by contributor Donna Shor
Photo Credit: Courtesy of NMWA
This year’s Washington party-time calendar of fundraising galas and big ticket charity balls is almost ended― until September, when vacations are over and it all begins again.
Looking back through recent parties-past, one stood out as a real barn burner, a let-your-hair-down all-out blast at the usually more staid National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA).
The NMWA Museum’s twice a year galas are always lively, beautifully planned and executed. This year their Spring Gala was all of the above, but with the addition of Annie Totah, a bombshell of a Chairwoman who had some innovations up her sleeve.
One stunning plus―she brought with her a friend and neighbor who as the gala’s Honorary Chair was a definite asset to the evening: Her Imperial Majesty Empress Farah Pahlavi, whose late husband was the Shah of Iran. Magnificent in satin brocade, graceful as well as gracious, the Shahbanou, the Empress, patiently and cheerfully posed with the many who wanted pictures with her, charming everyone.
(I will admit that this writer was happy to get a photo with the empress too, because it completed a circle. With my late husband, Franc Shor of the National Geographic, who had been acquainted with the Shah for many years, we were two of the only fifty Americans invited to their coronation. It was a storybook-beautiful event of Persian splendor, and the Shabanou was magnificent in an ermine-lined velvet cloak with a sweeping train. It was nice to reminisce with her during the evening.)
Back to the gala, a lot was happening. The theme of the evening was “Nine Thousand and Nine Hundred Nights” (representing the number of nights the museum has existed since its founding 27 years ago by Wilhelmina Holladay, its charismatic leader.) Annie Totah carried the thought a bit further, harking to the “Thousand and One Nights,” envisioning the gala as a Mediterranean/ Moorish/Middle Eastern celebration.
Arriving guests found themselves in a haze of soft blue light, greeted by two young women in shimmering, diaphanous gowns, their arms extended by poles bearing gauzy wings they let flutter and wave dreamily, opening and closing. One had to think of the Peri, the fairylike supernatural beings of Persian folklore. Enchanting.
But suddenly, shortly after they left the scene, the music changed abruptly to hot, hot, hot and our angelic “peris” were back again, now in slinky, clinging backless hot pink one-piece pajamas, dancing devilishly. Then several beaded-bra belly dancers appeared, gyrating between the tables.
Energized, the crowd swarmed the dance floor, everyone was up and moving. Even the elegant, always regal Mahinder Tak was swept up in the moment and as we were dancing together she was unexpectedly kidnapped into the conga line that was one-two-three kicking its way through the dancers.
It was that kind of an evening. Everyone got into the spirit of the event and no one more so than Grace Bender who wore a handsome grey float of a dress she bought on a trip to Marrakech.
Women at the NMWA galas are always beautifully gowned; two remarked-on outfits: Mary Mochary in a moonbeam of a dress of the most intricate lacy fabric, and Carol Lascaris in a gorgeous sea foam green chiffon, topped by a perfectly harmonizing necklace hubby Climis had chosen for her.
Charo Abrams and Carole Margaret Randolph, co-chairs of the silent auction, outdid themselves in the glamour and the scope of the 831 auction offerings: magnificent getaways, unique wearable art, then fine selections of objets d’art and stunning jewelry, many of which were donated by the Shabanou as well as Annie Totah.
Both the NMWA Texas State Committee as well as staunch NMWA supporter Gerry Ehrlich donated several lots of highly-rated wines that would enhance any oenophile’s wine cellar.
The dinner menu matched the evening’s exotic theme, echoing foods from many countries in the eastern part of the world. Appetizers included Armenian lamb sliders and Moroccan spiced chicken. The salad course, with magenta-fringed Lolla Rosa lettuce boasted the Arab world’s spicy harissa dressing and pita triangles heightened with sumac/za’atar dried herbs.
Next came a double main course of Mediterranean salmon plus lamb chops glazed with Iran’s favored pomegranate juice, accompanied by Israeli couscous. Middle Eastern desserts led up to mint tea and Greek ouzo.
Should anyone seek a nimble-witted emcee with a boatload of stories, Gala Chair Totah can fill the bill nicely, and at length. When she took the floor, she had an unending flow of anecdotes, introductions, and joking references for the audience.
She introduced the Empress, who greeted the 400 guests, expressing her joy in being here, and especially on this evening dedicated to the museum’s patrons, members and friends. She congratulated Wilhelmina Holladay and all who helped make the museum a prime source for preserving the artistic contributions of women of talent.
Farah Pahlavi is not only charming, she is a woman of steadfast character who has withstood dramatic turns of fate and heart-breaking interludes, as she has told in her memoir. That autobiography, “An Enduring Love: My Life with the Shah” bears candid witness to the tumult she endured.
Honorary Diplomatic Chair of the event was Elena Poptodorova, the Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria, who attended with her husband George Petrov. Lively Elena emphasized the 111 years of strong U.S. relations with Bulgaria, a nation that dates back to Thracian times and whose ancient cultural heritage has developed into a strong modern tradition that encompasses art and noted women artists.
The NMWA’s director, chairman of the board Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, the author of it all, has established a lasting legacy encompassing a handsome building filled with over 600 examples of fine art exclusively by women.
The NMWA validates the strong opinion she shared with her late husband Wallace Holladay, after their extensive travels, that such art should have a place uniquely its own. This defied the custom of museums around the world to ignore women artists.
Charismatic, she proved an excellent fundraiser, pledged to make it happen. A quarter century later, with the museum established as a firm success, despite years of tribulations and criticisms of its purpose, she became concerned with the task of insuring its sound financial future with a hefty endowment.
Her goal was $50 million dollars, half of which was on hand. To spearhead the Legacy Fund Drive she named long time supporters, the designers Carol and Climis Lascaris (who, coincidentally, designed the museums handsome great hall where the dinner was held). They set out to build the Legacy Fund, with amazingly speedy results.
Last year she was able to announce with relief at a special reception that the goal had been met, thanks to the galvanizing Lascaris’s efforts and the support of NMWA patrons, members and friends.This year the gala was dedicated to all those devoted supporters.
Perhaps it was no surprise that now, bulwarked by a strong endowment fund, the 2014 Spring Gala, fired-up by Annie Totah, turned out to be such a joyously carefree affair.
But here’s still one more challenge: In 2015, what can they possibly do for an encore?
