An elegant and Fashionable party, a la the Great Gatsby

It was quite possibly the most elegant dinner party this summer on

the Orange Coast. Glamorous Corona del Mar hostess Valaree Wahler and

her debonair husband, Robert, opened their spectacular ocean-front

estate for the Fashionables in support of Chapman University.

Arriving at the contemporary masterpiece on the Pacific Ocean,

red-jacketed valets whisked away the procession of mostly black

automobiles delivering guests in 1920s-era attire as called for by

the event chairwoman, Adrienne Brennan, a knockout in a cream-colored

lace flapper dress with shoes and bonnet to match.

The nearly 100 fashionable patrons entered the Wahler compound,

passing through an Asian-themed garden with waterscape including a

koi pond stocked with magnificent creatures swimming about and under

fragrant water lilies. The silky gray family cat stood guard over the

pond, ignoring some of Orange County’s most famous citizens crossing

over the aggregate stone bridge into the breathtaking foyer that was

only a hint of the grandeur awaiting the assemblage.

Valaree Wahler swooshed into the grand salon in a white summer

evening dress and fur boa only eclipsed by fabulous pearl and diamond

jewelry. The hostess bussed the arriving crush, which included a most

elegant Donna Bunce, who wears orange better than any living soul on

the planet.

One of Newport’s best-dressed women, Zee Allred, was escorted by

Drago Gligic. Platinum blond Mary Dell Barkoruras and beau Tom

Johnston made the rounds joining Patricia Groth, Ollie Hill, Karen

Hardin with hairdresser Craig Brown, Leslie and Larry Cancellieri,

Betty Moss and classy Toni Oliphant. As the crowd moved through the

salon of the residence and onto the multileveled terraces facing the

Pacific Ocean, white-gloved waiters passed hors d’oeuvres and

martinis flowed.

Brennan created the party with a Great Gatsby theme, and the band

played on accordingly. One moment the early evening air was filled

with the melody of “What’ll I Do?” and the next moment the Charleston

had the crowd dancing. One of the highlights of the evening was a

performance on the saxophone by Jerry Mandel, president of the Orange

County Performing Arts Center. Mandel played a number of classic

favorites as the crowd applauded and requested multiple encore

numbers.

Lido Isle’s dashing man-about-town Jerry Richards worked the crowd

on behalf of Chapman University. Richards is chairman of the

Fashionables’ Men’s Patron Committee and works hard year-round to

raise funds and awareness for the local university led by respected

economist Jim Doti, unable to attend the party because he and wife

Lynne were in Spain visiting Ambassador and Mrs. George Argyros.

George Argyros is the chairman of the board of trustees of Chapman

University and has donated considerable resources for the betterment

of the school over the past three decades.

Dinner was served al fresco in the Wahler gardens facing the

ocean. Round tables of eight invited the guests to a magnificent

buffet of top sirloin and salmon. Buffet stations were set up on

multiple levels of the grounds so that each section of the party felt

intimate, with no line for food service. The crashing surf over

jagged rocks blended with the waterfall edge of the spectacular

infinity pool.

Host Robert Wahler, dressed in immaculate burgundy silk bow tie

and white dinner jacket, shared that the pool was his favorite part

of the estate. “I try and swim every day,” commented Wahler, showing

some of the patrons the guesthouse suite on the lower level of the

property, below the swimming pool.

“If I were a guest, I would never go home,” said one patroness

looking through the walls of glass at an apartment that would serve

any average royal.

Wahler responded: “The space has a tiny closet. So you see, guests

don’t stay that long.”

Everyone laughed.

The theme of the night was best exemplified by Jacqueline Dillman.

In addition to her period dress and diamond hair band reminiscent of

the 1920s, Dillman carried an autographed copy of F. Scott

Fitzgerald’s celebrated novel, “The Great Gatsby.” Dillman lamented

that only a few of the guests had actually read the book.

Also in the crowd were Nora and Jim Johnson, Judie Manto, Betty

Belden Palmer, the handsome John Fitzpatrick, the very fashionable

couple Pat and Dick Allen, decorator to the stars Norma Smith, local

movers and shakers Joyce and Tom Tucker, Mary Jean Simpkins, Joan and

Dick Stevens, Barbara and Jay Magness, Eve Kornyei and Stan Hanson,

Judy Jacobs with Don Spitz, Rusty and Bill Hood and Dawn and Bob

Washer.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.