On
Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 1,200 guests gathered in Central Park's Conservatory
Garden for the annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon. Hosted by
the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy, the event raised
$2.1 million for the maintenance and preservation of Central Park. A
stunning sea of hats and spring blooms filled the Park's secret garden!
This year's chairwomen were Vicki Foley, Muffy Miller, Gillian Miniter,
Tara Rockefeller and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff. Betsy Messerschmitt is
President of the Women's Committee. Angela and Wade Thompson were honored
for their outstanding support of Central Park. Douglas Blonsky is President
of the Central Park Conservancy. Attendees included Bette Midler, Francisco
Costa, Deborah Roberts, Tory Burch, and Martha Stewart.
Conservatory
Garden is the ideal location for the celebration. The six-acre oasis
is Central Park's only formal garden and takes its name from the huge
glass conservatory that once stood there. Guests enter from Fifth Avenue
and 105th Street through the Vanderbilt Gate, which originally stood
before the Vanderbilt Mansion at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, the site
of today's Bergdorf Goodman store. The Garden is often an inspiration
for the guests' glamorous or whimsical hat creations.
