bergdorfgoodman.com.
3
DECEMBER 2020 101
1
2
1. Treat the family to a long weekend at The Colony Palm Beach: 561.655.5430. 2. For outdoor and sport enthusiasts, Casa de Campo offers the best in golf, equestrian, hunting, and more. Make reservations at casadecampo.com.do or 855.580.4814. 3. Who’s dreaming of a white Christmas? Well, we are—and we’re also dreamy for this white look by designer Nili Lotan. Shop the full look at nililotan.com. 4. G/Fore continues to put out the most styish footwear in golf, and we’re crazy for these Cap Toe Gallivanter golf shoes. $225.
5
5. Davidor’s L’Arc 18-kt. white gold earrings. $14,700 at davidor.com.
3
4 10002QQUUEES STT
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
1
5
1. Come on Barbie, let’s go party (at the spa). Playsets available at barbie.com. 2. Every child needs a teddy bear in their lives, and this holiday season the Plush Toy Soldier Teddy Bear melts our hearts. $45 at FAO Schwarz: 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 3. Lionel’s Christmas Express HO Train Set. $359.99. 4. They’ll snuggle up to the Woof Woof hat from Art Walk. $30 at neimanmarcus.com. 5. Baghera’s Classic Pedal Car. $260 at dilliards.com.
4
2
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
3 DECEMBER 2020 00
1
4
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
2 1. If you’re lucky enough to find one, you’ll be their hero: Sony’s PlayStation 5 is one of the hottest gifts this season. $499 at bestbuy.com or other retailers. 2. For the aspiring division one football player, Wilson’s GST leather practice ball is the best in store. Visit wilson. com for customization options. 3. Get ready to make poker night even more exciting this winter with this one-of-a-kind card table designed by K & J Poker. $1,780 at kandjpokertables.com. 4. Start planning your next retreat at Ocean House, the historic Rhode Island beach hotel that has been meticulously reconstructed to pay tribute to its storied past: oceanhouseri.com or 855.678.0364.
104 QUEST
3
1
QUEST HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 5
1. Got a loved one who’s hard to shop for? Lock in a lifetime of memories with a Barton & Gray membership, offering unlimited access to a fleet of Hinckley yachts, from Miami to East Hampton: 617.728.3555. 2. The Royal Poinciana Plaza in Palm Beach welcomes Orlebar Brown and its chic 007-themed collection, which will stand the test of time. Shop at The Royal: 340 Royal Poinciana Way or at orlebarbrown.com. 3. We can never get enough tartan for Christmas so be sure to add these 3DRose soft coasters to your home bar for some extra flair. $11.99. 4. Bougeotte’s Suede Slip-On Loafer. $795. 5. Lastly, add this Champagne Bucket ornament to your tree and toast 2021. $25 at bergdorfgoodman.com.
4
2
3
THE TIME OF THE SEASON BY ELIZABETH MEIGHER 00 QUEST
TABATHA FIREMAN/GETTY IMAGES; PINTEREST. OPPOSITE PAGE: THE INGE MORATH FOUNDATION/MAGNUM PHOTOS
I WAS A DEB. When I did it, I didn’t know much about the whole thing except that it entailed buying a pretty dress, was important to my mother (who was also a Deb), and would require asking 2-3 boys to be my “escorts”. I will never forget my first step into the debutante experience. I had flown home from Dartmouth for Thanksgiving and headed straight from the airport to the house of one of my best friends whom I grew up with in New York City. She and her mom were hosting a “Tea” for some of the Debs in the Junior Assemblies and The Infirmary Ball. My plan was to drop my bags and quickly change into a dress once I got there. Her doormen knew me so I wasn’t “buzzed up”, but when I rang the bell to her apartment- wearing jeans, Timberlands, and an old Patagonia- I didn’t recognize the one of a dozen or so “Deb moms” who answered the door. Before I could take one step inside, the unfamiliar Deb mom looked me up and down, and in the most sachharinely sweet voice, proceeded to tell me that the “servant’s entrance” was “just around the corner.” Before I could say a word, the mother hosting the party spotted me and exclaimed, “Elizabeth! Oh my gosh! Come in and quickly change so you can tell me all about college!”