Monday, November 18, 2013
New blog address!
I have moved my blog - The Civilized Life in Sarasota - over to www.debbibenedict.com. Please visit there for new blog postings.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
CANDance 2013
(Editor's Note - I will be relaunching this blog on November 12 with a whole new look, publishing schedule, and added features. Until then I will be posting sporadically on all things fabulous in Sarasota!)
Michael's On East ballroom was hot, hot, hot covered in red from ceiling to floor making everyone bask in a nice rosy glow. The food was quite good ending with a big slab of chocolate cake with a yummy mousse center - the best part, I thought!
A very informative video was shown explaining that the largest increase in new AIDS patients was the senior population - information surely to pique the interest of Sarasota! They also mentioned they would be opening a new facility in North Port to serve South County residents.
Taxi dances always fill the dance floor in the early part of the evening as "professionals and their clients" (for some reason I always got a kick every time I heard that phrase that night) swung around the dance floor to various styles of dancing, ending in a big twerking exhibition! Please, you don't even want to know who I saw doing a little twerk!
Michael Klauber did his usual terrific job auctioneering several fun items including a trip to Napa and one to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, adding to the coffers of the evening.
Now for the main event, which was emceed by Bob Trisolini and Bob Nosal. The celebrity dancers were L,Boutique owner LeeAnne Swor, attorney William McComb, fitness trainer Cinde Carroll, Sonnet Gallery owner Ramses Serrano, philanthropist Wendy Feinstein, Center for Sight's Dr. John Fezza, and Private Physician Services' Eve Caballero.
There were various levels of dancing, but everyone looked like they were trying very hard and put on a good show. The sexy star of the evening was John Fezza in what looked like a little Fifty Shades of Grey performance. As a follow-up, he did what couldn't be called anything other than a strip tease and sold his sweaty t-shirt for $1100. That man has confidence to spare!
Eve Caballero won the "raising the most money" prize and Wendy Feinstein won the popular vote for best dancer.
Others seen were John Mason, Jim Neal and Ron Carter, Michael Zuckerberg, Ken and Peggy Abt, Cindy and Michael Cuffage, Lisa Rubinstein, Pam Daniel and George Augustin, Susan McLeod, Gloria Moss and Jim Helmich, Jim and Bev Marsh, Bill and Elle McComb, Howard Millman and Carolyn Michel, Rick Defuria, Joy Rowe, Renee Sheade, David and Yara Shoemaker, Myrna and David Band, Evan Berlin, and oh so many more.
Development Director Scott George with Dan Denton
Michael Klauber and co-chair Penny Hill
Co-chair Jackie Rogers
Major sponsor Mary Ann Robinson and David Strattard
Judy Zuckerberg and George Kole
Marv Albert and Gerri Aaron
Veronica Brady and Brent Greeno
Terry McKee, Terri Klauber, and Mike Scialdone
Gayle Guynup and Chris Voelker
Dennis Stover and Molly Schechter
Richard Day, Marsha Panuce, and Ray Peper
Charlie Ann Syprett, Rochelle Curley, and Lynette Mancuso
Walt and Deborah Beacham with Phil King
Richard Dorfman and Suzette Jones
Wendy Feinstein
Lauren Walsh and Carol Phillips
The centerpiece
The salad
The dessert
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
A summer break...
Just a quick note to let you all know I am on a summer break and will resume posting on Oct. 1. I am going to refine the blog just a bit and launch some new features. In the meantime, here are a few photos from our summer on my husband's family farm in Michigan:
Our entire family at our niece's wedding on a freezing summer day
With my grandson, Brodie, at the Gilmore Car Museum during our annual Nana Day
My husband, Jan, showing our granddaughter, Marina, how to drive the riding lawn mower
Moi on the porch of Oakhill, which was featured on the Marshall MI Garden Tour
Another garden on the Marshall Garden Tour, my favorite event of the summer
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Community Video Archives' Hall of Fame Luncheon
Four dedicated, fun, and inspiring honorees composed the inductions to this year's Community Video Archives' (CVA) Hall of Fame. The luncheon, held at Michael's On East, is always a must-attend on the Sarasota social calendar, so of course, I was there!
Chris Pfahler chaired the event for the seventh (!) time and Judy Fiala was once again the emcee. The grande dame of the day though was CVA president and founder, Annette Scherman. What a wonderful gift she has given the community by producing this treasure trove of local history. She mentioned at the luncheon that there have been over 16,000 borrowings for CVA videos over the years.
Isabel Norton, a long-time community volunteer, Nate Jacobs, founder and artistic director of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Janice Zarro, Women's Resource Center's Executive Director, and Charlie Huisking, retired from a long career as the arts and entertainment writer for the Herald Tribune, were the the 2013 class of inductees. Of course, these brief descriptions are just the tip of the iceberg of the accomplishments of these four. Each one has been a true leader in our community for many, many years and I am honored to be friends with most of them.
