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Janine
Trusello's Report from the Dining to Make a Difference
Trail
Dogs Live it Up and Help Their
Humans
Dine to Make a Difference
The
ultimate dream of a New York City dog? Probably to
be permanently rid of that dog-blessed leash and to
run free through the streets and parks of the city
with all their doggie pals. Well, this hasn't happened
YET, but recently NYC dogs DID have their SECOND most
favorite dream come true!
Last Wednesday, May 22nd, Jan Fried
and John Calder of Steamer's Landing
(375 South End Ave. on the Esplanade, 212/432-1451,
www.steamerslanding.com)
hosted Dining to
Make a Difference’s Dog Bless America Happy
Hour, starring rescue team Scott
and Bear Shields and benefiting the Suffolk
County SPCA. With guests encouraged to
BYOP (Bring Your Own Pups), close to 200 pets and
their people turned out to fill the patios of this
wonderful Hudson River-side restaurant. The canine
crowd came in a variety of shapes and sizes, and moods
ran from calm to rambunctious. Most dogs seemed to
be thrilled to be near so many others of their own
kind in such a unique situation -- on a restaurant
terrace right near THEIR special walking area (the
very scenic and calming esplanade in Battery Park
City).
Although a full menu was available
indoors, the patio guests and their canine pals dined
on delicious seafood-centric appetizers such as lobster
spring rolls, Prince Edward Island mussels with coconut
curry sauce, jumbo shrimp cocktails, jumbo lump crab
cakes with gazpacho slaw, cornmeal-crusted calamari,
and squishy-creamy-dreamy Blue Point oysters on the
half-shell. All this was washed down with plenty of
beer, wine, and suitable-for-sunset cocktails. Burgers
were available for the pooches as were doggie bowls
(and bags!).
Those who turned out (with furry
friends in tow) included Animal
Fair Magazine founder and editorial director
Wendy Diamond, whose recent Rescue Issue provided
the inspiration for this event, NYC Pet Project co-director
Ed Kaczmarek, and 106.7 LiteFM promotion director
Bridget Sullivan.
Also in attendance was the very wonderful
Barbara Tollis of TCA Consulting, and a board member
of Angel
Flight, which generously flew in moccasins
from Wisconsin to protect the paws of the Search and
Rescue dogs during 9.11 relief efforts. (These were
the first dog booties to reach the site.)
Other attendees included Maja (a Maltese) and Marieclaire
Sullivan, Patsy and Lily Polatchek (with Riley, their
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), documentary-maker
David Mintzer, filmmaker Geo Geller, stylist Tracey
Eller, photographer Rick Becker, editor/author Susan
Becker, Moran's owners Brian and Abby Lydon, design
consultant Paul McCann, designer Farhad Sepahbodi,
publicist par excellence Maryam Sepahbodi and several
others -- including at least a few grand-dog and grand-parent
pairings.
American Express exec Thomas Wiles
brought many colleagues and friends and continued
to collect kiss-imprinted cocktail napkins as Proof-of-Presence
(POP) for DMD’s South-of-Chambers-Street
Scavenger Hunt. Administrative Law Judge
Ray Fleischhacker admitted working on something vast
in terms of POP Material collection and spectacular
in terms of POP Material display, but would not share
details. And others were encouraged to enter the Scavenger
Hunt fray, with details at www.vergant.com/dmdlaunch.htm
and www.vergant.com/diningfest.htm.
Of course, the stars of the evening
-- rescue team Scott
and Bear Shields, were front and center
-- sharing photos and stories and making new friends.
Bear held many a noble pose as documentary-maker David
Mintzer (and not a few canine fans) diligently followed
him about.
Much fun was had by all, and much
doggie flirting and frolicking (with an occasional
fracas) occurred. Plus, significant funds -- including
a portion of the evening’s food and drink proceeds,
the auctioning off of several Dog Date Afternoons
with Scott and Bear Shields and many direct contributions
-- were raised for the Suffolk
County SPCA. In attendance from the Suffolk
County SPCA were the Chief of Department Roy Gross,
his wife Lois and their very loveable therapy dog,
Cody. On 9.11 and in its aftermath, Suffolk County
SPCA set up Ground Zero’s most extensive and
successful animal hospital. And true to his calling,
on 5/22 Cody did not pass up a single opportunity
to give or get hugs.
***
Note: Dining
to Make a Difference is a program of Vergant, Inc.
(www.vergant.com)
-- developers of pro-social programs, products and
promotions for an array of companies and causes. Since
October of 2001, Dining to Make
a Difference has hosted toasts and happy hours
at many of downtown’s hardest hit restaurants.
In the process, the program has done much to strengthen
community, rebuild downtown’s economy and restaurant
industry and raise awareness and funds for selected
charities. Following the May
15 - June 19 Downtown Dining to Make a Difference
Fest, the program will expand to encompass
additional neighborhoods and themes. For further information
or to be on our invite list, please e-mail info@vergant.com.
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