… Frankly, having often been singled out as the “city girl” throughout boarding school and college, I wore that “non-debutante” badge proudly. A debutante or deb (from French: débutante, "female beginner") is formally defined as “a young woman making her formal entrance into society”. Queen Elizabeth I began the tradition of inviting women of noble birth to be presented to the royal court. Then in the 18th century, fundraising balls hosted by King George III and Queen Charlotte strengthened the practice. In the 19th and 20th centuries, eligible American women spent months attending balls both at home and abroad—their time oversees often “well spent,” with new money bolstering the old
Clockwise from top left: Debutantes make their way to a rehearsal ahead of the 240th Anniversary of Queen Charlotte’s Ball at Dartmouth House in London, England, September 8, 2018; Lauren Bush standing in a doorway of Hôtel de Crillon at Le Bal des Débutantes wearing Christian Dior Haute Couture, accented with a Mikimoto tiara (le Bal’s jeweler that year), Paris, France, 2000. Opposite page: Debutantes and their escorts dancing at the Ball of the Concordia at Vienna’s City Hall in Austria, 1961. DDEECCEEMMBBEERR 220022001 0 0 07
Mortimer (L)—daughter of Stanley G. Mortimer, Sr. and soon to be wife of Frank Shields, Sr.—sits next to a friend (R) (possibly Melba R. Lee- daughter of T. Wallace Orr, said to be the wealthiest woman in Canada) during a debutante party in 1940. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Ava Phillippe wearing Giambattista Valli Haute Couture at Le Bal at The Peninsula Paris in 2017; Lee and Jacqueline Bouvier before their debutante ball in 1951; Mazie Cox takes a bow at the Waldorf-Astoria in 1963; Debutantes and their escorts dance at the Vienna Opera Ball in 2004. 00 QUEST
C E C I L B E A T O N / C O N D É N A S T V I A G E T T Y I M A G E S ; W H E N G L A M O U R WA S B O R N B Y D I A N A O S W A L D ( R I Z Z O L I ) ; S E A N G A L L U P / G E T T Y I M A G E S
the International Debutante Ball at The Waldorf Astoria in 2006; Katharine
DAVID X PRUTTING/PATRICK MCMULLAN VIA GETTY IMAGES; MORGAN COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES. OPPOSITE PAGE: INSTAGRAM @AVAPHILLIPPE;
From above: Pierce Bush, Ashley Walker Bush, and Michael Wolk attend
English aristocracy. In Britain the debutante tradition came to an abrupt halt in 1958. Public disproval of the ritual, along with deteriorating standards (Princess Margaret infamously remarked that “every tart in London was getting in”) and fear of “paying to play”, led Queen Elizabeth II to put an end to the practice. Nevertheless, “coming out” has recently been reinstituted outside of the royal court in the form of Queen Charlotte’s Ball. Founded in 1780 by George III as a birthday celebration in honor of his wife (for whom the ball was named), Queen Charlotte’s Ball folded in 1976 but has been revived in the 21st century. Any seasoned anthropologist could write a book (many of which already exist) about the storied rituals and traditions of “coming out” that reside stateside. The Christmas Cotillion in Savannah is said to be the oldest, beginning in 1817. Emily Post published a book on etiquette in 1922 solidifying the debutante ball as the glamorous rite of passage that it is today. In it, Post describes these balls as the “cornerstone of society.” From the roaring 20s and well into the Great Depression, the media paid close attention to debutantes. Today’s newest talk of the town is Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, known simply as "le Bal" (or the "Crillon Ball”, as it was originally held at Hôtel de Crillon). Many consider this event the epitome of Old World glamour, when in fact it was instituted by a savvy PR woman named Ophélie Renouard in 1992 as a ploy to garner media exposure for Paris couturiers. Renouard dressed European aristocrats and their famous American equivalents in eye-catching couture and decadent “haute joaillerie,” and added the universally attractive component of “raising money for charity”. In recent years attendees have included a Stallone, an Eastwood, a Willis (as in Demi and Bruce), and a Phillippe (as in Reese and Ryan).
