Anna Quindlen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, will speak in Fort Worth at a luncheon for Planned Parenthood.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Anna Quindlen will speak Friday at Planned Parenthood of North Texas’ Annual Luncheon, held this year at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel.

The third woman to write for The New York Times’ op-ed page, Quindlen wrote the award-winning column “Public and Private.” She also wrote for Newsweek magazine for 10 years and has authored fiction and non-fiction best-sellers. The married mother of three is a graduate of Barnard College where she chairs the board of trustees.

Co-chairing the Fort Worth luncheon are Marinda Allender and Kathy Spicer. Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of reproductive health services in the state of Texas, serving 84,000 patients last year.

Sponsorships are available, and those at the $2,500 level or higher will be invited to a cocktail reception Thursday. For more information, call 817-878-2650, extension 10154.

Bill Weir will speak at the 2012 Go Red For Women Luncheon in Fort Worth.

ABC news anchor Bill Weir will headline the annual Go Red For Women Luncheon (www.goredtarrant.org) Feb. 10 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Weir, who has anchored “Nightline,” the weekend edition of “Good Morning America” and “iCaught,” will speak at the fundraiser for the American Heart Association. A mimosa reception will begin the festivities at 10:30 a.m. while Estee Lauder will offer lipstick touch-up stations.

Serving as luncheon co-chairs are Laura Quenette McWhorter and Lynny Sankary.

Individual tickets cost $100, and prices for tables of 10 begin at $5,000. For additional information, contact Nicole Zimmerman at 817-698-5411.

Kristin and Victor Vandergriff will serve as honorary co-chairs of the 11th Annual “Thanks for the Memories” Dinner and Auction, set for April 26 at Ridglea Country Club.

The annual fundraiser for the North Central Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org/northcentraltexas) will boast the theme “Lights, Camera, Action!” This year’s presenting sponsor will be  Carolyn Holloway, in memory of her late husband E. Graham Holloway.

The Alzheimer’s Association - North Central Texas Chapter serves 40 counties in the north central region of Texas, with offices in Abilene, Fort Worth, Waco and Wichita Falls. The association offers support, information and services, including a free, 24-hour help line at 800-272-3900. 

Sponsorships for the April event are available by contacting Evey Hull, special events coordinator, at 817-336-4949 or evey.hull@alz.org.  

Scott Murray will emcee the 2012 Celebrity Chefs benefit.

Chefs specializing in everything from Italian to desserts, seafood to steaks will showcase their cuisine at the 6th Annual Celebrity Chefs event. The annual fundraiser is set for 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Southlake Hilton.

Besides sampling the chefs’ fare, party-goers will have the opportunity to participate in a live auction and raffle. Serving as emcee will be Scott Murray, Dallas-Fort Worth TV personality. Proceeds will benefit Mid-Cities Supporters of SafeHaven (http://www.mid-citiessos.org).

Tickets for the charity event cost $124 per person and may be purchased by contacting Janet Smith at janetmsmith@sbcglobal.net or call 817-788-9592.

Chefs and their participating restaurants will be Jaime Aguilar, Copeland’s of New Orleans; Hans Bergmann, Cacharel Restaurant; Jon Bonnell, Bonnell’s Restaurant; Otto Borsich, Central Market Southlake; Susan Clark, Sweet Memories Cakes and Catering; Ed Esquivel, The Wildwood Grille; Anthony Felli, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse; and Craig Ford, Timarron Country Club.

Also included will be Jason Harper, Trio Colleyville; Kyle Jones, Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab House; Brian Olenjack, Olenjack’s Grille; Donatella Trotti, Nonna Tata; Chris Wilson, Market Street; Mark Yamada, Trophy Club Country Club; and Charles Youts, The Classic Cafe.

Mid-Cities SOS, founded in 1985, creates awarenss of and supports programs for dealing with domestic violence.

Parmesan Potato Gratin will be on the menu at the Nov. 29th dinner.

FORT WORTH _ Chef Lou Lambert will pair recipes from his new cookbook, Big Ranch, Big City, at a special dinner at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at Lambert’s Steak, Seafood and Whiskey, 2731 White Settlement Road.

The hearty cowboy cuisine found in the new cookbook will be paired with Fort Worth’s Rahr Beers in this stop on the Texas Toast Culinary Tours. The evening also will feature the book’s co-author, June Naylor, and its photographer, Ralph Lauer. Fritz Rahr of Rahr & Sons Brewing Company will discuss the beer pairings.

After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Lambert polished his cooking techniques in New York City and San Francisco before opening his own restaurants in Austin and Fort Worth. Big Ranch, Big City, his first cookbook, spotlights 125 recipes that combines his west Texas heritage with his classical training.

Cost for the special dinner  is $95 per person and includes appetizers, four courses with beer pairings andan autographed copy of Big Ranch, Big City. For more information, visit www.texastoastculinarytour.com.

On the menu will be Parmesan Potato Gratin, and the recipe is below.

Parmesan Potato Gratin
makes 8 to 10 servings

2 T. unsalted butter
3 C. heavy cream
1 1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. white pepper
2 t. coarsely chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 lbs. russet 
potatoes, peeled
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish or a 3-quart Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon of butter.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cream, 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, the salt, white pepper, thyme and nutmeg. Evenly slice the potatoes 1/8-inch thick and place in bowl with the seasoned cream, stirring to coat the potatoes.
Arrange the potato slices in the casserole dish, overlapping them like shingles on a roof. Pour cream mixture remaining in the bowl evenly over the potatoes; the cream should come almost to the top layer of potatoes. Press down on the potatoes to evenly compact them into the cream.
Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan over the potatoes and then dot the top of cheese with small pieces of the remaining tablespoon butter. Bake the gratin, uncovered, in the middle of the oven until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the gratin rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. To reheat, cover the gratin with foil and place in 275°F oven for at least 40 to 45 minutes.

