Society

JACQUELINE WELD DRAKE

JEAN SHAFIROFF INTERVIEWS JACQUELINE WELD DRAKE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF CASITA MARIA

By Jean shafiroff

I understand that you are very involved with Casita Maria. Tell me about it?

Yes, indeed. I have served as chairman of the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education for many years, and have also chaired the annual fundraiser, Fiesta. I am exceedingly proud of the work it does. Jean, we are happy to have just elected you to our board of directors.

Explain Casita Maria for our readers.

It is a group of people dedicated to the families and children situated in the South Bronx, the poorest congressional district in the country. We’ve been around for 87 years as New York’s first Latino-serving charity, long enough to have deep roots and to have secured the trust of the people we serve. Almost one third of New Yorkers are Latino, and we serve the most vulnerable families and children, many single-headed households, as we fight poverty. Our after-school and summer educational programs serve hundreds of K–12 children each day at our South Bronx facility and at Harlem Village Academy in Manhattan. We teach children to succeed.

How do you go about achieving your goals?

Casita Maria creates a safe and welcoming environment away from the streets. We offer quality arts and educational programming, integrating music, visual arts, dance, and theater with academic assistance and youth development principles to spark creativity and nurture social-emotional skills, expression, self-knowledge, and leadership abilities. We prepare young people for college and career readiness, and encourage positivity and engagement with parents, caregivers, and others in the community.

Jacqueline Weld Drake Jean Shafiroff photography by Michael Paniccea

Children served by Casita Maria

What kind of instruction does Casita Maria provide?

We have dance, music, vocal, and drama instruction as well as easel arts, and more. We have dedicated art spaces with highquality, modern technology. We also have spaces where kids can perform or exhibit. As one 5th grader in the program said, ‘When I start dancing and singing, I just forget about the people. I do not see the people from the stage, so I just get going. It makes me feel like me, and I feel excited, even if I am shaking!’

Is your art programming available to the public?

As a bridge between the arts and the community, Casita Maria also presents exhibitions and performances. These celebrate the art and artists that reflect the cultures of the South Bronx. Open to the public, these provide the experience of art to the wider community, and are traditionally well attended. Visiting artists create and exhibit work that bespeaks the culture of the community, as they interact with students and families.

How has Covid affected the organization?

Clearly it has had a profound effect on our ability to deliver programming. Schools were closed, and mandates changed from day to day. I am so proud of Haydee Morales, our executive director, and the team at Casita Maria. Even with the devastation of Covid they continued to function — distributing meals, vouchers, and helping with online educational programs. All this in the poorest congressional district in the country, where the effects of Covid were most felt due to multi-generational housing, lack of access to medical care, and our constituents being among the first to be laid off. And people were going hungry.

What about the effect of Covid on fundraising?

Although Casita Maria has managed its finances well and has survived, our main source of unrestricted funds is our annual fundraising gala, Fiesta, which I have chaired for many years. I am proud to say that it has earned its place as the best gala party of the fall season — short on speeches and long on fun, all in the purpose of a serious cause. But Covid has forced us to cancel this year’s and last year’s Fiesta. We hope that it will be back as glamorous as ever next year. In the meantime, we are sending out an invitation to support Fiesta in the hope that our stalwart friends and supporters might continue their generosity. We may plan a spring event in Palm Beach, where so many of our friends might be.

HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Carolina Herrera, Jacqueline Weld Drake, and Reinaldo Herrera. Photo by Patrick McMullan

How can people learn more and donate?

They can go to our website casitamaria.org. We hope they will all learn more.

ABOUT JACQUELINE WELD DRAKE

The biographer and novelist Jacqueline Weld wrote the definitive biography of the art patron and dealer Peggy Guggenheim, Peggy: The Wayward Guggenheim. The book was recently the basis for the documentary Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, which featured Jacqueline, whose recorded interviews with Peggy Guggenheim formed much of the sound tract. Jacqueline Weld is also the author of Rara Avis, a novel based on her life experiences in Venezuela.

Jacqueline is also known for her series of literary interviews, including those with Sally Bedell Smith, Chris Matthews, Alice Hoffman, Michael Gross, Erica Jong, Wally Lamb, Tony Mendez, Susan Isaacs, and Rebecca Miller.

