L.A., Houston, Chicago, D.C., and Miami Social Diary

The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Los Angeles: The Philharmonic Society of Orange County celebrated Esa-Pekka Salonen in his final Orange County appearance as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Orange County Performing Artscenter’s Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.

Montres Breguet S.A., Swiss luxury watchmaker supported the Philharmonic Society by sponsoring this historic performance and the season finale of the 2007/2008 Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom Select Series.

The concert program opened with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622, featuring Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Michele Zukovsky, followed by Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 in A major. Theres was also a pre-concert lecture led by Christopher Russell.

Following the performance Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom hosted a private supper with Breguet which a special three-course gourmet dinner prepared by celebrated chef Joachim Splichal of Patina Group. The evening, designed by J. Ben Bourgeois, unveiled two high-end Breguet jewelry and watch collections, Le Temple de L’Amour de Marie Antoinette and Le Pavillon de la Reine.

Jean-Marc Bories, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Caroline Faivet, Henry Segerstrom, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Deborah Borda

Guests attending the dinner will include Esa-Pekka and Jane Salonen; LA Philharmonic President Deborah Borda; Chairman of LA Opera Marc and Eva Stern; opera singer Milena Kitic and former Prime Minister of Yugoslavia Milan Panic; Willa Dean and General William Lyon; Sherry Lansing and Billy Friedkin; President of The Swatch Group U.S. Caroline Faivet; Jennifer and Anton Segerstrom; Philharmonic Society’s Gala Chairperson Marsha and Darrel Anderson; Philharmonic Society President and Artistic Director Dean and Kaly Corey; Philanthropists Jennifer and John Condas; Sally Crockett; Betty and S.L. Huang; Roger Kirwan; Robin and John McMonigle; OCPAC board member David and Tara Troob; and designer Barclay Butera.

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County (PSOC) presents the world’s best symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles and artists, and is a key tenant of the new Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. PSOC, founded in 1954, is the oldest continuously operating music organization and has been a catalyst for cultural growth in Orange County.

Sherry Lansing and Elizabeth Segerstrom

Bruce and Joy Ward with Eric and Deborah Keillor

Celine Rey, Jean-Marc Bories, Alexandre Olive, Mme. Arlette-Elsa Emch, Caroline Faivet, and Amy Chia

Caroline Graham and J. Ben Bourgeois

Esa-Pekka Salonen and Elizabeth Segerstrom

Elizabeth Segerstrom, Mme. Arlette-Elsa Emch, Henry Segerstrom, Caroline Faivet, and Jean-Marc Bories

Charles Fabius with Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom

Charles Fabiuswith Kaly and Dean Corey, Philharmonic Society President

Lisa and David Heil

Mickey and Ishani Dhillon

Roy and Leslie Reeves

Deborah Borda and Dean Corey

Ready to take on the guests

Jennifer Segerstrom and Elizabeth Segerstrom

John and Robin McMonigle, Jennifer and Anton Segerstrom, and Stephanie and Mark McGwire

Dean Corey

Eda and Douglas Wong

Entrance to the tent

Andrea and Chris Gialanella

Elizabeth Segerstrom, Henry Segerstrom, Willa Dean Lyon, and General William Lyon

Douglas and Eda Wong, Melissa Lilly, and Jon Holman

The dining tent

Sally Crockett, Debra Gunn Downing, and Heather Kralik

Ann Conway, Eric Keillor, and Joy Ward

Joan and John Hotchkis

Barclay Butera and Linda Young

RJ and Gloria Brandes

Heather Kralik, Debra Gunn Downing, and Betty and S.L. Huang

Deborah Borda, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom

Houston: Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO of the US Fund for UNICEF was the honored guest at a luncheon for more than 100 at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House Houston hosted by Dr. Carolyn Farb, Chair of UNICEFís Southwest Region Board of Directors. The luncheon was generously underwritten by Dee Lincoln and Arthur Mooradian. Guests raved about Del Friscoís famous Doberge cake.

Ms. Stern addressed the group with a firsthand account of recent UNICEF field missions to Darfur, Vietnam and Mozambique. Their mission was to see UNICEF programs working for the children of the world and identifying challenges that need additional support. UNICEF is there on the ground with their teams in place in over 150 countries, doing whatever it takes to save children’s lives. Ms. Stern is responsible for the vision and leadership for the National Office as well as the five Regional Offices around the country. Houston is the headquarters for the Southwest region.

