The Great Buddha smiled on Saturday's Silk Road shebang that turned the venerable Pittsburgh Golf Club into Tokyo after dark. It's nights like this, Cho Cho San, that get us through the dog days of winter, if you catch my drift. The Pearl of the Orient blazed with red lanterns, paper parasols, cherry blossoms, a huge gong and tables exquisitely covered with crimson brocade. Into this seriously ichiban setting streamed 260 fashionables to-the-glamour-born ... which translates to samurais in mostly black-tie and Ming vases in chinoiserie and little black dresses. One replete with an endlessly tempting buffet to fill the holes in their kimonos, bars flowing with top-shelf saki, pagoda-to-pagoda people watching. And, ah so, no one had to remove their shoes in pursuit of pleasure. Chopsticks• They were used as hair ornaments. Asian music floated over the scene at cocktails, then segued to the really terrific beat of Dreamscape that made the teahouse hum and groove. Treasure hunting at auction has always been the eve's hai note, and men with yen loosened their sashes to bid up a signed Ben Roethlisberger jersey to $750. Didn't hurt a bit that auctioneer Marc Field of the Center for Theater Arts was in charge of the extractions. All told, the eve raised more than $81,000 to benefit Outreach Teen and Family Services . Celebrating its 30th year as a community-based counseling agency, the gala also honored Stan Marshall , a founding board member and one of Mt. Lebanon's visionary senseis . Couldn't find a crouching tiger or hidden dragon in the to-do, but we did spot benefit co-chairs Lauren Friedman (board chair Barry ), Diane Dreifuss ( Frank ) and Michele Bamburak ( Jon Donner ); Joe Smith and artist Lynn wearing a divine chiffon overcoat; Rick Larimer and Sharon who chose a turquoise mandarin jacket; Joyce and Mike Adamcyk ; Linda and Glenn Smartschan ; Mike Hooton and Margaret in a smashing black embroidered chinois jacket and flowers in her hair; Linda and Ron Hoffman ; Deirdre and Andrew Maguire ; Marty and Mickey Broderick ; Barbara and Scott Davidson ; state Secretary of Revenue Greg Fajt ; Congressman Tim Murphy ; and Bob Garrity with Marianne in a lavender embroidered jacket. Who could miss totally buff Candice Mill in red with Bob or Chuck Brodbeck with Jill , also in red, who won the big sparkler donated by Blackstone Jewelers• Plus Sue and Mark Gleason ; Wendy and Tim Husni ; judge Barbara Logan ; Nancy and Dave Hamstead ; Helene Argentine wrapped in a turquoise kimono and Peter wearing a yukata jacket; Horace Payne with Rachel in a knockout red Tahari satin gown and black fox shrug; Bailey and Marshall Gordon ; Pauline and Alex Galatic ; Joe and Elaine Wertheim , a standout in a yellow embroidered satin coat; sisters Lexie and Emily Donner buttoned into satin cheongsams; Stephanie Dreifuss ; Barbara and Jan Medoff and David Case with Vickie in an enchanting ensemble of champagne lace over crepe evening pants. Just say Noh. Forever Young You'd better believe it was kid's stuff. Even if the adults had almost as much fun as the 400 pint-sized guys and dolls who traded their Gap Kid casual for black tie finery during Saturday's UPMC Children's Ball at the Carnegie Museum of History. Always an enchanted evening, the "Funky Fairy Tale" brought out the Peter Pan in all -- from the swing-set soiree's electrifying once-upon-a-time opening musical number to the happily-ever-after-ending drawing for a Henne Jewelers gift certificate. Without a video game or MP3 player in sight, hundreds of well-behaved little ladies and gentlemen delighted in "hands-on" activities, Pittsburgh Zoo animals, winged wonders from the National Aviary and other old-fashioned fun. Between never-ending storytelling and dancing in the Hall of Architecture, the elegant Music Hall Foyer served as banquet hall for a Parkhurst Dining buffet that served kid faves and adult palette pleasers. New kid on the block Nina Margiotta coordinated a winner in her inaugural ball, which benefited UPMC's Braddock Summer Camp to the tune of $100,000-plus. The young and young-at-heart