Party Pictures 7/7/05 - The Washington National Opera’s 47th annual Opera Ball; Citymeals-on-Wheels' Starry, Starry Night; Little Flower Children and Family Services' Second Annual Rose Luncheon & Second Annual Distinguished Humanitarian Award Dinner

The Washington National Opera’s 47th annual Opera Ball

Costumed supernumeraries from Brazilian opera Il Guarany

Linda Sonnenreich, Isabel Ernst, and Connie Bensabe

H.E. the Ambassador of Brazil Roberto Abdenur and Maria Isabel Abdenur

The Washington National Opera’s 47th annual Opera Ball took place on June 10, hosted by the His Excellency the Brazilian ambassador and Mrs. Abdenur at their residence. Betty Knight Scripps, in a red ball gown by Arnold Scaasi, (she and her Scaasi), wearing the Scripps ruby and diamonds (she and her rubies), greeted the guests at one of the most prestigious social events in the nation’s capital.

This is Mrs. Scripps sixth year as General chairman and she created a magnificent evening, complete with Brazilian music (in the Brazilian embassy, what could one do?), desserts and décor. An Opera trustee as well as Executive Committee member, Mrs. Scripps’ touch and style were everywhere – from the music to the beautifully tented “ballroom” which was designed by Philip Baloun of New York and inspired by the handpainted “Brazilian landscapes” wallpaper in the Ambassador’s residence, painted by Rugendas in 1830.

WNO Board Chairman John Pohanka with H.E. the Ambassador of Brazil Roberto Abdenur and Maria Isabel Abdenur

The Opera Ball is the largest annual fund-raiser for the Washington National Opera and brings together leaders of the diplomatic, government, corporate and arts communities.

The diplomatic corps graciously sponsor one of the Opera Ball’s most alluring aspects – intimate pre-Ball dinners hosted by an ambassador at his or her official residence. Following dinner, the guests gathered at the Brazilian ambassador’s residence for dessert and dancing.

Thirty-three ambassadors hosted pre-ball dinners for 500 guests. Among the guests of the dinner hosted by the Ambassador of France and Madame Levitte were Mrs. Scripps, Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Mrs. Kennedy; Chairman of the Board John Pohanka and Lynn Pohanka, and Marcia Mayo, also a Washington National Opera Board member; Inmaculada de Habsborgo and Daniel Henniger; Yvonne, Princess of Hessen, Raquela Ruperez, wife of the United Nations Executive Director of Counter-Terrorism and former Spanish ambassador, Javier Ruperez; the Honorable William Nitze and his wife Ann; the Honorable Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt – former Chief of Protocol; Jacqueline Badger Mars, Alexandra Kauka, John and Jo Ann Mason, Mandy and Mary Ourisman, Mike Sonnenreich, President of Washington National Opera’s Executive Committee; Philip and Leticia de St. Aubin, Diane Wolf, and Barbara Teichert.

The lively music was provided by Bob Hardwick and his orchestra, Richard Miller and his Chorinho ensemble and the Origem Brazilian Band.

Led by General Director, Placido Domingo, the Washington National Opera is recognized as one of the leading opera companies in the United States. This is their 49th season. The Opera Ball is crucial to the Company, which raises 50% of its annual budget through contributions. The ball is Washington National Opera’s largest fund raising event of the year; and this is the first year that the Opera Ball has been hosted by the Ambassador of a South American country.

Franco Nuchese with Robert and Marian Rosenthal

H.E. the Ambassador of Morroco Aziz Merkouar and Felice Merkouar

Princess Yvonne of Hessen

L. to r.: Sterling Hammill and Alexandra Kauka; Rima Al Sabah, Grace Bender, H.E. Ambassador of Kuwait Shaikh Salem Abdulah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Morty Bender.

Clockwise from above: View of the front entrance to the Brazilian Ambassador's residence designed in 1908 by John Russell Pope; Nina Tottenburg, Pedro Villa, and Debra Shore; Daniel Henniger and John and Jo Ann Mason.

