Patrons and Politicos Mingle for the Tennessee State Museum

As patrons climbed the carpeted steps of The Hermitage Hotel for the annual A Tennessee Waltz Patrons Party, their first impression might have been of lovely co-chair Liz Sillay at the top of the stairs, welcoming each person with a warm smile. Her dapper co-chair Spencer Bowers also circulated, holding court with guests around the lobby. 

Several guests had traveled miles to be there. Ashley and Douglas Henry had just come from checking younger son Middleton into his dorm at The University of North Carolina. Austin Pennington had flown in from New York to accompany his mother Anne Cain, who had arranged all the centerpieces for dinner. Busy people make a priority of this annual event, nibbling on such hors d’oeuvres as divine deviled eggs, crab cakes with romesco sauce and crisp tomato pastries.

The flowers brought sunshine inside under a moon-filled sky — bright yellow lilies, fanciful orchids and sunflowers aplenty. Fashions were breezy too — cool trapeze dresses or flowing jackets on several attendees, notably co-chair Liz and Tennessee State Museum executive director Ashley Howell, whose organization benefited from all the festivities. 

Hot pink dresses matched the August climate and brought fun to a diverse crowd peppered with state VIPs — among them, Judge Lynda Jones, Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Secretary of State Tre Hargett, one of the co-chairs of A Tennessee Waltz along with his wife Dawn. “Our State Museum goes well beyond its walls,” said Tre. “Our rich history is made available to children without boundaries.”

While the Collectors Council relished cocktails and nibbles on the Veranda, patrons enjoyed dinner, choreographed by the skilled and able staff at The Hermitage Hotel, a venue perfect for this party. Tables were topped with pale-blue velvet cloths — think Versailles. The menu was perfection: kale and quinoa salad with candied pecans, braised short ribs over grits and vegetables, and decadent tiramisu. 

It felt fitting to close an elegant evening with music by the Modern Mozarts, named for the composer who died five years before John Sevier was appointed our first governor. Want the full story? Visit the Tennessee State Museum.