“Live From New York … It’s Wednesday Night!”
Wednesday, September 1, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Cipriani 42nd Street
Hosts: Senator John McCain and wife Cindy.
Guests: As many as 1,100, including Frank and Malachy McCourt, James Carville and Mary Matalin, and Lorne Michaels, who arranged entertainment.
The Lowdown: The Republicans ring in September with what will surely be one of the lighter events of the week, with comic relief provided by Darrell Hammond and Joe Piscopo. So does this mean Michaels is a Republican? He won’t say. But John Weaver, a McCain consultant who is organizing the late-night soirée, insists, “McCain’s events have always been ecumenical. They’re more laid-back.’’
Convention Media Welcome Party
Saturday, August 28, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Time Warner Center
Hosts: Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, and the NYC 2004 Host Committee.
Guests: Of the 15,000 credentialed journalists covering the convention, only a fraction will find themselves with one of 6,500 invites.
The Lowdown: The party will be held across the first three floors of the center, overlooking the cavernous Great Room. Some stores will stay open during the festivities; food will be provided by on-site restaurants and by a mix of other area spots, including Fiamma, Le Cirque, and Zarela. In addition to a welcome from the mayor, guests will hear musicians from Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Odd touch: The space will be festooned with figurative sculptures made out of magazines—Time Warner magazines.
“Next Generation of Leaders” Party
Thursday, September 2, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Gotham Hall
Hosts: Emma Bloomberg, Emily Pataki, and Taylor Whitman.
Guests: The political children hosting this event have sent out 1,000 invitations to local young lions. Special guests: the Bush twins.
The Lowdown: Since no other huge parties were planned for Thursday after the presidential-nominating speech, the three twentysomething kids of local Republican royalty staked a claim on the night. The bash is in honor of the National Mentoring Partnership; the trio’s aim is to highlight leadership and responsibility among young Republican professionals. The food will be Pan-Asian, and gift bags will include phone cards from sponsor IDT.
“My South”
Date TBA, at Splashlight Studios
Hosts: Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi and wife Leisha.
Guests: Sela Ward, Bono, Forrest Gump author Winston Groom.
The Lowdown: This thousand-person celebration promises to “fuse New York style with southern softness.” To that end, the Pickerings have contracted B. B. King to perform, and five well-known southern chefs to cook. The owner of Maker’s Mark, a party sponsor, will do a bottle show that’s described as being “like Tom Cruise in Cocktail.”
Best Fêtes
Sunday, August 29
R: The Party
At Roseland Ballroom
The Bush twins host a bash for GOP celebs like Bo Derek, Angie Harmon, and reformed party boy (and born-again Christian!) Stephen Baldwin.
Monday, August 30
Special Operations WarriorFoundation Luncheon
Noon, at Cipriani 42nd Street
Senator McCain joins forces with the SOWF, which provides scholarships to the children of officers killed in combat, to present Rudy Giuliani with the group’s “Spirit of Hope” award.
Newsweek Party
6 p.m., at The Four Seasons Grill Room
Lally Weymouth and Donald Graham help Newsweek host a high-end soirée for 400. Among the revelers: Mike Bloomberg, George Pataki, and Senators Lamar Alexander and Chuck Hagel.
Tuesday, August 31
Magazine PublishersAssociation Reception
4 p.m., the Highlander yacht
The MPA hosts this party aboard the Forbes yacht, moored in lower Manhattan, to honor Speaker Dennis Hastert and his contributors.
The Creative Coalition’s Benefit Gala
10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Spirit
This may be the only time Alan Cumming and Trent Lott find themselves in the same room. Billy Baldwin, Sean Astin, and Liev Schreiber are part of the celebrity-guest contingent; the ubiquitous John McCain is on the host committee. Tickets start at $1,000; visit thecreativecoalition.org.
Wednesday, September 1
Kudlow & Cramer Luncheon
12:30 p.m. at Daniel
“An intimate conversation” at the four-star eatery with CNBC’s Larry Kudlow and James J. Cramer. On the menu: lobster salad, roasted cod with black truffles. On the guest list: Lally Weymouth, Jacob Weisberg, Margaret Carlson.
Thursday, September 2
One People’s Project Party
Noon to 4 p.m., Tompkins Square Park
The antifascist protest group holds a free postconvention “party for peace,” with bands performing and vendors selling food, CDs, books, and T-shirts. Politicians looking to unwind are invited along with the usual park roster of East Villagers.