Sunday, November 25, 2007
Quick, In the Know
On the ball
Caren West takes on Cinderella, charity and glamor
Edith Piaf lookalike hanging out in the center of the bar.
CREDIT: Greg Mooney
I’ve been to galas, soirees, extravaganzas, parties, after-parties, gatherings, shindigs and even a hootenanny, but, until recently, I’d never been to a ball. I’m talking about the good old-fashioned fairytale kind of ball, as in the one poor, oppressed Cinderella goes to. I always loved how her fairy godmother swept in to save the day dressing her in a fabulous outfit and then sending her to a big ol’ party with all the rich folk in the land in order to hook up with a hottie.
Fortunate enough to be one of the sponsors of the prestigious 2007 Symphony Ball at the InterContinental Hotel, I was feeling less like Cinderella and more like Angelina Jolie in “Girl Interrupted,” when I realized a large check I was sure had already gone through, was withdrawn out of my checking account. Letting out a huge Homer Simpson “Doh,” I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being punished for going on an iTunes download binge instead of buying the perfect gown to complement the ball’s “La Vie en Rose” Parisian theme. Let’s just say, with overdraft fees, my music shopping spree sent my checking account a serious negative zone. I had absolutely no other choice but to use my public relations prowess and to call on my own personal fairy godmothers to get my arse in proper shape for the big ball.
First, I turned to Isaac Mizrahi. Well, actually, I turned to Target.com and scooped up a black vintage-looking Audrey Hepburn number. My theory was if I had great shoes and a bag complemented by perfect hair and makeup, I would blend in. No one would know my dress was $49.99 and shipped to me days before the event in a cardboard box. Crafty.
Since I knew the Champagne would be flowing directly into my mouth, I enlisted the help of Amanda Leesburg PR to help me arrange a classy safe ride. Instead of trying to turn my decaying Halloween pumpkin into a sober carriage, Leesburg, the head honcho, managed to hook me up with an eco-conscious ride via Elite Green Car, the first company in the Atlanta area to offer comfortable fuel-efficient ground transportation. They even offer holiday shopping services and will carry your packages into your very own castle, home, apartment or hovel. Our chauffer, Simon Bennett-Odlum of Fishguard in Wales, and now Atlanta, picked us up in Lexus Hybrid SUV, which was better than any damn pumpkin I have ever come across.
Of course, I did not hesitate to pick up the phone and call longtime client Soda Salon. Zipping my way over to Grant Park, I let my trusty stylist and burgeoning ceramacist Jessica Dorman turn my crazy locks into a classic updo that Cinderella would have been proud to sport. Although I was feeling oh-so-pretty, I did wish I had cash and not a new playlist so I could pop by the newly opened Azul Day Spa located just around the corner from Soda to liven up my dull skin. I do plan on hitting them up Dec. 8 for a skin analysis during their customer-appreciation day where all retail items will be 10 percent off.
To complete my cheap chic look for the ball, I headed over to Tracey Ewell Skincare and Cosmetics in Inman Park. The quaint boutique, just weeks old, is run by makeup geniuses Tracy Ewell and Natalie Essaied, who moved to Atlanta after Hurricane Katrina. Lifelong friends, like the Wonder Twins, my makeup-toting fairy godmothers somehow helped me pull off old Hollywood glam. Offering makeup applications, lessons, color consultations and eyebrow arching, my new gal pals convinced me to stop by with all my cosmetics to teach me how I could pull off a similar look on my own.
As for the Symphony Ball—thanks to my Atlanta-based fairy godmothers—I wined and dined in confidently in style. I swooned as Tony Conway from A Legendary Event gave me a sneak peak at the plush Parisian cabaret (aka the ballroom) that his commanding team created and melted as I watched the ASO and tenor Dimitri Pittas and soprano Lisa Daltirus perform. Surely an evening to remember for the 500 guests who attended, according Victoria Palefsky, event chair, approximately $500,000 was raised at this year’s ball. SP
When not attending Atlanta’s hottest parties, tracking down celebs or shopping for shoes, Caren West runs her own PR firm. E-mail her at carenwest@sundaypaper.com.