Arty pack at the center of fundraising

B.W. COOK

Morton’s the Steakhouse in Costa Mesa was the hot spot. The cool

crowd comprised the Center Stars, an exclusive support group of the

Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The ladies came for a luncheon and a visit with Robin Follman, a

soprano who has performed at the center on several occasions, in

addition to starring in international opera productions. The talented

and warmhearted Follman is the daughter of the much-admired Orange

County couple Carole and Robert Follman of Coto de Caza. Mom is a

member of the Center Stars and Dad is on the board of directors for

the center.

The fall social season is in full swing with several benefits for

the center, including a recent cocktail reception underwritten by

Cartier, South Coast Plaza and led by the disarming Caroline Jones.

The Sound of Music Chapter of the Guilds of the Orange County

Performing Arts Center was welcomed into the estate of Debbie and Ron

Millar in the hills of Shady Canyon as Cartier models, showing off

the “Panthere Collection,” meandered throughout the party. Guests,

including chairs Jennifer Condas, Pamela Lowry, Beth Hart and Tracy

Martin, sampled the cuisine prepared by Kitchen For Exploring Food

and ogled the Cartier jewels.

The Sound of Music reception was staged as a preview for the big

upcoming fundraising gala set for March 5. The Sound of Music ladies

are known for their extravagant affairs, always with a

no-holds-barred theme. Next year, they are calling the party “Enter

The Forbidden Jungle.” Can you hear the beat of the distant drums?

Paula Macko and Irene Tomkinson are set to chair the jungle boogie.

In still further arts center-related news, the Angels of the Arts,

another most dedicated and exclusive support wing of the center,

recently gathered at Chat Noir in Costa Mesa to meet and greet Lucie

Arnaz, the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The candid Lucie

Arnaz shared moments of her life and times with the crowd, sharing

about her personal philanthropic support for AIDS-related charities.

Later, she opened the Cabaret Series in Founders Hall at the center

to rousing standing ovations. She told the audience that her act

comprised songs that her father had taught her.

And speaking of cabaret, time for a shameless plug to promote a

little cabaret show Wednesday at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort. Jerry

Mandel, president of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, will

team up with yours truly to perform a benefit show for the Adoption

Guild of Southern Orange County. All proceeds from the evening,

lovingly organized by Newport’s Lin Auer, will benefit the guild.

Mandel and I will be joined by some of the finest jazz musicians in

Orange County, led by Gary Matsurra with music direction by Ron

Kobayashi. To support the Adoption Guild, please call Auer at (949)

760-6993. Tickets are $10, and show time is 8:30 p.m.

The Corona del Mar Home Tour, chaired by Patsy Marshall and Carol

Dalton, was a major success with record attendance, the best in more

than a decade. The tour benefiting Corona del Mar Middle and High

schools included visits to seven spectacular residences.

The day began with a morning reception at Rouge, a little touring,

then a luncheon at Sherman Gardens -- which attracted almost 2,000

guests, more touring and finally a closing cocktail reception

in-store at Barclay Butera in Westcliff. When all was said and done,

more than $120,000 was raised, an increase of more than 20% over the

previous year.

Some of the dedicated women organizing the event were Danni Good,

Mary Jeanne Hawes, Patty Lance, Sarah Hange, Jerrilynn Kline, Karen

Sanford and Robyn Moss. Also involved were Cathy Kroof, Sue Ferguson,

Shawn Cunningham, Ellyne Warsaw and Janice Sheldon.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan joined Orange County

citizens at the 2004 MIND Institute Awards Dinner held last Friday

evening at the Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach. High profile O.C.

citizens Henry Samueli of Corona del Mar and Paul Folino joined Janet

Ray and Marian Bergeson in throwing the dinner, recognizing

outstanding educators in the community. Riordan, now the California

Secretary of Education under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, presented

awards to Erin Kominsky, Claudia Kries, Carole Apaloo, Janet Schermer

and Lynn Shelley. In addition, two Orange County students, Eric

Walker and Candice Ly, were also recognized.

The event was designed to raise $150,000 to benefit the MIND

Institute’s Math Plus Music K-12 Educational Program. This innovative

program is projected to serve some 13,000 local schoolchildren this

year. For more information on the program and the MIND Institute,

contact Mickey Shaw at (714) 751-5443.

Lido Isle’s dynamic Lorraine Hennessy reports that the Heritage

Pointe champagne gala fundraising dinner was a major success for the

retired residents of Orange County’s only Jewish home for the aged.

The recent Sunday evening dinner at the Hyatt Irvine honored Newport

Beach residents Carolyn and Bill Klein and Chela Taleisnik. The

black-tie dinner dance is expected to raise more than $200,000, which

will be used to help underwrite needs for some of the residents at

Heritage Pointe. Local women Lynne Bloomberg, Sandi Selvan and Bonnie

Simon worked hard to ensure a fabulous evening for this 16th annual

fundraiser.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.