As chairman of Casita Maria, Inc., the oldest Hispanic settlement house in New York City, and of its annual Fiesta, she has received a great deal of attention for her tireless work on behalf of the underprivileged of this city. ABOUT JEAN SHAFIROFF

Jean Shafiroff — philanthropist, advocate, TV host, and author of the book Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give — is a volunteer leader of several charitable causes. She serves on several charity boards: Southampton Hospital Association, American Humane, NYC Mission Society, Casita Maria, The NY Women’s Foundation, French Heritage Society, Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, Global Strays, Jewish Board (honorary trustee), and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation honorary board. In addition, she is the national spokesperson for American Humane’s Feed the Hungry Covid-19 Program. She is the ambassador for the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

Jean is the producer and host of the TV show Successful Philanthropy, which airs six times a week through LTV studios in East Hampton. It also airs on Sun20TV in Southampton and MNN in NYC every Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. Jean holds two degrees: a BS in Physical Therapy from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School at Columbia University.

THE VIENNESE OPERA BALL

By rolise raChel

Hubert Heiss, Silvia Frieser, Jean Shafiroff, Helene Steinhaeusl, Yoko Nakamura-Haider, Michael Haider, Photo by Rob Rich SocietyAllure.com

Eve Brookville Photo by Rob Rich SocietyAllure.com

Michele Herbert Photo by Patrick McMullan

Sessa von Richthofen, Richard Johnson Photo by Patrick McMullan David Hochberg, Pamela O’Connor Photo by Rob Rich SocietyAllure.com

The Viennese Opera Ball is one of the most anticipated events of the Manhattan fall gala season, as this prestigious event is attended by international diplomats, dignitaries, sovereign military orders, and those in high society. This year the swing dinner dance gala, “The Golden Age” black-tie event, was hosted at The Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and libations in the variegated marble great room with a hanging Venetian lantern before moving into the west lounge ballroom known for its high ceilings, spectacular American-Renaissance murals, and gilded moldings. The Misha Piatigorsky Trio — Misha Piatigorsky on piano, Benny Benack III singing and on trumpet, Sergei Avanesov on saxophone — and the singer Kennedy performed as guests viewed silent auction items generously donated by supporters of the gala. The iconic club was designed by the celebrated architect Stanford White, whose style followed the principles of American-Renaissance architecture. The building is known for its grandeur, elegant design, and terrace with spectacular views of Central Park, a perfect venue for the Viennese Opera Ball.

The philanthropist Jean Shafiroff and Denise Rich were gala chairs for the non-profit that benefited Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. Each year, the Opera Ball supports charitable organizations and projects in New York or Vienna. The honorary gala chairs were The Honorable Michael Ludwig, governor and mayor of Vienna; The Honorable Helene Steinhaeusl, consul general of Austria in New York; and Michael Haider, director of the Austrian Cultural Forum, New York. The gala, which was founded as an annual whitetie charity gala 66 years ago, has support from Vienna. It was created to connect the two countries to continually build economic relationships.

Notable attendees included president of the Viennese Opera Ball Silvia Frieser, event chair Hubert Heiss, Yoko NakamuraHaider, Martin Shafiroff, Malan Breton, Scott Stone, Ana Stone, Eve Brookville, Sabine Riglos, Victoria Whipple, Paula Mahoney, Nelli Hantman, Imke Gerdes, Barbara Wennerholm, David Hochberg, Pamela O’Connor, Sonia Nassery Cole, Michele Herbert, Emily Mohr, Sessa von Richthofen, and Richard Johnson.

ELSIE MCCABE THOMPSON

PHILANTHROPIST JEAN SHAFIROFF INTERVIEWS ELSIE MCCABE THOMPSON, PRESIDENT OF THE MISSION SOCIETY OF NEW YORK CITY

Jean Shafiroff and Elsie McCabe Thompson at Neighborhood Dinner of Mission Society of NYC

By Jean shafiroff

The Mission Society has served New York City for over 200 years. How has your service approach made a difference in the communities served?

The Mission Society makes lasting differences in the communities we serve by implementing a hands-on approach to education. We serve over 3,400 students each year in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx through transformative programs that offer academic enrichment, career readiness, and college access programs that increase students’ chances of lifelong success.

