The Crowd

B.W. Cook

They are positively unstoppable. The Fashionables that is, a support

group of Chapman University. Gathering in regal force for their 13th

annual Christmas at The Ritz, Newport Beach, the small, but indefatigable

cadre of local women and men raised $80,000 earmarked for Chapman’s Ray

and Pauline Wallace All Faiths Chapel.

All that money and a wonderful luncheon, too, complete with plenty of

hugs and kisses by and for old friends who look forward to this lunch

during the holiday season with great anticipation. In fact, the event has

become a “must attend” for the social set devoted to Chapman and the

construction of the chapel.

This year, the honorary chair of the Chapman event was Zee Allred of

Harbor Ridge, Newport Beach. Allred shared the welcoming duties at The

Ritz door with Joan Riach of Lido Isle, who looked smashing in a radiant

Nancy Reagan red holiday suit. Riach is the president of The

Fashionables, and a major force for community service in Newport Beach

and across Orange County.

The hard-working gals this year were event chairs Noddie Weltner and Dawn

Wood, who created a wonderful setting for the guests who came to raise

money for the Chapman chapel.

In the crowd of elegant holiday couples were president emerita of The

Fashionables and one of the staunch supporters of the chapel effort over

the years, Mary Lou Hornsby, and her husband, Scott.

The couple are a cornerstone of Newport society. Mary Lou served for some

25 years as the social editor for The Los Angeles Times in both Los

Angeles and Orange County, and in so doing created and/or inspired many

of the cultural and civic groups that thrive today in Newport-Mesa.

The handsome Hornsbys were joined by the Argyros family, Judie and George

that is, hugging Santa in between greeting local friends like Robin

Turner, Marlene Hamontree, Sue Hook, June Wian, Kim Lazarus and stunning

Barbara Glabman in a yellow-gold contemporary suit trimmed in a

red-colored Indian inspired fabric.

Harbor Island hostess-with-the-mostess Elizabeth Vincent shared the

holiday joy with fellow Fashionables Donna Bunce, former beauty queen and

editor of the popular 714 Magazine.

Neiman Marcus provided a fashion show featuring the Bob Mackie collection

for women and the Oxford collection for men. Models paraded The Ritz as

guests sipped champagne and enjoyed an afternoon of socializing for a

higher purpose.

*B.W. COOK’S column appears every Thursday and Saturday.