Angels decorate gingerbread houses at tea time

It was all about gingerbread house decorating as Harbor Island’s

glamorous New Jersey transplant Debbie Simon invited a few friends to

holiday tea at Teddy Bears and Tea Cups on Balboa Island.

The pre-Christmas ladies’ afternoon on Balboa was actually a

gathering of gals who are active members of Angels of the Arts, one

of the premiere support groups of The Orange County Performing Arts

Center.

“It was just a simple little party where we all enjoyed a cup of

tea and then individually decorated gingerbread houses. It was great

fun,” said Simon, dressed in holiday shades of red.

Thrilled by the chance to act like little girls again were

Newport’s Cerise Feeley, Susie Ellis, Sandy Simon, Pat Rypinski, Judy

Barry, Valarie Wahler and Stacey Downey.

A SHELTER BRUNCH

Friends of the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter gathered for

holiday brunch at the Big Canyon residence of Carolyn and Bill Klein.

Chaired by Lynne Bloomberg, the afternoon event raised needed funds

plus a truckload of gifts for the children spending the holidays at

the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter.

“One of the highlights of the event was a brief talk by Melanie

McKown, whose family recently graduated from the shelter’s temporary

program,” said Gale Edleberg of Costa Mesa. “McKown is now living in

her own apartment with her husband and two children. She shared with

the gathering their plight as a homeless family and how she was able

to turn her life around.”

Friends of the shelter president Judy Cooper was in the crowd,

along with the shelter’s new interim director, Gabrielle Hass, who

offered the statistics that the shelter houses between 50 and 60

adults and 40 to 50 children each and every day of the year.

Sadly, the demand for services is increasing, and the staff is

forced to turn away as many as 60 persons in a day. Imagine having to

turn away a homeless child and parent in need of help.

CAMELOT CHRISTMAS

With songs of the season, Nora and Jim Johnson greeted the

arriving crush as guests arrived for the Camelot Christmas Dinner and

Boat Parade Party at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del

Mar. The Camelot Chapter of The Guilds supporting the Orange County

Performing Arts Center is one of the oldest and most generous of the

chapters, with many dedicated members supporting the arts.

The Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade was the perfect reason to

gather for holiday joy, as a sumptuous Christmas buffet was served by

the yacht club. In addition to the holiday greeting by the Johnsons,

Camelot members Fran Applegate, Veneta Moreno, Joan Williams and

Darlene Swearingen entertained the crowd with feeling and gusto.

Rodger Swearingen performed on the trombone with featured

vocalists Nancy Thompson and Rosalie Friedman. Jim Roberts served as

musical master of ceremonies, and the guests enjoyed dinner, dancing

and a spectacular floating parade of lights.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.