Party Pics

“I Laughed So Hard, I Thought My Pants Would Never Dry”

Our intrepid society columnist reports from Boston’s swankiest affairs, including the Peabody Essex Museum's annual gala and Comics Come Home.

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Two men and two women dressed in formal evening attire stand together against a gradient background of purple and red. The man on the left wears a dark green velvet tuxedo jacket with a white shirt and a patterned bow tie. The woman next to him wears a long-sleeved green dress with a lace-up front detail. The woman next to her wears a strapless dress with a blue bodice and a red skirt, accessorized with long blue earrings. The man on the right wears a dark blue velvet tuxedo jacket with a white shirt and a black bow tie. All four are smiling.

Cochairs Justin and Molly Cook and Kitty and Peter Creighton. / Photo by David Tucker

It’s a good sign when Boston’s swankiest socialites are willing to schlep up to Salem for a gala. It’s an even better sign when the gala is completely sold out a month in advance. Nearly 800 guests in black tie descended upon the Peabody Essex Museum for its annual shindig, which began with a cocktail reception and continued with a seated dinner prepared by chef Lydia Shire, followed by a live auction that was actually lively, and a paddle raise where everyone actually raised their paddle. (That explains why more than $1 million was raised.)

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The evening’s focus was the museum’s current fashion exhibition, “Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World,” showing the Singapore-bred, Paris-based designer’s work and on view until April. (Run, don’t walk.) Before everyone retreated to the galleries for after-dinner drinks and dessert, there was a fantastic runway presentation by such local talents as Diana Jaye Coluntino of Just Add People and Candice Wu of bridal-gown fame.

Front and center were honorees Susan and Appy Chandler; cochairs Peter and Kitty Creighton and Molly and Justin Cook; jewelry designer Jade Gedeon; James Bond’s long-lost brother, Brian Kelly; filmmaker Nelse Clark; Marblehead party pair Allison and José Juves; the unfairly good-looking Chad Flahive and Patrick Weiss; concert pianist Cameron Stowe and interior design master Duncan Hughes; godfather of design Jay Calderin and his handsome other half, Rob Frye; and Dover lovebirds John and Sarah Ehlinger.

Some attendees opted to go upstairs to “ooh” and “ahh” over Gn’s designs, which have been worn by everyone from Princess Kate and Queen Rania of Jordan to Kris Jenner and Madonna.

Reading the exhibition’s title, one guest said sardonically, “Fashioning the World? I can’t even fashion myself.”

Two men dressed formally at an indoor event. The man on the left is wearing a black tuxedo jacket with silver buttons, a white dress shirt, a black bow tie, and a colorful tartan kilt. He also has round glasses and a bald head with a beard. The man on the right is wearing a black velvet suit jacket with a black shirt and a black bow tie, along with rectangular glasses and a beard. The background features colorful lighting with red, purple, and orange hues, and other people are visible in the background.

Rob Frye and Jay Calderin. / Photo by David Tucker

A female aerial silk performer is suspended in mid-air, holding onto two long blue silks. She is wearing a patterned leotard and has her legs extended in a split position, with the silks wrapped around her feet. The background features purple lighting and curtains.

An aerial performer entertained guests. / Photo by David Tucker

A smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing a shiny gold patterned dress stands next to a smiling man in a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black bow tie. The background features purple and pink lighting with blurred people and architectural elements.

Michelle Smyth and Jason Williams. / Photo by David Tucker

A woman wearing a traditional light pink hanbok with floral embroidery stands next to a man in a dark suit, white shirt, and red patterned tie. Both are smiling, and the background is illuminated with purple lighting and decorated with black butterfly silhouettes.

Jaehee Cheong and Korean Consul General Kim Jae-Hui. / Photo by David Tucker

A smiling woman with curly dark hair wearing large turquoise earrings and a white outfit stands next to a smiling man in a black tuxedo with a white shirt and black bow tie. The background features purple and pink lighting.

Jade Gedeon and William Kiester. / Photo by David Tucker

A joyful woman dressed in a sparkling, light pink gown with intricate beadwork and voluminous tulle sleeves is dancing at an event. She has a large pink flower accessory in her dark hair and is smiling brightly. The background shows other guests in formal attire under vibrant pink and purple lighting.

