WhatsupNaddy!: PARTIES : OVER THE BOARDWALK, The Second Annual Summer Party on the High Line

Thursday, June 21, 2012

PARTIES : OVER THE BOARDWALK, The Second Annual Summer Party on the High Line

If you were looking for the perfect spot to spend the solstice eve, you didn’t have to travel all the way to Coney Island; last night, at the Second Annual Summer Party on the High Line, a section of New York’s elevated park was transformed into a virtual carnival to kick off the season.

Long wooden slats left over from the park’s train-track origins stood in nicely for a boardwalk setting, lined, fittingly, with dunk tanks, fortune-tellers, and photo booths—though, this being the High Line and not Coney Island in the 1960s, those dunk tanks were manned by male models in tiny red swim trunks. The sunset across the Hudson filtered through rainbow-colored streamers and helium-filled balloons, prompting Chris Noth to shed his sunglasses and take in the view of the river and the crowd, which included Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dianna Agron, and Mamie Gummer, a sea of sundresses, linen pants, and colorful prints. Penn Badgley and Jessica Stam sampled the state fair–style fare (spiked snow cones, mini funnel cakes, and spicy sausage corn dogs), while DJ Kiss took to the booth in a bright floral Mary Katrantzou skirt and gingham slingbacks, spinning Rihanna’s “We Found Love”—and encouraging everyone on the dance floor to do the same.

“I’m always at the High Line!” said Elettra Wiedemann, noting the importance of the fundraiser, hosted by the Friends of the High Line and Coach, with all proceeds going to help maintain and operate the park and its gardens. “I live nearby, so I walk through to get to the gym for triathlon training almost every morning.” The model will certainly be in tip-top shape for her upcoming wedding to restaurateur James Marshall, too, though the rest of her summer, she said, would be a little more relaxed. “We’re planning a staycation this year to recover—but after that, I can promise that the honeymoon’s going to be epic.”

Rivaling the long line to get inside the party was the queue for the fortune-teller’s booth, with everyone eager to hear what the summer holds. “I was a little bit nervous to have my fortune read,” said one guest, leaving the tent with a smile. “But I found courage after a few of these snow cones!”