To Ski and Hot to Ski
Chilly thoughts of the slopes and the warmth of hospitality blended when a debutante foursome stepped into the limelight. Themed “Après Ski: Slope Side with Emma Rose, Eliza, Nina and Susan,” the bash was given by their respective parents, Molly and Kristen Baumer, Catherine and Semmes Favrot, Helen and Charles LeBourgeois, and Courtney and Ted Le Clercq. “Double Black Diamond Glam Attire” was the requested dress for the “Aspen” ado at 1380 Port of New Orleans Place.
Kenny LaCour of Grand Events designed and planned the party, which credited Scriptura for the invitations, Brennan Steele for visual graphics, Dunn & Sonner for the winter greenery, and NOLA Woodworks for the ski-related furniture. Mirror balls of various sizes hung above the dance floor and stage, a decorative window opened onto various mountain ranges and European ski slopes — Gstaad, anyone?; the Veuve Clicquot Lounge featured the namesake Champagne and Burgundies; the Après Lodge Bar served even more libations; and a Boogie Booth captured ski lift photos of guests “riding to the top.”
The debutantes added their own looks, with Emma Rose Baumer in a Febe mini, Eliza Favrot in a mirror-embellished dress, Nina LeBourgeois in a Ramy Brook silver-disc design, and Susan Le Clercq wearing a gold Rachel Gilbert mode. Their moms were outfitted in eye-catching outfits, while the dads donned velvet dinner jackets with winter scarves.
Sporting their own looks were Emma Rose’s brothers, Vincent and Michael, grandparents Shep and Nina Baumer, Heather and Chris Devaney, Heather and Max Masterson, Jenny and Bobby Masterson, Gwathmey and Fritz Gomila, Anne Lynne and Storey Charbonnet, Elizabeth and Brian Carlock, Dana and Rene Baumer, Shep and Maureen Baumer, Bridget and Kory Echelard, Shannon and Grahme Perez, Courtney and Dick Montgomery, Izzy Cabrera, Lilly Munoz, and Kiki Costello.
Another brother brace, Tim and Brandon Favrot, joined their sister’s fun, as did grandmother Mary Frances Smart, Sarah and Greg Feirn, Elizabeth and Andrew Wooten, Georgina Peters, Lillian Powers, Denise and Steve Finegan, Lisa and Bob Clark, Sid Lewis, Bessie and Duggan Ellis, Michael Bell and ski-suited Aimee, Barbara and Clark Fitz-Hugh, Stephanie and Black Chaffe, Mary and Grey Cane, and surnamed McCay, Robert, Susan, Penn and Susu. Cooks included Michael and Erin with Cece and Lyons, and Guy and Lynn with Lynton and Henry.
The food reached culinary heights, thanks to the alpine-inspired menu by Windsor Court and St. James Cheese Company. There were main stations (with the Flammkuchen and Vosges areas), passed sweet bites, and late-night passed treats, such as pommes frites and croquet monsieur sandwiches.
Relishing all this gastronomy were LeBourgeois family members, including the mother of co-host Charles, Mrs. William Walter Prentiss and his stepmother, Mrs. Charles Claiborne LeBourgeois. Also, Kate and John Werner, Eleanor Ballard, Marley and Michael LeBourgeois, Mr. and Mrs. William Cole LeBourgeois, the William James Kearneys IV, the John Jay Charpentiers, the Joel A. Dondises, the Craig Brewers, the David Gaineses, Drs. Anne and Paul Long, Mrs. Marshall Ballard, Libby and Bruce Hoefer with daughter Elizabeth Grace, Mary Roberts Favor, Olivia Francis, and Kate Bensel.
Le Clercq deb brothers Douglas and Price and grandmother Susan R. Johnson figured in the levity, as did the Chris McClanahans with Olivia and Eleanor, the Thomas Daniels with Caroline, Thomas, and Price; the Kershaw Le Clercqs with Will and Peter; Ben Le Clercq with Allston McCrady and son Ned Le Clercq; Xander Fessler; Jenny and Erik Sundell; Jon and Jeanne Canapary; Nicole and Donnie Barnes; Tricia Aucoin; Helen Clare Thompson; Madeleine Kessels; Henry and Mena Morgan with Sarah and Elliott; Helen and Tim Young; Michael Read; and Tina and Barry Kern.
Party favors added to the skyscape with light-up snow hats, both snowflake and disco ball headbands, “diamond”-encrusted sunglasses, and necklaces. Purveying the sounds was Downtown Band from Nashville that packed the floor, non-stop, for hours. A choice number was “Girls Just Want to have fun,” and from the looks of the “Slope Side” set, Emma Rose, Eliza, Nina and Susan, they did indeed.
M & M
Debutante cousins, who were born hours apart in the same hospital and with the same doctor, had a recent run on the letter “M.” Their brunch, titled “Music and Merriment,” continued with their names, Maddie and Mason. More formally, they are Madeleine Morrison, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. deLesseps S. Morrison III, Paige and Chep; and Mason Elisabeth Poole, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Carter Poole, Betty and Jeff. The debs’ shared “M” was on the Scriptura invitation’s monogram, the party favor cookies, the napkins, and the signature drinks: Maddie’s Merry Mosmopolitan and Mason’s Marvelous Mojito.
The party was formatted, ever so tunefully, at Arnaud’s in the French Quarter with music by two Harry Hardin Jazz trios. One was situated in the restaurant’s main dining room, while the other, which played modern rock/pop, was in the Jazz Bistro. The party flowed between the spaces, allowing the crowd to savor the cuisine in both areas. Signature appetizers were passed, and a buffet featured crab cakes, grits cakes with shrimp, a carving station, risotto, chicken and waffles, desserts, such as flamed strawberries Arnaud, chocolate torte, and mini beignets. The “M” cookies by JCB Creations were made of shortbread.
Needless to say, their debs’ guest lists overlapped with mutual family members, as well as the debutante coterie and their parents. Maddie’s sisters, Claire Vining Morrison and Melissa Story Morrison, circulated, as did grandmothers Linda Stewart Newton and Carole Camp Stribling, and Corinne “Rini” Morrison Marcus. Mason’s brother, Carter Stanton Poole, grandmother Mrs. Frank Bernard Stewart Jr., Paulette or Pi, and paternal grandfather Blaise deFranceaux added party presence.
Others were Dr. Jennifer Couvillon, Kelly Longwell Gottsche, Mary Marks, Dot Weisler, Paul and Jessica Friedlander and Alex, Gwathmey Gomila, Helen Jenkins, Keating Landry, the Clifton LeBlancs and Clifton David LeBlanc, Paula Lee and Cullen, the Edward Moises and Lily, Holly and John Nieset and Eliza, Katherine and Beau Raymond with Charlotte and Kate, the Claiborne Schmidts with Ellie, and Rebecca and Chris Roos with Jack.
Also, Jean-Paul Doucet, Caroline Fernandez, Margo Thionville, Sabrina LaFaye, Emily Baumgarten, Angelle and Marc Lyman, Dr. Michelle Johnston, Rachel and Marc Jaffe with Leo and Eli, Maria Wisdom, Vera Schlesinger with son Sam, Michelle Boyce, John and Jennifer Cook with Jack, Tom and Melanie Fischman, and Elizabeth and Andrew Wooten.
Gold was a sartorial choice for both debutantes and their mothers. As for the fathers, they wore ties featuring photos of their daughters through the ages.
Conversation was ever so lively, the food was especially tasty, music added energy, and the honorees projected seasonal delight as they mingled with kin and kith. To summarize, it was for Maddie and Mason, just MMarvelous!
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
