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Amy Scherzer's diary

Amy Scherzer's Diary

A look at what's happening on the town.

By AMY SCHERZER
Published September 22, 2006

HARC

The dynamic Diaz duo, Georgette and daughter Tashia, drew 450 fans as organizers of the third annual Festival of Fashions sponsored by Georgette's of Old Hyde Park Village to benefit HARC, newly renamed Hillsborough Achievement and Resource Centers. The agency started in 1953 as the Hillsborough Association of Retarded Children and changed children to citizens in 1972.

"We'll keep the logo and acronym," said chief executive officer Richard Lilliston, "but drop retarded due to negativity of the word and because we serve most disabilities."

Emcee Jack Harris bantered with 20 celebrities dancing through "Night Clubs Around the World" Sept. 13 at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Models in casual and evening wear kicked at the Moulin Rouge, vamped with the Blues Brothers in the House of Blues and purred with the Pussycats in Caesar's Palace before a flurry of feathered showgirls ended the luncheon at the Copacabana. Jackie Loto and Marcy Rodriguez choreographed the whole thing.

Dwayne Schintzius stood out in the crowd. The 7-foot-4 former NBA player came to see his friends Melanie and ex-Lightning player Pat Jablonski on the runway. Also sparkling: BayNews9 anchor Jen Holloway, who left the next day for Greece to make arrangements for her June wedding to Jimmy Kalyvas.

HARC will use the $20,000-plus proceeds to help operate 24 vans.

Grape Gatsby

Roll the credits for M & I Bank and community president Charlie Britton for sponsoring the Grape Gatsby, Tampa Theatre's fifth wine and classic film party held Saturday. Seven restaurant buffets, including Bonefish Grill, Pelagia Trattoria and Capital Grille, plus seven wineries, served spreads as lavish as the soirees seen on the screen in The Great Gatsby starring Richard Redford and Mia Farrow as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. SideBern's outdid itself with white gazpacho made with lobster, Marcona almonds, sherry and white grapes. And how fitting to have Niebaum-Coppola Winery Vineyards pouring since Francis Ford Coppola wrote the movie screenplay.

No complaints about long lines. Actually, more flappers and fellas would have jazzed up the Roaring '20s theme. Organizers stopped ticket sales at 350 rather than overpack the theater like last year's sellout of 500 guests. Premium tasting tickets rose $5 to $85 to make up the difference, raising $20,000 for the historic theater.

Gourment gathering

Wine consultant Michael Roberts kicked off the fundraiser with dinner for 30 patrons at Mise en Place on Sept. 15. He tied the history of California wines to the history of the 80-year-old theater. Next year, he proposes How the West Was Wine.

The Centre for Women marked summer's end with its 15th annual tasting triathlon. More than 1,100 supporters ate, drank and kibitzed at the ambitious event, a feast of samples from 36 restaurants and beverage vendors Aug. 24 at the Tampa Convention Center.

Ganesh Chaat vegetarian cafe on N Armenia Avenue made new friends as Susan Morgan passed samosa samples. Then, Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille in Citrus Park knocked 'em out with rum-loaded Hurricanes. Bob Clark, attending with his wife, Patty, a Centre board member, 'fessed up to eating three fried Oreo beignets from Rattlefish Raw Bar & Grille, plus all four flavors of Old Meeting House ice cream.

Between bites, guests scrutinized silent auction tables organized by Sharon Seefeld and Carol Jean Byrnes, which helped bring the net proceeds to $66,000 for women's counseling and career programs.

Salsa with the mayor

More than 30 city employees and retirees make up the Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Committee, which works to preserve Tampa's Hispanic culture through mentoring and scholarships. In three years, the group has raised $100,000 for students at University of South Florida and $20,000 for Hillsborough Community College. Saturday's gala at the Hyatt Regency Tampa raised another $40,000 from representatives of almost every city department and their guests.

Salsa competed with football as Walter Betancourt and Marlena Gillis of Salsamania Dance Studios gave a group lesson and University of Florida fans, including event chair Barbara Bunting, huddled around a TV wheeled into the casino.

Datebook

Tuesday: Child Abuse Council's fourth annual Champions for Children breakfast; 7:30 a.m.; Raymond James Stadium Club Level; free, donations requested; 673-4646.

SEPT. 29: Glitz and Sticks Celebrity Casino benefits Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation and Tampa General Hospital; 7 p.m.; St. Pete Times Forum; $250; 301-6590.

SEPT. 29: Ybor City Chamber of Commerce Gala; 6:30 p.m.; Columbia Restaurant; $85 or $160 per couple; 248-3712, ext. 22.

SEPT. 30: Art for Life auction benefits Project Return and St. Joseph's Comprehensive Research Institute; 7 p.m. Higgins Hall; $30 in advance, $35 at the door; 990-8981, ext. 1.

OCT. 7: Artists & Writers Reunion Ball; 8 p.m. Cuban Club; $35 in advance, $45 day of show; www.artistsandwritersball.com.

OCT. 12: Eighth annual Celebration of Hope Gala benefits Florida Prostate Cancer Network; 6 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Tampa; $150; 806-2800.

OCT. 13: Fur Ball benefits Big Cat Rescue; Roaring '20s theme; 6:30 p.m.; A La Carte Pavilion; $125; 889-7244.

[Last modified September 21, 2006, 06:44:19]