EVENT: WISE AND HEALTHY AGING’S CELEBRATION OF CARING

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WISE AND HEALTHY AGING’S CELEBRATION OF CARING

Karen Salkin (for whom the hour was a tad early) and Fred Deni.  Photo by Mr. X.

Karen Salkin (for whom the hour was a tad early) and Fred Deni. Photo by Mr. X.

Mr. X and I were happy to attend this recent charity brunch to honor one the kindest people I know, our my great friend, Fred Deni, the owner of Santa Monica cafes Back on Broadway and Back On The Beach.  We’re always so proud of Fred, for everything he does, actually, but that day, especially, for being honored like this! (More on him in a minute.  Much more!)

The occasion was Wise and Healthy Aging’s Celebration of Caring, in which the organization honored several of the community’s most kind-hearted citizens.  It was held at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Before the actual brunch was a lovely indoor-outdoor cocktail hour with the stunning Marina as the backdrop.  The food for that portion of the event was simple but perfect.  There was a table with cheese and crackers and tons of accoutrements, such as dried pineapple, cranberry-nut bread, and the most delicious candied walnuts I’ve ever tasted!  The very amiable wait staff also passed around a couple of easy-yet-creative hors d’oeuvres, with my fave being poached pears filled with goat cheese and topped with one of those wonderful walnuts.

The stunning view from the cocktail party. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The stunning view from the cocktail party. Photo by Karen Salkin.

We all perused the fun silent auction items, among which were several theatre tickets, restaurant meals, and stuffed gift baskets.  I have a feeling that all of it got claimed before the day was done, so big props to everyone who donated the materials.

Then the assemblage moved into the banquet room for the main event.  While we enjoyed our pretty salads, we were greeted by Wise and Healthy Aging President and CEO, Grace Cheng Braun.  (Someone should let the hotel know that they have awful acoustics in that room.  But perhaps we could have heard better if the program had not begun while people were still eating their salads.  I was sitting pretty close, and could not make out a word amongst the clinking forks.)

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Let me quickly tell you about the fare now, so we won’t be distracted from the real purpose of the brunch, which I’ll get to in a minute.  The food was all pretty delicious, especially the chocolate-and-fruit cup dessert.  The main dish was sea bass, which I’m sure you all know that I don’t eat, but the title of the event inspired me, so I tried it. (Shocking of me to do, I know!)  And it was good!  My friend told me it was dry, but that’s most likely why I liked it—because it wasn’t “fishy.”

Fred Deni accepting his award, on the right.  Photo by Karen Salkin.

Fred Deni accepting his award, on the right. Photo by Karen Salkin.

And then we got to the honorees, which is the reason we were all there.  First up was my pal, Fred Deni, who was honored with the “Caring For Our Community” award for his continual kindness to seniors. (And everyone he comes in contact with, actually!) Ever since I’ve known Fred and his business-and-life partner Jim Christel, (a guy who just does not age,) they give up their own Thanksgiving to host a meal at Back on Broadway for strangers who might otherwise be alone on that holiday.  Back in the day, when I used to be one of the very many volunteers for that luncheon, (they let me be the hostess, and I tried to introduce people, so they wouldn’t have to eat alone,) the meal was for the homeless. But in more recent years, it’s been for seniors. (Some other entity in Santa Monica now hosts the homeless, so instead of Fred just thinking his job was done, being the good person he is, he came up with another underserved population to host. What a guy!)

(L-R) Grace Cheng Braun, Fred Deni, and Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer. Photo courtesy of Wise and Healthy Aging.

(L-R) Grace Cheng Braun, Fred Deni, and Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer. Photo courtesy of Wise and Healthy Aging.

Fred was introduced by Santa Monica Mayor, Ted Winterer, and gave a wonderful, concise, humble, and entertaining speech (which I didn’t even write for him! But I think you already knew that when I said it was “concise!”) And he received an immediate, and heartfelt, standing ovation from the crowd.

Then came a really wonderful, emotional story.  Santa Monica laundromat owner Stan Fox has allowed a homeless woman, to live in his place of business, for many years! That story is told in the documentary, Queen Mimi, produced by Yaniv Rokah, who received the “Compassion in Caring” award along with Stan. I’m so glad that Yaniv shared this quote from Mimi herself in his acceptance speech:  “Yesterday’s gone; leave it there.”  I’m really going to try to implement that philosophy in my own life, (except when “yesterday” was a good one, of course!) I think we all loved seeing Mimi at the luncheon, looking fabulous, I might add! That whole portion of the presentation was really touching to witness.

Queen Mimi, on the right. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Queen Mimi, on the right. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Then the “Excellence In Service” award was bestowed upon Sheila Segal, who counsels her fellow seniors at Wise and Healthy Aging. In her speech, she mentioned that she and her team run a workshop to help people de-clutter.  If they were to try to assist me, they’d have to send their whole crew to my house!  Sheila said that the way they work is to help identify the “psychological reasons” that people want to hold on to their memories.  I can tell you that one—it’s because we’re hoarders!  Duh.  But seriously, every time I get rid of something, I need it literally the next day.  (I still haven’t gotten over giving away a ’50s-style cardigan a long time ago, only to go to one of the last drive-ins in LA—in a convertible—the very next night! Thank goodness I still had on old bowling shirt for the occasion!)

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

The final award, “Leadership In Caring,” went to doctor brothers Daoshing Ni and Mao Shing Ni, who, among other endeavors, run a geriatric acupuncture clinic. I always admire siblings who work together peacefully. And for so long! Sadly for me, I can’t even imagine what that would be like.

The afternoon concluded with a half dozen senior women doing tai chi. That part would have been better if they had asked the attendees to stand and join in. That would have gotten us all up, which we were about to do, anyway, and it would have been a peaceful (and, I suspect, giggle-filled) way to send us off.

But everyone seemed to leave there upbeat and satisfied, even without that bit of physical activity. And I have a feeling that everyone headed out to brunch at Back On The Beach the very next day. At least that’s what they should have done!

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