Everything was black and white. Everything. That would be the Cincinnati Ballet's Black and White Ball, a $150 a head do Saturday at the Hyatt, where everyone wore black and white in honor of the 35th anniversary of Truman Capote's famous black and white ball.

        Even some wedding dresses that might have been better off left in the closet. But there were exceptions: “I broke the rules,” said ballet director Victoria Morgan in a blue beaded gown. At least the penguin didn't break any.

        Penguin?

        Yep, a tiny guy on loan from the zoo showed up in his natural black and white. “Can we cook it?” Chef Jean-Robert de Cavel wanted to know. Partner Annette Pfund, drop dead gorgeous in black and silver, promised that her baby's March 7 due date “won't keep changing like JR's restaurant opening.”

        Seen hanging around the room: Event designer Joe Rigotti in skin tight black and white polka dot pants; Reds CEO John Allen in, well, black tie; chair Doris Marks Callas with a puffy white boa.

        Even the room was done up: huge black and white balloons; black on white and white on black chair backs; black and white goodie bags; even a large pack of Oreo's — black and white, you see — on every chair.

AVOC T-shirt auction

        Meanwhile, a few blocks away at the Aronoff's Fifth-Third Theater, AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati did its annual celebrity T-shirt auction the same night. This is the one where celebs autograph T-shirts to be auctioned off for AIDS research and support.

        So here, in this darkened room lit by a dozen glittery disco balls (perfect for headliner Jennifer Holliday), shirts went on the block from Rob Lowe, Anjelica Huston, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Rosie O'Donnell, Lily Tomlin and Liz Taylor. All went in the $200-range, except for Ms. Tomlin's ($350) and Ms. Taylor's ($500).

        Oh yeah, Ms. Callas chaired that one, too. “I've been running from one to the other since 9 this morning,” she said amid a flurry of boa feathers.

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