Flapper girls, newspaper boys, and mobsters interacted with guests as part of the Swanky Speakeasy theme at the fifth annual Scarlett Ball, held Saturday in support of the West Park Healthcare Centre Foundation at the new Allstream Centre. Heather Hurst, the foundation's president and C.E.O., called on Roni Feldman & Associates to produce the benefit, which is the organization's signature fund-raising event.
"Last year we did a French Moulin Rouge theme, and at the end of the event I decided I wanted to do a speakeasy, dirty '30s theme. The vision was to really do something exciting and different," said Feldman, who organized a number of interactive activities designed to raise additional funds for the foundation, including Scotch tastings and casino games. Guests could also purchase flowers, pearls, armbands, and head dresses to add a vintage look to their outfits.
Feldman also called on a variety of entertainers to interact with guests throughout the evening. Newspaper boys attracted attention to the silent auction during the cocktail reception, and escape artists, tap dancers, and contortionists performed in the dining room, where red fabric draped the walls and red linens topped tables.
Servers from the Butler Did It passed hors d'oeuvres from Cerise Fine Catering, including duck confit on crispy risotto cakes and house-smoked salmon on buckwheat blinis. Then chef Stephen Ricci served a meal that began with a roasted-tomato soup followed by a grilled asparagus salad with red and yellow beets, frisée, and goat cheese crumbles. The main course included cranberry-stuffed Cornish hen on a pommery mustard reduction and petit filet on a red-wine reduction with sweet potato galette, baby carrot batons, and Swiss chard shoots. Cerise served a raspberry mascarpone tart with rolled white chocolate and a chocolate cookie for dessert.
Following dinner, guests moved into the casino-themed after-party where they could make a donation to play roulette, craps, poker, and black jack. "It's all to do with the theme and to raise money [for the rehabilitation and long-term care facility]," Feldman said.
Event sponsors included Ozz Electric, Enbridge, TD Bank Financial Group, CIBC, Shoppers HomeHealthCare, Aird & Berlis L.L.P., Royal de Versailles, TransCanada, The National Post, and Eagles Nest Golf Club.
