Wall Street Journal
NY HEARD & SCENE
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Stuffed Cats, Shades Of Black at Chic Parties
By MARSHALL HEYMAN
(Bette and Sophie)In case the term has completely bypassed you, charity balls in New York are often referred to as “rubber chickens.” This is to denote what kind of meal you’re usually served.
Well the “rubber chicken” most likely to feature an actual rubber chicken would have to be Bette Midler‘s Hulaween, an annual Halloween-themed party to benefit the New York Restoration Project.
The costumes at this year’s camp-fest, which took place Friday at the Waldorf-Astoria, were, in general, pretty terrific: a duo dressed as Little Edie and Big Edie from “Grey Gardens” with stuffed cats; a man wearing a football jersey and no pants was Brett Favre; the comedian Judy Gold came as Eleanor Roosevelt.
“Oh people, you look so divine,” Ms. Midler, who was dressed as a tree, told her guests, using a word oft-employed to describe the host herself.
They were sipping on pumpkin porridge that was served in actual mini-pumpkins. (Don’t worry, environmentalists, the pumpkins would be composted later at local farms.) Ever the entertainer, Ms. Midler sang a song to encourage even more donations. It was to the melody of Kander and Ebb‘s “Cabaret”: “Don’t be cheap f–ks with all of your bucks.” Then she hand-sold trees for the New York City area to the tune of $2,500 apiece, as someone Tweeted about who exactly bought them.
The winners of the evening’s costume contest continued the musical theater theme: the architects of the firm Studios dressed as the lyrics to “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music.”
“These are designed to last for two hours,” said the gentleman dressed as “doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles.” “They’re made with a glue gun and love.” He said this a few moments before removing those accoutrements in order to enjoy dinner, and placing them next to a pile of raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens and some brown-paper packaging.
–With contributions from Priya Rao
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