In the Noël Coward play Blithe Spirit, novelist Charles Condomine and his wife invite an eccentric medium to their dinner party so he can discreetly study her as fodder for his new book. But the host's plan backfires when an after-dinner séance conjures the feisty spirit of his deceased first wife, who refuses to leave. As is often the case in Coward's plays, comedic chaos ensues.
Although illustrator Tug Rice's Manhattan apartment is-thankfully-not haunted by any mischievous ghosts, one does feel a different kind of spirit in the air at his holiday cocktail party. It's a spirit of creativity rooted in history-and perhaps the spirit of Coward himself, whose framed portrait watches over the revelry from a candlelit chest in the foyer. Rice first discovered the British playwright and composer when he portrayed the role of Charles Condomine in a high school production of Blithe Spirit and instantly connected with his work, even joining the Noël Coward Society, a fan club of sorts. "I was the youngest member by 80 years," he quips.
Rice's guests indulge in Negronisa specialty of the house-and Louis Sherry chocolates, presented in a limited edition tin designed by the host. OPPOSITE: A harbinger of the evening's festivities, a circa 1948 painting of stylish revelers hangs above the drawing room's faux-marble mantel (decorative painting by Artgroove).
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Should my holiday decor "match" my interiors?
Even designers aren't immune to joyful chaos. For her home, Atlanta-based designer Katie Wolf is \"all nostalgia, all day long. Bring on the reds and greens, the school-made ornaments and even the multicolored lights!\"
SANCTUARIES of JOY
When does a closet become a portal to our passions? We teamed up with three top tastemakers to imagine their pie-in-the-sky storage spaces, from a china-filled entertaining lab to a winemaker's exuberant workshop.
You Are Cordially Invited to a SPIRITED HOLIDAY SOIREE
Join illustrator and bon vivant TUG RICE for a lively, piano-fueled cocktail party, where creatives mingle with whispers of artists past in his Sutton Place apartment.
Will Travel For
Who among us can resist a good treasure hunt? Especially when the prize is an object of singular curiosity. Here, three artful adventurers pursue their obsessions from California to north-central Europe.
BEYOND THE FEAST
Thanksgiving dinner is only the beginning for Charleston hoteliers Jaimie and John Dewberry, who extend the revelry with drop-in cocktails at their 18th-century home and a Black Friday boat ride on their vintage Chris-Craft.
TOAST of the TOWN
At her Manhattan apartment, stationer and Dear Annabelle founder Marcie Pantzer hosts a New Year's celebration as graceful as the lost art of letter writing.
THE LEGACY KEEPERS
Editor in chief Steele Thomas Marcoux explores how Charleston preservationists are harnessing the city's vernacular to reinterpret the past and forge a richer future.
Now Booking NEXT-LEVEL LUXURY
From estate revivals in Genoa and Baja to extravagant villas in Egypt and Bhutan, the year's top hotel debuts are raising the bar with bespoke craftsmanship, garden romance, and all-out escapism.
In To the PINK
On New Year's Day in Palm Beach, The Colony Hotel's Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall welcome friends for a casual courtyard fete, alight in the landmark's signature color.
TRIMMED IN TRADITION
Fresh-cut Fraser firs, evergreen boughs, and more than 6,000 string lights herald the arrival of Christmas at North Carolina's historic High Hampton resort, instilling the woodsy, old-fashioned warmth of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
