11.4.08: Balls, Birthdays, Benefits, and Books

Balls, Birthdays, Benefits, and Books

The mix at Doubles for Roric Tobin’s 30th birthday party hosted by Geoffrey Bradfield.

The Thursday before last international interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield celebrated the 30th birthday of his a-d-c Roric Tobin by transforming Doubles, the private club in the Sherry-Netherland into a veritable opium den. Well, sorta. These 21st century denizens, unlike their mid-18th century counterparts don’t “do” opium these days. Nevertheless, they can dream, can’t they?


	Roric Cookies

Gilded, real-live Buddha’s stood about amid several million dollars worth of Asian antiquities. Adding plumes to the puffery, the extravaganza was Chinese temples and dragons, and an actual 19th century opium bed where its earlier inhabitants would kinda kick-back and ... chill?

At midnight, after the Doubles party was over, the golden horde who follows Mr. Bradfield moved on to his exquisite townhouse in the East 60s, where the last revelers partied until 3:00 am.

The Bradfield Who’s Who For Fun List included a cross-section of bright young things and members of the Old Guard, the New Guard and the No Guard. Are you ready?

Here we go: Helena Lehane, Eric Javits, Melissa and Chappy Morris, Amy Hoadley, Christopher Heath and Lisa Selby, Mario Buatta, Sylvia Miles, Sir Geoffrey and Lady Leigh, Iris and Carl Apfel, Arnold Scaasi and Parker Ladd, Dana Hammond and Dr. Patrick Stübgen, Felicia Taylor, Lord and Lady Plunkett, Sharon Handler and Ambassador John Loeb, Monique van Vooren, Alexander Guest, Baroness von Langendorff, Ambassador Nassir Al-Nasser, Baroness Suzanne von Liebig, Sharon Sondes and Geoffrey Thomas, Ann Dexter-Jones, Mika Sterling, Nina Tower, Dennis Basso, Rosalie Brinton, Denise DeLuca, Tiffany Dubin.

Geoffrey Bradfield and Roric Tobin

In the mood for even more? Who’dja miss? Okay: Wendy Furrer, Marjorie Reed Gordon, Douglas Hannant and Frederick Anderson, Rachel and Ara Hovnanian, Edwina Sandys and Richard Kaplan, Stephanie Krieger and Brian Stewart, Margo Langenberg, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Linda Mortimer, Mario Nievera, Richard Perry, Ann Rapp, Jackie Rogers, Edmundo Huerta, Catherine Saxton, Hunt Slonem, Emma Snowdon-Jones, Mark Langrish, Andrea and John Stark, Leslie Stevens, Richard Turley, Jada Yuan, Roger Webster, Nadia Fakhoury, Carl and Sabrina Forsythe, Paola and Arnold Rosenshein, Avery Knox, Patricia Burnham, Montgomery Frazier and many more of that ilk and stripe.

Sylvia Miles

Chappy and Melissa Morris

Monique van Vooren

Geoffrey from the back

Brian Stewart, Margo Langenberg, Stephanie Krieger, Eric Javits, and Edmundo Huerta

Zev Eisenberg, Emma Snowden-Jones, and Jim Brodsky

Sue Chalom, Mike McCarthy, and Denise de Luca

Dennis Basso

Richard Turley, Gillian Miniter, Robert Caravaggi, and Sylvester
Miniter

Christopher Heath and Lisa Selby

Ambassador John Loeb and Sharon Handler

Jackie Rogers

Patricia Burnham, Montgomery Frazier, and Roric Tobin

Dale Coudert and Richard Kaplan

Barbara Taylor Bradford, Geoffrey Bradfield, and Arnold Scaasi

Helena Lehane and Frederick Anderson

Ann Dexter-Jones, Patrick Stubgen, Dana Hammond, Sharon Sondes, and
Geoffrey Thomas

Carl and Iris Apfel

Earlier last month more than 520 guests gave to the tune of over $1.15 million, casting their vote for increased funding for lymphoma-focused research at Vote For A Cure: the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s (LRF) 2008 National Gala at the New York Marriot Marquis.

Tom Brokaw, NBC News, shared emcee duties with Jeff Greenfield of CBS News. Unable to attend because he was preparing to moderate the second Presidential debate, Brokaw welcomed the guests and paid tribute to their efforts via video tape.

Greenfield took over and smoothly directed a program consisting of awards presentations, inspirational and informative speeches, both a silent and live auction and entertainment by Tara Memi's Tara Girls.

Jeffrey I. Sussman, President of Louis Dreyfus Property Group, received the Freundlich Leadership Award and Laura Colton Tepper, founding member of LRF’s Chicago Chapter, received the Ellen Glesby Cohen Leadership Award.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nation's largest voluntary health organization devoted exclusively to funding lymphoma research and providing patients and healthcare professionals with critical information on the disease. LRF's mission is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those touched by this disease.

More than 85 cents of every dollar spent goes to research and programming. As of the close of FY 2007, LRF has funded over $35 million in lymphoma-specific research. LRF also provides a comprehensive series of programs and services for patients, survivors and loved ones affected by lymphoma, including our toll-free Lymphoma Helpline and Clinical Trials Information Service, in-person patient education programs, webcasts/teleconferences and support services.

For more information, visit www.lymphoma.org.

