The Crowd

B.W. Cook

The vivacious Bonnie McClellan chairs the fifth annual design lecture

series sponsored by the Decorative Arts Society. The association is a

support group for the worthwhile New Directions For Women, an

organization that provides addiction treatment for women in the

community.

This fall, beginning Oct. 5, Wendall Garrett, senior vice president of

Sotheby’s New York and an editor-at-large for the magazine Antiques, will

inaugurate the series. Garrett will be followed by John Keefe, curator of

decorative arts at the New Orleans Museum of Art; Patrick Dunne,

proprietor of Lucullus of New Orleans; Suzanne Turner, landscape author

and consultant for historic preservation; and Jonathan Prown, furniture

expert and curator of The Chipstone Foundation of Milwaukee.

The lecture series, sponsored by Northern Trust Bank, Marion and Roger

Palley, Ann Dennis Designs, Nicholson’s Antiques of Laguna Beach and

Andrews Strong and Associates, runs through spring 2000 and will be held

at the Newport Beach Edwards Stadium Theater.

McClellan is joined by Elana Donovan, Louise Ewing, Margie Jager, Mary

Anna Jeppe, Maureen Madigan, Cecilia Nott, Joan Sammis, Dennis Scholz,

Janet Smith, Carole Steele and Lois Turner, to name only a few, in

presenting this special program. The lecture series costs $160. Call

(949) 675-2415 to make a reservation.

In other design news, the Pacific Craft Show is coming to Orange

County via the Orange County Museum of Art. Twyla Reed Martin, Karen Van

Buren, Sandra Harris, Joan Riach, Jane Heber and Pat Steinmann are

working feverishly to produce the Sept. 23 preview reception followed by

the opening-night gala Sept. 24 and the show, which runs Sept 25. through

Oct. 1 at the museum.

This unusual event features a wealth of talented artists displaying

their work for sale at the museum. Proceeds will benefit the artists and

the museum’s exhibition and education programs.

The lineup of exhibitors includes Laddie John Dill, Randall Au, Marvin

Lipofsky, David Speck, Larry Wasserman, Nicolai Medvedev and Gail Goldin.

These artists join many more talented individuals showcasing an amazing

repertoire of work.

Call Kerri Kelly at the museum, (949) 759-1122 for information.

The 1999 W.C. Handy Blues Band of the Year, Rod Piazza and the Mighty

Flyers, are set to headline “Hot Blues on a Summer Night” set for Sept.

30 at South Coast Plaza Village.

The evening of jazz, food, wine and conversation benefits Center

Stage, a Guild of the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Tickets are

$30 to $50. Restaurants including Antonello’s, Darya, Birraporetti’s,

Bluewater Grill, Gustaf Anders, Maggiano’s, Planet Hollywood, Royal

Khyber, TGI Friday’s and Village Farmer will provide a tasting of their

specialties.

Call (714) 560-7519 for reservations.

Mark your calendars for the 17th annual Newport Beach Concours

d’Elegance presented by Lincoln, set for Oct. 1-3.

Presented by ATSC, celebrating its 25th anniversary of helping

children and families in the community, the fabulous car show and

exhibition will feature Packard as the Marque of Honor.

Showcasing 100 years of Packard history, the concours will feature

three notable Packard cars: a 1941 Woody wagon, a 1940 160 and a 1939

Super 8 convertible. The cabriolet is one of only 100 vehicles made and

is a full four-door sedan convertible.

The concours is one of the major annual fund-raisers of ATSC, and

organizers hope to raise $200,000 from the car exhibition to fund annual

programs. The event unfolds at the spectacular Pelican Hill Golf Course

with a patron party and kickoff rally Oct.1 hosted by Mark and Jan

Hilbert.

For information, call ATSC at (949) 717-3333. B.W. COOK’S column

appears every Thursday and Saturday.