It was an extraordinary evening at Sands Point Preserve on April 28 when the nature preserve was brought indoors for guests to experience up-close-and-personal, with many species of butterfly fluttering around them.
The event was a benefit to enhance the preserve’s beautiful landscape with new features and programs, including a playground and fitness course, organic vegetable garden and fruit orchard, picnic tables and benches, as well as a dog run.
The task undertaken was considerable, especially with the introduction of butterflies, which have a life span of 20 to 40 days, that required strict adherence to USDA regulations and several inspections from the Department of Agriculture to ensure that the delicate creature would experience a safe haven.
With a farm-to-table menu paired with exceptional wines, guests enjoyed delicacies from Long Island’s top culinary visionaries, including Guy Reuges, Sandbar, Three Village Inn and Lessing’s; Tom Schaudel, Jewel, Be-Ju, Alure and aMano; Michael Meehan, Radio Radio; Ricky Passerelli, Bobby Van’s Steakhouses; Maurizio Venditelli, Il Bacco; Rosario Safina, Da Rosario Organic Truffles; Judy Racz, Dino Vlachich and Full House Organics; Leisa Dent, LL Dent Southern Food and Catering; Michael Fallon, Macayla Michael Desserts; Wayne Cafariella, Kings Coast Coffee; and Philip Stone Caterer. Paumanok Vineyards, McCalls Wines, Raphael Winery, Woolfer Estate and Bedell Cellars were perfect pairing for the repast.
Guests spent the evening enjoying extraordinary foods, fine wine followed by dessert and dancing inside the mansion. With Silent Auction items from Americana Manhasset, Chloe, Jan Leslie, Luianne Boutique, Ralph Lauren, Sands Point Shop and Truth & Beauty Spa, supporters were enticed to bid on treasured auction items. At the end of the evening, party-goers received a special thank you with a goodie bag filled with an assortment of treats.
