Attending Two Important Birthday Celebrations - Clive's and Sirio's!
Last week, it seemed as though so many people I know were celebrating their eightieth birthdays! In fact, I was invited to two wonderful celebrations. On Wednesday, April 4th, I went to the River Café in Brooklyn, where my friend, Clive Davis, the great music impresario, was having his birthday bash. Clive Davis is responsible for discovering and launching the careers of so many extraordinary musicians and some of them were at this party. Neil Sedaka sang a few of his hit songs and then urged Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, and Dionne Warwick to join him in singing a rendition of “Happy Birthday” to Clive. I can’t believe I didn’t get a single photo of that! Several people got up to speak, including Clive, who shared some moving thoughts about the importance of good friends and a loving family.
The next night, I went to one of my favorite New York City restaurants, Le Cirque, where owner, Sirio Maccioni was celebrating his birthday. This was another wonderful gathering of family and friends and Sirio looked so happy. It’s always great to see Sirio, his wife Egidiana, and his three sons Mario, Marco, and Mauro, who are all in the family business.
1 The birthday man himself, music impresario Clive Davis - I have known Clive for more than 40 years - more than half my life!
2 Posing with producer Jo Schuman Silver - Clive's cousin and Barbara Davis - philanthropist and widow of Marvin Davis
3 Kevin Sharkey admiring the fabulous flowers
4 Joan Rivers wore an amazing bejeweled bat wing dress.
5 Joan Rivers, Arnold Stiefel - Rod Stewart's manager, me, Clive, and Barbara
6 Graduates of Barnard, Barnard, and Adelphi
7 We three looked elegant in our black evening wear. My dress is a silk lace Valentino.
8 I first met Clive while vacationing in St. Barts. Clive is a lavish entertainer!
9 Clive has been a very nice friend for many, many years.
10 As usual, Joan cracked many jokes and created much laughter.
11 The River Cafe in Brooklyn, sits at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge and offers the most amazing views of Manhattan across the East River.
12 A beautiful view looking south-west towards the Statue of Liberty
13 Phil Suarez - Restaurateur and partner of Jean Georges Vongerichten
14 This is Lucy, the wife of Phil Suarez
15 Vicente Wolf - owner of Vicente Wolf Associates, the interior design firm
16 Clive listening to an amazing speech given by his son, Fred.
17 Fred, a prominent music attorney, gave a moving speech about all the music he grew up listening to - the greatest music of the 20th-century, with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and on and on!
18 Clive's handsome grandsons also paid tribute. A father of four, Clive is a real family man and gathers frequently with his children and grandchildren and vacations with them throughout the year.
19 Jumping to the next party - Here I am at Sirio Maccioni's 80th birthday celebration at his Le Cirque. Posing with Sirio's grandson, Baby Massimo and proud father, Marco Maccioni
20 We were joined by Marco's wife, musician Sabrina Wender.
21 Baby Massimo is adorable!
22 Greeting Sirio on his 80th birthday
23 I asked Sirio when he planned on putting Massimo to work in the restaurant.
24 I have known Sirio since I first ate at Le Cirque when it opened at Manhattan's Mayfair Hotel in 1974. I followed him when Le Cirque moved to the New York Palace Hotel and then to its present location in the Bloomberg Building.
25 Throughout the years, Sirio has always been the most charming gentleman and restaurateur who always hires the best chefs. I love eating at Le Cirque.
26 This is Sirio's youngest son, Mauro, with his lovely daughter Stella.
27 Here I am with the actor and singer, Gianni Russo. Gianni has played many tough guys - remember him as Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather? His daughter, Gia, used to work for my company.
28 Gianni is a dapper dresser.
29 Posing with my good friend Daniel Boulud, who was Executive Chef at Le Cirique from 1986 to 1992.
30 With Le Cirque's 9th Executive Chef Olivier Reginensi and Daniel Boulud
31 Some of the food we ate at Le Cirque - Flounder “Le Cirque”
32 Spaghetti alla Chitarra with tomato
33 This is the Fillet of Sole “Bonne Femme” served with spinach, mushrooms, fleurons.
34 And the Zucchini Blossom Risotto with basil, tomato, and parmesan
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Thanks for including us in these wonderful parties. We should all be so fortuanate as these lovely people turning 80. You look beautiful, as always.
