If you’re staying in a Relais & Chateaux hotel, you know you’ve made it.  Entry into this exclusive collection of 480 top-rated luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries is not offered lightly.  First created in France in 1954, this association accepts the finest, most outstanding properties that exhibit a unique character.

The Jefferson in Washington, D.C., whose recent renovations were directed by Ogden CAP Properties, LLC where Connie Milstein is the Principal and Co-Founder, is the first Relais & Chateaux hotel in Washington, D.C.  Certainly, they are thrilled to have this honor bestowed upon them and they welcome guests to their distinguished and outstanding hotel location.

Each year, the American Heart Association’s Heart’s Delight Auction is held in Washington D.C.  This year, the event took place from May 6-8 and Connie Milstein was the Event Chair.  The Vintners Dinner, which is part of the Heart’s Delight program, included a lavish six course meal that was accompanied by eight wines from Bordeaux.  This picture captured some of the excitement of the event.

Pictured here are Tammy Haddad, Coale Cooley’s John Coale, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Constance Milstein Countess de La Haye St. Hilaire.

Spring is the season for blossoming flowers and trees, warming weather trends, and graduation events and commencements. This year, at the 2010 commencement for the prestigious New York University, Connie Milstein will be honored with the coveted “Albert Gallatin Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society” award. This honor is being bestowed upon Connie Milstein in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to society as a lawyer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, as well as an alumna of NYU.

This year’s Commencement Exercises will be held on May 12, at Yankee Stadium. The President of NYU, John Sexton and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Martin Lipton, announced in March the names of all those that will be honored at the event.

In addition to Connie Milstein, several other notable people are receiving honors from NYU. Among them is the actor Alec Baldwin, who was one of the co-hosts of this year’s Academy Awards, who will address the graduates and guests and receive a Doctor or Fine Arts degree, honoris causa, at the ceremony.

Wayne Shorter, the award-winning jazz musician and composer is a NYU Steinhardt alumnus. He will also receive a Doctor or Fine Arts degree, honoris causa.

Merryl Tisch, the chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents and NYU alumna will be receiving the “Lewis Rudin Award for Exemplary Service to New York City” in recognition of her contribution to the improvement of the quality of life in New York.