Epi Party at Le Club

January 23, 2009

Le Club, the intimate Nob Hill establishment that has recently held some of the City’s most elegant events, such as last month’s “Boucheron” party, graciously opened its doors last week for the newly launched Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board’s (BAAAB) “Epi Party.”

The event, designed to raise awareness of “Epi Pens,” the injection needles that severely allergic people use in emergency situations, was packed with people who came to have a good time, and also learn a little bit about the life-saving devices.

Mireille Schwartz and her daughter, Charlotte; Damion Matthews.

As co-chair of the evening (with Mireille Schwartz, founder of the BAAAB), I admit I am biased — but I think it was a fun, elegant evening, that started the 2009 winter social season off quite well!

Not only did people enjoy themselves by catching up with friends after the holidays, they learned about Epi Pens, were treated to a surprise operatic performance by Benjamin and also helped children of the San Francisco Homeless Prenatal Program (guests donated several boxes of new shoes for the organization to distribute to kids in need.)

BAAAB board member, Dr. Michelle Pepitone, demonstrates proper usage of the life-saving Epi Pen.

Dr. Pepitone, with Mireille Schwartz and her daughter Charlotte; Monica Maduro and Carolyne Zinko. Mireille was inspired to found the Bay Area Allergy Advisory Board from years of living with severe allergies in her family, and helping close friends who have them in theirs.

After the presentation by Dr. Pepitone (who caused people to gasp by plunging an Epi Pen into her thigh — no harm, though, because it wasn’t real), Mireille was surprised by a birthday cake baked by her friend Monica Maduro, and a romantic serenade by opera singer Benjamin Lorenzoni.

Mireille Schwartz and Amber Marie Bently. Amber Marie surprised Mireille by arranging for the opera singer, Benjamin Lorenzoni to serenade her.

Damion Matthews and Amber Marie Bently. Amber showed off her gorgeous new tattoo, a beautiful bird with feathers running sinuously down her arm.

Christopher Bently, Amber Marie Bently, and Benjamin Lorenzoni

Francein Hansen, Maria Theresa Barrios, Mireille Schwartz, Karen Tamblyn

Ali Grosslight, Hayley Badovinuf, Claudia Ross; Karen Caldwell, Mary Jo Bowling

Susanne Van Hecke, Karen Caldwell, Karen Tamblyn

Oliver Caldwell and Karen Caldwell. The happy couple dropped by before going to a romantic dinner celebrating Karen’s birthday, which occurred the same day! Isn’t this an adorable photo?

Le Club’s Gina Milano, with Jennifer Fick

David Costello, Gina Milano, Damion Matthews

Gina Milano, Sobia Shaikh; Stephanie Tuttle, Ilysa Goldblatt

Susanne Van Hecke, Charleston Pierce, Carolyne Zinko, Dan Dieguez

Kimberly Taylor, Tim McNiff, Susan Jones

Arian Wheeler, Kelly Ferrante, Adam P. Gale

Lindsay Bolton and Ricky Serbin

Karen Tamblyn, Ricky Serbin; Jennifer Fick, Margaret Mitchell of Epi Center MedSpa.

Lexi Katibah, Tim Narita, Janelle Kuhlman

Moya Stone, Richard Aiello; Tony Savicke, Kristy Savicke

Lindsay Bolton, Vicki Winston and designer Lisa Alexander

Stephanie Lake, Matthew Rogers, Jennifer Fick

Kimberly Taylor, Matthew Rogers, Anthony Mandez, Kendrick Rustad

Joslin Van Arsdale, Jennifer Jajeh; Elaine Santore, Jackie Moy

Aubert Vanderlinden and Gina Milano

Joel Goodrich, Beth Schnitzer, Raghu Shibara; Monsour Farmanfarmaian, Princess Fati Farmanfarmaian

Princess Fati Farmanfarmaian, Damion Matthews, and Heidi Pettit of Thread Communications

Mireille Schwartz and Mark Calvano

Jessica Mullens and Craig Lipton

Lydia Kim, Christine Murolo, Ludmila Eggelton

Jason Oronzi, Mireille Schwartz; Ilysa Goldblatt, Sobia Shaikh

Conor Mack, Morgan Mack, Lydia Kim

Christopher Bently and Cassidy Wollenburg. As the evening reached its final stage, Christopher Bently and friends “shook things up” by moving on to the billiard room for a game of pool.