Tulips & Smart Cookies

We've been having lots of fun lately...

Last week The Fund for Park Avenue had a cocktail party at Scully & Scully to celebrate 30 years of tulips on Park Avenue. The boutique was filled with friendly faces, and I spent lots of time admiring the store's special spring table settings.

Here we are with our buddy Kathleen (pic via Panache Privee):Photos and full coverage on NY Social Diary and Panache Privee. For more information on The Fund for Park Avenue please visit their website.

Last night we attended The Girl Scout Council of Greater New York's annual Tribute dinner. Deborah Norville emceed and six impressive, accomplished women were honored. It was an inspiring night.

Lots of local Girl Scouts came to help out with evening's program. Here I am with two lovely young ladies from Queens:
The evening's theme was 'Smart Cookies Make a Difference in NYC' and we earned our very own merit badge for attending the party and supporting the Girl Scouts:For more information on The Girl Scout Council of Greater New York please visit their website.

Monty Monday - Monty and the Auction Paddle

Chappy and I went to the ASPCA's Bergh Ball last week.

In 2009 they gave out cat masks on a stick as their auction paddles, this year it was horse heads...

I thought the horse head made a stylish accessory. I wore it during dinner:Photo by PatrickMcMullan.com via Guest of a Guest.

Monty couldn't come to the party, but I showed him the horse head auction paddle afterward:I made some horse neighing sounds -- he was temporarily intrigued.

I told Monty about the great auction items everyone used the horses to bid on, like a week-long stay at a villa in Mustique and a special package of sweet Yankees tickets. The ASPCA raised a TON of money that night, but the dog was distracted by the end of my auction recap. Horse head looking right, Monty looking left:
I think after being left in the apartment for an evening my little guy was happy just to get a nice, big hug:ASPCA.

Springtime

Cherry blossoms in our CT backyard:Hello springtime.

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Gala

Earlier this week we went to Lenox Hill Neighborhood House's annual gala at Sotheby's. They honored design king Albert Hadley this year, and his loyal supporters filled the room.

Each table at the gala - from the centerpiece to the linens - was designed by a different, well-known designer/decorator. They were extraordinary works of art -- lots of tall flowers, plenty of bright colors and bold patterns, and even one pair of stuffed swans(!). My friend and ceramicist extraordinaire Chris Spitzmiller was the design chair. I snapped a few of my favorite centerpieces...

Alice Baldridge Design's multi-tiered, softly lit centerpiece:
Ashley Whittaker's lilacs and cool blue linens:
Philip Gorrivan's bright pink cherry blossoms. They're pink (squeal!!!), so this is definitely my favorite of the bunch:(I sat with Philip during dinner. He's delightful -- he loves Maine and dogs as much as I do.)

Lindsey Coral Harper's wild yellow flowers and cheeky animal masks:
More pink, with white ceramic birds and a pop of gold/metallic:
Our table, designed by Bella Zakarian Mancini of Ruby, Inc.:It was dramatic and beautiful with moss and orchids and feathered placemats:A snap of me during cocktail hour, via DPC and the NY Social Diary:
All smiles with my handsome husband after dinner:For more information on the charity, please visit the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House website.

Nile River Cruise

After our time in Cairo, we flew south to Luxor to board Abercrombie & Kent's Sun Boat IV for a cruise down the Nile.

I'm really not the cruise type - I can't sit still, I always want to do/see as much as possible, I get seasick, etc. - but it's the only way to access many of the ancient sites in the Nile valley. I went in fearing that I'd feel trapped, cramped, and restless being stuck on a boat, but I left feeling relaxed and happy -- it was a surprisingly pleasant, mellow experience. If you're going to Egypt, definitely leave some time for a Nile cruise.

Sun Boat IV was our luxurious floating oasis for a 4 day trip down the river:
Our cozy cabin on the bridge deck:
Lots of built-ins made efficient use of the small space:
The bathroom, note the itty-bitty not made for people that are 5'10'' shower on the right:
There were plenty of inviting common spaces all over the boat. We often ate lunch on this breezy covered patio:
And spent the afternoons lounging poolside on the sun deck:
The Nile is calm, so boat moves slowly and steadily down the river. I kicked back and watched the landscape of palm trees and greenery float on by. I got used to this view:
A favorite snap from the trip, a fellow holidaymaker enjoying a cocktail at sunset on the ship's patio:Magnificent temples like Abu Simbel and Karnak up next...