Old Westbury Gardens: Days of Grace on Long Island: A Conversation with Clive Aslet and Dylan Thomas

@ Join award-winning editor and writer Clive Aslet and celebrated international photographer Dylan Thomas for an engaging conversation about the creative process behind their newest publication, Old Westbury Gardens: Days of Grace on Long Island (Triglyph Books, 2026). Moderated by noted interior designer Thammanoune Kannalikham, the discussion will explore the stories, research, and visual imagination that shaped this richly illustrated tribute to one of Long Island’s most beloved estates. Old Westbury Gardens: Days of Grace on Long Island brings the house and its history vividly to life through archival images and lush contemporary photography. The book honors the legacy of the estate Jay Phipps built to woo his English love, Dita Grace, after promising to recreate the world of elegance, gardens, and dogs she had known in Sussex. She said “Yes”—and the rest is Old Westbury Gardens. The evening begins with sparkling wine and light hors d’oeuvres, followed by the program discussion. After the program, Aslet and Thomas will sign copies of their new book, which will be available for purchase. SPEAKERS: Clive Aslet is an award-winning architectural historian and journalist, widely recognized as a leading authority on Britain and its way of life. Deeply familiar with every aspect of publishing, he has written more than thirty books, including The Last Country Houses, The American Country House, and The Story of the Country House for Yale University Press. In 2014, he published his first novel, The Birdcage, set in Salonika during the First World War. Dylan Thomas is one of Britain’s foremost photographers of people and interiors. After beginning his career as an assistant to Lord Snowdon, he developed an outstanding reputation for detailed, technically complex work across a range of visual media and for a distinguished roster of notable clients. Thammanoune Kannalikham is a New York–based interior designer whose firm, Kannalikham Designs LLC, focuses primarily on residential work. Passionate about historic precedent, historic properties, architecture, and decorative arts, Ms. Kannalikham advances connoisseurship among younger generations through her dedication to old-world traditions, quality craftsmanship, and historic preservation. Clive Aslet Dylan Thomas Thammanoune Kannalikham Tickets & Information Fee: $75 per person; $125 per couple; $25 Streaming link This program is hosted and sponsored by the Friends of Old Westbury Gardens and the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. purchase tickets BECOME A MEMBER Add to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Outlook 365 Outlook Live