A Few Festive Parties That I Recently Attended
With the holidays upon us, I've been busy going to festive parties and also hosted one of my own. I'll be posting photos of that event soon. My friend, Jane Heller, has a December birthday and she always throws a birthday celebration for herself at the 21 Club in Manhattan on the same day that she hosts a holiday luncheon for U.S. Trust, Bank of America at the famed Four Seasons Restaurant. I also partied at the elaborately decorated Lotos Club, and on another night, I shared some holiday cheer at The Lion Restaurant. It's always fun to see how buildings and rooms are decorated.
1 On the way to Jane Heller's birthday, I drove down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan snapping photos of the great decorations. They are worth a trip to New York City! Harry Winston looks great!
2 Wempe Jewelers was a bit more subdued, but beautiful, none the less.
3 Fendi was belted with lights and icicles.
4 Uniqlo, a newish Japanese store on Fifth Avenue, was ablaze with interior lights. The sale signs in the windows looked Christmasy.
5 Juicy Couture is always festive, but at Christmas, even more so!
6 Cartier was tied with an emblazoned red bow.
7 I stopped at the Anne Hearst and Jay McInerney party at the 21 Club on the way to Jane's sit down dinner. They has a real Santa in a sleigh!
8 Jane's tables were simple, but elegant.
9 Mika Brzezinski and John Angelo chatted up the news.
10 Neal McElroy
11 Jane loves her client, Joe Scarborough, who has just altered his position on gun control - hooray!
12 Connie Verducci and Bob Cochran
13 Trinh Doan, Bryn Rose, and Kevin Moyer
14 Steve Gerard, Jane's husband, sat next to family friend, Virginia Stuller.
15 Marty Bandier and his lovely wife, Dorothy
16 Charles Koppelman and his wife, Jerri
17 Sharon Burdick, Jane's son Andrew, and Rick Burdick
18 Jane and I sat next to each other. We both ordered the 21 Club steak for our main course.
19 My place card
20 Susan Magrino and James Dunning showed up to wish Jane a happy birthday. They had been at the other party. Mika looked great.
21 Janes ice cream cake/baked Alaska - a 21 favorite
22 Melanie and Andrew, Jane's daughter-in-law and son, are proud parents of Harrison - 10 months old!
23 Another friend, John Studinski, a partner at Blackstone, hosted a wonderful dinner at the Lotos Club the previous night - the table was beautiful.
24 The room was baronial and serves as a library in the daytime.
25 The paster ceiling is eleborately decorated.
26 John stood to thank us all for being friends and offered grace before the meal.
27 Dinner started with a delicious lobster bisque.
28 Followed by a terrific rack of lamb
29 On another recent evening at the Lion Restaurant, event planner Bronson Van Wyck and his partner, Andrew Fry, hosted a lion party on Saturday night. A taxidermy lion lounged on the bar.
30 It was a very regal lion.
31 Caviar "flowed" freely.
32 It was served on the forehand in great dollops.
33 Yummmmmmmmm!!!
34 Bronson and friends!
35 The chefs at the Lion were ecstatic.
36 They work in an open kitchen.
37 Wonderful salads and dinner were available to all.
38 Susan Magrino was there in Christmas finery. Bronson obviously had decorated the place in his inimitable party way.
39 The chandelier
40 Two magnolia grandiflora chandeliers hung with mirror balls and other glitziness.
41 Tartan plaid fabric is a real favorite of Bronson's anytime of year, but especially at the holidays.
42 More festive guests
43 An eclectic mix of art is hung on every wall, and not very neatly, with many overlapping frames.
44 More of the decor
45 Dinner looked delicious!
46 Photographing the photographer
47 Ambiance
48 The chefs were very accomodating - they all were happy!
49 The bartenders were also happy.
50 In keeping with the tartan theme, kilted waiters served drinks and caviar.
51 Kevin made some adjustments to their kilts.
52 A bit more risque - We did not stay for the main event, which was ten lords a-leaping (turned out to be male strippers).
