Post by Ace on Jan 30, 2007 22:51:23 GMT -5
Palm Beach Daily News: At 50, Red Cross Ball 'just like the old days'
Event's golden anniversary marked by dignity and elegance, with guests including Pierce Brosnan and first honorary Marine Corps chairman.
By Shannon Donnelly
Daily News Society Editor
Monday, January 29, 2007
There were lots of adjectives batted around at Saturday night's International Red Cross Ball — "classy," "elegant," and even "refined."
But essentially, it all came down to David Morris' reaction as he went through the ambassadorial receiving line. "It was just like the old days," he said.
And indeed, it was, which is exactly what the Red Cross folks wanted to mark this, the ball's 50th anniversary.
The evening, held at The Mar-a-Lago Club, began with the traditional diplomatic receiving line in the Marjorie Merriweather Post Ballroom — fitting, since she was the ball's first honorary chairwoman — led by chairman William and chairwoman Nancy Rollnick. Behind the Rollnicks were the ambassadors from Malta, Afghanistan, Slovenia, Ecuador, Finland, Thailand and Qatar.
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, national president of the American Red Cross, was last in line. "The only person who still has to call me 'Your Excellency,'" she said, "is my husband."
This is one of the few events on the social calendar where arriving "fashionably late" is not a good idea. The receiving line began at 7:30, and by 7:45 was backed up all the way to the terrace. Why? Because so many guests are incapable of shaking a hand, saying "How do you do?" and moving on. Instead, they make it into a social call, relating every detail of their personal histories.
Bulletin: Nobody cares about your new hip. Move it along. The bar's open, and time's a-wastin'.
After the poolside cocktail reception — where Pierce Brosnan found himself taken under the wing of Gale Brophy — guests moved to the Grand Ballroom for the main event.
Bryan Rafanelli used white carpeting and uplighting on the walls to make the large ballroom much more intimate. A mix of round and rectangular tables — including the Rollnicks' 22-seater — were covered with gold tablecloths and Battenberg lace overlays. Six-foot gold candelabras held floral arrangements in shades of crimson, scarlet and magenta — thousands and thousands flown in just for the event — and votive candles.
The giant American Red Cross flag — not nearly as giant as the other flag — hung behind the stage where Peter Duchin and his orchestra played.
For the first time ever, the ball had an honorary Marine Corps chairman. Palm Beach resident — and former Marine — Leo Albert led the USMC color guard to the floor for the introduction of the ambassadors and the National Anthem, sung beautifully by Duchin's troupe.
Here, the return to dignity and elegance was most evident. The ambassadors entered to the Grand March from Aida, and not last year's pop tunes, which included the insulting Isn't She Lovely? for the only female ambassador.
The chairman and chairwoman entered with the ambassadors and made their way quickly to the podium, a marked contrast to last year when the chairman entered and strolled around the room, waving like Miss America.
After the departure of the Color Guard — to the notes of The Marine Hymn, thank you very much — the Rollnicks announced the establishment of two new chapter awards. The Marjorie Merriweather Post Award and the Sue Whitmore Award, to be presented to persons who best reflected the values of each.
The Post Award went, logically, to her daughter Dina Merrill. The Rollnicks accepted the award for Merrill who was, as the chairwoman put it, "marching with the penguins in Antarctica."
The inspired choice for the Whitmore Award was May Bell Lin, her longtime personal assistant and social secretary for the Red Cross Ball, who accepted with a brief but moving tribute to her beloved former boss.
Each dinner course — smoked salmon, beef tenderloin, a cheese-and-fruit selection and floating islands — was served on a different china pattern to reflect the color theme, including a stunning red, white and gold Martinique set for the first and dessert courses.
Steve Connolly, a dead-on Elvis impersonator with a long running show in Las Vegas, also entertained, giving Peter Duchin a chance to greet old friends before returning to the orchestra so that guests could dance the night away.
