The cocktail hour at The Loomba Foundation's "Diwali Dinner."

This past Monday, The Loomba Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser The "Diwali Dinner" at the Essex House. Cherie Blair, President of The Loomba Foundation, and Preity Zinta, International Ambassador for The Loomba Foundation, were the chairs for the evening. Other notable guests attending were Yoko Ono, Cilla Black, Joanna Lumley and other UN officials, dignitaries, social philanthropists and business leaders. "Diwali" is popularly known as the Festival of Lights. It is an important 5-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. Diwali is an official holiday in India, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Fiji.

"Diwali Dinner" at the Essex House

Accredited in 2008 as an NGO by the United Nations, The Loomba Foundation is currently educating children of widows in Rwanda, India, Syria, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and South Africa. The Loomba Foundation has worked with UN bodies, government officials, leaders and advocates to alleviate the plight of widows and their children worldwide who suffer prejudice, discrimination, poverty, illiteracy and social injustice by empowering widows and their children.

Nichole Wright, on right

Raj Loomba, Lord Navnit Dholakia, and Veena Loomba

Peter Nardin, Johanna Nardin, and Peter Rajsingh

Cilla Black, Raj Loomba, Cherie Blair, Preity Zinta, Veena Loomba, and Joanna Lumley

Preity Zinta, Raj Loomba, Veena Loomba, Cherie Blair, Yoko Ono, Lord Navnit Dholaki, and friends

Joanna Lumley, Cherie Blair, and Cilla Black

Cherie Blair, Peter Brown, and Casey Ribicoff

Keith Gornish, Renee Rossi, Rohan Mirchandani, and Shailesh Kumar

Priya Pandya, Tushar Sheth, and Sushma Dwivedi

David Midura and Katie Bergou

Sebastian Niles and Nancy Torres

Raj Thadani and Preity Zinta

PK Sinha and Anjuli Pradhan

Two Mondays ago there was a reception at the Top of the Rock at 30 Rockefeller Plaza kicking off "Revealing Mexico Week." Guests included Placido Domingo and his niece, along with Ambassador Sarakhan, soccer star Rafael Marquez, opera star Tania Libertad, John Mack and son, Aggie Gund, Georgette Mosbacher, Governor Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg, CEO of Coca-Cola, Muhtar Kent, Vernon Jordan. President Clinton was Honorary Chairman of the Host Committee.

Chilis of Mexico at opening night Gala

Margaritas at opening night Gala

Opera in the Rink with “Mariachi Real de Mexico,” Maite Embil, and Tania Libertad

Mariachi dancers

Mariachi singing

Rafael Marquez gives hi-five to #1 fan, Alec Lagunes

Alejandro Soberon, Pepita Serrano, Aggie Gund, Vartan Gregorian, and Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan

Alejandro Soberon and Pepita Serrano

Nortec Collective

Marisa and Juan Diego Cortina of Gutsa with John and Christy Mack

Ambassador Sarukhan, Governor Paterson, Maureen Reidy, and Mayor Bloomberg

Edith Gonzales

Jamie Colby

John Quinones

John DeRosa of Credit Suisse with Liz and Gerry Byrne

John and Christy Mack with Charlie Rose

Placido Domingo with Yolanda Montes “Tongolete"

