W. Aldon James Jr. has been the president of the National Arts Club, a tony and pretentious group of New York City "arts" lovers, for 20 years. Lately he's turned crazy and, according to a former employee, very racist!
There are lots of membership-only oak-paneled private clubs in this city, former Gawker Joshua Stein reports in Page Six magazine. And you're probably not a member! But why not? There's been a thinning of the (dues-paying) herd lately: the olds who run and populate the places are "dying off." In order to attract youngs, they're going absolutely wild: "relaxing dress codes, holding mixers, staying open past 10 pm." Sounds stuffy, but... how would you like the cushy surroundings of your very own private club?
Last night we were at the National Arts Club for the launch party for Supper Club, Tamsin Lonsdale's socialite dining and dating club, now being imported from London. Supper Club boasts a huge committee of the social set. Everyone's breath smelled like smoked salmon. The place brings back memories! The National Arts Club used to rent out an apartment there, via sort-of art dealer and real estate heir and "party-going bachelor" Tim Nye, to the Accompanied Library, the now-defunct lending library and literary salon. But apparently the relationship between Library co-founder Brooke Geahan and Nye went south, and Nye tossed them out.
