“Party celebrates Italian goods”

Posted: 14 Jun 2010 10:43 PM PDT

Claudia Ryan and her customers celebrated Italy and many of its products inside her North Illinois Street store in Indy last week.

Ryan's swanky home furnishings and gift store, Charles Mayer & Company, is one of about 20 stores nationwide that the Italian Institute of Foreign Trade selected to showcase new products by emerging Italian companies. So, Ryan wasn't going to let the designation go without an Italian-inspired in-store soiree.

Wednesday, she got her Indianapolis-area pals Turner Woodard and David Dutro to park their Ferraris in front of the shop for a private party co-hosted by Paola Santini, honorary vice consul of the Italian Consulate.

The event helped kick off a 10-day celebration, when the store will feature more than 24 collections -- including jewelry and glassware -- from Italian artisans and designers.

Indianapolis caterer J.P. Moraldo served hors d'oeuvres, and guests were treated to wine, cheese and Lavazza Coffee.

Ryan, who was decked from head to toe in Italian style, including an Antares Venezia necklace made of orange blown glass, greeted guests by saying, "If you speak fashion, you speak Italian."

Ryan's Indianapolis gal pals Patsy Solinger, Denise Cordingley and Cathy Miller were among those who showed up.

Film creates occasion for socializing

After attending Ryan's Italian celebration Wednesday, Cordingley hosted a very American one Thursday evening.

Cordingley, who lives on Meridian Street, invited about 15 of her friends, including Miller and Solinger, over for champagne and hors d'oeuvres before a trip to the theater to see "Sex and the City 2."

After the movie, the group headed to Capri Italian Restaurant for dinner.

The mini-event was a bit of a redo because the women did much the same thing when the first "Sex and the City" film came out. Then, Miller was the host of the pre-party.

The fashionable film and its ongoing celebration of female friendship inspires them, said Miller, who added that she and her girlfriends love to dress up.

Jewelry Stores

Monday, June 14, 2010