All you needed to get an invitation to a ritzy preconvention reception and dinner on the promenade of the New York State Theater was $250,000 or more, and the desire to contribute it to the Republican party. And nearly 300 people—called the Republican Regents by the party—were in the position to do just that.
Produced by the convention's official event planner, D.C.-based Logicom, the dinner put no one at a head table or seat of honor by arranging four long dining tables from Party Rental Ltd. in a medieval banquet style—so none of the major contributors felt any more or less major. (Unusual table shapes have been a trend, but this was the first time such a setup had been used in the space.)
Flowers, Sticks, and Stones provided the custom-made lavender tablecloths and tan runners, as well as flower arrangements that included apples and flowers and smelled like chocolate. And Restaurant Associates' menu included salad with melons, cucumber, and scallops; filet mignon with sweet
potato and.phparagus and corn salad; and mini desserts like Junior's cheesecake. "Big Apple Martinis" garnished with red apple slices washed it all down.
—Alesandra Dubin with reporting by Jane L. Levere
