La Dolce Vita and the Heart Ball
A Russian Winter blew through the Lowcountry for the second weekend in a row thanks to Spoleto Festival USA, which embraced the theme for its La Dolce Vita auction on Friday night at the Daniel Island Club (similar to the ambiance at last week’s A Night in the Valley auction). The weather was more than happy to play along with the theme— it felt like twilight in Siberia as we dashed from the valet stand into the warmth of the event! Rumor has it that a snow machine was blowing simulated flakes outside the party, and while I didn’t see any of the magical white stuff, I felt as though I was in a winter wonderland.
The silent auction filled a tent at the back of the clubhouse, and an enormous ice sculpture that ably depicted the highly decorative and distinctively Russian late Muscovite period of architecture beckoned guests. It was a glistening focal point that towered over the activity in the tent, and a bevy of bartenders mixed potent vodka concoctions in the shadow of the sculpture. The aura of all things Russian was complete once I said hello to both Jill Hooper, who jauntily sported a sable Cossack hat, and Boris Bohun-Chudyniv, whom I teased mercilessly about being former KGB (my highly speculative and rather silly theory based on little more than his accent).
Guests were asked to wear black and white party attire, and most attendees complied. I was on the look out for Tom Waldrep who attended the Spoleto auction several years ago in a floor-length car coat that I believe was made from beaver fur. It would have been the perfect for Friday night’s festivities! I never saw Tom, but Stephanie Motley wore the lush Denise Basso fur she purchased at the Shopping With Friends event late last year.
Strands of translucent beads were strewn from the chandeliers, and the main ballroom was a shimmering vision of white and silver. Lucite blocks of faux ice, bejeweled silver elephant statues, plastic icicles, feather-light flakes of faux snow, and white candles adorned the tables. A delicious butter cookie in the shape of a swan and a wedge of overwhelmingly sweet chocolate torte awaited guests as they took their assigned seats for the live auction.
One lot was particularly suited to the evening’s theme: a custom-made Swan Lake necklace that featured three strands of pearls, a gold medallion with green sapphire inlay, and a diamond and emerald clasp.
I watched Earl Hewlette, who was seated at the next table, raise his paddle several times, but I did not realize he was the triumphant bidder until I hugged his darling wife Mary at the Heart Ball the next night— and noticed she was wearing the necklace!
Saturday marked the second time in as many nights that the Ginn Company demonstrated its ardent support of local causes. Approximately $189,000 was raised in support of the Ginn Resorts Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra on Friday, and approximately $445,000 was raised on Saturday at the American Heart Association’s Heart Ball, for which Ginn Company was the presenting sponsor.
One of the Heart Ball’s most poignant moments arrived when a special invitation to participate in the Ginn Tribute, a 2007 LPGA tournament hosted by the world’s top ranked women’s golfer Annika Sorenstam, was extended to MacKenzie “Mac” Kline, a teenage girl and burgeoning golf prodigy who was born with congenital heart disease. Both Annika and Mac are incredibly personable, and I predict they will charm the Lowcountry when they return in May for the tournament.
From long gowns to short, strapless shifts, the ladies illustrated quite a range of ball-worthy attire. Surprisingly, only a few women opted for red, the signature color of the American Heart Association and its Go Red! women’s heart disease awareness campaign. One clear belle of the ball was Dr. Pam Morris, a cardiologist who specializes in preventative and early detection measures, who embraced the color red and commanded a striking presence in her voluminous gown.
Caritas.
Ida
