Patricia Yarberry Allen, M.D. is a Gynecologist, Director of the New York Menopause Center, Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Assistant Attending Obstetrician and Gynecologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She is a board certified fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Allen is also a member of the Faculty Advisory Board and the Women’s Health Director of The Weill Cornell Community Clinic (WCCC). Dr. Allen was the recipient of the 2014 American Medical Women’s Association Presidential Award.

Women’s Voices for Change had a fantastic lunch today in New York City.  We introduced the first of our “Conversations With” events featuring Arianna Huffington and Silda Wall Spitzer.  The lunch was sold out almost before the tickets left the post office.   Women clearly want to understand how other interesting women navigate midlife reinvention or sometimes just midlife evolution.  These women really had something to say and the audience was aware that they were present at something very special.

After lunch, my friend Faith and I decided that we would celebrate.  We walked down Fifth Avenue in the glory of a spring day bathed in warmth and sunshine and decided that at 3:45 we were ready for champagne.

The Peninsula Hotel is at 5th and 55th.  The small tea room/bar is just off the lobby and up half a flight of stairs.  Even though we were 15 minutes early for booze, the staff were delighted to make us happy.

We had not eaten lunch so we had olives, tea sandwiches and champagne while discussing every moment of the lunch and how happy we were that it had gone well.  We stayed on that comfortable sofa for two hours with no deadlines, no phone calls, and no one waiting for us to make an executive decision.  There really is nothing more glorious than this..  A great friend, shared interests and champagne.