DDE ECCE EMMB BE ER R2 20 02 20 01 0 9 0
Lodge is fitted in her debutante gown by Oscar de la Renta in 1956; Nan (Schlessinger) Kempner smiling as a young debutante; Along with procuring the perfect dress and shoes to match, women were also taught how to perform the perfect curtsy; a Debutante is escorted during the International Debutante Ball at The Waldorf Astoria in 2004. Opposite page: the dinner scene in the grande ballroom of The Waldorf at the International Debutante Ball, 2004. 00 QUEST
NINA LEEN/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION VIA GETTY IMAGES; QUEST ARCHIVES; LEONARD MCCOMBE/THE LIFE IMAGES COLLECTION VIA GETTY IMAGES; QUEST ARCHIVES
Clockwise from top: Baroness Aino Bodisco (R) looks on as Beatrice
In the U.S., deb balls are less mediacentric occasions, although most require an interview or nomination from a committee member. The South is steeped in debutante traditions. For example, Dallas has hosted the Idlewild Club’s debutante ball for over 130 years, and St. Louis has been home to the peculiar Veiled Prophet Ball, overseen by the unknown “’Veiled Prophet,” since 1978. Then there’s New Orleans, where coming out is nearly an art form. Every young woman in the debutante coterie, from every ethnic and racial background, is announced in the TimesPicayune. Private parties, which happen between summer and carnival season (various krewes and social clubs present the women separately during Mardi Gras), can get quite extravagant—just ask event planner extraordinaire Bronson van Wyck, who once recreated the royal hunting lodge at Versailles for a certain deb’s father. In New York, meanwhile, a subtle hierarchy of exclusivity still prevails. The first Friday of November marks The Mayflower Ball at The University Club, said to be reserved exclusively for debs who are direct descendants of The Mayflower. In some circles, The Junior Assemblies, held at The Plaza in December, is considered the most exclusive ball, as only family members and escorts are allowed to attend. The Infirmary Ball—formally
the Debutante Cotillion and Christmas Ball, but dubbed the “Infirmary Ball” because the event raises money for New York Downtown Hospital—is held at The Waldorf and is notorious for its requisite curtsies and dances with garlands. “I did talk the old dowagers in charge into cutting out some of that silly stuff,” remarked Jamee Gregory, whose daughter, Samantha, was a reluctant debutante in the 1990s. “I was delighted she agreed to come out because I couldn’t in Chicago in the 60s when everyone was protesting.” Of the three most well-known coming-out parties in New York, the International Debutante Ball is the youngest as it was founded in 1954. Once covered on national television, the International Debutante Ball has a reputation for being the most democratic and media-friendly. At the ball, each debutante is escorted by two men: one a United States Military Academy cadet and the other a young man of the Deb’s choice. Try posting anything cheerful about debutantes on social media these days and chances are you’ll be met with heavy cynical commentary about privilege and pretention—not to mention feminism, classism, fetishism, and a whole host of “isms”. On the other hand, I’ll never forget the thrill of shopping for that pretty dress with my Mom, or dancing with my Dad at The Waldorf (and again at The Plaza). I well understand the criticisms but I’m not going to lie—I had fun. u DECEMBER 2020 111
GROWING UP WITH CHRISTMAS IN HOLLYWOOD BY MARIA COOPER JANIS,
WHEN I WAS A SMALL CHILD, we lived in Brentwood on Chaparral Street, just above Sunset Boulevard. My parents had bought eight acres of what was originally lemon, grapefruit, and avocado groves, and built a house with a tennis court and a swimming pool. They kept most of the trees, so we had fresh fruit. We also had a large garden where they grew corn and tomatoes. During World War II, it was turned into a victory garden where we grew a lot of vegetables. We had a lot of chickens, too (my mother raised Rhode Island Reds), so we always had a lot of fresh eggs. There were also a couple of ducks and a big tortoise as well as a kennel, where they raised Sealyham terriers before I was born. The neighborhood was a little enclave of friends who also worked in the film industry. Tyrone Power and his wife, Annabella, lived across the road, as did Keenan Wynn and his 112 QUEST
wife, Evie (who later married Van Johnson). Frank Capra and his wife lived at the end of the road. Across from him was the director William Wellman, and next door was film director, Watson Webb (editor’s note: Watson Webb was the son of Electra Havemeyer Webb and grandson of sugar baron Henry Havemeyer). Also next to them was Cesar Romero, and next to him was Laurence Olivier. As a small child, you knew it was Christmas when you saw Santa Claus driving his eight reindeer on a giant display arching over Wilshire Boulevard. Then, the Pitch and Put, the local golf range on Sepulveda Boulevard in Westwood, would suddenly be filled up with Christmas trees. I would go with my father and my mother to pick one out. We’d take it home and put it up right away, although it was never decorated until Christmas Eve, after I had gone to bed.
