Boris and Doris On the Town

Active Honorees: A lively crowd of more than 800 AIDSResource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) supporters poured into the newly named Frontier Airlines Centerto celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary at the annual “Make a Promise”dinner. Awardees included Joe Pabst,the philanthropist of the year; MilwaukeeMayor Tom Barrett, honored with the organization’s top leadership award;and Sen. Jeff Plale for securing$1.8 million in funding. Longtime Executive Director Doug Nelson welcomed the crowd and auctioneer Jim Fahey coaxed them into making mega-bids, including a $4,000Lady Gaga ticket purchased by Dan Woodand Tim Nichelson. B&D lost out in a silent-auction bidding war for awell-bunned manly nude to Bill Radler,creator of theKnock Out Rose. Mark and Chineta Sollazo for SynerCommwere also outbid. In the crowd were Timand Mary Bowers; Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF) President Doug Jansson with Mary Rose; Jim Marks,GMF grants programs VP and his wife, Judy;and ARCW doctors Christine Hogan andJohn Fangman. The evening culminated with a wild dance routine bychoreographer Michael Endter, withthe crowd joining in.

Bloomin’ Fun: Art lovers flocked to the Milwaukee Art Museum’s annual “Art in Bloom” tosee the beautiful art-inspired floral arrangements. Ecstatic first-place winnerNicholas Konzal from Nicholas CarlDesign was joined by his partner, fellow floral designer Julio Bryand from Sendik’s, parents Susan and Daryl Konzal and photographer Stephanie White.

A Whole Foods contingentwas thrilled with a second-place ribbon for the arrangement by Mari Trific using Chris Leslie’s stainless-steel vases. Cheering store-mates includedmanager Michael Strohl with hiswife, Liz Spaide, and pal Brian Kennedy. Checking the gallerieswere Key Magazine’sBeth and Roger Stafford; Kathy Veech and Michelle Lichtman; Jim and Sandy Pape, excited about thebirth of their grandson Cash PapeChurchill to daughter Rachaeland her husband, Will; Jeff Martinka, executive director ofSweet Water Trust; and Judge KittyBrennan.

Before hitting themuseum, pals Garrett Gharibeh, Cynthia Stoll, Tony Chakonas, Matt Mackai, Casey Paynter, Adam Burback and Kris Kulas pre-functioned at the M Magazine Happy Hour in Kafevino. Thegaggle also made a quickie stop at the Elaine Erickson Gallery, where Jessica Meuninck-Ganger and Nathaniel Stern discussed theircollaborative show, “Print Press Play.”

Food and Wine: Between Peter Sandroni’s locally sourced menu and copious amounts of wineconsultant Nate Norfolk’sselections, the Braise RSA dinner at La Merenda was magnifique. On busman’sholiday from Honey Pie and Comet Cafe were brother/sister owners Adam and Valeri Lucks, head chef Dan Turek, Amanda Griffin, SarahWojner, Sam Hutchinson and JustinKlug, also in the band Maritime.

Art Time: Architectural photographer John Korom’s studio, doubling asGallery 2622, hosted an Inmate/Ex-offender Art Show & Sale with worksdonated by St. Benedict the Moor jail ministry. Sales support the ex-offenderprograms of the Metro Milwaukee Lutheran Mission Society. Dropping by were theorganization’s executive director, GeorgeLessmann; John’s wife, Nancy Korom,a Children’s Hospital VP; Dr. MikeGutzeit and his wife, Nancy;photographer Mike Nowotny; andcorrectional officer Mike Rose.

April Shower: Lisa Berman and her husband, Larry Dalton, hosted a delightful engagement party for her daughterHilary Showers and fiancé Jonathan Gold, planning a Septemberwedding in Oregon.The guest list was a Shorewood Who’s Who, attended by Village Board President Guy Johnson and his wife, Mary; Ed and Doris Heiser; Timand Janet Ryan; and Karen and ChrisSpahn. Border hoppers included Tomand Darla Ament and Chris and JoanaSmocke.

B&D then did afly-by of HGA Architects’ Gallery Night blowout, “The T-Shirt Transformed,”where there was an auction benefiting Westside Healthcare. Creativestransformed T-shirts into jewelry, puzzles, scarves, paintings and otherwhimsical pieces. A silent auction featured numerous local artists such as Matthew Abbondanzio, Muneer Bahauddeen, Sam Carter, MoniqueCharlier and Katie Damon.

HGA also showcased itsown talent, with photography by HeatherCook Elliott and Lyssa Olker; the steel sculpture of Mark Haasch; and DrewShields’ watercolors. The latter is the talented son of Jim Shields, just named fellow of theAmerican Institute of Architects, the first AIA Wisconsin member since 1995.

Next, scurrying over toMilwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT), B&D took in the opening of The Sweetest Swing in Baseball followedby a party in the Kafevino-managed Skylight Bar. MCT powers-that-be Michael Wright, Kirsten Mulvey, Judy Marteland Cara McMullin were excited with the performance of the darkly funnyplay, featuring a stunning set by NathanStuber. Circulating at the post-soiree were WUWM’s Dan Harmon and the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center’s Paul Masterson, who are putting together a public access TV programabout LGBT lifestyles and arts; Chamber board President Debbie Pavletich and her husband, Jim; board member DavidParis; UWM’s Tony Horne;philanthropists Konrad K. Kuchenbachand John Holland; plus actors Robert Kennedy, Michelle Waide,RuthSchudson and Jonathan Wainwright,obviously proud of wife Laura Gray’sperformance in the play.

If you have any tips forBoris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next columnwill appear in the May 6 issue of the Shepherd.n