The Sarasota Manatee Guild of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital Foundation host winemaker's dinner

Winemaker Dinner 

The Sarasota Manatee Guild of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital Foundation raised close to $14,000 at its second Wine Maker’s Dinner Jan. 31. This year’s sold-out event was held at a private home in Harbor Acres and had Jane Thompson, Nikki Taylor and Catherine Vernon as the night’s co-chairwomen. It proved to be an illustrious affair, with vintner Giuseppe Sala flying in from Tuscany for the event to provide wines for more than 50 guests and local chef Rebekah Peranio providing food for the night. The night’s program featured Dr. Jennifer Katzenstein and Dr. Val Valle and benefited JHACH’s mental health programs. 

Bollywood Preview

I don't know about you, but sometimes with all of the events, functions and fundraisers that keep coming, I can lose track of what's happening in a couple days, let alone a couple months. So it's good to take a minute and see what's coming up.

The Asolo Repertory Theatre had a gala pre-party for exactly that kind of thing on Jan. 27. The event, held at Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine at UTC, had 50 of the Asolo's closest supporters enjoying authentic Indian food while hearing about the Asolo's upcoming"Bollywood Ball" gala on March 7. Event Co-Chairwomen Donna Koffman, Tammy Karp, Elisabeth Waters and Mary Braxton-Joseph were there to speak to their excitement for the coming show. Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine co-owners Sheena Maini and her mother, Poonam Maini, collaborated with the Asolo for the event. 

By night’s end, the company raised more than $1,300 in raffle ticket sales. The sale continues online and at the gala March 7.

Great Minds

It’s fun to arrive at an event with a unique look, but sometimes it’s just as fun to have some solidarity — even if you weren’t planning it. Such was the case with Bunny Skirboll and Anne Virag, who both arrived at Jan. 28’s Blooming Friendships luncheon wearing the same pink and black outfit. Though they picked out the individual articles of clothing from different locations, the resemblance was uncanny. Great minds think alike, right?

Magic Tricks

You didn't really think Jan. 31's Circus Gala was going to be without a few tricks, did you? Co-chairwomen Donna Koffman, Jaclyn Brunckhorst and Tammy Karp turned a mid-show intermission into a bona-fide magic show, with each woman becoming part of a mystifying trick. Donna Koffman got squished into a box where she was sawed in half, Jaclyn Brunckhorst fused with a robot and lost her head, and Tammy Karp finished the presentation by entering a container that stretched her limbs to surreal proportions. 

And look, I don't really understand how any of it worked — which is the point, of course — but it was really something to see.

Tidbits:

You can't really go wrong with partying on Super Bowl Sunday, but some get-togethers can be more special than others. Take Katy McBrayer-Lynch and Jim Lynch's Super Bowl celebration, which mixed things up by inviting McBrayer-Lynch's friends for a Super Bowl baby shower. The new addition to the family is expected to arrive in late April.