Strength in Numbers

Share Our Strength, the charity organization created to battle childhood hunger in America, held the New York outing of its "Tasteful Pursuit" dinner series at Terrence Brennan's Artisanal restaurant last night, raising $110,000 for a group that has achieved phenomenal success since its founding, in 1984. More recently, since launching its initiative to eliminate childhood hunger four years ago, it has served more than 40 million meals and taught nutrition to in excess of 200,000 students. Part of a continuing slate of Share Our Strength dinners around the country, last evening's menu was prepared by host chef Brennan as well as chefs David Burke (David Burke and Donatella); James Beard Award winner Bradford Thompson; Aáron Sanchez, (Centrico and Paladar); chocolatier Jacques Torres; and pastry chef Deborah Racicot (Gotham Bar and Grill). The series, which is sponsored by Lexus and the Balvenie whisky, continues through September, with local talent in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Cleveland, Detroit, Dallas and Boston next on the list for delightful dining for a good cause.

Country Comes to Cipriani

Cipriani 42 was bursting with color (and country music) last night for the 22nd annual "Spring Ahead" gala, a fund-raiser for the Jeffrey Modell Foundation. City slickers cast aside their affinity for black cocktail dresses and conservative suits and instead donned cowboy hats and brightly hued accessories, taking to the dance floor of the great hall, which was jam-packed with helium balloons and candy-laden table centerpieces. The Foundation, established by Vicki and Fred Modell in honor of their son, who died of primary immunodeficiency causes at the age of 15, used last night's fete to honor Jeff Blau, president of the Related Companies. In all, $2 million was raised to support the Modell Foundation. And more than a few Manhattanites even learned how to square dance.

Quincy at 75!

Quincy Jones, or Q, as he's known to his friends, celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday by accepting the Pied Piper award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers last night. Calling himself "the happiest seventy-five-year-old on the planet," Jones watched with admiration and glee as performer after performer took the stage to pay him tribute. Among the acts rocking the Nokia Theater were Ashford & Simpson, Lesley Gore, Gloria Estefan, Roberta Flack, Al Jarreau, Savion Glover and Tony Bennett. Although Gore sang "It's My Party," last night was clearly all about Q--a well-deserved celebration of a prolific career. Following the fete, a select group of guests decamped to the Carlyle Hotel for a private surprise birthday party for the night's honoree. Look for coverage of that gathering in next week's People magazine.

Painting the Town

Christo and Jean-Claude were among the "colorful" personalities on hand at Louis D. Brandeis High School on the Upper West Side last night, for Stir, Splatter and Roll, the annual charity benefit for Publicolor. The organization, which promotes the use of bright-colored paints to cheer up and re-invigorate lackluster schools, put its hues front and center for the gala, which transformed the Brandeis gymnasium into a veritable rainbow. The pigments on the plate were just as lavish as those on the walls, particularly the starter course of soups, which resembled radiant cans of paint. And in case you doubted that the event's organizers thought of everything, music for the night was provided by a band called, what else? Blue Venom.

Smart Car for Smart People

Get Smart is not just the name of this summer's most anticipated movie (starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway). It's also an admonition to New Yorkers looking to find a parking spot. Yes, the ultra-low emission Smart Car is here and what better occasion to promote it but Earth Day? And thus, a group of stylish believers gathered at the Pace Wildenstein gallery, in Chelsea, last night, to sip cocktails and to hop in the so-called Smart fortwo. Needless to say, the "two" in question had better not be New York Knicks, but for the rest of us, hopping around the streets of NYC is about to get a lot more fun. Prices start at just under $14,000.

Matthew Modine: Grab a Bike!

Matthew Modine, Bebe Neuwirth and Liam Neeson were among the celebs who turned out last night for the unveiling of the Alpha Collection from premier luggage-maker Tumi. From the sky-high Glass Houses at the Chelsea Arts Tower, guests admired a collection of Modine's photographs, which were up for auction in support of his new initiative, Bicycle for a Day. On that occasion, September 20, 2008, the actor and thousands of others will grab a bike instead of a taxi, all in the name of cleaner, healthier air. Mike Bloomberg's congestion pricing initiative may have died in Albany, but this is one plan at least, that has no risk of falling flat. Mark your calendars now.

