The DeBartolo Family Foundation held its third annual All-Star Charity Gala at Tampa's A La Carte Pavilion. This year, Jackie Baca d'Ambrosio, foundation liaison, and the DeBartolo committee worked with Megan Fitzpatrick and Corina Wian of A La Carte to create a party with an Asian theme.
The nonprofit organization holds the annual gala to benefit local charities, drawing hundreds of guests, including celebrities. This year, stars from the sports and entertainment industries, such as Gary Sheffield and Tino Martinez from the New York Yankees and Kevin Sorbo of TV's Hercules, joined the festivities and posed for photos with the crowd.
The DeBartolos wanted a Zen-like atmosphere, so Fitzpatrick and Wian incorporated Asian details everywhere, from the lighting to the menu. Guests entered the main dining area via a bridge over a burbling pond and rubbed the belly of a six-foot Buddha. Incense burned throughout the evening, and gobos of bamboo were projected onto the walls. Long rectangular tables were covered with lime green linens and black bamboo runners; round tables were dressed in black pinstriped linens with green accents. Centerpieces varied from table to table, but all included green cymbidium orchids, Fuji mums, and calla lilies set in tall cylindrical or square vases with river rocks. Minimal lighting reinforced the peaceful atmosphere. White circular rice paper lanterns hung from the lights; spotlights focused over each table, which had Chinese food containers filled with fortune cookies.
The menu included appetizers of yellowfin tuna on lotus crisps with daikon salad, and vintage rice wine-marinated duck with Asian sauce and plum reduction. The main course choices were seared shrimp with jasmine rice sushi cake topped with coconut tomato cream and cilantro pesto and wasabi-crusted filet mignon with vegetables. A dark chocolate coconut bowl with coconut sorbet and green tea cookies was served for dessert.
—Lynn Footlick and Vanessa Goyanes
Photos: Stephen Rudd
The nonprofit organization holds the annual gala to benefit local charities, drawing hundreds of guests, including celebrities. This year, stars from the sports and entertainment industries, such as Gary Sheffield and Tino Martinez from the New York Yankees and Kevin Sorbo of TV's Hercules, joined the festivities and posed for photos with the crowd.
The DeBartolos wanted a Zen-like atmosphere, so Fitzpatrick and Wian incorporated Asian details everywhere, from the lighting to the menu. Guests entered the main dining area via a bridge over a burbling pond and rubbed the belly of a six-foot Buddha. Incense burned throughout the evening, and gobos of bamboo were projected onto the walls. Long rectangular tables were covered with lime green linens and black bamboo runners; round tables were dressed in black pinstriped linens with green accents. Centerpieces varied from table to table, but all included green cymbidium orchids, Fuji mums, and calla lilies set in tall cylindrical or square vases with river rocks. Minimal lighting reinforced the peaceful atmosphere. White circular rice paper lanterns hung from the lights; spotlights focused over each table, which had Chinese food containers filled with fortune cookies.
The menu included appetizers of yellowfin tuna on lotus crisps with daikon salad, and vintage rice wine-marinated duck with Asian sauce and plum reduction. The main course choices were seared shrimp with jasmine rice sushi cake topped with coconut tomato cream and cilantro pesto and wasabi-crusted filet mignon with vegetables. A dark chocolate coconut bowl with coconut sorbet and green tea cookies was served for dessert.
—Lynn Footlick and Vanessa Goyanes
Photos: Stephen Rudd