RO B E RT C A PA
A S TOLD TO DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA
This page: Gary Cooper and Maria Cooper Janis leaving Sun Valley to catch a bus ride to the bottom of Baldy Mountain, 1948. Opposite page: Gary Cooper and Veronica Balfe get Maria Cooper Janis’s pitching arm ready.
(I never saw it with its lights and Christmas balls until the following morning.) I knew Santa Claus was coming, however, and so we set out milk and cookies for him. On my first Christmas—when I was old enough to speak, probably around three or four—I came out into the living room and my first words on seeing the decorated tree, according to my parents, were: “Well, I’ll be goddamned...!” Everyone thought it was very funny. Once, I was taken to I. Magnin & Company to visit Santa 114 QUEST
Claus, but I hated meeting Santa and sitting on his lap. I hated dolls, too. One of my first presents was a bicycle. I was about six. We took it outside and my father taught me how to ride it, running along beside me down Chaparral Street to the Capras’ house. I remember the freedom I felt for the first time riding it. A couple of years later, I wanted a horse, because all of my girlfriends had horses. That matter was couched in a discussion with my mother about learning to anticipate that you don’t always get everything you want when you want it. “You have to learn to wait.” I was told I could have a horse when I was 14, but by that time I couldn’t have cared less. When I was older, the tree became part of a Christmas Eve party, and I was allowed to attend and be part of the decorating process. It was always a family Christmas. There would be one or two couples, including my maternal great-uncles: Cedric Gibbons (who was the art director and production designer at MGM Studios) with his wife, Hazel Brooks, and Elliot Gibbons (who was married to Irene, the costume designer at MGM Studios). On Christmas morning, we’d go to mass at Saint Martin of Tours, which was right next door on the corner of Sunset and Saltaire. Another family Christmas tradition: On New Year’s Day, when we were in Los Angeles, we’d go down to Santa Monica and hit the ocean for a swim. The water was about 52 or 53 degrees. Brrr! Wearing our bathing suits under terry-cloth bathrobes, we could take the dogs with us and park anywhere. We warmed up by running in the surf and throwing sticks for the dogs. Then we’d hit the water. After a few minutes, we were back in our warm, dry bathrobes, taking off our suits, jumping into the car, and driving back home. It was a kind of rite of passage: You were tough enough to swim on New Year’s Day.
This page, clockwise from top: An aerial view of the house Maria Cooper Janis’s parents built in Brentwood; Gary Cooper and Ernest Hemingway in Sun Valley, 1940; Gary Cooper barbecuing for Maria Cooper Janis and Pia Lindstrom (far right). Opposite page: Gary Cooper and Maria Cooper Janis packing a snowball atop Mount Baldy, Idaho (above); more fun in the snow (below).
