From the newly painted portrait that will hang among the Impressionist and Realist works in its permanent collection to the Boston Red Sox-themed dessert, the National Arts Club’s black-tie dinner presentingHelping Abboud celebrate were actor and author Chazz Palminteri, news anchor Ernie Anastos, a group of craftsmen from the company’s factory in New Bedford, Mass., and his daughters Lila and Ari with their husbands.
Palminteri, a diehard Yankees fan, also told the story about how the Red Sox-crazed Abboud used to listen to games with his father on their porch while he was growing up. The elder Abboud was disabled and never able to make the trek out to see a game in person. After he achieved success with his collection, Abboud was asked to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park in Boston and practiced for weeks to ensure he could throw it from the mound all 60 feet 6 inches to the plate.