Suzie Humphreys

Humorist Suzie Humphreys, best known for her years as an on-air personality with KVIL Radio, headlined the 2011 Shining Stars Awards Luncheon recently at the Hurst Conference Center.

The annual event, sponsored by The Arts League, benefits the Arts Council Northeast. Each year local organizations honor outstanding members as their “shining stars.”

Those recognized this year were:

• Linda Pavona, Altrusa International Inc. of DFW
• Margie Poole, American Association of University Women–Northeast Tarrant County Branch
•  Rebecca Barksdale, Arts Council Northeast
• Wanda Thompson, Battered Women’s Foundation
• Sue Parent, Christmas is for Children
• Debbie Snyder, Circle of Friends
• Lynn Stillman, Colleyville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Jean Neisius, Colleyville Public Library Foundation
• Paula McCollough, Colleyville Woman’s Club
• Donna Wilbanks, Community Enrichment Center
• Olivia Pace, Community Storehouse
• Kim Harrison, Grapevine-Colleyville Education Foundation
• Linda Pekowski, GRACE
• Patty Recca, Greater Keller Women’s Club
• Gretchen Carter, Greater Southlake Women’s Society
• Linda Huggins, Hurst-Euless-Bedford Chamber of Commerce
• Pam Conley, HEBISD Education Foundation
• Dottie Nicholson, I Can Still Shine
• Diana Behrens, Metroport Meals on Wheels
• Cindy Flint, Mid Cities Fine Artists
• Patty Shaw, Mid-Cities Supporters of SafeHaven of Tarrant County
• Marlene Turner, North Texas SNAP
• Diane Johnson, Rocky Top Therapy Center
• Monica Mainard, Southlake Women’s Club
• Diana Panther, Summer Santa
• Sharon Mayes, The Arts League
• Nancy Doyle, Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce
• Barbara Hentzen, Trinity Arts Guild

Revivals of classic musicals get revived, usually, because they’re a good enough show to warrent a do-0ver.

So it is with “West Side Story,” the current offering at The Music Hall at Fair Park. The show, which originally opened on Broadway in 1957, was nominated then for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Since then it’s been revived on Broadway in 1964, 1980 and 2009.

A national tour brings the latest production to town during the Texas State Fair, a spot always reserved for a blockbuster. The original Jerome Robbins choreography has been reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely, and  it is outstanding. Combine that choreography with this national touring company’s terrific dancing talent, and the result is fantastic. Production numbers for the Jets and the Sharks could be seen again and again and remain mesmerizing.

The music, such as “Tonight” and “Something’s Coming,” is predictably lovely, and the dramatic lighting quite effective. It’s obviously a carefully crafted turn on a Broadway classic.

Often with revivals, someone feels the need to inflict a new twist. For this production, the major innovation was the translation of many of Stephen Sondheim’s original lyrics to Spanish. Luckily, the show’s modern retelling of  Shakespear’s “Romeo and Juliet” is well known enough that not much meaning is lost. But it seems contrived, a superfluous stab at “realism” in a medium where we already are asked to suspend logic to believe street characters break into song.

This new production also adds much more graphic sexual content in several scenes, including one of rape. During “Gee, Officer Krupke” teenage boys act like some teenage boys act, but some of the stabs at ”humor” might make Grandma blush. Were the scenes realistic? Perhaps. Offensive? Maybe. Parents definitely should be warned that this is not the typical “West Side Story” suitable for all ages or tastes.

The show, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals, will continue through Oct. 23. It’s an interesting take on the “West Side Story” classic. Go for the dancing. Go for the beautiful music. But don’t go if you’re expecting a 1957 version of a classic.

The dance band Professor D will highlight the 2011 GRACE gala.

Dancing to the sounds of Professor D will highlight the annual Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange Gala, set for Saturday in the Grand Ballroom of the Irving Convention Center.

Chairing the event, “Angels Among Us,” will be Nicole and Mike Tesoriero. A cocktail reception is planned for 5:30 p.m. with a gourmet dinner following at 6:30 p.m.

Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange (GRACE) is non-profit agency based in Grapevine, TX since 1987. The organization provides food, clothing, financial assistance and other necessities to people struggling with a limited resources or recent emergencies. Programs have expanded to include technology training classes,  medical services and transitional housing

Individual gala tickets cost $250, and tables of 10 may be purchased for $2,250. They may be purchased online at www.gracegala.org or by calling 817-305-4654.

Mayfest 2011, featuring musical entertainment, food, art and more, raised enough money to award more than $150,000 in grants.

FORT WORTH – Mayfest, Inc. (www.Mayfest.org) has announced grants totaling $155,000 from proceeds from the 2011 Mayfest festival to three of Mayfest’s founding organizations.

Grants include $30,000 to the Junior League of Fort Worth for a garden project, located near Trinity Park in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department will benefit from $15,000 to improve a Trinity Park pavilion and for solar powered, self-compacting trash containers. Streams & Valleys, Inc. received $63,500f for the extension of the Trinity Trail system, with construction expected to begin in 2014.

Additionally, each of the three organizations received $15,500 for their general operating funds.

Mayfest, presented by Mayfest, Inc., is a four-day family festival attracting more than 200,000 people annually to Trinity Park. All profits from Mayfest, $6 million to date, are distributed to its founding organizations that support beautification and recreational development.

The 40th anniversary Mayfest is set for May 3 through 6, 2012 at Trinity Park.