Party Pictures 12/12/06 - Only in New York, kids, only in New York (and in Palm Beach on occasion)

Only in New York, kids, only in New York (and in Palm Beach on occasion)

Michele and James Jeffery

Dr. and Mrs. Fabien Bitan

Ruth Weichsel, MD and Ira Hoffman, MD

Lenox Hill Hospital’s premier annual fundraising event, their 2006 Autumn Ball, was held last month at The Waldorf-Astoria and raised $2.75 million for the hospital’s medical services and community programs.

Maestro James Levine, the acclaimed Metropolitan Opera and Boston Symphony Orchestra music director and conductor received the hospital’s medal of distinction. Maestro Levine’s doctor Len Horovitz, MD is an attending at Lenox Hill Hospital and his recent shoulder surgery was performed at Lenox Hill Hospital by Dr. Francis Mendoza.

Gladys George, Marlene Hess, James Zirin, Beverly Sills, and Jean Baruch

The special guest of the evening was Beverly Sills, opera star and former Chairman of the Board at Lincoln Center and at the Metropolitan Opera.

Also honored at the Autumn Ball were Lenox Hill physicians Dr. Ira R. Hoffman, Acting Chairman, Department of Medicine; Dr. Chitranjan S. Ranawat, Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Dr. Valavanur Subramanian, Chairman, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Chairs for the “Strike Up The Band”-themed ball were Jean and Ralph Baruch, Marlene Hess and James Zirin.

Lenox Hill Hospital, one of New York City’s finest hospitals and teaching facilities, will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2007.

Jack Urim and Dr. Gwen Korovin

Mrs. and Dr. Murray Rodgers

Michele and James Jeffery with Jean and Ralph Baruch

Valavanur Subramanian, MD, Beverly Sills, Chitranjan Ranawat, MD, and Ira Hoffman, MD

Gladys George and Stuart Orsher, MD

Howard Cohen, MD with his wife

Donald and Eleanor Taffner

Richard Green, MD with his wife Barbara

Michele Mendoza and Francis Mendoza, MD

Valavanur Subramanian, MD and wife Myrna

Chitranjan Ranawat, MD and wife Gudrun

Lauren Cassell, MD and Jacques Blinbaum

James Levine

Gary Roubin, MD, PhD and his wife Petra

James Levine, MD and Francis Mendoza, MD

James Levine and Mercedes Bass

Michael Lynch and Susan Baker hosted a cocktail reception at their apartment in the River House celebrating the kick-off of the 53rd annual Winter Antiques Show which benefits the East Side House Settlement. This year Shari Redstone is Honorary Chairman and Arie Kopelman is the Winter Antiques Show Committee Chairman. Lucinda Ballard and Margaret Russell, editor of Elle Décor, are co-chairs of the opening night party.

Ambassador Donald and Vera Blinken

Celerie Kemble

Arie Kopelman and Ruth Smithers

Emily Keno, Kathleen Doyle, and Coco Kopelman

Eula Johnson and Robert Phillips

Jill Kargman and Lauren Duff

Michael Lynch and Susan Baker

Peter Standish, Laura L'Esperance, and John Sanchez

Robert Leath, Davida Deutsch, and Lee French

Margaret Russell, Michael Lynch, Lucinda Ballard, and Arie Kopleman

Friday after Thanksgiving has become a sort of Worth Avenue "Trick or Treat" night with more and more of the chicest shops throwing open their doors for cocktail parties to fete the chairmen of one of the upcoming season's events.

For example, in honor of Pauline Pitt- chairwoman of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach's annual gala - Polo Ralph Lauren hung glowing paper lanterns in the trees of their moonlit patio, set up bars everywhere and filled the store with all of their fresh-faced, good looking staff dressed in the latest. Among the crowd: Hilary and Wilbur Ross, Liz Ward, Audrey and Martin Gruss, Hope and Jack Annan, Ross Meltzer, Hope and Ed Gropper, Dani Hickox, Howard Cox, Lesly Smith and Jim Walsh, Sarah Baker, Susan Gutfreund and Tom Shaffer, Steven Stolman, M.A. and Chip Quinn, Mark Gilbertson, Broadway PR guy Peter Cromarty, Lily Holt, Ken Wyse, Larry Laszlo, Tom Quick and Alex Snyder.

Same night, just down the block, the Valentino boutique was jam-packed in honor of Talbott Maxey and Piper Quinn for the Young Friends of the Society of the Four Arts. In that crowd: pretty much all of the above along with Robert Janjigian, Marjorie Gubelmann, Kenn Karakul, Missy Geisler, Britty Cudlip, Dennis Lamarsh, and Margot and Ashton De Peyster.

Kit and Bill Pannill

Bill and Regine Diamond

Talbott Maxey and Jean Tailer

Reg Stambaugh, Maureen Basse, and John Mashek

John Mashek, Pauline Pitt, and Gregg Beletsky

Margie and Bill Allinson

Tom McCarter and Frances Scaife

Talbott Maxey, Gregg Beletsky, and Maureen Basse

Pauline Pitt with Maggy and Allan Scherer

Sabrina and Carl Forsyth

Alan Bleznak and Carolyn Silverstein

Jim and Caoline Freeney

Lesly Smith and Jim Walsh

Muffy Miller

Martin and Audrey Gruss

Kathy Bleznak, Scott Moses, Jody Weissman, and Geoffrey Bradfield

Event planner and hospitality consultant Alison Minton, President of Maplemint Enterprises Inc., hosted her signature Party In Style fete at Judith Ripka’s flagship store on Tuesday, December 5th. Guests escaped the bitter cold to bask in the warm glow of Ripka’s stunning jewelry collection and perused the sparkling gems, as well as receiving $500 gift certificates towards any 18K Couture purchase, which always helps.

Alison Minton and Brian Ripka took a break from the fun to present The Humane Society of New York’s Sandra DeFeo, Susan Richmond and Anne Marie Karish with a generous donation made by the jewelry company. Among the guests: actress Christy Scott Cashman, Alex Wraith, Michel Witmer, Michele Gerber Klein, Dennis and Gail Karr, Dr. Eric Berger and Ilona Grabtu, Jamie Krauss, Dr. Peter Theodorou, Emma Snowden-Jones, designer Jackie Rogers, Melissa Berkelhammer and Kathleen Giordano.

Ms. Minton launched Party In Style last year at Yves Saint Laurent’s New York City store, which was followed by a Party In Style holiday soiree at Purdy Girl boutique. Minton created these special parties to encourage after-hours shopping in a social atmosphere while raising funds for the animal rescue organization through a store donation. The next Party In Style is set for this spring at Free & Co. in her hometown of Katonah, NY.

Alison Minton is an avid animal lover with two cats and two parrots of her own. She chose The Humane Society of New York as the charity of choice because of the organization’s fine work and tireless support of New York’s homeless animals.