Divas on the Delaware

Paddling divas (click on photos to enlarge)

TD and I really have had the best summer. You know, I wish it was summer all year 'round. Recently we spent a week on Fire Island as the guests of our friend Philip and it was heavenly to be at the beach. Previous to that, we had a fun trip to upstate New York. The first stop was Callicoon, a town in the Catskills, where we and friend Bill were guests of friends Karl and Robert for an adventurous river rafting ride called Divas on the Delaware. The second stop was in picturesque Cooperstown, and I wrote about that for New York Social Diary.com; I'll be posting that part next.

Divas on the Delaware is a festive annual event where about one hundred gay men and a handful of women raft down the Delaware River. How could that not be fun? Plus it was that weekend where it was approximately 104 degrees out, so it was a relief to be on the wide, cool Delaware River. We drove to Narrowsburg to a camp ground where the group assembled and then got on a rickety school bus to be transferred to Skinner's Falls. There, we all grabbed a life preserver and an oar, and jumped into a raft.

Everybody made it into a raft and headed down the river.

At the beginning of the trip we hit Skinner's Falls which aren't really falls but more like rapids

but still it was exciting because you did get tossed around a little and had to work to navigate the raft to safety.

After that it was smooth sailing.

In the wide expanse of the river we got separated from the other divas.

It became very quiet and calm. I dunked into the river four times to cool off.

I had thought it would be a noisy, raucous affair but it turned out to be quite peaceful. The scenery was beautiful and the nature was unspoiled. At this bend ahead the river turned right.

A river was lined with pretty houses. This woman sat in the shallow river to escape the summer heat.

There were other rafters on the river too. This blonde girl in front of us had on a Daniel Boone raccoon cap which I thought was appropriate, and chic.

We were on the river for a few hours and eventually arrived at the end, at the place to land, seen here on the left. I took one more dunk into the river to cool off. After we landed, there was a big barbecue lunch at the camp grounds.

By the end of the raft trip I was completely relaxed. The meditative serenity of the river had worked its magic. I can see why river rafting is popular. You do surrender yourself to the beauty of nature.

Up next: the art and culture of Cooperstown.

Summer Pleasure

(click on photo to enlarge)
Recently at the Union Square Farmer's Market, at the Durr's truck, I bought these gladiolas. This big bunch was only $6. I love the spectrum of bright colors, and how they match the peaches and the tomatoes also from the Farmer's Market. When I was growing up, upstate in New Hartford, New York, in the summertime we, the kids, drove with my mother in the station wagon over back country roads to Clinton to a farmer's stand where she bought colorful gladiolas. It was often in the late afternoon when it wasn't so hot and she also bought fresh ears of corn and tomatoes for dinner. When I see gladiolas I think of summer afternoons at that farmer's stand in Clinton. Gladiolas fell out of fashion as a flower but I think the bright spikes of blossoms are pretty glorious. It's time for gladiolas to make a comeback, don't you think?

The Last Days of Alexander McQueen

Inside the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (photo from The New York Times)

"I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress."
Alexander McQueen

On Friday I ran up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 8:30 a.m. to see the Costume Institute's blockbuster show Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty which closed on Sunday. Last year we went to the opening of the Costume Institute show where I had the chance to interview Anna Wintour, but this year because of scheduling I made it up just before the McQueen show closed.

As you probably know the Alexander McQueen show was sensationally popular and in the end it turned out to be one of the ten most visited exhibitions in the history of the museum. The extravagant production paid tribute to the gifted British designer who committed suicide last year at age 40, and everyone wanted to see it.

At 8:30 a.m. there were already lines going up Fifth Avenue of people waiting to get in to see the show. Fortunately I had a VIP pass so I was able to go directly into the exhibit on the second floor. The very first room of the show, which highlighted McQueen's gift for fine tailoring and featured exquisite jackets and trousers, was my favorite.

Then it was into more galleries of his fantastical designs made with glossy black feathers, funereal Victorian lace, blood red velvets and mad touches like little alligator heads used as epaulettes. The galleries were dark – with walls of black or smokey glass or cement block, and the audio effects included howling winds, growling wolves, creaking doors and monster noises. The environment was spooky which matched the Gothic sensibility of the imaginative designer.

