Tonight the well-heeled of New York gather to celebrate the Frick Collection’s Renoir Exhibit in high style, congregating for nothing less than the Young Fellows’ Belle Époque Ball.
While most in the city are not so elite as to have received an invitation, the ephemera of the Gilded Age is not completely out of grasp. In anticipation of this year’s theme, Frick Young Fellow, Lucy Lang, gathered a motley crew of revelers earlier this month for a pre-party of the most elegant proportions.
While a night filled with vintage clothing, tunes played on a piano, and trays of absinthe cocktails may not be everyone’s cup of tea, a cup of the potent liquor may tip the scales in favor of a historically-themed gathering. Trust me.
And once that little buzz subsides, copious amounts of champagne only keep the merriment going. No guests will dispute you on that.
With the right drinks, games, hats, and friends (of course), even the most urbane party can turn delightfully raucous.
One of the many bottles of champagne sacrificed to the party gods
Absinthe cocktails. You only need one.
Our suggest for a Gilded Age soiree: follow this hostess’s lead and stock a bar with champagne, champagne, champagne, secure a bottle of absinthe (the real stuff is available in the US again!), look up cocktail recipes, and brace your liver.
Have some props on hand so so that even those costume-adverse guests can participate. When in doubt, go for the fake mustaches!
