| Original article "A clothes call, 'Cabildo' live: Men and Women of Fashion and a night at the opera"written by Nell Nolan, Social columnist, The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, June 13, 2009
On a recent Tuesday, and chaired by dynamic duo Jacquee Carvin and Teresa Guzzetta, Men and Women of Fashion and the New Orleans Ballet Association held their 37th annual Prix d'Elegance Luncheon at the Hilton Riverside.
Proceeds benefitted the nationally award-winning education programs and scholarship funds for talented young dancers of the New Orleans Ballet Association.
The first social pirouetting started at 10 a.m. with a patron party and then moved into the excitement of auctions, silent and live; lunch; and a "spectacular spring fashion show" by Jeff's Haberdashery and Mimi. Bride-to-be Cheryl Mintz modeled a wedding gown, and, according to a luncheon principal, her appearance "brought the house down."
Particular thanks targeted jewelers Friend & Company for the pearl necklace that Pat Friend and Sheila Davlin auctioned from the runway. Alvin R. Alba "won" the lovely orbs. More notables were MoF president R.K. Hoddinott III, WoF president Kathleen Mix, mistress of ceremonies Juli Miller Hart, NOBA executive director Jenny Hamilton, and Debbie Alciatore, president of NOBA's support group, BRAVO.
...the apex of the ado is the presentation of the Best Dressed honorees, and the preceding year is acknowledged. The 2008 male honorees were Bobby Asaro, Brett Bauman, Calvin Fayard, Byron Harrell, Dr. Corey Hebert, Alexis Hocevar, Shelby P. LaSalle Jr., Newell Normand, Carl Panebiango and Ted Selogie.
In addition to lively Sheila Davlin, the luncheon's committee chairmen were Sandra Chaisson, Christie Mintz (mom of Cheryl), Ann Colfry, Betty Davidson, Jamie Moreau, Virginia Eckholdt, twins Joan Ingram and Jean Rice, Juan Barona, and the above Jenny. Their committee counted 45 stalwarts.
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As always, the apex of the ado is the presentation of the Best Dressed honorees, and the preceding year is acknowledged. The 2008 male honorees were Bobby Asaro, Brett Bauman, Calvin Fayard, Byron Harrell, Dr. Corey Hebert, Alexis Hocevar, Shelby P. LaSalle Jr., Newell Normand, Carl Panebiango and Ted Selogie. Their distaff counterparts were Cat Wall Aschaffenburg, Toni Bachmann, Dr. Laura Badeaux, Nancy D'Amico, Myra H. deGersdorff, Judy Rush Eckhardt, Kay McArdle, Helena Moreno, Joyce Pulitzer and Cathy L. Vaughn. Blaine Kern and Mimi Bowen stepped into the limelight as Hall of Fame-rs.
Applauding the honorees, who are selected for both sartorial and community contributions, were Mike Winters, John Eckholdt, Ken and Virginia Pickering, Charlotte Bollinger, Betty Noe, Kelley Faucheux, Yvonne LaFleur, and Zachary Curry of the Ritz-Carlton, which sponsored the nominees' party. New names, which will be credited to 2009, are now being thought up for the honorary tapping.
Elsewhere, opera was the operative! More than 100 guests gathered in the beautiful, historic courtyard of the Louisiana State Museum for an evening of opera, champagne and dinner, which unfolded very nearby on the second floor of Muriel's Restaurant overlooking Jackson Square. The Louisiana Museum Foundation, in partnership with impressario Keith Marshall and Music@Madewood, presented "Cabildo" in the story line's setting for the first time. Written in 1932 by Amy Beach of Boston, the plot treats Pirate Lafitte, a prisoner in the-then jail of the Cabildo. Applauded were Houston's Opera Vista, conductor Viswa Subbaraman, the cast and three-piece chamber ensemble, and director Joe Carl White.
Local luminaries included Robert Lyall of the New Orleans Opera Association (who was honored), actor Bryan Batt as the evening's auctioneer, high bidders Harold and Celeste Judell and Dorothy Clyne, Jan Wooten and Beth Cook for the flowers, Millie Ball (Mrs. Keith Marshall), LMF prez Tommy Westervelt, event co-chairwomen Alma Slatten and Joy Hodges, co-chairman Dick Wolf and spouse Perk, LMF membership chairman Mary Pollard with Miles, Philip Woollam, Phyllis Taylor, Susan Talley, Jay Guillot, Quarterites Dr. Ralph and Pam Lupin, LMF executive director Susan Maclay with Don, Mrs. Burt Turner, Jim and Betty Doss, Heather and Peter Tattersall, Dana and Steve Hansell, and Judge and Mrs. Marvin Gahagan.
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