AMBASSADORS BALLSeptember 21 · Grand HyattWRITTEN BY GAIL SCOTT PHOTOS BY PAUL SIMKIN THE EVENT: The Ambassadors Ball at the Grand Hyatt has become one of the unoffi cial starts of the fall social season. Washington's big businesses (this year Booz Allen Hamilton and Freddie Mac were the biggest donors) and members of Congress honor the diplomatic corps to benefi t the local chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. THE SCENE: NBC's Norah O'Donnell was a stunning emcee in bright blue silk as husband Geoff Tracy (of Chef Geoff 's) proudly listened. This year's co-chairs Annette Shelby, Loretta Durbin, Nancy Kanjorski and Linda Bachus succeeded in a racting more congressional guests than ever before, continuing a long tradition which has raised $11 million since 1957. Many ambassadors were in New York for the U.N.'s opening ceremonies but those diplomats who attended enjoyed the attention. THE HOSTS: Jeanne Oates Angulo, leader of this successful event for the past 12 years, celebrated her last ball as executive director of this chapter with former ball co- chairs Esther Coopersmith, Patricia Oxley, Audrey Ullman, Mary Johnston and Janet Waxman THE GUESTS: Diplomatic Dean of the Western Hemisphere Denis Antoine, ambassador of Grenada, caught everyone's eye with his guest: Abiodun Koya, the gorgeous opera singer originally from Nigeria. Other ambassadors attending included those from Ireland, Mexico, Liechtenstein, Poland and Canada. Solo diplomatic wives included Hungary's Nada Simonyi, Portugal's Cheryl Catarino, Malta's Marie-Therese Lowell and Serbia's Jelica Vujacic who loved their diplomatic gifts: Jay Strongwater frames from Neiman-Marcus.
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