Guests in the crowd included Michael and Shelly Dee, Astrid Van Dyke, Marie Myers Bruns, Patricia Herrera, Trish Millard, Anna and Thomas Au, Luba and Alan Bigman, Susan Boggio, Vijay and Marie Goradia, Stacy Graubart, Coco Blaffer Royal, Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, Sharon Lederer, Edward Silliman, Suzie and Joe Ting, Willem Plegt, Roya Taghdisi, John Jamail, Jr., William and Maria Papadopoulos, and John M. Tsacrios, Jr.

Caryl Stern and Carolyn Farb

Thomas Au and Nat Krishnamurthy

Alice and Paul Danneman

Vijay and Marie Goradia

Leela Krishnamurthy

John and Shirlee Jamail

Coco Blaffer Royal, Carolyn Farb, and Astrid Van Dyke

Luba and Alan Bigman

Dawn Koctar and Paul Neilson

Monsour Taghdisi, Caryl Stern, Christopher Mendell, and Cristal Montanez Baylor

Millie Roche and Anthony Kouzounis

Louise Ng and Jackie Medina

Trish Millard and Carolyn Farb

Astrid Van Dyke

Elizabeth Pettit de Montfichet

Duni Hebron

Susan Boggio

Kristi Robinson, Michael Dee, Carolyn Farb, and Shelly Dee

Michael Trevino and Cynthia McCaffrey

Cristal Montanez and George Baylor

UNICEF Volunteer Team

Francesca Nielson and Elise Evans

Suzie Ting and Carolyn Farb

Nino and Sami Shbeeb

Joan Blaffer Johnson

Roya Taghdisi

Patricia Cunningham

Eileen Lawal

Javier Moreno Valle and Carolyn Farb

Sam and Norma Gainer

Frank and Kimberly DeLape

Ed Silliman, Carolyn Farb, Marthann Masterson Weaber, and Jimmy Olguin

Dr. William Kalchoff and Carolyn Farb

Pershant and Nidhika Mehta

Muneer and Nouha Deen with John M. Tsacrios, Jr.

Rob Taylor and Carolyn Farb

Neda Ladjevardian and Sultana Mangalji

Deya and Mona Elyas

Chicago: The Women’s Board of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) sponsored its 11th annual preview party for the Merchandise Mart Antiques Fair on Thursday, April 24.

This Fair is the premier antiques show in the Midwest. This year it featured the finest assortment of objets d’art with 146 of the world’s top antique and fine art dealers. Guests viewed Asian Art and Antiques, Barometers, Ceramics, Coins, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture, Glass, Jewelry, Paintings, Posters, Prints, Rare Books and Maps, Sculpture, Silver, Textiles and Tribal Art.


	Kitty Freidheim, Gail Mahaffey, and Louis Freidheim, Jr.

The party’s décor was exceptional with entry walls covered in a floral fabric from Clarence House, and flowers including green hydrangea, yellow tulips and peach roses completed the scene.

A special donors’ reception preceded the official opening highlighted with a talk by Architects Stuart Cohen, FAIA and Julie Hacker, FAIA, authors of a new book, Great Houses of Chicago, 1871-1921.

Since the First Preview Party in 1998, the RIC Women’s Board has netted $1,300,000 in funds from this event and a profit of $125,000 or more is anticipated in 2008. The guests list numbered 800.

The RIC is dedicated to helping people with disabilities regain or improve their physical function. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the RIC the #1 Rehabilitation Hospital in America since 1991. During this past year, the RIC has worked with the U.S. Military to provide its expertise to the traumatically brain-injured service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Fair’s sponsors were William Blair & Company, Corn Products, Inc., Graff, and Katten Muchin Zavis. Party Chairs were Barbara Bierig of Highland Park and Wendy Borow-Johnson of Lake Forest. Patricia Lear of Evanston is the Women’s Board president.

