Black Tie & Tales

+ First week on the job
I just can’t say enough about how lovely it was to walk into my first Black Tie events as official Black Tie editor and have people not only recognize me and take a few minutes to introduce me to the who’s who of Sarasota, but a few folks actually bent down to check out my heels. Molly Schechter and her Black Tie and Tales column have done me proud.

My first adventure on the town began with the YMCA Foundation’s “Sensations from the Sea” VIP Dinner Jan. 5, at the Longboat Key Club Islandside, where I met Paul Bowman, chairman of the YMCA Foundation’s Board of Trustees). When I told him of my plan to make friends during my new gig, he told me he had nothing to say about the people, but he knew quite a bit about the beach. “The beach?” I asked. “There’s sand there,” he answered. “You’re looking for dirt, aren’t you?”

+ So in love
Don and Marilyn Fisher met at 17 and 15 years of age, respectively. She was out on the dance floor zooming around when he spotted her. He leaned over to his buddies and said, “I’m going to marry that girl.”

Knowing full well that he had two left feet, he made her promise to save the last dance for him.
Sixty-one years later, the couple is still happily hitched — and dancing. The couple was out on the social circuit Jan. 5, at the YMCA Foundation’s “Sensations From the Sea VIP Dinner.

She bosses him around, and he’s quite comfortable letting her.

“She’s bossed me around since the first day,” Don Fisher says. “She commands it.”

+ Tidbits
Four women named Molly … Molly Klauber, Molly Schechter, Molly Demeulenaere and Molly Turner went on a crusade to find Sarasota’s tastiest macaroni and cheese at the Gulf Coast Cheese Festival’s newest event, Molly’s Mac ’n’ Cheese S’Mac Down. The event was held Friday, Jan. 6, in the Fête Ballroom at The Polo Grill and Bar and benefits G.WIZ — The Science Museum … At last, at last … Yara Michaels and Dr. David Shoemaker have gotten hitched! The couple had planned to marry this spring but found they just couldn’t wait. With her mother coming to Sarasota from New York City to visit for the holidays, Michaels wanted to meet her with a band on her finger. The couple sneaked Dec. 23 to Tampa and tied the knot. But wait, there’s more … they hope to plan a post-wedding ceremony to celebrate their love in the coming months.

... Corrections ... From the Dec. 22 issue: The photo from the SPARCCLE for the Holidays event was misidentified as Patti Good. The photo was of Katie Stiegelmeyer. Sandy Cohen was misidentified in the “Le Grand Cabaret” event in the Jewish Family and Children’s Service’s annual gala.

+ Oh, what a night!
For their sake (and ours), we’ll call them Sue and Steve.

Sue, Steve, and what’s rumored to be about 300 other people attended the Perlman & Pearls Gala Saturday. BT wound up sitting in between Sue and Steve, who became fast friends over dinner. Sue lives in South Sarasota. Steve just returned to Sarasota from a dive boat stationed in Tahiti. By dessert, Sue and Steve, who had heard it was also Bea Friedman’s birthday, jokingly plotted to crash her birthday party via motorcycle.

“You look like Elvira in that top, so you can ride on my motorcycle,” Steve told Sue about her new blouse with its fabulous popped collar.

Black Tie Affair
National Council of Jewish Women, Sarasota-Manatee
Section’s 30th annual Women in Power Luncheon
11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Michael’s On East; Ticket $65; Call 342-1855.

Strong women. Motivational stories. Sweet centerpieces.

The Women in Power Luncheon honors four women — Margaret Callihan, chairman, president and CEO of SunTrust Bank; Betsy Kane-Hartnett, co-founder and executive director of Forty Carrots Family Center; Eva T. Slane, retired theatrical agent and philanthropist; and Anne Weintraub, attorney and founding member of Band Weintraub law firm — whose accomplishments mirror the organization’s focus on social justice by improving the lives of women, children and families. Co-Chairwomen Nina Japhe and Janet Stollman invite you to attend and hear the motivational stories of how these women have added to the richness of the Sarasota and Manatee communities. Hand-crafted centerpiece vessels by artist Lynnie Siegel will be available for purchase at the luncheon to support community service projects.