Adele Colton with Michael and Laura Tepper

Susan and Jeffrey Sussman

Andy and Ruth Madoff

Ari and Robin Friedman

Arlene and Robert Fischer

Tina and Jac Pomeranz

Christy and Tom Condon with Suzanne Bliss

Errol and Gladys Cook

David and Miriam Phalen

Barbara and Michael Ditzian

Jerry aand Barbara Freundlich

Catherine Hooper, Eric Swanson, and Shana Madoff

Philip Gaynor and Jeff Greenfield

Nancy and John Januszewski

Marie and Edward Matthews

Last Monday, Charlotte Moss and Grace Meigher hosted a book launch party for Karen LeFrak's "Jake the Ballet Dog." Mrs. LeFrak, if you didn’t know, is a dog aficionado of the first order, and owner of champion standard poodles (I might have that wrong but they are poodles and they are champions).

I’m not impressed by Dog Shows because it annoys me to see dogs put to human ego use. I don’t think it’s cute or any of those other thrills that people get from watching the displays, but I must say I’ve seen Mrs. LeFrak in action with her pups, and it is as impressive as the affection she obviously feels for them.

So it may be that my misapprehension about people who make it their business to raise championship dogs is ill-informed. However, I’m not so sure. Nevertheless ...

I’m not sure what motivated Mrs. LeFrak, who is also a concert pianist (and practices for hours everyday) to write this children’s book about Jake the adventurous dog but I do know that it was intended to “help.” Help the dogs, help us, and help the American Ballet Theatre of which she has been a supporter for a long time.

Partygoers celebrated at the Doubles Club and enjoyed cocktails while Mrs. LeFrak signed copies of her new book, which features an adventurous dog who accompanies a prima ballerina to her rehearsals for The Nutcracker. Guests at the party were greeted by, and took pictures with, dancers from The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre.

Illustrations for the book are by Marcin Baranski. Ms. LeFrak will donate her proceeds from the book to American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet.

Laura McCloy, Karen LeFrak, and Adrienne Vittadini

Karen LeFrak and Charlotte Moss with ABT Dancers

Somers Farkas and Amy Fine Collins

Richard LeFrak and Ash Dewari

Nancy and Dan Paduano

Fredrica Friedman with ABT Dancers

Charles and Gayle Atkins with ABT Dancers

Carol Penn and Grace Meigher

Gillian and Sylvester Miniter

Grace Meigher, Karen LeFrak, and Charlotte Moss

Harrison LeFrak, Karen LeFrak, Richard LeFrak, and Jamie LeFrak

Karen LeFrak, Naomi Boico, and Daniel Boico

Hilary and Wilbur Ross

Joanne de Guardiola and Peter Lyden

Karen LeFrak and Rachel Moore

Jamee Gregory with ABT Dancers

Katie Tozer, Mark Gilbertson, and Wendy Carduner

Robert I. Grossman, M.D., the Saul J. Farber Dean and CEO, of NYU Langone Medical Center, hosted the Second Annual Gala of the NYU Cancer Institute at Cipriani 42nd Street.

More than 500 people attended this year’s Gala, chaired by Lori W. Fink, NYU Cancer Institute board member and NYU Langone Medical Center trustee, and Laurence Fink, co-chair of NYU Langone Medical Center Board of Trustees and CEO of BlackRock, Inc.

Ellen McCourt, Martin Bell, Frank McCourt, Mary Ellen Mark, and Dr. Robert Shapiro

The event honored two couples, Jennifer and Stephen Czech, and Maya and Edward Manley, for their exemplary leadership in fighting cancer, particularly in children and families affected by this disease. This year’s physician honoree was Aaron R. Rausen, M.D., founding director of the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. He is renowned for his superb work in treating NYU Langone’s pediatric cancer patients with the highest level of compassion and expertise.

Norman Eig, Chairman of the NYU Cancer Institute Board of Directors, NYU Langone Medical Center trustee, who is also managing member of EXOP Capital LLP, also led the Gala.

Susie Block Casdin, Sylvia Hassenfeld, Sandy Meyer, Dean Robert Grossman, and Alice Tisch

The Physician Committee chair of this year’s Gala was William L. Carroll, M.D., the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Professor of Pediatrics, who directs the NYU Cancer Institute.

They raised more than $1.5 million to help support NYU Cancer Institute’s landmark pediatric neuro-oncology program and to continue the groundbreaking research and specialized care that make a significant difference in the lives of the youngest patients at the Cancer Institute.

David Fishman, Robert Wallach, and Stephanie Blank

Larry Fink and Dean Robert Grossman

Lori and George Hall

Dr. Herbert Lepor, Dr. Robert Porges, Dr. Felicia Axelrod, and Dr. Fred Licciardi

Honorees Jennifer Czech, Maya Manley, Stephen Czech, and Edward Manley

Physician Honoree Dr. Aaron Rausen and Colby Collier

Lori Fink and Dr. Matthew Harris

Ken Langone, Dr. Elisabeth, and Dean Robert Grossman

Cesare Paciotti, the famed Italian cobbler, celebrated his New York City boutique refurbishment by inviting many friends and family from around the world to come and join him for a night of revelry. The new boutique design is the perfect showcase for his sculpted heels and both men’s and women’s shoes that were on display in a kaleidoscope of colors and materials.

Free Arts NYC, the well known charity that provides underprivileged children and families the unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs benefitted from the event, a perfect fit given Mr. Paciotti’s artistic bent.

DJ Donna D’Cruz positioned herself on the second floor balcony and was clearly visible from below in a pair of clear boots with Swavorski crystals up the back. Guests included Lipstick Jungle actress Kim Raver, stylist Amanda Ross who served as a hostess for the event along with Mary Alice Stephens and Annabel Tollman, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Alison Brod, Dennis Basso, Matthew Mellon and fiancée Nicole Hanley, Bianca Balti, (the face of Cesare Paciotti’s current ad campaign), Cesare Paciotti CEO Marco Calcinaro, designer Rachel Roy and many others – so many that the party spilled into the street drinks in hand.