Thorncroft Therapeutic Horseback Riding center offers mentally and physically challenged children the chance to feel freedom and mastery while atop a grand horse, galloping through their fields up in Malvern. Thorncroft held its 18th annual Victory Gallop at the Hyatt at the Bellevue on April 5th.

The annual Arthur Ashe Tennis Center benefit "Raise a Raquet" was held in Manayunk at the Tennis Center. The funds are put toward the center's program for inner city childrens' tennis scholarship.

The Gift of Life's donor program threw a cocktail party to celebrate donors, recipients, and supporters at the Park Hyatt at Penn's Landing on Wednesday, April 2nd. As usual, the Hyatt was decked out in full party regalia with Eddie Bruce's Dreamtime band leading the festivities.

Neil Stein (you've heard of him, right?) celebrated ten years in the restaurant biz at the big fish, Striped Bass, with about 500 of his closest friends and most valued customers. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were as big as lobster tails, the cake was 3 feet high, the ice sculpture was, well, very cold and very big, and the champagne flowed liberally, just the way we like it. Plus, the proceeds from the donation-requested tickets were donated to the Variety Club – a most worthy cause.

Emperors, Caesars, senators, and citizens came to the University of Pennsylvania Museum's gala, The Romans Are Coming! on the Ides of March, 2003 AD at the museum. Crowns of Laurel leaves were handed out at the door, while incoming guests were surprised by a costumed Roman guard taming the ‘lions' (safely hidden behind a screen. The invitations committee asked people to wear togas, but stated that Black Tie attire was also acceptable.