FALL SEASON WARMS UP WITH HEART INSTITUTE, MAC BALLS
I really miss you Montreal Gazette Social Gals and Gents between seasons, and am always so tickled to be reunited for more ad-event-ures. Which brings us to today’s supersized fall/winter season opener, a proper smorgasbord of cool and colourful happenings. Enjoy.
WITH SO MUCH HEART: Fresh from a jaunt to the Caribbean, where the pace is slooow, it’s a jolt to go from zero social energy to full-on Jennergy. But the “sacrifice” (wink!) is worth it when the season’s first event is the glam-glittering Grand Bal des Vins-Coeurs, held by the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation.
The event was held this year at Windsor Station, and the team — helmed by MHI president Mélanie La Couture (attending with Adrian Hernandez) — outdid themselves. Over 500 VIP guests were already in “oh my” mode as they walked the signature crimson carpet into the welcome cocktail.
While apps and banter were bountiful, that was just the tip of things. We continued into the glorious ruby-appointed main dining room, where surprises included a powerful performance by singer Kim Richardson; stunning turns by Cirque du Soleil acrobats; an epic four-course meal by the epicurean masters at the Fairmont Queen E.; and rhythmic tunes by Paul Chacra’s 1945 Orchestra.
There were also impactful addresses by MHI Foundation board chair Lino A. Saputo Jr., chair-CEO of Saputo (attending with lovely wife Amelia), and foundation president-CEO Josée Noiseux (with husband, Sid Lee CEO Bertrand Cesvet). Both of them praised the awesome work by the institute, and honoured visionary businessman-philanthropist Jean-Pierre Léger (vice-president of the board of the Claire and Jean-Pierre Léger Foundation, attending with wife Claire) with the institute’s prestigious Medal of Honour. The medal recognized a lifetime of outstanding community support as well as superb generosity to the MHI, facilitating the acquisition of technology integral to detecting heart disease in more expedient fashion.
The business elite and community leaders were out in rare form, including foundation board member Daniel Lamarre, president-CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, with wife Emmanuelle Duperré; SAQ board chair Johanne Brunet; BMO Financial Group, Quebec president of operations Claude Gagnon; Montreal Impact hottie vice-president, international relations Nick De Santis with beautiful wife Anna; Fiera Capital strategic adviser Monique F. Leroux with husband Marc; National special adviser and all-out rock star John Parisella with broadcast darling Esther Bégin; and Olympian Bruny Surin.
Thanks to incredible support and partners including the SAQ, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, National Bank and Pomerleau, the Grand Bal des Vins-Coeurs raised a whopping $1,735,000. Bravo!
MAC MAKES MORE MAGIC: I always get giddy at the prospect of covering the annual MAC Ball, benefiting our cultural gem, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.
I know that the inordinately creative foundation organizing committee — and standardraising event architects at Bob Agency — are going to exceed even the loftiest of expectations (set by them the previous year!) to rocket guests into an event experience that’s nothing short of almighty.
MAC mission accomplished — again. Knockout!
Heeding the invite’s call for dare-to-wear attire in “sheer and/or vibrant,” approximately 800 top-tier guests from the worlds of art and commerce descended upon the speedily sold-out ball for the opening cocktails in Place des Arts’ JeanGascon Hall, where networking and schmoozing were of the highest quality.
Also peak level were the mouth-wateringly enchanting fashions worn by at-trend-ing patrons on the red carpet.
Post cocktails, an elegant exodus to the museum ensued, to rooms divinely drenched in light and transparency — a reflection of the MAC’s upcoming 2019 architectural transformation.