" I oscillate between life and death, happiness and sadness, good and evil."
Alexander McQueen

The price I paid for waiting until the last days was that the galleries were very crowded but I did my best to see what I could including a small hologram from a McQueen fashion show which featured Kate Moss floating and spinning over the runway like an angel in a dreamy flowing gown of white organza with raw edges. By the end of the exhibit the visitor certainly did fully understand the momentous and singular talent of Mr. McQueen, and felt the sadness of his tragic loss.

I left the exhibit and passed the long waiting line strung through the second floor. When I went down the Grand Staircase I saw that the line circled around the second floor galleries of the Great Hall; all of the museum was one long line to get into the show! Outside on the sidewalk in the hot sun the line on Fifth Avenue circled back and forth, and this was at 11 a.m. I've been going to the Metropolitan Museum for thirty years and I've never seen anything like it.

Now, the show is gone, dismantled to make way for a new exhibition called Wonder of the Age: Master Painters of India, 1100-1900. But, with the magic of the internet, you can tour the McQueen show here with its curator Andrew Bolton:

Multi-Channel

Darlings, rush on over to New York Social Diary.com, and read my story today about our recent trip to Cooperstown. The trip was inspiring.
And, coincidentally today The New York Times published a big story about the summer season at Glimmerglass.

A New York Minute

This is where the junk was piled up on the street.
The other night I was walking home down West 15th Street in Chelsea. As I got near our building I saw that in front of the building across the street where Susan Sarandon lives was a big pile of junk out on the curb for garbage pick-up. There was furniture and books and bags heaped up on the sidewalk. My heart leapt a beat. Who knew what treasures awaited? There were already a woman and a man on the scene and they had a station wagon car which they were filling up together. I approached the mass of junk and immediately I spied in the middle a shelf stand made of bamboo with three wooden shelves. I love old bamboo things which look antique and Asian at the same time; they remind me of 611. The woman was going through stuff but she didn't seem interested in or hadn't noticed the bamboo stand. In black Prada monk straps I stepped carefully and quickly through the bags of junk and plucked the bamboo stand out of the middle and slipped it under my arm. The woman looked up. "That's nice," she said. "Isn't it?" I said.
I ran across the street to get home with my find. A taxi cab pulled over on the side and the man in the back of the cab yelled at me, "Be careful! Do you want to get hit by a car!" I looked over and it was my friend Mario Buatta in the back of the cab paying his fare. I was surprised to see Mario there, in front of my building, because he lives on the Upper East Side, but he gets all over town. He got out of the cab and we had big hellos. I hadn't seen him for a while and he looked good. He said he was going to a party for the Lycée Françias or some such thing in a building a few doors down on 15th. "What is that you've got there?" he said and I explained. He nodded approvingly. "Put it next to a chair with books and magazines on it," he suggested. "You'd pay some money for that in a shop on the Upper East Side," he said, "You did good." The ultimate compliment from a great American decorator.

When I got home I washed it off with soap and water. Here it is in the apartment. We don't really have room for it anywhere, but we'll figure it out. Or move! It looks like someone tried to paint the bottom of it green, but with a pile of magazines or books on the shelf, no one will see that. When TD came home he said he loved it.

I love the price.

Head First

Victoria Baran wearing a fascinator made by her sister Vanessa.

Through the post came a photo of a hat that my friend Vanessa Baran, who is a stylist, made for her sister Victoria to wear to a wedding in Pennsylvania. I would love to see someone wear that at a summer wedding. Well, it's not a hat actually, it's a fascinator which is a term we here in the United States became familiar with during the wedding of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. A fascinator is like an old-fashioned cocktail hat. It doesn't sit on the head like a regular hat but instead is attached with bobby pins or a strap. Decorative and amusing, it's meant to complement an outfit at a dressy occasion.

Vanessa explained to me that she and Victoria had gone hat shopping in Soho, but everything was quite expensive. "We're not going to do this," Vanessa said to Victoria, who is a senior associate at Robert A. M. Stern Architects. "I will make you a something."

