Black Tie & Tales

+ Roasters toast at SYC
Sarasota has a chapter of bailliage of the Chaine des Rôtisseurs, the world’s oldest gastronomic society. The name comes from the old French royal guild of meat roasters, or rôtisseurs. The organization’s primary focus is excellence in food and wine, which members enjoyed most recently April 17, at the Sarasota Yacht Club. Chef Jack Wenz created an impressive menu, and Thomas Coundit, president, and Lou Bevilacqua, vice president, came up with the wine pairings. A grand time was enjoyed by Chaine members and their guests, including Bob and Joan Brand, Fred and Judy Fiala, and Lee and Kathy Pokoik. Wenz notes that the over-the-top menu was also great fun for the young chefs in his kitchen. For membership info, call Coundit at 378-4599.

+ Living happily ever after …
Two couples were celebrating couplehood quite differently at Circus Sarasota’s Laughter Unlimited luncheon. Dolores and Frank Infanger are closing in on their 60th wedding anniversary, while Dan Pressler and Marge Markman want it known that at age 80, they are a happily unmarried couple. Congratulations to both!

+ The best laid plans
Dennis Stover and Phil King were all but packed and ready to leave for L.A. in late April to see “Dancing with the Stars,” a trip they bought at the Humane Society’s Hot Dogs and Cool Cats last fall. But the company providing the package couldn’t come through with the original dates, so they are now looking forward to going in late May. Penny Hill and Larry Wild, on the other hand, bought a similar trip at the Cattle Barons’ Ball April 16, thinking it was for the 2012 season … only to find themselves on a plane May 6.

+ Tidbits
Scientifically blonde … An unexpectedly large number of women showed up May 6 at the Field Club for a planning session for Women in Science, a new program to benefit the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. The call to arms came from foundation board Chairwoman Margaret Wise. She has recruited Ann Charters, who ran a similar program as chairwoman for Rockefeller University, in New York City. The annual program will showcase the research being conducted at the hospital in conjunction with major universities, Harvard among them. Look for a launch event in January … Major Major … Flora Major recently became a member of CAMIT — the Council of the Arts at MIT … Drinks with a new twist … it had to happen. Pablo Castro, proprietor of Selva Grill, has created five martinis named in honor of local organizations, and $1 from the sale of each drink will benefit its namesake. The names are irresistibly clever and largely self-explanatory: Orchestratini, Exploratini, Crescendotini, Dramatini and Manatini. Skål! … The Y Tabernacle? ... The crowd of 360 sang “Happy Birthday” to YMCA Foundation of Sarasota Board Chairman Paul Bowman at Element Au last weekend … Can it be over so soon? … As this season comes to an end, you are invited to submit calendar information about your events for next year to Black Tie Editor Stephanie Hannum, [email protected].

+ Black Tie Affair
Dick Vitale Gala
V Foundation for Cancer Research • 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 20 • The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota • Tickets $1,000 • Reservations 374-6026

The Sarasota social season goes out like a lion with the Dick Vitale Gala May 20. The always-a-sellout event is the town’s only annual benefit to command $1,000 per person, and it is out to beat its own record of $1.2 million raised for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which benefits cancer research and related programs. Mary Kenealy-Barbetta is chairwoman, and Joe Barbetta and John Moran are co-chairs for this year’s gala, which honors college basketball coaches John Calipari, of Kentucky, and North Carolina’s Roy Williams, and tennis legend Nick Bollettieri. All four head coaches of this year’s Final Four teams will be present with national champion Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun, Butler’s Brad Stevens and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Shaka Smart joining Calipari. The celebs pay their own way to the gala as their personal donation to the Foundation — quite a tribute to their friendship with Dick Vitale.