Film critic Elvis Mitchell on stage with Robert Duvall.

The Dallas Film Society honored screen legend Robert Duvall at its inaugural fall fund-raising event, The Art of Film, sponsored by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, on Nov. 19.

Oscar-winner Duvall was presented with the Dallas Star Award following a red carpet entrance and an enthralling hour-long conversation with renowned film critic Elvis Mitchell.

Duvall kept the sold-out crowd laughing for much of his time onstage. He recalled the tale of being in a bar in Fort Worth when one of the patrons locked eyes with him in delighted recognition. As the gentleman approached him quietly not wishing to reveal the celebrity in their midst, he greeted him, “Hello, Terry Bradshaw!” He said it happens often and many times he is mistaken for Gene Hackman.

Once he was driving across West Texas with wife Luciana in the pilot chair driving the wrong direction. There was no traffic in sight and the speedometer was inching past the speed limit. Red lights began flashing in the rear view mirror and they pulled over to receive their punishment. The state trooper walked up and as he saw them he exclaimed, “Oh my God, Lonesome Dove!” They told him they were lost and he said, “Follow me” and began driving equally as fast in the right direction.

Four hundred guests left the Hall of State, Fair Park buzzing with happy memories of the evening. The Art of Film helped raise more than $150,000 to support the Dallas Film Society’s year-round education and community outreach programs.

Mark Long playing hula-hoop with Trishelle Cannatella encouraging him with laughter at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon.

MTV reality stars Mark Long of “Road Rules: Season One” and Trishelle Cannatella of “Real World: Las Vegas” spent an eventful Thanksgiving weekend at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon at the Rio for its second annual “The Goose is Loose” canned food drive benefiting Three Square Food Bank.

Long and Cannatella showed up ready to party and pump up McFadden’s bar-goers into donating canned food for the less fortunate this holiday season. The duo had a blast behind the bar, filling up beers in McFadden’s signature pint glasses, pouring shots for the crowd and dancing with McFadden’s lovely Lucky Charms.

The party really got started as Long and Cannatella made their way to the dance floor where Long found a lone hula-hoop and showed-off his moves. His coordinated hip-swivel made for a great photo opportunity for the fans in the crowd, who had their phones and digital cameras snapping photos the entire time. The pair continued to dance and mingle throughout the evening.

The event was an overall success, with McFadden’s raising more than 450 pounds of food for Three Square. Drinks, food and reality television stars made for a winning combination in the efforts to keep mouths full this holiday season.

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On my recent and first visit to La Fonda del Sol, I couldn’t find the restaurant initially because it’s not often I find myself on Vanderbilt Avenue. But I was so relieved to find it (it’s on the Western side of Grand Central Station), this oasis for Midtown during the lunch rush: the mid-century furniture, the orange/brown color patterns, the blonde furniture, the not-too-noisy dining room that sits a few steps up from the bar area.

And then of course there’s the food: Colombian-born Josh DeChellis is a passionate chef and it’s splendidly shown in his modern take on Spanish cuisine. From the pumpkin tapas dish — a standout dish — to the octopus a la plancha, chef DeChellis is detail-oriented (aged balsamic vinegars, meat braised in just the perfect Spanish wine, the right splash of lemon) while also seeing the whole picture of each dish — a rare and welcome trait in a chef.

Haute Living: Hi, Josh. What’s new at La Fonda del Sol?
Chef Josh DeChellis: Our wine director just did a major overhaul of the wine list, bringing in wines from little-known regions in Spain, small production wines, wines for the holidays and good values. We’re also doing an Asadero menu designed for large groups, 8-16 people, that has a whole octopus a la plancha, roasted sucking pig, prime rib cooked on a wine barrel, wood oven roasted baby goat and a Galician paella.

HL: What are some of your favorite dishes at your restaurant?
JD: We just put the Egg Yolk Montatido on the menu, which we brought to the New York Taste event this year. It’s an egg yolk cured in smoked maple syrup, with porcini mushrooms and Jamón Ibérico.

HL: Where do you like to dine when you’re not working?
JD: Mary’s Fish Camp on Charles Street comes to mind. I love to go there with my family for lunch on the weekend. I usually get the cod sandwich, the lady gets the lobster roll, and my boys get the fried fish and everyone is happy.

