Basking in the Inauguration Afterglow

Now that those zip-around out-of-towners have zipped out of Washington, the town must be experiencing an eerie silence. Once the inaugural festivities were finally over, Betsy Bloomingdale headed for Paris, Jerome Zipkin flew off to Egypt to meet up with Ann and Gordon Getty, Nancy Holmes returned to her cozy New York apartment, Ceil Moore flew back to Bel-Air, Madame Sylvia Wu and her husband King shuttled up to New York where she was doing a promotion for her latest cookbook, and Ambassador to Belgium and Mrs. Geoffrey Swaebe went back to the embassy in Brussels. The rest quietly fled to wherever the new action was.

Those who were left behind like Rose Narva, president of the Hay-Adams, who said simply that she was “a little exhausted,” and Peter Buse, who will be leaving the Embassy Row end of next month, confessed that although they had enjoyed the excitement, they were looking forward to a few days of rest. We can easily understand why.

Through snow and cold everyone--or practically everyone--managed to keep his or her sense of humor intact. Monday night at the Embassy Row’s Winter Garden, there was an autograph party. The Rev. Donn Moomaw of the Bel-Air Presbyterian Church where the Reagans worship when they are in Los Angeles, signed his name to the thermal underwear given to him by another hotel guest and which Rev. Moomaw never had to wear because the outdoor parade was canceled. A good laugh was had by all. And at the Washington Hilton, where most of the Californians gathered at the California Ball, Walter and Lee Annenberg, Betsy Bloomingdale and Jerry Zipkin never raised their voices when they discovered publisher Rupert Murdoch sitting in the box to which Estee Lauder had invited them. Murdoch, ever the gentlemen, moved elsewhere without a fuss.

On Sunday evening when everyone was feeling tres fatigue from the double whammy of an Inauguration and a Super Bowl game, Maureen Reagan hosted a party at the Washington Club that had everything including a full orchestra and a weighty guest list--U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick; Republican National Committee Chairman Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr.; big party supporter Ceil Moore; Counsel to the President Fred Fielding; U.S. Treasurer Katherine Ortega; Mary Mochery, who ran (unsuccessfully) for the Senate from New Jersey; and Lou Rawls, the entertainer.

That same night, Sylvia and King Wu gave a much smaller dinner party at Trader Vic’s in the Washington Hilton and among their guests were Mary and Drew Pettus, Pat Devine of the Department of Transportation, and Peter Buse. The small dinner party was definitely the chic thing to do and one of the best was given by Sue Cummings at the Madison Hotel. Mike and Linda Curb had a series of them at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Deborah Szekely of the Golden Door opted for a brunch for the likes of Chief of Protocol Selwa and Archie Roosevelt; Sen. Mark Hatfield; Sen. and Mrs. Pete Wilson; Margaret Heckler, secretary of health and human services; and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Lawrence, who own the Del Coronado Hotel and Palm Springs’ Racquet Club.

Saturday night before the Presidential Gala, Lester B. Korn, chairman of the board of Korn/Ferry Intl., and his wife Carolbeth and Ambassador Douglas MacArthur (nephew of the general) and his wife Laura (daughter of former Vice President Alben W. Barkley) hosted a party for some of the Reagan team and other interesting folk at the MacArthurs’ Washington home. The guest of honor was Ronald H. Walker, a Korn/Ferry partner who was chairman and CEO of the 1985 Presidential Inaugural Committee. Some on that guest list were Mrs. Michael Deaver (Mike had the flu); the President’s Chief of Staff James Baker and his wife; Atty. Gen. and Mrs. William French Smith; Mike and Linda Curb; Gordon and Karen Luce; former Secretary of Transportation Drew Lewis and his wife; the Donald Rumsfields and Presidential Assistant Robert Tuttle and his wife Donna.

With the Inaugural Parade a no-show, some Reagan pals were on the loose Monday. But they soon found warm spots in which to settle. Nancy Holmes and Mary Martin lunched at Tiberio. That’s where Sammy and Altovise Davis, Sonny Werblin and his wife and a few Cabinet members came in from the cold. Cecilia and Esra Zilkha of New York gathered up Jerry Zipkin, Carolina Herrera, Mica Ertegun and Estee Lauder and took them to lunch at the Hay-Adams. Max Messmer, president and CEO of Cannon Mills and his wife, Texas’ Laura Hunt and Jack Courtemanche were all there, too. And strolling through the Hay-Adams’ handsome lobby were Hugh O’Brian, singer Jessye Norman, Pierce (“Remington Steele”) Brosnan, polo-playing Glen Holden and his wife and Air Cal’s Gen. William Lyon.

While some patriotic Californians were getting their kicks in Washington, Sid and Frances Klein were celebrating their psychologist-daughter Karen Fritts’ 40th birthday at Jimmy’s. It was drinks and hors d’oeuvre in the Garden Room, dinner and dancing in the private party room decorated by Flower Fashions with pastel flowers and tablecloths and myriads of balloons.

“I’m trying to outdo Arthur, the best speaker we have,” said the father of the birthday girl, looking at Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert. And when the huge chocolate cake was wheeled out, among those singing “Happy Birthday” were Aida (Grey) and Doug Behrend, Berny and Ellen (in a Paris gown she’d bought in Honolulu) Byrens, Harry and Ruth Roman, Jane (wearing a jeweled and feathered flesh-colored chiffon gown by Ruben Panis) and Robert Kramer, the Marvin Goodsons, Guadalupe Hank with Darwin Shannon (he’s a nuclear physicist), Jimmy and Anne Murphy, Pascal and James Regan, Fred Gibbons (he was off to Pebble Beach the next day to play in the golf tournament), Suzy Kalter with Mike Gershman, Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Genender, Geri Firks and Dick Brawerman (they’re getting married early in February) and Karen’s former husband Roger Fritts.

Del Simms’ orchestra played some great ‘30s and ‘40s tunes. And in between, Juan de la Cruz played his guitar and sang some romantic Spanish songs.