TOM GATES' MANHATTAN

PALM BEACH SOCIETY, OCTOBER 15 to NOVEMBER 4, 2004

Barbara de Portago, who is not the least bit scary looking - and who toils endlessly for the benefit of the Versailles Foundation - tossed a picnic luncheon at Le Cirque recently for lots of movers and shakers on the international social scene. Anyone you didn't recognize you felt like going up to and asking, "Who are you?" because you knew they had to be somebody. Among the "somebodys" that caught my eye were Ambassador John Loeb and Sharon Handler, Mai Harrison, Hildegard Mahoney, Mark Gilbertson, Jan Cowles, Verizon CEO Lawrence Babbio, Gale Brophy, Pierre de Vilmorin, Jacqueline Chambord, Gigi Fisdell, Tony and Cynthia Maltese, Carl and Sabrina Forsythe, Larry and Denise Wolh, Vikram and Meera Gandhi, Susan Krysiewicz and Tom Bell, the Jay Mellons - he of the wild game hunting Mellons, screen lovely Arlene Dahl, stage and screen lovely Ann Reinking, artist Hunt Slonem who had an equally impressive turnout down at the Marlborough Gallery in Chelsea, and His Serene Highness Prince Pierre d'Arenberg who is every bit as serene as our esteemed hostess.

Those overly pampered somebodys who never rise until the crack of noon missed the Wendy Antiques Show champagne preview breakfast at the Park Avenue Armory. I personally love breakfast events since they tend to not clash with anything else on my calendar. This time I got to marvel at all the treasures that I would need several more houses to accommodate. The jewelry booths did an unusually brisk business. Beth Rudin deWoody tried on three vintage diamond bracelets while a chorus chanted, "buy them all." She's thinking it over. Meanwhile, Ann Watt found a pair of gold and diamond earrings after being there only two minutes. That may be something of a record.