Oscar L. Tang
Monday, May 8, 2006
China Institute 80th Anniversary Gala Benefit
The Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center
China Institute presented the Blue Cloud Award to Oscar L. Tang, who in the late 1990's made a stunning gift to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art estimated to be $14 million, enabling the museum to obtain 11 major paintings from the renowned collector C.C. Wang and overhaul its Asian galleries. The donation pushed the Met to the forefront of Chinese painting collections.
"It's important to me that Americans learn more about Chinese civilization and culture," says Tang, who sees philanthropy as a part of his journey of assimilation into a new culture.
An incredible turnout of friends and collegues included: Philippe de Montebello (Director, Metropolitan Museum), Yue Sai Kan (who was recently on Charlie Rose), Haeyoung Tang (best hair), Washington Sycip and his niece (the artist) Emily Cheng, Sandra Eu (named most beautiful woman in the room), Melissa Chiu (Director, Asia Society Museum), and my friend William Chan who used to be at Citigroup, now is with Credit Suisse. This year’s 80th Anniversary Gala Benefit was co-chaired by Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Virginia A. Kamsky, and John M.B. O’Connor.
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Vera Wang
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA),
Thirteenth Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon
The Waldorf-Astoria
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), Greater New York Chapter, hosted the Thirteenth Annual Women of Distinction Luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria. The honorees included fashion designer Vera Wang, Susan Lyne, President and CEO, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. and Madeline Boyd, Senior VP External Affairs, NY Mercantile Exchange. The hostess for the festivities was Cynthia McFadden, Co-Anchor ABC News, Primetime and Nightline. In addition to supporting this worthy cause, guests were treated to a preview of the Vera Wang Fall 2006 Collection and fashion show presented by Bergdorf Goodman. Attendees also participated in the Ultimate Raffle for the "it bag" which is defined as: 1. the most coveted designer bag of the season, often unavailable to the general public 2. a rarely seen bag, except in close proximity to a red carpet 3. a bag worn by a-listers, celebrities, socialites and fashionistas 4. often considered "arm candy". The raffle included: the Hermes Birkin, Hermes Kelly, Louis Vuitton Macha, Fendi B. Fendi, Christian Dior Gaucho, and Judith Leiber Custom Monogrammed Minaudiere. Proceeds from the luncheon and the raffle went to funding cutting-edge research for finding a cure to Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
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Gwyneth Paltrow and Michael Stipe
Photo: Patrick McMullan 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Food Bank For New York City
2006 Can-Do Awards Dinner
Recognizing their longtime partners working to end hunger in New York City, the 2006 Can-Do Awards Dinner was held at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers.
A star-studded host of honorees included: Michael Stipe (band REM), Brooke Johnson (Food Network), Ed Fowler (Neighbors Together), Master of Ceremonies: Stanley Tucci, Auctioneer: Piers Davies, Christie's, Guest DJ: Helena Christensen. Supporters of the Food Bank For New York were thanked with a special guest performance by Patti Smith. Also in attendance to lend their support to this most important cause were Food Bank Board Member and celebrity chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, artist Julian Schnabel, and filmmaker Michael Moore.
The mission of the Food Bank For New York City is to end hunger by organising food, information and support for community survival and dignity.
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Mark di Suvero & Beth Rudin DeWoody, Photo: Eric Weiss
Publicolor 6th annual fundraiser “Stir, Splatter + Roll”
Louis D. Brandeis High School, 145 West 84th Street
Publicolor honored the Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly for his commitment to reduce crime in and around New York City’s public schools. Along with Mayor Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, Commissioner Kelly helped establish the School Safety Initiative, a program that aims to provide a safe atmosphere, free of fear and intimidation to every student who wants to learn.
The evening began with colorful cocktails and a silent auction, which included an autographed Poltrona Frau leather Type 1 Tray by Lella & Massimo Vignelli, and Christofle crystal & silver ice bucket & tongs by Adam D. Tihany, while the live auction included dinner for 2 at Nobu57, plus a signed & framed CAD drawing of the ceiling by David Rockwell, and a magical musical evening, a very rare private concert by Phillip Glass—definitely priceless!
