Mario Buatta, Master of Ceremony for the Casita Maria "Fiesta 2012" at the Mandarin Oriental was possibly the only person in that room caring about but not recording the second presidential debate between President
Barack Obama and Gov.
Mitt Romney that night. The 'Prince of Chintz' does not own a recording device. We are still trying to convince him to move into the 21st Century. So, we left dear Mario in the capable hands of the Mandarin Oriental staffers to find him a room to duck into during dinner.
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Fe Fendi, Peter Lyden, Enrica Arange, Jamee Gregory, and Christopher Mason. (Photo: Patrick McMullan/PatrickMcMullan.com) |
We weren't leaving that glamorous room, while the likes of
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Princess Kovalenko,
Tony Bechara, Deeda Blair,
Peter Bacanovic,
Geoffrey Bradfield, Consul Maria Elena Cabezut,
Tiffany Dubin,
Fe Fendi,
Audrey Gruss, Peter and
Jamee Gregory,
Yaz Hernandez, Ambassador
John L. Loeb and
Sharon Handler Loeb,
Mary McFadden, Christopher Trump,
Barbara Tober and
Donald Tober,
Anne Rapp,
Adrienne Vittadini and
Gianluigi Vittadini, many of whom call the Hamptons their summer home, swirled around me. Pierre Durand, Lilly
Scarpetta de Pumarejo, and
Kiera Chaplin for Marina B were honorees.
Jacqueline Weld Drake,
Aileen Mehle, and
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia were once again Co-Chairs.
"It's the oldest Latino charity in
New York City," Board Chairman Weld Drake told us. "We've had an after school program for 78 years and as I like to say, we teach kids to succeed through our after-school and in-school programs. We've had graduates like musician Tito Puente,
Rita Moreno, judges, and lawyers. We've made a huge difference in people's lives."
"Half Venezuelan and half Uruguayan," Jacqueline Weld Drake said as she explained that she inherited
the post from predecessor Alfredo Ortiz-Murias, who died at the age of 39. "Before he died he said 'Get Jackie.' And that's why I was always involved: because of my great friend Alfredo Ortiz-Murias."
She was sporting Marina B jewels and wearing "
Roberto Cavalli. Need I say more?" she said, admitting, she feared the low cut back "wouldn't work, but I tried it on and said, 'Why not?' I thought it was going to be too bare. But Roberto Cavalli really designs for women. He cuts it just right at the waist, not too low."
The dress wasn't the only thing that "worked." The benefit raised $528,800 dollars – the silent auction $32,900. And the debate? Dear readers, you decide.
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Furs on and smiling for a mystery photographer Paige Pedersen, Elizabeth Steel, Patrick McMullan, Chloe Wohlfort, and Anna Barshisky end the night (or do they?). (Photo: PatrickMcMullan.com) |
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