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The falling leaves drift by the window … the autumn leaves of red and gold … September rain, the Autumn Dinner … then Halloween, and then the cold.
Somebody seems to have monkeyed around with Johnny Mercer’s scenic poetry to reflect the fact that The Frick Collection’s annual Autumn Dinner at the swanky Frick mansion has waxed a staple in New York City’s fall calendar. This year, the tony do hoovered in a record-breaking 1.4 million dollars for the Frick, virtually doubling the wonted tally.
A who’s who in philanthropy for the arts feasted on Baby Lobster and Caviar trailed by Scallops of Veal with Morels, Bouquetière de Legumés, and Galette de Pommes de Terre Trufflé. The French-savvy clearly had a leg up as far as knowing exactly what they were ingesting, but all agreed it was very délicieux. The nouritture was washed down in style with a 2003 Château Olivier Grand Cru Class de Graves, then topped off with a mound of toothsome Baked Alaska. (Only trained physicists can explain why ice cream doesn’t always melt at 450º F—something about the molecular structure of the enveloping meringue shielding the center from the heat.)
Calorie-conscious diners noted the waistline-friendly nature of the evening, for the meal’s immediate aftermath entailed a hefty dose of legwork as Frick Director Anne Poulet and Board President Margot Bogert delivered consecutive orations at opposite ends of the expansive museum—no indoor limousines stood by to ferry the masses hither and yon.
Following the workout, a commemorative Tiffany tray was presented to Sotheby’s crack auctioneer John Marion and to his wife Anne for their prodigious contributions to the world of art.
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