Evelyn Gutierrez Subramaniam, Matilde Farach, Karla Farach, Yaz Hernandez, Barbara Regna, Fe Fendi, and Chiu-Ti Jansen at El Museo del Barrio's 19th annual gala.

Last Thursday, a week, on May 17th, El Museo del Barrio hosted their 19th annual gala benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street. This is a big glamorous evening. They honored Narciso Rodriguez and the Bacardi family. Julianna Margulies presented fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez with the award for artistic achievement, honoring his career and longtime patronage of El Museo del Barrio.

Fe Fendi, Paola Fendi, Patricia Shiah, Chiu Ti Jansen, Jean Shafiroff, and Lucia Hwong Gordon

Rene Rodriguez, Michael Villamor, PJ Pascual, Nicole Romano, and Paola Isabella Rocha Tornito

Carolina Herrera also presented an award to Yaz Hernández for her leadership and her generosity and years of service on the museum’s Executive Committee. Ruben and Isabel Toledo presented Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. with the 2012 Corporate Excellence in Arts Award as the company celebrates the 150th anniversary of their founding in Santiago de Cuba. The glamorous fundraising evening was chaired by Nina Garcia, Alex González and Sarah Wolfe, and honorary chair Estrellita Brodsky.

Ruben Toledo, Yaz Hernandez, Carolina Herrera, Isabel Toledo, Narciso Rodriguez, Julianna Margulies, and Robert Furniss Roe

Maria Eugenia Maury, Phil Suarez, Inmaculada de Habsburgo, and Dan Henninger

This year’s Honorary Committee members included Allora and Calzadilla, Glenda Bailey, Hamish Bowles, Katherine Brooks, Tania Bruguera, Luis Camnitzer, Paul Cavaco, Francisco Costa, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Teresita Fernandez, Nancy Gonzalez, Tonne Goodman, Salma Hayek, Carmen Herrera, Carolina Herrera, Jessica Katz, Michael Kors, David Maupin, Marta Minujín, Israel Moleiro, Angel Otero, Liliana Porter, Candy Pratts Price, Zoe Saldana, Angel Sanchez, Jose Solis Betancourt, Mario Testino, Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Stefano Tonchi, and Donatella Versace. GDO Soul featuring Greg Denard provided live entertainment for the evening. The incomparable Zarela Martinez designed the menu for the dinner.

Anna Walker, Sherlock Hackley, Maria Consuegra, Tadd Walker, and Melanie McKinley

Sondra Gilman, Lee Black, Norma Smith, Celso Gonzalez Falla, and Elizabeth Stribling

The proceeds of this event will go toward El Museo’s Education programs, which reached 13,000 students from over 150 schools, plus an additional 46,000 children and adults through free cultural celebration and public programs last year.  These valuable programs help foster the next generation of critically thinking citizens in an environment that stimulates creativity, builds self-confidence, and fosters pride.   El Museo del Barrio, New York’s leading Latino cultural institution, welcomes 230,000 visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures, represented in El Museo’s wide-ranging collections and critically acclaimed exhibitions, film, literary, visual and performing arts series, cultural celebrations, and educational programs.

