Parties You Will Never Get Into

It snowed stars and socialites inside Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City as UNICEF threw its annual Snowflake Ball on Dec. 2, 2009.

Belying its icy subtext, the Snowflake Ball was actually warm with the charitable hearts of its guests. Two of the invitees were feted for their fiery humanitarian efforts: Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid and UNICEF’s Ethiopia representative Ted Chaiban. The former received UNICEF’s Spirit of Compassion Award; the other, an Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award.

Music luminary Mariah Carey, who came with husband Nick Cannon, was on hand to introduce her Island Def Jam boss to the stage. However, the singing duties went to fellow Island recording artist Chrisette Michele.

Besides the awarding, the gala served to commemorate the lighting of the humongous UNICEF Snowflake. Hung high above Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, the Snowflake is a larger-than-life reminder to Gotham dwellers that, indeed, ‘tis the season not to be frosty. Anyone in their million-dollar cars would notice the 28-foot high leviathan, scintillating with 16,000 Baccarat crystal prisms.

UNICEF’s Snowflake was donated by the Stonbely Family Foundation. True to form, Christine Stonbely co-chaired the Snowflake Ball with Claudia Lebenthal. George Stonbely was also present, along with Barbara Bush and Maggie Betts, who served as the affair’s junior co-chairs. Charlotte Moss and Pamela Fiori, in turn, acted as chairs of the Snowflake Project.

Hosted by Al Roker, the Snowflake Gala was attended by U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s CEO and President Caryl Stern. Also spotted at the gala were actors Tea Leoni and David Duchovny.

Hugh Hildesley from Sotheby’s led a live auction. Moneyed invitees bid on items like a private dinner with Star Chef and UNICEF Ambassador Marcus Samuelsson and a photo shoot with shutterbugs Vinoodh Matadin and Inez van Lamsweerde.

Before the night ended, UNICEF raised $1.9 million. An unsurprising sum, as invitees included Jenna Bush Hager, Lauren Bush, Erica Reid, David Lauren, Vern Yip, Muffie Potter Aston, Somers Farkas, Anthony Pantaleoni, Matt Lauer, Dikembe Mutombo, Dayle Haddon, Gillian Miniter, Bryant Gumbel, Gelila Assefa, Wolfgang Puck, Fareed Zakaria, Paula Zakaria, Jaime Jimenez, Deborah Roberts, Michael Belleveau, Sandra Lee, and Dave Lieberman.

Invitees had dinner prepared in part by Marcus Samuelsson’s eatery Aquavit. Popular restaurateurs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Alfred Portale also livened up the evening’s gastronomic delights.