Jason Binn’s DuJour magazine-sponsored cocktail party for Simon Aboud’s new movie couldn’t have been nicer. Held in the 2nd floor ballroom of the very ritzy new Park Hyatt Hotel on West 57th (across from Carnegie Hall), the party was catered with a slider bar on one side of the room and a risotto station with hand sliced black truffles on the opposite end.
The crowd was swanky and included a lot of Sir Paul’s family including photographer daughter Mary (she’s married to Simon) as well as brother in law John Eastman and wife Jody, their son Lee, who is also Paul’s attorney with his dad, Paul’s son James, the musician; and niece Louise. The late Linda Eastman McCartney must have been smiling down from heaven.
And while all the talk was of Simon’s movie “This Beautiful Fantastic,” which will be released in the US in February by Samuel Goldwyn Company, the growing number of guests were hoping for a Sir Paul sighting.
They got one, alright: Sir Paul and wife Nancy Shevell arrived around 7pm, walked right into the room without fanfare or a bodyguard, and were immediately overwhelmed by a tsunami of well wishers. Before Paul could even see his daughter or son in law, or anyone, he looked like he turned white. In less than four minutes, the McCartneys exited the Park Hyatt. Was it the crowd rushing him? Or the deejay who immediately switched to “Say Say Say” as flashbulbs started popping? That error alerted everyone that Paul was in the room!
The story has a happy ending: Paul and Nancy went downtown to the actual screening on West 23rd St. where they walked the red carpet, took photos on the step and repeat, and hung out under calmer conditions. The movie got a thumbs up from the audience– among its stars is Jessica Brown Findlay, who played Lady Sybil on “Downton Abbey.”
By the way: like sister Stella and mom Linda, Mary McCartney is an absolute doll, very much a real person and totally delightful. No surprise– the McCartney- Eastmans have always been a fun, friendly, classy gang!
photo courtesy of Jason Binn Instagram
