C'est Inspiré is simply that - what is inspiring. Where the words end, images continue to speak. Seeing all that is around us, we seek some aspect of something that is life enhancing... something that you would like to be reminded of - to revisit. Something to capture and bring into your world, not leave behind... . That is why I take a camera everywhere; have spent countless hours organizing images in scrapbooks and pouring over them later to revisit the place, the people, the memory.
So, C'est Inspiré may be a single photo - or it may be 50, it may mean one thing to me, another to you - the meaning isn't important. Did it inspire? Did it make you smile? Did it bring back a pleasant memory? One or all of the above will do.
During a brief period of his life, the legendary art historian Bernard Berenson kept diaries where he wrote about how to see - and what he saw. These diaries were published under the title The Passionate Sightseer and edited by Raymund Mortimer.
Anyone, anywhere, anytime can be a passionate sightseer - just look.
A Time to Give : Giving back this holiday season.
EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY AT CHRISTMAS, WE LIKE TO SHARE OUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO
GIVE BACK,
VOLUNTEER,
DONATE.
22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. UNICEF provides multiple ways to contribute through their Inspired Gifts program, monthly pledges and one time contributions to the general fund.
UNICEF works in over 150 countries as a global humanitarian relief organization to provide children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s humanitarian relief work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. To make a contribution or for more information please visit UNICEF’s website at http://www.unicefusa.org.
The Bone Marrow Foundation provides financial assistance and free support services to bone marrow/stem cell transplant patients and their families. Through the Bone Marrow Foundation, donors can contribute to the general fund or through One-to-One Funds, a program where patients directly benefit from funds to help with transplant expenses. For more information or to start contributing, please visit the Bone Marrow Foundation’s website at http://www.bonemarrow.org.
Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to our troops, to the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home. Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide. Since its inception, Operation Homefront has provided critical assistance to more than 105,000 military families in need. Some of our most outstanding accomplishments are: more than 5 million dollars provided to military families in crises; goods and services valued at more than 6.5 million dollars to assist military families; and an excess of 20,000 care packages delivered to soldiers abroad with an additional 2,500 packages delivered to military families at home. To learn more, and ways to give, please visit Operation Homefront’s website at http://www.operationhomefront.net/
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States. They prepare and motivate children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. By inspiring children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice, RIF provides free books for children to choose from and make their own. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to follow their dreams and achieve their potential. It seems incredible for a book to launch a life, but it happens every day as hungry, inquisitive young minds reach out and grab hold of the new people, places, and ideas that books bring them. To give the gift of reading please visit the Reading is Fundamental website at http://www.rif.org/
Housing Worksis a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The organization’s mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts. Housing Works offers the New York area free furniture pick ups, and drop off donations are available for last years toys and gifts. To learn more about Housing Works and other ways to give please visit http://housingworks.org/donate
Every year CNN honors individuals who make extraordinary contributions to help others. These individuals are known for their work championing children, defending the planet, solving community problems, protecting the powerless and dedicating time to enhancing human health. To learn more about these individuals, find out how to nominate someone for next year, or to find out ways to help their causes go to the CNN Heroes webpage at http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/.
December 8, 2011
On November 29, the UNICEF Snowflake Ball raised over $2 million with 610 guests attending. Held annually in New York City, the Snowflake Ball helps celebrate UNICEF’s work and helps create a healthier and safer life for children all over the globe. The seventh annual black-tie gala was hosted by Andy Cohen and featured a special performance by Natasha Bedingfield.
Sharon Taylor, was presented with UNICEF’s Spirit of Compassion Award, recognized for the support of quality education programs and economic and civic development opportunities for children and families around the world.
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF presented the 2011 Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award to the Japan Committee for UNICEF’s Executive Director, Ken Hayami. Hayami accepted the award — which is named for UNICEF’s legendary Goodwill Ambassador — on behalf of all the UNICEF staff members who quickly and fearlessly responded to the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan earlier this year.
Two private dinners, prepared by the Red Rooster’s Marcus Samuelsson, raised a total of $33,000.
Two tickets to attend a live taping of Bravo’s Watch What Happens:Live and pre-show cocktails with Andy Cohen raised $30,000.
A visit to the K.I.N.D. desk project in Malawi raised $15,000. The generous winning bid will provide the money needed to create more than 300 desks, each of which seats 2 children.
UNICEF has served more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more.
To learn more about UNICEF, and about ways to give please visit unicef.org
November 30, 2011
On November 7th at the Mandarin Oriental, I attended the Classic Woman Awards luncheon presented by Traditional Home. The awards honor those who make a difference in the world through volunteerism and their contributions through philanthropy. These five women all had big ideas about helping others. Sounds simple right, it the end, simpler than you think – you can buy a pair of running shoes, a baby blanket, and be a philanthropist.
Since Christina Merrill founded The Bone Marrow Foundation in 1992, it has helped 45,000 children and adult bone marrow/stem cell transplant patients with financial assistance, education, and free support services – everything to helping with paperwork to searching for donors and paying for procedures. Impressively, private donations provide for 100% of the services. Charlotte is proud to be a member of the Bone Marrow Foundation Board of Directors.
To learn more about The Bone Marrow Foundation and to make a donation please go to – www.bonemarrow.org/
Believing that music is both an integral part of culture and a healthy outlet for youth, Mary von Kurnatowski founded Tipitina’s Foundation in 1999. Since then, it’s Instruments A Comin’ program has provided new band instruments for more than 50,000 children in the New Orleans area. The foundation runs internship programs for young musicians and music workshops.
To learn more about Tipitina’s Foundation and to make a donation please go to – tipitinasfoundation.org/
Founded by Kendra Stitt Robins in 2005, Project Night Night has provided the simple items of security, a blanket, a book and a stuffed animal, to more than 125,000 homeless children living in shelters across the nation.
