Fire Island Pines: Rose’s View

By Bob LevineMemorial Day has come and gone like a breeze. We’re off and running like the Belmont Stakes!The Wisteria vines are in bloom and looking just beautiful. Everyone is working in their gardens, fixing up their houses and discarding the debris. By the time we finish cleaning and fixing up the house and once we get it in shipshape, it’s time to close for the season. We love the excitement and do it again every summer.Albert Lepage and Andre Almeida had their annual Memorial Day party at their magnificent beachfront house. At least 200 people attended, including Mike and Laura Hartstien, Jack Schlegal, Mark Ricigliano, Howard Goldfarb and Ron Chereskin, William and Wayne, Ron Perkoff and William Hayden, Sumner Freeman and Roy Yaeger, Fern and Lori, Scott Bromely and Tony Impavedo, Jay Pagano and Mark Fortier, Sidney, Robin Byrd and Shelly, Kenny Lesser and Jeanne, Randy Wilson, Adriodne and Peter Villarreal, Doreen and Bill Katon, Richard Carpenter, Demietrius and Peter, Nicholas and Richard, Ward Auerbach and Andy Baker, Michael Fitzgerald and Bob Levine, Jay Coleman and his guests Robert Pullen and Andrew Gardine. The food was elegantly presented by a host of international waiters, from Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Latvia and the Bronx. The party began on the oceanfront deck, but eventually we moved inside to keep warm.The Pines Care Center had their annual Memorial Day opening season party at Whyte Hall. It was well attended by many of the Pines homeowners, renters and guests. P.J. McAteer provided the food. The Pines Liquor Shop provided the wine. It was a great opportunity to meet and greet old and new friends of the Pines. Jack and Rita Lichtenstein made it to the island for the first time this season and of course made it to the party. I spoke with another Jack and Rita — Jack Schlegal and Rita Horvath. Stephen Hayes, president of the Pines Care Center, welcomed the crowd and introduced the board members: Dr. Ed Schulhafer, Ron Martin, Karen Nicosia, Dr. Demeitrius Senges, Albert Lepage, Paul Hopkins, Jim Cashell, Dr. Mark Ricigliano, and Dr. Anthony Santomoro. Ron Martin spoke of the tremendous work and devotion that the late Brett Baccus had done for the Pines; she was a founding member of this organization 34 years ago. Two benches are being installed in the doctor’s office waiting room, which will bear her name. Brett’s partner of 35 years, Diane Friedman, thanked everyone and spoke beautifully.Congratulations to Pines resident and architect to the stars, Scott Bromley. He was the original architect for Studio 54. Ian Schrager, former owner of 54, recently opened a new club at the Edison Hotel in Manhattan and Scott was one of the guests of honor, as was listed in the New York Post and New York Times.Mark Ricigliano had Sam Arlan and Adam Sorret as weekend houseguests, who had been cast members of “Hello Dolly” two years ago. Louis Villatos, another Dolly cast member, joined them for lunch. Jim Kelleher and Rik Morris were also Mark’s guests. They founded Slate Roof Creamery one year ago with Mark, which can be bought at the Pines Pantry and now will be expanding to other high-end food stores elsewhere on the east coast. Their specialty is flavored butter spreads. They began with a flavor called cherry butter. Now they have many others including wild Maine blueberry butter, classic honey butter, American apple pie, orange cranberry, as well as chocolate hazelnut and vanilla crème brûlée. The product is delicious and spreads well on all variety of crackers.Jim and Jim on Crown and Ocean had their annual Memorial Day barbecue. Tony La Rocco and Bill Moore, Ellen Feldman Putnam, Michael de Falco and Bill Mathews were among the 35 guests.For the past few years, Ariodne Villarreal has been a force in producing the Pines Invasion pre-show. We will miss her this year. She will be in Anaheim, California, attending “His Holiness The 14th,” a documentary about the Dalai Lama at the Global Compassion Summit, which she is producing; 18,000 people are expected to attend on July 4, 5 and 6.Barbara Sahlman had a house full of guests on Memorial Weekend at her bay front home. It was a family reunion with her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren.Dina Martina was live in the Pines at Whyte Hall and knocked them out with a complete sold out house. Congratulations to producer Daniel Nardiccio and his able assistant Brad.The Pines Liquor Shop has a new private label Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir at $15 a bottle. Try it , you’ll like it. Posted on June 18, 2015

