Ben Barbro (pictured above)
Bagpiper, Caldwell, New Jersey
I’m curious how you got started with the bagpipe. Are you Scottish?
I have Scottish ancestry, but I’m not from Scotland. There’s no connection in that way. I felt compelled to learn about 25 years ago when I met a guy who was in the Canadian Army in World War II. Bagpipe was his passion, and he taught me how to play.
Is this your full-time job?
Occasionally, I play a paid gig, but typically it’s me doing it just because I love it. My day job is at a pharmaceutical company.
You were playing outside to welcome everyone. How did that go?
I was kind of like the Scottish beacon. People could hear bagpipes and knew, Okay, that’s the way to the event. Curious kids and people walking came up and said “Thank you.” Some people shoved a few bucks in my pocket. Others were asking for directions. I was like, “I’m just here playing the gig. I’m not sure how to get to the carousel.”
There’s a raffle. Did you enter?
I bought three tickets. They were raffling off a big bottle of Scotch, but my ticket came up for a purse. I guess my daughter will get that. It doesn’t really go with my look.
Suzanne Holter
Business change consultant, Glen Cove
Gerardo Alfonso Esquer Ramírez de Gray
Doctor of IT, Upper East Side
Are you having a good time?
It’s been a wonderful, very successful ball. The only difficulty for me is that it lasts just four hours. I am Mexican, and in Mexico we usually start special dinners at midnight. I wish it would last longer — from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., not from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. But the food, the drinks, the ambience, the people — the people are elated.
Alice Schroeder
Board member, Murray Hill
James Spoehel
Law student, Austin, Texas
Do you know how to dance a Scottish reel?
Yes, I went to the University of St Andrews in Scotland for undergrad and learned there. It’s kind of like riding a bicycle; once you learn how to do it, you don’t need a refresher.
Nina Urban
Psychiatrist, Park Slope
Dèborah Rosario
Producer, Midtown
Sarah Sharif
Innovation manager, Hudson Yards
Mary Ellen Scullard
Retired, Upper West Side
You helped plan the evening. What’s on the menu?
It’s traditionalish. We don’t have haggis because that’s annoying to get in the States and to get shipped — it’s gotten lost in the past. But we have beef and salmon. Those are both very Scottish. And we started with a whiskey tasting from our whiskey master. You tell him what you want to drink, and he says, “Try this.” He knows what he’s talking about.
David Moyer
Automotive writer, Murray Hill
Lynda Packard
Real-estate consultant, the Hamptons
Christopher Gow
Gallerist, Upper East Side
Caroline MacLachlan
Teacher, Upper East Side
How did you choose this outfit?
My family’s Scottish, and I inherited a bunch of tartans from my grandmother. So I tried on my family tartans to see, like, Oh, could this be an option? Answer: “No.” So I went with a J.Crew scarf that I rubber-banded together with a brooch I found in my grandmother’s basement.
Jonathan Corum
Science-graphics editor, Glencoe, Illinois
Daphne Taranto
Tech program manager, Prospect Park South
Meet anyone interesting tonight?
There’s such a mix of people because you can just buy a ticket. The woman sitting next to me said she likes dancing, so she Googled “dancing balls in New York” and found this one. She’s been to five this year. Although she did leave just after having the steak at dinner.
Val Avdeenko
Product manager, Chelsea
Alessandra Gagliardi
Marketing and events director, Upper East Side
Wilson Ye
Senior consultant, West Village
What brings you here?
My girlfriend is majority Scottish, and she’s very proud of her heritage. So I reached out to her and said, “Hey, why not go to this? We can try some new outfits.” I always joke with her that I want to wear a kilt, but I struggle to find the occasions. We connected last year at a Barbie movie event. I wore a pink blazer, and it caught her eye.
Amanda Grove Holmén
Board member, Beekman Place
Photographs by Frankie Alduino
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