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Susan Sarandon Lights the Empire State Building to Celebrate Only Make Believe

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Oscar winning actress and philanthropist, Susan Sarandon, and Only Make Believe Founder, Dena Hammerstein are flipping the switch to light world famous tower purple, blue and gold in celebration of Only Make Believe’s 15th Anniversary.

Susan Sarandon lights the empire state building

The lighting ceremony took place this morning at 11am in the lobby of the Empire State Building. As some of you know Only Make Believe is a charitable organization that creates and performs interactive theatre for children in hospitals and care facilities.  The program, provided free-of-charge to the hospitals, using professional actors, has brought interactive theater to over 35,000 children and families in 52 hospitals in New York City and 3 in Washington D.C. Only Make Believe is dedicated to the principle that freeing a child’s imagination is a valuable part of the healing process. For more information, please visit www.onlymakebelieve.org.

Susan Saradon Empire State Building

The lighting ceremony took place this morning at 11am in the lobby of the Empire State Building. As some of you know Only Make Believe is a charitable organization that creates and performs interactive theatre for children in hospitals and care facilities.  The program, provided free-of-charge to the hospitals, using professional actors, has brought interactive theater to over 35,000 children and families in 52 hospitals in New York City and 3 in Washington D.C. Only Make Believe is dedicated to the principle that freeing a child’s imagination is a valuable part of the healing process. For more information, please visit www.onlymakebelieve.org.

Susan Sarandon and Dena Hammerstein at the Empire State Building
Susan Sarandon and Dena Hammerstein at the Empire State Building

Empire State Building Only Make Believe

Headed to the Hamptons this Summer? Check out these Parties!

Hamptons season is in full force! And I received a slew of invitations this week to parties out there. And here’s my agenda! If you’re free, join me!

August 5th – Grey Goose and my SPiN family are hosting a party! Don’t forget to RSVP at [email protected] for complimentary admission.

August 13th – I’m on the host committee for Harboring Hearts and we’re throwing a Summer Fete to benefit cardiac patients and their families in their time of need. We are also offering a bus service for attendees coming from the city for the evening. For more information and tickets visit www.hhsummerfete.charityhappenings.org.

All summer long, Gilt City has a Hamptons  summer house and is offering exclusive food, fashion, and wellness programming for their members. From private

Kiehl’s Celebrates their 160th Anniversary in True NYC Fashion

New York-based skin care brand, Kiehl’s Since 1851 celebrated their 160th Anniversary last week across the street from their iconic flagship location on 13th and 3rd Avenue. While the rain was pouring outside, the stars we’re shining bright inside. Guests included Pharrell Williams, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Jonas, Alan Cummings, Richie Rich, Ana Matronic and Babydaddy of the Scissor Sisters and Leigh Lezark and Geordon Nicol of The Misshapes.

My lovely date Erika (who’s wedding I just got back from in Acapulco!) and I got there on the later side and the party was bumping! We had ourselves a little dance party, but didn’t hold a candle to Richie Rich. He decided to get up on stage and do an impromptu performance to Prince’s Raspberry Beret for us (this could be the best video ever–only thing missing, glitter!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ZejtMylpI&feature=channel_video_title

Kevin Jonas took a second from his phone conversation to blew us a kiss…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDPPs3stVFM

Then we concluded our night on one of Kiehl’s iconic motorcycles, where I thought we were taking pictures in a photo booth –even better, a flip book photo booth! Erika and I look insane. I love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlcd_VMUcKE&feature=channel_video_title

If you’re in NYC check out the Kiehl’s Flagship Store at 109 Third Avenue. As part of their heritage project, they’ve included a brand-new installation of an interactive 160th Anniversary Retrospective at the store.  Cheers to you Kiehl’s for 160 years of great skin care products!

 

Susan Sarandon and Mary-Louise Parker Host a Benefit for Hope North

Susan Sarandon and Mary-Louise Parker Host a Benefit for Hope North

While generally my Sunday nights consists of sweats, my laptop and takeout (it’s a joyous ritual), I had a more exciting night planned for the evening. Susan Sarandon and Mary-Louise Parker we’re hosting a benefit for Hope North, a boarding school in Uganda for escaped child soldiers, orphans, and other victims of the country’s civil war. I posted the invite so hopefully some of you made it and bought tickets in advance since the event sold out! That’s quite a feat considering it was hosted at 13,000sq ft table tennis social club, SPiN New York.

Martha Wainwright, Rufus Wainwright
Jay Mohr, Nikki Cox

And apparently the line (even for ticket holders) was out the door and around the corner—I somewhat anticipated this type of reaction considering besides our lovely celebrity hosts, Rufus Wainwright, Josh Ritter, Jesse Malin, Joseph Arther and Martha Wainwright were all playing. I devised a not-so-solid plan for my date and I to crash the VIP cocktail party to avoid any unnecessary crowd shenanigans –I am the club’s #1 member. My club card should come with some perks… although even then I needed text message verification from one of the owners and contemplated an attempt to sneak in through the back (always a solid fall back plan). But for the record, I did buy my tickets and donate to the raffle.

