The spirit of Bourbon Street invaded the Waldorf’s Grand Ballroom, extravagantly transforming it into this year’s highly anticipated 19th Annual Rita Hayworth Gala to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Deborah Norville emceed “The Magic of Mardi Gras” evening before a glittering A-list that included the gala’s perennial Chair, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, who established the memorial fund for her mother, Rita Hayworth. Swept up in the cavalcade were Muffie Potter Aston, Margo Catsimatidis, Claudia Cohen, Ann Hearst, and Andrea Stark. The breathy Marilyn-ish Donna Dixon Aykroyd was this year’s honoree, as hubby and funnyman Dan Aykroyd treated us with a special performance as “Elwood Blues” with The Blues Brothers Band.

The lucky winners of the Rolex Magic Mask Contest, sponsored by Rolex’s Prez and CEO Walter Fischer, brought home a stunning 18-carat gold, stainless steel Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch. The prize for best male and female masks went to Cornelia Bregman and Joe Armstrong. After claiming his lavish prize, Armstrong confessed, “I’ve been wearing a $23 watch from Duane Reade for 18 years, and now I’ve got a $6,000 Rolex; but I’ve still got a $23 watch that works just fine for me!”

Exotic New Orleans cuisine, along with a live auction of fab goodies, topped off this parade of joie de vivre: a night to remember!