Under the gracious patronage of the Embassy of France, friends and admirers of the late founder of AFTA, Lolo Sarnoff, gathered together with Arts for the Aging to commemorate her remarkable life and legacy.  The “Capricorn Party” was so named after the grande dame’s legendary annual birthday celebration. A slide show of photographs depicting Lolo over decades was the backdrop to guests who paid tribute during an open-mike with stories and fond recollections of the beloved Swiss-German artist, scientist and philanthropist.  AFTA’s teaching artists led the crowd in a rendition of Johnny Mercer’s Too Marvelous for Words and saluted the founder with her personal favorite, Johann Strauss’ The Blue Danube Waltz. Many expressed solidarity with France in light of recent tragic events in Paris.  We could not have hosted an evening so befitting to Lolo’s elegance and finesse were it not for Ambassador Gerard Araud and all at the Embassy of France.  Among her many accolades, honorary doctorates and awards, in 2008, Lolo Sarnoff was named by the French Government a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her dedication to science, the arts and cultural life in Washington.  For this His Excellency Pierre Vimont declared so beautifully our mutual admiration for Lolo’s “uprightness, resolve and generosity.” For event photos from Gene Carl Feldman, visit our Flikr stream here.