Audubon Birding and Breakfast in Central Park
Audubon expert Wayne Mones schools the ladies: Ilona Quasha, Alexia Ryan, Laura Freeman, Linda Lambert, Ann Rapp, Carole Guest, Anabelle Mariaca, Sigourney Weaver
It is spring migration in the east and fine feathered friends of the two-legged variety (including night owls) gathered at the Boathouse in Central Park for a glorious early morning bird watch walk. Led by experts from the National Audubon Society and the naturalist Sarah Elliott, one group soon came upon a tree swallow nesting box which was very exciting as this specie has not nested in Central Park since 1868! A Great Egret, gracefully stalking and preening near Belevedere Castle, suddenly went ploompf and took off like an elephant in flight. What a sight!

Jesse Araskog, Somers Farkas, Gail Hilson, Alexia Ryan, Sigourney Weaver, Liz Tirrell, Annie Pressman (in her signature saddle shoes), Hillie Mahoney, the three Wathne sisters in matching birding outfits, John Flicker (president of Audubon), Virginia Melhado, Karen LeFrak, Lisa McCarthy, Ann Rapp, Wendy Sarasohn, and Guy Robinson were among the early birders who learned that migrating birds travel from Cuba and Central America and as far away as Brazilon their annual instinctive route north. They fly nonstop for 70 to 80 hours until they reach land fall and need to feed. In the Atlantic Flyway, Central Park is a major stopover.

Audubon’s Wayne Mones, who also leads bird walks every Tuesday in the park, said, “this is a subversive activity because when people begin to enjoy the wonder of bird life, it doesn’t take them long to develop a personal responsibility in protecting them.” He told about the gossamer humming bird that flies nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico and up the east coast to feed on blossoming flowers, preferably red ones; but the super bird is the migratory Red knot species that flies 7000 miles each way from wintering in Argentina’s most southern tip to nesting grounds in the Arctic.

A good birding place turned out to be back at the Boathouse, where during a sit-down breakfast, a pair of cormorants swooped down to rest on a boat in the middle of the pond, then a single purple-throated tanager flew back and forth in a food hunt with a big convergence of English starlings.

Mayor Bloomberg’s schedule could not fit the outing in, but he sent a very fine representative in Sara Hobel, Director of the City’s Urban Rangers. It was a walk in the park for her.

Click here for more activities of the Audubon Society.
Liz Turrell, Sigourney Weaver, and Audubon President, John Flicker
Ann Rapp and Anabelle Mariaca
Valerie Zilkha and Stephanie Stokes
Lisa McCarthy and fellow birders
Liz Turrell, Sigourney Weaver, John Flicker, Wendy Sarasohn, and Annie Pressman
Virginia Melhado and Thorunn Wathne
Mikel Witte, Christina Grassi, Shelby White, Catherine Cahill, and Somers Farkas
Heather Hanson and Sarah Hobel
L. to r.: Lisa McCarthy and friend; Maggie Norris and Somers Farkas; Susan Bodnar.
Somers Farkas and Carole Guest with a Carolina Wren
Denise and Joselyn Wohl
Bird experts Sarah Elliott and Wayne Mones
Lis Waterman, Karen LeFrak, and Jessie Araskog
Gail Hilson, Allison Rockefeller, and Suzanne Cochran

Photographs by Mary Hilliard


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Roxanne Palin and Abbey Braverman
Simone Martel Levinson
Food Allergy Spring Luncheon
 
A few weeks ago at the Mandarin Oriental, the Food Allergy Initiative held its fifth annual Food Allergy Spring luncheon. Abby Braverman and Roxanne Palin served as cochairs and Liana Silverstein was honorary chair. Dr. Scott Sicherer of the Elliot & Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Anne Russell, R.N., B.S.N., Food Allergy patient educator were the guest speakers.
L. to r.: Mary Richardson Kennedy; Sharyn Mann; Roslyn Jaffe, Todd Slotkin, and Liana Chen Silverstein.
Lauri Weitz and Caren Cohen
Colleen Zaikov and Allison DiStaulo

