Here’s my personal Cinderella story: My fashion step sisters make me wear jeans and sneakers everyday but once a year they make an exception and let me wear a suit and tie to the ball.
Last Saturday night I stepped out into the American Friends Musée d’Orsay Gala wearing my pinstriped suit, hot pink shirt, gray Hermés tie, and black shiny, pointy oxfords. The first part of the gala was a Champagne reception in the main gallery area and I ran into many friends and some other people I had met last year at the same gala. Since the gala was kicking off the new exhibit Impressionism and Fashion, the dress code on the invite stated “Elegant attire from the past or present” and some of the women were dressed in the past. It brought a fun, unexpected surprise to the event.
At 8PM there were speeches and Susan Tolson, the wife of the American ambassador to France and the honorary chair of the event, made an eloquent speech, along with Guy Cogeval, the director of the museum.
Next we were escorted into the exhibition. Originally when I read about the show I was kind of humdrum about it, thinking- okay, yet another Impressionist exhibit at the d’Orsay, no big deal, been there/seen that. However, it was a knockout. The winning combination of dresses and costumes in flawless condition paired with some of my favorite and also obscure Impressionist paintings was superb. Plus the dramatic colored walls and a room with gold ballroom chairs against a red background further heightened the allure of the exhibit. Also, it was great to be able to see everything close up without hordes of annoying people with loud headphones on, gathering in front of the paintings like lemmings, blocking my view and my photo taking.
At 9:30 there were cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and by that time I was starving. I downed as many hors d’oeuvres as I could without looking like a glutton. As an ex-caterer the food was excellent by my tough standards and the presentation was beautiful.
Earlier that morning I did a market tour for a cooking class and discovered two of the women in the class were going to the gala. Noelle and her mother Judy were casually dressed that morning but totally transformed themselves into glamour pusses that evening, wearing chic black dresses with good accessories. I caught up with my friend Kerry, who always looks smashing, and we wickedly dished and dissed some of the fashion, rivaling Joan and Melissa Rivers.
I frolicked, mingled and networked all night long and I had a ball at the ball.
I am back to being Cinderella today, wearing my jeans and sneakers.
Today I am posting photos of the gala and tomorrow I will post photos of the exhibit.
Elegant in midnight blue
Love this satin print dress and simple black pumps
Love the vintage Pucci's
Paging Marlene Dietrich
The Unsinkable Molly Brown?
Glamourpusses Noelle and Judy
She is certainly playing the part
In addition to my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, we now offer Eye Prefer New York Tours, 3-hour walking tours of New Yorkís best neighborhoods including Soho, Meatpacking/West Village & Tribeca. Tours cost $195 for up to 3 people and $65 for each additional person.Come take a bit of the Big Apple on an Eye Prefer New York Tour!
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New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotteís professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
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Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
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Wonderful to have these glamorous photos of real people at the Gala. The fashions are fabulous, each one a gem. You must have had fun.
Posted by: Jean(ne) in MN | October 03, 2012 at 05:16 PM