Local Social Scene Draws Famed and Fashionable

Oscar de la Renta May Headline Naples Event
September 2-8 Florida Weekly article by Rufino Hernandez

Summer has come and gone as quickly as a thunderstorm rolls through in August. It seems just yesterday we were contemplating whether we should wear white and now we're making note of must-haves for out autumn and winter wardrobes.

As the heat and humidity begin to wane, we gear up for a new social season. All signs are that it's going to be a sizzle throughout Southwest Florida.

We have such a diverse conglomeration of people from so many different places that it always amazes me that we all get along. But get along we do. No matter where we are from, we bring a passion for fashion and for giving back to our communities. I have had the pleasure of working with bluebloods from Blue Bell and quirky Canuks from Quebec and one thing remains the same: everyone here has an unwavering commitment to give back — and to look good while doing it!

Read the Entire Article from Florida Weekly Here

Project Third Street

High fashion was in bloom when “Project Third Street” took to the outdoor fashion runway with celebrity guests for Garden District’s Grand Opening Event. You would have thought you had been transported to New York during Fashion Week. The street was alive with the bright hues of pink and white lights, as Miami models took
to the runway in fashions made with Sunbrella® outdoor fabrics. Interior Designers had only 4 days to create each line of clothing, but rose to the occasion creating incredible looks that went far beyond anyone’s imagination.

The evening’s fashion show concept was the brainchild of Rufino Hernandez, owner of Garden District. The show provided a unique way for Grand Opening guests to visualize how outdoor fabrics had evolved to incorporate a more modern, versatile fashion-style. Sunbrella® is a favorite line for Hernandez, because it offers a weather-resistant, non-fading—yet stylish—solution for Southwest Florida outdoor living. The event was emceeded by renowned interior designer, Joe Ruggiero, who has a popular show called “Homes Across America” on HGTV, and who designed the new more fashionable line of fabrics for Sunbrella®. Angela Keslar, best known for her time on the hit T.V. show “Project Runway” was also on-hand to welcome guests to the show and to answer questions from the standing room only audience.

Galas: Seacrest gala raises nealry $900,00 for 'magical' school

By: Suzy Dorr from NaplesNews.com
6:00 p.m., Saturday, April 4, 2009Things moved at a feverish pace on March 28 as 300 parents, administrators, faculty, staff, alumni and friends descended on the Naples Grande Resort for the Seacrest Country Day School’s 21st annual auction extravaganza.

“Every year’s like a homecoming with alumni coming back,” exulted David Amico, board of trustees honorary member.

Initially startled when the green arbor at the foot of the hotel’s escalator began enfolding them, guests rose to a display of colorful student art work and an organized sea of silent auction displays — 400 items plus an additional 20 live auction dream packages also listed in the nearly 200-page catalog. Trays of frosty Mojitos were at the ready as were passed hors d’oeuvres and a couple of open bars.

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Soon, two mute trailing vines, a roving orchid and a butterfly hovered about the ballroom foyer. Every item received bids except the Continental GTC Speed Bentley, an obvious indicator of the troubled economy.

Chiming in as they approached the ballroom, the entourage was awed by the “growing” themed décor executed by Rufino Hernandez and his Garden District team. Shimmering lighting illuminated soaring bouquets of roses and hydrangeas in the centers of round tables. Fresh green leaves served as placemats atop silken cloths. At each setting small handpainted flower pots “planted” with packets of wildflower seeds for butterfly gardens supported hand-drawn thank-you notes from individual students.

The opening act was the Seacrest High School Chorus, which serenaded the assemblage with two wildly applauded numbers. With barely a breather, the Fifth Avenue Band struck up and Head of School Lynne Powell took up the microphone, welcomed all and then deferred to auctioneer Ron Kirby of Stokes Auction Group. Kirby drummed up $10,000 in a final bid for Dream Package One — seats at the center table, a Seacrest tradition where winners dine with special grandeur and service.

A cash call rustled up an incredible $400,000 for the school. The remaining 18 packages, with several valued at $20,000, included the most-sought: “China — A Grand Adventure on an Intimate Scale.” Hosted by longtime China travelers David and Lori Collar, the journey will provide, through the couple’s connections, exclusive entrées for a party of two or a family of four. The winning bid was $45,000, to the delight of Kristy Rea, live auction chair.

Diners actually managed to enjoy their meals, chatting and flashing bid numbers amid the din of clackers provided for all, spotters noisily signaling bids, the band playing on and the auctioneer continuing his professional patter. Planning and logistics chairwomen Elizabeth Ganzi and Jennifer Parisi were responsible for orchestrating the evening’s organized chaos.

“It’s a magical evening, matched by a magical school,” Ganzi said.

The minute the live auction ended, the partiers zipped in and out to continue silent auction bidding when they were not gyrating on the dance floor. Overseeing that action were Marti Flagg and Karen Yannone, silent auction co-chairwomen. Helen Ruisi, Seacrest chief financial officer, announced the evening had netted nearly $900,000, which included income from the $400-per-person tickets. Its income helps one-third of the student body with financial assistance to attend Sea crest.

"Finishing Touches" By: Elizabeth Kellar

Article Featured in Gulfshore Life February 2009 issue

"Choose garden furnishings that complement your home and personal style to create a cozy outdoor retreat. Sometimes, it may seem that all Southwest Floridians possess a green thumb. Our lush landscaping practically grows itself, thanks to tropical temperatures, year-round sunshine and drenching rains. All we have to do is step outside with a cool beverage or book in hand, prepared to select a gorgeous garden spot to sit and linger.

Ah, but there’s the question: What about those spots to sit and linger? Furnishing a garden to complement your home can be a thorny task, as it presents not only design considerations but also special issues of versatility and durability.

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Yet it’s also an opportunity to allow your individuality to bloom and sow the seeds for a
space that’s memorable, mystical and relaxing. Worried that it’s a jungle out there? Here’s what landscape and design professionals say you’ll need to know to come up smelling like roses.

Consider Continuity Gracious garden décor has become an increasingly important extension of any well-appointed home, explains Rufino Hernandez, co-owner of the Garden District in Naples. The first step in creating it, he says, is to take steps to avoid the sharp disconnect that occurs between indoor and outdoor environments if a garden isn’t given its due design time.

"One of the ways we do that is by selecting furniture that’s made for the outside but that
coordinates with the inside," Hernandez says.

The challenge is not to reproduce your home’s interior, but to reflect it, finding garden furnishings that are stylistically in synch and sensitive to a home’s color palette. For example, if a home has a contemporary design ethic, the garden may be complemented by tightly structured furnishings; if red plays a prominent part in the interior, vibrant variations of that hue may be used on outdoor accessories such as throw pillows and garden pots."...