Photographs by Patrick McMullan



Ballet Hispanico celebrated its 26th Noche de Gala
L. to r.: Children from the Ballet Hispanico School; Jody Arnhold and Mercedes Pablos.
Two weeks ago on a Monday night, the Ballet Hispanico celebrated its 26th Noche de Gala at The Plaza, hosted by those Broadway Babies: Graciela Daniele, Phylicia Rashad, Ann Reinking and Chita Rivera. The evening began with cocktails and merengue lessons from members of the company, followed by dinner in the grand ballroom and performances by the world-renowned Ballet Hispanico Company and children from the Ballet Hispanico School, This was followed by dancing till midnight the music of the Cal James Orchestra. Were they in the mood? You bet they were.

Chita Rivera
The Gala honorees, as almost the whole world knows, are celebrated internationally for their work in dance, theater and television. Graciela Daniele has choreographed and directed on Broadway, earning eleven Tony Award nominations. Phylicia Rashad, star of the television hits “The Cosby Show” and “Cosby,” is starring in the Broadway revival of “A Raisin in the Sun.” Choreographer, dancer and actress Ann Reinking won a Tony Award for her choreography of “Chicago.” Chita Rivera was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2002 for her extraordinary achievements in musical theater. All four women are longtime friends and supporters of Ballet Hispanico.

Chairmen of the evening were Kate B. Lear, Robert D. Kartheiser, Jr. (of Allen & Overy) and CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. The honorary committee includes Priscilla Lopez, Marjorie Puente, Nancy Ticotin and Rachel Ticotin.
Ballet Hispanico members
All proceeds from the 2004 Season Gala will support the Ballet Hispanico education initiatives programs and used to underwrite the work of the company, school and Primeros Pasos.

Ballet Hispanico, founded in 1970 by Artistic Director Tina Ramirez, has grown into an acclaimed company, an award-winning school and a leader in arts education through the nationwide Primeros Pasos (“First Steps”) school program.

Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, The Ballet Hispanico Company has performed for over 2 million people in 46 states, Europe and South America. Distinguished choreographers, including Alberto Alonso, Graciela Daniele, Vicente Nebrada, Ramón Oller, Ann Reinking, and David Roussève have created 70 new works expressly for the dancers' innovative repertory, which fuses contemporary American dance and Hispanic culture.
Carmen DeLavallade and Geoffrey Holder
Irene Hogarth and Pedro Ruiz
Tina Ramirez and Laura Sachar
Graciela Daniele, Tina Ramirez, and Jules Fisher
Graciela Daniele, Lynn Meadow, and Tina Ramirez
L. to r.: Rodney Hamilton and C. Monet McCall; Phylicia Rashad and Carmen DeLavallade; Ballet Hispanico children.

Photographs by Sonia Mosowitz



Union Settlement Association's annual benefit
Alison Shaw, Jennifer Gross, and Eli Gross
Nicholas Lowry, Ellen Ressler, Suzanne Arkin, and Jeremy Lincoln
Friends of the Union Settlement Association, 109-year-old social service agency in East Harlem, raised almost $200,000 to support its myriad programs in education and human services that promote economic self-sufficiency and leadership development to help individuals and families improve the quality of their lives and their futures.

A rousing auction was lead by Swann Gallery President Nicholas Lowry (for which Fortunoff donated a pair of perfect color and clarity,1-carat diamond studs and Gavin and Lisa Phipps of Phipps Jewelry also donated an amazing Periodot and diamond ring), followed by a performance by the Mariachi Real de Mexico and the students of the Mariachi Academy, which make its home at the Settlement.

The Settlement honored James H. Simmons, III of Apollo Real Estate Partners and Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, President of the Hispanic Federation.

Ellen Werther Ressler, Suzanne Arkin and Jeremy A. Lincoln were co-chairs of the event.
L. to r.: Alison and Randall Shaw; Honoree Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez and Laura Johnson; Honoree James H. Simmons, III and Katherine Frits


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