THE CROWD:Dining with others in mind

The Bungalow Restaurant in Corona del Mar recently hosted a holiday dinner on behalf of the Free Wheelchair Mission, raising an impressive $60,000.

Some 70 dedicated guests converged on the English Patio at the Bungalow to enjoy dinner prepared by chef Tracy Harter. Bungalow boss Jim Walker commented, “In honor of our 10-year anniversary, we wanted to give back to the community.”

Not only did Walker host the Newport-Mesa community, but the funds raised will help physically disabled people living in poverty — in places far from Newport — obtain mobility.

Walker was joined by Doug Salisbury in making the fundraiser possible. For more information on the Free Wheelchair Mission, visit www.freewheelchairmission.org.

The Share Our Selves Adopt a Family Festival of Trees raised much-needed holiday funds last week at the Hilton Hotel in Costa Mesa.

From Nov. 27 to 30, locals were dazzled by specially designed Christmas trees that were sold, with funds going to support the life-saving services of Share Our Selves.

Big sponsors included Hilton Hotels, the Anaheim Ducks, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and our own Daily Pilot. Pilot Publisher Tom Johnson served as emcee for the big family celebration on closing night.

A buffet dinner accompanied a live and silent auction with plenty of family fun. Design contributors included Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Trinity Bay Interiors, ABC Bridal, Donne Fluer, California Style, Bastideaux Home Interiors, Madigan Design and the Lab and the Camp.

The Adopt a Family Festival of Trees program provides holiday gifts and food for local families in need. For the past 36 years, 1,000 families have been “adopted” each year by Share Our Selves donors. For more information, call Karen Harrington at (949) 515-5400, ext. 31.

The fabulous gals of the Sound of Music Guild, in support of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, rallied for the opening of Max Ristorante in Newport Beach.

A private cocktail reception and menu tasting, sponsored by restaurateur Massimo Carro, attracted the social crowd to sample the Mediterranean delicacies of Guiseppe Stanzione, head chef at Max. Stanzione is a two-star Michelin chef from the Campania region of southern Italy.

The Sound of Music party was co-chaired by Cartier’s Caroline Jones, with Pamela Lowry and Irene Tomkinson.

Sound of Music chair Denice Tsujioka was on hand to welcome guests, including Judy and Dan Pedersen, Beth Hart, Carol Dalton, Eve Kornyei, Dino and Leslie Cancellieri, Donna Anderson, Shelley and Michael Elam and Kelly Hague.

This is the season for fashion shows, store openings and designer showcases. The Newport Coast’s Harriet Sandhu joined Gianna Drake-Kerrison in inviting the crowd to sip champagne and check out the Donna Karan collection at South Coast Plaza.

W magazine was on hand as an opening sponsor in support of Karan. The midweek cocktail party and holiday shopping spree benefited Girls Inc., which provides programs for Orange County’s 5- to 18-year-old girls.

The Pacific Symphony benefited from another South Coast Plaza holiday debut, as CH Carolina Herrera welcomed a crowd of some 200 local guests for a reception chaired by the very dynamic duo Ellie Gordon and Lynn Freeman. CH donated 10% of sales over five opening days to the Pacific Symphony.

This week, the very trendy Pucci reemerged, also at South Coast Plaza. The Harvesters, in support of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, helped Pucci open its colorful doors as the well-dressed crowd mingled cheek to cheek among the psychedelic signature of the Italian design house.

Gents in the crowd wore Pucci pocket hankies, and the ladies all wore the Pucci dress. They even had furniture upholstered in Pucci fabric.

Spotted in the crowd were Jennifer and Anton Segerstrom, David Grant, Kathryn Glassmyer, Debra Gunn Downing and Carmela Phillips.

Dennis and Chris Overstreet, the much admired Lido Isle couple, reopened their bistro — formerly known as Aubergine — on the peninsula last week, naming their very hip eatery 508.

Overstreet, wine master to European royalty and American movie stars, has teamed up with a very young daring chef and dining staff to create a bistro menu that is casual and affordable, yet very sophisticated. Dennis and Chris are creating Newport’s new place to be seen and to enjoy the best of the unique beach lifestyle.

From 5 to 7 tonight, the public is invited to experience 508 at a holiday open house featuring Christmas caroling, cotton candy and candy canes galore, a chocolate fountain and a sampling of their signature mini hamburger sliders.

“We want this to be the kind of place people feel comfortable just dropping in,” Chris Overstreet said. “Reservations for six or more, otherwise just come on by.”

For more information about the holiday open house or to make a dinner reservation, call (949) 723-4150.