La Dolce Vita > March 2007

"Dancing with the Stars" winning couples, from left, Nedko Petrov and Nancy Spetzler, Linda Pope and Ryan Freeman, Yelena Babyuk and Larry Stewart, and Diane Might and Csaba Vadasz.

People are talking about the recent smash hit the Arizona Kidney Foundation had with its version of “Dancing With The Stars Arizona.” The brainchild of Marguerite and Jack Clifford and Glenna Shapiro, the ultra-glam evening of fancy footwork proved to be more successful than the trio could have imagined. Tickets almost sold out before the invites were mailed. The big question seemed to be “why didn’t they ask me to compete?” Well, they asked me and I said no… several times. But anyone who knows Glenna also knows that she doesn’t take “no” for an answer. So I laced up my dancing shoes alongside Lee Hillson (T. Cook’s noted master chef), Isola Jones (opera diva), Anne Merete-Robbs (mad-cap socialite), Diane Might (TCF president with a body by Venus), Kaley O’Kelley (ABC-TV15’s “Sonoran Living” hostess extraordinaire), Linda Pope (non-stop socialite), Joel Revzen (distinguished Arizona Opera president), Nancy Spetzler (body by Venus 2), Robert Spetzler (internationally known neurosurgeon), and Larry Stewart (hair stylist to the stars), and we all trotted off to dance lessons at various Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Arizona locations. I went, swearing under my breath. In the end, Linda and Larry won the competition. Are you surprised? No, you’re not! They both deserved to win. Diane and Nancy placed second, and the rest of us were awarded a paperweight and a huge trophy!

After all was said and done, it truly was one of the best experiences any of us ever had. Now we can all dance (I can do a respectable tango!), even though some in the competition were already fantastic dancers. Everyone you know and adore wants to be invited to dance next year. One person has erroneously taken the liberty of telling members of the social swim that she’s already been asked for 2008. Then again, year after year she’s been telling people that she’s been asked to chair the Heart Ball…NOT! We do, however, have unconfirmed reports that Paper Place paper princess Nancy Silver has been camped out at the front door of the kidney foundation office begging to be considered. Apparently, Nancy has been practicing a clogging routine ever since the gala ended.

Super family for the Super Bowl -- Hillary, baby Annie and Jason Manaster with Ina and Murray Manaster

Everyone wants to get invited to a great party. If you were lucky to get the Super Bowl invite this year from Ina and Murray Manaster, then you can consider yourself among the privileged. Members of the blue-ribbon crowd that passed through the Manasters’ Biltmore estate were treated not only to a fabulous spread that mirrored royalty, but also some of the most creative ways to watch the iconic bowl game. From anywhere in the grand home you could see: Lyle Anderson with his fetching wife Missy, Janis and Denny Lyon, Rona and Allan Kasen, Charles Stewart, Elva and Lattie Coor, Harriet and Jack Friedland, Margot and Dennis Knight, Herman Chanen, Madena and Tom Stewart and Daryl and Chip Weil. Then Michelle Robson walked in sporting a great new hairstyle and sleek brown leather pants. She mixed with other merrymakers, including Stevie and Karl Eller, Nancy and John Teets, Suzan and Carl Spiekerman, Jane and Geoff Edmunds, and Dionne Fedderson and Francis Najafi. Priscilla and Michael Nicholas arrived just in time to contribute to the betting pool, which Michael ended up winning throughout the game. And everyone swooned when the Manasters’ new grandbaby, Annie, arrived along with her proud parents, Jason and Hillary Manaster. Ina and Murray certainly have made their mark on the Valley social scene since arriving here from Chicago several years ago. They know how to throw one hell of a party; that’s why everyone coveted this invitation. God only knows who will make the list next year -- maybe even you!

In Cocktail Polo news you should know: That a couple you all socialize with has taken to fighting in public. That white dinner jackets are smashing when worn from April through September only. That Carole and Bob Machiz have agreed to be the presenting sponsors for the TCF Celebrity Luncheon on April 26th at The Phoenician. That this is the last issue of Trends to nominate your best-dressed pick for 2007 (deadline is March 19). That a housekeeper recently found a party attendee in an area of the house that was clearly off limits to guests. That fashionable ladies should not wear sandals with ball gowns in the dead of winter. That a mean socialite may soon have more to worry about than her bad plastic surgery. Please welcome her. Now you’re all caught up for five minutes.

Gotcha!