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 Trees in full flower
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Tulips abound in Bryant Park. 9:00 PM. Photo: JH. |
April 17, 2009. A sunny day, yesterday in New York, with the trees still in full flower and the weatherman promising a warmer weekend.
This is New York. The galas last night were dominated by the interior design world lending creative support to the philanthropies. Over at Sotheby’s, the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House held a benefit gala “Night and Day” with Alex Donner and his orchestra providing the vocals and the melodies for the dance.
Two years ago, even a year ago, a black tie benefit such as this was an easy task in terms of raising money. Times have changed of course, and nothing is so easy anymore. But last night more than 300 attended the dinner dance. Rolex, which has been a loyal sponsor to LHNH, underwrote the evening. And although it hardly looked like a shoestring production, they pulled together a very glamorous event thanks to a little (and in many cases, a lot of) help from their friends.
Charitable organizations like Lenox Hill Neighborhood House not only feel the effects of economic hardship in their fundraising but even more they feel the demands of a pinch in the community they serve. LHNH serves 20,000 (!!) people in the neighborhood, from ages three to 103. Their programs serve working parents with little ones and senior citizens including those afflicted with Alzheimers; as well as shelters for those of us who are homeless, as well as reent immigrants, disabled people and many others.
The current economic situation is going to require some budget cutting also, which means those most in need will be affected. However, in hard times, COMMUNITY needs strength and focus. That benefits all of us. Difficult times create difficult circumstances, but you can do something. Anything you can contribute to the cause is a vote for a strong, safe community. This is the key for all of us.
Last night Tom Edelman, President of LHNH and also Dinner Chair with his wife Ingrid, pointed out that the “neighborhood” of LHNH is one of the wealthiest in the world. Yet there remain large pockets of neighborhood, between 59th Street east and 143rd Street, where working people with families still dwell. Many of these people have needs that can be and are provided for by Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. |
The dinner itself, created by Glorious Food was held in the main auction room with beautiful individually decorated tables which set the tone. In the middle of the room they laid a dance floor of shiny black tiles that resembled the Bakelite dance floors of the Astaire-Rogers pictures, with Alex Donner and his Orchestra set up on one side.
The Dinner Table Committee was made up of Honorary Chairs Bunny Williams and John Rosselli, and Design co-Chairs Albert Hadley.
Contributors to the tables which really made a dazzling room were: Andrew Flesher of Gunkelmanflesher Interior Design, Ashley Whittaker Design, Chestnuts in the Tuileries, Christopher Coleman Interior Design, David Kleinberg Associates, Deborah Buck for Buck House, Gay Hackett & Ingrid Edelman for Gay Hackett, Inc., Geoffrey Bradfield, Harry Heissmann, Hilary Unger for Perianth Interior Design, Jennifer Bradford Davis Interior Design, Jodi Zimmerman Designs, Inc., Kevin Jude Murphy of Murphy and Company Florals and Events, Linda Ruderman Interiors, Inc., Lindsey Coral Harper Interior Design, Malcolm James Kutner, Inc., McMillen, Inc., Ondine Karady Design, Patrik Lonn Design & L’Olivier, Phiullip Haight for Fiori, Rod Winterrowd, Inc., Dennis Rolland, Roric Tobin for Geoffrey Bradfield Inc., Roy Hamilton and Christopher Spitzmiller for Christopher Spitzmiller, Inc., Scott Hickman Design and Stephen Joseph Design, and Thu Do Design for John Robshaw.
Honorary Chair for the evening was Sydney Roberts Shuman. Gala Chair was Diana Quasha. Dinner Patrons were Audrey and Martin Gruss. From 7 to 8:30 there was a cocktail reception and table preview for several hundred, three hundred of whom remained for the dinner.
Dinner Vice Chairs were Allen Adler and Frances Beatty, Clo and Charles Cohen, Arthur Loeb, Marianna and Juan Sabater. Dinner hosts were Kathy Angele and Lorne Weil, Lisa and Dick Cashin, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Kimsey, Renee and Carl Landegger, Anne and John Manice, Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Elizabeth and Felix Rohatyn, Alice and James Ross, Margot and Randy Takian, Helen and Hugh Tiney and Bunny Williams and John Rosselli. They raised more than $500,000 last night.
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Also last night, the Kips Bay Show House had its official Opening Night Gala Cocktail at this year’s venue – the Julius Forstmann mansion at 22 East 71 Street (between Fifth and Madison), now owned by Aby Rosen who generosity lent it to Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club for the occasion. This is a great house to visit – built in 1922 by CHP Gilbert for the woolens tycoon, and still in beautiful condition. The Show House opens to the public today and will remain on view through May 17th.
The Kips Bay Decorator Show House raises more than $1 million annually for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, a non-profit organization that provides essential after-school and enrichment programs for over 14,000 young people between the ages of 6 and 18 at ten locations in the Bronx. The Show House receives as many as 20,000 visitors during its four-week run and has raised over $16 million since its inception in 1973.
According to Dan Quintero, executive director of Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, “The opening of this Decorator Show House inaugurates a month-long fundraising effort in support of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. The million dollars we raise is critical to the Club’s ability to fulfill its mission and serve over 14,000 young members in ten locations throughout the Bronx.” |
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| Garrow Kedigian. |
Rene Meyers and David Kleinberg. |
Richard and Renee Steinberg. |
| Evelyn Crescimanni, Charlotte Moss, and Ernie Smith |
Erich Theophile, Steve Yee, and Jamie Drake. |
| Matthew Patrick Smyth. |
Pat Carey and Richard Ridge. |
Mario Buatta. |
| Mildred Brinn and Sheila O'Malley Fuchs. |
Francois and Ketty Maisonrouge. |
| Peter and Barbara Regna. |
Ilene Katherine Boyd. |
Daniel Richards. |
The annual New Yorkers for Children “Fool’s Fete” is one of the great fashion parades of the season, almost beyond compare. You have a lot of very good looking, even beautiful young New York women, inspiring a brace of both new and hot as well as classic designers, and the result is a fashion festival. The mood in the room is very upbeat because of it. Furthermore the gala committee brings out a wide array of young New York social life, from the boldfaced socialites to the Hollywood stars to international stars like Common and Serena Williams.
This year’s festivities raised $383,000 and was attended by 440 guests. The NYFC’s main fundraiser, the Fall Gala, will be held on September 22. |
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| Kips Bay photgraphs by Ann Watt. |
Comments? Contact DPC here. |
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