How has the pandemic impacted Mission Society of NYC’s approach to service delivery?

Prior to Covid-19, three quarters of our families lived at or below the federal poverty line, and a third lived in temporary housing. The pandemic exacerbated their financial difficulties. We now see more families struggling to put food on the table. Because students can’t focus on academics when they’re hungry or in a stressful environment, we expanded our scope of work to meet our families’ most basic needs. Through the generosity of our donors, we were able to provide students with care packages to help ease their families’ financial burdens and ensure they have nutritious meals at home. And most importantly, we let our families know we’re there for them by calling to check on their well-being, and provide referrals to food banks, medical care, and other critical services.

Additionally, when schools went remote, most of our students didn’t have access to a computer or internet at home to complete their school work. Unfortunately, this situation only increased the education-opportunity gap, putting more students in danger of being left behind. In response, we mobilized our community to donate or loan technology to students who needed it and quickly pivoted to distance learning.

Children at Mission Society of NYC

Our in-house team of educators transformed our curricula so we could continue to engage students through online literacy and STEM activities, provide homework help, and support parents as they homeschooled their children. For our high school programs, we created virtual office hours to help students with the college application and FAFSA processes, and offered virtual college tours. Working closely with our internship partners, we developed projects students could complete at home, allowing us to continue to pay those students for their internships. This was of utmost importance to us, since many students financially contribute to their households.

What are some lessons that you’ve learned from this experience?

The pandemic allowed us to experiment with new ideas amid so much uncertainty, and it is a great reminder of our ability to be nimble, to respond with compassion, and to find creative solutions to any challenges.

One of the most important lessons that we learned is that we are so lucky to have such an incredible community of helpers. Our donors and board of directors stepped up to ensure Mission Society families were supported during a very difficult time, and we’re grateful to each and every one of them for helping us provide these critical services. Jean, we thank you for being a longstanding board member, past honoree, and great supporter of Mission Society of New York City.

How can our readers learn more about the Mission Society of New York and how can they donate or get involved?

They can visit our website at missionsociety.org and then they can contact us. ABOUT ELSIE McCABE THOMPSON Elsie McCabe Thompson is the president of the Mission Society of New York City, one of the nation’s oldest social service organizations. Elsie is the former president of the Museum for African Art. She previously served as New York City Mayor David Dinkins’ chief of staff and as a senior litigator. She also co-founded and ran a mentoring program for minority students.

ABOUT JEAN SHAFIROFF

Jean Shafiroff — philanthropist, advocate, TV host, and author of the book Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life By What You Give — is a volunteer leader of several charitable causes. She serves on several charity boards: Southampton Hospital Association, American Humane, NYC Mission Society, Casita Maria, The NY Women’s Foundation, French Heritage Society, Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, Global Strays, Jewish Board (honorary trustee), and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation honorary board. In addition, she is the national spokesperson for American Humane’s Feed the Hungry Covid-19 Program. She is the ambassador for the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

Jean is the producer and host of the TV show Successful Philanthropy, which airs six times a week through LTV studios in East Hampton. It also airs on Sun20TV in Southampton and MNN in NYC every Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. Jean holds two degrees: a BS in Physical Therapy from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School at Columbia University.

THE COLONY HOTEL

LAUNCHED SOUTHAMPTON POP-UP AT CHRISTIE’S AUCTION HOUSE

By rolise raChel

Sarah Wetenhall, Photography by BFA

On August 15, Christie’s Auction House Gallery at 1 Pond Lane, overlooking Agawam Park in Southampton, hosted the launch of the pop-up of the iconic The Colony Hotel from Palm Beach, which stayed open through Labor Day. Many of the night’s dinner guests are regularly seen at The Colony in Miami during the winter season. Notable guests included Debbie Bancroft, Wilbur & Hillary Geary Ross, Annelise Peterson, Christian Leone, Kim Heirston, Bob Colacello, Steven Stolman, Catherine Carey, and Kenneth & Maria Fishel. The Colony Hotel’s owners, Andrew & Sarah Wetenhall, and Christie’s president, Bonnie Brennan, co-hosted the event. Swifty’s owner, Robert Caravaggi, and core staff from The Colony Hotel attended.

