| EVENT REPORT 06.05.06 9:00 PM |
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| Wines, Spirits, and Celebs Turn Up for Make-A-Wish |
| Changing venues for the first time in its 13-year history, the annual "Uncork a Wish" gala quenched guests' thirst at the Design Center. |
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| It wasn't just the change of venue from the Barker Hangar to the Pacific Design Center (PDC) that upped the ante for this year's greater Los Angeles Make-A-Wish Foundation benefit. Cheri Lauterbach, the chapter's director of development, said that interactive experiences—like photos with Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher—made this year's "Uncork a Wish" wine tasting and auction "transcend the typical wine tasting and auction event." |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | | The Make-A-Wish Foundation benefit at the Pacific Design Center sold out and raised nearly $300,000 for the organization. |
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 | | Servers poured Belvedere martinis at an ice bar by Carving Ice. |
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 | | More than 40 works of art were supplied by Santa Monica's Gallery 319 and Art One Gallery for auction. |
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 | | Participating restaurants included BOA Steakhouse, Crustacean, and Arnie Morton's of Chicago. |
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Fans took pictures with Hatcher for $100 a pop; she alone raised $3,000 in 30 minutes. All told, the event raised nearly $300,000 to fulfill wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses in Los Angeles County. Lauterbach said that the move to the stylish space at PDC from the airport venue made for a more centrally located and desirable event, and the sold-out evening was one of the most successful fund-raisers in the organization's history.
For guests, the evening was all about grazing and gawking. They sipped Veuve Clicquot rosé champagne while perusing row after row of silent auction packages. Moving into the main event space, people stopped at the ice bar created and donated by Carving Ice, where so-called "celebrity bartenders" like Cris Judd, Kate Linder, and Matt Gallant served Belvedere vodka martinis (well, celebrities of a sort—those would be, respectively, one of Jennifer Lopez’s ex-husbands, a longtime Young and the Restless star, and the host of American Inventor). There was a table for Glen Morangie Scotch whiskeys, and the INBEV Corporation served a selection of European beer in a lounge and beer garden. Wine buffs enjoyed more than 100 wines from one of the evening's main sponsors, the Wine House.
A smattering of L.A.'s top restaurants supplied fare like seared beef tenderloin on crostini with onion confit and horseradish cream from BOA Steakhouse; crispy shrimp mousse rolls from Crustacean; poached Moroccan chicken with spring vegetables from Noe; shrimp ceviche and spicy tuna hand rolls from Sushi Roku; and lobster tortellini from San Gennaro Café. Lines were longest at the Pink's hot dog cart set up outside, the Beverly Hills Cheese Store's cheese slicing station, and Dandy Don's build-your-own-sundae cart.
Santa Monica's Gallery 319 and Art One Gallery supplied 40 works of art for auction, and artist Thom Bierdz created a painting right in the middle of the room during the party. Lauterbach said that next year she wants to triple the art gallery because of its success. While the likes of Hatcher, Penny Marshall, Bruce Valanche, and Project Runway’s Santino Rice mixed and mingled, stars twinkled overhead thanks to lighting designs by Kinetic Lighting. The idea was to go with something clean and unobtrusive—to enhance the space and not overwhelm it. Tables dressed in black and white with silver shooting star centerpieces were set up near the stage for the celebrity-filled live auction.
—Lesley Balla
Posted 06.06.06
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