And dance the night away they did. Folks were still on the dance floor at midnight. That's almost like 4 a.m. anywhere else!
Snapshots
Best quote of the night, from Susan Telesco: "We lost our son-in-law in the World Trade Center. The Red Cross did so much for our daughter. How could we not be here?"
If Bill Nelson ever gets tired of his Senate gig, he can make a living as a professional dancer. Tore up the rug, he did. Weightless. Must have something to do with that former astronaut thing.
Anka Palitz's tiara, the one-of-a-kind Sea Fan by Tiffany & Co., wasn't the night's biggest or flashiest, but it was certainly the most beautiful. It looked exactly like a sea fan, the delicate lacy aquatic plant — except studded with hundreds of diamonds.
Pierce Brosnan is one of the few actors who's better looking in person, if that's possible.
She Showed 'Em Award: To Kate Ford, back in Palm Beach after her remarkably speedy recovery from a grueling double lung transplant, who breezed effortlessly through the night like a teenager.
One guest paid homage to former ambassador Nancy Brinker, radiant in red, by suggesting that she consider the about-to-be-created post of Palm Beach's "Benevolent Dictator" because "she knows how things should get done."
The Once a Marine, Always a Marine Award: To Honorary Marine Corps chairman Leo Albert, who wore his dress blues for the first time since World War II ... and they still fit.
Most Inspired Seating: Pierce Brosnan's tall, handsome son Sean next to Donald Trump's tall, beautiful daughter Ivanka. The two got on like a house afire.
OK, gift bags were not bad — big Kenneth Cole messenger bag. But not as much as a crumb of chocolate in its cavernous hold.
Good Idea: Carpeted floor; parquet dance floor. This is a white-tie night. That means gowns with trains and high, high heels, The less teetering the better.
Bad Idea: Not having a few former NFL players running interference for Brosnan, who remained ever-so-gentlemanly even as he was set upon by countless women who convinced themselves that his only reason for traveling all the way to Palm Beach was to talk to them. He didn't.
Daily News Photos by Jeffrey Langlois
Event's golden anniversary marked by dignity and elegance, with guests including Pierce Brosnan and first honorary Marine Corps chairman.
By Shannon Donnelly
Daily News Society Editor
Monday, January 29, 2007
There were lots of adjectives batted around at Saturday night's International Red Cross Ball — "classy," "elegant," and even "refined."
But essentially, it all came down to David Morris' reaction as he went through the ambassadorial receiving line. "It was just like the old days," he said.
And indeed, it was, which is exactly what the Red Cross folks wanted to mark this, the ball's 50th anniversary.
The evening, held at The Mar-a-Lago Club, began with the traditional diplomatic receiving line in the Marjorie Merriweather Post Ballroom — fitting, since she was the ball's first honorary chairwoman — led by chairman William and chairwoman Nancy Rollnick. Behind the Rollnicks were the ambassadors from Malta, Afghanistan, Slovenia, Ecuador, Finland, Thailand and Qatar.
Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, national president of the American Red Cross, was last in line. "The only person who still has to call me 'Your Excellency,'" she said, "is my husband."
This is one of the few events on the social calendar where arriving "fashionably late" is not a good idea. The receiving line began at 7:30, and by 7:45 was backed up all the way to the terrace. Why? Because so many guests are incapable of shaking a hand, saying "How do you do?" and moving on. Instead, they make it into a social call, relating every detail of their personal histories.
Bulletin: Nobody cares about your new hip. Move it along. The bar's open, and time's a-wastin'.
After the poolside cocktail reception — where Pierce Brosnan found himself taken under the wing of Gale Brophy — guests moved to the Grand Ballroom for the main event.
Bryan Rafanelli used white carpeting and uplighting on the walls to make the large ballroom much more intimate. A mix of round and rectangular tables — including the Rollnicks' 22-seater — were covered with gold tablecloths and Battenberg lace overlays. Six-foot gold candelabras held floral arrangements in shades of crimson, scarlet and magenta — thousands and thousands flown in just for the event — and votive candles.
