Top Shelf Todd Stories
Ryan Mishkin
Where to begin? Of the many many adventures we've had over the last decade or so, I think my first full "Todd" experience is the one to tell here. Though we've been to many Phish concerts together, the first one we attended in Miami was also my first time hanging out with Todd. We'd met a few weeks prior at a Young Professionals of Wellington Event and hit it off immediately. I reminded him of his cool L.A. cousin he would later tell me.
Anyway, we started talking, I told him I had tickets to Phish in Miami and no one in the area to go with. He said he was going and I can ride down with him. I was cautiously optimistic, he seemed cool enough, but you never know. He picks me up at my house, he's got his buddy Block in the car, and a cooler full of mixed drinks in the back. Maybe in the front too. We make our way to the lot in Miami and head to Shakedown, the unofficial outdoor marketplace outside of hippie concerts, to pick up some goods, grab some food, and just be part of the scene. This is where I start to realize that Todd isn't just your normal suburban dad. We finish the pregame and head in to the Heat arena where we have general admission floor seats. The show starts, and things take a turn. Suddenly Todd and another are missing, but I figure I'll they'll be back. As the first set ends, Todd is still nowhere to be found. Block and I head into the Hyde club, the "VIP" club in the arena that they opened for the phans for some reason. Sure enough, as we walk in, there's Todd sitting at a table with a bottle of Don Julio Anejo and 4 sushi boats, give or take. And Todd being Todd, he's holding court with a bunch of hippie strangers, and his new friend from Wellington. And he made a point to tell me that he remembered that I liked Anejo tequila so he got a bottle. Again, this is the first time we've really hung out. And I assumed that this was a one-off situation, taking care if his buddy at a concert, and that this probably wasn't the usual. And man was I wrong! As anyone who has gone out with Todd knows, this is just Todd. Fun-loving, generous, thoughtful, always ready to take things to the next level.
Now, I should also mention that Block and I went back to the show while Todd stayed at Hyde, and after the show, when we went to find him, he was gone. We make our way towards the car and no sooner do we get to the parking lot when we see Todd peeling out of there to head home. He'll tell you that he was going to pick us up, but I think that he forgot we were there...! Either way, we flagged him down, got in the car, and got back home after an eventful night in Miami. This was one hell of an introduction, and no event show was any less fun or eventful. It was always epic.
Tiffany Berlin
There’s not one specific story or moment that can truly describe what makes Todd so legendary… It’s everything about him…. What he has given to his friends, family and community. I have had the honor of calling Todd family, a brother for more than 25 years…. I think what makes him a legend is the way he loves and the passion he puts into every aspect of his life. Todd loves big, he loves and lives without boundaries. To know this man is to love him…. It’s hard to think of a world without his presence in it… his kindness and giving nature can never be replaced. Todd has given so much to my family and I and I will cherish all of the memories we have created over the years… Him calling me up randomly and taking me to a rave at Bayside, the trips he made to visit in Mexico, all of the parties he’s planned not only for himself but for my father’s birthday in Captiva and my 40th in New Orleans where he ended up not being able to attend but still was planning and giving Beau instructions from the hospital, our New Orleans redo trip, Thanksgiving trip here in Austin, Thanksgiving in Nola and all the laughs we have had along the way… how I wish we could have one more trip, one more celebration. I will never forget your love, your laughter and definitely can’t forget your breakdancing. My dear friend you are an inspiration to us all and I will always carry you in my heart.
Liz and Ron Herman
Many know Todd as the legendary life of the party. He’s also so much more than just an impeccable party planner and generous host. We met him when Sarah and our oldest daughter, Kira, were both infants, a fact that they love to share. “We’ve known each other since we were 4 months old!" they used to proclaim to their teachers. Over the years, he’s added so much fun, light, and positivity into our lives, as well as sharing meaningful traditions. Just a few examples:
⁃ at the beginning of our friendship, we were also neighbors and our kids basically grew up together. Before throwing celebrity parties, Todd was also a savvy and impressive deal hunter and maker. Back then, Priceline used to have a “name your own price” bidding system for booking hotel rooms at a discount. Generally, users would be lucky to get the promised 60% off their top choice hotel room. One night in his old living room, Todd proudly let us in on his secret “hack” of the Priceline algorithm, where he’d score nights at the Ritz for the price of a Holiday Inn. Sure enough, his system worked when we tried it for ourselves. The man is a legend! He’d also quickly be able to tell you if a certain purchase is a good deal, especially related to car leases, anything event planning, dining and entertainment, and the retail value of any event/gala ticket. He's a math genius, a trait passed on to Sarah and Lilah, who are also becoming savvy bargain hunters ("Liz, I got this lululemon fanny pack for 50% off" Sarah recently proclaimed.)
⁃ When our oldest daughters were 3 1/2 years old, he started a beautiful tradition of buying up group tickets for Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival Kids Kitchen event. The annual event brought top chefs to teach a kids cooking class at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach. Undeterred by the pesky rules that required kids to be at least 4 years old, Todd snuck in Sarah, Kira, Anna, and a few other underage guests to the elegant morning of father-daughter bonding time. Over the years, the kids learned from several Top Chefs, and some girls later joined by their younger siblings. The tradition continued for 9 years, each time Todd refusing any reimbursement, and making sure to create lasting memories for the girls.
If there's a VIP section in the afterlife, you can bet Todd already reserved it, and started auctioneering to fundraise for his next cause. Cheers to the Legend who taught us that life is a party!
Photo captions: 1. welcoming Shabbat during COVID with Todd’s special blue cheese martinis. Outdoor movie night and treats for kids and adults became an almost weekly tradition with our families during the pandemic.
2. Staycationing together in Singer Island.
3. Leaving Ritz Club in New Orleans with plenty of treats for the road!!
Adam Wellikoff
It is hard to link Todd's legendary status to one moment in time. I think Todd's legend grows from his ability to make everyone feel like his best friend. The times that come to mind for me are being included on the planning committees for the Temple's galas. The first one in particular sticks in my brain. Megan and I had only recently started to get involved in the temple and get to know everyone better. I walked into that meeting, not knowing what to expect, not being very familiar with anybody and having only recently met Todd. I remember standing at the bar and ending up next to him, and we chatted for several minutes before the meeting started. I am not terribly good in social situations, especially when I am not familiar with the people there, but I was immediately struck with how easy it was to talk to him. Then, when the meeting started, he put everyone at ease with his laid-back personality and style. I have never met anyone as comfortable in those situations as Todd. As the years went by, and as our families got closer, I realized that Todd is that person to his core. Whether it was temple events, a guys' night out or bourbon tasting, Todd is always the life of the party. The most impressive thing, however, is his devotion to his family. For as long as I have known Todd, it is obvious that no matter what is going on socially, his family always comes first. Deb and the girls are clearly his first thought in everything he does. A wise man (Jimmy Buffett) once said "Life is a journey that's not measured in miles or years, but in experiences." By that measure alone, Todd has easily reached legendary status!
Mike Marchello
When I got engaged to my wife many years ago, my brother was my best man. However, my brother was a debt burdened young law student at the time, who didn’t know how he was going to plan a bachelor party. Well no worry. Todd immediately reached out to my brother and not only planned every detail, he likely paid for most (if not all) of those details. His kindness to help my brother and to ensure a great time meant so much to me. And on top of that, Todd was easily the most entertaining and memorable guest of the night. There are multiple jokes from that night that surround things TB said or did that still get brought up over a dozen years later. That night doesn’t happen, and isn’t nearly as fun, without TB, and I’m awfully grateful for him.