Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Travel website ushered in at Stirling Club party

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, May 8, 2002 | 8:23 a.m.

Bursting onto the business scene with great style and gusto, vegashotspots.com, a new travel website with editorial content complemented by both a contemporary feel and a historical perspective, offers something new to visitors and locals.

Publisher Tom Hantges, hosting the website's launching party at the Stirling Club, played host to many of our city's leading figures, including Mayor Oscar Goodman, Bob Stupak, Tom Letizia, Jewel Brooks with Ginette Jaramillo, Sen. Mark James and wife Lori, Gretchen Alger Lin, Frank Schreck, Stephanie Wilson, Laura Herlovich, Rob Powers and David Atwell.

Recognized were notable Las Vegans and businesses shaping our city in the 21st century, among them honoree Robert Frey, co-owner of Coyote Ugly at New York-New York.

Mingling in the crowd, enjoying the music of Bob Anderson in the club's timbered lounge, was new Stirling Club manager Ryan Kingston, formerly of Aladdin. Many guests gravitated to the wall-sized computer monitor and perused the vegashotspots.com website, viewing profiles of our city's modern-day pioneers, among them former Sheriff Ralph Lamb, banker E. Parry Thomas, gambler Stupak and others.

Smith honored

Charting new waters, redefining the lives of the mentally challenged in Southern Nevada, Linda Smith has long been a persuasive and creative force at Opportunity Village.

In recognition of her 25 years of service, most of it spent in the development of funding resources, a splendid reception and dinner was held in her honor at Cili at Bali Hai Golf Club.

In the mix of guests were longtime contributors and loyal volunteers who turn out faithfully to assist with Opportunity Village's Magical Forest each holiday season, as well as fellow innovators, among them Sig Rogich, Tom Pilkington, Gary Gray with wife Asssemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, Hope and Joe Anstett, Kenneth and Carol Burns, Carl and Dale Rowe and former Las Vegas Mayor Ron Lurie, as well as Cindi Doumani, Don and Dee Snyder and Tom Barrone.

Hosted by Billy Walters, developer of Bali Hai Golf Club, with philanthropist Kitty Rodman as well as Mike Morrissey, Scott Nielson, Ed Guthrie, Steve Kalish and Michael Hall, the evening provided a dual retrospective of Smith's creative efforts, as well as Opportunity Village's astonishing growth of services in vocational, recreational and educational arenas over the past quarter-century.

Announced during the dinner program was the establishment of the Christopher Smith Recreation Endowments, named for Smith's eldest son, with a $50,000 gift from Walters and an additional $10,000 from Morrissey.

Happy anniversary

Pretty in pink and most definitely a hit with Las Vegas audiences, Rita Rudner -- who can claim solid sucess as comedian, author and actress -- celebrated her one-year anniversary at New York-New York with a lavish party given by the resort.

Arriving guests were presented with hot-pink feather boas, then seated at chairs festooned with large pink-organza bows for a performance in the Cabaret Theatre. Celebrated as well was an announcement of Rudner's three-year contract for continued appearances. She also talked about her latest book, "Tickled Pink."

With husband Martin Bergman and New York-New York president Felix Rappaport at her side, Rudner, in a most becoming pink evening gown, greeted guests at the post-performance party held under the stars on the Brooklyn Bridge patio of the property, facing the Strip. Attendees who enjoyed an assortment of pink drinks, tasty hors d'oeuvres and pink-tinted pastries included Joyce and Steve Schneider with Beth Holt, Robin Leach, Debbie Hall, Elaina Bhattacharyya, Dinah Groce, Blake Edwards and Tom Hawley.

Rudner, who has happily settled with Bergman into a new Las Vegas home, is generous with her time and served as honorary chairwoman of the recent AFAN Walk Las Vegas fund-raiser, to assist those with HIV-positive conditions. In recognition of her efforts, New York-New York gave AFAN a $5,000 contribution in Rudner's name.

Collection shown

David Fieramosa last week hosted a special reception for the Adoption Exchange at his home in Summerlin. The party was jointly presented by Fred Paris jewelers, with Mayor Oscar Goodman on hand to provide a private showing of the Haute Joaillerie collection of jewels.

Guests spread through the custom home and out to the patio and pool as models paraded the water-inspired diamond designs. Many chose to try on the exquisite earrings, necklaces and bracelets, as well as the assortment of handsome men's watches and rings.

Bob Jeswald, KTNV Channel 13 weatherman, spoke of the work of the Adoption Exchange and the pressing need for homes for 134,000 kids across the country. Locally, there are 160 children ready to be placed with families. Each year the charity hosts adoption picnics, with the next slated for the fall.

Lending his support to the worthy efforts of the organization was Farid Matraki, general manager of Fred Paris-USA, seen with his private client Princess Christine of Belgium, as well as Dr. Michael Carter, Barbara Lyle, Judge Nancy Saitta, Elena Perez, Michael Gosta, Kathleen Tamasi and Felix Rodriguez.

An auction of several pieces selected from the $6 million in jewels on the premises that evening was held, with half the sales price given to the charity. Helping make the evening a success were Dr. Toni Hart, Ted Rodriguez, Michael DiPasquale, and Eva LaBraun and Dixie van de Flier Davis, both of the Adoption Exchange.