Guild Hall Visionaries Luncheon Held In NYC

On Thursday, November 15, I became a lady who lunches as I headed to Tom Colicchio’s culinary destination, Riverpark NYC, for the Guild Hall Visionaries Luncheon. The panel included creative visionaries Zoë Buckman, Jayma Cardoso, and Marcela Sapone. The event featured compelling stories from these three artistic innovators who are at the forefront of ideas in art, lifestyle, business, and design. Guild Hall’s Executive Director Andrea Grover moderated the panel.

The event started with champagne while guests shopped Guild Hall merch and Joan Hornig jewelry. All of the proceeds went to Guild Hall. Once seated, lunch included a wonderful roasted chicken with squash, roasted mushrooms, cranberry gastrique, and wheat berries, and for dessert, a pear-cranberry tart with vanilla Chantilly, salted caramel, and chocolate sauce. Each of the panelists went through a brief slide show to discuss the work they do.

Sapone is the co-founder and CEO of Hello Alfred. Through Alfred — a digital in-home concierge service that helps you manage daily tasks like dry cleaning, grocery shopping, and cleaning — she has worked to redefine urban living. “What I do is very women-centric,” said Sapone during her slide show.

Cardoso is the owner of the Surf Lodge in Montauk. She has also been a partner in New York City venues like Cain, Gold Bar, and Lavo. Cardoso, a native of Brazil, came to New York 23 years ago to study at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She has worked her way up the nightclub chain to become the successful club owner she is today.

“Part of what we do at Surf Lodge involves wellness, music, art,” said Cardoso. “I have an amazing team that convinces really amazing people to be a part of what we believe,” she said of the many musicians and artists who have participated in Surf Lodge’s programming. “Part of what we do is discover emerging artists.”

Buckman is a multi-disciplinary artist working in sculpture, installation, and photography. She explores the themes of feminism, mortality, and equality. Her work has been shown across the globe and she has had solo exhibits including “Heavy Rag” at Albertz Benda in New York and “Let Her Rave” at Gavlak Gallery in Los Angeles. In February, Buckman unveiled her first public sculpture presented by Art Production Fund on Sunset Boulevard at The Standard in Los Angeles. The large-scale outdoor version of her neon sculpture Champ will rotate on the strip for a year. Buckman described how she puts captivating phrases on tea napkins to promote female empowerment.

jessica@indyeastend.com
@hamptondaze