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| ZZ Top Performs at John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit John Varvatos celebrated the 7th Annual Stuart House Benefit at his boutique in Los Angeles. The event, hosted by Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, with partner Converse, closed down the streets of Melrose and Robertson in the heart of West Hollywood. Over 1, 500 guests were treated to an afternoon of shopping with the designer, family fun in the outdoor venue and a special rock n' roll performance by ZZ Top. Guests of all ages mingled and nibbled on delicious hor d'oeuvres and Crumbs cupcakes. Cocktails and beverages were served courtesy of Patron, Ultimat Vodka, Cielo Malibu Wineyards, HINT Essence Water and Evolution Juices. The event and its host committee members, which included Entertainment Industry heavyweights, Richard Weitz, Michael & Shannon Rotenberg and Linda & Bob Gersh, brought an eclectic assortment of actors and musicians, including guests Eric Dane, Justin Chambers, Ryan Eggold, Eric McCormack, Angie Harmon, Lance Bass, Bridget Moynahan, Trish & Billy Ray Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, A.J. Buckley, Joely Fisher, Jim Belushi, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin, January Jones, Lucas Haas, Shawn Pyfrom, Amanda Righetti, Rondell Sheridan, Jamie King, Brian Hallisay, Melissa Joan Hart, Gina Gershon, Michael Chiklis, Hamish Linklater, Clark Gregg, Damien Fahey, Jennifer Morrison, Corey Reynolds, Kyle MacLachlan, Shannen Doherty, Adam Gregory and rock n' roll musicians Donovan Leitch, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper, Matt Sorum and Chris Cornell. Guests helped raise over $350, 000 for Stuart House by participating in the event's live and silent auctions, where 100% of the proceeds directly benefited the organization. Attendees also supported the event through ticket sales, purchasing Limited Edition Converse, and 25% of the John Varvatos boutique's sales for the day also benefited the Stuart House. ZZ Top entertained the adults, while a huge hit for the kids was Billy Ray Cyrus, who was swarmed by dozens of children wanting photos and autographs as soon as he arrived. He was happy to oblige and took time with everyone before stepping to the front of the stage to catch ZZ TOP, the main event. When leaving, Cyrus said, "This is truly my favorite Los Angeles event to date." The benefit hit its stride as Gail Abarbanel, the Founder and Director of Stuart House, took the stage to welcome guests, inform them about the charity and introduce event chairs Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon. Sedgwick told the crowd, "We are so honored to be here today to support the work of Stuart House and the Rape Treatment Center." Kevin then introduced the man of the moment. "John Varvatos is a guy who is very passionate about music. He is also very passionate about Stuart House - his generosity and his commitment hosting this annual event is extraordinary." Bacon, who also has a band with his brothers, The Bacon Band, introduced the designer by saying - "I can't say this about that many designers, but let's face it - John Varvatos ROCKS!! Varvatos then took the stage to get the live auction rolling and introduced ZZ Top, who got the crowd on their feet with their unique blend of blues-based Southern Rock. Their 45-minute set included classics such as Legs, Cheap Sunglasses and A Sharp Dressed Man, a perfect ode to the designer himself. "Today's event is proof that our message is out- it was Bigger, Better and Louder!" Varvatos said. "People come out to support a worthy cause no matter how difficult times are." John Varvatos Launched in 2000, John Varvatos' lifestyle collection is comprised of John Varvatos Collection, John Varvatos " USA, Converse by John Varvatos - clothes for guys and girls, John Varvatos Eyewear, and John Varvatos SKIN and Fragrance. Varvatos has been recognized three times by the CFDA with an American Fashion Award for New Menswear Designer (June 2000) and Menswear Designer of the Year (June 2001 and June 2005). The collection is distributed internationally and in five freestanding John Varvatos boutiques in the U.S. Stuart House Stuart House is a nationally recognized, model program of the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, serving the special needs of sexually abused children. Stuart House brings together police, prosecutors and child protection personnel in a child-friendly facility to enhance the treatment of child victims. Stuart House also provides expert medical/forensic examinations and comprehensive therapy, advocacy and other support services to help children heal from the traumatic effects of sexual abuse. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |