The Buzz: Tallahasseans attend President Barack Obama’s second Inauguration

Where to Go When You Want to Be in the Know.

Welcome to The Buzz, Tallahassee Magazine’s column created to share who’s where and what they’re doing. While we try to flit around with all of Tallahassee’s social butterflies, the Buzz can’t be everywhere. Send the skinny on your next soiree to buzz@tallahasseemagazine.com.

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Florida’s capital had a strong showing in Washington, D.C. for President Barack Obama’s second Inauguration. City Commissioner and Young Elected Officials Director Andrew Gillum kicked off the festivities at the People for the American Way Foundation event at the swanky Willard Hotel, where media mogul Arianna Huffington made a brief appearance. Wife R.Jai was at his side, in a classic black dress amped up with a killer pair of Brian Atwood pumps, along with House Representative Alan Williams and attorney Sean Pittman, who posed for a picture with younger politico Elizabeth Landers. On Sunday evening, the big donors flocked to the National Building Museum for the Candlelight Celebration in which the President and First Lady, Vice President and his wife all took the stage along with Stevie Wonder, who crooned, “Superstitious” later on. Don Hinkle and Mimi Graham soaked in the evening, along with attorney Jim Eaton. The weekend festivities culminated at the official Inaugural Ball where D.C. newcomers Courtney Hinkle, Drew Grossman and Natasha Schlenoff danced the night away to Usher and Jennifer Hudson.

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After months of hard work, the appearance of the latest issue of Tallahassee Magazine and the other publications of Rowland Publishing is something to celebrate. Publisher Brian Rowland decided to share a little fun with friends and clients during a midweek unveiling party at Midtown Filling Station.

Real Ryding Tallahassee Magazine cover models Tyler Finley and Cecily Armengol were on hand, as well as studio owners Kim and Brian Bibeau and the rest of the Sweat Therapy crew. Greg Tish, who was profiled in 850 Magazine, joined the celebration, along with significant other Christine “Rambabe” O’Connell and her daughters, Shayne and Justine. Other friends on hand for the happy hour festivities included and Daryl Green, Ashley Wood, Amanda D’Allaird and Nate DiMura of Compass Marketing, attorney Rob Boyd, Karen Vogter and Kathryn Bradley-Wilson of The Grey Fox, Katie Juckett, Realtor Gary Bartlett, John Mader, Stephanie Johnston of Hair Lounge, Will Davis and Rebekah Smith.

Among those toasting the magazines’ success were Alice Malone of North Florida Animal Hospital, Vicki O’Neil, representing City of Tallahassee Natural Gas & Utilities, Uptown Café owners Fred and Beth Tedio, Mike Ferrie and Dixie Russell with Prime South Realty, Jerry Linder with Vintage Homes and Ed Murray of NAI Talcor.

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A certain group of women always know what they’ll be doing at 11:30 a.m. on the second Sunday of any December — attending Kathy Mccharen’s Ladies’ Holiday Brunch. She’s been hosting the event about 25 years, which features an evolving menu. But some items, like the spiced fruit, cider, egg casserole and pumpkin bread, haven’t changed since the beginning. The guest list has grown over the years, and she now invites around 75 friends from her varied activities including Habitat for Humanity, work, ballet, tailgating, yoga, steel band, neighbors and just long-time friends.

Those who have come the longest include Jane Dallet, Allys Palladino-Craig, Cindy Miller, Debbie Moerlins, Laura Hertz, Patti Irvine, Claire Kelly and Lisa Raleigh (who introduced Mccharen to her husband, Lealand, in 1993). Elaine Smith traveled from Tampa to attend, and other book club members at the event included Nell Stranburg, Miriam Nicklaus and Ann Riccardi.

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Another not-to-be-missed soiree for ladies during the holiday season is “the Debbies’” cookie exchange, an annual event for 17 years. Debbie Bergstrom Breeze and Debbie Huey alternate hosting the event at their home each year; this time it was held at Debbie B.’s beautiful home overlooking Lake McBride.

The more than 100 attendees are asked to bring four-dozen cookies to swap; leftovers are donated to local charities, this year being taken to The Hope Community. While the cookies are fun, the ladies also enjoy mixing and mingling — and the Debbies create and email copies of a cookbook that contains all the cookie recipes.

Multiple generations attend the event — mothers, daughters, nieces and grandmothers.

Debbie B.’s mom, Carole, and her sister, Patti, traveled from Destin and Los Angeles for the party as did Debbie H.’s nieces, Avery and Caldwell Safley, who were home from college.
Those enjoying the afternoon included Robin Safley, Laura Rogers, Julie Lovelace, Lori Mattice, Beth Corum, Susan Walton, Beth Desloge, Trish Amos, Nan O’Kelley, Mary Ellen Klas Kennedy, Melissa Rudd, Donna Blanton, Emily Fritz, Shannon Jones and Melanie Schrowang.

The hostesses declared the White Chocolate & Crème de menthe Shortbread Cookies made by Debbie Kearney and Andrea Janek’s Russian Tea Cakes as some of the party’s best offerings.

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John Gandy had plenty to celebrate this holiday season, including the opening of his new warehouse. Friends and vendors who work with one of Tallahassee’s premier event planners were invited to his Garber Drive facility to see where the party magic starts. It was fun to see the stacks of those ubiquitous Chiavari chairs (he has more than 1,000) and chandeliers waiting for the next soiree.

