Realty agents put best feet forward at fashion show

BARBARA DIAMOND

“Only In Laguna” would the police chief flash his manly chest to

raise funds for worthy causes.

The Laguna Board of Realtors and Affiliates sixth annual “Only in

Laguna” Life’s a Beach fashion show raised more than $30,000 for

charity. Proceeds will benefit Ocean Laguna, created to preserve and

protect our beaches; Sally’s Fund, which helps seniors to live

independent lives; and No Square Theatre, which offers theatrical

opportunities for local amateur performers of all ages.

Board members, city dignitaries, business people and local

clothing stores teamed up for the best show yet.

Besides Police Chief James Spreine, models included petite Mayor

Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider -- “She was 6 foot 8 before she became

mayor and got beat up,” show commentator, affiliate Jerry Bieser said

-- City Treasurer Laura Parisi; Fire Captain Api Weinert; Laguna

Beach County Water District General Manager Renae Hinchey; banker

Annie Morris; Realtors Teresa Tatch, Kim Hutchinson, Wayne Woodard

and Les Jenison; affiliates Faye Kirk -- who co-chaired the show with

Rick Gold, Dara Sandrini, Rick Cirelli, Mark Simon and Chris

Williams; and Gold’s grandchildren, Giuliana Davar, Logan and Aleia

Gavin.

The show was held March 24 at Tivoli Too.

Realtor Patty Truman coordinated the show and recruited the banjo

quartet “Sons of Beaches,” formed in 1950, which included Truman’s

lifelong friends and fellow Laguna Beach High School graduates Tom

Morey, Jack Morse and Bill Lorton, and from the younger generation,

his son, Jason.

Arts Commissioner, Arts Alliance Chair, No Square Theatre

performer and mistress of the triple entendre Pat Kollenda shared the

commentators’ microphone with Bieser commentators.

“Take it off, Jimmy,” cooed Kollenda to Spreine, who was making

his last appearance in the fashion show -- he is retiring this fall

and is moving to Washington with his wife, Linda, who retired from

law enforcement in January.

Kollenda also performed a hula -- who knew?

No Square Theatre and Lagunatics singers Bree Burgess Rosen,

Ericka Jones, Randy Hatfield, Gregg Barnette and Dave Schaar

entertained.

“You Can’t Reach the Beach from the 133” featured some vintage

bathing suits, but the “Bathing Beauties” segment with Schaar,

Realtors Tom Simpson, Woodward and Noel Johnson and affiliate Patrick

Freeman, was almost as much of a crowd-pleaser as the fabled

Aquanettes in “Splash.”

Laguna Community Clinic Director Ericka Waidley had more than

clothes on her mind at the event. The clinic will present a Champagne

Brunch and Fashion Show Extraordinaire on April 10 at Tivoli Too,

featuring clothes, jewelry and accessories from Gallery of Wearable

Art, Meeschka, Tops and Sawdust Festival exhibitor, Olivia

Batchelder.

Proceeds will benefit the clinic, which is celebrating its 35th

year of service in the city.

Admission is $35 per person. MasterCard, Visa and American Express

are accepted. Tables of six, eight or 10 are available. Reservations

will be held at the door. For more information, or reservations, call

Alice Klein at (949) 494-0761, Ext. 134, before April 5.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 222 in the

Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949)

494-8979.