I was at lunch with the recipients of the Rockefeller Foundation NYC Cultural Innovation Fund last week. Near noon, just outside the dining room, people were introducing themselves via what they were doing – the creative arts district prototype project, the entrepreneurial development lab for artists, the center for digital game research and design.

Amazing, inventive, unapologetically innovative projects.

I smiled and said, “Hi, I’m the interactive cell phone cultural map designed to transform the #7 train into an art express. And you are?”

I’ll have to work on that.

Imagine, fifty intensely creative thinkers in a room.  My head was spinning.  A brain trust?  A transformative trust?  A passion trust?

Oh, to be a fly on the wall and hear all of the eager conversations and quick project updates buzzing throughout the room.  It was a gathering appreciated by all and captured on my trusty Flip video camera for you.

Sans doute, we had great conversations, some heard and some overheard.

Like this one.

“Oh hi!  How great to see you again, you always look so fabulous, what is that you’re wearing?  It is way too cool!  I never know what to wear to these things.  But you always seem to.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.  You look absolutely fine.”

“Do I?  I just walked into a boutique and said, ‘I have to be somewhere in 30 minutes.   I need to look like a noteworthy grant recipient.  Do something, please!’  And this is what they did.  Don’t you love that they didn’t put me in black? ”

“And navy is just as black, only its navy. ”

“I know! I was tempted by something she had in pink…”

“Oh please! Pink? No.  Pink is the navy blue of India.  What were you thinking?”

“You and Diana Vreeland are so right.  So now I don’t have to angst about what I’m wearing and I can concentrate on what everyone is doing.”

Style Notes:

1. I like striding.  It makes me feel au courant which is very important when you are among cultural smarty pants in large numbers.  Wear great shoes.
2. Opera length fingerless gloves look fabulous with a simple sheath dress.  Handknit, of course.
3. Stay away from anything with black poppy seeds.  They always end up as speckles in your teeth and will ruin your otherwise dazzling smile.
4. Look thrilled.  You should be, for crying out loud.  How wonderful it is to be among the cultural cognoscenti in this great city!
5. Do good, feel good, look good.

Over the next few weeks I am excited about meeting up with some of these intriguing folk for lunch where we can continue our conversations and figure out interesting ways to pool our creative energy.  I already know I want to wear something navy blue and will be designing a cool knitting pattern for opera length fingerless gloves.