Swanning With Adrian
Yes. I went to the Hospital party-the 55th Annual Southampton Hospital Gala, to be more precise. There is always much moaning and groaning about attending this one — it used to be over 1,000 at a buffet, in a tent on grass, and the formula has always been, buy a dinner ticket, support The Hospital, grab a drink, and run for the hills.
![]() | ![]() | | Jean Shafiroff, Bob Chaloner, and Audrey Gruss | ![]() |
This year it was certainly more luxurious. Apparently the ArtHampton fellow agreed to leave his tent on the Elks Club property, for the party. A gracious gesture, indeed, and one that saved them north of $100,000. It was air conditioned, and sleek, though still felt like an art venue, and the waiters clomping across the plywood (though rug covered) floor, shook us up, as if the F train were coursing under us.
The theme, originally Marvelous Madrid, or something, was changed by the Honorary Chair, Audrey Gruss, to ‘Forward the Future’, a very Epcot Center title, if I’ve ever heard one.
Apparently, a ‘blue future memo’ went out, either psychically or truly, as Audrey and the Chair, Jean Shafiroff, wore dazzling aqua numbers-Audrey in an icy satin number, and Jean in what is becoming her iconic Cinderella look, in a massive, ruffled concoction, that had people tripping over her, and of course, cameras popping. Sadly for them, the little man in the blue jacket (that would’ve matched the gals) was in Newport.
After interminable cocktails (6:30-8:00!!!) people milled in to the dinner tent, the buffet making it less urgent to sit. I asked my buffet server if the brown bits in the trough were filet.
“No. Beef.”
“Filet is beef," I gently reminded him. “I say what they tell me," he retorted. |
