HOWLING GOOD TIME: Too few werewolves and witches made it to the Vampyre's Ball, a first-time Halloween Eve benefit hosted by A La Carte Pavilion for the Tampa Theatre. But the 180 who did found plenty of treats in the tricked-up ballroom. For a $75 ticket ($60 for Tampa Theatre members), guests danced to Blue Dice, with city arts manager Paul Wilborn joining the band on a couple of songs. Make-up artists from Saks Fifth Avenue painted scars or dimples. Campy classics, such as Psycho, Frankenstein and Dracula, were shown against a blank wall.
A La Carte chef Laura Schmalhorst conjured up a spooktacular buffet, including spicy voodoo barbecue, hellfire black bean chili, devil's wings of fire with moldy blue cheese, pumpkin ravioli, wormy Cajun meatballs, tortured tomatoes, vindaloo shrimp and critters with ancient curse Chinese noodles.
Deliciously gross, in the graveyard of desserts: cat litter casserole made of crushed gingerbread and tootsie rolls, looking all-too-realistic in a plastic bin.
OOH LA LA: Tampa Museum of Art unveiled its new exhibit, "Toulouse-Lautrec: Master of the Moulin Rouge," to a crowd as enthusiastic as the cancan dancers at Paris' most famous dance hall. More than 700 members and guests - bon vivants all - canvassed the Nov. 1 opening reception. They loved the colorful collection of 65 lithographic prints and posters of 1890s cabaret life by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and others. One couple, Lenn Neff and Theresa Ellis, came dressed for an evening in Montmartre.
"We decided to dress up as Lautrec and Jane Avril for Halloween before we knew anything about the exhibit," Neff said.
The show is on display through Jan. 11.
NO ONE'S IMMUNE: Athletes Against Alzheimer's Disease, a new program to benefit the USF Suncoast Gerontology Center, brought almost 100 donors out to the Cheval home of Chris and Dennis Slavik on Oct. 29. Milt Bedingfield, chair of the development board, announced $166,000 of the $250,000 goal had been raised. By the end of the evening, emcee Dick Crippen raised another $5,000 in pledges and bids from an auction of three paintings by sports artist Greg Crumbly and collectibles signed by Tampa Bay Lightning players.
Dr. Hunt Potter, Suncoast laboratory director, stressed the center's role in drug research.
"No one is exempt from Alzheimer's," he said, cracking a joke about the virtues of valet parking for forgetful people.
The big news is the Tampa Bay Lightning have joined the campaign. Chris Tortorella, a Suncoast Gerontology Center board member, recruited help from her husband, Coach John Tortorella, and Nancy Crane, director of the Lightning Foundation. The Lightning will dedicate the Feb. 10 game to Alzheimer's awareness. Crane promised "an awesome evening."
SAILING TO SAY THANKS: The YMCA staff let 100 major contributors know how much they are appreciated during dinner and dancing aboard the Yacht Starship on Oct. 29. TKO (Truly Knowing Oneself) members Ashley Herron, Amanda Landesberg, Veronica Bradford, Britni Williams and Lauren Haight eagerly chatted up the crowd. TKO is a mentoring program for girls run by the YMCA and the Ophelia Project.
The guest list included $1,000 and up donors, known as the Chairman's Round Table, from all 11 local YMCA facilities. "Some of Tampa's most philanthropic volunteers," said Rosemary Jones, director of the We Build People campaign for the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA.
Jones is on her way to raising $1-million.
AD LIB: Ad2 Tampa Bay members and friends networked all night at AdBash IV at Whiskey Park Soho on Oct. 30. The club of young advertising professionals (ages 32 and under) announced their newest public service project. They develop and execute a marketing plan for a charity every year. Last year, it was 211 Tampa Bay Cares, a crisis referral hotline. This year they'll promote the Watson Center, a center for the blind and visually impaired in Largo. (Hey, all you nonprofits. Make a note to apply for next year.)
About 50 of the 200 guests entered the costume contest judged by past presidents. Public service committee members dressed as advertising icons. Kelly Madson won first prize (10 embroidered polo shirts from EmbroiderMe) as the Keebler Elf. Darren Green earned second place as the Pillsbury Doughboy.
BUCS BOUND ON A BIRNEY: The Tampa & Ybor City Street Railway Society hosted Take A Birney to a Bucs Game on Sunday. Holding onto their Bloody Marys and pretzels, about 50 people paid $35 for brunch and a round trip ride on a streetcar modeled after Tampa's original Birney Safety cars. Buccaneer Heaven supplied football beads for everyone. After the ride, there was brunch at Barley Hopper's International Alehouse Grille while watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints game on the restaurant's televisions. This was the second Birney Brunch sponsored by Costantino and Company, Real Estate Services of Ybor City.
- To pass along tips to Amy Scherzer, reach her at 226-3332 or scherzer@sptimes.com
DATEBOOK
SATURDAY: 13th Starlight Ball, Live From New York, benefits University Community Hospital Foundation; 6:30 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Tampa; $200; 615-7661.
SATURDAY: Pavilion XVIII, Revel in the Sensation - New York, benefits Tampa Museum of Art; 6 p.m.: $350; 600 N Ashley Drive; 274-8294.
SATURDAY: Zoofari benefits Lowry Park Zoo, tastings from 80 restaurants; 7-11 p.m.; $70 in advance, $80 at the door; 935-8552.
THURSDAY: Boys & Girls Club 22nd Steak Dinner; 6:30 p.m.; Desert Grill Busch Gardens; $200; 875-5771.
THURSDAY: Night of the Iguana benefits Make-A-Wish Foundation; 6:30 p.m.; A La Carte Pavilion; auction, casino; $125; 288-2600.
NOV. 14: Holiday Fashion show features Tampa Bay Buccaneer wives; benefits St. Joseph's Children's Hospital; 11 a.m.; Palma Ceia Country Club; $50; 254-1141.
NOV. 14: Tropics of Cancer auction party benefits American Cancer Society; 8-11 p.m.; $50 includes drinks, food and entertainment; Florida Aquarium; 254-3630, ext. 307.
NOV. 14: Dress for Success Tampa Bay benefit luncheon; 11:30 a.m.; Crown Plaza Westshore; $40; 254-2353.
