B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

Opera Pacific, in association with generous benefactors Henry and

Susan Samueli of Corona del Mar, are preparing for an Opera Ball kickoff

fashion show and luncheon Sept. 11.

Susan Samueli is chairing the show with her friend and dedicated

co-worker Sandi Jackson. An overflow crowd of more than 200 opera patrons

is expected for the late summer event, which will be staged on the

breathtaking oceanfront lawn of the Samueli residence.

South Coast Plaza is presenting the fashion show -- a prelude to the

Opera Ball on Dec. 1 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel -- under the

direction of Billur Wallerich. Elegant table favors will be provided by

Cartier, the sponsor of the ball.

Samueli and Jackson have coordinated a magnificent program for the

luncheon including entertainment by Russian dancers in authentic costume,

which will be a prelude to the theme of the ball -- “Royal Evening in St.

Petersburg.”

Janice Johnson will chair the ball with support from co-chairs Margie

Hubbard and Barbara DeMain. Ruth Ding will handle underwriting for the

upcoming fashion show. Additional support for the fashion show will be

generously provided by local opera aficionados, including Vesta Curry,

Caroline Jones, Donna Phelps, Maggie Price, Pat Poss, Babs Soros, Sandra

Brown, Nancy Sorosky and Sherri Winkler, to name a few.

* * *

More than 6,000 Newport-Mesa visitors to the Orange County Fair

donated 14 tons of food to Share Our Selves, a local nonprofit agency

providing for the needs of those living in poverty in Orange County.

Visitors to the fair brought with them more than 44,000 cans of food,

which will be distributed to more than 6,000 families.

Karen Harrington, SOS director of development, expressed gratitude on

behalf of the organization for the local generosity. She also was

especially appreciative for the support of the Orange County Fair. On one

of the fair days in July, the entrance fee to the fair was waived in

exchange for five cans of food to be donated to SOS.

“Many of those attending far exceeded the five can minimum,” reported

Harrington.

Volunteers at SOS distribute some 200 bags of groceries each day to

the homeless, the unemployed and the working poor living in Orange

County.

* * *

The third annual Gift of Life Gala, starring local Newport Beach

celebrity Bill Medley, unfolded recently to benefit the Orange County

Cancer Education and Research Foundation. Medley, one of The Righteous

Brothers, has been an active supporter of myriad cancer-related causes.

He joined a host of Orange County civic and corporate leaders to pay

tribute to Sandrea K. Laird, a local educator who recently died after a

10-year battle with breast cancer.

The $100 per person event required guests to dress in ‘50s attire and

included bidding for a 1956 Chevy Bel Air. The evening was co-chaired by

Glen Justice and his wife Jane, with support from David Garofalo, John

Collins, Tim Smith, Stephen Bone, R. Gale Schluter and Ed Laird.

* * *

Ron and Linda Beale, local retail moguls and owners of the popular

At-Ease stores at Fashion Island, successfully launched their new venture

at South Coast Plaza last week with the opening of Global Passport.

The Crowd’s spy, Vera Oxblood of Dover Shores, attended the grand

opening event and reported, “This store opening had the absolute best

food you can possibly imagine.”

Oxblood continued gushing, “They served seared ahi. They had sushi of

all varieties, grilled shrimp and you name it.”

It’s no surprise, because we know that the Beales are top-drawer party

givers. The new store is all about comfortable and contemporary clothing

for the adventurer.

Linda Beale reports that she has created a “Tommy Bahama”concept

store, collecting merchandise from selected designers and putting it all

together under one roof for both men and women.

Global Passport has been lovingly designed by Linda Beale in very

sleek British Colonial architectural style. There is even a Trader Vic’s

inspired mai tai bar. It’s all in a day’s work on the Orange Coast.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.