Lowry and Diane Bell

Dennis Lockhart, Selwa "Lucky" Roosevelt, Anne Johnson, and The Hon. Clay Johnson

Mary Ourisman, John Damgard, Brittain Cudlip, and Mandell Ourisman

Meghan O'Sullivan with Leo and Grega Daly

Christine and John Arundel

WNO supers in costume

Carmen Miranda look-a-like offering confections from atop her skirt

Marcia Mayo and Trevor Potter

General Peter Pace and Lynne Pace

Photographs by Vicky Pombo

Citymeals-on-Wheels' Starry, Starry Night

Bob Grimes and Nick Valenti

Daniel Boulud with Drew and Ann Nieporent

Last month, under a starry summer sky, dozens of celebrity chefs and rising stars cooked up a storm and raised $1.1 million for Citymeals-on-Wheels, the non-profit organization that provides home-delivered, nutritious warm meals to frail, homebound seniors in New York City.

Among the culinary masters who transformed Rockefeller Center into a gourmet garden were Daniel Boulud, Edward Brown, Bobby Flay, Larry Forgione, Nobu Matsuhisa, Charlie Palmer, Alfred Portale, Charlie Trotter, and Wolfgang Puck.

Restaurant Associates and Antonio Prontelli of Rock Center Café were the grand hosts for this event, in its 20th anniversary year, dubbed Starry Starry Night. Famed architect and set designer David Rockwell designed the gardens, rink and esplanades of Rockefeller Center for the event.

More than 1,200 business and civic leaders, socialites, young professionals, food enthusiasts, industry trendsetters, chefs and restaurateurs strolled, dined and danced at this star-studded annual event that featured dozens of tasting stations offering gourmet masterpieces prepared by 33 top chefs from New York and across the country. One hundred percent of every dollar raised in ticket will fund the preparation and delivery of more than 200,000 meals.

“Just as the stars light up the night sky, the chefs participating in this Starry Starry Night light up the lives of thousands of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Marcia Stein, executive director of Citymeals-on-Wheels. “For twenty years the restaurant industry – and these chefs in particular – have stood side-by-side with Citymeals helping to raise tens of millions of dollars to make sure that every frail homebound elderly person in New York City has enough to eat, every day of their solitary lives.”

Generous sponsors included Restaurant Associates, Gourmet magazine, and David Rockwell, board members and other friends.

This year’s notable guests included actress Stephanie March, Gael Greene, Ruth Reichl, Rusty Staub, New Line Cinema’s Michael Lynne, Laurie Tisch and her daughter Emily Sussman, Lally Weymouth, Joe Cohen, Laura and John Pomerantz, restaurateurs Drew Nieporent and Nick Valenti, and the Maharajah of Jaipur.

For the first time, six “master mixologists” created original drinks for the event using a specialty liquor – each one a sponsor for the event: Audrey Saundres, beverage director (Plymouth Gin), Dale DeGroff (Gran Centenario Tequila), Eben Freeman (Courvoisier Cognac), Eben Klemm (Stoli Elit Vodka), Julie Reiner (Matusalem Rum), and Toby Maloney and Philip Ward (Woodford Reserve Bourbon).

This year, 16 Superstar Chefs returned to the Citymeals’ Rock Center gala accompanied by Rising Stars in the culinary industry:

Daniel Boulud (Daniel, NYC) and David Myers (Sona, Los Angeles)

Edward Brown (The Sea Grill, NYC) and Julian Alonzo (Brasserie 8 1/2, NYC)

Bobby Flay (Mesa Grill, NYC) and Mary Redding (Mary’s Fish Camp, NYC)

Larry Forgione (An American Place, NYC/St. Louis) and his son Marc Forgione (BLT Prime)

Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu, NYC) and Yuji Wakiya (Wakiya, Japan)

