GRACE BENDER'S
60TH BIRTHDAY
May 20 • The Mandarin Oriental Hotel
PHOTOS BY ROBERT WILLIAMS
THE EVENT: Grace Bender celebrated her milestone
with "a gift and a taste of a country I love, Cuba," by recreating
the atmosphere of Havana's Hotel Nacional,
where her father was general manager during her
teenage years.
THE SCENE: From the invitation to the
decor, no detail was overlooked. A replica cake of the
hotel by Sylvia Weinstock, a casino and vintage cars
made the atmosphere ring true as Marvin Hamlisch
belted out "Happy Birthday," and 300 guests salsa'd
the night away. "I haven't been to Cuba since '60, but
you brought it to me," Secretary of Commerce Carlos
Gutierrez noted.
THE GUESTS: Rep. John and
Debbie Dingell, Secretary of Transportation Norman
Mineta and wife Deni, Mandy and Mary Ourisman,
A. Huda and Samia Farouki.
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