The Crowd

B.W. Cook

Christian Steffen and Eve Kornyei report that the finishing touches

are in place for the Adoption Guild of Southern Orange County’s special

evening tonight at South Coast Plaza. Organizers are billing the event as

a winter extravaganza for friends and family, with live music,

opportunity prizes and fabulous food from a host of South Coast Plaza

eateries.

All proceeds will benefit the counseling, adoption and foster care

services of the Southern Orange County Adoption Guild, which is a wing of

Holy Family Services. Admission is $20 per person, and is complimentary

for children younger than 14. For last-minute reservations, call Eve

Kornyei at (949) 675-8787 or just show up at South Coast Plaza, Bear

Street side, at 6 p.m.

* * *

The wonderful Sharon McNalley of Corona del Mar joined forces with

fellow community activists Susan Beechner, Eva Schneider and author

Steven Harris to present the music of jazz legend Stan Kenton at the

Balboa Pavilion.

The Sunday performance brought together family and friends of Kenton

to hear his music performed by a group known as the Hutchins Consort. The

ensemble is the world’s only professional performing group of eight

acoustically matched violins crafted by world-renowned luthier Carleen

Hutchins.

More than 100 local guests gathered for the event hosted by emcee Bob

Boyer. In the crowd were Kenton’s former wife, JoAnn Kenton; his sister

Jean Kenton Baxter; his son Lance Kenton; and his granddaughter Susannah

Kenton. Steven Harris recently completed a biography of Stan Kenton.

Also in the crowd were Joe McNalley, Howard Rumsey, Vesta Curry,

Judith Jelinek and Jan Landstrom.

* * *

Art-savvy locals were hosted by European linen purveyor Frette for an

inaugural luncheon as part of Art of Dining XV. It was the first of a

series of posh events that will gather financial forces with the

objective of supporting the Orange County Museum of Art vis-a-vis the

culinary extravaganza known in Orange County as Art Of Dining.

The museum’s acting director, Liz Armstrong, was on hand for the

luncheon with Darrel Anderson, chairman of the board of trustees. Also in

the crowd were Newport Beach’s chic Sandy Simon, Robin Turner, Twyla

Martin and Erin Trunell.

* * *

More than 500 guests filled the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom to hear

nationally recognized financial advisor Victoria Collins pay tribute to

Vivian Clecak, co-founder of Human Options. The sold-out luncheon netted

$150,000 for the nonprofit organization, which shelters abused women and

children in Orange County and fights the curse of domestic violence.

A touching video message was delivered to Clecak by ABC News anchor

Cokie Roberts. Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson joined Ann Sim, Beth

Krom, Meredith Khachigian, Terry Goldfarb-Lee and Sophie Hall Cripe in

honoring Clecak’s work.

* * *

Susan Bridgford, just about to give birth, took time to report on a

joyous holiday event known as the “Home for the Holidays” home tour

coming Dec. 1 to support St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. Bridgford and

her fellow organizers have lined up five spectacular homes in the coastal

hills featuring elegant holiday decor. There will be wine tasting,

cuisine sampling, a holiday boutique and more planned for the all day

event.

Home tour tickets cost $50 and may be reserved by calling (949)

661-0108, Ext. 688.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.