“There Is No Other Way”
Driving Mr. Jones: James Earl Jones arrives at The Plaza Hotel in a vintage Packard.
Ladies and gents,
I’m sorry this column is late in the week — this crazy weather is messing with my internal clock!
Not to be ‘Miss’ed!
Call me old fashioned, but I simply adore a black tie opening! In my day, gents wore tuxes everywhere! To go to dinner, to go dancing, even to go to the dry cleaner to pick up other tuxes! I understand the appeal of casual clothing, but comfort and convenience are no substitute for glamour! Well, glamour is what was in store at Monday’s opening of Driving Miss Daisy. It has long been one of my favorite plays. When the film came out I used to love insisting on sitting in the back seat while my beau-at-the-time used to drive me around town. We’d act out scenes and just about die laughing. Needless to say, seeing the show brought back so many fond memories of the early nineties. As expected the acting is not-to-be-missed. Can you think of a more accomplished trio than Vanessa Redgrave, James Earl Jones, and Boyd Gaines? By the end of the show, I was reduced to a mere puddle on the floor. When my eyes finally cleared, and the house lights came up, I noticed the room was littered with stars. Eagle-eyed Scoop spotted Glenn Close, Joel Grey, Hugh Jackman, Brooke Shields, John Benjamin Hickey, Mario Cantone, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Brian Dennehy, Joan Didion, Ralph Fiennes, Tovah Feldshuh, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Dana Tyler, Anna Wintour, B.D. Wong, Stark Sands, Katie Finneran, Steve Guttenberg, Bebe Neuwirth, Sarah Paulson, Tony Roberts, Isabella Rossellini, and of course Joely Richardson and Carlo Nero. Lynn Redgrave was most surely missed, but represented by her daughter Annabel Clark and Annabel’s handsome hubby Eduardo Garabal, along with best friends Joseph Hardy and Cynthia Mace.
We all headed over to the Plaza Hotel for the no-expense-spared after party (thank you Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich) . The red carpet extended all the way down the street to the steps of the main entrance of the iconic structure. James Earl Jones arrived in a vintage Packard, which was driven right onto the carpet for a truly memorable photo op. After him came Boyd Gaines and author Alfred Uhry, also in vintage cars. Ms. Redgrave, who arrived in a more modern coach, gave a blink-and-you-missed it (sneeze-and-it-may-as-well-have-never-happened) appearance on the carpet, getting whisked into the party after posing for just a few solo shots. Inside everything was lush and fancy (right down to the hand soap in the bathroom: Miller Harris’ “Citron Citron” – my absolute fave)! I had one too many glasses of champagne and before long my head was spinning! I spent a good forty-five minutes searching under tables and chairs for my umbrella before I realized I left it at home. They eventually threw me out of the bash (not, I’m proud to say, due to any unruly behavior but merely because the party was ending), and I ended up at the Soho Grand for a nightcap with some very old friends. At that hour, I was just happy to be in an establishment still serving, but I must say that hotel is a pimple on the Soho landscape! As one of my friend’s commented, “This place is Cleveland chic.” And I mean no offense to Cleveland.
When I woke up I found out that, whilst we were partying at the Plaza, Charlie Sheen was just a few floors overhead accusing a hooker of stealing his cell phone. To quote my dear friend Cindy Adams, “Only in New York, kids, only in New York.” And, speaking of Cindy, it was great to see her back in action and looking fabulous!
Tidbits from around town
Saw Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kobt exiting the Union Square Theatre in tears after what must have been a very moving performance of Through the Night.
Witnessed press agent Michael Borowski and actor Zachary Booth sharing a laugh outside of Playwrights Horizons.
Overheard George Stephanopoulos lamenting the fate of Craig Kilborn’s television career over moules frites at Landmarc.
As always, a taste of something sparkling to you and yours!
Kisses,
