Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Surprise!

by

I was going to save this for tomorrow, but I can’t wait!

For those who don’t know, my husband is leaving his current job at the end of this year and starting a new job right away. No rest and relaxation for him! I have been helping the current company plan a surprise retirement party for him and it was held last night. The Treasury Secretary came with an impressive Secret Service detail (Secret Service = THE hot accessory for holiday 2007) and Mayor Bloomberg came too, as well as nearly 200 other people.

Here are a few photos.

He was definitely surprised.

I told him I’d be home watching the CSI/Without a Trace special episodes.

Paul and the Mayor.
Mood lighting as Paul thanked everyone at the end of many toasts.

My husband is the chairman of the Committee to Protect Journalists, so the company made a generous donation in his honor. He got one of those ginormous Publishers Clearing House-type checks!

Marcus Brauchli and Gordon Crovitz help Paul hold up the giant check.

Wouldn’t it be fun to walk up to a bank teller’s window with that?

More photos soon!

Photography by Bob Krasner.

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Comments

  1. What a fantastic evening….You could really feel the respect and love for Paul, and your hubby seemed so moved and surprised.

    — Will you be doing the launch party for Pro Publica? Sure hope so. Congrats to you and Paul!!!

  2. I won’t be doing the launch…I’ll be too busy knitting a sex-ay Pro Publica sweater! Thanks for coming last night; it’s always great to see you two!

  3. Looks like it was quite the event. Tell us about what you were wearing…inquiring minds want to know!!! =)

  4. Mayor Bloomberg is my secret crush… I met him at the cafe City Hall and he came and chatted to us for a while and even kissed me goodbye (I’m blushing at the thought).

    What a nice gesture for your husband by you!

  5. Brittique, I am LOL at you blushing over Mayor Bloomberg. Well, you would have been madly in love last night because he gave such a great, funny toast. Or roast, really. Valley, I was wearing a top that looked like the front page of the Wall Street Journal with an Alexander McQueen skirt and Karl Lagerfeld heels that I got at the New York Galeries Lafayette going-out-of-business sale in 1994. I don’t know why I remember that factoid, but I do! I’ll tell the full story of the top in its own post when I get a better shot of it.

  7. Delish, right back to you! Congrats to lovely hubby, and the ambitious new project. What fun. All best, Jan

  10. Awww!! I am so glad it went well, though I had no doubt. The pics are great, especially the one of you and hubby. So cute!

  13. congratulations to you and the husband. You guys look smashing together. You and your dazzling smile and him and his quirky tie. So cute!

  14. Congratulations to your husband and the best of luck with the new job! It looks like it was a great party and he looks so happy:-)

  16. You have a great hubby, and i can tell how proud you are of him. i really like his journalistic initiatives from what i heard on that npr piece…

  18. Wendy I HEART the pink and diamond bangle!!! Purdy hair-do. I finally cut mine short like Lady Becks’..