This Time, the Marines Are Kicking <i> Back</i>

The Ritz-Carlton rolled out the red, white and blue carpet on Sunday, giving 500 Marines a homecoming taste of the high life.

“Almost 100% of the men you see here were in Saudi Arabia less than 60 days ago,” said Maj. Gen. Royal N. Moore. “Compared to what we saw there, this is fantasy land.”

A towering Uncle Sam greeted guests, who cruised elegantly set buffet tables piled high with barbecued ribs, chicken fajitas, seafood salads and barons of beef.

When the Marines weren’t dining or bending their elbows, they were gazing at the turquoise seascape or listening to big-band sounds.

Show time came about an hour into the afternoon bash, after Ritz-Carlton Vice President Henry Schielein greeted guests. “I want to welcome you back home,” he said, choking up. “We are very proud of you.”

Then Schielein introduced Ed McMahon (a retired Marine colonel, by the way) and Milton Berle.

McMahon told the crowd that Johnny Carson had thought up a great line for his tombstone. “He wants it to read: ‘I’ll Be Right Back in One Minute,’ ” McMahon said. “But all I want mine to say is ‘He Was a Good Marine.’ ” The crowd roared its approval.

Berle--ever the irreverent jokester--said he liked those tombstone ideas, all right, but he wanted his tombstone to read: ‘I Was a Marine Queen.’ ” The Marines doubled up.

Of the posh Ritz, where Berle had spent the night, he quipped: “This is one of the best hotels in the United States. They change the linen every night--from one bed to the other.”

And finally, Moore took the stage to present Schielein, Berle and McMahon with Coca-Cola bottles made in Kuwait before Aug. 2, (the day Iraq invaded Kuwait).

“These are filled with free Kuwaiti sand,” Moore said. “They may not seem like much, but for us, they are a very emotional gift.”

Afternoon Tea

Lia Iacocca, 26-year-old daughter of Motown mogul Lee Iacocca, sipped tea at the Center Club on Tuesday with local community activists and board members of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

The gathering gave the young public relations practitioner a chance to rally help for her pet cause--education and research about diabetes, the disease that took her mother’s life in 1983.

Co-hosting the tea were Jo Ellen Qualls, vice president of Tiffany & Co. at South Coast Plaza--a friend of Lia Iacocca’s--and JDF board members including Barbara Marches and Kitty Leslie.

If Iacocca gets her way, the gala that annually attracts hundreds to a benefit for the Los Angeles chapter of JDF will come to Orange County next year. “The way I see it, it could alternate between Orange County and Los Angeles on a yearly basis,” she said. “We really need to get the word out down here.”

It frustrates Iacocca that people don’t understand what a killer the disease is. “But I know. It was complications from diabetes that took my mother’s life.

“I have hypoglycemia myself. So I am very careful to be regularly tested and watch my diet.”

Of her famous dad, she says: “He is a good influence on me. He has given me structure and helped me to understand that family is the most important thing. He is a real go-getter.”

Upscale Meeting

Used to be that a meeting meant a table, a gavel and a note pad.

No more. At least not for the Visionaries, a support group of the Newport Harbor Art Museum. On Tuesday the women who pay $500 annual dues swept into the Robert Mondavi Wine and Food Center for a meeting that was a sit-down luncheon and sneak preview of Chanel at South Coast Plaza’s fall collection.

On view: lean models in flared chiffon skirts with narrow jackets. Another hot look: fitted suits and dramatic dresses piped with grosgrain ribbon.

Up for dining: pasta with basil tomato sauce, rock shrimp and avocado salad, and strawberry shortcake with whipped cream. (Not to mention four selections of Robert Mondavi wine).

Among guests were founding president Ginny Smallwood (wearing a pink Chanel suit), new president Janet Corbin, museum director Michael Botwinick, and Roger Martin, manager of Chanel at South Coast Plaza.