Orlando Life - People and Places with Paula

PEOPLE & PLACES

with paula

Artsy Birthdays

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PLUS COURAGEOUS KIDS AND A GREAT HOUSE WARMING.

f you’re going to celebrate your birthday in style, you might as

well invite a legendary French fashion designer to the event, n’est-ce pas?

Well, Christian Lacroix wasn’t exactly on the guest list of Exposé, the gala celebrating the Orlando Ballet’s 40th year. But then, neither was Mikail Baryshnikov. Both had a presence in the

PHOTOS: RAFAEL TONGOL

Costumes from the American Ballet Theatre’s 1988 production of Gaîté Parisienne were on full display at the Exposé gala celebrating the Orlando Ballet’s 40th anniversary

celebration just the same.

As part of the festivities, the American Ballet Theatre was kind enough to send the colorful costumes created for its 1988 production of Gaîté Parisienne to go on display — first at the Neiman Marcus store at The Mall at Millenia, then as part of the Exposé soiree at the new Aloft Hotel.

The costumes were designed by Lacroix at Baryshnikov’s request.

Sending them to Orlando was a generous gesture on behalf of ABT. It was one heck of a birthday present and a sentimental moment for Orlando Ballet’s artistic director, Robert Hill, a former principal dancer at ABT who was in the cast of Gaîté Parisienne.

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Hope is the sparkle we bring.

P h o t o co u r t e s y o f t h e Nielsens Photography & Design

For tickets, sponsorships and additional information, please contact us at 407-802-1544 or info@runwaytohope.org.

S AT U R DAY, M AY 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 , a t R O S E N S H I N G L E C R E E K Join us at Runway to Hope’s Spring Fashion Soiree for an unforgettable evening celebrating the bravery, hope and beauty of more than 90 children fighting pediatric cancer.

Let’s hold hands. Let’s walk together. Let’s end childhood cancer.

Benefitting pediatric oncology programs at:

r u n wa y t o h o p e.o rg

PEOPLE AND PLACES

with paula

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Spoon Full of Sugar

When I heard that I could dust off my hat and break out my pearls to join a ballroom full of the coolest ladies in Orlando for a classic afternoon of tea and sweets, I sweetly clicked “yes” on the invite from Kids Beating Cancer’s Spoon Full of Sugar event.

There was a lovely spring fashion show provided by Macy’s, whose emcee was my friend and WFTV Channel 9 anchorwoman Vanessa Echols, who always arrives emanating a built-in style and grace all her own.

The event, which was held at the new Alfond Inn in Winter Park, boasted a long list of partners: Florida Pediatric Associates, Embraced by Grace and Florida Child Neurology, just to name a few.

And, of course, my heart melted at the sight of the kids, who were not only in attendance but were also part of the fashion show. As they shared tea with committee chair Donna Boyer, I enjoyed chatting it up with Shane Nguyen Barr and Bob Delvecchio.

Kids Beating Cancer was created in 1992 by Margaret Voight Guedes in memory of her son, John, who lost his battle with leukemia earlier that year. I love being around Margaret. She brings an elegant passion to all she does.

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1. Emily Scotson, Donna Boyer, Tari Kazaros 2. Kaitlin Silviano, Desi Garrison, Patsy Kruppenbacher, Logan Finney 3. Joshua Chambers, Erica Barr 4. Shane Nguyen Barr, Donna Boyer, Paula Wyatt, Erica Barr 5. Margaret Guedes, Donna Boyer, Dawn Mateer 6-8. The Party at the Plaza raised big bucks for the Orlando Phil

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PHOTOS: (bottom left and top right) jarred paluzzi

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Party at the Plaza

This year’s annual fundraiser for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra doubled as a housewarming party.

A crowd of more than 400 attended the Party at the Plaza — meaning the Plaza Live Theatre, a renovated, two-screen movie theater that the Phil purchased last year as its office, rehearsal and 62

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performance space.

Previous galas were seated dinners with full-orchestra performances. This one offered more of a variety-show format, and included musical performers ranging from folk to funk to classical.

The evening was topped off by long-time favorite Michael Andrew & The Atomic Big Band.

David Schillhammer, the Phil’s executive director, said the event netted over $70,000 — more than any of the orchestra’s past three galas.

1. Derrick and Stacey Cox; Brenda and Jim Wetmore 2-3. Guests admire the Old Masters at OMA’s 90th birthday celebration 4. Jennifer Gordon, Tyra Dance, Linda Santiago, Betty Ross, Joseph Rosier 5. Harry Sykes

OMA’s 90th

We were impressed by the ballet’s costume party, but in terms of the guest list — well, you couldn’t have a more distinguished roster than the Orlando Museum of Art welcomed at its 90 birthday party.

Let’s just take a peek at that guest list: Peter Paul Rubens and Thomas Gainsborough were on hand, for starters. And we’re all on a first-name basis with that other fellow that nobody could keep their eyes off of: Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.

One of the most lively crowds ever to gather at the museum savored snacks and conversation in the lobby, listened to opening remarks, then filtered in to see the exhibit: Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and the Golden Age of Painting in Europe.

Talk about great birthday presents: The exhibit, which is on loan from the Speed Museum in Louisville, will be on display through May 25. n ORLANDO-LIFE.COM

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THERE’S MORE ONLINE

Using your mobile device, scan the QR code or go to orlando-life.com and see more pictures and stories from these and other events held throughout Central Florida.

Native Floridian Paula Wyatt is an Orlando event planner, social-media expert and entrepreneur whose companies include Posh Able Events, Posh Able Image Builders and the nonprofit Posh Abilities. You can reach her at paula@ poshableevents.com.

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PHOTOS: jarred paluzzi

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