Around Town
with Donna Shor
A VERY SPECIAL LADY
Our former United Nations
Peace Prize recipient, Esther
Coopersmith, is an indomitable
woman: she spearheads and gives
generously to causes, is a tireless
political campaigner, christened a "kingmaker" by many, and is an
inveterate traveler who is on a first
name basis with many world leaders.
Several causes and movements have
originated in her living room, and
another was revealed at a party
honoring her at the imposing
home across from Mount Vernon
of Ray and Shaista Mahmood,
co-hosts with Susan Allen, next
door neighbor and wife of Senator
George Allen.
"Seeds of Peace" was conceived by
the late journalist John Wallach
after a discussion on the war-torn
state of the world at Esther's. It
brings together, at a camp in the
Maine woods, youths of enemy
nations who form friendships
and learn valuable lessons about
their "enemies." Several of them
spoke, Jews and Arabs, Pakistanis
and Indians, of the value of the
experience. Janet Wallach, a
journalist and the author of eight
books, is continuing the work of
her husband. As for the hospitable
Mahmoods, two nights later they
held another big "do," this time
for Michael Chertoff, secretary of
homeland security, and the Allens.
QUEEN FOR A LIFETIME
Another remarkable woman was
honored when 250 Washingtonians
helped Virginia Hayes Williams,
the mother of Washington Mayor
Anthony Williams, celebrate her
80th birthday. Coordinator Jan
DuPlain emceed the event, and the
dozen speakers included Chairman
of the D.C. Commission on the
Arts Dorothy McSweeny, and
her husband Bill; Charlene Drew
Jarvis, president of Southeastern
University; arts patron Judith
Terra, who created the family
photo "memory boards" displayed
at the party; and Christine Warnke,
chairman of the D.C. Commission
on Women, among other notables.
Neale Perl, the president of the
Washington Performing Arts
Society, and an accomplished cellist,
performed what he termed "A
little Birthday Bach" as an added
treat. Virginia raised nine children,
three of whom were adopted,
including Mayor Williams. She
had just begun a career as an opera
singer (following in the footsteps of
her uncle, Roland Hayes, the first
African American to take the stage
in major roles) when she was about
to adopt Tony. "You know," said her
husband, "you can adopt another
child, or you can continue on your
operatic career, but it is impossible
to do both." She chose Tony, and
the rest is history. Several spoke of her regal bearing, and the many
good causes Virginia has begun
and labored for, emphasizing her
insistence that others get involved
too. Then Mayor Williams took
the floor, saying "My wife will
kill me for this, but I guess it is
all right to say since Katie Couric
had hers on national television - I
had a colonoscopy this morning.
I felt horrible this afternoon,
and I really didn't think I could
make it tonight. Mother thought
otherwise, saying 'You be here! Just
get yourself together, and do it!' It
was a royal command; regal is the
right word for her, and as far as I
can remember, she has been queen
for a lifetime!"
WITH A DO-SI-DO
"Montevideo," the Poolesville
property of Gogo and Austin
Kiplinger rang with "Swing your
partner!" when they hosted a
barbecue and barn dance to benefit
the Washington Chorus, which the
Kiplinger family, and especially son
Knight, have long supported. It was
more "Promenade the barn" than
the traditional "Promenade the
hall" and couples danced (skirting
the hay bales), stroked the pet llamas
in the pasture and ate barbecue till
the cows came home.
KALEIDOSCOPE
When her sister and brother-inlaw
came to town, glamorous neurolog
ist Sheila Jahan celebrated with a
major bash at her McLean home.
The buffet table was loaded with
Middle Eastern dishes, and the
dancing, to throbbing Middle
Eastern music, went on non-stop.
Everyone but the dog danced… Another memorable meet-up, the
party Richard De Sonier gave
at his cathedral-ceilinged home.
Through those portals passed
some seriously chic party guests… One of the liveliest tables at the
SemperComm Foundation gala
was hosted by Rick Cutrera of
American Airlines, a sponsor of the
evening. The airline underwrote
several of the trips awarded during
the silent auction at the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel. SemperComm is
a charitable nonprofit foundation
which brings entertainment
equipment and the means to
communicate with their families
back home to United States service
personnel at remote overseas
postings, where such facilities
are sparse … Washington Ballet's
guiding light, Septime Webre,
glimpsed at the opening cocktail
party at Urbana, the striking new
wine bar and restaurant next to
Dupont Circle's Hotel Palomar.
The chef 's take on the cocktail
hour "thingies" is witty, delicious,
and wicked on the calories,
and the watermelon martinis
made new converts … Grecian Ambassador Alexandros P. Mallias
hosted a lively party with Edy
Fraser, sparkplug of the women's
empowerment group WOW and
its members. There were Australian
parliamentarians briefly in town
who attended and several New
Yorkers as well, including Gloria
Starr Kins, long a fixture at the
United Nations. Ever been called
on out of the blue to address 200
people? That happened to Carlota
Pardini, who was amazed when she
was singled out from the audience
to speak. After she greeted the
crowd in Greek, Carlota acquitted
herself well, speaking of numerous
trips to Greece when her sister was
ambassador there.
GIVE US THE MUSIC-MAKERS
La Maison Française offered a
Fête de la Musique matching
the musical street parties held on
the same day all over France and
French-speaking countries. This
celebration of the summer solstice
on June 21st, celebrated since
pagan days, was first organized as a
world-wide festival in 1981. Here
at the French embassy's fete, music
kept breaking out in every corner
of the spacious building and its
grounds, with professional and
amateur musical groups strumming,
singing and keyboarding while the
crowd danced. Rain drove everyone
indoors for part of the evening, but
didn't dampen the spirits of the
party-goers, fueled by
Bobby Kacher's wines
and baguettes stuffed
with terrific roasted
sausages. Operation
of the entire event
was brought off with
considerable aplomb
(despite the weather)
by Roland Celette,
director of the Maison
Française, who never
misses a beat when organization is
called for.
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