Washington Life Magazine
Washington Life Magazine
Around Town

with Donna Shor

This past New Year's Eve seems to have been the least "celebrated" of any in recent times. Many of the usual party peoplecocooned at home; long-planned extravaganzas melted away in a sea of cancellations.

As for Washingtonians who really partied, most successful among the farsighted few were probably Brad and Natalie Bunker Stoddard.

In May of 1997 they heard that the millennium voyage of Crystal Cruise's ship Symphony would be a super-gala one. Aboveall, it would have two complete New Year's Eve parties, as the ship would cross the International Date Line twice.

They were hooked-and so they booked. In Auckland they boarded ship for Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, the 150-island groupnear Fiji. This was the site we saw repeated in the U.S. throughout the New Year's coverage, with the Tongan elder handing ayoung boy a flaming torch as a peace symbol to the world from the first country to enter the millennium.

It seems the King of Tonga had managed last year to have the International Date Line reinterpreted, and sharp-eyed TVviewers may have noticed the "jog" on the Line as the Tongan map was televised. Aboard the Symphony, all the buzz hadit that the King heard Russia was planning to beat him out and claim priority. Not to be out-done, he used the redrawn line toorder all Tongan clocks set an hour ahead.

Meanwhile, the Symphony steamed out past Tonga, just to the Line itself, reaching the year 2000 even earlier (thoughTonga-as the Tongans wished-was still the first land mass to enter).

The ship then re-entered 1999, turned the clocks back 24 hours, and skirted the Date Line until it was time to cross it againinto the year 2000. (Confused? We are.)

By this maritime maneuver, Natalie, Brad, and others on the Symphony became not only the first to enter the 21stcentury, but also the last to leave the 20th.

Their first New Year's Eve featured a Black and White Ball, with caviar, lobster, and foie gras; at the second, everyone worefuturistic costumes and watched a replica of the Times Square Ball drop at midnight.

But the fun didn't end there. The Symphony went on to Guanabara Bay, Apia in Western Samoa, Christmas Island, and, asif that weren't enough, Honolulu on Oahu and Lahaina on Maui.



Holiday Happenings: Back in Washington, New Year's revelers whooped it up dancing in the foyer of the Kennedy Center,and at the gilt-edged White House gathering which attracted a firmament of film stars and celebrities.

The first big holiday event was the Christmas party hosted by Nicole and Jean-Jacques Reibel at the Willard,where he is General Manager. The guest list included everyone staying in the hotel that night, along with several hundredlocals drawn from Washington's social, business, and political worlds.

Carolers sang around the lobby's big Christmas tree, while Crystal Room tables were laden with caviar, lobster tails,melt-in-your mouth baby lamb chops, and salads. The Espresso Room boasted over thirty desserts, along with an ice cream tableand a crêpes bar.

The event honored the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which enriches the lives of children battling serious illnesses, with a generousgift from the hotel to the organization.



A glamorous at-home holiday gathering was the black-tie, sit-down Christmas dinner for 24 hosted by the Honorable DonaldDawson and his wife Virginia. The holiday-trimmed rooms were filled with poinsettias and an abundance of red roses.From the outside, the house was so intricately wound with lights and decorations one awestruck approaching guest said, "Idon't know whether to unwrap it or walk inside."

Guests were treated to delicate little cups of an ethereal artichoke soup (from a recipe Ginny discovered years before at HongKong's Regency Hotel), and flavorful wild mushroom ragout in tart-let shells, salmon-wrapped asparagus, and baked cheese withFrench bread snippets, followed by a turkey dinner which ended with great desserts.

Attendees included Baron Gian Franco Fiorio and his mother Baroness Maria; Countess Gertrude d'Amecourt and herdaughter Nicole, Brian Fifield, John and Dianne Martin and their family; Ginny's son Robert Fox, wholives in the PGA resort in Palm Beach, and in from Como, her daughter-in-law Egedia with their teenaged daughters Veronica and Vanessa, all three beautiful in flowing chiffon gowns.

After dinner, guests were treated to a Christmas concert from Bach to pop and jazz, by classically-trained pianist, Christopher Linman, who just finished an acclaimed stint at the Kennedy Center.



Winter Wonderland: A record-breaking Choral Arts Society Ball, chaired by Denise (Mrs. Braddock) Alexander, brought more than 900 people to the Kennedy Center for the Society's 19th annual Christmas concert benefit, followed by atruly sumptuous gala at the International Trade Center of the Ronald Reagan Building.

