Lifestyles

Come Fly With Us

If you were wondering where all the fabulous people were this weekend, you should have followed the line of cocktail couture that was floating into the Westin on Saturday evening, where 300 beauties and their beaus took off with the Ladies Hospital Aid Society for the Come Fly With Us Gala.

Ah, 'tis the season for gorgeous gowns and black ties 'n tails (not to mention a kilt or two), and from where we were perched, the scenery never looked better.

Butterfly fairies escorted us into the ballroom that was transformed into a luxurious cocoon with walls draped in delicate white satin and lilac chiffon panels softly lit with lavender and fuscia accents. Illuminated centerpieces of delphiniums and orchids in vision vases sprinkled with crystal pebbles added to an amazing ambiance a la Bonnie Walker Events.

Amongst the winged beauties we spotted co-chairs Lisa Gaydos (with Joe), Sally Weigler Golden (with Tom), Carole Miner Schuman (with Dr. Joel) and prexy Laura Penrod Kronk (with Claude) striking a pose with honorary chair Jai Pausch, who later in the evening gave a moving tribute to her late husband Dr. Randy Pausch that was lauded with an immediate standing "O."

But leave it to Gary Racan and the studio-e Band to keep our heels glued to the dance floor for the entire evening; the only time we stopped twisting and shouting was when they turned off their mic's in order to force us to return to our chairs and slice into a mouthwatering hazelnut-crusted filet mignon and black cod. See you next summer, Willpower!

Waving our forks in sweet surrender, for once we left our desserts sitting abandoned at the table in favor of feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! with a Conga line of dancing queens (and kings) that snaked its way through the ballroom at least three times.

Shame on you if you missed this one, because we didn't just fly ... we soared!

Having the time of their lives and raising an impressive $800K to benefit research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Digestive Disorder Center were John and Charlene Innocenti; Craig and Lori Skovranko; Dr. David and Chris Whitcomb; Drs. Randy and Rhonda Brand; Dr. Kevin and Linda McGrath; Dr. Adam and Carrie Slivka; Dr. Herb and Kelly Zeh; Drs. A. James Moser and Susanne Hartmann; Drs. Miguel and Carol Regueiro; Dr. Robert Schoen and Nancy Bernstein; Dr. Michael Dunn; Dr. Micky and Lynn Collins; Dr. Mark and Eileen Lovell; Dr. Burton and Marolee Pollock; Drs. Loren and Ellen Roth; Dr. P. David and Barbara Adelson; Judge Robert and Violet Gallo; Frank and Athena Sarris (they generously donated our boxes of chocolate); Mary Beth and Tom Hacke; Dr. Terry and Jody Starz; Jackie Dixon; Jack and Dolly Warwick; Cindy and Dennis Mitrik; Cate Linn; and Dr. Jeffrey and Susan Varga.

Also, Erin and Jason Caffrey; Julie and Lou Ferraro; Lisa and Scott Solano (in from the Windy City); Florence Allen; Connie and Patrick Ionadi; Lisa Kapinski; Adele Towers and Mark Wolynn; Drs. Elizabeth and Stephen O'Keefe; June Yonas; Nancy Sansom; Midge Stanoszek; Gayle and Carl Zacharia; Dr. Randy and Karen Werrin; Lu Lu and Raymond McKinney; Diane and Rick Stanoszek; Christopher and Peggy Mihailoff; and emcee Sally Wiggin.

Cookie Cruise

Cookie monsters from near and far were waving bon voyage from the Gateway Clipper Docks at Station Square on Tuesday as they set sail on the Majestic for the Bob O'Connor Cookie Cruise. Sweetaholics, can you say floating Mecca?

Judy, Heidi and Corey O'Connor were there to welcome more than 1,000 of us aboard, along with Father Terry O'Connor and a shipful of politicos including Mark Flaherty, Jack Wagner and Hizzoner Ravenstahl. And while we tried our best to casually meander our way over to the endless platefuls of baked goods, I'll be the first to admit that my stilettos were sprinting.

So, just how many cookies were escorting us down river? "Let's just say there's a lot of dough on this boat!" laughed Dick Skrinjar.

Chips ahoy, matey!

Enjoying every last bite of this cookie caper that raised $30K for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society were Eleanor Solomon; JoAnn Partridge; Cindy Wilson; Paul McKrell and Abby McClure; Yarone Zober; Gloria Sheffield; Debbie Heiser; Jane Barna; Marian Riedling; and Ralph Gilbert.

Twinkle Toes

A troupe of more than 500 of us were en pointe-ing our way down to Hartwood Acres on Thursday for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's Ballet Under the Stars, where we were fully prepared to spread out the blankets and let the green grass soothe our weary soles before an untimely torrential downpour had us pirouetting back to our cars midway through the first performance. Tu-tu bad!

Prior to the guest appearance by Mother Nature, VIPs got their grill on during a private picnic backstage where we limbered up with more than a dozen artists, as well as artistic director Terrence Orr and executive director Harris Ferris as we ushered in the 40th anniversary season of the PBT.

Stage left we spotted Joe and Kathie Salpietro; LeRoy and Ann Metz; Richard Rauh; Jim and Frances Hardie; Dona and Tom Hotopp; and Arlene Sokolow.

Frockin' Friday

You know it's going to be an evening of abfab proportions when the gals get together and charter a van for their Friday Night Festivities.

"There are fourteen girls from our neighborhood who all came together," laughed Lu Stewart, Gayle Manning, Christine Castriota and Nancy Sestrich as they enjoyed the company of 400 fellow fashionistas (another sell out!) for Carabella's "My Fair Lady" runway show that raised $70K for the Greater Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Association.

Indeed, Master of Ceremonies Jim Roddey (looking tres chic in his seersucker suit) charmed our 'Choo's off before the lights dimmed and the aisles of the retro-iffic Oaks Theater transformed into catwalks, the funky grooves from the DJ pulsating through our fashion-starved soles.

Amongst the bold and the beautiful were GPAA prez Bob LeRoy; Angela Grimm; Carabella's Carol Kinkela; Judy Woffington; Jill Brodbeck; Roseanne Wholey with daughter Lauren; Gina Ziegler; Jackie Alger; Dara Henne; Ruth Thompson; and Cari Tarasi.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Saturday, Aug. 29

A Gift of Hope: From the Hills of Pittsburgh to the Mountains of Haiti -- FLM of Haiti, 412-471-4332

Aug. 31

Augere Auction -- Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, PCA, Shadyside 412-361-0873 x302

Sept. 2

Savor Pittsburgh -- American Respiratory Alliance, SouthSide Works, 724-772-1750

Best of Pittsburgh Party -- Pittsburgh Magazine, Warhol Museum, 412-622-1497

Sept. 9

Enchanted Evening Gala -- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Hall, 412-392-6070

Players for Kids Gala -- Pittsburgh Kids Foundation, Westin Convention Center Hotel, 412-231-2353

Sept. 11

H'Art & Soul of Haiti -- Friends of Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti, Bakery Square, 412-361-4884

Mother's Hope Foundation - Rainbow and Roses Benefit Evening, Westin Convention Center Hotel, 412-343-3516

Sept. 12

Steel City Big Pour -- Construction Junction, 412-243-5025

Imani Gala -- Imani Christian Academy, Sewickley residence, 412-741-8398

Family House Polo Match, Hartwood Acres, 412-647-7656

Sept. 13

Mexican War Streets House and Garden Tour, 412-323-9030

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