Saturday evening I attended a benefit for the Desert Cancer Foundation. The "Night on the Nile" Egyptian theme was in keeping with their tradition of having a travel-related theme each year. The event is actually billed as the "2007 Gift of Life Celebration" and is a major fundraiser for the foundation. Integrated Wealth Management was a major sponsor of the event, helping to underwrite costs. The Desert Cancer Foundation provides financial assistance to cancer patients. They pay medical bills to uninsured or under insured cancer patients in the Palm Springs area who cannot afford the treatment they deserve. To support the Desert Cancer Foundation, click here.Above left: Rick Rockhill enjoys a glass of wine by the enormous Christmas tree. (I had no idea they were taking photos of me, can you tell?) The Thunderbird Country club was transformed to look the inside of an Egyptian Pyramid.
above: the right lighting always makes a difference! It was a dramatic entrance into the event
above: throughout the event, there were fantastic props and elements such as these to create a fun atmosphere.
above: throughout the event, there were fantastic props and elements such as these to create a fun atmosphere.
above left: Some attendees dressed in an Egyptian theme. above right: Rick Rockhill with Queen Nefertiti (oh, and my friend Jason too)
above: the benefit featured a really nice auction of fine wines, art, and certificates to fine restaurants in Palm Springs.
above: the dinner tables were festive, adorned with beautiful floral centerpieces. The tables had pledge cards to donate money to pay for mammograms and cancer screening. The live band was framed by two giant columns, which provided an ambiance of dining inside a Pyramid.
above: A truly magnificent dessert: A white chocolate pyramid contained an amazing dark chocolate mousse, and the gold covered chocolate Egyptian mummy case contained a raspberry mousse. It was one of those desserts that would change your life, it was so delicious!
-Rick Rockhill
that was some event you went to. Cancer is one of those elusive things that hits so many people. You just have to keep going and never give up hope. There are lots of people who are helped by the many cancer charities...this one sounds pretty good.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like it was spectacular. That photo of you by the tree? It almost looks like you have a cigarette in your other hand!! How ironic would that have been.
ReplyDeleteCancer has taken so many people I knew. :(
Dan- funny you should say that- I saw that too and thought- oh my gosh what is in my left hand? It was one of the lights on the tree peeking through my fingers at just the right angle!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic event. That dessert is amazing!! You look extremely smart too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my place and taking the time to comment, please call again anytime. :)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI'm reciprocating your visit and having a quick peek at your blog. Wow, so much booze and food! Great. I enjoyed your cocktail post. There was a phase when I lived in London when I drank cocktails regularly (there was a cocktail bar nearby that stayed open late and had live music). Problem is cocktails pack a punch but often seem sweet and harmless while drinking them. The next day - ouch!
I hope school for you wasn't too dreadful. Since I'm doing it later in life (ha!) I truly feel as though I have a vested interest in what I'm doing and I really love going to class. Except during finals (and Sports Psych!). ;)
ReplyDeleteThat benefit looks like it there was a great time had by all. I have a fondness for ancient Egypt... those pictures are great!
Hi
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by the Redneck Suite! I'm sitting here sipping cheap local wine from the coffee cup as I type.
Koshimi & Owen look like they would be right at home with my gals Ab & Em!
Do you ever just stay home? This fundraiser looks like a lot of fun and you look very dashing as usual. It's sad that we have to raise money to help people get the treatment they need, but there are so many people who slip through the cracks. Shouldn't be this way. Kudos to you and the other attendees for helping.
ReplyDeleteSheila- LOL yeah you'd be surprised how often I do stay home and just enjoy a quiet night in my jammies. But I am extremely active socially here in Palm Springs, so every weekend I usually have one thing going on. Somehow I manage to squeeze in time for blogging in between it all!
ReplyDeleteRe- cancer fundraising, it is amazing how many people just don't have insurance and are filled with despair. That's why I have a fondness for events like these.
WOW! That sure looks like one amazing event!!! That dessert....oooooooh la la! I'm jealous! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by my blog and leaving those really informative comments! I'll be e-mailing you with some questions re: kitty litter! LOL!
Oh, would you mind if I linked you to my blog?
C
C- yeah the dessert was out of this world delicious! sure, let's trade links
ReplyDeleteHey! Thanks for the visit!
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm here, I'm hungry, thirsty, dying for chocolate and feelling a little like Cleopatra!
Peace
You'll definitely be added to my blogroll.....
rick, i WANT that dessert! ha ha ha
ReplyDeletesmiles, bee
Hey, thanks for visiting my blog - you have a very erudite and informative one here.
ReplyDeleteI see Dan visits you too!
