Heart of Fashion: Ten Favorite Things

Ever dream of walking in someone else’s shoes just for a day or two?

Now you can!

The “10 Favorite Things” silent auction concept developed by committee members Jeté Crosby and Annette Dowdle brings a fresh new component to the Heart of Fashion event this fall. Best of all, everyone can participate! The auction features packages designed by some of the northshore’s most notable people, including Chef John Besh, professional golfer Kelly Gibson, Parish President Pat Brister and many others.

Play it cool as you bid to enjoy the things they can’t live without. The packages include items from each of the featured donor’s “must-have” list. The next few pages give some highlights, but online you can see the complete details. Favorite things include dreams such as flying lessons with Fly By Knight in Hammond from Jennifer Rice or a personal training package and six-month Franco’s membership, courtesy of Sandy Franco, to keep you looking your absolute best.

All 10 items are included in the package and cannot be bid on separately. Keep all 10 treasures to yourself, or if you can, share with friends and family! Maybe next year they’ll outbid YOU and return the favor.

The Heart of Fashion and Night of Fashion events benefit the advancement of pediatric initiatives at St. Tammany Parish Hospital. Together, we are providing for a better future for the children of our community.

To bid, visit www.biddingforgood.com/HOF to view items and to place your online bid. Online bidding ends on Monday, Sept. 17. Bidders do not need to be guests of the Heart of Fashion and Night of Fashion in order to bid.

Good luck!

After many years of enjoying wines from the Northern Rhone, John Besh knows that Etienne and Marcel Guigal’s La Turque embodies all the elegance of the famed region. While enjoying a glass of this delicious wine, cut up vegetables with a set of Shun knives and cook up something wonderful from your signed copies of My New Orleans or My Family Table (both signed by John) in a large Le Creuset French Oven like the one John used in his national PBS series. Stir it all up with a great wooden spoon from OXO. John enjoys all that the local area has to offer, including wearing a pair of Le Chameau boots from George Bass that fit just right to hunt like a king and have dinner with seven of your best friends at Covey Rise Farm in Husser, La. Swap your boots for a jersey, because nothing beats sitting courtside to cheer on our New Orleans Hornets. Follow the game with dinner at John’s newest restaurant, Borgne. Stay for two nights at the Hyatt and enjoy meals at Besh Restaurant Group restaurants. After the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy a peaceful sunrise while catching speckled trout on a fishing trip for two with Captain Dudley Vandenborre, aka “Deadly Dudley.” Package value: $7,000.

 

Want to get away from it all? Included in Jennifer’s package is a seven-night cruise for two, on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to a destination of your choice…Caribbean, Alaska or Europe. Say bon voyage with a magnum of Veuve Cliquot Champagne to celebrate. While you’re gone, send the pooches to WonderDog Farms for a five-day training session. Pretend you are Amelia Earhart while taking flying lessons from Fly By Knight in Hammond, looking ever so chic in your luxurious Hermes silk scarf. You’ll never have a better view of a game than on the Lower Club Level at the 50-yard line with the two Saints tickets included in the package. No need to worry about parking as a pass is also included. When you get home, an olive jar from Antiques des Provence in the Vieux Carre will dress up your front porch. Jennifer supports the Benedictine monks at St. Joseph Abbey by offering a handcrafted casket as a donation. She and her husband, Tim, have been playing polo as long as they have been married. Learn to play with four lessons from pro Manuel Diaz de Vivar, and be Jennifer’s guest at the Harvest Cup Polo Match in October. Be among the first guests at the newly renovated Southern Hotel in Covington. Package value: $15,000.

 

Heather Mahoney, owner of H20 Salon in Mandeville,  starts each day with the word of God and a cup of PJ’s Columbia Supremo. Her strategy for living well starts with the basics. A visit to Dr. Barbara Bopp helps you to look younger and glowing. Master your makeup with a professional makeup lesson with Chris Lombardo.  To practice what you have learned, head to Saks Fifth Avenue to score an eye makeup bundle, including the perfect new shimmer shade. Let Angelique dress you from head to toe before you have lunch with friends at Commander’s Palace. Show off your new jewelry from Friend & Company. And while you are still looking like a rock star, have a photo shoot with Cynthia Kehoe. Spend three nights at the Cal A Vie health spa in Vista, Calif., basking in the beautiful scenery and pampering. Home designer Trudy Hurley works toward approachable beauty with classic elements and a gift card from her will help you refine your style. Get healthy and happy with a visit to Dr. Kashi Rai to obtain a complete level of healing while promoting self-awareness and self-empowerment. Package value: $5,700.

