Open Season
Social Safari | By R Couri Hay| Photo Contributions by Patrick McMullan
The original column appeared in the July 4 issue of Social Life Magazine. Click here to view.
Beyoncé, Guild Hall’s 90th, Seth Meyers,Watermill Center, Michael Bloomberg, Hat Luncheon, Rose Soiree, Rosanna Scotto
In the Heights
Actor/ director Lin-Manuel Miranda who wrote and starred in Hamilton, the movie, which you can see on Disney Plus, has just turned his musical In the Heights into a film starring Anthony Ramos, Stephanie Beatriz, Leslie Grace and Corey Hawkins. The story, about a Washington Heights bodega owner who saves his money in hopes of a better life, was shot in NYC. Miranda said, “All art is political. If the work tells the truth, it will live on.” Ramos added, “This is a film about real-life, real things.” Watch it on HBO Max or in the theaters.
A Quiet Place 2
John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy are back in the action packed sequel to A Quiet Place. They are fighting for their lives in silence, against aliens that hunt by sound. Krasinski explained, “The first movie is about parenthood and the promise that you make to your kids that you’ll keep them safe no matter what. The second one is about that promise being broken and it’s about growing up, moving on and dealing with loss.” This thriller is in theaters now and will be streaming on Paramount Plus on July 12th.
Hat Luncheon
The Hat Luncheon returned in all its glory with the perennial beauties in full bloom. The first benefit took place in 1983 when the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy planned an event at Tavern on the Green and encouraged all the ladies to wear their fancy chapeauxs. Since its inception, the dedicated Commitee has raised $195 million for the care and restoration of the city’s beloved 843 acre backyard. This time around there were two days of intimate luncheons in seven locations throughout the Park. Guests included Michael Bloomberg and Diana Taylor,
Muffie Potter Aston, Audrey Gruss, Jamee Gregory, Gillian Miniter, Lauren Santo Domingo, Gillian Hearst, Janna Bullock, Kara Ross, Eleanora Kennedy, Laurie Tisch, Elaine Langone, Allison Aston, Margo Nederlander, Suzy Welch and Elyse Newhouse. Over 1,500 benefactors helped raise $2.8 million. The co-chairs were Abigail Baratta, Sarah Britton, Liz Peek and Cynthia Wagner.
Also present were the organzations Presidents Yesim Philip, and Betsy Smith and Tom Kempner. The Luncheon, which honored the Conservancy’s staff, was supported by JPMorgan Chase. The event was catered by Abigail Kirsch, with the blue and white tablecloths provided by Scalamandré and flowers by Andrew Pascoe. Everyone received the traditional umbrella from Wathne which luckily wasn’t needed. centralparknyc.org
Guild Hall’s 90th
Guild Hall celebrates its 90th anniversary with a splashy gala on August 6th. When philanthropist Mrs. Lorenzo Woodhouse opened the building in Easthampton in 1931, she created one of the country’s first multidisciplinary arts centers. She wanted to create “a meeting place where artists and the community could cross paths and open dialogues “; that concept still flourishes today. Fairfield Porter, Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, William de Kooning, Roy Lichenstein, Thomas Moran, and photographer Richard Avedon are but a few of the legends who have shown their work here. Julianne Moore, Helen Hayes, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. have all walked the boards in their jewel box theatre. Beyoncé even filmed Disney’s Lion King on this stage; the Hamptons’ film festival also uses this theatre. Edward Albee’s play the Zoo Story will open August 13th. One of the summer’s most highly anticipated events is the Guild’s 75th Clothesline Art Sale, where contemporary artists show and sell affordable pieces on July 4th. guildhall.org
Southampton Arts Center
Artist Eric Fischl has curated a sculpture park that features Hauser & Wirth’s Louise Bourgeois hanging sculpture at the Southampton Cultural Center located on Jobs Lane in the Village of Southampton. The main exhibit dubbed eARTh – Artists as Activists, includes pieces by Roisin Bateman, Scott Bluedorn and Erica Cirino. The works confront the unnerving state of the planet’s ecosystem through exploration of the environment through art, photography and film. eARTh will take the climate crisis head on with workshops, panel discussions and film including the amazing Fantastic Fungi. The exhibit runs through July 11th for the fantastic price of $5. southamptonartscenter.org
Hamptons Fine Art Fair
Linda Colletta, Shimon Okshteyn, and Chinese conceptual artist Linjie Deng are among the hundred plus artists featured at Rick Friedman’s Hamptons Fine Art Fair (HFAF). The Fair will take place at the Southampton Arts Center over Labor Day weekend. The event , which will be both a virtual and physical , will feature 40 international galleries showing important 20th and 21st century artworks. In addition to exhibiting works inside the museum, there will also be a de Kooning and Pollock Pavilion, that will showcase original works by these art icons as well as a replica of the Jackson Pollock Barn’s paint stained floor. hamptonsfineartfair.com
Watermill Center
The Watermill Center is re-imagining its notorious and always inspiring Annual Summer Benefit and Auction into a two-week long festival from July 31st to August 14th. The event will offer the cognoscenti access to the art strewn gardens and visiting artists from around the world. The festival will be curated by The Center’s founder, avant-garde director Robert Wilson, who will host a series of cocktail parties, intimate dinners, live performances, concerts, exhibitions and installations. Wilson said of the Center, “The situation here is open ended. You start with a blank book and fill in the pages.” Tickets are available online and all proceeds support The Center’s year-round Artist Residency and Education Programs. watermillcenter.org
Rosé Soirée
Rosanna Scotto, the ever popoular co-anchor for Good Day New York, will host Rosé Soirée at Nova’s Ark Project, the Hamptons art center and sculpture park on July 24th. The event will feature Rosé wines from the best wineries around the world and a sommelier who will be circulating throughout the tables to talk about the history and virtues of each wine. There will also be a five-course tasting menu from Chef Scott Kampf, one of the East Ends’s top culinary artsists, A percentage of the proceeds will benefit All For The East End, which supports numerous charitable organizations and US Autism Homes. danstaste.com
Seth Meyers @PAC
Seth Meyers, comedian and television host, takes the stage at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on July 24th on the Great Lawn. The Emmy Award-winning writer has been making people laugh since he was on “SNL ” in 2001. Meyers said, “Art is not supposed to be safe. It’s supposed to be radical.” Adding, “Once you get past funny, my other qualities are so below average. It’s not like I’m handy.”
Tickets at whbpac.org