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NATIONAL POST, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2010 Δ
Don and
Denyse
Green.
Liloo Alim, Four
Seasons Toronto,
with Bollywood sensation Aamir Kahn
and Kiran Rao.
Gallerist Bruce Bailey
and Adrian Mainella.
Karen Fonn,
Kavelman Fonn
Foundation,
and honouree
George Cohon,
founder of
McDonald’s
Canada and
Russia.
Life of the party
The finest fetes
of 2010
AMORYN ENGEL
Kim Newport-Mimran
and Joe Mimran.
Michael Budman
and Diane Bald.
Design superstar Sarah
Richardson and husband,
Alexander Younger.
Yolanda Hadid
and David Foster.
Dina Pugliese
wearing Oscar
de la Renta.
Suzanne Boyd,
Snowball co-chair and
Zoomer editor-in-chief,
wearing Wayne Clark.
London designer
Charlotte Olympia
and Kerry McKenna.
H
erewith, the very best parties
of the year’s social season:
Other Worldly A Midnight
Spell was cast last May at the Ontario
Science Centre, inspired by the Centre’s
Harry Potter exhibit. Jamie Kennedy
prepared a scrumptious feast, with
gorgeous wines donated by Martin
Malivoire of Malivoire Wine. The live
auction included a meet-and-greet
package featuring tween heartthrob
Justin Bieber at Atlantis on Paradise
Island in the Bahamas.
Best Re-invention It was raining
men at the Some Like It Haute Snowball benefit for Casey House. The
pièce de résistance was Emmy awardwinning Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock
fame, who brought down the house
with a sultry cabaret number.
Best Newcomer A jaw-dropping Oscar de la Renta fashion show and
gala dinner was presented at the Carlu
by Suzanne Rogers to benefit the
Hospital for Sick Children. With the
iconic designer himself in attendance,
this top-tier event drew hundreds of
guests clad in fabulous gowns, many
designed by Oscar himself. Watch for
Marchesa, coming in the New Year!
Most Coveted TIFF Invite An invitation to the George Christy luncheon at the Four Seasons is like gold,
highly coveted and not easy to come
by. Christy, a celebrated Hollywood
scribe, helped put the Toronto International Film Festival on the map.
Only the Fashionable Need Apply
The first birthday bash in honour of
that den of fabulousness, The Room at
The Bay on Queen Street, featured London’s most au courant designers including Charlotte Olympia Dellal, Giles
Deacon, Mark Fast, Erdem Moralioglu, Jonathan Saunders, Marios
Schwab and NicholasKirkwood.
Dining in Style Michael Budman
and Diane Bald hosted a fabulous
dinner party for their friend Laurie
David (ex-wife of neurotic funnyman Larry David). Laurie was in town
to promote her new book Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your
Entrepreneur
Larry Wasser,
president,
Genuity Fund
Management, and
his art consultant
wife, Marla.
Holt Renfrew president
Mark Derbyshire,
designer Donna Karan
and Hilary Weston.
Heather Reisman, Indigo,
and author Laurie David.
Kids, One Meal at a Time.
Keep the Champagne Flowing Corks
were popping all night long at Yorkville’s Teatro Verde where a new in-store
Veuve Clicquot Champagne Boutique
opened recently. The boutique carries
everything that a champagne connoisseur could want, from branded stemware to trays, outdoor furnishings, and
limited-edition champagne buckets.
Lunch with Donna Last summer,
Hilary Weston hosted an intimate
luncheon at Holt Renfrew in honour
of iconic designer Donna Karan, celebrating her 25 years in fashion. A select
few of Canada’s chicest fashionistas
were treated to a fashion show of the
designer’s runway pieces for fall. Afterwards, guests got to shop the Donna
Karan line with the designer herself in
tow! How fabulous is that?
Best Pose-down At Absolut George,
a black-tie retrospective of the work
of our favourite shutterbug, George
Pimentel, sponsored by Absolut
Vodka to launch its Glimmer vodka,
guests kept an eye out for pictures of
themselves on display throughout the
exhibition.
Raise High the Roofbeams More
than 500 guests dressed in denim
and hard-hats attended the Construction Chic gala at the Carlu in support
of Ronald McDonald House Toronto.
Highlights included a video tribute
to George Cohon, founder of McDonald’s Canada and Russia, who has
worked tirelessly to help make Ronald
McDonald House — which provides
accommodation for seriously ill children and their families who come to
Toronto for treatment — what it is today. Everyone lent a hand in raising
funds toward the building of a brand
new Ronald McDonald House slated
to open its doors in Toronto in 2011.
Something to Savour Grand Cru, a
$2,500-a-ticket wine-and-dine extravaganza, saw some of Toronto’s highest flyers host exclusive dinner parties at their homes in support of
Toronto General & Western Hospital
Foundation. “This event continues to
age, much like a fine wine,” said event
founder ToddHalpern. Over the years,
Grand Cru has raised more than $8.2million for the Foundation .
Unforgettable Some 400 guests descended on a Bridle Path mansion in
support of the David Foster Foundation,
which benefits kids going through lifesaving organ transplants.Chef Mark
McEwen prepared a feast and Peter
Cetera of legendary rock band Chicago
and the great Lionel Richie entertained. Oh what a feeling — we were
dancing on the ceiling. Look for more
coverage of this event in City Life within the next month.
Sylvia Mantella.
Taylor Thomson
and Lynda Prince.
Simona Shnaider, Bonnie
Brooks, president and
CEO, The Bay, and
Richard Baker, governor,
Hudson’s Bay Company.
Stephanie DeGasperis
and Esme Rambert,
The Room at the Bay.
Marlo Szellos, Sandy
Skotnicki, Vanessa
Mulroney, Ciara Hunt
and Stacey Kimel.
Ann Layton,
president, Siren
Communications.
Weekend Post
amoryne@nationalpost.com
PHOTOS BY AMORYN ENGEL, GEORGE PIMENTEL
Canada’s film icon
Norman Jewison and
Lynne St. David.
Muhammad Ali
and his wife, Lonnie.
Suzanne Rogers and
Oscar de la Renta.
Fernie Pereira
and her husband,
celebrity
photographer
George Pimentel.
Lionel Richie.
Barbara Bebis meets
Justin Beiber at
Atlantis, Bahamas.
Michael Pellegrino,
owner, Teatro Verde,
and Toufik Sarwa of
Amber and Cinq01 fame.
Allison Borun,
construction chic!
Vonna and Jenna Bitove
flank Alex Filiatrault,
Four Seasons Toronto.
Mark Mulroney,
RBC Capital Markets,
his sister, Caroline
Lapham, and Hollywood
scribe George Christie.
Shawn Gibson,
owner, Teatro Verde.
WP9
Jen Jarvis and Judy
MacGowan, both with
Ronald McDonald House
Toronto, and yours truly.
Ellen and Todd Halpern,
founder, Grand Cru
Culinary Wine Festival.
Nick Broderick with
Snowball co-chair
Wayne Clark and Jeffrey
Fisher, both designers.