Diversions, Inc.

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REFLECTIONS

In 2012, Diversions proudly celebrates its 34th year, yet we continue to be young, fresh and innovative. We are gratified by the unparalleled dedication of our members, whose desire for the best has challenged us to create the ultimate in cultural arts and travel experiences: exclusive entrees, highly-prized theatre and concert tickets, 5-star hotels, top-rated chefs, and the most knowledgeable guides

For over three decades we have made the inaccessible accessible. We’ve enjoyed private meetings with top stars, like Pacino and Pavarotti, and artists such as R. C. Gorman, Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs, and Jay Strongwater. We’ve toured the homes of trendsetting collectors such as Arnold Lehman, Director of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Fascinating families like the Rothschilds and the Churchills have opened their doors and their hearts to us. We’ve been entertained by the Royal Guard at the Savoy in London on New Year’s Eve; we’ve witnessed the astounding migration of thousands of animals crossing the Serengeti; we’ve wept with an 87-year-old as he recalled the day the Americans arrived to save his small French village on D-Day; we’ve delighted in a white-glove, rose petal-strewn private luncheon on the Great Wall of China; we were showered with fireworks and fountains at our private evening at Peterhof in St. Petersburg; and, year after year, thousands of our Diversions members have traveled in the finest style to experience the best of Broadway!

We’ve golfed the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland and the emerald greens of Ballybunion in Ireland. We’ve cheered at The Masters and the Ryder Cup. We’ve also recognized the value of quality family experiences and take pride in having created our multi-generational “Madeline,” “Eloise,” “ Junie B.” and “Alexander” trips, making memories that last a lifetime.

We’ve visited after hours during the opening week of the National Holocaust Memorial Museum, and we remembered 9/11 in the company of one of its heroes, Fire Chief Charlie Williams, whose battalion was so ravaged during the event. We’ve taken tango lessons in Buenos Aires with Sr. Velasquez, Madonna’s dance coach for “Evita,” and we were welcomed into the private residences of Pucci and Ferragamo in Italy. Director Nicholas King conducted seminars at The Barnes Foundation for groups of Diversions members; in the French Riviera, we were captivated by Jacques Renoir, the great-grandson of Pierre-Auguste Renoir in the artist’s home; Count and Countess de Nicolay graciously entertained us at dinner in their lovely Chateau du Lude in the Loire Valley; our members traveled to Provence for a week of cooking with renowned food editor/author/instructor Patricia Wells in her charming residence; and we were enthralled during a private Masterclass with the incomparable floral designer Kenneth Turner during London’s Chelsea Flower Show.