Furniture was sorted by style (contemporary, French provincial, country chic, et al) and shelving units were full of milk glass and silverware. Leigh Ansley Catering and Catering Capers provided the eats, including delicious beef tenderloin bites and tiny croissant sandwiches, sweets were courtesy of The Cake Shop and Au Peche Mignon, and On the Rocks Bartending poured drinks. A special guest was Florida’s First Lady, Ann Scott, who had her photo taken with well-wishers at the festive tableau set up by Photo Fun Booth.

Partygoers also included Gandy’s partner, Darin Jones, as well as Janice Powell, Flecia Braswell and Fred McCord, Juli Downs, Jessica Ziegler, Laura Glenn, Troy Rentz, Mark O’Bryant, Melissa and Jenny Moore and Debbie Guidice. Also on hand were Catherine Taylor of WoodLand Fields Photography and Amanda Barksdale of Karmanos Printing.

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For a second year, Casie Langston Reinholt and her team at Social Design Group tested runners’ mettle with Urban Disturbance, held on Dec. 8. It’s a 5-mile race throughout Tallahassee’s downtown, with the extra-added attraction of 15 obstacles to test the participants’ endurance along the way. Among the more than 300 people who made it to the finish line were Alice Watts, Sercan Guvenisik, Amber Andrews, Erica Villaneuva, Wil Varn and mother-daughter duo Leah and Kim Kennett.

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JT Burnett hosted a holiday party for more than 300 people in his Bobbin Trace home. The lovely holiday decorations designed by Terra Palmer may have looked familiar to partygoers; they were featured in the November/December issue of Tallahassee Magazine. Enjoying the festivities were Kim Rivers, Chris and Susan Dudley, Sean and Audra Pittman, Keily Salser, Ray J. Stiff, Chad Kittrell, Greg Tish, Bill and Lori Mattice, Steven and Christine Leoni, Len Harvey and Michelle Myers Personette.

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“Externs” from Lincoln High School held a luncheon to thank sponsors and others who gave them a real-world look at career possibilities during the fall semester. The emcee, student Scott Fortier, introduced the school’s program coordinator, Linda Nelson, as well as Lincoln Principal Allen Burch and Assistant Principal of Curriculum Jason Koerner.

Each student described their externship experiences — from working with “The Man in Overalls,” Nathan Ballantine, to kindergarten teacher Miranda Kelly — and thanked their professional partners. The students included Martin Chavez, Cynthia Giordano, Scott Fortier, Laura Foster, Harley Fogler, Danielle Husband, Savanna Lyle and Melissa Thomas.

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Local entrepreneur JT Burnett and Kim Rivers invited a diverse group of local movers and shakers to his home to solicit support for Imagine Tallahassee, Inc. The organization’s purpose is to create a unified vision to enhance economic vitality in the community. As envisioned, an outside consultant would be hired to collect input and ideas for the several months-long endeavor. Those on hand to hear about the new project included Gary and Berneice Yordon, Marc Bauer, Lee Daniel, Michelle Ubben,  Terra Palmer, Karen and Richard Moore, Jim and Jaimi Wacksman, Johanna Money, Jim Hunt, Vincent Hunt, Sean and Audra Price Pittman, Gloria and Dean Pugh, Mark Raciappa, Anuj Patel, Aaron and Elizabeth Boyette, Carrie and Chase McNeill, Chad Gardner, Carlton Dean, Tracey Cohen, Greg Garnett, Michelle Personette and Keith Bowers.

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Daniella Gonzalez and Chris Strickland, son of Kathy and Allen Strickland, are planning a July wedding in Valencia, Venezuela.

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The sun hadn’t risen yet, but many of the biggest names in local politics and business were at FSU’s Turnbull Conference Center for the 7th Annual Working Well CEO Breakfast. Awards were given to companies and individuals who were “stars” in promoting health in the workplace. Consultant and former CEO Hank Orme, who was head of one of the “25 Best Companies to Work for in America,” spoke to the group, saying that a company’s culture and employee well-being were equally as important to a business as its operations and finances. Among those enjoying a healthy breakfast and listening to Orme’s talk were Mary Barley, Mary Estes, Mary Goble, Jim Burtoft, Sheila Costigan, Brian Crawford, Mark O’Bryant, Nancy Daniels, Michelle Robleto, Bart Gunter, Dr. Jim Murdaugh, Vince Long, Grant Capelouto, Mark Baldino, Brian Webb and Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong.

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Mexico, noche de gala, was the theme for this year’s Gadsden Arts Center Gala held at the Sawano Club in Quincy. Guest grazed on delicioso Mexican food prepared by the Quincy’s West End Grille and danced to the sounds of Swing Shift. Some of the evening’s guests were Yvonne and Winston Howell, Patsy and Mark Bates, Mary Jane and Pat Woodward, Rosemary and Bud Branson, Dianne and Doug Croley, Lucy and Fred Harris, Denise and Frank Holcomb, David Gardner, Cheryl and Dick Shaw, Barbara and Randy Pople, Mel Pope and Natascha Becker, Elaine and Bob Woodward, Betty and Reginald James, Quincie Hamby and Billy Gwynne.

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Emory and Autumn Mayfield welcomed baby girl No. 3 into the world on December 21.

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The 4th annual 30A Songwriters Festival rocked South Walton all weekend long, and the weather couldn’t have been nicer for the outdoor venues. Some of the featured singer songwriters were Suzanne Vega, Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Shadowboxers and our very own Grant Peeples, just to name a few. The music-loving Tallahassee crowd included Prissy and Dale Enrod, Guyte and Beverly McCord, Wilson and Brittany Dean, Carol and Tim Edmond, Calynne and Lou Hill, Mary Anne and Duncan Moore, April and Carlton Dean, Sandy Roberts, Wendy Hollady and Keith Baxter, Nan Nagy and Ken Kato and Kim Ellison.