At 2pm I slid out the back door of work and hopped on the subway to St. Thomas Cathedral on 53rd and 5th Avenue. I arrived to a sea of star seeking citizens and camera donned paparazzi as 400+ Rockefelleresque invitees arrived, two by two to the church entrance. Mrs. Astor had been planning her funeral for over 10 years, and ceaslessly modifying the invite list. Having outlived the majority of her era and society, I suspect she crossed off more names than she added.
I stood among the onlookers for awhile before asking a woman next to me if they were allowing the public to attend. She looked me up and down and said my dress was appropriate but that Mrs. Astor would not approve of my flip flops. I responded by saying that Mrs. Astor probably didn't walk 40-50 city blocks a day, therefore wouldn't have much authority on the topic of my foot attire. The woman proceeded to point me to a side door where the general public could enter. At the door I was escorted to the balcony portion of the church where the public was being accommodated. I sat through the ceremony from the vantage point afforded by the 8 foot wide gothic column in front of me, with no view of anything accept during standing hymns when I obsessively scanned the crowd of a past era standing below. Women in Jackie O wide brimmed hats and large oval sunglasses accompanied by very attractive, well tailored older men. Whoopie Goldberg's rastafarian dreadlocks definitely stood out amongst the crowd.
The ceremony was strikingly beautiful, conducted directly from the Common Book of Prayer as specified by Mrs. Astor, and included a eulogy by Mayor Michael Bloomberg where he recited Mrs. Astors famous quote:
"Money is like manure, it needs to be spread around."
She gave more than $200 million dollars through all 5 boroughs to causes ranging from the public library to the Museum of Modern Art and social causes in Harlem, The Bronx, and Queens. Throughout the ceremony I couldn't help but muse about this single event signifying the end of an era--a socialite philanthropist era where the aristocracy gave their personal wealth to the cities where they lived in the name of arts, culture, and social justice while themselves demanding privileged, extravagant lives. Their dedication to this lifestyle is responsible for much of the joie de vivre that has underpinned New York City's for the last 50 years. At the very least, this era of American aristocracy was a double edged sword as they positively contributed to the prestige of America's culture. As this type of philanthropist lifestyle has faded and been replaced with a corporately controlled version of contribution, and contemporary socialites, such as Paris Hilton, who blatantly exhibit their narcissism, it could be said that so too has faded the quality of American culture. The newer aristocracy is hard pressed for even minimal accolade for positively contributing to the arts and culture of the nation. And many of the wealthiest--Warren Buffet, etc.--are known to contribute very little to the cities they inhabit.
Unfortunately my musings ended with the benediction of the ceremony. I proceeded to exit the balcony in search of a bathroom which I found on the other side of the divisionary rope separating the invited from the noninvited. I stepped over the rope and entered the bathroom. As I later exited the bathroom, I didn't realize I was now on the other side of this rope and was suddenly standing at the top of the large stairs exiting onto 5th Avenue. The stairs before me were lined with uniformed marines and at the bottom was vicious paparazzi. All I could think about were the frumpy flip flops on my feet. As I proceeded down the stairs the camera flashes increased with intensity. Having no idea what the hell was happening, I reached the bottom to discover I had descended the stairs side by side with Mr. Henry Kissinger.For more on Mrs. Astor's Day of Remembrance:Here
No comments:
Post a Comment