Music Director Norman Scribner led the 190- strong chorus through an eclectic program of Christmas carols. Featuredmezzo-soprano Denyce Graves arrived from a Stockholm engagement and the surprised audience was thrilled when at onepoint Scribner urged them to sing along with her. (If you can't make it to the Met yourself, at least you could say you'vesung with one of their stars. It beats carrying a spear.)

Afterward, guests entering from the Trade Center balcony looked down onto one of the most beautiful and dramatic benefitsettings of the year. Planners were Denise, her mother Gerda McGrath, and designer John Burkhart, director ofthe Showcase Co. of Rockville, who donated the $100,000 decor. Guests dined and danced to Doc Scantlin's Orchestra amidst awonderland of over 200 Christmas trees, an army of nutcracker soldiers fifteen-feet tall, matched by "beefeater guards" infull regalia. The chic table settings were topped by poinsettia "trees", mercifully low enough so you could still see everyoneacross the table. Each tree had been painstakingly assembled and wrapped with Spanish moss by Decor Chair Gerda.

In the crowd: Corporate muscle such as Jonathan Ledecky, Michael Saylor, Jack Miller, Jim Kimsey, Raoul Fernandez.Kenneth and Keval Bejaj, and the Kenneth Woodcocks were major supporters. Power women included Joanne Mason,Grace Bender, Jane Sloat, Beth Dozoretz, Kay Kendall, Esther Coopersmith, Lorraine Wallace, and Lucky Roosevelt.

British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer and Lady Catherine were the Honorary Chairs, and the menu and beefeaterdécor carried out the British theme. Trade Center chef Will Greenwood set a new standard in benefit food, with salmon,two-inch thick lamb chops, and a sinful Cappuccino Mousse cake. Cheese, nuts, and dried fruit accompanied an excellent Port tofinish.

A few weeks earlier, the Meyers hosted a fun party for the Benefit Committee at the British Embassy. One of the showierbenefit auction items stood parked at the entrance to the residence: a gigantic, glossy, new Lincoln Navigator, with a hugebow atop it, serving as bait for the auction-action crowd.

Still another related party, given by Ritz-Carlton executive William Tiefel in his exquisite Kalorama home, includedBenefit Committee members among others. Bill's party not only honored Denise for her chairing accomplish-ments, but alsoDenise's husband, Brad and their nine-month-old daughter Braden for an excellent joint project the day before, when Bradenstarred at her christening.



Hillary Rodham Clinton. Author Barbara Olson, Congressional Committee Chief Investigative Counsel on Clintonmatters, was given a book-launching at the McLean home of Patricia and Richard Carlson, head of thetelecommunications consulting firm Gately-Carson. He is also a former Ambassador and former Director General of Voice ofAmerica.

Guests included Ken and Mrs. Starr; the John McLaughlins; Sheila Tate (once Mrs. Reagan's PressSecretary); Ellie and Philip Merrill of the Washingtonian; Tammy Haddad, Executive Producer of the"Maury Povich Show," with husband Ted Greenberg, a U.S. Justice Dept. prosecutor; Phil Chalk, editor ofRegardie's new magazine, Power Media; Robert Bork, Jr.; Joe DiGenova and wife Victoria Toensing. Others included pretty Jeannie Theisman, who was a Miss America contestant (as Miss Connecticut), has worked as asportswriter and TV anchor, is the ex-wife of quarterback Joe Theisman, and now helps with Patricia Carlson in thehouse established by Mother Theresa in Washington, which sends food and medicine to Third World countries. Present also werethe hosts' son, Tucker Carlson and his wife Susie. He's a Washington correspondent for Tina Brown's new magazine Talk, and was dubbed "someone to watch in the media" by W magazine.



Unwrapping the Obelisk, Wrapping the Pyramids: Even as scaffolding on the obelisk we call the Washington Monument wascoming down, Michael Graves, designer of the blue wrapping, was attending the dedication ceremony of the new Alexandrialibrary he served as architect. The striking building encompasses pyramid shapes, domes and pillars, and is state-of- the-artinside and out. Graves-designed teakettles and such are sold across the country, and knocked off just as widely. Asked if hewas pleased so many wanted the scaffolding left up, he said he was especially happy the White House requested the wraps beleft on until after the millennium fireworks.