Vanessa started with a small form shaped like a yarmulke. "I paraded all through those notion shops on 38th Street," she said. "I knew what I wanted but it was hard to find. I was thinking of a garden with three different kinds of flowers but then I found the pink feathers which matched the peony."

"I didn't have a wig form so I made it right on Victoria's head with a glue gun. We were supposed to leave the house at 1:00 so I sat her down at noon to proceed along with our project. It was really touch and go but it gave me great inspiration." Vanessa attached the fascinator with an elastic strap and since has added a pretty ribbon. She plans to make more under the name Fascinators by Baraness, and can be found at vanessabaran.com.

When I met Vanessa many years ago she was working at Vogue, in the research/fact-checking department I think. We went one Christmas to a party at her apartment on the upper west side which had a long terrace facing the Hudson River. She had decorated a big Christmas tree with birds of paradise flowers and small clear plastic bags filled with water and gold fish which sparkled as they swam among the white Christmas tree lights. It was a jaw-dropping sight, I'll tell you that. Now Vanessa works as a floral and props designer:

I love a girl who can create a hat one hour before the big event; she is doing her part to make the world more beautiful.

The Farmer's Market in July

Straw hat
I just love this time of year. I wish it was summer year 'round. Do you think we should move to Florida? The Union Square Farmer's Market is now in full swing and we are just back from our Saturday morning trip to stock up on vegetables and flowers.

From the west side, we cut through Union Square to get to the Durr's flower truck on the east side. Pale, poetic variegated hydrangeas are now blooming in Union Square; you know I'm a fan of hydrangeas.

The Durrs now have rows and rows of flowers from which to choose.

Another stand offered these Denver daisies. I like the name of that.

This stand sells lovely lilies. We get a small bouquet pictured in the front and put the single flowers around the house – they smell heavenly when you pass by.

Sunflowers – $2 each, 3 for $5.

Piles of carrots and big radishes in vivid hues.

I'm waiting for the tomatoes to come!
Have a great summer weekend.

Natural Southampton

Perfect beach day (click on photos to enlarge)
Last weekend TD and I went to Southampton to visit my brother Thom and his family. Boy, is that a beautiful corner of the world. The long lanes down to the beach are lined by tall green hedges that reveal peeks of grand old houses. In the village of Southampton, the houses are covered with grey weathered shingles and trimmed in white. Everything is pristine and preserved, picturesque and perfect.
One day I took a bike ride into town. These flower boxes decorate the village streets – I love the combination of the red, white and blue flowers for the Fourth of July.

There were clouds of hydrangeas everywhere.

These are hydrangeas outside of Thom's house. I just love hydrangeas – they are romantically old-fashioned. I think there were hydrangeas at 611.

We took a long bike ride along Meadow Lane which runs along the ocean beach. This is Shinnecock Bay. The landscape reminded me of Martha's Vineyard. It's great that this extremely valuable real estate has not been developed.

A family walked along the little beach there and played with their dog.

Meadow Lane is strung with mansions – Calvin Klein is building a big house there which is right now only a construction site. But this was my favorite house – it looked like an old English stone country cottage smothered with overgrowth.

Further on down Meadow Lane we passed Saint Andrew's Dune Church which is built right on the dunes with the ocean on the other side. It has that similar, charming, English vernacular country architecture. Pretty place to get married.

Later in the day we went to the beach. Spectacular weather.

On Sunday it was a little overcast so we took a car ride through East Hampton to Montauk where we had delicious lobster rolls at a cute and popular restaurant called Lunch. Then we had a quick walk through East Hampton. Here at the Ralph Lauren store, a rainbow of lavender, blue and white hydrangeas welcomed shoppers.

Flowers plus art: White impatiens mixed with modern sculpture at Gallery Valentine.

It was a pretty dreamy weekend, quiet and relaxing. Many thanks to our hosts.
Hope you had a great holiday weekend too.