HL: What’s your ideal meal?
JD: That’s a tough question. I guess it’s eating something coming from a genuine place, like a connection between the food and the person who’s preparing it. A Japanese dude presenting a piece of carefully chosen fish on a simple bed of rice, for example, there’s a real connection there, and it’s genuine.

HL: Where do you like to dine for a special occasion?
JD: One place only: Blue Hill at Stone Barns. I’ve been going to Blue Hill for special occasions since it opened. Dan’s food is… There’s no real way to say it without being very long-winded, but I’ve never had a dish there or at Blue Hill in the City that has been anything less than extremely pleasing. I go to Stone Barns for my birthday every year, which is in early June, and it’s so fortunate because early summer is such a great time to be there.

HL: What’s your favorite New York City neighborhood?
JD: I’ll narrow it down to a street: Irving Street, the strip from the southern end of Gramercy Park down to 14th Street. When you’re on Irving Street, it feels like a very small neighborhood, yet one block over there’s Park Ave and then Union Square and with the Greenmarket. It’s a very gastronomically-aware neighborhood that I’ve been attached to for over 10 years.

HL: What do you like to do in the city on your days off?
JD: I like to go on a bike ride on the West Side Bike Path with my lady, and grab a beer afterward. But mostly, I like to get out of the city, far away!

HL: Your favorite vacation destination?
JD: I like going to Anguilla. There’s nothing there, no tourism at all. It’s perfect. You can let the stress just peel away over the course of several days. I go fishing, eat the local seafood and just take a break from my hectic life.

HL: What’s your most memorable meal?
JD: There are too many to count. There’s no way I can say one; my heart, it loves too many things. The meal at Pierre Gagnaire I had in the 1990s, the the roast chicken with green beans prepared by my father’s girlfriend after my son Harrison was born, or the early morning sushi at Tsukiji market in Tokyo: I’m attached to these great meals equally.

HL: What are your five favorite ingredients?
JD: At the moment, they would have to be field caviar, freshly clipped juniper branches, a wine barrel, 1982 Pedro Ximénez sherry and toasted garlic.

La Fonda del Sol is located in The MetLife Building at 44th St and Vanderbilt; 212.867.6767.

Need help finding the perfect New York City restaurant? Or want tips on cooking elegant meals at home? Contact Haute Living dining columnist Tracey Ceurvels via her blog, The Busy Hedonist, or email her with any questions.

When Tricon Marine premiered its first yacht, the Argos Gulfstream 92, in 2009, it garnered a good deal of publicity. The China-based boatbuilder, under Euro-American management, believed there was room in the marketplace for an intrepid expedition yacht that blended softer lines with the rugged looks that typically hallmark these launches. It also believed that yacht buyers should have a handful of sizes from which to choose under the 100-foot mark.

Well, that belief is being validated, as a European yachtsman recently signed a contract for an Argos Gulfstream 70. As the illustration here shows, the yacht has a nicely flared bow and higher bulwarks forward. The G70, as Tricon Marine also calls it, further features a low center of gravity for better stability and should resist roll better than other yachts. That’s due to the proprietary hull design that Tricon Marine and naval architect Howard Apollonio devised for its Argos series (which also includes 78-, 84-, 92-, and 100-foot models, all semi-custom). The design was extensively tank tested to ensure it would be fuel-efficient, especially for long-range and transoceanic travel. A good turn of speed was also a requirement. The G70 is expected to cruise at 17 knots and top out at 20 knots, powered by twin 715-hp Caterpillar C-12 diesel engines. At speeds slightly lower than the cruise speed, the yacht should also enjoy a 2,000-nautical-mile range. Tricon Marine adds that other engine packages may permit speeds upwards of 30 knots or better.

Inside, the G70 will accommodate six people in three staterooms plus two crewmembers. As you’d expect of a luxury yacht, each stateroom will have an en suite head. Guests will also get to enjoy traditional features like a saloon — which should benefit from the large windows seen in the illustration — and dining area. A particularly nice layout twist is the split-level sundeck. Depending on how the owner decides to outfit it, toys like PWCs or a RIB can be stowed fully aft, freeing up the front of the sundeck for entertaining and relaxing. If there’s just one watertoy, there will probably be room both fore and aft for socializing.

