Programs
AMBASSADOR OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE
On October 23, 2024, FRIENDS honored Philip K. Howard, a best-selling author and lawyer, at the annual benefit dinner held at The Metropolitan Club. The event was attended by over 200 people. Howard was recognized for his longstanding civic commitment, which extended beyond his early years as an officer and Chair of the Municipal Art Society to his role as one of America's leading thinkers on governing frameworks.
Ambassador Library
All images by Ben Rosser/BFA.com
Thom Browne, American fashion designer and the founder/creative director of Thom Browne, and Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu curator in charge at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, are New York institutions. FRIENDS of the Upper East Side Historic Districts honored these extraordinary New Yorkers with the Ambassador to the Upper East Side Award on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at the Metropolitan Club. Both individually and together their contributions to the very fabric and culture of the city run deep. They have lovingly restored a Georgian townhouse designed by Mott Schmidt and built in the early 1920s for Anne Vanderbilt. It was later inhabited by other notable residents including philanthropist Drue Heinz. Thom and Andrew have brought their home to life with great respect, tremendous design sense, and deep consideration of its provenance, creating an exceptional tribute to the history and aesthetic of this important home. Together they are truly a tour de force of creativity, style, and inspiration.