John and Susanne Mack

John C. Mack and Susanne Steines

Maite Embil gives SIVAM award to her uncle, Placido Domingo

Jacobo and Sarah Zabludovsky with Alvaro Domingo

Maite Embil

John C. Mack skating to Nortec Collective

Governor Paterson and Maureen Reidy at the Gala

John Mack and Muhtar Kent

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan

Martha Ortiz

Gabriel and Lorenza Abaroa with Carla Estrada and her son

Federico Ortiz, Rafael Marquez, and Maureen Reidy

A private reception and viewing of The International Fine Art and Antiques Dealers Show last week celebrated the 65th anniversary of The Park Avenue Tree Lighting, a tradition of lighting the trees along Park Avenue each winter that began as a way to honor the men and women who died in WWII.    Today, the illuminated trees serve as a memorial to all who have lost their lives in fighting our country’s wars. The trees will be lit on Sunday, December 5th, following a ceremony outside the Brick Presbyterian Church (Park Avenue and 91st Street) at 6:30 p.m. that serves both as a reminder of the original meaning of the lights and a celebration of the holiday season.   Giles, and Anna and Emma Jane Haughton The Fund for Park Avenue is a non-profit organization that plants, lights and maintains the trees and flowers on the Park Avenue Malls. The Park Avenue Tree Lighting would not happen without support from the community (the Lighting Committee, the buildings on Park Avenue, friends and neighbors from New York City and as far away as California). In the early days, a few families underwrote the costs, however, today The Fund relies on over 1,000 donors to ensure that the tradition of honoring the men and women who have died defending our country continues.    Guests included NYC Dept of Parks and Recreation’s Manhattan Borough Commissioner William Castro, members of The Fund’s Board of Directors and Lighting Committee as well as Pat and Steven Attoe, Jeremy and Friederike Biggs, Amy and Carter Beal, Charles C. Bergman (Chairman of The Fund’s Sculpture Advisory Committee), Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Bonner, Tom and Paula Burchill, Robert Burton, Rob Byrnes, Blaine and Robert Caravaggi, Blair and Alastair Clark, Robin Cofer, Dr. and Mrs. John Espy, Debbie Fechter, John Erickson, Anne Garonzik, Marshall Keating and Judith Harper, Konrad Keesee with son, Chris, and grandson; Michèle Gerber Klein, Blake, Stuart Alan Levy, Hildegard Mahoney, Roman Martinez IV, Kevin McLaughln, Seton Melvin, Helen Miller, Marie Norton, Susan Oliver, Dan Oliver, Liz and Jeff Peek, Susan and George Relyea, Barbara Saltzman, Michael Scully, Bob and Lisa Semple, Dr. and Mrs. Peter Som, Polly and Bob Sheehan, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gonzalez, Anne Rapp, Jean Shafiroff, Michel Witmer and interior designers Jonathan Tait and Jennifer Bradford Davis.    Glorious Food catered: Curried Chicken Tartlets with Coconut and Mint, Smoked Salmon on Tarragon Buttered Toast, Tartlets of Sautéed Wild Mushrooms and other favorites as they gather among one of the most glamorous showcases in the world for top-flight art and antiques.   Barbara McLaughlin and Michael Scully Barbara McLaughlin, The Fund’s president, thanked everyone for their support.  Anna and Brian Haughton, the organizers of the International Fine Arts and Antique Dealers Show, were also greeted the crowd who viewed the prestigious “International Show” which continues to be one of the most glamorous showcases in America for top dealers from Europe and the USA for the past 22 years.    Fund for Park Avenue Board: Ronald D. Spencer, Chairman, Mary Davidson, Eugenie Niven Goodman, Derek Limbocker, Helena Martinez, James McCollom, Jr., Judith Steckler, Margaret Ternes and Jo-Ann Polise, Executive Director.     Park Avenue Tree Lighting Committee: Muffie Potter and Dr. Sherrell J. Aston, David Rockefeller, Michael E. Scully, Daisy Soros, Joanne Woodward, Jane Wyeth, Fernanda Kellogg and Kirk Henckels, Hugh D. Auchincloss, John Atwater Bradley, Mr. and Mrs. Bates Brown, Patricia Burnham, Catherine and Bryan J. Carey, Stephanie and Fred Clark, Mrs. Charles Dana, Jr., Catherine and Douglas Davis, Eleanor Acquavella Dejoux, Debbie Fechter, Amy Mazzola Flynn, Jamie Gibbs, Martha Vietor Glass, Christopher Gray , Mrs. Mark Hampton, Madeleine Rudin Johnson, Victoria and Douglas Larson, Roman Martinez IV, Vanessa and Stuart McLean , Mr. and Mrs. Lester Morse, Jr., Melinda Nelson, Lisa Podos, Mrs. Warrie Price, N. Anthony Rolfe, Pat and John Rosenwald, Mrs. Arnold Schwartz, Muriel Siebert, Polly Vietor Sheehan, Samantha McLean Spruance, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Strauss, John C. Whitehead, and Mr. and Mrs. H. Joe Witte.

