Chic crowd shakes a leg to Motown

B.W. COOK

Art of Dining, hailed as one of America’s premiere visual arts

fundraisers took on a decidedly more youthful cast this year under

the chairmanship of Jennifer Segerstrom and Jennifer Van Bergh. The

17-year path of charity for the Orange County Museum of Art, formerly

the Newport Harbor Art Museum, has made a mark honoring some of the

nation’s great contemporary artists and the patrons who sustain the

visual arts. Names such as David Rockefeller, Eli Broad, Donald Bren

and Henry Segerstrom have been lauded in years past.

Chairs of the event, one of the most lavish in not only Orange

County, but nationwide, have created virtual masterpieces of decor as

a backdrop to culinary adventure unrivaled. Celebrated chefs have

been flown in from around the world. The works of famous artists have

been displayed around the event space. Every element of the party

planning is worthy of a Town and Country spread. Some of the Orange

County women in charge in recent years have been Marsha Anderson,

Twyla Martin, Pam Muzzy, Joan Riach and Elizabeth Tierney. They all

came to Art of Dining 2004 to be honored and to enjoy the

transformation led by Segerstrom and Van Bergh.

This year, the party unfolded in the billowing white tent on top

of Pelican Hill. Produced by Jeff Best of “best events, Los Angeles,”

the affair placed an accent on fun. As guests arrived at the Pelican

Hill Clubhouse, they were escorted by luxury coach down the gravel

drive to the tent perched on a plateau overlooking the Pelican Hill

Golf Course out to the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival, a display of new

Rolls Royces graced the garden beside the tent as the Four Seasons

staff served chilled champagne in tall crystal flutes at sunset.

Under the big top, a cocktail party galore brought together the

crowd in grand style, sampling delicacies passed on silver trays and

reconnecting business and social connections with the purpose of

supporting art in Orange County. The reception was highlighted by a

passionate speech given by Bill Viola, guest artist for 2004. Viola,

an acclaimed video artist and recognized pioneer in that medium,

spoke of the importance of artistic license and inner voice of the

human spirit that leads one on the creative journey.

The main section of the tent was opened around 8 p.m. as the crowd

sauntered in for the dining experience of the year. The exceptional

Four Seasons kitchen served a five-star dinner that began with

medallions of lobster and black summer truffles, followed by

porcini-dusted Chilean sea bass, a main course of roasted rack of

veal and a dessert of warm peach Croustade with creme fraiche ice

cream. Each course was served with wines to complement the culinary

creations, provided by Byron, Arrowood and Mondavi wineries.

As dinner was served, the music was also delivered. This year it

was Motown, and the beat had the dining guests up on their dancing

feet. In the crowd were glamorous Maralou and Jerry Harrington,

Rebecca and Carl McLarand of Bayshores, Elaine and Martin Weinberg of

Lido Isle, the elegant Suzanne and James Mellor, Jean and Tim Weiss,

who are longtime, ardent supporters of the Orange County Museum of

Art, and Dover Shores community activists George and Nancy Wall. Also

in the chic crowd were Norma and Dell Glover, good-looking couple

Cindy and Hal Harley of the Newport peninsula, Alison Frenzel, Leon

Lyon, Suki and Randy McCardle, Carl and Pat Neisser, and Robin and

John McMonigle.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.