I look like a deer caught in headlights w/ Judah Friedlander

I had a great time and played a lot of ping pong (Charlie Mars walked by my match and heckled me with a Steffi Graf comment).  I appreciated it. And seriously what better way to hit then with great live performances in the background. The last time I saw Rufus Wainwright live was 2005 at Sundance and I LOVE HIM. I was hoping he’d sing Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, but it wasn’t in the line up.

The Benefit also had an awesome silent auction –I wanted the autographed Soup Nazi picture, but a friend, Roxy won it so I compromised with getting a picture of the picture of the Soup Nazi.

No Soup for You! But a picture for Roxy!

YOU’RE INVITED: The Hope North Ping-Pong Ball Hosted by Susan Sarandon and Mary-Louse Parker

THE HOPE NORTH PING-PONG BALL

Join hosts Susan Sarandon and Mary-Louise Parker on Sunday, March 27th at SPiN New York for the Hope North Ping-Pong Ball. All proceeds will directly benefit Hope North, an incredible boarding school in Uganda where escaped child soldiers, orphans, and other victims of the country’s civil war find hope and healing.

When: Sunday, March 27th
6 – 7PM VIP Reception
7 – 10PM Party, Ping-Pong, Music, and Live Auction with MC Ryan Willard
Where: SPiN New York, 48 East 23rd Street

Enjoy ping-pong, a live auction, and special performances by Rufus Wainwright, Josh Ritter, Jesse Malin, Martha Wainwright, Charlie Mars and Hope North founder, Okello Kelo Sam.

Tickets start from a minimum donation of $31.25, and are available at hopenorth.eventbrite.com

This is Your Brain on Ping Pong

Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Bricklin, Rob DeSalle, and Will Shortz at the Museum of Natural History

On January 19th at the American Museum of Natural History, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Bricklin, Will Shortz, Rob DeSalle, and Wendy A. Suzuki lead a panel discussion appropriately called ‘Your Brain on Ping Pong’, on what’s so great about the sport and the effects

You’re Invited 1/19: Susan Sarandon, SPiN & American Museum of Natural History

This time last year I was playing ping pong @ The Four Seasons in Kona, Hawaii. Sigh

For any regular Pretty Connected readers you’re probably aware of my love for ping pong and specifically the table tennis social club, SPiN New York (and their handsome owners). In fact I’m the first member of their club (I have a card that says ‘001’ and everything!). And as their biggest fan I’m passing on an invitation for an event they are hosting tomorrow night!

When: Wednesday, January 19th, 6:30PM
Where: Museum of Natural History Milstein Hall of Ocean Life on the first floor. (Enter the Museum at 77th Street.)

As part of their crusade for endless ridiculousness (all in the name of ping pong) and places they aspire to play the sport consider yourself invited to come play with them at the American Museum of Natural History under the 94-foot Giant Blue Whale. It will be an evening focused on the science and skill of ping pong and to discover how the brain benefits from our favorite game.

Improve your skills with instruction by our SPiN Pros during free, open play and partake in a conversation with aficionados, including Susan Sarandon,  puzzle master Will Shortz, Wendy A. Suzuki, Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at NYU, and a few ranking champions in a short discussion moderated by Melanie Stiassny, Curator of Ichthyology at the American Museum of Natural History.

This event is free and open to the public with a cash bar. Click HERE to learn more.

Happy 1-Year Anniversary SPiN New York!

By now some of my avid readers have probably noticed I have thing for ping pong. Unlike most table tennis players, the obsession doesn’t come from a table in my basement or game room in my college dorm, but from a few friends.

With SPiN Owners Franck Raharinosy and Jonathan Bricklin at SPiN Hollywood Opening Party

Once upon a time these friends, filmmakers Jonathan Bricklin, Franck Raharinosy and Bill Mack all lived together in fabulous loft in TriBeCa and bought a ping pong table. They started playing, didn’t stop, friends would come over, more tables we’re bought, more friends would come over and eventually they started throwing a weekly party/tournaments named Naked Ping Pong. While no one was actually naked, the parties attracted everyone and anyone from  jocks to hipsters to nerds, artists to celebrities and everything in between; creating a diverse environment that was effortlessly fun. In those days I didn’t play, but I wasn’t the only one, and it didn’t matter. The mix of great people and music in such a social atmosphere made it still one rockin’ party.

With all the press they we’re receiving and popularity of the parties they decided to take their idea to the next level. Together with investors Susan Sarandon and Andrew Gordon they opened SPiN New York; a 13,000 square foot table-tennis social club complete with a gourmet restaurant, Ducks Eatery and bar.

All in a Days Work: $18K for Haiti

Congratulations to SPiN New York and Modelinia for a job well done!  The two partnered last week to host a fundraiser to support Haiti, raising over $18K in donations in just one night.  Auction items are still available online until Wednesday, so please visit www.charityfolks.com/helphaiti to make your bid.

The benefit, hosted by Susan Sarandon, Veronica Webb, Rachel Roy, Robert Verdi, Georgina Chapman, Judah Friedlander, and many more, made for a social evening filled with ping pong, dancing, and fun. James Lipton gave a memorable speech, keeping the evening in perspective and encouraging guests to donate.

Here’s a taste of the evening for anyone who was unable to join.


See more videos on modelinia.com

Thank you to all the Pretty Connected readers who made it to the event!