Charlie Palmer (Aureole, NYC) and Frank Crispo (Crispo, NYC)

François Payard (Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro) and Gregory Gourreau (Mix, Las Vegas)

Alfred Portale (Gotham Bar & Grill, NYC) and Christopher Lee (Striped Bass, Philadelphia)

Wolfgang Puck (Spago, Beverly Hills) and Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja, Denver)

Lydia Shire (Locke Ober, Boston) and Simon Restrepo (Sibling Rivalry, Boston)

Nancy Silverton (La Brea Bakery, Van Nuys, CA) and Gino Angelini (La Terza, Los Angeles)

Susan Spicer (Bayona, New Orleans) and Adolfo García (RioMar, New Orleans)

Joachim Splichal (Patina, Los Angeles) and Walter Manzke (Bouchée, Carmel, CA)

Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago) and Noriyuki Sugie (Asiate, NYC)

Norman Van Aken (Norman’s, Coral Gables, FL) and Scott Howard (Fork, San Anselmo, CA)

Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto, NYC) and Marc Meyer (Five Points, NYC)

L. to r.: Balsamic-honey glazed lamb skewers with sauce of fresh pea, mint and jalepeno prepared by Bobby Flay; Charlie Palmer with Bob Grimes; Dessert prepared by Daniel Boulud of roasted cherries with almond nougatine and kriek beer cremeux.

In addition to Restaurant Associates, other sponsors included Gourmet magazine, Man Group USA, Altria, Hilton Times Square, MasterCard, The M.O. & M.E. Hoffman Foundation, New Line Cinema, UBS, BPI, Party Rental Ltd., Rockwell Group and Tana Seybert. American Airlines is the official airline of Citymeals-on-Wheels. Fiji Water is the official water of Citymeals-on-Wheels.

Over the course of the year, Citymeals will underwrite 2.3 million meals to nearly 17,000 seniors in New York City. One hundred-percent of all private donations made to Citymeals goes toward hand-delivered meals for homebound seniors.

To learn more, visit their web site www.citymeals.org.

Chefs Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, and Ed Brown on stage at Starry Starry Night with restaurateur Drew Nieporent, Ruth Reichl, and chefs Alfred Portale and Christopher Lee

Andrea Pomerantz Lustig

Joe Cohen, Lally Weymouth, and John Pomerantz

Gael Greene and Marcia Stein

Alfred Portale with Jonathan Waxman and Bobby Flay in the kitchen of Bar Americain, preparing hors d’ouevres for the after party

Chef Jennifer Jasinski serving her dish of Colorado lamb with artichoke mousse and pancetta wrapped treviso

John and Laura Pomerantz

Michael Lynne and friend

Fellow chefs look on as Chef Wolfgang Puck serves his dish of grilled chinois lamb chops with sweet and sour hunan egglplant and cilantro mint vinaigrette

Chef Susan Spicer and a staff member

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa sampling a dish

Chef Nancy Silverton and Chef Jonathan Waxman

Robert Watman and Larissa Bond

Stephanie March, Dorothy Kretchmer, and Kelly Brown

Photographs by Fran Collin and Star Black

Little Flower Children and Family Services' Second Annual Rose Luncheon & Second Annual Distinguished Humanitarian Award Dinner

L. to r.: Lavinia, Jill, and Olivia Gladstone; Christine Bowers, Debbie Canover, Liza Collins, and Dr. Eva Anderson; Lynne White.

Three weeks ago, on Wednesday, June 15, 2005, Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York honored Jane Hanson, Emmy-award winning anchor/correspondent for WNBC and host of “Jane’s New York”, and Grace Lo Grande, Executive Director of Little Flower Children and Family Services, at the Second Annual Rose Luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan.

