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It was an ecofriendly fete at the new Green Home Center in Nob Hill where green interior designers and building professionals have come together to offer their services under the same roof.

Marin Charitable Association held it's annual Floral Fling at the Marin Art and Garden Center. This event featured artist Soho Sakai who presented Japanese floral design and benefits nonprofit agencies that serve young adults at risk.

It was a black-tie soiree at the Hope Gala, a benefit for the Bay Area chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Local philanthropists enjoyed dancing to the music of Encore and honoring the 2007 Living and Giving award recipients.

Marinites packed the Mill Valley Community Center for Wildcare’s Nature Lover’s Ball, emceed by Doug McConnell. The event supports the group’s programs in wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education and honors the 2007 Terwilliger Environmental Award recipient, Laurette Rogers. Guests mingled during a champagne hour before feasting on a gourmet vegetarian dinner catered by Dan McCall and dancing to the band Swing Fever.

Love was in the air at the San Francisco Opera Guild’s Valentine’s Ball at the Four Seasons Hotel. The black tie gala included a silent wine auction and dancing to the music of the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra. Proceeds benefit San Francisco Opera Association and Opera Guild’s education and outreach programs.

At the Marin Civic Center, 500 guests entered “Paris: The City of Lights and Love” for this year’s Marin Valentine’s Ball. Tempting auction items such as trips to Paris, Puerto Vallarta and abalone feeds helped raise funds for the North Bay Children’s Center, Sunny Hills Services, the Godmothers of Timothy Murphy School at St. Vincent’s School for Boys and Whistlestop.

February was a time for local groups to support health programs around the bay. At Greenbrae’s California Cancer Care Center, Heart for Healing, an exhibit of 28 paintings by local cancer patients, expressed the effects of cancer and its treatment on the heart, mind and soul. The artists participated in Art for Healing, a health care program offered by the Foundation for Integrative Oncology.

At the University of San Francisco Mission Bay, the Stanlee Gatti–designed Raising Hope fundraiser featured a performance by Bette Midler, who received a standing ovation from the crowd. The event benefits the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center and raised over $3.75 million.

At Bay Club Marin’s fourth anniversary party, A Good Time for a Great Cause, guests grooved to Bay Area band Pride and Joy, rested their feet in the Velvet Lounge and the Cool Blue Jazz Room and bid on enticing vacations. Proceeds from the event benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay.

It was a “Royal Renaissance Evening” for the Marin Symphony at the Mill Valley Community Center. Court jesters welcomed patrons, who were treated to a feast from local restaurants including Sabor of Spain and Boca Steak. In a surprise announcement executive director Noralee Monestere revealed the establishment of an endowment fund of $1.675 million.

At the Museum of the African Diaspora’s (MoAD) “Carnaval: Celebrating Across Cultures,” guests enjoyed an evening of gourmet food and global entertainment in the Rotunda at San Francisco’s City Hall. The one-year-old museum has already hosted more than 60,000 visitors from around the world.

Maureen Vogel recently unlocked the doors to her new luxury handbag and wallet store, Number 5, in Ross. At the opening party guests browsed lines from featured designers Devi Kroell, Jane August, Kazuyo Nakano, Rebecca Ciccio and Helen Marien.

At the neighboring St. John boutique, celebrity stylist Mark-Alan Harmon personally shopped for clients looking for the perfect piece to round out their spring wardrobes.

In San Francisco, Tiffany and Company celebrated the 50th anniversary of the S.F. Film Festival with a breakfast to honor film society members.

At Fashion Week Live in San Francisco, supermodels Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, Tyson Beckford and Gemma Ward strutted down the 180-foot runway in the latest fall 2007 fashions—including pieces from local designers Colleen Quen and Lily Samii. The crowd of almost 1,300 cheered as looks from Marc Jacobs, Nanette Lepore, Zac Posen and Badgley Mischka filled the stage in what is sure to be one of the biggest fashion shows the Bay Area will see this year. Downtown at Neiman Marcus, customers enjoyed a bevy of in-store events.

To kick off beauty week, Madonna makeup artist and Shu Uemura artistic director Gina Brooke was on hand for free beauty appointments

At Dior, clients were treated to a special appearance by the company’s national celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff, who along with a team of artists shared beauty tips and encouraged guests to sample the wide range of Christian Dior beauty products.

At the Didier Ludot event, Neiman Marcus vice president and general manager John Capizzi hosted a luncheon featuring the French designer’s dresses on behalf of the Junior Committee for the de Young Museum.

At Escada vice president of wholesale Kimberly Jetnil was here from New York to present a fashion show and luncheon featuring the latest Escada looks.

At Fish restaurant in Sausalito, guests celebrated Fat Tuesday with Slow Food Marin-Petaluma at a benefit for White Boot Brigade. The organization encourages and assists commercial fisherman in the Gulf Coast region to transition from high-volume industrial harvesting to sustainable practices.

More than 130 Redwoods residents and 239 members of the community had their fill of fresh Dungeness crab at the third annual Friends of the Redwoods Crab Feast. The event, chaired by Friends President Mary Jo Barnett, supports the Redwoods’ bus and other services aimed at enhancing the lives of senior citizens.

In Novato, man’s best friend took to the runway at Puppy Love, a fashion show benefit to support animals at the Marin Humane Society. Dogs were accompanied by models dressed in clothing from Rumors and Gene Hiller.

Supporters of UCSF’s Foundation for Cardiac Research, led by Dr. Kanu Chatterjee, celebrated the foundation’s work at an evening hosted by Ann and Gordon Getty. Guests enjoyed a private concert by country music singer Kris Kristofferson, who credits Dr. Chatterjee with saving his life. More than 200 guests attended the Dominican University President’s Dinner at San Francisco’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The event honors past and current chairs of the board of trustees. The dinner’s highlight was an unveiling of nine $100,000 annual scholarships named after the honorees.

In Novato, Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway electronic scooter, made an appearance at the Marin Country Club to ask science and math educators to initiate a FIRST program in Marin. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) hopes to inspire teams of middle school and high school students to work alongside engineers and other mentors to solve real-world problems by applying math, science and technology.

The Lark Theater hosted an Academy Awards party complete with a full house of decked-out guests. When not watching the show in high definition, patrons enjoyed gourmet cooking from Left Bank, Emporio Rulli, Rustic Bakery and others.

At Sweetwater in Mill Valley almost $5,000 was raised at Jerry Day through a sold-out show with Pat Nevins, Ragged Glory, Jelly with Jeff Chimenti and special guest Bob Weir for the fifth annual Excelsior District Jerry Garcia birthday.