24 Karat Gilt-Getty-Fabulous

Posted by Maryanne Salvat On March - 3 - 2013

 

Iran Issa-Khan, Ann Getty, and Christina Getty-Maercks

Iran Issa-Khan, Ann Getty, and Christina Getty-Maercks

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Ann Getty and John Hall Nelson celebrated J Nelson’s 12th Anniversary and the publication of Ann Getty Interior Style with Swarovski Elements and Timo Weiland in Getty-Fabulous style at Mr. Nelson’s namesake design showroom with an extravaganza that quickly redefined ‘white-glove’ service, on Wednesday, February 20.  I knew from the moment that I opened the Peacock embossed hand letter-press invitation that we were in for a second-to-none experience of design, art, music and culinary delights.  

New York superstar fashion designer Timo Weiland was flown in to DJ for the evening, while artwork from Iran Issa-Khan, Fernando Baliño and Santiago Rubino hung throughout Mr. Nelson’s glorious space.  Over 250 guests from as far as Paris, London, Berlin, Cairo, New York and San Francisco were wined and dined in glorious style in a cocktail and dinner fete fit for sheer royalty.  White-gloved, tuxedoed butlers poured free-flowing Dom Perignon Rose, followed by tray after tray of Foie Gras unlike any served throughout Miami this season.  Guests were treated to cheeses flown in from France, Italy, Belgium and the UK courtesy of Norbert Wabnig, owner of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.  Specialty breads arrived for the occasion from Balthazar Bakery in New York City. The giant Walnut buffet table from Ann Getty House Collection, inlayed with Brass and Ivory was piled with perfectly rare Tenderloin of Beef and Petite Lamb Chops, Oyster Mushroom and Truffle Risotto, Grilled Asparagus, Anise and Pommes Dauphinoise all under the direction of Miami’s French master Thierry Isambert.  Glorious desserts made for the perfect finish with Rhubarb Tarts, Bourbon Bread Pudding and Thierry’s famous Chocolate Lips.  A tea expert was on hand serving selections from Mariage Frères – Paris. 

The evening was designed and orchestrated by Mr. Nelson’s long time collaborator Michael Leondas Kirkland and his under-the-radar, if not almost anonymous lifestyle firm mkarte. Guests included:  Mrs. Ann Getty, Maria Quiros, Taylor Nagle and Monica Chavez from San Francisco of Ann Getty House, superstar Los Angeles designer Nancy Corzine with Frank Rinker en toe… textile designer Sabina Fay Braxton from Paris, artists: Iran Issa-Khan, Baliño and Rubino; John Hall Nelson, Douglas Cramer and Hugh Bush; gallerist Anthony Spinello.  Among other guests: Criselda and Jonathan Breene, Christina Getty-Maercks and Arin Maercks, Tina Carlo, Suzy Buckley Woodward, Susie and Walid Wahab, Darby Collins Smith and Richard Smith,  Maria Jose Acosta-Almeida, Michael Shore, Martina and Fabian Basabe, Anastasia Koutsioukis and Ahmet Erkaya,  Mr. Nelson’s mother and sister: Phyllis Rogers and Julie Tyndal; Glenn Albin, Eric Newell, John Lin, Nick D’Annunzio, Michael Raveney, Zachary Scott, Santiago Ynigo,  …designers Tui Pranich, Sam Robin Barbara Becker, Aileen Rodriguez, Marilyn Lazarus, Diana Evans Gratz, Judith Liegeois, Leah Muller, Joan Simonsen-Hickok, Peter Ferwerda, Stapelton Gooch, Stephen Mooney, Louis Shuster, among others. 

Guests carefully plucked confections from tree after tree of Rose, Cassis and Postachio Macaroons of the famous Ladurée recipe as they reluctantly departed after several hours of enjoyment at this fabulous fete- the caliber of which is seldom seen in Miami, with a gift bag containing a handcrafted Swarovski Crystal necklace and the latest edition of Salt magazine. The impeccable attention to detail, which is characteristic of mkarte, proved perfectly befitting to the impeccable tastes Mrs. Getty and Mr. Nelson respectively. 

 

get-attachment4Linen, Levi’s and Velvet – People, Personas, Artists & Philanthropists

John Hall Nelson’s People, Personas, Artists & Philanthropists dinner the following evening at Mandolin Aegean Bistro was the perfect juxtaposition to his previous fete.  Twenty four guests enjoyed a night of relaxing luxury under a beautiful star-filled Miami sky with Ahmet Erkaya’s expert touch.  John Hall Nelson held court with Ann Getty, her niece Christina, along with Christina’s husband Arin Maercks, while Crisilda Breene, Hugh Bush and Taylor Nagle conversed with Nancy Corzine. Michael Leondas Kirkland, Timo Weiland and Tina Carlo’s non-stop Southern humor filled a less than quiet side of the table with Iran Issa-Khan and Zachary Scott, while Anthony Spinello enjoyed the company of Patricia Edwards, Sam Bailey, Maria Quiros, Monica Chavez, Sabina Fay Braton, among others. Dinner guests were treated to special editions of Timo! wallets and passport covers featuring images from Issa-Khan and interiors from Mrs. Getty new book Ann Getty Interior Style.  A beautiful Swarovski Crystal bracelet come napkin ring and a copy of The Spirit of Tradition – Eight Centuries of Venetian Velvets at the Tessitura Bevilacqua from Luigi Bevilacqua – Venice was among the gifts as well. The consensus throughout the evening was that life is so much better when Mrs. Getty is in town.  Both events were filled with people, personas, artists and philanthropists- one in the same in the case of such amazing people.

*Photo Credit Nathan Valentine and Rodrigo Gaya for World Red Eye, courtesy of mkarte

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