Andrea and Jacob Korn

Cristina Roig Morris and Christine Cachot

Dr. Patricia Harteneck and Helmut Wieser

Lorea Canales and David Morgan

Judith Kaye and Michael Garcia

Claudia Talamas

Paola and Fe Fendi

Sharon Handler Loeb and John Loeb

Paola Isabella Rocha Tornito

Beatriz Vidal

Richard Turley and Esther Gaffron

Serge Tismen, Ida Liu, Paola Bacchini Rosenshein, and Arnold Rosenshein

Erica and Roberto Rodriguez

Richard and Leticia Presutti

Mark Gormley, Sarah Wolfe, Louis Wolfe, and Sarah Wolfe

Evelyn Gutierrez Subramaniam

Vanessa Lawrence, Bibhu Mahapatra, Kristin Studeman, Gabriel Rivera Barraza

Kika Rocha and Natalia De Ory

Annette Stephens, Christian Cota, and Phoebe Stephens

Emilio and Silvia Ortiz

Jamie Figg and Craig Dix

Valerie Steele

Liya Sheer and Shai Tertner

Dana Hammond Stubgen and Dr. Patrick Stubgen

Daniela Wong, Rolando Santana, and Amanda Ferrara

Barbara Tober

Sharon Handler Loeb, Ambassador John Loeb, and Margarita Aguilar

Michael Villamor, Donna Blank, and Victor Vargas

Jackie Horowitz and Carlos Cuevas

Michael Garcia and Maria Laura Leslie

Yaz Hernandez

Elizabeth Gormley and Erica Rodriguez

Jaydy Michel and Rafael Marquez

Carolina Herrera

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman and Stefano Tonchi

Patrick McMullan and Chiu Ti Jansen

Christian Crews, Lucia Marin, and Daniel Bacardi

Mark Davis and Yoly Davis

Jordan Hathaway, Wayne Stephens, and Anita Hodosi

Serge Tismen and Ida Liu

Tony Bechara and Jackie Weld Drake

Mary and Larry McCaffrey

Francisco Gonzalez and Janeet Baez

Roberto Camacho and Narciso Rodriguez

Carmen Unanue and Olga Duke

Alexis Zambrano and Jesus Torres

Julianna Margulies and Keith Lieberthal

Bibhu Mohapatra and Mackenzie Hamilton

Gabriel Rivera Barraza and Eugenia Gonzalez

Jessica Garza and Michel Heredia

William Haseltine and Lucy Suarez

Daniel Broitman, Wayne Stephens, and Pontus Borg

Yliana Yepez, Angel Sanchez, Alexandra Lebenthal, Claudia Lebenthal, and Jay Diamond

Nina Garcia and Carlos Mota

Guy Robinson, Elizabeth Stribling, Maria Cristina Anzola, and John Heimann

Jo Hallingby and Larry Kaiser

Michael and Anna Safir with Michael and Eleanora Kennedy

Cassandra Seidenfeld and Michele Gerber Klein

Craig Workman, Alex Miller, Ross Matsubara, and Akbar Hamid

Celia Calderone and Emilio Estefan

Emily Smith and Marialaura Leslie

Bonnie Pfeifer Evans and Noble Black

Encarnita Quinlan, Byron Robertson, Rebecca Robertson, and Robert Quinlan

Toni Colon, Warren James, and Yazmin Cortizo

Liz Peek and Bennett Marcus

Peter Regna and Arnold Rosenshein

Warren James and Valentin Hernandez Jr.

Alessandra Codinha

Jamie Farley, Jim Ciarlante, and Jordan Hirsh

Helena and Roman Martinez

Marcos Galvany, Toni Colon, Yazmin Cortizo, and Jose Solis Betancourt

Charlotte Moss and Barry Friedberg

Dr. Joyce Brown and Liz Peek

Marjorie Gubelmann and Chuck Price

Nana Danielov and Raphael German

Patrick McMullan and Susan Magrino Dunning

Encarnita and Robert Quinlan

Chris Brown and Nadia Kazakova

Norma Smith

Jacqueline Curiel

Tiqui Atencio

Susan Magrino Dunning and Jim Dunning

Brian Reyes

R. Couri Hay and Janna Bullock

What better way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon than wandering around the magnificent Water Mill estate of Joan & George Hornig. The celebration not only helped kick-off the summer in the Hamptons, but three weeks from now, on June 16th, is the Retreat's largest gala of the year; the 17th Annual Artists Against Abuse Benefit. This year, the Benefit will be honoring Joan Hornig by bestowing the Hope Award to Joan for all her work in philanthropy, as well as to Sag Harbor artist Dan Rizzie. The Retreat is the only domestic violence agency on the East End of Long Island offering comprehensive services to both women and children.

Tables set-up outside the restored barn

On the patio

The "High-Tea" event delighted guests with a selection of sparkling wines, beer and juices...as well as a varied selection of  hors d'oeuvres. The Hornigs were gracious enough to open up their newly restored 150-year-old barn (the only one of its kind on the East End), which will serve as a showcase for emerging artists as well as hold some of their favorite collections from all over the world. Guests were able to bid on silent auction items by some of the industry's top retailers and designers, as well as make donations to the Retreat by selecting "Buy It Now" items.

