The city’s most prominent explorers, world travelers, philanthropists, financiers, entrepreneurs and socials gathered in the grand mansion on East 70th street, which had been transformed into an “Indiana Jones setting.” The Library was a surreal winterscape with jagged mirrors designed to look like ice upon which images of snow expeditions were projected. Sleds were bundled with bags and bathed in twilight. In the Trophy Room, a striking installation was mounted on the wall consisting of TUMI’s latest collection of bags hanging from rows of antlers.

Abercrombie and Kent, the world’s premiere luxury travel company, introduced its “Extreme Adventures” program of once-in-a-lifetime trips designed to test one limits to an inspired crowd of guests including, Matthew Modine, Nick Raynes, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Lisa Anastos and Katrina Pavlos, who entered to win an expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Natually, passengers on select A&K expeditions would be outfitted with bags from TUMI’s T-Tech Collection which were designed to withstand the extreme conditions of any environment yet stylish enough to navigate the urban streets.

To enter to win a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro, courtesy of TUMI and Abercrombie and Kent, visit www.ttech.com for details.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nick Hunt for Patrick McMullan

On Tuesday night, Matthew Modine joined the campaign for alternative transportation with the launch of his new green initiative, Bicycle For A Day (BFAD) which hopes to inspire people to make small steps towards reducing their carbon imprint by choosing cycling over fossil fuel modes of travel. Held at the stunning Glasshouses at the Chelsea Arts Tower, the party was co-hosted by Modine, who arrived on his bright orange bicycle, Tinsley Mortimer, John McEnroe and David Chu of Tumi who sponsored the event.

As part of their support of BFAD, Tumi created a limited edition bike bag with Modine and BFAD Board member, Liam Neeson which will be sold to benefit the organization’s partner charities, American Forests Global Releaf and the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Notable guests including Liam Neeson, Bebe Neuwirth, Fern Mallis, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eric Villency, fashion designers Gilles Mendel and Vivienne Tam, model Maggie Rizer and the event’s producer Susan Shin enjoyed the breathtaking views of the Hudson while dining on hors d’oeuvres by Swifty’s, Pear Ginger Martinis by Chopin and Blanc de Blanc champagne by Ruinart. The Glasshouses, with its magnificent architecture, was the perfect venue for the exhibition of photographs of the revitalization projects taken by Modine and commissioned by Tumi that were on sale via a silent auction to benefit BFDA.

September 20th, 2008 is the official day for BFAD when cyclists will gather at the South Street Seaport to mark the occasion. Until then, there will be a series of VIP events around town to raise funds and awareness for the cause. Limited edition BFAD dog tags created by Tar-Art will soon be on sale for $20 available on BFDA and Tumi web sites.

To become an ambassador for Bicycle for a Day, click here.

To book an event at The Glasshouses at Chelsea Arts Tower, call 212-242-7800 or email info@theglasshouses.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher London on Manhattan Society

Eco-Chic Entertaining is a special series for the month of April that is dedicated to the best green vendors, products and services.

We first met Jaime at the celebrity-filled opening weekend ceremony of the Grand Antigua where we were lucky enough to experience Caribbean hospitality first hand. Here she gives us her thoughts on destination beach weddings, ideas for bridemaids’ gifts and tells us why her newest property in the Bahamas is the perfect honeymoon getaway.

Why is an island wedding so special?
An island wedding is the ultimate in romance. It doesn’t get any better than saying your vows with your feet in the warm sand with gentle breezes blowing in from the Caribbean sea, and amazing sunsets reflecting in the water. Whether you bring along your family and closest of friends or it’s just the two of you, island weddings will give you memories that will last a lifetime!

What is the one piece of advice you can offer to brides planning a destination wedding?
Enjoy every minute of it! That said, it doesn’t hurt to have a professional assist you with the details! For me, Preston Bailey and the planners on the island made sure every little detail was taken care of. I couldn’t have done it without them.

You custom designed necklaces for each of your bridesmaids. What are some other original ideas for gifts?
Whatever you give, it’s important that the gift is personal and will remind them of your special friendship. If it’s a custom creation, like the necklaces I gave to my best friends, think about the individual bridesmaid’s personality (not just how it will look with their dress) to ensure they get a lifetime of use out of your present. My girls still wear those necklaces today! I also gave them each a personalized tote bag, which I embroidered with my funny nicknames for them. To spice up my gift bags I threw in some cute items from lingerie brand Hanky Panky in the same colors of my wedding, pink and green!

Tell us a little about your new Royal Plantation at Fowl Cay. Looks perfect for a romantic honeymoon.
Royal Plantation Island in the Exumas, Bahamas is simply incredible! When my family first visited, we knew it was like nowhere we had been before – and we know the Caribbean. Even though it wasn’t for sale, we made an offer before our four-day vacation had ended. Royal Plantation Island is now the second resort in the Royal Plantation Collection, with the flagship in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

The Island is 50 acres and completely unspoiled. Each of the six villas provides guests with comfort and elegance and offer mind boggling views. And the best part about the island is that the view is never quite the same – the sandbars, cays and waters surrounding the island are always changing with the tides and the trade winds. It’s a barefoot crash pad for the very lucky and a wonderful place for a romantic honeymoon.

