Party Pics
Dispatches from the city’s swankiest affairs: Horsing Around at the Mandarin, the Ultimate Tailgate Party for Lovin’ Spoonfuls and a benefit for Big Sister Boston.
A wise man once said, “There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.” According to the clip-clop of Manolo-and-Louboutin-clad hooves you might have heard was Boston’s top socialites trotting over to the Mandarin Oriental for Horsing Around at the Mandarina benefit for the Build Farm Center.
Founded by multihyphenate Coryn Bina and her polo-playing husband, Half, the Lexington-based organization provides equine therapy and other enrichment programs to individuals with (and without) developmental, cognitive, physical, and mental health challenges. their sons, Kamran and Aidin Binaserved as emcees for the evening, which attracted the likes of cochairs Harris and Paul Krupp; equestrienne extraordinaire Christy Cashman; scion real estate Alex Leventhal and his fashion-plate wife, Lianne; 7News anchors Jadiann Thompson and Ryan Schulteis; New England Aquarium head Vikki Spruill; celebrity chef Tiffani Faison; power couple Josh and Grace Zakim; and the irresistible Gabby Russo and her fiancée (now wife) Ciara Dimou.
Ocean advocate Emily Lockhart and her Pops maestro husband, Keithreceived the Bina Achievement Award, but the undisputed highlight was singer-songwriter Bebe Wood (Gretchen in the new Mean Girls movie) performing a song with Amir El Boukfaouia longtime participant in Bina’s Therapeutic Riding program.
Naturally, a mini horse from the farm was on hand, prompting one guest to urge her date, “Let me get a picture of the two of you,” to which he responded, “I don’t believe in animal cruelty.”
Meanwhile, one woman outbid herself repeatedly in the live auction, and the Award for Awkwardness went to the man who introduced two people, saying, “You two know each other, don’t you?”
“Yes,” one of them answered. “We’re married.”
Waste Not, Want Not
No disrespect to the Patriots, but the best tailgate party in New England is the Ultimate Tailgate Party to benefit Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a non-profit that collects fresh food that would otherwise go to waste and distributes it to food pantries and homeless shelters. Held at the SoWa Power Stationthe event featured potent potables and delicious nibbles from the city’s top restaurants, and it attracted the likes of celebrity guest chef/TV personality Andrew ZimmernWellesley party pair William and Nina Schroederand real estate titan Michael Harper. Most delicious of all: The evening raised more than $400,000.
A Matter of Size
If Big in Boston is any indication, Beyoncé is right about who runs the world. A benefit for Big Sister Bostonthe event was held at the 521 Overlook inside Fenway Park (which boasts a killer view of the bleachers that Ted Williams’s last home run hit) and attracted such sparkly types as Governor Maura Healey and WBZ news anchor Lisa Hughesnot to mention more mentors and mentees than you could shake a shillelagh at.
First published in the print edition of the March 2024 issue with the headline, “Tally Ho!”