PARTIES

Battle of the Garden Parties: MoMA vs. New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden and the Museum of Modern Art threw back to back garden parties. Who did it better?

by Ally Betker

Robyn

As the weather warms, New York’s upper crust takes its socializing outdoors, and this week saw back to back garden parties. The Museum of Modern Art threw its annual Party in the Garden on Wednesday, followed up by the New York Botanical Garden’s Conservatory Ball on Thursday. As you might imagine, floral prints, er, flourished. (“Groundbreaking.”) Robyn may have performed at MoMA, but the Rich Kids of Instagram schlepped all the way to the Bronx for the Garden, and it couldn’t have been just for the selfies. Here, a breakdown of the outdoor soirées.

Location, Location, Location NYBG: A 20 minute Metro-North trip to the Bronx, or an hour-plus travel by town car. Guess which was the preferred mode of transport? MoMA: The E train to 53rd and 5th. Or a quick cab ride to midtown. Guess which was the preferred mode of transport?

The Tribes NYBG: Society grande dames and their husbands. MoMA: Artists and the people who collect them.

The Uptown Heavy Hitters: NYBG: Cornelia Guest, Alexandra Lebenthal, Gillian Miniter, former mayor Rudy Giuliani. MoMA: Marie-Josee Kravis, Helen Mirren, Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, former super-agent Michael Ovitz.

The Downtown Movers & Shakers: NYBG: Gaia Matisse, Kick Kennedy, Andrew Warren. MoMA: Aaron Young, Arden Wohl, Yvonne Force Villareal, Leigh Lezark.

Rockefeller in Residence NYBG: Ariana MoMA: Ariana, Susan, Indre and paterfamilias David Sr.

Attention-Grabbing Iconoclast or Iconic Attention-Grabber? NYBG: DiMondo MoMA: Michèle Lamy

Headlining Act NYBG: Soulsystem Orchestras. MoMA: Robyn

What’s On: NYBG: Impressionism: American Gardens on Canvas. MoMA: Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty.

And for dessert: NYBG: Strawberry Bavarian and milk chocolate mousse. MoMA: Green tea cake with white peach mousse.

Photos: Battle of the Garden Parties: MoMA vs. New York Botanical Garden

Robyn at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Reya Benitez, Andrew Warren, Gaia Matisse. Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Helen Mirren at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Rudy Giuliani. Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Vera Wang and Tamara Mellon at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Ariana Rockefeller. Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Justin and Indre Rockefeller at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Gillian Miniter. Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Chuck Close at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Jeff and Justine Koons at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

Photo by Jonathan Schoonover.

Brice Marden, Mark Bradford, Huma Bhabha, and Amanda and Glenn Fuhrman at The Museum of Modern Art’s 2016 Party in the Garden. Photo by Scott Rudd.

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