Tonight I was fortunate enough to attend a benefit gala at the Museum of Natural History. The occasion was Shakespeare's birthday, and the benefiting party was Theatre for a New Audience, an Off-Broadway theatre company dedicated to the performance and study of Shakespeare and classic drama. Best part is, the Theatre sustains the largest program in NYC public schools for introducing Shakespeare.

As an avid supporter of the arts in schools I was happy to be there. AND I was happy to bid on the items at the accompanying silent auction.

I came home with an original lithograph of Marc Chagall's "The Window," which was just one of the exciting parts of the evening. Chagall! In my living room!

There were some speeches and readings, but not from just anyone. No, no. We are talking F. Murray Abraham doing a monologue from one of Tony Kushner's plays. Then Kushner himself - the guy who wrote Angels in America, Homebody/Kabul, Caroline or Change, and the screenplay for Munich, among others - got up to accept an award and gave a great little speech. Along with the artsy types, there were several recognizable socialites in attendance, the ones you see in Vogue every month but can never recall their names. They were, on the whole, quite thin and tan, and clad in DVF dresses. But then...then...who walks by my table?

Meryl Streep.

MERYL effing STREEP!

She looked absolutely gorgeous...much younger than you'd think. Flawless skin, incredible posture, and just a presence. I was dumbfounded, and I never get like that.

I think I'll go to bed now with my new Chagall litho in my arms.