ASIA SOCIETY'S THIRD ANNUAL SPICES & RICES GALASeptember 16 · Embassy of Australia PHOTOS BY NANCY OSTERTAG THE EVENT: In the midst of its 50th anniversary, the Asia Society marked its 3rd annual celebration of cuisine and culture with a gathering under the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. How did they accomplish this feat in the Northern Hemisphere? Simple - the ceiling of the main hall of the Australian embassy has an exact replica of that nation's evening sky! THE SCENE: Eleven diff erent Asian embassies served dishes for a diverse group of guests; an artist painted Chinese characters for free; Balinese dancers performed; CBS News Correspondent Joie Chen provided the introduction; and acclaimed fi lm director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Namesake) gave an inspirational speech after being recognized by the group for her work. Members of Dance Asia Alliance treated Mira with a wonderful dance choreographed to soundtracks from her many fi lms. THE GUESTS: Australian Amb. Dennis Richardson and wife Betty, New Zealand Amb. Roy Ferguson and wife Dawn; Hevré Houdré, Shigeko Bork, Janice Kim, Yoshie Ogawa and David Merrill.
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