Fabulous Females

Dennis and Randi Riese

Marcia Stein, Kathleen Turner, and Bebe Neuwirth

Hundreds of New York’s most powerful and influential women from the worlds of business, media, government, publishing and the arts gathered at the Rainbow Room for the Citymeals-on-Wheels 22nd annual “Power Lunch for Women” two Fridays ago. The annual benefit honored Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. and Lynda Resnick, FIJI Water/POM Wonderful for their long-standing commitment to Citymeals and the elderly population.

The luncheon was emceed by Diana L. Taylor, Managing Director of Wolfensohn & Company. The event raised $1.5 million – or enough money to hand deliver 235,000 meals for New York’s frail, homebound aged.

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Diana Taylor

Marcia Stein, Executive Director of Citymeals-on-Wheels said, “Imagine a Thanksgiving where dinner consisted of half an orange, a piece of bread left over from the previous day’s lunch and a cup of tea. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the power women here today – in particular our honorees Martha Stewart and Lynda Resnick – 17,000 frail homebound elderly New Yorkers will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with festive holiday dinners delivered right to their doors. The money we raise today will bring not just food but compassionate, friendly visits, an important lifeline to our frail aged neighbors.”

Among the highlights of the afternoon was the surprise announcement of an “Emergency Challenge Grant” by Joan H. Tisch, and her three children Steven, Laurie and Jonathan in memory Preston Robert Tisch, husband, father and founding Board member, long-time president, as well as generous friend of Citymeals-on-Wheels. Moved by recent reports of fiscal hardship at Citymeals, Laurie Tisch rallied the family to issue the following challenge: starting that day, for every dollar donated to Citymeals, they will match the amount, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.00. When matched, the donation will fund over 30,000 home delivered meals.

In attendance at this year’s Power Lunch for Women were Cindy Adams; Christine Baranski; Susan Blumenthal; Mary Higgins Clark; Carmen Dell’Orefice; Michele Oka Doner; Beth Dozoretz; Patricia Duff; Nora Ephron; Dasha Epstein; Joni Evans; Florence Fabricant; Linda Fairstein; Geraldine Ferraro; Stephanie French; Betsy Gotbaum; Susan Zises Green; Gael Greene; Jamee Gregory; Donna Hanover; Joan Helpern; Caroline Hirsch; Jenny Holzer; Erica Jong; Adrienne Landau; Evelyn Lauder; Alexandra Lebenthal; Cynthia Leive; Stephanie March; Julianna Margulies; Bernadette Peters; Ruth Reichl; Denise Rich; Judith Ripka; Deborah Roberts; Samantha Boardman Rosen; Liz Smith; Gloria Steinem; Kathleen Turner; Lillian Vernon; Silda Wall; Patricia Wexler; Paula Zahn.

The afternoon also featured a performance by vocalist Andrea Marcovicci and her 90 year-old mother, Helen, who sang “Autumn Leaves,” “I’ll be Seeing You,” “I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore,” and “Russian Lullaby.” The performance was accompanied by a touching video featuring Citymeals’ recipients.

Kathleen Turner, Kate Mulgrew, Gael Greene, Donna Hanover, and Marcia Stein

For a ticket price of $10,000 male attendees had the privilege of choosing which powerful and famous woman would be their lunch partner. Among this year’s “10K Men” were Michael Batterberry, Albert Behler, Andrew Borrok, Joseph Cohen, Bill Fischer, Bobby Flay, Peter Glazier, Robert Grimes, Michael Lynne, Michael Norris, Craig Pfeiffer, John Pomerantz, Dennis Riese, Lee Schrager, John Shapiro, Donald Tober and Steven Zavagli.

One hundred percent of the money raised from ticket sales at Power Lunch, and all Citymeals’ events, goes to the preparation and delivery of nutritious meals to homebound elderly in the five boroughs of New York City.

This year’s Power Lunch was hosted by the Cipriani Family and the Rainbow Room. Official sponsors of Citymeals-on-Wheels included American Airlines; FIJI Water; MasterCard; and Nespresso. Event sponsors include POM Wonderful; Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.; Bloomingdales; Bobbi Brown; Bernardaud; Chadick Ellig; La Prairie; Taittinger; Teleflora Travelers and W.J. Deutsch & Sons/Georges Deboeuf.

Ruth Reichl, Ariane Daguin, and Alison Price Becker

Andrew Borrok and Marcia Stein

Andrea and Helen Marcovicci

Florence Fabricant and Gael Greene

Dorothy Kretchmer, Bob Grimes, and Florence Fabricant

Carol Higgins Clark and Mary Higgins Clark

Donald Tober and Cindy Adams

Andrea and Helen Marcovicci

Christine Baranski and Patricia Duff

Julianna Margulies

Liz Smith and Bernadette Peters

Caroline Hirsch and Michael Lynne

John Pomerantz and Joan Tisch

Jamee Gregory

Karine Bakhoum, Bobby Flay, Ruth Reichl, and Barbara Lazaroff

Laurie Tisch, Carolyn Sussman, Joan Tisch, Lizzie Tisch, and Emily Sussman

Paula Zahn

Lynda Resnick and Diana Taylor

Martha Stewart, Lynda Resnick, and Joe Cohen

Martha Stewart, Marcia Stein, and Lynda Resnick

Marcia Stein and Lillian Vernon

Bobby Flay, Marcia Stein, and Stephanie March

Carmen Dell'Orefice

Evelyn Lauder and Paula Zahn

Diane von Furstenberg and Love Heals hosted a benefit last Monday night at DVF’s meatpacking district studio to celebrate New York City’s 50 Most Fabulous Females. Beverly Bond spun for the crowd, Godiva provided tasty bites, and Rue La La hosted a raffle with 100 percent of the proceeds going towards Love Heals, The Allison Gertz Foundation for AIDS education.

