Cat Masks, “Dumb Money,” and Chicken Tenders in Champagne

Executive coach Liz Brunner, travel titan Geoffrey Kent, Tiffany and JB Dowd, and model Sonia Garufi. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

It was an everyone-who’s-anyone sort of affair when bestseller machine Ben Mezrich and his wife, Tonya (Boston magazine’s style editor), hosted a VIP premiere of Dumb Money, the movie based on Mezrich’s wildly entertaining book The Antisocial Network.

In the film, which recounts the 2021 “short squeeze” on GameStop stock (in which a group of Reddit online traders kneecapped some hedge-fund giants), a character based on Brockton’s Keith “Roaring Kitty” Gill dons a red headband whenever going live online. Accordingly, the high-octane crowd gathered at the AMC Boston Common tied red bandannas around their heads. Spotted in the audience: the film’s producer, Aaron Ryder; special guest stars Kim Campbell and Noah Lanier (on whom a few characters in the movie are based); hotelier extraordinaire Carlos Bueno; luxury travel titan Geoffrey Kent, fellow travel guru Tiffany Dowd and her dashing other half, JB; hair deity Mario Russo; nightlife titans Ed Kane and Seth Greenberg; real estate bigwig Steve Samuels; and a slew of equally sparkly others.

Following the screening, everyone repaired to the Newbury Boston hotel for an after-party, where they sipped specialty cocktails with names like “Diamond Hands” and “Hold on for Dear Life,” while a few intrepid partiers imitated a scene in the movie by dipping chicken tenders in champagne. The verdict? Not bad. The décor took its cues from the film and included Magic 8 Balls, squishy bananas, fake diamonds, and cat masks, which provided the evening’s heartiest guffaw: Three guests whom everyone assumed were friends of somebody else’s imbibed freely and tried to make off with the cat masks, but when confronted on the elevator, the trio admitted that they were uninvited hotel guests coming from a heavy metal concert. Proof positive, as if any were needed, that it was a white-hot soiree.

Beauty moguls Nelse Karini and Taylor Meyer. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

Special guest stars Noah Lanier and Kim Campbell flanking author Ben Mezrich. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

Catheads and headbands Nelinda Levy, Patricia Chen, Elana Friedman, Cat Deane, and Minh Mailloux. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

Zsofi Oblath and producer Aaron Ryder. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

The crowd at the AMC Boston Common. / Photo by Russ Mezikofski

Hingham denizen Carrie Donovan, Magellan Jets co-founder Anthony Tivnan, EternalHealth CEO Pooja Ika, former KPMG exec Darren Donovan, and Massport board chair Patricia Jacobs. / Photo by Matt Teuten

Ballers

One of the few events that can pry the high and mighty away from their summer haunts is the Beach Ball to benefit Camp Harbor View, held this year at the SoWA Power Station on a rainy June night. The charity began as a summer camp for disadvantaged kids but has widened its mission to include services for their families. The more than 800 guests included CHV alumni, along with former Governor Charlie Baker, former Hizzonah and current NHL boss Marty Walsh, and Mayor Michelle Wu, who enjoyed an evening of dinner and dancing and helped CHV reach its goal of raising $12 million in the process.

The Beach Ball in full swing. / Photo by Matt Teuten

Oscar Benavidez and CHV board member Elsie Taveras. / Photo by Matt Teuten

Lahey Clinic Foundation boss Ann Marie Connolly, Camp Harbor View head honcho Sharon McNally, and mega-philanthropist Michelle Atchinson. / Photo by Matt Teuten

Linda Cole Petrosian’s family: Sam George, Nancy DiDuca, Alec Petrosian, Sondra Celli, Milan George, Yolanda Cellucci, Celine Linda Petrosian, Kristen Santerian, Dimitri Petrosian, and Sebuh Petrosian. / Photo by John Lee

Werk It

One of the most stunning models to walk the runway in Boston was Linda Cole Petrosian, daughter of bridal couturier Yolanda Cellucci. To honor the memory of Petrosian, who died of esophageal cancer at 57, friends and family established the Our Girl Linda Foundation to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and they held their fourth annual fundraiser at the American Legion in Newton.

Yolanda Cellucci, Robert Casey of Maggie Inc., and model Lauren Fitzgerald. / Photo by John Lee

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and Lucille Murray. / Photo by John Lee

Jimmie Esposito of 617 Weddings. / Photo by John Lee

Dan Fontaine channeling the King. / Photo by John Lee