March 31, 2005|By Sloane Brown | Sloane Brown,SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Who knew a Monday could be so much fun?! Try kicking off your week with "An Afternoon of Pure Imagination." That was the title of this year's luncheon and fashion show put on Monday by the Baltimore chapter of the Links Inc. to raise money for its college scholarship fund.
And what a show it was -- put together by professional fashion show coordinator Joyce Parker. We're talking music, lights, professional models ... a couple of surprise appearances. Links member and federal E.E.O.C. investigator Erica Cryor says WOLB-AM radio morning show co-host Butch "The Coach" McAdams modeled a fur coat. And then, Erica's hubby, communications consultant Michael Cryor, strutted his stuff, first in another fur coat, then a suit and finally a tux.
"I had two tables of women [guests], and they started hooting! It was really funny. ... I told Michael I was going to rent him out for more shows," Erica says.
And the reaction from Michael, who worked as a professional model years back?
"I felt like a kid again. I could see my shoes. My stomach didn't get in the way, so I passed."
Kudos to event chair Shirley Kane, co-chairs LaVerne Turner and Geri Desbordes, and The Links' Baltimore chapter president Frances Murphy II!
Shed the blahs
With winter blahs hitting B-more big time, how 'bout throwing a party with a South Beach theme? Seemed like a good idea to Baltimoreans Mary Kay and Chuck Nabit when it came to the "big" birthday coming up for their good friend Lisa Barnhill. Specially since the Nabits themselves spend much of their winters at their place in South Beach. But this dual-dwelling duo went one better than just planning a wingding with a Miami state of mind. They had the get-together for about 50 in South Beach itself last week.
"Mary Kay and I joined a new private club that was established here in [Gianni] Versace's old mansion," Chuck explained by phone from the sunny South.
"Called Casa Casaurina, it's three blocks from where we live. It's an extraordinary place, so over-the-top it's impossible to describe. But, we thought it would be the perfect place for cocktails."
From there, the gang taxied to the hip eatery China Grill for dinner.
"It was lots of fun. But the most incredible thing was that friends and family flew thousands of miles to be there," Chuck notes.
Some hardy souls didn't stop there. They trooped on down to a favorite refuge of the Barnhills -- Rancho Santana on Nicaragua's Pacific coast.
Favorite restaurant
If you love to dish about the latest and greatest in Baltimore area restaurants, here's a way to make your mark. The Restaurant Association of Maryland is asking the dining-out crowd to cast their votes for their favorite new restaurant. There are eight finalists in the "Diner's Choice Award" line-up, three of them in Baltimore: Blue Sea Grill, Pazo and Saffron. The other five are: Nebula in Ocean City, Emma in Frederick, Jackie's Restaurant in Silver Spring, Jesse Wong's Hong Kong in Columbia and Westlawn Inn in North Beach.
Just go online to www.mary landrestaurants.com before Monday and cast your vote!
