DIAMONDS AND ICE CREAM: For A Cause

Charity and supporting a cause is the "new black." If you haven't found a cause or charity to support, create your own! It only takes one person to make a difference.

Denise Rich recenty hosted her annual Angel Ball to benefit cancer research. For those of who you who don't know, Ms. Rich is an esteemed songwriter, Grammy nominee, and philanthropist. She's written songs for artists such as Marc Anthony, Patti Labelle, Aretha Franklin, Jessica Simpson, and Celine Dion. She is also a friend of Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Here is an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal regarding the event and photographs from the Red Carpet

At Cipriani’s on Wall Street, deep-pocketed partygoers, including Jennifer Hudson, “Gossip Girl” couple Blake Lively and Penn Badgely, Howard Stern and evening performers Robin Thicke and Estelle, turned out in overwhelming force for Denise Rich’s annual Angel Ball .

Robin Thicke and wife Paula

Created in 1996, the charity honors Rich’s daughter Gabrielle, who died from acute myelogenous leukemia at age 27 in 1997 (Denise is the ex-wife of pardoned billionaire and former fugitive Marc Rich). The event — which raised close to $4 million and for which heavy hitters paid up to $100,000 a table to attend — was reminiscent of 1980s charity events, where opulence was de rigueur. Heavily bejeweled ladies from the New York, Palm Beach, and St. Tropez circuit and other guests were greeted by glitzy decor (towering place settings of lavender and pink roses) and were encouraged to bid in the silent auction (items ranged from a mammoth $44,000 orange Hermes crocodile Birkin bag to a priceless $1,500 chance to meet model Bar Rafaeli). They were also gifted with treasure-filled goodie bags heaped with freebies, including Marc Jacobs’ fragrance Daisy and a collagen face pad.