Liz Lange

Diane von Furstenberg and Kelly Killoren Bensimon

Olivia Palermo

A few of the Fabulous 50 included songstress Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Lucy Sykes Reille, Delta Goodrem, Olivia Palermo, Star Jones, Sarah Wynter, Liz Lange, Samantha Ettus, Laura Brown. The 1 Really Great Guy, was Discovery Channel star, Josh Bernstein.

Alex and Karine Chuduoff

Laura Brown and Diane von Mueffling

Alexandra Vidal, Star Jones, and Dini von Mueffling

Beverly Bond

Kerry Chambers, Kim Silverstein, Genevieve Farley, Catherine Patsos, and Theresa Canzoneri

Kate Meckler, Wendy Straker, Stacey Santo, and Meghan Donahue

Shari Shakun, Stacey Santo, and Alison Brod

Rich Sanford and Dale Dorning

Jerry Gertz, Diane von Furstenberg, and Carol Gertz

Lucy Sykes Rellie

Sarah Wynter and Delta Goodrem

Samantha Ettus

Hadley Nagel and Josh Bernstein

Keith O'Hea and Libby Langdon

Louisella Melloni and Alixe Boyer

Noora Rhaj and Julia Dennis

Susan Nagel and Hadley Nagel

Last Thursday night at the American Museum of Natural History, the Junior Council (the Museum’s Membership group for New Yorkers ages 22 to 39) were treated to a cocktail reception and a private viewing of the Museum’s newest exhibition Climate Change: The Threat of Life and A New Energy Future which examines one of the most pressing scientific and social issues of the 21st century: global climate change.

Co-chairs Zachary Pomerantz and Lori Toub

Steering Committee Members Angela Latigona and Gaelin Rosenwaks

Theodore Roosevelt IV served as Trustee host and Dr. Michael Oppenheimer, the Albert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International affairs, Woodrow Wilson School and Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, spoke. Co-chairs for the evening were Stephanie and Joe Benavides, Lisa and Paul Canty, Christy Corgan, Sarah Crews, Doug and Eva Heyman, Dana Wallach Jones and Micahel T. M. Jones, Zachary Pomerantz and Lori Toub, and Andrew and Zibby Right.

Co-chairs Michael T. M. Jones and Dana Wallach Jones with friend

Rohit Anand and Adam Siper

Andrew Goodwin and friend

Steering Committee Member Krishna Nadella (on right) with friends

Sharon Evans, Steering Committee Member Michael Zerdy, and Adie Kreigstein with a friend

Steering Committee member Julia Blankhertz and friend

Museum Trustee Theodore Roosevelt IV

Climate Change exhibition

Matt Stein and Rachel Diamond

Steering Committee Member Libby Shutkin, Shira Gasarch, and Rene Clinton

Steering Committee Member Katherine Heyman (grey dress) and friends

Alex Twerdahl and Avi Barak witha friend

Steering Committee Member Mary Quintilian (middle) and friends

Josh Bernstein and friend

Last Tuesday evening at the New York City flagship store of Kwiat, the luxury diamond jeweler on Madison Avenue, Pamela Fiori of Town & Country magazine hosted a cocktail reception for Women In Need, the local New York charity that brings hope to homeless and disadvantaged women and children. Kwiat donated a portion of the night’s diamond sales to support Women in Need.

Lowell Kwiat and Fern Kwiat

Gillian Miniter, Pamela Fiori, Sheldon Kwiat, and Bonnie Stone

Lee and CeCe Black

Victoria Gallegos

Rory Hermelee

Marguerite van Stolk

Bonnie Stone and Robin White

Carol Nisfneger

Avi Zimak, Claudia Mata, and Bill Gould

Bill Gibbons, Greg Kwiat, and Lowell Kwiat

Greg Kwiat, Bonnie Stone, and Jim Taylor

Pamela Fiori, Avi Zimak, and Bill Gibbons

On Wednesday, November 19th, 21 models, 8 top designers and over 400 guests came together at Touch for the first ever Spicerack Fashion Runway of Hope: A Benefit For Tikva Orphanage, which raised over $15,000.

Guests including Eeris Kalish, Malka Meiersdorf, Jamie Blumenthal, Ariela Aharon, Liron David, Eli Lunzer and Julia Royter took in a runway show and enjoyed a night of dinner and dancing. The night, which Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul helped to host, raised funds and awareness for Tikva Children’s Home, whose mission is to care for the homeless, abandoned and abused Jewish children of the Odessa region of Ukraine. Tikva provides loving homes, essential social services and a first rate education for its children.

The scene at Touch.

Sam Bodenheimer, "Bodi," the founder of Spicerack, visited the orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine about a year and a half ago. After seeing how happy the children were, he was inspired to raise awareness about the home and decided to take time off from work to rally an exceptional team of young professionals together to help promote the organization.

Proceeds from this event will help provide children in Tikva’s homes with everything they need including food, clothing, books, school supplies, medical care and education to activity facilities, security and social services.To learn more about Tikva, please visit www.tikvaodessa.org [4].

Ray Ellin and Oksana Baiul

Bodi and Dina Leader

Vanessa Levy

Rebecca Geis

Kellie Price-Rothman

On the runway

Kristin Bussandri and friends

Photographs by Patrick McMullan.com (DVF); Ann Watt & Star Black (CityMeals); R. Mickens (AMNH).

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