Tiaras and Toys: Although it was a formal seated dinner for 70, the focus of the evening was friendship and fun. Thesite was the Washington Club, and the host was Ed von Kloberg, Jr., Chairman of Washington World Group International,with a guest list ranging the whole Washington scene-as one guest remarked, "Everybody here is a somebody."

Take-home dolls, pin-on laser butterflies, and shiny tiaras decorated the tables. The steak and wines were excellent. Seen: the Ambassador of Iceland and Mrs. Hannibalsson; the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic and Mrs. Saladin Selin; the Ambassador of Costa Rica and Mrs. Darenblum; Mr. and Mrs. RichardSoudriette (President of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems); Howard and Barbara Burris;Princess Doda de Wolf; Phillip Van Rennsellaer; Prince and Princess Alexis Obolensky; Hon. and Mrs. VanceHartke; State Department's Irwin Hicks; Countess Marc Amadee d'Anselme; the Ambassador of the Côte d'Ivoire and Mrs. Koffi Koumoue; Dr. Morad Tavallali; and Mrs. Pascale Tavalli.

Ed introduced everyone present with a few words about each, but when he got to Margaret Heckler, who has served as aCongresswoman, as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and as U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, he said, "I don't know which ofyour titles to introduce you with." Not missing a beat, Margaret replied, "Just call me 'Your Excellency'."



What's Happening: The presence of Jordan's Queen Noor, beautiful as always in lace-topped black and wearing aminiature of her late-husband King Hussein, was especially appropriate at the Peace Links Gala. The Queen, known forher peace campaigns, especially her work to ban land mines, addressed the group founded by Betty Bumpers in 1982 whichseeks to find peaceful alternatives to violence. Queen Noor came to the Capital Hilton with her father Najeeb Halaby, and at one point, was startled to find at her feet Rep. John Dingell, who had fainted, but who recovered sufficientlyto wave goodbye as he was carried out on a stretcher…The Washington Opera met cyberspace at their first-ever in Washingtonlive Internet Auction, conducted by Amazon.com Live Bid Auctions. In tandem, Christopher Martens was leading the liveauction at the opera group's benefit party at La Maison Française of the French Embassy. Food and setting were distinctlyGallic at the event sponsored by the Women's Committee, with Mrs. Edward Bruce as Chair, and Honorary Chairman J.Carter Brown.…Dinners at the McLean home of Anna Maria and Giorgio Via are known in the diplomatic communityas evenings where diplomats can relax and get to know each other. At their party honoring the recently-arrived Ambassadorof Austria, Peter Moser, brave Anna Maria decided to do some-thing different. For a guest list that included fiveambassadors, she departed from the usual din-ner- party dishes, and cooked a rustic Italian din-ner from her homeland that wasa big success. Guests included the Ambassadors of Portugal, Columbia, Rumania, Israel, and Austria, and theirwives, Lolo Sarnoff, Marcia and Martin Feinstein, and Gertie d'Amecourt. Also from the Embassy of Austriawere long-time Deputy of Mission, Minister Franz Kuglitsch and Mrs. Kuglitsch. When asked at another party afteran embassy changeover if he was "the new Hungarian," he answered with a twinkle, "No, I'm the old Austrian."

Buzz From Palm Beach: Bob Corby, showing off The Cobalt, his new ship he designed and had built, to the Smoaks, Mary Frances, Joe, and Francie… Gina Lollobrigida will attend the American Cancer Society event there onFebruary 11th which Helen Boehm will chair. Incidentally, godparent Helen brought to Braden Alexander's christening a rosary blessed by the Pope, and a beautiful diamond cross and heart. When mother Denise asked Helen ifshe could wear the diamonds until the baby girl grows up, Helen answered, "Not until she gives you permission!"… Domenic and Sonia Puopolo gave a terrific party in Miami, with four tubs of caviar and every celebrity in town.The Brad Alexanders planned to join Gerda there, but had to change their plans. Imagine Denise's surprise when she found amessage on her car phone that Sonia had arranged. It was "La Vida Loca" pop idol Ricky Martin saying, "Denise, whereare you? You are supposed to be at the party." Denise says that's one message she will never erase.

Is there an item you think "Around Town" should know about? Send e-mail to DonnaShor@aol.com.


 



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