All guests were given white tyvek painting coveralls to put over their party clothes so that they could join in the fun, and paint with others on collaborative, large-scale murals. Those who participated in stirring, splattering and rolling paint were: stockbroker Liz Wang, Beth Rudin deWoody, Lella and Massimo Vignelli, sculptor Mark di Suvero, composer/musician Phillip Glass, the artist Sol Lewitt, performance artist Meredith Monk, and restaurant designers: Adam Tihany (Jean George, Per Se, Le Cirque), and David Rockwell, (of the famed Nobu restaurants).
About Publicolor: its mission is to transform institutional spaces such as schools and police precincts into bright, cheerful, productive spaces—in essence, to make the world into a beautiful place, a space for learning and growing. A school that has been “publicolorized” becomes graffiti-free, attendance goes up and academic performance improves because color connects us to our inner spirit. The students develop a sense of worthiness and ownership because they're the ones who've created the space.
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Tan Dun, composer
Thursday, April 27
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
33rd Annual Patrons Gala Benefit
The Metropolitan Club
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra along with Tan Dun presented an evening of Eastern and Western classical and popular music at The Metropolitan Club in New York.
The festive evening began with cocktails in the Grand Foyer of the Club, followed by a concert with Orpheus and Zhang Qiang (a special guest artist from Beijing).
I had the pleasure of being seated next to Paul and Daisy Soros, who were enchanting companions, as well as Sylvia Hemingway (who happens to be on the Board of Trustees), and with Tan Dun and Edmund C. Duffy in front of me, I was in spectacular company!
This exclusive, black tie event included a dinner and also featured a live auction. Honorees for the gala were the renowned, Grammy and Oscar award-winning composer Tan Dun and philanthropist, Edmund C. Duffy.
Heidi Neuhoff & Lizabeth Newman were the gala co-chairs, and guests included Shirley Young and my friend Xiaoming Zhang (head of Contemporary Asian Art at Sotheby's), and power broker, Kathy Sloane among the many notable others.
Before being treated to an incredible auditory experience, an award was given to Tan Dun (illustrious composer and conductor from Beijing--named "musician of the year" by the New York Times--who we most often are familiar with from his sountrack in such notable Ang Lee films as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Hero"--you can listen to his other works on the Sony Classical label) received the much deserved Orpheus Award for outstanding creativity in the musical arts. Edmund C. Duffy (Trustee of the Peter J. Sharp Foundation, and also a partner at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, New York) received the Orpheus Award for visionary support of music education.
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Henry Buhl & Chosan at NY Academy of Art's
Tribeca Ball: "La Dolce Vita"
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Natalie Pray, Sir John Bond, Vicki Downey
Photo: Julie Skarratt 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
"The English Ball"
The Leading British event in New York City
presented by St. George’s Society of New York.
This year, Sir John Bond, Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings, the global UK-based financial institution, received the Society’s Medal of Honour with trumpet fanfare at the English Ball on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at The Pierre Hotel which was temporarily transformed into a sort of Kensington Palace, with all the formality of presence bestowed upon royal citizens of Her Majesty The Queen.
“The Medal of Honour recognizes Sir John Bond’s notable contribution to Britain’s financial services industry both domestically and internationally.” Said Natalie Pray, President of St. George’s Society.
Pomp and circumstance characterized The English Ball, and British ex-pats and anglophiles alike were transported away from the hustle and bustle of midtown Manhattan to a vision of royal splendor, where the plethora of medals, decorated many of the men, while the women were be-decked in long flowing gowns and diamond tiaras. Among those seen and heard were June Y. Felix (General Manager, Global Banking, IBM) in a stunning tangerine floral dress, and William H. Wright II (Managing Director, Morgan Stanley) in a dapper tuxedo. A very handsome crowd, indeed, due to the excellent work of Vicki Downey & Nancy Sakas who were the Ball’s chairwomen.
“God Save the Queen!” exhorted Jon Benjamin (deputy consul general of Britain in New York) at the conclusion of the awards ceremony.
The ball is the premier annual social event of the British-American community in New York and a major fundraiser supporting the Society’s charitable work.
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Martha Loring (great great granddaughter of Henry Clay Frick), Marina Rust Connor and Lauren duPont
On Thursday, May 11th, 2006, The Frick Collection was the beneficiary of the Preview Opening for the International Fine Art Fair (a Haughton International Fair) held at the Armory at Park and 67th Street. The reception raised over $225,000 in support of the museum’s special exhibition program, and over 550 people attended.
Photo: Courtesy of The Frick Collection
Photographer: Christine A. Butler
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