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Around Town Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan was the guest of honor at The Hope Gala kick-offluncheon on Friday, April 9 at the home of Isabel de la Cruz Ernst. The June 14 gala, chaired by Samia Farouki and Luma Kawar, will benefit St. Jude's Research Hospital and the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan. Princess Dina Mired of Jordan also attended the luncheon.
LATE FOR LUNCH: “We thought youwere never going to eat this lunch,” said Norwegian Ambassador Knut Vollebaek to Gail Scott and her husband Fred Hubig as he and his wife Ellen and ten of the Hubig's guests were seated in the embassy dining room. Gail and Fred were the winning bidders of the luncheon party at a charity event; but were just too busy to fix a date when the embassy could also manage it. “They are a very generous couple,” Vollebaek continued “Evidently this is not the only meal they have bid on, paid for and not eaten.” Actually, he and Fred had a sort of harem, as they were the only men present. The ladies who lunched included Gertie d'Amecourt, Pat Skantze, Anna Maria Via, Vera Emmerij. Cathy Philpott, Brigitte Lange, Mary Bird and Barbara Gary. ANYONE FOR DINNER?: Despite House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi's relentless involvement in everything congressional, the congresswoman from California arrived at Teatro Goldoni's benefit for the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund looking relaxed and chic. The grassroots advocacy group also hosted Susan and Kip O'Neill (son of former Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O'Neill), former Rep.'s Vic Fazio and Anna Eshoo and a group of cancer survivors. Pelosi, a formidable guest, has been hitting the airwaves recently concerning the 9/11 Commission as well as other political issues. Other recent Goldoni sighting: former Sen. Eugene McCarthy on the occasion of his 88th birthday hosted by Washingtonian's Chuck Conconi and MSNBC's Bill Press with Bill and Rene Regardie and Al Eisle, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and wife Linda were among the 60 guests. Also spotted: Carol Anderson and daughter Melanie Corcoran (who is the granddaughter of the late lobbyist Tommy “the Cork” Corcoran), dining with friends after Melanie helped conduct a formal wine tasting at the Metropolitan Club where she is a member. CROWD CONTROL: Super-hostess Esther Coopersmith thinks nothing of counting her guest list in the hundreds. She was renowned for mammoth parties supporting John F. Kennedy, and for her huge barbecues for Lyndon Johnson campaigns, so when she had a turnout of 400 at the recent party for Sen. Hilary Clinton, no one was surprised. Even Esther's embassy-sized Kalorama home shrank with wall-to-wall people: Democrats, Republicans, over a dozen ambassadors, government officials, politicos and the usual social scene players were all on hand. Her excellent staff turned out platter after platter of food, tureens of strawberries and mountains of cookies. But the major attraction was the guest of honor. People arrived from far and wide for the event: even the legendary beauty, horsewoman Rosemarie Bogley, who seldom leaves her Upperville estate. with Donna Shor Politics and Prose, the Connecticut Avenue bookstore, sold more than 300 copies of Sen. Clinton's memoir “Living History,” on the scene. Sen. Clinton, smiling and approachable, signed each and every one for those who waited in the long line that snaked through the house. Not your usual book signing, where hosts sometimes have to beat the bushes to get a proper turnout. ANGELS IN WASHINGTON: William and Dorothy McSweeny, art patrons who add much to the cultural life of this city, were honored by the Cathedral Choral Society as recipients of the Laura E. Phillips Angel of the Arts Award. The black-tie gala at the Four Seasons Hotel was chaired by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Homan, and boasted a dozen ambassadorial guests as well as Diane Rehm; Kay Kendall; chairman of The Washington Ballet; Victor Shargai, |
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