By Bob LevineMemorial Day has come and gone like a breeze. We’re off and running like the Belmont Stakes!The Wisteria vines are in bloom and looking just beautiful. Everyone is working in their gardens, fixing up their houses and discarding the debris. By the time we finish cleaning and fixing up the house and once we get it in shipshape, it’s time to close for the season. We love the excitement and do it again every summer.Albert Lepage and Andre Almeida had their annual Memorial Day party at their magnificent beachfront house. At least 200 people attended, including Mike and Laura Hartstien, Jack Schlegal, Mark Ricigliano, Howard Goldfarb and Ron Chereskin, William and Wayne, Ron Perkoff and William Hayden, Sumner Freeman and Roy Yaeger, Fern and Lori, Scott Bromely and Tony Impavedo, Jay Pagano and Mark Fortier, Sidney, Robin Byrd and Shelly, Kenny Lesser and Jeanne, Randy Wilson, Adriodne and Peter Villarreal, Doreen and Bill Katon, Richard Carpenter, Demietrius and Peter, Nicholas and Richard, Ward Auerbach and Andy Baker, Michael Fitzgerald and Bob Levine, Jay Coleman and his guests Robert Pullen and Andrew Gardine. The food was elegantly presented by a host of international waiters, from Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Latvia and the Bronx. The party began on the oceanfront deck, but eventually we moved inside to keep warm.The Pines Care Center had their annual Memorial Day opening season party at Whyte Hall. It was well attended by many of the Pines homeowners, renters and guests. P.J. McAteer provided the food. The Pines Liquor Shop provided the wine. It was a great opportunity to meet and greet old and new friends of the Pines. Jack and Rita Lichtenstein made it to the island for the first time this season and of course made it to the party. I spoke with another Jack and Rita — Jack Schlegal and Rita Horvath. Stephen Hayes, president of the Pines Care Center, welcomed the crowd and introduced the board members: Dr. Ed Schulhafer, Ron Martin, Karen Nicosia, Dr. Demeitrius Senges, Albert Lepage, Paul Hopkins, Jim Cashell, Dr. Mark Ricigliano, and Dr. Anthony Santomoro. Ron Martin spoke of the tremendous work and devotion that the late Brett Baccus had done for the Pines; she was a founding member of this organization 34 years ago. Two benches are being installed in the doctor’s office waiting room, which will bear her name. Brett’s partner of 35 years, Diane Friedman, thanked everyone and spoke beautifully.Congratulations to Pines resident and architect to the stars, Scott Bromley. He was the original architect for Studio 54. Ian Schrager, former owner of 54, recently opened a new club at the Edison Hotel in Manhattan and Scott was one of the guests of honor, as was listed in the New York Post and New York Times.Mark Ricigliano had Sam Arlan and Adam Sorret as weekend houseguests, who had been cast members of “Hello Dolly” two years ago. Louis Villatos, another Dolly cast member, joined them for lunch. Jim Kelleher and Rik Morris were also Mark’s guests. They founded Slate Roof Creamery one year ago with Mark, which can be bought at the Pines Pantry and now will be expanding to other high-end food stores elsewhere on the east coast. Their specialty is flavored butter spreads. They began with a flavor called cherry butter. Now they have many others including wild Maine blueberry butter, classic honey butter, American apple pie, orange cranberry, as well as chocolate hazelnut and vanilla crème brûlée. The product is delicious and spreads well on all variety of crackers.Jim and Jim on Crown and Ocean had their annual Memorial Day barbecue. Tony La Rocco and Bill Moore, Ellen Feldman Putnam, Michael de Falco and Bill Mathews were among the 35 guests.For the past few years, Ariodne Villarreal has been a force in producing the Pines Invasion pre-show. We will miss her this year. She will be in Anaheim, California, attending “His Holiness The 14^th,” a documentary about the Dalai Lama at the Global Compassion Summit, which she is producing; 18,000 people are expected to attend on July 4, 5 and 6.Barbara Sahlman had a house full of guests on Memorial Weekend at her bay front home. It was a family reunion with her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren.Dina Martina was live in the Pines at Whyte Hall and knocked them out with a complete sold out house. Congratulations to producer Daniel Nardiccio and his able assistant Brad.The Pines Liquor Shop has a new private label Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir at $15 a bottle. Try it , you’ll like it.

June 6 – The Arts Project and George McGarvey will present Sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, who will perform the show, “Sibling Revelry,” at the Cherry Grove Community House, with musical director Alex Rybeck. There will be two showings at 8 and 10 p.m. There will be a VIP cocktail party from 5-7 p.m. (For tickets, see Grove column for information.)
June 13 – Women’s Pride in the Pinesat Whyte Hall benefits Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQ youth. The dance from 2:30-6 p.m. includes wine, hors d’oeuvres and silent auction. The VIP Dinner and Show runs from 7-9:30 p.m. Dress code is classic white. Special price for advanced ticket purchase, or first-come, first-served at the door. Go to www.hmi.org/womensprideinthepines for more information, or contact Linda Gottlieb at wallstcc@yahoo.com or 212-755-9678.
June 20 – The 7^th Annual SOS “Shopping on Saturday,” chaired by Hal Rubinstein, at Whyte Hall. VIP shopping will be from 11a.m.-12:30 p.m. for $50. Free general admission is from 1-3:30 p.m.
June 27 – The Arts Project will present Rose Levine in “Old School Broadway,” a musical revue featuring Kenny Rahtz, at the Cherry Grove Community House, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available the www.artsprojectcherrygrove.org or at the Community House Box Office.