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In Gray Foy's Salon celebrating the publication of The Grand Surprise: The Journals of Leo Lerman.
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| “The Grand Surprise: The Journals of Leo Lerman” hosted by his longtime companion, the painter Gray Foy, with Stephen Pascal, the editor of The Journals. Over 200 friends of Leo and Gray’s gathered in the Edwardian splendor of their apartment in the Osborne.
Leo Lerman was a writer, critic, editor who worked at Conde Nast from the 1940s until his death in 1994. He was a big man in stature in his community (of culture and the arts), and in physical presence. He was one of those New Yorkers who cultivated so many friends and acquaintances in the arts, society, and entertainment that he had great influence in those circles as a catalyst. He lived for many years in a sprawling apartment at the Osborne with his partner Gray Foy. Together the men entertained and were entertained by the legions of socialites, celebrities and artists of the passing parade of the second half of the 20th century. All of this has now been earmarked if not totally captured in “The Grand Surprise; the Journals of Leo Lerman.” Last week there was a book party/reception at the Lerman/Foy apartment and it brought out all kinds of friends and acquaintances – old and young -- who arrived to pay homage to the man and his times and the memory of it all. Guests waited anxiously to be taken to the sixth floor by an elevator that moved at such a leisurely pace that one might have suspected it was set up that way to heighten anticipation of a giant red curtain about to rise on a tableau of New York social and publishing history. As the elevator doors opened, guests filtered in moving toward Gray Foy who stood patiently by one of the living room mantels with a portrait of Leo behind him (Leo was premeditatedly captured with a grin of approval decades before). Stephen Pascal, wearing a gardenia, signed books and guided guests though the fantastic collections Gray and Leo accumulated during the more than 40 years together. |
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| Many of the young writers who Leo assigned stories to now run their own magazines and guests at the party included Amy Gross (O), Grace Mirabella, Ruth Reichl (Gourmet), Paige Rense (Architectural Digest), Nancy Novogrod (Travel + Leisure), Joan Juliet Buck and Aileen Mehle as well more than a half dozen of the Newhouse family who were his patrons and friends. They were revisiting the rooms that in parties past held guests such as Truman Capote, Cary Grant, Jacqueline Onassis, Marlene Dietrich and Maria Callas. Among the guests on this night were an amazing array of Foy and Lerman’s friends, followers and admirers including: Mary Lee Bandy, Peter Beard, Patricia Bosworth, James Brady, Holly Brubachl, Tina Brown, Joan Juliet Buck, Charles Busch, Grace, Mirabella, Ellen Adlerl, Bill Cunningham, Jim Dale, Stephen Drucker, Freddie Eberstadt, Robert Gottlieb, Amy Gross, Michael Gross, John Guare, Louise Hirschfeld, Jade Hobson-Charnin, Susan and Howard Kaminsky, Rocco Landesman, Jeffrey Lyons, Steve Martin, Sandra McElwaine, Aileen Mehle, Richard Meier, Duane Michaels, Grace Mirabella, Patricia Neal, Donald and Susan Newhouse, Ellen Newhouse, Steve Newhouse, Victoria Newhouse, Phyllis Newman, Nancy Novogrod, Robert Osbourne, Hannah Pakula, Elizabeth Peabody, Ruth Reichl, Paige Rense, Steve Ross, Alexandra Schlesinger, Marion Seldes, Mimi Sheraton, Rochelle Udell, Pilar Vilades and James Wolcott. |
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| More pictures and more fun from the Costume Institute's annual Gala, this year celebrating the exhibition of the work of Paul Poiret. |
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| Last week the American Patrons of the Tate held an “Artists’ Dinner” for “America’s greatest living artists and most important collectors” in New York. This was a first in New York – a dinner for the Tate – and a very glamorous event. The objective of the dinner which celebrated the artists from the Americas whose work is in the Tate collection, was to highlight the museum’s commitment to being and remaining the most important collection of contemporary art from the Americas in a museum outside of the United States. Through the dinner, the Tate also hoped to raise more than $2 million for further acquisition of contemporary art from North and South America.
The guests all loved it from what I could gather, just from the fact that it was sold out, and with a guest list of high profile names, both artists and collectors.
Among the guests were Giorgio Armani, Mercedes and Sid Bass, Ron Burkle, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Larry Gagosian, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti, Veronica Hearst, Calvin Klein, Evelyn and Leonard Lauder, Ronald Lauder, Samantha and Aby Rosen, Dame Jillian Sackler, Carlos Slim, Kate and Andy Spade, Ambassador and Mrs. Robert Holmes Tuttle. The Artists’ Dinner was co-chaired by Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Donald B. Marron, Jeanne Fisher and Carlos Slim. It was held at the Riverfronty Pavilion on 39th Street and the West Side Highway. |
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| Photographs by ©Patrick McMullan |
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Click here [10] for NYSD Contents
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