My heart swelled this week with great joy and then sadness. Dear friend Dr. Peter Micholas, who just published his new book “The Death of Aging” (available on Amazon), invited me to a gala for Operation International, and I went not knowing much about the group. Well, I left the gala at The Muses in Southampton with tears streaming down my face. I had learned that the mission of the group is to bring local East End doctors to the neediest people in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America — many under siege of war — to help the people in desperate need of medical attention simply not available to them in their rural towns. The video of their work included a woman who needed facial surgery because half of her face had been eaten away by disease, revealing her entire jaw. Another woman, a widow with three children, begged to have her tumor removed so she can live and bring up her children! What incredible stories of people in need getting help from these doctors. Dr. Medhat Allam for 29 years has created a band of “angel” doctors who donate their time and talents to serve and save thousands of the poorest of the poor. When he showed the video of their latest visit, tears just fell from my eyes. [caption id="attachment_622203" align="alignnone" width="3024"] Dr. Medhat Allam leading the group’s 29th anniversary.[/caption] My stepson Jonathan Yunis, a vascular surgeon, had gone on a similar mission, but we had never talked much about his work in those far-away places where he brought his extraordinary surgical skills to help desperate people. To see the life-altering results from surgeons and nurses under primitive hospital conditions took my breath away. Since they work on donations of equipment and the professionals' time, the evening's fundraising requests brought new light to giving. What a great cause being led by doctors right here in the Hamptons! Inspirational! My heart swelled with joy earlier in the week when I had a visit from my oldest grandson Blake, who was leaving the next day to study abroad in Madrid for the semester. We went to lunch with my horse-riding dressage expert friend Vivian Picheny. Although I’ve visited Riverhead for decades, I never knew about Farm Country Kitchen, a hidden treasure of a restaurant perched dramatically on the Peconic River on a street of auto repair stores and only a small sign to alert me the restaurant was there! [caption id="attachment_622204" align="alignnone" width="2559"] Dining on the Peconic River at Farm Country Kitchen.[/caption] Entering a clapboard house, we walked down stone steps and suddenly the river and tables on the lawn appeared. They have some indoor tables, too, but the view from our clapboard wooden tables delighted all of us. The food was farm fresh with an American menu and the waiter was helpful and friendly. I felt like we had discovered a treasure! It’s a unique experience with delicious food. Remarkable! The week's joy continued with old friend Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright’s event at her friend and my neighbor Linda Filardi’s home in nearby Quogue. [caption id="attachment_622205" align="alignnone" width="3024"] Chris Wasserstein was recognized by Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright.[/caption] Rebecca recently lost her beloved 92-year-old mother Connie Alice Seawright on Aug. 20 and needed a lot of hugs. Her mom was an immeasurable force in her life, living in Waco, Texas. But I understand Rebecca’s sorrow; no matter how many years she’s lived, a mom is a mom and I know how I miss mine! Rebecca, I know she’s very proud of you. May she rest in peace. The week wasn’t done, and, to my delight, the magnificently talented performer Dame Marina Arsenijevic made the audience at East Hampton’s Guild Hall stand with ovation after ovation. [caption id="attachment_622206" align="alignnone" width="4973"] Dame Marina’s magnificent performance also was a fundraiser for Life’s WORC.[/caption] Dame Marina is a composer and pianist born in Serbia who has written a Tesla Rhapsody about another Serbian, the genius Nikola Tesla. He held the patent for electricity and had his many patents stolen by Edison and Westinghouse, never getting the glory of his genius known to the public during his lifetime, dying penniless. Dame Marina will change this! She has written a musical about Tesla's turbulent and troubled life and hopes to bring it to Broadway. Stay tuned! A bonus for me was that she and her husband, Dr. Donald Bronn, dedicated the proceeds from the ticket sales to Life’s WORC, the group I founded, serving people with autism and special needs! What a night it was! Then, my heart laughed when my friends Janet and Heskel Elias invited me to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center to hear the hilarious sold-out performance of comedienne Zarna Garg! [caption id="attachment_622208" align="alignnone" width="2268"] Janet Elias (left) with Comedienne Zarna Garg.[/caption] We sat on the stage sidelines in special seats because Janet was Zarna's son’s beloved teacher. What a small world! We finished the weekend with dinner at my favorite restaurant in Westhampton Beach, the beloved Fauna, for a fabulous after-theatre dinner. What a week it was!

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