NEW YORK-MARCH 22: ASIA SOCIETY: "Celebration of Asia Week--AllThingsArtAsia" Gala Dinner on Monday, March 22, 2010 at Guastavino's, 409 East 59th Street New York, NY 10022 - (212) 935-6552. Asia Society kicked off Asia Week with AllThingsArtAsia brilliantly last night despite the torrential downpour that lapped at the hems of long evening dresses, as guests packed Asia Society’s Garden Court for a reception sponsored by Bao & Company and Suntory. Guests including Henry Hwang Gordon, Richard Meier, Mira Nair, Adam Platt, Alice Schroeder, NYC’s Comptroller John Liu and Arden Wohl savored the flavors of Chef Michael Bao Huynh's Vietnamese cuisine while sipping Ito En tea. Collectors had a private preview and tour of the Museum’s exhibitions Arts of Ancient Viet Nam: From River Plain to Open Sea and Pilgrimage and Buddhist Art and bid on stunning dresses by Alia Khan, Thuy Diep and Vivienne Tam. Meanwhile, Desperate Housewives’ Gale Harold and co-star,Fay Ann Lee, experienced deja-vu as they recalled the premiere of Lee's film, Falling for Grace at the Asia Society. After the reception, the eclectic guest list headed to Guastavino's for a seated dinner featuring Chef Huynh’s exquisite cuisine with dessert by Chef Pichet Ong. During dinner, Broadway star Christiane Noll huddled with fellow actress and film maker, Fay Ann Lee, while BD Wong chatted with Susan Shin about artist Lies Maculan’s DREAM SHOP art installation in Chelsea. Fern Mallis couldn't believe it when Vivienne Tam's HP butterfly clutch, matching Monster headphones, chiffon dress and seats to her Spring/Summer 2011 show fetched more than $18,000 -- but that probably had to do with Tam who trumped Sotheby's auctioneer Henry Howard-Sneyd, to incite a bidding war in which both bidders went home victorious. Indeed, it was a successful evening, raising substantial funds for Asia Society and its programs. GALA COMMITTEE: BENEFIT CHAIRS: Stephanie and John Foster; Ruth and Harold Newman; Lulu Wang HONORARY CHAIRS: Mira Nair, Vivienne Tam, BD Wong CO-CHAIRS: Carolyn Hsu-Balcer & René Balcer; James J. Chin; Betsy and Edward Cohen; Lisina M. Hoch; HSBC Bank; Ida H. Liu; Cynthia Hazen Polsky & Leon Polsky; Mrs. Arthur Ross VICE CHAIRS: Yung Hee Kim; Helen and Will Little; Susan E. Lynch; Susy and Jack Wadsworth; Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt. Special Guests included leaders and luminaries from the world of art, culture and policy such as Thuy Diep, Gale Harold (Desperate Housewives, Falling for Grace), David Henry Hwang, Bernard Kalb, Joe Klein, Fay Ann Lee (Falling for Grace), Rudresh Mahanthappa, Fern Mallis, Professor Matthew McKelway, H.E. Le Luong Minh, Ambassador, Permanent Representative, Mission of Viet Nam to the UN, Hafez Nazeri, Christiane Noll, Adam Platt, Alice Schroeder, Susan Shin, Nancy Tingley, Billie Tsien, Tod Williams, Arden Wohl and more. PHOTO CREDIT:Copyright ©Manhattan Society.com 2010 by Christopher D.M. London | tel: Private |e-mail: ChrisLondon@manhattansociety.com