Amy Brooks. / Photo by David Tucker

A male musician with light hair is performing on stage, playing a cream-colored electric guitar and singing into a microphone. He is wearing a black leather jacket and dark pants, with stage lights and smoke creating a vibrant background.

Conan O’Brien. / Photo by Scott Eisen

He Who Laughs Last

Very few people could pull off a 60th birthday celebration at the TD Garden. Bruins great Cam Neely is one of them. His eponymous foundation took over the arena for the 29th annual Comics Come Home, an all-star lineup that raised more than $1.5 million for cancer care. The evening coincided with Neely’s milestone birthday, and performers included emcee Denis Leary; Brookline homie Conan O’Brien; the reliably outrageous Sarah Silverman; and the incomparable Lenny Clarke. The celebration continued the following morning, with a birthday brunch at Rochambeau attended by Neely’s wife, Paulina; Newbury Street threads peddlers Alan and Bê Bilzerian and their designer daughter Lana; party pair Patrick and Kristina Lyons; car czar Barry Lundgren; and equally fabulous others. As my father used to say: “I laughed so hard, I thought my pants would never dry.”

An older man with gray hair is singing or speaking into a microphone while pointing with his left hand. He is wearing a dark, patterned shirt and is illuminated by stage lights with a purple and blue background.

Lenny Clarke. / Photo by Scott Eisen

A woman with dark hair tied back in a ponytail is smiling while speaking into a microphone. She is wearing a black outfit with a large red flower accessory pinned to her chest. The background is dark with blurred lights.

Sarah Silverman. / Photo by Scott Eisen

A woman in a white sleeveless dress with a deep neckline stands next to a man with gray hair and beard wearing black glasses and a dark patterned suit. They are both behind a clear podium with microphones, illuminated by bright stage lights in the background.

Paulina and Cam Neely. / Photo by Scott Eisen

Three people smiling at an indoor event: an older man with white hair wearing a dark blazer and shirt, a woman with short blonde hair wearing a dark top and a necklace, and a woman with short curly hair wearing a patterned yellow, black, and white jacket with a yellow beaded necklace. The two women have name tags, one reading "Susan" and the other "Rev. Dr. Gloria White-Hammond." The background features blue curtains and warm lighting.

Jim and Susan Swartz with Reverend Gloria White-Hammond. / Photo by Jill Person Photography

The Kids Are All Right

The city’s only nonprofit private pediatrics practice, Boston Community Pediatrics, celebrated its fifth anniversary with a party at the SoWa Power Station. The evening attracted a high-wattage crowd, including a lovely group of honorees: philanthropists Lynne and Gary Smith; righteous reverends Ray Hammond and Gloria White-Hammond; health equity crusader Demond Martin; and nurse extraordinaire Jasmine Tinker. The evening raised nearly $1.5 million and offered proof that the organization’s founder, Robyn Riseberg, has done the seemingly impossible: creating a workable and equitable model for excellent childhood healthcare.

Two women smiling closely together; the woman on the left has blonde hair, wears a black blazer, gold earrings, and a sparkly top, while the woman on the right has long dark dreadlocks, glasses, a blue patterned scarf, and a black top.

Robyn Riseberg and Grace Porter. / Photo by Jill Person Photography

Two women smiling and posing together at an indoor event. The woman on the left has long dark hair, wears glasses, a black blazer, and a patterned black blouse. The woman on the right has short gray hair, wears large earrings, and a sparkly blue top with a circular design. The background shows other people seated and red banners with white text.

Abigail Ross Goodman and Lynne Smith. / Photo by Jill Person Photography

Four people dressed in business attire stand closely together, smiling at the camera. The background features large red banners with white text and circular black-and-white photos, suggesting a formal event or conference setting. The lighting is warm and the atmosphere appears lively.

Peter Ross, Lori and Matthew Sidman, and Gary Smith. / Photo by Jill Person Photography

This article was first published in the print edition of the March 2026 issue with the headline: “Project Runway.”

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