Photographer Ken Regan, a Rolling Stones insider whose photos of the legendary rock group were shown for the first time last night at the Govinda Gallery in Georgetown, stopped by Capitol Hill for a farewell party for longtime Ted Kennedy aide Melody Miller on the way to his own opening. What timing! The Govinda show will be on exhibit through mid-August, when the Stones kick off at Fenway Park in Boston for their final world tour. One must-see photo is that of Mick Jagger blowing a kiss to Margaret Trudeau at the 1977 Macambo Club concert in Toronto. At the time, rumors of a Trudeau/Jagger affair were rampant, but actually we hear she actually had an affair not with Jagger but with guitarist Ronnie Wood, who – by the way – is also a visual artist and has a joint show with Regan in New York in the fall.
“The band got bored very easily, so I had to be creative and imaginative,” said Regan, pointing to his personal fave: a photo taken in the bathroom at his New York City studio in 1977. Charlie is in the glass shower, Keith on the toilet, Bill in the sink, and Mick and Ronnie on the steps. “They love the outrageous,” adds Regan, who says he’s still close to the band but burned out on shooting music. The photographer is now producing his first short film called “Bug Boy,” about an apprentice jockey.
A fine fete for Thailand
Hostess and magnetic $$raiser Esther Coopersmith did it again – organized an elegant dinner, billed as “A Taste of Thailand,” to benefit post-tsunami support of schools for the orphans in that Asian nation. Guests – many dressed in Thai silks – were immersed in Thai music, food and culture. There were even exotic floral arrangements carved from soaps and watermelons as the ballroom in the Wardman Park Marriott was transformed into a slice of Thailand by the multitalented hostess.
Music by Marvin; lunch with Dr. Ruth
To add eclectic touches to the charity on Wednesday night, Coopersmith enlisted her pals, music man Marvin Hamlisch and sexologist, Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Hamlisch, entertaining at the piano, chuckled diplomatically, “I’m substituting for Condoleezza Rice. She plays a mean piano – so I’ll talk about the Mideast.” Actually, he’s working on a Broadway version of Woody Allen’s film, “Bullets Over Broadway.” Dr. Ruth – recently writing about menopause and sex over 50 – tried to boost the opening live auction bid with the promise: “Whoever has the most money has the best sex for the rest of their lives.” With that, the bid inched up to $1,750 for lunch with her.
General Peter Pace, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a resounding ovation from the crowd of 350 or so. And, of course, what’s a Washington party without a touch of bona fide royalty? Thailand’s Princess Vudhichalerm Vudhijaya provided that. Others at the event included: the glamorous Petra Nemcova, the Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret model whose fiancé, Simon Atlee, perished in the tsunami; Major General Victor Hugo Jr.; arts supporter Judith Terra; former Louisiana Sen. John Breaux with his wife, Lois; Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., who represents the congressional district with the most Thai-Americans; former Sen. Bennett Johnston, D-La.; and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and his delightful wife, Deni. Thai enthusiasts expressed gratitude that Mineta recently signed off on a nonstop flight from New York’s JFK to Thailand.
Perhaps less is more …
Although unlikely to produce “chili burn,” one silent auction item got a big yawn from the crowd: breakfast with conservative economic guru Grover Norquist. It was billed as “priceless,” and it certainly was. People apparently wanted to sleep in rather than chat it up with a chum of Ralph Reed and controversial Indian casino lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Boyhood pals: Mineta and Simpson
This weekend, Transportation Secretary Mineta heads to Cody, Wyo., where he dedicates a historic trail through the relocation camp at Heart Mountain where his family was interned with other Japanese-Americans during World War II. While there, at age 11, his Cub Scout pup-tent mate was Alan Simpson, who later became the Republican senator from Wyoming and a close friend of the first President Bush. Simpson’s troop frequently visited the Scouts in the detainment camp. A friendship between the two youngsters developed, and they’ve remained close ever since. The Minetas look forward to visiting the Simpsons this weekend.
Stars still shining at Milano
Another power night at Cafe Milano was heavy with media muscle as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, ABC News local anchors Gordon Peterson and Leon Harris, and their wives dined there Wednesday. Just a glance away was Bill Clinton’s former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The Georgetown hot spot shows no sign of losing energy. The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) handed it a Rammy award, bestowing the “Power Spot of the Year” title to “Milano,” as regulars call it.