Author Archives: Chuck Gregory

Golden Gate Express Premiere Gala

 Wed, Nov. 19

 

 

The Golden Gate Express™ Premiere Gala

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 6:30 pm

Patron VIP reception at 5:30 pm

The romance of the rails comes to San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers this holiday season as we present the debut of the Golden Gate Express™ Garden Railway and the Premiere Gala. You are invited to preview this remarkable new exhibit while you enjoy a gala evening event amongst the exotic flora in San Francisco's crown jewel of Victorian architecture.

This delightful Conservatory exhibition celebrates the city of San Francisco as model G-gauge trains wend their way through a lush landscape of dwarf plants and flowers and steam past twelve of the city's landmark buildings. From City Hall to the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco's most famous places provide a magical, exciting setting for this special holiday attraction that will captivate young and old alike. Added attractions include a vintage train seating area, the "Donor Depot", costumed conductors and interpretive materials about the development of San Francisco and its railways including a youth-created DVD about James Lick, the Bay Area tycoon who brought the Conservatory to California.

 


photo: Billy Winters

Gala guests will be the first to see "The Golden Gate Express" and have the rare chance to experience the Conservatory at night. There is nothing quite like an evening in this historic greenhouse as the lights illuminate the grounds and sky to transform the building and its tropical plant collections into a glowing oasis in the park.

 

Guests will enjoy the new signature "Golden Gate Express" cocktail, premium wines, "Station Stops" of tantalizing treats provided by McCall Catering and live music.

Space is limited, become a patron and get your tickets now. Be the first to come aboard "The Golden Gate Express"!

All proceeds from tickets, benefit drawing and sponsorship will support the Conservatory of Flowers youth environmental education programs.

ARTISTIC DESIGN

Chip Sullivan, noted Professor of Landscape Architecture at UC Berkeley, has designed an engaging and interactive Garden Railway experience to captivate the young and the young at heart. Enjoy Professor Sullivan's artistry: http://www.gonzogardens.com/index.html

CORPORATE CONDUCTORS:

RAIL BARON BENEFIT DRAWING:
Dolores & Bob Gebhardt

English Garden Tea Room

Eva & Mike Monroe

San Francisco 49ers

Tiffany & Co.

Pat & Clay Thomson

Colette Weil & James R. Parrinello

Missy Fox Trumbore

(Partial listing)

Click here for more info on Rail Baron Benefit Drawing

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

Sponsorship packages are available for corporations. Please contact our Director of Development, Jane Scurich at 415-831-2093 or jscurich@sfcof.org for more information.

HISTORY AND MEDIA

The Conservatory of Flowers first opened to the public in 1879. Among the original twenty-seven kit purchasers were two of San Francisco's Big Four transcendental railroad developers, Leland Stanford and Charles Crocker. In 1883 Stanford began running a steam train along the street now named Lincoln Way from Stanyan to Ocean beach.

The venerable Conservatory of Flowers was a distinctive landmark and popular attraction. A severe wind storm caused devastating damage to the Conservatory in 1995. A grass roots effort to Save the Conservatory resulted in a $25 million renovation with the Conservatory officially reopening in September 2003. The Conservatory has received numerous local, state and national awards.

Click here to purchase tickets



Yves Saint Laurent ArtPoint Party

Thu, Nov. 13

Where de Young Museum – 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive – San Francisco, CA

Time 7:30 PM – 11:30 PM

Cost $60 / $125 VIP Party

Join ArtPoint for an after-hours viewing and cocktail party in honor of this highly anticipated exhibition. Guests are invited to celebrate Yves Saint Laurent's legacy with designer drinks, hors d'oeuvres and dancing in Wilsey Court as DJ Andreas spins deep house grooves.

VIP guests enjoy a pre-party, a tour of this stunning exhibition and access to the exclusive VIP Lounge with evening-long open bar and specialty hors d'oeuvres. The main event begins right after the VIP party (admission to that portion of the event is included).

This retrospective exhibition celebrates the eternal style of the most influential designer of the second half of the 20th century. The quintessentially chic Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) is famed for reworking the rules of fashion to create an exquisite new modern wardrobe that both empowered and liberated women, most radically during the heady days of the late 1960s. Said Saint Laurent, “I wanted to serve women, their bodies, their attitudes and gestures

Mama's Rockin' Eve 2

Nov. 8, 2008

Mama's Rockin' Eve 2 is a motorcycle poker run/concert fund-raiser for Turning Point, a shelter and advocacy organization for survivors of domestic violence. Registration starts at 11 a.m., with riders out by 1 p.m. and due back by 5 p.m. ALL rides are welcome and prizes abound! Following the run, the party will continue into the night with smokin' blues band WSNB, hot licks by Matter of Fact and the sweet wailin' voice of Melissa McKinney. Come early and stay late so you won't miss any action! Donations of canned food and paper products are needed and appreciated. INFO: www.myspace.com/mamasrockineve.

