D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A where to sit. And so we did. He was seated about 14 feet away from the table, with his camera in hand. And we waited for him to get started. And we waited. And waited. And finally, I said, getting impatient: “Harry, when are you gonna take the *#&%@ picture?!” And he replied casually: “I already did.” We never knew. While we were busy talking, waiting, he caught us in the act. It’s a great shot of all of us, and we actually look like ourselves. He got the real person while we were waiting. I saw then that the man, the artist, the photojournalist, the portraitist has the eye to
catch the subject off-guard, at ease, waiting. You can see it over and over in his photographs. Real life as photos. On a Friday night a couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with a friend at Sette Mezzo. (Which, incidentally, is a favorite restaurant of Harry and Gigi Benson when they’re in town.) My dinner partner and I are both collectors of information that fill out stories, so we had a lot to talk about. But by eleven o’clock, the neighborhood restaurant was empty except for us. I don’t like to keep staff hanging around waiting for me to leave, so they can
go home. We were rushing to finish up our info-fest when this guy comes in off the street. And I mean “offthe-street,” and he stands at the foot of the entry steps waiting to be seated. He’s real shabby looking, older; maybe late 60s in bad shape. Black, greying hair to his shoulders, a black plastic-visor captain’s hat. But shabby. Black jacket, maybe jeans, black, black heavy-soled work shoes. I figured he was coming in asking for a for a meal or a leftover and had a lot of “bravado.” Although he didn’t look hungry. Except: He was followed by another guy, a little
younger, long tall drink of water, kinda out of the same school of shabby/whocares; maybe a little neater. A pair. Except. Behind him were two younger women, maybe late 20s, early 30s. Not dressed to kill but just plain beautiful. And Andy, the maitre’d, seeing them arrive, immediately guided them to a corner table in the back of the room. My dinner partner from his seat could see the table was being set with some bottles of wine. They were settling in. Hmm. It was a mystery until I asked Andy: who are they? Answer: Al Pacino and Leo DiCaprio, and presumably
F R E N C H S O L E L AU N C H E S I TS N E W C O L L EC T I O N I N N E W YO R K
Charlott Cordes
32 QUEST
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Willow Lindley
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Alejandra Alonso Rojas
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B FA
Stacey Bendet