Party Pictures 1/9/06 - New York, Palm Beach, Miami

New York, Palm Beach, Miami.

From Palm Beach: The gala benefit opening of the antique show has now become, as it is in New York, as much a convention of society as the charity ball and the store cocktail party. And because the season down here runs only from Thanksgiving through Easter, everything happens in rapid fire succession. So much ormolu and yet so little time ...

Martin and Audrey Gruss

The first big soiree of the season belongs to the Historical Society of Palm Beach County. The Palm Beachers love their history — although there really wasn’t any — except for the landing of the lovely bunch of coconuts — until that old Robber Baron Henry Flagler extended his railroad down the Florida coast and bought up all the (swamp)land as he went along.

However, today the Palm Beach Historical Society is a noble one — collecting and preserving archival material, creating educational materials and curriculum for public schools and building a museum in the historic 1916 courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach.

Then there’s the Connoisseur Fair which takes place at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts – the Palm Beach version of New York’s Lincoln Center. There, perusing the art, jewelry, books and objets d’art, were gala chairs Frannie Scaife, Brantley Knowles, Cathy Bleznak and Tommy Quick along with Maura Benjamin, Kit Pannill, architect Jeffery and Nancy Smith, Pauline Pitt, John Mashek, Pamela Fiori, editor-in-chief of Town & Country which was the Fair’s media sponsor; Martin and Audrey Gruss, Ross Meltzer and Tom Samet, Mario Nievera, Talbott Maxey, Iris Apfel, Andrea Stark and more of that ilk and stripe.

Brantley and Peter Knowles

Buddy and Sandra Thompson

Jackie and Beau Breckenridge

Jackie Breckenridge and Steven Stolman

Jackie Harris Hochberg and Gail Nessel

Joe and Sheila O'Malley Fuchs

Mark Stevens and Catherine Laplante

Roz Clarke and Bryan McDonald

Tom Quick and Peter Knowles

Frannie Scaife, Cathy Bleznak, Pamela Fiori, and Brantley Knowles

Ross Meltzer, Gretta Coupland, Jennifer Naegele, and Brett Price

Models in Pomellato jewelry

Kenn Karakul, Pauline Pitt, and John Mashek

Iris Apfel and Robert Janjigian

Mario Nievera, Talbott Maxey, and Kenn Karakul

Andrea Stark, Iris Apfel, and Audrey Gruss

Over the holidays, Cynthia and Tony Maltese held a festive cocktail party for their friend photographer Joan Jedell along with a lively presentation of Joan's uniquely photographed and digitally painted society portraits.

Guests mingled amongst the gallery of the captivating images, each uniquely capturing the the essence of Jedell’s subjects. Those on and off the wall included Margo Langenberg, Regis Philbin, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Joan Rivers, Denise and Larry Wohl, Cindy Adams, Colleen and Gary Rein, Marianne Brandsetter, Dr. Pat Allen, John and Margo Catsimatidis, Bill McMenemy, Margo MacNabb, Meera Gandhi, Marcia Levine, Chiaki Imai, RFR Realty’s Richard Farley, Madame Paulette’s John Mahdessian, and Dennis Herman.

Tony Maltese and Howard Winkler

Pianist extraordinaire Iris Frommer

John and Margo Catsimatidis

Meera Gandhi and Marcia Levine

Sam Earle and A.J. Maltese

Cynthia Maltese and Gigi Aprile

Bill McMenemy, Joan Jedell, Loreen Arbus, Dr. Pat Allen, and Kimberly Till

Richard Farley and Dennis Herman

Mary Asta, Loreen Arbus, and Margo MacNabb

Frank Cameron, Chiaki Imai, John Mahdessian, and Diane Mick

Roberto Cavalli, the celebrated designer of the world’s most sensual couture was feted at a birthday celebration along with the launch of his latest endeavor – Roberto Cavalli Vodka – at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach.

This event was the first time a designer has lent his name to the spirits industry and more than 1000 friends and fans, Miami socialites and international celebrities were welcomed by an oversized bottle of the new Roberto Cavalli Vodka with its serpent trademark.

Roberto Cavalli and Belkys Nerey

The party screamed extremes with Fire and Ice themes – ice sculptured bars and a model jumping out of a massive birthday cake – and the merger of two totally unrelated concepts – vodka and fashion. Lit up in chilly blues, the pool area symbolized ice. Circling the pool were five vignettes, each featuring seven female models and one male bedecked in flowing, sheer gossamer Cavalli design. The beach side, with its red lights and tribal designs along with a VIP section with the hottest celebrities and the smoke from Roberto Cavalli’s everlasting cigar, symbolized the fire.

Roberto Cavalli, William Pizzorni and Jorge Gutierrez, president of Dorado Pizzorni & Sons were joined in the VIP section by Julio Iglesias Jr. Patricia Manterola, Giselle Blonde, Jerry Powers, Donald and Lisa Pliner, Belkys Nerey, and Willard Shepard. To provide VIP guest with ultimate comfort and flamboyant fashion, hundreds of yards of Cavalli fabrics were shipped from Italy to create custom design pillows, lounge seating and cabanas.

Other socialite guests included Dana Shear, Lydia Touzet, Vivian Kurzweil, Rosa Michael Mora, Nicole and Edgar Lozano, Thomas Kramer, Robert Russel, Beth and Richard Tasca, Rich and Rachel Watters, and Brian Elias.

Roberto Cavalli Vodka, retailing at $60 a bottle, will be available at leaden wine shops, restaurants and clubs.

L. to r.: Lisa and Donald J. Pliner; Carol Bell and Selmin Arat; Rik Watters.

Ricardo Olivieri and Karina Miquelin

Gay Gay Richie and Marita Stavrou

Angela Concepcion and Rodolfo Ruiz

Lisa and Donald J. Pliner with Roberto Cavalli

Marita Stavrou and Marysol Patton

William Pizzorni and Maria Theresa Picon

Don Soffer, Kellie Carey, and Micki Grendene

Jill Martin and Jerry Powers

More Miami:

Candace Bushnell, author of the legendary novel, Sex in the City and heroine to all single, flourishing women, celebrated her latest book in downtown Miami, Lipstick Jungle, at the 900 Biscayne Sales Center. Famed stationer, R. Nichols supplied the artwork for the invitation from his archives. The event was hosted by Pedro, Maria, and David Martin.

From a cherry red lip-shaped couch Bushnell personally signed over 100 books for guests to slip into extravagant gift bags. While mingling with Miami’s hottest socialites, Candace and guests sipped Roberto Cavalli Vodka Raspberry Kamikazes and Frida Kahlo Tequila Prickly Pear Margaritas with Miami’s hottest socialites and indulged in a Vincent Longo“Lipstick Bar”.