The Argos Gulfstream 70 is expected to be delivered in late 2011. Like the rest of the Argos models, it’s being built under a limited-production guarantee. Specifically, Tricon Marine permits only three hulls to be commissioned across its entire series each year. This means that the owner will have a somewhat exclusive product. No other yacht builder restricts its production the way that Tricon Marine does.

On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Jade Ocean and Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour Fur Salon hosted a special evening of fashion and luxury real estate to showcase Bisang furs and Jade Ocean’s beautiful new model residence.

Jade Ocean is Fortune International’s newest luxury property. Designed by internationally renowned architect, Carlos Ott, the property boasts ocean views from every window and offers the latest in at-home technology, including an enhanced touch-screen monitor that grants residents access to amenities from in home as well as from any where in the world. Jade Ocean also offers amenities like partnerships and shopping services with Miami’s gourmet market, Epicure, and Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour.

The exclusive guest list included Andre and Lisa Bisang; Deborah Slack, GM of Saks Bal Harbour; Vania Regina, Saks Bal Harbour Fur Salon Manager; Jade Ocean sales reps Sandra Chartouni, Nikol Solares, and Rita Collins; Richard and Jennifer Postrel; Segundo Ricardo and Marilyn Padilla.

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If a visit to the central coast or the California’s wine region aren’t on the books for the upcoming months, why not head to the Winery Restaurant and Wine Bar for a first-class sampling of some of the state’s best? The L’Aventure winery is teaming up with chef Yvon Goetz for a night of premiere pours and great food.

On Dec. 1, Chef Goetz will create a special menu paired with some of L’Aventure’s best wines. Based in Paso Robles, the winery has earned numerous awards for many of their wines. With programs and dinners like the one scheduled at the Winery, they’re brining their best selections out for sampling.

Working with L’Aventure’s sommelier William Lewis, Chef Goetz’s four-course meal includes passed hors d’oeuvres paired with the 2008 L’Aventure rosé. Following the appetizers, guests will enjoy California quail prepared with butternut squash ravioli and accompanied by the L’Aventure 2008 Optimus. Jumbo scallops are paired with the 2008 Estate Roussanne and the 2008 Estate Cuvée accompanies Chef Goetz’s slow briased New Zealand osso bucco. To end the meal, a selection of Goetz’s desserts will be served.

Space is limited and reservations are recommended for this event.

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar is located at 2647 Park Ave. at the District at Tustin Legacy, Tustin. For more information, call 714,258.7600 or visit their official web site. For more information on L’aventura Wines, visit their official web site at www.aventurewine.com.

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Haute Secrets Las Vegas

Name: Jimmy Foster

The stats: Born in Chicago; lived in Las Vegas since 1989; currently living in downtown Las Vegas in the historic neighborhood called West Huntridge.

Favorite aspect of Las Vegas: It is the entertainment capital of the world! If entertainment is what you want, Vegas is what you need! I also believe we should coin a new nickname for our great city — America’s Amsterdam.

Jimmy Foster lives by the mantra, “A brilliant story whispered is more effective than an average story shouted.” After all, it’s how he conducts business with Whispering Giants, his events company that works with clients in the hospitality, entertainment, fashion, philanthropy and health-care industries. His coveted events have included the recent launch of the John Varvatos store in the Hard Rock Hotel as well as soirees at Wynn Las Vegas, Moet & Chandon, Tao, the Playboy Club and Jimmy Choo.

But Whispering Giants, which he launched in 2008, just wasn’t enough. He recently took off with Flying Private, allowing Whispering Giants to create unique events out of thin air. This high-flying expansion offers clients a monthly experience of a jet-setter lifestyle, attending exclusive nightclubs, grand openings and special events reached via private just. He also has The Men’s Philanthropy Group, which assembles influential and philanthropic men in Southern Nevada who are dedicated to improving the quality of life within the community.

Find out Jimmy Foster’s favorite haute spots in Las Vegas in Haute Secrets.

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A unique oasis, the architecture bestows a dazzling display of natural light and space within a bold innovative island pod style living. All indoor and outdoor living spaces are orchestrated with superbly detailed craftsmanship. This is the ultimate home to enjoy peaceful romantic evenings or to graciously entertain your family and friends. A hidden home theatre, a serene Zen garden, custom kitchen cabinets, hand finished Venetian colored plaster. Every detail was given careful consideration.