Charity Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament

Nov. 15

Join us for an evening of fun at the tables! This event will include dinner, courtesy of Outback Steakhouse, open bar (beer, wine & frozen margaritas), lots of friendly competition, and the chance to win great prizes.

Ticket prices are as follows: $100 for one seat to the TX Hold 'Em Poker Tournament and $50 to play other casino games including blackjack, roulette, and craps.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call (972) 416-6600. Or visit our website at http://www.k9poker.com/node/2721

Deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday, November 12.

No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party

Mar. 14, 2009

The No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party committee today announced that its annual fundraiser, The No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party, benefitting AIDS Services of Dallas, will take place on the evening of March 14, 2009 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas. A fun-filled night of individuals hosting dinner house parties across the city is followed by a dessert social and silent auction at the Frontiers of Flight Museum.

Over 800 participants from around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex are expected to attend, providing funding for the many activities of AIDS Services of Dallas.(ASD) which allow the organization to help those living with AIDS to live independently. Sponsorships are available at several levels, and individual participation at private homes and venues throughout the DFW area is encouraged to make the evening a success. Last year, in ony its third year, the party raised over 0,000 for ASD

AIDS Services of Dallas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to create and strengthen healthy communities through the delivery of quality, affordable, service-enriched housing for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The No Tie Dinner & Dessert Partycommittee today announced that Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk and Anthony Chisom have agreed to be the Honorary Co-Chairs of the 2009 No Tie Dinner & Dessert Party. Known for her inspirational speeches, Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk is expected to tie together the AID's challenge with the larger gay human rights issues and will seek to encourage the community to cross generational lines in an effort to empower themselves by uniting.

YMCA Turkey Trot

Nov. 27

The Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot is the largest Thanksgiving Day event of its kind in the country. Starting from humble beginnings 40 years ago at White Rock Lake, it has grown into the undisputed Way to Begin Thanksgiving Day for thousands of locals as well as those who travel to share in our great event.

The Trot tradition has now extended through generations of participants who celebrate the holiday with grandparents, relatives, friends and their youngest who we look to see with their own families in the years ahead. The Dallas YMCA supports strong kids, strong families and strong communities &128;&147; all of which are represented at the Trot. Participants are also helping to support important YMCA programs.

The 8 Mile Race begins at 9am. The 3 Mile Fun Run/Walk begins at 9:15am.

Mistletoe and Martinis

Friday, Dec. 5

Mistletoe and Martinis – Finishing Touches Twilight Tour & Cocktail Party

Date: Friday, December 5, 2008

Time: 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Location: A Private Home in Atherton

Contact: Felicity Chapman, felicity.chapman@gmail.com

Be the first to experience the Finishing Touches Home Tour, and then join us for an evening of holiday cocktails and celebration.

Twilight Tour, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Cocktail Party, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Tours begin departing at 5:00 p.m.

$140 per person ($90 tax deductible)

includes tour ticket valid through Sunday

Mistletoe and Martinis Tickets are now on sale!

SPACE IS LIMITED.

Twilight Tour & Preview Party Ticket

(deductible portion $90)

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST COMPLETE THE CHECK OUT PROCESS COMPLETELY TO BE GUARANTEED YOUR RESERVATION. Incomplete transactions are automatically reset in the system.

A wait list will start once the tickets available here have been sold. If additional tickets become available, we will contact the waitlist in order.

Please print your receipt at the end of the check out process. If you check out via your Paypal account, you will receive an additional receipt via email.

Your reservation will be confirmed via email within 72 hours. If you have not received this confirmation, please contact jill@korpal.com

What's in a name

What's in a nameä This restaurant, the oldest under the same ownership in the city of Boston, doesn't need one. Since 1917 when it opened, catering to fishermen returning from a day at sea, the no-name restaurant has served great food in its little corner of the Fish Pier.

I found the no-name restaurant completely by accident. It was in 1980 or so, and I was in Boston on a business trip. I figured the Fish Pier ought to have someplace good to eat, so I wandered around there, and noticed some people in what appeared to be a private club–people who were obviously having a great time. My interest piqued, I wandered in, not sure if I was crashing a party…of course in those days I didn't care!

Turned out, I'd happened upon a wonderful restaurant, and to this day the broiled scrod he had that night is the best I ever had. I wasn't too disappointed that I was actually allowed to be there, because the food was great and the locals who hung out there made me feel welcome. I've only had the opportunity to return to Boston a couple of times since but the no name restaurant is somewhere I go each time.

