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French Heritage Society Celebrates 35th Anniversary
with
“On the Riviera” Cocktail Dînatoire Soirée
On November 8th, French Heritage
Society (FHS) celebrated its 35th Anniversary with an
“On the Riviera” themed cocktail dînatoire soirée, where they
announced they will award 1.1 million dollars for 21 restoration
projects throughout France and the United States in 2017.
Held at a private club in Manhattan, the event
was presented by the Ambassador of France to the U.S. Gérard
Araud, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to
the United Nations François
Delattre and Mrs.
Sophie L’Hélias-Delattre, Consul
General of France in New York Ms.
Anne-Claire Legendre, Cultural Counselor of the French
Embassy in the United States Mrs. Bénédicte
de Montlaur and Mr. Keith
Yazmir, and the soirée
chairs CeCe Black, Jean
Shafiroff, Ann Van Ness, Maureen M. Nash, Jay R. Paul, Xavier
Flouret and Silvina
Leone with
New York Chapter Chairs, Odile
de Schiétère-Longchampt and Guy
N. Robinson.
A cocktail reception set to the music of The Bob
Hardwick Sound commenced with passed hors d'oeuvres before an
upscale buffet opened. Attendees then gathered in the main room
to raise their glasses as Chairman of the Board, Elizabeth
F. Stribling held a champagne toast to welcome guests.
Following a brief introduction to the program, CeCe
Black presented Brook
Hazelton, President of Christie’s Americas, to start the
evening’s auction. Supporters were given the opportunity to bid
on three lots that included a lavish trip to Discover Paris
and the French Riviera, dinner for four at Skybox at Daniel
accompanied by two magnums of 2005 Chateau d’Yquem, and a trip
to La Mamounia, the legendary 5-star palace hotel in Marrakesh,
Morocco.
Maud Leclair,
a FHS Student Exchange Program intern at The Metropolitan Museum
of Art expressed her great gratitude for the program, in her
testimony stating, “I would not be here, without the support
from French Heritage Society.” As the night proceeded,
partygoers who were dressed from head-to-toe in 1920’s inspired
clothing, were
given an opportunity to contribute to FHS’ 35th Anniversary
Restoration Grant for the Organgerie du Parc de Bagatelle as
well as the FHS Student Exchange Program. They were also treated
to a raffle and ended the night with music, coffee, and
delectable desserts.
Notable guests included: Sharon
Bush, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Lee Black, Michael Cox Witmer, Dr.
Penny Grant, R. Couri Hay, Valerie Lettan, Judy McLaren, Martin
Shafiroff, Jennifer Herlein,
Michael Kovner, Jean Doyen de Montaillou, Shaune Arp, Veronique
Bich, Geoffrey Bradfield, J. Brooks, Yann Coatanlem, Lynn
Finesilver Crystal, Ronald Lee Fleming, David B. Ford, John and
Carole French, Alison Harmelin, Elizabeth Hartnett, Ursula and
Paul Lowerre, Jeannie Rutherfoord, Sana Sabbagh, David Sadroff,
and Betty and Stanley Scott.
The French
Heritage Society was founded in 1982 as a two-way street for
Americans and French to share their love of historic
architecture. French Heritage Society intervenes to ensure that
the treasures of our shared French architectural and cultural
heritage survive to inspire future
generations to build, dream and create. FHS has contributed to
over 550 restoration grants and helped secure $19.5 million
dollars for historic monuments, buildings and gardens in every
department in France and to properties in the United States that
reflect France’s historic influence. There are 11 Chapters of
the Society throughout the United States and Paris. |