Kevin McLaughlin and Mary Davidson

Michel Witmer and Michèle Gerber Klein

Charles C. Bergman and Stuart Alan Levy

Patricia Burnham and Bill Brock

Derek Limbocker, Helena Martinez, and Ronald Spencer

Marvin Davidson and Derek Limbocker

Fred and Stephanie Clark

Robert and Blaine Caravaggi

Andrew Kepler and Jennifer Bradford Davis

Barbara McLaughlin and Commissioner William Castro

Amy and Carter Beal

Blake, Chris, and Konrad Keesee

Bryan and Catherine Carey

Martin Gibson

Eugenie Niven Goodman

Alastair and Blair Clarke

Jean Shafiroff and Ann Rapp

Polly and Bob Sheehan

Pat and Stephen Attoe

This past Monday at the NYIT Auditorium (New York Institute of Technology on Broadway and 61st Street) there was a private screening of Sondheim! The Birthday Concert with the New York  Philharmonic. The production for PBS’s “Great Performances” was originally presented by the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on March 15th and March 16th, 2010. Sondheim! The Birthday Concert includes show-stopping numbers by Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Donna Murphy, Michael Cerveris, Elaine Stritch, Nathan Gunn, and many more.

NYIT Auditorium on Broadway

Garrett Lee, Ellen Krass, Stewart Lane, Bonnie Comley, and Lonny Price

Led by world-renowned conductor Paul Gemignani and Emmy-nominated director Lonny Price, the evening includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Anyone Can Whistle, along with a suite from music he wrote for the film Reds, which has never before been performed live. The star-studded event, Sondheim! The Birthday Concert, celebrating the 80th birthday of the Broadway and film legend Stephen Sondheim with performances of his music and songs by some of the world’s biggest talents, will make its debut on PBS stations across the country on November 24th, thanks to the Emmy Award-winning producer Ellen M. Krass and Tony Award-winning co-producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley in association with Thirteen/WNET and Image Entertainment. The production, which is hosted by David Hyde Pierce, will air at 9 PM ET (check local listings).

Diane Dowling, Stewart Lane, and Bonnie Comley

Jennifer Cucura and Kristina Amerigo

Claire Goodman Pellegrini Cloud, Stewart Lane, and Bonnie Comley

Jana Herbosch and Amy Eller

Dr. Pat Schmidt and Dr. Stanley Cohen

Edith and Ervin Drake

Stewart Lane, Lenny Lane, Leah Lane, Frankie Lane, and Bonnie Comley

Ervin Drake, Edith Drake, Diane Martindale, and James Martindale

Cathy Fitzpatrick and Ellen Krauss

Mr. Rabinowitz and Stephanie Rabinowitz

Barbara Banks and Debra Halper

Laura Osnes and Jen Colella

Ellen Krauss, Bonnie Comley, and Stewart Lane

Hal Luftig and Ellen Krauss

On the first Monday of last month, The United Hospital Fund hosted their annual gala at the Waldorf and honored Kenneth Raske, Paula L. and Leon Root, MD, and the Sisters of Charity of New York for their respective contributions to improving health care in New York. More than 750 attended the Fund’s 132nd fund-raising campaign for its work to shape positive change in health care in New York. Kenneth Raske received the Fund’s Health Care Leadership Award for his extraordinary leadership, for more than 25 years, as president of the Greater New York Hospital Association. Mr. Raske has been a fierce advocate for protecting funding for teaching hospitals. He has fought for fair payment practices by private insurers and HMOs, and launched, with the United Hospital Fund, the largest regional quality improvement collaborative in the country, now involving 65 hospitals working together to improve health care and patient safety. He has also spearheaded efforts to increase access to care for the uninsured and to protect the Medicaid program and other funding streams for safety net providers. In 1999, he helped lead a broad-based coalition that won passage of the legislation creating Family Health Plus, which now provides health insurance for nearly 400,000 low-income working adults.

