An elegant Newport evening fit for a lord
A Monday night reception at the Lido Isle residence of Marion and
Roger Palley welcomed a chic contingent of men and women supporting
the Decorative Arts Society and its beneficiary, New Directions for
Women.
The stylish Marion Palley, a designer with refined classic taste,
opened her family residence in honor of Lord James Crathorne and his
wife, Lady Sylvia, who had come to Newport Beach from London to
address the crowd on the state of the art market.
Lord and Lady Crathorne flew in from the San Francisco Bay Area,
en route from their home in England, after spending a few days
exploring the Napa Valley.
The handsome British couple shared Chardonnay with Newporters
including Sandra Ayres, chairwoman of the Decorative Arts Society,
and her husband, Don. The Ayres family, residents of Newport Heights,
have finished the creation of an English regency residence with
Palladian influence, overlooking Cliff Drive Park and the Newport
Bay.
Pat and Carl Neisser, longtime friends of Lord and Lady Crathorne,
dropped in at the Palley party to catch up with their friends who are
also very prominent in the travel and hotel industry in Europe. Pat
Neisser is our Newport Beach-based world travel writer and
photographer.
Marion Palley introduced the crowd to the young and handsome
couple Cher and Ken Beall, residents of Pelican Point, living in a
Marion Palley-designed oceanfront villa. The Bealls chatted with
antique dealer Tom Stansbury and designer Ann Dennis, escorted by her
husband, Bill.
Fine furniture purveyors Jim and Barbara Glabman were on hand for
the reception, joining Linda Isle’s Joan Sammis, Cecilia Nott, Mary
Mano, Hyla and Richard Bertea, Janet Ayres, Randa Phair and Meredith
Graves-Foreman.
The Palleys’ setting was an exceptional backdrop for the reception
recognizing the renowned Lord Crathorne.
In warm and gracious style, the ladies of the Decorative Arts
Society joined with Marion Palley in providing a delectable spread of
appetizers served by Marion’s staff. From the Palley gumbo to
overflowing silver platters of fresh shellfish to hors d’oeuvres of
every variety, there was plenty of nibbling going on.
The some 100 invited guests flowed in and out of the home,
wandering the petite English garden filled with white blossoms,
splashing fountains and trimmed privet hedges lining stone pathways
leading to romantic hideaways graced with Australian tree ferns and
gardenias awaiting spring bloom.
The Decorative Arts Society is an organization of women and men
involved with or just passionate about the genre of design and decor.
Many of the members are very directly involved in the business of
interior design, and many more make it an important part of their
daily life.
The Society sponsors annual lectures bringing to the community
many of the most influential people in the decorative arts field.
Lord Crathorne addressed the Newport-Mesa audience the next morning,
filling a Newport Center Drive theater to capacity. All funds raised
from these Decorative Arts Society adventures support the alcohol and
drug dependency recovery programs for women in this community,
through the work of New Directions.
Also on hand for the fun were Nancy DeYoung, James and Jamie
Sheperdson of Bayshores, Bonnie McClellan, Roger and Margaret Nord,
Maureen Ramer, Carolyn Garrett and Mary Anna Jeppe.
* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.
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