The New York art set had a good excuse to fly out to Los Angeles this weekend: Larry Gagosian’s West Coast gallery opened an exhibit of new paintings by Christopher Wool, followed by an “intimate” dinner at Mr. Chow. Mingling Thursday night were art consultant Sandy Heller, man about town Rufus Albemarle, and those lovely women who show up at all the right places, Peggy Siegal, Claudia Cohen, Amy Sacco, Allison Sarofim, and Olivia Chantecaille. Oh, there were celebrities, too: a fixture of the contemporary art social circuit, Steve Martin; and Kirsten Dunst, Dennis Hopper, Juliette Binoche, and Julia Ormond. They looked particularly relaxed, as they weren’t up for Academy Awards. On this night, the coveted prize was one of Mr. Wool’s paintings, large canvases in neutral tones, some accented with silver spray paint.

Those who stayed for the weekend got the rest they needed before the next big art event begins Thursday, back in New York: the Armory Show, and all the parties, gallery events, and offshoot fairs that take place around it.

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The American Jewish Congress honored a civil rights leader, businessman, and editor, Clarence Jones, at its annual fundraising dinner last week at the Pierre. Mr. Jones was a speechwriter for Martin Luther King Jr., a negotiator in the settlement of the Attica prison riot, and a producer of “It’s Showtime at the Apollo.” He was also editor of the Amsterdam News and a partner in the Wall Street investment banking firm Carter, Berlind & Weill. Out of the latter association grew a friendship with Sanford Weill, who served as the event’s co-chairman along with Andrew Young. Mr. Jones received the congress’s Isaiah Award for his work bringing together the Jewish and African-American communities.

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How do chefs choose what they’ll serve at a charity tasting? For the event last week to benefit Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), the event management company Gourmet Advisory Services asked the participating chefs to submit three dishes they might serve. Then the company, along with C-CAP’s founder, Richard Grausman, and its staff, selected “a fair balance” of vegetarian, fish, and meat dishes.

What was the final menu? If you’re hungry, you might need to skip this paragraph. Laurent Tourondel of BLT Prime prepared tuna tartare. Caterer Abigail Kirsch served barbecued short rib sandwiches. Aquavit’s Nils Noren offered smoked yellow tomato soup. Small tastes were in order, or there was no way to keep pace, especially with rich offerings like Daniel Boulud’s suckling pig confit and Peking duck from Michael Tong of Shun Lee Palace.

As for dessert: The event’s honoree, Thomas Keller, made Valrhona chocolate bouchon. From the Craft table came cinnamon sugar doughnuts with coffee ice cream. And since reading is calorie-free, I might as well include that Sarabeth’s offered banana cream pie.

While prep work was done back in the chefs’ kitchens, the cooking was done on site in convection ovens, fryers, and skillets, with the assistance of C-CAP students. The event at Pier 60 drew more than 800 people and raised $590,000.

“Guests get to talk to the chefs, and the chefs get to talk to each other,” the president of Gourmet Advisory Services, Harriette Rose Katz, said.

Her tasting tips: “Never eat a whole portion, only taste,” Ms. Katz, who skipped the desserts altogether, said.