Botanical Gardens & My Oscar de la Renta

Me wearing an Oscar de la Renta necklace (and dress)

I attended the Botanical Gardens Conservatory Ball last night.  It was a fabulous event on a beautiful Spring night.  I've been to the Garden's Winter Wonderland Ball quite a few times, but never this one before.  It was quite an impressive crowd!  Even former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani was there.  I went up and said 'hello' because I had planned a couple of events for the aviation industry, years ago when he was the mayor, where he was the guest speaker, including one right after 9/11.  It was nice to meet him again under more festive circumstances.

I also got to meet two famous fashion designers:  Adrienne Vittadini and Victor Costa. Adrienne Vittadini is one of my mother's (Barbara) favorite designers and she was quite lovely in person.  I was actually standing next to a table at the event and looked over and saw her place card.  I was so excited and was about to turn to my friend and tell him when I realized she was whom he had been speaking with for the past five minutes.  When he had introduced us he just said "Adrienne" so I didn't immediately make the connection.  Thankfully I didn't blurt out "OMG, guess who's here tonight!"  That would have been embarrassing.  Blogging about it publicly is much better ;-)  In all seriousness, it was a real treat to meet her and I can't wait to tell Barbara.

Victor Costa and his beautiful wife, were also quite lovely.  Victor Costa paid me the highest compliment when he said he liked my necklace.  It is always totally thrilling to have an iconic fashion designer compliment something you are wearing.  So, when I got home I took this selfie to share......I love my necklace, too!  It is Oscar de la Renta.  Oscar did a home accessories collection for the Botanical Gardens this Spring that I blogged about when I attended the party at his Madison Ave boutique.  http://www.accessorygeneration.com/2014/04/oscar-de-la-renta-for-new-york.html And, he made some beautiful pieces of floral costume jewelry, like the necklace I'm wearing above.