The Civilized Life in Sarasota: All the Pink Girls

Saks Fifth Avenue was a sea of pink last night at Sarasota Memorial Heathcare Foundation's Key to the Cure party. The store was so full of the 650 men and women, that even though I was there for a couple of hours, I still didn't see everyone. In fact, when I arrived, there was a line extending out the door with people just waiting to get in. The committee must have been thrilled! The parking was quite a pain, though for a nice touch, they did have golf carts picking up people from the outer Mongolia areas and taking them to the door. I appreciated that feature when I was trying to get back to my car in the dark.

There were food stations galore (Flemings, Libby's, Mattisons, Michael's On East, Roy's, Cosimo's, etc.), though I did not have one bite, which is usual for me. I cannot stand to be walking around talking to people worrying about if there is food in my teeth or not, so I solve that by never eating at these things.

Even though it was so terrific to have such a large attendance, it was difficult to hear and to move around. I couldn't see the runway program to save my soul, so I left before the winners of the Breast in Show (love, love, love the name!) were announced. If you know who won, feel free to list the winners in the comment section. Some who were finalists in the many categories were Kim Hull, Sue Lee, Paula Lambert, Pure Barre, Massimiliano and Rochelle Nigri, James and Alene Fowler, Suzy Kalin, Deb Knowles, Miqui Lora, Susan Jones, Darla O'Brien, Allison Lerario and the Sarasota Ballet.

This is definitely an event you want to attend if you want to see a good mix of people. There were many people there whom I had never seen before. I think with the low ticket price, it encourages a wide variety of people to attend. There were lots of silent auction items, though I could never get close enough to even see them, let alone bid. SMH Fdn. staff Lisa Intagliata and Kaye Chase did a fab job of putting it altogether, along with the chairs, Sally Schule, Kyla Weiner and Susan Jones. Susan's sparkly pink make-up was just a gorgeous sparkle fest!

I was talking with Alex Quarles, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation's CEO, and noticed she had a glittery pink breast cancer awareness ribbon "tattoo" on her neck, Leslie Loftus and I had to assure her it did not look like a hickey from the make-out sessions of our youth. A question - do kids still give hickeys? Ewww....By the way, the tattoo looked very pretty on Alex.

Lots of familiar faces in the crowd. In addition to those pictured below - Marsha Panuce, Albert Joerger (wife Pauline was at a spa on the other coast), Bea Elden, Julie Milton, Jane Kiebitz - just back from England, Gina Clamage, Kathryn Carr, Sarasota Memorial Hospital CEO Gwen MacKenzie, Dr. Paul Brennan, Dr. Heidi Anderson, newlywed Beth Cannata-Keefe, Ron and Pat Pantello, Chip Gaylor, Jody Fountain, Vanessa Opstal, Andrea Hillebrand, Monica Barth, Alisa Pettigell, Ann Moore, Bob Plunket, Susie Bowie, Jocie Stevens, Dick Donegan, Joy Naylor, Mia McCormick, Susan Kenyon, Bev and Dr. James Marsh, Elle and Dr, Bill McComb, Barbara Banks, Charlie Ann Syprett, Betty Intagliata - proud mom of Lisa, Jan Chester, Terri and Michael Klauber, Veronica Brady, Donna Barcomb, Helen Sosso, Penny Hill and Ann Logan.