Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: English aristocrat gives Las Vegas lecture

Las Vegas society was graced last week with a three-day visit by HRH Princess Michael of Kent. Invited to our city by the Northern Trust, the princess gave a private lecture on "The Grand Tour" at Four Seasons.

The willowy beauty, recognized easily from her broadcast appearances during the awards ceremonies at Wimbeldon, spoke with great wit and humor about aristocratic traditions of both past and present.

Prior to her speech Princess Michael graciously visited at the tea tables with attending guests in the Four Seasons ballroom. Making introductions was Patrick Everett, Northern Trust president for Las Vegas. Enjoying their brush with royalty were Jeanne Hood and Colette Saltz with Nancy Houssels, Judy Boyer, Andy Katz, Carol Spiegal, Mona Silverman, Rebecca and Margaret Casey, Gail Miller, Jan Allen with Mary Lind Hayes, Kim Boyden, Becky Boman and Sue Lowden with Lynn Weidner and Abbie Friedman.

Princess Michael of Kent is the wife of HRH Prince Michael of Kent, first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Born in Bohemia, the Princess descends from ancient European houses. Her background and lifelong interest in history led her to write two books of royal romances, both bestsellers around the world.

Crowned in a Far Country -- Eight Royal Brides and Cupid and the King -- Five Royal Paramours blossomed into a lecturing career that has included engagements at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian, Folger Shakespeare Library and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Her speech at the Four Seasons took listeners into the 18th century, where young men of the upper classes were expected to become fully educated during the Grand Tour through Europe with great emphasis on the beauties of Italy. Interestingly, many of the great homes and treasured art collections of Great Britain are a legacy of this tradition.

Fresh tulips and sweet roses graced the tables where Josie Snow, Renate Schiff, Corrine Sydney, Carolyn Edwards Myers and Christine Smithley enjoyed the afternoon event.

Present were many Literary Society members, among them Randee Kelley, Arlene Blut, Stefanie Evans, Linda Vause and Kathy Klinkner. Following the program a select group stayed on to enjoy champagne and conversation with Princess Michael.

Included were Deborah Barton and her mother, Donna Pearson; Emily and John Neville, Lynn Bennett with Sally Violick, Phyllis Hendrickson, Rita Collins, Dan Otter, Linda Dixson, Hy and Mercedes Hilbrecht; Sandra Dinsmore and banking executives from Northern Trust including Lori McDonald and Jennifer Feltner.

Joining the party briefly was Vince Parrotta, newly appointed hotel manager at the Four Seasons.

Princess Michael, during her stay in our city, was a special guest of Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage, enjoying the show and the rare chance to hold tiny white tiger cubs during a post-performance visit.

Connoisseur soiree

Cartier Las Vegas recently presented its fourth soiree of the 2002-2003 Connoisseur Series. Hosted by patrons Vicki and Richard Scott in their exquisite South Shore home at Lake Las Vegas, the intimate evenng of music is one of four annual Cartier-sponsored events for the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

A catered pre-event reception was enjoyed by guests including Kitty Boeddeker, Sue and Warren Brand, Patrick Everett, George Mehovic, Sondra Lynch and John Witmer. Greeting arrivals with Cartier's Las Vegas manager Mariam Afshai was Howard Wardnock, executive vice president for North America, representing Cartier's corporate offices.

Cellist Zuill Bailey, featured artist, mingled easily in the crowd and was made welcome by Las Vegas Philharmonic President Richard Plaster with wife Wendy and Philharmonic founders Susan and Andrew Tompkins. The program, reflecting Bailey's gifted abilities, was a rich blend of classic and contemporary pieces, each with an explanatory introduction by the young American musician.

Seen in attendance were Yvonne and John Allen, Rich and Claire MacDonald, Carol Kay, Sheila Hansen, Bill Marion, Kurt Mische, Marjorie Butler, Robert Vernon, David Cox and Dora and David Middleton.

Village upgrades

Busy people find time for important matters, as was evident last week at the early morning gathering on the West Oakey campus of Opportunity Village. Unveiled after the 7 a.m. breakfast was the new $850,000 Food Service Training Facility and Wall of Fame honoring donors and supporters.

The new Training Facility enables Opportunity Village to serve meals and also to better train its intellectually disabled client-workers to find employment in the food service industry.

The facility is part of O.V.'s new Job Discovery Program, a training partnership with the Clark County School District and others, offering disabled students a transition from school to work.

Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremonies were Kitty Rodman, Billy Walters, Claudine Williams, City Councilman Michael McDonald and County Commissioner Mary Kincaid, to name just a few. Tours of the new facility, just steps away from the much-used ballroom and community center, were hosted by Opportunity Village personnel including Kurt Weinrich, Ed Guthrie, Linda Smith, George McCabe and others.

During the informal breakfast supportive business leaders viewed exhibits from Opportunity Village's many endeavors including document destruction services, thrift shop operations including a soon-to-open "Melanie's Closet" boutique, displays of plans for the coming year's Magical Forest and service contract operations utilizing Opportunity Village clients. Glimpsed in the busy crowd were Steve Schorr, Vista Suarez, Roger Saunders, Billie Kenney, Brenda Tanner, Margot Allen and Janna Austin.

Recognized were major donors to the culinary center, among them Avis Jansen, state Sen. Bill Raggio, Susan and Bill Walters, Steve and Elaine Wynn, Fred Fellwock, Robert Joslin, Laura and Robert Lepke, the Executive Chefs Association and Stephen Linder as well as the Kara Foundation, Alma Lulford, Kitty Rodman and the Las Vegas Founders Club.

Those trained at the new center will receive certification enabling them to be hired by resorts, restaurants and other parts of the expanding hospitality industry.

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