Alyssa Aguilera, Clotilde Dedecker, Maylan Dong, and Alicai Duque

Barbara Olton (President of the Retreat), James Lipton, and Kedakai Lipton

Bob and Randi Tabor

Dan Rizzie, Joan Hornig, and Richard D'Amato

Alexis Dechimay and Dan Rizzie

Dawn Watson, George Hornig, and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele

Diana C. Zollicoffer and Clayton Calvert

Eileen Ekstract, Ann Chwatsky, Joan Listro, and Marie Rothschild

George Hornig and Dan Rizzie

Guests mingling

Helen Lucas-Liftig and Barbara Shapiro

Honorees Dan Rizzie and Joan Hornig

James Lipton and Dan Rizzie

Jane Preyser and Clotilde Dedecker

Jennifer Freedman, Jeffrey Friedman, Nina Gilman, and Elena Glinn

Karen Williams, Julia Hornig, and Bob Schwartz

Steve Reiss, Mary Mattingly, and Cynthia Griffin

Selection of refreshments

Some of the many designer auction items

On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) held its annual Bal du Printemps Gala at The Pierre in New York City. Nearly 300 supporters attended this yearly Spring gala which raised more than $550,000.  A major portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit PDF’s Ronald and Isobel Konecky Research Fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center.  Rosanna Scotto, Co-Host, FOX 5’s Good Day New York, served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening. This year, Isobel Robins Konecky received the Page and William Black Humanitarian Award.  Kyle W. Blackmon, Vice President and Associate Broker of Brown Harris Stevens Residential, LLC, was the Dinner Chairman.  Page Morton Black was the Honorary Chairman.  Margo Catsimatidis, Jill Taub Drury, Stephanie Goldman-Pittel, Karen Burke Goulandris, M.D., Ph.D., Stevi Gurkoff and Arlene Levine were the Gala Co-Chairs.

Debbie Finkel, Judy Gold, Stephanie Goldman-Pittel, Anna Merker, Wendy Hammer, Penny Rosen, and Debbie Sutnik

Back Row: David Farber, Jessica Meeny, Jack Drury Front Row: Genna Farber, Stevi Gurkoff, Jon Gurkoff, and Gene Gurkoff

Dawne Allyne, Ron Streich, Cheryl Streich, Bob Benjamin, and Michael DeGeorge

The black tie evening began with a cocktail reception at 6:30 PM followed by dinner and dancing at 7:30 PM.  Guests were treated to an unexpected surprise when they viewed select scenes from the new movie A Late Quartet (RKO Pictures).  Directed by Yaron Zilberman and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir and Christopher Walken, the film features a world-renowned string quartet marking their 25th anniversary as one of its members faces Parkinson’s disease. Every year, philanthropic leaders join together at Bal du Printemps to help raise funds to support PDF’s research programs as well as to honor outstanding members of the community for their work against Parkinson’s.  This event has been cultivated over the years by Page Morton Black, Chairman of the PDF Board and wife of the late William Black, founder of Chock full o’Nuts, a successful New York coffee and restaurant business, and creator of PDF.

Matt Wheelock, Isobel Robins Konecky, Tim Wheelock, Jennifer Konecky Wheelock, and Robert Wheelock

Dr. Sheila Gordon, Robin Elliott, Caroline Johnston, and Nathaniel Johnston

Sandra Stern, Zach Schreiber, Lori Schreiber, and Kyle W. Blackmon

The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation supports research and ideas that will improve the lives and futures of people touched by Parkinson’s. PDF was the first national not-for-profit organization to focus on Parkinson’s disease.  Since its founding in 1957, PDF has invested $90 million in the research of leading scientists around the world and has committed an additional $37 million to support education and advocacy programs.

Jennifer and Russell Stern

Sandra Stern, Evan Stern, and Lisa Stern

Dr. Craig and Blake Foster

William Konecky, David Barovick, and Joan Barovick

Margo Catsimatidis, John Catsimatidis, and Rosanna Scotto

Dr. Timothy Pedley and Mrs. Pedley

Dr. John J. Connolly, Ingrid Connolly, and Howard Morgan

Rebecca and Todd Cohen

Rhea Grous, Margo Catsimatidis, Bill Grous, and Mary Sliwa

Rosanna Scotto, Dr. Karen Burke Goulandris, Domna Stanton, and Robert Zimmerman

Charlotte Fahn and Dr. Stanley Fahn

Dan Antonovich

Robert Piersanti and Amy Sole

Photographs by PatrickMcMullan.com (El Museo); Lisa Tamburini (Retreat)