and Mar-A-Lago! Wilbur and I popped into Mike McCarty’s pre-Coconut dinner at his restaurant before motoring over to Judy and Alfred Taubman’s glorious oceanfront Addison Mizner palazzo for a small seated dinner. Last stop before saying, “Hello” to 2012 was the Coconut’s supper dance—better than ever thanks to Julia and David Koch’s very generous donation of 30 minutes of dazzling fireworks at the midnight hour. The evening was especially festive, too, as so many decorative “young’uns” attended such as Ted Geary, Tatiana Smith and Rem Curtis, Nicole and Matthew Mellon, Phoebe Gubelmann, Binkie and Chris Orthwein, Ed Swenson, Travis Acquavella, Nick Acquavella, Christina Warner, Lauriston Roach, Tory Grauer, Harry LeFrak,
Night of Great Expectations,” a benefit dinner started by Emilia Fanjul almost a decade ago to support the charter schools (Everglades Preparatory Academy and Glades Academy Elementary), is hands down one of my all time faves. How could it not be? First of all, what could be more worthwhile than education? Second of all, the party is small, cozy, and fun in a beautiful setting at a fabulous restaurant: Café Boulud. The evening started with drinks outside in the ultra-glam courtyard. While sipping icy Barcadi mojitos, guests perused the terrific auction items on display by the softly lit Coquina fountain framed by sheltering palms under the stars. Into the seated dinner on the terrace where about 200 guests feasted on swiss-chard ravoli, braised veal shank,
equally amazing goodies to raise over $800,000. Wow! Among the supporters were Pepe Fanjul with Raysa and Alfy Fanjul (and most of their extended family), Arianna and Dixon Boardman, Cynthia Boardman, Serena Boardman and John Theodoracoplos, Britty Bardes and Johnny Damgard, Whitney and Eric Bylin, Luce Churchill, Celerie Kemble and Boykin Curry, Countess Christina de Caraman, Prince Michel de Bourbon-Parme and Princess Maria Pia de Savoie, Mona de Sayve, Ann Downey, Jackie and Rod Drake, Jackie and Ken Duberstein, Llwyd Ecclestone, Suzie and Ed Olson, Gillian Fuller, Judith and Rudy Giuliani, Lorna and Larry Graev, Marty Gruss, Jane Holzer, Michele and Howard Kessler, Marianna
Above, clockwise from left: a stay on the yacht Athena was a recent auction item during a benefit for Everglades Preparatory Academy and Glades Academy elementary; “A Night of Expectations” was held at Cafe Boulud in Palm Beach; fireworks were a gift from the Kochs at the Coconuts on New Year’s Eve.
Kelly Van Ingen, Elizabeth Meigher, Amanda Meigher, Christina and Billy Bryan, Maddy Potvin and Alexandre Desmarais, and Marina Rutherford and Sims Lansing, plus us “grown-ups.” There are so many worthy causes—so many benefits, events, fundraisers—so when you come across one that seems like a private party it really stands out! “A
and warm chocolate soufflé or strawberry shortcake with wines such as Lurton Pinot Gris and Vega Sindoa Cabernet Sauvignon—yum! Just before dessert, Sotheby’s chairman of North and South America and star auctioneer Jamie Niven brilliantly auctioned off such sensational items as a stay on Jim and Kristy Clark’s dazzling yacht Athena and other
and George Kaufman, Kate and Hashem Khosrovani, Karin Luter, Carol and Earle Mack, John Mashek, Grace and Chris Meigher, Talbott Maxey, Mila Mulroney, Vanessa Mulroney, Pauline Pitt and Jerry Seay, Percy Steinhart, Judy and Alfred Taubman, Gale and Harry Theodoracopolos, Pricilla Whittle, Jane Ylvisaker, and more! u F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2 1 3 9