 

What lucky man will be dressed by Wally Rosenblum? Wally’s exceptional taste will outfit you with a custom hand-crafted sport or dress shirt that has been made by artisans in the United States. Pair it with a custom seven-fold luxurious Italian silk tie. Wally will also fit you into a pair of broken-in jeans coordinated with a buttery-soft pima cotton polo, a dry-fit t-shirt and a soft baseball cap, all from Craberdashery. Complete the look with a belt of American alligator, full-quill South African ostrich or hornback crocodile made in the U.S., of course. Be in line at the Hive with tickets in hand for opening night of the Hornets season. Enjoy a two-night stay, with breakfast, at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Take along the ultimate classic bottle of Oban 14-year old single-malt scotch and a signed copy of head coach Sean Payton’s book to read after you have two melting, relaxing massages at the Spa Aria at the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street. Package value: $2,800.

 

Christmas is Patti Ellish’s favorite time of year. During the holidays, take your family to New Orleans, stay at the Loews Hotel for two nights and enjoy the zoo with an Audubon Experience Package for four. Enjoy Christmas Tea in Le Salon in the Windsor Court Hotel. Nestled back at home, create a special Christmas tradition with Elf on a Shelf, a special hide-and-seek tradition that is perfect for children and families. Scents always remind us of the holidays, and a diffuser is just the way to make your home smell great. Decorate your tree with a Mark Roberts Christmas fairy collectible figure and of course, the German “pickle” ornament. According to German tradition, the pickle brings good luck and was the last ornament to be placed on the tree. The first child to find the pickle was rewarded with a special gift. Proudly hang an original Christmas painting by Suzy Capitelli on your wall while listening to Michael Buble’s Christmas CD. Serve your favorite holiday goodies on Lenox’s Twelve Days of Christmas platter. Package value: $1,200.

 

Sandy Franco’s life is a whirlwind of activity. Her family is her lifeline—and what better way to keep them with you than a family portrait by Fannie St. Cyr. Sandy starts her day with quiet time, reading her Touch Point Bible from Simple Goodness. Getting ready for the day, where every minute counts, requires an unbelievable hair dryer; the Bio-Ionic Conditioning Hair Dryer from Kent Jacob fills the bill. The Red Carpet Treatment from OSpa and Kent Jacob Hair Salon will make you look and feel great. Sandy believes having a personal trainer for an awesome workout is the way to get fit. A personal training package and a six-month Franco’s membership are included in her package. Re-create that spa feeling at home with bamboo sheets and duvet cover from the Lifestyle Store at Franco’s, and slip into a PJ Harlow sleepwear set for a restful night’s sleep while the scents of Archipelago’s Kashmir candle fill the room. Now that you are refreshed, head to the city for a two-night stay at the Windsor Court Hotel and catch a Saints game before heading home. Package value: $5,200.

 

Matt Voelkel begins each day with a flair pen in one hand and an iced coffee from Coffee Rani in the other, sketching away his designs. Inspiration comes to Matt in many forms, but reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and listening to December by George Winston are two of them. The clean, fresh scent of a Beach House Candle completes his sensory experience. Clean interior space is what Matt is all about. Enjoy reading Contemporary Architecture and Interiors. Matt likes to incorporate hand-made items, such as the included custom iron candelabra, in his interiors. Wear your St. Paul’s football cap to a cocktail party given by Matt and his wife, Mimi, for 20 guests of your choice in their home, complete with Gray Goose martinis with anchovy stuffed olives. Package value: $4,100.

 

Because girls just want to have fun, Vikki Leftwich wants you to take your friends out for the evening on a three-hour limo ride in High Maintenance’s hot pink H-2 Hummer limo. A case of Ridge 2009 Three Valleys Zinfandel from Martin Wine Cellar will go a long way toward entertaining your friends. You can look like a movie star wearing your fabulous pair of limited edition Fendi sunglasses from Eyewares. Traveling is a favorite pastime of Vikki’s, and she cannot leave home without her silk trench coat. Buy yours with a Fleurt gift certificate and look great in your new, perfectly-fitted jeans from T. on Magazine Street. Vikki’s feet love her most comfortable running shoes that were fitted to her feet at Massey’s in Covington. Get yours with a gift certificate, or relax in Haviana flip-flops from Laurier in Covington that never leave blisters and are great for getting through airport security quickly. A new bracelet from Laurier completes your look. Bra Genie is the place to find comfortable Cosa Bella boycut lace undies. Last, but certainly not least, what could be better than a shopping spree from Vikki’s own and favorite shop, Villla Vici. A generous gift certificate goes a long way to re-decorating a room. Package value: $4,900.

