Clearly First Stop Of The Night!

[Steven and Anna Victor, Jane Pontarelli and Douglas Marshall. Photos by Richard Brill]

Last night’s shopping event at Helene Hellsten Carendi’s Clearly First, the luxe Scandinavian home-style shop on Madison and 76th Street felt like a homecoming reunion for Little Flower supporters. Georg Jensen, the Danish lifestyle brand was showcasing exclusive items to VIP guests to bid on to help raise money for Little Flower Children and Family Services.

More story and photos below:

Little Flower Children’s Services is a charity that is very important to me as are the people who I’ve worked with on behalf of Little Flower over the years. I was introduced to this special children’s charity 3.5 years ago by Anna Rhodes Victor and Roberta Meadow. When I began working with Anna on the stevenvictormd skincare line, she was the Co-Chair of the Little Flower Children’s Services Rose Luncheon. As we were helping beauty enthusiasts be more beautiful via skincare, we were also helping raise money and awareness for Little Flower, which helps place children who are in need of stable living environments in safe homes, provides them with solid educations and gives them a chance to emerge toward greatness.

Each year at stevenvictormd we got more involved in Little Flower; one year Dr. Steven Victor received the Humanitarian of the Year award (along with Frederic Fekkai and Cynthia Rowley) and this past June Anna received Little Flower’s “A Woman Who Makes a Difference Award”. Supporting Clearly First last night were some of Little Flower’s biggest ambassadors: Dr. Steven Victor (one of the reasons all those Upper East side women look so flawless) and his elegant wife Anna Rhodes Victor, Roberta Meadow who gives so much time to Little Flower and Jane and Joe Pontarelli (with adorable dog Lulu III in toe). Jane is like the Grande Dame of Little Flower (who has taught me everything I need to know about diamonds) and has often helped make those fundraisers a smashing success. When I was greeted by Jane I was also introduced to her “personal” photographer that she brought with her, Richard Brill. Now I only thought that was urban legend that people bring around their own photogs with them these days. There it was, standing right in front of me; a personal photographer. I might have gotten a bit green with envy. It makes me wonder why I’ve spent all these years chasing Patrick McMullan to have my pic snapped. The “NEW” party pic is snapped by your own photog. Aspiring socialites take note.

Fun was had by all, catching up with my Little Flower friends from the past as well as Dara Busch and Victoria Alexander from Rubinstein PR. The store looked elegante as Colin Cowie decorated for the event. Also, we got some pretty sweet candle holders from Georg Jensen – well worth the trip uptown before heading down to PETA at the Bowery and Symrise’s Six Scents launch at the New Museum!