Herbert Stupp and Grace Lo Grande

Honorary Chairwoman, Susan Lucci, presented Jane Hanson with the “Woman Who Makes a Difference Award” and spoke of Hanson’s tireless efforts on behalf of children and all residents of New York City. Upon receiving the award, Hanson thanked the staff of the agency for the work that they do as well as all of the people present for their support. Hanson summed up her feelings about giving back to her community with a quote from George Washington Carver who said, "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these."

Little Flower Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Stupp, presented the “Leadership Award” to Grace Lo Grande. Lo Grande thanked the hundreds of Little Flower staff members who work “behind the scenes” to insure a safe environment for children at risk. She also spoke to the crowd about the programs at Little Flower that serve the developmentally disabled and acknowledged the agency’s long-term goals to expand services to adults and seniors in need.

Event Vice-Chair Jane Pontarelli, and Event Co-Chairs Joanna Capobianco Caparrel and Anna Rhodes Victor, spoke to the more than 200 guests about their commitment to the mission of Little Flower and acknowledged the hard work and dedication of the committee members and event supporters.

Among the Luncheon’s special guests were Lisa Gastineau, Dr. Georgia Witkin, Perri Peltz, Lynne White, Dr. Steven Victor, Joe Pontarelli, Andrea Stark and Bob Campbell.

The Rose Luncheon helped to raise more than $50,000 to benefit the Little Flower agency, which provides a multitude of programs and services for children, families and disabled adults in need throughout the New York Metropolitan area with office locations in Brooklyn, Queens and Wading River, Long Island.

Barbaree Meaney, Nancy Lobel, and Shirlee Steelman

Arlene and Arthur Lazare with Susan Allen

L. to r.: Nassrine Traverse, Colleen Rein, Renee Steinberg, and Sarah Fiszel; Gail Worth, Joanie Vogel, and Andrea Stark.

Tracy Silverman, Pat Misasi Middleman, and Dotty D'Amato

Jane Pontarelli, Jane Hanson, and Susan Lucci

Liana Silverstein and Arthur Backal

Dr. Steve Victor and Anna Rhodes Victor

Nanci Gabay, Lynda Hochfelder, and Phyllis Florin

Carol Rahr, Lori Shaptai, Anna Santoro, and Tara Milne

Steven Humphrey and Joanna Capparell

Hetty Park and Donna Parker

Jane Hanson and Perri Peltz

Colleen Rein and Bob Campbell

Elyse and Nicole Slaine

Montgomery Frazier and Lisa Gastineau

A week before, on June 8th, Little Flower Children’s honored world-renowned beauty and hair stylist, Frédéric Fekkai at the Second Annual Distinguished Humanitarian Award Dinner at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan.

Bill O’Shaughnessy served as the evening’s emcee and spoke of Fekkai’s “quiet and consistent generosity” to many worthwhile charities saying, “He is as smart in philanthropy as he is in business.”

Bill O'Shaughnessy

Lorraine Bracco was also on hand to congratulate Fekkai and introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Natalie Whittingham. Miss Whittingham has been in Little Flower’s foster care program for nine years and spoke of how through the help of the Little Flower agency she has been able to attend New York University on a scholarship, study abroad in Ghana and is currently preparing to take the entrance exams for law school. She credited Little Flower for her success saying, “Little Flower has given me the financial and emotional support to make my own dreams come true.”

Charla Lawhon, Managing Editor of InStyle magazine and one of the event co-chairs, presented Fekkai with the “Distinguished Humanitarian Award” in recognition of his generous commitment to the Little Flower agency and his work helping children and families in need. Fekkai said he was “deeply touched and honored” to be acknowledged by an agency that “provides youth the proper foundation to grow.”

Among the close to 350 guests of the evening were Lorraine Bracco, Uma Thurman and Andre Balacz, Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo, Cornelia Guest, Ines Rivero, Izak and Sarah Senbahar, Joseph and Jane Pontarelli, Larry and Denise Wohl, Charlotte and Vittorio Assaf and Lorne Michaels.

The event helped to raise more than $200,000 to benefit the Little Flower agency.