High-Class Castoffs Aid Cancer Society at Annual Gala
SAN DIEGO — It can be assumed with complete safety that former Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan never expected to share billing with the official “Totally Hair Barbie Doll,” but this came to pass Saturday, when memorabilia from the unlikely trio was put up for auction at the annual “Mirage” gala. The event was given at the Sheraton Harbor Island by the local unit of the American Cancer Society.
Ford and Reagan, who both donated presidential cuff links, and Barbie were in good company during the two-hour silent auction that preceded the dinner and dance for more than 500 ACS supporters; among the many other items, notably vacations, sports packages and costly bijoux from shops at the new Paladion center, were fanny packs donated by the French America’s Cup entry and a pair of T-shirts previously worn by the crew of the Spirit of Australia. (The auction program, in fact, included the guarantee “Worn by Crew Only.”) The high-class hand-me-downs were snapped up quickly.
Live and silent auctions, as well as name entertainment, have become such a signature attraction of “Mirage” that the event required both the Grand and Champagne ballrooms, the former for the silent auction. As is well understood, silent auctions never are, and the folk manning the boards--Ann Jones, Kim and Marilyn Fletcher and Joanie Palmer among them--competed for the attention of bidders by briskly shaking maracas.
A misunderstanding of sorts may have been responsible for the sound effects, since maracas are not Moroccan, while the party was. “Mirage,” interpreted variously over the years, was themed in honor of Scheherazade and her 1,001 Arabian nights, in this case given a Moroccan interpretation by co-chairs Roni Hicks Clemens and Virginia Monday. Details included a trio of sinuous belly dancers cavorting in the Champagne Ballroom and a dinner menu of hummus with pepper salad and chicken with figs and cous cous .
The decor, remarkably understated, relied primarily on fancy lighting effects, which included a shifting galaxy of stars projected on the ceiling and dramatic shafts of colored light shooting up behind the potted palms along the walls. The otherwise low lighting and black table linens gave the sense of a party laid on at a dessert oasis. The Sheraton helped the mood along by crowning waiters with Bedouin headdresses, which some supplemented with reflective sunglasses, just to look sheik.
“It was fun putting this together, I love the theme of the ‘Arabian Nights.’ We’re taking guests back in time to another world,” Hicks said.
Monday, who is a veteran chair of numerous “Mirage” galas and of other major auction parties, attributed much of the sizable turnout to strong support on the part of local corporate sponsors.
Besides the pair of auctions--the live auction raised more than $22,000 on just nine choice items, including the right to name a foal from John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farms thoroughbred establishment--the evening featured entertainment by master mimic Fred Travalena, making his second “Mirage” appearance. The frenetic performance toured through Hollywood, Las Vegas and Washington, and mixed the three amusingly at times, as when Travalena’s dead-on impression of Clint Eastwood as President Dirty Harry had an interesting telephone chat with Saddam Hussein. Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton, Frank Sinatra and George Bush also found their ways on stage. Following the show, guests danced to the Tony Marillo Orchestra.
The evening specifically benefited both counseling and transportation services for local cancer patients and research at several San Diego institutions, including Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, the Salk Institute and the Cancer Center at UC San Diego.
Neil Derrough, current president of the local ACS chapter, told the audience that some $8 million in funds raised nationally by ACS is donated to San Diego research institutions.
Guests included Doris and Dirk Broekema, Vangie and Dick Burt, Anne and David Cherashore, Marvia and Clair Burgener, Larry Clemens, Beverly and George Kuhrts, Marie and Merrel Olesen, Peggy and Peter Preuss, Betsy and Richard Fitzpatrick, Jack Monday, Lee Clark and Jerry Pikolysky, Linda and Mel Katz, Audrey Geisel, Suzzi Moore, Catherine and Phil Blair, Bonnie and Scody Hage, Marilyn and Michael Yeatts, Clare White and Larry McDonald, and Nanci Hirsch with Roger Conlee.
Hot talent from the national Spanish cooking scene--much stronger on the East Coast than here--has been recruited for “Viva Espana,” the 11th annual “Celebrities Cook for the UC San Diego Cancer Center” benefit, to be given May 16 at the Sheraton Harbor Island.
The format for this yearly gourmet gala has evolved over the years from an event at which well-known local foodies sweated over stoves set along the ballroom walls to the 1992 program, in which the locals will get to relax while 12 professional chefs--including the highly regarded Gabino Sotelino of Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Chicago--whip up tapas and other savory snacks. A formal Spanish dinner catered by the hotel will follow.
The San Diego influence is limited to two participants, Antonio Aguas of the Gaslamp Quarter’s Cafe Bravo, and Deborah MacDonald Schneider of downtown’s La Gran Tapa. The largest contingent, from New York, will include Mariano Aznar of Paradis Barcelona, Jose Ramon Andres of Eldorado Petit and Antonio Buendia of El Salon Verde; all are head chefs at their establishments, and their absence on a Saturday night may leave New Yorkers in a nasty mood.
This party traditionally concentrates on three major areas--food, food and food, in that order--but will also feature a selection of Spanish wines, flamenco dancing during the hors d’oeuvres reception and dancing to the Benny Hollman Band.
Diana Lombrozo and Carrie O’Brien will co-chair “Viva Espana,” which will be given in the Sheraton’s Champagne Ballroom. Tickets to the black-tie event are $200, $350 and $500 per person. For more information, call the UCSD Cancer Center.