Jaime Stewart-McConnell, Managing Director of Sandals Resorts, is responsible for a new line of small, elegant boutique hotels called Royal Plantation including properties in Ocho Rios (Jamaica’s only member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World) and in the Exumas, Bahamas.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Royal Plantation  

Notes on a Party introduces the Wedding Special, an entire week of editorial dedicated to fresh ideas, invaluable tips and interviews with the leading experts in the industry.

To find out I attended the launch of Stewart’s newest resort, the $70 million, five-star, all suite Mediterranean Village at Sandals Grande Antigua. To celebrate the opening, Stewart retained powerhouse public relations firm BWR to create a lavish, over-the-top weekend of events that highlighted the property’s super-luxe amenities for a select group of Hollywood stars, media personalities, press and local luminaries.

On Thursday, October 4th, the resort and spa welcomed celebrity couples including Kimora Lee Simmons (star of the Style Network show Life in the Fab Lane) and her new boyfriend Djimon Hounsou, Brooke Burke and David Charvet as well as Stacy Keibler and Geoff Stults. All VIP guests including Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively, Rumer Willis, Teri Polo, Melissa Rivers, Stephen Colletti, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos and Tony Potts were invited to experience Stewart’s new Luxury Included Vacation complete with spacious suites, private plunge pools with waterfalls and even personal butler service.

Opening night had a ribbon cutting ceremony followed by “The Taste of Antigua” – a dinner of signature culinary dishes from the island and a parade of dancers and musicians outfitted in vibrant costumes typically worn during the annual Antigua Carnival. Grammy Award winning artist Shaggy performed on a massive sound stage built by Bralco Group overlooking the Sandals pool.

Friday was full of rain showers which meant a soggy beach party but not dampened spirits. After an energetic show by reggae artist Sean Paul, guests piled into the British Pub for late night snacks and a lively set by DJ Splyce, one of Hollywood’s top DJ’s, that had guests bumping and grinding (literally) until the wee hours of the morning.

Thankfully, the sun came out in full force on Saturday so the silky white sand beach on Dickenson Bay became the place to be seen. A friendly yet heated game of beach soccer initiated by Access Hollywood had everyone cheering as well as ducking for cover. I might add that the highest scoring team members were all women – Blake Lively, Maria Menounos and Rachel Zalis, style correspondent for We TV.

Closing night celebrations were held poolside with an elaborate buffet of chilled lobster and shellfish, sushi and a dessert table that seem to go on for miles. An incredible fireworks show ushered in an unforgettable night at the resort. VIPs headed up to the tower for an all night dance party with DJ Splyce playing a mix of hip hop, rock and 80′s including a few crowd pleasing favorites from Journey, AC/DC and Michael Jackson.

After a weekend as a guest of the Stewart family, I began to realize that their resorts were so much more than just idyllic locations, luxe amenities and celebrated partnerships with wedding designers Preston Bailey and Sylvia Weinstock. According to Butch’s daughter, Managing Director Jaime Stewart-McConnell, the heart of Sandals is really about fulfilling all of your needs, desires and dreams.

And, isn’t that what romance and seduction are all about anyway?

PHOTO CREDIT: Dimitrios Kambouris for Wire Image

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Make sure you pack a bikini as well as a cocktail dress. A typical weekend at the beach on this strip of Long Island is filled with all sorts of parties from casual BBQ’s to black tie benefits. But, while the parties may be plentiful, the taxis are not. What’s a responsible social butterfly to do?

Call Lilybug Scooters (866-678-Lily (5459)) a new service that launched in May 2007 that offers a safe and alternate way to get home after a few too many mojitos. They supply the driver, you supply the car. Here’s how it works:

The chauffeur arrives at the party on a scooter. The scooter folds up into a 2 foot square and goes into the trunk of your car. The experienced (and sober) driver gets behind the wheel of your vehicle and drives you and your guests to the next party or home.

Having a personal chauffeur for a night of party-hopping? Luxurious.

Not having to pick up your Range Rover in the parking lot of Pink Elephant the next morning? Priceless.

Chauffeurs are booked by the hour at $50 per hour (2 hour minimum) and are available in Southampton, Hampton Bays, Shinnecock, North Sea, Watermill, Bridgehampton and East Hampton. There is a one time membership fee of $10 for the first 6 months.

Lilybug Scooters can be hired for special events, airport runs and even to pick up deliveries around town. Perfect for event planners who need an extra hand. Also, a percentage of the company’s proceeds goes to support anti-drinking and driving programs such as MADD.