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Happy 94th, Ms. Kaplan

The grandma of Manhattan’s social scene

by
Marc Tracy
June 28, 2010
Kaplan last year.(Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
Kaplan last year.(Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Did people know about Zelda Kaplan? She celebrated her 94th—nine-four—birthday last night at an exclusive New York club, because that is how she rolls. As of four years ago, when the Village Voice profiled her, she was partying into the wee hours two to three nights per week. Her other passion is the rights of African women (her idol as a young woman was anthropologist Margaret Mead); she frequently sports authentic West African attire.

“I think I inspire them because I am out,” she told the Voice four years ago. “I hope I inspire people to not be afraid of being old—really old. And not to feel empty about life, because life is worth living. Don’t you think?”

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.