On Course for a Cure

"I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." These were the startling words of baseballer Lou Gehrig after learning he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease with which his name would forevermore be associated. If Gehrig was the luckiest man on earth (thanks, he said, to the many blessings and friendships he'd enjoyed during his life to that point), then the late Gary Baker was surely the second luckiest. During his own long battle with the illness, he was taken in and lovingly cared for by his close childhood friend Robin Arnold and her family. A greatly admired man who gave the battle for better health his all, Baker died last December. Yet, his memory lives on. Yesterday's Secure-A-Cure golf outing, organized by Steven and Robin Arnold and played at the Old Oaks Country Club, in Purchase, New York, raised $50,000 to support ALS research. The proceeds will go to Augie's Quest, named for famed fitness guru Augie Nieto, who is likewise fighting the disease. Seventy golfers teed up for the day, later being joined by fifty or more supporters for a lavish buffet dinner.

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Ja Rule Comes to Westchester

Along with a couple hundred of her good friends and family members, I helped celebrate the forty-fifth birthday of Robin Arnold this evening, at a once-in-a-lifetime party held at the Old Oaks Country Club, in Purchase, New York. I first met Robin and her husband, Steven, and their kids, Zack and Remy, on a cruise to Antarctica, in 2003. We've stayed in touch ever since. They're an amazing family, full of life and always up for a party. Robin, who looks about 25 and has the energy to match, rang in the occasion with special guest star Ja Rule, who showed up to perform several songs as the birthday girl (who's a huge fan) danced right along. Impressively enough, she also seemed to know every lyric. The Arnolds' friends are party people, no question. The dance floor was packed all night long and guests didn't start making their way home till well after midnight. What everyone surely wondered as they headed out was: How can the Arnolds possibly top this one?

For more pix from the party, click here.