Battle of the Museum Galas: Park Avenue vs. Silicon Valley
On opposite coasts last night, two major museums, the Guggenheim in New York and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, threw dueling galas. Whose was better?
On opposite coasts last night, the young patrons of two major museums threw their annual fundraising shindigs. In the East Coast, the New Yorkers broke bread for the Guggenheim Museum’s Young Collector’s Council. Twenty-five hundred miles away, a Silicon Valley-heavy group raised money for the Junior Committee of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco at their Mid-Winter Gala. The star power was dimmed at both – this isn’t the Costume Institute gala, after all – but there was a Hollywood name or two thrown into the mix. No one, though, went home empty handed.
Tribes: New York: Park Avenue socials and the artists who love them. San Francisco: Tech bros and the gals who love ’em.
Your Party Hosts New York: Sarah Arison, Laura de Gunzburg, and Nell Diamond San Francisco: Vanessa Getty and Trevor Traina
The A-List New York: Leandra Medine, Claire Distenfeld, Dalia Oberlander, Chloe Wise. San Francisco: Kevin Systrom (chief executive of Instagram); Marissa Mayer (Yahoo); Travis Kalanick (Uber), Jeremy Stoppelman Yelp); more Gettys than the eye could count.
HBO Show of Choice: New York: True Detective (Cary Fukunaga) San Francisco: Game of Thrones (Emilia Clark)
Guest Who Spent Longest Tanning New York: Actor Evangelo Bousis San Francisco: Designer Domenico Dolce
Who Is That, Again? New York: Oh, that’s Ayakamay, the performance artist. San Francisco: Him? That’s Justin Fichelson, of Million Dollar Listing.
Location, Location, Location New York: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rotunda San Francisco: George Applegarth and H. Guillaume’s Legion of Honor
Token Model New York: Lindsey Ellington San Francisco: Devon Aoki
DJs New York: Multimedia artist and Flatbush resident Melo-X San Francisco: Dior ambassador and London resident Nikki Penny
Parting Gifts from Your Sponsor New York: David Yurman bracelets, creatively used as napkin rings. San Francisco: Tickets to the Dolce & Gabbana fall show. Well, at least for the winner of one lot at the auction.
Photos: Battle of the Museum Galas: Park Avenue vs. Silicon Valley
Emilia Clarke at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Marissa Mayer at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Nell Diamond, Laura de Gunzburg, Sarah Arison at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Inside the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Kyle Hotchkiss Carone, Claire Distenfeld at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Courtney Eaton inside the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Lindsay Ellingson at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Anne Vyalitsyna at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Domenico Dolce, Vanessa Getty at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Elizabeth Kurpis at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Vanessa Getty at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Alexis Traina, Trevor Traina at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Corey Wash, MeLo-X at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Inside the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Dalia Oberlander at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Inside the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Katie Traina at the San Francisco Mid-Winter Gala. Drew Altizer Photography.
Leandra Medine at the Guggenheim Young Collector’s Party. Photo by BFA.
Bee Shaffer and Nell Diamond. Photo by BFA.
