Tea Party

Last Sunday, we attended a tea party hosted by Debra Rapoport and Stan Satlin at Stan's art-filled apartment in Westbeth, the artists' community in the West Village. On the street after the festivities, we encountered a lovely couple and their young daughter trying to take pictures of each other. In exchange for our taking a family photo of them, they took a picture of us and lent us two of their daughter's pink pom-poms for props.

Debra Rapoport is an artist and milliner and stars in the Advanced Style documentary. Stan Satlin is a composer, songwriter and singer. His "Auratoria Americana: Songs of Peace, Love and Spirituality" will be performed at a 7/18/14 event at Riverside Church honoring Nelson Mandela. (For information about the Footsteps of Mandela event, just click on "Auratoria ...) Stan and Debra threw the tea party in honor of three friends visiting from Sydney, Australia.

Debra is wearing a white vest of her own design made of Viva paper towels, one of her favorite materials of late.  It really is a strong, sturdy fiber, and lives up to all the claims made in the advertisements.  And if you take a look at her necklace, you'll see its deceptive centerpiece is a household tool found in any standard toolbox.  Her friend is artist and Westbeth resident Claire Rosenfeld. We had a wonderful time chatting with Claire about numerous topics, including New Mexico's Santa Fe and another artist enclave, Mexico's San Miguel de Allende.

Here's Stan with Sydney visitors Tessa and Robert.  EVERYone loved his shirt, which he said was a gift.  A little tiny label on the pocket says Supreme, which it turns out caters to skateboarders, and has a long list of very high profile collaborators.  (Gents, notice how well he's matched it to his pants and shoes.)

Vivienne Cable, the third Sydney visitor, owns a women's boutique in Sydney called Image by Design. Debra's friend Francesco brought a fellow Aussie (in polka dots) to the party.

Marsha Carlin, Peri St. Denis and Susan Dean posed for a photo. Marsha is a jeweler and Peri is a water colorist.

Nita Angeletti is a doll maker and costume designer. Lily Pink is wearing another of Debra Rapoport's Viva paper towel hats. She'd gotten it at Debra's sale the day before at Lynn Dell's Off Broadway Boutique. We'd last seen both ladies at the National Hat Day Party hosted by Lynn Dell.

Debra's sister, Cydonia Boonshaft (left), and Dr. Nonnie Balcer. Wish we had a full length picture of Cydonia's suit.  It had amazing seams in unexpected places.  Cydonia said she'd gotten it at Kaliyana in Montreal (one of Jean's favorite haunts in that city).  We'd met Nonnie at an Asia Society event last year.  We - and everyone else - loved her hat, by Kate Bishop, which she was kind enough to share (momentarily) with several admirers.  What was really interesting about this hat was how versatile it was - it could be worn backward as well as forward, with the wonderful fan flourish either high or low.  Stan's chairs, by Donghia, were a thrift shop coup.  Oh, envy, envy!

We met filmaker Lilly Rivlin, also a Westbeth denizen. Her latest movie is "Esther Bronner - A Weave of Women".  Love those stripes!

Lina Plioplyte, director of the Advanced Style documentary is a Lithuanian-born New York-based cinematographer and editor who makes short films, fashion documentaries and music videos.  She and Lilly's friend Ilse enjoyed the party.

Tziporah Salamon who also appears in Lina's film with Debra, is wearing one of Debra's Viva hats.  Harriet Levine (left) whom Debra describes as a dear friend actually introduced her to Stan!

Stan with triple-threat (artist, milliner & blogger) Carol Markel, always in marvelous living color, and wearing one of the wonderful gumball necklaces she makes.

Carol's husband, artist Richard Cramer, next to one of the pieces from Stan's extensive collection of Americana. Click on Carol's name above to view her blog posting on the party.

We both loved how jeweler Diana Gabriel's black and white jacket of pressed and felted yarns played off her wonderful black and white jewelry designs.

Sydney visitor Tessa with Debra's friends Mark Brennan and Michael Ing.

Elke Kuhn, wearing an outfit from Swedish designer Gudrun Sjoden, sits with Tessa's husband Robert.

Debra, looking Pharaonic in her Viva paper towel vest.

Here we are with our wonderful host in his amazing apartment. The Statue of Liberty mask is by Debra. And did we mention the food? Absolutely delish!  If they were serving tea at this tea party, we never noticed, since Prosecco was the beverage of choice for most of the guests, including yours truly. What a excellent way to spend an afternoon. Many thanks to our host and hostess for a wonderful event!