What a fun event put together by Momasphere at the Richard Meier on Prospect Park West. The reading/cocktail party with author Amy Sohn was VERY well attended by an attractive crowd of mostly women though there were some men there, too.
Amy Sohn read two very funny sections of her satirical book, Prospect Park West. One excerpt took place inside the Prospect Park Food Coop, her fictionalized version of the Park Slope Food Coop. She also read a fun section about two moms talking at the Tea (or Teat) Lounge.
Sohn, who looked lovely in a champagne colored dress, read very entertainingly with perfect comic timing and a terrific Australian accent for the male celebrity character.
During the Q&A, Sohn answered a question about the challenge of balancing motherhood with being a writer. She mentioned that she writes at the Brooklyn Writers Space and would talk to anyone who wanted to know about it.
Someone asked about reaction to the novel by Park Slopers. Sohn said that people come up to her all the time to say that they actually know the people whom the characters are based on. "But they don't," Sohn added.
Sohn was asked about Sarah Jessica Parker's optioning of the book. "It's a script option" for Parker's production company and HBO for a weekly television series.
Asked about her background Sohn explained that she was born and bred in Brooklyn Heights and has lived her entire life in Brooklyn. "I love Park Slope and I love living here," she said.
Sohn is currently at work on the sequel to PPW, that is due to be published next year. Crossing her fingers, she said that she's hoping to make her deadline. "This one will be called Richard Meier On Prospect Park West," she joked.
Proceeds from the event will go towards a Sunset Park charity called Children of the City
Since 1981, Children of the City has
been serving the underprivileged children in the inner-city communities
of Southwest Brooklyn. Starting out as a children’s prevention outreach
in the early years, our services have evolved to include trauma
intervention, counseling, an after-school and summer program, courtroom
and legal advocacy, social work, guardianship, financial counseling,
youth mentoring, and other as-needed services to help children and
their families achieve success in education, social relationships,
home, financial and career. Together we reach the children at home, at
school, on the streets and playgrounds, and at our facility.
Children of the City founder Joyce Mattera was at the event. She said that she lives "on the only brownstone street" in Bay Ridge and people tell her that she belongs in Park Slope. "After hearing the book, I'm not sure that's such a good thing," she said.
A representative from Corcoran spoke about the condos in the Richard Meier building, which range in price from the mid $700,000's for a studio to $5 million for something quite large.
Oh, about the Richard Meier apartment: the event was in the living room/kitchen of a Plaza Street facing apartment on the third floor—a columned space that can comfortably seat 100 people. The kitchen had an enormous counter/island with some gorgeous looking appliances that sort of disappear seamlessly into the walls.
Dang it: I never made it into the bedrooms which were open for viewing and I hear the bathrooms were incredible—and very bright.
But I did have two glasses of wine courtesy of SIP Fine Wine, poured by a bartender wearing a black Sipster t-shirt. The food was courtesy of Melt. Yum. There were sliders, summer rolls and AMAZING marshmallow, whipped cream and strawberry desserts.
Best of all: Mark Simmons, the ever so charming executive chef at Melt and a former Top Chef on Bravo TV's Season 4 was at the event serving sumptuous hors d'oeurves.
Kudos to Melissa Lopata and Ellen Bari, founders of Momasphere, for producing such a classy event. Momasphere is "an up and coming organization that creates innovative
evening events and programs for moms of all ages, while also giving
back to the community. Proceeds of the events go to various charities
that use human rights to advance social justice for women."
Full disclosure I paid $10 for a ticket to this event and was given a cute red Richard Meier on Prospect Park West shopping bag with some goodies inside, including mojito flavored lickable oil from Babeland.