Often we’d go to Sun Valley for Christmas or right after, my father’s shooting schedule permitting. Sun Valley was more colorful and unusual. There were hayrides with horses in big sleighs with bales of hay and lots of blankets. Everyone would travel by horse and sleigh to meet up at Trail Creek Cabin, about a mile up the valley from the lodge. That’s where all the big, fun parties were held. Christmas Eve would begin with a sleigh ride out to Trail Creek Cabin for dinner. Afterward, we’d go to midnight mass in the opera house, where they also ran the movies. On those clear winter nights, the sky was so close down upon you—the beauty of nature (“Did you see the Christmas star?”)—and having a mother and father on either side of you kept you warm. Outside, after mass, with no ambient lights, you could just grab the stars. 116 QUEST
Sometimes they’d keep me out of school for a few days so I could be with my parents when they were on vacation. They put me in Ketchum grade school for a month while my father went hunting and fishing with Hemingway, my mother and I would go skiing. He also would go off and meet friends like Bud Purdy, who had a big, big ranch. My father would be out there all day or go down to Twin Falls and hang out in the local coffee shop. He had grown up in Montana and so this part of the country was most homelike for him. Christmas was always a day of love—that’s what it was for me, not about how high the gifts were piled under the tree. What obviously was a very special life was normal for me, as it was all I knew. We loved doing simple things together as a family and with friends. The “Hollywood Stars” were just my parents’ pals. It was a day of love and of, somehow, real joy. u
This page: Maria Cooper Janis, the budding Olympic racer (above); the family’s grapefruit-eating boxer, Arno, tries to plant a sloppy kiss on Gary Cooper. Opposite page: Maria Cooper Janis and Gary Cooper share a New Year’s Eve dance at Trail Creek Cabin, 1950s.
NEW YORK HOLIDAYS, THEN AND NOW B Y A L E X T R AV E R S A N D D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A
Despite a global pandemic, these indomitable institutions remain— all going the extra mile to give us a sense of holiday cheer.
This page, from above: The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in 2018; skaters at the rink in 2017. Opposite page, from above: The first Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, purchased by workers at Rockefeller Center during the Great Depression; ice
PATRICK MCMULLAN; CAROL M. HIGHSMITH ARCHIVE; ROCKEFELLER GROUP INC/ROCKEFELLER CENTER ARCHIVES
skating c.a. 1940.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER During the Great Depression, workers at Rockefeller Center proudly pooled their money to purchase the original Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It was a 20-foot balsam fir, and they adorned it with home-made garlands, standing it at the Rockefeller Center construction site as a symbol of hope and optimism. Two years DECEMBER 2020 119
00 QUEST
From above: Opening day on the Rockefeller Center skating pond, c.a. 1950; Shay Mitchell and Lucy Hale glide across the ice. Opposite page: A modern day look at the Rockefeller Center Rink.
later, in 1933, Rockefeller Center made the tree an annual tradition, one we all look forward to seeing today. The tree still stands as a symbol of confidence, perhaps one we need more than ever during these times. And it’s with great joy that we will be able to watch skaters, many celebrating special moments, glide across at the Rockefeller Center skating pond, which opened on December 25, 1936. Back then—despite the draw of the Christmas Tree and the year-round shops—enticing guests to walk down the stairs and into the sunken plaza proved difficult. A temporary “skating pond” was eventually proposed and it was an instant hit, developing into a permanent addition delighting city residents and tourists alike. DDEECCEEMMBBEERR 22002200 10201
21 CLUB On January 16, 1920, the National Prohibition Ace became the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, transport, import, or export any intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes. And so began the “Roaring Twenties,” when tens of millions of individuals engaged in one or all of the aforementioned activities. A major cultural and financial result of Prohibition was the “speakeasy,” a club where a customer could get a drink. Jack and Charlie’s “21” was one of the most famous of them all. Founded in 1929 by two cousins from the West Side, Jack Kriendler and Charlie Berns, “21” was a gathering place for the rich and famous, along with newspapermen and authors who chronicled the age, such as John O’Hara and Ernest Hemingway. When Walter Winchell was banned from the place in early 1930, as retribution he wrote in his column in Hearst’s New York Daily Mirror that “21” had