Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 7-11 p.m., Naumburg Bandshell (see also: Naumburg Orchestral Concerts) (located mid-Park at 72nd Street), Central Park, New York. Sponsored by Dolly Lenz and Miraval Living Condominium, Taste of Summer featured a night of sampling the City's best dining and wines; dancing under the stars; and a silent auction showcasing beauty and vacation packages, jewelry and accessories. Now in its 13th year, over 800 guests attended this year's event treating their palates with tasting plates from over 35 of New York's top restaurants including BLT Market, Brasserie Cognac, Fred's at Barney's, Gordon Ramsey at the London, Orsay, and Telepan Restaurant while raising $750,000 for the Central Park Conservancy’s ongoing care and preservation of this beloved landscape. VIP guests were treated to the mega-watt cuisine and style of critically acclaimed chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The exclusive VIP Café offered tastings from all six of his New York restaurants - Jean-Georges, JoJo, Vong, Perry St, Spice Market and Mercer Kitchen. "At Jean Georges restaurant, I can always count on the stunning view of Central Park to make the experience of dining at Jean-Georges so uniquely beautiful," says Jean-Georges Vongerichten. "The Central Park Conservancy works hard every day to preserve the Park, and to give New Yorkers an escape into nature away from the bustle and stress of the City. Without their hard work, we would not have the beauty and nature of the Park that we have come to rely on today." Douglas Blonsky, President of the Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator comments, "Our annual Taste of Summer benefit attracts over 1,000 New Yorkers from the celebrity, social, and philanthropic circuits, to raise more than $500,000 to support the Conservancy's restoration and ongoing care of this beloved landscape." A notable group of charitable New Yorkers has united to organize this annual event. Event Co-Chair: I. Dolly Lenz representing Miraval Living Condominium. Trustee Chairs: Jay Mandelbaum, Norman Selby and B. Smith. Host Committee members are Elizabeth Meigher, Frank J. Lourenso, Gillian Miniter, Kristy & Jonathan Korngold, Liz Gateley, Patrick McMullan, Sade Baderinwa, Samantha S. Topping, Sandra Lee, and Susan Shin. DJ Tom Finn of TOPSPIN Entertainment kept the crowd dancing into the night. Special thanks to Miraval Living Condominium, Ed Libby & Company, Inc., GuS - Grown-up Soda, Jose Cuervo, Rosemount Estate, and VOSS Artesian Water from Norway. ABOUT THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY: The Central Park Conservancy's mission is to restore, manage, and preserve Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations. The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations, and the City of New York, the Conservancy has invested more than $450 million to date into the Park, making it a model for urban parks worldwide. The Conservancy provides more than 85 percent of Central Park's annual $27 million operating budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park. PHOTO CREDIT: ©Manhattan Society.com 2008 by C. London | tel:Private |e-mail: ChrisLondon@manhattansociety.com****PLEASE NOTE: More notes, photos, id's to come****