Black Tie & Tales

+ A defining moment defined
The American Jewish Committee is the world’s longest-established human rights organization and one that has an extremely active regional office here. It finds itself at a defining moment as a result of the incredible, recent explosion of anti-Semitism and other human rights violations all over the world but especially in Europe. The incidents are the natural purview of news and political journalists. Their relevance to Black Tie & Tales is that they add enormous weight and importance to an upcoming fundraising event here in Sarasota.

The event is AJC’s Human Relations Award dinner, which will honor Alfred and Jean Weidner Goldstein. Both are well known for their enduring and generous support of Sarasota arts and human services. The notoriously publicity-shy Mr. Goldstein agreed to his wife’s request that he allow AJC to honor them because he recognizes the vital role that AJC has to play at this critical time, and he simply wants to help.

Co-chairs are Teri Hansen, Hillary Steele, Marcia Jean Taub and Ron Taub. Hansen and Dr. Larry Thompson will be honoring the Goldsteins. The dinner is 6 p.m. March 22, at Michael’s On East. For more information, contact Brian Lipton at 365-4955.

+ News flash
Designing Women Boutique has a new executive director as of March 3. She is Susan Jackewicz, who has been the shop’s marketing executive for a few months. Susan’s significant retail experience includes Neiman Marcus and the May Department Stores Co., Filene’s of Boston Division. If you receive Designing Women’s weekly “News Flash” email, you have already had a taste of her creativity and style. If you don’t receive it, sign up at DesigningWomenBoutique.org.

+ Tidbits
“Boldog születés napot”… that’s how friends of Flora Major wished her “happy birthday” in her native Hungarian. The occasion was a luncheon celebrating her 65th birthday Feb. 23 on the terrace at Amore by Andrea, on Longboat Key. Flori Roberts entertained with a parody lyric to “Hello, Dolly”  (“Welcome to Medicare Flora, AARP will just adore her, But she will always be fashion news”). Guests included Genie Aberson, Ellen Berman, Barbara Cervasio, Eileen Curd, Rebecca Donelson, Dottie Garner, Renee Hamad, Vivian Kouvant and Diane Tauber. Speaking her mind as always, Flora observed, “You can’t do anything about our well deserved and earned wrinkles” …

The camera takes the cake … Mollie Nelson and Margaret Wise threw a birthday luncheon for Cliff Roles Feb. 25, at Michael’s On East. Mollie instructed Cliff to photograph his own Nikon and gave the images to Cakes by Ron, who produced an amazing and tasty replica. The hostesses presented a copy of Cliff’s book, “Walkabout Europe,” to about 20 guests, among them Bob Bartner, BJ Creighton, Janet and John Hunter, Susan Jones, Marjorie North, Nikki Sedacca, Marcia Jean Taub and Elisabeth Waters …

Drumroll, please … The co-chairs for the 2015 Wine Women & Shoes (to be held Nov. 13) have been announced. Melissa Howard and Terry McKee are bound to pull together a fabulous event and Black Tie is excited to see what this year’s event has in store … Congrats … Event planner extraordinaire Roger Capote has been promoted from the philanthropic & special events manager to the director of events at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens … Proud moment ... Lewis Hanan photographing his son, Benjamin, board chair of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation as he introduced speaker Dr. Peter Diamandis at the organization’s Better Together Luncheon Feb. 24, at the Van Wezel bayfront … Fashionistas unite … Saks Fifth Avenue Sarasota was a presenting sponsor of Well Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s Funds the Cure Runway Show at Tampa International Jet Center Hangar No. 4 Feb. 21 and Sally Schule had a chance to get on the stage with celebrity host and television star Carson Kressley.