Contemporary Asian design is the underlying theme for this unique Makena home. Created with privacy in mind, the 7,600 square foot home stretches over two acres in a one-of-a-kind seven building, or pod, design featuring two cozy guest suites, a main living with private home theatre, kitchen and dining area, the Master Suite complete with office and fitness room, and a separate caretakers residence and three car garage. All rooms are designed to provide either stunning ocean vistas or peaceful garden views or both. Glorious mornings and restful evenings, the sounds of the ocean all day long.

Striking, bold progressive architecture with flawless design, execution and finishes describe this unique island residence. Unsurpassed quality with details including quartzite tile floors, curved vaulted ceilings lined with cedar planks, hand-finished Venetian plaster walls and copper roofing. State of the art audio/visual, security and lighting systems integrated throughout the home. Designed to require minimal maintenance.

Offered @ $17,300,000

Contact Nancy J. Callahan @ 808.870.2001 or nancy@makenasales.com. Or visit www.makenasales.com.

Haute Secrets New York

Name: Sabine Heller

The 
stats: Heller has been a New Yorker since birth.

Why she love New York: The amazing diversity this city has to offer!

Sabine Heller is the President of jet-set travel community ASMALLWORLD.  She has also been a contributor for various publications including Paris-based Purple Fashion Magazine, Italian Vogue, and Tatler. As a brand strategist, she has worked with Harry Winston, Felix Rey, Erickson Beamon Jewelry, Restoration of the Monarchy, Robert Burke Associates, and Company 81. And not only does she know how to get her brands on the cover of magazines, she’s been on a cover herself! She graced the front of Brandweek as their Guerilla Marketer of the Year in 2004.

Check out Sabine’s favorite haute spots in New York at Haute Secrets.

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The Museum of Fine Arts has always been an impressive collection of art and artifacts from the world over.  The collection, in fact, is so massive and stunning, much of it has spent more than its fair share of time in storage so as to be able to rotate in fresh exhibits throughout the year.  But, should you have a favorite you always wished to see, it was often a roll of the dice whether your favorite piece of art would be available for viewing on the day you happened to stop by to peruse the galleries.

Now, however, with the massive MFA expansion, more of its impressive collection is available for view year round.  The new Art of the Americas Wing offers painting, sculptures, crafts-work, furniture and artifacts from pre-Colombian times through the mid 1970’s in over 53 galleries. The new and impressive wing opened to the general public on November 20th and shows the intricate care and planning that went into its creation over the past 10 years.

Unlike its concrete counterpart, the main MFA buildings, the new wing features floor to ceiling glass on exterior rooms in a stunning sprawl designed by architect Norman Foster. Sculptures and paintings share like minded spaces, speaking of the period from which they were created. Starting from the bottom floor and working up is a chronological journey through American history as well as its cultural and artistic milestones.

The galleries feature many new acquisitions, carefully selected items on loan from other collections as well as number of items brought out from storage for all to enjoy. One could easily spend a full day on each of the new wing’s four levels. The vast difference of the collections featured on the wing’s lowest level is stunning. Enjoy works from Ancient America, Native Americans, the 17th Century and an amazing Maritime collection. The collection includes such diversity as a Shaman Effigy Pendant to a painting of Colonial New York Harbor.

The next level up features 18th Century Art of Colonial America through the mid-19th Century, including the famed Paul Revere portrait by John Singleton Copley from 1768. The next houses 19th Century and early 20th Century Art, including the painting featured above: The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit by John Singer Sargent from 1882. And, finally, should you be able to make it so far, the top level features 20th Century Art through the mid 1970’s, offering such eclectic varieties as a Georgia O’Keefe White Rose with Larkspure No.2 painting from 1927 and a Punchbowl  from the ‘Jazz Bowl’ Series designed and decorated by Viktor Schreckengost from 1931.

And should it so happen that you have never been to the MFA, or perhaps it has been some time, the rest of the museum is surely not to be missed.  It has one of the finest Egyptian collections I have ever seen in the states. One thing is for sure, one trip now will never be enough.

Location: Avenue of the Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, The Fenway, Boston 617.267.9300 mfa.org