The dinner for the luminaries was a highlight of the summer season with over-the-top-décor representing all things The Colony. The hotel is known for its unique, hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper with hues of pink and green foliage and tropical fauna. Johnny Brown, the monkey mascot that holds a pink Colony flag was represented at the launch. A profusion of tropical flowers complemented the colorful summer attire of the guests. It really was a home away from home for those in the know when it comes to all things The Colony Hotel. The large outdoor area was filled with whimsical, signature accents from Palm Beach, including chartreuse cabana chaises, scalloped umbrellas, a paddle board with a sea grape motif, palm trees, and a signature pink-and-green beach buggy. Courses provided by Swifty’s included a Hamptons farm stand salad, artisanal breads, Swifty’s special bacon-wrapped meatloaf, crab cakes, and Florida key lime pie. Rosé Côtes de Provence and Champagne À L’EST were provided by Out East.

The Colony Hotel thecolonyhotel.com @thecolonypalmbeach

THE COLONY HOTEL HOSTS AN EVENING AT CHRISTIE’S SOUTHAMPTON

1. Annelise Peterson

Christian Leone 2. Mark Gilbertson

Hilary Geary Ross

Wilbur Ross 3. Debbie Bancroft

Amy Hoadley 4. Steven Stolman

Rolise Rachel 5. Alex Papachristidis

Julia Amory 6. Bob Colacelo

Cathy Busch 7. Kim Heirston 8. John Burman

Bonnie Brennan 9. Adam Munder

Elisabeth Munder

All images thanks to

BFA

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SOCIAL SAFARI

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

By r. Couri hay with photography By patriCK MCMullan

James Bond No Time to Die

Daniel Craig said, “I’d rather slash my wrists” than do a fifth Bond film. After seeing his final outing in No Time to Die, it might not have been such a bad idea as this was not a high point in 007’s career. The film co-stars Rami Malek as the uber villain and Lashana Lynch, Léa Seydoux, and Ana de Armas as the sexy Bond girls. Billie Eilish sings the film’s sluggish theme song. After the movie’s producers twisted Craig’s arm Lashana Lynch, Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux with tens of millions of dollars and a piece of the profits, he signed on and said of the formidable franchise, “It was there before me, and it will be there after me. I’ve had a chance to be part of all of this, and if you can’t get it up for a Bond movie as an actor, what can you get it up for?” Craig will open in Macbeth on Broadway, starting March 29, 2022.

NY Film Festival Film The stars came out for the 59th edition of the New York Film Festival, which was founded by Richard Roud and Amos Vogel. An annual bellwether of the state of cinema that has shaped film culture since 1963, the festival continues an enduring tradition of introducing audiences to bold and remarkable works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new tal-

Penelope Cruz

ent. The festival showed 32 films over two weeks, including Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, an inventive visualization of the Shakespearean play; Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers, full of suspense and twisting plot lines; and new films by Celine Sciamma, Jane Campion, Jonas Carpignano, Nadav Lapid, and Radu Jude. Corporate supporters included HBO, Netflix, Vanity Fair, Hearst, Citi, Campari, Variety, Radeberger Pilsner, and Turner Classic Movies. Welcome back to the movies. filmlinc.org

Casa Cipriani James Bond would feel right at home at NYC’s new and ultrachic private club Casa Cipriani in the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street. The club’s lux décor by Thierry Despont was inspired by the legendary 1930s ocean liner SS Normandie and features the sexiest live music room of the land. The building’s redesign is rumored to have set Giuseppe Cipriani and his son Maggio back $500 million; and I’m not talking lira. Drew Barrymore, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Usher, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, and other international types have all been spotted in the bar, dining room, and gym. The initiation fee is under $1K, and the yearly dues are $3,500. The 125-year-old Beaux-Arts ferry building also has a ballroom that seats 800 and 47 hotel rooms starting at $1,000 a night and up to $9,000 for the presidential suite. The elegant space has killer views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. Julian Schnabel did a series of enormous paintings for the event space that is available for rent if you’re willing to cough up a suitcase full of cash à la 007. Currently, the club has 1,500 members but will ultimately accommodate 4,000. Casa is already giving Zero Bond and Soho House a run for its euros. Annabel’s, the popular London club is due to open its doors in a townhouse on East 61st Street in 2022. I can wait if you can. casacipriani.com

God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards

Blaine Trump, one of the world’s leading CEOs of good works, along with Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka,

Michael Kors, Iman, Aerin

Lauder, Sarah Paulson, Judith

Light, Lizzie & Jonathan Tisch, and others of that ilk and stripe co-chaired the God’s Love We

Deliver 15th Annual Golden

Heart Awards — always one of the season’s top events.

