Week of September 26th, 2016

Monday, September 26th: PREformances series at the JCC
For eight seasons, "PREformances with Allison Charney" has accomplished the wonderful mission of giving top level performers an opportunity to debut new material, and providing lucky audience members with a chance to catch a sneak peek of new talent and repertoire.

This PREformance was no exception. We were treated to the first public performance of mezzo-soprano Karolina Pilou singing the aria "Il Vecchiotto Cerca Moglie" from The Barber of Seville. Ms Pilou will "officially" debut in role of Berta at the Met this Spring.

In addition, pianist Joel Fan delighted us with an inspired interpretation of Chopin's  piano piece, Polonaise-Fantaisie Op.61 in preparation for his recording session for his latest CD release.

It is opportunities like these that are at the heart of the Performance series, founded by soprano Allison Charney, an accomplished soprano in her own right and a charming hostess for this remarkable series.

For photos from the event, click here. For More about the series and for upcoming dates, click here.

Monday, September 26th: All French Program at Carnegie Hall
Pianist Katya Grineva and cellist Byron Duckwall collaborated on an all French program, inspired by the Age of the Impressionists. The duo covered works by Saint-Saens, Debussy, Satie and Ravel, among others.
Duckwall provided very insightful and colorful commentary about the composers and the works performed. The historical context and the artistic notes enhanced the audience's understanding of and appreciation for the selected pieces.


Tuesday, September 27th: Puccini in Love
Together with the NY Arts & Sciences Salon, we were delighted to share an evening in Bryant Park for opera al fresco. NY City opera treated us to arias from 3 of Puccini's most beloved works, La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, and Tosca.

In addition to the music, we enjoyed a tasty dîner en plein air and even snuck in some prosecco for a friendly toast.

photo credit: Jennifer Thomas

photo credit: Jennifer Thomas

photo credit: Jennifer Thomas

Saturday, October 1st: Board Game Night

Many thanks to our hosts, Suzy & Mark Chronowitz for holding Board Game Fest at their home. In addition to old favorites, we played a new game, Hoax, and the general consensus was favorable. Players need to impersonate various pretenders to a large fortune in order to see who will be left as the sole heir. A bit like Clue meets Bull$hit, it provides opportunities to put on funny accents. It is a great option for large, boisterous groups. Our Forbidden Island score was 1 Loss and 1 Win. Damn you, Waters Rising card...

Week of September 19th, 2016

Monday, September 19th: Art Deco lecture
The Princeton Club hosted gallery owner Ben Macklowe who treated us to a very interesting lecture on all the different factors contributing to and influencing Art Deco style in jewelry.  The period between the First and Second World Wars was a time of radical change in modern life. Art, fashion, and broadened international communications all played key roles in defining the styles and tastes of the era that was most famously dominated by the geometric lines and striking simplicity of the Art Deco movement.

From innovations in metalworking to the opening of international trade routes to the influences of Chanel and Bauhaus, Macklowe connected the major cultural influences of the time to the design and evolution of interwar jewelry. He was an engaging speaker and held his audience's attention.

Tuesday, September 20th: Nancy Cunard
During the Jazz Age, the flapper roll call from Josephine Baker to Zelda Fitzgerald reached its aristocratic high point with Nancy Cunard. Heiress to a shipping fortune, a champion (and lover) of jazzmen, a hard-drinking sybarite, and relentlessly on the move to be wherever the party was, the fashion-forward Cunard was a meal ticket for gossip columnists. But the wild tales mask her own prodigious talent for poetry, which Dr. Charles A. Riley II ‘79, professor of literature and author of more than thirty books, explored in a vivid portrait of this fascinating figure.

Cunard ran with a regular Who's Who of the 1920s Art Pack and had intimate knowledge of many of her contemporary poets from T.S. Eliot & Ezra Pound to Pablo Neruda. Her own haunting verses were well presented by Dr. Riley and were a delightful surprise.

Dr. Riley was one of the most animated and interesting speakers to grace the Princeton Club and spoke about his subject with obvious passion and great knowledge. His next book comes out in May, and we hope to have him back at the club at that time.

Week of September 12th, 2016

Thursday, September 15th: Le Dîner En Blanc
Le Dîner En Blanc took over Battery Park in a stunning display of style and elegance. 5,000 diners all clad in white, sat at tables dressed in white linens and set with white china. Our table featured very creative friends whose elaborate costumes and headpieces garnered quite a lot of attention.

Our Table

Press coverage and photos:

• Basia's Album: https://www.facebook.com/basia.malinowska/media_set?set=a.879628318805476&type=3
• Raphael's Album: https://www.facebook.com/rpungin/media_set?set=a.10153772839721302.1073742437.501376301&type=3

• Village Voice: http://www.villagevoice.com/slideshow/heres-a-look-inside-this-years-secret-diner-en-blanc-party-9117197
• CBS News Video: https://www.facebook.com/rpungin/videos/10153772652106302/
• Untapped Cities: http://untappedcities.com/2016/09/15/2016-nyc-diner-en-blanc-hits-downtown-waterfront-at-robert-f-wagner-park/
• Women's Wear Daily: http://wwd.com/fashion-news/they-are-wearing/they-are-wearing-diner-en-blanc-new-york-city-10194541/
• Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3792564/Thousands-high-society-diners-gather-New-York-s-ultra-exclusive-Diner-en-Blanc-dress-white-bring-table-chairs.html

Sunday, September 18th: Midieval Fair at The Cloisters

Fort Tryon Park was taken over by knights and ladies of the realm.

Week of September 5th, 2016

Tuesday, September 6th: Amor Towles Book Signing
Novelist Amor Towles discussed his latest book with a standing room only crowd at Barnes and Noble. The Gentleman from Moscow, tells the story of a young Russian aristocrat held under house arrest in a hotel in Moscow, where he meets a varied cast of characters. His first novel, The Rules of Civility, remains one of my favorite books.

Saturday, September 10th: Swing Remix featuring Ron Sunshine and his Orchestra
Friends old and new gathered to enjoy the always fabulous orchestrations of Ron Sunshine and his Orchestra.   We had great balcony seats for the dance performances, where we indulged in chocolate mousse cake and prosecco... A well-deserved break from dancing our feet off.