J. Barclay Collins II, chairman of the United Hospital Fund; Leon Root, MD, and Paula L. Root, recipients of the Distinguished Community Service Award (Mrs. Root is holding the award); James Tallon, president of the United Hospital Fund; and Edward Van Dolsen, chief operating officer of TIAA-CREF, which underwrites this award

Paula L. and Leon Root, MD, received the Fund’s Distinguished Community Service Award which recognizes their longstanding commitment to helping vulnerable New Yorkers, especially children. Mrs. Root, the commitment translates to her service, for the past 27 years, on the board of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, focusing on both children’s and mental health. Dr. Leon Root is a renowned orthopedic surgeon, who established the Hospital for Special Surgery’s pediatric service in 1972 — he served as its chief for 25 years — to the launch of the Pediatric Outreach Program. To date, that program has seen some 25,000 children and made more than 3,500 referrals. For a fifth year, the Distinguished Community Service Award has been generously underwritten by TIAA-CREF, the leading provider of retirement services in the medical, academic, research, and cultural fields.

Sister Connie Brennan; Sister Jane Iannucelli; Sister Dorothy Metz, who accepted the Special Tribute on behalf of the Sisters of Charity of New York; Bishop Joseph Sullivan; and Mary Schachne

The Sisters of Charity of New York were recognized with a Special Tribute for embracing New York’s most vulnerable and creating an enduring record of charity in action. From its beginnings in New York City staffing an orphanage in 1817, to addressing a cholera epidemic through the opening of Saint Vincent’s Hospital in 1849, to caring for Civil War veterans, to addressing today’s challenges—AIDS, mental illness and chemical dependency, hunger, and domestic violence, to name a few—the Sisters of Charity have demonstrated 200 years of compassionate service spanning every borough of New York City and beyond. The benefit chairman was J. Barclay Collins II, chairman of the United Hospital Fund. “These honorees reflect the scope of health care leadership in New York,” said James R. Tallon, Jr., president of the United Hospital Fund.

Kenneth Raske, recipient of the Health Care Leadership Award, and George Gresham

New York City Comptroller John C. Liu and Philip Chapman

Senator Charles Schumer

Tonya R. Murray, Pierre DeJean, and Deborah Ryan

Sara Reineman and Kevin Nazworth

Robert C. Osborne and Fredda Vladeck

Louis A. Shapiro, Aldo Papone, and Dean R. O'Hare

Carol Raphael and David Gould

Alan D. Aviles and Pamela S. Brier

Robert E. Kelly, MD, Herbert Pardes, MD, and Phyllis R.F. Lantos

Paul Francis, James Tisch, and Alfred Engelberg

Rebecca and Peter Rosow

Phyllis Mills and Lili Root Bianchi

Susan C. Waltman, Jamie H. Klein, and Linda Riefberg

Barry Kriesberg, Donald L. Ashkenase, and Lee Perlman

Vera Blinken and Ambassador Donald Blinken

Leonard Lauder and Stanley Shuman

Steven Stempler and Isabelle Leeds

Also earlier last month, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts celebrated the Roaring 20’s with a “Soirée at the Rosen House.” This benefit, part of a two-weekend fall festival raised funds for Caramoor’s crown jewel – the historic Rosen House.  Guests were invited to step back in time to the 1920s to learn about the lives of Caramoor founders Walter and Lucie Rosen, their love of the arts, and their vision for the Caramoor country estate to become the artistic haven for visitors that it is today. Joined by honorary guest and actress Frances Sternhagen, benefit attendees enjoyed fall-inspired hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, dinner and dancing. Guests enjoyed dancing to the music of Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, followed by a dinner prepared by Great Performances. A live auction of travel, music and fine dining items was conducted, followed by divine desserts, champagne, and dancing.

Michael Stanton (Bedford), Jill Brooke and Gary Goldstein (Bedford Hills), and John Farr (Bedford)

Caramoor Chief Executive/General Director Michael Barrett (middle) with benefit chairs Ralph and Barbara DuPont (Stamford) and Nina and Michael Stanton (Bedford)

Benefit Chair was Nina Stanton, of Bedford, NY and Vice Chair was Barbara DuPont of Stamford. Caramoor is a performing arts center located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality.  Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music.  It is often described as “a Garden of Great Music” where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens.

