Author Pamela Jo McQuade Speaks at The Carlisle Collection Penthouse

Natalie Rivera, Sally Keech, and Dana Humphrey at Carlisle and Per Se penthouse.

Pamela Jo McQuade, author of the new book Spiritually Rich and Sexy, led a spirited evening at the Carlisle and Per Se penthouse on East 52nd Street before a crowd of questioning women and a few men curious for insight into her ideas.

“Do not let the title throw you,” advised Leena Gurevich, Carlisle’s Showroom Director, “because I have to say when I first saw the book, I had my doubts. But when I fall in love with something, everyone knows about it, and I am absolutely in love with this deeply passionate and insightful book.”

The topic of McQuade’s book and for the evening was her concept of beauty and sexuality. She maintains that the riches women really strive for — wealth, style, and the ability to look and feel amazing — is an inside job.

Pamela Jo McQuade addresses her audience.

She stated that true wealth and beauty come when women acknowledge their own unique and soulful paths. She believes that everyone is a “diamond in the rough” and that the job in life is to polish and refine it. As she spoke, she exuded a radiance that was contagious.

She talked about her life, which is also detailed in the book. At one time when she was actually contemplating suicide, she realized she had an opportunity to remake her life into one she desired. And, so began her journey inward.

“It is in the knowing of whom we are and what we want, that we find our roadmaps,” the author explained. “That is why we can never really walk in another woman’s shoes. When we find our inner strength and the courage to step forward and do what we truly believe in, we find ourselves exactly where we dreamed we could be. And that is truly beautiful, that is true wealth, that is infinitely sexy.”

Joan Pelzer, Leena Gurevich, Dana Humphrey, and Luann Sampson.

After the inspirational talk, Carlisle’s Luann Sampson unveiled key pieces from Carlisle’s new Fall Collection. There were plenty of exciting pops of color, incredible shine, and wonderful fabrics that brought out the best in each ensemble. She showed the Fabric of Hope scarf, which was created by Carlisle Collection designers to benefit Komen for the Cure.

Rounding out the evening, Pamela and Carlisle together collected shoes for Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization that procures shoes and gets them to people in need around the world. It was created by Wayne Elsey in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that hit Southeast Asia.

Luann Sampson shows off the Fabric of Hope silk scarf.

Guests included Cynthia Adler, Anne Akers, Kirsten Alana, Jennifer Akl, Alba Alessandro, Catherine Boyce, Rodney Hilton Brown, Jamie Burke, Antaya Calder, Elena Chernousova, Mandy Clemente, Ruth Devorah, Dorothy Dunne, Sondra Fagen, Alexis Fedor, Fran Gare, Dana Humphrey, Sally Keech, Jonathan Kiely, Sage Klapper, Sharyn Lewis, Kathy Ann Lyons, Julian Margaux, Janet Monastro, Olive O'luck, Victoria Olson, Joan Pelzer, Ivona Piwonska, Eric Purcell, Carol Quintero, Rade Radulovic, Milan Rakic, Natalie Rivera, Tom Rupolo, Michelle Shirian, Deborah Schwarz, Jean Singphatanakul, Ibrahim Soifoine and Charu Suri.