The guests included Dr. Gail Gamble, the newest member of the RIC staff who was formerly with the Mayo Clinic, an authority on cancer rehabilitation, Dr. Joanne Smith, CEO of RIC, Dr. Henry Betts, former RIC CEO and Sheila and Chris Kennedy, president of the Merchandise Mart. Some Chicago attendees were Liz and Lawrence Ryan, Sophie Bross, Leslie and Tom Kennedy and Marty Higgins. Guests from the north shore were Jetta Bushonville and Britt and Kerim Tanner of Winnetka, Marilynn and Carl Thoma and Diana and Tom Hall of Kenilworth, and Pat and Lawrence Booth of Lake Forest.

Kitty Freidheim and Marilyn Thoma

Jacquelline Bierig and Janna Natkin

Wendy Borow-Johnson and Liz Stiffle

Jetta Bushonville and Kenneth Simon

Wendy Borow-Johnson, Chris and Sheila Kennedy, and Barbara Bierig

Trish Lear, president of the Women's Board and Carrie Grant

Dr. Joanne Smith, CEO of the Rehabilitation Institute and Jude Reyes

Michael Keiser and Dr. Gail Gamble

Washington, D.C.: Almost two hundred of Georgetown’s most prominent residents, hostesses and their decorators gathered on Monday evening last week in Blake Hall at historic St. John’s Church for “An Evening with Mario Buatta.”

Hosted by the Washington office of auctioneers Doyle New York, the event was part of a full weekend of events surrounding The Georgetown House Tour, America’s oldest house tour. This annual weekend of events funds many of St. John’s charitable programs in the Georgetown community.

The evening featured a slide presentation by Mario Buatta profiling many of his acclaimed interiors, including Washington’s own Blair House, the official White House guest house. Following his presentation, guests mingled at a cocktail reception and sampled wines from California’s famed Arrowood Vineyards.

Anne Kahoe, Matt McHugh, Andrew Noyes, Reid Dunavant, Will Thomas, and Louis Webre

Hosting the event were Doyle New York Chairman and CEO Kathleen Doyle, who was joined by Lorraine Tuohy and Louis Webre, as well as Doyle’s Washington staff Reid Dunavant and Samira Farmer.

Among the guests in attendance were prominent Georgetown philanthropist Frida Burling and the 2008 House Tour Chairman Jennifer Motterhead, in addition to Lola Reinsch, Mary Bird, Mrs. George Ohrstrom, and Mr. and Mrs. Philip Thomas. Georgetown decorator Frank Randolph (who designed two of the homes in this year’s tour) was joined by numerous colleagues in the design community, among them Frederica Valanos, Sandra McFarland, Susan Beimler, Joseph Ireland and Rafael Fuentes of the Washington Metro ASID. Others guests included Liana Parades of Hillwood House Museum, Elaine Gibbs of Blair House, Anna Velazco of the DC Library Foundation, and the Reverend Dr. Albert Scariato of St. John’s Church.

Nancy Bubes, Theresa Burt, and George Valanos

Kenneth Rascher, Alice Wilson, and Delando Stocker

Pianist Kevin Roland

Jane Pennewell, Georgia Bayly, Kathy Bayly, and Lola Reinsch

Jennifer Mottershead, Laura Rodman, Sandra McFarland, and C.C. Christakos

Michael Sullivan and Matthew Esposito

Frida Burling and Kathleen Doyle

Rita Enderle, Victoria Sanchez, Mario Buatta, and Rose Marie Caponio

Andrew Parker, Libby Taylor, and Steve Hayes

Irv Beimler, Susan Beimler, and Marc Schappell

Mary Byrnes, James Higgins, Al Pierce, and Lola Reinsch

David Stralo and Edna Gross

Frank Randolph and Frederica Valanos

Serene Farmer, Geri Small, and Rafael Fuentes

Miami: Photographer Lora Drasner, with her husband, Fred Drasner, celebrated the launch of her first book, Sunsets, at EPIC Residences and Hotel.

The setting sun over Biscayne Bay provided the perfect backdrop for the evening. Lora was dressed in a red and orange Nameen Khan dress. The sunset cocktail event also marked the debut of Lora’s artwork, consisting of several of her photographs transferred to canvas, including the Heart Reef in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and a sunset of the Central Park skyline. During the evening, more than 150 copies of Sunsets were sold, including 12 limited edition versions at $60 each, which sold-out in the first 15 minutes. A percentage of proceeds from the event will benefit The Vizcayans.