Out & About
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
With “The Gates” as its theme, the Young Associates of the Women’s Committee gathered at the Central Park Boathouse Wednesday night. Many guests wrapped themselves in shades of saffron, orange. The event raised $70,000 for Playground Partners, a conservancy group that maintains the park’s 21 playgrounds. The co-chairwomen of the event were Gillian Miniter, Marcia Mishaan, Heather Mnuchin, Samantha Topping, Ivanka Trump, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, and Aerin Lauder Zinterhoffer. Ms. Trump called “The Gates” “absolutely stunning – you can walk past a spot that’s so familiar, and it looks different.”
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Just as the Central Park Conservancy party was winding down, the Winter Ball at the Museum of the City of New York kicked off. As a gesture of goodwill, the Conservancy ran a trolley shuttle to the museum from the boathouse – and what a fancy trolley it was, full of couture-clad women and men in white tie.
The ball, in its 20th year, featured decor overseen by its sponsor, Yves Saint Laurent. The centerpieces were orchids, over lavender tablecloths upstairs and orange (saffron?) cloths downstairs. More than 600 guests sat for dinner – smoked salmon and beef stew – before the late-night dancing.
It was a night to dress to the nines. Gowns were either very long or very short. Michelle Smith, the cheerful designer behind the label Millie, trimmed four inches from a gown that was in her runway show last week.
“I love getting dressed up – there are so few occasions to do so,” Jared Goss said.
For many years, guests gathered for dinner parties in private homes and the event started late. The current format allows guests catch up with more people, said the chairman of the museum’s Director’s Council, which hosts the event, Mark Gilbertson.
Mr. Gilbertson, who is also a trustee of the museum, hosted his 72 guests at two long tables of 36 each. “That way no one argues over who sat at the better table,” he said.
The highlight of the event for Mr. Gilbertson was “seeing everyone come together – it’s a fun mix of ages and relationships.” He was also pleased that it stopped raining at 6 p.m. and that on the day of the event, his phone didn’t ring with any cancellations.
The event raised $340,000, thanks to the work of the Director’s Council chairmen, including Kristina Stewart, Robert Lindgren, Cynthia Lufkin, and Allison Rockefeller.