Liberty in New York State

TD and I marching down Fifth Avenue in the Pride Parade with Judson Memorial Church.
Last Friday night TD and I were sitting on the couch watching live on tv the New York State Senate vote count in Albany on the bill to legalize same-sex marriage, and were elated when it passed. Thanks to our friend Senator Tom Duane who has been working on the legislation for many years and to our great governor Andrew Cuomo who was committed to getting the bill passed, same sex couples can now be legally married in New York, the third largest state in the nation – hooray! I have to say that above and beyond the marriage issue it feels like a validation in terms of equality that I never thought that I would see in my lifetime. It feels great.
On Saturday TD and I walked over to the Stonewall Bar where the gay rights movement began in 1969 with the Stonewall riots when the patrons there fought back against the harassing police. When we walked up to the bar I noticed a tv truck with a satellite dish across the street. TD and I had our picture taken out front by our friend Sherry and we went inside for a beer. I had never been inside Stonewall before – tiny little place with a low ceiling and a long bar. Unlikely spot for the launch of a civil rights movement. By the time we were walking home I was getting emails and phone calls – we were on the NBC Nightly News. You can see us in the background having our picture taken on the clip at about 33 seconds.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

On Sunday we marched down Fifth Avenue in the Pride Parade with Judson Memorial Church. We had to wait a long time to start so I watched some other groups go by. Here is Frontrunners – the gay running group. TD and I were both members, and that's how we met – 26 years ago – so I have a sentimental spot for the Frontrunners group.

Finally our group stepped off into the parade. It is always a thrill to walk down the center of Fifth Avenue and see all the way down to Washington Square in the Village. How often can you walk down the middle of Fifth Avenue?

At 29th Street the members of Marble Collegiate Church handed out cups of cold water and a message:

It was a great weekend in New York City. There was the feeling that justice had been done. I applaud the Republican lawmakers who crossed party lines to give all New Yorkers who love one another the freedom to marry.
Have a happy Fourth of July weekend!

The Joy of June, In Three Parts

Brother Thom, aunt Ellen, uncle Bob in Latham, New York.
The month of June is often time for family celebrations and this year TD and I had a full dance card.
1.
The first weekend of June we winged up to Rochester, New York, on JetBlue for the wedding party of my cousin Peter's daughter Dottie.

Here is Dottie arriving at the party with her husband Bryce behind and mother Lorie. Earlier in May the couple had already been married in Italy in Tuscany, and this was a celebratory cocktail reception held at the Twin Beeches Estate in Pittsford, New York. Dottie looking beautiful arrived in a horse drawn carriage and then guests passed through the mansion to a posh reception on the tented terrace. This is my father's side of the family, and it was great fun to see aunts and cousins and their children. My mother was not feeling up to the trip but my father did drive from Connecticut, and here we are:

At the reception, photographer Cythnia Fay took this picture of yours truly, which was posted on Fine and Dandy.com.

My cousin Bryan and his wife Sherry happily invited us to stay at their house which was most comfortable. Big congrats and best wishes to Dottie and Bryce as they begin their married life together; their party was a wonderful beginning.
2.
The second weekend of June we headed down to Ocean City, New Jersey, for TD's mother's surprise 90th birthday party.
TD spent the weekend there with his mother Edna and I took a Greyhound bus on Sunday morning out of the Port Authority at 9am. The party was held at the Ocean City Yacht Club which has a big sunny room that is situated right on the scenic Great Egg Harbor Bay.
A colorful June table

And another table. The Dawsons are a riot.

At last the birthday girl did arrive and she was indeed surprised.
Here is Edna surrounded by family and friends as we all sang Happy Birthday.

We settled down to a buffet lunch and delicious birthday cake. When it was time to leave Edna insisted on driving us to the train station. She goes to the gym three times a week – a true inspiration. God bless.
3.
The third weekend of June we rented a car and raced up the New York State Thruway to Latham, New York, near Albany, for the engagement party of my cousin Lindsay. The party was held at the home of the parents of her fiancé Mark. Here is Lindsay second from left greeting guests.

This is my mother's side of the family, the Mumfords. These aunts, uncles, cousins and their children are always a joy to see.


The big pretty house and garden were the perfect setting for a party. A buffet dinner was served under a tent and we sat down at long tables. Then TD and I drove back to New York to return the car at Hertz. People at the party said, "You didn't get a Zip Car?" Next time!
I loved it all. In three weeks I got to see the three branches of my family. How often does that happen? That is the joy of June.