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Martha I like to wish you and your family a happy and healthy holiday and new year. May God Bless.
Posted by: pam | December 19th, 2012 at 2:17 am
Hi, Martha,
Thank you for taking us with you. That was fun! Kilted gentlemen and 10 lords a leaping hmm!
Posted by: Bobbie | December 19th, 2012 at 3:24 am
Beautiful birthday party at the 21 Club and the other party. I am so looking forward to seeing photos of your party, I am sure it was perfect and amazing. Happy Holidays and Best wishes Martha
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | December 19th, 2012 at 5:35 am
Hi Kevin, you are not posting any comments
hope all is fine with u. Are you still using twitter!
Happy holiday wish u best of luck and success.
Posted by: Rowaida | December 19th, 2012 at 5:47 am
I can only imagine how beautiful New York looks during the holidays, so festive, it must help to put oneself in the Christmas mood! I love the red bow on Cartier, simple and elegant.
You have so many friends Martha, I'm not surprised you're kept busy hopping from one holiday event to another, I can't wait to see pictures of your party.
I love the tablecloths at Bronson Van Wyck's party, tartan plaid is my very favorite to decorate for Christmas, in fact I use it to wrap all the presents under my tree.
By the way, you didn't say but the lady in picture #45 looks like Joanna Coles, Cosmos editor, I love her on Project Runway.
Thanks for sharing these wonderful holiday parties Martha!
Posted by: Cindy F | December 19th, 2012 at 6:25 am
Martha, you party animal you! I love the photo of you and Jane. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | December 19th, 2012 at 6:57 am
I agree about the festiveness of NYC in this season. I had three business days there spread from mid to Nov to mid Dec...it has been fun seeing the variety of decorations...Plus the bell of the season...the Salvation Army bell..is generously sprinkled throughout the city....keeping the meaning of the season!
Posted by: Teresa Touey | December 19th, 2012 at 8:42 am
Your parties looked like a lot of fun although a bit hectic. I loved seeing the decorations as you drove. Thanks for sharing. Trish
Posted by: Trish | December 19th, 2012 at 8:54 am
Hi Martha, I am so glad that you are so well again and have had so much fun doing lots of fun activities and attending birthdays of lovely friends! Can't wait to see your blog about your last Sunday party, also! These festive parties that you attended in NY City are marvelous to see and your photos are the best! Even seeing the beautiful decorations at some of the places in NY City is fun. also! My favorite part of this blog was the delightful birthday party for Jane Heller, your great friend! I have always enjoyed see Jane on your TV Shows years ago and she is a great person just like you are! How fun to see Jane's husband Steve, son Andrew & wife Melanie parents of 10 month old Harrison, Charles Koppleman and wife Jerri, Susan Magrino, and especially lovely you and Jane in photo #18! I just love being able to see these wonderful things that you have fun doing, Martha! Can't wait to see you on the Today Show in a couple of hours and to see your PBS Cooking Show at 10:30 this morning-that really makes my day start out fabulously!! Hope you have another great day! Off to see The Daily Wag about F&S decorating their blog studio for the holidays!! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | December 19th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Martha, you should have stayed for the leaping lords!!!
Posted by: homer | December 19th, 2012 at 9:38 am
Martha, this is a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing such personal photos.
Jan Erickson, you took the words right out of my mouth! It is so much fun to see Jane's husband Steve, son Andrew & wife Melanie, Charles Koppleman and wife Jerri, Susan Magrino. The picture of you and Jane is lovely! Wish we could see more of your jacket tho' as it looks stunning.
I also love being able to see the wonderful things in your life, Martha! Thanks for opening up your personal album.
Posted by: Whitney Binns | December 19th, 2012 at 10:24 am
Martha New York City is so pretty at Christmas time! Looks like you had a wonderful time at the Xmas parties!