guest list included Chris and Mark Sevco with Julia , Nikki and Jack ; Clyde Jones ; Lise and Dan Brodkey with Laura ; Dara and John Henne ; Lori and Bob Bruce with Shelley ; Natalie Urban with grandma Dawn ; Sarah and Don Moore with Josh ; Collette and Philip Gibbons with Alexis , Megan and Joe ; Brigette Pavlik and Bill Kolano with Colin ; Miya Asato and George Childs with Sam and Laura ; Denise and Daryl Milliner with D.J. and Garrett ; Denise and Chris Haught with Jarad and Mariona ; and Andrea and John Burns with Joshua and cousins Mackenzie and Sydney Burns . -- John Altdorfer Double Play Tulips. Huge red bouquets of the beauties signaled the first blush of (be still my heart) spring as the Fox Chapel Golf Club gussied up for Friday's cooking-sipping demo for a smartly suited crowd of 240 ladies who lunch. Taking their turn at the grill and spill were chef Debbie Mortillaro and Dreadnought Wines maven Mike Gonze . Not surprising the pair is such a drawing card. They do it so well and with such aplomb that gourmands have been beating a path to their Palate Partners gift shop in the Strip District. Now that the weather has us cocooning, cooking has become the new shopping. While Debbie whisked us through a menu of yummy chestnut soup, puree of butternut squash, marinated flank steak, artichoke tart and a seriously indulgent pumpkin custard that were deliciously interpreted by the club's chefs, Mike suggested vinos for each dish. Kaufmann's, the generous title sponsor, spiced up the fare with models strolling past tables in the loveliest daytime looks and hats for spring. And, how nice, Whiteman's Flowers donated the tulips bursting out all over. Elegantly crafted by the all-volunteer Women's Board of Pittsburgh , which truly cares about the well-being of children in our community, this year's luncheon raised funds for Children's Hospital's Mobile Hospice, which provides comfort to kiddies who are in the last stages of life as well as supportive care for their families. A Fanfare to lovely Loraine Murphey , who chaired the season's best culinary benefit. Like co-chair Annie Rivers ; WBP prexy Susan Winters of the new silhouette; emcee Newlin Archinal of WPXI-TV; Carol May and Barbara Schroeder of Children's Hospital; Diane Siddons ; Nancy Brownell ; Candy Eisengart ; Pi Herrmann ; Anne Henne ; Mary Miller ; Pam Chapple ; Joanne Beyer ; Gay Reigel ; and Cooky Connolly . As well as Elizabeth Hobbs ; Verna Laman ; Ginny Merchant ; Nicki Ubinger ; BeBe Adams ; Judy Horgan ; Bonie Dake ; Sally Horsman in a fab hat; Judy Forbes ; Connie Phillips ; Ellen Shields ; Gail Gilliland ; Jan Wagner ; Charlotte Beukema ; Mary Beth Smith ; Peggy Miller ; Lois Lasher ; and lucky Peggy Houston , who won the $1,000 shopping spree at Kaufmann's and Palate Partners' wine-tasting soiree for eight. Dishful thinking. Book of Lists At the top of Monday's to-do list was a reeeeally big cocktail debut of the 2005 Book of Lists at the Rivers Club ... and the kitchen didn't hold back on shrimp and caviar. What we have here is the Pittsburgh Business Times tell-all tome about the business of doing business in our town. Hot off the press with the big yellow streetcar on the cover. Right. They hunt, we gather. The who's who and what's what, the mightiest to minoritiest in 74 rankings and nine categories. Stuff you won't find in the Yellow Pages. If you made the list, you were among several hundred suits who took over the club and gave new meaning to pressing the flesh ... even on this three-dog night. Mixing business and pleasure were PBT publisher Alan Robertson with wife Celeste (the Trib's Legal Whispers scribe) Whiteford and editor Lauren Lawley Head ; Larry Rhoades ; Ralph Papa ; newlyweds Dr. David and Dorothy Andreas Tuel ; Bob Fragasso ; Yvonne Campos ; Ray Buehler ; Barbara McNees ; Jack Horner ; Mary Ann Miller ; Rusty Rhodes ; Lyndell Miller ; Connie and Peter Sukernak ; Bob O'Connor ; Mike Dawida ; Kimberly Jaycox and Kevin Popovic ; Steve Zylstra ; Kathleen Brenneman ; Pat Klug ; Gloria Blint ; and Rod Doss . 