Communities In Schools of Nevada’s fall event, TODAY FOR TOMORROW, was held Saturday evening at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and the 1920’s-themed gala was a success that only Gatsby himself could have dreamed of!
Before entering the main ballroom, attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour in the Belmont “speakeasy.” Signature cocktails like “The Gilded Age,” strawberry-thyme gin, Contratto and rose rhubarb syrup garnished with golden thyme; and “Benny Blanco,” Casamigos Blanco tequila, chili shrub and velvet falernum with lemon seltzer and unique silent auction items were the highlight of the room as guests dressed as flappers and mobsters enjoyed the atmosphere.
At 7, the curtain pulled back to reveal the main ballroom, and the flowing champagne tower was the first thing guests saw as they entered. Thirteen restaurants from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas provided easy to eat delicacies that were small in portion but big in flavor. Guests clamored to try Beauty and Essex’s elote-style scallops, Holstein’s white lightning sliders, Jaleo’s gin and tonic marshmallows, and Scarpetta’s short rib agnolotti. Due to open in January, 2017, Zuma offered up their truffled waygu tarare. Other restaurants serving up delicious small bites included Blue Ribbon Sushi, China Poblano, Eggslut, Estiatorio Milos, Milk Bar, Rose.Rabbit.Lie., STK and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas’ pastry department.
Aside from the delicious food, there were gaming tables where players could “gamble” for extra chips that would be converted into raffle tickets.
A tarot card reader, a 20’s dance number, a “silent movie” featuring statistics about CIS’ work and the Chaplinesque antics by Uzeyer Novruzov, the ladder acrobat of “America’s Got Talent” fame rounded out the entertainment.
The auction was a huge success, as Board Chair Susie Lee introduced auctioneer Jeff Manning, who started the auction off with a song from Chase Brown and some amazing young tap dancers.
Chef Scott Conant’s personalized dinner package for eight people got doubled in value and coolness, when he encouraged his friend, Chef Chris Santos from Beauty and Essex to join his package – then they agreed to sell it twice, making it the highest donation of the evening!
We are so happy everyone had a great time, and can’t thank everyone enough for coming out to support us and the 58,000 students we serve across the state.
We have to give a special thank you to board members Ed Cecchi and Amy Rossetti – without whom this could never have happened! THANK YOU!
