“Storybook Ball” producer Bryan Rafanelli, center, is pictured with event co-chairs, left to right, Susanne Joyce, Elena Matlack, Patty Ribakoff and Beth Madison. (Photo by Roger Farrington)

You don’t have to visit Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane to enter the magical world of Mary Poppins! The beloved nanny and her chimney sweeps welcomed more than 550 guests to the eighth annual "Storybook Ball" back in October, at The Castle at Park Plaza.

The gala raised more than $2.6 million in support of the Pediatric Congenital Heart Program at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC).

The festivities began with a cocktail reception as enchanted guests made their way between 12-foot-high flower displays created by Winston Flowers, while the original movie played on various screens throughout The Castle. Also included were a live auction, a raffle and carnival games.

The live auction items included a year of “Power Meals” with some of Boston’s “movers and shakers”; a Harry Winston watch; a cocktail party for 20 in the Dugout at Fenway Park, designed and produced by Rafanelli Events; and a special naming opportunity to fund an MGHfC research fellow for one year.

Among the guests were Susanne and John Joyce, Beth and Chris Madison, Elena and Tom Matlack, and Patty and Charles Ribakoff—with Susanne, Beth, Elena and Patty being the co-chairs of the event.

Also: Peter Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, and his wife, Lori; Ronald Kleinman, MD, interim chief of MGH Pediatrics; and Joseph P. Vacanti, MD, chief of Pediatric Surgery, and his wife, Susan Treacy—to name a very few.

"Supercalifragilistic" described the fun evening, which included the crowd-pleasing arrival of Mary Poppins herself. Parasol in hand, she was theatrically flown-in over guests' heads, gracefully floating down onto the dance floor.

Congratulations and Best Wishes all around!

“Antiques Roadshow” Experts to Host Historic New England’s Benefit Gala

The Four Seasons Hotel Ballroom is the elegant setting on Friday, January 4 at 6:30 p.m. when Historic New England hosts its third "Benefit Auction Gala" with guest celebrity auctioneers, Leigh and Leslie Keno of "Antiques Roadshow" fame. All proceeds from the auction will be used to support Historic New England’s programs and educational outreach efforts.

The Gala Honorary Chairs are Cile Hicks, Lillie Johnson and Nina Longtine with Anne Kilguss and Susan P. Sloan as Co-Chairs.

Auction items include luncheon on Nantucket Island with Nathaniel Philbrick, author of "Mayflower," a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in History; four premium box seat tickets to a 2008 Red Sox home game; a four-star visit to Newport, Rhode Island including a reception at William Vareika Fine Arts Ltd.; a three-night stay in December 2008 at The Four Seasons, Miami, and tickets to "2008 Art Basel Miami Beach"; and a sophisticated wine tasting for ten at your home by a Christie’s New York wine specialist.

For reservations or more information, call 617-227-3957, ext. 247, or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

The mission of the Historic New England Gala is to raise funds in support of Historic New England, the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional preservation organization in the country.

Founded in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Historic New England collects, documents, and preserves the cultural and architectural heritage of New England, from historic properties to visual documents, working farms to humble necessities, art and artifacts to gardens and furniture. Its education programs serve 28,000 students annually throughout the region.

Leigh and Leslie Keno are celebrated antique experts, widely known for their appearance on “Antiques Roadshow.” Leigh is President of Leigh Keno American Antiques, a gallery in Manhattan dealing in fine eighteenth-century American furniture and decorative arts.

Leslie is Senior Vice President, Director of the American Furniture Department and Director of Business Development at Sotheby’s, New York. Together with Joan Barzlay Freund, they have written "Hidden Treasures: Searching for Masterpieces of American Furniture." In 2005, they were awarded the National Humanities Medal.

“Design Life Now…” Exhibition Continues at ICA

Continuing through January 6 at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is the large-scale exhibition of innovative contemporary American design, "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial."

The exhibit is part of an ongoing series that presents the best work from the prior three years in product design, architecture, furniture, film, graphics, new technologies, animation, science, and fashion.

“As we’ve learned from working in our exceptional new building, design profoundly affects the way we experience the world,” says Jill Medvedow, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art. “Design Life Now continues this exploration in a variety of disciplines and follows in the ICA’s long tradition of presenting exemplary exhibitions and programs on design.”

One group of objects shows the renewed appreciation for handcrafted and do-it-yourself design. Examples include prefab housing such as Charlie Lazor’s FlatPak house and Craig Konyk’s Up!House, the intricate handwork of Ralph Rucci’s couture gowns, and publications and resources that are part of a broad social movement encouraging design education for everyone, like Readymade magazine and Howtoons, a science Web site for children.

The Institute of Contemporary Art is located at 100 Northern Avenue, Boston. There is free admission on Target Free Thursday Nights, from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. For more information, call 617-478-3100 or visit www.icaboston.org.

Enjoy!

In addition to events covered and reported by the columnist, "The Scene..." 
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