The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company celebrated a successful year of touring with its annual gala benefit three weeks ago at Chanterelle on 2 Harrison Street.

The evening, entitled “Participating in the World of Ideas,” was a celebration of creative collaboration with visionary leaders in the world of the arts.  More than 75 guests attended including Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker, Thelma Golden, Mort Zuckerman, Moby,  and Billie Tsien, will mingle with the gorgeous Company dancers, as well as with Bill T. Jones, himself.

The Food Allergy Initiative held its 7th Annual Spring Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street with all proceeds benefit the Food Allergy Initiative’s research activities and educational programs aimed at finding a cure and effectively treating and raising awareness of food allergies. 

Abbey Braverman and Roxanne Palin were this year’s Co-Chairs.  The Guest of Honor was Dr. Scott Sicherer from The Elliot & Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  Lori Stokes, Anchor, WABC-TV, was the Mistress of Ceremonies.  Harriette Rose Katz organized the luncheon gratis, and on a personal note, her granddaughter Lexi suffers from food allergies.

The Food Allergy Initiative is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for life-threatening food allergies. Through research and clinical activities, FAI’s goal is to develop a cure by 2010.  FAI supports public policy initiatives to create safer environments for those afflicted with food allergies. They have also created educational programs for schools, health and child care workers and members of the food service and hospitality industries to increase awareness about food allergies.

The Central Park Conservancy’s Women’s Committee hosted two events to bring awareness and raise money for the Park’s trees and its 21 playgrounds. 

The Tree Trust Committee held its 2nd annual cocktail party at the base of the Obelisk or as it has become known “Cleopatra’s Needle” in Central Park, right behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Tree trust is charged with the duty of providing permanent care for the Park’s 26,000 trees.  The group works to have every tree in the Park endowed, and so far Barbara Walters, Carly Simon, and Brooke Astor are among the many New Yorkers who have endowed trees in their name or as a gift, or had a tree endowed for them.

Around this gracious needle, a group of nearly 100 gathered to admire the beauty of Central Park’s trees in the spring. Tree admirers included Tree Trust Committee Chairs Gail Hilson and Cathy Ingram. They were joined by Central Park Conservancy chairman Ian Smith and his wife Margaret Smith, a member of the Tree Trust and the Woman’s Committee, along with Woman’s Committee president Nancy Paduano, and other members including Eleanore Kennedy with husband Michael Kennedy in tow and Marjorie Fortgang. Other tree fans in attendance were Daisy Soros, Collette Kean, Christina Assael, Jean Clark, Bambi de la Gueronniere, Fran Poole, Lila Prounis, Sue Rotenstreich, Elizabeth Stribling, Mikel Witte with her husband weatherman Joe Witte … and the last minute sunshine.

Another gorgeous afternoon in the Park and the women turned their attention to Central Park’s playgrounds. The Playground Partners and Patrons Committee chaired by Gillian Miniter hosted its annual Playground Party at the newly renovated Heckscher Playground. Located near the Columbus Circle entrance of Central Park, the one-acre playground, which is the oldest and largest in Central Park, was turned into a children’s fantasy play land. In addition to the playground’s plethora of slides, swings and climbing equipment, the kids loved getting their faces painted and getting tattoos, laughed at the antics of Magic Al, danced to the sounds of the Squeaky Clean Band and ate all the hot dogs, popcorn, macaroni and cheese, cotton candy and brownies in sight!! The kids buzzed about the water features that will be turned on next month. Rumor has it next year’s event might just be a wet one.

The parents loved it as much as the kids. Fashionable families came from the east and west side. Gillian brought her husband Sylvester Miniter and children Serena and Quint. Also in attendance were Women’s Committee members Karen LeFrak and Wendy Carduner, Tracy Pollan with her daughter, Teresa Teague with her boys Alexander and Nicholas, Christine Cachot Williams with daughter Allegra, Claudia Overstrom with daughter Taylor, Leslie Brille with baby Isabella, Yildiz Blackstone with son Joshua, Cricket Burns with girls Manzi and India, Veronique Pittman with daughter Lucy, Susan Fales-Hill with daughter Bristol, Liz Eliot with daughters Victoria and Caroline, and Jennifer Keil with husband BradenKeil and Kaitlin, Sallie Abelow with Campbell, Eva Dillon with Lily and Charlie and the list goes on and on.

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