Casita Maria Fiesta Gala 2019
Wepa! The Casita Maria Fiesta Gala was held on a lovely October 15th evening in Manhattan at The Plaza Hotel. The festive annual gala was a benefit for the Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education in the South Bronx. The gala’s international social scene was a cultural mix of royalty, beauty, talent and affluence.
Marvelous guests Adwoa Aboah, Liza and Sergio Alvarez, Peter Bacanovic, Tony Bechara and Carolina von Humboldt, Tina and Simon Beriro, Violaine and John Bernbach, Cathie and Tom Black, Mercedes Bograd-Levin, Martha Bograd, Geoffrey Bradfield, Halim Bulos, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Marie de Foucaud and Renaud de Tilly, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, Susan Gutfreund, Mai Hallingby Harrison, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Alice Kandell, Eleanora Kennedy, Andrew Kepler, Ann-Hunter Van Kirk, Michèle Gerber Klein, Margo Langenberg, Alicia Lubowski, Mary McFadden, Grace and Chris Meigher, Malu and Sergio Millerman, Ann Nitze, Gautam Patel, Tom Quick, Ann Rapp, Pepita Serrano, Hunt Slonem, Benny Tabatabai, Ted Taylor, Barbara and Donald Tober, Monica and Ali Wambold, Daniela Wambold, Marina Wambold and Maria Celis Wirth graced the evening benefit.
The Terrace Room cocktail party had everyone body to body happily mingling and enjoying the open bars and canapés of tiny tacos, duck confit bites , mini sliders and chicken satay. All the while a silent auction was in progress that boasted a rare Picasso art work.
The fun party moved to the Grand Ballroom for a candlelight supper. The awards program conceded between courses of heirloom tomato tart, Herb Seared French Breast of Chicken, carrot Wellington and spinach followed by individual desserts of Baked Alaska filed with chocolate ice cream. The three course dinner was accompanied by generous compliments of wines.
The evening honored Ambassador Mary Dawkins and Brigadier General Peter Dawkins, John Hardy Jewelry, Edgar Legaspi and Juan Montoya with the Casita Maria Gold Medals of Honor. The program honorees took center stage and kept the evening light on speeches yet focused on the serious purpose of the center. The Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education provides innovative arts and educational programming during and after school to over 1000 students daily.
Telenovela star Sissi Fleitas served as a flamboyant mistress of ceremonies. “Casita Maria has been a second home and safe haven for kids and their families for more than 80 years,” introduced Sissi. “It’s really a blessing and an honor to serve as executive director of the first and oldest Latino charity in all of New York City,” said Haydee Morales.
“Welcome! I am here to be brief and grateful,” said Jackie Weld Drake.
“The Casita Maria enterprise is a remarkable one that for decades has done such wonderful things for this community,” said Pete Dawkins upon receiving his Gold Medal. “I would just like to add my congratulations to the other recipients of this wonderful award,” added Mary Dawkins. “To see such kindness and thoughtfulness at Casita really touched my heart,” said Juan Montoya. “Community and support are the most important things we can nurture. You all are an inspiration.”
Edgar Legaspi on stage con la familla, said, “We believe we have a mission to help people through education. I would like to encourage people to help Casita. It’s not about money, it’s about effort and time.” John Hardy Jewelry’s CEO Kareem Gahed, said, “Thank you from all of the generations of artisans, wax carvers, chain weavers, inspired employees, and passionate leaders at John Hardy.” The beautiful supermodel Adwoa Aboah attended the gala with Gahed. The stunning Brit Adwoa is the latest face of John Hardy Jewelry.
The dance floor beckoned with Bob Hardwick’s Sounds. The live band played Swing, Symphony, Latin and Soul/ R&B old school standards.
Felicitaciones for the hottest gala in town goes to the Dinner Chairmen Jacqueline Weld Drake, HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Urban Karlsson, Mary Snow, and Joan Steinberg and Pachanga Chairs co-chairs Victor Roquette and Sabrina Wirth. Honorary Chairmen were Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Elizabeth Peabody and Carlos Souza.
The glamouroso fiesta was a great success raising much of funds for the operating budget of the oldest Latin charity in New York City .