'Tis better to be listed than un. Rainbows & Roses Cathy Howe knows that it takes both sun and rain to make a beautiful rainbow. After visiting children in the refugee camps of war-torn Bosnia, it was this mother's hope that their small voices not go unheard. With the help of hockey superstar Jaromir Jagr , she organized fund-raising walks at the Civic Arena whose returns she channeled to Bosnian orphanages. When Cathy was diagnosed with cancer, her treatment brought her close to a child who was battling the same disease. So it came to pass in 1998 that she also began tipping the scales in our own youngsters' favor through the Mother's Hope Foundation . Which brings us to Friday's fifth annual MHF's Rainbows & Roses gala in the Omni William Penn ballroom. And a map would've helped us navigate the staggering array of silent auction items at cocktails. Here's an idea of the 400 rainmakers who share Cathy's passion for helping sick and disadvantaged kids: Coldwell Banker prez George Hackett with Teddi (CB was lead sponsor); co-chairs Linda Carnevali , Tade Bua-Bell and Sandra Learish ; WPXI-TV's Peggy Finnegan with husband Mike Donnelly and daughter Maura ; former Penguin great Pierre Larouche and Cindi ; emcee Mike Clark of WTAE-TV; Terri and Don Hastings ; and the Rev. Francis Hanley . Plus Bob Davis and Michelle Martorella in a divine Dolce Gabanna blush silk sheath sparkling with a one-shouder rhinestone strap; Theresa and Al D'Orazio ; Blaine and Sandy Hall ; Audio Otto ; Sue and Fran Presiozo ; Corinne and John Wdowiak ; Carrie and Dan Luko ; Cathy's husband Jim with children Chris , Lyndsay and Chelsea ; young cancer survivor Kelly DeDomenic with folks Nancy and Michael ; and Izeta Hodzic with sons Harris and Tarek of Sarajevo. At rainbow's end was a $110,000 pot of gold. Quick takes Renaissance Awards . Elsie Hillman , Robert Morris U's Dr. Ed Nicholson and Bill Trueheart of The Pitsburgh Foundation were in the vanguard of honorees at Thursday's annual Renaissance Awards ceremony hosted by the Pittsburgh Public Relations Society of America at the Renaissance Hotel. Wordsmiths smartly wined, dined and honored their own ... communicators who had the greatest impact on educating, influencing and shaping public opinion in the year that was. Not just in the marketplace, but for the greater good of our community. Current PRSA prexy Kristen Laney and 2004's Ann Fisher were applauding winners. As were Grant Oliphant ; David Pauldine ; Betsy Benson ; Bill Flanagan ; Richard Sieber ; and Michael Walsh . = Cinderella Story: Yes, Virginia, there are fairy godmothers. And during Saturday's Glass Slipper Ball at Marshall Township's Four Points Sheraton the magical ladies of the Zonta Club welcomed 500-plus guests to a soiree that showcased the talents of the northern suburbs' top chefs. In just its second year, the black-tie buffet netted $60,000 to make educational wishes come true for underprivileged local women. Among the Cinderellas and Prince Charmings were GSB chair and founder Linda Dion-Krischke ; emcee Cris Winter ; Lidia and State Rep. Mike Turzai ; Jane Joy ; Barb Claus ; Amy Weintraub ; Niki Campbell ; Lynn Oberg ; Judy Sporka ; Laurie Rogg ; Judy Gates ; Peggy Schmiedecke; and Mary Jo Hess . -- J.A. = Vin is in : Monday was fruits-of-the-vine time as Dave DeSimone , the Trib's wine guru, held sway with user-friendly tips on the red-and-white tastings in the Cabaret at Theater Square. The young, bubbly CLO Ambassadors came together to decant plans for their exciting wine tasting and silent auction on March 4 at the Duquesne Club. Over the past seven years, the benefit has scored $250,000 for the CLO's musical education and outreach programs for kids in our town. Raising their median wine IQs were such as benefit chair Christina O'Toole ; CLO's Van Kaplan ; Karen Puchalsky ; Ken Jackson ; Scott Spector ; Tim McVay ; Joyce Diearman ; and Tony Venneri . Additional Information: Photo Gallery click view gallery View the Photo Gallery for Pearl of the Orient Aimee Obidzinski/For the Tribune-Review click view gallery View the Photo Gallery for additional photos