FRENCH HERITAGE SOCIETY'S DINNER @ PIERRE HOTEL

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Honors Juan Pablo Molyneux And Champagne Taittinger

Photos By: Owen Hoffman / Patrick McMullan

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Martin And Jean Shafiroff

Anne And Willian Van Ness

French Heritage Society (FHS) honored Juan Pablo Molyneux and Champagne Taittinger, represented by Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, with a festive Gala Dinner Dance at The Pierre Hotel. The Gala included an elegant dinner with music and dancing to the sounds of The Bob Hardwick Sound, and raised over $340,000. 

Deborah And Chuck Royce

Prem Lachman & Liz McDermott

The event was held under the High Patronage of His Excellency Gérard Araud, Ambassador of France to the U.S., His Excellency François Delattre, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations; The Honorable Bertrand Lortholary, Consul General of France in New York; and Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in the United States, and in the presence of FHS Chairman Elizabeth F. Stribling and FHS President Comte Denis de Kergorlay, and the Gala Chairman CeCe Black, Jean Doyen de Montaillou, Kazie Metzger Harvey, Ursula Lowerre, Liz McDermott, Deborah Royce, Jean Shafiroff and Ann Van Ness. The Comité d’honneur includes Princess Isabelle De Broglie, Baron Robert de Rothschild, Comte and Comtesse François Saint-Bris, and many more notable individuals.

A cocktail reception preceded the dinner where Mrs. Stribling welcomed guests as the starters degustation were served. In light of the terrors in Paris this past week, the evening band played the French national anthem while the entire room stood in "solidarité and fraternité" with Paris.

FHS President Comte Denis de Kergolay thenspoke about the fundamental relationship between America and France, who are "brothers in arms" before introducing the first honoree Juan Pablo Molyneux as an "ambassador of beauty and art." Mr. Molyneux accepted his award saying, "Without old buildings, I'd simply be a talker and a dreamer" before toasting "my dear Mr. Taittinger." Mrs. Stribling then returned to introduce Mr. Taittinger who accepted by commenting that he will be an "ambassador for fidelity and friendship between the two countries and a faithful son to these two ideas." He then toasted Mr. Molyneux before gifting Mrs. Stribling with a book on Champagne. After a short break, Mrs. Black introduced auctioneer Nicholas Lowry whoraised funds towards the restoration of Monticello, and towards the funding of the FHS Student Program.

Following the dinner the guests moved to the dance floor, where The Bob Hardwick Sound had all the guests spinning and twirling around the dance floor.

Proceeds from the event support the important work FHS does to raise and make grants to restore French architectural gems in both countries, and to educate students, young professionals and the general public about these historic treasures through its cultural educational programs and communications.

The New York Chapter Co-Chairmen are Odile de Schiétère-Longchampt and Guy N. Robinson. 

The Benefit Committee includes Elizabeth F. Stribling, Comte Denis de Kergorlay, Irene Aitken, Tina & Simon Beriro, Baroness Véronique Bich, Baroness Laurie Bodor, J. Brooks, Yann Coatanlem, Zita Davisson, Baron and Baronne de Laroullière, Comtesse Elizabeth de Kergorlay, Barbara de Portago, Christian Draz, John & Carole French, Michael Kovner, Margo Morton Langenberg, Kamie & Richard Lightburn, Pilar Molyneux, Anne & Charles Niemeth, Charles Royce, Stanley & Betty Deforest Scott, and Donald & Barbara Tober. 

Additional guests included: Irene Aitken, Janine Atamian, Christopher Attard, Nefissa Attard, Lee Black, Liliana Cavendish, Fang Chu, Shannon Dishman, Elisa Fredrickson, Mark Gilbertson, Dr. Penny Grant, R. Couri Hay,Cherry Huang, Emilie Jackson, Cheri Kaufman, Konrad Keesee, Roy Kean, Diane Labouisse, Valerie Lettan, Kamie Lightburn, Susan Madden, Chris and Grace Meigher, Kristi McCarthy, Mary McFadden, Barbara and Francis de Marneffe, Judy McLaren, Polly Onet, Ann Rapp Barbara and Peter Regna, Alan Salz, Martin Shafiroff, Thomas Shiah, Patricia Shiah, Sheri Wechsler and Paul Vigue

The French Heritage Society was founded in 1982 as a two way street for Americans and French to share their love of historic architecture. FHS has contributed to almost 500 restoration grants and helped secure almost $18 million dollars for historic monuments, buildings and gardens in every department in France and to properties in the United States that reflect France’s historic influence. In 2014, FHS awarded more than $530,000 in restoration grants. French Heritage Society intervenes to ensure that the treasures of our shared French architectural and cultural heritage survive to inspire future generations to build, dream and create. There are 12 Chapters of the Society throughout the United States and one in Paris.