never been raided by the feds. The next day it was. Soon after, Jack and Charlie devised a complex system of pulleys and levers to get rid of the liquor in future raids. That system included the “infamous” wine cellar that is one of the most coveted private rooms in New York. “21” became the stopping-off place for Wall Street tycoons, oil barons, café society, Ivy Leaguers, and the country club set from Westchester, Fairfield County, and Long Island’s North Shore. In 1931, a model of the British Airways “flying boat” was the first corporate toy hung from the “21” ceiling. Today there are hundreds of toys, souvenirs, and mementos forming the ceiling landscape, including a model PT 109, donated by President John F. Kennedy, a smashed tennis racquet, donated John McEnroe, and Jackie Gleason’s pool cue from The Hustler. And in 1938, the Salvation Army band hosted their first holiday
From above: Zsa Zsa Gabor with her mother and sister dining art “21,” c.a. 1940; a “Comanche Dinner” for Yalies, 1940. Opposite page: The Nixons with Sheldon Tannen and Bruce Synder of “21”; a 1938 menu (inset). DECEMBER 2020 123
UNITED PRESS PHOTO
sing-along, which became an annual tradition. According to Forbes, more corporate deals have been made at “21” than in any boardroom. One of the biggest was the 1983 first billion-dollar-plus deal for broadcasting rights negotiated by the New York Yankees for NBC. In the first year of “21” it was said that on 52nd Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, there was a speakeasy behind every door. By the late 1930s, those doorways lead to a legal cacophony of bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that gave the block the name “Swing Street.” By the 1960s, those nightlife establishments were swept away by development, and corporate skyscrapers replaced them all. Or almost all. There remains a single doorway on that block whose history stretches all the way back to that wild bygone age of the Roaring Twenties and the Age of Swing.
124 QUEST
From above: Jack Kriendler gets spiffed up, c.a. 1940; Lorenzo Robinson, a.k.a. ‘The Rev”; the annual Salvation Army fundraiser, 1972. Opposite page, from above: Outside entryway to a former private room, Champagne list from 1930.
From above: A Met Opera performance. The Met Opera’s Live in HD series is offered each night and averaging approximately 100,000 daily visits to the website; to date, the nightly streams have reached over 13.5 million people since the program’s launch on March 16; outside the Met Opera House in New York City. For more information, visit metopera.org DECEMBER 2020 125
DOUBLES LUNCHES Christmas is celebrated non-stop at the Doubles Club in The Sherry-Netherland. Each year, Wendy Carduner welcomes over 2,000 members and guests to enjoy eight days of Christmas luncheons. These Christmas luncheons are an established tradition; they are the warmest and most From above: A Double’s Christmas lunch; Joan Rivers and Anthony Maltese; Stephen and Christine Schwarzman. Opposite page, from above: Wendy Carduner and Santa; Megan Kelly, Allison Weaver, Meredith Dimmick, and Tristana Waltz; Karen Lefrak, Sharon Bush, Cornelia Bregman, Joan Spitzer, Jamie Gregory, Grace Meigher, and Martha Kramer. 126 QUEST
ANNIE WATT
DECEMBER 2020 127
From above: Muffy Potter, Somers Farkas, Susan Johnson, Amy Fine Collins, and Joanne de Guardiola; Candice Bergen, Eleanora Kennedy, enjoy the entertainment at Doubles. Opposite page, from above: A holiday spread at a Double’s Christmas lunch; Rex Reed poses with the polar bears. 10208QQUUE ES ST T
PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE
and Anna Kennedy; children
DECEMBER 2020 00
PN A HN O ITEO WCARTETD I T G O E S H E R E
00 QUEST
PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE
festive way to celebrate and share the season with friends. As expected this year, there will be fewer people in the Club. But everyone will be able to gaze at the beautiful desserts displayed in glass jars on the Dance Floor. This season, The Luncheons will begin on Tuesday, December 1 through Friday, December 4 and continue on Monday, December 7 through Friday, December 11. Luncheons begin each at 12:30 p.m. Throughout December Doubles will also host Holiday Smart Casual Prix-Fixe Dinners, the perfect opportunity to invite Family and Friends to Doubles. The spectacular Christmas DĂŠcor will fill the Club the entire month of December. u
PN A HN O ITEO WCARTETD I T G O E S H E R E
Clockwise, from top: Santa greets the children; Hilary Dick, Jack Lynch, and Karen Klopp; spreading Christmas cheer at Doubles; Mark Gilbertson, Mary Snow, Lewis Rose, and Alexandra Rose. Opposite page, from above: The bar at Doubles; Owen Holm, Bill Curry, and Branson Fletcher Hall. DDEECCEEMMBBEERR 22002200 10301
K E L LY
YGL
THE YOUNG & THE GUEST LIST BY BROOKE KELLY Nelson Tiberghien, Isabelle Chaput, and Jelena Cikoja.
