Great Hopes

Missives from the Jet Set

Nostrovia!

(Left: Dylan Dreyer and Brian Fichera at the High Hopes Gala; Center: Aaron Townsend, Anne Cropp and Kenny Barnett at the High Hopes Gala; Right: Katie Welch, Trent Welch, Stefany Shaheen and Craig Welch at the High Hopes Gala)

Everyone looked like a million bucks while they raised a million bucks for the Joslin Diabetes Center at its annual High Hopes Gala.

Held at the Westin Copley Place, the black-tie hootenanny attracted the likes of Today show hottie Dylan Dreyer and her dapper husband, Brian Fichera, new president Dr. Peter Amenta and his wife, Christen, 13-year-old honoree Lilly Branka, eminent diabetes researcher Doug Melton, Dover party pair Katie and Trent Welch, brunette beauty Marisa Fusco, the dashing Aaron Townsend, Reese Witherspoon lookalike Anne Cropp, tall drink of water Kenny Barnett and about 400 others, who sipped, supped and boogied to the Sultans of Swing.

The raffle prizes included two tickets to Elton John’s 2016 Oscar party in LA, and the following was overheard by the bar: “I hate when parents tell you how many months their baby is. I shouldn’t have to do math to figure out how old your kid is.”

However, the funniest remark came from the man who saw a woman in a somewhat ostentatious fur coat, despite the unseasonably warm weather, and said, “Is she rushin’ the season…or just plain Russian?”

Go Fly a Kite

(Left: Hannah Starr at Fashion + Philanthropy; Right: Lisa Hughes and Dylan Casey at Fashion + Philanthropy)

Any reason to shop at Bloomingdale’s before it’s actually open is A-OK with us, but Fashion + Philanthropy was an especially good excuse.

A fundraiser for Flying Kites, which helps children in Kenya, the morning featured mimosas and bloodies, brunch bites, a fashion show and the opportunity to scour the racks before the hordes arrived, not to mention a killer gift bag.

Looking smashing for 9:30 am on a Sunday were such beauties as news anchor extraordinaire Lisa Hughes and her adorable boy, Dylan Casey, his big sister, Riley, and father, Mike, the swoon-worthy
quartet of Eric and George Papachristos, Jonathan Winegar-Mendez and Sean Griffing, Wellesley yummy mummy Meredith Beaton-Starr and her gorgeous daughter, Hannah, brunette babe Christina Kotseas, the unstoppable Julie Joyal, Bloomies GM Matt Dunphy, delightful do-gooder Saskia Epstein, the utterly lovable Patty Ribakoff and emcee Jenny Johnson, who deserves extra props for looking flawless after her fruit smoothie exploded in her face on the drive there.

“This is the earliest I’ve ever seen you,” one guest said to chef Jody Adams, who responded, “This is probably the earliest I’ve ever been out in public.”

The morning’s best remark: “OK, folks, it’s time to stop being afraid of pantsuits and turtlenecks.”

What’s 2Q Plus 2Q?

Ashley Stanley and Andrew Zimmern at the Ultimate Tailgate Party

We can’t think of anything better than going to a tailgate party without having to watch football, especially when the food is prepared by the best restaurants in the city.

Lovin’ Spoonfuls’ annual fundraiser, The Ultimate Tailgate Party, was held at the Black Falcon Terminal and drew such sparkly types as Travel Channel star Andrew Zimmern, co-chairs Andy and Mariann Youniss, brunette babe Jennifer Yukimura, the always costumed Lynne Smith and the lovable Gary, city councilor Josh Zakim and his gorgeous fiancee, Grace Rosenthal, cheese deity Brad Wasik, oyster shuckers Isabelle Lew and Jeremy Larsen Scheffer, hash slingers Chris Myers and Joanne Chang, the super-suave Camilo Gutierrez and just about every member of the Boston restaurant community.

Guests chowed on delicious bites, drank, kibitzed and bid in live and silent auctions, and the following exchange took place: “I love that. Where’d you get it?”

“What? My outfit?”

“No. Your drink.”

However, the evening’s most amusing remark was “Be careful, kids. Spooning leads to forking.”

Chew On This…

(Left: Joan Belkin, Deborah Frank and Kate Walsh at Food for Thought; Middle: Heather Unruh, Kate Walsh, Charlie Baker, Lauren Baker and Randi Cutler at Food for Thought; Right: Marc Perlman, Steve Belkin and Bruce Price at Food for Thought)

“It’s like Thanksgiving without the family dysfunction” is how one guest described Food for Thought, the Grow Clinic at Boston Medical Center’s annual dinner, held at the Mandarin Oriental.

A fundraiser to help feed hungry kids in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, the event featured centerpieces made of produce that would go to the food pantry once everybody went home. Present and accounted for: the flawless Randi Cutler and her adoring other half, Joel, his indomitable father, Teddy, most of the Belkin clan, led by the debonair Steve and his gorgeous wife, Joan, redheaded party animal Nate Drouin and blond beauty Nathalie Hampton, the naturally carbonated Gracie Keezer, Weston socialites Robin and Marcia Brown, eminent MD Mark Slovenkai and the dazzling Rachael Goldfarb, emcee Heather Unruh, Chilmark denizen Sam Feldman, discount retail tycoon Marc Perlman, and so on and so forth.

Winner of the irony award: the guest who said, “Here we are at a fundraiser for starving kids, and I just had to unbutton the top button of my pants.”


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