Charting success: Ken Lum's series of six large pie charts headlined Centre A's 13th gala dinner and auction held in the Downtown Eastside. The contemporary Asian art gallery's soiree drew a capacity crowd of collectors and art enthusiasts looking to covet a piece of the sought after pie. Most were denied as auctioneer and Centre A founder Hank Bull sold the entire collection to pollster Angus Reid's sibling Mark. The popular work contributed to the nearly $70,000 netted for the Hastings Street gallery's continued promotion of contemporary Asian artists.

Last lunch: As the daughter of two breast cancer survivors, René Syler underwent a highly publicized preventive mastectomy in 2007. The former CBS Early Show anchorwoman was the keynote speaker at the 20th and final Breast Cancer Awareness Day Luncheon. Wendy Slavin, CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation, broke the news to guests who filed into the Hotel Vancouver for the charity event.

High note: This past year the Vancouver Bach Choir-under the baton of Les Dala-has successfully mounted a quartet of major works including Haydn's The Creation. Prior to their Mother's Day performance, the 150-member ensemble hosted its Dirty Thirties benefit at Heritage Hall. Yours truly emceed the Bach bash that celebrated the choir's eight decades of presenting the world's favourite symphonic choral works.

Hear Fred Mondays 8: 20 a.m. on CBC Radio's The Early Edition AM690 and 88.1FM; Email: yvrflee@hotmail.com.

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Hear Fred Mondays 8:20 a.m. on CBC Radio's The Early Edition; email yvrflee@hotmail.com; Twitter: @FredAboutTown or fredabouttown.blogspot.com.