THE CROWD

B.W. Cook

The words “taste” and “style” are bantered about freely in society

columns. Truthfully, there are only a minority of people in any given

community at any given time that possess an innate sense of style that is

expressed in their daily lives.

OK, it sounds elitist. It sounds snobbish. And I suppose in an

argument, I would lose this debate when asked, “How do you define taste

and style?” Indeed, the definition of style is interpretive. Certainly,

it is highly subjective. I can tell you that I know it when I see it.

What is style? It is an original expression that defines and reflects

the intellect and the heart of the individual. Otherwise stated, style is

about creating a sense of importance about the human condition. Style

elevates us from the ordinary, opening doors and giving us the

opportunity to see our world from a perspective that we would have never

imagined possible.

Style is often about studying artistic elements of human endeavor

including art, architecture, literature, world civilization, religion,

music, fashion and every imaginable expression of culture. Taking

knowledge, the individual possessing that special sense of style applies

what they have learned to their own point of view.

This week I was invited into the home of a woman that has both taste

and style extraordinaire. Actually, some 200 Newport-Mesa citizens were

invited into the home of Sally Crockett and her husband Randy Crockett

for a patron cocktail reception honoring The Sound of Music Chapter of

The Guilds of the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Arriving at the front door of the Crockett home on Pelican Point,

Sally summoned gentlemen attired in red Cartier doorman uniforms to greet

her guests. The foyer of the Italian Mediterranean coastal villa held

white-gloved waiters pouring flutes of French champagne while hostesses

in beautiful silk Asian kimonos and straw hats spiked with spiced

skewered appetizers delighted the crowd as the servers bowed their heads

to serve the first bite of the evening.

It was just the beginning of a party filled with surprises created by

the hostess, in what I later found out was something short of a miracle

because the Crockett family had experienced a house fire only two days

before the event.

“I’m glad you didn’t see the side of the house that’s bandaged,” mused

the hostess wearing a very tailored scooped neck red cocktail dress.

“Apparently the fire started in a utility closet and burned for some time

before we were alerted by our son, who came running into the kitchen to

deliver the news.”

Crockett went on to explain that her neighbors had already called the

fire department and their fast response averted disaster. The next day

the Crockett’s building contractor arrived on scene to assess the damage

and help the family prepare for The Sound of Music event. The party went

on without a hitch, and nobody knew. That’s what you call style under

pressure.

Organizers of the evening included the dynamic Eve Kornyei, Karen

Gregor, Diane Palumbo, Marsha Orlin, Tracy Martin and Patsy Marshall. The

ladies welcomed 79 active members of The Sound of Music Chapter, along

with 40 patrons of the guild with their husbands and escorts.

Guests explored the Crockett residence as cocktails were served at

sunset, while dinner was being artfully prepared by a catering company

from Pasadena known as Exploring Foods. As supper was announced in the

Crockett dining room, the table setting was unveiled, worthy of a museum

display and garnering sighs and gasps from the appreciative crowd.

The Asian-themed feast was presented atop massive crystal vases filled

with gleaming fresh fruit. Bamboo trays overflowed with delicacies.

Candles flickered, lights were dimmed, and the elegant room, which

featured a massive Chinese Coromandel panel screen, transported the local

crowd right into a scene from the film “The King And I.” I expected

Deborah Kerr to appear at any moment.

Performing Arts Center President Jerry Mandel mingled with his

striking bride Whitney Mandel, chatting up the crowd along with the

handsome couple Terry and Judi Jones. Terry Jones is vice president of

development for the Center.

The lovely Jerri Goodreau, chairwoman of The Guilds, enjoyed the

stylish evening along with Diane Howe, director of support groups for the

Performing Arts Center.

The evening was an opportunity for The Sound of Music Guild to

celebrate and to announce its upcoming annual dinner gala, which will be

co-chaired by Patsy Marshall and Diane Palumbo. The evening, set for

March 9 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach, is being billed as

“Easy Rider Returns With Peter Fonda.” Fonda is scheduled to attend.

Adding to the excitement of the Crockett reception, Cartier Inc. at

South Coast Plaza, under the management of the most capable Caroline

Jones, joined forces with the Crocketts and The Sound of Music Chapter to

assist in the producing of the midweek reception.

Jones adorned exquisite models in radiant diamonds, sapphires and

pearls. They stood mannequin-like on pedestals fronting the artistically

created, mosaic-tiled Crockett pool facing the golf course and the

Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Enjoying what was surely one of the most stylish receptions of the

fall social calendar were Ann and Mike Howard, Martha Green, Cathy

Lowden, Harriet and Sandy Sandhu, Kathie and John Porter, Kelly and John

Hague, Kimberly and Ross Feinberg, Diane and Rick Allen, Patricia and

Otis Cranford, Kimberly and Scott Matteson, Robin Rae and Delvin Lewis,

Stacie Spitzer, Carol Dalton, Roslyn Rustigian, and Barbara and Jay

Magness.

Jay Magness exhibited a bit of his own unique style arriving with his

bride in his 1964 black Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. Naturally, the

valets positioned the car front and center.

Hats off to the Crocketts for their generous support of the Orange

County Performing Arts Center, and for adding a healthy dose of style to

the Orange Coast social scene.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.