To learn more about Project Night Night and to make a donation please go to – projectnightnight.org/
Liz Ferro started Girls with Sole in 2009 with the intention to help at-risk girls in the juvenile system focus on exercise, nutrition, and overall healthy living. The organization offers sports, yoga, dance, and nutritional advice plus free equipment to all. It has provided a way for girls to gain confidence through athletics.
To learn more about Girls with Sole and to make a donation please go to – girlswithsole.org
For the past 20 years Pro Mujer and Lynne Patterson has empowered women in Latin American countries through the use of loans, small business training, and health care. In fact, Pro Mujer has disbursed a billion dollars in loans to date.
To learn more about Pro Mujer and to make a donation please go to – promujer.org
If you find it in your heart to support these women’s compelling causes with a donation, please see the web addresses for the organizations and make somebody’s day .
November 10, 2011
A Time to Give : The Couture Council of the Museum at FIT honors Valentino
Our lead sponsor was 1st Dibs (www.1stDibs.com).
Empire Distributing provided wines and prosecco.
One Kings Lane made a special Valentino red tote bag for each of our guests to take home a complimentary copy of Town & Country – which was the media sponsor for the luncheon.
In addition, each guest received a copy of The Last Emperor dvd.
The Italian picnic theme was perfectly executed with bunches of luscious fruit, whimsical greens and fresh cut flowers piled in wicker picnic baskets in the center of every table by Emily Thompson of ETF flowers www.emilythompsonflowers.com.
September 15, 2011
A Time to Give : Giving Back this Holiday Season
This holiday season please take the time to
GIVE BACK,
VOLUNTEER,
DONATE.
Below are five organizations that spend countless hours helping those in need.
22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. UNICEF provides multiple ways to contribute through their Inspired Gifts program, monthly pledges and one time contributions to the general fund.
UNICEF works in over 150 countries as a global humanitarian relief organization to provide children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s humanitarian relief work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. To make a contribution or for more information please visit UNICEF’s website at http://www.unicefusa.org.
The Bone Marrow Foundation provides financial assistance and free support services to bone marrow/stem cell transplant patients and their families. Through the Bone Marrow Foundation, donors can contribute to the general fund or through One-to-One Funds, a program where patients directly benefit from funds to help with transplant expenses. For more information or to start contributing, please visit the Bone Marrow Foundation’s website at http://www.bonemarrow.org.
Teach For America strives to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation’s most promising future leaders in the effort. Members work relentlessly to ensure that more students growing up today in our country’s lowest-income communities are given the educational opportunities they deserve. To learn more about the impact of Teach for America’s teachers, how to donate, or how to get involved, please visit Teach for America’s website at http://www.teachforamerica.org.
The Wounded Warrior Project helps the thousands of wounded soldiers returning home from the current conflicts and to provide assistance to their families. The organization strives to honor and empower the “wounded warriors” of the United States Armed Forces. It also seeks to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women by providing support through direct programs and services to meet his or her needs. To support a veteran or to learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project please visit the organization’s website at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Every year CNN honors individuals who make extraordinary contributions to help others with a special celebration on Thanksgiving, hosted by Anderson Cooper. These individuals are known for their work championing children, defending the planet, solving community problems, protecting the powerless and dedicating time to enhancing human health. To learn more about these individuals, find out how to nominate someone for next year, or to find out ways to help their causes go to the CNN Heroes webpage at http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/.
December 10, 2010
A Time to Give : Charlotte Receives The Timeless Design Award
On October 27th in New York, The Royal Oak Foundation threw its annual fundraising gala at the Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue. In addition to support for its myriad of programs, lectures and conservation work, the black tie dinner for 250 guests raised over $330,000, a record for the Royal Oak Foundation. Charlotte was presented with The Timeless Design Award for her work in design, historical preservation, and philanthropy. Excerpts from Charlotte’s acceptance remarks are below.
For more information on Lectures, Tours & Travel with The Royal Oak Foundation, please visit www.Royal-Oak.org.
I think the challenge before all of us here today, members of The Royal Oak Foundation and anyone interested in history and preservation…
The challenge is to find new ways to
MAKE HISTORY A PART OF EVERYONE’S FUTURE!
So many people get history wrong –
They think it is about the past.
History is what informs us.
There is no future without it.
Reinforced by reading biography, one rich life lead to another, and as I got older other aspects of those properties interested me.
The gardens, the interior decoration. The lifestyles of the people, and the beautiful objet and art that they collected.
Having exposure to beauty in so many forms -
To learn to appreciate and respect it is something you then carry with you the rest of your life.
This is where my interest in design began.
But, not everyone has the advantage of geography that I had.
How do we make history dynamic and relevant today?
How do we engage young people when they are Facebooking and Tweeting and have so many more distractions than we ever had.
How do we get them interested to visit these beautiful places?
How do we help them to create a future that has a rich past?
What we learn from all of these experiences finds its way into our life and gets translated consciously or unconsciously.
There is no substitute for being there.
Travel extends to other places, that further enrich and refine your eye. The classical influences of Rome, brought down to a human scale.
We are blessed with an abundance of beautiful houses and properties that we must find clever ways to preserve.
And clever ways to engage and attract people through the doors….
And sure…we must raise money to do all of that,
But there is another legacy WE CAN ALL LEAVE….
One of INSPIRATION.
Inspiring others to live with open eyes -
And INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM…………the kind that comes with every new discovery, and fosters curiosity.
My dad always said to me as a child: “Observing doesn’t cost a dime.”
Now I can add: ENTHUSIASM doesn’t either….
November 5, 2010
