May 3, 1998

THE pink Cristal Champagne was flown in from France, and the rack of lamb was made to order by the chefs at Mortimer's. All so Ilyse Wilpon, whose family is an owner of the Mets, could entertain 113 friends at a private dinner recently. Inside the Upper East Side restaurant, which on this evening was closed to the public, men in Turnbull & Asser shirts and the latest Hermes ties sat alternately around 11 tables with women with blown-out bobs and Chanel suits.

European Union plan to begin common currency among 11 countries in 1999 gets underway after leaders of 15 member nations, meeting, Brussels, resolve dispute between France and Germany over who should run new European central bank; leaders name Wim F Duisenberg of Netherlands, German-backed candidate, to eight-year term after he says he plans to retire by mid-2002; France had sought written agreement that he would leave after four years to make way for French candidate, Jean-Claude Trichet; photo (L)

Ellerbe Becket, which has designed 13 new stadiums, has reached accord with Justice Department to design wheelchair sections in any future stadiums that will enable patrons to see over standing spectators; guidelines are expected to influence stadium design generally (M)

IT would have been an odd evening, that's for sure. Hugh Hefner, the man who put women in bunny costumes and set the wheels of the sexual revolution in motion for millions of Americans, and Gloria Steinem, the crusading leader of the women's movement, were supposed to go on a blind date a few decades ago, as Mr. Hefner tells it.

Article on 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle; chart lists similarities and differences between 1998 and 1967 Beetles; photos (M)