POWER PLAYERS AT PLAY IN PALO ALTO

The future was the focus at the poolside cocktail summit starring statesman Henry Kissinger and former Manhattan Mayor Mike Bloomberg on July 19 at the Palo Alto home of Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz and her husband, former Secretary of State George Shultz.

Kissinger visits most summers for the annual encampment at the Bohemian Grove, an excloo male bastion of global power players that recently welcomed Bloomberg among its ranks. And since the days of President Herbert Hoover, Shultz now holds the club record for the most lakeside camp talks ever delivered to gathered Bohemians.

The party also belatedly celebrated Kissinger, who turned 95 in May, with a mariachi serenade, tunes by the Marianne Kent musicians (accessorized in wizard hats) and a signature “Beach Blanket Babylon” song penned by producer Jo Schuman Silver set to “I’ve Got Rhythm.”

A brilliant scholar / Henry, he stands taller / Bet your bottom dollar / Who could ask for anything more? / No refutin’ / He could deal with Putin / Detente, he’s executin’ / Who could ask for anyone more?

George Shultz emceed a wide-ranging conversation among these three political amigos that touched on such urgent topics as NATO, the economy, a postWWII world, climate change, jobs, artificial intelligence and our nation’s fiercest foes, Russia and ... Canada.

“Destroying NAFTA? I’m weeping,” exclaimed Shultz. “If you want to do something about the trade deficit you’ve got to do something about spending. The first international trip I took as secretary of state was to Canada, long our biggest trading partner. How can you say Canada is a security threat? C’mon, we’re just doing dumb things.”

Being a skilled diplomat, Shultz never named the politician who recently implemented this silly policy.

Bloomberg opined on climate change, pollution and transitioning away from coal energy — a cause to which he’s personally donated $64 million and joined forces with the Sierra Club to create the documentary “From the Ashes.”

Summing up his environmental thoughts with a classic New Yorkism, Bloomberg declared: “We’re in deep s—.”

But what the elephants in this room — more literal than metaphoric, as many Shultz guests and their fellow Hoover Institution folks claim Grand Old Party status — wanted to know was whether Bloomberg would make a run on the presidential ticket in 2020.

“I thought you already announced your candidacy, Mike, because you gave a lot of money to the mid-term elections,” noted Shultz.

Bloomberg teased that was a cynical strategy and one that would never cross his politically strategic mind.

Shultz let out a hearty laugh, teasing: “Now I’m really convinced you’re running, Mike!”

Welcoming guests to partake of a bountiful McCalls Catering buffet — featuring tables teeming with offerings such as Diplomatic Dim Sum, George’s BBQ, Bloomberg’s New York Deli, Henry’s Hofbrau — Charlotte Shultz also invited guests to discover their own futures from a consortium known as the Wisdomkeepers.

“However, a law recently passed in Palo Alto that if you call these talented people ‘psychics’ you will be fined $1,500,” she said. “So if that happens tonight, we will donate your fine to Bloomberg’s presidential campaign.”

Among these intuitive consultants using such techniques as astrology, numerology, palm analysis, tarot and aura readings was Carol Simone, who was amazed at how open Kissinger was to her numerology reading.

“And when George pulled a card from my tarot deck, he randomly chose the King of Cups, which is the messenger of love,” Simone emailed, later. “I said to him, ‘Boy, are you in love with Charlotte!’ George nodded yes, with a big smile on his face.”

And I’ve got to say, when Michael Nisley placed a Tibetan bowl on this reporter’s head to enact some muchneeded sound consciousness via gongs and tuning forks, it was much better than an end-of-day cocktail.

Cracking open a fortune cookie, Charlotte Shultz — the city’s long-reigning protocol chief, civic cheerleader and most loyal unpaid employee — was surprised to discover she would soon embark upon a new job.

“Well,” she joked, “I hope this time, it’s one that pays.”

After all, who really knows what the future holds? Yet Charlotte Shultz is certain of one thing.

“The greatest gift the future can give us,” she said, “is more gatherings with wonderful friends like all of you.”

Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicle’s society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow

Drew Altizer Stanlee Gatti’s party designs match the Shultzes’ global Future Summit theme at their Palo Alto home.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle Former N.Y. Mayor Mike Bloomberg (left) and former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger at George and Charlotte Shultz’s Palo Alto home.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle Event designer Stanlee Gatti and “intuitive consultant” Carol Simone at the Shultz Future Summit soiree.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle “Beach Blanket Babylon” cast member Shawna Ferris McNulty at the Shultzes party honoring Henry Kissinger.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle Protocol Chief Charlotte Shultz at the McCalls buffet for her Future Summit party in Palo Alto.

Drew Altizer Stanlee Gatti’s designs looked to the future at the Shultzes’ global Future Summit party.

Drew Altizer McCalls Catering created a globe-shaped cake to honor the 95th birthday of Henry Kissinger on July 19, 2018.