Don Lemon, Luann de Lesseps

The benefit honored Billy Porter and Don Lemon and featured stellar performances by Cyndi Lauper and Dionne Warwick. In the mix were Rachel Brosnahan, Naomi Watts, Rose Byrne, Rachel Zegler, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Jane Krakowski, Ariana DeBose, Tommy Dorfman, Sara Ramirez, Huma Abedin, Tony Leung, Liam Kelly, and Kyla Ramsey. In honor of Michael Kors’s 40th anniversary in the business, Anna Wintour gave him a surprise tribute, which was followed by a Broadway Inspirational Voices performance. God’s Love We Deliver is the leading provider of medically tailored meals for individuals living with serious illness. glwd.org

Mazdack Rassi, Diane Kruger, Hugh Dancy, Claire Danes, Zanna Roberts Rassi, Laverne Cox, Georgina Bloomberg, Deborah Roberts NYC Ballet Fashion Gala

The stars were out for the ninth edition of New York City’s fall fashion gala at Lincoln Center. Although the benefit raised over $2.5 million, the new ballets by choreographers Sidra Bell and Andrea Miller and costumes by designers Christopher John Rogers and Esteban Cortázar disappointed. Luckily for the audience, the night opened with a stunning performance of Jerome Robbins’s classic Glass Pieces. The brilliant work was choreographed in 1983 and set to an inspiring score by Philip Glass; the beautiful jewel-toned costumes showed the dancers’ bodies and movements to great advantage and saved the night. The evening’s co-chairs included Carole Crist Sarah Jessica Parker (who was delayed on set of the Sex And The City reboot and failed to appear), Dove Cameron, and Michael Bloomberg. A highlight of the evening was the Ruinart reception, arguably the finest blanc de blanc Champagne extant. nycballet.org

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) Couture Council Luncheon Designer Wes Gordon, the creative director of Carolina Herrera, was honored at MFIT’s Couture Council Luncheon at Casa Cipriani. The benefit, attended by the city’s most fashionable ladies, raised nearly $700,000. MFIT director and chief curator, Dr. Valerie Steele, introduced Gordon, who accepted his award and said, “To Carolina Herrera, the queen of New York. The empress of elegance, I dedicate this award to you. I have only been the caretaker of the magical house you have built.” Among those applauding were Patricia Lansing, Fern Mallis, Indre Rockefeller, Stacey Bendet Eisner, Nicole Miller, Ramy Brook, Gillian Hearst, Victor dE Souza, B Michael, John Paul Jang, Young Emperors, and Ramona Singer. This year’s presenting sponsor was Nordstrom; the event was co-chaired by Jeffery Fowler and Emilie Rubinfeld. fitnyc.edu

Jean Shafiroff

Central Park Conservatory 40th Anniversary Gala:

Michael Bloomberg and Diana Taylor led the perfumed pack to the Conservatory Garden in Central Park to celebrate the organization’s 40th Sylvester Miniter, Lilah Ramzi, Gillian Miniter, Zach Weiss anniversary. The festive evening included dinner and dancing to commemorate the transformation and restoration of the park. The event, which was supported by City National Bank, raised $2.8 million to keep the park in pristine condition. The celebration highlighted the Conservancy’s capstone project to re-envision the Lasker Rink and Lasker Pool near the Harlem Meer. The night honored Judy & Russ Carson, Kate & Andrew Davis, Alice Gottesman, and Kitty Patterson & Tom Kempner. Cutting the rug were Hilary Geary Ross & Wilbur Ross, Martha Stewart, Peter Marino, Christine & Stephen Schwarzman, Fiona & Eric Rudin, Patti Harris, Anne & Bill Harrison, Tracey & Craig Huff, Sharon & Bill Jacob, Didi & Oscar Schafer, Suzy Welch, and the president of the Central Park Conservancy, Betsy Smith.

centralparknyc.org