132 QUEST
Clockwise from top left: Dale Moss; Brooks Nader and Rachel Hilbert; Alina Baikova; Mona Matsuoka; Pablo Kaestli, Justin Teodoro, and Igee Okafor.
BFA
HUGO BOSS & JUSTIN TEODORO TOAST THE PINK HEART BLUE STAR COLLABORATION IN NEW YORK HUGO BOSS and artist Justin Teodoro hosted a celebration for the launch of their new holiday collaboration in SoHo. The uplifting and colorful collection features casual pieces like sweaters and t-shirts— many with the pink heart and blue star symbols—as well as formal looks. Guests that evening included Igee Okafor, Dale Moss, Rachel Hilbert, and Alina Baikova, among others. DECEMBER 2020 133
YGL
FRESH AIR FUND’S VIRTUAL GALA IN LATE NOVEMBER, the Fresh Air Fund held its virtual “Sparkle & Shine” gala to raise funds for the organization, which provides summer camp experiences for kids in low-income communities. As the city shut down in March, the charity adapted to create engaging new programs. The virtual celebration featured appearances from Mariah Carey and June Ambrose, who have both long been involved with the Fresh Air Fund’s work.
June Ambrose
Mariah Carey
Amanda Starbuck and Trey Hanlan with the Sparkle &
CO U RTE S Y O F T H E F R E S H A I R F U N D
Shine invitation
Rich and Tamie Thomas tuning in to the gala at home 134 QUEST
Fatima Shama
HALLOWEEN DINNER IN NEW YORK TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN, Christian Siriano hosted a socially distanced DÃa De Muertos-themed dinner at Gitano Garden of Love in SoHo. The evening featured a four-course meal, and music by Honey Dijon, The Misshapes, and Lady Bunny. Guests included Nico Tortorella, Ethan James Green, Mel Ottenberg, Simon Huck, Timo Weiland, and more. u
Christian Siriano and Leigh Lezark
BFA
Geordon Nicol
James Gardner and Nico Tortorella
Timo Weiland DECEMBER 2020 135
SNAPSHOT
AN ACT OF KINDNESS “The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” —William Wordsworth ONCE WHEN I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally, there was only one other family between us and the ticket counter. This family made a big impression on me.There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn’t have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean. The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-bytwo behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, elephants, and other acts they would see that night. One could sense they had never been to the circus before. It promised to be a highlight of their young lives. The father and mother were at the head of the pack standing proud as could be. The mother was holding her husband’s hand, looking up at him as if to say, ‘You’re my knight in shining armor.’ He was smiling and basking in pride, looking at her as if to reply, “You got that right.” The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly responded, “Please, let me buy eight children’s tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus.” The ticket lady quoted the price. The man’s wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, the 136 QUEST
man’s lip began to quiver. The father leaned a little closer and asked, “How much did you say?” The ticket lady again quoted the price. The man didn’t have enough money. How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn’t have enough money to take them to the circus? Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!) My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket.” The man knew what was going on. He wasn’t begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking, embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad’s eyes, took my dad’s hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear streaming down his cheek, he replied, “Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family.” My father and I went back to our car and drove home. We didn’t go to the circus that night, but we didn’t go without. —Dan Clark
ADOPT A SHELTER PET! 3200 N. Military Trail • West Palm Beach, FL 33409 PeggyAdams.org