Putting on the Ritz for a rotunda

B.W. COOK

The Fashionable Women of Chapman University gathered in Newport Beach

at the Ritz Restaurant for its 18th annual Christmas luncheon.

The Saturday afternoon affair attracted a wide cross-section of

community support, all steadfast believers in the Chapman University

creed of offering students a value-oriented education. Chapman

President Jim Doti, who has been credited with turning the university

around and putting it on the national map of distinguished centers of

higher education, greeted patrons at the Ritz Restaurant alongside

his wife Lynne.

Santa Claus also joined the Dotis in welcoming guests, including

Marybelle and S. Paul Musco, Joann Leatherby and Gregory Bates and

Dorothy and Donald Kennedy. All three couples served as honorary

chairs of this holiday luncheon that has become something of a “who’s

who” event in Newport Beach at Christmas time.

The celebration began with a champagne reception on the Ritz

patio, where the well-dressed patrons stood cheek to cheek, admiring

each other’s Christmas finery. Julia Argyros looked smashing in a

Scottish plaid Christmas suit with a broad brimmed red velvet hat to

match. George and Julia Argyros were the grand patrons of the holiday

luncheon.

Chapman University is very special to George Argyros, the former

ambassador to Spain.

He graduated from Chapman and as his stature and success has grown

in life, so has his commitment to the university.

Today, he serves as chairman of the board of directors supporting

Jim Doti and the grand expansion of the school.

While Julia Argyros was a vision in red, Rusty Hood was a vision

in green. Nancy Burnett, Arden Flamson, Catherine Thyen, Sandra

Beigel, Judie Manto, Joyce Weiss, Sue Hook and Charlene Prager were

there, all supporting Chapman and helping raise the bar on the

quality of education for Chapman students.

Following the lively pre-luncheon reception, guests filled the

Ritz Restaurant to share a traditional holiday meal, enjoy a fashion

presentation by Escada of South Coast Plaza -- with models wearing

jewels by Cartier -- and to partake in what has become one of the

big-time prize drawings in town. Twenty-two incredible gifts, ranging

in value from more than $1,000 to $20,000, were given away to lucky

ticket holders in the restaurant crowd.

This year’s grand prize came from Black Starr and Frost in South

Coast Plaza in the form of a $20,000 brooch, fashioned after a frog

and set with over seven carats of diamonds and emeralds.

The brooch represents “life and longevity”, and the emerald green

bow on the back of the frog is a symbol of good luck in the coming

year.

Life, longevity and good luck were certainly the hopes of all the

attendees for one another and for the school as a whole. The special

day was chaired by Donna Bunce and presided over by Adrienne Brennan

Green, the president of the Fashionable Women of Chapman. Looking

like a pair of winter white angels, Bunce and Green handled the

proceedings with panache. In the crowd were Ticia and Jack Choumas of

Lido Isle, hairstylist to the stars Craig Brown, Nancy Baldwin,

Sandra Brodie, Peggy Goldwater Clay and Vesta Curry. Also lending

support to Chapman were Sandi and Doug Jackson, Karen Hardin,

Patricia Groth, Martha Green, Eve Kornyei, JoAnne Mix, Marion

Pickens, Alison McCormick, June Wian and Dee Dee Sodaro.

The Fashionables have pledged $500,000 to Chapman University over

a five-year period to help build the rotunda boardroom in the new

Marion Knott Studios in the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

Christmas at the Ritz was a resounding success, raising in excess of

$165,000 toward the goal.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.