 

Doctors Rhonda Baldone and Rachel Reina have spent their professional lives making people more beautiful. Botox relaxes the skin while Derma fillers plump the skin to smooth lines. They believe a Clairsonic Pro Brush is essential for everyone. TNS Essential Serum is their “go-to” product, and Jane Iredale Makeup with Elta MD Aero Sunsreen, along with Jouorné anti-aging cream, are a must for day-time use. While looking good, take off for Baton Rouge and a Tigers game this fall. A piece of Saints or LSU jewelry will be a great addition to any outfit on game day. And when you get home, cuddle up with the family in a Saints Snuggie. Package value: $3,000.

 

As Parish President, Pat Brister loves all things St. Tammany. Each year, Pat’s daughter gives her a photograph of her grandchildren by Katherine Bentz. Let Bentz help you create memories with your own family photoshoot. Using your year-long family pass, have the picture taken on the new St. Tammany Fishing Pier on Lake Pontchartrain south of Slidell. Then have lunch at Palmetto’s on Bayou Bonfouca. After a guided tour on horseback at Splendor Farms in Bush, you will have a huge appetite! Head to Coffee Rani in Covington. Later in the evening, dance barefoot in the grass by the light of the moon with three friends at Pontchartrain Vineyards during a Jazz ’N the Vines concert. After whirling around St. Tammany, relax with a massage, manicure and facial at the OSpa at Franco’s Athletic Club in Mandeville. Finish your day watching the boats go by at lunch at Friend’s restaurant overlooking the historic Tchefuncte River. And next spring, enjoy more of St. Tammany’s finest cuisine at Chef’s Soirée, one of the parish’s premier events, which supports the Youth Services Bureau. Package value: $1,500.

 

Artist Alice McNeely loves to give back to the northshore community through her original artwork. Let Alice start your collection with one of her pieces. One of her favorite artists is Craig McMillin, whose fabulous French-blue cracked and glazed platter will grace your wall. If you love to paint, Mo’s Art Supply in Covington will help with supplies. Listen to music on your “George” desktop iPod docking station from MobileOne. Be creative and enjoy a bottle of hand-selected wine from Adam Aquistapace. Alice gets a lot of painting done when her girls are away at Camp Riverview for Girls for the summer. Your daughter can make lifetime friends and memories at a one-week session in 2013. Re-design a room in your house with style guru Jeffery McNeely and a gift certificate from Home and Garden in Covington. Before heading across the lake for dinner at Mr. B’s Bistro, go for a day at the Spa at Stone Creek Club and Spa. Have Heather Mahoney at H2O Salon create a new you with color, cut, style and make-up. You will look amazing! Package value: $7,500.

 

Beverly McQuaid begins and ends each day in prayer. A cross from Simply Southern gives her daily peace, and then a cup of fresh, crisp coffee from PJ’s gets her going! Enjoy coffee from PJ’s donated by the Richards family. Keep your skin beautiful with Skin Medica TNS Essential Face Serum and a Derma-brasion Face Peel from Skin Solutions. Keep you hair perfectly silky and soft with a Kerastase Elixer Kultime treatment and blowout from H2O Salon and Spa in Metairie. Store your Escala Sunglasses from Ban Soliel in your new Elaine Turner bag from Brenchley’s while packing for your four-day cruise for two to Cozumel, Mexico, which was donated by Wendelstedt Umpire School. A quick trip to Laurier in Covington is a must for those last-minute items. A seascape by artist Emery Clark will be a constant reminder of your trip. Back home, work off the trip with an individual training session at Lift Training Studio. Package value: $2,000.

 

Renee Maloney and Cathy Deano invite you for a wine dinner for four at the Lakehouse in Mandeville. Wear a comfortable, artistic and stylish outfit from California Drawstings. Accessorize with a special piece of jewelry created by Cheryl Finegan of Virgin, Saints and Angels in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Add to your collection of John Hodge pottery and have Francie Rich paint a fun creative painting of your favorite pooch. Don’t leave out the family. Ryan Perea will paint a family portrait for posterity. Everyone loves a trip to the beach. Pack a luxurious gift basket from Earthsavers, some new books from Barnes and Noble and a bottle of Dom Perignon, and you are ready for a five-day stay in a two-bedroom condo in Destin. Life’s a beach! Package value: $4,500.

