Thursday, April 24, 2008 - New York City)  Lenox Hill Neighborhood House hosted its annual spring gala, this year dubbed “Once Upon A Time…” and sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. The social services and educational organization raised $1 million to continue their mission to help those in need who live, work or go to school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Gala Chair was Diana Quasha and the Honorary Chairs were Sydney Roberts Shuman and Elizabeth Rohatyn. Allen Brill, Rolex President and CEO represented the event’s underwriter. The Honorary Design Chairs were Bunny Williams and John Rosselli. The Design Co-Chairs were Albert Hadley and Harry Heissmann. The Dinner Co-Chairs were Sara and Charles Ayres, Lisa and Dick Cashin, Audrey and Martin Gruss, Amie and Tony James and LHNH Board President Thomas Edelman with his wife Ingrid.

Other Chairs, Table Hosts and Board Members included: Eva and Brendan Dillon, Allen Adler and Frances Beatty, Mal and Ann Barasch, Kathy Angele, Judy and Stanley Zabar, Arthur L. Loeb, Marianna and Juan Sabater, Bruce Addison, Kate and Chris Allen, Wiggie and Mark Bitter, Jennifer and James Cacioppo, Anastasia and Alexander Coleman, Bryan Colwell, Heather and Andrew Georges, Mark Gilbertson, Lisa and Philip Gorrivan, Paige and Tripp Hardy, Debra Kanabis, Serena and William Lese, Kamie and Richard Lightburn, Melissa and Charles Manice, Christopher Manice, Mary and Ian Snow, Chris Spitzmiller, J. Kevin Smith, Margot and Randolph Takian and Mary and Guy Van Pelt.

The evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for almost 1,000 guests at The Park Avenue Armory, who previewed The Spring International Art and Antiques Show. The amazing cornucopia of priceless collectables produced by Westchester Enterprises (represented by its Director Meg Geslin) remained open until April 29th.  Fifty of the most important International dealers from 9 countries (United States, France, England, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Russia) displayed a vast range of pieces from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese and pre-Colombian civilizations as well as 17th to 21st-century English, French, and continental furniture; accessories; decorative arts; fine, modern and contemporary art; antique and contemporary jewelry; rare books; rugs and more.

Noted designer Angel Sanchez dressed many of the evening’s Chairs and Table Hosts in elegant spring gowns.   The magical night continued with dinner at 40 highly stylized tables with unique decorations created by top designers to reflect different interpretations of the evening’s theme.

The Table designers included Amy Lau, Jeff Lincoln for Scalamandré, Mark Holcomb of DwellStudio, Rod Winterrowd, Meredith Waga Perez for Belle Fleur, Deborah Buck for Buck House, Emily Weaver-Pinon for Chestnuts in the Tuileries, David Beahm, David Scott, David Kleinberg, Joanne DePalma, Jamie Drake, Eric Cohler, Ingrid Edelman for Gay Hackett, Philip Gorrivan, Harry Heissmann of Albert Hadley Inc., Joan McGivern for McCluskey, Linda Fargo of Bergdorf Goodman, Marco Maccioni for Le Cirque, Miles Redd for Oscar de la Renta Home, Patrik Lönn, Claire Potter and Christopher Spitzmiller, Dennis Rolland for John Rosselli, Roric Tobin for Geoffrey Bradfield, Alan Wanzenberg, Bridget Vizoso, Jodi Zimmerman, Kevin Jude Murphy, Noel Jeffrey with Andrea Stark, Philip Haight for Fiori LTD., Steinitz, Worth Interiors, Scott Snyder, and

Antony Todd.

Among the guests enjoying the fantastic fun and serious shopping while dogooding were Anne Slater, NYC Department of Homeless Services’ Robert Hess, Charlotte Moss, Robert Rufino, Muffie Potter Aston, Alexandria Lind and Louis Rose, Lisa Anastos, Mario Buatta, Alison Minton, Michel Cox Witmer, Jill and Bobby Zarin, Sharon Bush, author Marc W. Smith, Alexandra Lebenthal and Jay Diamond, Debbie Bancroft, Oliver L’Olivier, Barbara and Donald Tober, Cece Cord, Philip Warner, Alexia Hamm and Baird Ryan, sisters Nancy Baker and Tobie Roosevelt, Margo Langenberg, Stephanie Krieger and Brian Stewart, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Town and Country’s Alexis Clark, Chappy and Melissa Morris, Dan Ragone, sisters Lara Glazier and Melissa Berkelhammer, Bruce Colley, Peggy Siegal, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Gail and Dennis Karr, Leslie and Andrew Heaney, Tracy Stern, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Mark Kinsey, Michèle Gerber Klein, Allison and George Brokaw, Kate Schelter, Daniel Urzedo, Lydia Fenet, Gigi Mortimer, Natalie Leeds Leventhal, Jerome and Maria Villalba, Blair Clarke, Ashley McDermott, Ann Rapp, Ellen Gilbertson, Lief Styles and From The House: Executive Director Warren Scharf, Director of Development Virginia Pitman and associate Lauren Chiarello.

Allen Brill of Rolex U.S.A. announced that his company would continue their longtime support of The Neighborhood House for future galas, and as part of this support gave away two watches in the event’s raffle, one men’s and one women’s Oyster Perpetual Datejust stainless steel and white gold watch.  This timeless design is valued at over four thousand dollars each.

The colorful fete was preceded by an afternoon Designer Showcase.The afternoon event, which took place from 1 to 4, allowed guests to preview the one-of-a-kind designer table tops, and featured a presentation by Bunny Williams who discussed her new interior design book, “Point of View.”