I love to see the video snippets of each inductee. The childhood photos especially are usually "ahhh" inducing and usually the teenage photos are good for a little chuckle, as hairstyles are always, ahem, interesting!
One of the best things about this luncheon is that it always runs on time. You are in and out within an hour, but it does not feel rushed. If you have a flexible schedule, there is also plenty of time afterwards to mix and mingle, as most stay around and chat for at least another hour.
Others seen in the crowd were Lydia McIntire, Gayle Guynup, Larry Thompson, Wendy Resnick, Richard Storm, Renee Pastor, Eva Slane, Roberta Hamilton, Beth Knopik, Pam Truitt, John Horne, Dr. Donal O'Shea, Roberta MacDonald, Bob Turoff, Robin Serbin, Lee Peterson, Susan Featherman, Betsy Kane Hartnett, Kim Githler, Laurey Stryker, Carolyn Spizzirro, Audrey Coleman, Anne Garlington, Marjorie Peter, Betsy Bagby, Dr. Henry Porter, Mary Anne Servian, Iain Webb, Barbara Zdravecky, Nancy Roucher, Scott Atkins, Flori Roberts, Roxanne Joffe, Karin Gustafson, Michael Saunders, Ron and Rita Greenbaum, and oh so many hundreds more.
Chris Pfahler chaired the event for the seventh (!) time and Judy Fiala was once again the emcee. The grande dame of the day though was CVA president and founder, Annette Scherman. What a wonderful gift she has given the community by producing this treasure trove of local history. She mentioned at the luncheon that there have been over 16,000 borrowings for CVA videos over the years.
Isabel Norton, a long-time community volunteer, Nate Jacobs, founder and artistic director of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Janice Zarro, Women's Resource Center's Executive Director, and Charlie Huisking, retired from a long career as the arts and entertainment writer for the Herald Tribune, were the the 2013 class of inductees. Of course, these brief descriptions are just the tip of the iceberg of the accomplishments of these four. Each one has been a true leader in our community for many, many years and I am honored to be friends with most of them.
I love to see the video snippets of each inductee. The childhood photos especially are usually "ahhh" inducing and usually the teenage photos are good for a little chuckle, as hairstyles are always, ahem, interesting!
One of the best things about this luncheon is that it always runs on time. You are in and out within an hour, but it does not feel rushed. If you have a flexible schedule, there is also plenty of time afterwards to mix and mingle, as most stay around and chat for at least another hour.
Others seen in the crowd were Lydia McIntire, Gayle Guynup, Larry Thompson, Wendy Resnick, Richard Storm, Renee Pastor, Eva Slane, Roberta Hamilton, Beth Knopik, Pam Truitt, John Horne, Dr. Donal O'Shea, Roberta MacDonald, Bob Turoff, Robin Serbin, Lee Peterson, Susan Featherman, Betsy Kane Hartnett, Kim Githler, Laurey Stryker, Carolyn Spizzirro, Audrey Coleman, Anne Garlington, Marjorie Peter, Betsy Bagby, Dr. Henry Porter, Mary Anne Servian, Iain Webb, Barbara Zdravecky, Nancy Roucher, Scott Atkins, Flori Roberts, Roxanne Joffe, Karin Gustafson, Michael Saunders, Ron and Rita Greenbaum, and oh so many hundreds more.
Annette Scherman and husband, Bob Drohlich
Judy Cuppy, Janice Zarro, Carol Green
Nate Jacobs (with Betty Schoenbaum on the side!)
Helen McBean and Charlie Huisking
Isabel and Randy Norton
Joel Ellzey and Sally Schule, with Jane Smiley, seated
Kim Wheeler, Heather Clark, and Jennifer Guendjoian
Kimberly Bleach, Susan Buck, and Paul Hudson
Sen. Bob Johnson and Dennis Stover
Dannie Sherrill, Phil Delaney, and Laura Spencer
Shirley and Jim Ritchey with Dorothy Stuart
Renee Hamad and Phil King
Deb Knowles, Susan Jones, and Margaret Wise
Art Wood and Sarah Pappas
Kay Kipling, Pam Daniel, and Ilene Denton
Roxie Jerde and Alice Rau
Tom and Annette Dignam
Peggy Wilhelm and Barbara Collins
Hillary Steele and Scott Anderson with Debbie and Larry Haspel
Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs Reis
Christine Jennings, Julie Leach, and Will Little
Debra Jacobs and Marjorie North
Merry and Stan Williams
Veronica Brady, Lisa Rubinstein, and Bruce Rodgers
Wendy Surkis and Lois Stulberg
Brad Baker and Sandra Terry
Linda DesMarais and Carolyn Michel
Joan Kindred, Victoria Brown, and Linda Higginbotham
Moi and Kelley Lavin
The centerpiece
The entree with a pile of chicken hidden underneath the salad leaves
The dessert, some kind of toffee mousse - one of my favorites at MOE
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