 

Doing what you love is everyone’s lifelong dream. Pro golfer Kelly Gibson wants to share his dream with you by treating you to a round of golf for four at TPC Louisiana. Crack open a bottle of Crystal Head Vodka and a bottle of Zaya Gran Reserve Rum to help you play 18 holes. If you’re a little rusty and are in need of a lesson, Kelly will teach you and two friends at Tchefuncta Country Club. He will even play a round with the three of you. Your new Taylor Made Rossa Tour Custom Putter will surely help your game. Kelly will help your youngster, ages 7-18, learn golf with a spot in the Kelly Gibson 2013 Junior Golf Camp at TPC Louisiana. If watching is your style, enjoy two weekly passes to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Dance the night away with your special someone, at the Kelly Gibson Foundation “Night of Jazz” event. To avoid the drive home after a wonderful evening, enjoy a one-night stay at Harrah’s Hotel New Orleans. When the Saints are away, Kelly and his wife, Elizabeth, would like to entertain you and eight guests at their home with a tailgate party, including food and drink. Wear one of your two autographed Saints jerseys, signed by Marques Colston and Saints Hall of Famer and all-time great, Morton Anderson. Package value: $4,900.

 

Sisters Angele and Laurie Sica want you to start each morning with a cup of Starbucks coffee and classes at Pure Barre. A quick styling at Air Blow Dry salon makes you look great in record time. Wear the perfect wrap dress from ReElle in Mandeville. Accessorize with a necklace from local artist P S Designs and a handbag from DVF. One rainy day, head to the Oasis Spa for a day of beauty. Be sure to wear your Hunter rain boots from Electra. Later that evening, relax with a bottle of Prosecco and the scents of a Hazelnut Signature Candle from Sweet Berries. Package value: $2,000.

 

Holli Gaspard also suggests starting your day with a large mug of Starbuck’s coffee and assorted goodies. You will look stunning when you head off for lunch at Vega, wearing your Gucci sunglasses and bright white T-shirt from EM’s on Metairie Road. Your Brenchley’s handbag will get everyone’s attention. Pick up a few things on your way home to make your day even better—fresh flowers from Federico’s, a movie and book from Barnes and Noble, a quote plaque from Donna Hilton Art and an art box from Little Miss Mufffin. At home, give your face a treat by washing with your lavender scrub and Clarisonic from H2O Salon and Spa on Metairie Road. Before retiring for the night, read a few passages of scripture from your new black leather-bound Bible. Tomorrow—lunch at Byblos. Ahhhh! Package value: $1,700.

 

Will Boudreaux starts each day with a workout at Franco’s Athletic Club, followed by a cup of coffee with his buddies. Join him for a 90-day membership to Franco’s and use a gift card to the grill for your morning coffee. Will’s great love of the beach prompted him and his wife, Shelly, to buy a home and carriage house in Rosemary Beach that sleeps 10-12. A one-week stay, complete with amenities, is part of his package. Before you go, learn to paddle board with a three-hour private paddle board tour of Lake Pontchartrain with Will and his friend Tommy Crosby. Top off the day with a champagne lunch at the end of the ride. Want to improve your musical skills? Four guitar or piano lessons taught by no other than Jim Payne of Better Than Ezra can be yours. Will and his friend Will Trist love to cook and entertain and invite you to join them and 50 of your closest friends to feast on jambalaya or gumbo along with all the jokes you can stand. Wine has become a passion for the Boudreauxs because of the wonderful memories they created while honeymooning in Sonoma Valley. He would like to give you a bottle of his favorite wine, Quintessa, and a gift certificate to Martin Wine Cellar. Will was part of the winning national tennis team from Franco’s. Franco’s Head Pro, Ray Shahag, would love to teach you to play like a pro with a Personal Tennis Lesson/Clinic Combo Pack. Will likes to shop at Rosenblum’s, which always has the latest “must-have” items. Shop there with a gift certificate. Will’s business, Netchex, is offering a whole suite of solutions to your business payroll. He has bled purple and gold since the early ’80s, and he wants you to have the same experience with two tickets to the Stadium Club for the Sept. 29 Towson game in Death Valley. Package value: $9,500.

 

 

 

Filed under: Front Page Feature, Giving Back, September-October 2012