Jade Jagger on Ice

Catherine Tramell, Sharon Stone's ice-pick wielding murderer in the original Basic Instinct, would have been in her glory last night. For the New York unveiling of the Jagger Dagger, a diamond-encrusted medieval-evocative weapon created by none other than jewelry designer Jade Jagger, Belvedere Vodka threw a party that was simply cooler than ice. Held in a Lower East Side synagogue that's now an event space, the hall positively shimmered with stylish party-goers and with reflections from the massive ice columns that surrounded the large bar and dance floor. Shortly after guests were seated for dinner, a few of the boldest among them took their turn with a dagger, hacking away at the ice, chunks flying every which way. Later, a "ritual dance" performed by a team directed by Jermaine Browne (choreographer for Janet Jackson and Christina Aguilera) showed guests how to stab ice in synchronous style.The evening's showpiece, the Jagger Dagger, has an 18-carat white gold hilt studded with 12 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds, 42 pieces of pale sapphire and is inlaid with lapis lazuli. Retail price? $250,000, at Harrod's, among other very select retailers. Less-costly versions of the weapon, (with not-so-precious stones) will cost $10,000 and will soon start appearing at select bars around the world. Look for them anywhere groups enjoying table service summon a magnum of Belvedere. The vodka will come in a large bed of ice--suitable for chiseling with the Jagger Dagger, of course. For the moment, the only place to witness this delightful (though violent) bit of theater in New York will be at 1Oak (453 West 17th). Among the entranced revelers last evening included: Natasha Bedingfield, Harvey Weinstein, Amy Sacco, Nate Burkus, Vikram Chatwal, Tatiana von Furstenberg, Carol Radziwill, Ali and Andy Hilfiger and Brian Atwood. And no, Vanilla Ice was nowhere to be found. (Nor, for that matter, was Sharon Stone.)

Greenwich Village Gets Grom'ed

Grom, the Italian gelateria that took the Upper West Side by storm last summer (and which was the precursor of many a hip uptown establishment to come, including Magnolia Bakery, Jacques Torres and soon, Danny Meyer's Shake Shack), has now opened in Greenwich Village, on the prime corner of Carmine and Bleecker streets. Turin-based owners Federico Grom and Guido Martinetti flew to New York for the shop's opening on Saturday and accepted the day's gorgeous weather (followed by rain five minutes after they finally locked the doors late that evening) as an omen of good things for their new location. Although the two friends have opened shops throughout northern Italy, the New York stores remain their only Stateside locations. Made with the freshest and seasonally available ingredients, one cup of Grom gelato is enough to convince you never to patronize a Mister Softee truck again.

Christie Brinkley Lights up Guastavino's

If Christie Brinkley, age 54, is the embodiment of how good one can look by changing over to a diet of organic, locally sourced food, it's a wonder that every woman (and man) in New York has not already made the switch. As the chair of this afternoon's Northeast Organic Farmring Association lunch, Brinkley spoke about the importance of feeding our children meals that are free of hormones and pesticides and the joys of eating food that comes from one's own soil. But before you accuse Brinkley of megawatt flackery, you should know that she truly lives this message, and even has an organic garden at her home in the Hamptons.Her words fell on receptive ears, as Manhattan's ladies who lunch gathered on the second floor of Guastavino's, where they tucked into a roasted beet salad (with beets from Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett) and a vegetable vol au vent (with Jerusalem artichokes from Blooming Hill Farm, in Blooming Grove, New York). Following the meal, guests listened attentively to a panel of experts dig into the science of organic produce and what it means for the planet.Among the women in attendance included First Niece Lauren Bush, Fernanda Kellogg, Amanda Hearst, Kick Kennedy, Christine Biddle, Laura Remington Platt and Anne Hearst and her husband, Jay McInerney.

Chicer Than Thou

It's one thing to throw a party that's chic. It's another matter altogether to make your fête eco-chic. But it can be done and Celia Chen, founder of notesonaparty.com demonstrated as much last night. By bringing together an A-list of green-minded hospitality businesses (from nunu chocolates to ozocar), she provided a roadmap for guests to use at their own future gatherings. Judging by the pleased looks on the faces of everyone in attendance, party-going in New York is about to get a lot more green.%%showphotos[setid=72157604481794145]%%