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2010 June 3

All in Good Taste

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David Patrick Columbia and Gillian Miniter David Patrick Columbia and Gillian Miniter
NICK HUNT / PatrickMcMullan.com View Gallery

(NEW YORK) The only problem with the Central Park Conservancy's annual Taste of Summer benefit is that it's held in the middle of Central Park. Sure, the locale is as gorgeous as they come—in this case, at the Bandshell right across from Bethesda Fountain. But the crashers, the crashers! Upon entering the bass-thumping venue, a coterie of impromptu joggers and a few suited fellows were asking for entry. "Hey, lady. Got an extra ticket?" You really can't blame them. What better way to end a jog around the South Loop than a tasting emporium from the finest uptown restaurants?

Thomas Kempner and Doug Blonsky wrangled the host committee members such as David Patrick Columbia, Alexandra Lebenthal, Patrick McMullan, and Women's Committee president Gillian Miniter. "Serafina is in the VIP tent," hinted Miniter. The hoi polloi were confined to the likes of chilled carrot puree with crab salad from Telepan, diver sea scallops cured in EVOO with caviar mousse and kataifi from Thalassa, and white chocolate ganache with yogurt, coconut foam and fresh mango from Gordon Ramsay at the London. Not bad. 

An ambitious DJ coaxed the crowd to the dance floor with tunes by the likes of Lady Gaga and a lot of other clubby hits that aren't exactly commonplace to the 10028 crowd. But those with kids—especially teenagers—found themselves shuffling right along with Somers Farkas and Muffie Potter Aston. As a stuffed Daily departed the scene around 9, the glorious gluttony showed no signs of slowing. In fact, a larger crowd was hovering near the entrance. "Hey, lady. Can I have your wristband?"
ASHLEY BAKER

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