Manhattan Transfer

With A Touch Of Class: Bosque Museum docents hold Third Annual Tea & Style Show “May in Manhattan” fundraiser featuring elegant ensembles and delicate dainties

CLIFTON – Ah, May in Manhattan – the splendor of spring fills the air, with the trees along Fifth Avenue budding light green. Ladies in Louboutin’s with Hermes Birkin bags shop in the avenue’s high-end designer flagship stores, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman department stores after tea at the Central Park boat house or Palm Court at the Plaza – they discuss the red carpet looks from the first Monday in May Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wall Street’s high stakes stock brokers in their perfect Zegna and Armani suits with monogramed Egyptian cotton shirts rush by from a lunch meeting back to the trading floor. We imagine Holly Golightly’s spirit in her iconic black dress and elbow-length black gloves, stopping at the window display of her favorite jewelry store Tiffany’s in the early morning hours, munching on a croissant.

The third annual and very fun Bosque Museum Docent Tea and Style Show themed "May in Manhattan," May 11 at the Museum, breathed all the class, elegance, and sophistication of the Manhattan Riche. Pretty in Pink and Petals Queen Bees and their princesses, marvelous Matriarchs in striking millinery complete with gloves, matching hand bags and pearls, lots and lots of pearls, sipped from dainty antique tea cups, nibbled at scrumptious finger foods like cucumber and egg salad sandwiches, strawberries, profiteroles, themed pink and light-yellow glazed cookies and savory mini quiches.

The delicate porcelain place settings came from docents’ private collections, often heirlooms. Originally planned for May 5, the event had to be rescheduled to severe flooding in Bosque County.

Docent president Cindy Upton and vice president Karen Cornett, who also chaired the event, welcomed the crowd. It being a fundraiser, the ladies doing tea could win assorted door prizes – often with a tea cup added to the goody bag-- and raffle items like wine, silver-plates service set, a Harvey Wallbanger cake, handbags, home décor, flowers and plants.

Mandy Tigner won a prize for her elaborate spring-themed floppy had, complete with flowers, ribbons and butterflies. Hoping to snag a position as Central Park horticulturist Donna Stevens came in her gardening gear, with her basket of gardening tools and her gardening gloves.

“It went off smoothly even after having to deal with what postponing it for a week meant,” Cornett said. “We were able to save most of the flowers but of course we had to replace most of the food. The young ladies we had hired to serve couldn’t make the new date so a couple of young men stepped in. We just went with the flow!”

Models Darci Allen, Kathy Harr, Laynie Miller, Rebecca Rushing, Bella Powers and Carla Sigler showed off fashionable summer-ready garments and matching accessories from businesses like Main Street Interiors and the Beauty Bar of Meridian, Maize Grace, Albrecht’s Pharmacy and Gift Shop, Market at the Mill and Lady Bugs of Clifton for the style show.

Docent Linda McDowell kept the style show running smoothly, introducing the models and describing their ensembles. The many Docents and businesses and friends of the Museum who donated items to for the raffles and door prizes and provided sponsorships were also thanked.

“We really appreciate our local merchants who provided the clothes for the style show and our wonderful sponsors,” Cornett said.

Docents put in hundreds of volunteer hours annual at the Museum and work for weeks to present the Tea and Style Show, which serves as the group's only fundraiser. Docents use the funds to help better promote the wonderful Bosque Museum. Docents assist in tours and special events at the Museum and make special purchases to enhance the enjoyment of the Museum for the many tourists who visit it annually.

This past year, the Docents gifted two octagon picnic tables for the Log Cabin Pavilion to honor 40th anniversary of the Museum Docent Program and its charter members. With the docents donating much of the cost of the Tea, keeping expenses are low, the event was able to net over $6000 to use for projects at the Museum. One request came from the ladies in the office for new desk chairs, which will be honored.

“Each year the ladies outdo themselves with great hats,” Cornett said. “Each year our guests are getting into dressing for tea more and more, which just adds to the fun! I heard many comments that this was just a really fun event. All in all we feel the trip to Manhattan for tea was very successful. Look for a chance to have ‘tea with the Queen’ next year!”

Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS

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