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Amy Scherzer's diary

Krewe of Venus 42nd Coronation Ball

By AMY SCHERZER
Published January 19, 2007

Gasparilla King Michael Annis and Queen Katherine Dobbins gave a royal nod to five women seeking Ye Mystic Krewe's throne at the annual tea dance Jan. 13 at Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club.

Two queen candidates are Tampa residents; any of the others will have to buy lots of airline tickets to fulfill their reign.

Voting pirates have already chosen, but we'll have to wait until the Feb. 24 coronation ball for the results. Take your best guess:

Lauren Archerd, daughter of Pirate Fred and Joe Ellen Archerd Jr. She works for PriceWaterhouseCooper in Chicago.

Anne Cox, daughter of Pirate William Donald and Sue Elaine Cox, works for Concentrance Consulting Group in Washington, D.C.

Lindsey Von Thron, daughter of Pirate James and Ann Von Thron, works for College Sports Television (CSTV) in New York.

In Tampa, Rosemary Williams, daughter of Joan and Pirate J. Hulon Williams III, works at J. H. Williams Oil Co.

And Avery Dickey, stepdaughter of Pirate Douglas King and daughter of David Dickey and Leah Richards King, works for M.E. Wilson Co.

The new queen and her maids, the four runnersup, will be partying all year with the courtiers selected to serve the next king: Grymes Cannon, Thomas Fluharty, Will Lifsey and Robert Thomas.

What a thrill for Stageworks Theatre founder and producing director Anna Brennen and capital campaign chairwoman Andrea Graham to announce a $75,000 gift from the Pallavi and Kirian Patel family at the Masquerade Ball on Saturday at Centro Asturiano.

That inspired 225 black-tie masked revelers to raise nearly $40,000 to build out the theater's first real home in donated space in Channel District condominium Grand Central at Kennedy.

Tampa's own leggy Las Vegas showgirls, Lori Kleinman, C.J.Hartland and Eugenie Bondurant, led WTVT-Ch.10 newshound/songwriter Mike Deeson to the stage to emcee. Cabaret acts followed, from folk to opera, starring Jorge Acosta, Zandra Moore, Liz Hollister Gordon, Adriane Isenberg and Paul Wilborn.

The jubilant crowd joined Independent Day School eighth-graders singing and dancing to Celebration.

Balladeer/tenor Pepe Urquiaga played his newest dramatic role, king of the Krewe of Venus, at the club's vivid Viva La Carnivale coronation ball Saturday at Busch Gardens.

If King Pepe hadn't been still recovering from open heart surgery a month ago, he probably would have sung his signature song, Born Free.

He began his career in Havana and went on to open for Milton Berle in the Poconos, and perform at Miami's Fountainbleu and Las Vegas' Flamingo before crooning at the Columbia in Ybor City.

His queen, Christina Emery of Carrollwood, graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1999 and uses her biology degree from Florida State every day in her work as a paramedic.

She had so much fun being presented as a debutante a few years ago that she decided to join the krewe. Now she rules it.

Parrots, snakes and stilt walkers entertained during an outdoor cocktail hour hosted by abdicating King Venus Bill Calderazza and Queen Keli St. John.

Krewe member Arch Deal narrated and 2001 Queen Natasha Sherwood directed the program, which featured dukes and duchesses dressed to represent six nations that celebrate Carnivale.

Their New Orleans-made Mardi Gras costumes stole the show.

EVENTS

Today: Andrea's Sip for Life wine and tapas tasting benefits sarcoma research at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute; 7-10 p.m. Ybor City State Museum; $100; 248-3000, ext. 21.

Jan. 28: 49th annual Ebony Fashion Fair "Stylishly Hot," benefits Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Auxiliary, 5 p.m.; Tampa Theatre; $30; (813) 231-1340, ext. 252.

Feb. 3: Sojourn™ black-tie dinner, auction, entertainment benefits WEDU; 6 p.m.; Hilton Carillon Park Hotel, St. Petersburg; $200; toll-free 1-800-354-9338, ext. 2241.

Feb. 3: Ruby Jubilee Gala benefits Tampa Theatre; black-tie dinner and auction on the stage; 6-10 p.m.; 711 N Franklin St.; $400 and up; Afterhours speakeasy, $40; 963-6832.

Feb. 3: Einstein on Wine: Decanting Relativity benefits MOSI; 6-9 p.m.; 80 vintners and restaurants in exhibit galleries, auction and music; $60; 987-6000.

[Last modified January 18, 2007, 07:56:25]