Green Acres Meets Project Runway

(Left: The scene at Fashion to the Rescue; Middle: Giulia Fenton, Susan Fenton, Angela Menino and David Josef at Fashion to the Rescue; Right: Aimee Takaha and David Josef at Fashion to the Rescue)

Fashion and farm animals might seem like an odd combination, but not when designer David Josef hosted Fashion to the Rescue, a benefit for Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary held at West End Johnnie’s.

The evening attracted all the city’s style mavens, among them: farm founder Aimee Takaha, the incomparable Yolanda Cellucci and her luscious daughter, Linda Cole Petrosian, tailor to the rich and famous Alan Rouleau, brunette beauty Coryn Sardelli Hall and her art dealer husband, David, pharma-hunk John Zielinski, Baywatch babe Traci Bingham, the flawless Hollis Colby, lovable shutterbug Iggy Barskov, Mix morning mouth “Fast” Freddy Murphy, dazzling diamond designer Jennifer Kinsman, former Sen. Scott Brown and his telegenic wife, Gail Huff,  former first lady Angela Menino and her stunning daughter, Susan Fenton, the uber-generous Brian David Stevens and a host of  gorgeous others who helped save abused animals. The auction items, meanwhile, included a fantasy trip to Vegas and three paintings by a donkey, which prompted one guest to mutter, “I have several paintings by jackasses.”

Overheard backstage: “Don’t feed the models!” However, the evening’s best remark came when someone was introduced as “working with exotic animals,” to which someone said, sotto voce, “Sounds like my love life.”

’NSYNC begat a Backstreet Boy

(Left: Brian Flatley and Lily Poduska at the Commonwealth Shakespeare Gala; Middle: Katie and William Grote at the Commonwealth Shakespeare Gala; Right: Steve Maler and Chris Cooper at the Commonwealth Shakespeare Gala)

Free Shakespeare on Boston Common isn’t free for the folks who produce it, which is why Commonwealth Shakespeare Company held its swanky yet sexy black-tie hoo-ha, Love on the Rocks, at the Mandarin Oriental.

Falstaff would have approved heartily: Cocktail hour was followed by dinner, punctuated by lively performances and blessedly short speeches, including one by 13-year-old Boston Collegiate Charter School student Sarah Purvis, who recited a speech from A Midsummer Night’s Dream so beautifully that the pros in the room teared up.

On that subject, one guest was heard whispering, “I think there are some seriously famous people here,” to which his wife said, “You’re an idiot,” despite the fact that Oscar winner Chris Cooper and three-time Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub were sitting at the next table with their equally accomplished spouses, Marianne Leone and Brooke Adams.

Also on-hand: co-chairs Paul, Wesley and Ashley Karger, beauty moguls Nick and Amy Penna, board member David Friedman, Boston Landmarks Orchestra head honcho Jo Frances Meyer and her esteemed architect husband, John, delightful do-gooders Ashley and Will Heward, culture vulture Jared Bowen, broadcasting babe Kennedy Elsey, Herald scribe Erica Corsano, booze magnate David Gordon, attorney at large Dennis Baden and his hot tamale, Nicole Morales, adventure travel gurus Darren and Caitlin Humphreys, and a slew of generous and civic-minded others.

I wish I could tell you what happened after dessert and coffee, and I do have a vague recollection of a full dance floor getting down to an awesome band, but as Shakespeare put it, “for my part, I say the gentleman had drunk himself out of his five senses.” But not before I managed to hear the following exchange at the bar: “One time, I saw Lance Bass naked at the gym, and if I was ever going to go gay…” To which his friend thankfully interjected: “OK. Poor taste on every level.”

Heal Thyself

(Left: Brian Brandt, Lee Ridgway, Donald Vaughan and Ty Kuppig at Dinnerfest; Middle: Sandra Wineman, Verna Turbulence and Geralyn Skinner at Dinnerfest; Right: The Rev. Judy Mannheim and Polly Leland-Mayer at Dinnerfest)

Dinnerfest might best be described as a mashup between tea dance, high tea and a charity fundraiser with an incredible live and silent auction.

Held at Red Lantern, the Sunday afternoon benefit for Victory Programs drew a sexy but socially conscious crowd that boasted the likes of silver fox Dan Moon and his other half, Harry Collings, the smoldering Dean Hara, reformed meteorologist David Brown and his tempting pastor, Ben Perkins, the dangerous duo of Bryan Szela and Bob Gertsen, natty antiquarian Marc Glasberg, acting teacher Joe Antoun, ink-stained wretch Scott Kearnan, power couple Vince Galuchi and Charles Franklin, silver fox Peter Epstein, the Hat Sisters, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and one drag queen who said, “I can’t see anything without my glasses. And I can’t put my glasses on with these false eyelashes.”

The afternoon’s best exchange: “How are you?”

“Hungover as hell.”

“Always great to hear at an event dedicated to recovery.”