From Idea Village to Exchange City

By Nell Nolan
Staff writer/The Times-Picayune

"What's the Big Idea?"

The light bulb that graced the cover of an invitation set the tone for a brace of bashes. All that was needed was a figurative pull of the light switch and -- voila! -- light. And brightness.

A flip of the invitation revealed the answer: "Entrepreneurship." That was the big idea and it was promoted in party packaging at the Renaissance Arts Hotel for the Idea Village's second annual fund-raiser. Running from 6:30 p.m. -- patrons partied the first hour and a half -- until midnight, the event housed more than 500 people who donned "creative chic attire" and turned an ear to party presenters Fertile Crescent Entertainment and Y.M.O. Enterprises. Featured were Sir Earl Toon of Kool & the Gang, Edward Anderson and Bleu Orleans with special appearances by Allen Toussaint, and others.

Idea Village is a community of entrepreneurs and those who believe in them.

Adding their special brightness were committee co-chairwomen Nicole Provosty and Rayne Reynolds, who were joined by husbands Pratt and Todd. Noted from their extensive committee were Torre Andrade, Tina Andrews, Aimee Bell, Caroline Calhoun, Danielle Calhoun, Leslie Carriere, Michele Carrere, Elizabeth Favret, Toby Florman, Leslie Gottsegen, Beth Lambert, Elly Lane, Marguerite Layrisson, Jennifer McKay (who was chatting with Pam Georges Dongieux), Kriss Morrison, Mary Ann Moss, Ashley Nelson, Elizabeth Philipson, Marilyn Pointer, Dodie Powers, Ellie Rand, Pam Reynoir, Susu Stall, Charlotte Viguerie, and Anne Villere.

They gazed and grazed (at various food stations), with colorful chandeliers by Dale Chihuly among the focal points in the arts hotel. A host of the hobnobbers admired the "Broken Earth" stone sculpture by Jesus Moroles in the Arthur Roger Gallery Project, a part of the hotel. Catching the collective eye, too, were displays related to entrepreneurship.

Merritt Lane and Rod West serve as chairman and vice chairman of the Idea Village board of directors that includes Darryl d'Aquin, Quentin Dastugue, Allen Eskew, Leslie Jacobs, Yvette Jones, Sam Giberga, David Guidry, James Hardy, Bill Hines, Steve Perry, Timothy Ryan, Jimmy Treuting, and Robbie Vitrano. A sixsome answers to staff: Tim Williamson (president), Allen Bell, Omar Aziz, Sarah Hoffman, Sandra Lombana Landrum, and Sharon Karriem.

Still others making the IV rounds were Anne Pratt, the Dennis Crawfords and son Keith, Sandy Villere III and Peter Moss (two of the many spouses of committee cohorts -- their respective wives are Anne and Mary Ann), Lt. Gov. Mitch and Cheryl Landrieu, Mary Hines with the above Bill, and City Councilman Jay Batt. And that just hints at the roster of revelers.

"I thought it was a rousing success," said Pratt Provosty about the bash. "It was sold-out and fun!"

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Columnist Nell Nolan can be reached at nnolan@timespicayune.com or at (504) 826-3455.
The Times-Picayune LIVING; Social Scene; Pg. 2