Posted by: Lisa Cunnard | December 19th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Fabulous holiday parties--love 'em! When I saw the caviar at the one party, I thought to myself, "I bet Kevin would have loved THAT party!", only to see later that he indeed was already there! Happy Holidays to you and yours, Martha! Can't wait to see what's in store for 2013.
Posted by: BG in SF | December 19th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you for sharing. It's always great to see what NY City looks like dressed up at this time of year.
P.S.: The taxidermy lion was not so nice.
Posted by: summer | December 19th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I am so surprised by the way they serve the caviar! No crackers! I have never seen that before, not that I eat a lot of caviar. =)
Posted by: Nanny | December 19th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Happy holidays...I hope you don't miss your Mom as much as I do mine at Christmas. She was the best cook...your life is so much fuller now that you have two precious grandchildren. I must tell you I miss your programs on Hallmark very much...Mark, and all. I hope you don't have any more bad damage to your farm. Pat St.Aubin in Old Hickory, Tn.
Posted by: Pat St.Aubin | December 19th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
That luscious caviar made me hungry...I haven't had that special treat in many years! What a wonderful evening for everyone there. You looked positively gorgeous, Martha! Share your beauty tips with us...I love the BB makeup that you recommended on your TV show. To my knowledge, you were the first person to share that information with us!
More greenhouse and garden pictures, please!
BTW...I purchased tulip bulbs, and planted them last week. The website you posted is a great source for bulbs.
I also bought the Verilux light...a different type of "bulb"...It does seem to help me cope with the seasonal sadness, and also the additional sadness I have right now with the loss of my dear brother. Thank you for all of the above!
Posted by: Barbara Mayer | December 19th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
I want to be Jane when I grow up! Imagin having both Martha and Morning Joe as clients. The best. HBD2U Jane.
Posted by: Kiki | December 20th, 2012 at 8:13 pm
Dear Martha,
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year!! Miss your show in NYC! Love your books (almost have all 77 of them!) cooking, baking, garden and especially your crafts products. Keep up the great work. You are a TRUE inspiration!
Sincerely,
Tina Knezevic
Posted by: Tina Knezevic | December 20th, 2012 at 11:27 pm
The table set up really stands out the most and is simply stunning. The Queen of England would be impressed. Thank you for also sharing a baronial slice of life. The shots of New York at Christmas time are Amazing!
Posted by: Bridal Hallmark | December 21st, 2012 at 4:05 am
My dear Martha,
First let me wish you & your loved ones a very merry Xmas & a happy new year,
may 2013 be a year of health,wealth & joy to all!
It is the blessed time of the year we drink like sailors! eat like kings! & be thankful
of all the bounty we are enjoying.
It is also a time were we say thank you to all the beautiful people who add to our joy & happiness & you my dearest is a leading person in my bright list! Yes I have also a dark list! Thank you dear for all the beauty that you are doing!
Thank you for being a model to use in my business classes! for the zillion tips from making mouth watering dishes! simply thank God for you Martha!
Let me renew my invitation to my trendy city Kiev!
Have loads of fun & my decent regards to all your creative hard working team,
your loving friend,
Ahmed
Posted by: Ahmed khaled | December 22nd, 2012 at 4:47 am
I so want to be you when I "grow up". Just kidding, but really, thanks for taking us all out with you for a night on the town!!
Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Sue | December 23rd, 2012 at 5:23 pm
Hi Martha, I so miss your television show. I would DVR every show and watch when I got home from work. It's just not the same. Looks like you are having a wonderful holiday season. I was so happy to see that you have a beautiful new grandson. Enjoy!
Posted by: Diane Smikth | December 23rd, 2012 at 6:49 pm
The kilted waiters were so handsome ! I love the holiday and birthday photos ! Merry Christmas to you, Martha, and your family. I hope 2013 brings good health, peace and continued success to you. Thank you for your daily energy and inspiration. I can't wait to go in to NYC and see the displays.
Posted by: Bea Trainer | December 24th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Thanks for taking us along. Great fun. Merry Christmas!
Posted by: Karen | December 29th, 2012 at 12:12 am