The giant American Red Cross flag — not nearly as giant as the other flag — hung behind the stage where Peter Duchin and his orchestra played.
For the first time ever, the ball had an honorary Marine Corps chairman. Palm Beach resident — and former Marine — Leo Albert led the USMC color guard to the floor for the introduction of the ambassadors and the National Anthem, sung beautifully by Duchin's troupe.
Here, the return to dignity and elegance was most evident. The ambassadors entered to the Grand March from Aida, and not last year's pop tunes, which included the insulting Isn't She Lovely? for the only female ambassador.
The chairman and chairwoman entered with the ambassadors and made their way quickly to the podium, a marked contrast to last year when the chairman entered and strolled around the room, waving like Miss America.
After the departure of the Color Guard — to the notes of The Marine Hymn, thank you very much — the Rollnicks announced the establishment of two new chapter awards. The Marjorie Merriweather Post Award and the Sue Whitmore Award, to be presented to persons who best reflected the values of each.
The Post Award went, logically, to her daughter Dina Merrill. The Rollnicks accepted the award for Merrill who was, as the chairwoman put it, "marching with the penguins in Antarctica."
The inspired choice for the Whitmore Award was May Bell Lin, her longtime personal assistant and social secretary for the Red Cross Ball, who accepted with a brief but moving tribute to her beloved former boss.
Each dinner course — smoked salmon, beef tenderloin, a cheese-and-fruit selection and floating islands — was served on a different china pattern to reflect the color theme, including a stunning red, white and gold Martinique set for the first and dessert courses.
Steve Connolly, a dead-on Elvis impersonator with a long running show in Las Vegas, also entertained, giving Peter Duchin a chance to greet old friends before returning to the orchestra so that guests could dance the night away.
And dance the night away they did. Folks were still on the dance floor at midnight. That's almost like 4 a.m. anywhere else!
Snapshots
Best quote of the night, from Susan Telesco: "We lost our son-in-law in the World Trade Center. The Red Cross did so much for our daughter. How could we not be here?"
If Bill Nelson ever gets tired of his Senate gig, he can make a living as a professional dancer. Tore up the rug, he did. Weightless. Must have something to do with that former astronaut thing.
Anka Palitz's tiara, the one-of-a-kind Sea Fan by Tiffany & Co., wasn't the night's biggest or flashiest, but it was certainly the most beautiful. It looked exactly like a sea fan, the delicate lacy aquatic plant — except studded with hundreds of diamonds.
Pierce Brosnan is one of the few actors who's better looking in person, if that's possible.
She Showed 'Em Award: To Kate Ford, back in Palm Beach after her remarkably speedy recovery from a grueling double lung transplant, who breezed effortlessly through the night like a teenager.
One guest paid homage to former ambassador Nancy Brinker, radiant in red, by suggesting that she consider the about-to-be-created post of Palm Beach's "Benevolent Dictator" because "she knows how things should get done."
The Once a Marine, Always a Marine Award: To Honorary Marine Corps chairman Leo Albert, who wore his dress blues for the first time since World War II ... and they still fit.
Most Inspired Seating: Pierce Brosnan's tall, handsome son Sean next to Donald Trump's tall, beautiful daughter Ivanka. The two got on like a house afire.
OK, gift bags were not bad — big Kenneth Cole messenger bag. But not as much as a crumb of chocolate in its cavernous hold.
Good Idea: Carpeted floor; parquet dance floor. This is a white-tie night. That means gowns with trains and high, high heels, The less teetering the better.
Bad Idea: Not having a few former NFL players running interference for Brosnan, who remained ever-so-gentlemanly even as he was set upon by countless women who convinced themselves that his only reason for traveling all the way to Palm Beach was to talk to them. He didn't.
Daily News Photos by Jeffrey Langlois