Face the World Foundation, Vancouver
Vancouver-based philanthropist and Army & Navy president Jacqui Cohen (granddaughter of Sam Cohen, founder of Army & Navy, Canada’s oldest family-owned department store) opened her home, a palatial Point Grey Road estate overlooking English Bay, for the 25th edition of the Face The World Foundation gala, which this year raised $1.5-million. This annual display of West Side glitz and glamour has to date raised north of $15-million and drawn boldface names including singers Tom Jones and Josh Groban, actress Goldie Hawn, and even author Jackie Collins in support of those on Vancouver’s Eastside, the very neighbourhood where the Cohen family legacy began.
The foundation has contributed to countless Vancouver- and Lower Mainland-based organizations that focus on abused women and children, the elderly and homeless including Crisis Centre Vancouver, Green Thumb Theatre and the CKNW Orphans’ Fund, among others. This year’s event drew local do-gooders including finance folk like recent Order of British Columbia recipient Lorne Segal of Kingswood Capital and his wife, Melita, BG Capital Group Ltd. founder Bobby Genovese, who attended with architect and interior designer Dee Dee Eustace, BMO’s B.C. and Yukon senior vice-president Mike Bonner, and film folk including producer James Shavick, actor and producer David Niven Jr. and actor David Cubitt.
Cocktail hour took place atop a covered swimming pool overlooking the bay and the North Shore Mountains, and dinner was served under a big-top tent dotted with crystal chandeliers and tables laden with silver paillettes topped with lilac-hued flora.
Among those out: Aritzia founder Brian Hill and his wife, Andrea Thomas Hill, Cause We Care Foundation founder; De Beers’ Aya Primbetova; Craig Diamond, president of Diamond Investment Group; Frank Palmer, chairman and CEO of B.C.-based advertising firm DDB Canada; and Keg restaurant president and CEO David Aisenstat. The party continued well into the night as guests took to the dance floor, lead in part by MILK, a New York-based drag performer who flew in for the evening courtesy of M.A.C Cosmetics to spice up the scene and get the party rolling.
Mad Hot Ballet, Toronto
Speaking of M.A.C, one of the company’s co-founders, Frank Toskan, played co-chair alongside partner Darren Zakreski for this year’s Mad Hot Ballet in Toronto, an evening that celebrated dance and raised more than $1-million for the National Ballet of Canada.
The evening kicked off with a one-hour performance, a tasting menu of sorts including some of the company’s performances of note such as Manon, the classic Dying Swan and an excerpt from the company premiere of Méditation from Thaïs. Post-performance, the 1,900 attendees did cocktails in the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room, which was transformed into a Venetian masquerade inspired by the evening’s Lost in Venice theme.
Post-cocktail, some 600 guests, including members of the Eaton, Prince, McCain and Lozinski clans did dinner onstage. Many of the tables hosted one of the company’s principal dancers, including Greta Hodgkinson, Evan McKie, Xiao Nan Yu, Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté.
Among those out: Westons including Galen Jr. and Alexandra; Mulroneys including Mark, wife Vanessa (who were honorary co-chairs) and his sister Caroline and sister-in-law Jessica; National Ballet of Canada’s artistic director Karen Kain; broadcaster Denise Donlon; Hudson’s Bay president Liz Rodbell; Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan; and Jay Smith, CIBC Wood Gundy’s vice-president.
Editor's note: Aya Primbetova is vice president of De Beers Diamond Jewellers Canada. Incorrect information appeared in the original version of this article.