Guests enjoy dancing to the sounds of the Roaring 20's provided by Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks

Soiree guests dancing the Charleston

The Music Room in the historic Rosen House at Caramoor

Fall Festival concerts take place in three venues. Two outdoor theaters – the 1714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard – and the Rosen House’s intimate Music Room. The historic Rosen House, built in the 1930’s, and its Music Room are “the heart of Caramoor.” Upon its completion in 1939, Caramoor founders Walter and Lucie Rosen began to present private concerts in the Music Room, and today it is used for all ‘Caramoor Indoors’ concerts and arts-in-education programs. Tours of the Rosen House by the general public are currently on hiatus as Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts has embarked on a comprehensive planning project to restructure the programs and usage of the historic Rosen House. It is Caramoor’s intention to complete this process during the next few years.  Caramoor’s gardens are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually handicapped, a Butterfly Garden, Tapestry Hedge, and Iris and Peony Garden, which may be enjoyed on one’s own or seen on a guided tour. With its unique heritage, Caramoor is a place where Indian Summer days and nights are shared and enjoyed by thousands.

Rob Schwimmer instructs a guest on how to play the Theremin

Sandy and Bill Cordiano (Pound Ridge)

Drs. Bruce and Robin Zablow (Chappaqua)

Alicia Mugetti (middle, New York) with benefit chairs Barbara DuPont (Stamford) and Nina Stanton (Bedford)

Ronald Arron (Somers) and Roberta Weiner (Mamaroneck)

Paul and Lisa Welch (Stamford)

Caramoor Board Chairman Judy Evnin and Tony Evnin (Greenwich)

Honorary Guest Frances Sternhagen and Merceds Santos-Miller (Newton)

The Children’s Cancer & Blood Foundation (CCBF) hosted its annual “Breakthrough Ball” benefit gala on Wednesday evening, October 27, 2010 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Proceeds from this benefit help to provide much needed medication, chemotherapy and other life-saving treatments to children who are patients of the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology of New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Ron Iervolino, Cliff Robinson, Les Lieberman, Katie Couric, Howard Cross, Amani Toomer, and Trent Tucker

Katie Couric presented the “Key to Life” award and “Breakthrough Spirit” awards to legendary singer/songwriter Daryl Hall and NBA Champion and founder of the Trent Tucker Non-Profit Organization, Trent Tucker. Charles Grodin served as Master of Ceremonies for his fifth consecutive year. The evening also featured a spectacular performance by Daryl Hall, who sang some of his classic hits including, “Maneater” and “You Make My Dreams." Jamie Niven, Vice Chairman, Sotheby’s, North and South America, led a live auction that featured some amazing packages, including an eight-night stay at Aman Resorts with round-trip airfare on Air France and a dinner for eight at Rao’s. The live auction concluded with a pledge item that raised $75,000 for helping uninsured families pay for chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.

Kristin Eckert, Alysse Brennan, Howard Cross, Elizabeth Smith, and Jen Zaleski

For 57 years, CCBF has been proud to support the extraordinary team of doctors and researchers of the Division. CCBF’s support has attracted and retained a group of world-renowned experts on the treatment of multiple pediatric blood disorders and cancers, including hemophilia, sickle-cell anemia and leukemia. CCBF researchers have received international recognition for their work and are on the cusp of breakthroughs predicted to change the way the medical community treats children with cancer and blood diseases. Each year, physicians treat more than 1,000 children through more than 10,000 inpatient and outpatient visits. No child is ever turned away for services, regardless of his or her ability to pay.

Scott Clark, Les Lieberman, and Trent Tucker

Reza Raein, Patricia Suarez de Sola, and Karan Trehan

Erika and Peter Marsh

Cliff Robinson and Katie Couric

Gail Evertz and John Malik

Les Lieberman, Katie Couric, Trent Tucker, and Ron Iervolino

Tom and Maureen Cavanagh

Elizabeth Linn and Jono Abrams

Les Lieberman, Barri Lieberman, Katie Couric, and Charles Grodin

Martin Rozenblum, Patricia Suarez de Sola, Eduardo Kafatie, and Annamaria Kafatie

Les Lieberman and Katie Couric

Charles and Elissa Grodin

Isabel Kallman and Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis

Dr. Julia Skokowa and Dr. Stefano Rivella

Claudia Cisneros

Mindy Feinberg and Pamela Posner

Jamie Niven

Howard Cross and Lizzie Domansky

Katie Couric

Cass and Jason Adelman

Daryl Hall

Craig Kallman and Jaime Machiarolli

Dr. Robert Grady and Carolyn Wiener

     

Rob Rich (Sondheim)

Click here [1] for NYSD Contents