If you haven't tried it, you owe it to yourself to check it out. And if you have–you are probably already making plans to go back!

This story contributed by Party Digest's Fort Lauderdale correspondent Chuck Gregory

Women of Color Networking Party

Sun, July 5

  • Where:Dragon's Den
  • Address:435 Esplanade Ave New Orleans, LA   Map
  • Cost:TBD


Something to See Entertainment presents a networking event featuring the hottest showcase of live musical talent and the biggest business minded entrepreneurs New Orleans has to offer. These entrepreneurs provide viable cultural information, products, and services that can enrich the community.

 

        3pm  Networking participants 

3pm-6pm  Networking Mixer 

6pm-8pm  Soft networking party 

10pm-until- Networking Party(featuring live entertainment* and food) 

*Jazz, R&B, Rap, Reggae 

For any questions or concerns, please contact Effram Hills at 504-281-7593,effram37@yahoo.com or Octavia Bolds at 504-914-9254, obolds001@gmail.com

Chicago Jazz Festival



Sept. 4-6



When: September 4 : 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

September 5 : 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

September 6 : 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Price: FreeEvent Phone Number: 312-744-3315

Grant ParkNeighborhood: Grant Park Museums300 S. Columbus Drive 

Chicago, IL 60604312-744-3370

The city's longest-running lakefront music festival features local, national and international performers on several stages.



Friday


• Jazz on Jackson Stage

12 p.m.:  Ernie Adams Trio with Richie Cole

1:10 p.m.: Fareed Haque and the Flat Earth Ensemble

2:20 p.m.: Jason Adasiewicz's Rolldown 

3:30 p.m.: Esperanza Spalding

 

• Young Jazz Lions Stage

12 p.m.: The Civic and Arts Jazz Ensemble

1 p.m..: Morgan Park Academy Jazz Ensemble

2 p.m.: St. Charles High School Jazz Ensemble

3 p.m.: Columbia College Jazz Ensemble

 

• Jazz and Heritage Stage

12:30 p.m.: Dudley Owens Quintet

2 p.m.: Diane Delin Quartet

3:30 p.m.: Bob Seeley and Bob Baldori 

           

• Petrillo Music Shell

5 p.m.: Jeff Parker Quartet

6 p.m: The Trio featuring Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis and Roscoe Mitchell

7:10 p.m.: Madeleine Peyroux

8:30 p.m.: Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet


Saturday

• Jazz on Jackson Stage

12 p.m.: Greg Ward's Fitted Shards

1:10 p.m.: Dan Cray Trio with Geof Bradfield

2:20 p.m.: Nicole Mitchell Black Earth Strings

3:30 p.m.: Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble 

 

• Young Jazz Lions Stage

12 p.m.: The Jazz Institute of Chicago's Jazz Ambassadors

1 p.m.: Whitney Young Magnet Jazz Ensemble

2 p.m.: Wheeling High School Jazz Ensemble

3 p.m.: DePaul University Jazz Ensemble

 

• Jazz and Heritage Stage

12:30 p.m.: Red Rose Ragtime Jazz Band 

2 p.m.: Art of the Solo with William Parker

3:30 p.m.: Tribute to Benny Goodman featuring Eric Schneider

 

• Petrillo Music Shell 

5 p.m.: 80th Birthday Jam with Fred Anderson

6 p.m.: Amina Figarova Sextet

7:10 p.m.: William Parker presents The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield

8:30 p.m.: Dave Holland Big Band


Sunday

• Jazz on Jackson Stage

12 p.m.: Mike Allemana's Come Sunday

1:10 p.m.: Ben Paterson and Yoko Noge

2:20 p.m.: James Falzone's KLANG: The Goodman Project

3:30 p.m.: New Apartment Jam with Von Freeman

  

• Young Jazz Lions Stage

12 p.m.: The Jazz Improv Collective

1 p.m.: Lincoln Park H.S. Jazz ensemble with Ari Brown

2 p.m.: Evanston High School Jazz ensemble with Junior Mance

3 p.m.: Young Jazz Lions Jam Session

 

• Jazz and Heritage Stage

12:30 p.m.: Kevin Nabors Quintet

2 p.m .: Percussion Discussion with Art Burton

3:30 p.m.: Kelly Brand Quintet

• Petrillo Music Shell

5 p.m.: Archie Shepp Quartet featuring Willie Pickens, Avery Sharpe and Ronnie Burrage 

6 p.m.: Tribute to Art Tatum featuring Buddy DeFranco and Johnny O’Neal

7:10 p.m.: Dee Alexander

8:30 p.m.: The Arthur Hoyle Orchestra