Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Couple enjoy dual celebration of birthday, health at party

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2001 | 8:27 a.m.

Elizabeth Foyt's social column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at elizabethfoyt@ prodigy.net

Maureen Schnitzer was recently honored with a festive birthday dinner hosted by her husband, Harvey Schnitzer. The congenial evening, held in the private dining room at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Henderson, was in truth a dual celebration marking a strong return to good health for Harvey, as well as Maureen's 70th birthday.

Active in the civic life of Las Vegas in the '60s and '70s, the couple spent the following decades in central California, where Harvey was a leading Ford automobile dealer. Their return home to Las Vegas several years ago has been a pleasant experience for their circle of friends and a resumption of their civic involvement.

Gathering for the birthday party were guests including Alice Pearson and Ida Ambrose, Dr. Monte and Jeanne Greenawalt, Joy and Neal Pendergras and Art and Joan Smallwood. Adding their merriment to the occasion were Chuck and Joan LeMere, James and Persia Golden and Betty and George Ault, joined by Pat and Mollie Murphy. Toasts by Harvey to his beloved wife were interwoven with the serving of a traditional Italian dinner, followed by birthday cake and the presentation of humorous cards. Conversation, a delectable blend of family news, politics and stories of Las Vegas' past, was enjoyed by all.

Restaurant opening

With great fanfare and hoopla, ESPNZone opened its large and very appealing Las Vegas operation at New York-New York. The restaurant's arrival on our famed Strip was done with a touch of whimsy, as evidenced by the ESPNZone baseball shirt adorning the property's Statue of Liberty.

With a plentitude of sports figures, celebrities and ESPN executives in attendance, invited guests enjoyed motorcycle feats of daring on the front apron of the property, and then moved inside for a cool and most refreshing VIP party. The 33,000-square-foot space, the vastly expanded and revamped former Motown Cafe, is truly a sports lover's paradise with mammoth video broadcast screens, historic sports displays and a seemingly endless assortment of sports-themed arcade games.

The design includes martini bars, small nooks, generous vantages for viewing while dining and more than a few meeting rooms and business conference areas. ESPNZone, with its many attractions, can be rented in its entirety for private functions and special events.

Guests included a cadre of special convention planners, among them Karen Gordon, president of Activity Planners, with colleague Stephanie Tirrall, as well as Rob Dondero of R&R Partners and Rossi Ralenkotter and Rob Powers, both of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, joined by Tony Cordasco, sales director for energy drink Red Bull.

Dining from the lavish ask-for-anything buffets on two levels were attendees including Jackie Brett, Bonnie Bryan, Dinah Groce, Bob Forbuss and Charles Walker. Servers and chefs abounded, with Chef John Lindquist creating quite a stir at the dessert buffet as he prepared Bananas Foster and Cherries Jubilee for a most appreciative crowd.

Talent Show

Monies garnered from the annual Advertising Community Talent Show (ACTS) have already passed the $12,000 mark, with more still coming in. With a theme of "Way, Way, Way Off Broadway," the entertaining evening starred local members of the advertising, public relations and printing communities, with gifted singers, comedians, musicians, jugglers, dancers and specialty acts seen in performance.

The two-hour show was a benefit event for the support of SafeNest Temporary Shelter for Domestic Crisis, a local nonprofit agency serving Southern Nevada women and their children. Held onstage at Club Madrid inside Sunset Station, this sixth-annual offering was co-produced by Lori Heeren, Kelly Sheehan and Eric Bonnici with founder DeAnne Sheehan.

Working diligently on the committee were busy professionals including Cammie Traub, Deedy Palmer, Mary Jo Comstock, Michele Tell, B.J. Smith, Ed Marciniak and Terry Massie with Jeannine Amendolara, Laura McSwain and Kat Smith. Contributing as well were the staffs of the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at Community College of Southern Nevada, SignsWest, which provided the stage backdrops, and Gillian Gardner of Show Off Las Vegas Costume Studio, costume designer for the fund-raiser.

Taking part as the stars of this worthy event were Rocky Gordon, Stephanie Lindelow, Joyce Kort, Mike Spencer with Phil Danger and Boy Maiorano, Julie Samuelson, Todd Michaels and Kuh, as well as Bob Fisher, Robin Jay and the women of Hall Communications, to name just a few.

Correction

Last week's column centered on the extraordinary gala hosted by the Food and Beverage Directors Association of Nevada. In writing about this charitable benefit for its generous scholarship programs, I incorrectly spelled the names of two of this organization's members, Bill Hiers (of the Tropicana) and Lloyd Wentzell (of the Riviera), both past officers for this stellar organization. I am most sorry for the error.