Black Tie & Tales 12.08.16

From a Flamingo-themed holiday party to snow at an outdoor event in Florida, there were plenty of surprises on the social scene this week.

By Black Tie Staff
| 12:11 p.m. December 5, 2016

The theme of the party was "Jingle & Flamingle" to celebrate the holidays Florida style. Photo courtesy of Erin Christy

Black Tie

Birds of a feather flock together

Christmas in Florida will never be like “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” so why not embrace it?

Erin and Doug Christy — Photo courtesy of Erin Christy

That’s exactly what Erin Christy did when planning her and her husband, Doug’s, holiday party, Jingle & Flamingle, for Dec. 3. Four years ago, Christy and Matthew McLendon started hosting a holiday party with their supper club. The event was such a hit that it became an annual affair, but this year’s host baton was passed to Christy after McLendon took a director job at The Fralin Museum of Art in Virginia. Christy and her husband recently moved into a house in the Hudson Bayou neighborhood, so the party was the perfect christening for their new home.

Christy and her friends and family planned and executed the event entirely on their own — from cooking hors d’oeuvres to making all of the flamingo-themed decorations — and her roughly 50 guests dined on everything from Swedish meatballs to the dozens of cookies (almost 100!) that her mother-in-law, Maureen Cavallaro, baked for the event.

The theme of the party was "Jingle & Flamingle" to celebrate the holidays Florida style. Photo courtesy of Erin Christy

Better late than never

Things got heated at the Designing Women Boutique Annual Gala: “An Evening in the Enchanted Garden” Dec. 3 when auctioneer

Michael Klauber encourages attendees to bid on the Cabin at Finnegan's Barn auction item. Photo by Niki Kottmann

Michael Klauber couldn’t get one of his live auction items, a weeklong getaway to the Cabin at Finnegan’s Farm in Franklin, N.C., to sell for the desired amount. Bidder John Hopkins wasn’t willing to increase his bid, so Klauber moved on to the next auction item.

It wasn’t until after Klauber finished and Production Chair Carolyn Michel began to introduce the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe that Hopkins stood up and announced that he would purchase the trip.

Forty and fabulous

Jenn Smith Stutler was showered under the stars by 20 of her best girlfriends on Dec. 3 to celebrate her 40th birthday at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

Jenn Stutler — Photo courtesy of Emily Walsh

When asked what she wanted for her birthday, Stutler said she just wanted to be with her best girlfriends and “to eat.” So eat they did.

The soiree was planned by Stutler’s best friend, Renee Phinney, with the help of Roger Capote. The ladies in attendance included Jenn’s mom, Ellen Smith, Sherry Turano, Shree Shah, Janet Chamberlain, Michelle Schlossberg, Susan Jones, Jennifer Compton, Erin Jones, Margie Cooper, Paula Murray, Peyton Capps, Kathleen Shanahan and more. Guests enjoyed a five-course Michael’s On East dinner featuring all of Jenn’s favorite foods atop a long table illuminated by chandeliers hanging from the banyans above.

Chandeliers hang from the banyan trees at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Photo courtesy of Emily Walsh

Kimberly Marlow brought beautiful cake pops filled with rosé champagne as favors. As for gifts, Jenn felt like she and her family had all they could need. So in lieu of presents, everyone contributed to a Christmas gift for a family from Girls Inc.

Tidbits

Sweet Surprise … Judith Bell, former executive director of the Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s, specifically asked not to be honored at her last event with the organization. However, Executive Director Robyn Faucy had other plans for this year’s Cause 4 Fashion By the Bay event. Faucy surprised Bell by inviting her to the podium, where she handed her a bouquet of flowers and brought tears to her eyes.

Neuro Challenge Foundation Executive Director Robyn Faucy surprises Judith Bell, prior executive director, with flowers and a special thank you. Photo by Niki Kottmann

Let it snow … Happy squeals echoed at Michael’s On East Dec. 3 when little guests at Christmas in Candyland realized that the one thing missing from their Christmas celebrations was waiting for them to play in: snow!

Abigail Moody, 3, enjoys the “snow” in the Michael’s On East courtyard. Photo by Niki Kottmann

Proud papa-to-be ... James Buchanan was excited to share at the Longboat Kiwanis Gourmet Lawn Party that he and wife, Lea Buchanan, are expecting their first child.