PS. May I link to you in my sidebar?
PPS. My mother has friends in Palm Springs and nearly moved there a couple of years ago after visiting them twice. Sounds like a great place.
Oh, I forgot to say, I'd love to try that dessert. It reminds me of the Shanghai Rose at Yauatcha in Soho, which I order every time I go there.
ReplyDeletehi rick, thank for popping into my blog. The dessert sure looks like a yummy mummy! The chefs everywhere nowadays are amazingly creative. Must've been one hell of a conversation topic apart from cancer of course ;) Nice intersting blog. Enjoyed browsing thru them.
ReplyDeletei think my life is in need of some dessert prompted changing.....drool.....
ReplyDeleteHi Rick,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog while I was temporarily out of the blogosphere. It would appear you run in slightly different circles than I..haha.
Nice meeting you!
P.S. I see we have some mutual friends, i.e. Bee and Odat.
ReplyDeleteIt's great meeting new friendly people.
I worked for 4 years at the Duke University Bone Marrow Transplant program- and events like the one you attended are so important- for raising awareness as well as funds.
ReplyDeleteBravo!
Thanks for the visit at MV- it's very nice to meet you :)
Olivia- sure let's do the link!
ReplyDeletePatti-yes, I've had the pleasure of knowing Bee now via the Blogsphere and I sure am a lukcy guy! She is very sweet.
Maiden Voyage- thanks for the encoragement, I agree!
The restaurants are what I miss most about Palm Springs. Nowhere I've been since compares. I have to go eat chocolate now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog...To bad I never get to post about amazing events like this!! Looks like you had a great time and helped support an important cause...and the desserts look unbelievable!!
ReplyDeleteMarie- go ahead, have some chocolate, you deserve it! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an event that must have been Rick! You get to go to so many interesting things :)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Merry Christmas!!
tea
xo
I wish I could bring a glass (or maybe even a bottle) of wine everywhere I went. ;)
ReplyDeleteLife-changing dessert *and* a good cause. How great is that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Just had to return the favor and check out your blog. I've always wondered what went on at a fundraiser event (besides those on TV). It's sad that money has to be raised in order to help those in need. Too bad it couldn't just be a matter of just sending money to the appropriate source. I like to donate to Foundation Fighting Blindness for my own problem, but cancer touches more lives than I care to admit. :(
ReplyDeleteTake care and thanks for sharing pics of the event. That dessert is art!! How imaginative and fitting to the theme!!
"It was one of those desserts that would change your life"
ReplyDeletelol... they do look peretty amazing!
you clean up nice!!
ReplyDeletethe dessert.. i'm jealous...
the dessert is amazing!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it was a helluva time, and for a great cause, too. Like the others, I am amazed by the dessert! I'm glad you took a photo to share :)
ReplyDeletevery beautiful! I love the different colors, to me it reminded me of Chanukah and Christmas! Talk about Coexisting with Pharaoh!
ReplyDeleteThat last picture has my mouth in yummies..I love rasberry mousse..and the presentation is remarkable!
YUM!
Always,
Crusty~
Oh man! I just deleted my msg...damn! Anywhooo..it' was about the sand sculpting contest in Imperial Beach late summer (I think) if you've never seen one before, THIS is the place to see. Sculptors from all over the world come to this one.
ReplyDelete;o)
i think I am hungry now for some chocolates. Kudos to you for attending such a great cause. And on top of that, you had a fun night!
ReplyDeleteEgypt is cool but Rome is much better.
ReplyDeleteThat looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteUm, any of that mousse left?
Hi - came by from Akelamalu... what a great event and can I just say that the dessert looks YUMMY! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs always, the pictures are amazing. Congrats on supporting such a worthy cause. We have universal health care up here which is good...but cancer patients wait MONTHS for treatment...which isn't so good.
ReplyDeleteWTG!!!
You might recall, dear Rick, that my dad was taken out by cancer. I'm glad that you went to that splendiforous night out ON cancer!
ReplyDeleteI think that Jason has gorgeous hair-- what a mane! I had a palomino American Saddlebread that everyone called "the Barbie Horse" but I think she'd take one look at Jason and either bite him or refuse to look at him out of jealousy!
It doesn't get any better than the two chocolates paired with raspberries. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteRick Rockhill, you the man!
You look so handsome by the Christmas tree. Will you marry me?
ReplyDeleteOkay, if you won't marry me, will you at least take me to a party like this sometime? Please!
J.
well darling,, i must say your friend jason certainly is the cats meow!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're at it again!! LOL!
ReplyDeleteDan- You have some of the nicest people who read your blog...really quality folks! Its a testament to you.
ReplyDelete