An evening to benefit Orange County Museum of Art

She is one of the most creative and sophisticated hostesses on the

California Riviera. Marsha Anderson, the glamorous redheaded wife of

Knott’s heir Darrel Anderson, created a spectacular evening for the

Orange County Museum of Art, under the banner of “Art of Dining XVI.”

More than $575,000 was raised in support of the museum as guests,

local and long distance, mingled at Pelican Hill enjoying what was

certainly one of the top five events of the year in Newport. The

evening’s theme was “Celebrating California,” and Anderson made sure

that each of the 350 guests who were dressed to kill had a killer

time.

The celebration began with an extravagant cocktail reception at

sunset in the Pelican Hill Clubhouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The crowd was then ushered across the property to the massive white

big-top tent erected on a promontory point.

Anderson and team transformed the interior of the tent into a

backdrop of hot pink and vibrant orange. Spectacular shaded lanterns

hung from the rafters, and dramatic lighting added to the mood. Art

of Dining has become well known for its creative design, and it seems

that each year it is elevated one more step beyond what is

imaginable.

Another impressive element of the affair was a collaboration with

a distinguished artist and art patron. This season, Bay Area artist

Nathan Oliveira, who lives and works at Stanford, joined the

celebration. Oliveira rose to prominence in 1959 when he was included

in the Museum of Modern Art’s “New Images of Man,” an exhibition of

figurative art.

Along with Oliveira, arts philanthropist David A. Coulter, vice

chairman of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., was lauded as benefactor and

arts advocate.

As guests and patrons enjoyed a four-course dinner prepared by a

team of executive chefs representing a selection of Four Season’s

Hotels in California, friends mingled under the tent and on the dance

floor brought to life by Art Deco and his Society Orchestra.

Some of the members of Anderson’s committee deserving recognition

for the success of the evening include Ronnie Allumbaugh, Barbara

Bowie, Cerise Feeley, Donna Phelps, Joan Riach, Sandi Simon and

Elaine Weinberg. Sponsors giving generously to the museum and the

party were Julia and George Argyros, Elizabeth and Tom Tierney,

Elizabeth and Henry Segerstrom, Alison and Bud Frenzel, Suki and

Randall McCardle, Nancy and Donald Wynne, Michelle Rohe, and George

and Nancy Wall.

Spotted in the crowd were Stephanie and Ken Grody, Carolyn and Don

Lowe, Rebecca McLarand, Carl and Pat Neisser, Barbara and Bill

Roberts, Mac Shattuck, Debbie Simon, Jennifer Van Bergh, and Teddie

and Michael Ray.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.