Posted by: ann | April 12th, 2012 at 2:34 am
Martha, you're always the best dressed woman in the room! What special occasions, celebrating two of your friends 80th birthday. Mr. Davis and Mr. Maccioni are lucky men being surrounded by friends and family that obviously love them so much. Thanks for sharing pictures of these two wonderful evenings.
Posted by: Cindy F | April 12th, 2012 at 8:30 am
Hi Martha,
As I’ve said before, you have some really great friends and you all do nice things for one another. You’ve mentioned Clive Davis and Sergio Maccioni many times and we’ve seen Sergio and his family on your Martha Stewart Living Show. Mrs. Maccioni did some cooking with you and then everyone sat down to eat in one episode. The sons were younger then and now they are married and so because of you, it’s as though we’ve watched them grow up. There was also a nice special on HBO about the Maccioni family that I enjoyed watching. I think you showed one of Clive Davis’s Grammy’s parties on your current show but you have talked about him a lot over the years. It has to be quite an experience hanging out with you! Thanks for an interesting blog. Trish
Posted by: Trish | April 12th, 2012 at 9:23 am
Hi Martha, You and Kevin sure did have fun at both of these wonderful birthday parties for both of those handsome, talented eighty year old fellows! These photos are awesome and you look so great and very happy to be there! Sure would love to see the photos of Neil Sedaka, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, and Dionne Warwick! I have enjoyed them forever and they are four of the greatest singers!!!! Clive Davis is a great guy and I'll bet his speech was awesome! The party for the owner of Le Cirque, Sirio Maccioni was also great and I think I recall seeing him, his wife, and sons on your original TV Show many years ago! His Le Cirque restaurant is so famous there in New York City! How fun to see Joan Rivers at Clive's party! Fun to see Daniel Boulud, that great chef, also! Thanks for sharing these great birthday parties with us! Hope you have another great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | April 12th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Martha,
What an exciting blog. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | April 12th, 2012 at 10:09 am
This post oozes NYC swagger, so beautiful in photos. Thank you for continuing to let us peek into your charmed life
Posted by: Rebecca | April 12th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Clive Davis. Other folks can have their kings and queens and captains of industry, but for music enthusiasts Clive Davis is a colossus gazing down upon mere mortals. This is the man who birthed Whitney Houston and Billy Idol and so many others.
Vis a vis Whitney Houston, he has proven that if you've made your bones as an artist, he has your back. He is your staunchest supporter, a pitbull, as loyal as a snarling Doberman Pinscher.
One measure of his greatness is that I've never heard a bad word said about him. In my opinion, Martha, once you've met Clive Davis you can pack it in. This is a great man. Happy Birthday, Mr. Davis. And many more to you.
Posted by: r steven page | April 12th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Martha, I bet it is such a joy mingling with the kids and grandkids of the luminaries you've met over the years. Be you fire-in-the-belly professional of a Lunchmeat Larry, God's goal for us is meeting a special person to have
Posted by: r steven page | April 12th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
hi marta
happy birtday..
ı am from TURKEY....
senin ppogranlarını takip ediyorum ve çok beyeniyorum.... başarılarının devamını dilerim ... byy
Posted by: ebru | April 12th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
you are always looking soo young., thanks for shareing with us.,such nice parties.
Posted by: minerva garcia vega | April 12th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Martha, You look so much younger than the rest of the women. Your BEAUTIFUL.....Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Posted by: Debbie | April 12th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
You looked stunning! I always admire your casual style and do not often see you "dressed to the nines" - it suits you well!
Posted by: Jayne | April 13th, 2012 at 6:57 am
Martha! I loved your Valentino dress! You always look amazing! Do you know what kind of stroller Sabrina Wender and her baby Massimo have? I love it! I would love to know.
Posted by: Amz Epperson | April 15th, 2012 at 3:56 pm