THE SOCIAL Notes column is back, getting straight to the heart of the Montreal scene.
Hellooo, Noties! I can’t tell you how much I missed you during our BSB (Between-seasons Break). But as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Speaking of which, (the heart), we kick off this special 2012 Spring Summer Season with highlights from a special Social Notes newcomer. The Fondation Québec Jeunes’ 9th Bal de la Saint-valentin, presented under the honourary presidency of Isabelle Hudon, president of Sun Life Financial Quebec and Erik Ryan, Rio Tinto Alcan principal vice-president (communications and external relations) will make you wanna go Valentines gush & glam all over again … Love Nest: The fest-nest was hot new Complexe Arsenal (in cool quartier Griffintown), which has Montreal partygoers (and planners) over the event moon. Understandably so. The clean, minimalist backdrop worked really well with the elaborate theme (awardwinning Paule Labelle and Cheryl Domingo of Cava Rose Events outdid their creative selves). Love is a Circus (in a good way): You guessed it. The fun and cheeky theme was a St. Valentine’s Circus, replete with fire-eaters, bendy acrobats and other circusfab characters. Also upping the sizzle – a pack of vedettes headlined by Marina Orsini, Bernard Voyer and Dominique Bertrand (who gave Mad Men beauties serious cause for concern in her demure Victoria Beckham gown). Best Way to a Guest’s Heart ... is most definitely a gratifying gourmet meal and the Bal de la Saint-valentin did not disappoint here, either. The Fairmont Queen E. caterers (expertly directed by Armando Arruda) filled plates time and again (four to be exact) with love and other fine flavours that won’t be forgotten any time soon (well, they might be, given the equally inspiring wine selections, which featured, among others, a fêteenhancing Cuvée Jean Rière 2009). Party Lovers: All 530 party-perfect patrons were instrumental to the evening’s success. Topping the list (in random order) were: Induspac Integrated Packaging president/ceo Paul Gaulin, who attended festivities with elegant sig other Jeannick Clément; former goldwinning gymnast Cathy Giancasbro and hub Joe Reda, president of Viau Foods (yes, they loved the acrobats!); RBC Royal Bank powerhouses – Tony Loffreda (in the grand company of wife Angie) and Luc Bisaillon (in the grand company of wife Lyne Desrochers); Price water house coopers managing partner Guy LeBlanc; Bellus Health president/ceo Roberto Bellini and love Myah Drori; big supporter Éric Budjold, senior vice-president and CO-CEO of National Bank Private Wealth; the always-gorg Vanessa Laframboise, with her fave sandwich-man – husband Guy Laframboise (“coincidentally” president of Subway Restaurants Québec); RSM Richter Chamberland co-managing partner Denis Chamberland and wife Claude Lefebvre; stunning St. James Hotel marketing chief Elizabeth Glimenaki with love, KPMG partner Bruce Desautels; iget.it marketing maven Dominique Lebel and wife Valérie Pigeon; beautiful Mélissa Audette accompanied by husband Michael Grondin, a portfolio manager at RBC Dominion Securities; and yet another Price wate rhouse coopers luminary – partner/managing director Nicolas Marcoux, who attended with wife Marie-pierre Boisclair. Tall Tally: With the generous support of patrons, corporate partners like Sun Life and Rio Tinto Alcan and a live auction presided over by rock-star auctioneer Rock Fournier, the ball raised a rock-star $325,000 for the foundation. The foundation, created in 1995, invests in a myriad of programs integral to the well-being of underprivileged youths between the ages of 11 and 17. Needless to say, foundation top brass, board chairperson André Morrissette (attending with Geneviève Desmarais), committee chairperson Nathalie Gagnon (with Patrick Gervais) and general manager Robert Lorange (with wife Marie Semeraro) were thrilled with the count. More to Share: In today’s season kick-off, Social Notes also pays homage to the Mcdreamy MDS who donned dancing shoes for the greater good at the MUHC’S inaugural Dancing with the Docs benefit event. Bravo!
The above column celebrates the life of Whitney Houston, a beautiful soul with a paradisial voice that captivated a generation.