Casita
Maria, the first charitable organization to serve the Hispanic population
in New York City, hosted their annual FIESTA on Tuesday, October 13,
2009 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. The event was a
glamorous black-tie dinner dance that celebrated the completion of the
new Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education. This year’s honorees
were philanthropist and business leader Adrienne Arsht, philanthropist
Lorenza Dipp de Torres Lample and celebrated handbag designer Nancy Gonzalez.
FIESTA dinner chairmen were Jacqueline Weld Drake, Aileen Mehle and H.R.H.
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia.
FIESTA began with cocktails at 7:30 PM
in the Lobby Lounge overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park where
Atlantico Rum served the evening’s signature drink, Dominican Highballs.
Following cocktails was dinner and dancing at 8:30 PM in the Ballroom.
During dinner, Adrienne Arsht, Lorenza Dipp de Torres Lample and Nancy
Gonzalez accepted the Gold Medal of Honor for their extraordinary accomplishments
and humanitarian contributions to the community at large and to the Hispanic
community in particular. Presenters of the award included Maggie Rodriguez,
presenting to Ms. Arsht, Gaetana Enders, presenting to Ms. Dipp de Torres
Lample, and Pamela Fiori, presenting to Ms. Gonzalez. Mario Buatta and
the CBS Early Show’s Maggie Rodriguez acted as Masters of Ceremony.
Music was provided by the Bob Hardwick Sound throughout the evening where
expected attendees Nina Garcia, Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton, Robert
Verdi, Oluchi Orlandi, Dayssi Olarte de and Paul Kanavos, Christian Cota,
Lauren Santo Domingo, Brian Reyes, Bibhu Mohapatra, Zani Gugelmann, Jamee
and Peter Gregory, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Somers and Jonathan Farkas, Daisy
and Paul Soros, Grace and Chris Meigher, Tom Quick, Natalia and Sebastian
Echavarria, Emanuela De Paula, Angel Sanchez, Alyssa Miller, Elena Baguci,
Audrey and Martin Gruss, Ann and Bill Nitze, Allison and Peter Rockefeller,
Violaine and John Bernbach, Marife Hernandez & Joel Bell, Alexandra
and Jose Maria Trullols, Sharon Sondes and Geoff Thomas, American Ballet
Theatre Principal Marcelo Gomes, Michelle Harper, Paolo Costagli, Maria
Luisa and Sasha Leviant, Adrienne and Gianluigi Vittadini, Valentin and
Yaz Hernandez, Roman and Helena Martinez, Tina and Simon Beriro, Gillian & Sylvester
Miniter, Ann Rapp and Roy Kean, Frances Scaife and Tom McCarter, Former
Governor of Puerto Rico the Honorable Sila Calderon, Agnes Gund, Dana
Gers, Blair Clarke, Lauren Goodman, Santiago Barberi Gonzalez, Tony Bechara,
and Barbara and Donald Tober hit the dance floor.
Preceding the gala,
honoree Nancy Gonzalez hosted a special cocktail party in her showroom
on October 1 to kick off the event and honor the FIESTA and Pachanga
chairs and the FIESTA and Pachanga committees.
Additionally, Casita Maria
supporters witnessed the official opening of the remarkable new Casita
Maria Center for Arts and Education at a ribbon cutting ceremony that
took place on October 2. The 90,000sq ft building houses state of the
art facilities, carefully designed classrooms, and fully equipped studios
allowing the organization to triple the number of New York City students
able to participate in their arts and education programs. During the
day, the building will also be home to the Bronx Studio School for Writers
and Artists.
