D AV I D PAT R I C K C O L U M B I A She always boasts a variety of people, personalities, and interests. At this lunch, it was 13 women and me. I did like the situation because the girls at my end of the table were all smart and friendly and talking about “now.” On my left was Emilia Fanjul Pfeifler, who has a very successful pop-up store business on East 75th Street (between Madison and Park). It is open four days a week and, every week, the merchandise is different. Next to Emilia was Susan FalesHill, who always has interesting writing projects (as in books) and is now researching her next. On the other side of me was Mary Boies, who is a lawyer married to another lawyer: David Boies. Shirley told me Mary is a triathlon star. Mary didn’t tell me that. We talked about her life and her family: fascinating, All-American stuff. Next to
her was Holly Peterson, the novelist/writer—again, a person with many creative irons in the fire of life. And next to Holly was Kathleen Lacey, P.R. executive of the first order in the area of business. At the other end of the table was our hostess and Emilia Fanjul. And next to them: Nancy Novograd, Lauren Santo Domingo, Patricia Lansing, Lauren DuPont, Carol Saper, Catie Marron, and Annette de la Renta. I didn’t feel “out of place,” although, being the only male in sea of smart, active and attractive, sophisticated women can be awesome but, yes, slightly intimidating if you’re not feeling up to par. I felt like a kid again around all these smart girls. I don’t think I showed it, which was my goal. But it was there. Shirley always has great food. Her menu was prepared
by Francois-Xavier Tritsch, an executive chef. It was light but it was great. The hors d’oeuvres (which I was too late for) were blinis with caviar and spring rolls. At the table, the appetizer was filet of sole with fondue of leeks and ginger sauce. I don’t know what that sounds like and I didn’t know at the time exactly what I was eating, but it was fantastic. The main course was a real ladies’ lunch course: cheese soufflé with spring salad. I had seconds. Then came (very small portions, these) the dessert: lemon tart with meringue and lemon sorbet. On a Tuesday at noontime, I went to a special luncheon at the Frick Collection given by the board of trustees to introduce its Acquisitions Fund— which was established to help the museum continue to purchase objects that enhance and complement its holdings for
the enjoyment of the public. I have been to the Frick many times. The first times were when I was a young man here in New York and discovered this treasure trove of art on Fifth Avenue and 70th Street in what was once a man’s home. (It is known that Henry Clay Frick built it for his collection with the idea that it would one day be a museum for the public’s eye.) When I first visited in the mid-1960s, the Frick was well known among art collectors and museum people but, in many other ways, it was still a secret to the general public. In those years, you could visit on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and feel like you had the whole museum to yourself, so sparse was the attendance. This was generally true of even the Met during those years. Its great transition to massive public attention began
AU T U M N D I N N E R AT T H E F R I C K C O L L EC T I O N
Frederick Koch and Margo Langenberg 34 QUEST
Michelle Smith and Ian Wardropper
Julia Arnhold, Henry Arnhold and Paul Arnhold
Deborah and Chuck Royce with Jaen-Marie and Elizabeth Eveillard
Philippe de Montebello and Ananid Hatzigeorgiou
Woody Brock, Emily Frick and Peter Blanchard
C H R I S T I N E B U T LE R & B FA . CO M
Brad and Barbara Evans with Edmund De Waal